Environmental Impact Assessment The Process of EIA.

By; Engr.Dr.Attaullah Shah

PhD ( Civil) Engg , MSc Engg ( Strs), BSc Engg ( Gold Medalist),), MBA, MA ( Eco) MSc Envir Design, PGD Computer Sc. Tel: 051-9250100 E-mail: pdaiou@yahoo.com.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

SEA is a system of incorporating environmental considerations into policies, plans and programs.

It is sometimes referred to as Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment.

The specific term Strategic Environmental Assessment relates to European Union.

For the most part an SEA is conducted before a corresponding EIA is undertaken. This will mean that information on the environmental impact of a plan will be able to cascade down through the tiers of decision making and be used in an EIA at a later stage. This should reduce the amount of work that needs to be undertaken. The concept of Strategic Assessments originated from regional development / land use planning in the developed world. In 1981 the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department published the Areawide Impact Assessment Guidebook.

Environmental impact assessment is, in its simplest form, a planning tool that is now generally regarded as an integral component of sound decision making... As a planning tool it has both an information gathering and decision making component which provides the decision maker with an objective basis for granting or denying approval for a proposed development. The purpose of the environmental assessment process is.
To support the goals of environmental protection and sustainable development. To integrate environmental protection and economic decisions at the earliest stages of planning an activity. To predict environmental, social, economic, and cultural consequences of a proposed activity and to assess plans to mitigate any adverse impacts resulting from the proposed activity, and To provide for the involvement of the public, department of the Government and Government agencies in the review of the proposed activities.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decisionmaking. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers. By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws and regulations.

Stages In EIA

The key elements of an EIA are Scoping: identify key issues and concerns of interested parties; Screening: decide whether an EIA is required based on information collected; Identifying and evaluating alternatives: list alternative sites and techniques and the impacts of each. Mitigating measures dealing with uncertainty: Review proposed action to prevent or minimize the potential adverse effects of the project; and Issuing environmental statements: report the findings of the EIA. Post Project Analysis.

Benefits of EIA

Facilitates informed decision making by providing clear, well structured dispassionate analysis of the effect and consequences of proposed projects Pre-emption or early withdrawal of unsound proposals. Assists in the selection of alternatives, including the selection of the best practicable and most environmentally friendly option. Influences both project selection and design by screening out environmentally unsound projects, as well as modifying feasible projects - Mitigation of negative environmental and social impacts

Guides formal approval, including the establishment of terms and conditions of project implementation and follow-up
Results in best practice prediction and mitigation of adverse effects of projects. Serves as an adaptive, organizational learning process, in which the lessons of experience are feedback into policy, institutional and project design - Enhancement of positive aspects Incorporates stakeholder analysis Mitigation of negative environmental and social impacts

General Principles of EIA

Integrity: Conformance to accepted standards and principles of good practice Utility: Balanced and credible information for decision making. Sustainability: Environment sound development Well found legislative base Appropriate procedural control Incentives for public involvement Problem and decision orientation Follow up and feed back capability

EIA must be undertaken at

Developmental projects life cycle as early as possible. With clear terms of reference and authorization and follow-up According to established roles and procedures. Must provide appropriate opportunity for public involvement.

Outcomes of EIA

Accurate and appropriate information about significance of potential effects risks and consequences of proposal and alternatives. Preparation of ES in clear and understandable manner. ES must provide confidence level for decision making based on the predications made.

Cost Benefits analysis of EIA

To put monetary value on both costs and benefits of the EIA.

The costs of a road project would include the cost of labor and materials used in construction, as well as other costs such as the loss of parkland and homes, pollution, disruption to neighborhoods or the loss of peace and quiet. The benefits of a such a project might include time saved to motorists, increased predictability of journey times and increased accessibility to a particular location.

Case study of 18 Projects in UK Findings Relating to Project EIA

Principal Cost components:

Between 60 and 90% of the cost of Project EIA is incurred in carrying out environmental studies, and writing the Environmental Impact Statement. These costs are borne largely by the developer or project promoter. Preliminary studies conducted in advance of the formal EIA are also a significant part of the developer's overall design costs, although these will usually be incurred whether or not EIA is required. The cost of reviewing the EIA, and reaching a decision on whether or not the project should proceed, falls chiefly on the competent authority, with some input from statutory consultees. For 60% of the projects examined EIA costs amounted to less than 0.5 % of the overall capital cost. Costs in excess of 1% were the exception, and occurred in relation to particularly controversial projects in sensitive environments, or where good EIA practice had not been followed.

Main Benefits of EIA

key environmental issues had been identified in 94% of cases The quality of the project design had been improved in 83% of the case studies higher standards of mitigation had been achieved than would otherwise have been expected in 83% of cases A better framework for preparing conditions and legal agreements to govern future operation of the project had been provided in 72% of cases Environmental concerns had been incorporated from an earlier stage in the design process in 61 % of cases Better decision- making had been achieved in 61% or more of the case studies due to :
a more systematic and structured framework for analysis, more objective and credible information, increased rigor in evaluating environmental information,

The environmental credibility of the developer had been enhanced in 61% of cases, environmentally sensitive areas had been avoided through project re-sitting or re-design in 56% of cases

Ways of improving EIA Performance

Projects. ( It was discovered that for the majority of the 18 case studies, the most important decisions affecting the environment were dealt with during the initial feasibility studies and planning phase before individual development projects were defined);

Improvements to screening planned for in the modified Directive); Joint scoping of the terms of reference, and content, of the EIA;
new guidance on standards expected for technical assessment of specific types of development, including ; waste disposal, water storage, mineral extraction, road development and tourism; Greater public involvement at or after the scoping stage, and before the EIS is published; Clearer definition of mitigation standards; A formal requirement to introduce monitoring The study concludes that a requirement to monitor the consequences of decisions, and the subsequent success or failure of mitigating measures would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the EIA process.

Some costs and benefits are not easy to put into monetary terms.
These include environmental values such as the value of clean air and water, unspoilt wilderness areas, ecological balance and diversity. Different people will put different valuations on these. Valuations can include economic, ecological, aesthetic and ethical components. The economic consultant who undertakes such a valuation must use judgment in deciding not only which methods to use to assess values but also whether to quantify them. If s/he decides to quantify environmental values, different methods will yield higher or lower figures and it will be tempting (especially if s/he wants future work) to use the method that suits the client's desired outcome.