Imelda Winters Presentation Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Imelda Winters

Environmental Health Officer

What will be covered

1. Definitions in relation to Environmental Impact Assessment

2. The Purpose of EIA3. The HSE policy in relation to EIA4. The Stages of EIA5. Examples of projects that require EIA6. What Environmental Health do when an EIA is

received

What is an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Statement (EIS)?

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of anticipating the effects on the environment caused by a development

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the document produced as a result of that process, where environmental effects are found that are un acceptable. They can be avoided or reduced to an acceptable level during the design process

The Purpose of EIA

It is the law: EIA is a key instrument of EU Environmental Policy. EIA requirements originated from the EU Directive 85/337/EEC as amended by Directive 97/11/EEC.

The Directive is designed to ensure a fully comprehensive assessment is made of projects which are likely to have significant effects on the environment

Purpose of EIA

EIA is a key part of the planning process

EIA ensures that a development is environmentally sustainable

It provides for an objective and scientific basis for assessing environmental effects

It provides for Environmental Protection

The policy of the HSE in relation to Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)

The HSE is has been defined as a Statutory Consultee as defined by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and The Planning & Development Regulations 2001. Under this legislation The HSE has a third party role to play


The HSE response to an EIS should reflect broad range of health issues associated with a specific development.

This may include elements of Environmental Health, Public Health and Emergency Response Management

It is important that all the relevant disciplines within the HSE are engaged in preparing an appropriate response


A fundamental principle in the preparation of responses is that the HSE will uphold its role as an independent, credible commentator on such developments

A centralised receipt, distribution and final corporate response of EIS has been established

Stages of EIA

1. Consider the Proposed Development:

Alternatives considered Existence of project Location ConstructionDesign OperationProcess Change DecommissioningCharacteristics of project Layout DesignSize and scale

Consider other developments

Stages of EIA2. Consider the Existing Environment and

significant effects on: Human Beings Flora & Fauna Soil Water Air Climatic Factors The Landscape Material Assets (to include Architectural and Archaeological

Heritage) The inter-relationship of all of the above

Existing Environment Human Beings

Health & Safety Economic Activity Social Patterns Land-use Employment Settlement Patterns

2. Existing Environment Flora & Fauna

FloraAquatic/terrestrial/marineCommunitiesHabitat RequirementsProtection status

FaunaHabitats Mammals/birds/fish/insects/reptilesBreeding/feeding/roosting areasRoutes/passagesPopulation management/stabilityCritical resourcesProtection status

2. Existing Environment Soil

Mineral Soils Peat's Estuarine sediments Agricultural capability Engineering characteristics Geology (including surficial bedrock deposits & weathering and chemical characteristics) Aquifers

2. Existing Environment Water

Ground/surface/estuarine/marine waterPhysical Chemical BioticBeneficial uses

2. Existing Environment Air

Air Quality : Potential pollutantsSuspended particles

OdourNoise Vibration Radiation

2. Existing Environment Climatic Factors

Climate changeCFC’s Acid rain Thermal pollution Pollution Transport

2. Existing Environment The Landscape

Landscape character

Landscape context

View & prospects

Historical Landscapes

2. Existing Environment Material Assets (including Architectural & Archaeological heritage & Cultural Heritage)

Archaeological Heritage

Folklore/Tradition/History

Architecture/Settlements

Monuments/ Features

Designed Landscapes

Natural Resources of Economic Value

Stages of EIA

3. Identify Likely Significant Impacts

“Do Nothing” scenario

Predicted Impacts

“Worse Case” scenario

Indirect Impacts

Stages of EIA

4. Mitigation Measures

Avoidance

Reduction Remedy

Projects that require an EIA

Annex I of the EIA Directive (85/337/EEC) pin points projects were Environmental Impact Assessment is mandatory

Annex II of the EIA Directive (85/337/EEC) identifies projects that require EIA on a case bycase bycase analysescase analyses.. If a project has Significant effects on the environment by virtue of size, nature or location then an Environmental Impact Assessment is required

Examples of mandatory projects (Annex I)

1. Nuclear power station2. Waste water treatment plants with a capacity

exceeding 150,000 population equivalent 3. Pipelines for the transport of gas, oil or chemicals

with a diameter of more than 800 mm and a length of more than 40 km

4. Dams and other installations designed for the holding back of permanent storage of water where a new or additional amount of water held back or stored exceeds 10 million cubic meters

Examples of projects (Annex II) likely to have “significant effects” on environment

1. Installations for the slaughter of animals where the daily capacity would exceed 1,500 units

2. Construction of more than 500 dwellings/ construction of caravan park providing more than 400 spaces

3. All installations for production of pesticides and pharmaceutical products, paint and varnishes, elastomers and peroxides using a chemical or biological process

Examples of Likely “significant impacts” on typical Landfill site

Water Pollution:

Surface water: risk of pollution due to potential leakage of lechate to rivers/lakes/streams causing Q rating deterioration

Ground water: risk of contamination to a regionally important aquifers


Air Pollution:

Odours (from tipping areas & smell of gas fromneighbouring dwellings) Potential Fire Hazard (oxygen influx)

Dust complaints from residents


Geology/soils impact:

Potential risk of contamination to soil due to potential interaction of lechate from landfill


Nuisance impact:Pest infestation/ bird nuisance

Noise impact: Heavy machinery with inappropriate silencers.Increased traffic at different stages of project


Impact on Human Beings:

Smell nuisance from gaseous emissions and dust nuisance from machinery

Noise Nuisance affecting concentration of children in schools and sleep disturbance in neighbourhoods

What does Environmental Helath do when an EIA is received?

1. The Office of the Assistant National Director Environmental Health and Emergency Planning (AND EH and EP) receives notification of request for consultation from source.

2. The office will log all information and send it on to the local Principle Environmental Health Officer. There will be a required response date

What does an EHO do when an EIA is received?

3. The Office of the AND EH and EP will inform the designated contact in the office of the Regional Director of Operations (RDO), Assistant National Director of Emergency planning, the Assistant National Director of Health Protection and will request that they forward any submissions to the local PEHO


4. The Local PEHO will allocate the request to the relevant EHO/SEHO

5. The relevant EHO/SEHO will review and complete assessment using tools that have been created by the EIA working group:

- “Tool for assessment of EIS by Environmental Health Officers”

- “Environmental Health Audit Tool for scoping”- “EIS Report Aide Memoir” - Explanatory notes for EIS”- “EIS Report Template”- “Standard operating procedures”


6. The report must be quality assured by the national support officer

7. The standard cover letter and Environmental health report is signed off by the PEHO and issued to the body seeking consultation. A copy of report is sent to the office of the AND EH and EP

Useful Guidance Documents

EPA “Guidelines on information to be contained in Environmental Impact Statements” (EPA Wexford 2002)

EPA “Advice notes on current Practice” (EPA Wexford 2003) NRA Environmental Impact Assessment of National road

schemes “A practical Guide” (national Roads Authority (2008))

EPA “Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance for consent Authorities regarding Sub-threshold Development”

Best practice Guidance “The control of dust ad emissions from construction and demolition” London Council, Mayor of London