Formulating a Project and Describing Alternatives

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Lecture 4

• Formulating a Project and Describing Alternatives

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General Steps in EIA Process

• Project/study formulation
• Screening identifying potentially significant
  impacts
• Impact analysis and development of mitigation
  measures
• Report preparation

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Example Project Description

• City of Los Angeles Villa Marina Mixed Use
  Project

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Project Alternatives Description

• Statement of objectives
• Used to formulate reasonable range of
  alternatives
• Location
• Site boundaries
• Local and regional setting
• Project characteristics
• Buildout assumptions
• Buildings
• Infrastructure (roads, water supply, waste
  disposal)
• Construction activities
• Supporting public services (e.g., schools, police
  and fire)

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Project Phases or Life Cycle

• Preconstruction
• Construction
• Operational
• Project closeout or decommissioning

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Preconstruction Phase

• Design
• Site inventory
• Baseline monitoring
• Temporary controls
• Storm water
• Erosion and sediment
• Vegetative
• Dust

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Construction Phase

• Site clearing and demolition
• Temporary facilities and staging areas
• Earthwork (excavation, grading, trenching)
• Site drainage
• Landscaping
• What is the timeframe?
• Length
• Seasons

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Operational Phase

• Permanent facilities (buildings, roads,
  utilities)
• Employees/residents
• Industrial processes
• Raw materials or resource input
• Product output (type/quantities/value)
• Waste generated (type/volume)
• Indirect activities
• Schoolchildren
• Traffic
• Public safety
• Short term or long-term?

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Project Closeout or Decommissioning Phase

• Demolition and relocation
• Site restoration
• Residual actions or effects

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Types of Actions

• Construction projects
• New and continuing activities that are either
  financed, assisted, conducted, or approved by a
  public agency
• Plans, policies, programs
• New or revised agency rules, regulations, plans,
  policies, or procedures
• Legislative proposals
• Business operations

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Happy Isles Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project

• 1997 flood damage to bridge
• Structural damage
• Subsequent deterioration
• Large sinkhole near abutment
• Closed to public
• Proposed action
• Removal of bridge to avoid uncontrolled collapse
• Need for compliance with Wild and Scenic Rivers
  Act

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Project Location
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Middle-Black Ecosystem Restoration Project

• Example of how NEPA is used to shape forest
  management practice
• Used to develop plan for restoring ecosystem in
  portion of Clearwater National Forest in Idaho

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Middle-Black Analysis Area

• 156,000 acres
• Central portion of the North Fork Clearwater
  River subbasin
• Mostly forested, steep mountains

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Clearwater Basin Elk Habitat Initiative

• Coalition of many diverse groups sharing a common
  interest in the future and management of elk and
  elk habitat in the Clearwater River basin
• Middle-Black project is one of 28 national
  projects selected to use land stewardship
  contracting
• New way of working with the public on projects
  that pair harvest of forest products with land
  restoration activities
• 1999 Appropriations Bill authorized USFS to test
  land stewardship contracting
• Objective Middle-Black ecosystem restoration
• Alternatives

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Other Examples

• Plans and programs
• Offshore oil and gas lease sale
• City general plan

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Impact ScreeningExample - Leopold Matrix
Mij magnitude of impact i caused by activity j
(-1010) Iij importance of impact i caused by
activity j (110)