Establishing the scope of the environmental impact assessment is a fundamental component of the EIA process. The purpose of EIA scoping is to define those environmental topics that should be assessed as part of the environmental impact assessment, the methods to be used and the geographical scope of the environmental impact assessment.
Although not a mandatory requirement, EIA scoping is an important facet of the environmental impact assessment process. This importance was highlighted in the Department of Environment’s “Preparation of Environmental Statements for Planning Projects that Require Environmental Assessment: A Good Practice Guide”. This states in paragraph 2.2:
“Defining its scope is one of the most critical parts of an EIA in that it sets the context for what follows. If the scope is defined too narrowly, some critical area of uncertainty or adverse impact may emerge late in the day. Decisions on the shape of the project may then be too far advanced to allow for any real change. On the other hand, if the scope of work is too loosely defined, then much time, effort and cost may be spent on pursuing unnecessary detail.”
EIA scoping ensures that resources are focussed on the assessment of important impacts and sensitive receptors, and therefore those issues of greatest potential significance. The process also helps to ensure early engagement with key stakeholders and enables the early consideration of environmental constraints and opportunities in the application design.
A well undertaken EIA scoping study is an essential first step towards understanding the cost of an environmental impact assessment.