Environmental Assessment, Control and Monitoring RegulationReglamento de evaluación, control y seguimiento ambiental

The purpose of this regulation is to regulate the requirements and general procedures by which the Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA) will be determined for activities, works, or projects (actividades, obras o proyectos, AOP), that by law or regulation, have been determined to be able to alter or destroy elements of the environment or generate waste, toxic or hazardous materials; as well as, the prevention, mitigation, and compensation measures, which depending on their impact on the environment, must be implemented by the developer.

It is an indispensable requirement for the competent authorities to grant permits, concessions, patents, and licenses to carry out the activities, works, or projects determined by this regulation, to complete the process of obtaining an environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) before the Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be completed with the Environmental Impact Significance Matrix (Matriz de Significancia de Impactos Ambientales, SIA). The result of this analysis by the environmental consultant must allow determining the procedure to follow to obtain the environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental), except for those cases that by special law require an Environmental Impact Study (Estudio de Impacto Ambiental).

This regulation contemplates the Environmental Impact Assessment for activities, works, and projects, through different forms, according to the specification of each AOP, as well as the environmental monitoring and control of the projects.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment is specifically regulated by Decreto Ejecutivo No. 32967-MINAE of February 20, 2006, and its reforms or regulations generated in the future in this regard.

All new activities, works, or projects require an Environmental Viability (License) (VLA), said granting will be subject to compliance with the approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

Activities, works, or projects with very low potential environmental impact, indicated in this article, shall not process an Environmental Impact Assessment before SETENA. However, they will be subject to the environmental controls established by the Municipalities, the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), and other entities with legal competencies; as well as with what is established in the Code of Good Environmental Practices, Decreto Ejecutivo No. 32079 of September 14, 2004, or with any voluntary mechanism to improve environmental performance:

With the exception of activities whose operation is contemplated in Anexo 1 of this Regulation, which require an EIA.

Constructions greater than or equal to 500 m2 and up to 1000 m2 must submit a D1-C provided they are in an environmentally fragile area. Constructions over 1000 m2 must submit a D1.

Earthworks (movimientos de tierra) greater than or equal to 500m3 and up to 1000m3 must submit a D1-C, provided they are in an environmentally fragile area. Over 1000m3, it will be through a D1.

Existing agricultural use lands that change their productive process to one of the crops listed as exceptions are exempted:

a. Understand by exception group the Frutales 1 group, subgroup A, defined in the list of activities in Anexo 1 of this regulation, in accordance with decree No. 37911-MAG.

b. This group must undergo the EIA process of this regulation, referring to the procedure for new agricultural activities on agroecological use soils.

c. Any other crop change not contemplated in this list will not be considered a crop change for the purposes of this regulation and do not need to be evaluated by Setena.

d. In the same sense, if the change is established between crops of group 1, this change will also not be considered a crop change for the purposes of this regulation and, therefore, no procedure must be carried out before SETENA.

Activities, Works, or Projects that are within duly identified environmentally fragile areas must contemplate what is established in article 98 of this regulation.

Activities, works, or projects of public investment by concession, whether of private initiative in accordance with the Projects of Private Initiative for Public Works Concession or Public Works Concession; or of governmental initiative, by public-private partnership or by administrative contracting; as well as social housing projects, which, due to national interest, require an Environmental Viability (Licensing) (VLA), will have a prioritization in the review (D3).

The procedure to follow will be dictated by current legislation, according to the categorization of the activity, work, or project. Once the type of environmental assessment to be carried out is identified, it must be indicated within the project name, in the corresponding form, that it is a State project with priority (D3), so that the file entry system can prioritize the review.

With the purpose that the developer preliminarily knows the potential environmental impact of their activity, work, or project, and identifies the procedural route to follow within the Environmental Impact Assessment process, SETENA has two complementary assessment criteria: general categorization and the initial environmental rating of the activities, works, or projects.

Activities, works, or projects according to their Potential Environmental Impact (IAP), are classified into:

Category A: High Potential Environmental Impact.

Category B: Moderate to High Potential Environmental Impact.

Moderate Potential Environmental Impact. This category, is subdivided in turn into two minor categories, namely:

● Subcategory B1: Moderate - High Potential Environmental Impact, and ● Subcategory B2: Moderate - Low Potential Environmental Impact.

Category C: Low Potential Environmental Impact.

Category D: Very low environmental impact.

In Anexo 1 (List of activities, works, or projects based on the Clasificación de Actividades Económicas de Costa Rica. CAECR (ISIC 4)) of this regulation, the general categorization of activities, works, or projects is presented, according to their IAP and SIA. The Environmental Impact Significance (SIA), will be what defines the Environmental Impact Assessment Instrument, excepting AOPs subject to the submission of an Environmental Impact Study (EsIA) or the EIA, according to specific laws, or international agreements signed by the country.

The general categorization criteria for activities, works, or projects, included in the list of Anexo 1, are categorized according to the following:

37911-MAG, of August 19, 2013, "Registration System of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, to Certify the status of small and medium agricultural producer (PYMPA)".

32079 of September 14, 2004, published in the Official Gazette La Gaceta No. 217 of November 5, 2004, or with any voluntary mechanism to improve environmental performance.

In addition to the general categorization established in article 7 of this regulation, the developer must carry out an initial environmental rating, for which they must fill out and complement an environmental assessment document, as appropriate for the activity, work, or project to be developed. SETENA will make the environmental assessment document available to developers and the general public, electronically.

SETENA will make available to the interested party the variants of the Environmental Assessment Document called forms D1, D1-C, D1-Torres, D3, D4-Forestal, and D6-Cuadrante Urbano, respectively.

The application of the environmental impact significance assessment instruments (SIA) allows the preliminary classification category established for the activity, work, or project through the D1 to be modified, upon prior technical justification, or confirmed, thus obtaining a final environmental rating for decision-making. The environmental impact significance (SIA), will be what defines the Environmental Impact Assessment Instrument to use in the D1s with EIA instruments.

Environmental Assessment Procedure for Activities, Works, or Projects

Categorization, Classification, and Rating of Activities, Works, or Projects

Activities, works, or projects that require obtaining an Environmental Viability (License) (VLA) must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment process. These procedures will be carried out exclusively through the digital means provided by the Administration.

To carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment, the following general requirements must be met:

*.kml must contain the following attributes: project name, project type, cadastral map number, farm (finca) number, province, canton, district, developer name, identity card number for individuals or legal entities as applicable, email address for receiving notifications. All *.shp files must be prepared under the official Costa Rican Cartographic Projection System: CRTM05/CR05 and/or CRTM05/CRSIRGAS (as established by the IGN).

In the case of Legal Entities: Name of the company legally incorporated in the country, legal identification number, tax address, email address for receiving notifications, full name and qualifications of the representative or legal proxies.

When the activity, work, or project involves construction works, the developer is authorized to present, in lieu of the CPA's certification, one containing an appraisal, either from the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos, CFIA), which must be signed by the responsible professional, or a sworn statement (declaración jurada) issued by the pertinent professional. The certification of the investment amount must include the land cost, except for productive activities carried out in existing buildings.

All information provided by the developer must be declared under oath as being current and true; otherwise, the corresponding consequences may arise.

Likewise, it must be digitally signed by the developer of the activity, work, or project, in accordance with current regulations.

The Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will be carried out through the digital platform or the means established by SETENA.

The procedure to be followed is as follows:

Once the process is finished, the form must be digitally signed, and the official administrative file number (número de expediente administrativo) will be generated. If you do not have a digital signature, you may:

I.Print the form, sign it physically, and authenticate the signature by means of a Notary Public using their digital signature, and upload it to the platform with the inclusion of a statement by the Notary certifying that they indeed issued the document, the foregoing, according to the Regulation on extra-protocol notarial documents in electronic format (Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico).

II. Issue a power of attorney in the name of a person who does have a digital signature

Once the technical report is issued, SETENA will issue the administrative resolution within a maximum period of 7 calendar days.

This prevention order suspends the review period.

The technical verification of the file to be carried out by the respective department will follow these steps:

Once the requirements indicated in Article 11 of this regulation have been submitted, the developer or consultant may request the Potential Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental Potencial, VAP) from SETENA, which will be granted within a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Obtaining it would enable the developer of the activity, work, or project to initiate or continue processing procedures before other entities, both public and private.

The foregoing is understood that the start of activities or concession, as defined in this Regulation, may only occur with the granting of the Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA), which would be obtained only upon completion of the respective phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

Environmental consultants participating in EIA assessment processes must be duly registered in SETENA's Registry of Consultants. This does not apply to professionals who prepare and are hired for the preparation of specific studies according to the instrument.

In the EsIA, the developer of the activity, work, or project must have the services of an inter- and multidisciplinary team of professionals duly registered in the Registry maintained by SETENA to prepare the Environmental Impact Study.

The studies and recommendations included in the EIA will be the specific responsibility of each professional who signs them, with the administration being responsible for reviewing them, in accordance with the contents established in this proposed Regulation.

If the deadline for the review of the assessment instruments or other documents of the Environmental Impact Assessment process indicated in this regulation expires and SETENA has not completed the respective review, the Developer may file the legal remedies established by current regulations. SETENA, through its Head (Jerarca), may recommend to the person holding the position of Minister of Environment and Energy the opening of an ordinary administrative procedure in accordance with the provisions of the General Public Administration Law (Ley General de la Administración Pública) and in full observance and respect for the constitutional guarantee of due process.

Environmental Impact Assessment Instruments

Significance of Environmental Impact

The assessment criteria to determine the type of environmental assessment instrument will be determined by the Significance of Environmental Impact (Significancia de Impacto Ambiental, SIA), which is obtained by completing the Basic Impact Identification Matrix contained in Annex 3 (Anexo 3).

Based on the final qualification of the SIA, activities, works, or projects may follow the following decision paths, according to Annex 3 (Anexo 3):

D1+Sworn Statement of Environmental Commitments

The Environmental Impact Assessment for D1+DCJA must complete the requirements of Annex 4 (Anexo 4) of this Regulation, in addition to the general requirements indicated in Article 11 and the procedure of

Once the information is completed on the digital platform, the Environmental Impact Assessment Department will proceed to verify the information contained therein and will submit a technical report, with the corresponding recommendation for the issuance of the final resolution. In case of departing from the issued criterion, it must be technically and legally justified by the superior authority of SETENA.

The General Secretariat will issue a final resolution, based on the technical report. In case of departing from the issued criterion, it must provide technical and legal justification within the corresponding record.

D1+Environmental Management Plan Prognosis

The Environmental Impact Assessment for D1+P-PGA must complete all the Environmental Impact Assessment requirements indicated in Articles 11 and 12, as well as the technical studies as established in Annex 5 (Anexo 5) of this regulation, except for those cases in which the responsible environmental consultant or pertinent professional technically justifies their non-submission.

The Environmental Impact Assessment must complete the Environmental Impact Importance Matrix (Matriz de Importancia de Impactos Ambientales, MIIA).

Its length must not exceed 75 pages. Except for special cases duly justified by the magnitude of the project, work, or activity.

Once the information is completed on the digital platform, the Environmental Impact Assessment Department will proceed to verify the information contained therein and will submit a technical report, with the corresponding recommendation for the issuance of the final resolution. In case of departing from the issued criterion, it must be technically and legally justified by the superior authority of SETENA.

D1+Environmental Impact Study

The EsIA Environmental Impact Assessment must complete all the General Environmental Impact Assessment requirements indicated in Articles 11 and 12, as well as the technical studies as established in Annex 6 (Anexo 6) of this regulation, except for those cases in which the responsible environmental consultant or pertinent professional technically justifies their non-submission.

The Environmental Impact Assessment must complete the Environmental Impact Importance Matrix (MIIA), or the one included in Annex 6 (Anexo 6) of this regulation.

Its length must not exceed 150 pages. Except for special cases duly justified by the magnitude of the project, work, or activity.

Projects, works, or activities subject to the submission of an Environmental Impact Study (EsIA), according to specific laws, or to international agreements signed by the country, must not submit the D1 form, and will directly submit the EsIA, for which they must provide the requirements indicated in Article 11 and in Annex 6 (Anexo 6) of this regulation.

Once the information is completed on the digital platform, the Environmental Impact Assessment Department will proceed to verify the information contained therein and will submit a technical report, with the corresponding recommendation for the issuance of the final resolution. In case of departing from the issued criterion, it must be technically and legally justified by the superior authority of SETENA.

SETENA, through its website, will make available to civil society, municipalities, and the National System of Conservation Areas (Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación, SINAC), the list of environmental impact studies that are subject to the EsIA Environmental Impact Assessment process and will have them available for public consultation, appearance, and observations by any interested party.

D6 - Environmental Impact Assessment for activities, works, or projects located on sites classified as urban quadrants

Any activity, work, or project (AOP) of a residential, commercial, and service nature located on sites classified as urban quadrants according to the Regulatory Plan (Plan Regulador) or, supplementarily, according to the delimitation established by INVU in accordance with the powers established in the Urban Planning Law (Ley de Planificación Urbana), Law No. 4240 (Ley Nº 4240) and its amendments, in Executive Decree No. 25902-MIVAH- MP-MINAE (Decreto Ejecutivo N° 25902-MIVAH- MP-MINAE) of February 12, 1997, Reform of the Regional Urban Development Plan for the Greater Metropolitan Area, or according to the National Urban Development Policy regarding cities, or, ultimately, according to the territorial division defined by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos), or as established by the Municipalities, will be submitted to SETENA with the specific D6 form, the table of environmental measures with their indicators for environmental monitoring, the Geotechnical study, archaeological study, hydrogeological study, and the presence of wells, springs (nacientes) and watercourses must be considered, and must adhere to the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales), Executive Decree No. 32079 (Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32079) of September 14, 2004, as well as the requirements established in Annex 7 (Anexo 7) of this Regulation, and must process the remaining permits before the competent authorities.

When the activity, work, or project involves construction works, the developer is authorized to present, in lieu of the CPA's certification, one containing an appraisal, either from the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (CFIA), which must be signed by the responsible professional, or a sworn statement (declaración jurada) issued by the pertinent professional.

All information provided by the developer must be declared under oath as being current and true; otherwise, the corresponding consequences may arise.

Likewise, it must be digitally signed by the developer of the activity, work, or project.

The Environmental Impact Assessment procedure will be carried out through the digital platform or the means established by SETENA, for which it must:

a. Access to the digital platform will be performed with a Digital Signature.

b. On the Digital Platform, the procedure to be carried out must be selected.

c. The steps indicated by the system for the chosen procedure must be followed, according to the requirements of the activity, work, or project.

d. Once the process is finished, the form must be digitally signed, and the official administrative file number (número de expediente administrativo) will be generated.

e. If you do not have a digital signature, you may:

i. Print the form, sign it physically, and authenticate the signature by means of a Notary Public using their digital signature, and upload it to the platform with the inclusion of a statement by the Notary certifying that they indeed issued the document, the foregoing, according to the Regulation on extra-protocol notarial documents in electronic format (Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico).

ii. Issue a power of attorney in the name of a person who does have a digital signature.

f. The respective department of SETENA must perform the technical verification of the D6 file within a maximum period of 14 calendar days, at the end of which it must issue the result of the review, either a technical report or a request for missing information. Once the technical report is issued, SETENA will issue the administrative resolution within a maximum period of 7 calendar days.

g. In the event that the technical departments exceptionally require additional information or clarifications during the Environmental Impact Assessment process, this must be motivated and argued. For this, the technical departments will issue a prevention order (oficio de prevención) on a single occasion, in order for the missing information to be corrected, and will grant a period that may not be less than 20 business days and may be extended if necessary. This prevention order suspends the review period.

h. For the review and notification of the information requested in the previous point, SETENA will have a period of 3 business days.

i. In the event that the requested information is not submitted within the established period, the file will be archived.

j. The resolution will be notified to the developer or their representative in accordance with the procedures indicated in this regulation and current regulations.

The control of environmental management before SETENA will be submitted through environmental responsibility reports and through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental). The activation of the Environmental Digital Logbook must be enabled by the environmental manager appointed by the developer.

D1 - Telecommunications Towers

The Environmental Impact Assessment for Telecommunications Towers must be submitted with the D1 form, and complete the requirements established in

To carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment for D1-Towers, the following requirements must be met:

When the activity, work, or project involves construction works, the developer is authorized to present, in lieu of the CPA's certification, one containing an appraisal, either from the Federated College of Engineers and Architects (CFIA), which must be signed by the responsible professional, or a sworn statement (declaración jurada) issued by the pertinent professional.

a. Objective (Must indicate what the project will consist of and what implications it has).

b. Target group (communities must be indicated which is the Direct Influence Area (AID) and be justified).

c. Strategy or dissemination mechanism to be used in the communities located in the AID (including impacts) in order to inform about the project to be developed, which includes at least the following aspects:

i. Dissemination period.

ii. Message to be transmitted (a description of the project must be provided explaining the impacts it will generate).

iii. Schedule of activities to be carried out in the communication plan.

iv. Response format to communities regarding concerns related to the project's dissemination.

v. Costs of dissemination.

This requirement is excepted for Telecommunications Infrastructure Development Projects that serve the objectives of Universal Access, Universal Service, and Solidarity included in the Annual Plan of Programs and Projects of the National Telecommunications Fund (Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones) in accordance with the goals established in the National Telecommunications Development Plan, which are implemented in areas of farms that have not been registered in the Property Registry (Registro de Bienes Inmuebles) of the National Registry, but whose possessors fall under the assumption contained in article 307 of the Civil Code, Law No. 63 dated September 28, 1887. This exception does not apply to properties duly registered in the Property Registry (Registro Inmobiliario).

The documentation that must be submitted for the properties where the activity, work, or project will be developed and that are in the aforementioned condition shall be the following:

● For these cases, SETENA will request Certification from the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones) that the infrastructure to be located is part of a Project that serves the objectives of Universal Access, Universal Service, and Solidarity, included in the Annual Plan of Programs and Projects of the National Telecommunications Fund (Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones).

● A technical study endorsed by the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones) supporting that the site of the telecommunications infrastructure project is the only technically or economically viable alternative for the network operator and, therefore, is a necessary location for the fulfillment of the Project's objectives to be developed and that it is the optimal point in terms of coverage and/or interference.

● In the event that the property is not owned by the developer, the developer must present the lease agreement, authorization letter from the possessor, or the agreement of conditions of use signed by the parties, certified by a Notary Public (Notario Público).

● A sworn statement (declaración jurada) issued before a Notary Public (Notario Público) by the possessor of the property stating:

a. The cause and date of acquisition of the property and that the possessor falls under the assumption contained in article 307 of the Civil Code, that there is no contention over the property or third party with a better right, and that the property is not registered in the Property Registry (Registro Inmobiliario).

b. Description of the property based on the cadastral map (plano catastrado) or any other verification means that must be attached and establishing the location of the project area.

c. Express statement releasing the National Technical Environmental Secretariat (Secretaria Técnica Nacional Ambiental) from all responsibility for the inaccuracy or falsehood of what is declared.

All information that the developer indicates must be declared under oath (fe de juramento) to be current and true; otherwise, the corresponding consequences may arise.

Likewise, it must be signed using a digital signature (firma digital) by the developer of the activity, work, or project.

The environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, EIA) procedure shall be carried out via the digital platform or the means that SETENA establishes, for which the following must be done:

If the developer does not have a digital signature, the developer may:

I.Print the form, physically sign it, and authenticate the signature by means of a Notary Public (Notario Público) using their digital signature, and upload it to the platform with the inclusion of a statement by the Notary confirming that they indeed issued the document, the above, according to the Regulation of notarial extra-protocol documents in electronic format (Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico).

II. Grant a power of attorney in the name of a person who does have a digital signature

Once the technical report is issued, SETENA shall issue the administrative resolution within a maximum period of 7 calendar days (días naturales).

This warning (prevención) suspends the review period.

The resolution shall be notified to the developer or their representative in accordance with the procedures indicated in this regulation and the current legal framework.

The control of environmental management before SETENA shall be submitted through environmental responsibility reports (informes de responsabilidad ambiental) and through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental). The activation of the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) must be enabled by the environmental manager (responsable ambiental) appointed by the developer.

Form D1-C (Formulario D1-C)

The D1-C (D1-C) must be submitted by the developer and by an environmental consultant (consultor ambiental) registered with SETENA. For the application of the D1-C (D1-C), the form contained in Annex 8 (Anexo 8) of this regulation must be completed, and it must be submitted by the developer when the following three conditions are met:

a. For activities, works, or projects categorized as low environmental impact b. That fall within the threshold for AOP category C, established in Annex 1 (Anexo 1) of this regulation.

c. That are located in an environmentally fragile area (área ambientalmente frágil), according to the list visible in Article 98 of this decree.

AOPs not located in an environmentally fragile area (área ambientalmente frágil), that are Category C, or that are not contemplated in Annex 1 (Anexo 1), shall not process an environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, EIA) before SETENA; however, they shall be subject to complying with all environmental regulations in force in the country, and the Municipalities (Municipalidades) will be responsible for requiring them to comply with the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales), Executive Decree No. 32079 of September 14, 2004.

All information that the developer indicates in the D1-C (D1-C) application must be declared under oath (fe de juramento) to be current and true; otherwise, the corresponding administrative consequences may arise.

Likewise, it must be digitally signed by the developer and the Consultant (Consultor) of the activity, work, or project and does not require authentication by a Notary Public (Notario Público).

The D1-C (D1-C) may be subject to a request for additional information if applicable. Additionally, it may be subject to modifications.

The developer of an activity, work, or project must submit the D1-C (D1-C) Form on the Digital Platform and its procedure shall be as follows:

The respective department of SETENA must perform the technical verification of the D1-C (D1-C) file, within a maximum period of 2 business days (días hábiles), at the end of which it must issue the review result, whether a technical report or a request for missing information. Once the technical report is issued, SETENA shall issue the administrative resolution within a maximum period of 3 business days (días hábiles).

This warning (prevención) suspends the review period.

The developer undertakes to use the granted D1-C (D1-C), solely and exclusively for the activity, work, or project indicated in the form, under penalty of the corresponding sanctions.

Likewise, the developer must comply with all environmental regulations in force in the country, as well as with the environmental guidelines established by SETENA in the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales).

In the event that the conditions are not met, SETENA, through the respective administrative resolution, shall order the closure of the activity, work, or project for non-compliance with the actions established for the conservation and protection of the environment. This closure implies from the suspension to the definitive shutdown of the operations of said activity, work, or project, without any responsibility for the Public Administration.

The control of environmental management before SETENA shall be submitted through environmental responsibility reports (informes de responsabilidad ambiental) and through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental). The activation of the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) must be enabled by the environmental manager (responsable ambiental) appointed by the developer.

Form D4-Forestry (D4-Forestal)

The D4 Forestry (D4 Forestal) is created for the assessment of environmental impacts, for which the D4 form indicated in Annex 9 (Anexo 9) of this regulation must be completed. This form contemplates the assessment of environmental impacts generated by the forestry activity of timber harvesting (aprovechamiento maderable) in forests within Protected Wild Areas (Áreas Silvestres Protegidas), when no express prohibition for this exists.

The D4 Forestry (D4 Forestal) must be submitted by the developer jointly with an environmental consultant (consultor ambiental) registered with SETENA. It shall be based on the Principles, Criteria and Indicators, the Code of Practices, and the Procedure Manual that form an integral part of the Sustainability Standards for Natural Forest Management in Costa Rica (Estándares de Sostenibilidad para Manejo de Bosques Naturales en Costa Rica); referring to activities for timber extraction in forests within Protected Wild Areas (Áreas Silvestres Protegidas) and shall be submitted through the digital means provided for this purpose. This D4 must be completed in its entirety and include the requested documentation, as stipulated in Annex 9 (Anexo 9) of this decree, and must be entered into SETENA's digital platform as the only valid means for its submission.

The developer of an activity, work, or project must submit the D4 Form on the Digital Platform and its procedure shall be as follows:

The respective department of SETENA must perform the technical verification of the D4-Forestry (D4-Forestal) file, within a maximum period of 2 business days (días hábiles), at the end of which it must issue the review result, whether a technical report or a request for missing information. Once the technical report is issued, SETENA shall issue the administrative resolution within a maximum period of 3 business days (días hábiles). In the event that the conditions are not met, the technical departments shall inform the developer of the situation and shall request, via official letter and for one time only, that the missing information be corrected, and a period shall be granted that may not be less than 10 business days (días hábiles) and which may be extended if necessary. This warning (prevención) suspends the review period.

Applications for the extraction of standing trees with a commercial volume of less than 30 cubic meters, and applications for extraction in forests of fewer than 10 fallen trees per property, within Protected Wild Areas (Áreas Silvestres Protegidas) are activities that will potentially generate specific environmental impacts, of low intensity and persistence over time, for which reason these applications are classified as activities of very low environmental impact; therefore, these activities shall not process the D4 Forestry (D4 Forestal).

For the control of environmental management before SETENA, a closing environmental responsibility report (informe de regencia ambiental de cierre) shall be submitted through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental). The activation of the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) must be enabled by the environmental manager (responsable ambiental) appointed by the developer.

All "D4 Forestry (D4 Forestal)" documents that have environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) approved by SETENA may be consulted by SINAC for the purpose of facilitating the resolution of the approval process for the management plan (plan de manejo) or the timber harvesting (aprovechamiento maderable) in the forest that different users must carry out within Protected Wild Areas (Áreas Silvestres Protegidas).

The developer undertakes to use the granted D4, solely and exclusively for the activity, work, or project indicated in the form, under penalty of the corresponding sanctions.

Likewise, the developer must comply with all environmental regulations in force in the country, as well as with the environmental guidelines established by SETENA in the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales).

All information that the developer and the consultant indicate in the D4 application must be declared under oath (fe de juramento) to be current and true; otherwise, the corresponding administrative consequences may arise.

In the event that the conditions are not met, SETENA, through the respective administrative resolution, may suspend the environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) of the AOP for non-compliance with the actions established for the conservation and protection of the environment. The foregoing is without any responsibility for the Public Administration.

Likewise, it must be digitally signed by the developer of the activity, work, or project and does not require authentication by a Notary Public (Notario Público).

The D4 Forestry (D4 Forestal) may be subject to a request for additional information if applicable. Additionally, it may be subject to modifications.

Granting of Environmental Viability (License) [Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental]

SETENA shall communicate the justified rejection of the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) of the activity, work, or project, or its approval, to the developer by means of an administrative resolution, technically and legally reasoned. These resolutions, in accordance with Article 19 of the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), are of mandatory compliance.

In the particular case of approval and depending on the applied EIA instrument, it shall be understood that the Imposed Conditions incorporate the recommendations derived from the technical studies and the guidelines issued by SETENA, which are of mandatory compliance.

The Resolution of approval of the activity, work, or project shall include the following aspects:

a. Compliance with the CBPA.

b. Development and implementation of the Environmental Control and Follow-up Stage (Etapa de Control y Seguimiento Ambiental), which comprises 3 basic aspects, which are:

i. Appointment of an environmental manager (responsable ambiental).

ii. Opening of the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental), by the environmental manager (responsable ambiental), which SETENA shall formalize for the activity, work, or project, once the respective Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA) is granted. The Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) shall record the control and follow-up process throughout the management process by the environmental manager (responsable ambiental).

iii. Submission of Environmental Responsibility Reports (Informes de Responsabilidad Ambiental, IRA) for the AOP in accordance with the requirements and frequency defined by SETENA, in the Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA) resolution. The submission periods for the AOP IRAs shall be measured from the start date of the AOP activities. The IRAs prepared by the environmental managers (responsables ambientales) shall be sent to SETENA through the established digital means.

Once granted, the environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) shall be valid for five years prior to the start of the activity, work, or project.

Once the Environmental Management stage (Etapa de Gestión Ambiental) has begun, the activities, works, or projects shall be subject to the environmental control and follow-up process through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental).

For AOPs that require a concession, the validity period shall begin to run once the concession is granted. The foregoing, considering that these projects, by their nature and the legal requirements established in their special laws, in addition to obtaining the Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA), must comply with another series of requirements and prior technical studies before the Concession is granted.

SETENA must be informed through the current digital platform established for this purpose, and it will be recorded in the administrative file.

The developer must inform SETENA, attaching the updated project design and description, through the current digital platform established for this purpose.

To this end, they must submit a modification request in the administrative file through the current digital platform established for this purpose and obtain the approval of SETENA.

In the event that said request implies a modification of the instrument, the analysis shall be adjusted to the corresponding Environmental Assessment (Evaluación) instrument, always under the same file.

In the event that the adjacent area to the project is added, the corresponding Technical Studies or technical justifications must be submitted, and the corresponding Form must be presented, and the instrument must be updated if the SIA changes.

For modifications greater than 20%, SETENA shall have a maximum period of 21 calendar days (días naturales) to issue the respective resolution.

The environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) procedure shall be carried out via the digital platform or the means that SETENA establishes.

The developer may request from SETENA the unification of several projects with granted environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental), under the following conditions:

In the event that one or both of the approved activities are not coincident or complementary with the project that is intended to be carried out, they must also be subject, in the same act, to a modification process.

In the event that one or both of the approved activities are not coincident or complementary with the project carried out or to be executed, they must also be subject, in the same act, to a modification process.

Once the complete information is submitted, SETENA shall have a maximum period of 21 calendar days (días naturales) to issue the respective resolution.

The environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) procedure shall be carried out via the digital platform or the means that SETENA establishes.

Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental)

The control of environmental management before SETENA shall be carried out through the Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental). Activities, works, or projects that have environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) and that require the activation of an Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) must enable it through the environmental manager (responsable ambiental) appointed by the developer for this purpose.

This instrument shall be public in nature and shall only contain annotations by SETENA, the Environmental Manager (Responsable Ambiental), and officials from the environmental management area of the municipality where the activity, work, or project will be developed.

The format for making annotations by environmental managers (responsables ambientales) is that indicated in Annex 10 (Anexo 10) of this regulation, called "Environmental Responsibility Report Guide" ("Guía de Informe de Responsabilidad Ambiental") and must include the following data:

For AOPs that, as part of their environmental management stage, do not have an enabled environmental digital logbook (bitácora digital ambiental) and still maintain a physical logbook (bitácora física), the responsibility reports (informes de regencia) shall be submitted through the official digital means arranged for this purpose.

The Environmental Digital Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) shall comply with the following guidelines:

The professional who assumes the environmental responsibility must submit a report on the condition in which they receive the activity, work, or project, regarding compliance with environmental measures, within a period of 10 business days (días hábiles) from when they are enabled to make annotations in the environmental digital logbook (bitácora digital ambiental). SETENA must resolve the change of environmental manager (responsable ambiental) procedure within a period of 14 calendar days (días naturales).

Inspections

SETENA must schedule and execute environmental inspections for environmental follow-up and control of activities, works, or projects, randomly or when the environmental implications of the activity, work, or project so require. In carrying out the inspections, SETENA officials shall verify that there is faithful compliance with the subscribed environmental commitments derived from the Environmental Management Table (Cuadro Gestión Ambiental) and the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales).

SETENA shall notify the developer, or failing that, the corresponding environmental responsible party (responsable ambiental), of the conduct of an official inspection at least 7 calendar days before its execution. In the event that SETENA deems it convenient, inspections may also be carried out without prior notice, with the approval of the immediate superior.

During inspections, when required, SETENA may request the collaboration and support of officials from other environmental offices of centralized entities of the Executive Branch, or from offices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy or the municipalities.

All inspections must be conducted in compliance with the procedure defined by SETENA. As a result of the inspections, a record (acta) must be generated summarizing the main results of the work performed.

When environmental inspections determine possible non-compliance with environmental commitments, the technical department shall transfer the matter to the developer and the environmental responsible party (responsable ambiental) so that they may respond to the same within a period of 10 business days and present any documentation they deem necessary to support their position. SETENA may, for its analysis, request technical criteria from other entities within the framework of their competencies.

Once the response is received or the 10-business-day period granted to the developer and environmental responsible party (responsable ambiental) has expired, it shall be determined by means of an administrative resolution (resolución administrativa) whether the application of any of the measures established in Article 99 of the Organic Environmental Law, Law No. 7554, is appropriate.

Closure of the Activity, Work, or Project

Every activity, work, or project must request the technical closure (cierre técnico) of the administrative file (expediente) through official digital means and attach the consolidated report, in accordance with the format of Annex 10. This closure may be partial or total, depending on the number of stages approved for the AOP.

In case of final closure of the project, the closure of the digital environmental logbook (bitácora digital ambiental) must be requested through its platform.

SETENA may conduct inspections for technical closures (cierres técnicos) as it deems appropriate. Verification of compliance with environmental measures may be carried out through an inspection of the activity, work, or project, if required, or failing that, through the use of available technological tools.

For the technical closure (cierre técnico) of the project, a consolidated report shall be required upon completion of the construction and/or operational phase, in accordance with the provisions of the environmental viability resolution (resolución de viabilidad ambiental).

For activities, works, or projects whose environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental) includes the operational phase, a consolidated report for the first 6 months shall be submitted once SETENA has deemed such technical closure (cierre técnico) feasible. From that moment on, monitoring shall be the responsibility of the competent institutions according to the type of activity involved.

Once the project closure is approved, the administrative file (expediente administrativo) shall be archived.

Environmental Complaints (Denuncias Ambientales)

Environmental complaints (denuncias ambientales) filed against an activity, work, or project in the Environmental Impact Assessment stage or in the environmental monitoring stage must be processed through official digital mechanisms. SETENA shall only process those complaints that fall within its competence, as established in the respective environmental viability resolution (resolución de viabilidad ambiental). Those not within its competence must be officially transferred to the corresponding institution for due processing.

Complaints must be submitted in writing at central offices or digitally through the official means enabled for that purpose. They must include the following information:

The complainant may request their right to keep their identity confidential.

SETENA shall proceed with the complaint by conducting an investigation of the case and generating the corresponding technical report. To this end, the facts shall be transferred to the accused within a period of 14 calendar days, who must respond to SETENA within a maximum period of 10 business days. It is at SETENA's discretion whether a site inspection is required as evidence for a better resolution, or an opinion from any institution. If such an inspection occurs, the respective record (acta) shall be drawn up.

For the purposes of complying with due process, the processing of the complaint must contain the following:

SETENA must issue the respective final resolution by means of a reasoned resolution (resolución fundada). Prior to said resolution, it may impose precautionary measures to suspend the activity, work, or project. Likewise, it may issue corrective measures, such as the submission of necessary prevention and mitigation measures to safeguard the environment, and it may also impose a compensation plan. In the same manner, it may impose the other sanctions established by Article 99 of the Organic Environmental Law, Law No. 7554, and this regulation.

SETENA shall have a maximum period of two months to respond to the complaint, unless the complexity of the case requires obtaining additional studies and evidence, which shall be communicated to the complainant.

Once the period granted to the developer to implement the corrective measures has elapsed, they must demonstrate their compliance to SETENA's satisfaction, based on corresponding technical and legal justifications and criteria.

If the measures and actions adopted are satisfactory to SETENA and there was a precautionary measure of suspension of works, the developer may be authorized to continue with the construction or operational actions of the activity, work, or project. The lifting may be authorized partially or totally even with the measures still in execution.

If the developer fails to comply with the corrective measures, SETENA, by means of an administrative resolution (resolución administrativa), may order the closure of the activity, work, or project for non-compliance with the actions established for the conservation and protection of the environment. Likewise, it may order any of the measures established in Article 99 of the Organic Environmental Law, without any liability to the Public Administration.

In cases where a complaint is filed before SETENA and there is no administrative file (expediente administrativo) for the activity, work, or project in which the reported facts have taken place, SETENA must transfer the complaint to the competent entity or to the Environmental Administrative Tribunal (Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo), without this action being considered an active party to the process.

All complaints filed before the Environmental Administrative Tribunal (Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo) that have an active administrative file (expediente administrativo) at SETENA must be transferred as provided in Article 111 of the Organic Environmental Law, for their respective processing.

Citizen Participation (Participación Ciudadana)

It is the set of mechanisms that allow for channeling communication between the developer, the citizenry, and the environmental authority.

The objective is for individuals to have the necessary, suitable, and timely environmental information about the activity, work, or project to be developed and its possible impacts, with the power to act in defense and protection of the environment by making substantiated observations (observaciones fundamentadas) to the Environmental Impact Assessment process. These shall be included in the administrative file (expediente) and evaluated in the final resolution issued by SETENA.

Individuals or legal entities, public or private, shall have the possibility to analyze, opine, make inquiries, and file complaints, at any stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment process, and of control and monitoring. In the case of complaints, oppositions, or observations filed during the Environmental Impact Assessment process, they shall be considered in the final act, according to Article 22 of the Organic Environmental Law. When they take place in the environmental control and monitoring phase, the respective resolution shall be issued by SETENA.

In the case of an activity, work, or project located in indigenous territories, the developer must comply with the General Mechanism for Consultation of Indigenous Peoples (Mecanismo General de Consulta a Pueblos Indígenas), prior to its entry, and provide it to the Environmental Impact Assessment process at SETENA.

The mechanisms to be used shall be the following:

a. Appearances (Apersonamientos).

b. File consultations.

c. Hearings before SETENA.

d. Public hearings.

e. Attention to inquiries.

f. Substantiated written observations (observaciones escritas fundamentadas).

g. Complaints (Denuncias).

h. Administrative remedies (recursos administrativos) according to Article 87 of the Organic Environmental Law.

For the fulfillment of these mechanisms, the technological means established by means of a reasoned resolution (resolución fundamentada) of SETENA shall be used. In accordance with Article 105 of the Biodiversity Law, and Article 22 of the Organic Environmental Law, any person may appear in the administrative file (expediente administrativo) of the Environmental Impact Assessment, in defense and Protection of the Environment.

Request for a hearing: Pursuant to Article 95 of the Biodiversity Law, when any individual or legal entity requests SETENA to hold a public hearing for information and analysis in the case of a specific activity, work, or project, SETENA, by virtue of the magnitude of the potential environmental impact, shall determine, after prior technical assessment of the situations involved in its development, the need or not to hold it. In case of deciding not to hold the requested public hearing, SETENA must determine the mechanism through which it will receive the observations.

SETENA shall approve the request for a public hearing by means of a resolution, which must be substantiated and justified, considering principles of reasonableness and proportionality.

The objective of public hearings shall be to inform interested parties about the activity, work, or project intended to be developed, giving them the opportunity to express all their concerns and receive the corresponding information.

SETENA shall adopt any other mechanism for citizen participation (participación ciudadana) that arises as part of government policies related to the development of activities, works, or projects.

SETENA may request developers, as part of the socioeconomic component in the Environmental Impact Assessment instruments, for the purpose of complying with the mechanism for citizen participation (participación ciudadana), the application of one or both of the following techniques:

SETENA shall analyze the data derived from the established instruments, evaluate the collected observations, and issue a positive or negative pronouncement on the actions taken therein, within the periods established in this regulation for the analysis of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Registry and Authorization of Environmental Consultants

SETENA shall maintain a Registry of Environmental Consultants (Registro de Consultores Ambientales, RCA) for the registration of environmental consultants, both individuals and legal entities.

In the case of legal entities that offer consulting services, the signing of forms and Environmental Impact Assessment instruments must be performed by professional environmental consultants duly registered before SETENA, and not by the legal representatives of the company. Any other document within the Environmental Impact Assessment process may be signed by the legal representative of the consulting company, without the need for them to be a registered consultant.

SETENA must:

Those who meet the following requirements shall be registered and authorized as Environmental Consultants (Consultores Ambientales) or Coordinating Environmental Consultants (Consultores Ambientales Coordinadores), authorized by SETENA:

• 1)Environmental Consultants (individual). In the case of Individuals:

a. Full name of the developer, qualifications, personal address, and place and email address for receiving notifications.

b. Complete the registration application form through the digital platform.

c. University Degree.

d. Registered and authorized by the corresponding Professional Association (Colegio Profesional). If there is no such Professional Association (Colegio Profesional) in the country, the consultant must submit a sworn statement indicating the foregoing.

• 2)Environmental Consultants (legal entity). In the case of Legal Entities:

a. Name of the legally constituted company in the country, legal identification number, tax domicile, email address for receiving notifications, full name and qualifications of the representative or authorized agents.

b. Professional team: Have at least one professional who is registered as an individual environmental consultant (consultor ambiental físico) at SETENA.

• 3)Coordinating Environmental Consultants (Consultores Ambientales Coordinadores):

a. Be registered as an Environmental Consultant (Consultor Ambiental) before SETENA for at least two years.

b. Participation in at least 3 EsIAs: provide the file numbers (números de expediente) in which they participated.

c. Applies only to Environmental Impact Studies (Estudios de Impacto Ambiental, EsIA).

Regents (regentes) must meet the same requirements as the environmental consultant. Once the documentation is received, SETENA shall have a maximum period of 14 calendar days for the review of the corresponding documentation and the issuance of the Registration resolution. If it is necessary to request the submission of missing requirements, a one-time period of 10 business days shall be granted, as established in Article 264 of the General Law of Public Administration, to correct the corresponding items, and the review period shall be suspended.

The following may not be environmental consultants:

This impediment shall apply for the entire period established in the final resolution.

Employees working for the Public Administration, State institutions, or Municipalities must register in the RCA, in order to provide professional services during the preparation and processing of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the institutions where they provide services, unless they have any prohibition in the current regulations which prevents such registration.

The environmental consultant must keep the information recorded in the registry updated, the validity of which is five years. A single Registry number shall be maintained per person or Consulting Company.

The grounds for cancellation of the registration for individuals are as follows:

The grounds for cancellation of the registration for legal entities are as follows:

Environmental Responsible Party (Responsable Ambiental)

SETENA shall order the developer of the activities, works, or projects, via administrative resolution (resolución administrativa), to appoint an Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental).

In the case of activities, works, or projects in categories B2 and C, SETENA may exempt the developer from the appointment of the Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental), via administrative resolution (resolución administrativa).

The Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental) shall have the direct obligation of control and monitoring in the environmental management stage of the project, in order to oversee the correct fulfillment of the environmental commitments by the developer in carrying out their activity, work, or project and to avoid effects on the environment not contemplated in the Environmental Impact Assessment process. To that extent, the functions of the Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental) of the activities, works, or projects shall be as follows:

In addition, they must immediately record in the Digital Environmental Logbook (Bitácora Digital Ambiental) any situation or conduct that may cause damage or any unforeseen impact.

The environmental consultant or Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental) of the activity, work, or project shall be responsible for the veracity of the information in the documents they sign, as well as for the suitability of the methods and procedures they recommend, with joint and several liability (responsabilidad solidaria) with the project developer.

In the event that the Environmental Responsible Party (Responsable Ambiental) resigns, they must inform SETENA of their decision immediately, indicating the causes, with a copy to the developer of the activity, work, or project. The developer of the activity, work, or project must appoint the new Environmental Responsible Party (responsable ambiental) through the means that SETENA has enabled for this procedure, within 10 business days from the resignation or change of the previous responsible party, which must be recorded in the administrative file (expediente administrativo).

In the event that there is sufficient evidence demonstrating non-compliance with functions by the Environmental Responsible Party (Responsable Ambiental), SETENA shall proceed to open the corresponding administrative procedure, in accordance with the provisions of the General Law of Public Administration. Likewise, it must be determined whether said non-compliance affects the environmental commitments acquired by the developer of the activity, work, or project, in such a way that it generates environmental damage or significant negative impacts, for the purpose of remedying or compensating it.

Once the resolution imposing administrative sanctions becomes final (firme), it shall be communicated to the respective professional association (colegio profesional), without prejudice to any corresponding judicial actions.

If it is demonstrated that the responsibility for the environmental non-compliance falls on the developer, SETENA shall proceed ex officio to order them to comply with the law, or otherwise, they may be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of Article 99 of the Organic Environmental Law.

Compliance and Operation Guarantees (Garantías de Cumplimiento y Funcionamiento)

Activities, works, or projects with approved environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental), in which it is so determined in the final resolution, must deposit an environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental). These environmental guarantees (garantías ambientales) shall be of two types:

Operation guarantees shall not be established for activities that are supervised during their operation by other institutions for which the regulations have established obligations. For these projects, SETENA shall only set a guarantee for the construction stage and shall close the project with a consolidated environmental report covering up to six months from the start of the operational phase, and shall return the environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental) if everything is in order. The foregoing according to what is indicated in the respective resolution of environmental viability (license).

Compliance guarantees may be rendered for the entirety of the activity, work, or project or determined by stages.

The environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental) shall be set by the final resolution granting the environmental viability (viabilidad ambiental), indicating the amount thereof and the period for its deposit.

When setting the environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental), SETENA must take into account aspects such as:

According to the type of Environmental Impact Assessment instrument, the following percentage ranges are determined for setting the compliance guarantee (garantía de cumplimiento):

In the case of activities, works, or projects with low potential environmental impact or moderately low significance of environmental impact, SETENA shall have the power to exempt them from the payment of the environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental), reserving both the competence and authority, as well as the power and attribution, to request its deposit at any time. AOPs that undergo the EIA with forms D1-Towers, D4, and D1-C are exempt from the environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental).

The guarantees may be rendered in the following manner:

a. Certificate of Time Deposit (Certificado de Depósito a Plazo) (Any Public or Private Bank), issued in the name of the developer and endorsed in favor of MINAE-SETENA.

b. Compliance Guarantee (Garantía de Cumplimiento) established by any financial entity recognized by the State, issued in the name of the developer and indicating that the beneficiary is MINAE-SETENA.

c. Bank Deposit in the accounts of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE).

Guarantees may be extended by international banks, provided that they are recognized by the Central Bank of Costa Rica, and have an authorized branch in the country. In this case, the guarantees must be issued in accordance with Costa Rican regulations, being enforceable if necessary.

Proof of the rendering of the guarantee must be recorded in the administrative file (expediente administrativo).

In the event that the developer of the activity, work, or project has not submitted the corresponding environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental), SETENA may proceed according to Article 99 of the Organic Environmental Law to determine the applicable sanction.

In accordance with the Organic Environmental Law, environmental guarantees (garantías ambientales) must be for a minimum of one year and maintained throughout all stages of the activity, work, or project until its completion, closure, or technical closure (cierre técnico). For its return, it is necessary for SETENA to previously verify compliance with the established environmental commitments, as provided in the following article of this regulation. In activities, works, or projects where the developer has requested project closure (cierre del proyecto), SETENA, after prior analysis, shall consider not requesting the renewal of the environmental guarantee (garantía ambiental) at the time of preparing the project closure report.

SETENA, in accordance with the fulfillment of the environmental obligations contracted with respect to the activity, work, or project, may proceed with the partial return, in the case of phased developments, or total return of the environmental compliance guarantee (garantía de cumplimiento ambiental), upon request by the developer.

SETENA shall adopt the respective resolution for the return of the amount of the guarantee provided, either in stages or for the entirety of the project, once it has verified that the environmental commitments have been fulfilled.

Prior to commencing the next stage, the guarantee corresponding to the stage to be carried out must be provided.

Verification of compliance with environmental measures may be carried out through an inspection of the activity, work, or project, if required, or failing that, through the use of available technological tools.

In the event that non-compliance with the environmental obligations and commitments acquired by the developer is verified, during any of the stages of the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental), SETENA may proceed to enforce the performance or operational guarantee in accordance with Article 99, subsection c) of the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), following due process. In accordance with the ordinary procedure of the General Public Administration Law (Ley General de la Administración Pública).

This enforcement, in accordance with the provisions of the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), may be partial or total considering the particular environmental situation. In the event that the guarantee has been provided in stages, enforcement shall be carried out for the stages in which non-compliance is determined, as indicated in the first paragraph of this article.

SETENA, through an internal procedure duly grounded in current legislation, shall determine the mechanisms for its enforcement.

Sanctions

Sanctioning Procedure

The sanctioning procedure for non-compliance with the conditions set in the environmental viability (license) (viabilidad (licencia) ambiental) and the provisions indicated in the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente) in its Articles 99 and 101, or applicable legislation, shall be the ordinary administrative procedure established in the General Public Administration Law (Ley General de la Administración Pública), except for special stipulated procedures, as the case may be, or when dealing with alternative measures to the sanction.

The following shall be considered minor offenses:

a. Failure to respond to requests for information made by SETENA.

b. Failure to provide the facilities for inspection or audit work within the framework of environmental assessment.

c. Acting as an environmental consultant or regent with an expired registration before SETENA.

d. Not informing SETENA of the start of works or falsely reporting the start of works, for the purpose of keeping the Environmental Viability (License) (Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental, VLA) valid.

e. Not keeping the digital environmental logbook (Bitácora ambiental digital) up to date, according to the number of visits the environmental manager makes to the project.

f. Failure to submit the environmental responsibility report in compliance with the periodicity established in the resolution (up to two times).

The following shall be considered serious offenses:

a. Non-compliance with the conditions set in the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental).

b. Repeated failure to submit environmental responsibility reports (three or more times).

c. Failure to submit the instruments for environmental control and monitoring prior to the start of works.

d. Failure to provide the performance or operational guarantee ordered by SETENA.

e. Failure by the Regent to promptly inform SETENA of findings or non-compliance in the execution of the project.

The following shall be considered very serious offenses:

a. Falsification of an Environmental Viability (License) (VLA).

b. Carrying out a work or activity different from that authorized by the Environmental Viability (License) (VLA), without prior approval from SETENA.

c. Attempting to bribe, induce, intimidate, or threaten an official by any means to resolve a matter in a direction favoring the user’s interest.

d. Concealing information or presenting false information in studies or reports for environmental assessment or monitoring.

Minor offenses shall be sanctioned with a written reprimand or a warning about the existence of a claim twice. From a third minor offense onwards, it shall be considered a serious offense.

Serious offenses shall be sanctioned with a written reprimand, partial or temporary closure of the acts or facts causing the non-compliance, enforcement of the performance guarantee (garantía de cumplimiento), according to the internal procedure defined by Setena, suspension of the Environmental Viability (License) (VLA).

Very serious offenses shall be sanctioned with total or permanent closure of the acts or facts causing the non-compliance, enforcement of the performance guarantee (garantía de cumplimiento), suspension of the Environmental Viability (License) (VLA), or the archiving of the file.

In accordance with the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), SETENA may impose compensatory obligations as alternative measures to the sanction or as measures to stabilize the environment or biological diversity.

If non-compliance with Environmental Commitments (Compromisos Ambientales) is verified, a precautionary measure of temporary, partial, or total suspension of the activity, work, or project may be ordered, after assessment by SETENA, granting a peremptory period to carry out the necessary corrective technical and legal measures. However, depending on the severity of the facts, it may order the closure of said activity, work, or project. If necessary, the environmental authorities shall request the collaboration and be accompanied by the respective police or judicial authority.

Only in extreme or exceptional cases when the environmental authority is not permitted free entry, shall it seek a search warrant from the competent judicial authority.

If the case allows it, and by prior resolution of SETENA, the moment the developer remedies the committed anomalies or complies with what is required in the administrative resolution notified to them, the environmental authority that proceeded with the closure or whomever it delegates shall proceed to lift the order.

Resolution and Appeals

The communication of the administrative resolution shall be made in compliance with the provisions of the General Public Administration Law (Ley General de la Administración Pública) and other related regulations. Due notification to the interested party is a requirement for the effectiveness of the administrative resolution, so that it may be appealed.

Notification by the suitable electronic means must contain:

The administered party may demand responsibility from both the Public Administration and the public official, the hierarchical superior, and SETENA for non-compliance with the provisions and principles of these regulations and current legislation, when, without any justification, the processing is delayed or improper additional information is requested for the purposes of the Environmental Viability (license) (Viabilidad (licencia) Ambiental).

The general responsibility of the Administration shall be governed by the provisions of Article 10 of the Law for the Protection of Citizens from Excessive Requirements and Administrative Procedures No. 8220 (Ley de Protección al Ciudadano del Exceso de Requisitos y Trámites Administrativos N° 8220) and its regulations, Articles 190 and following of the General Public Administration Law (LGAP); the civil and administrative responsibility of the public official, by its Articles 199 and following.

Fees for the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

In accordance with Article 18 of the Organic Environmental Law (Ley Orgánica del Ambiente), the costs of the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) process, which include: technical studies, the use of environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) instruments, application of environmental measures (preventive, corrective, mitigatory, or compensatory), control and monitoring, implementation of environmental management plans, and other procedures related to the process, must be borne by the developer of the activity, work, or project.

SETENA, in accordance with the provisions of current legislation, shall update every four years the fee table for the review process of the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental), by executive decree, and shall publish it in the official gazette La Gaceta.

The EIA review process shall begin once the developer has deposited the corresponding amount in the account designated by SETENA in accordance with current legislation.

The fees for the environmental assessment forms and instruments, to be submitted to the National Environmental Technical Secretariat, shall be as follows:

a. D1-C and the complete D4: ($50 dollars plus the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales) $10).

b. D1+ DJCA, $200 c. D1 +P PGA $500 d. D1 + EsIA, $1500 e. D1-Towers, ($50 dollars plus the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales) $10).

f. D6 Urban Quadrant, $200 plus the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales) $10.

g. Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales), $10 dollars h. Environmental Construction Guide $50 Fees may be paid in colones at the official exchange rate established by the Central Bank for the day on which the payment is made.

The D3 has the same value as each of the instruments and forms indicated above for the EIA, due to the fact that the D3 defines a prioritization in SETENA’s EIA process.

State institutions are exempt from payment for the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) form and instruments.

Final Considerations

The Environmental Viability (License) (VLA) may be transferred through an assignment of rights in accordance with Article 1101 of the Civil Code, for which the interested party must submit the following documentation and must comply with the provisions of Article 295 of the LGAP:

The assignment contract must expressly state that the assignee commits to complying with all environmental obligations and commitments established in the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) process.

● In the case of Natural Persons: Full name of the developer and identification number.

● In the case of Legal Entities: Name of the company legally incorporated in the country and legal identification number (número de cédula jurídica).

See Annex 11 A General Guide for EIA, of these regulations.

SETENA must be informed of the merger or transformation of companies or change of company name for the purpose of updating the file, for which the following requirements must be submitted:

The deadline for resolution is 21 calendar days; if missing information needs to be requested, a single warning shall be issued stating that the resolution period is suspended, and 10 business days shall be given for its submission.

In the case of a Change of Company Name, a note shall be taken for the purpose of the File registry.

The extensions and suspensions of the deadlines granted by this Secretariat, including those for the validity of the Environmental Viability (License) (VLA), shall be applied under the terms of Articles 258 and 259 of the LGAP.

Earthworks (movimiento de tierras), whether part of a project or constituting the main activity, must respect the current legislation on the subject, the Manual of Technical Instruments for the Environmental Impact Assessment Process (Manual de EIA)-Part V No. 33959. "Technical and environmental procedure for earthworks (movimientos de tierras)".

Regarding what corresponds to the management and disposal of waste within the framework of the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) process, the developer must apply the rules set forth in the Integrated Waste Management Law (Ley de Gestión Integral de Residuos) and its regulations.

Their objective is to consider, a priori, a series of environmental and legal variables of a geographic space, in order to facilitate a more informed decision on the area in which a project, work, or activity will be developed.

AAFs, by their nature, are divided into two main groups: a) those areas for which the State has defined a special use regime (defined legal and technical framework); b) geographic spaces that show technical and environmental limitations for their use.

The assessment of whether the project area (AP) is located within an AAF must be carried out by the developer from the initial phases of the project. The fact that the project area is part of an AAF does not necessarily constitute a prohibition or impediment to the development of the project, work, or activity, unless current legislation so establishes. In this case, knowledge of that situation must lead to the identification of technical environmental limitations and the promotion of a design for the project, work, or activity that can overcome said technical limitations, and in this way, not affect low-impact projects that typically occur in AAFs.

SETENA, during the environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental) process, shall have the obligation to verify, through available digital tools, the situation of the project area (AP) regarding the defined AAFs and take into account the result of that analysis within the decision-making process involving the system. In case of uncertainty, it may conduct a site inspection to determine the nature of the land.

For the purposes of this Executive Decree, the following shall be considered as environmentally fragile areas:

(*)

(*)

(*)

(*)

(*)

(*)

(*) When they form part of the natural heritage of the State. Natural heritage of the State understood as established by the Forestry Law (Ley Forestal) and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 13 and 18 of the Forestry Law (Ley Forestal).

For activities, works, or projects that are submitted through an Environmental Impact Study (Estudio de Impacto Ambiental) (EsIA), category A, and when SETENA deems it necessary and so justifies it, it may order the formation of a Joint Environmental Monitoring and Control Commission (Comisión Mixta de Monitoreo y Control Ambiental, COMIMA).

In the case of the use of natural resources, SETENA shall establish coordination mechanisms with the corresponding authorities defined in the regulations, in order to develop a procedure that harmonizes the EIA process, the technical studies for granting the respective concession, and the cycle of the activity, work, or project, such that, following criteria of logic, rationality, reasonableness, proportionality, and technical aspects, in addition to the provisions of Articles 8 and 9 of Law No. 8220 (Law for the Protection of Citizens from Excessive Procedures and Administrative Requirements, Ley de Protección al Ciudadano del Exceso de Trámites y Requisitos Administrativos), an efficient, agile, and effective processing system is developed, which considers the single-window mechanism as the basis of its management.

I.The following Executive Decrees are repealed: No. 31849 -MINAE-S-MOPT-MAG-MEIC of May 24, 2004, "General Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures and its amendments" ("Reglamento General sobre los Procedimientos de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) y sus reformas"), published in the official gazette La Gaceta No. 125 of June 28, 2004, and No. 34536-MINAE of March 25, 2008, "Regulation for setting fees for services provided by the National Environmental Technical Secretariat" ("Reglamento de fijación de tarifas de servicios brindados por la Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental"), published in the official gazette La Gaceta No. 108 of June 5, 2008.

This Regulation shall enter into force 4 months after its publication in the official gazette La Gaceta.

Given at the Presidency of the Republic. San José, on the twenty-first day of December, two thousand twenty-two.

Definitions and abbreviations For the purposes of this regulation, the following definitions and abbreviations are used:

It also includes areas for which the State, by virtue of their environmental characteristics, has issued a special legal framework for protection, reserve, safeguarding, or administration.

The project area (AP) can be net when the space occupied by the buildings and actions is equal to the area of the farm to be used, and it is said to be total when the area of the farm to be used is larger than the space of the works or actions to be developed.

It establishes actions for prevention, correction, mitigation, and compensation that must be executed in order to promote protection and prevent damage to the environment. This document must be taken into consideration by the environmental consultant and the analyst responsible for reviewing an environmental impact assessment (Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental).

In forming the commission, at least one SETENA official, one representative of the developer, one representative of the municipality, and one representative of the community organizations of the place where the activity, work, or project will be developed shall be designated. Its members shall serve ad honorem and for the duration of the operation of said activity, work, or project.

Environmental commitments consist of an objective and the environmental tasks or actions for their fulfillment, within a given period, and must also be expressed in terms of the economic investment to be made.

For the purposes of applying Article 40 of the Urban Planning Law (Ley de Planificación Urbana), the urban quadrant is considered the city quadrant.

It is likewise the one who will assume the environmental commitments and will be directly responsible for their compliance.

A record must be kept of any changes in environmental significance that may occur in the Project Area.

Said deposit must be made in favor of SETENA in the Custody Funds account of the National Environmental Fund.

It can be positive or negative, direct or indirect, cumulative or not, reversible or irreversible, extensive or limited, among other characteristics. It differs from environmental damage, in the measure and moment in which the environmental impact is evaluated in an ex-ante process, such that aspects of prevention, mitigation, and compensation can be considered to reduce its scope on the environment.

It can be pre-established, taking as a reference base the environmental impact caused by the generality of similar activities, works, or projects that are already in operation.

In those cases where the result of the review requires additional information, which is the competence of other institutions in a subsequent process, this must be demonstrated in the environmental monitoring stage.

Compensation may include the inclusion or strengthening of some type of ecosystem services identified as having greater relevance in the project's area of influence.

They have the obligation to officially inform SETENA and the environmental authority of the results of monitoring and control in accordance with the provisions of this regulation and other applicable regulations.

From an administrative and legal standpoint, it corresponds to the act in which the Environmental Impact Assessment process is approved.

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The activities, works, or projects that do not require an Environmental Impact Assessment are the following.

Expansions of existing buildings are included, provided they do not exceed 500 square meters of construction area.

For this purpose, the same institutions must be responsible for verifying compliance with the Code of Good Environmental Practices (Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales) and the corresponding laws.

a. The exception group is understood to be the Frutales 1 group, subgroup A, defined in the list of activities of Annex 1 of this regulation.

b. This group must undergo the EIA process of this regulation, referring to the procedure for new agricultural activities on agroecological-use soils.

c. Any other crop change not contemplated in this list shall not be considered a change of crop for the purposes of this regulation and does not need to be evaluated by SETENA.

d. In the same sense, if the change is established between crops of group 1, this change shall also not be considered a change of crop for the purposes of this regulation, and therefore, no procedure must be carried out before SETENA. NOTE: Activities, works, or projects that did not require an Environmental Impact Assessment, and that, for reasons of convenience, require environmental viability (license) (viabilidad (licencia) ambiental), may voluntarily submit to the EIA process. This only applies to subsection d of section 53 of this annex.

Cleaning that must not involve the activity of dredging the bed or walls (taludes) of the public domain watercourse.

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| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 1In the official coordinate system (CRTM 05).

2 In the official coordinate system (CRTM 05).

3 To receive notifications from SETENA. It is not recommended to use personal email addresses.

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1 ANNEX A: Geotechnical data on bearing capacity or foundation for the civil work

This will be defined by the person responsible for carrying out the study.

Geotechnical studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and a geologist with a specialty in geotechnics, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study.

a. The engineer responsible for the geotechnical study will define whether or not the slope stability study is carried out.

b. The method to be applied for carrying out the slope stability evaluation must be defined under the responsibility of the professional or professionals of the soil geotechnical study, in accordance with the geotechnical conditions identified in said study. The results of this evaluation will be integrated into the soil geotechnical study report.

The content of the soil geotechnical study report will be as follows:

In the event of concluding the impossibility of using absorption systems due to high soil plasticity, shallow water tables (niveles freáticos), or others, indicate alternative solutions.

The analyses must be carried out based on the guidelines of the Geotechnical Code of Slopes and Hillsides of Costa Rica (Código Geotécnico de Taludes y Laderas de Costa Rica).

The professional or professionals signing the soil geotechnical study will be directly responsible for the scientific technical information they provide therein. By virtue of this, SETENA, as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will supervise that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement (declaración jurada). Based on the data provided, SETENA could be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-presentation of the study when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Basic hydrology data for the watercourse of the micro-watershed in which the AP is located Purpose of the hydrological study.

The hydrological study of the water collector course closest to the AP that is located within the hydrographic micro-watershed in which it is found, would fulfill at least two primary purposes: Segment A) to demonstrate that said course has the carrying capacity to accept an increase in surface flow as a consequence of the development of the proposed activity, work, or project, and Segment B) to demonstrate that said course does not represent a potential flood risk factor for the facilities that will be developed as part of the activity, work, or project.

Scope of application of the hydrological study.

The hydrological study, referring to Segment A), must be presented in all those cases where the development of infrastructure works is proposed that cause soil impermeabilization, or the introduction and management of new water flows (by irrigation or groundwater extraction), within the AP and consequently produce an increase of more than 10% of the current surface runoff that flows directly towards the closest natural receiving watercourse within the hydrological micro-watershed in which the AP is located.

Activities, works, or projects whose stormwater discharges into a ditch or a public collector of an authorized entity according to current legislation, do not have to submit Segment A) of the hydrological study before SETENA. In its place, the engineering professional of the activity, work, or project will certify, by means of a note, to this Technical Secretariat the manner in which said stormwater will be disposed of and the commitment to comply with the provisions of current legislation on this matter.

Meanwhile, Segment B) of the study will be presented for all those activities, works, or projects located within the flood valley of a watercourse and that may, therefore, be affected by an overflow of said course. The definition of whether the AP is located within the flood valley of a watercourse will be certified by the responsible engineering professional of the activity, work, or project, using as a basis three fundamental and complementary criteria: a) direct observation in the field, b) information available in the hazard maps issued by the National Commission for Disaster Prevention and Response (Comisión Nacional de Prevención y Atención de Desastres, CNE), and c) data provided by the geological study of the terrain. In the event that the AP is not in such a situation, said responsible professional will prepare and sign a note certifying the same, in substitution of the corresponding technical study. In the event that it is within the flood valley, they must proceed with carrying out the hydrological study corresponding to Segment B, which is protocolized in this section.

Responsible parties for carrying out the hydrological study.

Hydrological studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and Agricultural Engineers, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study. The professional or professionals signing the Hydrology study will be directly responsible for the scientific technical information they provide therein.

By virtue of this, SETENA, as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will supervise that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement (declaración jurada). Based on the data provided, SETENA could be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer may have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-presentation of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Guide for the preparation of the studies.

The professional or professionals responsible for carrying out the hydrological study must define, by virtue of the terrain conditions of the hydrographic micro-watershed under analysis and the standard scientific methodologies used for this type of study, the technical procedure to apply.

Thematic content of the hydrological study report.

The content of the hydrological study report will be as follows:

The professional responsible for the Hydrological calculations is responsible for choosing the method to use for the calculation of the maximum flow; they must be able to select the most appropriate method to carry out the respective study, for example: Rational Method, other methods such as Precipitation-Runoff Transformation or the Creager Coefficient Method. The study must also ensure that the existing hydraulic works are capable of assimilating the additional contribution of the calculated flow and that it does not cause saturation problems in the Hydraulic Works, nor also in the natural courses to which these runoff waters go, ensuring that it will not contribute to the undermining (socavación) of existing hydraulic works, such as bridges, culverts, etc.

The return period to which the study is subjected will depend on the hydraulic work or works which the project possesses or proposes in the project, and if it is something that is already installed, then estimate at the discretion of the Professional Responsible for the Study (Consultant).

3 ANNEX C: TECHNICAL PROTOCOL FOR GEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE AP TERRAIN HYDROGEOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY OF THE PROPERTY.

Professional responsibility for the information provided.

The professional or professionals signing the hydrogeology study and the natural hazards chart will be directly responsible for the scientific technical information they provide therein. By virtue of this, SETENA, as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will supervise that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement (declaración jurada). Based on the data provided, SETENA could be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-presentation of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Thematic content of the environmental hydrogeology study report of the property.

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The rapid archaeological report of the terrain is represented by a quickly completed form that an archaeology professional completes after having conducted an inspection of the property or AP where the activity, work, or project to be developed will be executed. Its purpose is to obtain a quick view on the presence or absence of indications of the existence of an archaeological site and to obtain professional certification on the situation of the property regarding the topic. The content of the protocol and the instruments to be used for this study are the following:

● Scope of application.

The rapid archaeological study of the AP terrain must be used when it is desired to develop: buildings, dwellings, buildings for commerce or industry, earthworks (movimientos de tierra), fills, docks, containment structures, bridges, viaducts, excavations, roads, and in general, any work that modifies or alters the soil where development is desired.

● Responsible parties for carrying out the archaeological study.

Rapid archaeological studies of the terrain must be carried out by professionals in archaeology, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study.

● Procedure for the preparation of the rapid archaeological study.

The professional or professionals responsible for carrying out the rapid archaeological study of the terrain must comply with the technical guidelines for completing this Annex, applying as a procedure for its execution the Archaeological Inspection Form presented in accordance with the guidelines of the referred protocol and the technical guidelines for completing this annex.

● Professional responsibility for the information provided.

The professional responsible for signing the rapid archaeological inspection form shall be responsible for the information provided therein. By virtue thereof, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall verify that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established by this executive decree and, if they are met, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement (declaración jurada). Based on the data provided, SETENA could be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professional shall not only be liable for this fault, but also for the consequences of any decision made by SETENA and the developer based on such data. In the event that the activity, work, or project does not require earthworks (movimientos de tierra), the environmental consultant may justify the non-submission of the rapid archaeological form.

Technical Guidelines for Completing the Archaeological Inspection Form.

Please provide the name of the individual responsible for it.

Legal name of the developer of the activity, work, or project to be developed.

Telephone number of the developer of the activity, work, or project.

Refers to the type of activity, work, or project involved. For example: residential, tourism, hydroelectric, poultry, others.

The name under which the activity, work, or project was submitted to SETENA must be indicated.

Record the political-administrative location of the activity, work, or project.

The location of the activity, work, or project in current coordinates.

8.

) Total project area (Ha. or m2) Record the size of the land where the activity, work, or project will be developed.

9.

) Direct impact area (Ha. or m2).

The project's direct impact area refers to the land to be used for the construction of buildings, platforms, access roads, ramps, and any other area that will be modified to enable the activity, work, or project.

Record the number of the registered plan that covers the entire project area.

It must be indicated whether surface earthworks have occurred and what percentage of the project area they cover. Indicate whether the earthworks are old or recent.

Implies that deep cuts have been made in the ground; therefore, the volume of earth removed will be estimated.

Whether the project area is being used and for what type of activity, work, or project.

Check the corresponding box on the form.

The selection of the alternative and the percentage of ground covered in the inspection must be explained.

How much ground could actually be covered despite the vegetative cover of the AP.

The presence/absence of one or several cultural features must be indicated, the latter being understood as any material evidence of pre-Hispanic activity.

Pre-Hispanic ceramics refer to any fragment or complete piece made from fired or dried clay. Lithics are tools, instruments, or waste products, complete or fragmented, made from different types of rock.

There are many types of cultural features. Some of them are:

- Tomb: a funerary pit made directly in the earth or using different types of stone to build the structure within which the funerary bundle was placed.

- Causeway (Calzada): a stone-paved path.

- Mound (Montículo): an artificial accumulation of earth and stones, generally with an external wall made from river cobbles serving as a retaining wall. This can be circular, rectangular, or a combination of these two basic shapes. Its use could have been ritual, residential, or funerary, and even a combination of these.

- Foundation (Basamento): The foundation appears as a line or row of cobbles arranged in a circular or rectangular shape, at ground level, i.e., it is not a platform. Its use has been indicated as possibly residential or domestic (kitchen).

Only the presence/absence of archaeological materials must be indicated.

It is only necessary to indicate whether remains of archaeological materials or features were visible to the naked eye on the neighboring property.

24.

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Material density per m2 Material density refers to the quantity of archaeological materials (ceramic or lithic) observable to the naked eye on the surface of the ground.

It must be specified whether an archaeological site not previously reported was located as a result of the inspection. Furthermore, the site registration form, properly completed, must be attached to this report.

The site name is what it will be called from now on. The rule for naming a site is to derive it from the surrounding geography, flora, or fauna; proper names or denominations completely unrelated to the country's archaeological context are not recommended. The site code must be requested from the Department of Anthropology of the National Museum (Museo Nacional). The code corresponds to the consecutive number maintained in the Site Registry (Registro de Sitios), which is composed of this number plus the abbreviated site name.

A key piece of information for each registered archaeological site is its area, in terms of the distribution of material on the surface.

This item indicates the type of graphic record made of the archaeological site during the inspection.

If necessary, the documents attached to expand upon the information provided in the form must be indicated.

Write the full name and the identification (cédula de identidad) or identification document number of the person performing the inspection.

Write the environmental consultant registration number granted by SETENA and the year.

Record the full name with surnames and the identification number (cédula de identidad) of the owner (developer) of the activity, work, or project for which this type of study is requested. Individuals who do not hold Costa Rican citizenship may use their passport number, residency permit, or any other official document valid in Costa Rica. When this is the case, the type of identification used must be specified.

In cases where the developer is a legal entity, the business or corporate name, the legal identification number (cédula jurídica), and full name must be indicated.

PROTOCOL FOR CONDUCTING THE RAPID BIOLOGICAL STUDY.

In the event that the AP where the activities, works, or projects are located is partially or totally within an Environmentally Fragile Area (Área Ambientalmente Frágil, AAF), in accordance with the provisions of this Environmental Assessment, Control, and Monitoring Regulation, and which is relevant from a biological standpoint, in the case of mangroves and other types of wetlands protected by legislation; a rapid biological study must be submitted, based on the Protocol detailed in this section, which determines the main biotopes present in the AP and how the activity, work, or project could affect them during its development. Said study must be carried out to the extent that the activity, work, or project will cause a direct impact on sensitive biotopes, according to the criteria of a biology professional. In the event that the AP is not located in an environmentally fragile area, it will suffice to attach a certification from the environmental consultant, stating that sensitive biotopes will not be affected.

PROTOCOL FOR CONDUCTING THE RAPID BIOLOGICAL STUDY

Project Name:

Developer Name: (optional) Geographic Location: (optional) District:

Canton: Province:

CRMT05 Coordinates Map Sheet:

General project description: (optional): Total project area:

Construction coverage area (optional): Altitude:

Old secondary growth, Young secondary growth, scrubland (charral), pasture with scattered trees, pastures without trees, cultivation, abandoned cultivation in recovery (advanced, young), etc.)

| PROTOCOL FOR CONDUCTING THE RAPID BIOLOGICAL STUDY | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 7. Are there flora or/and fauna species under some level or category of protection in the project's AP? Explain 8. General characterization of the existing vegetation cover in the specific areas to be intervened when implementing the project 9. If the project requires cutting down trees (refers to trees that are not part of a plantation, or that were not planted by the developer or property owner, and have a diameter at breast height (DAP) greater than 15 cm), specify the approximate quantity. 10. Is there any ecosystem that can be classified as fragile in the AP? If so, describe it in detail. 11. In your professional judgment, is it necessary or advisable to carry out a more in-depth biological study in the AP and/or AID? Specify and justify your answer. 12. Based on the general observations you obtained from the project area, could it be ensured that the project development will not affect (directly or indirectly) any natural ecosystem of interest?

Specify and justify your answer. 13. If you considered (question 12) that it is not necessary to carry out a more in-depth biological study, describe in a general way the dominant flora and fauna species according to the following tables. a. FAUNA List of fauna (birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) present in the AP It must be prepared in a table that includes the following data | | | | | | | | | | Family | Scientific Name | Common Name | Abundance1 | Type of Observation2 | Specific Location3 | | | Sp 1 | | | | | | | | | Sp2 | | | | | | | | C. AQUATIC FAUNA ● It must be carried out for all those projects when the project's components or any component directly intervenes in any type of surface water body (Rivers, Streams, Lakes, Lagoons, etc.).

● Any group of organisms that are indicators of the general state of the surface water body may be chosen, provided their use is duly validated by a recognized scientific institution. For example: Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Shrimp, fish, diatoms, among others.

PROTOCOL FOR CONDUCTING THE RAPID BIOLOGICAL STUDY ● The sampling must be quantitative; explain the methodology used. The interpretation of the surface water body according to the methodology and group of organisms chosen must be noted.

● Based on the studies carried out in the field, the results obtained must be interpreted and conclusions drawn on whether or not the ecosystem will be affected if the project is carried out. Likewise, you must justify your conclusions and make any recommendations you deem appropriate.

It is worth remembering that this document has the value of a Sworn Statement (Declaración Jurada) and that any inaccuracy or omission will entail the responsibilities contemplated in our legislation. By virtue thereof, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall verify that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established by this protocol and, if they are met, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement (declaración jurada).

If in question 12 above, you recommended carrying out a more in-depth biological study to analyze, with greater judgment, whether or not the project will affect an ecosystem, you may proceed to carry out a more exhaustive study and submit it to SETENA along with the file, or wait for SETENA to set the corresponding terms of reference.

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In addition to the following aspects of this Instrument, the information contained in Annex 3 must be provided.

2 GUIDE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS Definition: Environmental Indicators are parameters that have the function of evaluating the current state of an environmental system (such as climate, a landscape, or an ecosystem), which, in turn, are difficult to measure or evaluate. They help track progress in achieving environmental objectives (for example, sustainable development objectives; their use facilitates monitoring and decision-making) 1.

1 1 Environmental Indicators. Technical Report prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme - Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. (UNEP/LAC-IGWG.XIV/Inf.11 of October 9, 2003).

The indicators must be measurable, verifiable, quantifiable, and/or qualitative and must contain a basic description.

For the Environmental Assessment that SETENA will oversee, the focus will be on reviewing compliance indicators, which have been classified into three types:

They correspond to specific regulations.

2 Type II: These are indicators that contain complete or partial quantitative data information, generated by constant monitoring, but additional or broader data or information is needed, as well as further analysis and management of it, before being able to present a trend or status.

3 Type III: These are conceptual indicators for when there is insufficient available data; these may be descriptive, qualitative, and/or predictive.

Notes:

a. For Type III indicators, the Environmental Measures Table (Cuadro Medidas Ambientales) must be updated during the environmental monitoring stage, when more detailed information is available at the design and EIA level to generate Type I indicators.

b. It must be ensured that, at the time of submitting the Regent Reports (Informes de Regencia), all Type III indicators are presented in terms of Type I indicators.

c. Record and correction in the logbook (Environmental Measures Table).

The presentation of the Environmental Measures Table must be submitted with the following specifications:

-It must be drafted concisely, without exceeding the content in prose. If necessary, you may elaborate on the measure and/or the indicator you deem appropriate (however, the content of said section will not be grounds for rejection; only the content will be verified).

The basic purpose is for Assessments to be developed using this methodology as a common denominator.

The establishment of an adequate MllA by the consulting group allows for a clear summary of the project's effects and their significance. It clarifies the consultant's opinion on the impact to be produced, and allows SETENA to review, analyze, and evaluate the process more quickly.

The PPGA is a fundamentally analytical mechanism of prospective research on what may happen, so the clarification of all the aspects that define it, including the impacts (interrelation between the project action and the environmental factor/aspect), is absolutely necessary.

Qualitative valuation will be carried out based on the impacts matrix. Each crossover cell in the matrix, or type element, will give us an idea of the effect of each impacting action on each impacted environmental factor and aspect.

1).

2 and No. 3, to which one more is added that synthesizes in a figure the importance of the impact based on the eleven previous symbols. Of these eleven symbols, the first corresponds to the sign or nature of the effect, the second represents the degree of incidence or intensity thereof, and the following nine reflect the attributes that characterize said effect.

Table No. 1: Relationships that characterize the environmental impact Table No. 2: Spatial arrangement of the twelve symbols of a type element

The valuation scale will be comprised between 1 and 12, where 12 will express a total destruction of the factor in the area where the effect occurs (total AP), and 1 a minimal impact. The values between these two terms will reflect intermediate situations, which must be duly justified and argued.

In Costa Rica, the Direct Area of Influence (Área de Influencia Directa, AID) Biophysical and Social will be used as a reference for quantification.

If, on the contrary, the effect does not admit a precise location within the activity's environment, having a generalized influence throughout it, the impact will be Total (8), considering intermediate situations, according to their gradation, as Partial Impact (2) and Extensive (4).

If it is a period ranging from 1 to 5 years, Medium-term (2), and if the effect takes more than 5 years to manifest, Long-term, with an assigned value of (1).

If it lasts between 1 and 5 years, Temporary (2); and if the effect lasts more than 5 years, we consider the effect Permanent, assigning it a value of (4).

The effect of felling specimen trees is a permanent, irreversible effect, since the environmental quality is not recovered after felling. On the contrary, an irreversible effect (loss of landscape quality due to the destruction of a garden during the infrastructure construction phase) may present temporary persistence (return to initial conditions through the establishment of a new garden once the works are finished).

The time intervals comprising these periods are identical to those assigned in the previous parameter.

In the case of it being irrecoverable, but the possibility of introducing compensatory measures exists, the value will be 4.

(The lethal dose of product A is OLA and that of product B is DLB. Applied simultaneously, the lethal dose of both products DLAB is greater than OLA + DLB).

(The repeated ingestion of DDT, by not being eliminated from tissues, leads to a progressive increase in its presence and its consequences, eventually causing death).

If the effect produced is cumulative, the value increases to (4).

(The emission of CO impacts the ambient air).

If an indirect or secondary effect occurs, meaning it takes place from a primary effect, and there is no direct effect associated with that same action, the impact is assigned a value of 1. Its manifestation is not a direct consequence of the action but rather takes place from a primary effect, the latter acting as a second-order action. (The emission of fluorocarbons directly impacts the ambient air quality and indirectly or secondarily impacts the thickness of the ozone layer).

The increase in forest fires during the dry season is a periodic effect, intermittent and continuous over time. The increased risk of fires resulting from improved accessibility to a forested area is an irregularly occurring, non-periodic, non-continuous effect, but of exceptional severity.

3, based on the value assigned to the considered symbols.

- Total intensity, and minimal effect of the remaining symbols. - Very high or high intensity, and high or very high effect of the remaining symbols. - High intensity, irrecoverable effect, and very high effect of some of the remaining symbols. - Medium or low intensity, irrecoverable effect, and very high effect of at least two of the remaining symbols.

Moderate impacts have an importance between 25 and 50. They will be severe when the importance is between 50 and 75, and critical when the value exceeds 75.

• a)Exploiting to a greater extent the opportunities offered by the environment for the better environmental achievement of the activity. b) Nullifying, attenuating, avoiding, correcting, or compensating for the negative effects that the actions derived from the activity produce on the environment in their surroundings. c) Increasing, improving, and enhancing any positive effects that may exist.

• a)Protective measures, which prevent the appearance of the effect by modifying the defining elements of the activity (technology, design, relocation, size, raw materials, etc.). b) Corrective measures for recoverable impacts, aimed at nullifying, attenuating, correcting, or modifying the actions and effects on: 1. Production processes (technical, etc.) 2. Operating conditions (filters, soundproofing, safety standards, etc.) 3. Environmental factors as a transmitting agent (promoting atmospheric dispersion, dilution, etc.) 4. Environmental factors as a receiving agent (increasing flow, aerating waters, etc.) 5. Other parameters (modification of the effect towards another of lesser magnitude or importance) c) Compensatory measures for irrecoverable or unavoidable impacts, which do not prevent the appearance of the effect, nor nullify or attenuate it, but counterbalance in some way the alteration of the factor (payment for pollution, creation of green areas), subject to approval by the corresponding authority.

• a)Possible, provided they tend towards the correction of recoverable impacts. b) Obligatory, which correct recoverable, environmentally inadmissible impacts, until reaching adopted or legally established standards. c) Advisable, to attenuate recoverable, environmentally admissible impacts. d) Impossible, when dealing with irrecoverable, environmentally inadmissible impacts, or when they do not directly pertain to the mitigation of the effect.

• a)Only in the area where the activity is developed or the action takes place (soundproofing of an engine room). b) In a more or less significant scope of the environment, extending beyond the area where the activity is developed (waterproofing of a landfill to prevent water contamination in a spring that supplies a bottling activity).

• a)Monovalent, which avoid or attenuate the effect of one or more actions on a single factor. b) Polyvalent, which act on effects that alter the environmental quality of two or more factors (erosion control measures act simultaneously on revegetation, landscape, and runoff destination).

• a)Measures aimed at improving the design. b) Measures to improve operation during the operational phase. c) Measures aimed at improving the carrying capacity of the Environment. d) Measures aimed at the recovery of unavoidable impacts. e) Compensatory measures for factors affected by unavoidable and uncorrectable effects. f) Measures planned for the moment of abandonment of the activity at the end of its useful life. g) Measures for environmental control and monitoring during the operation and abandonment phases.

18 Refined importance matrix

• 2)is obtained from the impact matrix (Fig. 1), quantifying each of its crossing boxes based on the algorithm set out in section No. 15.2 and in Table No. 3.

• a)Crossing boxes that present effects with low-relevance values (compatible impacts) and which, in specific environmental impact assessments (EIA), it is of interest not to take into account. These negligible effects are excluded from the calculation process and are ignored in the overall assessment. The instrumentation in the model consists of the introduction of a sieve, which is nothing but an importance value below which effects are not considered. Once sieved, the matrix presents only the effects that exceed a minimum importance threshold.
• b)Crossing boxes that present extremely important and determining effects, greatly exceeding the established standards. These effects, in the event that they cannot be attenuated or minimized through the incorporation of pertinent corrective measures, are excluded from the calculation process, since, based on their relevance, entity, and significance, their homogeneous treatment with the other effects in parallel to the model, intervening decisively in decision-making.
• c)Crossing boxes that present qualitative effects corresponding to factors of an intangible nature and for which a reasonably representative indicator is not available. These effects remain included as normal in the importance matrix and are evaluated qualitatively, although when proceeding to quantitative valuation they are excluded from the calculation process, but are considered in parallel to the model, and as a component thereof in the evaluation process, obviously intervening in decision-making.
• d)Crossing boxes that present normal effects, taking as such those not included in the previous blocks. These effects are those that remain included in the calculation process established in the valuative model, both qualitative and quantitative.

As already stated, the final impact is the difference between the situation of the environment modified due to the project, work, or activity and the situation as it would have evolved without its presence.

This type of action is reflected with the sign in the type element, and its total importance will be set out in Column No. 2 of Figure 2.

• 2)and the importance of the impact of actions whose effect is irreversible or permanent in the long term or throughout the life of the project (column n+2 of Fig. 2), even if they take place during the construction phase.

(See Figure 1 and 2 in printed Gazette No. 85 of May 4, 2006)

It will be defined by the person responsible for carrying out the study.

Geotechnical studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and a geologist specializing in geotechnics, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study.

a. The engineer responsible for the geotechnical study will define whether or not to carry out the slope stability study. b. The method to be applied for carrying out the slope stability evaluation must be defined under the responsibility of the professional or professionals of the soil geotechnical study, in accordance with the geotechnical conditions identified in said study. The results of this evaluation will be integrated into the soil geotechnical study report.

The content of the soil geotechnical study report will be as follows: 1. Cover Page 2. Professional Responsibility Document 3. Table of Contents 4. Summary of results and technical conclusions 5. Introduction: data on the studied property, professional coordination carried out, objective of the study, and applied methodology. 6. Work carried out: boreholes—including location on the design plan of the activity, work, or project—tests, correlation, and interaction with terrain geology data. 7. Through infiltration tests, establish the necessary disposal systems in those sites where there are no treatment plants or sanitary sewer systems. In case of concluding the impossibility of using the absorption system due to high plasticity of the soils, high water table levels, or others, indicate alternative solutions. 8. Slope Stability Study. The analyses must be made based on the guidelines of the Costa Rica Geotechnical Code for Slopes and Hillsides. 9.

Geotechnical results obtained: data from wells and tests, water table depth, Unified Soil Classification, at the professional's discretion. 10. Evaluation of results and geotechnical conclusions: bearing capacity and foundation, settlements, seismic coefficient according to the Costa Rica Seismic Code, conclusions on foundations for the works, slope stability evaluation. 11. Discussion on the degrees of uncertainty and scope of the study: applicability of the results, pending tasks for later phases of the project, unresolved uncertainties, and general conclusion on the geotechnical conditions of the terrain considering the work to be developed. 12. Bibliographic references. 13. Annexes.

The professional or professionals who sign the soil geotechnical study will be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will verify that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established by this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, as a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of the study when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

5 ANNEX C. HYDROLOGY PROTOCOL Basic hydrology data of the watercourse of the micro-watershed in which the AP is located Purpose of the hydrological study. The hydrological study of the watercourse of the collector closest to the AP, which is located within the hydrographic micro-watershed in which the same is found, shall fulfill at least two primary purposes: Segment A) demonstrating that said watercourse has the carrying capacity to accept an increase in surface flow as a consequence of the development of the proposed activity, work, or project, and Segment B) demonstrating that said watercourse does not represent a potential flood risk factor for the facilities to be developed as part of the activity, work, or project.

Scope of application of the hydrological study. The hydrological study, referring to Segment A), must be submitted in all cases where the development of infrastructure works is proposed that produce soil impermeabilization, or the introduction and management of new water flows (for irrigation or extraction of groundwater), within the AP, and consequently produce an increase of more than 10% of the current surface runoff that flows directly towards the nearest natural receiving watercourse within the hydrological micro-watershed in which the AP is located. Activities, works, or projects whose stormwater discharges into a ditch or a public collector of an entity authorized according to current legislation shall not have to submit Segment A) of the hydrological study before SETENA. In default thereof, the engineering professional of the activity, work, or project shall certify, by means of a note, to this Technical Secretariat the manner in which said stormwater will be disposed of and the commitment to comply with what is established by current legislation on this matter.

Meanwhile, Segment B) of the study will be submitted for all those activities, works, or projects located within the floodplain of a watercourse and that may, therefore, be affected by an overflow of said watercourse. The definition of whether the AP is located within the floodplain of a watercourse will be certified by the responsible engineering professional of the activity, work, or project, using as a basis three fundamental and complementary criteria: a) direct observation in the field, b) information available on hazard maps issued by the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (Comisión Nacional de Prevención y Atención de Desastres, CNE), and c) data provided by the geological study of the terrain. In the event that the AP is not in such a situation, said responsible professional shall prepare and sign a note certifying the same, in substitution of the corresponding technical study. In the event that it is located within the floodplain, they must proceed with the realization of the hydrological study corresponding to Segment B, which is protocolized in this section.

Responsible parties for carrying out the hydrological study. Hydrological studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and Agricultural Eng., duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study. The professional or professionals who sign the Hydrology study will be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will verify that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established by this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, as a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Guide for the elaboration of the studies. The professional or professionals responsible for carrying out the hydrological study must define, by virtue of the terrain conditions of the hydrographic micro-watershed under analysis and the standard scientific methodologies used for this type of study, the technical procedure to apply.

Thematic content of the hydrological study report. The content of the hydrological study report will be as follows: 1. Cover Page. 2. Professional Responsibility Document. 3. Table of Contents. 4. Summary of results and technical conclusions. 5. Introduction: data on the studied property, professional coordination carried out, objective of the study, and applied methodology. The professional responsible for the Hydrological calculations is responsible for choosing the method to be used for calculating the maximum flow; they must be able to select the most appropriate method to carry out the respective study, for example: Rational Method, other methods such as Precipitation-Runoff Transformation or the Creager Coefficient Method. The study must also ensure that the existing hydraulic works are capable of assimilating the additional contribution of the calculated flow and that it does not cause saturation problems in the Hydraulic Works, nor in the natural channels to which this runoff water goes, ensuring that it will not contribute to the scouring of existing hydraulic works, such as bridges, culverts, etc. 6.

Work carried out for Segment A, when applicable [basic hydrological aspects of the AP, calculation memory, and hydraulic parameters used]; for Segment B, when applicable [hydrological aspects of the watercourse, tributary basins, maximum flows, return period used, typical section of the watercourse at the point closest to the AP, hydrological calculations]. The return period to which the study is subjected will depend on the hydraulic work or works that the project has or is proposed in the project, and if it is something that is already installed, then estimate at the discretion of the Professional Responsible for the Study (Consultant). 7. Hydrological results obtained for Segment A, when applicable [net flow contributed and consequences for the receiving watercourse]; for Segment B, when applicable [maximum flood flow calculated, calculation of the normal depth for the watercourse, and analysis of critical conditions]. 8.

Evaluation of results and hydrological conclusions: discussion on the results of the study with respect to the proposed activity, work, or project from the hydrological point of view (Segments A and B, when applicable), recommendation on mitigating measures that need to be implemented in the design when necessary. 9. Discussion on the degrees of uncertainty and scope of the study: applicability of the results, pending tasks for later phases of the project, unresolved uncertainties, and general conclusion on the hydrological conditions of the terrain considering the work to be developed. 10. Bibliographic references. 11. Annexes.

ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE PROPERTY.

Professional responsibility for the information provided. The professional or professionals who sign the hydrogeology study and the natural hazards chart will be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, will verify that the submitted document has complied with the technical guidelines established by this protocol, and if these are met, it will accept the information presented as true and accurate, as a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals will not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Thematic content of the environmental hydrogeology study report of the property. 1. Cover Page. 2. Professional Responsibility Document. 3. Local geological characterization. 4. Hydrogeological data of the immediate surroundings (Map of hydrogeological elements). 5. Conceptual model of the aquifer. 6. Vulnerability analysis and pollutant transport. 7. Summary of results and technical conclusions where the technical viability for the development of the project is indicated. 8. Bibliographic references. 9. Annexes.

GOD Method When data is scarce, does not completely cover the study territory, or is uncertain, the application of various methodologies for evaluating intrinsic vulnerability (DRASTIC, SINTACS) leads to risky assumptions. In contrast, the GOD method (Foster, 1987; Foster & Hirata, 1991) was developed specifically for areas where information about the subsoil and groundwater systems is scarce (Custodio, 1995). Furthermore, it has a simple and pragmatic structure that makes it superior to other methods in the interpretation of results. The GOD method estimates the vulnerability of an aquifer by multiplying parameters representing three types of spatial information.

G: type of aquifer (Groundwater occurrence). O: Lithology of the unsaturated zone (Overlying lithology). D: Depth to groundwater (Depth of groundwater).

The product of these components yields a vulnerability index that can vary between 0 and 1, indicating vulnerabilities ranging from negligible to extreme. The fact of not directly considering the soil can be corrected by incorporating sub-indices that consider the attenuation capacity (clay content) and degree of fissuring of the soil (permeability).

The great simplifications introduced in this method are justified by the actual availability of data, but as a counterpart, definition is lost, and it is not possible to differentiate one type of pollutant from another.

References: Custodio, E. 1995: Vulnerabilidad de los acuíferos a la polución. Seminario Internacional de Aguas Subterráneas. Chile. Foster. 1987: Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability pollution risk and protection strategy. Proc Int Conf. « Vulnerability of Soil and Groundwater to Pollutants » (Noordwijk, The Netherlands. Foster, S. & Hirata, R. 1991: Determinación del riesgo de contaminación de aguas subterráneas, una metodologia basada en datos existentes: Lima, CEPIS, 81 p.

The rapid archaeological report of the terrain is represented by a quickly completed form that an archaeology professional completes once they have carried out an inspection of the property or AP where the activity, work, or project to be developed will be executed. Its purpose is to obtain a quick overview of the presence or absence of indications of the existence of an archaeological site and to obtain professional certification on the situation of the property regarding this topic. The content of the protocol and the instruments to be used for this study are as follows:

● Scope of application. The rapid archaeological study of the AP terrain must be used when it is desired to develop: buildings, dwellings, commercial or industrial buildings, earthworks (movimientos de tierra), fills, docks, retaining structures, bridges, viaducts, excavations, roads, and in general, any work that modifies or alters the ground where development is desired.

● Responsible parties for carrying out the archaeological study. Rapid archaeological studies of the terrain must be carried out by professionals in archaeology, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study.

● Procedure for the elaboration of the rapid archaeological study.

The professional or professionals responsible for carrying out the rapid archaeological study of the land must comply with the technical guidelines for completing this Annex, applying as the procedure for its execution the Archaeological Inspection Form presented in accordance with the guidelines of the referred protocol and the technical guidelines for completing this annex.

Professional responsibility for the information provided.

The responsible professional who signs the rapid archaeological inspection form shall be responsible for the information provided therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the document submitted has complied with the technical guidelines established through this executive decree and, if they are complied with, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professional shall not only be responsible for this fault, but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have made based on that data. In the event that the activity, work, or project does not require earthworks (movimientos de tierra), the environmental consultant may justify the non-submission of the rapid archaeological form.

Technical Guidelines for Completing the Archaeological Inspection Form.

1 Name of the person in charge of the activity, work, or project.

Enter the name of the individual in charge of it.

2 Name of the developer (whether a company or individual).

Legal name of the developer of the activity, work, or project to be developed.

3 Telephone.

Telephone number of the developer of the activity, work, or project.

4 Type of activity, work, or project.

Refers to the type of activity, work, or project to which it corresponds. For example: residential, tourism, hydroelectric, poultry, others.

5 Name of the activity, work, or project.

The name under which the activity, work, or project was submitted to SETENA must be indicated.

6 Location of the activity, work, or project: Province, Canton, District. Note the political-administrative location of the activity, work, or project.

7 Coordinates The location of the activity, work, or project by current coordinates.

8 Total project area (Ha. or m2).

Note the size of the land where the activity, work, or project will be developed.

9 Area of direct impact (Ha. or m2).

The area of direct impact of the project refers to the land to be used for the construction of buildings, platforms, access roads, ramps, and any other area that will be modified to enable the activity, work, or project.

10 Number of cadastral plan(s).

Note the cadastral plan number that covers the total project area.

It must be indicated whether surface earthworks (movimientos de tierra) have occurred and what percentage of the project area they cover. Indicate whether the earthworks are old or recent.

Implies that deep cuts have been made in the ground, therefore the volume of removed earth will be estimated.

Whether the project area is being used and for what type of activity, work, or project.

If it is a first inspection.

Mark the corresponding one on the form.

The selection of the alternative and the percentage of land covered in the inspection must be explained.

How much ground could actually be surveyed despite the vegetative cover of the PA.

The presence/absence of one or several cultural features must be indicated, this being understood as any material evidence of pre-Hispanic activity.

Pre-Hispanic ceramic is any fragment or complete piece made from fired or dried clay. Lithic refers to instruments, tools, or waste, complete or fragmented, made from different types of rocks.

There are many types of cultural features. Some of them are:

- Tomb: funerary pit made directly in the earth or using different types of stones to make the box within which the funerary bundle was placed.

- Causeway (Calzada): cobbled road.

- Mound (Montículo): artificial accumulation of earth and stones, generally with an external wall made of river cobbles as a retaining wall. This may be circular, rectangular, or a combination of these two basic shapes. Its use could have been ritual, residential, or funerary, and even a combination of these.

- Foundation (Basamento):

- The foundation (basamento) appears as a line or row of cobbles arranged in a circular or rectangular shape, at ground level, meaning it is not a platform. Its use has been indicated as possibly residential, or domestic (kitchen).

Only the presence/absence of archaeological materials must be indicated.

It is only necessary to indicate whether remains of archaeological materials or features were observed with the naked eye on the neighboring property.

Material density refers to the quantity of archaeological materials (ceramic or lithic) observable with the naked eye on the ground surface.

It must be stated whether, as a result of the inspection, a previously unreported archaeological site is located. Furthermore, the properly completed site registration sheet must be attached to this report.

The site name is what it will be called from now on. The rule for naming a site is to derive it from the surrounding geography, flora, or fauna; proper names, or designations entirely unrelated to the country's archaeological context, are not recommended. The site code must be requested from the Anthropology Department of the National Museum. The code corresponds to the consecutive number kept in the Site Registry; the Code is composed of that number plus the abbreviated name of the site.

A basic piece of data for each recorded archaeological site is its area, in terms of surface material dispersion.

In this item, the type of graphic record made of the archaeological site during the inspection is indicated.

If necessary, the documents attached to expand the information provided in the form must be indicated.

Write the full name and the identity or identification card number of the person carrying out the inspection.

Write the environmental consultant registration number granted by SETENA and the year.

Note the full name with surnames and the identity card number of the owner (developer) of the activity, work, or project for which this type of study is requested. Individuals who do not have Costa Rican citizenship may use their passport number, residency permit, or any other official document that is valid in Costa Rica. When this is the case, the type of identification used must be detailed.

In cases where the developer is a legal entity, the corporate or business name, the legal entity ID number, and the full name must be indicated.

PROTOCOL FOR CARRYING OUT THE RAPID BIOLOGICAL STUDY In the event that the PA where the activities, works, or projects are located partially or totally within an Environmentally Fragile Area (Área Ambientalmente Frágil, AAF), in accordance with the provisions of this Environmental Assessment, Control, and Monitoring Regulation (Reglamento de Evaluación, Control y Seguimiento Ambiental), and which has relevance from a biological point of view, when dealing with mangroves and other types of wetlands protected by legislation, a rapid biological study must be submitted, based on the Protocol detailed in this section, that determines the main biotopes present in the PA and the manner in which the activity, work, or project could affect them during its development. This study must be carried out to the extent that the activity, work, or project will cause a direct impact on sensitive biotopes, according to the criteria of a biology professional. In the event that the PA is not located in an environmentally fragile area, it will suffice to attach a certification from the environmental consultant stating that no impact on sensitive biotopes will occur.

1 ANNEX 6: GUIDE FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT (ESIA - TERMS OF REFERENCE) A. In addition to the following aspects of this Instrument, the information included in annex 3 must be provided.

B.

Identification Table of Natural Hazards

ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE PROPERTY.

Professional responsibility for the information provided.

The professional or professionals who sign the hydrogeology study and the natural hazards table shall be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the document submitted has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol and, if they are complied with, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals shall not only be responsible for this fault, but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Thematic content of the environmental hydrogeology study report for the property.

GOD Method When data is scarce, does not fully cover the study territory, or is uncertain, the application of various methodologies for evaluating intrinsic vulnerability (DRASTIC, SINTACS) leads to risky assumptions. In contrast, the GOD method (Foster, 1987, Foster & Hirata, 1991) was developed specifically for areas where information about the subsoil and groundwater systems is scarce (Custodio, 1995). Furthermore, it has a simple and pragmatic structure that makes it superior to other methods in the interpretation of results. The GOD method estimates the vulnerability of an aquifer by multiplying three parameters representing three types of spatial information.

G: type of aquifer (Groundwater occurrence).

O: Lithology of the unsaturated zone (Overlying lithology).

D: Depth to groundwater (Depth of groundwater).

The product of these components yields a vulnerability index that can vary between 0 and 1, indicating vulnerabilities ranging from negligible to extreme. The fact that soil is not directly considered can be corrected by incorporating sub-indices that consider the attenuation capacity (clay content) and degree of fissuring of the soil (permeability).

The major simplifications introduced in this method are justified by the actual availability of data, but as a trade-off, definition is lost, and it is not possible to differentiate one type of contaminant from another.

References:

Custodio, E. 1995: Vulnerabilidad de los acuíferos a la polución. Seminario Internacional de Aguas Subterráneas, Chile.

Foster, 1987: Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability pollution risk and protection strategy. Proc Int Conf. « Vulnerability of Soil and Groundwater to Pollutants » (Noordwijd, The Netherlands. Foster, S.& Hirata, R. 1991: Determinación del riesgo de contaminación de aguas subterráneas, una metodología basada en datos existentes: Lima, CEPIS, 81 p.

This will be defined by the person responsible for carrying out the study.

Geotechnical studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and geologists specializing in geotechnics, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to perform this type of study.

a. The engineer responsible for the geotechnical study shall define whether or not to carry out the slope stability study.

b. The method to be applied for carrying out the slope stability evaluation must be defined under the responsibility of the professional or professionals conducting the geotechnical soil study, in accordance with the geotechnical conditions identified in said study. The results of this evaluation shall be integrated into the geotechnical soil study report.

The content of the geotechnical soil study report shall be as follows:

In the event of concluding the impossibility of using absorption systems due to high soil plasticity, shallow water tables, or other reasons, indicate alternative solutions.

The analyses must be based on the guidelines of the Costa Rican Geotechnical Code for Slopes and Hillsides (Código Geotécnico de Taludes y Laderas de Costa Rica).

The professional or professionals who sign the geotechnical soil study shall be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the document submitted has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol and, if they are complied with, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals shall not only be responsible for this fault, but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of the study when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

HYDROLOGY PROTOCOL Basic hydrology data for the watercourse of the micro-watershed in which the PA is located Purpose of the hydrological study.

The hydrological study of the watercourse closest to the PA, located within the hydrographic micro-watershed where it is situated, would fulfill at least two primary purposes: Segment A) to demonstrate that said watercourse has the carrying capacity to accept an increase in surface flow as a consequence of the development of the proposed activity, work, or project, and Segment B) to demonstrate that said watercourse does not represent a potential flood risk factor for the facilities to be developed as part of the activity, work, or project.

Scope of application of the hydrological study.

The hydrological study, regarding Segment A), must be submitted in all cases where the development of infrastructure works is proposed that produces soil sealing, or the introduction and management of new water flows (due to irrigation or groundwater extraction), within the PA, and consequently produces an increase of more than 10% of the current surface runoff that flows directly towards the nearest natural receiving watercourse within the hydrological micro-watershed where the PA is located. Activities, works, or projects whose stormwater discharges into a roadside ditch (cuneta) or a public collector of an entity authorized according to current legislation shall not be required to submit Segment A) of the hydrological study to SETENA. Instead, the engineering professional for the activity, work, or project shall certify, by means of a note to this Technical Secretariat, the manner in which said stormwater will be disposed of and the commitment to comply with the provisions of current legislation on this matter.

Meanwhile, Segment B) of the study shall be submitted for all those activities, works, or projects located within the floodplain (valle de inundación) of a watercourse and which may, therefore, be affected by an overflow of said watercourse. The determination of whether the PA is located within the floodplain of a watercourse shall be certified by the responsible engineering professional for the activity, work, or project, using three fundamental and complementary criteria: a) direct observation in the field, b) information available on hazard maps issued by the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Response (Comisión Nacional de Prevención y Atención de Desastres, CNE), and c) data provided by the geological study of the terrain. In the event that the PA is not in such a situation, said responsible professional shall prepare and sign a note certifying it, in substitution of the corresponding technical study. In the event that it is located within the floodplain, they must proceed with the realization of the hydrological study corresponding to Segment B, which is protocolled in this section.

Persons responsible for carrying out the hydrological study.

The hydrological studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and Agricultural Engineers, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to perform this type of study. The professional or professionals who sign the Hydrology study shall be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. By virtue of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the document submitted has complied with the technical guidelines established through this protocol and, if they are complied with, shall accept the information presented as true and accurate, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA may be making decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that in the event that false or erroneous information is provided, the responsible professionals shall not only be responsible for this fault, but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer have incurred based on that data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Guide for the preparation of the studies.

The professional or professionals responsible for carrying out the hydrological study must define, by virtue of the terrain conditions of the hydrographic micro-watershed under analysis and the standard scientific methodologies used for this type of study, the technical procedure to be applied.

Thematic content of the hydrological study report.

The content of the hydrological study report shall be as follows:

The professional responsible for the hydrological calculations is responsible for choosing the method to be used for calculating the maximum flow; they must be capable of selecting the most appropriate method for carrying out the respective study, for example: Rational Method, other methods such as Precipitation-Runoff Transformation or the Creager Coefficient Method. The study must also ensure that the existing hydraulic works are capable of assimilating the additional contribution of the calculated flow and do not cause saturation problems in the Hydraulic Works, nor in the natural channels to which these runoff waters go, ensuring that it will not contribute to the scour of existing hydraulic works, such as bridges, culverts, etc.

The return period to which the study is subjected will depend on the hydraulic work or works that the project has or proposes, and if it is something already installed, then estimate it at the discretion of the Professional Responsible for the Study (Consultant).

Instructions for the assessment of environmental impacts

The basic purpose is that ESIAs develop this methodology as a common denominator.

It clarifies the consultant's opinion on the impact to be produced, and allows SETENA to review, analyze, and evaluate the process more quickly.

The ESIA is a fundamentally analytical mechanism, of prospective investigation of what may happen, therefore the clarification of all the aspects that define it, including the impacts (interrelation project action / environmental factor/aspect), is absolutely necessary.

Each crossing box in the matrix, or type element, will give us an idea of the effect of each impacting action on each impacted environmental factor and aspect.

3 Type element of the importance matrix

4). The type elements, or crossing boxes of the matrix, will be occupied by the assessment corresponding to eleven symbols following the spatial order set out in Table No. 2 and No. 3, to which one more is added that synthesizes in a single figure the importance of the impact as a function of the first eleven preceding symbols. Of these eleven symbols, the first corresponds to the sign or nature of the effect, the second represents the degree of incidence or intensity of the same, and the following nine reflect the attributes that characterize said effect.

Table No. 1: Relationships that characterize the environmental impact | ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT | SIGN | Positive + | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Negative - | | | | | | Indeterminate * | | | | | | Mutable, Relative, | | | | | | Dependent. | | | | | | VALUE (DEGREE OF MANIFESTATION) | IMPORTANCE (DEGREE OF QUALITATIVE MANIFESTATION) | Degree of incidence | Intensity | | | Characterization | Extent | | | | | Manifestation | | | | | | Timeframe | | | | | | Persistence | | | | | | Reversibility | | | | | | Synergy | | | | | | Accumulation | | | | | | Effect | | | | | | Periodicity | | | | | | Recoverability | | MAGNITUDE (DEGREE OF QUANTITATIVE MANIFESTATION) | | Quantity | | | | Quantity | | | Table No. 2: Spatial situation of the twelve symbols of a type element

If these exceed the pre-established standards, particularly based on the regulatory framework, the introduction of corrective measures must be contemplated that give rise to beneficial impacts (+), which reduce or nullify the effects of the former.

The assessment scale will be between 1 and 12, where 12 will express a total destruction of the factor in the area where the effect occurs (APtotal), and 1 a minimal affectation. The values between these two terms will reflect intermediate situations, which must be duly justified and argued.

In Costa Rica, the Direct Biophysical and Social Area of Influence (Área de Influencia Directa, AID) will be used as a reference for quantification.

If, on the contrary, the effect does not admit a precise location within the environment of the activity, having a generalized influence throughout it, the impact will be Total (8), considering intermediate situations, according to their gradation, as Partial (2) and Extensive (4) impact.

If it is a period of time ranging from 1 to 5 years, medium term (2), and if the effect takes more than 5 years to manifest, long term, with an assigned value of (1).

8 Persistence (PE)

If it lasts between 1 and 5 years, temporary (2); and if the effect lasts longer than 5 years, we consider the effect to be permanent, assigning it a value of (4).

On the contrary, an irreversible effect (loss of landscape quality due to the destruction of a garden during the infrastructure construction phase), may present temporary persistence (return to initial conditions due to the establishment of a new garden once the works are finished).

The time intervals comprising these periods are identical to those assigned in the previous parameter.

In the case of being irrecoverable, but there is the possibility of introducing compensatory measures, the value will be 4.

(The lethal dose of product A is LDA and that of product B is LDB. Applied simultaneously, the lethal dose of both products LDAB is greater than LDA + LDB).

(The repeated ingestion of DDT, by not being eliminated from tissues, gives rise to a progressive increase in its presence and its consequences, eventually causing death).

If the effect produced is accumulative, the value increases to (4).

This attribute refers to the cause-effect relationship in terms of its directionality, that is, the form of manifestation of the effect on a factor, as a consequence of an action. An impact can be direct and indirect at the same time, although on different factors, given that the scale is exclusive, and the fact that it may be direct and indirect is not evaluated, the assessment must be exclusive.

The effect can be direct or primary, in this case, the repercussion of the action being a direct consequence of it, it is assigned a value of 4. (The emission of CO impacts the surrounding air).

In the event that an indirect or secondary effect occurs, that is, one that takes place from a primary effect, and there is no direct effect associated with that same action, the impact is assigned a value of 1. Its manifestation is not a direct consequence of the action, but rather takes place from a primary effect, this acting as a second-order action. (The emission of fluorocarbons directly impacts the quality of the surrounding air and indirectly or secondarily impacts the thickness of the ozone layer).

The increase in forest fires during the dry season is a periodic, intermittent, and temporally continuous effect. The increase in fire risk, as a consequence of better accessibility to a forest area, is an effect of irregular appearance, not periodic, nor continuous, but of exceptional severity.

3, based on the value assigned to the considered symbols.

- Total intensity, and minimal affectation of the remaining symbols. - Very high or high intensity, and high or very high affectation of the remaining symbols. - High intensity, irrecoverable effect, and very high affectation of some of the remaining symbols. - Medium or low intensity, irrecoverable effect, and very high affectation of at least two of the remaining symbols.

Moderate impacts present an importance between 25 and 50. They will be severe when the importance is between 50 and 75, and critical when the value is higher than 75.

Table No. 3: Basic data for the assessment of environmental impacts

• a)Exploiting to a greater extent the opportunities that the environment offers for the better environmental achievement of the activity.
• b)Nullifying, attenuating, avoiding, correcting, or compensating for the negative effects that the actions derived from the activity produce on the environment, in their surroundings.
• c)Increasing, improving, and enhancing the positive effects that may exist.

• a)Protective measures, which avoid the appearance of the effect by modifying the defining elements of the activity (technology, design, relocation, size, raw materials...)
• b)Corrective measures for recoverable impacts, aimed at nullifying, attenuating, correcting, or modifying the actions and effects on:

• c)Compensatory measures for irrecoverable and unavoidable impacts, which do not prevent the appearance of the effect, nor nullify or attenuate it, but counterbalance in some way the alteration of the factor (payment for polluting, creation of green areas), subject to approval by the corresponding authority.

• a)Possible, provided they tend to correct recoverable impacts.
• b)Mandatory, which correct recoverable, environmentally inadmissible impacts, until reaching the adopted or legally established standards.
• c)Convenient, to attenuate recoverable, environmentally admissible impacts.
• d)Impossible, when dealing with irrecoverable, environmentally inadmissible impacts, or when they do not directly concern the mitigation of the effect.

• a)Only in the area where the activity is developed or the action takes place (soundproofing of a machine room).
• b)In a more or less significant scope of the environment, crossing beyond the scope where the activity is developed (waterproofing of a landfill to prevent water contamination in a spring that supplies a bottling activity).
• c)In areas external to the action zone (visual barriers on a road...).

• a)Monovalent, which avoid or attenuate the effect of one or more actions on a single factor.
• b)Polyvalent, which act on effects that alter the environmental quality of two or more factors (measures against erosion simultaneously act on revegetation, landscape, runoff destination...)

• a)Measures aimed at improving the design.
• b)Measures to improve operation during the operational phase.
• c)Measures aimed at improving the carrying capacity of the Environment.
• d)Measures aimed at the recovery of unavoidable impacts.
• e)Compensatory measures for factors affected by unavoidable and incorrigible effects.
• f)Measures planned for the time of abandonment of the activity at the end of its useful life.
• g)Measures for environmental control and surveillance during the operation and abandonment phases.

• 2)is obtained from the impact matrix (Fig. 1), quantifying each of its crossing cells based on the algorithm set out in section No. 15.2 and in Table No. 3.

• a)Crossing cells that present effects with not very relevant values (compatible impacts) and that, in specific EIA, it is of interest to disregard. These negligible effects are excluded from the calculation process and ignored in the overall assessment. The instrumentation in the model consists of the introduction of a sieve, which is nothing more than an importance value below which the effects are not considered. The matrix, once sieved, presents only the effects that exceed a minimum importance threshold.
• b)Crossing cells that present extremely important and determining effects, far exceeding the established standards. These effects, in the event that they cannot be attenuated or minimized through the incorporation of the pertinent corrective measures, are excluded from the calculation process, since, based on their relevance, entity, and significance, their homogeneous treatment with the other effects captured in the matrix could mask their preponderant role. They are considered in parallel to the model, intervening in a determining way in decision-making.
• c)Crossing cells that present qualitative effects corresponding to factors of an intangible nature and for which there is no reasonably representative indicator available.

These effects remain included as normal in the importance matrix and are assessed qualitatively, although when proceeding to the quantitative valuation, they are excluded from the calculation process, but are considered in parallel to the model, and as a component thereof in the evaluation process, obviously intervening in decision-making.

• d)Crossing cells that present normal effects, considering as such those not included in the previous blocks. These effects are those that remain included in the calculation process established in the valuation model, both qualitative and quantitative.

As has already been stated, the final impact is the difference between the situation of the environment modified by the project, work, or activity and the situation as it would have evolved without its presence.

These types of actions are reflected with the * sign in the type element, and their total importance will be set out in column n+2 of Figure 2.

• 2)and the importance of the impact of the actions whose effect is irreversible or permanent over the long term or throughout the project's life (column n+2 of Fig. 2), even if they take place during the construction phase.

(See figures 1 and 2 in printed Gazette No. 85 of May 4, 2006).

Environmental Measures Table 8 GUIDE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS Definition: Environmental indicators are parameters that have the function of evaluating the current state of an environmental system (such as climate, a landscape, or an ecosystem), which, in turn, are difficult to measure or evaluate. They help monitor progress in achieving environmental objectives (for example, sustainable development objectives; their use facilitates surveillance and decision-making)1.

1·Environmental Indicators Technical report prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme - Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. (UNEP/LAC-IGWG.XIV/Inf.11 of October 9, 2003).

Indicators must be measurable, verifiable, quantifiable and/or qualitative, and must contain a basic description.

For the Environmental Assessment that SETENA will oversee, it will focus on the review of compliance indicators, which have been classified into three types:

They correspond to a specific regulation.

Notes:

a. For Type III indicators, the Environmental Measures Table must be updated in the environmental follow-up stage, when, at the design and EIA level, more detailed information is available to generate Type I indicators.

b. It must be contemplated that, at the time of submitting the Regency Reports, all Type III indicators must be presented in terms of Type I indicators.

c. Registration and correction in the logbook (Environmental Measures Table).

The presentation of the Environmental Measures Table must be made, with the following specifications:

- It must be drafted concisely, without exceeding a prose content; if necessary, the measure and/or indicator deemed appropriate may be developed (however, the content of said section will not be grounds for rejection; only the content will be verified).

Visual Guide Basic Site Design IGN Cartography Sheet scale 1:50000 The basic site design corresponds to a general plan of the activity, work, or project to be developed, which must include the set of all infrastructure components, with their respective names and development areas. Also, other related elements such as green areas and the location of main accesses must be indicated. The design will be presented at a clearly visible scale in digital form. This document must include the name and signature of the professional responsible for its preparation, who is not required to be registered in the SETENA Registry of Consultants.

It will be defined by the person responsible for carrying out the study.

The geotechnical studies must be carried out by professionals in civil engineering or construction, and geology with a specialty in geotechnics, duly authorized by the legislation in force in the country to carry out this type of study.

a. The engineer responsible for the geotechnical study will define whether or not the slope stability study is to be carried out.

b. The method to be applied for carrying out the slope stability evaluation must be defined under the responsibility of the professional or professionals of the soil geotechnical study, in accordance with the geotechnical conditions identified in said study. The results of this evaluation will be integrated into the geotechnical soil study report.

The content of the geotechnical soil study report will be as follows:

2. Professional responsibility document. 3. Table of contents. 4. Summary of results and technical conclusions. 5. Introduction of data on the property studied, professional coordination carried out, objective of the study, and methodology applied. 6. Work carried out, boreholes -including location on the design plan of the activity, work, or project-, tests, correlation, and interaction with site geology data. 7. Through infiltration tests, establish the necessary disposal systems in those sites where there are no treatment plants or sanitary sewer systems. In the event of concluding the impossibility of using the absorption system due to high plasticity of the soils, shallow groundwater levels, or others, indicate alternative solutions.

The analyses must be conducted based on the guidelines of the Geotechnical Code for Slopes and Hillsides of Costa Rica (Código Geotécnico de Taludes y Laderas de Costa Rica).

The professional or professionals signing the geotechnical soil study shall be directly responsible for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. In view of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the submitted document complies with the technical guidelines established through this protocol and, if they do comply, shall accept the information presented as true and veracious, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA could make decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that if false or erroneous information were provided, the responsible professionals shall not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer may have made as a result of such data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of the study when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

The rapid archaeological report of the land is represented by a quick-fill form completed by an archaeology professional once they have conducted an inspection of the property or Project Area (AP) where the activity, work, or project to be developed will be executed. Its purpose is to obtain a quick overview of the presence or absence of evidence of the existence of an archaeological site and to obtain professional certification on the property's situation regarding the issue. The content of the protocol and the instruments to be used for this study are as follows:

● Scope of Application.

The rapid archaeological study of the Project Area (AP) land must be used when the following is to be developed: buildings, dwellings, commercial or industrial buildings, earthworks (movimientos de tierra), fills, docks, retaining structures, bridges, viaducts, excavations, roads, and, in general, any work that modifies or alters the ground where it is to be developed.

● Responsible Parties for Conducting the Archaeological Study.

The rapid archaeological studies of the land must be conducted by archaeology professionals, duly authorized by the country's current legislation to carry out this type of study.

● Procedure for the Development of the Rapid Archaeological Study.

The professional or professionals responsible for conducting the rapid archaeological study of the land must comply with the technical guidelines for completing this Annex, applying the Archaeological Inspection Form presented in accordance with the guidelines of the aforementioned protocol and the technical completion guidelines of this annex as the procedure for its execution.

● Professional Responsibility for the Information Provided.

The responsible professional signing the rapid archaeological inspection form shall be responsible for the information provided therein. In view of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the submitted document complies with the technical guidelines established through this Decreto Ejecutivo and, if they do comply, shall accept the information presented as true and veracious, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA could make decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that if false or erroneous information were provided, the responsible professional shall not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer may have made as a result of such data. In the event that the activity, work, or project does not require earthworks (movimientos de tierra), the environmental consultant may justify the non-submission of the rapid archaeological form.

| RAPID ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSPECTION FORM NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT INSPECTION REPORT | | | | --- | --- | --- | | SETENA File No. 1 Inspection Date | | | | A. Developer Information (the natural or legal person, public or private) undertaking the activity, work, or project. | | | | 1. Name of the person responsible for the activity, work, or project. | | | | 2. Name of the developer (whether a company or natural person). | | | | 3. Telephone. | | | | B. Information on the Activity, Work, or Project. | | | | 4. Type of activity, work, or project. | | | | 5. Name of the activity, work, or project. | | | | B.1. Geographic Location of the Project Area. | | | | 6. (Province, Canton, District). | | | | 7. Current coordinates. | | | | B.2 Project Area (AP). | | | | 8. Total project area (Ha. or m2). | | | | 9. Direct impact area (Ha. or m2). | | | | 10. No. of cadastral plan(s). | | | | 11.

Have earthworks (movimientos de tierra) been carried out? ()Yes () No m2. % of AP | | | | 12. Magnitude of the earthworks (movimientos de tierra). | | | | | 13. Current existing infrastructure in the AP. | | | | 14. Current use of the AP. | | | | C. Inspection Information. | | | | 15. ( ) First Inspection ( ) Revisit | | | | 16. Methodology ( ) Asystematic ( ) Systematic ( ) Total Survey ( ) Partial Survey ( ) Test Pits (Cateos) ( ) Selective clearing of topsoil ( ) Observation of cuts and profiles ( ) Transects ( ) Other | | | | 17. Explain the land survey pattern. | | | | 18. Surface observation by vegetation cover density ( ) Total ( ) Partial ( ) None | | | | C1. Archaeological Resources. | | | | 19. Are there materials or cultural features () Yes () No | | | | 20. Type of material ( ) Ceramic ( ) Lithic () Other | | | | 21. Type of feature ( ) Tomb ( ) Causeway (Calzada) ( ) Mound (Montículo) ( ) Foundation (Basamento) ( ) Shell Midden (Conchero) ( ) Other | | | | 22. Is cultural material observed on adjacent properties? () Yes () No | | | | 23. Explain the type of evidence observed. | | Technical Guidelines for Completing the Archaeological Inspection Form.

Enter the name of the natural person in charge of it.

Legal name of the developer of the activity, work, or project to be developed.

Telephone number of the developer of the activity, work, or project.

Refers to the type of activity, work, or project it responds to. For example: residential, tourism, hydroelectric, poultry, others.

The name under which the activity, work, or project was submitted to SETENA must be indicated.

Note the political-administrative location of the activity, work, or project.

The location of the activity, work, or project by current coordinates.

8.

) Total project area (Ha. or m2) Note the size of the land where the activity, work, or project will be developed.

or m2).

The direct impact area of the project refers to the land to be used in the construction of buildings, platforms, access roads, ramps, and any other area that will be modified to enable the activity, work, or project.

Note the number of the cadastral plan covering the total project area.

State whether surface earthworks (movimientos de tierra) have occurred and what percentage of the project area they cover. Indicate whether the earthworks are old or recent.

Implies that deep cuts have been made in the ground; therefore, the volume of removed earth will be estimated.

If works are located within the project.

Whether the project area is being used and for what type of activity, work, or project.

Whether it is the first inspection.

Mark the corresponding one on the form.

The selection of the alternative and the percentage of land covered in the inspection must be explained.

How much land could actually be surveyed despite the vegetation cover of the AP.

The presence/absence of one or several cultural features must be indicated, understood as any material evidence of pre-Hispanic activity.

Pre-Hispanic ceramic is any fragment or complete piece made from fired or dried clay. Lithics are instruments, tools, or waste, complete or fragmented, made from different types of rocks.

There are many types of cultural features. Some of them are:

-Tomb: funerary pit dug directly into the earth or using different types of stone to make the box inside which the funerary bundle was placed.

-Causeway (Calzada): cobbled road.

- Mound (Montículo): artificial accumulation of earth and stones generally with an external wall made from river cobbles as a retaining wall. This can be circular, rectangular, or a combination of these two basic shapes. Its use could have been ritual, residential, or funerary, and even a combination of these.

- Foundation (Basamento): The foundation appears as a line or row of cobbles arranged in a circular or rectangular shape at ground level, meaning it is not a platform. Its use has been indicated as possibly residential or domestic (kitchen).

Only the presence/absence of archaeological materials must be indicated.

Only indicate whether remains of archaeological materials or features were observed with the naked eye on the neighboring property.

Material density refers to the quantity of archaeological materials (ceramic or lithic), observable with the naked eye on the land surface.

It must be explicitly stated whether an archaeological site not previously reported is located as a result of the inspection. Additionally, the site registration sheet, properly completed, must be attached to this report.

The site name is what it will be called from now on. The rule for naming a site is to take it from the surrounding geography, flora, or fauna; proper names or denominations completely foreign to the country's archaeological context are not recommended. The site code must be requested from the Anthropology Department of the Museo Nacional. The code corresponds to the consecutive number kept in the Site Registry, which is composed of that number plus the abbreviated name of the site.

A basic piece of data for each registered archaeological site is its area, regarding the dispersion of surface material.

This item indicates the type of graphic record made of the archaeological site during the inspection.

If necessary, the documents attached to expand the information provided in the form must be indicated.

Write the full name and identity or identification card number of the person conducting the inspection.

Write the environmental consultant registration number granted by SETENA and the year.

Note the full name with surnames and identity card number of the owner (developer) of the activity, work, or project for which this type of study is requested. Natural persons who do not have Costa Rican citizenship may use their passport number, residence permit, or any other official document valid in Costa Rica. When this is the case, the type of identification used must be detailed.

In cases where the developer is a legal entity, the corporate name or business name, the legal entity ID number, and full name must be indicated.

Professional responsibility for the information provided.

The professional or professionals signing the hydrogeology study and the natural hazards table shall be the direct responsible parties for the technical-scientific information they provide therein. In view of this, the National Environmental Technical Secretariat (Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental, SETENA), as the environmental authority of the Costa Rican State, shall supervise that the submitted document complies with the technical guidelines established through this protocol and, if they do comply, shall accept the information presented as true and veracious, by way of a sworn statement. Based on the data provided, SETENA could make decisions regarding the Environmental Viability (Viabilidad Ambiental) of the proposed activity, work, or project, so that if false or erroneous information were provided, the responsible professionals shall not only be responsible for this fault but also for the consequences of the decision that SETENA and the developer may have made as a result of such data. Likewise, the responsible professional may technically justify the non-submission of these studies when they determine that the type of activity to be developed does not require it.

Thematic content of the environmental hydrogeology study report for the property.

GOD Method When data are scarce, do not completely cover the study territory, or are uncertain, the application of various methodologies for evaluating intrinsic vulnerability (DRASTIC, SINTACS) leads to making risky assumptions. In contrast, the GOD method (Foster, 1987; Foster & Hirata, 1991) was specifically developed for areas where information about the subsurface and groundwater systems is scarce (Custodio, 1995). Furthermore, it has a simple and pragmatic structure that makes it superior to other methods in interpreting results. The GOD method estimates the vulnerability of an aquifer by multiplying three parameters representing three types of spatial information.

G: type of aquifer (Groundwater occurrence).

O: Lithology of the unsaturated zone (Overlying lithology).

D: Depth of groundwater (Depth of groundwater).

The product of these components yields a vulnerability index that can vary between 0 and 1, indicating vulnerabilities ranging from negligible to extreme. The fact of not directly considering the soil can be corrected by incorporating sub-indices that consider the attenuation capacity (clay content) and degree of soil fracturing (permeability).

The significant simplifications introduced in this method are justified by the actual availability of data, but as a trade-off, definition is lost, and it is not possible to differentiate one type of contaminant from another.

References:

Custodio, E. 1995: Vulnerabilidad de los acuíferos a la polución. Seminario Internacional de Aguas Subterráneas, Chile.

Foster, 1987: Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability pollution risk and protection strategy. Proc Int Conf. « Vulnerability of Soil and Groundwater to Pollutants » (Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

Foster, S. & Hirata, R. 1991: Determinación del riesgo de contaminación de aguas subterráneas, una metodología basada en datos existentes: Lima, CEPIS, 81 p.

The fundamental objective of this part is to obtain, in a clear and concise manner, data on the consumption or impact requirements, the possible impacts of the project on the different environmental components, and other risks that the activity, work, or project will pose during its execution (construction and operation).

The D-1 form's fundamental objective is to serve as a technical instrument for executing the first phase of the ETA, the so-called Initial Environmental Evaluation (Evaluación Ambiental Inicial), whose purpose is to determine if the proposed activity, work, or project is viable from an environmental point of view and whether or not it requires a more in-depth environmental analysis through a more detailed environmental evaluation instrument.

The developer and the environmental consultant signing the D-1 shall be responsible for the legal, technical, and environmental information provided in said document, which they will present under the concept of a Sworn Statement, knowing and being aware that such information is veracious, current, and truthful, and that otherwise, criminal consequences may arise from the act.

In Annex 11-B, the Guide for Completing Document D 1 is attached. In order to facilitate and guide users on completing the Document of Environmental Evaluation D 1, SETENA provides a detailed explanation that will facilitate the execution of this process.

Document D-1 has 6 main parts: A. General Information, B. Basic Characterization of the AP, C. Basic Services in the Construction/Operational Stages, D. Summary Table exclusive for construction projects, E. Initial Environmental Evaluation: l. Air-Water Impact, 2. Impact on Soil, 3. Biotopes, 4. Human Impact, and 5. Other Risks, and 6. Weighting Criteria.

1 General indications for completing the cases.

a. The responsible consultant, in coordination with the developer and, if required, with other professionals related to the design and planning of the activity, work, or project, shall fill out each of the rows of the form according to its particular conditions and those of its AP, and must indicate the case that best represents the situation to be generated.

b. The case must represent the environmental situation taking into account the highest consumption or effect to be generated, regardless of whether it occurs during construction or operation. It should not be the average but rather the most extreme or high situation that will occur and, consequently, could generate the greatest environmental impact.

c. Each case has a numerical value, which will be placed in the column designated as "y" on the D-1 form. In the situation where a particular topic does not apply, does not produce, there is no impact, or could generate the minimum impact for the activity, work, or project under analysis, a numerical value of "one" will be placed in the corresponding "y" box. All spaces with the "y" rating for the cases must be filled in.

2 Air-Water Impact This component is subdivided into two main sub-components: 1.1 Air, and 1.2 Water.

This box is in turn divided into the following three effects:

The developer and environmental consultant must state whether emissions are produced and the source of these, for which they will proceed to mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must state whether or not noise and vibrations are produced and whether they can be confined or not.

This box is in turn divided into the following three effects:

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the percentage of increase in flow and mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the disposition that will be given to the production of this type of water and mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the disposition that will be given to the production of this type of water and mark the corresponding box.

This box seeks to determine if the activity, work, or project implies a modification or change of land use (uso del suelo) in the AP, with respect to the current land-use situation, and the generation of different types of waste.

Component 1.3 Soil is divided into five subcomponents: 1.3.1. Solid waste, 1.3.2 Hazardous waste, 1.3.3 Earthworks (movimientos de tierra), 1.3.4 Soil disposal, and 1.3.5 Construction density.

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the disposition that will be given to the production of this type of water and mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the disposition that will be given to the production of this type of water and mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must indicate the disposition that will be given to the production of this type of water and mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must mark the corresponding box.

The developer and environmental consultant must state whether or not fauna and flora are affected and the level of impact, for which they will proceed to mark the corresponding box.

In the event that the AP where the activities, works, or projects are located is partially or totally within an Environmentally Fragile Area (Área Ambientalmente Frágil, AAF), in accordance with the provisions of this Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation (Reglamento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental), and which is relevant from a biological point of view, especially when dealing with mangroves and other types of wetlands protected by legislation; a rapid biological study must be available as a basis for completing this box, which determines the main biotopes present in the AP and the way in which the activity, work, or project could affect them during its development. Such a study must be carried out to the extent that the activity, work, or project will cause a direct impact on sensitive biotopes, according to the judgment of a biology professional. If the AP is not located in an environmentally fragile area, it will suffice to attach a certification from the environmental consultant stating that sensitive biotopes will not be affected.

This box refers to the potential impact that the execution of the activity, work, or project may cause on the local ecosystem of the AP, and particularly on those that, by their nature, may be considered sensitive or fragile.

The sub-component is divided into:

This component is subdivided into three main sub-components: 1.5.1 Social, 1.5.2 Cultural, and

This component is subdivided into five main sub-components: 2.1 Fossil Fuel Management, 2.2 Agrochemical Management, 2.3 Hazardous Substances Management, 2.4 Radioactive Material Management, and 2.5 Biorisk Management.

For all the previous cases, the developer and the environmental consultant must indicate whether or not there is management of these substances or materials and check the corresponding box.

As part of completing the D-1 form, in the Initial Environmental Assessment section, five columns appear on the right side of the different aspects being evaluated, in which the legal framework regulating each topic is identified and referenced, which have been defined as the value "z". For such purposes, Annex No. 5 of this guide presents the current legal framework that regulates the environmental management of activities, works, or projects. This legal framework is presented ordered and classified, according to the level of specification and degree of depth of the regulation, into five categories (a, b, c, d, e).

According to this classification, a pre-set value was established for each component or sub-component under analysis, which is incorporated into Form D-1, under the corresponding category (value of "z").

Once the corresponding regulatory framework is recognized, the value of "X" established in the following column is calculated, using the equation "X = Z . Y", where "Z" corresponds to the value indicated in the form for the regulatory framework and "Y" the value obtained for each of the aspects in the previous section. The result "X" represents the value of the Preliminary Environmental Impact Significance (Significancia de Impacto Ambiental, SIA) for each component or sub-component analyzed in Form D-1. This value is calculated automatically in the electronic D-1.

If during the process of completing Form D-1 the responsible consultant does not agree with the rating given by SETENA in the regulatory framework, they may request from said Technical Secretariat, in writing, the reasons and arguments why they consider that the rating established for the given environmental aspect should be analyzed and reviewed. They must attach a copy of the legal instrument on which they base their argumentation. SETENA will evaluate and respond to the case within the period established by law, and if an adjustment is approved, it will be incorporated into the next revision of the "Environmental Legal Framework that regulates the environmental management of activities, works, and projects in Costa Rica" (Annex No. 5 of this guide).

In using the electronic format of the D-1, when the value of the Preliminary SIA (value "x"), calculated in the previous section, is 6 points or more, in which case the "X" box will appear in a "yellow" or "red" color, the impact is considered significant. In this case, the responsible consultant may, alternatively, indicate the main environmental measures that would be applied to prevent, mitigate, correct, or compensate the environmental impact that would be generated.

The way to add environmental measures for significant impacts.

a. If at the responsible consultant's discretion it is desired to add an annex with environmental measures, they may attach it to the environmental measures of the D-1, for each case in which such measures are proposed. It must be indicated whether said measures will be applied during the construction or during the operation of the activity, work, or project, and d) the measures must be complementary to what is established in the current legal framework and to what is established in the Code of Good Environmental Practices defined through Decreto Ejecutivo No. 32079 - MINAE.

Purpose, scope, and measurement variables of the Environmental Impact Significance (Significancia de Impacto Ambiental, SIA).

In this part, the summation of the individual data for each environmental aspect/effect obtained by virtue of the defined cases and their corresponding legal framework (value of Preliminary Environmental Impact Significance -SIA-) is carried out, from which the assessment of the Integral STA of the activity, work, or project under analysis continues.

a. In Form D-1, for the last row, called "Assessment by effect," the summation data for "X" or the value of the Preliminary Environmental Impact Significance (SIA) for each of the main analysis components (for example: water, soil, energy, etc.) will be placed.

b. Upon completion of Form D-1, all the values of "X" for each component will be summed. This data, symbolized as "∑", represents the "preliminary SIA value," and is automatically placed in box 1 of Part 5- Weighting Criteria of Form D-1.

c. The assessment of the SIA must be adjusted based on two aspects: 1) the existence or not of regulations, standards, or guides applicable to the construction and operation of the activity, work, or project; and 2) the classification of the area according to the project's location zone. These aspects must be assessed following these steps:

Step 1 The consultant and developer must obtain the Environmental Impact Significance Value adjusted by the applicable regulations, standards, or guides (SIAR), for which they will proceed to multiply the preliminary SIA value, represented as already indicated, with the sign "I" and will multiply it by a value "p", that is, they will apply the following formula:

Where the weighting factor "p" may take the following values:

· The value will be "1", when there is a specific regulation on environmental matters applicable to the operation of the activity, work, or project. In this case, the developer and environmental consultant must check the corresponding box and indicate the number or numbers of applicable Decretos Ejecutivos.

· The value will be "0.75", when there is an environmental standard or guide for construction and operation, as applicable, which the developer commits to comply with. In this case, the developer and consultant must indicate the complete reference of the standard or guide they would adhere to in order to regulate the activity, work, or project. When opting for compliance with said environmental standard or guide, it will become mandatory for the developer, as applicable, from the moment SETENA grants environmental viability and will form part of the environmental commitments established. Except for those parts of the environmental standard or guide that must be complied with prior to the granting of environmental viability (license). The responsible environmental consultant or the developer must check the corresponding box, it being recommended to attach a copy thereof in the documentation annexed to Form D-1.

· The value will be "2", when there is no specific regulation on environmental matters applicable to the operation of the activity, work, or project. In this case, the developer and environmental consultant must check the corresponding box.

Step 2 Once the SIAR value is obtained, the Final Environmental Impact Significance value (SIAF) must now be obtained, multiplying the SIAR value by a "P" value, which gives a weighting based on the area in which the project, work, or activity is located, applying the following formula:

SIAF = SIAR . P Where the weighting factor "P" may take the following values:

· The value will be "0.5" when the project is located in a location authorized by a Regulatory Plan or other environmental land-use planning, approved by SETENA, including the environmental variable according to the methodology established by this Secretariat.

· The value will be "1", when the project is located in a location where a Regulatory Plan exists, but it is not approved by SETENA.

· The value will be "1.5", when the project is located in an area where no Regulatory Plan exists.

· The value will be "2" when the project, work, or activity is located in an environmentally fragile area in accordance with the provisions of this General EIA Regulation. The only possible exception to this aspect is that, even being in such an area, there exists a Regulatory Plan or other environmental land-use planning, approved by SETENA, including the environmental variable according to the methodology established by this Secretariat, in which case it will be multiplied by "0.5".

Classification of the activity, work, or project according to the SIAF rating Once the SIAF value is obtained, the classification of the activity, work, or project is carried out.

a. By virtue of the score values obtained for different theoretical runs prepared by SETENA, it was possible to obtain three SIA ranges, namely: a) Low (55-352), b) medium (235-438) and c) high (584-940). On this basis, and considering the individual analysis of the various theoretical runs executed, three critical thresholds have been established as a basis for decision-making. These thresholds are:

.EsIA - Greater than or equal to 700 SIA points.

.P-PGA - Greater than 330 and less than 700 SIA.

.DJCA - Less than or equal to 330 SIA.

Decision-making based on the SIA results.

b. Based on the results obtained during the SIA rating, and by virtue of the provisions of article 18 of the indicated General EIA Regulation, SETENA will request the following technical instruments of the EIA process:

Introduction.

As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process for an activity, work, or project, it is essential that both the environmental authority and the developer of an activity, work, or project and their environmental consultant know and apply the legal framework that regulates, with varying "depth," each of the environmental aspects/effects that could occur during the execution of that human action.

The "depth" or "detail" with which an environmental aspect/effect can be regulated varies depending on the hierarchy of the legal instrument that can be applied and the generality or degree of specificity it implies. For this reason, SETENA has established, as part of the D-1, a series of 5 rows related to the regulatory framework governing each environmental aspect/effect.

The regulatory framework established in the D-1, following a logical scheme of hierarchy and specificity and detail of the norm, has been divided into 5 levels which are:

a. Norms established at the level of the Political Constitution of the Republic. International Treaties and Conventions, ratified by the Legislative Branch.

b. Norms established at the level of laws of the republic, whether these are general, organic, or specific, approved by the country's Legislative Branch.

c. Norms established at the level of general regulations, based on laws of the Republic and published as a Decree of the Executive Branch of the nation.

d. Norms established at the level of specific regulations, based on laws of the Republic or general regulations, and that have the particularity of regulating one or more particular environmental aspects/effects (for example: earthworks (movimientos de tierra), tree felling, solid waste, impact on archaeological sites, discharge of treated wastewater, etc.). Within this hierarchical level, directives and binding agreements officially disclosed by the technical or legal authorities of the Costa Rican state are also included.

e. Norms established at the level of special regulations that regulate a specific environmental aspect/effect or a given environmental factor (for example: air, surface water, groundwater, flora, fauna, landscape, etc.) and that have the particularity of integrating the environmental impact variable as part of it.

For each of the normative levels of the regulatory framework described in the previous paragraph, SETENA, with technical support internal and external to the institution, through workshops called Kaizen, coordinated with PROCOMER, carried out a review of the regulations established in the Manual of Technical Instruments for the Environmental Impact Assessment Process (MANUAL DE EIA)-Part II, decree No. 32712-MINAE, and by virtue of applying technical and logical reasoning, has established an assessment of the scope of the regulation evaluated to the extent that it integrates guidelines and directives defining parameters, measures, and actions whose application and compliance lead to the protection of the environment or one of its components. All this, under the precept that these terms are those that society and the Costa Rican state have set and established as part of their regulatory framework.

By virtue of the review carried out by SETENA, and because it is the responsibility of this Technical Secretariat, due to its responsibility in the field of EIA, to know and have available the information of the regulatory framework governing the environmental aspects/effects of the different activities, works, or projects presented to it, it is in the thematic tables of the legal framework presented below that the assessments of the available regulations have been established as a basis for rating.

Because the legal framework that regulates the environmental management of activities, works, or projects in Costa Rica, presented below, evolves and changes, this Technical Secretariat will carry out a review of the regulations at a maximum frequency of three years and will update them and keep users of the EIA system informed about this situation, through its digital platforms.

Section III. Topic No. 2: Soil/Subsoil (as a support for the development of urban development activities, agricultural and livestock activities, mining, and tourism development activities in the maritime-terrestrial zone, among others)

El presente reglamento tiene por objeto regular los requisitos y procedimientos generales por los cuales se determinará la Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental (VLA), de las actividades, obras o proyectos (AOP), que por ley o reglamento, se han determinado que pueden alterar o destruir elementos del ambiente o generar residuos, materiales tóxicos o peligrosos; así como, las medidas de prevención, mitigación y compensación, que dependiendo de su impacto en el ambiente, deben ser implementadas por el desarrollador.

Es requisito indispensable para que las autoridades competentes otorguen los permisos, concesiones, patentes y licencias, para realizar las actividades, obras o proyectos determinados por este reglamento, cumplir el proceso de obtención de una viabilidad ambiental, ante la Secretaría Técnica Nacional Ambiental.

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) se deberá completar con la Matriz de Significancia de Impactos Ambientales (SIA). El resultado de este análisis por parte del consultor ambiental, deberá permitir determinar el trámite a seguir para la obtención de la viabilidad ambiental, salvo para aquellos casos que por ley especial exijan realizar un Estudio de Impacto Ambiental.

Este reglamento contempla la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental para actividades, obras y proyectos, a través de distintos formularios, según la especificación de cada AOP, así como el seguimiento y control ambiental de los proyectos.

La Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica, está regulada en forma específica por el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32967-MINAE del 20 de febrero de 2006, y sus reformas o normativas que al respecto se generen a futuro.

Todas las actividades, obras o proyectos nuevos, requieren una Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental (VLA), dicho otorgamiento estará sujeto al cumplimiento de la aprobación del proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental.

Las actividades, obras o proyectos de muy bajo impacto ambiental potencial, indicados en este artículo, no deberán tramitar ante la SETENA una Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental. Sin embargo, estarán sujetas a los controles ambientales establecidos por las Municipalidades, el Ministerio de Salud (MINSA), el Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG), Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE), Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal (SENASA), el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE) y otras entidades con competencias legales; así como con lo establecido en el Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales, Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32079 del 14 de setiembre de 2004, o con cualquier mecanismo voluntario para mejorar el desempeño ambiental:

1. Las actividades en operación que requieran renovar sus permisos ante otras autoridades de la administración pública, como el Ministerio de Salud (MINSA), el Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal (SENASA), el Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) y las Municipalidades o cualquier otra autoridad de la administración pública.

2. Las actividades, obras o proyectos de mejora, reconstrucción y reparación, que se ejecuten en infraestructura pública o privada y las obras menores definidas en las disposiciones municipales, y que no impliquen obras constructivas mayores a los 1000m2 o movimientos de tierra superiores a los 999m3, ni manipulen, almacenen o trasieguen productos peligrosos.

3. La construcción y operación de edificaciones y los proyectos de construcción de edificios industriales y de almacenamiento cuando no tengan relación directa con su operación, menores de 1000m2. Con excepción de las actividades que para su operación se contemplen en el Anexo 1 del presente Reglamento, que requieran de EIA.

4. Quedarán excluidas de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental la lista de actividades de muy bajo impacto ambiental potencial indicada en el Anexo 2 del presente Reglamento.

5. Todas aquellas actividades, obras y proyectos, que se ubican en el anexo 1, que sean categoría C, que no se ubiquen en áreas ambientalmente frágiles de acuerdo a lo establecido en el artículo 98 del presente decreto, que por su bajo impacto ambiental potencial no están sujetas al proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental; y serán las municipalidades las encargadas de solicitarles que cumplan con el Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales y con todas las regulaciones ambientales vigentes en el país.

6. No requieren EIA todas aquellas actividades, obras o proyectos cuya construcción sea menor a 1000 m2. Las construcciones mayores o igual 500 m2 y hasta 1000 m2 deberán presentar un D1- C siempre y cuando se encuentren en área ambientalmente frágil. Las construcciones de más de 1000 m2 deberán presentar un D1.

7. No requieren EIA las modificaciones del terreno (desmonte y movimiento de tierras), cuando el movimiento de tierras no sea parte integral de la primera etapa de un proyecto, y sea menor o igual a 1000m3. Los movimientos de tierra mayores o iguales a 500m3 y hasta 1000m3, deberán presentar un D1-C, siempre y cuando se encuentren en área ambientalmente frágil. Más de 1000m3, será mediante un D1.

8. Las actividades agrícolas o pecuarias que han realizado actividad previa sobre el predio, la rotación o renovación de cultivos, como el cambio de actividad agropecuaria a otra actividad agropecuaria, y las que no están enlistadas en la clasificación establecida en el anexo 1 de este reglamento. Se exceptúan los terrenos de uso agrícola existentes que cambian su proceso productivo hacia uno de los cultivos enlistados como de excepción:

a. Entiéndase por grupo de excepción al grupo Frutales 1, subgrupo A, definido en el listado de actividades del anexo 1 del presente reglamento, de acuerdo con el decreto N° 37911-MAG.

b. Este grupo deberá someterse al proceso de EIA del presente reglamento, referente al procedimiento para actividades agropecuarias nuevas en suelos de uso agroecológico.

c. Cualquier otro cambio de cultivo que no esté contemplado en este listado no será considerado como cambio de cultivo para efectos de este reglamento y no requieren ser evaluados por la Setena.

d. En igual sentido, si el cambio se establece entre cultivos del grupo 1, este cambio tampoco será considerado como cambio de cultivo para los efectos de este reglamento y, por ende, no deberá realizar trámite alguno ante SETENA.

Las actividades, obras o proyectos de inversión pública por concesión, sean de iniciativa privada de acuerdo con los Proyectos de Iniciativa Privada de Concesión de Obra Pública o de Concesión de Obra Pública; o de iniciativa gubernamental, por alianza público-privada o por contratación administrativa; así como los proyectos de vivienda de interés social, que, debido al interés nacional, requieren una Viabilidad (Licenciamiento) Ambiental (VLA), contarán con una priorización en la revisión (D3).

El trámite por seguir será el que dictamine la legislación vigente, de acuerdo con la categorización de la actividad, obra o proyecto. Una vez identificado el tipo de evaluación ambiental a realizar, se deberá indicar dentro del nombre del proyecto, en el formulario correspondiente que se trata de un proyecto del Estado con prioridad (D3), de forma tal que el sistema de ingreso del expediente pueda priorizar la revisión.

Con el propósito de que el desarrollador conozca de forma preliminar el potencial impacto ambiental de su actividad, obra o proyecto, e identifique la ruta de trámite a seguir dentro del proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, la SETENA dispone de dos criterios complementarios de evaluación: la categorización general y la calificación ambiental inicial de las actividades, obras o proyectos.

Las actividades, obras o proyectos de conformidad con su Impacto Ambiental Potencial (IAP), se clasifican en:

Categoría A: Alto Impacto Ambiental Potencial.

Categoría B: Moderado a Alto Impacto Ambiental Potencial.

Moderado Impacto Ambiental Potencial. Esta categoría, se subdivide a su vez en dos categorías menores a saber:

● Subcategoría B1: Moderado - Alto Impacto Ambiental Potencial, y ● Subcategoría B2: Moderado - Bajo Impacto Ambiental Potencial.

Categoría C: Bajo Impacto Ambiental Potencial.

Categoría D: Muy bajo impacto ambiental.

En el Anexo 1 (Listado de actividades, obras o proyectos con base en la Clasificación de Actividades Económicas de Costa Rica. CAECR (CIIU 4)) de este reglamento, se presenta la categorización general de las actividades, obras o proyectos, según su IAP y SIA. La Significancia de Impacto Ambiental (SIA), será la que defina el Instrumento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, exceptuando las AOP, sujetos a la presentación de un Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EsIA) o de la EIA, según leyes específicas, o bien, a convenios internacionales suscritos por el país.

Los criterios de categorización general de las actividades, obras o proyectos, incluidos en el listado del Anexo 1, están categorizados, según lo siguiente:

1. Decreto N° 37911-MAG, del 19 de agosto de 2013, "Sistema de Registro del Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, para Certificar la condición de pequeño y mediano productor agropecuario (PYMPA)".

2. Criterios para la clasificación de establecimientos o actividades específicas para efectos de otorgamiento de Certificado Veterinario de Operación (CVO) clasificados por actividad, tamaño y riesgo.

3. Umbrales definidos en el Anexo 1 a partir de los valores analizados y recomendados por la Dirección Nacional de Extensión Agropecuaria (DNEA) y del Servicio de Salud Animal (SENASA).

4. Criterio técnico de experto, desarrollado en el tiempo durante el proceso de elaboración del Listado de EIA del Anexo 1, por un equipo interdisciplinario de profesionales personeros de la SETENA.

5. Otros criterios de dimensión tales como: tamaño de la actividad, obra o proyecto, en función de número de unidades que participan en su ejecución y operación; superficie (en m2 o Hectáreas -Ha-) que cubre la actividad, obra o proyecto.

6. Actividades de bajo y muy bajo impacto ambiental, que ciertamente no requieren -según norma- tramitar ante la SETENA una Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA), pero que, sin embargo, estarán sujetas a otros controles ambientales, tales como los establecidos por las Municipalidades, el Ministerio de Salud, (MINSA), el Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal (SENASA) y el Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE), el Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE) y otras entidades con competencias legales; así como a lo establecido en el Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales, Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32079 del 14 de setiembre de 2004, publicado en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta N° 217 del 5 de noviembre de 2004, o con cualquier mecanismo voluntario para mejorar el desempeño ambiental.

En adición a la categorización general establecida en el artículo 7 del presente reglamento, el desarrollador deberá realizar una calificación ambiental inicial, para lo cual deberá llenar y complementar un documento de evaluación ambiental, según corresponda a la actividad, obra o proyecto que va a desarrollar. La SETENA pondrá a disposición de los desarrolladores y público en general, vía electrónica, el documento de evaluación ambiental.

La SETENA, pondrá a disposición del interesado las variantes del Documento de Evaluación Ambiental denominados, formularios D1, D1-C, D1-Torres, D3, D4-Forestal, y D6-Cuadrante Urbano, respectivamente.

La aplicación de los instrumentos de valoración de significancia de impacto ambiental (SIA) permite, que se modifique, previa justificación técnica, o se confirme la categoría preliminar de clasificación que se estableció para la actividad, obra o proyecto por medio del D1, obteniéndose de esta manera una calificación ambiental final para la toma de decisiones. La significancia de impacto ambiental (SIA), será la que defina el Instrumento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental a utilizar en los D1 con instrumentos de EIA.

Procedimiento de Evaluación Ambiental de Actividades, Obras o Proyectos

Categorización, Clasificación y Calificación de Actividades, Obras o Proyectos

Las actividades, obras o proyectos que requieran obtener una Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental (VLA) deberán someterse a un proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental. Dichos trámites se realizarán únicamente por los medios digitales que la Administración disponga.

Para la realización de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental se deberá cumplir con los siguientes requisitos generales:

1.Nombre de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

2. Archivos en formato digital, uno en formato Shape File (*.shp) y otro en formato *.kml, para cada uno de los siguientes elementos: polígono de localización de la propiedad o de cada una de las propiedades (según lo amerite el caso) donde se llevará a cabo el proyecto. En los casos de proyectos con componentes puntuales, además del polígono de la finca, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml del punto exacto de ubicación del área del proyecto (AP). Para proyectos lineales, además del polígono de la finca o área de proyecto, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml de la(s) poli-línea(s) que se pretenden desarrollar, de igual forma para este tipo de proyectos se deberá también de presentar otro archivo shape y kml con los puntos extremos, o bien con los puntos de inicio y de final del trazo de la poli-línea, con sus respectivas coordenadas. En los casos en los que el proyecto no contemple su cobertura constructiva sobre la totalidad de la finca y se desarrolle solo en un sector o en varios sectores dispersos de la misma, además del polígono de la propiedad, deberá presentarse un archivo shape y otro archivo kml con el polígono del contorno del área del proyecto (AP) para identificar la ubicación del mismo dentro de la(s) propiedad(es).

La base de datos de todos los archivos en formato *.shp y en formato *.kml deberán contener los siguientes atributos: nombre del proyecto, tipo del proyecto, número de plano catastrado, número de finca, provincia, cantón, distrito, nombre del desarrollador, número de cédula de persona física o jurídica según corresponda, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones. Todos los archivos *.shp deberán elaborarse bajo el Sistema de Proyección Cartográfica oficial de Costa Rica: CRTM05/CR05 y/o CRTM05/CRSIRGAS (según lo establecido por el IGN).

3. En caso de personas Físicas: Nombre completo del desarrollador, calidades, domicilio personal y lugar y correo electrónico para atender notificaciones.

En caso de personas Jurídicas: Nombre de la sociedad legalmente constituida en el país, número de cédula jurídica, domicilio fiscal, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones, nombre y calidades completas del representante o apoderados.

4. Descripción del proceso que implica la actividad productiva, respecto a sus dimensiones, recursos y servicios requeridos, así como la generación potencial de residuos líquidos, sólidos y emisiones y otros factores, de riesgo ambiental, incluyendo las medidas ambientales para prevenir, corregir y mitigar los posibles impactos ambientales.

5. Número del plano catastrado de la propiedad, salvo los casos especiales a los cuales se les dispensa de este requisito, según criterio de la SETENA, como por ejemplo proyectos lineales (carreteras, líneas de transmisión, proyectos hidroeléctricos y otros similares).

6. Indicar número de finca de acuerdo con el Registro Público de la Propiedad cuando corresponda.

7.Ingresar en el sistema el número del depósito, transferencia electrónica u otro mecanismo de pago, por concepto de adquisición del Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales.

8. Una certificación sobre el monto total de inversión de la actividad, obra o proyecto, incluyendo el costo del AP, emitida por un Contador Público Autorizado (CPA). Cuando la actividad, obra o proyecto, involucre obras constructivas, se faculta al desarrollador para presentar en lugar de la certificación del CPA, una que contenga la tasación, ya sea del Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (CFIA), la cual debe estar firmada por el profesional responsable, o una declaración jurada emitida por el profesional atinente. La certificación del monto de inversión debe incluir el costo del terreno, a excepción de las actividades productivas que se realicen en edificaciones ya existentes.

9. Diseño preliminar del proyecto de la actividad, obra o proyecto, según ejemplo presentado en el Anexo 3 del presente reglamento.

10.En caso de que el desarrollador no sea el dueño de la propiedad deberá aportar la autorización del dueño de la propiedad, para que la actividad, obra o proyecto se realice.

11.El formulario de Evaluación Ambiental D1, exceptuando los proyectos, obras o actividades, sujetos a la presentación de un Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EsIA), según leyes específicas, o bien a convenios internacionales suscritos por el país, no deberán presentar el formulario D1, y de forma directa ingresarán el EsIA, más la Declaración Jurada de Compromisos Ambientales.

Toda la información que el desarrollador indique debe declararse bajo fe de juramento de que es actual y verdadera; en caso contrario podrán derivarse las consecuencias correspondientes.

Asimismo, deberá ser firmado mediante firma digital por el desarrollador de la actividad, obra o proyecto, de acuerdo con la normativa vigente.

El trámite de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental se realizará por medio de la plataforma digital o el medio que SETENA establezca.

El trámite por cumplir será el siguiente:

1. El ingreso a la plataforma digital se realizará con Firma Digital.

2.En la Plataforma Digital se debe elegir el trámite a realizar.

3. Se deben seguir los pasos que indique el sistema para el trámite seleccionado, según los requisitos de su actividad, obra o proyecto.

Una vez finalizado el proceso, debe firmar digitalmente el formulario y se le generará el número de expediente administrativo oficial. En caso de no contar con firma digital, podrá:

I.Imprimir el formulario, firmarlo físicamente y autenticar la firma por medio de Notario Público mediante su firma digital e ingresarlo a la plataforma con la inclusión de un manifiesto por parte del Notario haciendo constar que efectivamente emitió el documento, lo anterior, según el Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico.

II. Emitir un poder a nombre de una persona que si posea firma digital

4. El departamento respectivo de la SETENA deberá realizar la verificación técnica del expediente D1+Declaración Jurada de Compromisos Ambientales (DJCA) en el plazo máximo de 14 días naturales y Pronóstico Plan de Gestión Ambiental (P-PGA), en el plazo máximo de 21 días naturales, y el D1+Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EsIA), en un plazo máximo de 28 días naturales, y al final del cual deberá emitir el resultado de la revisión, ya sea informe técnico o solicitud de información faltante. Una vez emitido el informe técnico, la SETENA en un plazo máximo de 7 días naturales emitirá la resolución administrativa.

5. En el caso de que las condiciones no sean cumplidas, los Departamentos Técnicos realizarán un oficio de prevención por única vez, a efectos que se subsane la información faltante y se le otorgará un plazo razonable a juicio de SETENA, el cual no podrá ser menor de 20 días hábiles y que podrá prorrogarse en caso necesario. Esta prevención suspende el plazo de revisión.

6. La SETENA dispondrá de un plazo de 7 días naturales para la revisión de la respuesta al oficio de prevención, según lo indicado en el punto anterior.

7. En caso de que la información solicitada no se presente en el plazo establecido, el expediente será archivado.

8. Una vez concluida la revisión se procederá a emitir Informe Técnico y la Resolución final misma que será notificada al Desarrollador.

La verificación técnica del expediente que debe llevar a cabo el departamento respectivo seguirá los siguientes pasos:

1. Verificación de la información presentada en el documento de evaluación ambiental, sobre la significancia de impacto ambiental, para lo cual se estará facultado a realizar una Inspección Ambiental al sitio según el procedimiento que defina SETENA para determinar en cuales casos se deberá realizar la inspección.

2. Revisión del espacio geográfico en que se localizará la actividad, obra o proyecto, respecto a su localización en un área ambientalmente frágil o no, y en el contexto de su entorno del espacio territorial y de la planificación de uso del suelo de que se disponga.

3. Verificación de la calificación final sobre la significancia del impacto ambiental (SIA) de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

1.Para la revisión de los instrumentos de evaluación ambiental remitidos a la SETENA, se cumplirá con el Manual y Guía de Revisión del Anexo 12 del presente Reglamento.

2. Esos procedimientos serán de uso obligatorio para todos los funcionarios o profesionales involucrados en el proceso de revisión.

Una vez presentados los requisitos indicados en el artículo 11 del presente reglamento, el desarrollador o consultor podrá solicitar a la SETENA la Viabilidad Ambiental Potencial (VAP), la cual se otorgará en un plazo máximo de 7 días naturales. La obtención de la misma habilitaría al desarrollador de la actividad, obra o proyecto para iniciar o continuar gestiones de trámites ante otras entidades tanto públicas como privadas.

Lo anterior en el entendido de que, el inicio de actividades o concesión tal y como se define en este Reglamento, podrían darse únicamente con el otorgamiento de la Viabilidad (Licencia) Ambiental (VLA), la cual se obtendría hasta que se finalice con la respectiva fase del proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental.

Los consultores ambientales que participen en los procesos de evaluación de EIA, deberán estar debidamente inscritos en el Registros de Consultores de la SETENA. No así, los profesionales que elaboren y que sean contratados para elaboración de estudios específicos según el instrumento.

En el EsIA, el desarrollador de la actividad, obra o proyecto deberá contar con los servicios de un equipo inter y multidisciplinario de profesionales debidamente inscritos en el Registro que lleva la SETENA, para preparar el Estudio de Impacto Ambiental.

Los estudios y recomendaciones incluidas en la EIA, serán responsabilidad específica de cada profesional que los firma, siendo la administración responsable de la revisión de los mismos, de acuerdo con los contenidos que se establecen en la presente propuesta de Reglamento.

Si vencido el plazo para la revisión de los instrumentos de evaluación o los otros documentos del proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental indicados en este reglamento, la SETENA no ha cumplido con la respectiva revisión, el Desarrollador podrá interponer los recursos jurídicos que establece la normativa vigente. La SETENA a través de su Jerarca, podrá recomendar a la persona que ejerza el cargo del Ministro de Ambiente y Energía la apertura de un procedimiento administrativo ordinario con arreglo a las disposiciones de la Ley General de la Administración Pública y en plena observancia y respeto a la garantía constitucional del debido proceso.

De los instrumentos de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental

Significancia de Impacto Ambiental

Los criterios de evaluación para determinar el tipo de instrumento de evaluación ambiental se determinarán mediante la Significancia de Impacto Ambiental, que se obtiene al completar la Matriz Básica de Identificación de Impactos contenida en el Anexo 3.

En virtud de la calificación final de la SIA, las actividades, obras o proyectos podrán seguir las siguientes rutas de decisión, según el Anexo 3:

1. Alta SIA: D1+EsIA - Mayor o igual a 700 = Categoría A 2. Moderado a Alta SIA: D1+ P-PGA - Mayor que 330 y menor a 700 = Subcategoría B1 3. Moderada a baja SIA: D1+ DJCA - Menor o igual que 330 = Subcategoría B2

D1+Declaración Jurada de Compromisos Ambientales

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, para los D1+DCJA deberá completar los requisitos del Anexo 4 del presente Reglamento, además de los requisitos generales indicados en el artículo 11 y el procedimiento del artículo 12.Como parte de la evaluación de impacto ambiental el Consultor Ambiental deberá identificar las condiciones de fragilidad de los sitios o del AP donde se pretende desarrollar la actividad, obra o proyecto, aportar las medidas ambientales y los estudios establecidos en el Anexo 4, o justificación técnica para su no presentación.

Una vez completada la información en la plataforma digital, el Departamento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental procederá a verificar la información contenida en ésta y remitirá un informe técnico, con la recomendación que corresponda para la emisión de la resolución final. En caso de separarse del criterio emitido, deberá justificarse técnica y legalmente por parte de la autoridad superior de la SETENA.

La Secretaría General emitirá una resolución final, basada en el informe técnico. En caso de separarse del criterio emitido, deberá justificarlo técnica y legalmente dentro del acta correspondiente.

D1+Pronóstico Plan de Gestión Ambiental

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental para el D1+P-PGA deberá completar todos los requisitos del Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental indicados en los artículos 11 y 12, así como los estudios técnicos según se establecen en el Anexo 5 del presente reglamento, salvo aquellos casos en que el consultor ambiental responsable o profesional atinente, justifique técnicamente su no presentación.

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental deberá completar la Matriz de Importancia de Impactos Ambientales (MIIA).

Su extensión, no debe exceder las 75 páginas. Salvo casos especiales debidamente justificados por la magnitud del proyecto, obra o actividad.

Una vez completada la información en la plataforma digital, el Departamento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental procederá a verificar la información contenida en ésta y remitirá un informe técnico, con la recomendación que corresponda para la emisión de la resolución final. En caso de separarse del criterio emitido, deberá justificarse técnica y legalmente por parte de la autoridad superior de la SETENA.

D1+Estudio de Impacto Ambiental

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental deberá completar la Matriz de Importancia de Impactos Ambientales (MIIA), o la incluida en el Anexo 6 del presente reglamento.

Su extensión, no debe exceder las 150 páginas. Salvo casos especiales debidamente justificados por la magnitud del proyecto, obra o actividad.

Los proyectos, obras o actividades, sujetos a la presentación de un Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EsIA), según leyes específicas, o bien a convenios internacionales suscritos por el país, no deberán presentar el formulario D1, y de forma directa ingresarán el EsIA, para lo cual deberán aportar los requisitos indicados en el artículo 11 y en el Anexo 6 del presente reglamento.

Una vez completada la información en la plataforma digital, el Departamento de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental procederá a verificar la información contenida en ésta y remitirá un informe técnico, con la recomendación que corresponda para la emisión de la resolución final. En caso de separarse del criterio emitido, deberá justificarse técnica y legalmente por parte de la autoridad superior de la SETENA.

La SETENA, mediante su página web, pondrá a disposición de la sociedad civil, de las municipalidades y del Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC), el listado de los estudios de impacto ambiental que están sometidos al proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental EsIA y los tendrá a disposición para su consulta pública, apersonamiento y observaciones por parte de cualquier interesado.

D6 - De la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental de las actividades, obras o proyectos ubicados en sitios catalogados como cuadrantes urbanos

Toda AOP de naturaleza residencial, comercial y de servicios ubicados en sitios catalogados como cuadrantes urbanos de acuerdo en el Plan Regulador o, supletoriamente, de acuerdo a la delimitación que establezca el INVU conforme a las competencias establecidas en la Ley de Planificación Urbana, Ley Nº 4240 y sus reformas, en el Decreto Ejecutivo N° 25902-MIVAH- MP-MINAE del 12 de febrero de 1997, Reforma Plan Regional Desarrollo Urbano Gran Área Metropolitana, o de acuerdo a la Política Nacional de Desarrollo Urbano en cuanto a ciudades o, en última instancia, de acuerdo a la división territorial definida por el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos, o lo establecido por la Municipalidades. Ingresará a la SETENA con el formulario especifico D6, el cuadro de medias ambientales con sus indicadores para seguimiento ambiental, el estudio Geotécnico, estudio arqueológico, estudio hidrogeológico, y se debe considerar la presencia de pozos, nacientes y cauces, y acogerse al Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales, Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32079 del 14 de setiembre de 2004, así como los requisitos establecidos en el Anexo 7 del presente Reglamento, debiendo tramitar el resto de los permisos ante las instancias competentes.

1.Para la realización de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental del D6, se deberá cumplir con los siguientes requisitos: Nombre de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

2. Archivos en formato digital, uno en formato Shape File (*.shp) y otro en formato *.kml, para cada uno de los siguientes elementos: polígono de localización de la propiedad o de cada una de las propiedades (según lo amerite el caso) donde se llevará a cabo el proyecto. En los casos de proyectos con componentes puntuales, además del polígono de la finca, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml del punto exacto de ubicación del área del proyecto (AP). Para proyectos lineales, además del polígono de la finca, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml de la(s) poli-línea(s) que se pretenden desarrollar, de igual forma para este tipo de proyectos se deberá también de presentar otro archivo shape y kml con los puntos extremos, o bien con los puntos de inicio y de final del trazo de la poli-línea, con sus respectivas coordenadas. En los casos en los que el proyecto no contemple su cobertura constructiva sobre la totalidad de la finca y se desarrolle solo en un sector o en varios sectores dispersos de la misma, además del polígono de la propiedad, deberá presentarse un archivo shape y otro archivo kml con el polígono del contorno del área del proyecto (AP) para identificar la ubicación del mismo dentro de la(s) propiedad(es).

La base de datos de todos los archivos en formato *.shp y en formato *.kml deberán contener los siguientes atributos: nombre del proyecto, tipo del proyecto, número de plano catastrado, número de finca, provincia, cantón, distrito, nombre del desarrollador, número de cédula de persona física o jurídica según corresponda, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones. Todos los archivos *.shp deberán elaborarse bajo el Sistema de Proyección Cartográfica oficial de Costa Rica: CRTM05/CR05 y/o CRTM05/CRSIRGAS (según lo establecido por el IGN).

3. En caso de Persona Física: Nombre completo del desarrollador, calidades, domicilio personal y lugar y correo electrónico para atender notificaciones.

4. En caso de persona jurídica: Nombre de la sociedad legalmente constituida en el país, número de cédula jurídica, domicilio fiscal, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones, nombre y calidades completas del representante o apoderados.

5.Descripción del proceso que implica la actividad productiva, respecto a sus dimensiones, recursos y servicios requeridos, así como la generación potencial de residuos líquidos, sólidos y emisiones y otros factores, de riesgo ambiental, incluyendo las medidas ambientales para prevenir, corregir y mitigar los posibles impactos ambientales.

6. Número del plano catastrado de la propiedad.

7. Indicar número de finca de acuerdo con el Registro Público de la Propiedad.

8. Ingresar en el sistema el número del depósito, transferencia electrónica u otro mecanismo de pago, por concepto de adquisición del Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales.

9. Una certificación sobre el monto total de inversión de la actividad, obra o proyecto, incluyendo el costo del AP, emitida por un Contador Público Autorizado (CPA). Cuando la actividad, obra o proyecto, involucre obras constructivas, se faculta al desarrollador para presentar en lugar de la certificación del CPA, una que contenga la tasación, ya sea del Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (CFIA), la cual debe estar firmada por el profesional responsable, o una declaración jurada emitida por el profesional atinente.

10.Diseño preliminar del proyecto de la actividad, obra o proyecto, según ejemplo presentado en el Anexo 7 del presente reglamento.

11.En caso de que el desarrollador no sea el dueño de la propiedad deberá aportar el permiso correspondiente del dueño.

12.El formulario de Evaluación Ambiental D6, que se ubica en el Anexo 7 Toda la información que el desarrollador indique debe declararse bajo fe de juramento de que es actual y verdadera; en caso contrario podrán derivarse las consecuencias correspondientes.

Asimismo, deberá ser firmado mediante firma digital por el desarrollador de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

El trámite de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental se realizará por medio de la plataforma digital o el medio que SETENA establezca, para lo cual deberá:

1. Ingresar los requisitos indicados en el artículo 25, del presente reglamento.

2. Presentar la información y estudios establecidos en el Anexo 7, o justificación técnica para su no presentación, siguiendo los siguientes pasos:

a. El ingreso a la plataforma digital se realizará con Firma Digital.

b. En la Plataforma Digital se debe elegir el trámite a realizar.

c. Se deben seguir los pasos que indique el sistema para el trámite escogido, según los requisitos de su actividad, obra o proyecto.

d. Una vez finalizado el proceso, debe firmar digitalmente el formulario y se le generará el número de expediente administrativo oficial.

e. En caso de no contar con firma digital, podrá:

i. Imprimir el formulario, firmarlo físicamente y autenticar la firma por medio de Notario Público mediante su firma digital e ingresarlo a la plataforma con la inclusión de un manifiesto por parte del Notario haciendo constar que efectivamente emitió el documento, lo anterior, según el Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico.

ii. Emitir un poder a nombre de una persona que si posea firma digital.

f. El departamento respectivo de la SETENA deberá realizar la verificación técnica del expediente D6, en el plazo máximo de 14 días naturales, y al final del cual deberá emitir el resultado de la revisión, ya sea informe técnico o solicitud de información faltante. Una vez emitido el informe técnico, la SETENA en un plazo máximo de 7 días naturales emitirá la resolución administrativa.

g. En caso de que los departamentos técnicos requieran excepcionalmente solicitar información adicional o aclaraciones durante el proceso de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, la misma deberá ser motivada y argumentada. Para esto, los departamentos técnicos realizarán un oficio de prevención por una única vez, a efectos que se subsane la información faltante y se le otorgará un plazo que no podrá ser menor de 20 días hábiles y que podrá prorrogarse en caso necesario. Esta prevención suspende el plazo de revisión.

h. Para la revisión y notificación de la información solicitada en el punto anterior, la SETENA dispondrá de un plazo de 3 días hábiles.

i. En caso de que la información solicitada no se presente en el plazo establecido, el expediente será archivado.

j. La resolución será notificada al desarrollador o su representante conforme a los procedimientos indicados en el presente reglamento y la normativa vigente.

El control de la gestión ambiental ante la SETENA, se presentará mediante informes de responsabilidad ambiental y a través de la Bitácora Digital Ambiental. La activación de la Bitácora Digital Ambiental, deberá habilitarla el responsable ambiental nombrado por el desarrollador.

D1 - Torres de Telecomunicaciones

La Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental, para las Torres de Telecomunicación deberán ingresar con el formulario D1, y completar los requisitos establecidos en el artículo 29. Como parte de la evaluación de impacto ambiental el consultor ambiental deberá identificar las condiciones de fragilidad de los sitios o del AP donde se pretende desarrollar la actividad, obra o proyecto, y aportar las medidas ambientales respectivas.

Para la realización de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental del D1-Torres, se deberá cumplir con los siguientes requisitos:

1. El formulario de Evaluación Ambiental D1, que se ubica en el Anexo 3 del presente reglamento.

2. Nombre de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

3. Descripción del proyecto.

4. Archivos en formato digital, uno en formato Shape File (*.shp) y otro en formato *.kml, para cada uno de los siguientes elementos: polígono de localización de la propiedad o de cada una de las propiedades (según lo amerite el caso) donde se llevará a cabo el proyecto. En los casos de proyectos con componentes puntuales, además del polígono de la finca, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml del punto exacto de ubicación del área del proyecto (AP). Para proyectos lineales, además del polígono de la finca, se deberá presentar un archivo shape y otro archivo kml de la(s) poli-línea(s) que se pretenden desarrollar, de igual forma para este tipo de proyectos se deberá también de presentar otro archivo shape y kml con los puntos extremos, o bien con los puntos de inicio y de final del trazo de la poli-línea, con sus respectivas coordenadas. En los casos en los que el proyecto no contemple su cobertura constructiva sobre la totalidad de la finca y se desarrolle solo en un sector o en varios sectores dispersos de la misma, además del polígono de la propiedad, deberá presentarse un archivo shape y otro archivo kml con el polígono del contorno del área del proyecto (AP) para identificar la ubicación del mismo dentro de la(s) propiedad(es).

La base de datos de todos los archivos en formato *.shp y en formato *.kml deberán contener los siguientes atributos: nombre del proyecto, tipo del proyecto, número de plano catastrado, número de finca, provincia, cantón, distrito, nombre del desarrollador, número de cédula de persona física o según sea el caso el número de cédula jurídica, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones. Todos los archivos *.shp deberán elaborarse bajo el Sistema de Proyección Cartográfica oficial de Costa Rica: CRTM05/CR05 y/o CRTM05/CRSIRGAS (según lo establecido por el IGN). Los archivos digitales de georreferenciación deben venir en forma individual para cada torre.

5. En caso de persona Física: Nombre completo del desarrollador, calidades, domicilio personal y lugar y correo electrónico para atender notificaciones.

6. En caso de persona jurídica: Nombre de la sociedad legalmente constituida en el país, número de cédula jurídica, domicilio fiscal, correo electrónico para atender notificaciones, nombre y calidades completas del representante o apoderados.

7. Número del plano catastrado de la propiedad.

8. Indicar número de finca de acuerdo con el Registro Público de la Propiedad.

9.Ingresar en el sistema el número del depósito, transferencia electrónica u otro mecanismo de pago, por concepto de adquisición del Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales.

10.Una certificación sobre el monto total de inversión de la actividad, obra o proyecto, incluyendo el costo del AP, emitida por un Contador Público Autorizado (CPA). Cuando la actividad, obra o proyecto, involucre obras constructivas, se faculta al desarrollador para presentar en lugar de la certificación del CPA, una que contenga la tasación, ya sea del Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y Arquitectos (CFIA), la cual debe estar firmada por el profesional responsable, o una declaración jurada emitida por el profesional atinente.

11.Diseño preliminar del proyecto de la actividad, obra o proyecto, según ejemplo presentado en el Anexo 3 del presente reglamento.

12.Estudio Geotecnia, o justificación técnica para su no presentación.

13.Estudio Rápido de Arqueología, o justificación técnica para su no presentación.

14. Registro fotográfico georreferenciado de las condiciones actuales.

15. Los resultados del Plan de Comunicación a las comunidades cuyo contenido es el siguiente:

a. Objetivo (Debe indicar en qué consistirá el proyecto y que implicaciones posee).

b. Grupo meta (comunidades debe ser indicado cuál es el AID y justificarse).

c. Estrategia o mecanismo de divulgación a emplear en las comunidades ubicadas en el AID, (incluir impactos) con el fin de informar sobre el proyecto a desarrollar, que incluya como mínimo los siguientes aspectos:

i. Periodo de divulgación.

ii. Mensaje por transmitir (debe brindarse una descripción del proyecto explicando los impactos que generará).

iii. Cronograma de actividades a llevar a cabo en el plan de comunicación.

iv. Formato de respuesta a las comunidades sobre inquietudes relacionadas con la divulgación del proyecto.

v. Costos de la divulgación.

16. Información literal de la propiedad. Exceptúese de este requisito a los Proyectos de Desarrollo de Infraestructura de Telecomunicaciones que atienden los objetivos de Acceso Universal, Servicio Universal y Solidaridad incluidos en el Plan Anual de Programas y Proyectos del Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones en concordancia con las metas establecidas en el Plan Nacional de Desarrollo de las Telecomunicaciones, que se implementen en áreas de fincas que no se han inscrito en el Registro de Bienes Inmuebles del Registro Nacional, pero sus poseedores se encuentran en el supuesto contenido en el artículo 307 del Código Civil, Ley N° 63 de fecha 28 de setiembre de 1887. Esta excepción no aplica para propiedades debidamente inscritas en el Registro Inmobiliario.

La documentación que se deberá presentar para los inmuebles en los que se desarrollará la actividad, obra o proyecto que se encuentren en la condición citada será la siguiente:

● Para estos casos, la SETENA solicitará la Certificación a la Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones de que la infraestructura a ubicar, es parte de un Proyecto que atiende los objetivos de Acceso Universal, Servicio Universal y Solidaridad, incluido en el Plan Anual de Programas y Proyectos del Fondo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones.

● Estudio técnico avalado por la Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones que respalden que el sitio del proyecto de infraestructura de telecomunicaciones, es la única alternativa técnica o económicamente viable para el operador de la red y, por ende, es una ubicación necesaria para el cumplimiento de los objetivos del Proyecto a desarrollar y que es el punto óptimo en términos de cobertura y/o interferencias.

● En caso de que el inmueble no sea propiedad del desarrollador debe presentar el contrato de arrendamiento, carta de autorización del poseedor, o el acuerdo de las condiciones de uso suscrito por las partes, certificados por un Notario Público.

● Una declaración jurada emitida ante un Notario Público por el poseedor del inmueble donde haga constar:

a. Causa y fecha de adquisición del inmueble y que el poseedor se encuentra en el supuesto contenido en el artículo 307 del Código Civil, que no existe contención sobre el inmueble o tercero de mejor derecho y que el inmueble no está inscrito en el Registro Inmobiliario.

b. Descripción del inmueble con base al plano catastrado o cualquier otro medio de constatación que deberá adjuntar y establecer la ubicación del área del proyecto.

c. Manifestación expresa de que se libera a la Secretaria Técnica Nacional Ambiental de toda responsabilidad por la inexactitud o falsedad de lo declarado.

17. En caso de que el desarrollador no sea el dueño de la propiedad deberá aportar el permiso correspondiente del dueño.

Toda la información que el desarrollador indique debe declararse bajo fe de juramento de que es actual y verdadera; en caso contrario podrán derivarse las consecuencias correspondientes.

Asimismo, deberá ser firmado mediante firma digital por el desarrollador de la actividad, obra o proyecto.

El trámite de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental se realizará por medio de la plataforma digital o el medio que SETENA establezca, para lo cual deberá:

1. Ingresar los requisitos indicados en el artículo 29, del presente reglamento.

2. Presentar la información y estudios establecidos en el artículo 29, o justificación técnica para su no presentación.

3. El ingreso a la plataforma digital se realizará con Firma Digital.

4. En la Plataforma Digital se debe elegir el trámite a realizar.

5. Se deben seguir los pasos que indique el sistema para el trámite escogido, según los requisitos de su actividad, obra o proyecto.

6. Una vez finalizado el proceso, debe firmar digitalmente el formulario y se le generará el número de expediente administrativo oficial.

En caso de no contar con firma digital, podrá:

I.Imprimir el formulario, firmarlo físicamente y autenticar la firma por medio de Notario Público mediante su firma digital e ingresarlo a la plataforma con la inclusión de un manifiesto por parte del Notario haciendo constar que efectivamente emitió el documento, lo anterior, según el Reglamento de documentos notariales extraprotocolares en soporte electrónico.

II. Emitir un poder a nombre de una persona que si posea firma digital

7. El departamento respectivo de la SETENA deberá realizar la verificación técnica del expediente D1-Torres, en el plazo máximo de 14 días naturales, y al final del cual deberá emitir el resultado de la revisión, ya sea informe técnico o solicitud de información faltante. Una vez emitido el informe técnico, la SETENA en un plazo máximo de 7 días naturales emitirá la resolución administrativa.

8. En el caso de que las condiciones no sean cumplidas, los departamentos técnicos comunicaran al desarrollador la situación y solicitará mediante oficio y por una única vez, que la información faltante sea subsanada en un plazo que no podrá ser menor de 20 días hábiles y que podrá prorrogarse en caso necesario. Esta prevención suspende el plazo de revisión.

9. Para la revisión y notificación de la información solicitada en el punto anterior, la SETENA dispondrá de un plazo de 3 días hábiles.

10. En caso de que la información solicitada no se presente en el plazo establecido, el expediente será archivado.

La resolución será notificada al desarrollador o su representante conforme a los procedimientos indicados en el presente reglamento y la normativa vigente.

El control de la gestión ambiental ante la SETENA, se presentará mediante informes de responsabilidad ambiental y a través de la Bitácora Digital Ambiental. La activación de la Bitácora Digital Ambiental, deberá habilitarla el responsable ambiental nombrado por el desarrollador.

Formulario D1-C

El D1-C, deberá ser presentado por el desarrollador y por un consultor ambiental inscrito en SETENA. Para la solicitud del D1-C debe llenar el formulario que consta en el Anexo 8 del presente reglamento, y debe ser presentado por el desarrollador cuando se cumplan las tres siguientes condiciones:

a. Para las actividades, obras o proyectos categorizados como de bajo impacto ambiental b. Que se encuentren dentro del umbral para AOP categoría C, establecido en el Anexo 1 del presente reglamento.

c. Que se ubiquen en área ambientalmente frágil, de acuerdo a la lista visible en el artículo 98, del presente decreto.

Las AOP, que no se ubiquen en área ambientalmente frágil, que sean Categoría C o que no sean contempladas en el Anexo 1, no deberán tramitar ante la SETENA una Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA), sin embargo, estarán sujetas a cumplir con todas las regulaciones ambientales vigentes en el país, y serán las Municipalidades las encargadas de solicitarles que cumplan con el Código de Buenas Prácticas Ambientales, Decreto Ejecutivo N° 32079 del 14 de setiembre de 2004.

Toda la información que el desarrollador indique en la solicitud del D1-C, debe declararse bajo fe de juramento de que es actual y verdadera; en caso contrario podrán derivarse las consecuencias administrativas correspondientes.

Asimismo, deberá ser firmado digitalmente por el desarrollador y Consultor de la actividad, obra o proyecto y no requiere ser autenticado por parte de un Notario Público.

El D1-C, puede ser sujeto a solicitud de información adicional si corresponde. Adicionalmente, puede ser sujeto a modificaciones.

El desarrollador de una actividad, obra o proyecto deberá presentar el Formulario de D1-C en la Plataforma Digital y su trámite será el siguiente:

1.Ingresar los requisitos generales indicados en el Anexo 8, por medio de la plataforma digital o el medio que SETENA disponga.

2.El sistema asignará el número de gestión.

3.El plazo para resolver el D1-C será como máximo de 7 días naturales. El departamento respectivo de la SETENA deberá realizar la verificación técnica del expediente D1-C, en el plazo máximo de 2 días hábiles, y al final del cual deberá emitir el resultado de la revisión, ya sea informe técnico o solicitud de información faltante. Una vez emitido el informe técnico, la SETENA en un plazo máximo de 3 días hábiles emitirá la resolución administrativa.

4. En el caso de que las condiciones no sean cumplidas, los departamentos técnicos comunicarán al desarrollador la situación y solicitarán mediante oficio y por una única vez, que la información faltante sea subsanada y se le otorgará un plazo que no podrá ser menor de 10 días hábiles y que podrá prorrogarse en caso necesario. Esta prevención suspende el plazo de revisión.