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 Scoping

Contact Details of the DeveloperCharacteristics of the ProjectCharacteristics of the Potential Impact

SCOPING PROCESS FOR AN AREA

The area occupies five acres.The 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 PROCESSThe 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 PROCESSthe 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 PROCESSthere is natural dam in one of its sides. there is no well organized infrastructure like

electricity, road telecommunication.the area is used as sand miningaround 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 PROCESSThe conduct of screening thus involves

making a preliminary determination of the expected impact of a proposal on the environment and of its relativesignificance. A certain level of basic information about the proposal and itslocation is required for this purpose

play grounds play grounds

burial places

irrigation farms

construction on the bank of river

SCOPING PROCESSThe conduct of screening thus involves

making a preliminary determination of the expected impact of a proposal on the environment and of its relativesignificance. A certain level of basic information about the proposal and itslocation is required for this purpose

For the screening purposes the following questions must be asked:-

Are there features of the local environment on or around the Project location

which can be affected by the Project?Is the Project in a location where it is likely to

be highly visible to many people?Is the Project located in a previously

undeveloped area where there will be loss of Greenfield land?

Questions forscreening purposesAre 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 forscreening purposes• • Commercial,• • Recreation,• • public open space,• • community facilities,• • agriculture,• • forestry,• • tourism,• mining or quarrying

Questions forscreening 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 forscreening purposesAre 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 forscreening 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 forscreening 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 Mitigation• . • The aim of Scoping is to identify alternatives and

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 project’s 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 Mitigation• At the more detailed level, alternatives merge

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 ImpactsIt 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 consideredin Scoping

YES/NO Which Characteristics of theProject Environment can beaffected?

Is the effect likely to be significant?Why?

EVALUATION CHECLIST

NORemoval of natural biodiversity

YES/ DESTRUCTION OF hard wood trees, mango trees, coconut trees, cashew nut trees, shrubs, flora and fauna.

YES, loss of natural biodiversity and economy

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 non-renewable or in short supply?

EVALUATION CHECLIST NO Timber

Aggregates, stone and sand

YES Cutting of natural trees

Causes a lot of dust and dirty ness of environment/surroundings   

Yes. Alteration of nature leading to deforestation.

Yes, major change in environmentat extraction sites. Impact on largenumbers of people nearby

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 Dust or odors fromhandling of materialsincluding constructionmaterials, sewage andwaste?

YES/NO Earth moving during constructioncould be dusty in dry climate andaffect neighboring habitats and residents

Yes, Habitat is worsened byexposure to dust

Will the project cause noise and vibration or release of light, heat energy or electromagnetic radiation?

EVALUATION CHECLIST

NO From construction oroperational traffic?

YES Heavy traffic flows for import of material during constructionaffecting residents and school

Yes, noises and vibrations

. 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 From discharge of sewageor other effluents (whethertreated or untreated) towater or the land?

YES  Increase in municipal sewage flowsfrom new residents

Possibly, depends on requirementfor new treatment facilities

EVALUATION CHECLIST

NO Does organic wastes like oil, grease and other waste lead to water contamination?

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 and social interaction is high.

YES, part of area is used for burial services, playing grounds fruit gathering being diminished .

ALTERNATIVES AND MITIGATION MEASURES OF A LOCATION

• The land is full with natural biodiversity covered with hard wood trees, mango trees, coconut trees, cashew nut trees, shrubs, flora and fauna.

• 1.1 Therefore after the completion of the project 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 OF A LOCATION• On its southern west the land, there is a bank

of river and 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 OF A LOCATIONOn the North West part the land is used for

burial services.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 OF A LOCATION• The area is surrounded by residential areas

on west, north 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 OF A LOCATIONThe north east part there is playing grounds

and 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 youth’s encouragements and benefits gaining from the company.

ALTERNATIVES AND MITIGATION MEASURES OF A LOCATIONOther infrastructures for electricity,

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