Prepare for, screen and scope out Environmental Impact Assessments for development proposals

This standard is one of three related standards that together cover Environmental Impact Assessments of development proposals.  This standard describes the requirements to plan and scope out an Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for development proposals

The series of NOS covers the following:

• Standard EM22 – Prepare for, screen, and scope out Environmental Impact Assessments for development proposals
• Standard EM23 – Manage the co-ordination of an Environmental Impact Assessment and the production of an Environmental Statement
• Standard EM24 – Manage the communication of the final Environmental Statement for the development and follow up measures

The standards listed above do not outline the detailed requirements for specialist environmental assessment topics, but they do focus on the project management, co-ordination and delivery of the EIA process stages.  EIA is a systematic process to identify, predict, evaluate, and communicate the environmental effects of proposed actions and projects. 

The key stages of EIA are:

1. Proposal identification
2. Screening
3. Scoping
4. Positive and negative impact assessment
5. Mitigation
6. Preparation of Environmental Statement
7. Review
8. Decision-making
9. Follow up (monitoring)

As a minimum, consultation with statutory bodies and all those involved in or affected by an environmental impact assessment, should take place at the scoping stage of EIA. It should be stressed that whilst EIA is a statutory process for some developments, it is not strictly a linear process. EIA is a dynamic and iterative process requiring interaction between stages as the assessment progresses, with feedback loops enabling project proposals to be refined and adapted in response to the findings of the assessment.

This standard covers the main process stages of initial EIA preparation, the first three key stages listed above.

This standard is suitable for:

•  A developer with responsibility for commissioning or managing an EIA
• An environmental consultant or advisor with responsibility for co-ordinating either: the full EIA process on behalf of a developer, or early stage EIA processes

1. Plan a multidisciplinary team and resources to conduct screening and scoping of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
2. Identify technical study and data collection priorities to be addressed during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
3. Provide informed input on environmental, sustainability and planning development issues, pertaining to early stage planning of development proposals and the consideration of potential alternative options
4. Identify and evaluate the potential significant environmental impacts of the proposed development
5. Identify and comply with the relevant regulatory requirements which apply to the development proposal
6. Agree the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the format of the environmental statement with the developer and key stakeholders
7. Implement current guidance for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening and scoping
8. Liaise with consenting authorities to secure screening and/or scoping opinion
9. Co-ordinate consultation with statutory bodies and stakeholders including local communities
10. Review information to identify significant environmental effects requiring assessment and mitigation
11. Plan team and resources needed to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and produce an Environmental Statement (ES)

1. How to work with a multidisciplinary team and secure specialist input
2. How to develop and manage a plan of work for the screening and scoping of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
3. The purpose of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and its relationship to the planning and development design process
4. The required stages of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and statutory procedures
5. The national, and international legislation, national and regional regulations, statements, and guidance and the affects that these might have on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
6. The different regulatory frameworks and the interaction with the EIA process
7. The potential environmental impacts arising from different forms of development
8. The required legal consents applicable to the operation, post EIA
9. How to manage the EIA screening and scoping exercises
10. Who your stakeholders are and the process of engagement
11. How and where to secure environmental and social baseline information
12. How to assess environmental impacts through different stages of the development
13. How to identify and develop effective environmental mitigation and enhancements
14. How to write an objective scoping report
15. When and how to communicate with required statutory bodies and stakeholders including local communities
16. How to manage a complex, dynamic and interrelated process

​The alternative EIA regulations and how they apply (e.g. Town and Country Planning EIA Regs; EIA (Forestry) Regulations, Marine Works (EIA) Regulations, Gas Transporter Pipeline Works (EIA) Regulations; EIA (Agriculture) Regulations; Water Resources (EIA) Regulations, etc).