ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the process of assessing the

likely environmental impacts of a proposal and identifying options to
minimise environmental damage. The main purpose of EIA is to inform
decision makers of the likely impacts of a proposal before a decision is
made. EIA provides an opportunity to identify key issues and
stakeholders early in the life of a proposal so that potentially adverse
impacts can be addressed before final approval decisions are made.

Although legislation and practice vary around the world, the fundamental
components of an EIA would necessarily involve the following stages:
a. Screening to determine which projects or developments require a full
or partial impact assessment study;
b. Scoping to identify which potential impacts are relevant to assess
(based on legislative requirements, international conventions, expert
knowledge and public involvement), to identify alternative solutions
that avoid, mitigate or compensate adverse impacts on biodiversity
(including the option of not proceeding with the development, finding
alternative designs or sites which avoid the impacts, incorporating
safeguards in the design of the project, or providing compensation for
adverse impacts), and finally to derive terms of reference for the
impact assessment;
c. Assessment and evaluation of impacts and development of
alternatives, to predict and identify the likely environmental impacts of
a proposed project or development, including the detailed elaboration
of alternatives;
d. Reporting the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or EIA
report, including an environmental management plan (EMP), and a
non-technical summary for the general audience.
e. Review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), based on the
terms of reference (scoping) and public (including authority)
participation.
f. Decision-making on whether to approve the project or not, and under
what conditions; and
g. Monitoring, compliance, enforcement and environmental
auditing. Monitor whether the predicted impacts and proposed
mitigation measures occur as defined in the EMP. Verify the
compliance of proponent with the EMP, to ensure that unpredicted
impacts or failed mitigation measures are identified and addressed in
a timely fashion.
A UNESCO guideline to EIA methodologies-

Purpose of the Environmental Assessment Method:

Identification the main environmental issues and aspects

Agreement the relative significance of the environmental aspects

Assessment the environmental performance of the proposed scheme

against the significant aspects

Identification significant positive and negative impacts

Evaluation the overall environmental impact of the scheme to enable

comparison between alternative proposals

Facilitation an inclusive approach with the project stakeholders

Procedures and stages of the Environmental Impact Assessment:

1. Identification of projects requiring EIA, sometimes known as screening

2. Identification of the key issues to be addressed in an EIA, called

scoping

3. Impact identification, assessment and evaluation

a. Identification of environmental and cultural heritage aspects and

agree significance

b. Identification of the environmental impact of the project on the cultural

heritage i. Checklists ii. Matrices iii. Quantitative methods iv. Networks
v. Overlay maps

c. Assessment of the environmental impact of the project on the cultural

heritage in relation to the following qualities: direct/indirect, spatial
distribution, beneficial or adverse, short or long term, permanency
(especially irreversibility), differing rates of changes, cumulative:

i. Mechanistic/mathematical models describing cause-effect

relationships in the form of flow charts or mathematical functions; ii.
Mass balance models describing inputs and outputs from a defined
environmental compartment; iii. Statistical models such as regression
analysis describing the relationship between data; iv. Physical models
replicating some element of the project-environment interaction; v.
Field/laboratory models enabling the prediction of impacts on receptors;
vi. Analogue models enabling comparison with similar situations
elsewhere; vii. Various other models such as Threshold of consent
models. d. Evaluation of the environmental impact of the project on the
cultural heritage (assessing the impacts significance and defining the
level of concern engendered by the impacts identified) in relation to the
following influence factors: magnitude; spatial and temporal extent;
degree of recovery of the affected environment; value of the affected
environment; level of public concern; political repercussion. i. Cost-
benefit analysis seeking to express impacts in monetary terms based on
net present value calculations using direct and indirect evaluation
techniques; ii. multi-criteria analysis (weights) achieving consensus on
the significance of impacts; iii. decision analysis (trees) revealing value
judgements which underpin decisions and allowing for the identification
of the full consequences of a given course of action; iv. goals
achievement matrices relating community goals to the impact of a
development proposal.

4. Agreement the environmental aspects and their significance

5. Impact mitigation and monitoring;

6. Assembly of the result of an EIA in a document known as an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that relates all the positive and
negative effects of a particular project on the environment.

7. Review of the completed EIS;

8. Public participation.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a document prepared by a

proponent or developer applicant describing a proposed program or
project; alternatives to the project and measure to be adopted to protect
the environment.

The EIS it shall include a description of the likely significant effect, direct
and indirect, on the environment of the development, explained by
relevance to its possible impact on historical, archaeological, cultural
heritage.

Characteristics of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Clear, concise summary Full glossary Contents and authorship

clearly set out Brief history of proposed development Full description
of the proposed project, objectives, geographical boundary, short and
long term impacts, reversible or permanent impacts Full description of
existing environment - data assembly Alternative actions - the no-
action alternative Justification of proposal - economic, social and
environmental Proposal for protection of the environment from
proposed actions - risks and mitigation actions for components of the
system failing Effect on local infrastructure Communication - full
involvement of the public The decision - public release of the decision

Proposition of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Layout

Title Page Contents Page Non-technical Summary

General Introduction

Part 1: Methods and Key Issues o Methods Statement o Summary of

key issues; monitoring programme statement

Part 2: Background to the proposed development o preliminary studies:

need, planning, alternatives and site selection o site description,
baseline conditions o description of proposed development o
construction activities and programme

Part 3: Environmental Impact Assessment topic areas o Landuse,

landscape and visual quality o Geology, topography, soils o Hydrology
and water quality o Air quality and climate o Ecology: terrestrial and
aquatic o Noise o Transport
Following are the recommendations for improving the state of
indan bio-diversity spheres on the basis of general EIA TOOLS-

Recommendations
Most of the legal provisions pertain mainly to use/exploitation of
biological resources, rather than their conservation. Even Wild Life
Protection Act 1972, focuses on protection rather than
conservation. Protection under Wild Life Protection Act is largely
directed towards large animal species (charismatic terrestrial
species) rather than the large spectrum of fauna and flora also
found in the marine realm.
The existing laws relating to biodiversity shall be examined in order
to bring them in tune with the provisions of convention to reflect
current understanding of biodiversity conservation. There is a need
for comprehensive legislation on biodiversity conservation and use
especially fisheries policies, which is generally ignored.
Formulation of policies for protection of wetlands, grasslands,
sacred groves, marine flora and fauna and other areas is
significant from the point of view of biodiversity.
Documentation of biodiversity.
Increase allocation of financial resources for conservation of
biodiversity.
Integrating conservation with development.
There should be continuous monitoring of biodiversity use for
review of results of implementation of policies and programmes.