Unit 3: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Lecture 3
Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA)

STRUCTURE

Overview
Learning Objectives
3.1 Introduction to EIA
3.1.1 Purposes of EIA
3.1.2 Steps in EIA process
3.1.3 Hierarchy in EIA
3.1.4 Environmental impact statement (EIS)
3.1.5 Impact indicators
3.2 Evolution of EIA
3.2.1 Evolution of EIA worldwide
3.2.2 Evolution of EIA in India
3.3 Forecasting Environmental Changes
3.4 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
3.4.1 Rationale and scope
3.4.2 Overview of SEA process
3.4.3 Benefits and constraints
3.5 Environmental Clearance Procedure in India
Summary
Suggested Readings
Model Answers to Learning Activities

OVERVIEW

In Unit 1, we introduced you to some of the environmental

management tools. One such tool we mentioned in that context
was environmental impact assessment (EIA). In the present Unit,
i.e., Unit 3, we will discuss EIA in detail. We will begin the Unit by
explaining what EIA entails. We will then give you an account of
EIA evolution in the world over. We will also discuss how EIA can
be used to predict environmental changes and introduce strategic
environmental assessment (SEA). We will close the Unit by listing

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some of the environmental clearance procedures in practice in

India.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this Unit, you should be able to:

discuss environmental impact assessment (EIA) as an

environmental management tool;

trace the evolution of EIA;

discuss what forecasting of environmental changes entails;

explain strategic environmental assessment (SEA);

list and comply with the environmental clearance procedures

in India;

plan and carry out an environmental impact assessment

study.

3.1 INTRODUCTION TO EIA

Environment assessment involves a study to determine

any unique environmental attributes from endangered species to
existing hazardous waste to historical significance. Environment
Assessment procedure ensures consideration of environmental
implications before making a final decision of assessing the
environmental attribute. Process of assessment analyses the
effects on environment and is useful for reporting those effects
undertaking a public consultation exercise and lastly it reveals
decision to public after reviewing the comment of the report. One
of the main strengths of environmental assessment (EA) is its
flexibility. Project planning processes can integrate EA as

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essential step giving sensitivity to the social and economic as well

as environmental impacts of projects. In this way project
managers can compensate shortcomings in the project planning
process.

For example, a project which failed to adequately consult the

community at the outset can take advantage of the Environment
Assessment to involve the community in a necessary exchange of
ideas and views. The EA can help establish and strengthen
decision-making and communication mechanisms within a project.
It can also pave the way for introducing innovations. An EA may
reveal sound environmental, social or economic reasons for
shifting a project's direction. In view of the primacy accorded the
opinions and aspirations of local people, the EA process may also
function as a project control mechanism. While the EA should not
be expected to correct all the weaknesses of a flawed planning
process, when properly designed and executed, it can be a
valuable tool for project implementation. When the role of the EA
is more restricted, the situation can work in reverse. Other project
planning activities can be used to gather necessary information for
the EA and to create support for the EA process. Each project
manager must decide how much importance to accord each
planning.

Duration for EA will hinge on [http://www.gdrc.org/uem/e-

mgmt/2.html]:
The size and complexity of the proposed project.

The extent of co-operation received from the project

sponsor and third parties such as local government.

The level of interest and support demonstrated by the

community.

The ability of the project team to sustain interest in the EA.

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The skills of the EA team.

The EA techniques employed.

In principle, environmental assessment can be undertaken for

Individual projects such as a dam, motorway, airport or
factory and call it as 'Environmental Impact Assessment'
(EIA).
Plans, programs and policies and call it as 'Strategic
Environmental Assessment'(SEA).

These two sections are discussed in detail in the further sections

In recent years, there has been a remarkable growth of interest in

environmental issues, sustainability and the better management of
development in harmony with the environment. Associated with
this growth of interest has been the introduction of new legislation,
emanating from national and international agencies (e.g., the
European Commission) that seek to influence the relationship
between development and environment. Environmental impact
assessment (EIA) is an important example. It is defined as an
activity designed to identify and predict the impact of legislative
proposals, policies, programmes, projects and operational
procedures on the bio-geophysical environment and on the health
and well being of human beings and to interpret and communicate
information about the impact.

That is to say, EIA focuses on problems, conflicts or natural

resource constraints that could affect the viability of a project. It
also examines implications of a project that might harm people,
their homeland or their livelihoods, or other nearby developments.
After predicting the problems, a EIA identifies measures to
minimise the problems and outlines ways to improve the project’s
suitability for its proposed environment. In the last three decades,

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EIA has been recognised as the most valuable, inter-disciplinary

and objective decision-making tool with respect to alternate routes
for development, process technologies and project sites. It is
considered an ideal anticipatory mechanism allowing measures
that ensure environmental compatibility in our quest for socio-
economic development.

EIA is generally wider in scope and less quantitative than other

techniques, such as cost-benefit analysis. EIA has the potential to
be a basis for negotiation among the developers, public interest
groups and planning regulators.

The Benefits of Environmental Assessment

Most governments and donor agencies acknowledge the
contribution of EA to improved project design. The weakness
of EA in the past has been largely due to poor techniques
and the failure to pay attention to findings at the
implementation stage (ESSA Technologies 1994). A review
of current environmental practices found the major benefits
of the EA process for project sponsors to be (ESSA
Technologies 1994: 16):
Reduced cost and time of project implementation.
Cost-saving modifications in project design.
Increased project acceptance.
Avoided impacts and violations of laws and regulations.
Improved project performance.
Avoided treatment/clean up costs.

The benefits to local communities from taking part in

environmental assessments include:
A healthier local environment (forests, water sources,
agricultural potential, recreational potential, aesthetic
values, and clean living in urban areas).

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Improved human health.

Maintenance of biodiversity.
Decreased resource use.
Fewer conflicts over natural resource use.
Increased community skills, knowledge and pride.

Principle of EIA
It is important to recognise that there is a general principle of
assessment that applies to EIA, and to other assessment
processes. There are several other processes that relate
closely to the review of environmental impacts that may
result from a proposed project. The following are well
recognised processes:
Social Impact Assessment
Risk Assessment
Life Cycle Analysis
Energy Analysis
Health Impact Assessment
Regulatory Impact Assessment
Species Impact Assessment
Technology Assessment
Economic Assessment
Cumulative Impact Assessment
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Integrated Impact Assessment

Some, like Energy Analysis, focus on a particular part of the

environment. Others, like Life Cycle Analysis, enable the
consideration of all those parts of the environment that are
relevant to the assessment. Also, depending on how the
terms, like health, are defined for the study you may find that
it is covering most of the issues that would be found in an
EIA. For example a Technology Assessment does include

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review of the impacts on ecosystems, air quality and the like.

Similarly, if the definition of environmental is taken broadly
for an EIA, then the EIA may cover the issues of the other
assessment processes; for example:
Social aspects (such as impacts on employment,
community interaction);
Risks (such as threats to native animals, water supplies);
Life cycle (such as the impacts at each stage of the project
design through to operation and closure); and
Energy (such as use of non-renewable energy sources,
Greenhouse gas emissions), etc

So there is the potential for a lot of connections between the

different forms of assessment. The essential difference
between them is how the terms, or scope of assessment, are
defined narrowly, or broadly. Otherwise they all follow the
same general principle.
With all the assessment approaches noted above, they are
designed to identify potential impacts of a development,
action or project. To do this the assessor needs to use
personal experience and the experiences of others
(including available knowledge) to think broadly about the
changes that are possible, and whether those impacts will be
positive or negative.
Particular approaches emphasis specific types of impacts
(i.e. on health, on social groups). All have basically the same
approach, although each may have its own individual
language and detailed techniques.
Most of the assessment processes also include a second step.
After identifying the impacts, they also consider what may be
needed to avoid or reduce adverse impacts.

3.1.1 Purposes of EIA

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EIA is a process with several important purposes, which can be

categorised as follows:

To facilitate decision-making: For the decision-maker, for

example the local authority, it provides a systematic
examination of the environmental implications of a proposed
action, and sometimes alternatives, before a decision is taken.
The decision-maker along with other documentation relating to
the planned activity can consider the environment impact
statement (EIS).

To aid in the formation of development: Many developers

see EIA as another set of hurdles for them to cross in order to
proceed with their various activities. They may also see the
process involved in obtaining the permission from various
authorities as costly and time-consuming. In reality, however,
EIA can be of great benefit to them, since it can provide a
framework for considering location and design issues and
environmental issues in parallel. It can be an aid to the
formulation of developmental actions, indicating areas where
the project can be modified to minimise or eliminate altogether
the adverse impacts on the environment. The consideration of
environmental impacts early in the planning life of a
development can lead to environmentally sensitive
development; to improved relations between the developer,
the planning authority and the local communities; to a
smoother planning permission process and sometimes to a
worthwhile financial return on the expenditure incurred.

To be an instrument for sustainable development: The key

characteristics of sustainable development include maintaining
the overall quality of life, maintaining continuing access to
natural resources and avoiding lasting environmental damage.
Institutional responses to sustainable development are,

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therefore, required at several levels. For example, issues of

global concern, such as ozone-layer depletion, climate
change, deforestation and biodiversity loss, require a global
political commitment to action. The United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992 was an example of international concern and
also of the problems of securing concerted action to deal with
such issues. Governments have recognised the interaction of
economic and social development and the ecosystems, and
the reciprocal impact between human actions and the bio-
geophysical world. While there are attempts to manage this
interaction better, investigation reveal disquieting trends that
could have devastating consequences for the quality of the
environment. These trends are likely to be more pronounced in
developing countries where, because of greater rates of
population growth and lower current living standards, there is
more pressure on environmental resources.

In short, an interaction among the resources, sectors and policies

is necessary for sustainable development as illustrated in Figure
3.1 below, and EIA contributes to this process:

Figure 3.1
Sustainable Development: An Illustration

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3.1.2 Steps in EIA process

EIA represents a systematic process that examines the

environmental consequences of the development actions, in
advance. The emphasis of a EIA is on prevention and, therefore,
is more proactive than reactive in nature. The EIA process
involves a number of steps, some of which are listed below:

Project screening: This entails the application of EIA to those

projects that may have significant environmental impacts. It is
quite likely, however, that screening is done partly by the EIA
regulations, operating in a country at the time of assessment.

Scoping: This step seeks to identify, at an early stage, the

key, significant environmental issues from among a host of
possible impacts of a project and all the available alternatives.

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Consideration of alternatives: This seeks to ensure that the

proponent has considered other feasible approaches,
including alternative project locations, scales, processes,
layouts, operating condition and the no-action option.

Description of the project/development action: This step

seeks to clarify the purpose and rationale of the project and
understand its various characteristics, including the stages of
development, location and processes.

Description of the environmental baseline: This includes

the establishment of both the present and future state of the
environment, in the absence of the project, taking into account
the changes resulting from natural events and from other
human activities.

Identification of key impacts: This brings together the

previous steps with a view to ensuring that all potentially
significant environmental impacts (adverse and beneficial) are
identified and taken into account in the process.

The prediction of impacts: This step aims to identify the

likely magnitude of the change (i.e., impact) in the environment
when the project is implemented in comparison with the
situation when the project is not carried out.

Evaluation and assessment of significance: This seeks to

assess the relative significance of the predicted impacts to
allow a focus on key adverse impacts. Formal definition of
significance is the product of consequence and likelihood as

Significance =consequence X Likelihood

Mitigation: This involves the introduction of measures to

avoid, reduce, remedy or compensate for any significant
adverse impacts.

Public consultation and participation: This aims to assure

the quality, comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the EIA,

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as well as to ensure that the public’s views are adequately

taken into consideration in the decision-making process.

EIS presentation: This is a vital step in the process. If done

badly, much good work in the EIA may be negated.

Review: This involves a systematic appraisal of the quality of

the EIS, as a contribution to the decision-making process.

Decision-making: At this stage, decisions are made by the

relevant authority of the EIS (including consultation responses)
together with other material considerations as to whether to
accept, defer or reject the project.

Post-decision monitoring: This involves the recording of

outcomes associated with development impacts, after the
decision to proceed with the project. It can contribute to
effective project management.

Auditing: This follows monitoring and involves comparing

actual outcomes with predicted outcomes, and can be used to
assess the quality of predictions and the effectiveness of
mitigation. It provides a vital step in the EIA learning process.
Figure 3.2 illustrates the steps involved in the EIA process:

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Figure 3.2
Steps in a EIA Process

Note that the actual EIA process is not so linear and sequential as
Figure 3.2 seems to suggest. In other words, it is a cyclical
process involving feedback and interaction among the various
steps and the sequence of the steps may also vary. Note also that
we will discuss the steps involved in detail in Unit 4.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.1

Define the EIA process.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

3.1.3 Hierarchy in EIA

The EIA studies are broadly categorised as:

(i) Site selection studies: These studies involve an evaluation

of the alternative sites with respect to environmental and
project attributes such as proximity to raw materials,
infrastructure facilities, markets, etc. These studies aim at
ranking site alternatives for objective decision-making.

(ii) Rapid or comprehensive studies: Rapid studies refer to

the assessment based on a one-season monitoring (i.e., 3-
month period), whereas comprehensive studies relate to the
assessment based on a three-seasons monitoring (i.e., 9-
month period) of baseline data. Rapid EIA facilitates

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decision-making in situations where a fair amount of

knowledge exists about the proposed site or the impacts of
the proposed development. It also helps in identifying
significant issues for comprehensive EIA. Essentially, rapid
and comprehensive studies differ with respect to timeframes
required for baseline data collection.

(iii) Regional studies: These relate to the development in/of a

region based on seasonal data collection and address
themselves to the analysis of assimilative capacity of air,
water and land components of the environment.

(iv) Carrying capacity studies: The scope of a carrying

capacity study is extended to the analysis of supportive
capacity in the region with respect to resource availability/
utilisation, supply/demand, infrastructure/congestion and
assimilative capacity/residuals. Carrying capacity has been
discussed in detail in Unit 9.

In the last two decades, national governments and also financial

institutions have realised that EIA has to be an integral part of the
project life cycle: from project conceptualisation to post
implementation corrective action. Figure 3.3 illustrates this cycle:

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Figure 3.3
EIA Cycle

A EIA exercise culminates in an environmental impact statement

(EIS), which we will study, next.

3.1.4 Environmental impact statement (EIS)

The environmental impact statement (EIS) provides

documentation of the information and estimates derived from the
various steps in the EIA process. The information contained in a

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EIS provides the decision-makers/regulators with valuable

information that could ultimately contribute to either the
abandonment or substantial modification of a proposed
development action. A typical EIS contains the following three
parts:

Part 1 – Methods and key issues: This part deals with the
statement of methods used and a summary of key issues.

Part 2 – Background to the proposed development: This

part deals with preliminary studies (i.e., need, planning,
alternatives, site selection, etc.), site description/baseline
conditions, description of proposed development and
construction activities and programmes.

Part 3 – Environmental impact assessments on topic

areas: This part deals with land use, landscape and visual
quality, geology, topography and soils, hydrology and water
quality, air quality and climate, terrestrial and aquatic ecology,
noise, transport, socio-economic and interrelationships
between effects.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.2

Write 3 ways in which EIA will help in Business Management.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

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3.1.5 Impact indicators

An impact indicator is an element or a parameter that provides a

measure (in at least some qualitative sense) of the significance of
the effect, i.e., the magnitude of an environmental impact. Some
indicators such as morbidity and mortality statistics and crop
yields have associated numerical scales. Other impact indicators,
however, can only be ranked as ‘good’, ‘better’, ‘best’ or
‘acceptable’, ‘unacceptable’, etc. The selection of a set of
indicators is often a crucial step in the impact assessment
process, requiring input from the decision-maker. In the absence
of relevant goals or policies, the assessor himself or herself may
suggest some indicators and scales, but he or she should not
proceed with the assessment until his or her proposals are
accepted.

The most widely used impact indicators are those within statutory
laws, acts, i.e., indicators such as air and water quality standards
that have statutory authority. For example, the problem of
designing an environmentally acceptable oil-fired generating
station is simplified for the engineers, if they are given one or both
of the following:

Emission standards for various pollutants.

Air and water quality standards.

These standards integrate the worth that a jurisdiction places on

clean air and clear water. The numerical values that have been
derived from examination of the available toxicological matter are
data relating polluting dosages to health and vegetation effects,
combined with a consideration of the best practical technology.
Factors such as the displacement of arable land by industry are

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also equally important. A EIA that ignores these other components

is incomplete and sometimes misleading (Munn, 1979).

3.2 EVOLUTION OF EIA

To understand the use of EIA as a tool for environmental

management, let us discuss how EIA has evolved over the years.

3.2.1 Evolution of EIA worldwide

United States of America was the first country to assign

mandatory status to EIA through its National Environmental
Protection Act (NEPA) of 1969. A host of industrialised countries
have since implemented EIA procedures. Canada, Australia, the
Netherlands and Japan adopted EIA legislation in 1973, 1974,
1981 and 1984, respectively. In July 1985, the European
Community (EC) issued a directive making environmental
assessments mandatory for certain categories of projects (Wood,
1994).

Among the developing countries, Columbia was the first Latin

American country to institute a system of EIA in 1974. In Asia and
the Pacific region, Thailand and the Philippines have long
established procedures for EIA. EIA was made mandatory in Sri
Lanka in 1984. The EIA process in Africa is sketchy, although a
number of nations including Rwanda, Botswana and Sudan have
some experience of EIA (Wathern, 1988).

Bilateral and multilateral agencies have also recognised the value

of EIA as a decision-making tool. The Organisation for Economic
Co-Operation and Development (OECD) issued recommendations
on EIA to its constituent States in 1974 and 1979, and for

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development aid projects in 1986. OECD issued guidelines for

good practices in EIA in 1992 (OECD, 1992). United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1980 provided guidance on
EIA of the development proposals (UNEP, 1980) and supported
research on EIA in developing countries (Ahmad and Swamy,
1985). UNEP, in 1987, set out goals and principles of EIA for the
member countries and provided guidance on basic procedures for
EIA in 1988.

The World Conservation Strategy pinpointed the need to integrate

environmental considerations with development in 1980 (IUCN,
1980). EIA became an integral part of World Bank policy in 1987
which states that environmental issues must be addressed as part
of overall economic policy. In 1989, the World Bank issued the
Operational Directive on Environmental Assessment (O.D. 4.00),
which was revised and updated in October 1991 (O.D. 4.01).
Asian Development Bank in 1990 published guidelines for EIA
(ADB, 1990). Importance of EIA was echoed in the Brundtland
Report (WCED, 1987), and at United Nations Earth Summit on
environment and development held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992
(UNCED, 1992). As foreseen by Garner and O'Riodan (1982)
development of EIA, as a tool for decision-making world-over, has
emerged through the following stages:

No formal accounting, decisions made on interest group

lobbying and engineering feasibility; primary emphasis on
economic development.

Conventional cost-benefit analysis; emphasis on efficiency

criterion and engineering feasibility; major concern still on
economic development.

Innovative cost-benefit analysis, use of multiple objectives and

discount rates, imaginative proxy pricing mechanisms;
economic development as one of the objectives.

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EIA mainly concerned with describing the repercussions of the

proposals on bio-physical processes; economic development
still primary objective.

EIA with more attention paid to socio-cultural as well as bio-

physical systems, economic development but not the sole
objective.

The summary of evolution of EIA in various countries is presented

in Table 3.1 below:

Table 3.1
Evolution of EIA Worldwide

Australia Environmental Protection (Impact of Proposals ) Act

1974, Commonwealth of Australia
Bangladesh No specific EIA legislation, however there was a
Declaration that Environmental Impact Assessments
should be carried out for all major development
projects, 1995
China Environmental Protection Law, 1979
USA California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of
(California) 1971
Canada Federal Environmental Assessment and Review
Process Guidelines Order 1984, Canada
Franc e Law on Prot ection de la Nature, 1978
India Notifications dated May 5, 1994 under the
Environment Protection Act, 1986
Japan Principles for Implementing EIA by Environmental
Agency, 1984
Malaysia Environmental Quality (Prescribed Activity) (E IA)
Order, 1987
New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991, New Zealand
Philippines Presidential Dec ree (PD) 1151 Philippines
Environment Policy, 1975
PD 1586 Establishing the Environmental Impact
Statement (E IS), 1978 Rules and Regulations to
Implement the EIS System, 1987
Sri Lanka National Environmental Act 1980, amended in 1986
Thailand Improvement and Conservation of National
Environmental Quality Act 1975, amended in 1978
The EIA Policy, 1986
Netherlands
United States US Environment al Policy Act, 1969
Vietnam Environmental Protection Law, 1994
Western Environmental Protection Act 1986
Australia
West Germany Cabinet Resolution, 1975

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Let us now work out Learning Activity 3.3.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.3

List 3 Asian countries where law requires EIA and also name the relevant
law.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

3.2.2 Evolution of EIA in India

EIA in India was started in 1976-77, when the Planning

Commission asked the then Department of Science and
Technology to examine the river-valley projects from the
environmental angle. This was subsequently extended to cover
those projects, which required approval of the Public Investment
Board. These were administrative decisions, and lacked the
legislative support. The Government of India enacted the
Environment (Protection) Act on 23rd May 1986. To achieve the
objectives of the Act, one of the decisions taken was to make EIA
statutory. After following the legal procedure, a notification was
issued on 27th January 1994 and subsequently amended on 4th
May 1994, 10th April 1997 and 27th January 2000 making
environmental impact assessment statutory for 30 activities. This
is the principal piece of legislation governing EIA in India. Besides
this, the Government of India under Environment (Protection) Act
1986 issued a number of notifications, which are related to

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environmental impact assessment. These are limited to specific

geographical areas, and are summarised below:

Prohibiting location of industries except those related to

Tourism in a belt of 1 km from high tide mark from the
Revdanda Creek up to Devgarh Point (near Shrivardhan) as
well as in 1 km belt along the banks of Rajpuri Creek in Murud
Janjira area in the Raigarh district of Maharashtra (6th January
1989).

Restricting location of industries, mining operations and

regulating other activities in Doon Valley (1st February 1989).

Regulating activities in the coastal stretches of the country by

classifying them as coastal regulation zone and prohibiting
certain activities (19th February 1991).

Restricting location of industries and regulating other activities

in Dahanu Taluka in Maharashtra (6th June 91).

Restricting certain activities in specified areas of Aravalli

Range in the Gurgaon district of Haryana and Alwar district of
Rajasthan (7th May 1992).

Restricting industrial and other activities, which could lead to

pollution and congestion in the north west of Numaligarh in
Assam (July 1996).

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.4

List three major developmental projects in India funded by the World Bank,
which required EIA and the main aspect assessed in each of these projects.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

3.3 FORECASTING ENVIRONMENTAL

CHANGES

A EIA should be able to, among others, predict the nature and
extent of the impact of human activities on the environment. Table
3.2 gives a list of human-induced environmental changes, which
can be either benign or malignant to the environment:

Table 3.2
Environmental Changes

Environmental Changes
Medium Changes and Rate s of Change in
Soil Quality (e.g., depth, structure,
fertility, degree of stalinisation or
acidification, etc.)
Stability
Area of arable land
Air Quality
The climatic elements
Water Quantity
Quality

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Environmental Changes
Medium Changes and Rate s of Change in
Season ability
Area of human-made lakes
Extent of irrigation canals
Biota Abundanc e/scarcity of species or genetic
resources
Extent of crops, ecosystems, vegetation
and forests
Diversity of species
Extent of provision of nesting grounds,
etc., for migratory species
Abundanc e/scarcity of pests and disease
organisms.

Of importance here are not only estimates of changes in

environmental quality but also estimates of rate of change. A slow
change may be acceptable, especially if it leads to a new stability,
whereas rapid change or large fluctuations may place intolerable
burdens on ecosystems. Of equal or perhaps greater importance
is the degree of irreversibility of an environmental change, which
will be either absolute, as in the extinction of a species, or partly
absolute in that the situation can only be reversed over long
periods of time or with unacceptable expenditures of money and
energy, as in the case of catastrophic erosion.

A typical EIA contains information on the following three areas, as

they relate to environmental effects:

(i) A determination of the initial reference state.

(ii) An estimate of the future state without action.

(iii) An estimate of the future state with action.

We will describe each of these, next.

Establishment of the initial reference state

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An assessment of environmental change pre-supposes

knowledge about the present state. It will be necessary, therefore,
to select attributes that may be used to estimate this state. Some
of these will be directly measurable; others will only be capable of
being recorded within a series of defined categories, or ranked in
ascending or descending order of approximate magnitude. Difficult
decisions need to be made about the population (i.e., in a
statistical sense), which is to be represented by the measured
variables, and the extent to which the sub-division of this
population into geographical regions, ecosystems, etc., is either
feasible or necessary. In fact, it must be emphasised that the
establishment of an initial reference state is difficult because not
only are environmental systems dynamic but also they contain
cyclical and random components.

Predicting the future state in the absence of action

In order to provide a fair basis for examining the impact of human

activities on the environment, a EIA must estimate the future
environmental states in the absence of action. As an example, the
population of a species of animal or fish may already be declining,
due to over-grazing or over-fishing, even before a smelter is built.
This part of analysis is largely a scientific problem, requiring skills
drawn from many disciplines. The prediction will often be
uncertain but the degree of uncertainty should be indicated at
least in qualitative terms. For example, forecasting of droughts 2
or 3 years in advance is not yet possible, although the statistical
probability that a drought (of a given severity) will occur sometime
in the next hundred years can be estimated with some confidence.
The decision-maker should be aware of the degree of uncertainty,
which surrounds the predicted state of the environment, and have
some understanding of the methods by which this uncertainty is
calculated.

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Predicting the future state in the presence of action

For each of the proposed actions, and for admissible

combinations of these actions, there will be an expected state of
the environment, which is to be compared with the expected state
in the absence of action. Consequently, predictions similar to
those outlined above must be derived for each of the proposed
alternatives.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.5

List at least 3 adverse impacts associated with a highway, hydro-electric and
thermal power projects.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

Table 3.3 presents the main areas of concern that may affect
human beings with regard to forecasting the environmental state
in the presence of actions:

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Table 3.3
Areas of Human Concern

Areas of human concern (impact categories)

Economic and Displacement of population; relocation of
Occupational population in response to employment
status opportunities; services and distribution patterns;
property values.
Social pattern or Resettlement; rural depopulation; change in
life style population density; food; housing; material;
agricultural; rural; urban.
Social amenities Family life styles; schools; transportation;
and community feelings; participation vs. alienation;
relationships recreation; language.
Psychological Involvement; expectations; stress; frustration;
features Commitment.
Physical National parks; wildlife; art galleries; archaeological
amenities monuments; wilderness; clean air and water.
(intellectual,
cultural,
aesthetic and
sensual)
Healt h Changes in healt h; medical services; medical
standards.
Personal Freedom from molestation; freedom from natural
security disasters.
Regional and Symbols; taboos; values.
traditional
beliefs
Technology Security; hazards; safety measures; benefits;
emission of wastes; congestion; density.
Cultural Leisure; new values; heritage; traditional and
religious rites.
Political Authority; level and degree of involvement;
priorities; structure of decision-making;
responsibility and responsiveness; resource
allocation; local and minority interests; defenc e
needs.
Legal Restructuring of administrative management;
changes in taxes; public policy.
Aesthetic Visual physical changes; moral conduct;
sentimental values.
Statutory laws Air and water quality standards; safety standards;
and acts national building acts; noise-abatement by-laws.

Note that the nature of impact listed in Table 3.3 is likely to vary
from place to place and from time to time, and there will be
overlaps between classes (e.g., health depends in part on
economic and occupational status).

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.6

Identify 3 stages in the implementation of a highway project and the
environmental concerns at those stages.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

In this Section, we explained the anthropogenic effect and their

impacts in terms of environmental preservation. However, a
specific parameter is necessary to provide a measure of the
significance of an effect.

So far, we dealt with EIA, which is an indispensable tool for

environmental engineers and managers alike. Now, let us
introduce you to a new concept called strategic environmental
assessment, which covers policies, plans and programmes at
critical stages of development.

3.4 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL

ASSESSMENT (SEA)

One of the most recent trends in EIA is its application at earlier,

more strategic stages of development at the level of policies,
plans and programmes, and is known as strategic environmental
assessment (SEA). SEA is defined as the formalised, systematic

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and comprehensive process of evaluating the environmental

impacts of a policy, plan or programme (PPP) and its alternatives,
including the preparation of a written report on the findings of that
evaluation, and using the findings in publicly accountable
decision-making (Therivel, et al., 1992). In other words, the EIA of
policies, plans and programmes, keeping in mind that the process
of evaluating environmental impacts at a strategic level, is not
necessarily the same as that at a project level. In theory, PPPs
are tiered – a policy provides a framework for the establishment of
plans, plans provide frameworks for programmes and
programmes lead to projects. The EIAs for these different PPP
tiers can themselves be tiered as shown in Figure 3.4.1, and so
the issues at higher tiers need not be reconsidered as the lower
tiers:

Figure 3.4.1
Tiers in SEAs

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A hierarchy exists between policies, plans and programs with

policies are at the top level of conceptualization (Figure 3.4.2) and
generality; plans are one level down from policies, and programs.
Programs make plans more specific by including a time schedule
for specific activities. Implementation of a program involves
carrying out specific projects, which can be subjected to traditional
EIA.

Figure 3.4.2 Policy Pl an Program (PPP) and S EA

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3.4.1 Rationale and scope

In broad terms, the rationale for SEA of policies, plans and

programmes falls into three main categories: strengthening project
EIA; advancing the sustainability agenda; and addressing
cumulative and large-scale effects; (Jacobs & Sadler, 1989; Lee &
Walsh, 1992; Sadler, 1994; Sadler & Verheem, 1996)
(http://www.nssd.net/pdf/IIEDO2.pdf). Let us discuss these, next.

The EIA practice is constrained by certain limitations and

weaknesses. These include structural weaknesses centred on the
relatively late stage at which EIA is usually applied in decision-
making. Put differently, high-order questions of whether, where
and what type of development should take place are decided,
often with little or no environmental analysis. Project-by-project
EIA is also an ineffective means of examining these issues. SEA,
or an equivalent approach, can be used as a complement to
project-level EIA to incorporate environmental considerations and
alternatives directly into policy, plan and programme design. Thus,
when applied systematically in the upstream part of the decision
cycle and to the economic, fiscal and trade policies that guide the
overall course of development, SEA can be a vector for a
sustainability approach to planning and decision-making
(Brundtland Commission of WCED, 1987 and Agenda 21 of
UNCED, 1992). This upstream approach can also help in making
EIA projects more consequential and reducing the time and effort
involved in their preparation. SEA may yield significant other
benefits, as well. For example, by ruling out certain kinds of
development at the policy level, reducing the need for many
project-level EIA and thus relieving pressure where institutional
and/or skills capacity is limited.

Arguably, SEA offers a better opportunity than project-level impact

assessment to address cumulative effects. Recently, considerable

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efforts have been made to extend EIA-based frameworks to

encompass certain types of cumulative effects. These deal
reasonably well with the ancillary impacts of large-scale projects
(e.g., dams, transport infrastructure) and the incremental effects of
numerous, small-scale actions of a similar type (e.g., road
realignment and improvement). However, more pervasive
cumulative effects and large-scale environmental change (which
are the end result of multiple actions and stresses that cut across
policy and ecological boundaries) are difficult to address. In
principle, these can be addressed best by SEA of policies, plans
and programmes. In practice, however, this has not proven to be
the case.

What then is the scope of SEA?

Most practitioners view SEA as a decision aiding rather than a

decision-making process. In other words, it is seen as a tool for
forward planning to be flexibly applied at various stages of the
policy-making cycle. Under this broad perspective, SEA
encompasses assessments of both broad policy initiatives and
more concrete programmes and plans that have physical and
spatial references (e.g., town and regional plans, regional
development programmes, etc). With this scope of coverage, one
problem becomes evident, and that is, the methodologies to be
applied at the opposite ends of the decision-making spectrum
differ markedly. However, the principles of EIA apply at all levels.

Table 3.4.1 compares EIA and the evolving processes of SEA.

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Table 3.4.1
Comparison of EIA and SEA

EIA SEA
Is usually reactive to a Is pro-active and informs
development proposal. development proposals.
Assesses the effect of a Assesses the effect of a policy, plan
proposed development on the or programme on the environment, or
environment. the effect of the environment on
development needs and
opportunities.
Addresses a specific project. Addresses areas, regions or sectors
of development.
Assesses direct impacts and Assesses cumulative impacts and
benefits. identifies implications and issues for
sustainable development.
Focuses on the mitigation of Focuses on maintaining a chosen
impacts. level of environmental quality.
Narrow perspective and a Wide perspective and a low level of
high level of detail. detail to provide a vision and overall
framework.
Focuses on project-specific Creates a framework against which
impacts. impacts and benefits can be
measured.

Tiered planning system for EIA and SEA is shown in Table 3.4.2
given below
Table 3.4.2 Tiered planning system for EIA and SEA

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SEA process is as comprehensive as EIA, if not as exhaustive.

We will discuss this, next.

3.4.2 SEA process

In project EIA, impact mitigation, i.e., avoiding or reducing the

project’s impacts, restoring the affected environment or
compensating for adverse effects, is often considered a separate
stage in the process. In SEA, instead, the focus of the project is
on reconsidering the PPP from a cross-cutting perspective,
leading to an improved understanding of the PPP and possibly
changes to the PPP: each stage considers whether and how the
PPP can be changed and improved. These changes mostly
involve rewriting the PPP to minimise any negative
environmental/sustainability impacts but could also involve
establishing management guidelines for the implementation of the
PPP, placing constraints on lower-tier PPP. (For instance,
establishing criteria for identifying future developments away from
sensitive sites or requiring SEA/EIA for lower-tier PPPs and
projects). Or, developing environmentally beneficial shadow PPPs
or projects. As such, mitigation in SEA is an ongoing process as
illustrated in Figure 3.5:

Figure 3.5
Mitigation in SEA

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An SEA process involves the following stages:

(i) Screening: At this stage, responsible agencies carry out an

appropriate assessment of all strategic decisions with
significant environmental consequences.

(ii) Timing: At this stage, results of the assessment are

available sufficiently early for use in the preparation of the
strategic decision.

(iii) Environmental scoping: At this stage, all relevant

information is provided to judge whether an initiative should
proceed and objectives could be achieved in a more
environmentally friendly way (i.e., through alternative
initiatives or approaches).

(iv) Other factors: At this stage, sufficient information is

available on other factors, including socio-economic
considerations, either parallel to, or integrated in, the
assessment.

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(v) Review: At this stage, the quality of the process and

information is safeguarded by an effective review
mechanism.

(vi) Participation: At this stage, sufficient information on the

views of all legitimate stakeholders (including the public
affected) is available early enough to be used effectively in
the preparation of the strategic decision.

(vii) Documentation: At this stage, results are identifiable,

understandable and available to all parties affected by the
decision.

(viii) Decision-making and accountability: At this stage, it

should be clear to all stakeholders and all parties affected
how the results were taken into account in decision-making.

(ix) Post-decision: At this stage, sufficient information on the

actual impacts of implementing the decision is gained to
judge whether or not the decision should be amended.
(Adapted from Sadler, 1998b and Tonk & Verheem, 1998).

Note that though the stages are listed in a particular order, it does
not mean that they occur in that very sequence. In other words,
stages do overlap.

Methodological difference between EIA and SEA are

Scale of SEA is wider than EIA as there would be number
of activities involved, larger extent of impacts to be
assessed, and greater range of alternatives defined and
also wider area of significance.
Time interval is longer in SEA this is between planning,
approval, and implementation. Even data collection in SEA
is time consuming stage.

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Alternatives chosen at project level can be easily differentiated

and they are abstract in nature such as policy, not technical.

An SEA report should be regarded as a documentation of the

processes used and available, where necessary, for later review.
The real value in SEA is as a creative tool in the design cycle of
the formulation and reformulation of PPPs, modifying them where
necessary to respond to environmental/sustainability objective.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.7

Name 5 stakeholders in a highway project.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

Like every tool, an SEA also has its benefits and constraints. We
will now list them in Subsection 3.4.3.

3.4.3 Benefits and constraints of SEA

Some of the benefits of SEA include the following:

(i) promoting integrated environment and development

decision-making;

(ii) facilitating the design of environmentally-sustainable policies

and plans;

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(iii) providing for consideration of a larger range of alternatives

than is normally possible in project EIA;

(iv) taking account, where possible, of cumulative effects

(particularly by focusing on the consequences of sectoral or
regional-level developments) and global change;

(v) enhancing institutional efficiency (particularly, where EIA

related skills, operational funds and institutional capacities
are limited) by obviating the need for unnecessary project-
level EAs;

(vi) strengthening and streamlining project EA by incorporating

environmental goals and principles into policies, plans and
programmes that shape individual projects; identifying in
advance the impacts and information requirements;
resolving strategic issues and information requirements and
reducing time and effort taken to conduct reviews.

(vii) providing a mechanism for public engagement in discussions

relevant to sustainability at a strategic level.

Some of the constraints of SEA include the following:

A level of institutional maturity is necessary, which allows for

effective inter-sectoral dialogue, for environmental
considerations to be taken into account in formulating, revising
and implementing policies, plans and programmes effectively,
and to influence decision-making.

Appropriate skills are needed, within government departments/

agencies and private sectors (e.g., industry, environmental
consulting companies) and amongst academics and NGOs.

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There is a need for adequate capacity in these sectors (both

human and financial resources).

In practice, the extent to which the benefits of SEA are achieved

will also depend on a number of other important factors such as:

provisions made for SEA, e.g., legal versus administrative;

prior record of implementation and acceptance by decision-

makers;

degree to which overall strategies of sustainable development

are in place;

scope and level(s) of process application; with the broadest

range of benefits being gained from SEA systems that include
review of policies as well as plans and programmes. (Adapted
from Dalal-Clayton and Sadler, 1995 and Sadler & Baxter,
1997.)

3.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE

PROCEDURE IN INDIA

As the utility of EIA became clear, there was need to establish

project clearance procedure. The first step in that direction was to
define the EIA process. The EIA process in India is made up of
the following phases:

Screening.

Scoping and consideration of alternatives.

Baseline data collection.

Impact prediction.

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Assessment of alternatives, delineation of mitigation measures

and environmental impact statement.

Public hearing.

Environment management plan (EMP).

Decision-making.

Monitoring the clearance conditions.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) has published

guidelines for different sectors, which outline the significant issues
to be addressed in the EIA studies. In general, the following
impacts of the project need to be assessed:

Air: The changes in ambient levels and ground level

concentrations due to total emissions from point, line and area
sources, effects on soils, materials, vegetation and human
health are to be assessed.

Noise: The changes in ambient levels, due to noise generated

from equipment and movement of vehicles, and their impact
on fauna and human health are to be assessed.

Water: The availability to competing users, changes in quality,

sediment transport and ingress of saline water are to be
assessed.

Land: The changes in land use and drainage pattern, land

quality including effects of waste disposal, shoreline/riverbank
and their stability are to be assessed.

Biological: The level of deforestation/tree-cutting and

shrinkage of animal habitat, the impact on fauna and flora
(including aquatic species, if any) due to contaminants/
pollutants and the impact on rare and endangered species,
endemic species, and migratory path/route of animals are to

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be assessed, as also the impact on breeding and nesting

grounds.

Socio-economic: The impact on the local community

including demographic changes, economic status, human
health and increased traffic are to be assessed.

For every project, possible alternatives need to be identified and

environmental attributes compared. The alternatives identified
must cover project location and process technologies including the
no-project option and the alternatives need to be ranked for
selection on the basis of optimum economic benefits to the
community at large.

Once the alternatives have been reviewed, a mitigation plan

supplemented with an environmental management plan (EMP)
needs to be drawn up for the selected option to guide the
proponent towards environmental improvements. Note that the
EMP is a crucial input to monitoring the clearance conditions, and
therefore, it must contain the details of monitoring. A EIA report,
thus, needs to provide clear information to the decision-maker on
the different environmental scenarios without the project, with the
project and with project alternatives. This includes uncertainties.
MOEF has issued sectoral guidelines and environmental appraisal
questionnaires for obtaining the clearance and seeks the following
documents:

Filled in application form (as per Schedule II of EIA

Notification).

A summary of the project/feasibility report (1 copy).

EIA (EIS)/EMP report (20 copies).

Risk analysis on on-site emergency preparedness plan (20

copies) in case of projects involving hazardous substances.

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Site clearance from MOEF for site-specific projects mentioned

in the EIA notification.

Consent to establish from SPCB.

NOC from the local authorities (e.g., District Collector).

Commitment regarding the availability of water and electricity

from the appropriate agencies.

Approval of the Chief Controller of Explosives under the

Petroleum Act and Rules for layout and storage of hazardous
substances and from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and
Health under the Factories Act and Rules.

Comments/Observations/Recommendations of the Chief

Wildlife Warden in case a wildlife habitat/migration path exists
within 25 km of project site.

Comprehensive summary rehabilitation plan, where

displacement of more than 1,000 people is anticipated.

Copy of the application forwarded to the state government, in

case of diversion of forest land.

Copy of the application forwarded to the state government in

case the CRZ notification applies.

Clearance from the Airport Authority of India, if applicable.

Details of the public hearing conducted by SPCB and copies of

the advertisements issued for public hearing.

Filled-in environmental appraisal questionnaires issued by

MOEF, along with the attachments (mentioned in the
questionnaire).

MOEF has issued different questionnaires for different projects,

and the law requires that the public must be informed and
consulted on a proposed development after the completion of EIA
report. Any one is entitled to have access to the executive

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summary of the EIA, and the affected persons such as bona fide
local residents, local associations, environmental groups active in
the area and any other person located at the project site/sites of
displacement must be given an opportunity to make oral/written
suggestions to the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).

The decision-making process involves consultation between the

project proponent (assisted by a consultant) and the impact
assessment authority (assisted by an expert group, if necessary).
The decision on environmental clearance is arrived at through a
number of steps including evaluation of EIA and the environmental
management plan (EMP). In India, the project proponent during
the project planning stage decides the type of projects, i.e., new
establishment, expansion or modernisation. Later, the project
proponent prepares a detailed project report/feasibility report and
submits to the authorities concerned the executive summary
containing the project details and findings of the EIA study, which
is to be made available to the concerned public.

Where a proponent is required to obtain environmental clearance,

the Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) evaluates and assesses the
EIA report. In this process, the project proponent is given a
chance to present his or her proposal. If a project is accepted, the
IAA prepares a set of recommendations and conditions for its
implementation based on this assessment. Environmental
clearance conditions and recommendations of IAA are made
available to the public on request through SPCB and through a
web site <http://envfor.nic.in>. During the implementation and
operation of the project, the IAA is also responsible for the
environmental monitoring process.

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LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.8

List 3 stakeholders who should be consulted during the public hearing of a
coal-based thermal power plant project.

Note:
a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Check your answer with the one given at the end of this Unit.

3.4.1 Revised Environmental Clearance Procedure in

India
As the utility of EIA became clear, there was need to
establish project clearance procedure. In 1994 a clearance
procedure was issued that followed EIA Notification 1994.
There were some constraints in the procedure that include:
Burdensome procedure
Disproportionate details sought with applications
Delay in appraisal meetings
Time consuming and requiring undue effort
Reopening of technical issues during various stages of
appraisal

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Poor quality of EIA studies by consultants

Delays by other concerned agencies

Due to these reasons re engineering was done of the EIA

process implementation based on project chosen.
Background of this reengineering is that; MoEF conducted a
review on previous EC process which is comprehensive
under the Environmental Management Capacity Building
Project in 2001, reformation in investment approvals and
implementation procedures was set up by centra l
government with the help of Govindarajan committee. Due to
consistency in studies with both the organizations there was
a strong necessity for reforms in the EIA notification 1994.

Objectives of EIA notification 2006

To formulate a transparent, decentralized and efficient
regulatory mechanism to:
Incorporate necessary environmental safeguards at
planning stage.
Involve stakeholders in the public consultation process.
Identify developmental projects based on impact potential
instead of the investment criteria.

It also stated that; all new projects listed in schedule,

expansion and modernisation of existing projects and those
activities that show change in product mix require
environmental clearance before setting up.
According to the 1994 clearance procedure the MOEF has
issued sectoral guidelines and environmental appraisal
questionnaires and needed following documents:
Filled in application form (as per Schedule II of EIA
Notification).
A summary of the project/feasibility report (1 copy).

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 Unit 3: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

EIA (EIS)/EMP report (20 copies).

Risk analysis on on-site emergency preparedness plan (20
copies) in case of projects involving hazardous
substances.
Site clearance from MOEF for site-specific projects
mentioned in the EIA notification.
Consent to establish from SPCB.
NOC from the local authorities (e.g., District Collector).
Commitment regarding the availability of water and
electricity from the appropriate agencies.
Approval of the Chief Controller of Explosives under the
Petroleum Act and Rules for layout and storage of
hazardous substances and from the Directorate of
Industrial Safety and Health under the Factories Act and
Rules.
Comments/Observations/Recommendations of the Chief
Wildlife Warden in case a wildlife habitat/migration path
exists within 25 km of project site.
Comprehensive summary rehabilitation plan, where
displacement of more than 1,000 people is anticipated.
Copy of the application forwarded to the state government,
in case of diversion of forest land.
Copy of the application forwarded to the state government
in case the CRZ notification applies.
Clearance from the Airport Authority of India, if applicable.
Details of the public hearing conducted by SPCB and
copies of the advertisements issued for public hearing.
Filled-in environmental appraisal questionnaires issued by
MOEF, along with the attachments (mentioned in the
questionnaire).

Differences between the EIA notification 1994 and 2006

No NOC for EC

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Revised Schedule based on potential impacts instead of

investment criteria
Categorization into A and B1 & B2 (given in annexure)
Category A at Central level, Category B1, B2 at State
Level (with exceptions)
Check-list information in Form-1/Form-1-A
Scoping to determine TORs for EIA, if required;
Finality of TORs
Scoping stage incorporate site clearance – No separate
site clearance is required.
Public consultation structured; to be conducted by SPCB
and presided by DM (within 45 days); proceedings to be
video graphed; MoEF to intervene if PH not held in time.
Time limits with consequences at each stage
State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority
(SEIAA), Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC) are also
required.

State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority

(SEIAA) is an independent body members of which should
be notified by MoEF on receiving nominations from all
concerned states and UTs. Chairman and other member
shall be experts fulfilling the eligibility criteria given in
Appendix VI of Notification 2006. Chairman shall be an
expert in EIA process. Member Secretary familiar with
environmental laws shall be a serving officer of the State
Government. MoEF must notify SEIAAs within a time limit of
30 days from the date of receipt of nominations. Time period
for Authority defined (3 years). Decision of the Authority shall
be on the basis of consensus and lastly there would not be
any funding from MoEF.
Steps in prior Environmental clearance process include
Screening, Scoping, Public consultation, and Appraisal

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The Environmental Clearance procedure was thoroughly restructured

through issuance of said Environmental Clearance Notification by
MoEF, New Delhi for making the environmental clearance procedure
more transparent, less time consuming and decentralized as much as
possible. Under this restructured Environmental Clearance notification,
the industrial / developmental activities, which may cause serious spatial
and temporal environmental impacts, have been scheduled to obtain prior
Environmental Clearance. And also it has been decided that such
activities shall be classified as category A or category B type projects.
The existing Expert Appraisal Committees at central level at Ministry of
Environment & Forests, New Delhi, shall screen - scope - appraise
category A projects. Each state shall constitute State Environment
Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the State Expert Appraisal
Committee (SEAC) for carry out similar environmental procedure at
State level. The SEIAA shall grant or refuse Environmental Clearance to
any B type project after screening - scoping – appraisal of Environmental
Clearance applications at state level.

In short, an environmental impact assessment is an integral part

of any project planning and must be understood with respect to
the requirement of each project. A project proponent has to first
determine whether the activity requires environmental clearance
and undertake EIA studies to meet the requirements of MOEF. In
case of joint venture projects (with a foreign company) and/or for
seeking funds from an international financial institution, an
environment impact statement has to conform to the
environmental assessment guidelines. You must have a fairly
good knowledge of, and must be capable of anticipating, the
requirements and implications on project schedules and cost. It is

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an inescapable fact today that a EIA report needs to be prepared

in a manner that conforms to national and international regulations
and guidelines. It must be seen as a proactive, rather than a
purely conformist document.

SUMMARY

In this Unit, we introduced you to the concept of environmental

impact assessment (EIA). We began the Unit by giving an
overview of what EIA entails, and in this context, touched upon the
purpose of EIA, the processes involved in EIA, etc. Subsequently,
we gave an account of the evolution of EIA both in India and in
other countries. We also discussed how prediction or forecasting
of environmental change is vital for EIA. We then discussed
strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and described the
overlaps and differences between SEA and EIA. Finally, we
closed the Unit by describing some of the environmental
clearance procedures in practice in India.

SUGGESTED READINGS

ADB, (1990), Environmental Guidelines for Selected Industrial and

Power Development Projects, Office of the Environment, Asian
Development Bank, Bangkok.

Ahmad, Y. J. and Swamy G. K., (1985), Guidelines to

Environmental Impact Assessment in Developing Countries,
Hodder & Stoughton, London.

Canter, L.W., (1977), Environmental Impact Assessment,

MCGraw Mill, New York.

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Environment Management

Clark, B.D., Chapman, K., Bisset, R., Wathern, P. and Barret, M.,
(1981), A Manual for the Assessment of Major Developments,
HMSO, London.

Commission of European Communities, (1985), On the

Assessment of Effects of Certain Public and Private Projects on
the Environment, Official Journal, L175, 28.5.85.

Holling, C.S., (1987), Adaptive Environmental Assessment &

Management, John Willey & Sons, New York.

Htun, N., (1988), The EIA Process in Asia and Pacific Region in P.
Wathern ed. Environmental Impact Assessment: Theory and
Practice, UNwin Hyman, London.

Kulkarni V. S., Kaul, S. N., Trivedi R. K., (2001) Handbook of EIA,

Scientific Publishers, India.

Kulkarni V and Ramachandra T V, 2009. Environmental

Management, TERI Press, New Delhi

Lohani, B., J.W. Evans, H. Ludwig, R.R. Everitt, Richard A.

Carpenter, and S.L., Tu. 1997. Environmental Impact Assessment
for Developing Countries in Asia. Volume 1 - Overview. ADB.
Ministry of Environment and Forests (2000) EIA Manual.

Munn, R.E., (1979), Environmental Impact Assessment: Principles

of Procedures, International Council of Scientific Unions, Scientific
Committee on Problems of Environment, Report -5 (SCOPE -5)
Rau, J.G., and Wotten, D.C., (1980), Environmental Impact
Analysis Hand Book, McGraw-Hill, New York.

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Ramachandra T.V., Subhash Chandran M.D., Sreekantha,

Diwakar Mesta, Rao G.R. and Sameer Ali. 2004. Cumulative
Impact Assessment in the Sharavathi River Basin, International
Journal of Environment and Development, 1(1): 113-135.

Ramachandra T V, Subash Chandran M D, Gururaja K V and

Sreekantha, 2007. Cumulative Environmental Impact assessment,
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UNCED, (1992), Rio Declaration, United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development Rio de Janeiro.

UNEP, (1980), Environmental Assessment Statement - A Test

Model Presentation, UNEP Regional office and UN Asian and
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Impact and Environmental Criteria for the sitting of Industry, UNEP
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Wathern, P., (1988), The EIA Directive of the European

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World Bank. (1991). Environmental Assessment Sourcebook.

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World Bank Technical Paper 154.

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 Unit 3: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Model Answers to Learning Activities

Lecture 3
Model Answers to Learning Activities

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.1

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a formal study process

used to predict the environmental consequences of a proposed
development project. Such projects may include, for example,
building a hydroelectric dam or a factory, irrigating a large valley,
or developing a harbour.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.2

Selection of site for locating new industry which is not in an

ecologically sensitive area.

Selection of manufacturing technology which results in

minimum environmental impacts.

Involving project affected population in the process of project

development.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.3

Country Law

Thailand Improvement and Conservation of National

Environmental Quality Act 1975, amended in 1978.

India Notifications dated May 5, 1994 under the

Environment Protection Act, 1986.

Sri Lanka National Environmental Act 1980, amended in

1986.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.4

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Environment Management

Project Main Aspect Assessed

Sardar Sarovar Resettlement & rehabilitation of the project

affected population.

Bombay Sewage Impact of length on marine outfall on coastal

Disposal Project water quality.

Chennai Water Impact of laying raw water pipeline on

Supply agricultural land Project and forests.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.5

Highway project:

Change in land use.

Deforestation.

Increase in air pollution.

Hydro electric project:

Displacement of population in catchments area.

Reservoir induced seismicity.

Impact on terrestrial ecosystem.

Thermal power:

Increase in ambient air pollution level.

Increase in water demand due to cooling water requirements.

Land pollution due to fly ash disposal.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.6

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 Unit 3: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Model Answers to Learning Activities

Stages Concerns

Route selection Deforestation.

Construction Transportation and storage of

road construction material.

Operations Increase in air pollution and

noise levels.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.7

Stakeholders in a highway project are:

Land use planner.

Department of road transport.

Industrial development department.

Persons affected due to land acquisition.

Settlements along the proposed route or highway.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3.8

The stakeholders that are required to be consulted, during public

hearing of a coal-based thermal power project, are:

(i) Land owners whose land would be acquired.

(ii) Farmers in the surrounding area.

(iii) Fishermen who depend on fish yield of the water body from
where the water would be extracted for the proposed unit.

Coal-based thermal power plant involves:

(i) Land acquisition for setting up the plant and ash disposal.

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Environment Management

(ii) Impact on agricultural production due to the fly ash emission

from the stack that increases the sulphur dioxide levels.
(iii) Impact on fish yields as a result of the cooling water disposal
that increases the temperature of water body and toxic
chemical levels (due to antifouling chemicals used in cooling
water).
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/moef-seeking-to-centralise-
clearance-of-projects/159140/

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