EIA Assignment Rubric

Maximum Mark
mark awarded
1 Clearly defined the scope of the study 5 SYDNEY
2 Introduction end with this section as a summary 5 SMANGELE
3 A description of the proposed project 10

• Description of actual project and site

description
SYDNEY
• Break the project down into its key
components, ie construction, operations,
decommissioning
• For each component list all of the sources of
environmental disturbance
• For each component all the inputs and outputs
must be listed, eg, air pollution, noise,
hydrology

4 Proposed suitable and meaningful alternatives 10

• Examine alternatives that have been

MATHONSI
considered
• E.g., in a biomass power station, will the fuel
be sourced locally or nationally?

5 A description of the baseline environment 10

• List of all aspects of the environment that

may be affected by the development SMANGELE
• eg populations, fauna, flora, air, soil, water,
humans, landscape, cultural heritage
• This section is best carried out with the help
of local experts

6 Significant Impacts 10
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• The word significant is crucial here as the
definition can vary MATHONSI
• 'Significant' needs to be defined
• The most frequent method used here is use of
the Leopold matrix
• The matrix is a tool used in the systematic
 examination of potential interactions
• E.g., in a wind farm development, a
significant impact may be collisions with
birds

7 Mitigation 10

• This is where EIA is most useful

• Once previous section has been completed it
will be obvious where the impacts will be NCOBILE
greatest
• Using this information ways to avoid negative
impacts should be developed
• Best working with the developer with this
section as they know the project best
• Using the wind farm example again
construction could be out of bird nesting
seasons

8 Employed the appropriate EIA tools 10 NCOBILE

9 The Public Participation Process 10

• The EIA will be in the public domain and be

used in the decision making process
SMANGELE
• It is important that the information is
available to the public
• This section is a summary that does not
include jargon or complicated diagrams
• It should be understood by the informed lay-
person

10 Conclusion 5 NCOBILE
11 Recommendations for further work 5

• This section is to advise any areas of

weakness in knowledge MATHONSI
• It can be used to focus areas of future research
• Some developers see the EIA as a starting
block for good environmental management

12 Reference -5 SYDNEY
13 Overall Report structure 10
TOTAL 100