environmental impact assessment

Description

ABSTRACT

Environmental impact assessment is referred to the need ‘to identify and predict the impact on the environment and on man’s health and well-being of legislative proposals, policies, programmes, projects and operational procedures, and to interpret and communicate information about the impacts. The Environmental impact assessment process helps identify the possible environmental effects of a proposed activity and how those impacts can be mitigated. The legal, methodological and procedural foundations of environmental impact assessment were established in 1970 by the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the USA. At the international level, lending banks and bilateral aid agencies have Environmental impact assessment procedures that apply to borrowing and recipient countries. Most developing counties (such as Nigeria) have also embraced and are in the process of formalizing EIA through legislation. The work discusses the evolution to current status, the legal framework, concepts, processes and principles of EIA and associated studies.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.2      AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1.3    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1.4      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1.5      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.6      DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

CHAPTER TWO

2.0      LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1      ORIGIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

2.2      ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

2.3      BENEFITS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS

2.4      ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT RELATED STUDIES

2.5      EIA LEGAL, POLICY & INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

2.6      NIGERIA INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      METHODOLOGY

3.1    THE PURPOSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

3.2      ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PROCESS

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1      ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) & ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

4.2      ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

4.3      ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1      CONCLUSION

5.2      RECOMMENDATION

5.3      REFERENCES

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

1.1                                               BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Over the last four decades there has been a remarkable growth of interest in environmental issues – in sustainability and the better management of development in harmony with the environment. Associated with this growth of interest has been the introduction of new legislation, emanating from national and international sources, which seeks to influence the relationship between development and the environment. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an important example. Environmental impact assessment legislation was introduced in the USA over 40 years ago. A European Community (EC) directive in 1985 accelerated its application in EU Member States and it has spread worldwide. Since its introduction in the UK in 1988, it has been a major growth area for planning practice; the originally anticipated 20 environmental impact statements (EIS) per year in the UK has escalated to several hundreds, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. The scope of environmental impact assessment continues to widen and grow.

Looking at Nigeria, Nigeria (Africa’s most populous nation), independent since 1960, occupies an area of 923,768 km2 with varied climates and seasons. Presently, its estimated population is over 100 million people. Prior to oil, agriculture (before 1970) was the economic mainstay. With financial resources available from oil and no development policy, unguided urbanization and industrialization took place. Uncontrolled population growth, desertification, and deforestation led to degradation and devastation of the environment.

As desirable and necessary as development is, it became an albatross not of itself but because of the lack of appropriate policies to guide it.

There were several sectoral regulations aimed at controlling environmental degradation which were unsuccessful due to the absence of effective sanctions. Economic considerations and fundamental lack of knowledge of interdependent linkages among development processes and environmental factors, as well as human and natural resources, resulted in an unmitigated assault on the environment. However, the environment and the need for its preservation (in spite of all efforts by United Nations Environment Program [UNEP] and International Conventions which Nigeria ratified), took centre stage after the momentous and singular event of the secret dumping of toxic waste in Koko Port, Bendel State (now Delta State) in May 1988 by foreign parties. This was followed by the promulgation of the Harmful Wastes (Special Criminal Provisions) Act 1990. In its wake, international seminars and workshops were held in Abuja and Lagos and the consensus was for appropriate environmental legislation to discourage short-term plans and ‘fire brigade’ approaches to environmental issues.

An institutional framework was set up to deal with the problems of our environment. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), established by Decree 58 of 1988 of the same name and amended by Decree 59 of 1992, was given responsibility for control over our environment and for the development of processes and policies to achieve this. Apart from publishing the National Policy on the Environment (NPE) in 1989, with the policy goal of achieving sustainable development, it published other sectoral regulations including the National Environmental Protection (Pollution Abatement in Industries and Facilities Generating Wastes) Regulation 1991 wherein EIA was made obligatory only when so demanded by Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) and compliance was within 90 days of such demand. However in the oil industry the principal legislation is the Petroleum Act 1969 and all derivative regulations charged DPR among others with pollution abatement.

States and Local Government Councils (LG) which comprise the second and third tiers of government were encouraged under Decree 59 of 1992 to set up their own environmental protection agencies.

Separate Environmental impact assessment legislation, the Environmental impact assessment Decree 86 of 1992, was promulgated establishing FEPA as the apex regulator, making Environmental impact assessment mandatory for all developmental purposes (although with some exceptions). Under it Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) has published various sectoral environmental impact assessment procedures together with Environmental impact assessment procedural guidelines in 1995.

It is therefore perhaps surprising that the introduction of environmental impact assessment met with strong resistance from many quarters. Planners argued, with partial justification, that they were already making such assessments. Many developers saw it as yet another costly and time consuming constraint on development, and central government was also unenthusiastic. This work therefore discusses environmental impact assessment as a process.

1.2                                              AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this work is to discuss environmental impact assessment process which serves as a means of informing decision-makers and the public of the environmental consequences of implementing a proposed project. The objectives of this study are:

1. To identify, predict, and analyze impact on the physical environment, as well as social, cultural, and health impacts.
2. It identifies alternatives and mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impact of a proposed project.

1.3                                              SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this work covers the Environmental impact assessment (EIA) process which is an interdisciplinary and multi- step procedure to ensure that environmental considerations are included in decisions regarding projects that may impact the environment. Simply defined, the environmental impact assessment process helps identify the possible environmental effects of a proposed activity and how those impacts can be mitigated.

1.4                                      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The environmental impact assessment process serves as an important procedural role in the overall decision-making process by promoting transparency and public involvement.

In some countries, a decision-maker may, in fact, choose the most environmentally-harmful alternative, as long as the consequences are disclosed in the environmental impact assessment. In other words, the environmental impact assessment process ensures an informed decision, but not necessarily an environmentally- beneficial decision.

1.5                                              RESEARCH QUESTION

What is environmental impact assessment?

What are the steps in environmental impact assessment process?

What are the types of environmental impact assessment?

1.6                                            DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

The following are key terms used in this study

Environmental Impact Assessment: A tool used to identify the environmental, social, and economic impacts of a project prior to decision making. 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 decision makers.

Environment: The complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors (such as climate, soil, and living things) that act upon individual organisms and communities, including humans, and ultimately determine their form and survival. It is also the aggregate of social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community. The environment includes natural resources and ecosystem services that comprise essential life- supporting functions for humans, including clean water, food, materials for shelter, and livelihood generation.

Impact: Any effect caused by a proposed activity on the environment, including effects on human health and safety, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, climate, landscape and historical monuments, or other physical structures, or the interaction among those factors. It also includes effects on cultural heritage or socioeconomic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors.

Reconstruction: The actions taken to reestablish a community after a period of recovery subsequent to a disaster. Actions would include construction of permanent housing, full restoration of all services, and complete resumption of the pre-disaster state.

Recovery: The restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of facilities, livelihoods, and living conditions of disaster-affected communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors.

Response (also called Disaster Relief): The provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety, and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

Transparency: Assessment process, outcomes and decisions should be open and accessible.

Certainty: The process and timing of the assessment should be agreed in advanced and followed by all participants.

Accountability: The decision-makers and project proponents are responsible to all parties for their action and decisions under the assessment process.

Credibility: Assessment is undertaken with professionalism and objectivity.

Practical – the process should result practical outputs, which can be implemented by proponent.

Relevant – the process should focus information that is relevant for development planning and decision-making.

Focused – the process should concentrate on significant environmental effects and key issues that need to be taken into account in making decisions.

Interdisciplinary – the process should ensure that the appropriate techniques and experts in the relevant disciplines are employed, including use of traditional knowledge as relevant.

Integrated – the process should address the interrelationships of social, economic and biophysical aspects.