On July 31, 2026, Exempt Resolution No. 4,157 was published in the Official Gazette, approving the Draft Amendment to Supreme Decree No. 40 of 2012 of the Ministry of the Environment, which establishes the Environmental Impact Assessment System Regulation ("EIAS Regulation" or "RSEIA"), and submitting it to public consultation (the "Draft Amendment").
The purpose of the Draft Amendment is to update the thresholds and criteria triggering entry into the Environmental Impact Assessment System ("SEIA" or the "System") for real estate and mining development projects, with the aim of improving the System's predictive role.
The proposed amendments include the following:
Real Estate Projects (Section h.1.3)
- The project category triggering mandatory environmental assessment is amended to require SEIA review for projects located on an intervened site area of 7 hectares or more, or that contemplate the construction of 300 or more housing units.
- Se exceptúan aquellos proyectos que se emplacen en una superficie predial intervenida inferior a 14 hectáreas o con construcción de menos de 700 viviendas, siempre que:
- Se emplacen en zonas con un plan de prevención o descontaminación atmosférica vigente; y,
- Obtengan la aprobación de un programa de compensación de emisiones conforme al plan respectivo.
Mining Development Projects (Sections i.1 and i.2)
- The threshold for mandatory SEIA review based on mineral extraction capacity is increased from 5,000 metric tons per month to 40,000 metric tons per month.
- Se crea una excepción de ingreso para proyectos con RCA favorable vigente que incluya la disposición de residuos masivos mineros, reprocesamiento o valorización de relaves u otros residuos masivos mineros dentro de la faena minera en operación, siempre que :
- Se trate de reprocesamiento de relaves frescos; o
- Que las acciones, obras o adecuaciones para reprocesamiento o valorización cuya capacidad sea inferior al 25% de la capacidad nominal autorizada para el procesamiento de minerales.
- The reference thresholds applicable to exploration platforms and drilling activities are also increased.
Public Consultation: The Draft Amendment is currently subject to a 30-business-day public consultation period, which will remain open until September 11, 2026.
Comments must be duly substantiated and submitted either through the Ministry of the Environment's public consultation platform or in writing before the Ministry of the Environment or the corresponding Regional Environmental Secretariat (SEREMI).
Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Javier Naranjo (jnaranjo@jdf.cl), Andrea Gallyas (agallyas@jdf.cl), Sofía Ortúzar (msortuzar@jdf.cl), or María Paz Valenzuela (mpvalenzuela@jdf.cl).
