Environmentally Critical Project (ECP) is a project or program that has high potential for

significant negative environmental impact as defined under Presidential Proclamation 2146

(1981). The complexity and thoroughness of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
required is based on the capacity of the project. In this case, cement production has an
impact on the environment at every level of the process. Airborne pollution in the form of
dust and gases, noise and vibration when operating machinery and blasting in quarries, and
limestone quarries are visible from afar and may permanently disfigure the local
environment are just a few examples.

The law (PD 1586) provides that no person, partnership, or corporation shall undertake or
operate any such declared environmentally critical project or area without first securing an
Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). The requirement to undergo the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process covers projects established after 1982,
which have been declared as Environmentally Critical Project (ECP) or in Environmentally
Critical Areas (ECA), as technically defined by DENR-EMB. An Environmental Compliance
Certificate (ECC) will then be issued to the proponent after thorough review of the
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report.