Predicting and Characterization of Environmental Impacts

Question 1

how is predicting used in EA?

Answer 1

prediction involves identifying potential changes in select indicators of VECs

used in predicting future conditions, trends, or disturbances in the absence of the proposed dev

Question 2

difference between environmental change and environmental effects

Answer 2

predicted CHANGE: a temporal measure which is the condition on an environmental parameter

predicted EFFECT: change difference with the project VS change in the absence of the project

Question 3

What to predict?

Answer 3

Impact of the project on the environment

Impact of the environment on the project

Cumulative impact of the project

Question 4

Assessing impact of the project on the environment

Answer 4

VEC indicators need to be identified

Question 5

Examples of what to predict in air impacts

Answer 5

-emission rates and levels
-pollutant concentrations
-dispersion
-air temp
-wind speed
-air quality

Question 6

examples of what to predict in terrestrial impacts

Answer 6

-soil erosion, moisture, compaction
-veg composition/ cover/ loss/ disturbance
-species populations, movement, distribution, diversity
-habitat fragmentatione

Question 7

examples of what to predict in water impacts?

Answer 7

-surface and GW quality an quantity
-flow rate
-extraction rate
-turbidity
-biochemical changes
-riparian health, fish health
-effluent discharge levels, types and rates
-heavy metals

Question 8

examples of what to predict in socio-economic impacts?

Answer 8

-employment and income
-pop change
-health risk
-crime
-community stress
-intersectionality

Question 9

examples of what to predict in infrastructure and service impacts?

Answer 9

-transport
-housing demand and prices
-health demand
-education
-social service use and demand

Question 10

examples of what to predict in socio-cultural impacts?

Answer 10

-availability of traditional foods
-food security
-disruption to family structure and cultural practices
-access to traditional lands and resources

Question 11

Impact of the Environment on the Project

Answer 11

climate hazards: events like fires and floods, variability like extreme temps

project exposure: infrastructure in climate hazard-prone areas

project vulnerability: sensitivity and adaptive capability

Question 12

examples of sources of potential cumulative effects in a watershed

Answer 12

downstream pond faces CUMULATIVE EFFECT
-discharge upstream
-bank erosion
-methyl-mercury
-stream flow alteration of upstream dam
-nitrogen fertilizer of nearby farm
-sewage/runoff of nearby municipality

Question 13

Cumulative Impact of the project

Answer 13

-total direct and indirect effects on resource, ecosystem or human community

may result in accumulation of a similar effect

must be approached from perspective of carrying capacity, thresholds, and total sustainable effect levels

Question 14

How to Predict?

Answer 14

-sound understanding on the nature of the undertaking
-knowledge of outcomes of similar projects
-knowledge of past, present and future responses to change

Question 15

why is it important to characterize predicted impacts?

Answer 15

they help to prioritize impact management measure

Question 16

Characterizing predicted impact based on: ORDER

Answer 16

1.direct effects
2.indirect effects
3.Induced

Question 17

Characterizing predicted impact based on: NATURE

Answer 17

1. incremental
2. additive: 2+ of the same type of action affect same component
   ex: clearing forest for fracking land and clearing the same forest for logging
3. synergistic: boosting the impacts of another project
4. antagonistic (?)

Question 18

Characterizing predicted impact based on: MAGNITUDE

Answer 18

-size or degree of effect
-direction of change (increasing or decreasing)
ex: large factory being built drives population

Question 19

Characterizing predicted impact based on: SPATIAL EXTENT

Answer 19

Local
Regional
National
Intentional

Question 20

Characterizing predicted impact based on: FREQUENCY & DURATION

Answer 20

Continuous
Immediate
Delayed
Short-term
Long-term

Question 21

Characterizing predicted impact based on: LIKELIHOOD

Answer 21

Probability or Risk (requires risk assessment i think)

Question 22

ways to address uncertainty: the difference between Known and Unknown

Answer 22

1. probability analysis
2. sensitivity analysis (Monte Carlo)
3. Confirmatory analysis
4. Uncertainty disclosure

Question 23

potential impacts of the proposal to expand the Sewage Treatment Plant in Little Grand Rapids, MB. (air, water, land)

Answer 23

-nuisance odours to air quality
-surface and gw contamination from coliforms, organic waste and suspended solids
-soil contamination from excess nutrients

Question 24

STP expansion in Little Grand Rapids will impacts the following species:

Answer 24

wolf, lynx, ermine, fisher, mink, moose, black bear, caribou, RSQ, SSH, DCCO, BAEA, GHOW, RTHA, SPGR, Herring gull and other WF

Question 25

Vegetation found in Little Grand Rapid, MB

Answer 25

-white spruce
-balsam fir
-black spruce
-trembling aspen
-balsam poplar