Unconventional oil and gas policy: SEA

17 Next steps

Consultation timescales

17.1 The consultation on the preferred policy position on unconventional oil and gas development and the Environmental Report runs for an eight week period from 23 October 2018 to 18 December 2018. Comments on the preferred policy position and the Environmental Report can be submitted to the Scottish Government’s consultation platform Citizen Space. You can view and respond to the consultation online at: https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/preferred-policy-position-on-uog/.

17.2 You can save and return to your responses while the consultation is still open. Please ensure that consultation responses are submitted before the closing date of 18 December 2018. If you are unable to respond online, please complete the Respondent Information Form (see ‘Handling your Response’ below) and send it to:

Handling your response

17.3 If you respond using Citizen Space you will be directed to the Respondent Information Form. Please indicate how you wish your response to be handled and, in particular, whether you are happy for your response to published.

17.4 If you are unable to respond via Citizen Space, please complete and return the Respondent Information Form included in this document. If you ask for your response not to be published, we will regard it as confidential, and we will treat it accordingly.

17.5 All respondents should be aware that the Scottish Government is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and would therefore have to consider any request made under the Act for information relating to responses made to this consultation exercise.

Suggested questions for responses to this Environmental Report

17.6 Respondents may find the following questions helpful to provide a focus for their responses to this Environmental Report.

• What are your views on the accuracy and scope of the information used to describe the SEA environmental baseline set out in the Environmental Report?
• What are your views on the predicted environmental effects as set out in the Environmental Report?
• What are your views on the ‘reasonable alternatives’ outlined in the Environmental Report? Please provide any other ‘reasonable alternatives’ which you think should be considered.
• What are your views on the findings of the SEA and the proposals for mitigation and monitoring of the environmental effects set out in the Environmental Report?
• Do you have any views on the proposals contained within the Scottish Government’s preferred policy position statement?

17.7 Please note there is no need to restate views already expressed in relation to the Talking “Fracking” public consultation as these have been, and will continue to be, taken into account as we move towards finalising the Scottish Government’s policy position.

Next steps

Analysis of responses

17.8 Following the consultation period, the consultation responses on the preferred policy position and this Environmental Report will be analysed.

17.9 Responses to the consultation will be taken into account in the preparation of the final policy position.

Finalising the Scottish Government’s position

17.10 Following analysis of the consultation responses, Ministers can finalise their policy position on unconventional oil and gas and communicate it via a package of actions which would include:

• the publication of the SEA post-adoption statement. This statement will reflect on the findings of the SEA assessment and the views expressed in the consultation. It will outline how the issues raised have been considered in finalising the Scottish Government’s position.
• the updating of the preferred policy position with the finalised position.