Chapter 1 + 2

Question 1

What is Environmental Impact Assessment

Answer 1

a decision-making process in the promotion of good environmental planning is analyzed, including its role in assessing the potential effects of certain activities on the natural environment as well as on social, cultural, and economic aspects of the environment

Question 2

What is the Environment?

Answer 2

the air, land, and
water upon which life depends; but today we have broadened this term to encompass other aspects of
our world: built, economic, social, sporting, learning,
etc.

Question 3

Why do we conduct EIAs? (four reasons):

Answer 3

1) To systematically identify and predict the impacts of proposed development, 2) to find ways to minimize or avoid significant negative biophysical and socioeconomic impacts, 3) to identify, enhance, and create potentially positive impacts, and 4) to ensure that development decisions are made in the full knowledge of their environmental consequences.

Question 4

Environmental assessment originated in ___________ under the ____________________________ in ____ , which became law in 1970.

Answer 4

the United States, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 1969

Question 5

What is the United States, National Environmental Policy Act?

Answer 5

The US legislation of 1969 that required certain development project proponents to demonstrate that their projects would not cause adverse environmental effects; the beginning of formal environmental assessment.

Question 6

What events encouraged the formation of EIA?

Answer 6

1960’s: in North America America/Western Europe experienced a “…sudden growth in awareness of the relationship between an expanding industrial economy and local environmental change.” AND 1962: Rachael Carson’s “Silent Spring” helped bring about pressures on government to enact legislation and regulations to control wanton
use of pesticides, etc.

Question 7

Environmental impact statement (EIS)

Answer 7

The formal documentation produced from the environmental assessment process that provides a non-technical summary of major findings, statement of assessment purpose and need, and a detailed description of the proposed action, impacts, alternatives, mitigation measures, and actions to manage and monitor those impacts.

Question 8

What happened between the 1970s and 80s?

Answer 8

This environmental legislation picked up in other part of the world (over 190 nations today)

Question 9

The biophysical environment: What are
Four broad areas of
change triggered by
project developments?

Answer 9

• Biological change
• Chemical change
• Physical change
• Ecosystem change

Question 10

Name at least two examples of what we can predict based on these four biophysical areas

Answer 10

• Air quality impacts
• Soil quality impacts
• Terrestrial impacts
• Water impacts
• Coastal zone impacts

Question 11

induced development

Answer 11

Development that is enabled by other developments, such as mineral exploration or economic activity resulting from a new road being built in a previously remote inaccessible area.

Question 12

induced effects

Answer 12

Effects that result from induced development or from the effects of effects.

Question 13

industrial concessions

Answer 13

Agreements between individuals/companies and provincial, territorial, and federal governments that allow for the exploration and/or exploitation of renewable and non-renewable natural resources.

Question 14

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Answer 14

The US legislation of 1969 that required certain development project proponents to demonstrate that their projects would not cause adverse environmental effects; the beginning of formal environmental assessment.

Question 15

social impact assessment (SIA)

Answer 15

A systematic process designed to identify, predict, and propose management measures concerning the impacts of a proposed undertaking on the human environment, including social systems, structures, relations. and well-being.

Question 16

strategic environmental assessment (SEA)

Answer 16

The environmental assessment of initiatives, policies, plans, and programs and their alternatives.

Question 17

sustainability assessment (SA)

Answer 17

A systematic process designed to evaluate the contributions or detractions of a proposed project toward sustainability objectives or outcomes.

Question 18

Projects are proposed to meet ________ . This is often referred to as the “need for” and “purpose of” a proposed project.

Answer 18

a defined need/realize a social, environmental, economic opportunity;

Question 19

The need for a proposed project is the

Answer 19

demand or opportunity that the project is intended to address or satisfy.

Question 20

The purpose of a proposed project is

Answer 20

what is intended to be achieved by carrying out the project.

Question 21

Why do we need alternatives in a project?

Answer 21

to ensure that the identified need or opportunity is met with only the “best” possible project.

Question 22

There are two categories of alternatives that should be considered in EA:

Answer 22

alternatives to the identified project and alternative means of carrying out the project

Question 23

Alternatives to a project (including the 4 types)

Answer 23

different ways of meeting the need and purpose of the described project, including the option of no project.

no action
proposed project
demand reduction program
another project

Question 24

two types of alternative means and the definition

Answer 24

different options for carrying out a project when it has been accepted that the proposed project is the most suitable alternative to meet the need or opportunity at hand.

alternative locations
alternative design

Question 25

Alternative Means and the James Bay Lithium Mine, Quebec

Answer 25

In 2019, Galaxy Lithium submitted an EIS to develop the James Bay Lithium Mine project. Lithium is an alkali metal with several industrial and commercial applications, including pharmaceutical polymers, portable electronic devices, manufacture of glass and ceramics, and lithium ion batteries. Global demand for lithium is increasing, and lithium use in renewable energy storage, including electric vehicles, has increased significantly in recent years. The proposed mine site is in the Nord-du-Québec administrative region on the territory of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Regional Government, about 100 kilometres east of James Bay. the proponent was required to consider alternative means for the project. However, the proponent noted in its EIS that given the location of the mineral resource, the location and accessibility of existing roads and power line infrastructure, and the need to maintain safe distances around the open-pit operation, it was not possible to consider viable alternatives for certain aspects of the project, namely: the mining and material extraction method, given the shallow depth of the resource and the economic viability of an open-pit operation;

Question 26

Example Methods for Comparing or Evaluating Alternatives

Answer 26

rating, Ranking
Decision trees
Contingent valuation
Matrices/checklists
Weighting
Paired comparison
Choice experiments
GIS/spatial analysis
Benefit-cost ratio
Multi-criteria evaluation
Life-cycle evaluations
Q-method

Question 27

Peterson matrix

Answer 27

a method for evaluating alternatives. A multiplicative environmental assessment matrix consisting of project impacts and causal factors, resultant impacts on the human environment, and the relative importance of those human components used to derive an overall project impact score.

The Peterson matrix consists of three individual matrices: a matrix that depicts the impacts of project actions or causal factors on environmental components; a matrix depicting the impacts of the resultant environmental change on the human environment; and a vector of weights or relative importance of those human components. The initial project–environment interaction matrix is multiplied by a matrix depicting secondary human–component impacts resulting from project-induced environmental change. The result is multiplied by the relative importance of each of the human components to generate an overall impact score (Box 3.2).

Question 28

Pros and cons of peterson matrix

Answer 28

The advantage of the Peterson matrix lies in its simplicity and in the multiplicative properties of matrices. That said, the Peterson matrix can oversimplify the complex relationships and interactions between projects, environmental change, and impacts on local community values.

Question 29

Louis Riel Trail Highway Twinning Project, Saskatchewan

Answer 29

Wetlands provide important ecological services, including habitat provision, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and flood control. However, wetlands are under considerable threat due to human-induced surface disturbances. Next to agriculture, road development is among the most significant sources of wetland degradation in Prairie Canada. In 2007, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure proposed to twin an approximately 110-kilometre highway between Saskatoon and Prince Albert, the Louis Riel Trail. The highway is one of the busiest highways in the province. Using GIS, mapped wetlands within the 500-metre zone were classified based on their potential to be affected by project activities, either directly or indirectly. A total of 458 wetlands (1115 ha) were identified as at risk within a 500-metre buffer on either side of the proposed highway.

Question 30

Public engagement

Answer 30

Public participation or engagement refers to the involvement of individuals and groups that are positively or negatively affected by a proposed intervention subject to a decision-making process or are interested in it

Question 31

8 different levels of public participation/engagement

Answer 31

manipulation, therapy, informing, consulting, placation, partnership, delegated power, citizen control

Question 32

non-participation level of public engagement, and what does this mean?

Answer 32

“non-participation”—involvement of the publics in a way that does not include direct participation. This approach consists of what Arnstein labels rubberstamp committees and efforts to inform or educate the public rather than genuinely seeking their involvement.

manipulation- rubberstamp commitments, therapy- educating citizens, informing- citizens rights and options are identified

Question 33

citizen power level of engagement, and what does this mean?

Answer 33

the affected public is granted full control and authority in development decision-making

partnership [trade offs are negotiated], delegated power [citizens are delegated certain powers], citizen control [complete control]

Question 34

degrees of tokenism

Answer 34

placation: advice is received but not acted on
consultation; citizens are heard but not always heeded

Question 35

public participation in EA has typically involves what?

Answer 35

providing information to the public about the proposed project.

Question 36

Meaningful engagement

Answer 36

when those potentially affected by development, or who have a vested interest in development, are enlisted into the planning, assessment, and decision process to contribute to it, thus providing opportunities for the exchange of information, opinions, interests, and values. It also means that those initiating the process of engagement (e.g., proponents, governments) are open to the potential need for change in a proposed development and are prepared to work with different interests to alter plans or to amend or even drop existing proposals.

Question 37

Participant Funding for the Sisson Project, New Brunswick

Answer 37

The Sisson tungsten-molybdenum project, proposed in 2008 by Northcliff Resources Ltd, involved the development of an open-pit mining operation, mineral processing facility, and water treatment plant, located near Napadogan, approximately 60 kilometres northwest of Fredericton. The mining operation would extract an average of 30,000 tonnes per day of tungsten- and molybdenum-containing ore for on-site processing over its 27-year operating lifespan (Sisson Partnership, 2015). The project was subject to review under New Brunswick’s Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
The proposed mine was on the traditional territory of the Maliseet First Nations—in a region of historical significance to the Maliseet and used for hunting, fishing, and gathering of medicinal and ceremonial plants. The closest First Nations communities, the Woodstock, St Mary’s, and Kingsclear First Nations, also expressed concerns about potential impacts on land and resources used for traditional purposes and impacts on archaeological resources. To support their participation in the EA process, Northcliff signed a capacity funding agreement with the St Mary’s First Nation, the Woodstock First Nation, and the Assembly of First Nations Chiefs of New Brunswick, which at the time collectively represented all First Nations in New Brunswick. The funding assisted the First Nations in retaining their own technical experts to assist them in reviewing the project and assessing potential impacts on traditional lands and resources. Northcliff’s support was in addition to funding the First Nations received under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s participant funding program.

Question 38

participant funding programs

Answer 38

Programs established by governments (though they can also be established by project proponents) that provide financial support to the public (usually interest groups, Indigenous groups) to participate in impact assessment processes.

Question 39

There is no such thing as “the public” in EA; rather, there are many “publics” such as ______ and _______

Answer 39

active and inactive

Question 40

The active publics

Answer 40

are those who affect decisions, such as industry associations, environmental organizations, quasi-statutory bodies, and other organized interest groups.

Question 41

Inactive publics

Answer 41

are those who do not typically become involved in environmental planning, decisions, or issues and may include the “average” town citizen

Question 42

Particular attention should thus be given to those who

Answer 42

reside in the area where the project will be implemented and who may be directly affected by the project.

Those with a high stake in the outcome, such as an affected local population, but with limited power and influence should be intimately involved throughout the EA process to ensure that their concerns are addressed, even though they may have limited authority to influence decisions.

Question 43

When preparing a project description, it is important to include at least the following:

Answer 43

Project purpose: A description of the rationale for the project, including its need, purpose, and consideration of viable alternatives to the project.
Project information: A description of the project’s location and design, including viable alternatives considered; activities and activity scheduling associated with construction, operation, and decommissioning phases; design specifications; resources and material requirements; waste production, discharges, and management.
Policy or regulatory context: Identification of relevant legislative, regulatory, and policy requirements and their interpretation in relation to the project; licenses and applicable mitigation standards.
Engagement strategy: Identification of results of early public engagement, including key issues and concerns, affected interests, and the plan for meaningful engagement throughout the EA process.
Assessment information: Preliminary description of baseline environment, land uses, key issues, and potentially affected components in a manner that will allow those responsible to determine the need for assessment and establish the initial scope for assessment

Question 44

Who’s Who in the EA Process

Answer 44

• Project proponents
• Regulators or gov’t authorities
• Decision-makers
• (Interested and) Affected interests
• Practioners: [pure scientists, science arbiter, issue advocate, honest broker]

Question 45

Project proponents

Answer 45

The party that proposes the development and, ultimately, is responsible for its implementation, operations, and impact management. Proponents may be private corporations, government entities, or private–public partnerships.

Question 46

Regulators or government authorities

Answer 46

The government agency or agencies responsible for the EA (and related regulatory processes) and ensuring due process. This usually includes setting the terms of reference for what the EA must consider, issuing approvals and authorizations, ensuring opportunities for public participation, fulfilling legal obligations for consultation with Indigenous peoples, and following up post–project approval to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of project approval.

Question 47

decision-maker

Answer 47

in most cases is the responsible elected minister, such as a minister of environment, who weighs the information provided by the proponent and other affected interests, considers government policy objectives or commitments, and determines whether it is in the public (and environmental) interest that a project proceed.

Question 48

Affected interests –

Answer 48

Anyone or any group potentially affected by a proposed development. This may include Indigenous governments or communities (i.e., often considered rights-holders), the public, (e.g., affected communities or interested individuals), private landowners (e.g., agricultural landowner, woodlot owner), private businesses or corporations, and special interest groups (e.g., environmental organizations, industry consortiums, lobby groups). Not all affected interests are involved in the EA process in the same capacity or share the same legal standing.

Question 49

pure scientist

Answer 49

for whom the focus is only on the facts. Information is gathered, scientifically analyzed, and the results are presented in the absence of value-based interpretations

Question 50

science arbiter

Answer 50

one who answers specific and factual questions that may be posed during an EA, but the information presented is limited to those facts that are relevant to the specific question at hand.

Question 51

issue advocate

Answer 51

The individual who seeks to reduce the scope of information available by presenting or interpreting information in a certain way—to try and influence the decision.

Question 52

issue advocate

Answer 52

The individual who seeks to reduce the scope of information available by presenting or interpreting information in a certain way—to try and influence the decision.

Question 53

the honest broker

Answer 53

one who seeks to expand and clarify the nature and scope of information and options available such that a decision-maker, a proponent, and the public are more aware of the potential implications of different decision actions.

Question 54

As an arena for public debate about the acceptability of a proposed development, the EA process benefits from all four roles; however, practitioners must be ____

Answer 54

honest broker