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Thermal Power Plants and Pollution
Published in T.M. Aggarwal, Environmental Control in Thermal Power Plants, 2021
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an assessment of the possible impacts that a proposed project may have on the environment, consisting of the environmental, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the environmental impacts when deciding whether or not to proceed with a project. The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) defines an environmental impact assessment as “the 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. EIAs are unique in that they do not require adherence to a predetermined environmental outcome, but rather they require decision makers to account for environmental values in their decisions and to justify those decisions in light of detailed environmental studies and public comments on the potential environmental impacts.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Mining in India: A Review of Legal and Institutional Mechanism
Published in K. M. Baharul Islam, Zafar Mahfooz Nomani, Environment Impact Assessment, 2021
Many countries now have laws stipulating that unless an EIA study is carried out (particularly for large infrastructure projects), permission for construction will not be granted by the local authority. The educational one is equally important and probably a forerunner to the legal role to educate everyone, one involved professionals and users included, of the potential environmental impacts of anything we do. EIA is a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision - making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision makers. By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/cleanup costs and impacts of laws and regulations.
Impact assessment of road infrastructure: A holistic approach
Published in Stein Haugen, Anne Barros, Coen van Gulijk, Trond Kongsvik, Jan Erik Vinnem, Safety and Reliability – Safe Societies in a Changing World, 2018
EIA is a process for assessing environmental consequences (positive and negative) because of the planned project. Conducting an EIA during the project design phase will provide information about the environmental conditions of the area; early assessment of negative impacts can ensure that appropriate mitigation measures and opportunities are identified and implemented; and it can help to reduce costs in the long term (Jonathan R. and Emma J., 2010). However, some of the reasons given for the non-use of EIA tools are that they are too cumbersome, time consuming, and generalized; another reason is the lack of evidence confirming the actual value and success of EIA’s; and in contrast to other assessment methods EIA is generally site-specific (Jonathan R. and Emma J., 2010, Finnveden et al., 2007).
Development of requirements for design and steps for protection of the environment, illustrated by two major bridge projects in Denmark
Published in Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 2022
Erik Stoklund Larsen, Mia Stampe Lagergaard, Agnete Jørgensen, Barbara MacAulay, Jimmi Laursen
Roads make up habitat barriers in nature, and the traffic on the roads has a negative influence on CO2, particle pollution as well as on noise nuisance for animals and people living in the vicinity. How a major construction project is dealing with the challenges concerning nature is illustrated by the Roskilde Fjord case (Figure 3). For all major construction projects, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is carried out. The purpose of an EIA study is to describe and assess the impact of a new construction project on the population, animals, plants, and cultural heritage, etc. At the same time, the study will ensure that the plan is designed to minimize its effects on the environment and to identify, where appropriate, measures to reduce and/or compensate for the adverse effects of the installation.
The role of hydropower in South Asia’s energy future
Published in International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2021
Ramesh Ananda Vaidya, David James Molden, Arun Bhakta Shrestha, Nisha Wagle, Cecilia Tortajada
To minimize these environmental impacts of hydropower, protective measures are required (Chen et al., 2015), along with resilient hydropower infrastructure (Bhatt, 2017). Major steps include an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for predicting and quantifying potential impacts, the identification of protective measures, and the development of a management plan for minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing the benefits (AECOM, 2012). For example, hydropower-specific EIA guidelines recently developed by the Ministry of Forests and Environment of Nepal (MoFE) (2018) provide better assessment and mitigation strategies, along with guidance on good practices. The guidelines cover assessing the environmental risk and impact, identifying opportunities and management strategies, focusing on resources, recognizing stakeholders, and informing decision-makers. Regarding climate, the guidelines mention the need to evaluate the relevant climate change impacts and recommend climate screening. A thorough EIA is crucial in making hydropower projects sustainable. The National Water Plan of Nepal mentions the need to promote research and studies on ‘existing dam structure and climate change and its impact on the environment’ (WECS, 2005, p. 26).
AHP-based Spatial Air Quality Impact Assessment Model of vehicular traffic change due to highway broadening in Sikkim Himalaya
Published in Annals of GIS, 2018
Polash Banerjee, Mrinal Kanti Ghose, Ratika Pradhan
Highways are essential for the development and security of a region. However, broadening of highways can be detrimental to the local environment. Understanding of such detrimental impacts is pivotal for environmentally appropriate decision-making by the stakeholders on the viability of such development projects. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) involves the assessment of impacts of a development project on the environmental attributes viz. soil resources, water resources, air quality, noise quality, biodiversity, socioeconomy and disaster susceptibility (Barthwal 2012; Canter 1996). The assessment of air pollution generated during construction, widening and extension of highways and the consequent rise in traffic is mandatory in such EIA reports. However, conventional EIA can be time consuming, expensive and subjective (Glasson, Therivel, and Chadwi 2005; Takyl 2012). Moreover, conventional EIA focuses mainly on the temporal aspect of impacts and undermines the importance of spatial distribution of impacts. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) overcomes the limitation of conventional EIA and provides an unbiased and easily interpretable EIA (Agrawal 2005). SAQIAM is a GIS-based air pollution mapping model that provides a composite air quality map to facilitate EIA of highway projects. It uses an analytic hierarchy process (AHP)-based weighted additive index called Spatial Air Quality Index (SAQI) to portray the spatial distribution of air quality. The individual air pollutant (AP) maps and the SAQI maps can be a geovisualization and decision support aid to the stakeholders of highway-related project.