This post’s subject is the environmental impact study for installation of small hydropower plants. Each country has its own environmental regulations. Therefore, I won’t enter this part.
Have already been shown in “Big run-of-river hydropower plants” post, the environmental impacts caused by hydroelectricity plants. However, not all environmental impact is negative.
What is it?
The environmental impact study is an instrument to evaluate environmental impacts caused by a project or activity that modifies the environment. The environmental diagnosis of afected area is made by a multidisciplinary team, including physical, biological, and socioeconomic factors. Environmental impacts are analyzed, and mitigation measures are defined. An environmental impact report is the synthesis of an environmental impact study.
Objectives of environmental impact study
Objectives of study must be:
- To identify and describe environmental resources and values which will be affected by project’s execution.
Examples of environmental resources: atmosphere, surface and underground waters, sea, estuary, subsole, underground, ground, forest, wildlife, etc. Environmental resources provide environmental services, which have value and can be harnessed.
- To describe how the project will affect environmental resources and values, including positive and negative effects, and its features, like direct or indirect, short and long run, cumulative and irreversible, temporary and permanent.
- To propose alternatives to the project to achieve the same goals with as little environmental damage as possible.
Study phases
- Identification: To determine the environmental impact’s features on environmental resources, to compile a list of impacts, and identify impact’s source. Impact’s identification is made with many instruments, which will be subject to a future post.
- Prediction: To predict the consequences of impacts in environment. Using technical data, mathematical models, photomontages, experiments, cartographic systems, and experts’ advice. Making a comparison between scenarios with and without the project.
- Evaluation of impacts: Is the environmental impact significant? Must be mitigated? These questions are answered based on legislation, protected areas, phenomena, threatened species, public acceptance, and political objectives.
- Mitigation: In this phase, measures are proposed measures for prevent, reduce, remedy, and compensate for negative impacts. Some mitigation examples are: Fish ladder, erosion control, change of work site, restoration of affected areas, economic compensation for affected people, etc.
- Documentation: To write an environmental impact report.
