Different Steps in EIA Process of Environment

Editor's Notes

• #3: Screening can be done in a number of different ways: Size, location, cost or any threshold (thermal power plants over 200 MW needs EIA, food processing unit greater than 10 corore needs EIA) Compare the proposal with list of projects that rarely need EIA See areas of specific importance or sensitivity eg (national parks, protected area, fragile environment) Estimate impacts and compare against set threshold levels Many projects can be screened very quickly within an hour or two and are found not to require further investigations. The key issue here is to determine whether is a significant impact> FONSI Sometimes it is easy to determine: compare a predicted impact with NEQS level. Eg CO in air , or, DO in water Sometimes it is difficult to determine: For parameters for which only descriptive standards are available. In this case you judge significance by looking at both AA: CONTEXT: BB: INTENSITY: This is severity of impact., beneficial or detrimental, reversible or irreversible, repairable or irreparable, short term or long term, temporary or continous, single or commulative
• #5:   The objective of undertaking scoping is to identify issues that are to be addressed in the EIA and to focus the assessment on the most potentially significant impacts. It will also assist in consultations, identifying the requirement for baseline surveys and studies, and in determining appropriate methods for the assessment.   Scoping must commence early in the EIA process, at a stage when alternatives can still be considered and mitigation measures can still be incorporated into the project design. Scoping is generally accepted to be one of the main factors in a successful EIA. It is an iterative process that will focus the assessment and the range of issues to be considered. Key issues: Setting geographical and time frame boundaries for the assessment Mapping the boundaries Collecting the baseline data Assessing the impacts Consideration of alternatives.
• #6: Who should be involved:: The proponent The administering agency Other agencies Environmental practitioners and experts Those affected The wider community
• #10: Predict potential impacts   Once potential impacts are identified, the next step is to quantify these impacts—that is, to predict the extent of the changes in environmental conditions that would be caused by the proposed action and its alternatives. To do so requires an understanding of the important cause-and-effect relationships of c culative impacts. In general, there are two approaches that are commonly used to predict ultimate impacts:   Quantitative analyses relies on simulation models, such as air quality or water quality models, that represent the linkages between elements of ecosystems or other environmental components in mathematical terms. Simulation modeling tends to be complex, expensive, and data-intensive. Its use may be limited due to data and financial constraints common to most developing countries. Not all quantitative analyses need to rely on models, however. The number of people affected, such as those relocated or subject to some describable change in the environment, can be counted; the acres of habitat disturbed can be measured; the per capita amount of sewage or solid waste generated can be estimated; the loss of an economic resource and its income value can be calculated.   Qualitative analyses rely on professional judgment or intuitive reasoning to predict cause and affect relationships and ultimate impacts. Often, these types of predictions are most appropriate given resource constraints. One straightforward way to systematically consider impacts qualitatively but systematically is to think about linkages among impacts. Road-related wildlife deaths, for example, are a function of projected traffic volumes and speeds. Traffic volume and speed, in turn, depend upon the type and kind of road and the population in an area; the level and significance of impact would depend upon the types of wildlife in the area and whether migration or reproductive patterns would be severely affected.
• #15: The assessor should be aware that some mitigation measures that would be implemented to reduce or avoid impacts can themselves cause their own impacts. These are often classified as indirect impacts or are sometimes referred to as ‘impact shifts’. Noise barriers, for example, aimed at reducing the impacts of traffic noise on a residential area can also create a visual impact. The original impact of noise being shifted to become one that is now visual in nature. It is important to consider mitigation measures early on in the assessment so that the best mitigation for a direct impact can be achieved without causing significant indirect impacts.
• #19: Create sense of ownerships Less conflict through the early identification of contentious issues Great care must be taken in the first phase of a public involvement programme to ensure that unreasonable expectations are not raised
• #20: Main elements :executive summary aims of the proposal description of proposal and alternatives relationship to current land use policies description of expected conditions evaluation of impacts evaluation of alternatives impact, monitoring and training plans appendices
• #21: Reveiewing considers the adequacy of: compliance with the Terms of Reference, the examination of alternatives, impacts, mitigation and monitoring, the use of scientific and technical analytical information techniques, conduct of the EIA process and the consideration of views of all parties, presentation of information to the public, presentation of information to decision makers sufficiency of information Steps in Reviewing: set the scale of the review select reviewer(s) use public input identify review criteria determine remedial options publish the review report
• #23: Decision makers needs an understanding of: EIA aims and concepts common EIA implementation EIA guidelines, policy, law, conventions EIA implementation within the decision making organisation public review or challenge Checks and balances decision is determined by EIA report and review no decision until EIA report received & reviewed permission can be refused conditions can be imposed modifications can be demanded the proponent is not the decision-maker a summary evaluation is made available to public decision reasons and conditions are made public there has been public consultation there is a right of appeal against the decision
• #24: Monitoring environmental impact gives project managers and communities critical information on project performance and should be given the same attention as social or economic monitoring. The monitoring of environmental impacts can be built into the overall project monitoring process. To assess the effectiveness of environmental monitoring, two basic questions should be answered: Do the various measures proposed for dealing with impacts seem to be having the desired effect? Does the project or programme appear to be having any significant environmental impacts other than those anticipated during the design phase?