environmental impact assessment (EIA)

How it is used

Required by law for many projects. Consultants carry out or prepare the EIA; the authority reviews it and issues a decision. Key parts are the baseline study, impact prediction, mitigation measures and public consultation. In the US the main document is called an environmental impact statement (EIS).

Example sentences

1. The environmental impact assessment for the quarry must include a full noise and dust study.

2. Construction cannot start until the environmental impact assessment has been approved.

Common collocations

• carry out an EIA
• EIA report
• EIA process
• EIA approval
• scoping stage

Related terms

• baselineThe starting conditions or measurements against which later changes are compared, such as the state of the environment before a project or a company's emissions in a base year.
• public consultationA formal process in which authorities or project developers share their plans with local people and other stakeholders and collect their views before a decision is taken.
• mitigationAction to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions, or to remove these gases from the atmosphere, in order to limit climate change.
• environmental permitAn official authorization that allows a facility to carry out activities that could affect the environment, such as emissions to air or discharges to water, under set conditions.
• environmental monitoringThe regular measurement and recording of environmental conditions, such as air and water quality, noise or wildlife, to check compliance and detect changes over time.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• environmental impact assessment (EIA) · Oil, Gas & Mining

More terms: Environmental Assessment and Management

• environmental management system (EMS)
• environmental audit