ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ASSESMENT MANAGEMENT

1. Explain the qualitative approaches for prediction of environmental impacts of engineering projects

Qualitative Approaches:-A Qualitative approaches, in which descriptive, synthesized and integrated information on each alternative relative to each decision factor is displayed in the matrix.

10: Explain Battle environmental Evaluation system. Discuss in detail the issues involved for assessment of impact

Ans. Battle Environmental Evaluation system:-Based on checklist of selected environmental parameter predicted value of each parameter is converted to a 0-1 scale of environment

quality using value function graphs. Each environment parameter is assigned a weight out of 1000 parameter importance units by marked pair wise comparison. EQ value is multiplied

by PIU to provide environmental score. Final score of alternative is the difference between sum of scores with and without impact. The advantage being scores are equitable.

Issues involved for assessment of impact:-The issue to be addressed here is how environmental damage can be avoided or reduced so as to ensure that development initiatives and their benefits are sustainable, the directive of environmental management should be to achieve the greatest benefit presently possible for the use of natural resources without

reducing their potential to meet future needs and the carrying capacity of the environment. Taking environmental considerations into account in development planning does not imply

that the pace of socio - economic progress will be slowed down, and taking environmental considerations into account in the various phases of the project cycle must not be seen as

placing undue constraints on a country’s development options. If a projects is to be suspended on environmental grounds, alternative opinions that are environmentally sound must be

provided to meet the country’s developmental needs more over, implications of environmental impacts assessed from global stand point cannot be insensitively translated into

specific action in the developing countries in the absence concrete alternatives that would enable the poor countries to relate the short-term well-being of their populations to their

long-term well-being and to that of the world. For most projects, particularly those involving large public investments in areas such as infrastructure, on environmental impact

assessment (EIA) should be carried out and linked to the cost benefit analysis. The objective of the EIA is to ensure that environmental aspects are addressed and potential problems

are foreseen at the appropriate stage of project design. EIA should be envisaged as an integral part of the planning process and initiated at the project level from the start.

Battelle environmental evaluation system:-The “Battelle environmental evaluation system” (EES), as noted earlier, was an early weighting scaling checklist methodology for water -

resources projects, and it contained 78 environmental factors. Each of the elements was assigned an importance weight using the ranked pair wise - comparison technique; resultant

importance - weight points (plus) by the numbers adjacent to the four environment categories, in the right-hand corner of the boxes representing the intermediate components, and in

the paranthesis in front of each environmental factor. The higher the number, the greater the relative importance. Impact scaling in the Battelle EES is accomplished through the use of

functional relationships for each of the 78 factors. The basic concepts of the battelle EES, in the context of this discussion, is that an index expressed in environmental impact units

(EIVs) can be developed for each alternative and baseline environmental conditions. The mathematical formulation of this index.

EIV = ∑ n ji=1 EQ ij Plu i

where,

EIU = environmental impact units for j th j alternative

EQ = environmental - quality - scale value for i th factor and j th ij alternative.

PIU = Parameter importance units for i th j factor usage of the battelle EES consists of obtaining baseline data on the 78 environmental factors, and through use of their functional relationships, converting the data into EQ scale values, these scale values are then multiplied by the appropriate PIU s and aggregated to obtain a composite EIU score for the baseline setting. For each alternative being evaluated, it is necessary to predict the anticipated changes in the 78 factors. The predicted - factor measurements are than converted into EQ scale values using the appropriate functional relationships. Next, these values are multiplied by the PIUs and aggregated to arrive at a composite EIU score for each alternative. This numerical scaling system provides an opportunity for displaying trade-offs between the alternatives interms of specific environmental factors, intermediate components, and categories, professional judgement must be exercised in the interpretation of the numerical results, and the focus should be on comparative analysis, rather than on specific numerical values. The numerical - evaluation system in the EES provides a tool that serves as a guide for impact analysis. The EES is a very highly organized methodology, and as such, it helps to ensure a systematic, all-inclusive study approach and to identify critical changes. How ever, because of the time constraints under which this methodology was developed, very little emphasis is given to socio economic factors. One of the key points to note is that there is no passing or failing score in the EES, since the resultant numerical evaluations must be subjected to professional interpretation. The methodology is most valuable for an analysis of trade - offs with a component, with in a category, or between categories. As noted earlier, the battelle EES was been used directly or in

modified form in EISs for several water -resources projects. For example, it has been used on the pa many water - resource project in south thailand (ESCAP, 1990) and in modified form for other water - resources projects (tohari and bealim 1990). The general approach of the EES can be applied. To other project types in terms of selection of pertinent environmental factors, assignment of importance weights and the development of appropriate functional relationships for the factors. For examples, the approach used in the Battelle EES has been applied to a rapid transit system (smith 1974) a waterway navigation project and to highway projects, pipeline projects channel - improvement projects, and waste water - treatment plants.

Note: a

No action

b The number in parenthesis in the maximum for a category

5: How do you identify various potential environmental impacts resulting from an engineering project? Explain any two methods

Advantages of EIA:-