NTA LEVEL 8

Introduction
Before commencement of any project,

Environment Impact Assessment must be

carried out to ensure that development projects
such as a housing or estate, a road or bridge or
some such construction project has a minimal
impact on the environment in its entire 'lifecycle'
as during design, construction, use,
maintenance, and demolition.

We need to look at all our daily actions as

eventually and cumulatively affecting the
environment.

Introduction
This includes our daily choices, where delicate

balances between financial and environmental

considerations need to be made automatically
without thinking hence Environmental
impact assessment is a planning tool that
helps in information gathering and is now
generally regarded as an integral component
of sound decision making basis for granting or
denying approval for a proposed development
.

Environmental Impact
Assessment
(EIA)

is a tool used to identify the environmental,

social and economic impacts of a project
prior to decision-making. It aims to predict
environmental impacts at an early stage in
project planning and design, find ways and
means to reduce adverse impacts, shape
projects to suit the local environment and
present the predictions and options to
decision-makers

(EIA)
By using EIA both environmental and

economic benefits can be achieved, such as

reduced cost and time of project
implementation and design, avoided
treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws
and regulations.

(EIA) Typical example

. You have three pieces of land to carry out EIA.
The main purpose for the given three pieces of

land of five acres each is planed for construction

of an automobile workshop which will deal with
assembly, maintenance, service and repair
of various makes of vehicles. By carrying out of
Environmental Impact Assessment it helps "to
give the environment its due place in the
decision making process by clearly evaluating
the environmental consequences of a proposed
activity before action is taken.

EIA key elements

The process to be carried out should follow

the key elements used for EIA which include

scoping,
screening,
identification
evaluation alternatives and
suggesting the mitigation measures
to deal with uncertainty as a guide of these
pieces of lands.

SCOPING

Scoping is the process of determining the

content and extent of the matters which
should be covered in the environmental
information to be submitted to a competent
authority for projects which are subject to EIA.
Scoping is an early stage in the process and is
designed to ensure that the environmental
studies provide all the relevant information
on:

the impacts of the project, in particular

focusing on the most important impacts;

the alternatives to the project;
any other matters to be included.

 The findings of scoping define the scope of

the environmental information to be

submitted to the competent authority and the
terms of reference for the environmental
studies to be undertaken to compile that
information. Also scoping is process of
identifying key issues and concerns of
community or society around the particular
area.

Scoping
Procedures

It must be remembered; however, that even

where scoping is not legally required it is still
good practice and developers should always
include a scoping stage in their work
programmed for EIA.

Information
required
for
Contact Details of the Developer
Scoping
Characteristics of the Project
Characteristics of the Potential Impact

SCOPING
PROCESS
FOR
The area occupies five acres.
AN
The AREA
land is full with natural biodiversity
covered with hard wood trees, mango trees,
coconut trees, cashew nut trees, shrubs, flora
or fauna.
On its southern west of the land there is a
river bank and the river is used for both
domestic use and irrigation.

SCOPING PROCESS
The north east part there is playing grounds

and a primary school.

The area is well accessibleto road but needs
improvement.
Other infrastructures for electricity,
telecommunication and water are available
but need improvements

SCOPING PROCESS
the area is used for farming activities with

both food crops and cash crops like cassava,

potatoes, vegetables.
the area is used for traditional and cultural
activities such as circumcision, traditional
dancing, social gathering.

SCOPING PROCESS
there is natural dam in one of its sides.
there is no well organized infrastructure like

electricity, road telecommunication.

the area is used as sand mining
around the area there is mosque and church
buildings.

Features of an area

SCOPING PROCESS
it is high density area
the area is used as recreational area.
in between the area there is sewage system

drainage
electric high tension line system is passing
through.
the land is bordered with hospital on the
western side

a river on south west

Coconut and mango trees in

the field

SCREENING PROCESS
The conduct of screening thus involves

making a preliminary determination of the

expected impact of a proposal on the
environment and of its relative
significance. A certain level of basic
information about the proposal and its
location is required for this purpose

play grounds

burial places

irrigation farms

construction on the bank

of river

SCOPING PROCESS
The conduct of screening thus involves

making a preliminary determination of the

expected impact of a proposal on the
environment and of its relative
significance. A certain level of basic
information about the proposal and its
location is required for this purpose

For
the
screening
Are there features of the local environment on
purposes
thelocation
following
or around the Project
which can be affected by the Project?
questions
must
be
Is the Project in a location where it is likely to
asked:be highly visible to many people?
Is the Project located in a previously

undeveloped area where there will be loss of

Greenfield land?

Questions for
screening
purposes

Are there existing land uses on or around the

Project location which can be affected by the
Project?

For example:
Homes, gardens, other private property,
Industry,

Questions for
screening
purposes

Commercial,
Recreation,
public open space,
community facilities,
agriculture,
forestry,
tourism,
mining or quarrying

Questions for
screening
purposes
Are there any plans for future land uses on or around

the location which can be affected by the Project?

Are there any areas on or around the location which

are densely populated or built-up, which can be
affected by the Project?

Are there any areas on or around the location which

are occupied by sensitive land uses which can be
affected by the Project?

Like hospitals, schools, places of worship and

community facilities.

Questions for
screening
purposes

Are there any areas on or around the location

which contain important, high quality or
scarce resources which can be affected by the
Project?
For example:
Groundwater resources, surface waters,
forestry, agriculture, fisheries,
tourism, minerals.

Questions for
screening
purposes
Is the Project likely to affect human or

community health or welfare?

The quality or toxicity of air, water, foodstuffs
and other products consumed by humans?
Morbidity or mortality of individuals,
communities or populations by exposure to
pollution?
Occurrence or distribution of disease vectors
including insects?
Vulnerability of individuals, communities or
populations to disease?
Individuals sense of personal security?

Questions for
screening
purposes

Community cohesion and identity?

Cultural identity and associations?
Minority rights?
Housing conditions?
Employment and quality of employment?
Economic conditions?
Social institutions?


Due to the information collected

thoroughly EIA must be carried for the

given area.

Identifying Possible
Alternatives
and
.
The aim of Scoping is to identify alternatives and
Mitigation

mitigation measures which it may be appropriate for

the developer to consider in finalizing the project
proposals.
Alternatives are essentially, different ways in which
the developer can feasibly meet the projects
objectives, for example by carrying out a different type
of action,
choosing an alternative location or adopting a different
technology or design for the
project.

Identifying Possible
Alternatives
and
At the more detailed level, alternatives merge
Mitigation
into mitigating measures
where specific changes are made to the

project design or to methods of

construction or operation to avoid, reduce or
remedy environmental effects. All EIA
systems also require developers to consider
mitigation (ie measures to avoid, reduce
and remedy significant adverse effects).

Identifying Possible
Alternatives and
Mitigation
Alternatives and mitigation therefore cover a
spectrum ranging from a high level to
very detailed aspects of project design.
As an example they might range from:

Range of examples of
alternatives
different strategies e.g. to manage demand or
reduce losses rather than develop new resource;
different sites or routes for all or part of the
project;
different technologies and raw materials e.g.
construction of a combined cycle gas
turbine
power plant rather than a coal fired power station;
altered layouts or designs e.g. locating noisy
activities away from sensitive receptors or

Range of examples of
alternatives
replacing one large stack for gaseous

emissions with two smaller ones;

environmental measures incorporated into
the project design e.g. construction of an
ecoduct to ensure safe passage of wildlife
across a motorway rather than establishment
of compensatory habitat.

Evaluating the
Significance
of
Impacts

Using checklist of Criteria for Evaluating the

Significance of Impacts to the three areas will
identify those impacts which are expected to
be significant. The questions are designed so
that a yes answer will point towards a
significant impact

Evaluating the
Significance
of
Impacts

It is often difficult to decide what is or is not

significant but a useful simple check is to ask
whether the effect is one that is of sufficient
importance that it ought to be considered and
have an influence on the development
consent decision. As much information as
possible about the degree of significance
should be included in Column 4 as a guide for
planning the environmental studies.

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Questions to
be considered
in Scoping

YES/NO

Which
Characteristics
of the
Project
Environment
can be
affected?

Is the effect
likely to be
significant?
Why?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

YES/
Removal of
natural
biodiversity

YES, loss of
DESTRUCTIO natural
N OF hard
biodiversity
wood trees, and
mango
economy
trees,
coconut
trees,
cashew nut
trees,
shrubs, flora
and fauna.

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Leveling

YES

natural
spring and
habitat
destruction

YES, will
cause water
crisis

Will the project use any natural resources,

especially any resources which are nonrenewable or in short supply?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Timber

Aggregates,
stone and
sand

YES

Cutting of
Yes.
natural trees Alteration of
nature
leading to
deforestatio
n.
Causes a lot
of dust and
dirty ness of Yes, major
environment change in
/surrounding environment
s
at extraction

sites. Impact

on large
numbers of
people

Will the project produce solid wastes during

construction or operation or
decommissioning?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Municipal
waste
(household
and or
commercial
wastes)?

YES/NO

New
population
will be
generated
such as
household
and other
wastes like
air fumes,
exhaust
gasses and
metal
particles.

YES, there is
land, water
and air
pollution.

Will the project release pollutants or any

hazardous, toxic or noxious substances to air?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

YES/NO
Dust or
odors from
handling of
materials
including
construction
materials,
sewage and
waste?

Earth
moving
during
construction
could be
dusty in dry
climate and
affect
neighboring
habitats and
residents

Yes, Habitat
is worsened
by
exposure to
dust

Will the project cause noise and vibration or

release of light, heat energy or

electromagnetic radiation?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

YES
From
construction
or
operational
traffic?

Heavy traffic Yes, noises

flows for
and
import of
vibrations
material
during
construction
affecting
residents
and school

. Will the project lead to risks of

contamination of land or water from releases

of pollutants onto the ground or into sewers,
surface waters, groundwater, coastal wasters
or the sea?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

YES
From
discharge of
sewage
or other
effluents
(whether
treated or
untreated)
to
water or the
land?

Increase in
municipal
sewage
flows
from new
residents

Possibly,
depends on
requirement
for new
treatment
facilities

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Does
organic
wastes like
oil, grease
and other
waste lead
to water
contaminati
on?

YES/NO

Oil and other

waste during
repair and
maintenance
will come
out as
workshop
wastes.

YES, land
there is dam
used for
domestic
activities
fishing .

Will the project result in social, cultural and

economic changes?

EVALUATION CHECLIST
NO

Is there any
impacts in
social,
cultural or
economic
changes?

YES/

Land crisis
YES, part of
and social
area is used
interaction is for burial
high.
services,
playing
grounds fruit
gathering
being
diminished .

ALTERNATIVES
AND
The land is full with natural biodiversity covered
with hard wood trees, mango
trees, coconut
MITIGATION
MEASURES
trees, cashew nut trees, shrubs, flora and fauna.
1.1 Therefore
after the completion of the project
OF
A LOCATION

new threes should be planted around the

workshop to maintain the wealth of that
particular area
1.2 Also the drilled water well must be
established in order to minimize the water crisis
might occur after water source destruction to the
community near the workshop.

ALTERNATIVES AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES
On its southern west the land, there is a bank
OF
A and
LOCATION
of river
the river is used for domestic use
and irrigation.

The company should make sure the waste

management is properly done and protect the

soil erosion by building wetlands around the
water source of the river and plant water
friendly tries around it.
The company should establish good irrigation
system in order to improve the farming of the
interested parties.

ALTERNATIVES AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES
On the North West part the land is used for
OF
Aservices.
LOCATION
burial
3.1 The company should find another good

place for burial which will be special for it and

compensate to the relatives.

ALTERNATIVES AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES
The area is surrounded by residential areas on
OF
Anorth
LOCATION
west,
and eastern side with permanent
settlement and on the southern part there are
the low lands with irrigation farming practiced
there and the area is well accessible with road
but needs improvement.
4.1 The company should improve and provide
some social services like tape water,
improved road and improved irrigation
farming.

ALTERNATIVES AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES
The north east part there is playing grounds
OF
LOCATION
and A
a primary
school.
5.1 The company should build school fence to

improve pupils security and it should be

provide sports accessories like, balls, jazzes,
for youths encouragements and benefits
gaining from the company.

ALTERNATIVES AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES
Other infrastructures for electricity,
OF
A LOCATION
telecommunication
and water are available

but needs improvements.

6.1 The company should bring systematic
infrastructure due to demand of heavy duty
electrical power therefore the availability of
electricity around the company should be
improved.

End of Lecture one on EIA