Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

Emerging Opportunities &

Challenges with the EIA Process

Presentation by Grant O’Dea

and

Prof Robert MILES

17th May 2006

Social & Economic Impacts of mining Forum

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

Setting the Scene

• Mining and Industrial Development

provide great economic contribution at

local, regional, state and national levels

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Setting the Scene

• Aust coal production 717mil tonnes (2003/4),

with exports of thermal coal 106 mil tonnes

and metallurgical coal at 197mil tonnes

(ABARE 2004).

• Export earnings are critical to Australia’s

balance of trade, growth and prosperity.

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Setting the Scene

• All large scale operations require an EIA be undertaken and subsequent submission of an EIS

• The opportunity is now to look toward an integrated holistic approach to regional development

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Evolution of EIA

• Earlier focus on biophysical environment

• Has since adopted a TBL approach accounting for

»Biophysical aspects

»Economic aspects

»Social aspects

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Evolution of the EIA Process

• EIA has many strengths• Strong in identifying biophysical

environmental impacts• Generally strong in identifying

economic impacts• Developing strength in identifying

social issues and in community consultation

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

• While the EIS has made significant ground some potential gaps remain

» Assessments constrained to project level

»Lack of recognition for cumulative impacts (although this appears to be changing)

»Reliance upon ABS census data as major source

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

»Lack of follow-up monitoring process

»Not well integrated with regional planning

»Tendency to focus mostly on impacts that industry is responsible for

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

• Project level assessment does not consider cumulative impacts from multiple projects within a region

• Potential impacts associated with a proposed development may not appear significant , this may be misleading however if other developments are occurring simultaneously within the region

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

• Reliance upon ABS census data as major data source

»ABS census data only gathered every 5 years

»presents potentially inaccurate impact predictions in where 5 year old data is used as benchmark in impact assessment in high growth areas

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

• Need for a follow-up process• Follow-up would provide

» Monitoring: the collection of data and comparison with standards, predictions and expectations;

» Evaluation: the appraisal of the conformance of the EIA with standards, predictions or expectations as well as the environmental performance of the activity;

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Potential Gaps in the EIA Process

»Management: making decisions and taking appropriate action in response to issues arising from monitoring and evaluation activities; and

»Communication: informing the stakeholders as well as the general public about the results of EIA follow-up.

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Areas of Potential Improvement

• Cumulative impacts

• Better data

• Monitoring & follow-up

• Greater integration with planning & government responsibilities

Institute for Sustainable Regional Development

The End

Thank You for Listening