4.3 Environ mental assessment(EA)principles
Environ mental assess ments(also known as environ mental i mpact assess ments or envir on mental i mpact statements—EIAs and EISs)are conducted to inf or m decision makers of positive and negative effects of a project and associated mitigation measures.
I HA’s policy position is that Environ mental Assess ments(EAs)should be applied at the project level.
EAs shoul d take account of higher-level national and/or regional policies and strategic assess ments,incl uding assess ments already co mpleted f or t he relevant river basin(s).Initial screening shoul d be conducted to deter mine if a pr oject is likely to have significant effects on t he environ ment by virtue of its nat ure,size or location.
EAs shoul d be conducted f or all hydr o-electric projects t hat have t he potential f or significant i mpacts on the environ ment.EAs should be based on good science and factual inf or mation.They should be relevant to the scale and nature of the project in question and factor in existing inf or mation.
I HA members shoul d apply appr opriate pr ocedures or codes of practice regar ding stakeholder participation and environ mental pr otection.
Stakeholders should be given opportunities to participate in decision-making processes.Their roles,and rights to access inf or mation,should be docu mented in language relevant to t heir needs.
I HA supports transparency of pr ocess and co-or dination bet ween t he different sectors involved-gover n ment,developer and community interests.It recommends developers consult wit h local and national resource agencies at t he earliest opport unity to assist in the deter mination of t he environ mental issues to be addressed,t he studies required,and to clarify the ti melines that apply.
Regulatory authorities should have specified and reasonable ti melines f or their assess ment and appr oval pr ocesses.
I HA recognises the f ollowing stages of envir on mental assess ment.
Initial Screening
Ai m:to establish the types and scale of pr oject risk and opportunity,and ensure consistency with environ mental and other relevant policies.
Scoping
Ai m:to deter mine t he type,level and guidelines f or environ mental assess ment based on regulatory requirements and co mmunity input.The guidelines should define key project level envir on mental issues to be addressed.These in t ur n shoul d be relevant to t he project and appropriate to the scale and type of risk involved.
Conduct Environmental Studies
Ai m:to address t he key issues outlined in t he guidelines supplied by regulator y agencies,and to present the decision making authority with the relevant environ mental inf or mation covering pr oject,constr uction,co mmissioning and management.
Appraisal(https://www.daowen.com)
Ai m:for the decision-making authority to consider the quality of inf or mation supplied by t he pr oponent and deter mine conditions of develop ment appr oval/license.
I mplementation(constr uction and operation)
Ai m:to manage environ mental issues during constr uction and operation in accor dance wit h agreed conditions.
Monitoring
Ai m:to measure predicted i mpacts and t he effectiveness of mitigation measures t hr ough adherence to commit ments in specified management plans,licence conditions,and vol untar y agreements.
I HA acknowledges that an EA f or a large infrastructure project,such as a hydroelectric power scheme,takes place in a br oad political,social and econo mic context.It is one step in a wider decision making pr ocess,and is generall y written to pr ovide authorities wit h t he f oll owing inf or mation.
A f ull description of t he pr oject;
A statement of objectives,including clear targets and proposed indicators of success;
A description of the existing envir on ment in t he area where t he pr oject is to be developed;
Project j ustification,including evaluation of project alter natives;
Econo mic,social and environ mental considerations,including the consequences of not undertaking the project;
Any mitigation measures t hat will be i mplemented to mini mise envir on mental har m and/or enhance t he envir on ment;and
A description of the stakehol der co mmunication/consultation process.
I HA supports post-constr uction auditing to measure perf or mance against objectives,targets and proposed indicators of success detailed in the project EA.
A key element f or public acceptance can be t he negotiation of an agreement bet ween the proponent and the local community on the nature and scope of the collaboration required to conduct the EA.
I HA encourages bilateral and multilateral develop ment agencies to support institutional strengthening and capacity building for i mpact assess ment in developing countries.