Environmental Impact Assessment Methodologies

INTRODUCTION
EIA means analysis and forecast of impacts on the environment to be exerted by specific projects so as to work out measures to protect the environment when such projects are carried out. It is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the environmental, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts when deciding whether to proceed with a project. The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental impact assessment as "the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made."EIAs are unique in that they do not require adherence to a predetermined environmental outcome, but rather they require decision -makers to account for environmental values in their decisions and to justify those decisions in light of detailed environmental studies and public comments on the potential environmental impacts of the proposal.

Process Of EIA Project outline Screening Scoping Alternatives Prediction Evaluation Mitigation Environmental Statement (ES) Planning Application/consent Implementation

 Post-construction monitoring, auditing and management

Screening often results in a categorization of the project and from this a decision is made on whether or not a full EIA is to be carried out. Scoping is the process of determining which are the most critical issues to study and will involve community participation to some degree. It is at this early stage that EIA can most strongly influence the outline proposal. Detailed prediction and mitigation studies follow scoping and are carried out in parallel with feasibility studies. The main output report is called an Environmental Impact Statement, and contains a detailed plan for managing and monitoring environmental impacts both during and after implementation. Finally, an audit of the EIA process is carried out some time after implementation. The audit serves a useful feedback and learning function.

EIA Methodologies 1. Experts judgment 2. Checklists and matrices 3. Flowcharts and decision trees 4. Multicriteria analysis 5. Case comparison 6. Simulation Models 7. GIS and map overlays 8. Contingency analysis

9. CBA, CEA, other economic evaluation Functions Of EIA Impact Identification Impact Prediction Impact Interpretation Communication of Information Devising Monitoring Scheme

Methodologies Checklists Structured list of environmental factors potentially affected. Extensive and complete. Main function: identify ALL possible consequences of the proposal Three types: 1. Simple : no information needed on magnitude or importance of impacts 2. Descriptive, require information on magnitude or importance of impacts as well as indication on prediction methods and indicators. 3. Questionnaires, three types of answer: yes, no, may be The regulation checklist Population

 Fauna Flora Soil Water Air Climatic factors Example of a checklist headings Geology Slopes Special Land Features Water Biota Climate and air Energy Services Advantages published lists have credibility structured easy to use not project specific easily modified stimulate discussion easy summary & presentation Disadvantages never complete cannot easily consider significance or cumulative impacts or impact interactions do not allow consideration of alternatives

Matrices

Double entrance tables, permit establishment of relationships: 1. Project actions or activities (causes) 2. And the environmental factors (effects) Functions: -Preliminary identication of impacts (scoping) -Comparative analysis of alternatives -Impact assessment

-Presentation of evaluation results

Advantages easy to use good visual summary show simple causal relationships can show magnitude etc.

Disadvantages do not deal with indirect effects scoring subjective separates environmental components scores may be added together

Networks

Complex flow diagram to show web of relationships in environment Identification of environmental change and its effects - secondary & tertiary impacts Sorenson

 IMPACT

Advantages identify indirect, secondary and cumulative effects

Disadvantages no significance need expertise & local knowledge complicated to develop and project specific

Flow charts

Flowcharts and impacts trees, including network diagrams, enable the analysis of the inter-relationship between causes and effects and enables de analysis of indirect and cumulative impacts.

Advantages - integrated assessment, instead of discipline by discipline - inter-relations between causes and effects, including indirect impacts - cumulative impact assessment - communication (when simple).
Overlays

Disadvantages -complexity (especially visually complex) -difficult to distinguish and quantify magnitudes (and importance) of different impacts

Sets of maps showing physical, ecological, agricultural, social etc. features Transparent sheets superimposed to give composite picture (max 10)

 GIS - computerised version

Advantages Disadvantages Easy to use and understand do not distinguish secondary show spatial distribution of impacts impacts no impact probability good for linear developments not all impacts can be and choosing appropriate sites mapped clear boundaries difficult to define

Models

Analogue: looking at other comparable developments Systems e.g. Odum

 Simulation/computer e.g. Hollings Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management (AEAM) approach Advantages test understanding of the system can show interactions dynamic can allow for uncertainty Disadvantages need time to set up difficult to understand/use high data requirements garbage in =garbage out

Quantitative

Most of the methods have quantitative versions, especially models Cost benefit analysis Contingent valuation
Other approaches

Ad hoc lack system & credibility but simple Workshop & Consultation expert opinion & experience valuable cross-disciplinary discussion public consultation: local knowledge & critical issues time-consuming, slow, inconclusive & not comprehensive

Name Economic Tools

Application

Description

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Decision-Making

Variety of economic tools that assign value to project

Cost Effectiveness Analysis

Decision-Making

Trade-Off Analysis

Decision-Making

Economic analysis that focuses on cost of providing services and achieving objectives. The technique emphasizes achievement of least-cost approach. This socioeconomic tool involves comparison of a set of alternatives relative to a series of decision factors arrayed on a matrix. Approaches used can include qualitative, quantitative, ranking, rating, scaling, weighing. These checklists are designed to be used in identifying significant environmental impacts, project alternatives, and special issues associated with development projects. They are qualitative and predictive in nature. More than 35 types of projects are represented, including housing, agriculture, and industrial development. This is a checklist of topics intended to initiate development of a detailed scope for an EIS. The checklist helps identify topic areas to

Checklists World Bank Environmental Impact Checklist Scoping, Development of Alternatives, Mitigation

Model EIS scoping checklist Scoping NY DEC

be addressed in the EIS. Checklist of potential environmental impacts of transportation project Scoping This checklist was designed to help identify environmental impacts associated with planning, design, construction, and operation of a transportation project. This matrix is used to identify potential impacts associated with a project or alternatives. It assists performing a comprehensive review of the variety of interactions between project elements and environmental parameters, to identify important environmental factors, data needs, and less damaging alternatives. This method uses a matrix of 234 project activities and 27 environmental features to identify critical environmental areas. Each element in the matrix is scaled and results input to an algorithm that aggregates impact scores. It is used to identify critical environmental areas.

Matrices Leopold Matrix Impact Assessment

Loran Methodology (Matrix)

Impact Assessment

Scaling or Weighing Technique Crawford Methodology

Impact Assessment

Methodology was devised for use in highway route

PADC Methodology

Impact Assessment

Water Resources Assessment Methodology

Impact Assessment

Fischer and Davis Methodology

Impact Assessment

planning. It makes extensive use of public involvement and the Delphi Technique. The technique is used as a basis for analyzing the value trade-offs involved in a decision between project alternatives. Results show each alternative as a percentage of maximum possible positive or negative impact. This tool evaluates the significance of impacts based on 5 polarities: adverse/beneficial, short/long term, reversible/irreversible, direct/indirect, local/strategic. No numerical method of evaluating responses is presented This methodology produces scores for evaluating effects of alternatives on specific environmental components. The methodology uses scaling and weighing methods for environmental social and economic components. This method is used for determination of impact, although it does not differentiate between impact magnitude and significance. Impacts are assigned a

positive(+) or negative(-), and the degree of impact is assigned subjectively. Designators are used to indicate short-term or long-term impacts. Scores achieved are used to compare alternatives. Overlay Mapping and GIS Overlay Mapping

Impact Assessment, Environmental Characterization

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Impact Assessment, Environmental Characterization Impact Analysis and Prediction Impact Assessment

Landscape Mapping (GIS) Ground Disturbance Model

Visual Contrast

Impact Assessment

This method is useful in displaying and identifying areas of environmental sensitivity, succession, development, and landscape impacts due to multiple projects. GIS consists of digitized maps and overlays that are used to show spatial dimensions of impacts and areas of concern. This tool is used to assess the suitability or vulnerability of an area for various uses. This GIS-based tool is a model that combines GIS database layers of land-cover, slope categories, and transportation to quantify and map the area of potential land disturbance into 5 levels of magnitude. This GIS-based tool provides a measure of visible change in the landscape. It combines GIS data for landcover,

Cultural Resources Predictive Model

Impact Assessment

Sensitive Habitats

Impact Assessment

terrain, land-sue and the proposed project description to map a visual contrast representing the level of change in the characteristic landscape. This GIS-based tool uses data on landcover, terrain, and water resources to determine the probability of finding culturally-sensitive sites. This GIS-based tool applies GIS buffering capacity to establish zones of potentially sensitive habitats associated with known habitat locations.

Chemical Fate and Transport Model Field Impact Reconnaissance Identification

Field Survey

Impact Identification, Baseline Characterization

This tool consists of a qualitative reconnaissance of field conditions and is used to confirm and complement information provided in literature and background documentation. This tool consists of a variety of techniques designed to address particular endpoints and objectives. Complexity can also vary based on study objectives. Environmental field studies document environmental conditions and trends.

Additional Assessment Tools/Technique

Ad Hoc Procedures

Impact Analysis and Prediction

Qualitative tool used to assemble information, compare alternative sites, and develop strategy