Main drawbacks towards Environmental Impact Assessments

Running head: MAIN DRAWBACKS TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
Main drawbacks towards Environmental Impact Assessments
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MAIN DRAWBACKS TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS1
Question 1:
Main drawbacks behind ways in which Environmental Impact Assessment is conducted
in NSW in the country of Australia:
 Definition of Environmental Impact Assessment and reasons behind conduction
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a protocol that helps in assessing various
consequences that may be positive or negative that may have an impact on various policies,
plans or programs before forming decisions in order to undertake various proposed actions. It
is basically utilized and its basic principles can be applied towards development of project
activities by various companies that would undertake assessment due to environmental
strategies (SEA) in regards to various policies or programmes that are proposed in various
states. Assessments at environmental standards are usually governed under the regulations of
administration in association with participation in public levels as well as documentation
processes in formulating decisions.
In the state of New South Wales situated in Australia through establishment of two different
pathways for implementation of EIA protocol under the Environment Planning as well as
Assessment Act in the year 1979. Through initiation of Division 5.2 by the help of EP&A
laws, it helps to provide projects that would help in development of Significant
Infrastructures. The second part that lies under 4th Part, dealings associated with EP&A laws
assist in development of assessments for growth in State, local or regional levels.
 Main drawbacks due to this protocol
In order to reform the principles of EIA protocol, the government at New South Wales have
tried to renew the process for Environmental Impact Assessment so that they can contribute

MAIN DRAWBACKS TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS2
towards significant development as well as progress in infrastructural problems. Certain
drawbacks associated with this protocol in NSW are:
a) Stakeholders have been able to identify various problems with processes of EIA as
these were proved to be quite inconsistent as well as it produced certain documents
that were very difficult to realize.
b) Since there was a deficiency in confidence with respect to assessment of various
projects therefore it lead to failure and it also could not put focus on certain
important results and thus led to negligible consideration of various combined
impacts.
c) Stakeholders also identified that there was an urgent need of engagement of better
means of communities that was not present in EIA processes.
d) EIA protocol proved to be complex in certain cases and this ultimately lead to very
indefinite timeframes.
e) Various uncertainties arose in regards to approved project activities and therefore it
could not abide by all the necessary compliances during the time of construction as
well as operations
f) Certain uncertainties arose due to various modifications in project plans and this led
to problems in approving those projects.
 Differences in such happenings taking place in Southern Australia
In the state NSW, fracking is usually permitted under the Act of Petroleum Onshore in the
year 1991. Under various regulations associated with planning, operations associated with
fracking usually receive consent due to development in various circumstances. Developments
associated with CSG are usually prohibited within the exclusion or certain buffer zones that
have an impact on society as well as environment. Explorations with respect to CSG as well
as various development factors undergo through protection license agreements under the Act