EIA Midterm Study Cards Flashcards
The WHAT of EA
- Process that recognizes environmental impacts
- Planning tool for info-gathering and decision making
- Provides decision-maker with objective basis for approval/denial
- Provides plan for follow-up
- Proposes mitigation for environmental impacts
- Multi-disciplinary: ecology, law, culture, management, economics
- Gathers info for future decisions
The WHO of EA
- Involves many types of people:
- 1st Nations
- Governments
- Community/Public
- Proponents
- Decision makers
The WHY of EA
- To try and stop impacts before they happen
- To be critically aware of our impacts on land/water/other animals/other people
- “Meet the goals of sustainability”
- Ensure concerns of all people involved/effected are considered
(BCEAA) BC Environmental Assessment Act
Policy, procedures and technical guidelines
The WHEN of EA
When a project is proposed that triggers an EA OR is given an EA by the Minister
Began in 1970 in US and 1972 in Canada
Why study EA?
- Plan more effectively in future
- Shows human values
- To find & correct flaws within EA process
EAO
Environmental Assessment Office
- Reviews projects
- Reports findings
- Gives recommendations
- Writes up project conditions
EA Process
- Project proposal (description)
- Scoping: all env. data collected (triggers)
- Application info requirements
- App evaluated for completeness
- App review & Public input component
- Assessment report (public input and actual findings)
- App sent to ministers and decision is made
- IF APPROVED: certification issued, monitoring, enforcement
VERY subjective
Major projects that trigger EA’s
- Industrial projects (chemical and metal manufacturing)
- Logging projects
- Energy projects
- Mining projects
- Water management/infrastucture
- Waste management/infrastructure
- Food processing projects
- Transportation Projects
- Tourist destinations
Ministerial Designation
Minister of Environment has authority to have projects reviewed if it is believed to have adverse environmental, economic, health, social or heritage effects
Federal Gov’t is involved if…
- Fed authority is the proponent
- Fed $$ is involved
- Project involves land that fed. authority has interest in
- Any aspect of the project needs fed. approval/authorization
Harmonization
When fed. and prov. EA’s are triggered
MOU on Substitution of EA’s
Memorandum of Understanding
Substitution: Under CEAA, there can be a single review but 2 decisions
BC EAO
Based in Victoria Started 1995 133 out of 263 projects have been approved 30 days to review applications Have ability to suspend timelines
GHG emission reduction targets
2020: 33% less than 2007
2050: 80% less than 2007
No link to EA process at all
“Climate tests”
- If a project emits more that X emissions, it triggers an EA (Rosanna and Erin)
- Scope of EA’s should include full life cycle of emissions: emissions from extraction, transport and use @ final destination
- Include the consideration of a “zero option” (scenario without the project)
“Significant impacts”
MAJOR issue in EA because lots of projects get away with adverse impacts because they are deemed “not significant”
Trade off’s in EA
Efficiency VS. Thoroughness
Flexibility: can be good or bad
Lenience on certain projects: can cause conflict
Balancing guidelines, circumstances and people’s concerns