Question

Explain the steps involved in Environmental Impact assessment.

Answer 1

The eight steps of the EIA process are presented in brief below:

1. Screening: First stage of EIA, which determines whether the proposed project, requires an EIA and if it does, then the level of assessment required.
2. Scoping: This stage identifies the key issues and impacts that should be further investigated and defines the study's boundary and time limit.
3. Impact analysis: This stage of EIA identifies and predicts the likely environmental and social impact of the proposed project and evaluates the significance.
4. Mitigation: This step in EIA recommends actions to reduce and avoid the potential adverse environmental consequences of developmental activities.
5. Reporting: This stage presents the EIA's result in a report to the decision-making body and other interested parties.
6. Review of EIA: It examines the adequacy and effectiveness of the EIA report and provides the information necessary for decision-making.
7. Decision-making: It decides whether the project is rejected, approved or needs further change.
8. Post-monitoring: This stage comes into play once the project is commissioned. It checks to ensure that the project's impacts do not exceed the legal standards and that the mitigation measures are implemented in the manner described in the EIA report.