(h) impacts of the project on the environment, in particular on land (increase of settlement areas over time – land take), soil (organic matter, erosion, compaction, sealing), water (quantity and quality), air and biodiversity (population quality and quantity and ecosystem degradation and fragmentation);

A description of the factors specified in Article 3(1) likely to be significantly affected by the project: population, human health, biodiversity (for example fauna and flora), land (for example land take), soil (for example organic matter, erosion, compaction, sealing), water (for example hydromorphological changes, quantity and quality), air, climate (for example greenhouse gas emissions, impacts relevant to adaptation), material assets, cultural heritage, including architectural and archaeological aspects, and landscape.

Member States and other project promoters should carry out environmental assessments of plans and projects as provided for in Council Directive 92/43/EEC , Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council , Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council , Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 2011/92/EU in order to avoid or, where avoidance is not possible, to mitigate or compensate for negative impacts on the environment, such as landscape fragmentation, soil sealing and air and water pollution as well as noise, and to protect biodiversity effectively.

G. whereas some mountainous areas, and areas along rivers and valleys, have lost part of their water-absorption capacity as a result of unsustainable deforestation, intensive agriculture, large infrastructure construction projects, urbanisation and soil sealing along these rivers and valleys;

(g) land use in the catchment or catchments from which the groundwater body receives its recharge, including pollutant inputs and anthropogenic alterations to the recharge characteristics such as rainwater and run-off diversion through land sealing, artificial recharge, damming or drainage.

(g)land use in the catchment or catchments from which the groundwater body receives its recharge, including pollutant inputs and anthropogenic alterations to the recharge characteristics such as rainwater and run-off diversion through land sealing, artificial recharge, damming or drainage.