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Environmental Impact
Assessment - Report
IEE Report - NEA Section 33
Initial environmental examination report means a
written report wherein possible impacts of the
prescribed project on the environment shall be
assessed with a view to determining whether such
impacts are significant, and as such requires the
preparation of an environmental impact assessment
report and such report shall contain such further
details, descriptions, data, maps, designs and other
information and details as may be prescribed by
the Minister.
EIA report
Environmental impact assessment report means a
written analysis of the predicted environmental
consequences of a proposed prescribed project and
containing an environmental cost benefit analysis, if such
an analysis has been prepared, including a description of
the project, and includes a description of the avoidable
and unavoidable adverse environmental effects of the
proposed prescribed project; a description of
alternatives of the activity which might be less harmful
to the environment together with the reasons why such
alternatives were rejected, and a description of any
irreversible or irretrievable commitments of resources
required by the proposed prescribed project.
Elements of an EIA report
! A written analysis of the predicted environmental
consequences of a proposed prescribed project and an
environmental cost benefit analysis.
! a description of the project including a description of the
avoidable and unavoidable adverse environmental effects of
the proposed prescribed project.
! a description of alternatives to the activity together with
the reasons why such alternatives were rejected.
! a description of any irreversible or irretrievable
commitments of resources required by the proposed
prescribed project.
1. Significant impacts
! Found in IEE report but not in the
EIA report.
! How do you determine whether an
impact is significant?
! Not determined in the NEA
CEA Guidelines:
Significant impacts to be determined
on the basis of:
(a) Context
(b) Intensity
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Context:
Impacts on the nation as a whole
Impacts on a particular region or
type of activity
Impacts on a specific community
Intensity:
Severity
Magnitude
Nature of impact
Intensity easier to define than
context.
2. Cumulative impacts:
! What are cumulative impacts?
Examples of cumulative impacts:
! Urban areas - housing/apartment blocks
! Prawn farms
! Deforestation
Important in the context of the magnitude
factor in prescribed projects.
3. Alternatives
! Perhaps the most important feature
of an EIA report.
! Required as an element of EIA
reports in all countries.
! Absence of evaluation of alternatives
may open it to being challenged under
the law.
The NEA requires;
a description of alternatives to the
activity which might be less harmful to
the environment together with the
reasons why such alternatives were
rejected.
What alternatives should be included in
an EIA report?
Those that are reasonably available
Not those which are remote possibilities
A rule of reason test applied
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Alternatives cannot be excluded
because:
Implementation of such alternative course of
action depends upon another official;
The alternative does not offer a complete
solution to the problem;
The alternatives require a radically new
approach to the agency mission; or
They would take time to implement.
Alternatives which should be considered:
The no action alternative
The alternative of delaying implementation until
further study on the project is completed
Alternatives requiring the project to be
implemented in a significantly different way
which would provide similar benefits but with
different environmental impacts.
Alternatives regarding different designs in the
projects which would have different
environmental impacts.
CEA Guidelines:
reasonable alternatives should include those agreed upon in
the scoping process and if subsequently determined to be
unreasonable the reasons should be discussed;
reasonable alternatives may include action outside the
jurisdiction of the Project Approving Agency;
reasonable alternatives may be more restricted for
proposals by private entities than for those of the State
because realistic options available to private bodies may be
more limited.
a discussion of alternatives should always include the no
action alternative.
A discussion of alternatives should always state the reasons
for rejecting the alternatives in preference to the one
recommended.
Types of alternatives:
Primary and secondary alternatives
Alternatives available to the State
and private sector
The no action alternative
4. Mitigation measures
5. Social Impact Assessment