Essential Requirements for Environmental Impact Studies

Minimum Content of an Environmental Impact Study

• a) Project Description: Environmental description of the project and anticipated demands over time, regarding land use and natural resources. Estimate the types and amounts of discharges, emissions, and waste resulting from matter or energy.
• b) Alternatives Analysis: An exhibition of the main alternatives studied and a justification for the adopted solution, considering environmental effects.
• c) Impact Evaluation: Assessment of the anticipated direct or indirect effects of the project on population, fauna, flora, soil, air, water, and landscape.
• d) Mitigation Actions: Actions planned to reduce, eliminate, or compensate for significant environmental effects.
• e) Monitoring: Environmental monitoring program.
• f) Summary: A summary of the study and conclusions in easily comprehensible terms.

Protective and Corrective Measures

Indicate the measures planned to reduce, eliminate, or offset significant adverse environmental effects, as well as possible alternatives to the conditions initially envisaged in the project. This includes describing measures to mitigate or eliminate the negative environmental impacts of the activity.

Environmental Monitoring Program

Establish a system to enforce the indications and protective or corrective measures contained in the environmental impact study.

Project Groups

• Group 1: Agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, and livestock.
• Group 2: Extractive industries.
• Group 3: Energy industry.
• Group 4: Steel industry and metal ore production.
• Group 5: Chemical, petrochemical, textile, and paper industries.
• Group 6: Infrastructure projects.
• Group 7: Infrastructure projects.
• Group 8: Waste treatment and management projects.

Project Definition

A technical document that defines the location, the realization of plans and programs, the execution of construction works or other facilities, and other interventions in the natural environment or landscape, including those involving the exploitation of resources.

Environmental Impact Study Definition

A study designed to describe and identify the foreseeable significant effects that a project will produce on different environmental aspects, determined by the particularities of each case.