146CA.—(1) (a) Paragraph (b) applies where a person—

(i) is carrying out or intending to carry out strategic infrastructure development and intends to make a request under section 146B(1), accompanied by an environmental impact assessment report, to the Board to alter the terms of the development, or

(ii) is required by the Board pursuant to section 146C to submit an environmental impact assessment report to the Board.

(b)(i) Subparagraph (ii) applies where, before a person submits an environmental impact assessment report to the Board, he or she requests the Board to give him or her an opinion in writing on the scope and level of detail of the information required to be included in the report.

(ii) Subject to subparagraph (iii), the Board shall, taking into account the information provided by the person referred to in subparagraph (i), in particular on the specific characteristics of the proposed alteration, including its location and technical capacity, and its likely impact on the environment, give an opinion in writing on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in an environmental impact assessment report, subject to any prescribed consultations to be carried out by the Board in relation to such opinion.

(iii) The Board shall give the opinion before the submission by the person referred to in subparagraph (i) of the environmental impact assessment report.

(2) Where an opinion referred to in subsection (1) has been provided, the environmental impact assessment report shall be based on that opinion, and include the information that may reasonably be required for reaching a reasoned conclusion on the significant effects on the environment of the proposed alteration of the terms of the development, taking into account current knowledge and methods of assessment.]