This document provides an overview of environmental impact assessment (EIA) history, need, process, and legal basis in Nepal. It discusses how EIA began in the 1970s in the US to make projects environmentally sustainable and spread globally after the 1992 Earth Summit. In Nepal, EIA was first recognized in the 6th plan in 1980 and legalized in the Environment Protection Rules of 1997. The EIA process involves scoping, impact identification and mitigation, approval procedures, and monitoring. Key EIA guidelines and regulations in Nepal are also outlined.

1. Nabin Lamichhane
Lecturer
PUCMAS
MPH Program 1

2. EIA History
• Major instruments integrated with a goal of
making economic development project,
environmentally sound and sustainable
• Began in 1970 in USA
• Spread rapidly throughout the world
particularly after the UN Earth Summit held in
1992
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3. Need for EIA
• Depletion of natural resources induced by
human activities
• Subsequent environmental degradation has
attracted steadily growing interests in the last
few decades
• Planning authorities to count on sound
information about the possible environmental
consequences of development actions
• EIA is a tool to satisfy those needs
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4. EIA
• Systematic identification and evaluation of the
impacts on the environment caused by a
proposed project.
• Generates a report and discusses the
acceptability of the predicted environmental
impacts---- Such a report is submitted to the
authorities to support the decision-making
related to the approval of the development
under consideration.
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5. EIA…..
• The EIA is made up of a number of
multidisciplinary issues on biophysical,
socioeconomic and cultural environment, each
one addressing specifically different category of
impacts of each environmental component.
• EIA is now applied worldwide in various forms
• EIA is a tool for environmental analysis in
developing countries (Ahmad and Sammy 1985,
1985; Biswas and Qu Geping.1987; UNEP, 1988).
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6. EIA…
• Resource impacts
• Human welfare impacts
• environmental impact and
• Global impacts.
The pathway of impacts can be traced from three
distinct sources:
resource depletion or degradation, pollution and
human activities.
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7. EIA
• EIA as an environmental tool has been extremely slow
in the developing countries.
• Although these countries have always had general
environment related laws and regulations which can be
exploited for EIA purposes, these have had very limited
impacts as environmental protection measures
because of serious technical, administrative and
political constraints (Gamman, J.K.Mc Creary, S.T.1988,
Fola S. Ebisemiju 1993).
• In fact, only a few developing countries have used
them to demand EIA.
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8. Broader concept of EIA
• Early EIAs focused only or primarily on impacts on the natural or
biophysical environment (such as effects on air and water quality,
flora and fauna, noise levels, climate and hydrological systems).
• However, over time, increased consideration has been given to
social, health and economic impacts.
– Human health and safety;
– Flora, fauna, ecosystems and biological diversity;
– Soil, water, air, climate and landscape;
– Use of land, natural resources and raw materials;
– Protected areas and designated sites of scientific, historical and
cultural significance;
– Heritage, recreation and amenity assets; and
– Livelihood, lifestyle and well being of those affected by a proposal.
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9. Obligations in EIA
• Nepal, a Party of more than 16-Environment related international
legal instruments, the treaties, conventions and agreements.
• This obliges the Party countries to introduce appropriate
procedures for EIA, introduce appropriate arrangements to conduct
EIA, promote and exchange information with other States, notify
immediately the potential affected States in danger of biodiversity,
promote national arrangement for emergency response on
conservation, and examine restoration and compensation for
damage to biodiversity.
• Besides the international legally binding instruments, there are
other instruments such as Stockholm declaration, Rio declaration
and also Agenda 21 - a blue print of action - for the 21st century,
which obliges the UN member states to adopt necessary measures
on EIA application so as to minimize potential environmental
impacts and augment beneficial environmental impacts.
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10. EIA in NEPAL
• Sixth Plan (1980-'85), for the first time
recognized the need for EIA integration for
major infrastructure projects.
• GOV enunciated environment conservation
related policies in the Seventh Plan (1985-90).
• EIA Guideline 1993 was the first “lesson
learnt” document in Nepal which has played
facilitation role in the EIA process.
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11. EIA in Nepal
• The EIA system of Nepal has introduced
successfully after the enforcement of
Environment Protection Rules (EPR) 1997,
which made IEE/EIA mandatory for the
governmental as well as the private sector.
• Prior that EIA was only limited to
Governmental sectors (even EIA guidelines
was enforced in 1993)
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13. Importance of EIA
• Make Development projects environmentally
sustainable.
• Reduce adverse environmental impacts
• Identify environmental impacts on ecologically fragile
landscape before development projects
• Assess the effects of development pressures on the
natural resource base as well as on the socio-cultural
aspects
• Reduce the overall environmental and economic costs
of projects and
• Optimize projects benefits
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14. Legal basis of EIA in Nepal
• Environmental
Protection Act, 2053
• Environmental
protection Regulation,
2054
• Supplementary
environmental impact
Assessment Guideline,
2071
Note: Fourth amendment of Environmental protection regulation (2054) has been
cancelled the provisions of Supplementary environmental impact assessment guideline
2071. 14

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16. Environmental Protection Regulation, 2054
• Initial Environmental Assessment (IEA)
– Hospitals 25 to 50 bedded Hospital, Nursing home or
clinic or Teaching college
– Project Cost 5 crore to 25 crore
• Environmental Impact Assessment
– More than 100 bedded hospitals
– Poject cost more than 25 crore
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18. Environmental Protection Regulation,
2054
• Projects needed to take certificates:
– 55 different industries
– Alcohol
– Acid, corrosive
– Paintings
– Construction materils
– Milk
– Sugar
– Pharmaceutical industires
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19. EIA Guidelines 1993
• Project Screening and Initial environmental
Examination
• Scoping
• TOR Preparation and Report format
• Identification of Environmental Impacts
• Impact mitigation measures
• Review of Impact Assessment Report
• Environmental Impact Monitoring
• Evaluation of Environmental Impacts Studies
• Environmental Impact Auditing
• Community Participation
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29. EIA approval Process
• Stage 1: Scoping, preparation and approval of
TOR
• Stage 2: EIA Report preparation and Approvl
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30. Stage 1
• 15 days notice in National newspaper from the
concerned project and submission of scoping
report and TOR for approval to EIA section.
• Discussion and meeting in EIA suggestion
committee according to section 6(4) of EPA, 2053.
• Revision of scoping report and TOR according to
the advice of committee
• Approval or Disapproval (to be informed )
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31. Stage 2
• Preparation of EIA report according to approved TOR and
Public hearing in the impact area.
• Final EIA report including the feedback of public hearing
and submission (with recommendation letter from local
authority) though concerned ministry to environment
ministry.
• Discussion in Environment ministry
• The modified final EIA report will be available for all public
and stakeholders (should public 30 days notice in 2
episodes in one day gap in national newspaper)
• Further modification according to the suggestions
• Discussion in suggestion committee
• Further process for approval if the proposal is satisfactory
• Information about approval or disapproval
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34. 15 days Notice
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36. Highlights of EPR, 2054
• Initial environment Examination or
Environmental Impact Assessment to be
Made.
• Determination of Scope for the environmental
impact assessment to be made. (giving Fifteen
days of time period)
• Approval of Work Schedule or initial
environmental examination or environmental
impact assessment to be made
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37. Highlights of EPR, 2054
• Any person may file a complaint with the concerned
body in cases where anyone causes loss or damage, in
contravention of Rule 28, to any object, site, plant,
animal etc. incorporated in the inventory or coming
under national heritages.
• In case anyone wishes to realize compensation from
any individual, institution or proponent under section
17 of the Act, he/she may Submit an application to the
concerned Chief District Officer mentioning the type of
loss suffered by him/her as a result thereof, and the
amount of compensation sought by him/her.
• Industries requiring Certificate of pollution control
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41. References
• National EIA Guidelines 1993
• Environmental Protection Regulation, 2054.
• Environmental Protection Act, 2053.
• Journal of NHRC
• www.mope.gov.np
• www.mohp.gov.np
• www.unep.org
• www.who.int etc.
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