Environmental Impact Assessment

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

by Anton Antonio

April 15, 2015

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the projection and assessment of the positive and negative environmental impacts of the various land use application. On the other hand, an EIS or Environmental Impact Statement is a compilation and integration of all information and data on the EIA.  This is the end report of a full conducted EIA.  In theory, the EIA is a part of land use suitability assessment.  (For more information on the land use suitability assessment, please refer to “Land Use Planning” at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/.)

An EIA is a process that includes predicting and evaluating the most likely impacts of a program or project in all its phases of operation.  It also involves designing appropriate preventive, mitigating and enhancement measures as institutionalized safety nets to address these consequences to the program or project to protect the environment and the affected communities.

The EIA, as a basic principle, is designed to perform as a decision-making planning guide.  The EIA is a requirement of government (the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau or DENR-EMB) in most environment related projects and programs.  The EIA process is designed to identify all possible adverse environmental effect in the project area… and the subsequent formulation environmental management and monitoring plans.

Once the DENR-EMB determines the environmental soundness of the program or project, an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) will subsequently be issued which will allow the implementation stage to commence.  The EIS and the ECC shall be consistent with the principles of sustainable development (described as: ensuring a rational balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection for the benefit of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to avail of the same).

Guidelines for the conduct of an EIA can be found in detail in Presidential Decree No. 1586 and its Implementing Riles and Regulations. DENR DAO No. 37-1996.  Among other environmental protection processes and requirement, there is none as extensive and detailed as the environmental impact assessment.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C. (2015). “Land Use Planning.”  Retrieved on April 15, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/

Department of Environments and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau.  “Philippine Environmental Impact Assessment System (PEISS)”.  DENR-EMB, Quezon City, Philippines