Generalized Environmental Assessment Process
Project Proposal
Is an EA required? Screening
• Matrices, check lists,
regulatory
requirements, “first
principles”.
What are the key
Scoping
issues?
• Practical limitations.
• Spatial, temporal,
and other criteria.
Adapted from: Environmental Assessment in Practice, Harrop and Nixon, 1999, Routledge.
Generalized Environmental Assessment Process
Key issues
Collect baseline data for
project and environment.
Consult stakeholders.
Identify and analyze
Predict effects (impact or
benefit).
information
• Methods of data
Evaluate effect significance. acquisition, analysis,
and interpretation.
Identify mitigation measures
and monitoring.
Generalized Environmental Assessment Process
Information
Back to the proposal OR screening
OR scoping OR data stages.
Prepare EA (or ES, EIS). Present findings
• Receptor groups or
Submit to authority.
individuals.
• Reporting
requirements.
Terms of reference and
standards of practices met? EA review
• Regulatory requirements.
• Voluntary requirements.
• Best practices.
Effects managed to
acceptable levels? Post project analysis
• Monitoring.
Existing or Proposed Activity
EA Process with Consideration of Alternatives
Identify Alternatives “to" the Activity
Assess Impacts and Risks of the
Activity and Alternatives
Choose "Preferred" Action
Identify Alternative "Methods“ (e.g. Designs, Sites)
for the Preferred Choice to Reduce (Mitigate) the
Impacts and Risks
Assess Impacts and Risks of Alternative Methods
Choose Preferred "Method“ (e.g., design, site, etc.)
Are the Impacts and Risks Acceptable in relation to
legal requirements, company policy, or other
criteria?
Yes Continue or Proceed
No with the Activity
Regulatory Definitions of Environment
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act ( 1992, c. 37 )
Disclaimer: These documents are not the official versions (more).
Source: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.2/text.html
"environ "environment" means the components of the Earth,
ment and includes
“ (a) land, water and air, including all layers of the
« enviro atmosphere,
nne (b) all organic and inorganic matter and living
ment organisms, and
» (c) the interacting natural systems that include
components referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b);
Overview of Assessment Process and Impacts
Proposed Project
Planning Property Acquisition Construction
Design Property Management Operation and Maintenance
Activities
Impacts on Physical Environment Impacts on Social Environment
Biotic Abiotic Personal Interpersonal
Ecological Physical and Social
Interactions Institutional
Potential Direct, Indirect, Cumulative Environmental Impacts
Evaluation of Impacts
Mitigation or Enhancement
Source: Erickson, P. 1994. A Practical Guide to Environmental Impact Assessment. Toronto: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-241555-8.
Environmental Compartments and Dynamics
Models can be simple input-output approaches.
Can also include increasing levels of submodels.
Input Output
A
Input Output
B1 A B2
Source: Erickson, P. 1994. A Practical Guide to Environmental Impact Assessment. Toronto: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-241555-8.
Generalized Processes for Environmental
Compartment
Introduction
Focus on four
environmental
compartments: Translocation
1. Geological
2. Aquatic
3. Atmospheric Concentration Dissipation
4. Biological
Processes which affect
the flow of matter and Transformation
energy.
Elimination
Source: Erickson, P. 1994. A Practical Guide to Environmental Impact Assessment. Toronto: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-241555-8.
Spatial and Temporal Scales
Source: Richards, C. and Johnson, L. 1998. Landscape perspectives on ecological risk assessment. Risk Assessment: Logic and
Measurement. Newman, M. and Strojan, C. (editors). Chelsea, MI: Ann Arbor Press. ISBN 1-57504-048-4
Effects of Environmental Stressors
Source: Richards, C. and Johnson, L. 1998. Landscape perspectives on ecological risk assessment. Risk Assessment: Logic and
Measurement. Newman, M. and Strojan, C. (editors). Chelsea, MI: Ann Arbor Press. ISBN 1-57504-048-4
Scales of Endpoints
Source: Richards, C. and Johnson, L. 1998. Landscape perspectives on ecological risk assessment. Risk Assessment: Logic and
Measurement. Newman, M. and Strojan, C. (editors). Chelsea, MI: Ann Arbor Press. ISBN 1-57504-048-4
