Module-2

EIA Report

The EIA Report is a compilation of several important project

components, including the project description, the assessment of its
environmental and social impacts, mitigation measures, and related
management and monitoring plans. During this step, all the
information gathered during the previous steps is compiled into a
comprehensive report that analyzes and synthesizes the data,
structuring it as stipulated in the terms of reference (TOR).
A quality EIA Report has the following
characteristics:

➢ It is well-structured and uses non-technical language supported

by data and well-executed analyses.
➢ It provides information that is helpful and relevant to decision
making.
➢ It results in the satisfactory prediction of the adverse effects of
the proposed actions and their mitigation using conventional and
customized techniques.
Why do an EIA report?
Reporting is an important part of the EIA process in
order to convey the outcomes of the assessment and
proposed mitigation actions, and thereby provide
information for decision making. An EIA report should
be complete, easily understood, objective, factual and
internally consistent.
How to conduct an EIA report

The EIA report is compiled by the project team and its

associated consultants, according to the TOR identified
during the Scoping stage. Team members work together
to systematically synthesize, analyze and organize all the
data and plans developed in the previous steps into a
well-structured and concise document.
 Generic Structure of Environmental
Impact Assessment Document
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1 Introduction • Purpose of report
• Identification of project & project
proponent
• Brief description of nature, size,
location of the project and its
importance to the country, region
• Scope of the study – details of
regulatory scoping carried out (As per
Terms of Reference)
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2 Project • Condensed description of those
Description aspects of the project (based on
project feasibility study), likely to
cause environmental effects. Details
should be provided to give clear
picture of the following:
• Type of project
• Need for the project
• Location (maps showing general
location, specific location, project
boundary & project site layout)
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2 Project • Size or magnitude of operation (incl.
Description associated activities required by or for
the project
• Proposed schedule for approval and
implementation
• Technology and process description
• Project description. Including drawings
showing project layout, components of
project etc. schematic representations of
the feasibility drawings which give
information important for EIA purpose
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2 Project • Description of mitigation measures
Description incorporated into the project to meet
environmental standards,
environmental operating conditions,
or other EIA requirements (as
required by the scope)
• Assessment of New & untested
technology for the risk of
technological failure
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3 Description • Study area, period, components &
of the methodology
Environment • Establishment of baseline for valued
environmental components, as
identified in the scope
• Base maps of all environmental
components
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4 Anticipated • Details of Investigated
Environment Environmental impacts due to
al Impacts & project location, possible accidents,
Mitigation project design, project construction,
Measures regular operations, final
decommissioning or rehabilitation
of a completed project
• Measures for minimizing and / or off
setting adverse impacts identified
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4 Anticipated • Irreversible and Irretrievable
Environment commitments of environmental
al Impacts & components
Mitigation • Assessment of significance of
Measures impacts (Criteria for determining
significance, Assigning significance)
• Mitigation measures
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5 Analysis of • In case, the scoping exercise results
Alternatives in need for alternatives:
(Technology • Description of each alternative
& Site) • Summary of adverse impacts of
each alternative
• Mitigation measures proposed for
each alternative and
• Selection of alternative
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6 Environment • Technical aspects of monitoring the
al effectiveness of mitigation
Monitoring measures (incl. Measurement
Program methodologies, frequency, location,
data analysis, reporting schedules,
emergency procedures, detailed
budget & procurement schedules)
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7 Additional • Public Consultation
Studies • Risk assessment
• Social Impact Assessment. R&R
Action Plans
8 Project • Improvements in the physical and
Benefits social infrastructure
• Employment potential –skilled;
semi-skilled and unskilled
• Other tangible benefits
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9 Environmental • If recommended at the Scoping
Cost Benefit stage
Analysis
10 Environmental • Description of the administrative
Management aspects of ensuring that mitigative
Plan (EMP) measures are implemented and
their effectiveness monitored,
after approval of the EIA
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11 Summary & • Overall justification for
Conclusion (This implementation of the project
will constitute • Explanation of how, adverse
the summary of effects have been mitigated
the EIA Report )
12 Disclosure of • The names of the Consultants
Consultants engaged with their brief resume
engaged and nature of Consultancy
rendered
 Terms of Reference (ToR)

• TOR or Terms of Reference is a document produced by

the authority conducting the EIA study.
• It is formed during Scoping, the second stage in the
EIA process.
• All the stakeholders are invited to submit their
concerns regarding the project during a public hearing
organized by the EIA committee, which is followed by
discussions and deliberations. The finalized list of this
stage of EIA is submitted to the Ministry in the form of
TOR.
 Terms of Reference (ToR)

• TOR is an important document in the process of EIA

because it sets the guidelines for the study. A TOR is
drawn up with the following questions in mind.
• The purpose of the study/project.
• The extent of the study.
• The stakeholders’ requirements; each
stakeholder looks at different aspects of the
project differently. Complex information needs
to be explained appropriately.
 Content of TOR
TOR highlights the points that need to be covered (the
TOR itself does not elaborate on these points unless
required) during the EIA study, which include:

1. A description of the project, it’s purposes and

extent.
2. All the agencies responsible in the developmental
project and the EIA study.
3. A description of the existing environmental
conditions in the project site and surrounding
areas.
 Content of TOR

4. The stakeholders that will be benefited and harmed by

the fulfillment of the project.
5. The environmental aspects the project is likely to
affect.
6. The impacts, both positive and negative, the project
will have on the environmental and social aspects of
the project area. This is undertaken
through checklists, matrices or networks.
7. A list/description of the species endemic to the area,
which are likely to be effected.
 Content of TOR

8. How in-depth does the EIA study need to be: whether

baseline data is available or whether the study be
sourced from secondary data.
9. Possible alternatives for the project in terms of design,
site, technology, implementation, etc.
[Link] legal requirements of the project and future
legislation that need to be drafted.
[Link] the project site comes under special categories, and
the legislation regarding the same.
 Content of TOR

[Link] mitigation strategies.

[Link] expertise required for the EIA study.
[Link] expected time limit for the entire EIA study.
[Link] Resource Valuation (NRV), if possible.
[Link] budget of the study, also called cost-benefit
analysis.
It is important that the TOR be drawn up exhaustively to
ensure that the EIA study carried out is effective in
warding off as much environmental damage as possible.
TORs take about 45 days to prepare in today’s EIA
studies.
Types of EIA
Environmental assessments could be classified into
four types
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Regional EIA
Sectoral EIA
Project Level EIA.

Rapid EIA and Comprehensive EIA

Strategic environmental assessment

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) refers

to systematic analysis of the environmental effects of
development policies, plans, programmes and
other proposed strategic actions. SEA represents a
proactive approach to integrating environmental
considerations into the higher levels of decision-
making – beyond the project level, when major
alternatives are still open.
Regional EIA
EIA in the context of regional planning integrates environmental
concerns into development planning for a geographic region,
normally at the sub-country level. Such an approach is referred
to as the economic-cum-environmental (EcE) development
planning. This approach facilitates adequate integration of
economic development with management of renewable
natural resources within the carrying capacity limitation to achieve
sustainable development. It fulfils the need form acro-level
environmental integration, which the project-oriented EIA is
unable to address effectively.
Sectoral EIA
Instead of project-level-EIA, an EIA should take place in
the context of regional and sectoral level planning. Once
sectoral level development plans have the integrated
sectoral environmental concerns addressed, the scope
of project-level EIA will be quite minimal. Sectoral EIA
will helps in to addressing specific environmental
problems that may be encountered in planning and
implementing sectoral development projects.
Project level EIA

Project level EIA refers to the developmental activity in

isolation and the impacts that it exerts on the receiving
environment. Thus, it may not effectively integrate the
cumulative effects of the development in a region.
Conclusion

EIA shall be integrated at all levels i.e., strategic,

regional, sectoral and project level. Whereas, the strategic
EIA is a structural change in the way the things are
evaluated for decision-making, the regional EIA refers
to substantial information processing and
drawing complex inferences. The project-level EIA
is relatively simple and reaches to meaningful
conclusions.