Immission Control Approval Procedure (BImSchG-Verfahren)

The construction and operation of industrial plants that may have a harmful effect on the environment require a permit in accordance with the german Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG ). The types of plant concerned are listed exhaustively in the Ordinance on Plants Requiring a Permit (4. BImSchV ). The approval procedure according to the Federal Immission Control Act is a very demanding procedure, because all environmental effects of a plant have to be considered and evaluated.
In this way, harmful effects on the environment caused by emissions into the air, water and soil are to be avoided and reduced. The aim is to achieve a high level of protection for the environment.
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) may be required for certain construction projects. The EIA requirement is regulated by threshold values, as in the case of the immission control approval procedure. A basic distinction must be made as to whether the construction project is subject to a mandatory EIA or a preliminary EIA assessment. Mandatory" means that the authority must carry out the approval procedure with EIA. At the thresholds for general preliminary assessment and site-specific EIA preliminary assessment, the authorities carry out a case-by-case decision.
Within the framework of an immission control approval procedure, we prepare the necessary environmentally relevant approval documents for them or assist them in compiling them. In addition to the environmental impact assessment, a special focus is on the compatibility of the project with the objectives of the European Habitats Directive (Habitats Impact Assessment).