How to apply for Environmental Impact Assessment License in Kenya

The project report can take a period of 5 days to complete and costs approximately Ksh. 50,000. Once the EIA project report submit hard copies of it to NEMA with the initial payment of 50% of 0.05% of the Total Project cost. At this point NEMA dispatches the EIA report to lead agencies for review. here is a guide on How to apply for Environmental Impact Assessment License in Kenya

Procedure for Environmental Impact Assessment License

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a critical examination of the effects of a project on the environment. An EIA identifies both negative and positive impacts of any development activity or project, how it affects people, their property and the environment.
• EIA also identifies measures to mitigate the negative impacts, while maximizing on the positive ones. EIA is basically a preventive process. It seeks to minimize adverse impacts on the environment and reduces risks.
• The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is mandated by the Environmental Management and Coordination Act EMCA) no 8 of 1999 to administer the EIA.
  

Apply In-Person for Environmental Impact Assessment License

1. Contact Individual Experts or Firm of Experts to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment for your project. You should note that only registered licensed environmental expert by NEMA are the only ones licensed to carry out all EIA/ EA studies by law in Kenya
2. The project report can take a period of 5 days to complete and costs approximately Ksh.50,000.
3. Once the EIA project report submit hard copies of it to NEMA with the initial payment of 50% of 0.05% of the Total Project cost.
4. At this point NEMA dispatches the EIA report to lead agencies for review.
5. If the EIA project report is approved, the proponent will obtain a notice for gazettement from NEMA.
6. At this point NEMA shall publish in two successive weeks in the Kenya Gazette and a newspaper circulating in the area or proposed area of the project once a notice which shall state:-
   (a) a summary description of the project;
   (b) the place where the project is to be carried out;
   (c) the place where the environmental impact assessment study, evaluation or review report may be inspected; and
   (d) a time limit of not exceeding ninety days for the submission of oral or written comments by any member of the public on the environmental impact assessment study, evaluation or review report.
7. If there are no objections raised from the gazette notice. NEMA approves the EIA report and the final payment of 50% of 0.05% of the total project cost is made and the EIA license is issued to the proponent .On the other hand the EIA report can be reject with sufficient reasons.
8. After issuance of the EIA license, NEMA monitors and Audits conditions of approval on a yearly basis.

Required Documents

1. Copies of the project study report
2. Payment receipt of requisite fees
3. Dully filled application form
4. A plan to ensure the health and safety of the workers and neighbouring community
5. An action plan for the prevention and management of foreseeable accidents and ways of mitigating the same during the project cycle.
6. The entire design of the project.
7. Project budget
   

Office Locations & Contacts

National Environment Management Authority
Popo Road, South C, off Mombasa Road
P.O.BOX 67839-00200, Nairobi. Kenya
Mobile: 0724 253398, 0735 013046.
Incident line: 0786-101100 or 0741 101 100,
Email: incidence@nema.go.ke
Email: dgnema@nema.go.ke
Website: National Environment Management Authority

Eligibility

• Proponents (Individuals / Firms ) planning to undertake projects which may interfere with the environment in general these include:–

(a) an activity out of character with its surrounding;
(b) any structure of a scale not in keeping with its surrounding;
(c) major changes in land use.
(d) Urban Development
(e) mining
(f) forest related activities
(g) waste disposal

Eligibility to carry out an EIA study

1. Individual Experts or Firm of Experts registered by NEMA are the only ones to do all EIA/ EA studies.
2. A register of the EIA experts is available in the Authority’s headquarters, District and Provincial offices and can be accessed upon payment of a fee of Ksh. 200.
   

Fees

• The project proponent pays for the entire EIA process.
• EIA Licence fees is 0.05% of the total cost of the project with a minimum of KSh.10,000 with no upper capping.

Note: EIA fees has been scrapped effective from January 2017

Validity

• The EIA license is valid for 24 months within which the project must start. If it does not start within the 2 years, validity can extended for a maximum of 4 years at a fee of KES 5000
  

Documents to Use

• Application documents are available at NEMA offices