PROFILE: Environmental Impact Assessment Under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

1999 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Timothy Ensminger ◽  
Lance N. McCold ◽  
J. Warren Webb
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (04) ◽  
pp. 1250022 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHANN KÖPPEL ◽  
GESA GEIßLER ◽  
JENNIFER HELFRICH ◽  
JESSICA REISERT

November 2010 marked the 25th anniversary of the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and the 20th anniversary of its implementation in Germany via the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (EIAA) in 1990. Reflecting back to the original role model for these pieces of legisiation, the 1969 US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) can bring some interesting differences to light. Four decades of experience from the more mature US EIA system may hold some important lessons for Germany's younger EIAA. While an outright comparison is impossible at this present time, this article aims to contribute a comparative perspective to show the current status of the original US model, NEPA, and the differences in development and practice to Germany's younger EIAA.


Author(s):  
Jeremy Ridl ◽  
Ed Couzens

In mid-2006, new Regulations governing environmental impact assessment were published in terms of the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998.  It is argued in this article that the old Regulations under the Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989, which were replaced, had proved inadequate not because of any inherent deficiency, but because they were never properly implemented and because they were instead subjected to much inaccurate criticism.  The article then canvasses the old Regulations and considers criticisms thereof, before canvassing the new Regulations and assessing differences between the old and the new.  Various specific concerns and potential shortcomings are raised and considered; and various interpretations are offered of problematic provisions.  A prognosis for the success and/or failure of the new Regulations is then put forward in the context of the South African government's present approach to economic growth, environmental protection and the enforcement of environmental legislation.  Finally, it is argued that there are danger signs that the new Regulations will be as misunderstood and misapplied as were the old Regulations and that the fundamental principles of the National Environmental Management Act are likely not to be adhered to in the implementation of the new Regulations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-418
Author(s):  
Forrest Fleischman ◽  
Cory Struthers ◽  
Gwen Arnold ◽  
Mike Dockry ◽  
Tyler Scott

Abstract Abstract This paper draws on systematic data from the US Forest Service’s (USFS) Planning, Appeals and Litigation System to analyze how the agency conducts environmental impact assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). We find that only 1.9 percent of the 33,976 USFS decisions between 2005 and 2018 were processed as Environmental Impact Statements, the most rigorous and time-consuming level of analysis, whereas 82.3 percent of projects fit categorical exclusions. The median time to complete a NEPA analysis was 131 days. The number of new projects has declined dramatically in this period, with the USFS now initiating less than half as many projects per year as it did prior to 2010. We find substantial variation between USFS units in the number of projects completed and time to completion, with some units completing projects in half the time of others. These findings point toward avenues for improving the agency’s NEPA processes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Л. Л. Прокопенко ◽  
Н. Л. Тішкова

The article analyzes the process of adaptation of the national legislation to the European standards in accordance with the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU. In particular, in the sector “Environmental management and integration of environmental policy in other sectoral policies”, the implementation of Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programs for the environment and Directive 2011/92/EC on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment was considered. The influence of environmental management tools and the integration of environmental policy on other sectoral policies have been determined and their interrelation with the rest of the sectors in the field of environmental protection has been established. It has been established that environmental assessment is the main instrument for ensuring environmental considerations in the development of plans and programs and contributes to sustainable development through the promotion of environmental protection issues in economic and social development.The procedures of strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment have been characterized; their subjects and objects have been clarified. The peculiarities of these procedures, stages and advantages of their application in the national practice of public environmental management are presented. The way of implementation of strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment at the level of the European community is considered, and examples of their practical application at the level of the EU member states are presented.It is indicated that strategic environmental assessment and environmental impact assessment are procedural tools used to prevent any possible negative effects of economic activity on the environment and public health. A comparative analysis of these procedures was carried out and links and differences were identified. It has been proved that the effectiveness of strategic environmental assessment in preventing environmental hazards is significantly higher than environmental impact assessments. The problem aspects and perspectives in the field of practical implementation of legislation in the field of environmental assessment in Ukraine are highlighted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha El Gohary

The environmental impact assessment (EIA) was first required by the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act, which require environmental impact assessment of all major development projects to determine their potential for adverse effects on the environment. The environmental outlook for the Nile basin remains quite hazy. In the future there will be new environmental challenge stemming from population growth, increasing demands on agriculture, and climate change. This will put a huge burden on the environment. This research initiated to compare the international EIA guidelines in order to enhance the Nile Basin Countries experience to improve its practice in managing the environmental resources. This is due to the fact that Nile Basin Countries experiences face many challenges such as lack of capacity, data, proper guidelines, enforcement, and most importantly awareness of the environment protection sector or its effectiveness. Moreover; it requires reviewing and tools improvements to produce effective environmental management of development and engineering projects. Therefore, provision of detailed guidelines for EIA can help to improve the practice in the management of environmental resources. This paper reviews the EIA legislation in the Nile Basin Countries in comparison with international legislation and guidelines with emphasis on the EIA practice. The paper also intends to present selected international EIA guidelines in a comparative form and this is expected to raise awareness, professional experience of EIA issues, enhance EIA carrying capacity, and lead, ultimately, to improvements in available EIA legislations and guidelines and increase compatibility among them.


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