Environmental Impact Assessment Frank van Gemert NRG, Radiation & Environment The Netherlands

Environmental Impact

Assessment

Frank van GemertNRG, Radiation & Environment

The Netherlands

Eundetraf II - Environmental Impact Assessment

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Contents

• Introduction• Why ?• How ?• Who ?• When ?• €, £, $ ?• Conclusions


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Introduction

Environmental Impact Assessment=

EIA


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Why ?

• Regulatory requirements

• Public Involvement


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Regulatory requirements

• COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending DIRECTIVE 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

• … • See Chapter 5


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Public involvement

• Takes a lot of time • Creates additional burdens• Environmental issues are for

experts

But:


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Public involvement

• Brings additional expertise in the decision making process

• Results in better implemented and respected decisions

• Makes environmental legislation more effective


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How ?

• A phased process

Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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How ?


Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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Screening

• Determine if an EIA is required• EU guidance to facilitate the

screening process


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Annex I or II ?

Mandatory list ?

Exclusion list ?

Case-by-case; sign.

effect ?

Natura 2000; sign. effect ?

yes no no

no

Steps in screening

no yes

yes yes no yes

X X

XRecord the decision


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Selection criteriacase by case screening

• Characteristics of projects• Location of Projects• Characteristics of the potential

impact


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Screening tools

• Screening checklist• Checklist of criteria for evaluating

the significance of environmental effects


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Screening checklist

• Characteristics of projects• Location of Projects• Characteristics of the potential

impact


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Characteristics of projects

• Size of the project• Cumulation with other projects• Use of natural resources• Production of waste• Pollution and nuisances• Risk of accidents


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Location of projects

• Existing land use• Relative abundance, quality and

regenerative capacity if natural resources in the area

• Absorption capacity of the natural environment


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Characteristics of the potential impact

• Extent of the impact (area, size of population)

• Transfrontier nature of the impact• Magnitude and complexity of the impact• Probability of the impact• Duration, frequency and reversibility of

the impact


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How ?


Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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Scoping

Must ensure that the environmental studies provide all the relevant information on:•The (most important) impacts•The alternatives to the project•Any other matter to be included


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Scoping

• On request of the developeror

• Mandatory (in some member states)


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Requested scoping

• Only when requested by the EIA developer • Is undertaken by the Competent Authority• Requires consulting of environmental

authorities• May involve consultation of other

interested parties and the general public• Results in a “Scoping Opinion” which forms

the terms of reference for the EIA


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Mandatory scoping

Is undertaken by: (a) the Competent Authority

or(b) the EIA developer


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Mandatory scoping by developer• A draft “Scoping Report” is prepared

• Requires consulting of environmental authorities

• May involve consultation of other interested parties and the general public

• Results in a “Scoping Report” which forms the terms of reference for the EIA


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Mandatory scoping by CA

• Undertaken by the Competent authority or by an independent body on behalf of the CA

• Requires consulting of environmental authorities by the CA

• May involve consultation of other interested parties and the general public

• Results in a “Scoping Opinion” which forms the terms of reference for the EIA


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Scoping Reports and

Opinions• Identify the types of environmental impacts to be investigated and reported

and may also cover:• Alternatives to consider• Baseline surveys & investigations to carry out• Methods & criteria to be used for prediction &

evaluation of effects• Mitigation measures to consider• Organisations to consult• Structure, content and length of the

Environmental Information (EIS)


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The provision of a Scoping Opinion does not preclude the competent authority from subsequently requiring the developer to submit further information if the CA considers that it is necessary.

but:


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Good scoping:

Will involve the CA and the developer in a dialogue about the project and the issues it raises.

Does not end with the delivery of the Scoping Report or Opinion.


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Information for scoping

• Preliminary data collection and field work;

• Checklists;– Scoping checklist part 1 & 2;– Criteria for evaluation the significance

of impacts;– Potential alternatives and mitigation

measures.


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Scoping checklistpart 1 – project characteristics

• Physical changes in the locality;• Use of natural resources;• Harmful materials or substances;• Produce of wastes;• Emissions to air;• Noise, light, electromagnetic radiation etc.;• Contamination of land or ground or surface

water;• Risk of accidents;• Social changes;• Other factors.


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Scoping checklist


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Include:

• Secondary or higher order effects• Indirect effects• Cumulative effects• Temporary or intermittent effects• Effects resulting from abnormal

events


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Scoping checklistpart 2 – characteristics of the

environment• Protected or sensitive species or fauna;• Routes or facilities used by the public;• Location to extreme climatic conditions;• Employment;• Community cohesion;• Plans for future land use around the

location;• ….


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Consultation• Environmental authorities

– Regional, local– Pollution control– Health & safety……..

• Interested parties– Environmental & social interest groups– Employees’ organisations (e.g. unions)– Research institutes…

• General public– Residents– Local community groups….


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Effective consultation

• Provide enough information;• Make clear scoping is not about selling a

project, but about hearing and understanding views;

• Provide sufficient time;• The scoping stage does not preclude

from making comments in a later stage;• Ensure that views expressed are taken

into account.


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Scoping - key questions

• What effects could this project have on the environment?

• Which effects need particular attention in the environmental studies?

• Which alternatives and mitigating measures ought to be considered?


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How ?


Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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Environmental impact evaluation

• Description of the environmental baseline

• Impact identification• Assessment of significance of

impacts• Mitigation measures• Monitoring plan


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Environmental baseline

• Describes the environment prior to decommissioning:– Natural environment (e.g. air and

water quality, flora and fauna)– Socio-economic factors (e.g. land use,

infrastructure, economy)


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Impact identification

• Actions in the decommissioning project (with potential to cause impact)

• Environmental factors (potentially affected by these impacts)

• Identification matrix


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Impact identification matrix(example)


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Assessment of significance of impacts

• Impact weighting schemes• Take account of opinions of

stakeholder groups• Risk perception

– Professionals: probabilistic approach– Other stakeholders: consequences of

potential effects (even with very low probability


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Mitigation measures

• Determine potential effectiveness for each scenario

• Demonstrate that further improvements are not justified

• Re-assess the environmental impact of the project


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Development of a monitoring plan

• Objective : Measure the impact of the decommissioning project– Real impact vs. estimated impact– Effectiveness of mitigating measures

• Parameters• Methods• Frequency• Expected values


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How ?


Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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Environmental impact statement (EIS)

Provide information to:

•Decision makers•People potentially effected by the project


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EIS = tool to communicate• Clear structure• Description of procedure• Concise, comprehensive and

objective• Consistent terminology, glossary• References to information sources• Description of methods used for

studies• Clear discussion of alternatives• Non-technical summary


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How ?


Screening

Scoping

Impact Evaluation

Impact Statement

Review and decision


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Review before decision making

• Mandatory or ‘only’ good practice• By competent authority or by

independent organisation• Aims:

– Information adequate for decision making?

– Complies with requirements of legislation?


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Review checklist

• Description of the project– Objectives and physical

characteristics of the project– Size of the project– Production processes and resources

used– Residues and emissions– Risks of accidents and hazards– Other questions


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Review checklist

• Consideration of alternatives• Description of the environment

likely to be affected– Aspects of the environment– Data collection and survey

methods– Other questions


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Review checklist

• Description of the likely effects – Scoping of effects– Prediction of direct effects– Prediction of other effects– Evaluation of significance of effects– Impact assessment methods– Other questions


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Review checklist

• Description of mitigation• Non technical summary• Quality of presentation


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Use of review checklist

1. Briefly overview the EIS2. Decide which questions are

relevant for the project3. Indicate special features not

identified in the checklist4. Review the EIS for the relevant

questions5. Specify missing information


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EIS decision

Competent authority:

Are the environmental implications of the planned decommissioning project acceptable?


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Who ?

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screening X inputscoping X X B inputimpact evaluation X B inputEIS X Breview X Bdecision X

B = on behalf of CA or developer


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When ?

• Typical duration of EIA preparation for NPP decommissioning:– Detailed assessment and preparation of EIS:

9-15 months – Full EIA: 1-3 years

• To reduce the overall level of resources:– Involvement of competent authorities as

soon as possible– Initial feasibility studies as soon as possible


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€, £, $ ?

• Depends on e.g.:• Size and complexness of the

installation• Approach to scoping

– Number of options in detailed assessment– Identification of key impacts

• Approach to public involvement• Availability of existing data


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€, £, $ ?

• EIA costs are typically 1 % of the total project costs

• Range: 0.01 – 5 %• Typical cost of an EIA for NPP

decommissioning: M€ 1 – 1.5

• Up to M€ 5 if existing information is inadequate or significant environmental monitoring is required


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Conclusions

• Why ?– Regulatory requirements– Public involvement

• How ?– Phased process

• Screening• Scoping• Impact evaluation and EI Statement• Review (and decision)


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Conclusions

• Who ?– Competent authorities– Project developer– Independent organisation– Stakeholders– General public

Dialogue to reach consensus


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Conclusions

• When ?– Start dialogue early– Typical duration for NPP 1-3 years

• Costs ?– Depends on project scale, available

information, dialogue– 1 % (0.01 – 5 %) of project costs– Typical costs for NPP M€ 1 – 1.5

Frank van GemertNRG Radiation & Environment

[email protected]

Documents

Environmental Impact Assessment Frank van Gemert NRG, Radiation & Environment The Netherlands