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Environmental Impact Assessment
Myriam RaicheNovember 8, 2007
What is an EIA?
Simplified: EIA considers an action and its possible consequences
A process and planning tool used for data gathering and decision making (public and private)
Identifies, predicts, and assesses the likely consequences of proposed development activities on the surrounding environment
Idealistically, process should be comprehensive and objective
Canadian Environmental Assessment Research Council Definition Process which attempts to identify and predict
the impacts of legislative proposals, policies, programs, projects and operational procedures on the biophysical environment, on human health and well-being. It also interprets and communicates information about those impacts and investigates and proposes means for their management. (Dearden and Mitchell, 2005, 171)
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Purpose of EIA:
Minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects before they occur
Incorporate environmental factors into decision making
Examples for Use of EIA
Physical projects:Hydroelectric dam, wind farm, waste facility
Programs:Renewable energy development scheme,
recycling program Policies:
Energy policy, waste management policy
Types of EIA
Progression of EIA, from 1970s, into various environmental focuses:
Cumulative impact assessment Social and economic assessmentStrategic impact assessment
Jurisdictions & Regulations
Public: Federal level: CEAA administered by the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Agency Provincial/Territorial level: Provincial acts such as
BC’s EAA administered by the BC Environmental Assessment Office
Inter-jurisdictional agreements between federal and provincial/territorial authorities: Canada-BC EA Cooperation Agreement
Jurisdictions & Regulations
Local level: Regional and municipal regulations administered by local government and planning departments
Private: Consultants, resource managers, planners,
engineers, etc; sub-contracted or hired directly by developer and subject to same regulations
EIA Approval
4 assessment types described in the CEAA:Screening & class screeningComprehensive studyMediationReview panel
Summary of Steps in EIA Process Proposal
identify basic concept of project
Screening Is an EIA legally required? legalities (permits, legislation), scale (size, cost),
nature of project (public/private, type)
Scoping identify issues and impacts to be addressed
Summary of Steps in EIA Process Assessment
data collection, impact prediction, evaluation
Preparation, Submission, Review of EIA report Decision/Recommendation
approval or rejection based on EIA report recommendations
Monitoring & Compliance Parameters for maintaining and enforcing recommend
Benefits
Protection and/or improvement of human and environmental health
Maintenance of biodiversity Sustainable use of natural resources Minimized risks of environmental disasters Opportunity for public participation Fewer conflicts between users
Challenges
Early involvement of EIA process in project planning and development
Threshold of environmental impact: finding the acceptable level of environmental impact
Lack of black and white in decision-making: need to balance subjective judgments and cultural values with scientific studies
Challenges
Every project is unique: standard format is not always available but allows for creativity and project-specific measures
Data collection: lack of data and imperfect data (leads to guesswork and unknowns)
References Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website at
http://www.ceaa.gc.ca/index_e.htm Dearden, Philip and Mitchell, Bruce. (2005). Environmental Change
and Challenge. A Canadian Perspective. 2nd ed. Canada: Oxford University Press.
Environmental Assessment Office website at http://www.eao.gov.bc.ca
Environmental Impact Assessment. Urban Environmental Management. Global Development Research Center website at http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eia/impactassess.html
Hanna, Kevin S. (Ed). (2005). Environmental Impact Assessment. Practice and Participation. Canada: Oxford University Press.
Questions?
Do you think EIAs have been successful in their mandate or are economic issues still at the forefront? What about in the future…
Are they empty statements?