What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)? 

• EIA is an “anticipatory, participatory, integrative environmental management tool which has the ultimate objective of providing decision makers with an indication of the likely consequences of their decisions relating to new projects or new programmes, plans or policies.” 
• EIA helps the decision makers to identify the likely effects at an early stage and to improve the quality of project planning and decision making. It is a process used to predict the environmental consequences of proposed major development projects, to identify and plan for appropriate measures to reduce adverse impacts.
• UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making.

Aim of EIA 

• It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decisionmakers.

Need for EIA

• The objective of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to ensure that development is sustained with minimal environmental degradation. EIA refers to the evaluation of the effects of major projects on a man-made natural environment. It is the basic tool for the sound assessment of development proposal. EIA was introduced in the USA following the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by the United States Congress in 1969.

Purpose of EIA 

• The EIA serves one or more of the following purposes:

a) Decision making

b) Choosing among various alternatives

c) Integrating environmental cost into project cost.

Steps carried out in EIA 

• Identification – This involves assessing of the magnitude of impacts, geographical extent, significance to decision makers etc. 
• Prediction –This quantifies the impacts through mathematical models, physical   models, socio-cultural models, economic models and experiments. 
• Evaluation –This predicts adverse impacts by comparing it with laws, regulations or expected standards or by reference to present criteria or on the basis of acceptance to local community or public in general. 
• Mitigation - Steps may be suggested for restoration of ecological balance. 
• Communication – This involves communication of the results of EIA to the concerned agencies.

EIA Process

• Screening to determine which projects or developments require a full or partial impact assessment study;
• Scoping to identify which potential impacts are relevant to assess (based on legislative requirements, international conventions, expert knowledge and public involvement), to identify alternative solutions that avoid, mitigate or compensate adverse impacts on biodiversity (including the option of not proceeding with the development, finding alternative designs or sites which avoid the impacts, incorporating safeguards in the design of the project, or providing compensation for adverse impacts), and finally to derive terms of reference for the impact assessment; 
• Assessment and evaluation of impacts and development of alternatives, to predict and identify the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, including the detailed elaboration of alternatives;
• Reporting the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or EIA report, including an environmental managementplan (EMP), and a non-technical summary for the general audience. 
• Review of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), based on the terms of reference (scoping) and public (including authority) participation.
• Decision-making on whether to approve the project or not, and under what conditions; and 
• Monitoring, compliance, enforcement and environmental auditing. Monitor whether the predicted impacts and proposed mitigation measures occur as defined in the EMP. Verify the compliance of proponent with the EMP, to ensure that unpredicted impacts or failed mitigation measures are identified and addressed in a timely fashion.

Main Participants of EIA

EIA applies to public and private sections. The six main players are:

i) Those who propose the project

ii) The environmental consultant who prepare EIA on behalf of project proponent.

iii) Pollution Control Board (State or National).

iv) Public has the right to express their opinion.

v) The Impact Assessment Agency.

vi) Regional centre of the Ministry of Environment and Forest

Environmental Clearance 

• Environmental clearance or the ‘go ahead’ signal is granted by the Impact Assessment Agency in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. All projects that require clearance from central government can be broadly categorized into the following:-

(1) Industries

(2) Mining

(3) Thermal power plants

(4) River valley projects

(5) Infrastructure and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone)

(6) Nuclear power projects.

Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) 

• It refers to systematic analysis of the environmental effects of development policies, plans, programmes and other proposed strategic actions. This process extends the aims and principles of EIA upstream in the decision-making process, beyond the project level and when major alternatives are still open. SEA represents a proactive approach to integrating environmental considerations into the higher levels of decision-making.

History of EIA in India 

• It started in 1976-77 when the Planning Commission asked the Department of Science and Technology to examine the river-valley projects from an environmental angle. This was subsequently extended to cover those projects, which required the approval of the Public Investment Board. 
• Till 1994, environmental clearance from the Central Government was an administrative decision and lacked legislative support. 
• On 27 January 1994, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEF), under the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, promulgated an EIA notification making Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for expansion or modernisation of any activity or for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1 of the notification. Since then there have been 12 amendments made in the EIA notification of 1994. 
• The MoEF later notified new EIA legislation in September 2006. The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such as mining, thermal power plants, river valley, infrastructure (road, highway, ports, harbours and airports) and industries including very small electroplating or foundry units to get environment clearance. However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new legislation has put the onus of clearing projects on the state government depending on the size/capacity of the project. 
• Certain activities permissible under the Coastal Regulation Zone Act, 1991 also require similar clearance. Additionally, donor agencies operating in India like the World Bank and the ADB have a different set of requirements for giving environmental clearance to projects that are funded by them.