The Environmental Impact Assessment describes the positive and negative effect of the project on environment and natural resources and the human communities where the project will be located.
Environmental Impact Assessment Process
It involves the identification, review and evaluation by the LGU, with technical assistance from experts or consultants, of the potential and perceived environmental risks and impacts of the proposed project. It also includes the identification of avoidance and mitigating measures and the preparation of environmental management plan (EMP) that shall be implemented to address the identified environmental risks and impacts of the proposed project. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a structured analytical tool that is applied to proposed projects that fall under the country's environmental impact assessment system. The LGU is mandated to submit the requirements under the EIA laws and regulations - to obtain the necessary environmental compliance certification for the proposed project. Part of the requirements for the issuance of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) is the documentary evidence that the project is socially acceptable to its stakeholders.
Environmental Assessment Criteria/Determinants
Environmental assessment criteria or project screening impact checklist are prescribed to conduct of a preliminary determination if an LGU project has any adverse impact on the environment. This is done at the project identification stage, where critical environmental risk questions or the use of an impact checklist will determine whether a proposed project will have significant impacts on the environment. Depending on the results of the project screening, the environmental assessment study and report required under the EIA law will apply. Hence, a project may be required a Project Description Document, or an Initial Environmental Examination Report, or a full blown Environmental Impact Statement depending on the potential severity of the proposed project's impacts.
Below is a sample of a rapid checklist used for the initial environmental screening of proposed PPP projects.