S.O.2339 (E) dated 16/06/2021-Amendment in EIA Notification, 2006

Che Gazette of India .3 2L.Ta.-31.-16062021-227646 EXTRAORDINARY TR &y PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 2175] NEW DELHL WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021/JYAISHTHA 26,1943 7% Reeft, 16 9, 2021 3252 GI2021 (1) R 75 g1 S S ST AT TEAT H FH, FEIT AT AT TATT TCATER 7 THG HTAT H AT ST Ter 9% I AT H - T WIS T SEATEA el (397 ST 727 & AT IHT AT I A0erely, foereh arere o2 wivaet &7 e W S £ T e ) AT AT TSI | AATETTT 3 4 T At F AT 4 Eeau] AT e 31 " 2024 T AT AT AT, ST 2, e £ 31 T 2024 % TEAFT ATT-TT HEA wig fF are # afy ag 9 EATAT F ATAT TEH AT AT T FeqTiRA THATT o o o MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 16th June, 2021 S.0. 2339(E).—WHEREAS, by notification of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Environment and Forests number S.0.1533 (E), dated the 14th September, 2006 issued under sub- section (1) and clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, read with clause (d) of the sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 (hereinafter referred to as the EIA Notification), the Central Government directed that on and from the date of its publication, the new projects or activities or the expansion or modernization of existing projects or activities listed in the Schedule to the EIA notification entailing capacity addition with change in process or technology and/or product mix shall be undertaken in any part of India only after obtaining prior environmental clearance from the Central Government or as the case may be, by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, duly constituted by the Central Government under sub-section (3) of section 3 of the said Act, in accordance with the procedure specified therein; AND WHEREAS, for the purpose of Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, a special dispensation was provided for expansion of sugar manufacturing or distillery units, intended for production of Ethanol vide notifications numbers S.O. 345(E), dated the 17th January, 2019 and S.O. 750(E), dated the 17th February, 2020. In view of the Government’s commitment to achieve 20 percentage blending of ethanol in petrol by the year 2025, it was decided to continue further with this dispensation and it was notified vide notification number S.O. 980(E) dated the 2ndMarch, 2021; AND WHEREAS, the Central Government has noticed that the expansion projects of sugar manufacturing units or distilleries are generally unable to comply with the requirement of obtaining certificate from the competent authority relating to certification that the distillery is producing/shall produce ethanol for blending with fuel in a timely manner thereby stalling the entire process. The matter has been considered and it has been decided that the requirement of certification by competent authority may be replaced with self-certification in form of a notorised affidavit, subject to condition that subsequently if it is found that the ethanol, produced based on the EC granted as per this dispensation, is not being used completely for Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, the EC shall stand cancelled; AND WHEREAS, to give a further boost to the Ethanol Blending Program, Grain based distilleries, having Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and setup to produce only ethanol for the purposes of Ethanol Blending Program of the Government, and keeping in view overall environmental, social and economic benefits in production of ethanol from such distilleries including reduction in Green House Gas emissions in comparison to conventional fossil-fuel, less water and air pollution, potential boost to agricultural economy and reduced dependence on imported fossil fuel by equivalent amount, the Central Government deems it necessary to give a special dispensation as regards granting of Environmental Clearances (EC) to such category of projects [Manufacturing of ethanol by Grain Based distilleries with Zero Liquid Discharge, to be used for Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme of the Government], subject to certain conditions; Now, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) and clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), the Central Government, hereby makes following further amendments in the EIA Notification, namely:- In the said notification:- (i) In paragraph 4 after sub-paragraph (iii), the following shall be inserted, namely:- (iiia) Such Category B’ projects, as notified by the Central Government on account of exigencies such as pandemics, natural disasters, or to promote environmentally friendly activities under National Programmes or Schemes or Missions, shall be considered at the Central level as Category ‘B’ projects; (ii) in the Schedule, against item 5(g), for the entry in column (5), the following shall be substituted:- Except for the projects falling in item 5(ga) of this Schedule; Expansion of sugar manufacturing units or distilleries for production of ethanol, having Prior Environment Clearance (EC) for existing unit, to be used completely for Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme only, as per self-certification in form of an affidavit by the Project Proponent, shall be appraised as category ‘B2’ projects. Provided that subsequently if it is found that the ethanol, produced based on the EC granted as per this dispensation, is not being used completely for EBP Programme, or if ethanol is not being produced, or if the said distillery is not fulfilling the requirements based on which the project has been appraised as category B2 project, the EC shall stand cancelled”, (iii) in the Schedule, after item 5(g), the following item shall be inserted, namely:- Project/ Activity Category with threshold limit Conditions, if any A B “3(ga) producing Programme Note: wheat, rice, barley, sorghum. Grains Grain based distilleries ethanol, solely to be used for Ethanol Blended Petrol of Government of India the include maize, Projects without Liquid Discharge Projects Zero Discharge Zero with Liquid Note: (i) Projects under category B shall be appraised as B2 category project and in terms of para 4(iiia) of this notification (ii)Applicable for projects who file application for grant of EC upto 3lst March 2024 or till further notification whichever is earlier provided that any subsequent amendment or expansion or change in product mix after 3Ist March 2024, shall be considered as per the provisions inforce at that tfime. (iii) The project proponent shall file a notorised affidavit that ethanol produced from proposed project shall be used completely for ~ EBP Programme. Provided that subsequently if it is found that the ethanol produced, based on the EC granted as per this dispensation, is not being used completely for EBP Programme, or if ethanol is not being produced, or if the said distillery is not _fulfilling the requirements based on which the project has been appraised as category B2 project, the EC shall stand cancelled”. Note: The principal notification was published in the Gazette of India, vide number S.O. 1533 (E), dated the 14th September, 2006 and was last amended vide the notification number S.0.1247(E) , dated the 18thMarch, 2021. and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. a0 kUMAR st apssoscas