Environmental Impact Assessment | Objectives, Methods, Benefits

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Assessment (EA) is the assessment of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual project before deciding to proceed with the proposed action. In this context, the term Environmental Impact Assessment is usually applied by an individual or company to an actual project, and the term Strategic Environmental Assessment is often applied to proposed policies, plans, and programs as part of the state. It is a tool for environmental approval that is part of project approval and decision-making. Environmental assessment may be regulated by rules of administrative procedure relating to public participation and decision-making documents and may be subject to judicial review.

The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision-makers consider environmental impacts when deciding which project to proceed with. The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental impact assessment as a process of identifying, predicting, evaluating, and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals before making major decisions and commitments. EIAs are unique in that they do not require adherence to their predetermined environmental outcomes, but rather they require decision-makers to calculate environmental values ​​in their decisions and justify those decisions in light of detailed environmental studies and public comments on potential environmental impacts.

Environmental impact assessment objectives

The objectives of the Environmental impact assessment is to-

i. To protect the elements of the environment within the legislative authority of Parliament from the significant adverse environmental effects caused by a scheduled project;

ii. To ensure that scheduled projects are considered in a careful and cautious manner to avoid significant adverse environments in order to ensure that the power or performance of federal authority is required under any law of Parliament other than this Act;

iii. Promote cooperation and coordinated action between the federal and provincial governments on environmental assessment;

iv. Promoting communication and cooperation with indigenous peoples in environmental assessment;

v. Ensuring opportunities for meaningful public participation during environmental assessments;

vi. To ensure timely environmental assessment is completed;

vii. Projects defined in Section 66, which will be undertaken on federal land, or which are outside of Canada and which will be managed or financially supported by federal authorities, are carefully and cautiously considered to avoid significant adverse environmental impacts;

viii. Encourage federal authorities to take steps that encourage sustainable development to achieve or maintain a healthy environment and a healthy economy; and

ix. Encouraging the study of the growing effects of physical activity in a region and the consideration of that study leads to environmental assessment.

Environmental impact assessment methodology

The main methodologies adopted to complete the EIA are as follows:

i. The study of the relevant documents related to policy, legal and administrative structures, and their review, especially environmental aspects and limits of waste disposal, health and safety requirements, identification of sensitive areas and endangered species, land use, etc.

ii. A renewal survey was conducted to collect baseline data in the planned format;

iii. The collected data were analyzed;

iv. Baseline conditions were documented by environmental monitoring of the site;

v. Identification of major project activities during both the construction and management phases of the project.

vi Identify and forecast the environmental impact of project activities on the surrounding environment

vii. Identify the most important environmental and social impact and mitigation tips to reduce/eliminate negative effects and maximize positive effects.

viii Organizing public consultation meetings to consult with potential victims as well as people in the community;

ix. Development of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for both project construction and management phase;

Environmental impact assessment methods

i. Ad hoc method

ii. Checklist method

iii. Matrix method

iv. Network method

v. Overlay method

vi. Environmental index using factor analysis

vii. Cost/Benefit analysis

viii. Predictive or Simulation methods

Ad hoc method

Ad hoc methods indicate a wide range of potential effects by listing compound environmental parameters that may be affected by the proposed activity. These methods involve assembling a team of experts who identify the impact on their skills. Here, each parameter is considered separately and the nature of the effect is considered.

These methods give a rough assessment of the total effect while giving a wide area and the general nature of the potential effects. In this method, the evaluator relies on an intuitive approach and performs a broad-based qualitative assessment. This method serves as a preliminary assessment and helps to identify important areas such as-

a. Wildlife

b. Endangered species

c. Natural vegetation

d. Exotic vegetation

e. Grazing

f. Social characteristics

g. Natural drainage

h. Groundwater

i. Noise

j. Air quality

k. Visual description and services

l. Open space

m. Recreation

n. Health and safety

o. Economic values and

p. Public facilities

This method is very simple and can be done without any training. It does not involve any relative weight or any cause-and-effect relationship. It provides minimal guidelines for impact analysis while advising a broad field for potential impacts. Moreover, it does not even say the actual effects on the specific parameters that will be affected.

Checklist method

In this method, environmental factors are listed in a structured format by applying weights of importance to the factors and scaling techniques for the impact of each option. The checklist is a strong indicator of impact identification. They effectively gain the attention and awareness of their audience. Impact detection is a fundamental function of an EIA. The checklist may be:

A. Simple

B. Descriptive

C. Scaling or

D. Weight type

In the checklist method, the effects are tabulated in the form described with cell-shaped information that gives information about the probability or the possible existence of the effect where the scaling or weighting method gives the level of importance of the effect.

Matrix method

This method provides a framework for the interaction of the various activities of a project with the potential environmental effects caused by them. A general interaction matrix is ​​formed when project actions are listed on one axis (usually vertical) and environmental effects are listed on another axis. This strategy was introduced in 1971 by Leopold et al. It has about 100 project works and about 88 environmental features and conditions.

Network method

This method uses the matrix method and extends it to include both primary and secondary effects. It is shown in the form of a tree whose name is an impact tree. This diagram is also called a reference or sequence diagram. Direct, indirect identification along with short, long term effects is an important and fundamental step in creating an impact tree. The impact tree is used to identify cause-effect connections. A visual description of the impact tree links.

Overlay

This approach relies on a map of the environmental characteristics of a project area that includes physical, social, environmental, and aesthetic aspects. It enables individual mapping of critical environmental features to the same extent as to project site plans (e.g. wetlands, steep slopes, soils, floodplains, bedrock outcrops, wildlife habitats, plant communities, cultural resources, etc.). In the old technique, the environmental characteristics were mapped on transparent plastic in different colors. Modern techniques of the same operation are accomplished using computer software, hardware, data, and skilled people. This is called Geographic Information System (GIS).

Environmental impact assessment benefits

i. Reduced cost and time of project implementation.

ii. Cost-saving modifications in project design.

iii. Increased project acceptance.

iv. Avoided impacts and violations of laws and regulations.

v. Improved project performance.

vi. Avoided treatment/clean-up costs.

vi. A healthier local environment (forests, water sources, agricultural potential, recreational potential, aesthetic values, and clean living in urban areas).

vii. Improved human health.

viii. Maintenance of biodiversity.

ix. Decreased resource use.

x. Fewer conflicts over natural resource use.

xi. Increased community skills, knowledge, and pride.

Limitation of EIA

The potential effects involved in this EIA construction and operation phase are limited to investigation and management. This EIA should in no way be construed as providing an impact assessment for work or development on this or any other site. This project has not resulted in any evaluation for any future projects or activities. If or when such a development is proposed, additional environmental impact assessments should be made at that stage in accordance with the legal requirements of Bangladesh.

This EIA study is limited to the study of the potential effects of the project on the physical, biological, and socio-economic environment of the area. This study was conducted by accessing data from a wide range of primary and secondary data. This includes literary reviews, reports, and other documents, which have been supplemented with the collection of primary field data. Project evaluation is limited by the amount and quality of data available.

Some provisions of this EIA report assume reliance on conceptual design and technical information. If the design of the evaluated project changes due to design development, the inclusion of new information, a change in motivation, or any other reason, the results of any impact assessment or mitigation measures provided in this report may be inconsistent.