The document provides details about environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Tanzania, including: 1. It defines EIA and discusses its historical background and use under different policies in Tanzania. 2. It describes the EIA process, including who carries it out, the key steps involved, and how the output is used. 3. It discusses the importance of EIA for decision making, public participation, and sustainable development, as well as some challenges of implementing EIA in Tanzania, such as costs and time requirements.

1. SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
COLLEGE OF FORESTRY, WILDLIFE AND TOURISM
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND RECREATION
DEGREE PROGRAMME: BACHELOR OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT
COURSE NAME: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
COURSE CODE: RD 202
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: MR Q.M NYANGHURA
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 1
STUDENT NAME REGISTRATION NUMBER
RUKONA LUCAS BTM/D/2016/0039
QUESTION:
To prepare the detailed notes on ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) in
Tanzania.

2. (1) THE MEANING OF EIA
The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental
impact assessment as "the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the
biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions
being taken and commitments made".
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process which can be used to improve decision-
making and ensure that development options under consideration are environmentally, socially
and economically sound and sustainable. is one of the environmental policy instruments that
covers and outreaches whole spectrum of environmental field
 It is concerned with identifying, predicting and evaluating the foreseeable impacts, both
beneficial and adverse, of proposed development projects and alternatives. EIA should be
conceived as procedure that is applied to assess possible environmental impact of the
intended activity and elaborate proposals for prevention or reduction of unfavorable
impact.
 It aims to eliminate or minimize negative impacts and optimise positive impacts through
mitigation and enhancement measures.
 EIA is required for all projects that have been identified as likely to have a significant
effect upon the environment.
 a systematic examination conducted to determine whether or not a programme, activity or
project will have adverse impacts on the environment
 This is a management and planning tool for ensuring that the best alternatives are selected
and not to prevent development activities from being carried out.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EIA
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) originated in the United States of America when
the Congress enacted the National Environmental Policy Act, (NEPA) 1969.The Act contains
three main elements, these are; national policy for environment, procedures for realizing the
objectives of the Act, establishment of US Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to
administer the Act[2].NEPA intended each Federal Agency to include in every

3. recommendations and any major actions significantly affecting the quality of the
environment, a detailed statement known as EIA.EIA developed as a consequences of
increased public awareness of the harmful environmental and social effects of development.
Legislation in respect of environmental protection in Africa began to emerge in early
1980s.The first African country to adopt a framework legislation on environmental
management was Libya as 1981 it enacted Act No 7 of 1982 on protection of the
environment. Other countries followed including Tanzania that enacted the National
Environmental Management Act, No 19 of 1983.Despite the lack of specific environmental
protection legislation or EIA legislation, the environment has been protected in Africa,
particularly in Tanzania via administrative mechanisms and other pieces of legislation which
have some bearing on environment though not exclusively on the environment. Currently we
have the framework law which is the Environmental Management Act[3]
EIA UNDER DIFFERENT POLICIES
EIA as a tool to determine environmental impacts to any project and also provide mitigating
measures to the same has been provided in a number of policies. Here in below are few
selected policies: -
National Environmental policy, 1997, it is provided under chapter four paragraphs 63-66,
generally EIA as a planning tool shall be used to integrate environmental considerations in
the decision-making process, in order to avoid unnecessary damage to the environment.
Environmental considerations will not become an afterthought in planning and decision
making but rather part of our consciousness and awareness of our developments realities.
National Forest Policy,1998, it is provided under paragraph 4.3.4 that EIA must therefore be
incorporated in the panning and decision-making process in order to ensure beforehand that
unnecessary damage to the environment is avoided and mitigation measures are identified.
Policy statements and directions have been provided for the effectiveness of the same.
The Wildlife Policy of Tanzania, also provide that EIA has to be carried out before the
commencement of any project in wildlife

4. PROJECTS WHICH REQUIRES EIA
These are provided under the third schedule of the Environmental Management Act, 2004.Here
in below are the projects: -
 Urban Development
 Transportation,
 Dams, Rivers and Water Sources,
 Aerial Spraying, Mining Including Quarrying and Open Cast Extraction,
 Forest Related Activities,
 Agriculture Including Animal Production,
 Processing and Manufacturing Industries,
 Electrical Infrastructure,
 Management of Hydrocarbons Including the Storage of Natural Gas and Combustible or
Explosive Fuels,
 Waste Disposal,
 Natural Conservation Areas,
 Major development in biotechnology including the introduction and testing of genetically
modified organisms,
 Any activity out of character with its surrounding, any structure of scale not keeping
with its surrounding, major changes in land use,
 Any other activity as may be prescribed in the regulations
EIA IN DIFFERENT LEGISLATION
A number of legislation provides it mandatory for the carrying out of EIA before the
commencement of any project: -
 The Environmental Management Act,2004, under part VI section 81 provide that
any person who wish to carry our any project shall undertake or cause to be
undertaken at his own cost an environmental impact assessment study. This is
normally conducted by experts from different fields for the purpose of coming up
with comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
 The Mining Act, [5] the Act incorporate the concept and need of EIA in many
provisions for example Section 38 requires that every applicant for the special

5. mining license to commission and produce to the minister an environmental
impact assessment and environmental management plan on the proposed mining
operations from independent consultants of international standards. Another part
of great interest to EIA process is section 110(2)(h) and (j).
(2) WHY WE DO EIA
The purpose of EIA is to:
 Provide information for decision-making on the environmental consequences of proposed
actions; and
 Promote environmentally sound and sustainable development through the identification
of appropriate enhancement and mitigation measures.
 Ensure that decision makers consider the environmental impacts when deciding whether
or not to proceed with a project.
 Increasing environmental awareness.
 EIA is used for early warning planning of a wide range of resource use, development, and
conservation initiatives in order to make the most of options for achieving sustainability.
We live in a greenhouse world of ozone holes and vanishing species. It is now considered
that the impact of human activities on the biosphere is reaching critical thresholds, with
the consequent threat of ecological breakdown and social conflict. Thus, the use of EIA
to choose the best project or options can help in the achievement of sustainable
development.
 Help decide if the effects are acceptable or have to be reduced for continuation of the
facility or proceeding with the proposed project
 Design/implement appropriate monitoring, mitigation, and management measures
 Propose acceptable alternatives,
 Prepare an environmental impact report (EIR).
 The main purpose of EIA is to inform decision makers of the likely impacts of a proposal
before a decision is made.

6. Objectives of EIA
 ensuring environmental factors are considered in the
decision-making process
 ensuring that possible adverse environmental impacts are
identified and avoided or minimized
 informing the public about the proposal
 resources conservation
(3) WHEN IS AN EIA IMPLEMENTED? (TIMING OF EIA)
When does EIA start?
 To be effective, EIA should start early in the planning of a project in order materially to
influence the design and location. The project is more likely to be accepted if it has dealt
with the concerns of the local people at an early stage; EIA can be seen as aiding good
environmental public relations. Cost-effective design, taking the environment into
account, often means that the overall project development costs are reduced
 This assessment process should be launched at the earliest phase of intended activity
planning, projecting and decision-making.
When implementing EIA, the following direct or indirect changes in the environment
caused by the implementation of an intended activity should be assessed:
 Those that impact humans, their health and safety;
 Biodiversity;
 Soil, air, water and climate;
 Landscape, cultural and nature heritage;
 Material values, as well as
 Interaction of all above mentioned fields.

7. (4) WHO CARRIES OUT ASSESSEMENT
Who carries out EIAs?
 This varies in different counties. Frequently, it is the developer or environmental
consultants (experts and firms of experts authorized to conduct EIA) acting on behalf of
the developer who carry out EIAs. However, in other cases, the EIA can be commissioned
by the decision-making authority or undertaken by an independent body.
NOTE; The developer of the project is not allowed to carry out the project without the
Environmental Impact Assessment License. It is normally issued by the Minister of environment,
Vice President Office (VPO) after receiving recommendations from National Environmental
Council (NEMC) about the project.
WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE EIA PROCESS?
Five principal groups of stakeholders should be involved. These include
 Project proponents who are responsible for commissioning and paying for the
EIA process. Proponents usually include government ministries and departments,
private sector companies and development agencies.
 EIA practitioners or service providers who undertake or provide inputs to the
EIA process. They include individuals; organizations; research and academic
institutes; NGOs; and both local and international consulting companies.
 Reviewers who are responsible for 'quality control'. They are responsible for
determining the level of environmental assessment required (screening) and
ensuring that the EIA process proceeds according to agreed, clear and
comprehensive terms of reference. Such panel members may be recruited from
government ministries, universities and colleges, and environmental NGOs,
together with local and international experts. The public should be notified of the
EIS and requested to present their views and comments and these would be
collated by the EIA Agency for consideration.

8.  Decision-makers who are responsible for making decisions on project
development once an environmental impact statement (EIS) has been
submitted. They may include central government, local authorities and
development agencies.
 The public who are the most important stakeholders. The public can
contribute ideas and information that can help to avoid unforeseen problems,
improve project design and contribute to monitoring. Experience also shows
that development projects imposed on local communities often fail or under-
perform because they lack a sense of local ownership and public support.
They can also result in conflict.
(5) WHAT IS INCLUDED IN AN EIA
Matters covered in an EIA
 Description of the proposed activities
 Description of the base environmental and climatic conditions.
 Analysis of the
• Land use and land use change
• Waste generation
• Water consumption
• Power consumption along with the
• Social and health impacts
 An assessment of air pollution and noise generation
 A risk assessment report and disaster management plan to mitigate adverse
environmental impacts of proposed activity
 An indication of the likely area to be affected by the proposed activity or its alternatives
 A detailed environmental feasibility report of all the information provided

9. (6) THE EIA PROCESS / STEPS
various stages of the process.
The procedures are provided under the NEMC Guidelines and Procedures. According to the
guidelines the EIA involve eight essential steps. These are; -
1 Registration.
Registration is a simple administrative procedure which requires project proponents to
officially register their intention to undertake a development activity. Registration allows
all new projects to be screened for their potential impacts by the appropriate authority. In
Tanzania it is proposed that the Environmental Regulatory Body (ERB) or the designated
Environmental Units at the local level will be responsible for registration of proposed
development activities. To ensure that the proponent understands the EIA procedures
which need to be followed, on registration, the ERB will supply the proponent with the
necessary documentation (policy, legal and administrative requirements, guidelines).
2 Screening.
Screening is the process of deciding on whether an EIA is required. This may be
determined by size. Screening is a process to determine what level of environmental
assessment (i.e. no assessment, a preliminary assessment, or a full EIA study) is
necessary or appropriate for a specific project or proposal. Requirements for screening
are normally addressed specifically in EIA legislation and/or official guidelines.
Screening ensures that the level of environmental assessment required is appropriate to
each specific project.
3 impact assessment
Impact identification and evaluation: during identification of impacts, determination of
impact magnitude and significance and development of mitigation options/measures
4 Scoping
Is the process of determining which are the most critical issues to study and will
involve community participation to some degree. It is at this early stage that EIA can
most strongly influence the outline proposal. during identification of issues and
alternatives to be considered

10. 5 Terms of reference.
This is usually done by the proponent in collaboration with the team responsible for
the initial scoping
6 Preparation of Environmental Impact Statement(EIS)
Environmental assessment (EA) is the assessment of the environmental consequences
(positive and negative) of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision
to move forward with the proposed action. Environmental assessments may be governed
by rules of administrative procedure regarding public participation and documentation of
decision making and may be subject to judicial review.
7 EIA review.
Commenting on the draft EIS and taking part in public hearings or village meetings.
8 implementation,
9 monitoring and auditing. During impact mitigation, monitoring and auditing: through
joint implementation and responsibility sharing, possibly through participatory
monitoring and evaluation
10 Decommissioning/ Decisionmaking.
Decision-making takes place throughout the EIA process; many decisions are made by
the proponent (e.g. choices between various alternatives and project designs). decisions
may be made jointly by the proponent and the decision-making/environmental authorities
(e.g. screening and scoping decisions). However, the main decision in the EIA process,
whether or not to allow the proposal to proceed lies with a government agency, following
consultation and public participation. This final decision will usually involve a
consideration of a range of factors including environmental, political and economic

11. Proposed Tanzanian EIA Procedure

12. (7) HOW IS THE EIA OUTPUT USED
The output of EIA is presented in environmental impact statement. EIS is the document that is
presented to the decision-making body, alongside the application for development consent. It
contains the environmental information and conclusions of the assessment and should be
presented in a clear, unbiased manner, enabling non-specialists to determine what issues are at
stake.
The EIA outputs are used for
 Evaluation of an eco-friendly project (resource conservation)
 Risk and hazard assessment
 Impact identification
 Monitoring of impact and advice
 Development control
 Project development
(8) ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGES OF EIA
 IMPORTANCES/BENEFITS OF EIA ARE
 EIA is an important management tool for improving the long-term viability of
projects. Its use can help to avoid mistakes that can be expensive and damaging in
environmental, social and economic terms
 EIA helps to enhance social and economic opportunities, and to promote conservation
and provides a mechanism for enhancing new economic and social opportunities and for
introducing long-term environmental protection and conservation measures into project
design.
 EIA provides a framework for stakeholder participation in decision-making,
experience has shown that development projects imposed on local communities often fail
to address issues of local concern and priority, and hence fail to engender a perception of
local ownership. EIA can facilitate public participation within the project cycle and bring

13. various stakeholder groups together and provide an opportunity to exchange information
and build consensus between the groups involved.
 EIA is a tool to improve decision-making and provides project-specific and strategic
information before project implementation decisions are reached. It is also a mechanism
for addressing cross-sectoral and cross-boundary issues. As a result, EIA helps to avoid
inadvertent problems and their associated costs during project design.
 Improve future projects design and reduced present cost
 Avoidance of unnecessary conflicts
 Improve accountability and transparency during the development process
 more environmentally sensitive decisions;
 reduced environmental damage;
 more effective projects in terms of meeting their financial and/or socio-economic
objectives
 a positive contribution toward achieving sustainability.
 facilitates the design of a monitoring programme
 allows people to examine the underlying need for a project
 gives people the opportunity to identify problems
 helps a developer to design a more publicly acceptable project
 exploration of alternatives can help identify cost-saving and other beneficial changes
 DISADVANTAGES OF UNDERTAKING EIA
 It is very costly to start EIA
 It takes a lot of time to complete the assessment
 It can cause conflicts

14. (9) CHALLLENGES OF EIA IN TANZANIA
 Lack of awareness of EIA amongst public, politicians and planners
 Misconceptions of EIA
 Conflicts between key government agencies
 Limited of technical capacity
 Lack of financial resources
 lack of EIA national policy, guidelines and standards
 Lack of Implementation of Mitigation Strategies and Management Guidelines Presented
in the EIA Reports
 Lack of Land use Planning. EIA most of the time do not take rapid land use and land
cover change (in terms of land use types, land use planning, resource and inputs
management options), do not look the long-term consequences as function of
industrialization, population increase etc. Technical portion of EIA is sometimes weak,
integrated assessment modelling not scientifically undertaken
 A drawback of EIA is the transparency of those who monitor and report during the
construction and operation phases. They can cheat if provided with extra money or they
can be careless about some standards.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, EIA is a management and planning tool, therefore it has to be conducted for the projects
specified, so as to avoid environmental impacts which will be caused by the project. Mitigating measures
should be employed as indicated in order to avoid adverse impacts to the environment also National
Environmental Management Council(NEMC) should play its role effectively in issues regarding to EIA.

15. REFERENCES
Raphael Mwalyosi, Ross Hughes and David Howlett. Introduction Course on Environmental
Impact Assessment in Tanzania, Institute of resource assessment University of Dar es salaam
Ron Bisset, Environmental Impact Assessment: Issues, Trends and Practice, prepared for the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), June 1996.
Brew, D. and Lee, N. (1996). Monitoring Environmental Management Plans and Post-Project
Analysis. EIA Newsletter 12: 10-11, University of Manchester.