Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)

Initial Environmental Examination (IEE)
Projects in which the requirement for an EIA needs to be ascertained, should be subjected to an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE). IEE is carried out to determine whether potentially adverse environmental effects are significant or whether mitigation measures can be adopted to reduce or eliminate these adverse effects. IEE requires more indepth analysis than applied in the screening procedure. Consequently, an IEE involves more time and resources. IEE also requires expert advice and technical input from environmental specialists so that potential environmental problems can be clearly defined. When an IEE is able to provide a definite solution to environmental problems, an EIA is not necessary.
To prepare an IEE, it is necessary to initially make a checklist that briefly describes the project activities to be implemented and natural resources to be affected.
Typical activities such as siting of the project, resource demand, waste production and regulation, policies and guidelines are required to be include in IEE process. For any particular project only a few of these may be significant and therefore the first step is to narrow the list of activities likely to be produce significant effects on the environment. The response of each environmental parameter to each project action is represented by an interaction cell and should be checked by a rating number ranging from 1 to 3, 1 represent no significant impact, 2 moderate impact and 3 major impact.


INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF THE IEE CHECKLIST
This section guides the project proponent on how to answer the checklist. It also directs the proponent to submit the IEE Checklist initially.

A. Contents of the IEE Checklist

The IEE Checklist consists of a series of questions related to the operation of the project and its corresponding impact to the environment. It serves as a planning tool for the proponent to determine water quality, air quality, solid and hazardous waste management issues that needs to be addressed during all stages of project implementation.
The IEE Checklist is divided into eight (8) major sections:

1. General Information presents the project title, name and address of project proponent, proponent's contact person and the location of the project;

2. Project Description presents the plan/design components and activities during all phases of the project, from construction to abandonment;

3. Impact Assessment and Mitigation describes the possible impacts that may occur during project development and the corresponding mitigating and enhancement measures to prevent and/or minimize the adverse effects of the project;

4. Environmental Management Program summarizes the mitigation, compensation, contingency and monitoring measures to enhance positive impacts and minimize negative impacts of the proposed project;

5. Environmental Monitoring Plan summarizes the monitoring program detailing the parameters, location of sampling stations, frequency, etc.

6. Proponent’s Commitment specifies the duties and responsibilities of the economic zone locator enterprise related to the management of the environment

7. Attachments refers to the checklist of documents that the proponent should attach to the IEE Checklist

8. Accountability Statement of the Proponent and Preparer*
*if the PCO or representative of the company prepared the IEE report, the accountability statement of the Preparer is no longer necessary

B. Instructions on the Preparation of the IEE Checklist
General Instructions
• Submit only the accomplished IEE Checklist and its attachment, no need to include the instruction pages during application
• Enter the required information on the spaces provided or otherwise, check () the appropriate boxes () and circles ()



1. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION (IEE)

Describe why the activity is desired and appropriate, and outline the proposed key activities. Provide a current activity description and the purpose and scope of the IEE (if an amendment, why needed and what it covers).

a. Background
b. Description of Activities
c. Purpose and Scope of this IEE

2. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE INFORMATION

This section is critical and should briefly assess the current physical environment that might be affected by the activity. Depending upon the proposed activity, this could include: an examination of land use, geology, topography, soil, climate, groundwater resources, surface water resources, terrestrial and aquatic communities, environmentally sensitive areas (i.e., wetlands or protected species), agricultural cropping patterns and practices, infrastructure and transport services, air quality, demography (population trends and projections), cultural resources, and the social and economic characteristics of target communities.
The information obtained through this process should serve as an environmental baseline for future environmental monitoring and evaluation. Be selective in the country and environmental information you provide, as it should be specific to the activity being proposed because more information than necessary is undesirable.
Finally, indicate the status and applicability of the host country programs and procedures in addressing natural resources, the environment, and other related issues.

a. Location Affected
b. Environmental Policies and Procedures


3. EVALUATION of ACTIVITY ISSUES with RESPECT to ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT POTENTIAL

This section of the IEE is intended to define all potential environmental impacts of the activity or project, whether they are direct, indirect, beneficial, undesired, short-term, long-term, or cumulative.

4. RECOMMENDED MITIGATION ACTIONS

For each proposed activity or major component recommend whether a specific intervention included in the activity should receive a categorical exclusion, negative determination (with or without conditions), positive determination, etc. Cite also which sections of Reg. 216 support the requested determinations.
Recommend what is to be done to avoid, eliminate, or compensate for environmental impacts. For activities where there are expected environmental consequences, incorporate in such activities appropriate environmental monitoring and impact indicators and an evaluation plan.

a. Recommended IEE determination
b. Mitigation
c. Monitoring and Evaluation

5. SUMMARY of FINDINGS

Summarize the proposed environmental determinations and recommendations.

a. Environmental Determinations
b.Conditions