basic concept of EIA

1. At the End of the Session Students will be
Able to Know (WK -1)
• Basic Concept about Environment Impact
Assessment
• What is an Impact the Environment?
• What Are the Steps in Implementing an Impact
Assessment
• Key considerations of EIA Process?
• Details about EIA Processing.
• List of Projects required EIA.
• Malaysian biggest projects implemented EIA.
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Environmental Impact Assessment (SMT 2123)

2. The Origin of EIA:
Environmental Impact Assessment emerged in the United
States as a response to the rise of environmental
movements of the 1960s that raised awareness of the
serious environmental effects of human activities which
were inadequately controlled by existing planning
regulation and pollution control measures.
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3. Spread of EIA to other countries:
The spread of EIA to other countries gained momentum
due to four fundamental factors:
• First, an increasing awareness among the general public of
the danger and impacts of major development and new
technologies due to a better scientific knowledge and
publicity.
• Secondly, the increasing activities of environmental
pressure groups, the political effectiveness of these groups
was intensified by scientific evidence and media coverage.
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4. • The third, was the widespread concern about the
absolute scale of resource developments and their
associated environmental effects.
• Fourth, all of the above reasons made the western
developed nations more cautious and responsive to
environmental concerns.
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5. 5
Environmental Impact Assessment (SMT 2123)
•Define Environmental ??
•Impact??
•Assessment?
•It’s a
•a Process

6. 6
In EIA, the term
“impacts” is used
instead of “effects
of activities.”
What is an
impact?
Review: Definition of EIA
Environmental
Impact Assessment is
A formal process for identifying:
•likely effects of activities or
projects on the
ENVIRONMENT, and on
human health and welfare.
•means and measures to
mitigate & monitor these
impacts

Environment is
broadly interpreted:
physical, biological,
and social.
Environmental Impact
Assessment (SMT 2123)

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What is an impact?
The impact of an activity is
a deviation (a change)
from the baseline situation
that is caused by the
activity.
To measure an impact, you
must know what the
baseline situation is.
The baseline
situation is the
existing
environmental
situation or
condition in the
absence of the
activity.
The baseline
situation is a key
concept in EIA.
More…
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The baseline situation
In characterizing the
baseline situation,
many environmental
components MAY be
of interest
Water Quantity, quality, reliability,
accessibility
Soils Erosion, crop productivity,
fallow periods, salinity,
nutrient concentrations
Flora Composition and density of
natural vegetation,
productivity, key species
Fauna Populations, habitat
Special Key species
ecosystems
Env Health Disease vectors, pathogens
The components of
interest are those that
are likely to be affected
by your activity—or
upon which your
activity depends for its
success
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9. `How do we create an impact on
environment?
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10. Environmental Impact Assessment (SMT 2123)
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Forest Die-Off/Biodiversity Loss

11. How do we create an impact on environment?
The environmental impact of roads
includes the local effects of highways
(public roads) : What are the impacts??
noise, light pollution, water pollution,
habitat destruction/disturbance and local
air quality; and the wider effects including
climate change from vehicle emissions.
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12. The environmental impact of mining
includes erosion in the environment:
 formation of sinkholes,
loss of biodiversity, and contamination of
soil,
groundwater, and surface water by
chemicals from mining processes. ...
 Some mining methods may have
significant in aquatic environment and
public health effects.
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The Baseline Situation
The baseline situation is
not simply a “snapshot.”
Describing the baseline
situation requires describing
both the normal variability in
environmental components &
current trends in these
components.
Environmental Impact Assessment (SMT 2123) Penang city after flood 2018
Penang before flood 2018

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Types of impacts & their attributes
Direct & indirect
impacts
Short-term & long-
term impacts
Adverse & beneficial
impacts
Cumulative impacts
The EIA process is
concerned with
all types of impacts and
may describe them in a
number of ways
 Intensity
 Direction
 Spatial extent
 Duration
 Frequency
 Reversibility
 Probability
But all impacts are
NOT treated
equally.
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It is ESSENTIAL in EIA to focus on
the most significant impacts.
Don’t waste effort & time analyzing
and discussing impacts that are less
important.
Specifically,
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What is an activity?
ACTIVITY:
market access
road
rehabilitation
ACTIONS:
`????
a desired
accomplishment or
output
E.g.: a road, seedling
production, or river
diversion to irrigate
land
An activity is:

Accomplishing an activity
requires a set of actions
We are discussing the impacts of activities.
What are activities?
A project or program may
consist of many activities
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ACTIONS:
Survey, grading, culvert
construction,
compaction, etc. . .

17. WHAT CHANGES CAN EIA BRING?
Before introduction of EIA:
•Government planning and decision-making:
“D-A-D” ---- “Decide, Announce, Defend”
•Role of NGOs, citizens:
“Critics” “Objectors” “Protestors”
•Environmental conditions:
Steadily deteriorating
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18. WHAT CHANGES CAN EIA BRING?
After Implementing EIA:
•Government planning and decision-making:
“D-D-D” ----
“Discuss, Decide, Deliver”
•Role of NGOs, citizens:
“Stakeholders” “Contributors” “Participants”
•Environmental conditions:
Deterioration slows; some areas improving
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19.  BENEFITS OF THE EIA PROCESS
 - Potentially screens out environmentally-unsound projects
 - Proposes modified designs to reduce environmental
impacts
 - Identifies feasible alternatives
 - Predicts significant adverse impacts
 - Identifies mitigation measures to reduce, offset, or
eliminate major impacts
 - Engages and informs potentially affected communities
and individuals
 - Influences decision-making and the development of
terms and conditions
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20. CONTENT OF EIA ANALYSIS
Physical components:
Land
Air
Water
Energy
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21. CONTENT OF EIA ANALYSIS
Bio-Cultural components:
Nature
Culture
People
Access
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22. Purpose of the Assessment
To identify and assess any potentially adverse
environmental effects of a new development.
To reduce or avoid the adverse impacts.
 To implement a strategy of sustainable development,
prevent adverse impact on the environment after the
implementation of plans and construction projects .
 To enrich the understanding of the ecological systems
and natural resources important to the Nation....”
 To encourage productive and enjoyable harmony
between man and his environment
 a PROCESS for decision-making, NOT a formula for
preparing a document.
“To LOOK before you LEAP!”
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23. How the Word Environment Emerged
on EIA PROCESS:
 The word environment emerged in response to
the public health:
1. In sanitary (dirty or germ carrying)
dwellings and streets.
2. Contaminated public water supplies.
3. Drain and sanitation.
4. Public nuisances.
5. Unhygienic food processing.
6. Overcrowding.
7. Refuse dump.
8. Epidemics (wide spread of diseases)
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