Environment Sustainability Testing Act. Country/Territory Austria Document type Legislation Date 1993 Source FAO, FAOLEX Original source Bundesgesetzblatt für die Republik Österreich, Text No. 697, 14 October 1993, pp. 5827-5846. Long titleFederal Act on environmental sustainability testing and public participation. Subject Environment gen. Keyword EIA Basic legislation Environmental planning Institution Ecosystem preservation Monitoring Data collection/reporting Precautionary principle Transboundary effects Land-use planning Geographical area Alps, Europe, EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA, European Union Countries, Western Europe Abstract The purpose of this Act is to set up systems for (i) assessing the impact of planned activities on man, animals and plants, soil, water, air and climate, ecosystems, landscapes and cultural heritage; (ii) providing information on these activities and involving the public in the relevant decision-making processes. The Act also contains a schedule of projects that must be subjected to a sustainability test, namely an environmental impact assessment, and sets out the procedure to be followed for conducting and monitoring this test. The relevant authorities are responsible for drawing up an environmental impact research plan and to draft a list of experts qualified to carry out sustainability evaluations. The Act requires the authorities concerned to provide free public access to all the information available on the sustainability tests conducted on the planned activities, of which a list is given in the schedule. It also requires public hearings to held to debate the projects, and provides the possibility for independent experts to express dissenting opinions. The ways in which the public may participate in decision-taking are through written or oral statements, petitions and addressing the public hearings. The projects approved following an environmental impact study must be implemented in accordance with the conditions laid down in the licences issued for them. During the following three to five years, sustainability tests must be conducted on them to ensure total compliance. If not, the authorization or licence may be withdrawn. Full text German