Quiz I Textbook

Question 1

Human access

Answer 1

The combined land surface anthropogenic disturbance caused by industrial activities

Question 2

“Challenge” facing governments and society at large regarding the environment

Answer 2

Finding ways to support land use and development that enhances social and economic opportunity without adversely affecting the environment and the well being of those who depend on it

Question 3

What is NEPA?

Answer 3

National environmental policy act - American policy outlining ea

Question 4

Formal vs. Informal ea

Answer 4

Formal is a legal process while informal has no legal basis-more of a recommendation

Question 5

What is pre project planning ?

Answer 5

When the proponent initially consults with potentially affected communities about the project purpose

Question 6

What is project description?

Answer 6

When the proponent creates a proper, detailed, description of the project, including alternatives, etc.

Question 7

What is screening?

Answer 7

Determination of whether an ea is required and who is responsible

Question 8

What is scoping and baseline assessment?

Answer 8

Once ea is required, the issues to be included in the assessment are determined
Determining the issues that should be addressed in EA

Question 9

What is impact assessment?

Answer 9

Projects potential impacts are predicted and characterized, based on trends, scenarios, scientific and local knowledge

Question 10

What is the step: identifying strategies for managing impacts

Answer 10

Strategies are identified to manage potential impacts, ranging from avoidance mitigation to compensate for the impact

Question 11

What is significance determination?

Answer 11

Potential significant adverse impacts are identified after considering impact management strategies, uncertainties and vulnerability.

Question 12

What is “the honest broker”

Answer 12

Idea that a good practitioner will present the strongest possible technical case for a project.
And make the public aware of potential implications

Question 13

What was the Berger inquiry?

Answer 13

A proposed energy pipeline corridor that would be the longest in the world in the McKenzie Valley
Thomas Berger argued that the greatest - need in the North was opportunities for indigenous people, not accelerated resource development
He suggested a 10 year delay - it in the end was never built

Question 14

What is a major factor in the success of ea and the project?

Answer 14

• How and when the proponent engages with the affected communities
• should test the public and political feasibility - address conflict early

Question 15

Why are alternatives important in pre project planning?

Answer 15

Ensures the identified need is met with the “best” possible project _ should explore all possible options

Question 16

What are 2 types of alternatives?

Answer 16

• Alternatives to identified project
• alternative means of carrying out the project

Question 17

Active and inactive public _ who’s more important?

Answer 17

Active and inactive should be equally important

Question 18

What is scoping?

Answer 18

Determining what issues and parameters should be addressed in ea

Question 19

What is a valued component?

Answer 19

Aspects of the environment that are highly valued by people - warranting detailed consideration in impact assessment.

Question 20

What is an indicator?

Answer 20

Basic tool for analyzing baseline conditions and changes n vc

Question 21

Environmental effect vs. Environmental change

Answer 21

Effect is the difference between change conditions
Change is temporal measure

Question 22

What is spatial bounding?

Answer 22

• The spatial limits of an assessment - spatial extent
  When the spatial scale of an EA covers a very large area, a high degree of geographic detail is less feasible

Question 23

What is a benchmark?

Answer 23

Standard or point of reference against which change may be compared or assessed

Question 24

What is a threshold?

Answer 24

An established limit of change -
Acceptable limits of change and desired VC conditions

Question 25

What is a leopold matrix?

Answer 25

Matrix used to identify interaction between valued components and project activities
- this is the best known one

Question 26

What is a stranded asset?

Answer 26

When projects are no longer economically viable because of increasing climate costs
- Chances of this is often if proponent doesn’t engage early enough

Question 27

What is the analogue approach?

Answer 27

“learning from the past”
- Analyzing similar past projects

Question 28

What is MAELs?

Answer 28

Maximum allowable effect levels
- project impact will not execeed a particular limit or desired affects level for a given impact indicator

Question 29

What is ALCES and MARXAN?

Answer 29

Both are simulators for scenario analysis
- ALCES is for community and environment
- MARXAN is for marine and landscape optimization

Question 30

Accuracy and precision

Answer 30

Accuracy is the extent of system bias in a prediction (closesness of prediction to its “true” value)
Precision - level of exactness of an impact prediction

Increased precision increases probability of being wrong

Question 31

What is the Delphi technique?

Answer 31

Highly structure and organzied technique for integrating expert judgement into EA

Question 32

What is impact avoidance and best way to do it?

Answer 32

Avoiding impact - best chances are if you do it earlier in the project

Question 33

What is an impact benefit agreement?

Answer 33

An imapct benefit agreement is the arrangement between an industry proponent and the affected community. It is an assurance of benefit from the development

Question 34

what is a critical environmental zone?

Answer 34

ecosystems that are so degraded that the health/well-being of human inhabitants is threatened