In preparing the EIA documents required under the EIA law, the LGU must be guided by the different stages in the Philippine EIA process. These six stages include: 1) Screening of Potential Impacts, 2) Scoping of Environmental Issues, 3) EIA Study and Report Preparation, 4) EIA Report review and Evaluation, 5) Decision making, and 6) Monitoring, Validation, Evaluation and Audit. Details on these stages are provided in Box 2.
Box 2. Stages in the EIA Process | |
EIA Process | Brief Description |
Screening | Determines whether the proposed project is covered by the EIA system. If covered, the type of EIA document that should be prepared and the kind of permit that needs to be secured are identified. |
Scoping | The important issues and concerns of stakeholders are identified to serve as the basis for preparing the focus of the EIA study. The result of the scoping also determines the need for the conduct of Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA). This activity is done with the DENR and the stakeholders with the resulting product as a Scoping Checklist approved by the EMB. |
EIA Study and Report Preparation | The main bulk of the activities are undertaken here. The study involves the design and description of the project, the characterization of its upstream and downstream environment and the people affected the projected positive and significant negative impacts of the project's pre-construction, construction and operation stages, identification of the mitigation measures and preparation of the Environmental Management Plan with cost estimates and institutional arrangements. |
EIA Report review and Evaluation | The EIA report is reviewed by the EMB' review committee following its prescribed procedures and standards. The public's inputs during consultations and hearings are weighed by the review committee. The review committee prepares and submits its recommendations to the DENR and EMB's deciding authority. |
Decision making | The deciding authority (the EMB Regional Director, EMB Executive Director, or DENR Secretary depending on the EIA document being evaluated) will make a decision given the prescribed timeline to issue the necessary clearance permits or denial letter. The permits issued may be an ECC, CNC or denial letter. |
Monitoring, Validation, Evaluation and Audit | The performance of the proponent is evaluated against the ECC conditionalities and its commitment in the Environmental Management Plan. A monitoring and evaluation plan is prepared for this purpose and a Multi-partite monitoring team is designated comprising of the EMB, LGU and Civil Society representatives. |