Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment

A tool used by project planners whereby proposed projects are analyzed for the possible impact that their implementation may have on the environment or a process of identifying, predicting, evaluating, mitigating the biophysical, social and other relevant effects of proposed projects and physical activities before making major decisions and commitments for their implementation

Carrying Capacity

The measure of capacity of the environment to absorb impacts within recovery thresholds such that there is no significant deterioration or depletion of resources to a point where sustainable ecosystem function is impaired.

Environment

Surrounding air, water (both ground and surface), land, flora, fauna, humans and their interrelations.

Process industry

An industry whose project operation stage involves chemical, mechanical or other processes

Proponent

Any natural or juridical person intending to implement a project or undertaking.

Stakeholders

Entities who may be directly and significantly affected by the project or undertaking including the proponent, government agencies who have mandates over the project local government units who have jurisdiction over the project, local communities who may be affected by the impacts, locally-based or locally active NGOs/Pos within the impact areas.

Environmental Impact Assessment Consultant

A professional or group of professionals commissioned by the proponent to prepare the EIS/IEE and other related documents. In some cases, the person or group referred to may be the proponent's technical staff.

Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee

A body of independent technical experts and professionals of known probity from various fields organized by the EMB to evaluate the EIS and other related documents and to make appropriate recommendations regarding the issuance or non-issuance of an ECC.

Multipartite Monitoring Team

Community based multi-sectoral team organized for the purpose of monitoring the Proponents compliance with ECC conditions, EMP and applicable laws, rules and regulations.

EMB Director

The Director of the DENR-EMB at the central office.

EMB RD / EMB RO Director

The Director of the DENR-EMB at the regional office.

Environmental Compliance Certificate

The document issued by the DENR-EMB certifying that based on the representations of the proponent and the preparers, as reviewed and validated by the EIARC, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause a significant negative environmental impact, that the proponent has complied with all the requirements of the EIS system.

Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC)

A certification issued by the EMB certifying that based on the submitted project description, the project is not covered by the EIS system and is not required to secure an ECC.

Residual impacts

Remaining impacts after implementation of preventive and mitigating measures.

Cumulative impacts

Additive impacts from various sources.

Significant impacts

Impacts which damage the environment to the point that the environment resource loses its capacity to sustain life or to continue functioning within baseline levels and efficiency.

Environmental Guarantee Fund

Fund to be set up by a project proponent which shall be readily accessible and disbursable for the immediate clean-up or rehabilitation of areas affected by damages in the environment and the resulting deterioration of environmental quality as a direct consequence of a project's construction, operation or abandonment.

Environmental Monitoring Fund (EMF)

Fund that a proponent shall set up after an ECC is issued for its project or undertaking, to be used to support the activities of the multi-partite monitoring team.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

Process that involves evaluating and predicting the likely impacts of a project (including cumulative impacts) on the environment during construction, commissioning, operation and abandonment.

Environmental Risk Assessment

Assessment through the use of universally accepted and scientific methods, of risks associated with a project. If focuses on determining the probability of occurrence of accidents and their magnitude.

Environmental Performance

Capability of proponents to mitigate environmental impacts of projects or programs.

Public Participation

Open, transparent, gender-sensitive and community based public involvement in the EIA process, aimed at ensuring the social acceptability of a project or undertaking, involving the broadest range of stakeholders, commencing at the earliest possible stage of project design and development and continuing until post-assessment monitoring.

Social acceptability

Acceptability of a project by affected communities based on timely and informed participation in the EIA process particularly with regard to environmental impacts that are of concern to them.

Scoping

The stage in the EIS system where information and project impact assessment requirements are more definitely established and focused to provide the Proponent and the stakeholders the final scope of work and terms of reference for the EIS.

Procedural Review

Phase in the ECC application review process to check for the completeness the required documents, conducted by EIAM division and the EMB central office or regional office.

Project Description

Document which may also be a chapter in an EIS that describes the nature, configuration, use of raw materials and natural resources, production system, waste or pollution generation and control and the activities of a proposed project.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Document, prepared and submitted by the project proponent and/or EIA consultant that serves as an application for an ECC.

Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Report

Document similar to an EIS but with reduced details and depth of assessment and discussion.

Initial Environmental Examination Checklist Report (IEECR)

Simplified checklist version of an IEE report, prescribed by the DENR to be filled up by a proponent to identify and assess a project's environmental impacts and the mitigation/enhancement measures to address such impacts.

Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (EPRMP)

Documentation of the actual cumulative environmental impacts and effectiveness of current measures for single projects that are already operating without ECCs.

Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)

Documentation of comprehensive studies on environmental baseline conditions of a contiguous area. It also includes an assessment of the carrying capacity of the area to absorb impacts from co-located projects such as those in industrial estates or economic zones.

Programmatic Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (PEPRMP)

Documentation of actual cumulative environmental impacts of co-located projects with proposals of expansion. It should also describe the effectiveness of current environmental mitigation measures and plans for performance improvement.

Environmental Management Plan/Program (EMP)

Section in the EIS that details the prevention, mitigation, compensation, contingency and monitoring measures to enhance positive impacts and minimize negative impacts and risks of a proposed project or undertaking.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Refers to the EMB PEPP EMS as provided for under DAO 2003-14 which is a part of the overall management system of a project or organization that includes environmental policy, organization structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes, and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing, and maintaining an improved overall environmental performance.

Philippine EIS system

A positive determination by the DENR-EMB results to an ECC document, to be conformed by the Proponent and represents the project's ECC.

Feasibility study stage

During which a proponent defines its range of actions and consider project alternatives, thus, the most ideal stage in the project cycle wherein the EIA study will have most added value.

Screening

Determines if the project is within the purview of EIS

EIA Study and Report Preparation

Involves the description of the project, baseline datas, impact identification and prediction, evaluation of impact significance, EMP or EMoP

EIA Report Review and Evaluation

Screening, review and evaluation of the document.

Decision making

Decision resulting to the issuance of an ECC, CNC or denial letter

Monitoring, Validation and Evaluation Audit

Stage assess performance of the proponent against the ECC.