Nazareno Gula Lastra

NAT RES Assignment

Screening

Scooping

EIA Study

Review of EIA Reports

Decision Making

Monitoring, Validation and evaluation/ Audit

This must be noted that the EIA is used in enhancing planning and guiding
decision-making. EIA as a process is used to protect the environment as well as the
community or the people as such. The first stage in Environmental Impact Assessment
is screening. Prior to the screening, there is this proposed plan for any environmental
project or development or enhancement. When a certain entity identifies the proposed
project and planning, this shall be submitted to the DENR-EMB. The Screening proper
the determination of whether the proposed project is covered or not covered by the
PEISS. Thus, if this is covered by the PEISS the screening proceeds in order to secure
the necessary requirements in order to be approved. This stage involved the initial
environmental examination. Other documents as such shall be determined by the EMB
such as the endorsement and the duration of the process for the approval.
The second stage in the EIA process is Scoping. This stage is a multi-sectoral
formal process of determining the focused terms of Reference of the EIA study. This
stage identifies the most important issues/ impacts of a proposed project. Moreover, this
stage delimits the extent of baseline information. In addition, at this stage, the mitigating
and evaluation of the impacts are done in order to determine the use of such a
proposed project. This stage involves the Public, such as governmental committees,
EIARC, DENR-EMB. The result of the scooping is the formal scooping checklist signed
by the EMB Chief.
The Third Stage is the EIA Study. This stage involves the description of the
proposed project and the alternatives. The characterization of the project environment
and the impact identification and prediction, evaluation of impact significance, impact
mitigation, formulation of environmental management and monitoring plan, and the
costs of the project. The result of the Study shall be presented in the EIA Report which
is outlined by the EMB.
The Fourth stage is the Review of EIA Reports. This stage involves third-party
experts which are prescribed by the EMB or EIARC. The said third-party expert shall
substantially review all the necessary and minimum requirements imposed in the
scooping stage. Thereafter, the EMB evaluates the EIARC recommendations during
public hearings/ public consultations in the process of recommending such projects. The
EIARC Chair shall sign the recommendations including those outside the mandate of
EMB. Herein, the entire EIA review and evaluation process shall be summarized in the
Review Process Report of the EMB including the decision draft report.
The fifth stage is the Decision Making. Herein, the evaluation and the draft
decisions done by EIA and EMB are done. Upon approval, the issuance of ECC, CNC,
or the Denial of the letter is produced. This stage clarifies the coverage of the proposed
project whether this is covered by the PEIS or not. This issuance shall be downgraded
to the LGUs or any entities which are guaranteed by the constitution.
The last stage is the Monitoring, Validation, and evaluation/ Audit. This stage
assessed the performance of the proponents against the issued ECC. This shall
evaluate the compliance of the environmental parameters set by the government for the
common welfare of the community. This stage either prevents or mitigates such
destruction and assesses the impact of the project on the community.