Question

Which stage of EIA involves the identification of potential impacts and formulation of mitigation measures?

• A. Assessment of the impact
• B. Scoping
• C. Monitoring
• D. Screening

Hint:

• Screening: Is an EIA needed?
• Scoping: What are the key issues and impacts to study? What alternatives and broad mitigation approaches should be considered? (Sets Terms of Reference).
• Impact Assessment: Detailed study and prediction of impacts.
• Mitigation: Detailed design of measures to reduce negative impacts.
• Monitoring: Tracking impacts and mitigation effectiveness post-approval.
• Scoping is the stage where potential impacts are identified to guide the full assessment, and initial considerations for mitigation are often included.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

To determine which stage of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) involves the identification of potential impacts and formulation of mitigation measures, let's examine the stages:

1. Screening: This initial stage determines if a project requires an EIA and the level of assessment needed.
2. Scoping: This stage identifies the potential environmental impacts of a proposed project and formulates measures to mitigate these impacts. It sets the boundaries for the EIA, focusing on significant issues and concerns, and plays a crucial role in guiding the assessment process.
3. Assessment of the impact: This involves the detailed examination of the potential impacts identified during scoping, but it primarily focuses on understanding and evaluating these impacts rather than initially identifying them.
4. Monitoring: The final stage involves tracking the implementation of mitigation measures and the project's impacts post-implementation, closing the EIA loop.

Based on the descriptions, the stage of EIA that involves the identification of potential impacts and formulation of mitigation measures is Scoping.