ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

EIAEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is

a process of : identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating

the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made.

EIA

Transparency

Certainty

Participation

Practicability

Flexibility

Cost-effectiveness

Cred

ibility

Accountability

Rationale of the EIA• Protect environment and control pollution• Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Environment

Protection Rules, 1986• Section 5 Environment Protection Rules 1986:

Prohibitions and restrictions on the location of industries; carrying on of processes and operations in different areas

• EIA 1994• Environment Protection Act 1986

• EIA 2006 is supersession of EIA 1994, except in respect of things done or omitted to be done before such supersession

Requirements of prior Environmental Clearance (EC)

•Which projects require EC? • Projects listed in the schedule to notification

(as Category A and B projects)•All new projects or activities listed in the

Schedule to this notification• Expansion and modernization of existing

projects or activities listed in the Schedule to this notification•Any change in product - mix in an existing

manufacturing unit included in Schedule

Requirements of prior Environmental Clearance (EC)

• EC by whom?• Category A projects: MoEF• Based on decisions on the recommendation by Expert

Appraisal Committee (EAC)• Category B projects: At state level the State Environment

Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA)

• The SEIAA shall base its decision on the recommendations of a State or Union territory level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) as to be constituted for in this notification

• In the absence of a duly constituted SEIAA or SEAC, a Category ‘B’ project shall be treated as a Category ‘A’ project

EIA to be assessed as per : Physical Ecological Socio-economic..

EIA REGIME

EIA regime

To ensure that significant issues are identified; project related information is gathered, alternatives are considered.

To avoid biases/inaccuracies in analysis; identify local values/preferences; assist in consideration of mitigation measures; select best alternative.

To consider and comment on EIA Report

To monitor the implementation of EIA Report’s recommendations and decision’s conditions.

To consult people likely to be affected by proposal

Salient EIA Steps

Screening

Scoping

Impact analysis

Mitigation and impact

management

EIA report

Review

Decision making

Implementation and monitoring

contd…• Stage 1 - Screening• Based on info (form 1, 1A) supplied by Proponent• Pre-feasibility report and conceptual plan - no

guidelines or requirements, thereby no need to address environmental issues

• Stage 2 - Scoping• No public participation in scoping process - local

knowledge about what environmental concerns should be investigated is not given consideration• Strict timeline – not a continuous process• Biased in securing favorable Terms of Reference

(TOR) for investors• Access to TOR limited

Contd…•Stage 3 – Public consultation•Local affected persons having plausible

stake in impact of project•Public Consultation shall ordinarily have

two components comprising of•The Public Consultation shall ordinarily have

two components comprising of:-• public hearing at the site or in its close

proximity • obtain responses in writing from other

concerned persons having a plausible stake in the environmental aspects

Contd…•No quorum required for holding public

consultation• Tight timeline: 45 days from the time

requested by the project proponent

• Access to information

• EIA report made available, EIA with all

TOR from the scoping process, Public

Hearing, additional information

• Confidential information need not be

disclosed in summary EIA• Publicity• Use of internet as the main means

• PP notifies through advertisement in news paper etc..

EIA process and tentative Timelines

Submission of application (Form 1, prelim reports)

Stage 1: Screening; Decide project A, B1 or B2

Stage 2: Scoping; Come up with Terms of Reference (TOR)

Prepare preliminary EIA report

Stage 3: Public consultation (2 components)

Stage 4: Appraisal

Final Decision

60 days

45 days

60 days

15 days

30 days

Investor

Expert Committee

Project proponent

SPCB

Expert Committee

Regulatory Authority

Who is responsible!

Update EIA report (Investor)

Other related EIA Regulations(OMs)

• 19th July, 2013 Preparation and Presentation Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and Environmental Management Plan (EMP)oAccreditation of consultants: The Quality

Council of India (QCI) or National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET) or any other agency as may be notified

• 19th March, 2013: Updating information in the website of the MoEF

Contd..

• 30th May, 2012: Consideration of expansion proposals for grant of Environmental Clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006: • Submission of certified report of the status of

compliance of the conditions stipulated in the EC from the by the RO, MoEF

• 30th October, 2012: De-listing of pending projects: • Additional information not received even after 6

months of the EAC meeting will be de-listed from pending projects.

• 18th May, 2012: Consideration of projects for grant of environment clearance under EIA Notification, 2006, which involve forestland: • Stage-I FC not submitted by the PP within the

prescribed time limit will be referred to EAC for consideration

• 12th December, 2012: regarding violations:• Board’s Resolution, Credible Action, a time limit

of 60 days, limit to EC granted or cancelled.

• 4th December, 2012: Sector specific Manuals• 30th March, 2012: Consideration of projects

for environmental clearance based on Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) - Extension of Moratorium till further orders• 20thMarch, 2012: Submission of project

documents and information in electronic format along with hard copy

Contd..

• Coal Beneficiation draft notification: • 34 % ash content on daily average basis. • Use of Beneficiated coal with an Ash

content not more than 34 % and• gross calorific value (GCV) should not

be < 4000 Kcal/kg on daily average basis Any stand alone TPP should be located beyond 500 km from the pit-head.

EIA Benefits/FlipsidesBenefits Flip sides

Provides systematic methods of Impact assessment

Time -consuming

Estimates the cost/benefits trade-off of alternative actions

Costly

Facilitates the Public participation   Provides an effective mechanism for Coordination Environmental integration Negotiations Feed back

Title public participation in actual implementation Unavailability for reliable data (mostly in developing countries

Top-level decision making focused on scientific analysis

Triggers an institutional building Presentation of EIA report(bulky volumes, scientific explanation, sometimes difficult to understand)

Achieve a balance between the impact of Developmental and environmental concern

Compliance monitoring after EIA is seldom carried out

Compliance to EC Conditions Judicial process and NGO activism

Thank You