Environmental Assessment
EA Process
- Develop a complete understanding and clear definition of the proposed action - Gain a complete understanding of the affected environment - Envision implementation of the proposed action in that setting and determine possible effects on the environmental characteristics - Propose measures to mitigate adverse effects and evaluate significance of residual effects - Communicate the findings of the assessment in a manner that the information may be used in decision-making. (usually a report)
Transboundary Effects
- Effects of a project that occur on adjacent jurisdiction -Inter-provincail, international, and global consequences - Effects of projects on federal - non-federal land (e.g. indian reserves, National Parks, etc) and vice-versa
EA Benefits
- Environmental and other sustainability benefits - Saving in mitigation cost due to earlier detection of potential problems - Savings in time in obtaining approvals - Public awareness/ acceptance/ appreciation - Reduced legal liability (due diligence)
EA Costs
- Extra cost to the proponent in complying with EA study and process requirements - loss of time where the system does not work efficiently - Additional mitigation expenditures (especially if EA begun late in the planning cycle, or if mitigation measures insufficiently substantiated)
Environmental Site Assessment
- Systematic investigative process to characterize the environmental condition of a property to determine whether the site is subject to actual or potential contamination - it's purpose is to determine that nature extent of containment levels at a specific site and to identify clean-up and remediation plans
EA Principles
1. Strong legislative foundation 2. Suitable procesdures 3. Public involvement 4. Orientation toward problem - solving and decision - making (Practical and applied) 5. Monitoring and feedback capability.
Questionnaire Checklist
A EIA screening method consisting of a set of questions that must be answered when considering the potential effects of a project.
List-Based screening
A checklist of projects that may or may not require a EIA
Gravity Model
A deterministic model used to predict populations flow or spatial interaction; the model is dependent on a fixed and inverse relationship between mass (population) and distance
Scoping (ch5)
A early component of the EIA process used to identify important issues and parameters that should be included in the assessment
Review Panel EIA
A level of EIA that is applied to projects with uncertain or potentially significant effects or if public and stakeholder concern warrants an independent review.
Deterministic Models
A model based on fixed relationships between environmental components
Gaussian Dispersion Model
A model devised for predicting point-source atmospheric pollution
Peterson Matrix
A multiplicative EIA matrix consisting of project impacts and casual factors, resultant impacts on the human environment, and relative importance of those human components used to derive an overall project impact score.
Designated project
A project listed in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 Regulations Designating Physical Activities for which an EIA may be required
Hybrid Screening
A screening approach that combines the characteristics of case-by-case, list based, and threshold based screening
Exclusion Lists
A screening mechanism listing projects that would be subject to an EIA unless they were included in the list; generally, projects excluded involve issues of national defence and emergency or are projects routine in nature
Inclusion Lists
A screening method listing projects that have mandatory or discretionary requirements for an EIA.
Threshold-Based screening
A screening process whereby proposed developments are placed in categories and thresholds are set for each type of development, such as project size, level of emissions generated, or area affected.
Multi Criteria analysis
A structured analytical approach that involves the assessment of competing alternatives or options against multiple criteria
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
A system of computer hardware and software for working with spatial integrated and geo referenced data
Open Scoping
A transparent scoping process in which the content and scope of the assessment are determined through consultation with various interests groups and public stakeholders
Programmed-Text Checklist
A type of EIA checklist consisting of a series of filter questions for project screening and impact identification; useful for standard or routine projects.
Screening EIA
A type of a project assessment that is an extension of the basic screening process, in which anticipated environmental effects are documented and the need for additional project modification or further assessment is determined
Stochastic Models
A type of mechanistic model that is probabilistic in nature or gives an indication of the probability of an event occurring within specified spatial and temporal scale
Spatial Models
A type of model used to depict and understand the spatial relationship between phenomena
Statistical Models
A type of model used to test relationships between variable and to extrapolate data
Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board (MVEIRB)
A valley-wide public board created as part of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act to undertake EIAs and panel reviews under the jurisdiction of the act.
Comprehensive EIA
An EIA assessment applied on large-scale, complex, environment sensitive projects that have a high risk of causing adverse environmental effects.
Leopold matrix
An EIA matrix for identifying first-order project-environment interactions, consisting of a grid of 100 possible project actions along a horizontal axis and 88 environmental considerations along a vertical axis.
Weighted magnitude Matrices
An EIA matrix method in which degrees of importance representing the potential impacts of a particular project action on an environmental component, are assigned to the affected environmental components and then multiplied by project impacts.
Weighted Impact Interactions Matrices
An EIA matrix method in which degrees or importance, representing the potential impacts of a particular project action on an environmental component, are assigned to the affected environmental components and then multiplied by projects impacts
Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA)
An act implemented by the federal government to give decision-making authority to northerners concerning environment and resource development activities with the Mckenzie Valley Region of the Northwest Territories; proclaimed in 1998, the act governs EIA in the region.
Scenario Analysis
An approach used in EIA and SEA to identify hypothetical actions or situations and potential outcomes
Delphi Technique
An iterative survey type questionnaire that solicits the advice of a group of experts, provides feedback to all participants on the statistical summaries of the response, and gives each expert an opportunity ti revise her on his judgements.
Component Interaction Matrices
Applied to improve understanding of indirect impacts from projects; the matrices identify first, second, and higher order impacts and illustrate the dependencies between environmental components
Substitution EIA
Applies under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 , whereby another jurisdiction, other than the federal government, is delegated there responsibility to carry out part of the EIA process for a designated project for which the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is the responsible authority
Equivalency EIA
Applies under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, whereby a provincial or Aboriginal EIA process is substituted as equivalent to the federal process for the purpose of assessing the environmental effects of a designated project when the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is the responsible authority.
Cumulative Effects Assessment
Assessment of the incremental effects of a project on the environment when the effects are combined with those from other past, present and future projects.
Sustainability Assessment
Broadly defined, a process by which the implications of an initiative for sustainability are evaluated to help decision-makers decide what actions to take or not to take to make society more sustainable.
Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (ch2)
Canada's largest land claims settlement and land claims-based EIA process; signed in 1993, giving the Inuit self-governing authority and leading to the establishment of a new territory, Nunavut, in 1999
Environmental Effect
Difference in the condition of an environmental parameter with (as opposed to without) a proposed development activity. I.e. a change (positive or negative)
Alternative means
Different ways of carrying out a proposed project - typically alternative locations, timing of activities, or engineering designs.
Sustainability Paradigms
EA is the core value and there the main purpose of EA to restore ecological integrity on a global scale
Interactions matrices
EIA matrices based on the multiple properties of simple matrices to generate a quantitative impact of the proposed project on interacting environmental components
Closed Scoping
EIA's with content and scope predetermined by law, modifications can only be made through closed consultation between the proponent and the responsible authority or regulatory agency
Environmental Systems
Environmental components functioning together as a unit
Environmental Impact
Environmental effects that have a estimated societal value placed on them I.E. what do the changes mean (to an ecosystem, to human health, etc)
Environmental Impacts
Environmental effects that have an estimated societal value placed on them
Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB)
Established under the Nunavut land claims agreement and the primary authority responsible for EIA in the land-claims area.
Case-by-case screening
Evaluating project characteristics against a checklist of regulations and guidelines
Regulators
Government officials charged with ensuring legislated or regulated processes, licences, authorizations, are interpreted correctly and followed
Matrices
Management and assessment tools used for identifying project impacts that typically consist of two-dimensional checklist with project actions on one axis and environmental components on the other.
Magnitude Matrices
Matrices that attempt to identify impacts and summarize impact importance, time frame, and magnitude.
Checklists
Method used to create a comprehensive list of effects or indicators of environmental impacts that a project might generate
Balance Models
Model designed to identify inputs or outputs for specified environmental components; these models are commonly used to predict change in environmental phenomena
Network or system diagrams
Models based on box and arrow diagrams that consist of environmental components linked by arrows indicative of the nature of energy flows or interaction between them.
Responsible Authority (ch4)
One of the three federal authorities for EIA under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012: the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and the National Energy Board
Environmental Monitoring
Periodic or continuous surveillance or testing, according to a predetermined schedule of one or more environmental components.
Consultants
Person or firm typically hired to conduct some or all of the EA on behalf of the proponent. ...... may also be hired by other in the EA process to review information in the EA
Environmental Protection Plan
Practical tool that describes the actions required to minimize environmental effects before, during, and after project implementation.
Social Impact Assessment
Process of estimating the social, economic and other relevant consequences that are likely to follow from specific policy and development proposals
EA Elements
Project Description Environmental Description Environmental Effects Public Concern Mitigation Significance Reporting Follow up
EA - Who's involved?
Proponents, Regulators, Public, Aboriginal Groups, Consultants, ENGO's, Practitioners vs decision makers
Valued Environmental Components (VECs)
Provide a measure of qualitative or quantitative magnitude for an environmental impact and might include, for example, specific parameters of air quality, water quality, or employment rates; allow decision-makers to gauge environmental change efficiently
Principles of EIA Best Practice
Purposive, Rigorous, Practical, Relevant, Cost-effective, Efficient, Focused, Adaptive, Participative, Interdisciplinary, Credible, Integrated, Transparent, Systematic.
Regulations Designating Physical Activities
Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 that identify the activities, undertakings, and projects that may be subject to a federal environmental assessment.
Condition-based Indicators
Specific indicator (e.g., phosphorus concentrations, benthic invertebrate abundance) that provides direct, measurable information about the condition or state of the VEC
Intention Surveys
Surveys that attempt to collect the judgment of as many people as possible and record their responses regarding what they intend to do or how they might react, given certain circumstances or situations
Environmental Audit
Systematic approach to defining environmental risk and/or determining the conformance of am operation with respect to prescribed criteria (legislative, internal policies, industry standards)
Analogue Approaches
The collection of qualitative assessment methods that are based on secondary information, including examination of similar projects, literature and case reviews, document analysis, and synthesis of existing databases.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
The environmental assessment of initiatives, policies, plans, and programs and their alternatives
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
The federal agency created in 1994, replacing the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office, to oversee Canadian federal EIA and implementation of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office (FEARO)
The federal agency created to oversee implementation of the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Process
Environmental Assessment Review Process (EARP)
The first Canadian federal EIA process, formally introduced in 1973 by guidelines order
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
The legal basis for federal EIA in Canada from 1995 to 2012; sets out responsibilities and procedures for EIA of projects that involve federal authorities; introduced in parliament in 1992, proclaimed in 1995, and revised in 2003.
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 2012
The legal basis for federal EIA in Canada, effective July 2012; sets out responsibilities and procedures for EIA of projects that involve federal authorities; introduced and proclaimed in 2012
Proponents
The person or body that proposes the project
Precautionary Principle
The principle that when information is incomplete but there is threat of an adverse effect, the lack of full certainty should not be used as a reason to preclude or postpone actions to prevent harm
Environmental Assessment
The process of identifying, assessing, mitigating, and evaluating the significance of adverse environmental effects of proposed projects prior to making irrevocable decisions and commitments. (In short is a planning and decision making tool)
Backcasting
The process of working backwards from a particular future condition judged to be desirable and then determining the feasibility of achieving that condition given project actions and changing environmental conditions
Screening
The selection process used to determine which projects need to undergo an EIA and to what extent
Methods (Ch 3)
The various aspects of an assessment including organization, identification of impacts, and collection and classification of data.
What is the object of an EA?
To minimize or avoid adverse environmental effects before they occur, AND incorporate environmental factors into decision making.
Alternatives to
Under the Canadian Environment Assessment Act, the different ways of addressing the problem at hand or meeting the proposed project objectives; renewable energy, for example, would be considered an "alternative to" a proposed coal fired generating station
Assessment by review panel
Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, and EIA undertaken by an independent panel of experts appointed by the minister of environment
Techniques
Ways of proving and analyzing data in EIA
Development Paradigms
Where EA is viewed as a vehicle to consider the environment within the context of a larger development plan, where other interests are given equal weight.
Practitioners
a person directly involved in some aspect of the conduct or direction of an EA. A practitioner could be a proponent,a consultant, a rep of the government or have some other affiliation.
Mechanistic Models
a type of model based on mathematical equations or flow diagrams that describe cause-effect relationships in a project environment
Models
bow and arrow or mathematical equations used to simplify real-world environmental systems
Sustainable Development
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
environmental assessment process applied to a specific development project or proposal.
Environmental Impact statement
environmental assessment report prepared in accordance with institutional requirements (EIS Guidelines) at the conclusion of an EIA for a development proposal. Canada (CEAA) Manitoba (The Environment Act)
Public
individuals or groups
EIA is a tool for
is a planning tool whose main purpose is to give the environment its due place in the decision making process by clearly evaluating the environmental consequences of a proposed activity before action is taken
EIA
is an activity designed to identify and predict the impact on human health and well being of legislative proposals, policies, programs, and operational procedures, and to interpret and communicate information about the impacts.
Environmental Change
is the difference in the condition of a particular environmental or socio-economic parameter, usually measurable over a specific period of time. Is typically defined in terms of process, such as soil erosion, that is set in motion by particular project actions, other actions, or natural processes. Actions such as road construction.
Aboriginal Groups
not the same at the public. A specific group
Environment
within the context of EIA was defined as inclusive of not only the biophysical environment but components of the social and economic environment at multiple spatial and temporal scales.