17 July 2015 r.

The third conference organized as a part of public consultation in the strategic environmental assessment process for the Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) took place on 14 July 2015 in Warsaw. The conference was focused on the various institutions from Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Lublin Voivodeship, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Masovian Voivodeship, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Opole Voivodeship and Pomeranian Voivodeship.

Among others, the representatives of Voivodship Board of Drainage and Water Devices, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, District Heads of Counties, City Halls, Marshal’s Offices and Voivodship Offices, Regional Directorate of Environmental Protection in Kielce and Lublin, National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and Regional Funds for Environmental Protection and Water Management, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Administration and Digitization were also present. The representatives of Słowiński National Park, Fishing Association, Regional Planning Offices, Technology and Life Sciences Institute as well as Association of Water and Drainage Engineers and Technicians also participated at the conference. The conference was under the patronage of National Water Management Board and Regional Water Management Boards in Warsaw and Gdansk.

The copies of documents subject to consultation were available during the conference. The participants could familiarize with FRMPS and the results of environmental reports. During the discussion the participants could ask questions to the contractors of environmental impact assessment reports and to the contractors of FRMPs.

The conference was opened by director of Department of Water Planning and Resources at National Water Management Board, Mrs Klara Ramm Szatkiewicz. She started her presentation with acquainting the participants with the subject matter of the meeting. She stressed the importance of public consultations as a part of the whole project. She encouraged to take active part at the conference.

The guests were also greeted by the director of the consortium which performed environmental impact assessment reports who is in charge of coordinating the whole strategic environmental assessment process for all FRMPs basin areas. She stressed the importance of the whole project which is undertaken for the first time in the history of our country in such scale.

The presentation prepared by the contractor of FRMPs for the area of Vistula River basin and Pregoła River basin started the conference and concerned methodical approach to the creation and assessment of options in water regions. The subject matter of the speech focused mainly on water regions as follows: Lower Vistula River, Central Vistula River as well as Łyna River and Angrapa River. The approach to environmental analysis carried out as a part of strategic environmental assessment for the FRMPs was also discussed in detail. As well as at previous conferences it was also explained that due to the character of the FRMPs the strategic environmental impact assessment was made using strategic objectives (sustainable development objectives) approach. The methodology consists of the analysis of international treaties, agreements and strategic documents, higher or equivalent level in comparison to assessed document, the choice of several important objectives and the assessment wherever the FRMPs might have negative impact in terms of achieving these objectives (objectives – led approach). Simultaneously it was pointed out that while this methodology is less widespread in Poland, it is in use and it is recommended to be used to asses similar types of documents in Europe.

Next part of the conference focused on issues relating to approach to the assessment of various groups of typical undertakings listed in the FRMPs, planned to be undertaken in the first planning period. The presentation was focused on these undertaking types which are planned to be undertaken in the Region of Lower Vistula River, Central Vistula River as well as Łyna River and Angrapa River. All issues associated with impacts of various types of investment planned to be undertaken in the first planning period are presented in appendix to the environmental report entitled “Methodical documentation. A summary of typical investments, its impact on environment and mitigation measures”. It was stressed that this appendix should be handled as a guidebook for future investors as well as performers of environmental impact assessments for particular investments, because it includes a series of important indications relating to impacts and ways of their mitigation.

Following the short discussion relating to environmental impact of planned investments and risks connected with it, the presentation focused on the final results of environmental impact assessment reports for the area of Vistula River basin and Pregoła River basin with particular reference to the results in the area of Water Regions of Lower Vistula River, Central Vistula River as well as Łyna River and Angrapa River.

The final part of the conference focused on the idea of public consultations, their purpose and way of raising comments and motions. It was also pointed that all the information connected with the environmental impact reports, including the whole documents for three basin areas, survey as well as a list of places where there is a possibility to familiarize with the printed documentation are available on the project’s website www.powodz.gov.pl.

At the end of the conference an open discussion took place. The representatives of Opole Voivoidship Office took chance to speak first. He asked a question about a purpose and scope of environmental monitoring in case of a strategy of flood risk management . The representative of Słowiński National Park submitted technical observations to the report connected with the Park. The representatives of Voivodship Board of Drainage and Water Devices in Lublin actively took part in the discussion. They raised a problem of flood protection in Lublin Voivoideship and stressed a role of the Wieprz-Krzna channel as well as needs of investment measures in that area.

The important part of the meeting was a possibility of raising comments and motions on a survey attached to the conference materials.