1. Understanding the concept of compensatory measures

"Avoid, reduce and compensate" are the three action verbs to be associated with compensatory measures. Any operation of a classified facility that could harm the environment must, in order of priority :

• avoid damage;

• reduce the impact;

• if residual impacts remain, then and only then, compensate for the residual damage identified.

Compensation aims to counterbalance the negative environmental effects of an activity with a positive action. In theory, it should re-establish a situation with an overall quality close to that of the previous situation, and an environmental state considered functionally normal or ideal.

Compensatory measures are used when the impact cannot be avoided by design, or sufficiently mitigated...