CE 360Dr SaMeH1 Environmental Eng. 1 (CE 360) Associate Professor of Environmental Eng. Civil Engineering Department Engineering College Majma’ah University faculty.mu.edu.sa/smohamed/SaMeH 2016/1 Dr. Sameh S. Ahmed

CE 360Dr SaMeH2 Chapter 3 Assessing Environmental Impact

Environmental engineering requires that the impact and interaction of engineered structures on and with the natural environment be considered in any project. It is a must that, environmental impact be assessed whenever a federal action will have an environmental impact, as well as alternatives have to be considered. CE 360Dr SaMeH3 Introduction

CE 360Dr SaMeH4 Engineers ideally approach a problem in a sequence: (1)Problem definition (2)Generation of alternative solutions (3)Evaluation of alternatives, (4)Implementation of a selected solution, and (5)Review and appropriate revision of the implemented solution. This step-by step approach is essentially for most of Environmental assessment. Step-by Step Approach

Definition: Possible adverse effects caused by a development, industrial, or infrastructural project or by the release of a substance in the environment. Environmental law in USA states that: each project funded by federal government or requiring a federal permit must be accompanied by an environmental assessment. CE 360Dr SaMeH5 Environmental Impact

CE 360Dr SaMeH6 Assessment ends with issuing one of the following documents: (1)Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). (2)Environmental Assessment (EA). (3)Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Environmental Assessment

CE 360Dr SaMeH7 AssessmentEAEISFONSI

CE 360Dr SaMeH8 (1)Finding Of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Such a stand-alone finding results when potential environmental impacts are compared to a checklist of significant impacts, with the result that no significant impact can be identified. (2) Environmental Assessment (EA). A detailed assessment of potential environmental impact resulting in one of two conclusions: either the EA must be expanded to a full-scale environmental impact statement or a FONSI results from the EA. Environmental Assessment

CE 360Dr SaMeH9 (3 ) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). An EIS must assess in detail the potential environmental impacts of a proposed action and alternative actions. Additionally, the agencies must generally follow a detailed public review of each EIS before proceeding with the project or permit. It should be noted that both positive and negative impacts are included; i.e., “impact” does not imply “adverse impact.” These impact statements are assessments and contain no judgments about the positive or negative value of the project in question. Environmental Assessment

CE 360Dr SaMeH10 (EIS): An EIS publication sequence is prescribed by law. 1.First, a Draft EIS (DEIS) is issued by the appropriate federal agency. 2.After mandated public hearings and incorporation of comments, the federal agency issues a Final EIS (FEIS). 3.A Record Of Decision (ROD), which includes the final decision about the project, the alternative chosen, and any value judgments, is also issued. EIS

CE 360Dr SaMeH11 The purpose of environmental assessments was not to justify or fault projects, but to introduce environmental factors into the decision-making machinery and have them discussed in public before decisions about a project are made. Purpose of EIS

CE 360Dr SaMeH12 As the environmental assessment procedure has evolved, assessment of socioeconomic impact of the project has played an increasing role. In addition to direct economic impact (number of jobs, total household income, property values, etc.), socioeconomic impact includes impacts on: archaeological and historical sites, sites that have cultural significance on cultural practices, and environmental justice impacts. Assessment of Socioeconomic Im pact

CE 360Dr SaMeH13 The first step in evaluating the environmental impact of a project’s alternatives is to inventory factors that may be affected by the proposed action. Existing conditions are measured and described, but no effort is made to assess the importance of a variable. Environmental Inventories

CE 360Dr SaMeH14 Any number and many kinds of variables may be included, such as: 1.the “ologies”: hydrology, geology, climatology, and archaeology; 2.environmental quality: land, surface and subsurface water, air, noise, and transportation impacts; 3.plant and animal life; 4.economic impact on the surrounding community: number of jobs, average family income, etc.; 5.analysis of the risks to both people and the natural environment from accidents that may occur during the life of the project; and 6.other relevant socioeconomic parameters, like future land use, expansion or diminution of the population of urban areas (Cont.)

CE 360Dr SaMeH15 The process of calculating projected effects that a proposed action or construction project will have on environmental quality is called environmental assessment. A methodical, reproducible, and reasonable method is needed to evaluate both the effect of the proposed project and the effects of alternatives that may achieve the same ends but that may have different environmental impacts. Methods: Checklist, the interaction matrix, and the checklist with weighted rankings. Environmental Assessment

CE 360Dr SaMeH16 Checklists are lists of potential environmental impacts, both primary and secondary. Primary effects occur as a direct result of the proposed project, such as the effect of a dam on aquatic life. Secondary effects occur as an indirect result of the action. For example, an interchange for a highway may not directly affect wildlife, but indirectly it will draw such establishments as service stations and quick food stores, thus changing land use patterns. a) Checklists

CE 360Dr SaMeH17 The checklist for a highway project could be divided into three phases: planning, construction, and operation. During planning, consideration is given to the environmental effects of the highway route and the acquisition and condemnation of property. The construction phase checklist will include displacement of people, noise, soil erosion, air and water pollution, and energy use. Finally, the operation phase will list direct impacts owing to noise, water pollution resulting from runoff, energy use, etc., and indirect impacts owing to regional development, housing, lifestyle, and economic development. a) Checklists (cont.)

CE 360Dr SaMeH18 The checklist technique thus lists all of the related factors; then the magnitude and importance of the impacts are estimated. Estimated importance of impact may be quantified by establishing an arbitrary scale, such as: 0 = no impact 1 = minimal impact 2 = small impact 3 = moderate impact 4 = significant impact 5 = severe impact The numbers may then be combined, and a quantitative measurement of the severity of the environmental impact for any given alternative be estimated. a) Checklists (cont.)