Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4.3.1.5 EnvironmentalApprovals
The environmental impact analysis is just the first step in comprehensive
environmental protection and enhancement. As discussed in detail in
Chapter 9, following the environmental impact analysis process and selec-
tion of a proposed action, environmental permits, and other approvals are
required and the environmental analysis must lay the groundwork for
the approvals. The first step in laying this groundwork is to identify the
environmental approvals and permits required for each alternative under
consideration. This can and should be done first by the environmental
analysis team through research of regulations and past similar actions. But
actively including the permitting and approval agencies in the scoping pro-
cess is not only an efficient way to confirm the determination of approvals
needed, it can ensure that the particular requirements of the approval and
the approving agencies are incorporated into the environmental analysis.
As with other aspects of scoping, it can help build a positive working
relationship with the entities that must ultimately support and approve the
proposed action.
If the appropriate regulatory agencies are not included in the scoping
process and the analysis does not include consideration of environmen-
tal approvals, there are two possible repercussions, both of which can
adversely influence the efficiency and effectiveness of the environmen-
tal impact analysis. The first is that the alternative selected at the conclu-
sion of the environmental analysis is not “permittable.” In other words it
would violate one or more statutory requirements and could not receive
the required environmental permits or other approvals. Thus the proposed
action would not be implemented and the environmental analysis would
have to be reopened, causing delays and inefficiencies. The other possible
repercussion is that the selected alternative could be permitted, but there
were specific requirements for an individual environmental approval, such
as a prescribed analysis or public outreach procedure that could have been
part of the environmental analysis procedure. But since the requirements
were not revealed during scoping they would have to be repeated after the
environmental analysis process was completed to obtain the permit, pro-
ducing time delays and inefficiencies.
A hypothetical example (but one constructed from multiple actual situ-
ations) of adequately including the permitting and other environmental
approval agencies in the scoping process involves a project with the purpose
and need of providing wastewater management for a new multiuse develop-
ment. Following the scoping and completion of the environmental analysis
including technology screening and prediction of water-quality impacts, the
selected alternative was a wastewater treatment facility with advanced treat-
ment to reduce the phosphorus in the effluent to a state-of-the-art level of
0.1 mg/l. The project proponent and stakeholders alike were excited about
the environmental sustainability of the proposed action and had proceeded
Search WWH ::
Custom Search