The Habitats Directive Compatibility Assessment (FFH-VP) is a central instrument of European nature conservation law. It ensures that projects and plans potentially affecting Natura 2000 sites (Habitats Directive and Birds Directive areas protected under EU law) are assessed for their compatibility with the conservation objectives of these areas. The goal is to preserve biodiversity and to ensure the long-term protection of habitats and species of community interest.

Our services related to FFH compatibility assessments include:

• Preliminary FFH Screening: An expert evaluation to determine whether a project or plan could cause significant impacts on a Natura 2000 site. If such impacts can be ruled out, no further assessment is required.
• FFH Compatibility Assessment (FFH-VU): If significant impacts cannot be excluded during the screening, a detailed analysis of the project’s or plan’s impact factors is conducted. This includes evaluating whether the project aligns with the conservation objectives of the affected Natura 2000 site. The assessment considers avoidance, mitigation, and damage limitation measures, as well as cumulative effects with other plans and projects.
• FFH Derogation Procedure: If a project or plan is clearly incompatible with the conservation objectives of a Natura 2000 site, it is generally not approvable. However, it may still be permitted under exceptional circumstances, provided that a justified derogation is possible. In such cases, compensatory measures must be defined and implemented.

Your benefits:

• Efficient implementation: Thanks to our experience and interdisciplinary expertise at Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH, we can carry out the necessary assessment steps early in the planning process. This allows potential conflicts to be identified and resolved early, improving planning certainty and reducing costs.
• Public acceptance and significance: The FFH compatibility assessment is a key tool for achieving the goals of Natura 2000 and protecting Europe’s biodiversity. It directly supports the conservation of natural habitats and many rare and endangered species.
• Credibility and legal certainty: Demonstrating FFH compatibility or proving the protection of Natura 2000 sites significantly enhances public and stakeholder acceptance of plans and projects—especially among environmental organizations. It is also crucial for determining the overall environmental compatibility of a plan or project.

In 2000, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted and has since served as the central instrument of European water policy. The WFD has been implemented uniformly across Germany through the Federal Water Act (WHG) in conjunction with the Surface Water Ordinance (OGewV) and the Groundwater Ordinance (GrwV).

The goal of the WFD is to achieve a good status for all European water bodies—rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters, and groundwater. This “good status” includes both ecological and chemical conditions for surface waters and quantitative and chemical conditions for groundwater.

For any project that may affect a water body or groundwater, a WFD-specific technical report (FB WRRL) must demonstrate that the project complies with the directive’s requirements. The assessment focuses on:

• Violation of the non-deterioration principle
• Violation of the improvement obligation (objective achievement)
• Violation of the trend reversal requirement (groundwater only)

According to the non-deterioration principle, the current status of a water body or groundwater must not worsen due to the project. The improvement obligation requires that a project must not hinder or significantly delay the achievement of good status. The trend reversal requirement evaluates whether pollutant levels in groundwater bodies are being reduced as required.

In the FB WRRL, the evaluation is carried out by overlaying project-related impact factors (e.g., wastewater discharge) with the status of the affected surface or groundwater bodies. Impacts are assessed in terms of type, intensity, duration, and extent. Where necessary, avoidance and mitigation measures are considered. These measures may be refined iteratively during the preparation of the FB WRRL.

Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH has extensive experience in preparing WFD technical reports. We also provide consulting and support throughout the planning process to ensure that projects are compatible with water and groundwater protection requirements.

Your Benefits:

• Sustainable Planning: By considering the non-deterioration and improvement principles during project planning, potential negative impacts on water bodies and groundwater can be identified and avoided early. This leads to sustainable planning and long-term water management benefits.
• Acceptance and Significance: Protecting water bodies and groundwater as natural resources and habitats is of high importance for ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. Ensuring compatibility with WFD objectives is also crucial for determining a project’s environmental and, where applicable, FFH compatibility.
• Legal Certainty: With our long-standing experience in preparing WFD technical reports and interdisciplinary expert collaboration, Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH offers a high level of legal certainty. We support you from initial planning through to project approval—and beyond.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (UVPG) and the Federal Building Code (BauGB) is a key instrument for evaluating the environmental impacts of plans and programs at a higher planning level, such as regional planning or land-use planning. It involves a systematic analysis and assessment of environmental aspects, the preparation of detailed environmental reports, and the development of measures to avoid or mitigate negative environmental effects.

Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH prepares the environmental report for the SEA based on your planning documents, supports the implementation of SEA requirements, and accompanies the entire environmental assessment process.

Your Benefits:

• Comprehensive environmental evaluation: The SEA includes a systematic analysis and assessment of all plan contents and their environmental impacts—both positive and negative. This provides a solid foundation for decision-making in the planning and implementation of plans and programs.
• Optimized planning and approval: The detailed evaluation of environmental aspects within the environmental report facilitates project planning and approval. By complying with all environmental legal requirements, the approval process is accelerated and the risk of delays and legal issues is minimized.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a central instrument of environmental law. Its purpose is to identify and evaluate the effects of a project—or human interventions in nature and the environment—at an early stage, and to develop appropriate measures to avoid, reduce, or compensate for environmental impacts.

As part of approval or permitting procedures where an EIA is required, Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH prepares an EIA report that assesses the project's effects on the environment and its components. This includes protected assets such as humans, animals, plants (including biodiversity), land and soil, water, climate, air, landscape (including visual landscape), cultural and material assets, as well as their interrelationships. The report outlines measures to ensure the project's environmental compatibility.

The EIA report consolidates expertise from various disciplines and provides authorities with a comprehensive and well-founded basis for decision-making. It helps minimize environmental burdens, conserve resources, reduce planning and approval risks, and increase public acceptance of projects.

Scope of Services in the EIA Report:

• Determination of whether an EIA is required
• Scoping (definition of the scope of the assessment)
• Preparation of scoping documentation
• Conducting a scoping meeting
• Drafting the full EIA report
• Review, evaluation, and response to comments and objections from authorities, environmental organizations, and the public
• Participation in public hearings
• Review of official environmental assessments in approval decisions
• Support for authorities in conducting the EIA

Your Benefits:

• Comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts: Ensures that all relevant effects of your project are identified and evaluated early, providing a solid foundation for decision-making.
• Compliance with legal requirements: The EIA report serves as a key basis for official decisions in approval procedures. If significant environmental impacts are identified, interdisciplinary collaboration helps resolve them to meet legal requirements and secure approval.
• Legal certainty: With our extensive experience in conducting EIAs and interdisciplinary expert collaboration, Müller-BBM Industry Solutions GmbH offers a high level of legal certainty. We support you from initial planning through to approval—and beyond.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a key instrument of preventive environmental protection. Before a full EIA is required, a preliminary EIA screening is often conducted. This screening serves to determine early on whether a proposed project could have significant adverse environmental effects and therefore requires a comprehensive EIA. The screening plays a crucial role in identifying whether a project may lead to relevant environmental conflicts that warrant further in-depth investigation.

The EIA screening is an essential part of the environmental review process and supports the efficient and responsible handling of resources and environmental concerns. It helps ensure both planning certainty for project developers and the protection of the environment and its components.

Your benefits:

• Early identification of environmental impacts: The screening enables the early detection of potential adverse environmental effects of a project. This allows you to take timely measures to minimize negative impacts and ensure the environmental compatibility of your project.
• Efficient decision-making: Through expert EIA screening, authorities receive a solid basis for deciding whether a full EIA is necessary. This accelerates the approval process and reduces administrative burden.
• Legal certainty: Expert EIA screening ensures that all environmentally relevant aspects of your project are examined and assessed. It thus significantly contributes to legally sound planning.