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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT |
Environmental Impact Assessment
The successful completion of an environmental impact assessment is a complex task. EIA is multidisciplinary, systematic and predictive and, as such, it is different from the more retrospective process of environmental audit.
Recent developments in the EIA process include initiatives, such as Environmental Management Systems (EMS) or Integrated Environmental Management (IEM), where the appraisal and management of environmental implications is a continuing process throughout the life of a project. Applications of EMS or IEM are mainly being developed as corporate management tools for companies, and the International Standards Organisation (ISO) is in the forefront of refining good practice standards.
Consulting Services
EnviroGulf Consulting (EGC) undertakes environmental impact assessments mainly in relation to receiving freshwater, estuarine and marine ecosystems.
Where environmental impacts are deemed to be unavoidable, EGC analyses and evaluates the impacts with an aim to quantifying the impact, assessing its significance at spatial and temporal scales, establishing mitigative or ameliorative measures and presenting environmental safeguards. Residual impacts are those which remain after the positive effects of mitigation measures and safeguards have been applied.
The prediction and evaluation of the principal impacts are based on knowledge of the existing environments likely to be affected, the results of previous studies, specific investigations carried out in support of an environmental impact assessment that provides quantitative data to support impact prediction, desk audits of the scientific literature, and professional judgement.
In the case of some impacts, quantitative predictions can be made and subsequent monitoring need only be minimal. For some impacts on the environment, predictions are difficult to quantify with the information currently available and where such accurate predictive capability is lacking, a correspondingly greater emphasis is placed on monitoring and/or research.
When investigating the environmental impacts of a proposal, EGC takes account of the fact that impacts can vary in how, when and whether they will arise, and where and by how much they may affect the environment. Impacts can also interact to cause other impacts that might be more significant than the original impacts. Impacts vary in:
- Nature: positive, negative, direct, indirect, cumulative, or synergistic with others.
- Magnitude: estimating the size of an impact.
- Extent and location: location, distribution and size of the area(s) likely to be affected.
- Timing: during construction, operations or decommissioning.
- Duration: short term, long term, intermittent or continuous.
- Reversibility/irreversibility:degree of recoverability.
- Likelihood: risk, uncertainty or confidence in the prediction.
- Significance: at spatial (local, regional) and temporal scales.
Relevant Experience
The Principal of EnviroGulf Consulting has solid experience in the field of environmental impact assessment. The following are examples of completed environmental impact assessments:
Oil and Gas Industry:
- PNG Gas Project (2005 - 2006) - Construction and Operations Phases: Water Quality and Sedimentation Management Study. Environmental impact assessment of pipeline and road construction on rivers, streams and lake water quality, aquatic biological communities and aquatic resource uses of the Kikori and Omati river systems. Assistance in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the onshore section of PNG Gas Project, Papua New Guinea (in association with Enesar Consulting to Esso Highlands Limited / ExxonMobil).
- Environmental Plan for 2-D Seismic Surveys, Bonaparte Basin (2005) - Environmental impact assessment, environmental risk assessment and the setting of environmental performance objectives, standards and criteria and implementation strategies for 2-D seismic surveys proposed in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, Western Australia. Work included the preparation of an EPBC Referral and an Environmental Plan for two exploration permit sites (in association with Enesar Consulting to Eni Australia Limited).
- Offshore Oil Production Facilities Environmental Upgrade (2003) - Assessment of current oily waste and wastewater discharges from offshore oil and gas production, Gas and Oil Separation Plant (GOSP) and tie-in platforms and determination of compliance with local and international effluent and receiving water quality standards. Assessment also provided conceptual process engineering design solutions for platform upgrades in Saudi Aramco's Northern Area Oil Operations (NAOO) (in association with ABB Lummus Global B.V. to Saudi Consulting and Design Office (SCADO) for Saudi Aramco, Oil Facilities Planning Division).
- Offshore Seismic Program (2003) - Technical review, edit and contributions to Seafood Industry Victoria report on "Potential Effects of Seismic Noise on Southern Rock Lobster Larvae" from underwater noise generated by proposed offshore seismic surveys along the southwest coast of Victoria, Australia (to Santos Limited).
- Otway Drilling Project (2003) - Assessment of the effects of underwater noise from proposed offshore drilling and associated supply vessels and helicopters on cetaceans along the Bonney Coast upwelling off Victoria, Australia (to Santos Limited).
- Environmental Impact of Marine Electromagnetic Sounding (2003) - Assessment of the effects of underwater noise and ac electromagnetic fields on marine life (plants, invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, birds and sea turtles) from active electromagnetic (EM) sounding surveys (to Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping Limited, Aberdeen, UK.).
- Review of Ultrafiltration Technology for Marine Oily Water Separation (1998) - Research and development of marine oily-water separator based on ceramic membrane ultrafiltration technology (to Dr. Baer Verfahrenstechnik GmbH).
- Environmental Applications (1994) - Reviews and report on potential environmental applications of patented technologies - electroflotation process for oily-water separation within the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry (for P&J Process Engineering Pty. Ltd.).
- Kutubu Petroleum Development Project (1991) - Preparation of an environmental management and monitoring program for the Kutubu Petroleum Development Project, PNG. Project included preliminary planning and prediction of environmental effects on mangroves from potential oil spills from a marine terminal facility (with NSR for Chevron Niugini Pty. Ltd.).
- East Perth Gasworks Site Rehabilitation (1990) - Planning and implementation of surveys for estuarine waters, bed sediments and associated fauna for environmental impact and risk assessment of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in groundwater and surface runoff from a former gasworks site contaminating the Swan River, Western Australia (with NSR for Camp. Scott & Furphy Pty. Ltd.).
- Southern Forests Project (1986) - Assessment of ships' ballast and plant effluent disposal and associated discharge permits from an integrated flitch recovery sawmill and woodchip export facility near Geeveston, Tasmania (with NSR for Huon Forest Products Joint Venture).
- Port Moresby Industrial Port Study (1986) - Assessment of the marine biological effects of constructing and operating a proposed copper concentrate transhipment terminal within Port Moresby's Halifax Harbour. Included assessment of minor operational hydrocarbon spills and accidental oil spills(with NSR for PNG Harbours Board).
- Decommissioning Bass Strait Platforms (1986) - Environmental impact assessment of decommissioning oil production platforms in Bass Strait (with NSR for Esso).
Mining and Minerals Processing:
- Koniambo Nickel Project (2004) - Environmental impact of total suspended sediments (TSS) released from sediment control structures on downstream water quality and aqautic life, and the formulation of TSS effects threshold criteria for the protection of aquatic life (to Roche limited for Falconbridge Nouvelle Caledonie).
- Sepon Gold Project (2001) - Environmental issues and sensitivities of the Sepon Gold Project, Sepon, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. Review of aquatic environmental impact assessment for preparation of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) (to NSR for Oxiana Resources NL).
- Morobe Gold Project (2000) - Assessment of riverine biological and aquatic resource use impacts of constructing an open cut gold mine and tailing storage facility (to NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Morobe Goldfields Consolidated.
- Ramu Nickel Project (1998-99) - Riverine, coastal and deep-sea environmental impact of lateritic nickel mining wastes and wastewaters. (to NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Highlands Pacific Limited).
- Tolukuma Gold Project (1993) - Assessment of the aquatic biological and resource use effects of mine-derived sediments entering the Angabanga River system, Papua New Guinea (to NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd. for Dome Resources).
- Horn Island Environmental Review (1993) - Assessment of trace metal concentration data for mangrove cockles(Polymedosa erosa) and marine sediments in relation to metal-contaminated runoff from a former gold mining site on Horn Island, Torres Strait (for Queensland Department of Minerals & Energy).
- Lihir Gold Project, Papua New Guinea (1991) - Lower Londolovit River Management Study. Assessment of the potential effects of regulated river flows likely to result from a water supply scheme on downstream aquatic biology, subsistence fisheries and land resources (with NSR Environmental Consultant Pty. Ltd. for Kennecott-Niugini Mining Joint Venture).
- Effects of Mining on the Ghanaian Environment (1991) - River environment impact assessments of five Ghanaian operating mines and formulation of guidelines for draft legislation to minimise the effects of new mining developments on the Ghanaian environment (with NSR for Minerals Commission, Government of Ghana).
- Henty Gold Project (1990) - Environmental impact assessment of the effects of construction-derived sediments and residual cyanides on the Henty River and negotiation of discharge and ambient cyanide criteria (with NSR for RGC (Tasmania) Limited).
- Kerimenge Gold Project (1990) - Preliminary environmental impact assessment of the effects of the proposed open cut gold mine at Kerimenge on Kwembu Creek and the Bulolo River system, Morobe Province, PNG (with NSR for Renison Goldfields Consolidated).
- Hidden Valley Gold Project Environmental Plan (1989) - Environmental impact assessment of potential river biological effects arising from the direct discharge of tailing and/or tailing supernatant (with NSR for CRA Gold Pty. Ltd.).
- Mount Victor Gold Project Environmental Plan (1988) - Environmental impact assessment of constructing and operating a small gold mine in Eastern Highlands Province, PNG (with NSR for Niugini Mining Ltd.).
- Misima Gold Project Environmental Plan (1985-86) - Assessment of the marine biological effects of at-depth marine tailing disposal and near-surface dumping of soft oxidised waste, on the basis of aeration-dilution and bioassay tests, field dump trials and predictions of waste transport and dispersion (with NSR for Placer (PNG) Pty. Limited).
- Porgera Gold Project Environmental Plan (1985-86) - Assessment of river biological effects of mill tailing and mine waste disposal, based on laboratory aeration-dilution and bioassay tests and river transport modelling (with NSR for Placer (PNG) Pty. Limited).
Electric Industry:
- Environmental Impact of Marine Electromagnetic Sounding (2003) - Assessment of the effects of underwater noise and ac electromagnetic fields on marine life (plants, invertebrates, fish, marine mammals, birds and sea turtles) from active electromagnetic (EM) sounding surveys (to Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping Limited, Southampton, UK.).
- Basslink Project (2000-2002) - Assessment of construction environmental impacts of HVDC cable installation and sea electrode emplacement and operational environmental impacts (electric fields, magnetic fields, chlorine-produced oxidants and halogenated organic compounds, and heat generation) on marine water quality, flora, fauna and marine resource use (with NSR Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd for Basslink Pty. Ltd.).
Pulp and Paper Industries:
- Bell Bay Pulp Mill Project (2007) - Review of the behaviour, toxicity and fate of effluent-derived chlorate (ClO3-) in the marine environment, including an assessment of chlorate persistence and natural degradation processes (to Gunns Limited).
- Bell Bay Pulp Mill Project (2007) - Environmental impact assessment of the likely effects of suspended bed sediments and underwater noise derived from marine construction and pile driving for a new pulp mill on benthic invertebrates, fish, fur seals, whales, dolphins and sea turtles, and an Atlantic salmon aquacultural facility (to Gunns Limited).
- Bell Bay Pulp Mill Project Panel Inquiry (2006 - 2007) - Independent peer reviewer and expert witness to Freehills (a commercial law firm) in preparing its case for the Resource Planning and Development (RPDC) Panel Inquiry into the Draft Integrated Impact Statement (Draft IIS) for the Bell Bay Pulp Mill Project, Tasmania (to Freehills for Gunns Limited).
Forestry:
- Queanbeyan and Badja Management Areas Environmental Impact Statement (1994) - Preparation of an EIS for proposed forestry operations in Queanbeyan and Badja Management Areas, southeast New South Wales (to State Forests of New South Wales).
- Eden Management Area Environmental Impact Statement (1994) - Revision of draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and preparation of a new EIS for forestry operations proposed in Eden Management Area, southeast New South Wales (to Margules Groome & Pöyry Pty. Ltd. for State Forests of New South Wales).
- Grafton Environmental Impact Statement (1994) - Assessment of aquatic environmental effects of road construction and timber harvesting in the Grafton Forest District of northern New South Wales (to Margules Groome & Pöyry Pty. Ltd for Forestry Commission of New South Wales).
- Casino Environmental Impact Statement (1994) - Assessment of aquatic environmental effects of road construction and timber harvesting in the Casino and Murwillumbah Forest Districts of northern New South Wales (to Margules Groome & Pöyry Pty. Ltd for Forestry Commission of New South Wales).
- Boral (SEPL) Environmental Impact Statement (1993) - Assessment of aquatic environmental effects of timber harvesting in the coastal region of northern New South Wales by Sawmillers Exports Pty. Ltd. (SEPL) (to Margules Groome & Pöyry Pty. Ltd. for BORAL Timber Division).
See Principal's CV for other examples and experience.