Question

Please research a project in the United States, (1) describe the project and explain why environmental impact assessment (EIA) were conducted; (3) describe the areas of EIA study; (4) highlight any mitigation measures proposed for the project.

Answer 1

I am not sure about any specific project, but I can give a general example of a private development, the different aspecs involved and why it was done.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report is a detailed report that includes all the likely environmental impacts from a development and the methods and recommenations to mitigate these impacts to within significant levels, for example in USA to CEQA or NEPA guidelines. Some of the aspects that should be contained in the EIA are

• Traffic Impact
• Noise Impact
• Soil Impact
• Water impact
• Carbon Dioxide emissions.
• Social and Developmental Impacts

1) Traffic Impact. the development will create additional traffic on the roads, this traffic will be attracted to the development and use nearby roads and can originate from quite far away. So we need to estimate how much traffic is using which all roads and coming from which all origin destinations and eventually headed to the new development. We need to collect traffic counts and identify the impacts of the project on these roads in terms of additional vehicles, level of service, and then we need to provide recommendations for example install some signals, or widen some roads

The traffc impact part of the EIA must find ways to accomodate NMT, non motorized transport and bus, cycle, routes to the area. It should also identify internal circulation measures within the project, because some vehicles will just park in one part of the project and then take internal transport like bicycles, buses etc.

2) Soil impact - due to construction of the project, we need to dig up the land inorder to excavate and put the foundation. digging of soil creates a geotechnical impact, the stability of soil foundation and impact of the digging on nearby soils needs to be addressed

3) Water impact - due to construction of the project, there will be a water demand as well as a discharge of waste water. So the water resources consultant has to accurately estimate the amount of waste water discharge from the project and identiry where it is goint to be dumped out, and whether any treatment of that waste water is required before it is dumped out.

4) Carbon dioxide emissions- due to the construction of the project and additional traffic being attracted to the project, the amount of C0₂ emissions in the area will increase. The air quality consultant should check if the emissions are within the permissible limit and if not, identify mitigation measures to reduce their impacts

5) Noise effect.- digging, drilling blasting and construction activities create noise and this is a disbenefit to existing nearby residential units. These noise disbenefits should be accurately quantified and remedial measures to mitigate them should be detailed in the EIA report.

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