A generalized procedure for EIA (compartment of EIA system)

PROJECT PROPOSAL
Screening
Is an EA required

Define issues
Scoping

Identify impacts

Predict impacts Impact evaluation

process
Assess impacts

Identify monitoring and

mitigation

Prepare draft EIA Review EIA

Preparation
Prepare final EIA
Reject

Approve

Implementation Monitoring
1 MIAI
Monitor
Audit
 3. Predication and Mitigation

This stage forms the central part of an EIA.

Impact evaluation process

’Having identified possible impacts of project

development, evaluating these impacts with respect to
their significance becomes necessary.

’Any consequences (impact) of project development

may present any number of beneficial and/or adverse
impacts which must be evaluated for significance;
whether the impact is significant adverse (-ve) or
beneficial (+ve).

’Performing such evaluation is necessary because

decision makers must be informed about issues to which
they should pay careful attention.
Information required to establish
baseline conditions

current conditions

current and expected trends

effects of proposals already being implemented

effects of other proposals yet to be implemented

The 'impact analysis' or detailed
study phase of EIA involves:

Identifying the impacts more specifically

Predicting the characteristics of the main impacts

Evaluating the significance of the residual impact

 An environmental impact
Environmental Parameter

With Project
Project
initiated

Environmental Impact

Without Project

Time
(Wathern, 1988)
 Sources and type of impacts

Impacts may be described as direct, indirect or cumulative.

1.Direct impacts
are changes in environmental components and processes
that result immediately from a project-related activity or
action.

For example:

’ The use of heavy equipment for clear-cutting result in soil

compaction; soil compaction is therefore, a direct impact
of clear-cutting.
2. Indirect impacts (secondary impacts)

are changes in environmental components and dynamics

that are consequences of direct impacts.

For example,

’ soil compaction (a direct impact of the use of heavy

equipment) may result in increased runoff and, thereby,
increased risk for soil erosion are consequences of soil
compaction.

’ Clear-cutting may result in a wide variety of indirect

impacts, such as the loss of wildlife habitat, the introduction
of light to the previously shaded forest floor, and changes in
human land use.
3.Cumulative impacts

are the aggregates of direct and indirect impacts

resulting from two or more projects in the same area or
region.

For example,

’ A high way project may result in the loss of 7 % of the

agriculture land in a particular area, whereas a pipe line
project may result in an additional loss of 3 %
reduction. The cumulative loss of land cover over that
period is, therefore, 10 %.

’ Assessment of cumulative impact is important because,

whereas relatively small losses of land may not be
environmentally significant on a per project basis, the
cumulative loss may be highly significant.
Any development project induces the disturbance of the
natural environment through several alterations such as:

Îclearing of forests,
Îtop soil removal,
Îfilling,
Îdraining,
Îlandscape planting,
Îcultivation,
Îpaving, and
Îwaste disposal.

These alterations result in immediate impacts such as 1)

loss of habitat, 2) loss of soil productivity, 3) modified
hydrology and 4) soil contamination.
Impact identification methods

Checklists
Matrices
Networks
Overlays and geographical information
systems (GIS)
Expert systems
Professional judgement
 Impact characteristics

The assessment team should consider several impact

characteristics in making their evaluation.

Înature (positive/negative, direct/indirect),

Îprobability of occurrence quantitatively or qualitatively,
Îmagnitude (severe, moderate, low),
Îduration of impact (short term/long term,
intermittent/continuous),
Îtiming (during construction, operation etc, immediate,
delayed),
Îreversibility through human action or naturally,
Îrelevance to legal mandate, and social distribution of risks
and benefits,
Îextent/location (area/volume covered, distribution),
Îsignificance (local, regional, global).
Impact characteristic summary table

IMPACT TYPE

IMPACT
CHARACTERISTIC air quality health etc

nature
magnitude
extent/location
timing
duration

reversibility
likelihood (risk)
significance
Impact significance criteria

Environmental loss and deterioration

Social impacts resulting from environmental change

Non-conformity with environmental standards

Probability and acceptability of risk

Ecological significance criteria

ÎReduction in species diversity

ÎHabitat depletion or fragmentation

ÎThreatened, rare and endangered species

ÎImpairment of ecological functions e.g.

’ disruption of food chains;

’ decline in species population;

’ alterations in predator-prey relationships.

Social significance criteria

ÎHuman health and safety

ÎDecline in important resource

ÎLoss of valued area

ÎDisplacement of people

ÎDisruption of communities

ÎDemands on services and infrastructure

 Practical guidance

Impacts are likely to be significant if they:

;are extensive over space or time
;are intensive in concentration or in relation to assimilative
capacity

;exceed environmental standards or thresholds

;do not comply with environmental policies/ land use plans
;affect ecological sensitive areas and heritage resources
;affect community lifestyle, traditional land uses and values
The term ‘environment’ includes:

Human health and safety

Flora, fauna, ecosystems and biodiversity

Soil, water, air, climate and landscape

Use of land, natural resources and raw materials

Protected areas and sites of special significance

Heritage, and recreation

Livelihood, lifestyle and well being of affected

communities
For applying EIA, specialists are needed for studying each natural
resource, the possible impacts on specific resources, and how to manage
these impacts.

The following table gives an example on specialists related to environmental assessment.

Natural Sub-component Specialist

Resource

Air quality Air quality/pollution

analyst

Wind direction/speed Air pollution control

Air engineer

Precipitation Meteorologist

Temperature

Noise Noise expert

 Land capability Agronomist

Soil Soil engineer

resources/structure

Mineral resources Geologists

Tectonic activity

Land
Unique features Geotechnical engineer

Mineralogists/
Seismologist

Mining engineer

Engineering geologist

Surface water Hydrologist

Groundwater regime Water pollution control

Hydrologic balance Engineer

Water Drainage/channel Water quality/pollution

pattern analyst

Flooding Marine
biologist/engineer

Sedimentation Geologist/hydrologist
 Environmentally Ecologist
sensitive areas

Wetlands, marshes, Forester

wild lands
Flora &
Fauna Grasslands etc. Wildlife biologist

Species inventory Botanist/Zoologist

Productivity Zoologist

Biogeochemical/nutri Conservationist
ent cycling

Social Social anthropologist/

infrastructure/institut Sociologist
ions

Cultural Archaeologist/
characteristics Architect

Human Physiological and Social

psychological well- planner/Geographer/
being Demographer/Urban
planner
Transportation
planner/

Economic resources Economist

 CRITERIA ASSESSED AND PROJECT IMPACT ON
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS

Environmental parameters:

are attributes of the environment that may be measured quantitatively

or defined qualitatively.

Quantitative parameters Qualitative parameters

Physical Biological
Chemical attributes Environmental attributes
attributes attributes

•Dissolved O2 in •Percolation rate •Population •Aesthetic quality

water in soils. density
•Community (human)
•Nitrate in soil •Shoreline •Birth and cohesion,
develop. mortality rates
•Sulphate in air •Well-being
• Temperature
•organic mercury •anxiety
in living tissue
 Examples of parameters and criteria relevant to
key environmental issues

Environmental Issues Relevant parameters and criteria

of concern
Air quality
•Kinds and concentrations of chemicals
•Public health
•Vegetation and wildlife
•Corrosion of structural materials
•Acid deposition
•Social equity
Water quality
•Physical, chemical, biological factors
•Human health
•Agriculture and industry
•Wildlife habit
•Ecological stability and diversity
•Bioaccumulation
•Social equity
Noise
•Amplitude, frequency, and duration
•Temporal and spatial variation
•Physiological and psychological response
•Vibrational effects on unconsolidated soils
•Wildlife
•Social equity
Historic sites
•Age
•Historic events/person
•Architectural significance
•Educational opportunity
Pesticides
•Lethality for target species
•Lethality for non-target species
•Persistence in environment
•Degradation products
•Social equity
Radiation
•Type and levels
•Effects on vegetation and wildlife
•Acute and chronic effects on humans
•Social equity
Hazardous waste
•Amount and type
•Health and safety hazard
•Discharge of leaches or combustion
products into surface and groundwater
•Social equity
•Effects on vegetation and wildlife
•Effects of generator to reduce waste
Resource use planning
•Critical areas/resources
•Multipurpose use of resources
•Sustainability
 MITIGATION AND IMPACT MANAGEMENT

The purpose of mitigation is to identify measures that

safeguard the environment and the community affected by
the proposal.

It seeks to find best ways and means of avoiding, minimizing

and remedying impacts.

Mitigation measures must be translated into action in the

correct way and right time if they are to be successful.

This process is referred to as impact management and take

place during project implementation.
The purpose of mitigation is to:

find better ways of doing things

enhance environmental and social benefits

avoid, minimise or remedy adverse impacts

ensure that residual impacts are within acceptable levels

The purpose of impact management is to:

ensure mitigation measures are implemented

establish systems and procedures for this purpose

monitor the effectiveness of mitigation measures

take action when unexpected impacts occur

Proponents have a responsibility to:

avoid, minimise and remedy adverse impacts

internalise the environmental and social costs of the proposal

prepare plans for managing impacts

repair or make rehabilitation for environmental damages

 A framework for impact mitigation

Common, desirable
Alternative sites or
Avoidance technology to eliminate
habitat loss

Action during design,

Minimization construction, operation
to minimize or eliminate
habitat loss

Compensation Used as last way to

offset habitat loss

Rare, undesirable

THE ELEMENTS OF MITIGATION

 THE ELEMENTS OF MITIGATION

Step One: Impact avoidance

This step is most effective when applied at an early

stage of project planning. It can be achieved by:

not undertaking certain projects or elements that

could result in adverse impacts,

avoiding environmentally sensitive areas,

use of preventive measures to stop adverse impacts

from occurring,
e.g.: release of water from a reservoir to maintain a
fisheries regime.
Step two: Impact minimisation

This step is usually taken during impact identification and

prediction to limit or reduce the degree, extent, magnitude,
or duration of adverse impacts.

It can be achieved by:

scaling down or relocating the proposal

redesigning elements of the project

taking supplementary measures to manage the impacts

Step Three: Impact compensation

This step is usually applied to remedy unavoidable

residual adverse impacts.

It can be achieved by:

rehabilitation of the affected site or environment, e.g.

by habitat enhancement and restocking fish.

restoration of the affected site or environment to its

previous state or better, as typically required for
mine sites, forestry roads and seismic lines.

replacement of the environmental values lost at

another location, e.g. by wetland engineering to
provide an equivalent area to that lost to drainage or
infill.
 Mitigation options

Developing environmentally better alternatives;

Making changes to project planning and design

Carry out impact monitoring and management

Compensate for residual impacts by:

Î monetary payment

Î site remediation bonds

Î resettlement plans
 Mitigation can be achieved through:
• Appropriate catchments management.
• Avoid construction on steep slopes, retain forest cover, control
erosion and sedimentation.
• Use design and construction techniques to avoid increases in
rates of runoff.
• Wetlands not be filled in or built upon.
• Dredging should be minimized.
• Frequency-flooded areas should be reserved for open space,
recreation, wildlife or agriculture.
• Prevent disturbance of the flow patterns and hydrologic regimes.
• Strengthen institutions to manage and protect land and water
resources.
• Include local NGOs in the institutional arrangements.
• Introduce environmental education programs.
Mitigation measures that might be
considered for some projects include:

training for local people;

improved transportation systems for the workers;

promoting investment in local institutions or developing

new ones to undertake long-term development and
regional planning and to provide expanded social
services for the public;

planning adequate healthcare, drinking water and

sanitary facilities for the benefit of the community; and

providing the necessary social, psychological and

counseling services to cope with socio-economic
changes.
Environmental management plans
should include:

Summary of impacts
Recommended mitigation measures
Statement of compliance with standards
Allocation of resources and responsibilities
Schedule of required actions
Surveillance, monitoring and auditing programmes
Contingency measures for greater than expected impacts

State policy and standards