CHAPTER 1

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Contents:

Basics of EIA: what is EIA, Environmental Inventory,

levels in EIA, screening and scoping, EIA in India

Planning and Management of Impact studies:

Environmental index and indicators

EIA for various Environmental components

EIA
Defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the
potential impacts (effects) of proposed projects, plans,
programs, or actions relative to the physical-chemical,
biological, cultural and socio-economic components of the
total environment.

Primary purpose of EIA

•Encourage the consideration of environment in planning
making and to ultimately arrive at actions which are more
environmental compatible.
•To serve as an example of incorporating environmental and
often issues in
decision making.
 EIA
Env. Components
What components for which EIA should be carried out? Env. Inventory
It is a complete description of the environment as it exists in an area where a
proposed action is being considered.
•Description of the Environment :
o Physical–Chemical
o Biological
o Cultural
o Socio-economic
Physical–Chemical: Major area such as soil, geology, topography, surface
water, ground water, air quality, climatology
Biological: Refer to flora & fauna of the area including species of trees, grasses,
fish, birds, mammals
Cultural: Includes historical or archaeological sites and aesthetic resources.
Socio-economic: Consideration related to humans in the env. including:
✓ Population trends
✓ Population distribution
✓ Economic indicators of human development
(eg. Per capita income, employment
etc)
✓ Educational system
✓ Transportation system
✓ Infrastructure concern such as water supply, waste water disposal,
solid waste management
✓ Public service such as police, fire protection etc
What is the use of environment inventory?
➢Serves as the basis for evaluating the potential impacts (beneficial or
adverse) of a proposed action.
➢Included in EIA description of env. setting without the project.
Uses of environment inventory:
It serves as the basis for evaluating the potential impacts on the environment,
either beneficial or adverse of a proposed action.
Ideal EIA system

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➢ Would apply to all projects that are expected having a significant
environment impact
➢ Compare alternatives to a proposed project (relocation of the project, size
of the project)
➢ Include public participation and stringent administration review
➢ Be timed so as to provide information for decision making
➢ Including monitoring and feedback procedure

download recent draft notification of EIA; prepare ppt

to compare what existed before.

Specific: water resources: Concerns on dams? What

are the specific water resources project considered?

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EIA
Defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the potential impacts
(effects) of proposed projects, plans, programs, or actions relative to the
physical-chemical, biological, cultural and socio-economic components of the
total environment.

Primary purpose of EIA

•Encourage the consideration of environment in planning making and to
ultimately arrive at actions which are more environmental compatible.
•To serve as an example of incorporating environmental and often issues I
decision making.

Three levels in the EIA Process

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EA
Environment assessment is a concise public document that serves to briefly
provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an
EIS or a finding of no significant impact (FONSI), to aid an compliance with
environment policy.
FONSI
It is a document by the agency which concisely present the reasons why an
action no otherwise excluded, will not have a significant effect on the human
environment and for which an EIS will not be prepared.
Categorical Exclusion
It refers to actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant
effect on the human environment. Neither an environmental assessment nor an
EIS is required for categorical exclusion.

Key term in the EIA process is “significantly” or “significant impact” service a

proposed action which significantly affects the human environment requires an
EIS.
“Significantly” requires consideration of both context and intensity.
Context means that significance must be analysed relative to as a whole
(human, national, the affected region, the affected interests, the locality and the
duration of effects- short and or long term).
Intensity refers to the severity of impact. The following should be considered in
evaluating intensity:
1.The occurrence of impacts that may be both beneficial and adverse. A
significant effect say exist even by one for agency believes that one balance the
effect will be beneficial.
2.Degree to which proposed action affects public health or safety.
3.Unique characteristics of geographical area, such as proximity to historic or
cultural resources, parklands, farmlands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers or
ecologically critical areas.
4.The degree to which the effect on the quality of human environment are likely
to be highly controversial.
5.The degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are
highly uncertain.

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6. Whether the action is related to other actions with individually
insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts.
7. Degree to which action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways,
structures or object listed in National Register of historic places.
8. Degree to which action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened
species or its habitat.
9. Whether the action risks a violation of state, or local law or requirements
imposed for the protection of the environment.

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Flow sheet of EIA which involves PP at various levels

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ENVIRONMENT PLANNING AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION:

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Two processes involved in EIA
•Screening: Whether the detailed EIA is to be carried or not ?
•Scoping: Which issues or concerns to be considered in EIA process? (through
Public Participation Process)

Conceptual framework for screening and scoping

Screening
•Policy delineation process As per World Bank
o Category A – which require detailed EIA
o Category B – which require limited Environment impact
analysis
o Category C – which do not have adverse impact on environment
o Category D – Environmental friendly projects

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Screening in the EIA process:

• Addresses whether or not an environment impact study or comprehensive EIS

would be required for the potential action.
To carry out preliminary study to determine impact significance:
• Yields an EA, with the fundamental issue to determine whether the anticipated
impacts of the action would have a significant effect on the quality of the human
environment.
• Impact resulting can be –
• Beneficial or detrimental; naturally reversible or irreversible; repairable via
management practices or irreparable; short-term or long-term; temporary or
continuous; occurring during constructional phase or operational phase;
local, regional, national or global; accidental or planned (recognized
beforehand); direct or indirect; cumulative or single.

Effects or impacts these terms can be considered synonymous. Two broad categories
of effects are “direct effects” and “indirect effects”. “Direct effects” are caused by
the action and occur at the same time and place. “Indirect effects” are caused by
the action and are later in time or farther removed in distance, but are still
reasonably foreseeable. Indirect effects may include growth-inducing impacts and
other effects related to induce changes in the pattern of land use, population
density or growth rate, and related effects on air, water and other natural systems,
including ecosystems. Effects may be ecological (such as the effects on natural
resources and on the components, structures and functioning of affected
ecosystems), aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social or health- related,
whether direct, indirect or cumulative. Effects may also include those resulting
from actions which may have both beneficial and detrimental effects, even if on
balance the agency believes that the overall effect will be beneficial.

Cumulative impact The impact on the environment which result from the incremental
impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency or person undertakes such
other actions. Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor, but
collectively significant actions taking place over a period time.
Preliminary Study:
To know whether the project is under following categories:
1. Impact is beneficial or detrimental?
2. Impact is reversible or irreversible?
3. Impact is repairable or irreparable?
4. Impact is short term or long term?
5. Impact is single or cumulative?
6. Impact is direct or indirect?
7. Impact is local, regional or global?
8. Impact is temporary or continuous?
9. Impact is accidental or planned?
10.Impact is constructional or operational phase of project?

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Series of questions follows in the order, the answer to any or all of the questions
can be used to determine whether an EIS should be prepared:
1. Does the proposed project, plan, program and/or policy cause impacts that
exceed the definition of “significant” as contained in the pertinent laws,
regulations or executive orders?
2. Is a quantitative threshold criterion exceeded in terms of the type, size or
cost of the undertaking?
3. Is the action located in a protected habitat or land-use zone, or within an
exclusionary zone relative to land usage? Is the environmental resource to
be affected a significant resource?
4. Is the proposed undertaking and/or policy expected to be in compliance with
pertinent environmental laws, regulation, policies, and/or executive orders?
5. What is the anticipated percentage change in the pertinent environmental
factors from the proposed action, and will the changes be within the normal
variability of the factors? What is the sensitivity of the environment to the
anticipated changes; or is the environment susceptible or resilient to
changes? Will the “carrying capacity” of the resource (ability to support and
maintain environmental processes) be exceeded?
6. Are there sensitive human, living or inanimate receptors to the
environmental stresses from the proposed project, plan, program, and/or
policy?
7. Can the anticipated negative impacts be mitigated in a cost-effective
manner?
8. What is the professional judgement of experts in the pertinent substantive
areas, such as water quality, ecology, planning, landscape architecture and
archaeology?
9. Are there public concerns due to the impact risks of the proposed project,
plan, program, and/or policy?
10.Are there cumulative impacts which should be considered, or impacts
related to future phases of the proposed action and associated cumulative
impacts?

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Scoping

Scoping refers to a process and not to an event or meeting. It refers to an

early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be
addressed while evaluating the environmental impact of a proposed
action. Scoping leads to selection of pertinent environmental factors for
inclusion in the description of an environmental setting.

Environmental factors that are pertinent to a specific study be described.

The following criteria questions are suggested for evaluating the factors
to be considered.
1. Will the environmental factor be affected either beneficially or
adversely, by any of the alternatives (including the no-action
alternatives) under study?
2. Will the environmental factor exert an influence on the construction
scheduling or operational phase of the alternatives?
3. Is the factor of particular public interest or controversy within the
local community?

Professional Judgement should be relied upon in the selection of

environmental factors for inclusion in a description of environmental
setting. The judgement can be a part of inter-disciplinary team
discussions or it can be based on discussion with experts in relevant
disciplines of the project.

Public participation is to be achieved in EIA process by means of an (i)

early scoping process to determine the scope of issues to be addressed
and identify significant issues related to proposed action, (ii) a public
participation program during EIA study, (iii) the review process for draft
of EIS.
For planning and implementing the scoping process the following steps
are required:
• Start scoping after sufficient information is available on the
proposed action.
• Prepare an information packet
• Design a unique scoping for each plan, project.
• Issue a public notice
• Carefully plan and conduct all public meetings
• Develop and plan to utilize the received comments
• Allocate EIS work assignments and establish completion schedule

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National goals on environment policy:
1.Fulfil the responsibilities of each generation as a trustee of the environment
for succeeding generations.
2.Assure safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing
surroundings.
3.Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without
degradation, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended
consequences.
4.Preserve important historical, cultural and natural aspects of our national
heritage and maintain, where possible an environment that supports diversity
and a variety of individual choice.
5.Achieve a balance between population and resource use that will permit high
standards of living and a wide sharing of life's amenities.
6.Enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the maximum
attainable recycling of depletable resources.
A detailed statement covering following areas should be included in every
recommendation or report on proposals:
1.Environment Impact of proposed action.
2.Any adverse environment effects that cannot be avoided should the proposal
be implemented.
3.Alternatives to the proposed action.
4.Relationship between local short-term uses of the human environment and the
maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity.
5.Any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources that would be
included in proposed action should it be implemented.

EIS:
•Detailed written statement which serves as an action forcing device to ensure
that the policies and goals defined in the National Environment Policy are
infused the ongoing programs and actions of the govt.
•Must provide full and fair discussion of significant environment impacts and
must inform decision makers and the public of the reasonable alternatives
which would avoid or minimize the adverse impacts or enhance the quality of
the environment.

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UTILITY OF EIA PROCESS
•Appropriate costs determination Thumb rule is
Small projects: 1 to 5-10% of project costs
Large project: 0.1to 0.5% of project costs
•Avoid biased code of conduct and to follow professional code of ethics by the
preparers of EIA documentation

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• The overall goal should be to facilitate incorporation of the environment
as a factor in project decision making, along with engineering and
economic factors
• For Developing Countries (as per U.N. Env. Program 1987)
o Encourages inclusion of env. considerations
o Help identify interests and trade-offs
o Help identify management and mitigation measures
o Increase technical expertise and facilitate better decisions
o Influences public policy
▪ Stipulated mitigation or permit requirements may lead to
pollution control equipment specifications, pollution control
measures, construction practices and timing etc
Expanded scope of EIA
• Convention on EIA in a transboundary context (signed in 1992 by 29
countries)
• EIA for activities likely to cause significant adverse transboundary effects
• Embedding env. considerations in the decision making process there by
promoting sustainable develop
• Codifies general obligation of states to notify and consult each other on
major projects- nuclear power stations, road construction and deforestation
etc
• Application of EIA process to a life-cycle analysis(LCA) of
manufactured products
Incorporate direct/indirect consequences of extraction of raw materials,
manufacturing, fabrication, transportation the acts of consumption,
disposal and recovery.
LCA: focuses on the total effects of the product system

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CHAPTER 2