ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Lecture - 14

Environmental Impact
The change in environmental parameter (of land, water, air,
flora and fauna, humans etc) over a specified period and within a
defined area, resulting from a particular activity compared with a
situation which would have occurred had the activity not been
initiated. 
Env. Activity Performed
Degradation
(Land
Water
Air Impact
Flora & Fauna No Activity
Human)

Existing Time 
Situation

 IMPACT = POST PROJECT – PRE-PROJECT

ENV. PARAMETER ENV. PARAMETER
Environmental Impact Assessment: (EIA)
Whenever there is a planned activity (any project, any
development activity etc.), it will cause some impact/effect on the
environment. The assessment of any such potential physical,
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 biological and social impact/effect due to the location, construction,
design and operation of the proposed development is termed as EIA.
The prime purpose of EIA is to result in a more successful
project with the least amount of damage to the environment.

1. SCREENING
A step to assess whether an EIA is required or not.
Normally 2-stage screening as shown below is employed.

All Projects

Project Not Requiring Used for EA is Mandatory Req. Initial Screening

EIA Uncertain of EIA

Preliminary Secondary
“IEE” Screening
Assessment

IEE is Sufficient Perform EIA

Fig. Two-Stage Screening Procedure 2

 GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR EIA

PROJECT PROPOSAL
PROJECT
PHASES
Is An “EIA” Required Screening

What are the Key Issues? Scoping

Baseline Data Collection

Feasibility and Detailed Design Phase

Identification & Analysis

Identification of Potential of Information
Env. Impact

Analysis of Alternatives

Identification of Mitigation Measures &

Monitoring Programme
Present Findings

PREPARE EIS
Submit EIS to Decision
Making Authority

Have Terms of Reference and Standard or EIS Review

Practice been met?
Construction &
Operation Phase
Are impacts being managed 3
to acceptable levels? Post-Project Analysis
 Notes
• Thermal power plants > 300 MW; mandatory EIA.
• UK regulations: road projects require EIA if length exceed 1
km and route pass through a National Park or within 100 m of
a conservation area.
• Primary School: No EIA required.

2. SCOPING
It refer to defining the KEY ISSUES to be included in
the environmental assessment. Key issues vary with respect to the
type of project. For example,; major environmental issues related to a
DAM differ from a major HIGHWAY project.

3. BASELINE STUDIES
It is the collection of information on the characteristics
of the existing environment and socio-economic conditions in the
study area.
Baseline studies address demography, land use, infrastructure,
receiving water bodies, groundwater, ambient air quality, ,soil
conditions, other industries and their emissions, institutions, ecological
resources, socio-cultural aspects, areas of archaeological and tourist
interest and meteorological conditions. 4
 The baseline studies also, include the detailed description of the
proposed project activities and assess the characteristics and
magnitude of various pollutants that would be resulting from the
activity.

4. IMPACT PREDICTION & EVALUATION

After the impacts are identified, it is necessary to
predict their extent and nature. After prediction, it is also essential to
evaluate them for their significance.

5. PROJECT ALTERNATIVES
If serious losses to natural environment are expected from a
project, alternatives are also considered in EIA report for achieving
equivalent results with minimum environmental degradation.

6. MITIGATION MEASURES
These are measures to reduce or prevent the impact. Such
measures may include:
i) Installation of additional pollution control equipment.
ii) Landscaping to reduce visual intrusion and noise transmission.
iii) Change in design.
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 7. MONITORING
Post-project monitoring is proposed to provide warnings if the
actual impact is more severe than predicted. It furnishes ‘feed back’ for
correcting any serious deficiencies and for use in planning of future
projects.

8. EIA TEAM
For successful EIA, the EIA team must include:
1. EIA expert with full knowledge of environmental parameters
involved.
2. An Expert in design and operation of the project.
3. A socio-economist for the study of, socio-economic impact.

A number of other experts could be included depending upon a

specific projects as: hydrogeologist, ecologist, wild and aquatic life
expert etc.

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 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT QUALITY STANDARDS (NEQS)

Environmental Pollution can be stemmed by controlling

sources of pollution. NEQS aim at controlling the sources of pollution

by putting limits on various pollutants that can be discharged from a

source of pollution (a factory, vehicle etc.).

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 NEQS deal with:

•Liquid (e.g., liquid waste discharged by a factory, municipal

sewage etc.).

•Gaseous (e.g., smoke from the stack/chimney of a factory

etc.).

•Vehicular emissions (gaseous emissions from vehicles) and

noise.

Separately. They define pollutants to be monitored for the above

three categories and their upper limits that must not be exceeded. 8
 NEQS for Municipal and Industrial Effluents define upper limits

of 32 different pollutants like pH, BOD, COD, Total Suspended Solids

etc. It define limits for (a) inland waters (rivers etc.) (b) into sewers

and (c) into sea separately.

NEQS for, Industrial Gaseous Emission define upper limit of 16

different pollutants like particulate matter, CO, oxides of nitrogen etc.

NEQS for Motor Vehicle Exhaust and Noise define upper limits

for 3 different pollutants emitted by motor vehicles like smoke, CO and

noise.
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