Word limit: approximately 2500 (excluding diagrams, table contents and references). The word limit is deliberately tight in order to make you think carefully about what information is relevant. Please state your word limit on the coversheet of your assessment.
Instructions
You need to start of by thinking about what type of project you are interested in looking at in more depth. You might have read about a proposed project in a newspaper or come across one on the Internet. Once you have found a project type that you are interested in, you will need to decide whether you want to use a real-life example or make up a hypothetical example (or you can use a mixture of both e.g. an actual project that you ‘move' elsewhere). There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Usually it is a good idea to do some research looking for the type of projects that have been proposed in an area. You will also need to think about the availability of information for all parts of the assessment.
Once you have decided on the project, you need to think about scale, location and surroundings. If you are ‘relocating' your project, is the area that you have selected sensible in terms of natural resources, local environment and infrastructure.
The assessment has been divided up into a number of sections to facilitate good time management. Think carefully about the time and word allocation for each section. Remember to note all your sources of information in a reference log as you find them (doing references at the last minute is difficult and you are likely to make mistakes). Make sure that there is information available for all parts of the assessment before you commit yourself to a particular project.
Part 1 -
. 1) A description of the project - why is the development taking place? what does the development consist of (do not assume that the person reading with know what a ‘pipeline' or a ‘nuclear plant' consists of - be specific)? What are the project timescales and projected lifetime?
. 2) Maps and explanation of the location of the project (this can include ‘sensitive' surrounding environments). REMEMBER to reference ALL diagrams unless you have drawn them yourself. Make sure maps are legible and give scales.
3) A brief scoping exercise to determine the main impacts - you can use any of the methods described in class or devise your own.
Part 2 -
Using your scoping exercise, choose one environmental parameter where there are likely to be significant impacts. Generally the more specific that you make this area, the easier it is to stay within word limits. For example air quality is a broad area, CO emissions is much more specific.
4) Explain what legislation and policy covers this particular parameter
5) Discuss and give examples of the baseline data that is available for this parameter and what gaps there are in that data
6) Discuss the type of prediction methods that could be used for this parameter
7) Discuss possible mitigation measures for the significant impacts on this parameter
Part 3 -
8) Explain which agencies would be involved in the consultation exercises for this project and at what stage(s) they would be involved.
9) Explain how the EIS would be used by competent authorities to make decisions about whether to give development consent to the project.