4. Glossary

Autorité environnementale; environmental authority

Authority issuing public opinions on environmental impact assessments of major projects, plans and programs.

Débat public; public debate

Public debate prior to the public utility inquiry, focusing mainly on the appropriateness of the project envisaged by the project owner, and organized under the aegis of the Commission nationale du débat public (National Commission for Public Debate) above certain project size thresholds.

Enquête publique; public enquiry

Development projects likely to affect the environment are subject to public inquiry. The aim of the inquiry is threefold: to inform the public, to gather its opinions and to provide the competent authority with the information it needs to make its decision....