Introduction - Environmental Impact Analysis: Process and Methods - page 5

r Providing a platform to achieve actual environmental protection
and enhancement
r Moving forward stated environmental policies including sustainability
and protection
Attainment of these and similar goals is not a simple process that can be
specified in detail and then followed to the letter to achieve or, hopefully
exceed the desired goals. This topic describes the general processes, tech-
niques, and methods, and provides case studies as to how they have been
adapted in specific situations. Through these case studies, the reader will
experience the types of successful adaptations of general procedures to spe-
cific cases and learn how they were developed. This will facilitate similar
development of approaches to environmental impact analysis as specific
situations demand.
An attempt to instruct on every environmental resource and technical
discipline required in all types of environmental analysis would be an end-
less and hopeless exercise. Seasoned environmental scientists, planners,
and policy specialists have years developing their technical skills. One topic
cannot accomplish that level of knowledge or relay that level of experience.
But this topic does provide information that can assist in identifying par-
ticular areas of technical expertise that are needed for a project, plan, or
program and, primarily through case studies, illustrate the type of stud-
ies and level of detail that have been used successfully in environmental
impact analysis.
Another emphasis of this topic is that environmental analysis is just this—
analysis. It is not quite as technical, prescribed, or accurate as the analysis of
an environmental sample that needs a gas chromatograph and mass spec-
trophotometer to determine the concentration of chlorinated organic com-
pounds down to the parts per trillion levels, but it is an analysis and not
solely a “discussion.” If conducted well, an environmental impact analysis
should bear some similarities to the chemical analysis and be just as defen-
sible to stakeholders.
Scientifically defensible impact analysis guarantees a hard look at the con-
sequences of a proposed action, which as discussed in Chapters 2 and 3, forms
the basis for NEPA compliance. The methods used do not have to strictly fol-
low a formal scientific method, nor do the methods always have to meet the
strict standards of peer-reviewed scientific articles. However, it is essential
that the methods used and scientific basis for arriving at decisions are clearly
described in the environmental analysis document. It is also advantageous to
explain the limitations of the methods and where appropriate, the rationale
for not using more rigorous scientific methods and tools.
A first step in a sound and defensible environmental analysis, similar to
the procedures used to conduct a chemical test, should be the establishment
of a method to analyze the environmental impacts. This method should