Environmental Impact - Essay Example

Environmental Impact Analysis 1. Using the broad impact categories below (T&CP Act 1989) bullet point and prioritise the specific impacts that you see arising: There are a number of impacts that are foreseen in this proposed project. The checklist developed below has been advised by the guidelines of the United Nations University and the literature of other international organisations, as they apply to the proposed roadway being considered. The specific impacts are presented in bullet point form, in the order of their priority of importance. a) Effects on human beings, buildings and man-made features Disturbance to human settlements Sudden accessibility by road as catalyst for disrupting lifestyles Loss of community, religious, or cultural heritage Displacement and resettlement Adverse effects on safety Rise in road accident rates, creating fear and distress Adverse effects on human health Poor health caused by air pollution, the spread of dust, debris and waste Release of persistent and/or toxic chemicals Loss of areas or environmental components with recreational or scientific value Disturbance to economic activities b) Effects on flora, fauna and geology Possible loss or reduction and endangerment of species Habitat intrusion, depletion and fragmentation Destruction of forests or grasslands Ecological destabilization, impairment of ecological integrity, resilience or health Disruption of food chains Decline in species population Contamination of flora and fauna c) Effects on land Threat to topography, landscape, and physical features Threat of erosion and loss of productive soils Soil contamination Slope failures and mass movements Spread of dust, debris and waste d) Effects on water Deterioration of water quality and increase in siltation Introduction of waste and toxic chemicals or similar substances into the water e) Effects on air and climate Deterioration of air quality, enhancement of global warming and extreme climate change Introduction of greenhouse gas emissions, particulates, and other pollutants in the air f) Other indirect and secondary effects associated with the project Increase in ambient and peak noise levels 2. For the impacts identified as most important, explain how you made the judgement giving any significance criteria used then propose mitigation measures and predict any residual impacts that would remain In making the judgments on the various broad impacts identified in the preceding section, it was considered that two major impacts – that on human beings and on the flora and fauna – were of equal importance: the first, because of their direct impact on humans at present, and the second, because of their protracted impact well into the future that will affect succeeding generations of humans and the ecology and biosphere of the broader environment. The significance criteria employed in the following discussions were adapted from the United Nations University EIA Significance Criteria (UNU, 2011). The subsequent explanation based on the criteria, the mitigation measures, and the residual impacts follow thereafter. a. Effects on human beings, buildings and man-made features Significance Criteria 1) Disturbance to human settlements 2) Adverse effects on safety 3) Adverse effects on human health 4) Loss of areas or environmental components that have cultural, recreational or aesthetic value; 5) Disturbance to economic activities 6) Increase in ambient and peak noise levels Explanation of their importance based on the significance criteria 1) Disturbance to human settlements Traffic is expected to increase significantly in five major areas, but there currently is good amenity for the Gipsy Lane (180% increase in traffic) while Thurmaston Lane (105% increase) passes through the industrial environment. Sandhills Avenue, where traffic is expected to increase most (695% increase) has good amenity with adjoining free space which may later be factored in to accommodate the increase in traffic. For these three areas, and therefore negative impact is not expected to be substantial. As a result of the increased traffic flow, amenities are expected to significantly decrease. However, the increase in traffic through Victoria Road East (114%) and Troon Way (94%) will have significantly greater impact. Troon Way passes through a residential empowerment, and is therefore bound to discomfort, if not displace, several households, while Victoria Road East has only average amenity but with a good number of shops in the vicinity through which a high volume of pedestrian traffic will tend to pass. The affected residents and pedestrians in these areas will tend to experience a great deal of constriction both during the construction of the roadway and thereafter. The increased traffic may cause a disruption in the current lifestyle of the community, although not entirely as the existing passageways already accommodate some measure of transport volume. The new road shall also provide access for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the length of the proposed road, as well as crossing facilities at strategic junctions. Segregated foot paths and cycle lanes are going to encourage a greater pedestrian and cycling traffic. There will be retained an informal path that will be designated parallel to the proposed roadway. This will provide access to alternative means of mobility for road users embarking on short trips, and enhance speed uniformity on the main roadway since slower and more leisurely moving elements will be taking the informal path. There is an expected reduction in the flow of traffic in certain areas and slight increase in others as motorists will take advantage of the faster new roadway. The average to poor amenities in these areas are expected to be marginally improved as a result of the roadway construction. These areas include: The Waterside Road to the second junction to the north (38% decrease in traffic); Barkby Road in two junctions, one where it connects to Raynor Road (25% decrease) and the other at Gipsy Lane (25% decrease); The southern part of Barkbythorpe Lane to the Troon Way junction (20% increase); and Lewisher and Fairfax Roads where traffic is expected to increase but still remain light. 2) Adverse effects on safety The increased traffic of motorized vehicles in the area, at times at moderate to high speed, and the increased pedestrian flows through certain points on the roadway tends to cause a rise in road accident rates for residents and regulars who frequent the area, creating fear and distress among the people in these segments. Severance in certain areas will be an issue, due to the changes in traffic flow. Included, as mentioned, are the Towers Hospital site; the Mundella Commmunity College; and the Highfield Rangers Football Club ground, library social club, community center, and the nursing and residential homes off Gleneagles Avenue. Severance is also foreseen in for the 80 households to the east of Victoria Road East, in so far as their access to the facilities in the west is concerned. There will be a need for the residents here to traverse the road to the shops and services in the west, including a recreation ground, the Post Office, and other services such as an employment development initiative and tenants association. The existing crossing facilities at the Troon way where it connects to Nicklaus Road will help reduce the effects of any severance in the area and relieve the accumulation of pedestrian traffic. 3) Adverse effects on human health There are several elements introduced into the environment by the excavation of the land, construction of the roadway, and the use of it by a higher volume of traffic comprised of motorized vehicles. In particular, emissions of methane and carbon dioxide, which are known to contribute to increased levels of health-threatening compounds in the air, are also known to contribute to the greenhouse effect which creates an extended effect upon human health. Also, the dust and particulates that are stirred up by the vehicles, as well as the emission of carbon monoxide by cars and trucks running on fossil fuels, tend to increase incidences of asthma and other respiratory diseases. 4) Loss of areas or environmental components with recreational or scientific value There is reduction of access to the sports and recreational facilities, including the Highfield Rangers Football Club ground, library social club, community center. Based on the archaeology report, there may be substantial impairment in value of certain unspecified areas wherein the Leicestershire’s Museums Arts and Records Services (MARS AST98/1) may have located certain archaeological artifacts. For purposes of evaluation, a list of these remains and artifacts is cursorily provided here: Post medieval windmill Roman cemetery, a flagon, and several skeletons found in 1866 Neolithic polished flint axe, four scrapers and a number of flakes representing a possible prehistoric occupation site Anglo Saxon brooch dating to the 6th century, indicating possibility of a burial site Humberstone Manor, a medieval manorial complex which yielded earthworks, tithe barn, church, chapel, fishponds, rabbit warren Two different iron age occupation sites, one with associated field enclosures Bronze age, iron age, and Roman occupation site Prehistoric, iron age, and Roman occupation site 5) Disturbance to economic activities The golf course nearby is a source of economic gain to the community as well as the owners of the facility. Visitors to the golf course provide other income to the community by way of purchases of supplies or patronage of dining establishments. The construction of the roadway without sufficient crossings installed may reduce accessibility of this facility to the residents in the opposite side of the road. The establishment of the industrial facility is seen to impact positively on the economic prosperity of the residential community, by opening up new employment opportunities and transaction volume for local suppliers. As to potential disturbance to agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture, there is no agricultural land in the affected area, nor do there appear to be any areas with significant horticultural elements. There is a pond in the vicinity, however, with water life, due to the presence of swans and other water birds which may be thriving on fish or other aquatic or semi-aquatic species in the area. This indicates the viability of the pond to sustain life, and while there is no indication of large-scale aquaculture activities but it is possible that there may be on a small scale basis. 6) Increase in ambient noise level The scoping stage conducted a noise level study and arrived at a comprehensive road traffic noise model spreadsheet. The study indicates that the four segments studied (referring to the area under study) have a relatively uniform noise contribution pattern, traversing the narrow range from about 30 to 34 decibels (dB) of sound. The total combined noise from the four segments is indicated at about 35 dB. While this may be towards the upper limit of the range, the noise level indicated is approximately that which may be expected in an urban setting. Increase in motor traffic in the area, however, will tend to increase the noise level, because of the sound of engines and horns and the other random sounds that attend it. Mitigation measures to effects on human beings, buildings and man-made features There will be no major displacement of residents, so there is no need for a resettlement plan for humans. There will be mitigation efforts at rationalizing traffic flow of both vehicles and humans to provide sufficient crosswalks where necessary or, if traffic becomes heavier than expected, to provide foot bridges over the roadway, or underground pedestrian passageways as an alternative. This is particularly applicable in the places where severance has been foreseen, mainly at the Mundella Community College and adjacent locations, and the 80 households at Victoria Road East. Safety rails on either side of the new roadway will be installed at strategic points, particularly at the turns where drivers’ visions are unable to see beyond the bend, to prevent people from inadvertently crossing at these danger points. Care is to be taken during excavation in those areas where greenhouse gases are seen to be elevated by the borehole and spike investigation; in this case, prevention is the best mitigation measure to prevent the release of large volumes of emission into the air or contamination into the water. The same is true of the sites identified as having archaeological value, inasmuch as these are protected sites, and therefore should be identified and avoided as early as the planning stage. During construction, noise cannot be avoided and their effects should therefore be minimized. Noise impact sources should be distanced as far as possible from the populated area, and noise suppressors used on construction equipment where feasible, particularly at night time. Construction workers should be equipped with hearing protection gear (RIH, 2002). To maintain noise impacts within prescribed standards during regular operation, abatement or minimization at receptor may be necessary. Affected residents will be advised to install noise-insulating windows, and a greenbelt may be established between the road and the populated areas. Signs will be set up prohibiting the blowing of horns particularly in areas close to residences, schools, churches, hospitals, etc. Noise impact monitoring should also be conducted post-construction and during operation in order to determine if further noise mitigation measures are needed (RIH, 2002). Residual impacts to effects on human beings, buildings and man-made features Residual impacts are in the form of increased dust and particulates in the air as well as greater level of air pollution due to emissions from the greater volume of passing vehicles on the roadway. Inasmuch as the vehicles are merely passing through, there is little control over them that may be exerted by community authorities, thus the level of vehicle emission may only be addressed by national legislation and enforcement. Some level of ambient noise elevation due to passing vehicles will be unavoidable but should be tolerable. The necessary noise insulation should be adopted in affected areas. b. Effects on flora, fauna and geology Significance Criteria 1) Possible loss or reduction in species 2) Habitat intrusion, depletion and fragmentation 3) Ecological destabilization, impairment of ecological integrity, resilience or health 4) Contamination of flora and fauna Explanation of their importance based on the significance criteria 1) Possible loss or reduction in species Prior to the start of project construction, baseline studies conducted showed that the area affected by the proposed runway is comprised of regenerating scrubland interspersed with a variety of hedges and trees fringing a grassland and two ponds. The grassland used to be a brickworks site, and is now gradually being recolonized by the undergrowth. Construction of the roadway and its immediate embankment is likely to affect the topography and, therefore, the plant life growing in that area; however, to either side of the roadway, the flora is not bound to be affected. Concerning the fauna, there are distinct indications that several of the wildlife in the area are going to be affected. Already, several colonies of badgers would have been resettled to an artificial settlement site prior to the project’s start, as indicated by the data and correspondence to Mark Bateman by Brown, badger consultant, dated April 2001. This appeared to be unwarranted since the protected species survey dated 1999 stated the absence of any evidence of badger activity in the area. The precaution was justified, however, by the news release dated 2004. This news reported a walk-over survey report that revealed the presence of an active badger set directly under the line of the proposed highways route. Additionally, as of the protected species surveys dated 1999, however, it was noted that several trees in the area were home to a bat population. Since then, it may be possible that several other bat roosts may have been established in the affected vicinity. In any case, one mitigation measure for this would be the development of alternative bat habitats offsite and well outside of the development area, per the 1999 survey report. Also, the photos obtained during the scoping stage indicate that there are some swans in the area, thus it is safe to assume that the water based bird population is supported by the corresponding food chain present in the area. One of the ponds was identified in the 1999 survey as a possible breeding habitat for the Great Crested Newts, although none were found at the time during a brief sweep of the location. The report mentioned finding significant numbers of the Ramshorn snail, the great pond snail, and a number of common species of water beetles. All told, the LCC ecological survey noted that the substantial area covered by natural open space has “considerable wildlife value.” 2) Habitat intrusion, depletion and fragmentation There will tend to be some habitat intrusion in the area, with the road severing the free movement of animals from one side to the other. This will tend to increase the chances of roadkill, except if fences were erected on either side of the road. This latter measure is ill advised, however, because it will prevent some of the local fauna from having access to the available water supply and food sources on either side of the road. It should further be noted that the 1999 LCC ecological survey stressed that if the proposed road becomes reality, most of the habitat will be destroyed, either by the construction itself, or the developments that follow as a natural consequence. 3) Ecological destabilization, impairment of ecological integrity resilience or health The habitat is characterised as urban on the south and east of the proposed roadway, and a golf course and rough grassland on the west of it. The west side of the construction site has the usual features of a golf course with manicured greens, fairways, and sand traps, but also rough grassland and scattered scrub, hedgerow combined with mature trees, and ponds and wetlands. While these were intended as hazards, they nevertheless also support an ecosystem, as evidenced by swans in the ponds and badgers which necessitated resettling. The roadwork runs right through the urban area and the golf course/ natural setting. According to the LCC ecological survey dated 1999, while the area defined by grasslands is not particularly replete with wildlife species, it nevertheless remains an important wildlife habitat because of its large size and the fact that it supports adjacent habitats. Small mammals traverse through the area regularly, birds seek shelter and shade as well as food (in the form of invertebrates, which abound in the area) in the trees and shrubbery. It is evident, then, that the impairment of the ecological integrity of this area could cause a disruption of the food chain for birds and other life forms in the area. 4) Contamination of flora and fauna Baseline studies show a diverse range of flora, including some species which have been identified to be important to the locality, such as the bee orchid, the wild marjoram and the blue fleabane (see ecology baseline survey data). Species of trees include ash, pendunculate oak, hawthorns, elder, elm and blackthorn to the east, and to the south there is a wider variety of flora which, aside from ash, hawthorn and elder, also includes crab apple, field maple and privet. The ground species include nettle, wood dock, herb bennet, ivy, cow parsley, wood false-brome and brome, black bryony and hedge woundwort. On the other hand, as far as fauna are concerned, as was earlier mentioned the area supports a complex mosaic of habitats which impact upon a variety of wildlife and plant life in the area although it may not necessarily be directly inhabited except by a moderate number of animal and plant species. Based upon the scoping reports, there is no mention of any expected direct threats in terms of contamination of either flora and fauna, however, since indirect threats exist by way of emissions and particulates that may be released into the air and water, as in the case of humans, there is also perceivable chances of damage to the ecosystem that may result in reduction in species diversity and the possible loss of threatened, rare or endangered species. In order to mitigate this threat, there must be a system of continuing oversight over the existing biosphere in the area. In the mitigation measures that shall be discussed, the mitigation hierarchy used is that of Mitchell (1997) Mitigation measures on effects on flora, fauna and geology Those identified species of plants and animals that may be directly affected by the roadway should be transplanted or relocated, such as has been done earlier with the beaver population. On the other hand, the construction of fences or railways on the sides of the road to protect humans at strategic points would hamper the natural crossing of animal life from one side to the other, in order to gain access to food or water in the undeveloped area to the west of the roadway. Care should therefore be taken to provide an access for animal crossings at other parts of the road where the drivers of passing vehicles have good visibility. Signs indicating points at likely crossings of animals should be erected to warn drivers to reduce speed limits. Residual impacts on effects on flora, fauna and geology There will remain indirect threats to the flora and fauna in the vicinity since increasing urbanization in the area brought about by the roadway will continue to encroach into their habitat. The authorities will have to establish areas where the flora and fauna may be protected as a mitigation measure, because total prevention is highly unlikely to prosper. Regular monitoring of the biosphere will be necessary to keep the contaminants in check. 3. Comment on any issues of uncertainty surrounding this EIA work and suggest how you could overcome the uncertainty. There are several issues that provide a measure of uncertainty to this particular EIA work, and some of which are common to EIAs in general. 3.1 Uncertainty in the identification of impacts This particular stage of the EIA process is particularly significant because it is the activity that has the greatest breadth and the least established guidelines, thus it is at this stage where errors of omission are mostly introduced. It is possible that at this stage, not all the likely scenarios or aspects have been taken into account so as to compromise the completeness of the assessment. On the other hand, there is equally the possibility that too much unnecessary information is being sourced so that the process takes too long, is too expensive, and as a result yields outcomes that are too vague and disperse to be useful. How the issue may be overcome The success of the impact identification process is largely dependent upon the researcher’s expertise, industry, tenacity, and focus. Because of the comprehensiveness of the impact identification process, there have been several formal methods developed which the researcher could use: checklists, matrices, networks, overlays and geographic information systems, expert systems, and the exercise of the researcher’s own professional judgment (UNU, 2006). 3.2 Uncertainty in the identification and application of threshold levels. Regulations and guidelines in a locality are the source of the particular threshold levels to apply when determining the need for the preparation of an environmental impact statement, and the degree of detail which must be observed. However, in the case of European countries, the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive is likewise controlling, and in the cases of countries which have not yet fully legislated the mandates of the directive into the national law, then discrepancies may arise in the final assessment as to whether the proposed project exceeds the threshold or not. Furthermore, identification of threshold levels, despite attempts to quantify or rank, involve a high degree of subjectivity. Whether the reliance on subjective means is disadvantageous depends upon the person making the assessment. How the issue may be overcome For certain types of proposed projects, threshold levels to be applied to an EIA are required by said directive in the case of motorways, large scale developments in agriculture, the food industry, chemical industry, infrastructure and urban developments (EU Citizens Information Board, 2011). Also, in addressing the effect of subjectivity reliance on experts is crucial. A source with expertise built by training and wide experience will provide highly reliable threshold measures, while anyone less qualified may create highly inaccurate ones. 3.3 Uncertainty in the identification and application of significance criteria The second major issue that causes uncertainties in EIA development in general is the use of significance criteria. The identification of adverse impacts are dependent upon several criteria, which include (1) environmental loss and deterioration; (2) social impacts resulting directly or indirectly from environmental change; (3) non-conformity with environmental standards, objectives and guidelines; and (4) likelihood and acceptability of risk (CE EIA, 2006). There are, however, differences in the specific application of the general significance criteria, that sometimes confusion ensues as to which criteria should be employed. How the issue may be overcome Guidelines are drawn concerning the use of certain significance criteria, depending upon the type of project, the type of location or terrain, and the political or legal jurisdiction. In Europe the directives issued for application throughout the EU should be incorporated into the national law of each country for specific guidelines and implementation. EU directives are understood to be pursuant to the U.N. criteria agreed upon by the EIA standards development committee. 3.4 Uncertainty in the choice of impact prediction techniques and approaches One of the more controversial issues in EIA preparation are the analytical and predictive methods used in forecasting the likely effects of the proposed innovation, whether such results are directly or indirectly caused by the innovation, and how far such results deviate from the conditions that are inevitable without the innovation being adopted. The credibility of the EIA depends, to a large extent, on the expertise and competence of the technical team and EIA practitioners who are in charge of estimating the nature, extent, and magnitude of the possible changes that result from project activities. Such a description of the forecasted changes is fundamental to the assessment of both favourable and unfavourable impacts. The predicted adverse impacts, in turn, become the basis for determining what measures may be adopted to mitigate or probably eliminate the risk of negative impacts. There are two general approaches to impact prediction. Depending upon the conceptual models adopted, the prediction of the degree of change may either be qualitative or quantitative. In the case of qualitative techniques, expert judgment is crucial to the accuracy of the final assessment. On the other hand, the quantitative approach necessitates the use of mathematical models that are themselves developed by experts (ADB, 1997). As far as possible, the quantitative approach should be used because this facilitates the ease of comparing among different impacts in terms of magnitude, spatial occurrences, etc. Where quantification is difficult, such as when the needed quantitative data is not complete or the quantitative method leads to a misleading conclusion because the method available is inappropriate for the situation, then a qualitative method that allows for impacts to be reasonably estimated and compared (UNU, 2006). Another issue is the strategy of the method used in impact prediction, discrepancies in which tend to yield different results, neither of which is totally wrong nor completely right. The two types of strategic methods employed in predictive models are the extrapolative and the normative methods. The extrapolative methods include those where the predictions are made on the basis of past and present data, with the assumption that the past will repeat itself. These include trend and scenario analysis, otherwise known as common sense forecast; analogies or transferring experience from some other place or event, and intuitive forecasting from arriving at a group consensus. On the other hand, the normative method sets desired targets which the proposed project is intending to achieve, such as raising volume of visitors to an area by 20 per cent, or employing 50 per cent of the local population during project construction (USAID SARI, 2011). As may be foreseen, the differences in the choice of method (i.e. extrapolative or building on the past, and target setting or aiming for the future) establish the orientation of the EIA and therefore influence the results of the assessment. How the issue may be overcome As with all prediction techniques, there are no guarantees. For quantitative methods, databases sourced should be documented as to authority and date, and assumptions specified. The statistical method used should be justified, and significance levels denoted to indicate error tolerance. For qualitative methods, explanations should be thorough and the factual bases thereof specified. The qualifications of the evaluator making the qualitative assessment should be specified and justified. For best results, both qualitative and quantitative (e.g. hybrid) methods should be used for triangulation purposes. Finally, the resulting forecast should be compared to similar projects and consulted with independent authorities and assessors. 4. Prepare a non-technical summary impact matrix that would allow a balanced opinion to be formed as to whether this development should proceed Determination of significance Impacts seen as most significant Consequence Likelihood Significance a. Effects on human beings and man-made features -4 3 -12 b. Effects on flora, fauna and geology -4 3 -12 c. Effects on land -3 3 -9 d. Effects on water -3 3 -9 e. Effects on air and climate -3 3 -9 f. Other indirect and secondary effects associated with the project -2 3 -6 Consequences: 5-Catastrophic, 4 – Major, 3 – Moderate, 2 – Minor, 1 – Negligible, 0 – none Likelihood: 5 – Certain; 4 – Very likely; 3 – Likely; 2 – Unlikely; 1 – Very unlikely Significance: >16 – Critical; 9-16 – High; 6-8 – Medium; 2-5 – Low; 16 – Critical; 9-16 – High; 6-8 – Medium; 2-5 – Low; Read More