DECISION MAKING AND IMPLEMENTENTATION

1
DECISION MAKING AND IMPLEMENTENTATION

• it all comes down to significance

2
DECISION MAKING

• Process by which a defensible decision is made
  based upon a quantitative or qualitative analysis
  among alternatives
• In terms of environmental assessment are the
  residual environmental effects of a proposed
  project insignificant or significant?
• Alternatives
• Decision factors
• Comparisons
• Documentation

3
DECISION MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

• Environmental assessment is a means of
  integrating environmental considerations into the
  decision-making process much the same way as
  engineering, feasibility, cost and other factors
  are taken into account
• Environmental assessment is not the deciding
  factor for a project (however, it can be if a
  licence is not issued based on the environmental
  assessment report)

4
DECISION MAKERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND

• Concepts and aims of environmental assessment
• How environmental assessment is used in other
  organizations - benchmarking
• Environmental assessment standards
• How environmental assessment is implemented in
  the organization implications
• Decision alternatives prescribed by legislation
• Requirements for and implications of public
  review and other aspects related matters

5
DECISION MAKING TECHNIQUES

• Ranking process
• Nominal-group process
• Rating process
• Predetermined importance scale
• Multi-attribute measurement
• Unranked pairwise comparison
• Ranked pairwise comparison
• Delphi method
• Also polling, voting, consensus building

6
DECISION MAKING CONSIDERATIONS

• Background to the proposal or project
• Policy context
• Alternatives to the project
• Public involvement
• Impact analysis
• Significance of impact
• Mitigation and follow-up
• Precedence
• Cost

7
DECISION MAKING PROCESS

• Define problem
• Define objectives
• Determine evaluation factors and criteria
• Generate alternatives (feasible)
• Analyze alternatives
• Evaluate alternatives
• Select preferred alternative
• Verify preferred alternative

Note - environmental assessment should state
conclusions on significance and let the decision
maker decide
8
DECISION ALTERNATIVES

• There can be a number of different outcomes
  possible from decision-making
• proposal can be approved
• proposal can be approved with conditions
• proposal can be approved subject to on-going
  investigations
• further investigations of particular issues can
  be requested
• supplementary document or new environmental
  assessment report can be requested
• proposal as formulated may be rejected

9
DECISION-MAKING FACTORS

• Meets needs and objectives
• Economic efficiency
• benefits, costs, excess benefits
• rate of return, cost-benefit analysis
• Environmental effects
• air, water, soil quality
• ecosystem, habitat quality, health
• socio-economics, cultural
• Technical considerations
• Public preference

10
CHECKS AND BALANCES

• Environmental assessment is the main document
• Decision made by independent authority
• Public input to factors used in decision-making
• Summary made available to the public before the
  decision is made
• Decision and rationale are published
• Consultation and participation prior to making a
  decision
• Right of appeal against decisions

11
CEAA - SCREENING

• Likely insignificant adverse environmental
  effects with mitigation (GO)
• Likely significant adverse effects, with
  mitigation, that cannot be justified (STOP)
• Uncertain significant environmental effects,
  likely significant adverse effects, or
  significant public concern (REFER)

12
CEAA - COMPREHENSIVE STUDY

• Likely insignificant adverse environmental
  effects with mitigation (GO)
• Likely significant adverse effects, with
  mitigation, that cannot be justified (STOP)
• Uncertain significant environmental effects,
  likely significant adverse effects, or
  significant public concern (REFER)

13
CEAA - PANEL REVIEW

• Likely insignificant adverse environmental
  effects with mitigation (GO)
• Likely significant adverse environmental effects
  with mitigation that can be justified (GO)
• Likely significant adverse effects, with
  mitigation, that cannot be justified (STOP)

14
MANITOBA - CLASS 1

• Director may
• Require additional information, plans for
  environmental protection , issue guidelines and
  instructions
• Request public meeting or hearing
• Elevate proposal to Class 2
• Director decides to
• Issue licence with terms and conditions
• Refuse to issue licence

15
MANITOBA - CLASS 2

• Director may
• Require additional information
• Require public consultation
• Require assessment report
• Request public hearing
• Director decides to
• Issue licence with terms and conditions
• Refuse to issue licence

16
MANITOBA - CLASS 3

• Minister may
• Require additional information
• Require public consultation
• Require assessment report
• Request public hearing
• Minister decides to
• Issue licence with terms and conditions
• Refuse to issue licence

17
IMPLEMENTATION

• CEAA
• Project approval
• Funding approval
• Land granted
• Permit, licence issued (e.g. Fisheries Act
  authorization, dredging permit, NWPA permit)
• - conditional approval
• MEA
• Licence issued with terms and conditions

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKPOST DECISION
ACTIVITY
                                                 
                   
  Proposal
  Scoping
Analysis of effects
Identification of mitigation
 Evaluation of significance
Licence, permit, approval
Monitor, inspect, surveillance, audit
Post decision activity
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MITIGATION MEASURES

• Measures identified in the environmental
  assessment report to prevent, reduce or control
  adverse effects are implemented
• Proponent responsible for implementing mitigation
• Regulatory authorities responsible for ensuring
  that mitigation is implemented
• Mitigation measures may become licence terms and
  conditions

20
FOLLOW-UP

• Actions identified in the environmental
  assessment report to ensure that the assessment
  is effective in identifying environmental
  effects, and mitigation is implemented and is
  effective
• Proponent is primarily responsible for
  implementing follow-up
• Regulatory authorities are responsible for
  ensuring that follow-up is carried out
• Follow-up actions may become licence terms and
  conditions

21
LICENCE/PERMIT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Mitigation measures and follow-up identified in
  environmental assessment report
• Regulatory requirements
• Air, water and soil quality criteria
• Technical specifications
• Reporting requirements
• Public concerns

22
REGULATORY MONITORING AND INSPECTIONS

• Conducted by regulatory authority
• Inspect implementation of mitigation measures and
  follow-up
• Inspect effectiveness of mitigation
• Monitoring air, water, soil quality
• Verification sampling
• Verify information submitted in reports
• Follow-up public concerns

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PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

• Follow-up plans placed in public registry
• Results from follow-up placed in public registry
• Public often involved in follow-up activities
• Public concerns acted on during implementation

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PLAN

• Consolidates mitigation measures, follow-up and
  other requirements into one document
• Includes licence terms and conditions
• Implemented by environmental inspector or monitor
• Responsibilities assigned
• Reporting carried out
• Deficiencies acted on

25
Next class

• Read about reporting on environmental assessments
• Ask questions about reporting on lab project
  assignment
• Come to class prepared to discuss decision making
  and implementation