Impact Analysis Flashcards
under BCEAA, who develops the scope and procedures of the EA?
EAO
What are the three overlapping stages of the impact analysis?
- Identification
- Prediction
- Evaluation
What is used to compare with baseline studies
Impact Identification and Prediction- Framed by selected Indices and indicators (Water, air, noise, biodiversity)
What is the goal of impact analysis?
To account for all important environmental/project impacts and interactions, including indirect and cumulative effects
When there is a lack of data for impact assessment, what is used instead?
Pro judgement
What should be taken into account when choosing a method for an EA? (6)
- Type and size of proposal
- Other potential options
- Nature of likely impacts
- Avail. impact ID methods
- Experienced EA team w/methods
- available resources
What are 5 common impact ID methods and thier advantages/ disadvantages?
- Checklists
- Matrices
- Networks
- Overlays
- GIS and Computer Expert Systems
What is impact prediction?
Technical exercise using biological, physical, socio-economic and cultural data to estimate the likely characteristics and parameters of impacts
What is an impact or effect?
Change in environmental parameter due to a particular activity. The change is assessed between the environmental parameter with the project compared to without the project
What 9 parameters are typically taken into account in impact prediction and decision making?
- Nature/Direction (Indirect)
- Magnitude (scale)
- Geographic extent
- timing
- Duration
- Frequency
- Reversibility/resilience
- Likelihood of occurrances
- Significance
What are 4 methods for predicting impact characteristics?
- Pro judgement- peer review
- Quant. Math models- C&E
- Experiments/ models- analyze effects of project
- CAse study references
What is uncertainty?
The relative confidence in impact predictions, a state of relative knowledge or ignorance
What are 3 sources of uncertainty?
Scientific- shifting baseline
Data- incomplete insuff. info
Policy- Unclear disputed objectives, standards, or guidelines for managin potential effects
What are some methods of Addressing uncertainty?
Present best&worst cases
Assign CI to predictions
Conduct a sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of incremental changes in impact magnitude
What are 4 main types of social impacts?
- Demographic- pop change
- Cultural- changes to customs, traditions, values
- Community- change in social structure, organizations and relationships
- Socio-physiological- individual quality of life and well-being
When is social impact assessment required?
In areas where projects can displace people whose security and subsistence depend on the land and resources that will be affected
What are 3 project related predictiions in economic impact assessments?
- Changes in employment
- Per capita income
- Levels of business activity
What are 4 factors that affect fiscal impacts
- Size of invest + workforce
- CApacity of existing service delivery and infrastructure
- Local/regional tax or other revenue raising processes
- Likely demographic changes arising from project req.
What is the difference between “As Predicted” impacts and “residual” impacts?
AP impacts used to ID mitigation measures to reduce impacts. Residuals are those remaining after mitigation.
What are 2 primary categories related to significance in the EA guidelines
- Emissions-based (standards for air and water quality, noise etc.)
- Environmental quality based- Valued ecosystem components, qualitative, broadly drawn
What are some references for evaluating significance?
Enviro standards, guidelines
Levels of public concern
Scientific and Pro evidence
What can have adverse impacts on natural resources and or/ ecological functions
Lower species diversity
Reduction/frag of habitat
Degradation of eco integrity, resilience, or health
What can have adverse impacts on social systems resulting from biophysical changes?
- Threats to human health/safety
- Decrease in important species/ resources
- Loss of cultural, recreational and aesthicically important enviro components
- Displacement of people
- disruption of communities by influx of workforce
- pressure on services, transpo, and infrastructure
What factors generally determine significant impacts?
- Impacts over large area
-Long duration
-Irreversible impacts
-high concentrations
-not in agreement with enviro policies/ land use plans - affect eco sensitive areas
affect lifestyles, traditional activities, and or values of affected communities
