ecological expertise

Purpose. The article deals with the study of the legal regulation of environmental impact assessment, and the express purpose is to substantiate the relevant administrative institute. Research methods. Research methodology is stipulated by the article's purpose, and thus, both general and special methods of scientific cognition are used. The contribution involves addressing and studying the entities and subject of environmental impact assessment, the assessment procedure, as well as legal liability for the violation of statutory requirements. This structure of the study allows achieving the objectives set by the authors. Results. The study of the legal regulation of environmental impact assessment allowed the authors to conclude that public-law institute is a set of rules specifying the entities and subject of impact assessment, the procedure for impact assessment, powers of authorized bodies and the rights and obligations of economic entities, appeals and control in the field of impact assessment. In particular, the entities entering into relevant legal relations are the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resource, regional, city Kyiv and Sevastopol state administrations, and their ecology and natural resources departments. The Law of Ukraine "On Environmental Impact Assessment" imperatively regulates the impact procedure, and all its stages are rendered in the Unified National Environmental Impact Assessment Registry to ensure transparency and public access. Criteria for specifying planned activities, the procedure for submitting comments, suggestions, conducting public hearings, financing of public discussion are imperatively regulated by the law and bylaws. Conclusions. All mentioned in the article give grounds to argue about the formation and establishment of a new public-law institute of environmental impact assessment. It regulates public relations arising in assessing the adverse effects of the planned activity on the environment and human health, the development of measures designed to prevent, avert, avoid, reduce, eliminate such effects, and ensure the increase of positive influence.