EIA Methodologies

A presentation containing Introduction – Criteria for selection of EIA methodology – EIA methods – Ad hoc – Checklist – Matrices - Network – Overlays – Environmental Auditing – Cost Benefit Analysis - Assessment of Significance of Impact -
Project alternation - Decision making – Preparation of EIA report – Environmental Impact Statements – Environmental Management Systems

1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT
(19MENE10)
Assignment
UNIT-2 : EIA METHODOLOGIES
Introduction –Criteria for selection of EIA methodology –EIA methods –Ad hoc –Checklist –Matrices –
Network –Overlays –Environmental Auditing –Cost Benefit Analysis -Assessment of Significance of Impact -
Project alternation -Decision making –Preparation of EIA report –Environmental Impact Statements –
Environmental Management Systems
Prepared by
Jebaraj Samuel Dorai D (19 62 006)
JeslinJS (19 62 007)
KumuthalingamK (19 62 008)

2. INTRODUCTION
➢EnvironmentalImpactAssessment(EIA)isanimpactassessmenttooltopredictthe
natureandextentofimpactwhichwillbeusefultoformulateappropriatepreventive
andoperationalprogramstoreducetheimpactsandmakenecessarylegislative
measurestocontrolthesame.
➢EIAmethodologiesaretoidentify,predictandvalueenvironmentalchangesofan
action.
➢EIAuseditsmethodsandtechniquestoquantifyortoqualifythosechanges.

3. INTRODUCTION
Thefollowingqualitiesaretobepresentineachtechniqueormethodthatisusedfor
evaluationofimpacts:-
a.Systematicinapproach;
b.Abilitytoorganizealargemassofmixtureofdata;
c.Abletoquantifytheimpacts;
d.Capableofsummarizingthedata;
e.Theabilitytoaggregatethedataintosetswiththeleastlossofinformationbecause
oftheaggregation;
f.Itshouldhaveagoodpredictivecapability;
g.Itshouldextractthesalientfeatures,and
h.Itshouldfinallybeabletodisplaytherawdataandthederivedinformationina
meaningfulfashion.

4. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF
EIA METHODOLOGY
Thecriteriafortheselectioncanbebroadlyclassifiedintofiveclassesandinthat,
thereareseveralpointsthatneedstobeadhered.Thedifferentcriteriaareasfollows:-
1.General
•Simplicity
•Manpowertimeandbudgetconstraints
•Flexibility
2.ImpactIdentification
•Comprehensiveness
•Specificity
•Isolationofprojectimpacts
•Timingandduration

5. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION
OF EIA METHODOLOGY
3. Impact Measurement
•Commensurate units
•Explicit indicators
•Magnitude
•Objective criteria
4. Impact Interpretation and Evaluation
•Significance
•Explicit
•Portrayal of “with” and “without” situation
•Uncertainty

6. CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION
OF EIA METHODOLOGY
•Risk
•Depth of analysis
•Alternative comparison
•Public involvement
5. Impact Communication
•Affected parties
•Setting description
•Summary format
•Key issues
•Compliance

7. EIA METHODS
Some important methodologies of recent utility assessing the impacts of development
activities on the environment are:-
EIA
Methods
Ad hoc
method
Checklist
method
Matrices
method
Network
method
Overlays
method

8. EIA METHODS
1.Adhocmethod
➢Adhocmethodsprovidelittle,ifany,formalguidanceforanimpactassessment.
Whilevaryingconsiderablywiththeteamofexperts,theyusuallyidentifyabroad
areaofimpactratherthandefinespecificparameterswhichshouldbeinvestigatedor
attemptaquantitativeassessment.
➢Thereare3types,namely
•Opinionpoll
•Expertopinion
•Delphimethod

9. EIA METHODS
➢ItisusefulwhentimeconstrainsandlackofinformationrequirethattheEIAmust
replyonexpertopinion.
➢Itservesasapreliminaryassessmentwhichhelpsinidentifyingmoreimportant
areaslikeWildlife,Naturalvegetation,Noise,Groundwater,Openspace,Public
facilities,etc.
➢Beingsimple,itcanbeperformedwithoutanytraining;itmerelypresentingthe
relevantinformationonaproject’simpactontheenvironmentwithoutanysortof
cause-effectrelationship.
➢Itprovidesminimalguidancefortotalimpactassessmentwhilesuggestingthebroad
areasofpossibleimpacts.

10. EIA METHODS
➢Drawbacks:
•Itgivesnoassurancethatitencompassesacomprehensivesetofallrelevantimpacts;
•Itlacksconsistencyinanalysisasitmayselectdifferentcriteriatoevaluatedifferent
groupsoffactors;
•Itisinherentlyinefficient,asitrequiresaconsiderableefforttoidentifyandassemblean
appropriatepanelforeachassessment.
➢Duetotheabovedrawbacks,itisnotrecommendedasamethodforimpactanalysis.

11. EIA METHODS
2. Checklist method
➢It means listing of potential impacts. It is used to assess the nature of impact (Eg:
long or short term, no effect or significant impact.
➢It can be classified into four categories, namely
Checklist
Method
Simple
checklist
Descriptive
checklist
Scaling
checklist
Scaling
weighting
checklist

12. EIA METHODS
•It is a list of parameters without guidelines
provided on how to interpret and measure an
environmental parameter.
Simple checkslist
•It includes an identification of environmental
parameters and guidelines on how parameter
data are to be measured.
Descriptive checklist
•It is similar to descriptive checklist with the
addition of information to subjective scaling or
parameter values.
Scaling checklist
•It is capable of quantifying impacts.Scaling weighting
checklist

13. EIA METHODS
Advantages Disadvantages
Useful for summarizing information to
make it accessible to experts in different
fields or decision makers who have little
technical knowledge.
They are too general or incomplete.
Preliminary analysis will be available in
scaling checklists.
They do not illustrate interactions between
effects.
Information on ecosystem functions can
be clearly understood from weighing
methods.
The number of categories to be reviewed
can be immense, which will create
confusion about significant impacts.
Involves the identification of effects
which are qualitative and subjective.

14. EIA METHODS
3.Matrixmethod
➢Inthismethod,interactionsbetweenvariousactivitiesandenvironmentalparameters
willbeidentified.
➢Itisageneralizedchecklistswhereonedimensionofamatrixisalistof
environmental,socialandeconomicfactorslikelytobeaffectedbyaprojectactivity
andtheotherdimensionisalistofactionsassociatedwithdevelopment.
➢Matricesprovidecause-effectrelationshipsbetweenthevariousprojectactivitiesand
theirimpactsonthevariousenvironmentallyimportantsectorsorcomponents.
➢Matricesprovideagraphictoolfordisplaytotheiraudienceinamannerthatcanbe
easilycomprehended.

15. EIA METHODS
➢Matricesarestronginidentifyingimpactsandunlikechecklists.canalsorepresent
higherordereffectsandinteraction.
➢Someofthedynamicnatureofimpactscanalsobeidentified.
➢Theycanalsoprovidethefunctionsofimpactmeasurementinterpretationand
evaluation,andcancommunicatetheresultsinaneasilyunderstandableformatto
theiraudiences.
➢Buttheycannotcomparealternativesinasingleformat,anddifferentalternatives
needtobeassessedandpresentedseparately.

16. EIA METHODS
➢Thepurposeofamatrixistohelptheprojectplannerto
1.Identifyspecificsourcesofpotentialenvironmentalimpact
2.Providemeansofcomparingthepredictedenvironmentalimpactsofthe
variousprojectoptionsavailable
3.Communicateingraphicformthe
(i)Potentiallysignificantadverseenvironmentalimpactforwhicha
designsolutionhasbeenidentified
(ii)Adverseenvironmentalimpactthatispotentiallysignificantbut
aboutwhichinsufficientinformationhasbeenobtainedtomake
areliablepredication
(iii)Residualandsignificantadverseenvironmentalimpactand
(iv)Significantenvironmentalimpact

17. EIA METHODS
SalientFeaturesofMatricesMethods
•Itisnecessarytodefinethespatialboundariesofenvironmentalfactors.The
temporalphasesandspecificactionsassociatedwiththeproposedproject:andthe
impactratingorsummarizationscalesusedinthematrix.
•Amatrixshouldbeconsideredatoolforpurposesofanalysis,withthekeyneed
beingtoclearlystatetherationaleutilizedfortheimpactratingsassignedtoagiven
temporalphaseandprojectaction,andagivenspatialboundaryandenvironmental
factor.
•Thedevelopmentofoneormorepreliminarymatricescanbeausefultechniquein
discussingaproposedactionanditspotentialenvironmentalimpacts.Thiscanbe
helpfulintheearlystagesofastudytoassisteachteammemberinunderstandingthe
implicationsoftheprojectanddevelopingdetailedplansformoreextensivestudies
onparticularfactorsandimpacts.

18. EIA METHODS
•Theinterpretationofimpactratingsshouldbecarefullyandcriticallyconsidered,
particularlywhenrealizingthattheremaybelargedifferencesinspatialboundaries
aswellastemporalphasesforaproposedproject.
•Interactionmatricescanbeusefulfordelineatingtheimpactsofthefirstandsecond
ormultiplephasesofatwo-phaseormultiphaseproject;thecumulativeimpactsofa
projectwhenconsideredrelativetotheotherpast,present;andreasonably
foreseeablefutureactionsinthearea;andthepotentialpositiveeffectsofmitigation
measures.
•Ifinteractionmatricesareusedtodisplaycomparisonsbetweendifferent
alternatives,itisnecessarytousethesamebasicmatrixintermsofspatial
boundariesandenvironmentalfactors,andtemporalphasesandprojectactionsfor
eachalternativebeinganalyzed.Completionofsuchmatricescanprovideabasisfor
tradeoffanalysis.

19. EIA METHODS
•Impactqualificationandcomparisonstorelevantstandardscanprovideavaluable
basisfortheassignmentofimpactratingstodifferentprojectactionsand
environmentalfactors.
•Colorcodescanbeusedtodisplayandcommunicateinformationonanticipated
impacts.Forexample,beneficialimpactscouldbeshownbyusinggreenorshades
ofgreen;whereas,adverseeffectscouldbedepictedwithredorshadesofred.
Impactmatricescanbeusedwithouttheincorporationofnumber,letter,orcolor
ratings.Forexample,circlesofvaryingsizecouldbeusedtodenoterangesof
impacts.
•Oneoftheconcernsrelativetointeractionmatricesisthatprojectactionsand/or
environmentalfactorsareartificiallyseparated,whentheyshouldbeconsidered
together.Itispossibletousefootnotesinmatrixtoidentifygroupsofactions,
factors,and/orimpactswhichshouldbeconsideredtogether.Thiswouldallowthe
delineationofprimaryandsecondaryeffectsofprojects.

20. EIA METHODS
•Thedevelopmentofapreliminaryinteractionmatrixdoesnotmeanthatitwould
havetobeincludedinasubsequentEAorEIS.Thepreliminarymatrixcouldbeused
asaninternalworkingtoolinstudy,planninganddevelopment.
•Itispossibletoutilizeimportanceweightingforenvironmentalfactorsandproject
actionsinasimpleinteractionmatrix.Ifthisapproachischosen,itisnecessaryto
carefullydelineatetherationaleuponwhichdifferentialimportanceweightshave
beenassigned.Compositeindicescouldbedevelopedforvariousalternativesby
summinguptheproductsoftheimportanceweightsandtheimpactratings.
•Usageofaninteractionmatrixforcestheconsiderationofactionsandimpactsrelated
toaproposedprojectwithinthecontextofotherrelatedactionsandimpacts.Inother
words,thematrixwillpreventoverridingattentionbeinggiventooneparticular
actionofenvironmentalfactors.

21. EIA METHODS
4.Networkmethod
Networksarecapableofidentifyingdirectandindirectimpacts,higherordereffects
andinteractionsbetweenimpacts,andhenceareabletoidentifyandincorporate
mitigationandmanagementmeasuresintotheplanningstagesofaproject.
Theyaresuitableforexpressingecologicalimpactsbutoflesserutilityinconsidering
social,humanandaestheticaspects.
Thisisbecauseweightingsandratingsofimpactsarenotfeaturesofnetworkanalysis.

22. EIA METHODS
➢Developmentofnetworkdiagramsinthediagrambelowpresentthepotentialimpact
pathwaysascasualchainswillbeveryusefulfordisplayingfirst,secondary,tertiary
andhigherorderimpacts.
➢Todevelopanetworkaseriesofquestionsrelatedtoeachprojectactivity(suchas
whataretheprimaryimpactareas,theprimaryimpactswithintheseareasthe
secondaryimpactareasthesecondaryimpactswithintheseareasandsoon)mustbe
answered.

23. EIA METHODS
➢Indevelopingnetworkdiagramthefirststepistoidentifythefirstorderchangesin
environmentalcomponents.
➢Thesecondarychangesinotherenvironmentalcomponentsthatwillresultfromfirst
orderchangeswillbethenidentified.Inturnthirdorderchangesresultingfrom
secondarychangeswillbethenidentified.
➢Thisprocesswillbecontinueduntilthenetworkdiagramiscompletedtotheexperts
satisfaction.
➢Networkanalysesareparticularlyusefulforunderstandingtherelationshipbetween
environmentalcomponentsthatproducehigherorderimpacts,whichareoften
overlookedinsomemajorprojects.
➢Networkscanalsoaidinorganizingthediscussionofanticipatedprojectimpacts.
Networkdisplaysareusefulincommunicatinginformationaboutanenvironmental
impactstudytoaninterestedpublic

24. EIA METHODS
SteppedMatrixTechniqueFor
Networks
➢Thistechniquedevelopedby
Sorenson(1971)wasappliedto
NongPiaReservoir
➢Theinterpretationofresultsinthe
abovefigurewillbeasfollows
(a)Attheupperlefthandcornerthe
projectelementsareenteredwhile
thecasualfactorthatmayresultis
shownasanimpactunderthedam
andreservoir.
(b)Readingdownwardstheimpacts
arepresentedas**Majorpositive,
*minorPositive,##majornegative,
#minornegative.

25. EIA METHODS
Network impacts of a Pulp Mill

26. EIA METHODS
➢Theprimarylimitationofthenetworkapproachistheminimalinformationprovided
onthetechnicalaspectsofimpactpredictionandthemeansforcomparatively
evaluatingtheimpactsofalternatives.
➢Inaddition,networkscanbecomeveryvisuallycomplicated.Networksgenerally
consideronlyadverseimpactsontheenvironmentandhencedecision-making'in
termsofthecostandbenefitofadevelopmentprojecttoaregionisnotfeasibleby
networkanalysis.
➢Temporalconsiderationsarenotproperlyaccountedforandshorttermandlongterm
impactsarenotdifferentiatedtotheextentrequiredforaneasyunderstanding.
➢Whilenetworkscanincorporateseveralalternativesintotheirformat,thedisplay
becomesverylargeandhenceunwieldywhenlargeregionalplansarebeing
considered.
➢Further,networksarecapableofpresentingscientificandfactualinformation,but
providenoavenueforpublicparticipation.

27. EIA METHODS
The typical networking of impacts
of an aerial application of
Herbicide program

28. EIA METHODS
5.Overlaymethod
➢Overlaymethodsinvolvepreparationofasetoftransparentmaps,whichrepresent
thespatialdistributionofanenvironmentalcharacteristic(e.g.,Extentofdenseforest
area).
➢Informationonwiderangeofvariableswillbecollectedforstandardgeographical
unitswithinthestudyareawhichwillberecordedonseriesofmapstypicallyonefor
eachvariable.
➢Thesemapswillbeoverlaidtoproduceacomposite
showninthefigure.

29. EIA METHODS
➢Theresultingcompositemapscharacterizethearea'sphysical,socialecological,land
useandotherrelevantcharacteristicsrelativetothelocationoftheproposed
development.
➢Toevaluatethedegreeofassociatedimpactsmanyprojectalternativescanbelocated
onthefinalmapandvalidityoftheassessmentwillberelatedtothetypeand
numberofparameterschosen.
➢Normallytohavesomeclaritythenumberofparametersthatcanbeoverlayedina
transparencymapislimitedto10.Thesemethodsarewidelyusedforassessing
visuallythechangesinthelandscapebeforeandaftertheactivity.
➢Secondlyitcanbeusedforpreparingcombinedmappingwithananalysisof
sensitiveareasorecologicalcarryingcapacity.Asthesemethodsarespatially
orientedtheycanveryclearlyshowthespatialaspectsofcumulativeimpacts.

30. EIA METHODS
➢OverlayscanbeusefulforindustrialEIAofanyprojectforcomparingland
capabilitiesexistingandprojectedlanduses,roadroutealternativesandotherunder
parameters,andalternativelevelsofairqualityconditionsalongwithpollution
control.
➢Theoverlayapproachisgenerallyeffectiveforselectingalternativesandidentifying
certaintypesofimpacts;however,itcannotbeusedtoquantifyimpactstoidentify
secondaryandtertiaryinterrelationships.
GeographicInformationSystemforOverlays
➢Geographicinformationsystemsarenowbeingusedaslayeredoverlaytechniques~
Computermodulescanbeusedtostorethecharacteristicsoftheproposed
developmentsandthesurroundingarea.
➢Thisenablesustointroduceimpactweightingsintoassessment.Thecomputercan
performthecomplexmathematicaloperationrequiredwhenalargenumberof
variablesareweighted.

31. EIA METHODS
➢GISisapowerfulmanagementtoolforresourcemanagersandplanners.Its
applicationsarelimitedonlybythequality,quantityandcoverageofdatathatarefed
intothesystem.
➢SomeofthestandardGISapplicationsareintegratingmapsmadeatdifferentscales.
Overlayingdifferenttypesofmaps,whichshowdifferentattributesandidentifying,
requiredareaswithinagivendistancefromroadsorrivers.
➢Forexamplebyoverlayingmapsofvegetationandsoilsanewmaponland
suitabilitycanbegeneratedandtheimpactofproposedprojectscanbestudied.
➢Similarlythemostfavorablezonesforthedevelopmentofshrimpfarmingoutside
mangrovescanbelocated.

32. EIA METHODS
The evaluation of various geospatial
methods with reference to various
assessment process are presented in
the figure

33. ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING
➢Environmentalauditingisessentiallyanenvironmentalmanagementtoolfor
measuringtheeffectsofcertainactivitiesontheenvironmentagainstsetcriteriaor
standards.
➢Dependingonthetypesofstandardsandthefocusoftheaudit,therearedifferent
typesofenvironmentalaudit.
➢Organizationsofallkindsnowrecognizetheimportanceofenvironmentalmatters
andacceptthattheirenvironmentalperformancewillbescrutinizedbyawiderange
ofinterestedparties.Environmentalauditingisusedto
•investigate
•understand
•identify

34. ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING
➢Theseareusedtohelpimproveexistinghumanactivities,withthe
aimofreducingtheadverseeffectsoftheseactivitiesonthe
environment.
➢Anenvironmentalauditorwillstudyanorganization's
environmentaleffectsinasystematicanddocumentedmannerand
willproduceanenvironmentalauditreport.
➢Therearemanyreasonsforundertakinganenvironmentalaudit,
whichincludeissuessuchasenvironmentallegislationandpressure
fromcustomers.

35. Difference
between
Environmental
Review and
Environmental
Audit
REVIEW AUDIT
Objective Determine which performance
standards should be met (E.g.:
Company decides to reduce total
organic compound emissions from
100 tonnesto 10 tonnes/ year)
Verify performance against these
standards (E.g.: Company checks that
it really has reduced emission to 10
tonnes/year)
Environmental issues covered All known environmental issues with
or without explicit standards to
measure performance
Only issues for which standards exist
(E.g.: Regulatory requirements,
internal company standards, or good
management practice)
Requirement Before developing environmental
management systems or before and
after any significant changes in
operations or practices
Regularly and on a pre-planned
cyclical basis
Geographic boundaries Wherever the business could have an
environmental impact in the life of
the product (i.e. raw material
selection, transportation,
manufacturing, product use and
disposal)
Usually well-defined geographic
boundaries, (E.g.: Limited to site,
distribution companies or local
planning authority)

36. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢Cost/benefitanalysisprovidesthenatureofexpenseandbenefitaccruablefroma
projectinmonetarytermsasacommonpracticeintraditionalfeasibilitystudiesand
thusenableseasyunderstandingandaidsdecision-making.
➢Theprincipalmethodsavailableforplacingmonetaryvalues(costsandbenefits)on
environmentalimpacts,ataxonomyofvaluationmethods,andstepsinvolvedin
economicevaluationofenvironmentalimpactsarediscussedunderthiscategory
➢TheroleofenvironmentaleconomicsinanEIAcanbedividedintothreecategories,
namely:
•Theuseofeconomicsfor"benefit-costanalysis"asanintegralpartofprojectselection;
•TheuseofeconomicsintheassessmentofactivitiessuggestedbytheEIA;and
•Theeconomicassessmentoftheenvironmentalimpactsoftheproject.

37. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢Cost/benefitanalysisofthetypeforassessmentofnaturalsystemsisnotmerely
concernedwiththeeffectsonenvironmentalquality,butrather,itseeksthe
conditionsforsustainableuseofthenaturalresourcesinaregion.
➢Thistypeofapproachisnotusefulforsmallscaledevelopmentprojects,butisbetter
suitedfortheanalysisandevaluationofaregionaldevelopmentplan.
➢Eventhoughtitmaynotbepossibletoplaceaneconomicvalueonenvironmental
lossesorgainsresultingfromadevelopmentalproject,decisionmakersshouldtake
intoaccountimpliedenvironmentalvaluesintheirdecision-making.
➢Tofacilitatethedecisionmakingprocess,therefore,assessorsconducting
environmentalimpacts,shouldnotjustidentifyenvironmentalimpact,theyshould
alsoprovideinformationontheimpliedvaluesoftheenvironmentallossesand
gains.

38. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢Theevaluationofsite/sitesandmajordesignoptionsshouldbetakentogether,
withintheeconomicandtechnicallimitationsimposedbytheaimoftheproject,the
combinationofprojectsiteandprojectdesignneededtoproducenosignificant
environmentalimpacts,shouldalsoincurtheleasteconomiccosttothecommunity.
Steps in Economic Valuation of Environmental Impacts
➢Economic analysis of environmental impacts is important in project preparation to
determine whether the net benefits of undertaking the project are greater than the
alternatives, including the non-project scenario.
➢Project alternatives often vary in their economic contribution and environmental
impacts. Economic assessment of different alternatives in the early stages of project
planning should provide important inputs to improve the quality of decision-making.
➢The economic analysis of the environmental impacts of the selected projects also
allows for a more complete assessment of the project’s costs and benefits

39. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢At a minimum, the following six tasks need to be completed in the economic
analysis of environmental impacts
•determine the spatial and conceptual boundaries of the analysis;
•identify environmental impacts and their relationships to the project;
•quantify environmental impacts and organize them according to importance –the
impacts described qualitatively, if they cannot be expressed in quantitative terms;
•chooseatechniqueforeconomicvaluation;
•economic valuation (place monetary values) of environmental impacts identified; and
•set an appropriate time frame and perform the extended benefit cost analysis.

40. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢Thecomplexitiesofaproject'senvironmentalimpactsmaycausesomedifficultyin
establishingthespatialandconceptualboundaryoftheeconomicanalysis.Therule
istostarttheanalysiswithdirectlyobservableandmeasurableimpacts.
➢Thus,theevaluationoftheenvironmentalanddevelopmentbenefitsandcostsisan
essentialaidtodecisionmaking.Theinformationthatanassessorshouldprovidein
detailedassessmentisanannotatedlistofeconomiccostsandbenefitstocommunity
thatarisefrom
•Hisselectionfromtechnicallyandfinanciallyfeasiblesiteoptionsandmajordesign
operations(processoptions);
•Hisselectionfromanytechnicallyandfinanciallyfeasiblemeasurestomitigateorabate
significantenvironmentalimpactpredicted;
•Thetotalprojectplan.

41. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
➢AsuccessfulEIAreportshouldprovidetherequiredinformationforeconomic
analysisoftheenvironmentalimpacts.
➢Valuingenvironmentalimpactsinmonetarytermsisthemostdifficultpat1ofthe
economicanalysis.Thisnecessitatestheuseofvaluationtechniquesappropriateto
theenvironmentalimpactsbeinginvestigated.
➢Choosingtheappropriatevaluationtechniquesisitselfadifficulttask,requiring
expertjudgmentfromeconomistsandenvironmentalspecialists.

42. ASSESSMENT OF
SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT
➢Thedeterminationofsignifical1ceisdefinedintermsofcontextandintensity.
Contextreferstothegeographicalsettingofaproposedprojectoraction.
➢Whenaproposedshoppingcenterisevaluated,thecontextforthedeterminationof
significanceintheimmediatesettingandthegeneralcommunityorareaofinfluence,
butnotanycountryasawhole.
➢Intensityreferstoseverityofimpact
•Thedegreetowhichtheproposedactionaffectspublichealthorsafety
•Thepresenceofuniquecharacteristicsinthegeographicsettingorarea,such
asculturalresources,parklands,wetlands,ecologicallycriticalarea,orwild
andscenicrivers
•Thedegreeatwhichtheeffectsarelikelytobehighlycontroversial

43. ASSESSMENT OF
SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT
•The degree at which the action would establish a precedent for further actions with
significant effects.
• The degree at which the possible effects will be highly uncertain or involve
risks
• The degree of effect on sites listed in the Central Court Register of Historic
Places
• The degree of effect on the threatened or endangered species or their habitats
• Whether the action conflicts with other Central, State, or local laws or requirements
➢In order to be able to predict and assess the impacts associated with a proposed action, it is
necessary to describe the environmental setting in which the proposed action is to take place.
➢This gives the baseline information against which prediction and assessment can be made
and provides input information for preparation of EIA.

44. DECISION MAKING
➢Decision-making is a continuing process,
comprising:
•interim decisions made at each stage of
EIA;
•final approval of a proposal;
•enforcement of conditions attached to
approvals.

45. DECISION MAKING
➢Decision-making is a process of:
•political choice between alternative directions;
•weighing the benefits and costs;
•negotiation, bargaining and tradeoffs;
•balancing economic, social and environmental factors.
➢Decision-makers need to understand:
•the EIA aims and concepts, EIA legislation;
•procedure and guidelines;
•the effectiveness of EIA practice;
•the limitations on EIA information;
•how EIA process and practice measure up internationally, issues of public consultation
and third party challenges.

46. DECISION MAKING
➢Decision-makers should be encouraged to:
•implement sustainability mandates and commitments;
•broaden their perspectives on the environment, critically review information and advice;
•better communicate information and decisions;
•apply the precautionary principle;
•improve the process of making tradeoffs;
•adopt more open and participatory approaches;
•use strategic tools including SEA and environmental accounting.

47. DECISION MAKING
➢Outcomes from EIA decision-making:
•proposal approved;
•proposal approved with conditions;
•proposal on hold pending further study;
•proposal returned for revision and resubmission;
•proposal rejected.

48. PREPARATION OF AN EIA
REPORT
➢Numerous techniques are available for the assessment of environmental impacts and
preparation of EIA reports.
➢Alternative assessment techniques are continuously developed and utilized. The
project proponent is free to select the method most appropriate for the specific
situation.
➢The manual presents a recommended standard format for the organization of EIA
reports. Essential steps to complete an environmental impact assessment include:
•Describe the proposed project as well as the options;
•Describe the existing environment;
•Select the impact indicators to be used;
•Predict the nature and extent of the environmental effects;

49. PREPARATION OF AN EIA REPORT
•Identify the relevant human concerns;
•Assess the significance of the impact;
•Incorporate appropriate mitigating and abatement measures into the project plan;
•Identify the environmental costs and benefits of the project to the community;
•Report on the assessment.
➢The following is a standard format for EIA reports as per Central Pollution Control
Board of India
•Introduction: This constitutes the purpose of the report, extent of the EIA study, and a
brief outline of the contents and techniques.
•Description of the project.

50. PREPARATION OF AN EIA
REPORT
•Description of the existing environment: This first requires identification of the
project "area of influence". The environmental resources within the "area of influence"
are then identified as physical resources, ecological resources. human and economic
development values, and quality-of-Iifevalues.
•Anticipated environmental impacts and plans for protection as follows:
(i) Item-by-item review: impacts resulting from project implementation
are evaluated and quantified wherever possible;
(ii) Mitigating and offsetting adverse effects: a plan is presented for
offsetting or compensating for significant adverse impacts and
for enhancement of positive impacts

51. PREPARATION OF AN EIA
REPORT
(iii) Identification of irreversible impacts and irretrievable commitments of
resources;
(iv) Identification of impacts during construction and appropriate protection
measures.
•Consideration of alterative : for each alternative considered the probable adverse impacts
are identified and related to the proposed project and other alternatives.
•Monitoring programme: this is so designed that the environmental agency receives
monitoring reports which will ensure that all necessary environmental protection measures
are being carried out as listed in the approved project plan.
•Summary and conclusions: the summary and conclusions section is prepared in such a way
that it is a complete and comprehensive document in itself. This section includes;
(i) a review of gains versus losses in environmental resources and values, and
of the overall net gains which presumably justify the project;

52. PREPARATION OF AN EIA
REPORT
(ii) an explanation of how unavoidable adverse impacts have been
minimized, offset and compensated for;
(iii) an explanation of use of any replaceable resources;
(iv) provision for follow-up surveillance and monitoring.

53. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT (EIS)
➢An EIS is a document that describes the impacts on the environment as a result of a
proposed action. I can also be said as a document prepared to describe the effects for
proposed activities on the environment.
➢"Environment," in this case, is defined as the natural and physical environment and
the relationship of people with that environment. This means that the "environment"
considered in an EIS includes land, water, air, structures, living organisms,
environmental values at the site, and the social, cultural, and economic aspects.
➢An "impact" is a change in consequence that results from an activity. Impacts can be
positive or negative or both. An EIS describes impacts, as well as ways to "mitigate"
impacts. To "mitigate" means to lessen or remove negative impacts.
➢Review Process for Federal Environmental Impact Statements are as follows:

54. Scoping First meetings are held and needs for work and research are
assessed and delegated. Open to decision makers and those
involved with the proposed project.
Notice
Public is notified that the relevant agency is preparing an EIS. An
announcement is filed in the Federal Register, notices are sent to
local media, letters are sent to individuals and groups that might
be interested. Public may submit comments identifying issues that
the EIS should address.
Draft EIS
Agency assembles all comments and prepares a draft statement.
Comment
Members of the public who are affected by the proposed action
are welcome to provide feedback on the draft through written
comments and public hearings over a 45-day period.

55. Final EIS and Proposed Action The agency announces its Proposed Action, based on the
feedback and analysis it received in earlier steps. A 30-day
waiting period is required after comments close before
announcing the Proposed Action.
Re-evaluation Needed if changes are required to the Proposed Action, or if a
length of time has passed between Final EIS and planned action.
Supplemental EIS Prepared if new environmental impacts are discovered, or if the
size and scope of the Proposed Action change.
Record of Decision Final action prior to implementation of the Proposed Action.
Any outstanding issues, including protests, are resolved. After
this stage, protestors may sue the agency in federal court.

56. ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)
➢An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and practices that
enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating
efficiency.
➢This site provides information and resources related to EMS for small businesses and private
industry, as well as local, state and federal agencies.
➢It is a framework that helps an organization achieve its environmental goals through
consistent review, evaluation, and improvement of its environmental performance.
➢The assumption is that this consistent review and evaluation will identify opportunities for
improving and implementing the environmental performance of the organization.
➢The EMS itself does not dictate a level of environmental performance that must be achieved;
each organization's EMS is tailored to the its own individual objectives and targets.

57. ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)
Basic Elements of an EMS include the following:
• Reviewing the organization's environmental goals;
• Analyzing its environmental impacts and legal requirements;
• Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and
comply with legal requirements;
• Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets;
• Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the objectives;
• Ensuring employees' environmental awareness and competence; and,
• Reviewing progress of the EMS and making improvements.

58. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM (EMS)
➢An EMS encourages an organization to
continuously improve its environmental
performance.
➢The system follows a repeating cycle. The
organization first commits to an environmental
policy, then uses its policy as a basis for establishing
a plan, which sets objectives and targets for
improving environmental performance.
➢The next step is implementation. After that, the
organization evaluates its environmental
performance to see whether the objectives and
targets are being met. If targets are not being met,
corrective action is taken.
➢The results of this evaluation are then reviewed by
top management to see if the EMS is working.
Management revisits the environmental policy and
sets new targets in a revised plan.
➢The company then implements the revised plan. The
cycle repeats, and continuous improvement occurs.

59. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM (EMS)
The five main stages of an EMS are:
1. Commitment and Policy -Top management commits to environmental
improvement and establishes the organization's environmental policy. The policy is the
foundation of the EMS.
2. Planning -An organization first identifies environmental aspects of its operations.
Environmental aspects are those items, such as air pollutants or hazardous waste, that
can have negative impacts on people and/or the environment.
An organization then determines which aspects are significant by choosing criteria
considered most important by the organization.
The final part of the planning stage is devising an action plan for meeting the targets.
This includes designating responsibilities, establishing a schedule, and outlining
clearly defined steps to meet the targets.

60. ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS)
3. Implementation -A organization follows through with the action plan using the
necessary resources (human, financial, etc.). An important component is employee
training and awareness for all employees. Other steps in the implementation stage
include documentation, following operating procedures, and setting up internal and
external communication lines.
4. Evaluation -A company monitors its operations to evaluate whether targets are
being met. If not, the company takes corrective action.
5. Review -Top management reviews the results of the evaluation to see if the EMS is
working. Management determines whether the original environmental policy is
consistent with the organization's values. The plan is then revised to optimize the
effectiveness of the EMS. The review stage creates a loop of continuous improvement
for a company.

61. REFERENCES
➢Anjaneyulu Y, Valli Manickam, “Environmental Impact Assessment
Methodologies (Second Edition)”, BS Publications, 2007
➢https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P508_EAEMS_K3736-
Demo/unit1/page_14.htm#:~:text=Environmental%20auditing%20is%20
essentially%20an,different%20types%20of%20environmental%20audit.
➢https://unep.ch/etb/publications/EIAOvrhds/top10.pdf
➢https://www.epa.gov/ems/learn-about-environmental-management-
systems#:~:text=An%20Environmental%20Management%20System%2
0(EMS)%20is%20a%20framework%20that%20helps,improvement%20
of%20its%20environmental%20performance.