SEIAA and SEAC Authority in EC Amendments & Transfers

Introduction

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) recently issued new guidelines to clarify the roles of State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA) and State Expert Appraisal Committees (SEAC). These guidelines explicitly state who approves changes, transfers, extensions, or cancellations of Environmental Clearances (ECs) under the EIA Notification, 2006. Consequently, this blog simplifies the key points for better understanding Environmental Clearance Process Updates

How Projects Are Categorized Under EIA Notification, 2006

The EIA Notification, 2006 classifies projects into two main categories:

Category-A Projects: These involve large-scale or high-impact activities. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) reviews them at the Central level with recommendations from the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
Category-B Projects: These consist of smaller projects with lower environmental impact. SEIAA and SEAC assess them at the State level unless specific conditions require Central-level review.

When Does the Central Government Handle Category-B Projects?

Although SEIAA and SEAC generally review Category-B projects at the State level, the Central government takes over under certain conditions.

If a State or Union Territory lacks an SEIAA/SEAC, MoEF&CC assumes responsibility for the review.
If a project falls under a “General Condition (GC),” Central-level review becomes mandatory.

Why Are These Guidelines Important?

Over time, authorities have revised project size limits and approval rules, shifting several projects from Central to State review. However, project developers and regulators remained uncertain about whether SEIAA and SEAC could amend, transfer, or extend ECs originally granted at the Central level. These guidelines now eliminate that confusion and establish clear procedures.

What Can SEIAA and SEAC Do Now?

According to these updated guidelines, SEIAA and SEAC can now:

Approve amendments to previously granted ECs.
Transfer ECs from one project owner to another.
Extend the validity period of existing ECs.
Accept EC cancellations when a company decides to discontinue the project.

How Will This Help?

Faster Approvals: Since SEIAAs can now handle these requests, projects no longer face unnecessary delays at the Central level.
Less Confusion: The new clarity in responsibilities allows SEIAAs and SEACs to process applications more smoothly.
Better Efficiency: With clear authority at the State level, the approval process will move faster, reducing delays for industries and ongoing projects.

Conclusion

MoEF&CC has taken an essential step toward simplifying the EC approval process by granting SEIAAs and SEACs greater authority. Consequently, this decision will benefit industries, regulators, and environmental authorities by making the process faster, more transparent, and highly efficient.

Download: Environmental Clearance Process Updates: Authority & Transfer