EIA Process

14 June 2017
 Stakeholders in EIA
Five principal groups
• Project proponents
• EIA practitioners or service providers (consultants)
• Reviewers
• Decision-makers
• Public

Project proponents: who are responsible for commissioning and paying for the
EIA process. Proponents usually include government ministries and
departments, private sector companies and development agencies, Private
Sector.

EIA practitioners or service providers who undertake or provide inputs to the

EIA process. They include individuals; organizations; research and academic
institutes; NGOs; and both local and international consulting companies.
Reviewers who are responsible for 'quality control'. They are responsible
for determining the level of environmental assessment required
(screening), and ensuring that the EIA process proceeds according to
agreed, clear and comprehensive terms of reference (ToR).

They also review the EIA process and communicate their findings to
decision-makers and other stakeholders.

Depending on the complexity and scope of the project, an independent

review panel may be formed for a specific project. Such panel members
may be recruited from government ministries, universities and institutes,
and environmental NGOs, together with local and international experts.

The public should be notified of the EIS and requested to present their
views and comments and these would be assembled by the EIA Agency
for consideration.
Decision-makers who are responsible for making decisions on project
development once an environmental impact statement (EIS) has been
submitted. They may include central government, local authorities and
development agencies (DoE).

The public who are the most important stakeholders. The public can
contribute ideas and information that can help to avoid unforeseen
problems, improve project design and contribute to monitoring.
Experience also shows that development projects imposed on local
communities often fail or under-perform because they lack a sense of local
ownership and public support. They can also result in conflict.
EIA provides a mechanism for public involvement in decision-making. The
public also includes interest groups.
These are groups that might not be directly affected by a development
proposal, but which have interests in particular aspects of the environment,
such as conservation organizations, NGOs and CBOs. Many of these
groups can make valuable contributions to EIAs.
 WHAT CHANGES CAN EIA BRING?
Before introduction of EIA
• Government planning and decision-making:
“D-A-D” ---- “Decide, Announce, Defend”

•Role of NGOs, citizens:

“Critics” “Objectors” “Protestors”

•Environmental conditions:
Steadily deteriorating

After introduction of EIA

• Government planning and decision-making:

“D-D-D”- --- “Discuss, Decide, Deliver”

• Role of NGOs, citizens:

“Stakeholders” “Contributors” “Participants”

• Environmental conditions:
Deterioration slows; some areas improving
IMPORTANCE & BENEFITS of EIA
Role of EIA in Addressing Some Common Planning Problems
IMPORTANCE & BENIFITS: EIA (continued)
Role of EIA in Addressing Some Common Planning Dilemmas

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 EIA as a planning tool
First and foremost 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 effectively, EIA needs to:

 ensure public and stakeholder involvement
 ensure multi-disciplinarity
 focus on the process, not just the production of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
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 EIA Process
It is a process comprising a series of steps.
 Screening and Preliminary assessment
 Scoping
 Impact prediction and mitigation
 Environmental impact statement
 Review
 Decision making
 Management and monitoring
 Audit
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 EIA process

Phase II:
Phase I:
Full EIA study
Initial inquiries
(if needed)

•Understand proposed • Scope

activities • Evaluate baseline situation
•Screen • Identify & choose alternatives
• Identify and characterize potential
•Conduct preliminary impacts of proposed activity and
assessment (if needed)
each alternative
• Develop mitigation and monitoring
• Communicate and document

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 Screen the activity

Screen each
activity SCREENING is the process of asking
Based on the a very basic set of questions about
nature of the the nature of activity.
activity, what
level of
environmental
analysis is
indicated? Example screening questions: Does the activity
involve:

• Penetration road building?

• Large-scale irrigation?

• Introduction of non-native crop or agroforestry

species?
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 Screen the activity

Screen each
activity
Screening classifies the activity
Based on the
nature of the
into a RISK CATEGORY:
activity, what VERY LOW RISK EIA process ends
level of
environmental VERY HIGH RISK Do full EIA study
analysis is
indicated? MODERATE OR Do preliminary
UNKNOWN RISK assessment

The outcome of the screening

process determines the next step
in the EIA process

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 Preliminary Assessment

Conduct a
Preliminary
Assessment The purpose of a preliminary
A rapid, assessment is to provide documentation
simplified EIA and analysis that:
study using
simple tools
• Allows consultant to determine whether or

Screening not significant adverse impacts are likely

determines whether • Allows the reviewer to agree or disagree
the preliminary
assessment is with the consultant’s determinations
necessary • Sets out mitigation and monitoring for
adverse impacts

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Preliminary Assessment

Typical Preliminary For each activity it covers, a preliminary

Assessment outline
assessment has 3 possible findings:
1. Background (Development
objective, list of activities) • The project is very unlikely to have
significant adverse impacts. (EIA
2. Description of the baseline
situation process ends)

3. Evaluation of potential • With specified mitigation and

environmental impacts monitoring, the project is unlikely to
4. Mitigation & monitoring have significant adverse impacts

5. Recommended Findings • The project is likely to have significant

adverse impacts (full EIA study is
required)
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 Screening
• Screening is the process used to determine whether a proposed
project or activity requires an EIA and, if so, what level of
environmental review is necessary.
Purpose:
• Identify those projects or activities that may cause potential
significant impacts
• Identify special conditions/analyses that may be required by
international funding bodies
• Categorize the project as one where:
– Full-Scale EIA required
– Some further environmental analysis required
– No further environmental analysis required (No EIA)

Outputs of Screening Process

 IEE
 Classification of the project
 Full EIA is necessary or not??
 Typical Proposals Requiring Full-Scale EIA
 Infrastructure projects
 Large-scale industrial activities
 Resource extractive industries and activities
 Waste management and disposal
 Substantial changes in farming or fishing practices.

Screening Criteria
Screening criteria typically consider:

 Project type, location, size (e.g., capital investment, number of

people affected, project capacity, areal extent)
 Receiving environment characteristics
 Strength of community opinion
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 Confidence in prediction of impacts.
 Asian Development Bank (ADB) Screening
Categories
All Projects

Category A Category B
Category C

Projects that Projects that

Projects that
typically require typically
typically do not
an EIA study require only
require an IEE
an IEE

Examples:
Examples:
•Renewable
Examples: •Forestry Research
Energy
•Forest Industries & Extension
•Aquaculture
•Water •Rural Health
•Tourism
Impoundment Services
Development
•Industries •Marine Sciences
•Infrastructure
Education 17
Rehabilitation
World Bank Screening Categories

ALL PROJECTS

Category A: An EIA is typically required

Category B: An IEE is usually sufficient

Category C: Typically no environmental review

is required

Category D: Environmental Projects

Environmental review required, but may be
incorporated in feasibility study.
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 Scoping
A process of interaction between government agencies and project
proponents.

Scoping is the process of identifying the key environmental issues and is

perhaps the most important step in an EIA.

Identifies:

– spatial and temporal boundaries for the EIA

– important issues and concern

– information necessary for decision making

– significant effects and factors to be considered

Establishes the Terms of Reference (TOR) for full-scale EIA.

 Scoping (continued)
Background information section should include:

• Project Description (i.e., type, magnitude, location, alternatives

and constraints)

• Environmental Setting (i.e., delineation of study area, listing of

environmental resources and sensitive or special value areas)

• Background Reports (e.g., aspects of the environmental setting,

previous projects with relevant impacts or resources)

Specific EIA requirements typically include:

• EIA objectives
• Institutional context (i.e., legal and policy requirements)
• Significant issues of concern (SEIs)
• Required information and data, methodologies for impact
assessment
• Process for incorporating public input
 Scoping (continued)
Main EIA techniques used in scoping are baseline studies, checklists,
matrices and network diagrams.

Types of Scoping:

Closed scoping: wherein the content and scope of an EIA Report is pre-
determined by law and modified through closed consultations between a
developer and the competent authority.

Open or Public scoping:

a transparent process based on public consultation.

EXAMPLE : SCOPING
A cement industry is proposed to be established in a locality and
the effluent is proposed to discharge in adjacent river.
1. Physical and chemical environment
2. Biological environment
3. Human (social) environment 22
4. Human (economic) environment
Physical and chemical environment:
1. The level of increase gaseous air pollutants
2. Possible change in noise level
3. Change in downstream due to discharge of aqueous effluent (organic
matter)
Biological environment:
1. Eutrophication (effluent containing Nitrogen and Phosphorus)
2. Public health impact
3. Fish kills
Human (social) environment:
1. Affect on fisheries and aquaculture may create problem for fisherman
2. Urbanization trend and related problem
3. Scope of job creation
Human (economic) environment:
1. Possibility of increasing drinking water treatment cost
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2. Productive hour loss due to environmental degradation
3. Heath treatment cost
 Prediction and Mitigation
Once the scoping exercise is complete and the major impacts to be
studied have been identified, prediction work can start.
Realistic and affordable mitigating measures cannot be proposed
without first estimating the scope of the impacts, which should be
in monetary terms wherever possible.
Compare "without project" scenario !!
Recommendations for mitigating measures. (measures which
minimize any identified adverse impacts and enhance
positive impacts).
This phase of an EIA will require good management of a wide range
of technical specialists with particular emphasis on:
 Prediction methods
 Interpretation of predictions, with and without mitigating
measures
 Assessment of comparisons.
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 Prediction and Mitigation (continued)
Purpose of mitigation:

 to avoid, minimise or remedy adverse impacts

 to ensure that residual impacts are within acceptable levels

 to enhance environmental and social benefits

Impact Mitigation Framework
Common (desirable)
Alternative sites or
Avoidance technology to
eliminate habitat loss

Actions during
design, construction and
Mitigation operation to minimise
or eliminate habitat
loss

Used as a last resort

Compensation to offset habitat loss 25
Rare (undesirable)
 Environmental Impact Statement
EIA report is a decision document. It is necessary for developers,
decision makers and stakeholders.
Objective of EIA statement:
 To enable the developer to plan, design and implement mitigation
measures for significant adverse environmental impact and to
maximize social benefits from a proposed project.
 For the decision makers to objectively evaluate the proposed
project.
 To provide information on environmental impacts and mitigation
measures for local communities and any other stakeholders to
contribute their opinions.
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 Review

 Review the quality of the EIA report.

 Take public comments into account.
 Determine if the information is sufficient.
 Identify any deficiencies to be corrected.

Objective of Review:
• Assess the adequacy and quality of an EIA report.
• Take account of public comment.
• Determine if the information is sufficient for a final decision to be
made.
• Identify any deficiencies to be addressed before the report to be
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submitted.
 Decision Making
Documents submitted to the authorities and reviewed by decision
making committees.
 To provide key input to help determine if a proposal is acceptable

 To help establish environmental terms and conditions for project

implementation.
Requirements for Decision Makers:
Decision makers need an understanding of:

• Principles and practices of sustainable development

• EIA aims, concepts and processes

• EIA guidelines, policy, law and conventions

• EIA implementation within the decision-making agency or

organization 28

• Public involvement processes.

Possible Decision Outcomes
• Approval
• Approval with conditions
• Approval subject to ongoing investigation
• Further investigation required
• Request for a supplementary, or new EIA report
• Rejection

Technical Decision-Making Inputs

Analysis
(e.g., physical,
Facts/
ecological,
Values
socio-economic, EIA Decision Making
other) prioritizing
problems and
Public
actions, ensuring
Involvement
Other Input effective
(e.g., benefit-cost implementation
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analysis,
political priorities)
 Management and Monitoring
The part of the EIS covering monitoring and management is often referred to
as the Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

 Sets out the mitigation measures needed for environmental management,

both in the short and long term
 Institutional requirements for implementation.

The term 'institutional' is used here in its broadest context to encompass

relationships:
 established by law between individuals and government;
 between individuals and groups involved in economic transactions;
 developed to articulate legal, financial and administrative links among
public agencies;
All the management proposals need to be clearly defined and cost.
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 Management and Monitoring (continued)
Key components of monitoring:

 Establish baseline conditions.

 Measure impacts of a project as constructed.

 Verify conformity with established with conditions and acceptable

limits.

 Establish links to environmental management plans.

 Carry out periodic checks and third-party audits.

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 Auditing

EIA audits are a management tool to:

• Determine impacts

• Check that conditions arising from EIA are being met

• Test accuracy of EIA predictions

• Identify areas where EIA could have been improved

• Compile lessons learned for future EIAs

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In order to capitalise on the experience and knowledge gained, the
last stage of an EIA is to carry out an Environmental Audit some
time after completion of the project or implementation of a
programme. The audit should include an analysis of the
technical, procedural and decision-making aspects of the
EIA.

Technical aspects include: the adequacy of the baseline studies, the

accuracy of predictions and the suitability of mitigation measures.

Procedural aspects include: the efficiency of the procedure, the

fairness of the public involvement measures and the degree of
coordination of roles and responsibilities.

Decision-making aspects include: the utility of the process for

decision making and the implications for development, (adapted
from Sadler in Wathern, 1988).