The EIA Report

The NRCA requires the following pieces of information in its EIA Reports, for the process of development approvals:

• Executive Summary
• Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework - description of the policy and legal basis within which the project may be implemented. This refers to regulations, standards and guidelines applicable to the project.
• Description of the Environment - records conditions prior to implementation of the proposed project. Acts as a benchmark against which to measure environmental changes and assess impacts.
• Description of the Proposed Project - a detailed statement of all-important activities involved in the proposed project. These include, among others, the construction phase, start-up phase from the commissioning to the operational phase of the facilities.
• Significant Environmental Impacts - A listing of all impacts from which the significant impacts are selected for further study based on magnitude significance extent and special sensitivity, including minor, short-term, moderate, direct and indirect.
• Socio-Economic Analysis of Proposed Projects - The socio-economic conditions should be identified as well as the positive and negative impacts of the proposed project on the socio-economic environment. The socio-economic analysis should include information on land-use, the main economic activities, etc.
• Analysis of Alternatives - documentation of all alternatives including the "no action" alternative in developing the project, with each alternative evaluated in respect of its potential environmental impact and capital and operating costs.
• Mitigation Action/Mitigation Management Plan - Documentation and cost assessment for all potential adverse impacts and its mitigation at each stage of the project. The full documentation and assessment of mitigation is important in the selection of the preferred alternative which would form the basis on which the remainder of the EIA study is conducted.
• Environmental Management and Training - how the environment will be managed during both the construction and operational phases of the project. This should include an outline of any training programme for employees of the facility and identify any institutional needs for implementing the recommendations of the EIA.
• Environmental Monitoring Programme - there should be a monitoring programme or plan detailing the reasons for and the costs associated with the monitoring activities.
• Public/Community Involvement - The EIA study should involve non-governmental organisations and citizens in the community in which the proposed project will be implemented. This may take the form of either direct involvement of the affected citizens or inclusion local knowledge or expertise in the environment.