Public sector to get green test
3 Mar 05
All plans and programmes to be vetted for environmental impact
All public programmes will be "green proofed" under legislation introduced to the Scottish Parliament today.
The Environmental Assessment Bill aims to put Scotland at the forefront of environmental protection by ensuring that all public sector plans, strategies and programmes are scrutinised for their environmental impact.
Environment Minister Ross Finnie said: "This legislation puts Scotland ahead of Europe in the protection we afford to the environment.
"Too often in the past major public projects have been undertaken without proper consideration of their effect on our environment. This bill puts consideration of environmental impacts at the start of the process.
"It gives the public a say in the preparation of all major public plans that affect our lives.”