Environmental Impact Assessment as a tool for decision making has been formally initiated in late sixty’s at USA through National Environmental Protection Act, 1969 (Glasson et al., 2012, p.50) which has been now adopted by majority of countries of the world (Sadler, 1996, p.25; Petts, 2009; NCEA, 2013). To monitor the quality of Environmental Statements (on which the overall success of the process depends most) review packages or criteria’s has been first developed in 1987 by Ross for Canadian ESs (Lee and Colley, 1992). Following several initiatives in this arena, Lee and Colley developed their review package in 1990, which has been amended at 1999 lastly (Lee et al., 1999), and it is being used widely for assessing ESs. European commission guideline on EIS review is another precise guideline to evaluate (EC, 2001). Both process has been criticized for the inadequacies to address all the issues (Põder and Lukki, 2011) and variability of scrutiny by reviewers depending on their personal skills and competencies (Peterson, 2010).

1. Title: The Role of ES Review
Submission Date: November 9, 2013
University ID Number: 9297731
Word Count: 1548

2. 1. Introduction
Environmental Impact Assessment as a tool for decision making has been formally initiated in
late sixty‟s at USA through National Environmental Protection Act, 1969 (Glasson et al., 2012,
p.50) which has been now adopted by majority of countries of the world (Sadler, 1996, p.25;
Petts, 2009; NCEA, 2013).
To monitor the quality of Environmental Statements (on which the overall success of the process
depends most) review packages or criteria‟s has been first developed in 1987 by Ross for
Canadian ESs (Lee and Colley, 1992). Following several initiatives in this arena, Lee and Colley
developed their review package in 1990, which has been amended at 1999 lastly (Lee et al.,
1999), and it is being used widely for assessing ESs. European commission guideline on EIS
review is another precise guideline to evaluate (EC, 2001). Both process has been criticized for
the inadequacies to address all the issues (Põder and Lukki, 2011) and variability of scrutiny by
reviewers depending on their personal skills and competencies (Peterson, 2010).
2. Role of ES Review within EIA Process

Evaluate the approach and findings of the study, in relation to the actual effects of the
development, the accuracy of the prediction made and the effectiveness of mitigation
measures proposed (Harrop and Nixon, 1998, p.129).

Assess whether findings and results are presented in an understandable manner and
provides information that is sufficient and relevant for decision making (Wood, 2003;
Sadler, 1996).

3. 
Check whether the ES fulfills the detail requirement of EIA (impact prediction and
significance, alternatives consideration and mitigation measures) in other word quality
assurance of EIA process as a whole (Fuller, 2009).

Validate the underneath science and methodology (Glasson et al., 2012, p.176).

Measure harmony with the specified ToR or Scoping guidelines (Sadler, 1996, p.122).

Play a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness of EIA (Lee and Colley, 1992; Lee et al.,
1999).

Helps decision maker or respective authority to take decision – whether to ask for further
information / refusal (Sadler, 1996, p.122).

Examine whether ES includes the views of all parties and represents them fairly (Sadler,
1996, p.131)
3. Review of Three (3) ES from Bangladesh: Evaluation Criteria – ‘Impact Significance’
3.1 Justification
Bangladesh is a country with a transitional economy (low income to middle income), having on
an average 6% economic growth in the last decade (WB, 2013). Since early 90‟s there has been
an increasing trend of Foreign Direct Investment (BOI, GoB, 2012), which comes with the
investment in industrial and infrastructure sector. Consequently this type of interventions causing
Environmental and Social impact, which as a result brought EIA to measure the degree of
intrusion, by the donors first in the early 80‟s (Kabir 2012, p.40). Recent trend of investment is
in energy sector because of the country‟s new exploration of gas and oil reserve and increasing
high energy demand. Considering the above mentioned conditions, three (3) Environmental
Statements (ES) from power sector has been selected for the analysis in this essay

4. i.
Environmental Impact Assessment of 2x (500-660) MW Coal Based Thermal Power
Plant to be Constructed at the Location of Khulna (BPDB, GoB and CEGIS 2013).
ii.
Environmental Impact Assessment of 108 MW Natural Gas Fired Power Plant at
Ghorashal, Palash, Narshingdi (AECL et al. 2012).
iii.
Environmental Impact Assessment study of “Siddhirganj Maniknagar 11Km 230KV
Transmission Line Project (SMTL)” (PGCB, GoB and CEGIS 2012).
The aim of this part of the essay is to evaluate the Identification and Evaluation of Key
Impact of those three (3) ES. Justification for selecting this criteria is backed by research
findings of poor impact prediction and evaluation process of Bangladesh‟s EISs like other
developing countries (Kabir, 2012; Ahammed and Harvey, 2004). Additionally, excellence of
„impact significance‟ of an EIA is largely dependent on proper scoping, identification and
determining magnitude. That‟s why the total Impact Identification and Evaluation process has
been analyzed here.
Review package of Lee and Colley (1999) will be used during the investigation but a country
specific adopted version (Kabir and Momtaz, 2012, p.99) to address the legislative requirement
has been used to make the analysis more appropriate (Lee et al., 1999, p.31).

5. 3.2 Assessment of Impact Identification and Evaluation of Three ES from Bangladesh
Table-1: Result of Assessment
Project-X
(Coal Based Power
Plant-Rampal)
Project-Y
(Gas Based Power
Plant-Narsingdi)
2. Identification and Evaluation of Key Impacts
B
C
Project-Z
(11 Km Electricity
Transmission LineSiddhirganj)
D
2.1 Definition of Impacts
A
C
C
2.1.1 Impact Types
A
C
C
2.1.2 Impacts with Regard to Humans, Ecology etc.
A
C
B
2.1.3 Impacts of Accidents
B
D
E
2.1.4 Impacts as the Deviation of Baseline
A
B
C
2.2 Identification of Impact
B
D
D
2.2.1 Methods Used for Impacts
B
B
C
2.2.2 Justification of Methods Used
B
F
E
2.3 Scoping
B
C
C
2.3.1 Arrangements for Scoping
B
C
C
2.3.2 Methods of Collection of Opinions
B
C
C
2.3.3 Selection of Key Impacts
A
B
D
2.4 Prediction of Impact Magnitude
B
C
E
2.4.1 Data Gaps
B
B
C
2.4.2 Methods Used with Justification
B
D
E
2.4.3 Quantitative Expression where Possible
C
E
F
*2.4.4 Uncertainty
C
F
F
2.5 Assessment of Impact Significance
A
C
E
2.5.1 Significance of Impact on Community and
A
C
D
2.5.2 Methods Used for Evaluation of Impacts
A
B
E
2.5.3 Justification of Methods Used
B
C
F
*2.6 Community Involvement
B
C
D
2.6.1 Description of Community Affected
A
C
C
2.6.2 Involvement of Community
B
C
C
2.6.3 Methods of Community Involvement
B
D
D
2.6.4 Inputs from Community
C
D
E
Project
Criteria
Environment
*Country Specific Criteria (Adopted from Kabir and Momtaz, 2012 and Lee et al,. 1999)

6. Table-2: Assessment Symbols
Symbol
Explanation
A
Relevant tasks well performed, no important tasks left incomplete
B
Generally satisfactory and complete, only minor omissions and inadequacies
C
Can be considered just satisfactory despite omissions and/or inadequacies
D
Parts are well attempted but must, as a whole, be considered just unsatisfactory because of omissions or
inadequacies
E
Not satisfactory, significant omissions or inadequacies
F
Very unsatisfactory, important task(s) poorly done or not attempted
NA
Not applicable. The Review Topic is not applicable or it is irrelevant in the context of this
Statement
Adopted and Reproduced from Lee et al. 1999
From the above assessment (Table-1 and Table-2) it can be summarized that those three ES is
particularly weak in impact identification, prediction of magnitude and assessment of
significance which supports the claim made by few earlier research (Momtaz, 2002, p.175;
Ahammed and Harvey, 2004, p.73; Kabir et al., 2010, p.4; Kabir, 2012, pp.136–146, 233; Kabir
and Momtaz, 2012, p.96) on Bangladesh EIA process. Definition, scoping and community
involvement is within the acceptable limit.
Identification procedure is mainly weakened by the justification of the method used, which
seemed to be a common flaw in all. Magnitude prediction is defected by justification of method
used specific to project and scale, quantitative expression of magnitude other than just blurred
classification (i.e. major, minor etc.) and absence of confidence level or certainty of the predicted
value (project-Y & Z). Significance of impact is faded by type and justification of method used
for the evaluation (project-Y&Z).

7. 3.3 Assessment within the Context of Bangladesh EIA Regulation
EIA in Bangladesh has been incorporated formally within legislation through Environment
Conservation Act, 1995 (MoEF, GoB 1995) and detailed specification has been provided later
via Environment Conservation Rules, 1997 (MoEF, GoB 1997a) and EIA Guidelines for
Industries (MoEF, GoB 1997b). Basic requirements in case of impact assessment within the EIA
process are (according to MoEF, GoB 1997b) –

Process – impact identification, prediction and significance

Compare with the „Future-Without-Project‟ (FWP) scenario

Impact of all alternatives under consideration

Impact according to different project stages (pre-construction, construction, operation &
decommissioning)

Impact with and without mitigation measures

Impact evaluation and significance according to - type, extend, spatial and temporal
nature, likelihood, and reversibility.

Cumulative Impact Assessment

Summary presentation in a convenient way (i.e. matrix)
Project-X: Addressed the process as a whole satisfactorily. Impact identification in various
stages (i.e. impact form coal transportation), evaluation, significance and presentation with
respect to mitigation measures (BPDB, GoB and CEGIS 2013, pp.299–334) is excellent. But
absence of proper impact analysis for alternatives and cumulative impact assessment made it
biased.

8. Project-Y: Scoping, evaluation, scenario with and without mitigation and presentation is
satisfactory through following a simple matrix (AECL et al. 2012, p.102). But absence of
justification of model used (i. e. SCREEN), considering national standard too stringent for SOx,
under estimating cumulative impact along with ambient industries, absence of justification for
the stack height made this statement faulty.
Project-Z: Impact of alternative routes, different project stages and with and without mitigation
scenario is well documented (PGCB, GoB and CEGIS 2012, pp.23–30, 65–71). But complete
absence of impact significance and scientific data for impact prediction made this ES faulty and
unacceptable.
4. Conclusion
The above two analysis (according to Lee and Colley review package and within the context of
Bangladesh EIA legislation) give us the anonymous result that Project-X and Project-Y fulfills
the minimum requirement, in case of impact identification and significance. On the other hand
Project-Z fails to address all the issues required within the extent of Bangladesh EIA regulation.

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