AMDAL Review and Approval Process in Indonesia: The Tim Uji Kelayakan Assessment Framework Under PP 22/2021

Indonesia's Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) approval process operates through a structured assessment framework administered by the Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup (Environmental Feasibility Test Team). Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021 (Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 22 Tahun 2021) establishes detailed procedures for how AMDAL documents are reviewed, who conducts the assessment, what criteria must be satisfied, and the binding timelines that apply at each stage. This analysis examines the complete approval pathway from document submission through the issuance of the Environmental Feasibility Decision (Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup).

1.0 Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup: Institutional Framework

1.1 Three-Tier Jurisdictional Structure

PP 22/2021 establishes Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup at three governmental levels. Pasal 44 ayat (1) provides the jurisdictional framework:

Pasal 44 ayat (1):

Dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 43 dilakukan penilaian oleh:
a. Menteri melalui Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup yang berkedudukan di pusat;
b. gubernur melalui Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup yang berkedudukan di provinsi; atau
c. bupati/wali kota melalui Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup yang berkedudukan di kabupaten/kota.

This jurisdictional structure aligns with the business licensing authority and project location:

1.2 Stakeholder Involvement Requirements

The Tim Uji Kelayakan does not operate in isolation. Pasal 45 ayat (3) mandates involvement of multiple stakeholder categories in substantive assessment:

Pasal 45 ayat (3):

Dalam melakukan penilaian substansi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1), Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup melibatkan pihak:
a. masyarakat yang terkena dampak langsung terhadap rencana Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan;
b. ahli terkait dengan rencana dan/atau dampak Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan;
c. instansi sektor penerbit persetujuan awal dan Persetujuan Teknis;
d. instansi pusat, provinsi, atau kabupaten/kota yang terkait dengan rencana dan/atau dampak Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan; dan/atau
e. masyarakat pemerhati Lingkungan Hidup dan/atau masyarakat berkepentingan lainnya...

This mandatory stakeholder involvement ensures that technical expertise, community concerns, and inter-agency coordination are incorporated into the assessment process.

2.0 Two-Stage Assessment Framework

PP 22/2021 divides AMDAL assessment into two sequential stages. Pasal 44 ayat (2) establishes this structure:

Pasal 44 ayat (2):

Penilaian sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) dilakukan melalui tahapan:
a. penilaian administrasi; dan
b. penilaian substansi.

2.1 Administrative Assessment (Penilaian Administrasi)

The administrative assessment serves as a completeness and compliance check before substantive review begins. Pasal 44 ayat (3) specifies six administrative criteria:

Only upon successful administrative assessment does the document proceed to substantive evaluation. Documents failing administrative review are returned for correction without entering the 50-day substantive timeline.

2.2 Substantive Assessment (Penilaian Substansi)

Substantive assessment evaluates the technical quality and adequacy of the AMDAL analysis. Pasal 44 ayat (4) identifies three components:

Pasal 44 ayat (4):

Penilaian substansi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (2) huruf b meliputi:
a. uji tahap proyek;
b. uji kualitas kajian dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL; dan
c. Persetujuan Teknis.

3.0 Assessment Meeting Procedures

3.1 Meeting Format Options

Pasal 45 ayat (1) allows flexibility in meeting format:

Pasal 45 ayat (1):

Penilaian substansi sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 44 ayat (4) dilakukan melalui rapat Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup secara tatap muka langsung dan/atau dalam jaringan.

This provision recognizes both in-person and online (dalam jaringan) meetings as valid formats for substantive assessment.

3.2 Multiple Meetings for Complex Projects

For complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, Pasal 45 ayat (2) permits multiple assessment meetings:

Pasal 45 ayat (2):

Dalam hal rencana Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan bersifat kompleks dan melibatkan banyak pihak, rapat sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) dapat dilaksanakan lebih dari 1 (satu) kali.

This flexibility ensures that complex projects receive adequate deliberation time while remaining within the overall 50-day timeline.

3.3 Meeting Outcomes

Pasal 45 ayat (5) specifies that substantive assessment meetings must produce documented outcomes:

Pasal 45 ayat (5):

Hasil penilaian substansi Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup disusun dalam berita acara rapat yang memuat informasi:
a. dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL tidak memerlukan perbaikan; atau
b. dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL memerlukan perbaikan.

The meeting minutes (berita acara) must clearly indicate whether documents can proceed to feasibility testing or require revision.

4.0 Document Revision Pathway

4.1 Revision Timeline

When documents require revision, Pasal 45 ayat (7) establishes the timeline:

Pasal 45 ayat (7):

Terhadap dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL yang memerlukan perbaikan sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (5) huruf b, Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup mengembalikan dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL kepada penanggung jawab Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan untuk diperbaiki dalam jangka waktu paling lama 30 (tiga puluh) hari kerja.

Project proponents have a maximum of 30 working days to complete revisions. This revision period is included within the overall 50-day assessment timeline per Pasal 48 ayat (2).

4.2 Post-Revision Evaluation

Upon receiving revised documents, Pasal 46 ayat (2)-(3) establishes the evaluation procedure:

Pasal 46 ayat (2)-(3):

(2) Terhadap dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL yang telah diperbaiki sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1), Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup melakukan evaluasi perbaikan.
(3) Berdasarkan evaluasi sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (2), Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup melakukan uji kelayakan.

The Tim Uji Kelayakan evaluates the revisions and, if satisfactory, proceeds directly to the feasibility test without requiring another full substantive assessment meeting.

5.0 Eleven Feasibility Criteria

5.1 Comprehensive Feasibility Test

The environmental feasibility test (uji kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup) applies eleven criteria established in Pasal 47 ayat (1). These criteria form the substantive basis for determining whether a project should receive Environmental Approval:

Pasal 47 ayat (1) - Eleven Feasibility Criteria:

5.2 Partial Feasibility Determinations

Pasal 47 ayat (4) allows for partial feasibility determinations:

Pasal 47 ayat (4):

Rekomendasi kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (3) huruf a dapat berupa rekomendasi kelayakan bagi sebagian rencana Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan yang diusulkan oleh penanggung jawab Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan.

This means the Tim Uji Kelayakan may recommend approval for a reduced scope of activities if certain components fail to meet feasibility criteria while others satisfy requirements.

6.0 Recommendation and Decision Pathway

6.1 Two Recommendation Types

Following the feasibility test, the Tim Uji Kelayakan issues one of two recommendations per Pasal 47 ayat (3):

6.2 Decision Issuance

Based on the Tim Uji Kelayakan recommendation, the decision authority issues the final determination. Pasal 49 ayat (1)-(2) establishes this process:

Pasal 49 ayat (1)-(2):

(1) Rekomendasi hasil uji kelayakan sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 47 ayat (2) menjadi bahan pertimbangan Menteri, gubernur, atau bupati/wali kota sesuai dengan kewenangannya dalam menetapkan:
a. surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup, jika rencana Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan dinyatakan layak Lingkungan Hidup; atau
b. surat keputusan ketidaklayakan Lingkungan Hidup, jika rencana Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan dinyatakan tidak layak Lingkungan Hidup.
(2) Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup atau surat keputusan ketidaklayakan Lingkungan Hidup sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) ditetapkan dalam jangka waktu paling lama 10 (sepuluh) hari kerja sejak rekomendasi hasil uji kelayakan diterima.

The decision must be issued within 10 working days of receiving the Tim Uji Kelayakan recommendation.

6.3 Environmental Approval Effect

Pasal 49 ayat (3) clarifies the legal effect of a Feasibility Decision:

Pasal 49 ayat (3):

Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup yang ditetapkan sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) huruf a merupakan:
a. bentuk Persetujuan Lingkungan; dan
b. prasyarat penerbitan Perizinan Berusaha atau Persetujuan Pemerintah.

The Feasibility Decision (Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup) constitutes the Environmental Approval (Persetujuan Lingkungan) and serves as a prerequisite for Business Permit issuance.

7.0 Mandatory Timelines

7.1 Timeline Summary Matrix

PP 22/2021 establishes binding timelines for each assessment stage:

7.2 50-Day Assessment Period

Pasal 48 establishes the critical 50-day assessment timeline:

Pasal 48 ayat (1)-(2):

(1) Jangka waktu penilaian substansi dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL dan uji kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 44 sampai dengan Pasal 47, dilakukan paling lama 50 (lima puluh) hari kerja sejak dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL dinyatakan lengkap dalam penilaian administrasi.
(2) Jangka waktu sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) termasuk jangka waktu perbaikan dokumen Andal dan dokumen RKL-RPL dalam penilaian substansi oleh penanggung jawab Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan.

This 50-day period encompasses substantive assessment, any required revisions, and the feasibility test. The clock starts upon administrative completeness, not initial submission.

8.0 Decision Content Requirements

8.1 Feasibility Decision Elements

Pasal 49 ayat (6) specifies minimum content for Feasibility Decisions:

8.2 Infeasibility Decision Elements

Pasal 49 ayat (7) establishes simpler requirements for rejection decisions:

9.0 Public Announcement Requirements

9.1 Announcement Channels

Pasal 50 requires public announcement of Feasibility Decisions:

Pasal 50 ayat (1)-(2):

(1) Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup yang telah diterbitkan oleh Menteri, gubernur, atau bupati/wali kota sesuai dengan kewenangannya diumumkan kepada masyarakat melalui Sistem Informasi Lingkungan Hidup atau cara lainnya yang ditetapkan oleh Pemerintah.
(2) Cara lainnya yang ditetapkan oleh Pemerintah sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) terdiri atas:
a. media massa; dan/atau
b. pengumuman pada lokasi Usaha dan/atau Kegiatan.

9.2 Announcement Timeline

Pasal 50 ayat (3) establishes the announcement deadline:

Pasal 50 ayat (3):

Pengumuman sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) dilakukan paling lambat 5 (lima) hari kerja sejak diterbitkannya surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup.

Announcements must be made within 5 working days of decision issuance, ensuring public transparency regarding approved projects.

10.0 Total Process Timeline

10.1 Best-Case Scenario

For projects that pass all stages without revisions:

10.2 Extended Scenario

For Category A projects requiring revisions at multiple stages:

11.0 Compliance Implications

11.1 Critical Success Factors

Project proponents should focus on:

11.2 Common Assessment Challenges

Based on the regulatory framework, typical issues include:

• Inadequate baseline data for impact prediction (criterion 4)
• Insufficient capability demonstration for impact management (criterion 6)
• Incomplete carrying capacity analysis where applicable (criterion 10)
• Misalignment between RKL-RPL measures and Technical Approval requirements
• Failure to address community concerns raised during public participation

12.0 Regulatory Context

PP 22/2021 implements the environmental assessment requirements of Law Number 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management (Undang-Undang Nomor 32 Tahun 2009 tentang Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Lingkungan Hidup) as amended by the Job Creation Law. The review and approval procedures are detailed in BAB II (Pasal 36-51) with procedural guidance in LAMPIRAN II.

For the complete regulation text, refer to the official BPK Legal Database at JDIH BPK.

This analysis examines PP 22/2021 as the governing framework for AMDAL review and approval procedures in Indonesia. For specific project applications, consultation with the relevant Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup and certified AMDAL consultants is recommended.

Disclaimer

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• Consult the official regulation text from government sources
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Law Database

Access PP 22/2021 in the CRPG Law Database: PP 22/2021