ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT

Prepared By
Santhosh M B
Assistant Professor
Civil Engineering Department
(i) Textbook(s)

T1 Larry W Canter, “Environment impact Assessment”, McGraw Hill Publication.

(ii) Reference Book(s)

R Jain R.K –Van, “Environment impact Analysis”, Nostrand Reinhold Co.
1
 Syllabus

UNIT- I: Basic concept of EIA

Introduction, Purpose of EIA, Evolution & History of EIA, EIA- Guiding
principles, Role of EIA and its fundamentals, EIA mechanism and attributes,
Functional stages and basic components of EIA system, Benefits of EIA.

UNIT- II: Scope and EIA process in India

EIA Notification 2006 and Amendments in EIA notification, Categorization of
projects, Stages in Prior Environmental Clearance Process, Validity of EC.

UNIT- III: Prediction and Assessment of Impacts on the Environment

Prediction and Assessment of Impacts on the Environment: Air, Water, Noise,
Biological, Cultural and Socioeconomic Environment.
 Syllabus
UNIT- IV: Mitigation and Compensation
Objectives and Principles of mitigation, Compensation for impacts, Analysis of
Potential Environmental Impact & Mitigation Measures: Highways, Airports and
Common Effluent treatment plants.
UNIT- V: Public participation in Environmental decision making
Introduction, Participation in the EIA process, objectives of public
participation, Techniques of public participation, Advantages and
disadvantages.

UNIT- VI: Environmental Management plan

Introduction, Management of Air water and land Environment. Environment
monitoring program, Mitigation measures.
 Syllabus

UNIT- VII: Environmental audit and method of impact analysis

Introduction, Aim, purpose, objectives and types of Environmental audit, Audit
Procedure. Methods of environment impact identification: warner and preston
study, Checklist method, Matrices, Network method
UNIT- VIII: EIA for various projects
EIA for water resource development projects, Highway projects, Nuclear
power plant projects, Mining project (Coal, iron ore), Thermal power plants
and Infrastructure constructional activities. Case studies in EIA.
 UNIT 1
Basic concept of EIA
Contents
Introduction
Purpose and Key elements of EIA
Evolution & History of EIA
EIA- Guiding principles
Role of EIA and its fundamentals
EIA mechanism and attributes
Functional stages and basic components of EIA system
Limitations of EIA
Benefits of EIA
 Conceptual framework
The environmental impact assessment is an innovative process
recommended by different international agencies as a valid environmental
protection tool and endorsed by the experience gained in developed
countries that have incorporated it into their legal systems.
Major International Organizations Fighting Environmental Destruction.

World Nature Organization (WNO)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Earth System Governance Project (ESGP)
 INTRODUCTION
What is EIA?
• It is an early warning process that verifies the enforcement of environmental
policies.
• It is a preventive tool used to evaluate the negative and positive environmental
impacts of policies, plans, programs, and projects; the EIA proposes measures to
adjust impacts to acceptable levels.
• EIA can be defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the
potential impacts of the proposed project, plans, programs or legislative actions
relative to the physical-chemical, biological, cultural and socioeconomic
components of the total environment.
 INTRODUCTION
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• EIA is a tool used in planning development strategies and projects, and
its use has been adopted into planning regulations in a number of
countries, and by a number of regional groupings and multilateral agencies
(CEQ, 1978; CEU, 1985, 1997; World Bank, 1988; DANIDA, 1994; EBRD,
1996).
CEQ - Council of Environmental quality
CEU - Council of the European communities
DANIDA - Danish International Development Agency
EBRD - European bank of Reconstruction and Development
 What is the purpose of EIA ?
 To “…encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his
environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to
the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of man;
to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources
important to the Nation....”
 “To implement a strategy of sustainable development, prevent adverse
impact on the environment after the implementation of plans and
construction projects, and promote coordinated development of the
economy, society, and environment.”
 What is the purpose of EIA ?
To allow government officials, business leaders, and all concerned citizens to
understand the likely environmental consequences of proposed actions, and
to cooperate in making wise decisions that restore and maintain the quality of
our shared environment for future generations.
 Key elements of EIA

• EIA must be undertaken EARLY in the development of proposed projects,

plans, and programs, and must be completed BEFORE a decision to proceed is
made.
• EIA must be an OBJECTIVE, IMPARTIAL analytical process, not a way of
promoting or “selling” a proposal to decision-makers—it must use accepted
scientific principles and methods.
• EIA must analyze all REASONABLY PREDICTABLE environmental impacts or
effects of a proposed action— effects may be short-term, long-term, direct, or
indirect.
• The process of EIA must be OPEN – to government officials at all levels, to
potential stakeholders (those with direct interests in the proposed action), and
to the PUBLIC.
 Key elements of EIA

• There must be an early, public SCOPING stage in EIA to consider ALTERNATIVES

and to help focus subsequent analysis on the MORE SIGNIFICANT potential
impacts – rather than studying all possible environmental effects— the GOAL is
to reach a decision.
• Government officials responsible for implementing EIA must ENCOURAGE (not

just tolerate) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION in the process from the scoping stage
forward.
• In all EIA processes, effective MITIGATION MEASURES must be identified and
included—to avoid, minimize, or reduce the adverse effects of all potentially
significant impacts.
 Key elements of EIA
• EIA reports must include an ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(EMS) or Action Plan to MONITOR the implementation phase of the
project, plan, or program and provide for CORRECTIVE actions—such
action plans must have assured FUNDING and be legally enforceable
 Evolution of EIA

• early 1970s – initial development

• 1970s to 1980s – increasing scope

• mid to late 1980s – process strengthening and policy

integration

• mid 1990s – towards sustainability (SEA, Biodiversity)

• Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutory backed

by the Environment Protection Act in 1986, which contains

various provisions on EIA methodology and process.

 Brief History of EIA

First introduced in USA: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1970

• In 1973 and 1974, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand were the first
countries to follow the NEPA example
• During the 1970s, other industrial and developing countries introduced
formal EIA requirements
• In 1989, EIA became a standard requirement for all World Bank financed
investment projects
• “EIA… shall be undertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a
significant adverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of
competent national authority”.
 Developments in the 1990s

Major reforms to well established EIA systems (e.g US)

• Implementation of Environmental directives

• World Bank introduce EIA policies

• International environmental conventions (climate change, biodiversity,

desertification)

• World bank and others strengthen the development of SEA.

 Historic development

1970 : USA-NEPA (National Environmental policy Act)

• 1973 : Canada
• 1974 : Australia
• 1979 : China
• 1981 : Netherlands
• 1984 : Japan
• 1985 : European Union
• 1988 : UK
• 1991 : Sweden
• 1994 : Finland
 EIA – Three core values

• Integrity :The EIA process will conform to agreed standards

• Utility :The EIA process will provide balanced, credible information for

decision-making

• Sustainability : The EIA process will result in environmental safeguards

 EIA – guiding principles
• The EIA process should be:
Purposive – meeting its aims and objectives
Focused – concentrating on the effects that matter
Adaptive – responding to issues and realities
Participative – fully involving the public
Transparent – clear and easily understood
Rigorous – employing ‘best practicable’ methodology
Practical – establishing mitigation measures that work
Credible – carried out with objectivity and professionalism
Efficient – imposing least cost burden on proponents
 Guiding principles of EIA good practice
Principles Practical application
Source: Sadler, 1996; IAIA and IEMA, 1999.
Purposive EIA should meet its aims of informing decision making and
ensuring an appropriate level of environmental protection and
human health.
Focused EIA should concentrate on significant environmental effects,
taking into account the issues that matter.
Adaptive EIA should be adjusted to the realities, issues and
circumstances of the proposals under review.
Participative EIA should provide appropriate opportunities to inform and
involve the interested and affected publics, and their inputs
and concerns should be addressed explicitly.
 Guiding principles of EIA good practice

Principles Practical application

Transparent EIA should be a clear, easily understood and open process, with
early notification procedure, access to documentation, and a
public record of decisions taken and reasons for them.
Rigorous EIA should apply the best practicable methodologies to address
the impacts and issues being investigated.
Practical EIA should identify measures for impact mitigation that work and
can be implemented.
Credible EIA should be carried out with professionalism, rigor, fairness,
objectivity, impartiality and balance.

Efficient EIA should impose the minimum cost burden on proponents

consistent with meeting process requirements and objectives.
EIA – Guiding principles
What is the role of EIA?
• Aid to decision making: Clarify trade off associated with the proposed action
• Aid to formulation of development actions :
systematic consideration of the action, its impacts and alternatives. Creative
process
• Aid to inter disciplinary co operation: EIA requires cooperation between
different professions.
• Aid to public involvement: EIA provides knowledge and frame work for
participation in planning and decision making process
• Instrument for sustainable management : Reveal adverse impacts and
inconsistency towards existing environmental policies
EIA Fundamentals
• It assesses the impact of human activities on the environment.

• It defines the environment as the integration and relation of social,

physical, and biological systems.

• It defines impact as the significant positive or negative alteration of the

environment by human actions.

EIA General Concepts
• EIA is a systematic, reproducible, and interdisciplinary evaluation of the potential

impact of a proposed action and its alternatives, on the physical, biological,

cultural, and socioeconomic environment of a geographical area.
• The purpose of the EIA is to ensure that significant environmental resources are
recognized at the beginning of the decision-making process and are protected
through planning and pertinent decisions.
• EIA is an early warning process of continuous analysis that protects

environmental resources against unjustifiable or unexpected damages.

• The EIA process transforms environmental laws into a uniform set of technical

requirements and procedures to analyze human actions systematically before their

implementation.
EIA General Concepts
• EIA helps solve problems during the decision-making process.
• It provides the bases for more informed decisions regarding positive and
negative environmental impacts.
• The effectiveness of the EIA depends on the relevance given to environmental
quality at the national, regional, or local levels.
 EIA Process
Objective:
– To insert human activities into the environmental policy that supports
sustainable development, in order to ensure that:
– Actions are environmentally satisfactory.
– Positive and negative environmental consequences are identified at the initial
stage of human activities.
– The prevention, mitigation, and compensation of negative actions are a key
element of environmental management.
 EIA Process
Means:
• To determine whether the human activities proposed are compatible
with the environmental policy and legislation.
• To have a single, informed, and transparent procedure especially
designed to review and qualify environmental impacts.
• To conduct preventive studies to identify, forecast, and evaluate negative
and positive impacts.
• It is essential to understand the significance of the potential
environmental impacts; and for this purpose there are different methods
(not mutually-exclusive) that can be adapted to each situation.
• In many cases, the EIA introduces a new technology into the
environment to solve problems of deterioration.
 Objectives of EIA

• To ensure that environmental consideration are explicitly addressed and

incorporated into the decision making process

• To anticipate and avoid, minimize or offset the adverse significant

biophysical, social and other relevant effects of development proposals

• To protect the productivity and capacity of natural systems and the

ecological processes which maintain their functions

• To promote development that is sustainable and optimizes resource use

and management opportunities

 Immediate objectives of EIA are to:

• improve the environmental design of the proposal;

• ensure that resources are used appropriately and efficiently;

• identify appropriate measures for mitigating the potential impacts

of the proposal; and

• facilitate informed decision making, including setting the

environmental terms and conditions for implementing the proposal.

 Long term objectives of EIA are to:

• protect human health and safety;

• avoid irreversible changes and serious damage to the
environment;
• safeguard valued resources, natural areas and ecosystem
components; and
• enhance the social aspects of the proposal.
 Main EIA Mechanisms

• Environmental impact assessment (EIA): set of requirements, steps, and

stages that should be complied with in order for a preventive
environmental analysis to be sufficient in itself, according to international
standards.
• Environmental impact assessment system (EIAS): organization and
management of the EIA according to the situation and capability of those
who apply it.
• Environmental impact study: the document(s) that justify the preventive
environmental analysis and provide(s) judgment elements to make
informed decisions about environmental effects of human activities.
 Important parts of the EIA process
• To decide in advance whether an environmental impact assessment is
necessary.
• To analyze only the actions that may have a significant environmental impact.
• To incorporate beforehand ( in advance) significant impact criteria, such as:
– Air and water pollution.
– Deterioration of protected natural and ecological resources.
– Undesirable impacts such as landscape deterioration, generation of noise, and
others.
– Discharges of toxic or hazardous substances or waste generation.
– Cumulative adverse effects.
– Negative sociocultural impacts.
– Significant public controversy.
To clearly define the scope of the EIA and consider:
 Widespread participation.
 Determination of key points.
 Elimination of insignificant points.
 Allocation of requirements for study preparation and
qualification.
 Identification of the purpose of the action and alternative
actions.
 EIA Attributes

• It is integrated by different components of the environment and various

disciplines.

• It targets the significant impacts.

• It is flexible enough to adjust to each individual case.

• It predicts the consequences before implementing an action.

• It incorporates community participation (agencies, project proposers,

community, authorities).
 EIA Attributes

• It reports possible impacts.

• It supports the environmental protection and improvement policy.

• It complements an integrated development of actions, together with

political, economic, and social decisions, among others.

• It leads to the abandonment of environmentally unacceptable actions,

mitigates the negative impact until acceptable levels are reached, and

adjusts changes in time.

• It supports decision-making.
 Limitations of Environmental Impact Studies

• It is not always possible to emphasize the interdisciplinary character,

although this is essential.
• They use predictive methods based on scientific information that is not
always available.
• They use abstract concepts which cannot always compete with sciences
that incorporate quantifiable data.
• They need data that are all at the same level and exchangeable on
compatible scales.
• Since they have a varied methodological framework, it is necessary to
know the land or place affected in order to define its use.
 Limitations of Environmental Impact Studies

• They require detailed information that is not always available or is not

compatible with the study requirements.

• They have to improve the methods of appraisal for analyzing

environmental impacts in the same way as economic and social impacts.

• Some environmental components are difficult to address, such as quality

analysis, fragility of the land, and landscape value, among others.

 Functional Stages of The EIA System
• An environmental impact assessment process has a logical sequence of

stages and steps that are of crucial importance when being applied to the
human activities under evaluation to comply with the process objective.
• Their elimination or inconsistency could result in an incomplete analysis and

a deficient environmental evaluation of the human activity.

• Some basic components of an environmental impact assessment are the

following:
a) policy definition,

b) legal and regulatory bases,

c) administrative procedures,
d) environmental impact study,
e) decision or pronouncement,
f) follow-up, g) Information and methodological guidelines
 Basic components of the EIA
system
• Establishment of a substantive(Separate and independent) national

environmental policy that sets environmental protection priorities.

• Definition of legal requirements for the EIA process.

• Creation of regulations and requirements to implement the law

systematically, strictly, and pragmatically.

• Establishment of an administrative procedure for the preparation,

coordination, orientation, and qualification of studies that analyze

environmental impacts.
 Basic components of the EIA
system

• Identification and clarification of organizational functions and

responsibilities within the current legislation.

• Coordination of drafting and reviewing of reports, and of the decision-

making process among governmental agents, private agents, consultants,

and the general public.

• Ongoing evaluation of the success of the program and those responsible

for it.

• Encouragement of community participation at all stages.

 Benefits of EIA
• Lower project costs in long term

• Avoidance or remedial measures are planned and implemented in time

to minimize adverse impacts

• Improved planning of future projects

• Better protection of the environment

• Minimized social impacts through the consultative processes

• Opportunity for the public to learn about environmental effects, express

concerns, and provide input to the assessment process

• Opportunity for the public to influence the decision-making process

 Benefits of EIA
• Reduced cost and time of project implementation.
• Cost-saving modifications in project design.
• Avoiding impacts and violations of laws and regulations.
• Improved project performance.
• The benefits to local communities from taking part in environmental impact
assessments.
• A healthier local environment (forests, water sources, agricultural potential,
recreational potential, aesthetic values, and clean living in urban areas).
• Improved human health.
• Maintenance of biodiversity.
• Decreased resource use.
• Fewer conflicts over natural resource use.
• Increased community skills, knowledge and pride.
 BENEFITS FLAWS
Provides systematic methods of Time consuming
IA
Estimates the benefit/cost Costly
trade-off of alternative actions
Facilitates public participation Little public participation in actual
implementation
Provides an effective Unavailability for reliable data
mechanism for
 Coordination
 Environmental integration
 Negotiations
 Feedback
Top-level decision making Too focused on scientific analysis
Develop a database for Poor presentation of EIA report (bulky volume,
institutional building Scientific explanation, difficult to understand)
Achieve a balance between the Compliance monitoring after EIA is seldom
impact of developmental and carried out
environmental concern
1) Define EIA and what are the purposes of EIA
2) Explain the Key Elements of EIA
3) Explain three core values of EIA
4) List the guiding principles of EIA
5) What are the immediate and long term objectives of EIA
6) Write a short notes on limitations of Environmental Impact Studies
7) Compare benefits and Flaws of EIA