BY DA N N Y B E E R

INTRO INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• What is an EIS?• When is an EIS required?• Basic outline of an EIS• Ultimate purpose of an EIS

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

• An environmental impact statement (EIS), under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment".

• ^ The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 42 USC Sections 4321-4347 (enacted 1970-01-01) from Council on Envrionmental Quality NEPAnet

WHEN IS AN EIS NEEDED?

http://www.sebokwiki.org/wiki/Environmental_Engineering

BASIC OUTLINE OF AN EIS

• Glossary • Tables and Figures• Introduction• Project Overview• Environmental Setting• Environmental Impact• Mitigation Measures• Mitigation Alternatives• Alternatives Analysis• Cited References

GLOSSARY, TABLES AND FIGURES, AND INTRODUCTION

• The glossary and Tables and Figures• The Introduction• introduce topic of the EIS• Lays out scope of the project and data sources used.

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

• Where is this procedure taking place?• Aquatic- i.e.concerns with dissolved O2 levels • Terrestrial- i.e. rejuvenating mineral levels for

crops• Atmospheric- i.e. what emissions are we

dispersing?

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• Identifies key uses of the materials in question• Natural follow up to the more general

introduction.• Lays out industrial processes, waste containment,

transportation etc.• Covers relevant laws and regulations i.e. Clean

Air Act of 1990 (CA 90)

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

MITIGATION MEASURES

• What policies are currently in use for both environmental contamination and risk of human exposure?• Generally need to be

changed.

MITIGATION ALTERNATIVES

• How can we make it better?• Looks at potential changes for insufficient

mitigation measures.

ALTERNATIVES ANALYSES

• Once alternatives have been suggested, their respective feasibility has to be considered

CONCLUSION

• What is the main point of an EIS?• Ideally, it is a tool designed to try and take as

many relevant factors into account as possible.• Merely reports, and offers the best informed

decision available, but does not aim to influence policy.