Midterm 1 - Readings Flashcards
(124 cards)
1
Q
Human access
A
combined land surface anthropogenic disturbances caused by industrial activities i.e. pipelines, petroleum and natural gas well sites, transmission lines, roads, mine sites, agricultural clearings, and clear cuts.
2
Q
Industrial concession
A
agreement between individuals and governments that allow for the exploration and/or exploitation of non-renewable and renewable resources.
3
Q
Environmental Assesment (EA)/ Impact Assessment (IA)/ Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA)
A
a systematic process designed to identify, predict, and propose management measures concerning the impacts of a proposed undertaking on the biophysical or human environment
4
Q
cumulative effect
A
a change in the environment caused by the combined or interacting effects of multiple actions, including natural disturbances, that accumulate across space and time
5
Q
environmental impact statement (EIS)
A
The formal documentation produced from the environmental assessment process that provides a non-technical summary of major findings, statement of assessment purpose and need, and a detailed description of the proposed action, impacts, alternatives, and mitigation measures.
6
Q
social impact assessment (SIA)
A
a systemic process designed to identify, predict, and propose management measures concerning the impacts of a proposed undertaking on the human environment, including social systems, structures, relations, and wellbeing.
7
Q
Health impact assessment (HIA)
A
A systemic process designed to identify, predict, and propose management measures concerning the impacts of proposed undertaking on human health and well-being
8
Q
strategic environmental assessment (SEA)
A
the environmental assessment of initiatives, policies, plans, and programs and their alternatives
9
Q
sustainability assessment (SA)
A
a systemic process designed to evaluate the contributions or detractions of a proposed undertaking toward sustainability objectives or outcomes
10
Q
Induced development
A
development that is triggered or enabled by other developments, such as mineral exploration or economic activity resulting from a new road being built in a previously remote inaccessible area.
11
Q
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
A
The US legislation of 1969 that required certain development project proponents to demonstrate that their projects would not cause adverse environmental effects; the beginning of formal environmental assessment.
12
Q
10 Components of the EA process
A
- pre-project planning
- project description
- screening
- scoping and baseline assesment
- impact assesment
- identifying strategies and managing impacts
- significance determination
- submission and review of the EIS
- recomendations and decisions
- implementation and follow up
13
Q
formal vs informal EA
A
formal Ea - grounded on legal process
informal ea - application is ad hoc with no legal requirements
14
Q
pre-project planning
A
proponents consult with potentially affected communities about the projects purpose, potential benefits, and impacts, and develop a plan for community engagement.
May negotiate private agreements with community (benefit-sharing)
15
Q
project description
A
description of the project’s needs.
Alternatives to the project
Alternative ways of carrying out the project
16
Q
screening
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determine whether EA is required under regulations and guidelines. If so, who is responsible and what type of assessment is required.
17
Q
scoping and baseline assesment
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key issues to be included, spatial and temporal boundaries of the assessment determined. Baseline data collected on potentially affected components.
18
Q
impact assessment
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Project’s potential impacts are predicted and characterized, based on trends, scenarios, scientific and local knowledge, and previous projects and experiences.
19
Q
Identifying strategies and managing impacts
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ranging from avoidance and mitigation to compensation. Environmental management or protection plans and adaptive management programs are formulated.
20
Q
significance determination
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potentially significant adverse impacts are identified.
21
Q
submission and review of the EIS
A
EIS is prepared submitted for technical and public review. The EIS presents the findings of the EA
22
Q
recommendations and decisions
A
Recommendations are made to a decision maker, and a decision is made on whether proposed undertaking should proceed, and if so, under what conditions. In some cases, public hearings occur.
23
Q
implementation and follow up
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Impact management strategies are applied and monitoring programs implemented to determine compliance with the conditions of approval. Determine effectiveness of impact management and implement adaptive management measures where needed.
24
Q
4 roles for experts in decision making
A
- Pure scientisits - focussed on the facts
- Science arbiter - answers factual questions
- Issue advocate - seeks to reduce the scope of info available by presenting/interpreting info in a certain way to influence the decision
- Honest broker - seeks to expand and clarify the nature and scope of info and options available so everyone is aware of the implications of certain decisions
25
Who is involved in the EA process?
1. Project proponents - propose project and are responsible for carrying it out as required
2. Regulators or government authorites - responsible for the EA and ensuring due process.
3. Decision makers: in most cases is the responsible elected minister
4. Affected interests - anyone potentially affected by a proposed development
5. Practitioners - the consultants who carry out the technical analysis and compile the EIS on behalf of the proponent
A good practitioner does more than the minimum regulatory requirements
26
How are land use plans involved in EA?
Land use plans inform regional and strategic Eas which focus on the cumulative effects of alternative land uses, the spatial organization and pace of development programs, and setting environmental standards or targets
27
what is the purpose of EA?
Informs decision makers about whether a proposed development is in the public and environmental interest
Strengthens the environmental management process that follows the consent decision for development
28
How does EA work in canada?
Provinces own the majority of resource rights in Canada and have power to make laws dealing with the development, conservation, and management of nonrenewable resources, and forestry resources.
EA in Canada is currently required at the federal level.
29
Berger Inquiry
a federal royal commission in the early 1970s, led by Justice Thomas Berger, into the potential efects of a proposal to develop an energy pipeline corridor from the Mackenzie River Delta in the Beaufort Sea through the Northwest Territories to tie into gas pipelines in northern Alberta.
30
Environmental Assessment Review Process (EARP)
the first canadian federal environmental assessment process, formally introduced in 1973 by federal guidelines order. Federal Environmental Assessment review office (FEARO) created to administer its implementation.
31
Impact assessment act
came into force in 2019, replacing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.
Sets out the requirements for impact assessment in Canada at the federal level and the role(s) of the Impact Assessment Agency.
includes enhanced recognitiion of indigenous rights, intersts, and knowledge
acknowledges importance of public participation early in the assesment process.
32
Inuvialuit Final Agreement
Coming into effect in 1984 as the first land-claim agreement settled in the Northwest Territories, signed between the Inuvialuit and the Government of Canada and defining the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
33
James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement
Signed in 1975, the first comprehensive land-claim agreement between the Governments of Quebec and Canada and Cree and Inuit peoples of northern Quebec.
34
Mackenzie valley resource management act
An act implemented by the federal government to give decision making authority to northerners concerning environment and resource development activities within the Mackenzie Valley region of the Northwest Territories.
proclaimed in 1998, the act governs environmental assesment in the region.
35
Nunavut land claims agreement
Canada's largest land claims settlement and land claims-based environmental assessment process.
Signed in 1993, giving the Inuit self-governing authority and leading to the establishment of a new territory, Nunavut, in 1999.
36
Oldman river dam
a dam constructed at the confluence of the Oldman, Castle, and Crowsnest rivers in Alberta to support large-scale irrigation development, triggering legal challenges by environmental groups that would pave the way for federal EA legislation.
Opposing parties were unsuccessful and based on Alberta ea process the project began construction over 10 years later
37
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples
Adopted by the UN in 2007, an international instrument to enshrine the rights that "constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity, and wellbeing of the Indigenous peoples of the world".
38
Key issues + learnings from Mackenzie valley pipeline project
- Concerns in report = impacts on caribou, adverse effects on indigenous communities
- Delayed development by 10 years and negotiated land claim agreements prior to development
- By the time the inquiry was over, the world energy prices had fallen and the project became uneconomical
- Justice berger, responsible wanted indigenous people to speak to the inquiry in their own villages, in their own language, in their own way
- His process set international expectations for the critical and cross cultural public assessment required fro resource development
39
bill c-9
revised canadian environemntal assessment act in 2003
Strengthened commitments
Specific provisions to:
§ request follow up studies or additional info before making project decisions
§ Improve consideration of cumulativev effects
§ Exempt smaller projects from ea requirement
§ Better coordinate eas between rederal and provincial jursidictions
§ Expend opportunites for public input and ensure better incorporation of indigenous perspectives and values
40
Based on the impact assesment act, decision makers determine whether a project is in the public interest in consideration of what 5 key factors?
1. contribution to sustainability
2. signifiance of adverse effects
3. implementation of mitigation measures
4. contributions/hinderance to canadas climate commitments
5. impacts on indigenous peoples
41
Active vs inactive publics
active publics: those who affect decisions
ex industry associations, environmental organizations, quasi-statutory bodies, other organized interest groups.
inactive publics: publics not normally involved in environmental planning, decisions, or project issues - yet they may be affected.
42
Alternative means
different ways of carrying out a proposed project - typically alternative locations, timing of activities, or engineering designs.
criteria: technologically feasible, relevant to needs, economically viable.
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Alternatives to
Different ways of addressing a problem at hand or meeting the proposed project objectives
ie renewable energy is an alternative to a proposed coal-fired generating station.
44
Meaningful engagement
those potentially affected by development, or who have a vested interest in development, are enlisted into the planning, assessment, and decision process to contribute to it, thus providing opportunities for the exchange of information, opinions, interests, and values.
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multi-criteria evaluation
a structured analytical approach that involves the assessment of competing alternatives or options against multiple criteria.
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participant funding programs
programs established by governments (tho they can also be established by project proponents) that provide financial support to the public (usually interest groups, Indigenous groups) to participate in impact assessment processes.
47
peterson matrix
a multiplicative environmental assessment matrix consisting of project impacts and causal factors, resultant impacts on the human environment, and the relative importance of those human components used to derive an overall project impact score.
48
public participation
involvement of individuals and groups that are positively or negatively affected by a proposed intervention subject to a decision making process or are interested in it.
49
What is the hierarchy of project alternatives?
1. alternatives to
2. alternative means - location
3. Alternative means - design
50
responsibilities of project proponent in EA
1. engage w public + indigenous groups
2. prepare project description, explore alternatives, identify issues and concerns
3. file project application w responsible authorities
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responsibilities of public in EA
1. identify and provide input on issues + concerns
2. participate in engagement opportunities
3. apply for available funding to support participation
4. share knowledge w other publics
52
Responsibilities of Indigenous groups in EA
1. identify issues pertaining to Indigenous rights
2. negotiate agreements for engagement
53
Responsibilities of government agencies in EA
1. consult w Indigenous groups
2. provide financial resources to support participation
3. make info available to public
4. provide guidance to proponent in ea process 5. provide data
54
3 methods to support alternatives assessment
1. rating or ranking procedure
2. peterson matrix
3. multi-criteria evaluation procedures
55
2 factors in identifying publics to ensure equal participation
1. influence
2. stake in outcome
ex
indigenous communities have high stake, high influence.
locally affected community have high stake, low influence
--> ensure voice is represented
56
Project description
Prepared after determined that the proposed project is the best option
Determines need of ea and scope of asessement
Parts of project descriptions
1. Project purpose
2. Project information
3. policy or regulatory context
4. engagement strategy
5. assessment information
57
case-by-case screening
determining the need for assessment based on the specific project characteristics and local context, usually in the absence of any formal project lists
58
designated activities
projects or activities that are contained on a project list or specified in regulations (ie IAA), or as determined by a responsible minister, that may require environmental assessment.
59
environmental preview report (EPR)
An early report that is used to determine whether or not an environmental assessment is needed and the level of assessment required.
outlines the project, potential environmental effects, alternatives, and management measures.
60
hybrid screening
a screening approach that combines the characterstics of case by case and list based screening
61
initial environmental examination (IEE)
a preliminary study prepared to establish whether an environmental assessment is needed and what level of assessment should be implemented.
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list-based screening
determining the need for assessment based on checklist of projects or activities or defined undertakings, usually defined in a project list or regulations.
63
precautionary principle
the principle that when information is incomplete but there is threat of an adverse effect, the lack of full certainty should not be used as a reason to preclude or postpone actions to prevent harm.
64
project lists
a list of activities or projects usually defined in regulations and based on specified project size or thresholds, for which an assessment may be required.
65
review panel
an independent panel appointed to undertake an environmental assessment
or
a type of environmental assesment (assesment by review panel) that is applied to projects w uncertain or potentially significant effects or warranted by public and stakeholder concern.
66
screening
the selection process used to determine which projects need to undergo an environmental assessment and to what extent.
67
terms of reference
a document normally prepared by a government agency that sets out for the proponent the required contents of an environmental impact statement or monitoring program.
68
threshold based screening
a screening process whereby proposed developments are placed in categories and thresholds are set for each type of development, such as project size, level of emissions generated, or area affected.
69
activity information
information about the different actions, components, or activities associated with a proposed undertaking that may lead to environmental effects.
70
baseline study
consists of identification and analysis conditions over space and time for the purpose of delineating change, trends, patterns, or limits to assist in impact assessment, impact evaluation, and impact monitoring activities.
includes
1. Identifying and selecting valued components (VC) for inclusion in the assessment
2. Establishing spatial and temporal boundaries
3. Assessing the condition of, and changes or trends in, VCs
71
benchmark
a standard or point of reference against which environmental change or effect can be measured or judged.
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cautionary threshold
the level of change or set condition at which monitoring efforts should be increased to more closely monitor valued component or indicator conditions and the effectiveness of best management practices verified to prevent any further adverse change.
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types of indicators
1. condition-based indicators: direct measurable information about the condition or state of the VC. (i.e. VC: surface water quality, Indicator: phosphorous concentration)
2. disturbance-based indicators: measurable stress or disturbances that affect the VC (i.e. VC: fish, indicator: stream crossing density)
74
scoping
determining the issues and parameters that should be addressed in EA, establishing the spatial and temporal boundaries of the assessment, and focusing the assessment on the relevant issues and concerns.
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baseline assessment
considers the past, present and possible future state of the environment without the proposed project or activity
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2 questions for determining VC interaction w project activities
1. Is the VC likely to be affected directly or indirectly by project activities?
- impact matrices
- leopold matrix
2. Is information needed about the VC to support the assessment of project impacts on another VC?
- effect pathways
77
impact matrices
a tool for communicating assessment information, comprised for a two-dimensional checklist of project activities on one axis and potentially affected environmental components on the other.
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situates the VC of concern in a broader context, which may be required to understand background conditions, ecosystem functioning, or other factors that may help in identifying and understanding the nature and importance of effects caused by the project.
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VC indicators
understanding and tracking actual change in VC conditions and providing an early warning of potential adverse effects.
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leopold matrix
an environmental assessment matrix for identifying first order project-environment interactions, consisting of a grid of possible projects along a horizontal axis and environmental considerations along a vertical axis.
horizontal axis = 100 possible project activities
vertical axis = 88 environmental considerations
Cell = +/- magnitude and importance
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effect pathways
(i.e. water quality --> survival of a valued fish species --> reduction of a traditional food supply)
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range of natural variability
ecosystems are dynamic and fluctuate within a certain range of normalcy, beyond which, when disturbed adverse effects occur.
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threshold
An established limit of change, may include: acceptable limits of change from a broader societal perspective and desired VC conditions or objectives.
84
target threshold
politically or socially defined - margin of safety and mandatory trigger for management action.
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critical threshold
maximum acceptable change, socially or ecologically, beyond which impacts may be long-term or irreparable.
86
3 threshold management targets
1. cautionary
2. target
3. critical
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3 assessment boundaries
1. spatial bounding
2. temporal bounding
3. jurisdiction bounding and transboundary effects
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two types of information about assesment boundaries
Activity information --> effects a project might generate
Receptor information --> processes resulting from such effects
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parts of the nested study areas approach
Local study area: where the project's immediate or direct effects are likely to occur.
Regional study area: defined for each VC, that reflects the potential zone of influence, of project effects and included other activities within the region that may be affecting the VC of concern.
Context area: situates VC of concern in a broader context, may require to understand background conditions, ecosystem functioning, or other factors that may help in identifying and understanding the nature and importance of effects caused by the project.
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network / systems diagrams
links and pathways of interaction exist between individual components of the environment such that when one component is affected there will be an effect on other components that interact with it.
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baseline/retrospective assessment
how conditions have changed over time and the key drivers and interactions responsible for that change.
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environmental change
difference in the condition of an environmental or socioeconomic parameter, usually measurable, over a specified period.
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Environmental Effect/ Environmental Impact:
change in difference. The difference in the condition of an environmental parameter under project-induced changed compared to what that condition might be in the absence of project-induced change.
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3 main categories of impact prediction
1. Impacts of the project in the environment (biophysical and human)
- valued components (biophysical and human), holistic components, climate change (ability to meet climate goals)
2. Impacts of the environment on the project
- environmental risk, resilience, sensitivity, adaptive capacity
3. Cumulative impacts of the project
- point source stress, non point source stress, cumulative impact
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biophysical valued components
biological change, chemical change, physical change, ecological change.
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human valued components
demographic change, cultural change, economic change, health, and social change, infrastructure change, and institutional change.
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holistic components
Indigenous rights, community health, ecosystem services
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sensitivity of projects w respect to climate change
degree to which a project and infrastructure are affected by climate change
99
stranded assets
when a project becomes no longer economically viable because of increasing climate related costs.
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cumulative impacts
the total effect of all activities, accumulating over time across space, combined with larger-scale stress caused by climate change and transboundary effects acting on a single VC
101
Analogue approaches
examination of similar projects and learning from past project experiences where conditions might be similar, must be sufficiently alike to justify transfer of findings
102
delphi technique
an iterative survey-type questionaire that solicits the advice of a group of experts, provides feedback to all participants on the statistical summaries of the responses, and gives each expert an opportunity to revise her on his judgments.
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2 types of models
Balance models: identify inputs and outputs for identified environmental components.
Statistical models: often used for extrapolation or trend analysis, based on assumption about fundamental relationships or correlation underlying an observed phenomenon.
Determine statistical significant difference between predicted changes due to project influence vs natural changes in the absence of the project.
Spatial models: GIS
104
Threshold-Based MAELS
Threshold-based predictions rely on previous experience with similar projects
MAELS: maximum allowable effects level, base impact predictions on a desirable level or maximum level of change.
Monitoring so that adverse effects beyond MAEL do not occur
105
scenarios
Alternative images of the future that serve to challenge current assumptions and account for the likely possibility that the future is not a static continuation of the past
106
7 characterizations of predicted impacts
1. order
- direct (first order), indirect (second order), and induced effects
2. nature
- incremental effects, additive effects, synergistic effects, antagonist effects
3. magnitude
- magnitude, direction of change
4. spatial extent
- off site impacts, on site impacts
5. frequency and duration
6. reversibility
7. likelihood
- risk
107
induced effects
those resulting from other activities or actions triggered indirectly by a project but actions that the project proponent has little control over.
108
incremental effects
marginal changes in conditions that are directly attributable to the action being assessed.
Consider rate of change (i.e. forestry operation = incremental loss of habitat each year)
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additive effects
consequences of individual but separate actions that may be minor individually but together can create a significant overall impact.
Single development action repeatedly affects the same environmental component over space and time.
Two or more actions of the same type are affecting the same environmental component.
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synergistic effects
result of interactions between effects and occur when the total effects is grater than the sum of the effects individually.
111
antagonist effects
when one adverse effect partially cancels out, offsets , or interrupts another adverse effect or impact.
Chorine and phosphates managing eutrophication
112
probability analysis
an analysis that uses quantified probability to classify the likelihood of an impact occurring and under what environmental conditions
113
sensitivity analysis
examination of the sensitivity of an impact prediction to minor differences in input data, environmental parameters, and assumptions
114
confirmatory analysis
used to test for uncertainty in impact predictive techniques and to ensure similar predictive outcomes from different types of techniques
115
ways of addressing uncertainty
1. analysis: probability, sensitivity, confirmatory
- assumes that the level of uncertainty can be quantified and assed
2. uncertainty disclosure
- uncertainty cannot be expressed as a probability
3. uncertainty matrix
- location of uncertainty (what aspect of the project is uncertain ie assumptions about ecological systems, political context), level of uncertainty, nature of uncertainty (whether uncertainty can be eliminated or reduced)
116
levels of uncertainity
1. statistical uncertainty: calculated error and probabilities are known, and the decision risk can be calculated
2. scenario uncertainty: how an impacted system might change is fairly understood, but the likelihood and extent of change are not known
3. systemic uncertainty: uncertainties that cannot be estimated by any current method or technique - we don't know
117
Impact Management/ Impact Mitigation
encompasses a hierarchy of strategies from avoiding impacts to offsetting impacts that simply cannot be avoided, minimized, or restored.
118
4 strategies for impact mitigiation
1. avoiding impacts
2. minimizing severity and extent of impacts
- ie buffer zone in forestry operations
3. restoring affected components/functions
- ie remediation - restoring contamination to safe levels
4. offsetting or compensating for unavoidable loss
- monetary benefit payments to the affected, measures to recreate habitat in alternative sites
119
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) / Environmental Protection Plans
Mandatory requirements in EA, prepared by the proponent, detail the specific impact mitigation strategies and the ways in which they are to be implemented.
Prescriptions must be verifiable, related to risk, proven effective, (scientifically + technically feasible), does not contradict regulation/legislation.
120
Adaptive Management (AM)
strategy, structured, well-planned approach to environmental management that treats management prescriptions or mitigation as experiments to test hypotheses, monitor the outcomes and subsequently adapt actions as new knowledge and understanding are gained.
121
Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs)
Private, bilateral agreements between an industry proponent and (usually) an affected community or indigenous group.
negotiated agreements external to the regulatory EA process.
Project contracting and employment opportunities.
Cultural, social, and economic aspects
122
windows of negotiation
Pre-EA Negotiation: certainty provisions (legally binding), but high uncertainty
Parallel-EA Negotiation: leverage information and input, but confidential nature of agreement hinders process.
Post-EA Negotiation: after EIS but before impact management plan implementation. Clearer information, but less opportunity for community to leverage benefits.
123
what is the largest emerging challenge to ea?
mounting global challenges --> expanding scope and mounting expectations for ea
124
Canadian EA is at the critical junction of 2 possible paths:
Path 1 - continue with the status quo, approaching ea on a project by project basis and expect it to do more in response to bigger challenges
(likely leading to an overbudened system that cant solve issues it wasn’t designed to adress, further disatifsaction, conflict, stalled projects, and superficial treamtents to improtant issues)
Path 2: re-imagine ea as embedded in an integrated system of strategic and regional assessment.
Strategic and regional assesment are the norm, paving the way for projects that ensure more sustainable outcomes and rethinking those that don’t
Development initiatives are created based on economic opportunity and strategic policy and planning objectives intended to proactively address complex environmental and societal challenges
