Environmental Impact Assessment

Question 1

Global Scale Environmental Impacts

Answer 1

o The Anthropocene: current period in earth’s history where human activities have had significant global impact on earth’s ecosystems

Question 2

Local Scale Assessment

Answer 2

o Translating global environmental issues into typical engineering project
o Plans and planning schemes
• Policies, regulations, codes, laws
• Living documents – periodically reviewed & updated
• Developed by engineers, ecologists, architects, town planners etc.

Question 3

Environmental Impact Assessment

Answer 3

o Triggered by different plans or regulations to provide additional info on potential environment impacts
o Document proposed development
o Communicate potential impacts (elements of triple bottom line)
• Bio-physical (all instances)
• Social (most instances)
• Economic (some instances)
o Identify alternatives or ways to minimise impacts

Question 4

Project & Site Description

Answer 4

o Geology & geomorphology, hydrology, biotic characteristics, air quality & emissions, noise, infrastructure, safety and risk assessment

Question 5

Classifying Impacts

Answer 5

o	Impacts: negative / neutral / positive
o	Impact type: direct, cumulative, indirect
o	Timeline: short term (1-5 years, medium term (5-10 years), long term (>10 years)
o	Commitment: reversible, irreversible
Rating	Description
-3	High negative impact
-2	Medium negative impact
-1	Low negative impact
0	Neutral
1	Low positive impact
2	Medium positive impact
3	High positive impact

Question 6

Conditions of Approval

Answer 6

o 40 year approval timeline
o 157 conditions of approval:
o E.g. vegetation, fauna, soils, GHG, surface water, drainage, renewable energy, social management, infrastructure