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Environmental Impact Assessment > 6 - Assessing Impact > Flashcards

6 - Assessing Impact Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 main things to predict?

A
  • Project impacts on the environment
  • Environment impacts on the Project
  • Cumulative effects
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2
Q

What are environmental impacts also referred to as?

A

Environmental Risks

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3
Q

What are the 5 impacts of the environment on a project?

A
  1. Temperature
  2. Water levels
  3. Precipitation Patterns
  4. Storm Severity
  5. Sensitivity to change
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4
Q

What are 5 things to know when predicting impacts of a project?

A
  1. Understanding of proposed project.
  2. Outcomes of similar projects
  3. Past, present, or approved projects
  4. Interacting environmental & socio-economic components
  5. Receptors response to change
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5
Q

What is a Receptor?

A

A component of the natural or human environment that is measurably affected by the project and which forms an endpoint of a given effect pathway

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6
Q

True or False: There is no single set of methods, laws or regulations that prescribe HOW impact predictions should be made.

A

True

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7
Q

Practices are currently moving beyond predicting _________ components to more _________ concepts.

A

individual, holistic

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8
Q

What are 3 key components of addressing Impact?

A
  • Accuracy & Precision
  • Analogue Approaches
  • Expert Judgement
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9
Q

What does accuracy refer to in Impact Methods?

A

… the extent of a system-wide bias in a prediction, or the closeness of a predicted value to the true or actual value

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10
Q

What does Precision refer to in Impact Methods?

A

… the level of preciseness of exactness associated with an impact prediction.

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11
Q

What are 3 key benefits of using Analogue Approaches for Impact Methods?

A
  • Learning from a similar project and past project experiences
  • Drawing upon similar projects
  • Challenging in transferring outcomes from one context to another
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12
Q

Expert Judgement for Impact Methods involves what 3 considerations?

A
  • No standard by which judgement is integrated into an EA
  • No specific criteria as to what constitutes an expert
  • Good expert judgement will be substantiated with evidence, explicitly in its uncertainties including confidence levels and assumptions.
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13
Q

What are 4 main types of Modelling and Extrapolation of Impact Methods?

A
  • Balance Models
  • Statistical Models
  • Spatial Models
  • Simplification
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14
Q

What do Balance Methods use?

A

They identify inputs and outputs for specified components and outputs for an environmental system

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15
Q

What methods do Statistical Models use?

A

They use extrapolations or trend analysis based on assumptions about fundamental relationships or correlations underlying an observed phenomenon.

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16
Q

What do Spatial Models use?

A

They use geographic information systems to overlay approaches or potential outcomes.

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17
Q

Distinguish between “environmental change” and “environmental effect”:

A

Environmental change refers to alterations in the environment over time, while environmental effect pertains to the specific consequences of a project or action on the environment.

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18
Q

Identify three types of impacts that need to be predicted in an environmental assessment (EA):

A
  • Project on the environment
  • Environment on the project
  • Cumulative effects
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19
Q

Explain the challenges of using analogue approaches for impact prediction:

A
  • Contextual differences
  • Limited availability of comparable projects
  • Difficulty in transferring outcomes
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20
Q

Describe the key elements of an effective expert judgment in an EA:

A
  • Evidence substantiation
  • Clear articulation of uncertainties
  • Confidence levels and assumptions
  • Transparency in the expert’s qualifications
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21
Q

Define “threshold-based maximal allowable effects levels” and provide an example:

A

… they are pre-determined limits on the acceptable level of change caused by a project.

For example, a project may stipulate that noise levels will not exceed a certain decibel limit at nearby residences.

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22
Q

Explain the concept of the hierarchy of mitigation and list the levels within it.

A

The hierarchy of mitigation prioritizes impact management strategies. It includes: Avoidance then mitigation, restoration, and offsetting/compensation.

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23
Q

Provide two examples of mitigation measures for a hypothetical road construction project.

A
  1. install sediment fences to minimize erosion and sedimentation and
  2. implement a traffic management plan to reduce noise and disruption for nearby residents.
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24
Q

Differentiate between “offsetting” and “compensation” in the context of impact management:

A

Offsetting involves creating or restoring equivalent environmental values at a different location to compensate for unavoidable impacts, while compensation typically involves financial or other benefits to those affected.

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25
Q

List five criteria used to characterize residual effects:

A
  1. Direction
  2. Duration
  3. Geographic Extent
  4. Magnitude
  5. Timing
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26
Q

What is adaptive management and how does it relate to addressing uncertainty in impact predictions?

A

… an iterative approach to environmental management that involves learning by doing, adjusting actions based on monitoring results, and embracing uncertainty.

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27
Q

What does Adaptive Management help in impact assessment?

A

It helps address uncertainty by acknowledging that predictions may be inaccurate and necessitating ongoing adjustments.

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28
Q

Define Analogue Approaches:

A

Impact prediction methods based on extrapolating findings from similar past projects.

29
Q

Define Compensation:

A

Provision of financial or other benefits to affected parties to offset unavoidable project impacts.

30
Q

Define Cumulative Effects:

A

Environmental impacts resulting from the combined effects of multiple projects or actions over time.

31
Q

Define Environmental Change:

A

Alterations in environmental conditions that occur over time, regardless of the cause.

32
Q

Define Environmental Effect:

A

The specific consequence of a project or action on the environment.

33
Q

Define Expert Judgement:

A

Informed opinions provided by qualified specialists to assess impacts when empirical data is limited.

34
Q

What is the Hierarchy of Mitigation?

A

A framework prioritizing impact management actions, starting with avoidance, then mitigation, restoration, and finally offsetting/compensation.

35
Q

Explain impact prediction:

A

Forecasting the likely environmental consequences of a proposed project or action.

36
Q

Describe Mitigation:

A

Measures taken to minimize the severity or extent of negative environmental impacts.

37
Q

What is Offsetting?

A

Compensating for unavoidable impacts by creating equivalent environmental values at a different location.

38
Q

What are Residual Effects?

A

The remaining environmental impacts after all feasible mitigation and enhancement measures have been implemented.

39
Q

What does Sensitivity Analysis do?

A

Examines the influence of varying input parameters on predicted outcomes to assess the robustness of impact assessments.

40
Q

What are Threshold-based Maximal Allowable Effect Levels?

A

Pre-defined limits on acceptable environmental changes from a project.

41
Q

What can uncertainty look like in impact prediction?

A

The lack of complete knowledge or understanding of the potential impacts of a project, including the likelihood, magnitude, and timing of effects.

42
Q

______________: Transparent communication of the limitations and assumptions associated with impact predictions, acknowledging areas of uncertainty.

A

Uncertainty Disclosure

43
Q

What tool is used for systematically identifying, characterizing, and disclosing uncertainties associated with impact assessment predictions?

A

Uncertainty Matrix

44
Q

When must impact avoidance enter the EIA equation?

A

at an early stage

45
Q

Draw the Hierarchy of Mitigation:

A

!

46
Q

What are some examples of avoidance in managing project impacts?

A
  • Changing the project design
  • Setting regulatory standards concerning the use of toxic substances;
  • Scheduling project construction activities so that they do not conflict with daily patterns of local activity
47
Q

Define mitigation:

A

Minimizing the severity or extent of impacts

48
Q

What are the main considerations when reducing adverse effects?

A
  • Blasting in Mine Construction
  • Erosion and Sedimentation
  • Local Housing Market
  • Visual Impacts
49
Q

Define Restoration:

A

Restoring environmental quality, rehabilitating certain environmental features, repairing ecological functions, restoring valued components.

50
Q

Provide an example of repair, rehabilitation, or restoration:

A

Agricultural land used for the storage of materials during construction may be fully rehabilitated; land used for gravel extraction may be restored to agricultural use

51
Q

When is Offsetting / Compensation used in the hierarchy of mitigation?

A

When unavoidable, residual or irreparable

52
Q

What is the HADD?

A

Harmful Alteration, Disruption, or Destruction of fish habitats are prohibited under the Fisheries Act unless otherwise authorized.

53
Q

What is HADD an example of?

A

Offsetting / Compensation

54
Q

What are the 4 types of compensation?

A
  • Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA)
  • Collaboration Agreement (CA)
  • Impact Management Agreement (IMA)
  • Adverse Effect Agreement (AEA)
55
Q

What are Agreements meant for?

A

to complement the existing regulatory process.

56
Q

Why would proponents want to enter into agreements with potentially affected communities / groups?

A
  • Helps minimize regulatory risk going through the IA process.
  • Building relationships and trust
57
Q

What are examples of Enhancement Measures in a project?

A
  • Increased training to maximize local employment
  • Priority hiring for local community members
  • Life skills and financial counselling to employees
58
Q

The textbook says this is important to __________________ and determining the significance of potentially adverse effects.

A

prioritizing impact management actions

59
Q

Characterization of effects is focused on _______ effects

A

residual

60
Q

Define Residual Effects:

A

Residual effects are what’s left after technically and economically feasible mitigation or enhancement measures have been applied

61
Q

What are the 10 Classification for Residual Effects?

A
  • Direction
  • Duration
  • Ecological Context*
  • Frequency
  • Likelihood
  • Magnitude
  • Reversability
  • Spatial
  • Social Context*
  • Timing
62
Q

Omitting or underestimating ____________ can result in a systematic bias in the conclusions and decisions taken.

A

uncertainties

63
Q

Assume that the level of uncertainty can be _________ and __________.

A

assessed, quantifiable

64
Q

What are the 4 types of addressing uncertainty?

A
  • Confirmatory Analysis
  • Probability Analysis
  • Sensitivity Analysis
  • Uncertainty Analysis
65
Q

What does the uncertainty disclosure account for?

A

the reality that uncertainty cannot be expressed as a probability or explained with the tools used in impact assessment.

66
Q

What does the Uncertainty Matrix do?

A

Provides a more systematic approach to describing and disclosing uncertainty.

67
Q

What are the purpose of Environmental Management Plans?

A

To detail the specific mitigation strategies and way in which they will be implemented and monitored.

68
Q

True or False: Projects only have one environmental management plan.

A

False, they can have multiple.

69
Q

Draw the Adaptive Management Cycle:

A

!

Environmental Impact Assessment (11 decks)

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