CE 6313

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Dr. Khondoker Mahbub Hassan

Dept of Civil Engg, Khulna University of Engg & Tech (KUET)
 Environment Conservation Act (ECA)
• The Government of Bangladesh, with a view to providing
for conservation and improvement of environmental quality
and controlling and mitigating pollution of the environment,
enacted the ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION ACT
(ECA) 1995, which became effective from June 1, 1995.
• Section 12 of this Act stipulates that “No industrial unit or
project shall be established or undertaken without obtaining
environmental clearance from the Director General,
Department of Environment (DG, DOE) in the manner
prescribed by the rules”.
• The procedure for obtaining environmental clearance for
various projects is specified in Clause 7 of the Environment
Conservation Rules 1997.
 Scoping in EIA
Definitions of scoping:

The most clear and user-friendly definition of Scoping is

given by Beanlands and Duinker (1983):

“A very early exercise in an EIA in which an attempt is

made to identify the attributes of components of the
environment for which there is public (and professional)
concern and upon which the EIA should be focused”.
 Scoping in EIA
Purposes of scoping:
• Scoping is an important part of EIA process.
• Scoping as an activity has evolved in an attempt to
rationalize the coverage of the EIA.
• In Scoping stage the issues that require study are
identified.
• The methodologies for undertaking the assessment of
those issues are agreed.
• The Scoping study can confirm that an EIA is actually
required.
 Scoping in EIA
Importance of scoping/consultation in scoping:
Scoping can be considered as a means of defining the
scope of work; For a consultant undertaking the study,
this can be critical as a means of agreeing their input
with the project proponent (the client). It would be of
prime importance for consultants to identify the
boundaries of the study. For the proponent, the Scoping
study can identify what studies will be required, how
long they are likely to take and whether he has the
resources to manage the study.
 Baseline Studies in EIA

Definition of baseline environmental studies:

Walsh (1983):
“In general it is taken to refer to a description of some
aspects of the physical, biological and social environments
which could be affected by the development project under
consideration”.
It is the vague definition which causes most difficulties
with baseline studies.
 Baseline Studies in EIA
The common problems are as follows:
• An attempt is made to describe ‘the environment’ and this
usually means accumulating any information, which is available on
the general topics of land, water, air and people.
• The focus is often on information and data, which are readily
available rather than on what is needed.
• They are undertaken, in most cases, without clearly defined
objective.
• Little understanding of why data are being collected or to what
problem they will be applied.
• In order to cover all potential requirements, an effort is made to
gather some information on all aspects of the environment. This
inevitably leads to superficial surveys that provide only
reconnaissance-level information.
• Ultimately, much of investment in time and resources is wasted.
 Baseline Studies in EIA

A more operative definition by Hirsch (1960):

“Description of conditions existing at a point in

time against which subsequent changes can be
detected through monitoring”.
 The Role of Baseline Studies in EIA
Simplistic View of Basic Major EIA Steps
Baseline studies provide the before-project records while
monitoring gives the after-project measurements from
which changes over space and time can be assessed.
Baseline Impact Project Monitoring
studies Prediction Program

An initial baseline data collection program would be used to

characterize the pre-project state. Cause and effect studies
would then be undertaken to predict how stated variables
would change as a result of projected activities. Subsequently,
following start-up of the approved project, monitoring would be
used to determine actual impact conditions.
 The Role of Baseline Studies in EIA
An operational paradigm showing processes translated
into the roles of baseline studies and monitoring:

Predicted Impact Measured Impact

Project
Environmental Parameters

These simple steps can be translated into a diagram which clearly

shows the relationship between baseline studies and
monitoring. Thus, baseline studies would be directed towards
establishing statistically valid description of selected
environmental components prior to the onset of the project under
consideration. Subsequently, an effort is made to predict the extent
to which the values would change as a result of the project.
 Example of Baseline Studies in EIA
A Coal-Fired Thermal Electric Generation Plant:
Major Impacts:
• Increased level of SO2 in air due to emission from the plant
• Raised water temperature from discharge of cooling water
 Example of Baseline Studies in EIA

A Coal-Fired Thermal Electric Generation Plant:

• If there is other industries in the area it is likely that local
SO2 concentrations are already elevated above normal levels
and there will be daily and seasonal variations.

• It is also probable that the water body scheduled to receive

the cooling water is already under stressed from other
industrial sources and its quality and temperature will vary,
particularly on a seasonal basis.
 Example of Baseline Studies in EIA

A Coal-Fired Thermal Electric Generation Plant:

• In this case, the objective of baseline studies would be to

determine the existing level of SO2 in the atmosphere in the
vicinity of the proposed plant and hourly, daily and monthly
variation in the levels.

• For aquatic environment, it would need to determine the

existing species composition, levels of pollutants and the
normal water temperature changes throughout the season.
 Example of Baseline Studies in EIA
A Coal-Fired Thermal Electric Generation Plant:

• These baseline information could be compared with the

predicted SO2 emission and water temperature changes
for cooling water discharge.

• If the expected changes were considered acceptable and the

plant constructed, the actual changes would be determined
through monitoring.

• Operational procedures at the plant could be altered if

the actual environmental changes were greater than
anticipated.