EIA Procedures for

Small-Scale Activities
 Overview

 Purpose: see how the principles of the EIA process

are applied in practice

 Focus: simplified EIA process for small-scale

activities

 Our example: USAID procedures for small-scale

“umbrella” or subgrant projects
 Procedures of other organizations are very similar
 What are “umbrella” projects?

 PVOs or NGOs receive money from USAID and give

sub-grants to other organizations
 Subgrant activities often not defined when the PVO
proposes the project

 USAID grants conditional approval

 Condition is that each subgrant is subject to simplified

environmental review and documentation
Where do EIA processes start?
 Screening: the first step
Phase I Phase II
Screening
Preliminary Scoping
Understand Assessment
the proposed Based on the May or may
activity YES Determines
nature of the not require a
A rapid, Decision: (significant issues and
activity/ full EIA, but
further simplified EIA Conduct adverse impacts
project, what full EIA? impacts are
scrutiny study using addressed
level of possible)
Is indicated simple tools by the full
environment
EIA study
al scrutiny is NO
indicated? (project is very
unlikely to have
any significant
adverse
impacts)

By its nature,
project is very
EIA Process
unlikely to have
ends
any significant
adverse impacts
Activity
demands a full
EIA
automotically
 Screening under USAID subgrant
procedures

Screening result Implication

Activity Do Environmental Review Report
is very high risk
BUT NOTE: If design is not changed,
Activity may be unfundable
& will likely require full EA
Activity

Activity is of unknown Do Environmental

or moderate risk Review Report*

No further
Activity is very low-risk
review is necessary

*Environmental Review Report = a “preliminary assessment”

 How do we do screening?

 The ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FORM guides the

process
 The form asks you to:
 LIST each activity being proposed
 CHECK EACH activity against a list of “very low risk”
activities
 CHECK EACH activity against a list of “very high risk”
activities
 RECORD the screening result for each activity
 3 possible results: very low risk, very high risk, moderate or
unknown risk
 Some examples of
“very low risk” activities

 Education, technical assistance, or training.

(except for activities directly affecting the
environment).

 Community awareness initiatives.

 Technical studies not involving intrusive sampling

of endangered species or critical habitats.
 Some examples of
“very high risk” activities

 River basin or new lands development

 Planned resettlement of human populations
 Penetration road building
 Major bore hole or water point construction
 Large-scale irrigation
 Water management structures such as dams and
impoundments
 Drainage of wetlands or other permanently
flooded areas
 Some examples of
“moderate risk” activities

 Small-scale infrastructure with the known

potential to cause environmental harm (e.g.,
roads, bore holes).

 Quantity imports of commodities such as

fertilizers.

 Field agricultural experimentation exclusively for

research and evaluation of MORE than 4 ha.
 BREAK!!!!!!

Workgroup exercise:

practice with screening

 After screening, what next?

Phase I Phase II
Screening
Preliminary Scoping
Understand Assessment
the proposed Based on the May or may
activity YES Determines
nature of the not require a
A rapid, Decision: (significant issues and
activity/ full EIA, but
further simplified EIA Conduct adverse impacts
project, what full EIA? impacts are
scrutiny study using addressed
level of possible)
Is indicated simple tools by the full
environment
EIA study
al scrutiny is NO
indicated? (project is very
unlikely to have
any significant
adverse
impacts)

By its nature,
project is very
EIA Process
unlikely to have
ends
any significant
adverse impacts
Activity
demands a full
EIA
automotically
 After screening, what next?

 If ALL activities are “very low risk,” environmental

review process ends.
 Sign certification and submit documentation!

 If ANY activities are:

 “moderate or unknown risk” OR
 “very high risk”

 an Environmental Review Report (ERR) must be

completed.
 = a “preliminary assessment”
 What does an Environmental
Review Report (ERR) look like?

1. Background, Rationale and Outputs/Results Expected

2. Activity Description

3. Environmental Situation

4. Evaluation of Activities with Respect to Environmental Impact

Potential

5. Environmental Mitigation Actions (including environmental

monitoring and evaluation)

6. Other information (photos, references, individuals consulted)

3 to 5 pages!
 After the ERR, what next?

Phase I Phase II
Screening
Preliminary Scoping
Understand Assessment
the proposed Based on the May or may
activity YES Determines
nature of the not require a
A rapid, Decision: (significant issues and
activity/ full EIA, but
further simplified EIA Conduct adverse impacts
project, what full EIA? impacts are
scrutiny study using addressed
level of possible)
Is indicated simple tools by the full
environment
EIA study
al scrutiny is NO
indicated? (project is very
unlikely to have
any significant
adverse
impacts)

By its nature,
project is very
EIA Process
unlikely to have
ends
any significant
adverse impacts
Activity
demands a full
EIA
automotically
 After the ERR, what next?

 The purpose of the ERR is to:

 Allow you to make a recommendation regarding the likely

environmental impacts of low-risk and high-risk activities

 Allow a reviewer to evaluate this recommendation

 After the ERR, what next?

 Therefore, for EACH:

 Moderate/unknown risk activity
 Very high risk activity

you must make one of 3 recommended

determinations:
 No significant adverse impacts
 With specified mitigation and monitoring, no significant
adverse impacts
 Significant adverse impacts
Meaning of the recommendations
 Final steps

 Record the recommendations in the activity list

 Sign the certification

 SUBMIT the Environmental Review Form

 WAIT for Response from Reviewing Authority

 Overview of the process
Obtain screening results:
No further review needed;
apply • Very low risk
Sign and submit.
SCREENING
criteria • High risk
• Moderate/unknown risk

Proposed Do
activity ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW REPORT

Reach RECOMMENDED DETERMINATION

• No significant adverse impact
• With adequate mitigation and
monitoring, no significant adverse
impact
• Significant adverse impact Will require a full EA if
allowed to proceed at all

Sign and submit.

 Responses of the reviewing
authority

 Reviewing authority may:

 Accept the screening
results and
 Reject recommended
 Require more analysis determinations

 If a recommendation of “significant adverse impacts” is

accepted,
 The reviewing authority may cancel the activity
 The reviewing authority may insist on a full EA. The proposer
would then enter into detailed discussions with the reviewing
authority.