Environmental Impacts"

!
Environmental Impact Assessment
process!


Prof. Doutora Maria do Rosário Partidário

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Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

EIA EIA Evolution
Started with NEPA EIA in the sustainability context
Currently
(National Environmental
Policy Act, 1969-70) and
became the most 1995 Integrated assessment
powerful environmental
policy instrument
1990
Sustainability paradigm

1985
Pre-EIA
Projects assessed Process and procedural reconception
based on cost- 1980
benefit analysis and
engineering Social dimension is incorporated
feasibility studies 1975
Methodological development
1970
Pre-EIA 2
Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

 EIA PROCESS
SCREENING

Typical steps in an EIA

SCOPING process

EIR PREPARATION
Public participation
along the process
QUALITY REVIEW

DECISION Institutions consultation

POST-
EVALUATION

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 Stages in the EIA process
Screening - to determine need for and level of EIA
Scoping – identify impacts; identify important issues; identify alternatives,
establish ToR for EIS.
Preparation of environmental impact report
Baseline studies – state of the environmental and evolution in the
absence of project
Impact analysis – identifying, predicting impacts, comparing alternatives
Impact assessment – assess impacts
Mitigation - minimize or offset adverse impacts (environmental
management plan).
Review of the EIR - including public involvement and institutional consultation
Decision making - conditions of approval (EIStatement - DIA)
Follow up - monitor impacts; effectiveness of mitigation, improve environmental
management.

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

 Screening
Screening

Selecting those projects that require

an EIA process and the development Scoping
of related studies
- Positive lists EIR preparation
- Negative lists
Quality Review
- Initial assessment (screening
checklist, preliminary studies, expert
Decision
judgement)

Post-evaluation

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 Screening methods!
(Guidance EU, 2001)!
Depend on EIA systems:"
•  Positive lists - explicitely state conditions for EIA submission, with or
without thresholds"
•  Negative ou exclusion lists - explicitely state conditions to exclude
a project from EIA submission, with or without thresholds"
•  Initial studies to determine if a given projects must be submitted, or
not, to EIA."

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

Screening criteria (Guidance EU, 2001)!
! objectives, characteristics, type of
• Project category (classification,
manufactured products.....);"
• Location (protected areas, coastal areas, ….);"
• Dimension (area, extension, flows, tension, amount of resources
being used, nr of units,...);"
• Other similar projects in the neighbourhood (cumulative effects);"
• Time horizon;"
• Investment value (Equator Principles);"
• Two or more of the above criteria."

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Screening in Portugal!
1. Positive list EIA
2. Exclusion
Y/N: EIA
3. Joint decision EIA
4. Preliminary
assessment Y/N: EIA
1- Projects identified in the positive list - Annex I and Annex II
2- Exclusion from EIA (for projects on the positive list)
3- Joint decision by the environmental minister and the sector minister (for
projects not on the positive list)
4- Preliminary assessment (for projects on the positive list but below
thresholds) proposed by competent authority

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 Scoping
Can be legally requested, or a voluntary action of
the proponent, with or without public participation
Screening
Purpose:
Identify key issues to be considered in the EIA and
related studies Scoping

Content:
EIR preparation
- Key environmental issues
- Relevant alternatives
Quality Review
- Methods for impact assessment and studies to be
developed Decision
- Relevant stakeholders to be involved
Post-evaluation
- Planning, methodology and structure of the EIS

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Scoping
What is it: Early stage of the EIA process, can be forced by law or
an option of the proponent. In the new European Directive it is
mandatory"
Objective: To ensure that EIS contain relevant information for the
decision on impacts and project alternatives, as well as other
relevant information. Identifies and selects significant
environmental issues that can be potentially afected by the project
and that should be analysed in the EIS."
Results: EIS planning and establishment of terms of reference"
Public participation in scoping: reduction of conflicts"

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Scoping Checklist (EU, 2001)!

- Details on the proponent

- Project characteristics
- Brief description and justification of the project
- Plan with geographic boundaries
- Description of processes, physical shape, alternatives, etc.
- Used resources, etc.
- Project location
- Maps, photos
- Land use, protected and restricted areas, zoning, etc.
- Potential impacts characteristics
- Impacts on people, health, fauna and flora, noise and vibration,
hidrology, cultural heritage, etc.
- Nature of impacts, duration, probability, etc.

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 Scoping Checklist (EU, 2001)!

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

Scoping Checklist (EU, 2001)!

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

Scoping Checklist (EU, 2001)!

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

Scoping- signficant impacts!
1. Will there be a large change in environmental conditions?
2. Will new features be out-of-scale with the existing environment?
3. Will the effect be unusual in the area or particularly complex?
4. Will the effect extend over a large area?
5. Will there be any potential for transboundary impact?
6. Will many people be affected?
7. Will many receptors of other types (fauna and flora, businesses, facilities) be affected?
8. Will valuable or scarce features or resources be affected?
9. Is there a risk that environmental standards will be breached?
10. Is there a risk that protected sites, areas, features will be affected?
11. Is there a high probability of the effect occurring?
12.Will the effect continue for a long time?
13.Will the effect be permanent rather than temporary?
14.Will the impact be continuous rather than intermittent?
15. If it is intermittent will it be frequent rather than rare?
16.Will the impact be irreversible?
17.Will it be difficult to avoid, or reduce or repair or compensate for the effect?"

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(UE, 2001)"
Types of Alternatives and Mitigating Measures to be Considered

• Measures to conserve or reduce wastage of resources

• Different approaches to meeting demand
• Locations or routes
• Processes or technologies
• Site plans and layouts
• Design of structures
• Types and sources of materials
• Product specifications
• Timetable for construction, operation and decommissioning including any phasing of the
project
• Size of the site or facility
• Level of production
• Responsibilities for implementation
• Pollution controls
• Waste disposal arrangements including recycling, recovery, reuse and final disposal
• Access arrangements and routes for traffic to and from the site
• Environmental management responsibilities and procedures
• Employment and staff training
• Monitoring and contingency plans
• Decommissioning arrangements, site restoration and after-use
• Do Nothing or Do Minimum

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(UE, 2001)"
 EIReport preparation

Preparation of one of the Screening

most important documents of

the EIA process. Proponent Scoping
responsibility. "
Purpose" EIR preparation

Provide information on potential

significant environmental impacts" Quality Review

Environmental impacts include

Decision
physical, ecological, social, cultural,
economic, and other that may be
relevant" Post-evaluation

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 EIReport preparation
Content
1. Introduction Screening
2. Justification of the project
3. Description of the project and relevant Scoping
alternatives
4. B aseline studies (including expected
EIS preparation
situation without the project)
5. I mpact assessment and mitigation
Quality Review
measures (including residual or unavoidable
impacts)
Decision
6. Follow-up: monitoring, management and
evaluation
Post-evaluation
Non-Technical Summary

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 Quality Review

A crucial step of the EIA process,

formally required in most EIA systems, Screening
but sometimes absent, highly vulnerable
to political pressures."
Scoping
Should always engage public
participation"
EIR preparation
Purpose"
To check the quality of the environmental
Quality Review
studies and impact assessment
conducted by the proponent, with the
assistance of consultant teams, and Decision
validation."
Post-evaluation

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 Quality Review
Who does it? Screening

EIA authorities in each country, most of

the times based in the ministry with Scoping
environmental responsibilities
Method
EIR preparation
- I n d e p e n d e n t e x p e r t i s e e s t a b l i s h
guidelines with criteria, at Scoping stage,
Quality Review
and use these criteria to assess results at
Review stage
Decision
- M inistry officers may use, or not,
published criteria for good quality EIA,
per sector (e.g. EU guidance, US, Post-evaluation
Canada, Australia…)

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

 Decision
It is the go-ahead, or not, of the project"
Can be binding, or simply a recommendation"
Screening
Three possible decision-takers:"
1. Proponent"
Scoping
2. Sectoral authority with licensing
responsibilities"
3. The Minister with environmental EIR preparation
responsibilities"
Possible production of a Environmental Impact Quality Review
Statement that states the decision and the
conditions for a go-ahead (e.g. conditional to Decision
the adoption of mitigation measures) (In
Portugal is the DIA – Declaração de Impacto
Post-evaluation
Ambiental)"

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 Post-evaluation or
follow-up

Enforces the concept of life-cycle in EIA, Screening

what happens after decision to go-ahead is
taken
Purpose: Scoping

To follow the implementation of the project

(including construction, implementation and EIR preparation
abandonnement) to check on efficiency of
mitigation measures, clarifying uncertainties,
Quality Review
detect unexpected impacts, and ensure
environmental management of the project
Decision
Content
Monitoring programme Post-evaluation
Evaluation studies

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

Process of Environmental Impact Assessment
(IAIA,1999):

Screening Does the project require an EIA?

Scoping What are key environmental issues?

Impacts assessment, mitigation measures, monitoring

EIR preparation and environmental management

Quality Review Were impacts and mitigation measures well identified,

and a monitoring programme defined?

Decision Approval or rejection

M&E, communication and management

Post-evaluation

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EIA and Decision Cycle"

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Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

 Project cycle
Viability!
Intention to develop
a project!
Abandonnement! Concept Design!

Exploration/operation,
monitoring and project
assessment"

Previous studies!

Construction /
Implementation!
Execution
project!

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Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário

 EIA and project Key issues, initial
assessment and

cycle
screening!

Environmental management plan! Feasibility! Scoping and impacts

Intention to develop significance!
Abandonement! a project!
Concept Design!

Alternatives, impact
assessment, need for
Implementation/operation,
Participation / mitigation measures!
project monitoring and public and
evaluation"
stakeholders
engagement! Previous study!

Monitoring and post-

evaluation! Mitigation measures.
Construction! Environmental
management plan!
Environmental management plan applies! Execution
Project!

Environmental Impacts @ MRPartidário