projets
ATA/304/1996 ΓÇó Scope of scientific inquiries in environmental impact assessment
ATA/304/1996Cour de justice / Chambre administrative29 mai 1996Dismissed
The court held that, in an environmental impact assessment, authorities cannot require complete scientific investigations for every possible environmental harm without regard to its relevance in the конкрет case. The decisive criterion is the impacts that can in principle be expected and their concrete consequences. The fact that investigations would be difficult or costly does not by itself define the scope of the duty to investigate.
LPEC art. 9 al. 2; scope of investigation in environmental impact assessment: the authority may not demand exhaustive scientific studies for every conceivable impairment irrespective of its relevance to the case. The extent of the inquiry is determined by the impacts that can reasonably be expected in principle and by their concrete consequences; neither financial burden nor technical difficulty is a decisive criterion. The duty to investigate is thus limited by the foreseeable material significance of the environmental effects (consid. unspecified).
Descripteurs
IMPACT SUR L'ENVIRONNEMENT; PROTECTION DES EAUX; PECHE; COMPENSATION ECOLOGIQUE; IEA
Normes
LPEC.9 al.2
Résumé
On ne peut, dans le cadre d'une étude d'impact, exiger des investigations scientifiques complètes pour chaque atteinte éventuelle, indépendemment de leur portée dans le cas concrêt. Cette exigence ne peut néanmoins mesurer en fonction des difficultés financières ou techniques liées à ces investigations. Le critère décisif demeure celui des atteintes auxquelles on peut en principe s'attendre et de leurs éventuelles conséquences concrêtes.