Environmental Assessment
Volume A-7
Introduction
EA Methods and Study Area
•
clearly identify the issue that is being investigated. This is the purpose
of the key question, which is identified by a diamond icon in the linkage
diagram; and
•
identify other components of the environment, and thus the EA analysis,
that are inter-related. A triangle indicates information that either is
provided from the analysis of a different key question, or is used in the
analysis of another key question.
By defining the possible impact pathways between project activities and
environmental changes, a determination is made as to the relevant impacts to be
assessed. In cases where changes due to the project do not affect specific
environmental characteristics being assessed, this is clearly stated and further
analysis is not done.
7.2
STUDY AREAS
Defining the geographic extent of study areas is a key element of EA. For the
assessment of local impacts, the area should be large enough to efficiently
analyze and mitigate the obvious potential effects from the project on the
receiving environment, but not too large as to dilute or confound the potential
project-related effects with other human-induced and natural influences.
Typically, the assessment of impacts within the local area of the project, or Local
Study Area (LSA), is based on the spatial extent of the footprint and an
associated buffer that includes potential immediate indirect effects on the
receiving environment. Alternately, the assessment of potential broader or
regional cumulative effects from the project in association with other
anthropogenic activities and natural factors requires a larger geographic area, and
may be based on ecological and/or land use and planning criteria. Study areas
may also be specific to environmental components (e.g., air, soils, geology,
ground water, surface water, aquatic organisms, flora, fauna) and individual
components of the project such as the mine site, slurry pipeline, tailings, process
plant facilities and port facilities.
Study areas were selected for each discipline based upon the anticipated areas of
influence of the project. They are provided in Figures 7.2-1 (mine site), 7.2-2
(pipeline) and 7.2-3 (plant site, tailings facility and port).
Ambatovy Project
52
January 2006
