Section 20: Public comment

20. Public comment (1) An EIA submitted under section 18 shall be open for public inspection during working hours at— (a) the office of the Department; (b) the main office of the Municipal City Council, Municipal Town Council or District Council for the area where the undertaking is to be carried out; and (c) such other places as may be specified in a notice under subsection (2). (2) The Director shall, not later than 14 days after the submission of an application for an EIA licence under section 18, give notice of the public inspection specified in subsection (1) in the Gazette and 2 consecutive issues of 2 daily newspapers. (3) A notice published under subsection (2) shall— (a) give a summary description of the undertaking; (b) state the address where the undertaking is to be carried out; (c) state the place where the EIA may be inspected; (d) specify the time limit for the submission of public comments, in writing, which shall be not less than 10 days nor more than 21 days after the date of the publication of the notice in the Gazette. (4) The Director may, in respect of an EIA, other than one submitted through the Board of Investment, extend the time limit specified in subsection (2) to afford reasonable opportunity for any person to submit public comments on the EIA. (5) The Director may cause to be published an EIA or an extract of an EIA on the Internet for public inspection. [S. 20 amended by s. 9 of Act 6 of 2008 w.e.f. 15 July 2008.]