Environmental Impact
Assessment
K. Pathak
Definition of EIA
Munn (1979) defined EIA as a process 'to identify and predict the impacts on
the environment and on man's health and well being of legislative
proposals, policies programmes projects and operational procedures, and
to interpret and communicate information about the impacts '.
Wathern 1988 describes EIA 'as a process for identifying the likely
consequences for the biogeophysical environment and for man's health
and welfare of implementing particular activities and for conveying this
information, at a stage when it can materially affect their decision, to
those responsible for sanctioning the proposals '
USEPA (1993) defined environmental assessment (EA) as 'the systematic,
reproducible, and interdisciplinary evaluation of the potential effects of a
proposed action and its practical alternatives on the physical, biological,
cultural and socio-economic attributes of a particular geographical area'.
A study of probable changes in the various socio-economic and biophysical
characteristics of the environment which may result from a proposed or
impending action'. Jain et al., (1993)
To identify, predict and to describe in appropriate terms the pros and cons
(penalties and benefits) of a proposed development This definition has later been
further extended to definite EIA as 'a process to predict and consider both positive
and negative environmental and social consequences of a proposed development
project' (UNEP 1984).
The council of the European Communities defined environmental assessment as 'the
assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment' and
stressed that 'the environmental impact assessment will identify, describe and assess in an
appropriate manner, in the light of each individual case, the direct and indirect effects of a
project on the following factors:
• human beings, fauna and flora;
• soil, water, air, climate and the landscape;
• the interaction between the factors mentioned in the first and second indents
• material assets and the cultural heritage.
An EIA should :
[Link] the proposed action, as well as alternatives;
[Link] the nature and magnitudes of the likely environmental changes;
[Link] the relevant human concerns of environmental attributes/ parameters;
[Link] the criteria to be used in measuring the significance of environmental changes, including the
relative weighting to be assigned in comparing different kinds of changes;
[Link] the significance of the predicted environmental changes, i.e., estimate the impacts of the
proposed action;
[Link] recommendations for one of the following:
• acceptance of the project
• remedial action;
• acceptance of one or more alternatives;
• rejection;
(vii). make recommendations for inspection procedures to be followed after the action has been
completed (post monitoring).
Activities for EIA.
EIA can now be considered to comprise the following activities .
1. Assessment of natural environmental capital in terms of resource supplier and
regeneration capacity
2. Assessment of the natural environments assimilative capacity of the
geographical area
3. Identification and prediction of the likely changes in the natural resource stock
of the environment due to a proposed human activity
4. Assessment and evaluation of the quantity and quality of waste to be generated
because of the proposed human activity
5. Identification and prediction of any possible change in the natural assimilative
capacity due to the impending human activity
6. Identification of all feasible alternatives to the proposed human action and
conducting steps (3) to (5) for alternatives at the same site and steps (1) to (5)
for other alternatives
7. Applying sound environmental economic principles to internalise the costs of
changes in supportive capacity and assimilative capacity
8. Identification of possible mitigation measures (through investment in natural or
manmade resources) to restore natural capital. When restoration of natural
capital is not possible equivalent investment may be made to substitutable form
of capital.
A generalised procedure for conducting an EIA as below:
1. Define proposed action In this step a clear definition and a complete understanding of the
proposed action are developed. Principal questions sought to be answered in this step
include :
What is to be done?
Where?
What kinds of materials, labour, and/or resources are involved?
Are there different ways to accomplish the original purpose?
This step accomplish the task of finding out 'what is impacting“
2. Define affected environment. Principal objective of this step is to develop an understanding of
the affected environment. Attempts are made in this step to find answers to the following
questions.
What is the nature of the biophysical and/or socio-economic characteristics that may be
changed by the action?
How widely might same effects be felt?
In essence this step is undertaken to make a pre project assessment of 'what is to be
impacted?'
3. Determine possible impacts. Once the environment, that is likely to be affected by the proposed
activities, is defined by means of quality values of a manageable number of environmental
attributes the next step in EIA is to envision the implementation of the proposed action into
that setting and to estimate the likely changes in the environmental attributes in quantitative
terms as far as practicable.
4. Report the results. EIA can be effectively used as a decision-making tool only when the results
are interpreted and the consequences of the impending project are property reported.
Define action
A step-by-step procedure for EIA
Develop alternatives
Identify activities
Define attributes affected
Solicit public
concerns
Re-evaluate areas of study
Evaluate environmental impact
Summarise impacts
Review alternatives
Analyse findings
a. Significant impact?
b. Controversial aspects?
Prepare assessment document
Prepare assessment document
Review and process document
Project Screening - is an EIA needed?
Scoping - which impacts and issues to consider?
Description of the project/development action
Description of the environmental baseline
Public
Identification of key impacts
Participation
Prediction of impacts
Evaluation and assessment of significance of impacts
Identification of mitigating measures
Documentation of findings
(including a non-technical summary)
Review of the EIA document Decision-making
Post-decision monitoring
Auditing of Predictions and of mitigation measures
IMPORTANT STEPS IN THE EIA PROCESS
A Scientific approach to integration of EIA into Planning
The process of EIA consists of the following stages: -
1. Screening: Assessment of the need for an EIA. Whether there is any possibility of
significant stress or shock on the supportive and assimilative capacity of the
surrounding environment.
2. Scoping: Identification of issues and impacts to be considered in the EIA study.
3. Baseline study: Conducting necessary field studies for generating baseline data to
define the pre-project environment.
4. Impact prediction and evaluation.
5. Mitigation planning: proposing necessary actions to reduce the severity of predicted
adverse impacts and to make provision to compensate for any residual adverse
impact.
6. Comparison of alternatives.
7. Decision making relative to the proposed action.
8. Study documentation: preparation of EIA report.
Step 1 Identify problems and specify Alternatives.
State problems and requirements
Nature and extent of each alternative
Step 2 Assemble Available Data
Collect data relevant to each site and process/operation alternative
Reference to national/international list of priority chemicals
Step 3 Assess Staff Competence
In-house sufficiency or external required
Step 4 Initial Impact Identification
Review of site and construction/process alternatives in
relation to the available data on the existing environment
Step 5 Preliminary Assessment
Application of Screening Test
Are there any potential
adverse impacts
generated by the proposed
environment?
No
Yes
Comprehensive EIA Required No further Assessment Required
Initial Environmental Evaluation Process (after UNEP
1980)
Generic Structure Of Environmental Impact Assessment
Document
(After MOEF, India 2006 notification)
1. Chapter 1: (i) Purpose of the report
Introduction (ii) Identification of project & project proponent
(iii). Brief description of nature, size, location of the project and its
importance to the country, region
(iv). Scope of the study – details of regulatory scoping carried out (As per
Terms of Reference)
[Link] EIA STRUCTURE CONTENTS
2. Chapter 2: (i) Condensed description of those aspects of the project (based on project
feasibility study), likely to cause environmental effects. Details should be
Project Description provided to give clear picture of the following:
(ii) Type of project
(iii). Need for the project
(iv). Location (maps showing general location, specific location, project
boundary & project site layout)
(v). Size or magnitude of operation (incl. Associated activities required by or
for the project
(vi). Proposed schedule for approval and implementation
(vii). Technology and process description
(viii). Project description. Including drawings showing project layout,
components of project etc. Schematic representations of the feasibility
drawings which give information important for EIA purpose
(ix). Description of mitigation measures incorporated into the project to meet
environmental standards, environmental operating conditions, or other EIA
requirements (as required by the scope)
(x). Assessment of New & untested technology for the risk of technological
failure
3. Chapter –3: (i). Study area, period, components & methodology
Description of the
Environment (ii).Establishment of baseline for valued environmental components, as
identified in the scope
(iii). Base maps of all environmental components
4. Chapter –4: Anticipated (i). Details of Investigated Environmental Impacts due to project location,
Environmental Impacts possible accidents, project design, project construction, regular operations,
& final decommissioning or rehabilitation of a completed project
Mitigation Measures (ii). Measures for minimizing and / or offsetting adverse impacts identified
(iii). Irreversible and Irretrievable commitments of environmental components
(iv).Assessment of significance of impacts (Criteria for determining
significance, Assigning significance)
(v). Mitigation measures
5. Chapter –5: Analysis of • In case, the scoping exercise results in need for alternatives:
Alternatives
(Technology • Description of each alternative
& Site) • Summary of adverse impacts of each alternative
• Mitigation measures proposed for each alternative and
• Selection of alternative
6. Chapter –6: • Technical aspects of monitoring the effectiveness of mitigation measures
Environmental (incl. Measurement methodologies, frequency, location, data analysis,
Monitoring Program reporting schedules, emergency procedures, detailed budget & procurement
schedules)
7. Chapter –7: Additional • Public Consultation
Studies
• Risk assessment
• Social Impact Assessment. R&R Action Plans
8. Chapter –8: Improvements in the physical infrastructure
Project Benefits Improvements in the social infrastructure
Employment potential –skilled; semi-skilled and unskilled
Other tangible benefits
9. Chapter –9: If recommended at the Scoping stage
Environmental Cost
Benefit Analysis
10. Chapter 10: Description of the administrative aspects of ensuring that mitigative
measures are implemented and their effectiveness monitored, after
EMP approval of the EIA
11 Chapter –11: Summary • Overall justification for implementation of the project
& Conclusion
• Explanation of how, adverse effects have been mitigated
(This will constitute the
summary of the EIA
Report )
12. Chapter –12: The names of the Consultants engaged with their brief resume and nature
Disclosure of of Consultancy rendered
Consultants engaged
EIA Methodology
Impact Identification Impact Evaluation
technique technique
Checklist
Approaches that Approaches that
Matrix Methods Aggregate Public Values Disagregate Public Value
Leopold Matrix
Component Interaction • Weighting Scaling Technique • Planning Balance Sheet
Matrix • Envtl. Evaluation System • Goals-Achievement Matrix
• Ecological Rating System • Priority Trade-Off Scanning Matrix
Networks • Optimum Pathway Matrix • Simple Trade-Off Matrix
Sorenson Network • Water Resources Assessment
Systems Diagrams Methodology
Principal types of checklists include
•Simple checklists
•Descriptive checklists
•Quantitative checklists
•Scaling checklists Important environmental attributes considered in Simple
Checklist
•Weighting-scaling checklists
1. Land form 12. Public service
•Weighting-ranking checklists
2. Air/climatology 13. Utilities
•Multi-attribute utility theory 3. Water 14. Population
4. Solid waste 15. Accident risk
5. Noise 16. Human health
6. Plant life 17. Economic condition
7. Animal life 18. Community reaction
8. Land use 19. Aesthetics
9. Natural resources 20. Archaeological, cultural
and historical
'daughter checklists' 10. Energy 21. Hazardous waste
11 Transportation & traffic
circulation
1. Air quality impact, 6. Noise impact,
2. Ecological impact, 7. Social impact,
3. Economic impact, 8. Urban impact, and
4. Environmental health 9. Water quality impact.
impact,
5. Hazard and risk impact,
