Environmental Impact

Assessment

Environmental Impact
Assessment

NEPA Process
(National Environmental
Policy Act)

Need of EIA

Ideal EIA System

An Ideal EIA system Would be
Apply to all project that are expected to
have a significant environmental effects
and address all impacts that are expected to
occur due to that project.
Compare alternatives to a proposed
project, management techniques and mitigation
measures.
Result in a clear EIS (Environmental Impact
Statement) which conveys the importance
of the likely and their specific characteristics to
non experts in the field.

Goals of Environment Impact

Assessment
The major aims of EIA are:
Resources Conservation
Waste minimization
Recovery of by-product.
Efficient use of equipment
Sustainable Development

Methodology of Environment
Impact Assessment
The EIA methodology consists of four
phases, namely:

Organizing the Job

Performing the assessment
Writing the Environmental
Statement (EIS)
Review of the EIS.

Impact

Organizing the Job

In this step an inter disciplinary (ID) team
is constituted to conduct analysis of the
various
impacts
of
the
proposed
programme on the environment. An ID
team can be defined as a team which has
been organised to address a common
problem. It consists of a group of two or
three persons trained in different fields
with
the
knowledge
of
concepts,
methods, data and terms related to that
subject.

Performance of the
Assessment

This Phase of EIA consists of the following

steps.
(a) Site Visit: The members of the
interdisciplinary team visit the site to
determine the possible environmental
impacts of the proposed project and
record of the description of the
environment as it exists prior to the
implementation of the proposed project.
(b) Identification and Evaluation: The
adverse and beneficial effects of the
proposed projects on the environment are
evaluated.

Performance of the
Assessment
(d) Preparation of Checklist: A checklist is
prepared to ensure complete coverage of
all the possible consequences of the
proposed project, so that it can be determined
as to what administrative actions should be
taken.
(e) Measurement of Environment Impact,
due to the project: For Identifying the impact
of the project on the environment, a checklist
of the environmental attributes reflects
the impact on the environment resulting
from a particular action.

Preparation of EIS
EIS is the conclusion of EIA. It is a written
statement which serves as a device to ensure
that the policies and goals defined by NEPA
(National Environment policy Act) are
infused into the ongoing programmed. It
must contain the following items.
Description of the site of the project or
environment where the proposed project is to
take place.
of
the
proposed
project,
Description
purpose of action, its goals and objectives,
area, extent, equipments, manpower and
material requirement.

Review of EIS

Limitations of EIA
EIA suffers from following limitations
EIA should be undertaken at the policy and
planning level rather than at the project level.
Range of Possible alternatives in the project
EIA is often small.
There is no criteria to decide what type of
project are to undergo EIA. A lot of
unnecessary expense and delay in project
clearance could be avoided as there are
many projects that do not require an indepth EIA.
Lack
of
comprehensive
environment
information base, limitation of time,

Role of EIA in Sustainable

Development
Sustainable
development
is
essential for the overall socioeconomic
development.
Sustainable development must meet
the need of the present generation
without compromising the ability
of the future generations to meet
their own needs and aspirations.

Role of EIA in Sustainable

Development
It is possible to have development without
destroying the environment. This requires a
gradual
shift
from
uncontrolled
exploitation to efficient management of
natural resources. To ensure sustainable
development the depletion of renewable
resources should not take place at a rate faster
than their rate of generation.
Only those technological developments
with minimum environmental hazards
should be adopted in order to sustain the
environment for future generations.

Role of EIA in Sustainable

Development
Sustainable development is closely linked to
the carrying Capacity of an ecosystem as
the latter determines the limits to economic
development. Carrying capacity of a
specific ecosystem is the maximum
rate of resource consumption that can
be sustained definitely in that specific area
and overexploitation of natural resources
above this maximum will lead to
depletion and ecological degradation.

Role of EIA in Sustainable

Development
Carrying capacity based planning ensures
sustainable development, Environment
Impact Assessment (EIA) could form a
major instrument in decision making
and for measurement of sustainability in
the context of regional carrying capacity,
provided the conceptual framework is
extended to cumulative assessment of
developmental policies, plans and projects
on a regional basis.

Role of EIA in Sustainable

Development

Thanks