Environmental Management Framework (emf) coastal embankment improvement project phase-i project (ceip-i) April 29, 2013 Dhaka Bangladesh Water Development Board Ministry of Water Resources Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

7.6Selection of Important Environmental and social Components (IESCs), scoping and bounding

61. 
    Environmental and social components likely to be impacted by the project interventions are termed as Important Environmental and social Components (IESCs). IESCs have been selected based on the rationale of impact for each component during pre-construction, construction and post-construction stages. A scoping process was followed for selecting IESCs which are likely to be impacted by the proposed interventions of CEIP. Scoping was done in two stages. Individual professionals of EA study team made a preliminary list of the components pertaining to their disciplines, which could be impacted by the project. The second stage included scoping sessions where stakeholder perceptions have been obtained about those environmental and social components. Professional judgment of the EA team members as well as the stakeholder opinions obtained in the scoping sessions was considered in selecting the IESCs. Area likely to be impacted by the proposed interventions of the CEIP project was delineated in consultation with the feasibility study team members in addition to feed back received from the local people during baseline consultation and stakeholder consultation meeting. The entire area influenced by proposed sub-projects under CEIP project was considered as the potential area to be impacted.
    

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  Assessment Methodology
  

61. 
    The assessment of effects and identification of residual impacts takes account of any incorporated mitigation measures adopted due to any potential impact of Project activities, and will be largely dependent on the extent and duration of change, the number of people or size of the resource affected and their sensitivity to the change. Potential impacts can be both negative and positive (beneficial), and the methodology defined below will be applied to define both beneficial and adverse potential impacts.
    

61. 
    The criteria for determining significance are generally specific for each environmental and social aspect but generally the magnitude of each potential impact is defined along with the sensitivity of the receptor. Generic criteria for defining magnitude and sensitivity used for the Project are summarized below.
    

61. 
    The assessment of magnitude has been undertaken in two steps. Firstly the key issues associated with the Project are categorized as beneficial or adverse. Secondly, potential impacts have been categorized as major, moderate, minor or negligible based on consideration of the parameters such as:
    

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  Duration of the potential impact;
  
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  Spatial extent of the potential impact;
  
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  Reversibility;
  
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  Likelihood; and
  
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  Legal standards and established professional criteria.
  
  
  

61. 
    The magnitude of potential impacts of the Project has generally been identified according to the categories outlined in Table 7.2.
    

61. 
    The sensitivity of a receptor has been determined based on review of the population (including proximity / numbers / vulnerability) and presence of features on the site or the surrounding area. Criteria for determining receptor sensitivity of the Project’s potential impacts are outlined in Table 7.3.
    

61. 
    Following the assessment of magnitude, the quality and sensitivity of the receiving environment or potential receptor has been determined and the significance of each potential impact established using the potential impact significance matrix shown in Table 7.4.