BIJAYASHREE VIVEKANANDA

WHY EIA??
Earlier days - - - >> Economic development

Now-a-days- - - - >> Sustainable development

One of the basic premises for sustainable development is the recognition that environment and development are not mutually exclusive but complementary and interdependent and actually, in the long run, mutually reinforcing.

WHY EIA??..
Increased awareness of the need for sustainable

development has also broadened the range of issues that need to be examined in the assessment of the potential impacts of proposed projects and programmes.
This has created a need for more effective decision

support techniques. One of the (legal) tools to support effective decision-making regarding proposed development activities is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
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WHY EIA??...
The environment matters more than ever before. Risks and impacts are more significant than ever

before.
EIA is more important than ever before.

WHAT IS EIA??
Environmental impact assessment may also be defined as a

process which can be used to improve decision-making and to ensure that development options under consideration are environmentally, socially and economically sound and sustainable.
It is concerned with identifying, predicting and evaluating

the foreseeable impacts, both beneficial and adverse, of proposed development projects and alternatives.

WHAT IS EIA??..
EIA aims to eliminate or minimise negative impacts and

optimise positive impacts enhancement measures.

through

mitigation

and

EIA relates to a process rather than a particular activity, the

environmental impact study component of the process.

itself

being

only

one

KEY FEATURES OF EIA

EIA is a continuous and integral component of planning that

should run continuously throughout the planning cycle of any development initiative.
Facilitates public participation within the project cycle, brings

various stakeholder groups together and provides an opportunity to exchange information and build consensus among the groups involved.

KEY FEATURES OF EIA...

Helps in enhancing new economic and social opportunities

and in introducing long-term environmental protection and conservation measures into project design.
EIA is a tool to improve decision-making, and provides

project-specific and strategic information before project implementation decisions are reached.

KEY FEATURES OF EIA....

KEY FEATURES OF EIA.....

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EIA AS A PLANNING TOOL

Primarily EIA should be seen as a planning tool and an

integral part of the project cycle, providing information to decision-makers in a clear and systematic way. EIA should result in a better understanding of the linkages between ecological, social, economic and political systems.
To achieve these objectives, EIA needs to: Ensure public and stakeholder involvement

Ensure multi-discipline orientation and

Focus on the process, not just the production of an

Environmental Impact Statement

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EIA AS A PLANNING TOOL..

Some of the roles of EIA in addressing common planning dilemmas may be:
Avoiding conflicts Integrating short-term needs with long-term goals Addressing transboundary issues Improving project design and reducing costs Improving institutional coordination

Considering alternative projects and designs

Improving accountability and transparency in planning

and decision-making
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WHO IS INVOLVED IN EIA PROCESS?

Project proponents
EIA practitioners or service providers Reviewers

Decision-makers
The public

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TIMING OF EIA
EIA should be initiated as early as possible in the project cycle and should include a provision to cover the monitoring of project implementation and operation and eventually an audit of the project. In some cases, it is also important to include project decommissioning and post-project monitoring within the EIA. EIA accounts for only a small proportion of total project costs (usually less than 0.1% of overall project costs), but savings to the project from an impact assessment can often considerably be more.
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THE EIA PROCESS

Screening Scoping Baseline studies Formulation of alternatives Impact prediction Mitigation measures EIS preparation EIS review Public consultation Decision making Post-project monitoring
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SCREENING
This step determines: Whether EIA is required or not? If required, then of what level?

Outcome of screening:
Full or comprehensive EIA required Limited EIA required EIA not required Project proposal rejected (Very rare)
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SCREENING..
Requirements for screening are normally addressed specifically in EIA legislation and/or official guidelines.

Tools for screening: 1. Project lists: Inclusive - Listed projects must undergo EIA Exclusive - Listed projects are exempted from EIA 2. Case by case examinations: To determine if the project may have significant environmental impacts If so, project must undergo EIA

3. Combination of above

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SCOPING
Scoping is referred to as preliminary assessment. Establishes the content and scope of an EIA study. The objectives of scoping can be summarized as follows to define: The main problems and issues surrounding the project. The likely positive and negative impacts of the project. The spatial, temporal and institutional boundaries of the project and its impacts, and The likely data requirements for undertaking a full EIA.
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SCOPING..
The scoping method includes: Making a plan for public involvement Assembling relevant existing information Distribution of information to affected persons Identifying major issues of public concern Evaluating the significance of issues on the basis of

available Information
Establishing priorities for environmental assessment Developing a strategy for addressing priority issues
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BASELINE STUDIES

Depicts the existing status of environment.

Anticipates the future state of environment assuming the project is not undertaken i.e. the no action alternative. Should be carried out for each alternative so that the relative severity of impacts for each alternative can be assessed.

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FORMULATION OF ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives are core of EIA. To choose an alternative with least adverse and greatest beneficial and socio-economic consequences. Alternatives may be: Policy alternatives Site alternative Implementation alternative

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IMPACT ANALYSIS

Identifying and evaluating the significance of the impacts.

Significance of impacts can be determined through professional judgment with reference to rules & regulations. Common tools for impact analysis are checklist, matrix and network.

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IMPACT ANALYSIS..
Different ways of evaluating and representing impacts from a proposed project activity
Different ways of evaluating impacts Type Nature Magnitude or severity Extent Timing Duration Uncertainty Reversibility Significance Possible representation Biophysical, social, health or economic Direct or indirect, cumulative, etc. High, moderate, low Local, regional, trans-boundary or global Immediate/long term Temporary/permanent Low likelihood/high probability Reversible/irreversible Unimportant/important
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MITIGATION

Alleviation of negative impacts.

Shouldnt just result in shifting of problem from one medium to other. Mitigation may be carried out by: Devising alternative ways of meeting the need, Making changes in planning and design, Improving monitoring and management, Providing monetary compensation for the loss, Replacing or relocating or rehabilitating the affected population etc.
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MITIGATION HIERARCHY

Avoid
Reduce
Remedy
Compensate

Desirable

Adopt

Undesirable

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EIS PREPARATION
Final report from an EIA. Must be understood by the public, non-technical people and decision makers.

May be supplemented with other information tools such as radio, video and public meetings.
Contents of EIS: May vary depending up on regulating authority and/or type of project.
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EIS PREPARATION..
Contents of a typical EIS may be: I. II. III. IV. V. Executive summary Introduction Project description Project stakeholders and public involvement Description of institutional, policy and legislative environment VI. Description of existing social and biophysical environment VII. Environmental planning and design VIII. Assessment of environmental impacts IX. Impact planning and management X. Economic evaluation XI. Summary and recommendations Appendices
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EIS PREPARATION..
I. Executive summary Non technical part of EIS (generally 2 to 10 pages)

May contain:
Title and location of the project Name of the proponent Name of the organization preparing the EIA report A brief outline and justification of the proposed project A brief description of the project environment Names of project stakeholders Stakeholder and public involvement in preparation of EIS Description of the major significant impacts Recommendations and plan for mitigation/compensation measures Proposed monitoring and auditing Summary of recommendations and conclusions.

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EIS PREPARATION..
II. Introduction Depicts: Type of project proposed (e.g. road project; forest plantation) Its location (or various site alternatives) if the project is part of a larger proposal or not. The project proponent The EIA consultants Background to the project and the reasons or justification for it.

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EIS PREPARATION..
III. Project description Depicts: Inputs (raw materials), outputs (products), processes and major types of equipment The different options or alternative designs or locations available to the project Maps, flow diagrams and photographs where necessary A summary of technical, economic and environmental features essential to the project.

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EIS PREPARATION..
IV. Project stakeholders and public involvement Identifies: Project stakeholders and their interests in the project (both positive and negative) How the interests of the public and different stakeholders have led to changes in project design and development of mitigation measures for adverse impacts?

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EIS PREPARATION..
V. Description of institutional, policy and legislative environment

Includes: Policies, regulations and legislation that the project will have to comply. The bodies or organizations with which it will have relations in its construction, operation and decommissioning. Different institutional and administrative boundaries affecting the project.

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EIS PREPARATION..
VI. Description of environment existing social and biophysical

Includes:

Spatial and temporal boundaries within which the environment is going to be considered. Environmental conditions in qualitative and quantitative terms of the physical, biological and human environment before the implementation of the project. Projected conditions over the time in no project scenario. Environmentally-sensitive areas of special or unique scientific, socio-economic or cultural value.
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EIS PREPARATION..
VII. Environmental planning and design Includes: A discussion of the environmental planning that has gone into the project. Issues that have been taken into account for mitigation of impacts. The design and management features to which the proponent is committed. Objectives, methods and results of involving the public in project planning.

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EIS PREPARATION..
VIII. Assessment of environmental impacts Includes:
The source(s) or cause(s) of the impact(s); The severity of impact (e.g. magnitude, direction, etc.) as well as the likelihood of its occurring; A quantitative or qualitative assessment of the costs of different impacts; A clear statement of residual impacts, i.e. those which cannot be avoided or minimized and recommendation for how these shall be managed; A description of methods and standards used to predict and forecast impacts, of how environmental data was gathered and the methods and criteria used to judge impact significance The uncertainties in predicting impacts The significance of the different impacts Possible measures for avoiding or mitigating the affects of significant impacts.
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EIS PREPARATION..
IX. Impact planning and management

Includes:
System of monitoring and measuring impacts during construction, operation and decommissioning. Measures to reduce negative impacts.

Measures to enhance positive impacts.

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EIS PREPARATION..
X. Economic evaluation

Includes:

Economic valuation of the environmental costs and benefits of the project. Distribution of costs and benefits (who benefits and who pays)

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EIS PREPARATION..
XI. Summary and recommendations

Includes:
To have the conclusions summarized in a series of brief statements referring to relevant sections of the report. Focuses on significant impacts, the measures proposed avoid or mitigate them, and the impact management proposals during project implementation.

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EIS PREPARATION..
Appendices References Abbreviations used in text Sources of data and information Detailed data reduced for use in the main body of the report Detailed technical analysis of particular impacts (e.g. pollution dispersion, soil erosion, demands for social services etc.) Names of individuals and organizations consulted or involved in study Details of when and where study was undertaken Names and qualifications of team members who carried out the study.
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EIS REVIEW
For assessing the quality of the EIA and its adequacy for decision-making. EIA is evaluated for: Sufficiency of information provided Sufficient attention to EIA process Reliability of analysis or interpretation Utility for decision-making The number of people involved in EIA review can range from one, for a smaller project, to a team consisting of people with different expertise.
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EIS REVIEW
After the EIS review the project may: Proceed without modifications Proceed with minor modifications Be re-designed Await further investigation and public enquiry; or Be rejected.

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