"NGOs want environmental impact report access", 27 February 2019

Civil society organisations dealing with environmental issues ... urged the Environment Ministry to disclose environmental impact assessment reports due to a lack of public information on whether or not companies comply with their reports after development projects have been approved.

..., Thy Try, executive director of Open Development Cambodia, said the information will enable the public, especially locals, to monitor ministry-approved development projects to see if these projects are impacting the environment.

He said that environmental impact assessment reports are not widely disseminated to the public, adding that some projects affect the environment and can lead to conflict with the local communities...

“ODC collects limited information related to economic land concessions and other development projects such as hydropower plants and coal mines,” Mr Try said. “But we do not have any information showing that companies are complying with their EIA reports.”...

Sey Pov, a NGO Forum of Cambodia representative, ... said they had previously participated in more than 400 EIA consultations on projects which were approved.

He noted that these were very few because the government has approved EIA reports for thousands of investment and development projects...

Environment Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra ... said the ministry has always invited civil society groups to participate in EIA discussions with companies involved in projects.

He noted that the ministry also provides a brief summary of the EIA reports to the public.. .

“The ministry has been developing procedures to disseminate some information to the public,” Mr Pheaktra said...