FUNDAMENTALS OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT POLICIES

 AND ITS IMPLEMENTATIONS IN DESIGN & PLANNING

Submitted by: Subject Teacher: AR. Neha Yadav

Nancy Saini Date- 13.11.2018
Roll no.: 18001506011 (1st sem.)
M.arch .(Sustainable Architecture)
DCRUST, Murthal, Sonipat, Haryana, India
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.

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). Environment Management
100 Improved human health. Maintenance of biodiversity.
Decreased resource use. Fewer conflicts over natural resource use.
Increased community skills, knowledge and pride.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: AN ILLUSTRATION
PRINCIPLES OF EIA

• Two tiers of EIA Principles are included in this document:

• BASIC AND OPERATING. “Basic Principles” apply to all stages

of EIA; they also apply to Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) of policies, plans and programs. • The list of Basic Principles
should be applied as a single package, recognizing that the
Principles included are interdependent and, in some cases, may
conflict (e.g., rigor and efficiency).

• A balanced approach is critical when applying the Principles to

ensure that environmental impact assessment fulfills its purpose
and is carried out to internationally accepted standards. EIA thus
produces both complete analyses and the means of reconciling
apparently conflicting principles.

• “OPERATING PRINCIPLES” describe how the Basic Principles

should be applied to the main steps and specific activities of the
environmental impact assessment process; e.g., screening; scoping;
identification of impacts; assessment of alternatives. • It is also
envisaged that subsequent tiers of Principles could evolve, e.g.,
“activity- specific,” “state-of-the-art” and “next generation” of
impact assessment principles.
BASIC AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES OF EIA

EIA thus produces both complete analyses and the means

of reconciling apparently conflicting principles.
• Basic Principles Environmental Impact Assessment should be: •

Transparency - the process should have clear, easily understood

requirements for EIA content; ensure public access to information;

identify the factors that are to be taken into account in decision

making; and acknowledge limitations and difficulties.

• Certainty – the process and timing of the assessment should be

agreed in advanced and followed by all participant.

• Participation - the process should provide appropriate opportunities

to inform and involve the interested and affected publics, and their

inputs and concerns should be addressed explicitly in the

documentation and decision making.

• Practicality - the process should result in information and outputs

which assist with problem solving and are acceptable to and able to

be implemented by proponents.

• Flexibility – the assessment process should be able to adapt to deal

efficiently with any proposal and decision making situation.

• Cost-effective - the process should achieve the objectives of EIA

within the limits of available information, time, resources and

methodology.
• Credible - the process should be carried out with professionalism,
rigor, fairness, objectivity, impartiality and balance, and be subject to
independent checks and verification.

• Accountability – the decision makers are responsible to all parties

for their action and decisions under the assessment process
OUTLINE OF EIA FOR DEVELOPMENT

EIA has an important role to play resolving these environmental problems through its
ability to contribute to environmentally sound and sustainable development. Developing
countries in Asia have recognized the importance of incorporating EIA processes into
development planning. Development planning takes place at a number of different scales,
and environmental concerns need to be considered at each one of them. Development
planning is designed in various stages. This chapter describes the structure of EIA and
development planning.

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING HIERARCHY

NATIONAL PLANNING -The aim of national planning is to set broad economic,

environmental, and social development goals for the country's continuing development. At
this level, the employed mechanisms include the formulation of a national conservation
strategy, environment and natural resources management plans, state-of-the-environment
reports, environment and natural resources profiles for developing countries and
incorporation of environmental and natural resources.

REGIONAL PLANNING defines broad land use allocations for a geographic region,
normally at the sub-country level. At the regional level, the approach should integrate
environmental concerns into development planning. Such an approach is referred to as
economic-cum-environmental (EcE) development National Planning Project level Such
regional plans can set the context for project-level EIA. In considering regional plans, the
environmental impacts of alternatives need to be assessed.
• SECTORAL PLANNING focuses on the needs of individual development
sectors (for example, energy, transport, and forestry). At the sectoral level,
environmental guidelines and sectoral reviews and strategies should be
formulated and integrated into various sectoral plans. This will help to
address specific environmental problems that may be encountered in planning
and implementing sectoral development projects.

• PLANNING LEVEL, EIA is the primary tool for integrating environmental

considerations into project design and execution. Project proponents and
regulatory agencies prefer to consider the environmental impacts of a single
project. Ideally, EIA at the project level should take place in the context of
regional and sectoral level planning; if this is not feasible, the scope of EIA
reports may have to include the considerations of broad land use issues.These
are impacts which at first instant may appear minor for any one project, but
can become significant when groups of related projects are considered
together.

Integration of environmental concerns into development planning

EIA INPUTS TO THE PROJECT CYCLE

Increasingly, Asian countries are enacting laws requiring EIAs for all major projects. Indeed,
in many countries EIA must be an integral part of the feasibility study. Where these laws are
enforced, they can be a powerful means of directing development towards sustainability.
Another major trigger for EIA is project financing. In many cases, a review of the project's
EIA is a mandatory requirement of financing. Few lending institutions and investors, whether
international 22 financial institutions or private sources of capital, are willing to risk their
funds on projects which do not meet environmental standards. These conditions have resulted
in a careful integration of environmental review procedures at various stages of the “project
cycle.” A generalized project cycle can be described in terms of six main stages:

1) PROJECT CONCEPT;

2) PRE-FEASIBILITY;

3) FEASIBILITY;

4) DESIGN AND ENGINEERING;

5) IMPLEMENTATION; AND

6) MONITORING AND EVALUATION.

PROCESS OF EIA
• STEP 1: SCREENING

This step determines:

• whether or not EIA is required for a particular project

• what level of EIA is required § Screening Outcomes: § Full or

comprehensive EIA required Limited EIA required § No EIA
required Tools for Screening § Project lists:

• Inclusive — listed projects must undergo EIA

• Exclusive — listed projects exempted from EIA Case-by-case

examinations:

• determine whether projects may have significant environmental

effects

• if so, project should undergo EIA

• STEP 2: SCOPING

• begins once screening is completed § the most important step in

EIA § establishes the content and scope of an EIA report Outcome:
§

• identifies key issues and impacts to be considered § lays the

foundation of an effective process, saves time and money, and
reduces conflict

• TYPES OF SCOPING CLOSED SCOPING:

• wherein the content and scope of an EIA Report is pre-determined

by law and modified through closed consultations between a
developer and the competent authority

• Open or Public scoping: a transparent process based on public

consultations

• Actors proponent, EIA consultant, supervisory authority for EIA,

other responsible agencies, affected public and interested public
STEP-3 IMPACT ANALYSIS

TOOLS FOR IMPACT ANALYSIS

• Checklists
• matrices
• networks
• overlays and geographical information systems (GIS)
• Expert systems
• professional judgement
STEP 4: IMPACT MITIGATION

• To avoid, minimize or remedy adverse impacts

• To ensure that residual impacts are within acceptable levels

• To enhance environmental and social benefits

FRAMEWORK OF IMPACT MITIGATION

STEP 5: REPORTING

• Different name of EIA reports

• environmental impact assessment report (EIA report)

• Environmental impact statement (EIS)

• Environmental statement (ES)

• Environmental assessment report (EA report)

• environmental effects statement (EES)

CONTENTS OF THE REPORT

• A description of the project;

• an outline of the main alternatives studied by the developer, and an

indication of the main reasons for this choice,

• A description of the aspects of the environment likely to be

significantly affected by the proposed project;

• a description of the likely significant environmental effects of the

proposed project;

• Measures to prevent, reduce and possibly offset adverse

environmental effects;

• A non-technical summary;

• An indication of any difficulties (technical deficiencies or lack of

know-how) encountered while compiling the required information.
 STEP 6: REVIEW § REVIEW THE QUALITY OF THE EIA
REPORT.
Take public comments into account.
Determine if the information is sufficient.
Identify any deficiencies to be corrected. Who perform the
review?
Environmental agency — canada (comprehensive studies),
standing commission — netherlands, interagency committee —
usa, planning authority — uk
independent panel — canada (public inquiries)
public comment and input

STEP 7: DECISION MAKING

• To provide key input to help determine if a proposal is acceptable

• To help establish environmental terms and conditions for project

implementation

• STEP 8: MONITORING

• Ensure the implementation of conditions attached to a decision.

• Verify that impacts are as predicted or permitted.

• Confirm that mitigation measures are working as expected.

• Take action to manage any unforeseen changes. Key components

of Monitoring
• Establish baseline conditions.

• Measure impacts of a project as constructed.

• Verify conformity with established with conditions and acceptable

limits.

• Establish links to environmental management plans.

• Carry out periodic checks and third-party audits.