Regulations for Development Projects and Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines Workshop

A workshop to review the proposed amendments to be incorporated in the Regulations for Developing Projects and for finalizing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Guidelines for Kosrae State was held on June 18-19. The FSM PACC Project and the Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) invited stakeholders to review the proposed amendments  to the Regulations for Development projects and the  EIA guidelines. On both documents climate change impacts are to be incorporated in the Kosrae State Code as required by Kosrae State 10-2.

A total of twenty six stakeholders attended the workshop and included representation from the island Mayors, Kosrae State Legislature, Housing program, the Attorney General, Permitting Office, Foreign Investing and NGO’s.  These documents states the impact reducing requirements for developing projects ranging from private houses to big infrastructure projects (either government or foreign companies) that new development should follow.  Coastal development will be limited by new distance from high water level mark as suggested by coastal engineer Mr. Doug Ramsey. KIRMA’s Environmental lawyer, Ms. Emily Gibson, was in charge of presenting the information to the participants, which gave their feedback back to her to integrate it to both documents.

                                                      Stakeholders at the workshop