Screening

Dr.P. Venkateswara Rao

 Screening
• This section introduces the different
procedures and methods for identifying
whether or not an EIA is required for a
proposal.
• It examines their relative strengths and
weaknesses, and allows participants to gain
initial familiarity with the concept of impact
‘significance’ and its importance in triggering
the right level of EIA review.
 Screening
Learning Outcomes of this Section
• Understand and explain why screening is
necessary in EIA;
• Know how to undertake screening, including
knowledge of procedures and project lists;
and
• Be able to articulate the criteria determining
the need for EIA.
 Screening
• Screening is the first key decision of the EIA process .
• Some type of screening procedure is necessary
because of the large number of projects and
activities that are potentially subject to EIA.
• The purpose of screening is to determine whether a
proposal requires an EIA or not.
• It is intended to ensure that the form or level of any
EIA review is commensurate with the importance of
the issues raised by a proposal .
 Screening
• The conduct of screening thus involves making a preliminary
determination of the expected impact of a proposal on the
environment and of its relative significance.
• A certain level of basic information about the proposal and its
location is required for this purpose.
• The time taken to complete the screening process will depend
upon the type of proposal, the environmental setting and the
degree of experience or understanding of its potential effects.
• Most proposals can be screened very quickly (in an hour or less)
but some will take longer and a few will require an extended
screening or initial assessment.
• Only a limited number of proposals, usually major projects, will
warrant a full EIA because they are known or considered to have
potentially significant adverse impacts on the environment;
 Screening
• Screening establishes the basis for scoping, which
identifies the key impacts to be studied and
establishes terms of reference for an EIA.
• The requirements for screening and the procedure to
be followed are often defined in the applicable EIA
law or regulations .
• In many cases, the proposals to which EIA applies are
listed in an annex.
• Usually, the proponent is responsible for carrying out
screening .
 Screening Approaches
• prescriptive or standardised approach –
proposals subject to or exempt from EIA are
defined or listed in legislation and regulations;
and
• discretionary or customised approach –
proposals are screened on an individual or
case-by-case base, using indicative guidance.
Specific methods used in screening
• legal (or policy) definition of proposals to which EIA
does or does not apply;
• inclusion list of projects (with or without thresholds)
for which an EIA is automatically required ; exclusion
list of activities which do not require EIA because
they are insignificant or are exempt by law (e.g.
national security or emergency activities) ; and
• criteria for case-by-case screening of proposals to
identify those requiring an EIA because of their
potentially significant environmental effects .
Framework for Screening
 extended screening procedures
• initial environmental examination (IEE) – carried out
in cases where the environmental impacts of a
proposal are uncertain or unknown (e.g. new
technologies or undeveloped areas) ;
• environmental overview – carried out as a rapid
assessment of the environmental issues and impacts
of a proposal ; and
• class screening – carried out for a family of small
projects or repetitive activities, where the
environmental effects and means of mitigation are
known but there is potential for cumulative impacts
(e.g. dredging, road realignment, bank stabilisation) .
 Project lists for screening
http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/so15
33_1.pdf
LIST OF PROJECTS REQUIRING ENVIRONMENTAL
CLEARANCE FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

1. Nuclear Power and related projects such as heavy water

plants, nuclear fuel complex, rare earths.
2. River Valley projects including hydel power, major irrigation
and their combination including flood control.
3. Ports, Harbours, Airports (except minor ports and harbours).
4. Petroleum Refineries including crude and product pipelines.
5. Chemical Fertilizers (Nitrogenous and Phosphatic other than
single superphosphate)
6. Pesticides (Technical )
7. Petrochemical complexes (Both Olefinic and
Aromatic) and Petro-chemical intermediates such
as DMT, Caprolactam, LAB etc. and production of
basic plastics such as LDPE, HDPE, PP, PVC.
8. Bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals
9. Exploration for oil and gas and their production,
transportation and storage.
10. Synthetic Rubber
11. Asbestos and Asbestos products
12. Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives.
13. (a) Primary metallurgical industries (such as production
of Iron and Steel, Aluminium, Copper, Zinc, Lead and
Ferro Alloys).
(b) Electric arc furnaces (Mini Steel Plants).
14. Chlor - alkali industry
15. Integrated paint complex including manufacture of resins
and basic raw materials required in the manufacture of
paints.
16. Viscose Staple fibre and filament yarn.
17. Storage batteries integrated with manufacture of oxides of
lead and lead antimony alloy
18. All tourism projects between 200 - 500 meters of High Tide
Line or at locations with an elevation of more than 1000
meters with investment of more than Rs.5Crores.
19. Thermal Power plants.
20. Mining projects (major minerals) with leases more than 5
hectares.
21. Highway Projects
22. Tarred Roads in Himalayas and/or Forest areas
23. Distilleries
24. Raw Skins and Hides.
25. Pulp, paper and newsprint
26. Dyes
27. Cement
28. Foundries (individual)
29. Electroplating
30. Meta Amino Phenol
 Criteria for the determination of the
need for, and level of, EIA

• Character of the receiving environment

• Potential impact of proposal
• Resilience of natural and human
environments to cope with change
• Confidence of prediction of impacts
• Presence of planning, policy framework and
other decision-making processes
• Degree of public interest
 Outcomes of Screening
• no further EIA requirement applies – the proposal
will have an insignificant impact;
• a preliminary EIA study is required – the proposal will
have an environmental impact that must be
addressed but can be mitigated;
• a full or comprehensive EIA is required to complete
the screening process – the proposal will have a
potentially significant environmental impact; or
• an IEE is required – the potential environmental
effects of the proposal are unclear or uncertain .
 Scoping
The purpose of scoping is to identify:
• the important issues to be considered in an
EIA;
• the appropriate time and space boundaries of
the EIA study;
• the information necessary for decision -
making; and
• the significant effects and factors to be
studied in detail.
 Scoping
Key objectives of scoping are to:

• inform the public about the proposal;

• identify the main stakeholders and their concerns and values;
• define the reasonable and practical alternatives to the
proposal;
• focus the important issues and significant impacts to be
addressed by an EIA;
• define the boundaries for an EIA in time, space and subject
matter;
• set requirements for the collection of baseline and other
information; and
• establish the Terms of Reference for an EIA study.
 Scoping
Guiding principles for carrying out the scoping process include the following:

• recognise scoping is a process rather than a discrete activity or

event;
• design the scoping process for each proposal, taking into
account the environment and people affected;
• start scoping as soon as you have sufficient information
available;
• prepare an information package or circular explaining the
proposal and the process;
• specify the role and contribution of the stakeholders and the
public;
• take a systematic approach but implement flexibly;
• document the results to guide preparation of an EIA; and
• respond to new information and further issues raised by
stakeholders.