The document provides an overview of environmental impact assessments (EIA). It defines EIA and discusses its importance and key steps. Some main points: - EIA is the process of evaluating potential environmental impacts of projects or actions. It aims to incorporate environmental factors into decision-making. - Key steps include identifying the proposed action, examining environmental attributes, evaluating impacts using worksheets, summarizing impacts, reviewing alternatives, and analyzing findings. - An environmental impact statement (EIS) or finding of no significant impact (FONSI) may be prepared depending on whether significant environmental impacts are found. - The US National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 was influential in establishing EIAs as a decision-

1. Environmental Impact
Assessment

2. MODULE 1

3. EIA?????
 Projects are developed for economic development of the country,
 Capitalists aim at personal benefit forgets social benefits, uses
scared resources present in the nature for his benefits
 His vision is defective as for as environmental qualities
concerned
 This inability of capitalist to safeguard the environment is
referred as Defective Telescope Ability(DTA)
 In order to rectify such defect it's becoming important to
understand the term EIA

4. Environmental Impact Assessment?????
 Environment made up of both biophysical and social economic element
 Biophysical: physical, chemical and biological environment
 Socio economical: range of consideration related to humans in the
including population Trend and population distribution educational system
transportation networks and other infrastructures concern
 Impact: impacts means effect or change positive or negative from the
desirable stand point
 Assessment: quantification of changes or effects by research work

5. Definition of EIA
 The documentation of an environmental analysis which
includes identification interpretation prediction and
mitigation of impact cost by a proposed action or project.
Or
 It is the systematic identification and evaluation of the
potential impact of proposed project plants programs or
legislative actions related to the physical chemical biological
cultural socio-economic components of the total
environment.

6. Definition of EIA
 It is a Process of evaluating any social, economical, social-
economical project from the view point of safe environment and
ecology. This assessment is carried out on the basis of certain
basic topics related to the project. Main among these basic
topics are given below.
• Effect of the project on surrounding air quality, water quality,
climate, transportation, noise level in the surrounding, geology
and landscape, increasing the pollution in the surroundings, land
resources, soil, and soil erosion, land degradation and
desertification, flora and fauna, cultivation and vegetation

7. Definition of EIA
 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has become one of the
most effective tools. we have for incorporating Environmental
consequences into decision-making.
 EIA is, ideally, an integral part of the overall planning process for
electricity projects. It assists, but does not control project
planning and implementation, ensuring that Environmental
considerations are incorporated into decision-making, along with
technical and economic factors.
 In order to achieve the desired goals, an EIA must begin as soon
as a project is conceived, before irrevocable decisions are made.

8. Development activity and ecological factors
 1. Side selection studies: includes the evolution of
alternative site with respect to project and environmental
activities such as proximity to the raw material sensitive zone
markets etc.
 2. Rapid EIA: assessment based on one season monitoring for
environmental parameter.
 3. Comprehensive EIA: assessment based on three season
monitoring for environmental based on data.

9. Development activity and ecological factors
of EIA
 4. Regional EIA: development of reason based on three
season data collection and addresses itself to the analysis of
as similarity assessment of components (air water and land)
 5. Carrying capacity studies: it deals with the analysis of
supportive study in the region with respect to research
availability or utilization of supply or demand, assimilative
capacity or residuals.

10. Rapid and Comprehensive EIA
 REIA differs from CEIA with time frame and baseline data collection
 Rapid EIA: assessment based on one season monitoring for
environmental parameter
 Comprehensive EIA: assessment based on three season monitoring for
environmental based on data
 REIA facilitates decision making in those situation were fair amount
of knowledge exist about proposed to site or its impact
 REIA helps in identifying significant issues which may leads to CEIA
 REIA short term impact on affected attributes
 CEIA long term impacts on affected attributes

11. Environmental Setting or Environmental Baseline :
 The first step in the EIA process is the process to describe the
environmental Setting for the project area.
 This description provides baseline data against which prediction &
assessment of the impacts of the proposed action alternatives can
be compared.
The important purposes of describing Setting are as follows:
 They provide data for impact evaluation & project design.
 They are useful in the monitoring of env. Quality changes after a
project is implemented.

12. Environmental Setting or Environmental Baseline :
 It is advisable for governments to sponsor baseline studies in
connection with private developments so that pressure can later be
applied if there is serious deterioration in env. Quality.
 They establish the assimilative capacity of a natural system.
 They also establish the project need, whether the project involves
construction of a highway, reservoir or sewage treatment plant etc.,
 These studies will show the trends of environmental quality changes
resulting from many activity over a wide spread area.
 Eg: United Nations Earth watch project & their study of pollution in
the upper Gulf of Thailand.

13. Need for EIA studies
 Intelligence choice of the project can be made there by
reducing the environment impact to a greater extent.
 It establishes in national policy for environmental protection
prevention of negative impacts and Restoration of
environmental quality. Documentation of based on information
on environmental quality.
 It prevents projects that can results into environmental
disaster
 Scare resources can be put into the best possible use.

14. Need for EIA studies
 Latest the first logical stop in the process of development and
represents an opportunity for a person to consider in his
decision making the effect of action that are not accounted in
the normal market exchange of goals and services
 Allows interdisciplinary approach incorporating all technical
specialty to select the best alternative
 It can be used to mitigate or eliminate and desirable effect by
modifying the design or by the adoption of pollution control
measures

15. Environmental impact statement (EIS)
 Define as documentation of an environmental analysis of a project or
action with the potential for environmental impact which are
significant or highly controversial
 Draft EAS it is the document prepared by the lead agency proposing
the action. It is circulated for review and comments to other federal
agencies state and local agencies and public and private interest
groups
 Final year's it is draft EAS modified to include a discussion of problem
and objections faced by the reviews. This final statement must be on
file with CEQ (council of environmental quality) for at least 30 days
period to the insertion of a construction of a project

16. Environmental impact statement (EIS)
 Environmental impact statement is a detailed written
statement which serves as an action forcing device to
ensure that the policies & goals of NEPA are infused into the
going programs & actions of the federal Govt.
 It must provide full & fair discussion of significant
environment impacts and must inform decision makers &
the public of the reasonable alternatives which would avoid
or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the
human environment.

17. Findingof no significant impact (FONSI)
 It is a document by federal agency which consciously presents the reason why
an action, not otherwise excluded will not have a significant of it on the
human environment and for which an EIS will not be prepared.
Mitigated FONSI
 Refers to propose fraction which has incorporated mitigation measures to
reduce any significant negative effect
Negative declaration statement (NDS)
 If any agency determination that an EIS not necessary the agencies is required
to prepare a publicly available record briefly explaining the agencies recession
and the reason for negative determination this is called negative declaration

18. Federal or state action
EIA
Significant Environment Impact/
Environmental controversial
Identify action
Identify action
Identify action
Identify action
Identify action
Whether
requires
EIA normally?
Yes
No
Relationship between EIA, EIS & FONSI

19. Relationship between EIA, EIS & FONSI
 The EIS document should follow the format & content as
provided by current CEQ regulation & proponent agency
requirements,
 The First step in the development of this document is the
preparation of a draft “EIS”.
 After inter- agency is public review, a final EIS is prepared,
which addresses opposing responsible views expressed by
other agencies & public. Between those actions having an
obvious & significant environmental Impact requiring an EIS,
& Those having nearly none,

20. Relationship between EIA, EIS & FONSI
 There are a large variety of actions, where it is difficult
to determine, offhand, the extent of their environmental
impacts.
 To prevent a decision maker from resorting to snap
judgments in such instances, an EIA should be prepared.
 This is an analysis much like an EIS, but it is not prepared
in the same depth, nor need it include all the elements of
an EIS,

21. A properly prepared EIA should enable the
decision maker to conclude
o whether the proposal should not be regarded as a
major action,
o Whether the environmental Impact is or is not
significant, & of the acting could be environmental
controversial.
o Whether it is concluded that environmental Impact
will result from proposed action, a draft EIS must be
prepared.

22. A properly prepared EIA should enable the
decision maker to conclude
 In those projects which normally require an EIS, if
an assessment concludes that the environmental
impact is not significant, then a finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) document can be
prepared.
 Hence, This document should include either the
environmental assessment or its summary & other
environmental document, related to it.

23. Role of National Envirnmental Policy Act, 1971
 The history of EIA dates back to 1970. The US army
corps of engineers had developed the technique &
methodology for EIA. This EIA in its present form was
introduced with the action forcing provisions of US
National Environmental Policy act popularly called as
NEPA.
The NEPA was signed into law by Nixon in the year 1970,
with following objectives:
 To set goals for protection, maintenance, enhancement of
Environment.

24. Role of National Envirnmental Policy Act, 1971
 To provide a process for implementing these goals
throughout by all federal agencies.
 NEPA insists all federal agencies to prepare a detailed
statement proposal for “major federal action, significantly
affecting the quality of Environment.
 The act also established on count it on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) to oversea NEPA & advice the president on
Environmental issues.

25. Role of National Environmental Policy Act, 1971
The importance of NEPA resides its role as a basic environmental
responsibility of each federal agency & a implementing regulations.
The following 6 purposes what identified in section 101set for in the act
for drafting NEPA.
 Fulfill the responsibility of each generation as trustees of the
environmental for the succeeding generations.
 Assure all citizens safe, healthy, productive, aesthetically &
culturally pleasing surrounding.
 Enhance the quality of natural resources, & maximize the recycling
of resources.

26. Role of National Environmental Policy Act, 1971
 To attain wider range of beneficial use of environment without
degradation, risk to health & safety, other & desirable unintended
consequences.
 Present important, historical, cultural & natural aspects of national
heritage & maintain, wherever possible and environment which supports
diversity & variety of individual choice.
 To achieve balance between human population & resources which will
permit a high standard living while saving these resources.

27. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 The president of council of Environments quality is required to transmit the
annual environmental quality report. The duties & functions of NEPA in title
& section 204 include.
 Gathering information conditions & trends in environmental qualities.
 Evaluate the federal programmes in light of the goals established in title – 1
of the act.
 Developing & promoting national policies to include environmental policies.
 Conducting studies, survey, research & analytical analysis relating to
ecosystem environmental quality.
 “Ultimately NEPA emphasizes on better decision rather than better
document”.

28. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 The president of council of Environments quality is required to transmit the
annual environmental quality report. The duties & functions of NEPA in title
& section 204 include.
 Gathering information conditions & trends in environmental qualities.
 Evaluate the federal programmes in light of the goals established in title – 1
of the act.
 Developing & promoting national policies to include environmental policies.
 Conducting studies, survey, research & analytical analysis relating to
ecosystem environmental quality.
 “Ultimately NEPA emphasizes on better decision rather than better
document”.

29. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 The president of council of Environments quality is required to transmit the
annual environmental quality report. The duties & functions of NEPA in title
& section 204 include.
 Gathering information conditions & trends in environmental qualities.
 Evaluate the federal programmes in light of the goals established in title – 1
of the act.
 Developing & promoting national policies to include environmental policies.
 Conducting studies, survey, research & analytical analysis relating to
ecosystem environmental quality.
 “Ultimately NEPA emphasizes on better decision rather than better
document”.

30. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 The Key principles adopted by the “NEPA” built on the
objectives of CEQ includes the following.
• Proposals for continue CORT E.I
• If in the action is a greater significant impact on the
environment, it requires more detailed analysis.
• Similarly, the lesser analysis is required of for the action
which involves negligible impact.
• It adopts the policy of identification of alternative action &
the analysis of environmental impact.

31. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 An action falls under the category of exclusion when it
does not have significant EI. The CEQ directs the local
Govt. to develop list of activities which fall under
category of exclusion from environmental evaluation.
 But insists of some form of documentation. This is
called as the sliding scale as used in the NEPA process.

32. Role of Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ)
 The CEQ guidance recommends the following format to be adopted.
• The cover sheet.
• Summary.
• Table of contents.
• Purpose of action & need for action.
• Alternatives to the proposed action.
• Affected environment.
• Environmental consequences.
• List of agencies, organizations & persons to whom copies of the statement to
be sent.
• Index.
• Appendix if any.

33. MODULE 2

34. Identify action
Identify activities
Examine attributes
Identify activities
Evaluate impacts
Summarizes impacts
Review alternatives
Analyze findings
Environmental impact? Controversial? Major line item?
Prepare EIA/EIS
Process document
Step by step procedure in conducting EIA
process

35. Step by step procedure
 1. Identify action that requires analysis: CEQ guidelines
required federal agencies develop specific criteria for
identifying those actions likely requires environmental
statements and actions likely not to require environmental
statement
 2. Identify relevant project activities: detail activities
associated with implementing projects are to be identified
agency activity make categorized into functional area. For each
functional area detailed activities associated with implementing
projects may be developed.

36. Step by step procedure
 3: Examine attributes to be reviewed: the user should examine
the attributes (air, water, land, energy, land, human aspects, and
economical resource) and become familiar with general nature the
individual attributes and kinds of activity that may impact on them
 4. Evaluate impact using worksheets: here a Matrix worksheet
(activity on one axis environmental attributes on other axis) is prepared
for the baseline data analysis and prediction of impact.
 5. Summarizing impact: it can be presented in a form acceptable
or understandable by public. It helps in determining the degree of
security of the impact on each attribute.

37.  6. Review other alternatives: repeat the procedure for the
alternative considered (i.e., identify activities exam in attributes impacts
and summer was impacts for the alternatives)
 7. Analyze findings: Actions are analyzed to find whether the proponent
(who propose theory) is required to prepare an EIS or EIA or NDS.
 8. Prepare analysis document: depending on whether the discussion
is to be prepared an EIA and EIS or an NDS the analysis should be
documented
 9. Process documented analysis: depending on weather the
document is on yours or NDS specific directors for processing or returning
the documents are issued by each agency.
Step by step procedure

38. Important Steps in EIA
Analytical functions associated with the EIA.
• Defining scope of a EIA.
• Important issues & concerns.
• Areas of less concern for present acts.
• Regulations requirement.
• Identification
• Description of the existing environment system.
• Determination of components of the project.
• Definition of the environment modified but the project.

39. Important Steps in EIA
Prediction.
• Identification of environmental modification that may be significant.
• Forecasting of the quantity and spatial dimensions of changes in
• environmental identified.
• Estimation of the probability that the impact will occur.
Impact Evaluation & Analysis.
• Evaluation of least environmentally damaging alternatives.
• Critical assessment of impact.
• Preparation of draft & final impact statement.

40. Limitations of EIA
 1 General limitation
 2 Conceptional limitation
 3 Methodological limitation
 4 Procedural limitation

41. 1. General limitation
 Labor intensity is very high
 It is tedious and time consuming
 Exact procedure for collection production of impacts and values not
fixed
 Possible speed of economic development is curtailed since time is
consumed in processing document
 Political pressure and interference resulting in selection of wrong
alternative project or site after an EIA document is prepared
 Public involvement in decision making has become a major limitation
particularly developing country

42. 2. Conceptional limitation
 EIA at present is considered nearly as a project level tool
 Project level decisions are many times constraints because of
existence policies and plants
 The issue of resource conservation based waste minimization, by
product recovery, improvement in equipment’s efficiency, are not
considered

43. 3. Methodological limitations
 Not one method is sufficient for document
 Inaccessibility are found in sampling and data collection
 Insufficient and inefficient data leads to erroneous result
 Inappropriate selection of monitoring standard based line data
 Experiment data models and their limitations with respect to
chronological factors

44. 4. Procedural limitations
 A major limitations of the present environment project is the lack of
object is criteria to decide whether a project requires EIA
 Screening is the method of selection which allows elimination from
preview of all these projects that do not requires detail EIA
 Incorporation of screen in the environmental review requires
formulation of projects and side related screening criteria for various
types of developmental activities
 Public perspiration is an important aspects of review project in
avoiding the conflicts