The Environmental Assessment Division plays a key role in development control and ensures that environmental impacts of major development projects, as listed under the Fifth Schedule of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), are foreseen and addressed at the very inception stage through the EIA mechanism. The Division also ascertains that appropriate measures are taken to mitigate adverse environmental impacts, enhance the positive impacts and promote sustainable development. To that effect, the Environmental Assessment Division processes applications for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) licences and Preliminary Environmental Report (PER) approvals within the time frame stipulated in the EPA.