ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• EIA IS THE PROCESS OF ASSESSING THE LIKELY ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS OF A PROPOSAL & IDENTIFYING OPTIONS TO MINIMISE
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

• PURPOSE: TO INFORM DECISION MAKERS OF LIKELY IMPACTS OF A

PROPOSAL BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES OF EIA:

• IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF THE DESIGN.

• CHECK ENVIRONMENTAL ACCEPTABILITY OF THE PROPOSALS

COMPARED TO THE CAPACITY OF THE SITE AND THE RECEIVING
ENVIRONMENT.

• ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE USED APPROPRIATELY

AND EFFICIENTLY.

• IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES FOR MITIGATING THE

POTENTIAL IMAPCTS OF THE PROPOSAL.

• FACILITATE INFORMED DECISION MAKING, INCLUDING SETTING

THE ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSALS.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• LONG TERM OBJECTIVES OF EIA:

• AVOID IRREVERSIBLE CHANGES AND SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE

ENVIRONMENT
• SAFEGUARD VALUABLE RESOURCES, NATURAL AREAS AND
ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS.

• ENHANCE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSAL.

• PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY.

ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• IS INTENDED AS AN INSTRUMENT OF PREVENTIVE
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT.

• IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK AND AN INFORMATION BASIS

FOR DECISION MAKING ON ACTIVITIES AFFECTING THE
ENVIRONMENT

3 CORE VALUES OF EIA:

1. Integrity: THE EIA PROCESS SHOULD BE FAIR, OBJECTIVE ,

UNBIASED AND BALANCED.

2. Utility: THE EIA PROCESS SHOULD PROVIDE BALANCED, CREDIBLE

INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKING.

3. Sustainability: THE EIA PROCESS SHOULD RESULT IN

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFEGUARDS.
 ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE PROCEDURE:
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• PROCEDURAL STEPS OF EIA:

• DESCRIBE THE PROJECT.

• DESCRIBE THE ENVIRONMENT.

• IDENTIFYENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

• EVALUATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

• PROPOSE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL STRATEGIES OF THE IMPACTS.

• PRESENT THE STUDY.

• PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

• JUDGEMENT BY AUTHORITIES.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

 Classified under two categories:

• Rapid Assessment (REIA)

&
• Comprehensive Assessment

o Rapid Assessment is the initial feasiility study carried out for a minimum period
of 3 months.

o After it gets appraisal from MOEF , the next phase, comprehensive assessment
is carried out.

o It is carried out for a period of 16 months.

ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

RAPID ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT(REIA):

•Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment can be defined as the study , which

is done for quick assessment of likely adverse impacts.

•Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment studies will be conducted at the

initiation of the new activity. In some cases this study may be required for the
expansion of existing unit or change in the current manufacturing process( if the
pollution load is to exceed the existing one ).

•Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment study covers one season baseline

data for various environmental components viz. Air , Noise, water, land,
Biological and Socio-economic including parameters of human interest.
 ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment

•Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment is basically a study which

includes collection of data for various components for four seasons i.e.
Monsoon, Post-monsoon, Winter and Summer.
•Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment report has to be submitted
after the evaluation of Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment report, if so
asked by the Impact Assessment Agency.

The various methods used in the EIA are:

•Adhoc Method
•Overlays methods
•Checklists
•Matrix
•network and Integrated Method- combination of Matrix, Network analysis model
•a computer aided systematic approach.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
EIA PROCESS
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:
1. Proposal Identification
A large number of decisions are made at the project identification and proposal
development stage.

Decisions are made regarding:

• The location of the development
• The land uses the development will cater for
• The scale, layout and design of the development.

2. Screening:
Screening is undertaken to decide whether an EIA is required and focus
resources on projects most likely to have significant impacts, those where
impacts are uncertain and those where environmental management input is
likely to be required.

Official EIA guidelines usually contain lists or schedules specifying which

developments require an EIA. These criteria include:
• development characteristics
• characteristics of the location
• characteristics of potential effects
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:
3.Scoping

• It is the step in which the key issues that the EIA will address are
identified.
• Ensures that the EIA focuses on those areas where significant effects
are likely, therefore preventing resources being used to address issues where
no significant effects are likely.

• A good scoping process will consist of three key components:

• Consultation with relevant stakeholders and interested parties – to

gather information on the project and its consequences.

• Analysis of the issues identified during consultation to determine which

are likely to be significant and therefore must be included within the scope
of the EIA; and

• Negotiation with the decision makers and other interested parties to

refine the scope of the EIA.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:
3.Scoping:

There are a number of issues that are considered (to varying depths) within the
scope of the majority of EIAs. These include:

• Landscape and visual

• Ecology
•Land use
• Traffic and transport
• Air quality
• Noise
• Water
• Ground conditions
• Archaeology
• Cultural heritage
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:

4. Impact Analysis

• Involves characterising the impact in terms of its likely nature, spatial and
temporal distribution, duration, frequency, reversibility and magnitude.

Finally a judgement must be made as to whether the impact is likely to be

significant or not.

A large number of impact analysis techniques exist, each have their

advantages and disadvantages.
Impact analysis techniques can be quantitative or qualitative.
Quantitative techniques tend to involve a prescriptive method being
set out and followed whereas qualitative techniques rely less upon a prescribed
method instead relying heavily upon professional judgement. The nature of the
environmental media being assessed will determine the most appropriate
impact analysis technique.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:

5. Mitigation

Where impact analysis identifies that a development is likely to give rise to

significant environmental impacts, mitigation measures are proposed to
avoid, reduce and if possible, remedy them..

6. Environmental Statement:

The environmental statement is the vehicle used to communicate the

results of the EIA to the decision maker and other stakeholders in the
development process.

•The environmental statement should objectively document the EIA

process and findings giving equal prominence to positive and negative
impacts relative to their importance.
•The ES should be clear and concise.
•As non specialists are likely to read the document technical language
should be avoided.
•Any necessary technical information should be provided in appendices.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:
7. Review

A review of the quality of the environmental statement is a way of

demonstrating that:
•The ES has met all the appropriate legal requirements
•the ES contains sufficient information to allow a decision to be made
•the ES is consistent with current good practice

A review of the ES can be undertaken at the draft stage or after finalisation.

The earlier the review takes place the greater the influence it can have over
the quality of the ES.

8. Decision Making

This is the point in the process where the development is either granted
planning permission or not.

It is necessary at this stage for the environmental statement to be made

available to a number of statutory consultees, the public and other stakeholders.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
STEPS INVOLVED IN EIA:

9. Implementation and follow up

•Implementation and follow up is very important in EIA.

•It is the stage where the mitigation measures proposed within the
environmental statement are actually implemented.

•It is also the stage where any necessary monitoring of impacts is

undertaken.
 ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
INDIAN SCENARIO:

Environmental clearance on the basis of Environmental Impact Assessment is

mandatory for various developments projects in most part of the world today. In
India, this was introduced as an administrative measures in 1978-79, initially
for river valley projects and extending later to industrial projects. There are
about 29 categories of projects for which Environmental Clearance was made
mandatory by the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Notification issued in January 1994 under the Environment Protection Act,

1986(4). Certain activities permissible under the coastal regulation zone
Notification 1991 also require clearance.

Environmental Clearance is granted by the Impact Assessment in the

Ministry of Environment and Forest.

This power has been delegated to the State governments in the case of co-
generation power plants of any capacity, gas/ naphtha based and coal based
power plants with fluidized bed technology of up to 500 MW capacity and
conventional coal based power plants of up to 250 MW capacity except when
located within 25 Km. of the boundary of reserved forests, biosphere
reserves and critically polluted areas or within 50 km. of inter-state
boundary.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
SOME OF THE DRAWBACKS IN THE INDIAN SYSTEM:
•The team formed for conducting EIA studies is lacking the expertise in various
fields such as Anthropologists and Social Scientists (to study the social impact of
the project) or even wild life experts.
•There is a lack of exhaustive ecological and socio-economic indicators for
impact assessment.
•Public comments are not taken into account at the early stage, which often
leads to conflict at the later stage of project clearance.
•There is always a lack of reliable data sources.
•The data collectors do not pay respect to the indigenous knowledge of local
people.
•The credibility of the primary data collected by the data collectors is doubtful.
•The detail method used for the prediction and evaluation of the project is not
mentioned in the report.
•The limited coverage of scoping is confined mainly to direct impacts.
•Details regarding the effectiveness and implementation of mitigation measures
are often not provided.
•Often, and more so for strategic industries such as nuclear energy
projected, the EMP s are kept confidential for political and administrative
reasons
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT
List of some projects requiring environmental clearance from the central
government:

•Nuclear Power and related projects such as Heavy Water Plants, nuclear fuel
complex, Rare Earths.
•River Valley projects including hydel power, major Irrigation & their combination
including flood control.
•Ports, Harbours, Airports (except minor ports and harbours).
•Petroleum Refineries including crude and product pipelines.
•Chemical Fertilizers (Nitrogenous and Phosphatic other than single
superphosphate).
•Pesticides (Technical).
•Petrochemical complexes (Both Olefinic and Aromatic) and Petro-chemical
intermediates such as DMT, Caprolactam, LAB etc. and production of basic
plastics such as LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PVC.
•Bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals.
•Exploration for oil and gas and their production, transportation and storage.
•Synthetic Rubber.
•Asbestos and Asbestos products.