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<\/p>\nConfused by Consultants? Flummoxed by Fracking Applications? \u00a0It is all pretty overwhelming and we are all learning as we go. Most of us have heard about EIAs and IAPs only recently, so no wonder we are a bit flustered.<\/p>\n
When a person or company wants to develop land, they need to follow a set process before they get authorization to do so. This should mean that developments that are inappropriate to an area or particular site, are not allowed to proceed.<\/p>\n
There are environmental laws which govern how development can be carried out on the land.\u00a0The law lists activities which could potentially cause environmental impacts \u2013 and Environmental Authorization must be obtained from government before such activities can be undertaken.\u00a0An EIA is the process of application for Environmental Authorization and often includes, along with environmental issues, social and community issues too.<\/p>\n
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Lots of acronyms are used in the various documents. \u00a0Here is an easy guide:<\/p>\n
An EIA should look at all the potential environmental issues of a proposed development (water, heritage, visual, traffic etc), including social. It should be a comprehensive report that lists potential impacts, details about how these impacts can be mitigated (avoided \/ reduced) and make recommendations on how the development should proceed if permission is granted. The EIA report is submitted to government to make a decision whether or not to grant Environmental Authorization.<\/p>\n
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EIA consultants are employed by the developer to conduct this assessment. \u00a0There are 2 types of EIAs : Basic Assessments<\/strong> and Scoping and Full EIAs.<\/strong><\/p>\n Which type of EIA is undertaken is determined by the activities \/ nature of the development \/ sensitivity of the receiving environment.<\/p>\n 1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Basic Assessment \u2013 for smaller, less impacting developments.<\/p>\n 2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scoping and Full EIA \u2013 for large-scale developments.<\/p>\n The applications for oil and gas exploration, are undergoing a Scoping and Full EIA. \u00a0<\/strong>This table illustrates who does what when during the Scoping Phase:<\/p>\n \u00b7Site notices<\/p>\n \u00b7Notify landowners<\/p>\n \u00b7Newspaper ads<\/p>\n \u00b7Public meeting<\/p>\n Undertake preliminary studies \/ mapping<\/p>\n Circulate draft Scoping Report for 30 days<\/p>\n Submit application form to PASA<\/p>\n Submit final Scoping Report to PASA<\/p>\n <\/td>\n Submit queries \/ concerns \/ requests for further<\/p>\n information to EAP<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Be specific<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Be persistent<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note the deadline for the draft Scoping Report, and submit comments on time.<\/p>\n <\/td>\n Approve \/ Reject \/ Ask for further information.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If accept, then EIA process moves to EIR phase.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n The EIA process is made up of a number of specific legislated steps and time frames, as set out in NEMA. \u00a0The EIR phase follows this<\/p>\n \u00b7Biodiversity<\/p>\n \u00b7Hydrology<\/p>\n \u00b7Vegetation etc<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Circulate draft EIR for 30 days<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Submit Final EIR Report to PASA<\/p>\n <\/td>\n Be specific<\/p>\n Be persistent<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note the deadline for the Final EIR, submit comments on time.<\/p>\n Once PASA decision – opportunity to APPEAL<\/b>. More information will be provided.<\/td>\n Approve \/ Reject.<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Being a legal process, it is important to note the stipulated periods wherein activities must be carried out by various parties – including the EAP, competent authority (i.e. PASA) and IAPs.<\/p>\n Do join us for an informative evening on 16 August to learn from the experts how us ordinary folk can participate and shape our community development.<\/strong><\/p>\n “This is no time to assume that someone else will be fighting fracking on your behalf. We are all in this together and will all be affected. \u00a0 Everyone needs to participate in whatever way they can to ensure that our livelihoods, communities, water resources and environment are not ruined forever.” Judy Bell Environmental Consultant and Frack Free SA volunteer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What on Earth are EIAs? Confused by Consultants? Flummoxed by Fracking Applications? \u00a0It is all pretty overwhelming and we are all learning as we go. Most of us have heard about EIAs and IAPs only recently, so no wonder we<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[69,68,62,71,64,65,63,67,24,66,70],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=718"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":728,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718\/revisions\/728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=718"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=718"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=718"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n\n
\n EAP responsibilities<\/b><\/td>\n IAPs<\/b><\/td>\n PASA<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Public participation process:<\/p>\n Register as an IAP<\/p>\n Upon receipt of Final Scoping Report, PASA will make decision on way forward:<\/p>\n \n\n
\n EAP responsibilities<\/b><\/td>\n IAPs<\/b><\/td>\n PASA<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Appoint specialists to provide detailed impact assessments:<\/p>\n Continue to submit queries \/ concerns \/ requests for further information to EAP<\/p>\n Upon receipt of Final EIR, PASA will make decision on Environmental Authorization:<\/p>\n ![\"EIA](\"http:\/\/frackfreesa.org.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/frackfree-omb-1.jpg\")
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