As part of the drafting of the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for the municipality of Gracanica, UN-Habitat has launched the process of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the first part of this document.UN-Habitat MuSPP’s external expert, Ms. Ana Petrovska, met with the members of the municipal planning team (MPT) in Gracanica on 15th and 16th of March 2012 to explain the process of the SEA and discuss key aspects of planned development which need to be considered by the team. The meeting was attended by the Director of the Hydro-Meteorological Institute of Kosovo Syle Tahirsylaj.
Speaking about the measurements of water, air and soil quality, Mr. Syle Tahirsylaj said that there were four stations for measuring air quality in the Kosovo hydro-meteorological network and that six more stations have been planned for.   In the future, the Institute is planning to build such a station on the territory of Gracanica municipality in order to monitor  environmental pollution caused by mining waste, he said. Mr. Tahirsylaj handed over the data about air quality obtained by the station in Prishtina, which is the nearest measuring station at present.
The SEA will be done for individual parts of the MDP to check its provisions against potential environmental impacts that may affect the protected areas, natural habitats and wildlife. After each part, the evaluation report will be sent to a Steering Committee for Gracanica SEA that was spontaneously established during a meeting with representatives of  several ministries.  The purpose of the Steering Committee,   composed of representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, but chaired by Municipality of Gracanica and co-chaired by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, will be to guide and supervise the assessment of the identified negative effects on environment and to align the assessment with strategies and plans of the national level that are relevant for the municipality of Gracanica.
The Steering Committee for SEA of Gracanica will also include representatives of local non-governmental organizations, municipal public services, associations of farmers and entrepreneurs.
When the SEA report for the MDP is  completed, the Hydro-Meteorological Institute, Municipal Inspection or other relevant institution dealing with environment will continue with the monitoring of the impacts of the MDP. 

One of the municipal staff was appointed as a focal point for the SEA to ensure better cooperation between different bodies on this subject. During a series of meetings, their participants discussed a number of issues including alternative sources of energy, solid waste and waste water management, and the threat of asbestos presence in the old water supply system. Measures for boosting local economy such as the creation of a business park and tax holidays for new businesses were also raised.  
At the end of the mission, the SEA expert together with municipal and MuSPP/UN-Habitat staff went on a field visit to take note of the condition of natural environment in Gracania including the impact of solid waste and former mining activities on the soil, the lake and the rivers.