ENVS402 Environmental Impact Assessment

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating measures
I.

Benefit enhancing measures (selection

and implementation)
II. Adverse Impact mitigating measures
(selection and implementation)
1

9/16/2011
ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating
g
g measures

Thepurposeofmitigationmeasuresisto
avoid,reduceorminimizeunwanted
impacts and enhance beneficial impacts
impactsandenhancebeneficialimpacts
Selectionofalternativesisalsoaformof
Selection
of alternatives is also a form of
mitigationintermsofimpact,costand
technology
gy

ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

9/16/2011

Definition of mitigation
Mitigation
g
is.. . .

!
3

The implementation of measures

designed to reduce the
undesirable effects of a
proposed action on the
environment
Mitigation is a key part of the
EIA process. It is essential to
achieving environmentally
sound
d design.
d i
Source: ENCAP EA-ESD
Course: Mitigation &
Monitoring

Different types of mitigation measures act in different ways to reduce

adverse impacts:

Type of measure How it works

Fullyy or partially
p
yp
prevent an
impact/reduce a risk by:

Prevention &
Control measures

Changing means or
technique
Changing the site
Specifying operating
practices

Examples
PREVENT contamination of
wells, by SITING wells a
minimum distance from latrines.
Implement health education
program
Initiate public awareness prog.

Compensatory
measures

Offset adverse impacts in

Plant trees in a new location to
one area with improvements COMPENSATE for clearing a
elsewhere
construction site.

Remediation/
Corrective
measures

Repair or restore the

Re-grade and replant a borrow
environment after damage is
pit after construction is finished
done.

ENCAP EA-ESD Course: Mitigation & Monitoring

Example of Mitigation:
O
Operating
ti practices
ti
t preventt & control
to
t l impacts
i
t
y Irrigation
y Potential impact:

salinization of soils
y Mitigation: avoid
water-logging by using
improvedd on-farm
f
water
management, including
pplacement of drainage
g
structures.

5
ENCAP EA-ESD Course: Mitigation & Monitoring

Example of Mitigation:
Change of site to prevent & control impacts
y Rurall road
d construction
y Potential impact: route

traverses nesting area for a

threatened species of bird
y Mitigation:
Re-route roadd to avoidd
nesting site.
Also,, minimize
construction noise and
other disturbance during
nesting season
6

ENCAP EA-ESD Course:

Mitigation & Monitoring

Reliability of mitigation measures:

site & technique changes vs. operating practices

9
!

PREVENTION of impacts by
changes to site or technique is
the most reliable approach to
mitigation.
CONTROL of impacts with
operating practices is less
reliable,, because the practices
p
must be continued after handover of the activity.
ENCAP EA-ESD Course:
Mitigation & Monitoring

Do I mitigate EVERY impact?

NOT NECESSARILY.
NECESSARILY
Mitigation is directed at two targets.
1 serious impacts

First, the most serious

impacts
p
identified by
y
the EIA process should
ALWAYS be mitigated.
8

easily mitigated
impacts
After addressing the
most serious impacts,
there may be small
impacts for which
mitigation is easy and
low-cost. ENCAP EA-ESD Course:
Mitigation & Monitoring

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating
g
g measures
A Framework of Impact Mitigation
Desirable

AVOIDANCE

MITIGATION

COMPENSATION

Alt. Sites/Technology

Actions

Use as last resort

Undesirable

ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

9/16/2011

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating
g
g measures
Characteristics of Impact Mitigation Measures

10

Proposedmitigationmeasuresshouldbeableto
describe;
1 theimpactitwillavoid,mitigateorcompensate
1.
the impact it will avoid mitigate or compensate
whenimplemented,
2. anassessmentoftheeffectivenessof
protectionmeasures,
3. thenextbestalternative,
4. thecostoftheprotectionmeasures,
p
,
5. andtheimplementationplanforputtingthe
measureintopractice.

ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

9/16/2011

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating
g
g measures

11

ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

9/16/2011

7. Environmental Impact
p
Mitigating
g
g measures
Implementation of Mitigation Measures
ImplementationofMitigationMeasures:
shouldbecosteffectiveandlocallyapplicableandcanbe
proposed during different stages of project implementation
proposedduringdifferentstagesofprojectimplementation.

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Preconstruction(suchascompensationforlandacquisition),
Construction (such as planning and designing activities)
Construction(suchasplanninganddesigningactivities),
Operationalstages(suchasmaintenanceactivities).

Thecostisusuallyabout10%ofthetotalcostoftheproject
The
cost is usually about 10 % of the total cost of the project
(althoughitdependsonthenature,size,locationetc.ofthe
project)
ENVS402 EIA by Dr. Subodh Sharma

9/16/2011