Conducting the Environmental Impact Analysis and Assessment - Environmental Impact Analysis: Process and Methods - page 185

and resources early in the analysis before the critical issues are identified.
Also it is the first technical environmental effort in a series of environmental
analysis steps, and misdirection at the beginning can set the entire process
off course.
The investigation of the affected environment must establish the existing
conditions of the environmental resources potentially subject to change by
the proposed action or any of the alternatives, but the investigation can serve
multiple purposes as pointed out in the above case studies. In the Scituate
example, the investigation of existing conditions was critical in establishing
the primary alternatives such that meaningful comparisons focused on the
critical resources and issues. Similarly, in the OTH radar example, the inves-
tigation enabled structuring a proposed action that avoided impacting the
resources of greatest concern. A critical component of impact prediction was
accomplished by the affected environment investigation in the DCR example
because the evaluation of existing conditions reflected decades of DCR dis-
charge, which was embodied in one form or another in each of the DCR
management alternatives.
The most important considerations in the planning and implementation of
an affected environment investigation are:
r Completely identify and thoroughly review all available informa-
tion on each critical environmental resource vulnerable to impact
before proceeding with an original data collection program.
r Don't collect too much data on existing conditions and make sure
the intended use of data is clear before it is collected. Additional data
ca in always be collected, part icularly i in a phased approach with more
detail collected in critical areas or locations, but once the resources
and time have been expended to collect unnecessary information,
they cannot be retrieved.
r Where possible, structure the investigation of the affected environment
to achieve multiple goals, including impact avoidance, alternative
development, impact prediction, and use of data for future environ-
mental purposes such as permit applications.
5.3 ImpactPrediction
Predicting impacts of the proposed action and alternatives is the hardest
work but generally is the most rewarding aspect of an environmental impact
analysis. Many of the other environmental analysis components (e.g., scoping,
alternative development, and impact mitigation) are equally, or perhaps, more
important because they address tasks critical to the success and focus the