Certain projects may be required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for planning purposes. An EIS should include a detailed report of all of the possible effects, good and bad, of a project on the environment. It should outline what actions will be taken to avoid any unfavourable environmental effects (mitigation) and it should describe the impacts that will remain once mitigation has been carried out.
What does an EIS include?
It should include;
- A description of the proposed development.
- An account of alternatives (locations or processes) considered by the developer.
- A detailed account on how it will effect the environment.
- A report on what aspects of the environment will it effect such as people, flora, fauna, soil, water, air, landscape, cultural heritage, etc.
- If these effects could cause a lot of damage, the statement must also include a detailed account on ways to avoid, reduce or resolve these effects
The EIS must also include a simple, non technical, summary so that it can be understood by the average person.