1 - Introduction Flashcards

1
Q

What are some acronyms of Environmental Impact Assessment?

A
  • EIA
  • EA
  • IA
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2
Q

What are the five main characteristics of an Environmental Impact Assessment?

A
  • Process
  • Methodology
  • Arts and Science
  • Not a formula for preparing a document
  • “Look before you leap”
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3
Q

What are the origins of the EIA?

A

From the National Environmental Policy Act (1969) USA

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4
Q

How many nations require an EIA?

A

More than 100+

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5
Q

What does the IAIA stand for?

A

International Association for Impact Assessment

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6
Q

What is the IAIA?

A

The leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision making regarding policies, programs, plans, and projects.

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7
Q

What do members of the IAIA believe?

A

That impact assessment is a practical tool for helping meet todays needs without compromising the opportunities of future generations.

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8
Q

Provide a definition of an EIA:

A

An activity designed to identify and predict the impact on human health and well-being of legislative proposals, policies, programs, and operational procedures and to interpret and communicate information about the impacts.

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9
Q

What are the categories of EIA?

A
  • Environment
  • Social Issues
  • Other
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10
Q

What are the subcategories of an Environment EIA?

A
  • Air
  • Biodiversity
  • Land use and Soil
  • Sewage Release and Groundwater
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11
Q

What are the subcategories of Social EIA?

A
  • Population Characteristics
  • Present Land Use and Zoning Land-use Plans
  • Community Impacts
  • Visual Resources
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12
Q

What are the subcategories of Other EIA?

A
  • Disaster Management
  • Adaption and Increasing Vulnerability to Climate Change
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13
Q

What kind of different assessments and modelling can be included in an EIA?

A
  • Predictive Modelling
  • Life-cycle Assessment
  • Social Impact Assessment
  • Cultural Impact Assessment
  • Human Health Risk Assessment
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14
Q

Define Sustainable Development:

A

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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15
Q

What is Impact Assessment from a Federal perspective?

A
  1. Planning
  2. Impact Statement
  3. Impact Assessment
  4. Decision-making
  5. Post Decision
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16
Q

What happens after you submit an EIS? (8)

A
  1. Notice of Determination
  2. Assessment Process Initiated
  3. Information requests (IR)
  4. Public Review
  5. Hearing Process
  6. Decision Making
  7. Decision Statement Issued
  8. Follow-up & Monitoring
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17
Q

True or False: Some jurisdictions have legislated timelines for submitting an EIS.

A

True

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18
Q

True or False: There is a strict grouping of people involved in the Decision Making step of an EIS submission.

A

False.

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19
Q

What is the purpose of IA?

A

“Over years IA has been recognized as a forward-looking instrument that is able to proactively advise decision-makers on what might happen if a proposed action is implemented. “

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20
Q

Define an Impact, in terms of an IA:

A
  • Impacts are changes that are judged to have environmental, political, economic or social significance to society.
  • Impacts may be positive or negative and may affect the environment, communities, human health and well-being, desired sustainability objectives, or a combination of these.”
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21
Q

What is the immediate result of an EA?

A

A development proposal that is well thought-out environmental, social, economic, and technical design, accompanied by a management plan to deal with potential risk and unanticipated outcomes

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22
Q

What are the four main purposes of an IA?

A
  1. Identifying and evaluating potential impacts
  2. Support decision making
  3. Promoting sustainable development
  4. Ensuring that development is in the public interest
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23
Q

What are the five components of the Spectrum of EA Philosophies and Values?

A
  1. Analytical Science
  2. Environmental Design
  3. Information Provision
  4. Participation
  5. Environmental Governance
24
Q

How does the Analytical Science philosophy view EAs? and what kind of science is used?

A

That EAs serve to inform decisions and enhance scientific understanding.
- Applied
- Experimental
- Naturalistic

25
Q

How does the Environmental Design the Spectrum of EA Philosophy view EAs? and what kind of science is used?

A

EA serves to inform and influence design decisions.
- Applied Environmental for design and engineering

26
Q

How does the Information Provision philosophy view EAs? and what kind of science is used?

A

EA serves to inform decisions.
- Largely Natural Science
- Minimal Social Science

27
Q

How does the Participation philosophy view EAs? and what kind of science is used?

A

EA is about participatory decision-making.
- Equal Natural and Social Sciences

28
Q

How does the Environmental Governance philosophy view EAs? and what kind of science is used?

A

EA is about deliberative democracy.
- Largely social science,
- Minimal natural science

29
Q

In order for an EIA to be credible, it must be based on…

A
  • Scientific Objectives
  • Modelling and Experimentation
  • Quantified Impact Predictions
  • Hypothesis Testing
30
Q

As a decision tool, EIA are…

A
  • Deliberative
  • Social Justice
  • Community Governance
31
Q

Who is involved in the IA process?

A

1) Project Proponents
2) Regulators / Government Authorities
3) Decision-Makers
4) Affected Interests
5) Practitioners

32
Q

Define the role of a Project Proponent in EIAs:

A
  • Proposes development
  • Responsible for its implementation, operations, and management
33
Q

Provide an example of a Project Proponent:

A
  • Private Corporations
  • Government Entities
  • Private-public Partnerships
34
Q

Define the role of the Regulator / Government Authority:

A

Responsible for EA and ensuring due process.

35
Q

Who is responsible for ensuring legal obligations for consultation with Indigenous peoples is fulfilled in the EIA process?

A

Regulators / Government Authorities

36
Q

Define the role of the Decision-makers:

A
  • Responsible for elected ministers (Weighs information provided by proponent and Affected interest)
  • Consider government policy objectives / commitments
  • Determines if it is the public interest that a project continue
37
Q

Define the role of Affected Interests in the EIA process:

A
  • Anyone or any group potentially affected
38
Q

Provide several examples of an Affected Interest:

A
  • Indigenous Governments or communities
  • Public
  • Private Landowners
  • Private Business
  • Special Interest Groups
39
Q

True or False: Not all affected interests are involved in the EIA process in the same capacity or share the same legal standing.

A

True

40
Q

Define the role of Practitioner in the EIA process:

A

The consultant who carry out the technical analysis and compile the EIS on behalf of the proponent.

41
Q

Who might Practitioners work for?

A
  • Communities
  • Government Agencies
  • Various review boards/panels
42
Q

What is the process flow of Federal IAs?

A
  1. Planning
  2. Impact Statement
  3. Impact Assessment
  4. Decision-making
  5. Post-decision
43
Q

What is the 10 step process for IAs?

A

1) Pre-project Planning
2) Project Description
3) Screening
4) Scoping & Baseline Assessment
5) Impact Assessment
6) Identifying strategies for managing impacts
7) Significance Determination
8) Submission & Review of an EIS
9) Recommendation & Decision
10) Implementation & Follow-up

44
Q

When should engagement occur in the IA process?

A

Throughout!

45
Q

True or False: At any point in the IA process you could have to return to an earlier step.

A

True

46
Q

True or False: The Practitioner must hold all necessary skills to complete the task.

A

False. The role of practitioner is interdisciplinary, engagement with other disciplines is required.

47
Q

What are the 3 types of practitioner?

A

1) Practitioner
2) Senior Practitioner
3) Lead Practitioner

48
Q

Define Ethical Conduct in reference to an EIA:

A

The values, norms, experiences and interrelations of practitioners engaged in the EA process paly a significant role in the quality of the process

49
Q

What is the social contract between impact assessment professionals, civil society, and decision makers?

A

a. IAs will be conducted with integrity, free of misrepresentation or bias.
b. IAs will respect citizen rights to participate in decisions that affect them.

50
Q

True or False: An IA professional’s beliefs and cultural preferences must not interfere with the fair representation of the potential impacts of policies, plans, programs, and projects

A

True.

51
Q

It is also ______ to advance private interests to the detriment of the public, clients, or decision-makers.

A

improper

52
Q

Impact assessment professionals should seek ____________ outcomes from human actions that affect ecosystem and social functions and have due regard to the rights and interests of future generations.

A

sustainable and equitable

53
Q

Impact assessments must be conducted and implemented in a manner that averts _________ of the human rights of any section of society and does not condone the use of violence, harassment, intimidation, or undue force

A

infringement

54
Q

Impact assessment professionals must strive for _____________ by maintaining and enhancing their own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of coworkers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession

A

excellence

55
Q

What are the five things to know of IAIA?

A

S.E.A.U.I
S - Sustainable
E - Excellence
A - Avert Infringement
U - Unbiased
I - Integrity

56
Q

Memorize the Spectrum of EA Philosophies (Will be on test)!!!

A

Introduction Powerpoint

57
Q

What are some responsibilities of the Regulator / Government Authority?

A
  • Setting terms of reference
  • Issuing approvals /authorizations
  • Ensuring public participation
  • Fulfilling legal obligations with Indigenous peoples
  • Post-project Follow up approval of compliance