information requirements and tools for screening and preliminary assessment
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Information Requirements and Tools
for Screening
and Preliminary Assessment
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
2Tools and Methods
Review: Phase 1 of the EIA process
Screening
The EIA process: Preliminary inquiries
ScopingDecision: Conduct fullEIA?
No
Yes(Impacts are potentially significant)
Based on thenature of theactivity/projectwhat level of environmentalscrutiny isindicated?
Activity demandsfull EIAautomatically
Preliminaryassessment
May or maynot require afull EIA, butfurtherscrutiny isindicated
Essentially a rapid,simplified EIA usingsimple tools
Determinesboundaries offull EIA andissues and impacts addressed
By its nature, projectis unlikely to haveany significantimpacts
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
3Tools and Methods
Review: Phase 1 of the EIA process
Gathering information. to acquire an understanding of the project
Screening. to determine what further steps of the EIA
process will be conducted, if any. Preliminary Assessment.
a rapid, streamlined EIA; determines if a full EIA should be undertaken
Scoping determine boundaries of a full EIA
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
4Tools and Methods
Limited focus
Tools most applicable to phase 1 of the EIA simpler tools focused on impact identification, data
assembly, prediction & evaluation
public participation, communication, and management techniques not discussed more prominent in full-scale EIAs Obviously central to community-based conservation
projects
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
5Tools and Methods
Information requirements
Environmental characteristics of project site/area climatic information land use patterns human resource use habits/ecosystems present physical and biological characteristics status of protected areas
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
6Tools and Methods
Information requirements
Economic and social data crops, livestock, and associated agricultural
practices local water sources & usage local sanitation and hygiene population size, demographics community organization land ownership, distribution, gender roles,
other aspects of local religion, culture, and tradition that impact resource use.
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
7Tools and Methods
Information requirements
Map-based information Topographic and physical Maps, plans, and sketches of the proposed
project or activity
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
8Tools and Methods
Data sources Direct observation during site
reconnaissance Local population Local consultants/counterparts
University/training centers Reports (e.g., National Action Plan, USAID
Environmental Sector Assessment) Government statistics and ministries GIS databases
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
9Tools and Methods
Tools for screening and preliminary assessment
checklists matrices overlays networks
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
10Tools and Methods
Checklists
Bring structure to: gathering and classifying information identifying potential environmental
impacts thinking about possible mitigation actions useful for making “threshhold”
determinations
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
11Tools and Methods
Types of Checklists
Simple Lists Descriptive Checklists Scaling Checklists Questionnaire Checklists
the USAID checklist (see PVO/NGO Guidelines...)
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
12Tools and Methods
Example of a Simple checklist
Proposed Activitiesclearing Xcut/fill Xdredging Xblasting -
Environmental components:Physical
air quality Xwater quality Xwater flow X
Biologicalspawning habitat Xrearing habitat X
Socio-economicfishing X
(After Sadar, 1994)
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
13Tools and Methods
Sample of a checklist
SEE SAMPLE IN PARTICIPANTS’ SOURCEBOOK
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
14Tools and Methods
Checklists + & -
Advantages can structure initial stages of assessment help to ensure that vital factors are not
neglected are easy to apply, particularly by non-
experts Disadvantages
pose danger of “tunnel vision”
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
15Tools and Methods
Interaction Matrices
Allow for the identification of cause-effect relationships
Qualitative or quantitative estimates can be used
Can address impact severity and significance
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
16Tools and Methods
Example of an Interaction Matrix
Spawninghabitat(substrate)
Fishing Waterquality
WaterFlow
DredgingClearingAccess
After Sadar, 1994
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
17Tools and Methods
Sample of a Leopold Matrix
IN PARTICIPANTS’ SOURCEBOOK
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
18Tools and Methods
Network Analyses
Used to identify cause-effect linkages Visual description of linkages Extension of information found in
matrices
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
19Tools and Methods
Example of a Network Analysis
Salmonoid populations
Fishing Spawning
Temperature Flow Water Quality (Suspended Matter)
Access Dredging Clearing
(After Sadar, 1994)
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
20Tools and Methods
Network Analyses + & - Advantages
Provides visual summaries that are easily understood and communicated to decision-makers and the public
Useful for identifying important indirect impacts Disadvantages
May oversimplify relationships; can be hard to show adequate level of detail
As with above methods analysis is static Doesn’t show relative significance of impacts
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
21Tools and Methods
Map Overlays Separate mapping of critical environmental
features at the same scale as project's site plan e.g. wetlands, steep slopes, soils, floodplains,
bedrock outcrops, wildlife habitats, vegetative communities, and cultural resources...
Older Technique: environmental features are mapped on transparent plastic in different colors
Newer Technique: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
22Tools and Methods
Map Overlays + & - Advantages
maps are commonly available Excellent for showing spatial dimension and
location of impacts Most useful for assessing alternative routes for
linear developments, e.g. pipelines, roads, transmission lines
Disadvantages Less successful with timing, reversibility, and
probability of impacts Sharp boundary definitions can be misleading
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
23Tools and Methods
More advanced EIA tools
Cost-Benefit Analysis Multi-Criteria Analysis Risk Assessment Simulation modeling
EA Training Course Tellus Institute
24Tools and Methods
Choosing tools
Criteria for choosing tools appropriateness.
Tool can produce the needed output economy in general:
sophisticated and resource-intensive methods not most appropriate in practice
resource constraints on EIA are real--but are minimized by early planning and appropriate tool choice
EIA is typically <1% of capital cost
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