DEFINITION An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may

have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects. 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." It is a formal process used to predict the environmental consequences of any development project. It is a systematic process that examines in advance the environmental impacts of proposed development actions and therefore can contribute to better projects from an environmental perspective.

BACKGROUND Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a relatively new planning and decision making tool first enshrined in the United States in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The phrase `Environmental Impact Assessment comes from Sec. 102 (2) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 1969, USA. Some rudiments of EIA are implicit even in early examples of environmental legislation. Napoleon in 1910 issued a decree which divided noxious occupations into categories: those which must be far removed from habitations, those which may be permitted on the outskirts of towns, and those which can be tolerated even close to habitations, having regard to the importance of the work and the importance of the surrounding dwellings.

METHODS INVOLVES

There are various methods available to carry out EIAs; some are industry specific and some general methods: Industrial products: Product environmental life cycle analysis (LCA) is used for identifying and measuring the impact on the environment of industrial products. These EIAs consider technological activities used for various stages of the product: extraction of raw material for the product and for auxiliary materials and equipment, through the production and use of the product, right up to the disposal of the product, the auxiliary equipment and material. Genetically modified plants: There are specific methods available to perform EIAs of genetically modified plants. Some of the methods are GMP-RAM, INOVA etc.

Fuzzy Arithmetic: EIA methods need specific parameters and variables to be measured to estimate values of impact indicators. However many of the environment impact properties cannot be measured on a scale e.g. landscape quality, lifestyle quality, social acceptance etc. and moreover these indicators are very subjective. Thus to assess the impacts we may need to take the help of information from similar EIAs, expert criteria, sensitivity of affected population etc. To treat this information, which is generally inaccurate, systematically, fuzzy arithmetic and approximate reasoning methods can be utilized. This is called as a fuzzy logic approach.

THE MAIN STEPS

It is important to note that the EIA is a cyclical process with feed-back loops between stages as well as links to other evaluation tools. The main steps of EIA are as follows: Step 1: Screening of Projects During the screening process the developer has to evaluate whether a formal EIA is required for the project. It is the responsibility of the competent authority to decide whether an EIA is required and then make the decision public. The developer can also decide to voluntarily undertake an EIA without the formal screening decision from the competent authority. Volunteering to undertake an EIA can save time and costs later in the process. Step 2: Scoping The scoping stage sets the coverage and detail of the EIA process. Scoping evaluates which impacts and issues to consider and ensures that the impact evaluation provides all the relevant information. Generally scoping takes place between the developer and the competent authority. During the scoping stage those to be consulted, such as communities, local authorities and statutory agencies, are identified. The scoping ought to specify the project in such detail that potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts can be identified at a later stage. Step 3: Impact Analysis and Mitigation During this stage issues identified through scoping are analyzed and the impacts are defined. The prediction of impacts aims to identify the magnitude and other dimensions of identified change in the environment with or without the project, based on the baseline

information gathered during the scoping stage. The significance of impacts could also cast new light on the scoping exercise. Types of impacts to be considered during the prediction of impacts Physical and socio-economic Direct, indirect and cumulative Short and long run Local and strategic Adverse and beneficial Reversible and irreversible Quantitative and qualitative Distribution by group and/or area Actual and perceived Relative to other developments

Assessment of impacts assigns relative significance to predict impacts associated with the project, and to determine the order in which impacts are to be avoided, mitigated or compensated. Mitigation consists of measures to avoid, reduce and if possible to remedy significant environmental effects. At one extreme, prediction and evaluation of impacts can lead to such adverse effects that the only sensible mitigation measure is to abandon the project. Like many elements in the EIA process, mitigation is not limited to one point of assessment.

Step 4: Production and Review of EIS The environmental information acquired during the assessment is submitted to the Competent Authority by the developer together with the application for development consent. The environmental information is presented in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS is made available to environmental authorities and the public for their information and to obtain their comments. The review involves a systematic appraisal of the quality of the EIS. In some Member States there is a formal requirement for independent review of the adequacy of the environmental information before it is considered by the Competent Authority.

Step 5: Decision-making The competent authority takes all relevant information (including the EIS and the consultation findings) into account in reaching a decision on the proposed project.

Step 6: Post-decision Monitoring and Audit Monitoring should include both baseline monitoring (before the project) and impact monitoring (after the project). Post-auditing again involves comparing the impacts predicted in the EIS with those actually occurring after implementation based on the monitoring. This enables an assessment of the quality of predictions and of the effectiveness of mitigation measures. The main purpose of post-auditing is to provide feedback to the EIA process and apply the lessons learned to be implemented in future EIAs. STRENGTH AND LIMITATION Strengths Improved public participation and co-operation. Decision-making becomes more transparent Universal applicability (many positive outcomes in developing countries). Tool for innovations and cost-saving alterations Increases environmental awareness. Tool for sustainability. Extends into SEA as an integrated part of decision making. Introduces a cyclical learning process into a linear planning process. Takes into account transboundary impacts. Limitations Ignores politics and models of decision making. Uncertainty an intrinsic factor. The inadequate understanding of the behavior of the environment. To a great extent a commitment dependent tool. Susceptible to bias and personal interests (developer as well as pressure groups). Quality of data (out of date or the level of detail may be insufficient).