The accumulating impacts from human development are threatening water quality and availability in the watersheds of Western Canada. While environmental impact assessment (EIA) is tasked with identifying such cumulative impacts, the practice is limited to individual projects, is not widely applied, overlooks activities occurring on the landscape, and fails to capture the effects of multiple projects over time. Limitations of the project-by-project approach are spurring the emergence of a regional framework for assessing aquatic cumulative effects within watershed boundaries. Watershed-based cumulative effects assessment (WCEA) will need a standard set of ecosystem components and indicators for assessment across the watershed, but it is not clear how such valued ecosystem components (VECs) and related measurable parameters should be identified. This study examined how aquatic VECs and indicators were used within project-based EIA in the South Saskatchewan River watershed and considered whether they could be scaled up for use in WCEA. A semi-quantitative analysis compared a hierarchy of assessment components and measurable parameters identified in the environmental impact statements of 28 federal screening, 5 federal comprehensive and 2 provincial environmental assessments from the South Saskatchewan River watershed, and examined factors affecting aquatic VEC selection. While provincial assessments were available online or at a central archive, federal assessments were difficult to access. Results showed that regulatory compliance was the dominant factor influencing VEC selection, followed by the preferences of government agencies with different mandates, and that provincial licensing arrangements interfered with VEC selection. The frequency of VECs and indicators used for aquatic assessment within EIA does not reflect the aquatic cumulative effect assessment (CEA) priorities for the watershed. The effective selection of VECs and indicators for aquatic cumulative effects assessment in practice requires both the implementation of WCEA and updating of guidelines for project-based EIA.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning process used to predict, assess, mitigate, and monitor the potential environmental and social impacts that may be associated with a proposed development project. Essential to the efficacy of EIA is follow-up - a post-decision process that attempts to understand EIA outcomes and provides feedback on project development and learning processes to improve environmental management practices. While considerable literature on follow-up related themes exists, the actual implementation and engagement of all stakeholders involved with follow-up in post-consent decision stages lacks or is not done well. That being said, in northern Canada, and in the mining sector in general, much of this post-decision activity is occurring under a new institutional arrangement: privatized community-industry Environmental Agreements and associated community-based monitoring programs. Based on a case study of follow-up in northern Saskatchewans uranium mining industry, this thesis examines both the institutional development of EIA follow-up and the role and contribution of community-based Environmental Agreements to EIA follow-up and impact management practices. This thesis adopted a manuscript-style format; both utilized a combined methodology of document review and semi-structured interviews. The first manuscript focuses on the institutional development of follow-up in the northern Saskatchewan uranium mining industry, giving context to the current situation. Results demonstrate that follow-up in Saskatchewans uranium industry has transformed and is characterized by four themes ranging from little or no follow-up to a new system that now includes a participatory yet privatized process based on privatized agreements. Results suggest that follow-up has evolved to a current emphasis on environmental management incorporating a community-centric approach, recognition of socioeconomic issues in monitoring programs, and an increased community and industry presence in follow-up and monitoring activities. The second manuscript examines the nature and scope of the northern Saskatchewan uranium industrys Environmental Agreement and its potential role in EIA follow-up. Results indicate that although privatized Environmental Agreements and community-led monitoring programs complement and supplement formal EIA follow-up processes and contribute to environmental management practices, they do not have the capacity to replace EIA follow-up. Results from this thesis advance current knowledge and understanding of the evolution of EIA follow-up and the current role and contribution of privatized agreements to post-decision follow-up and impact management practices.

Suburban growth in the U.S. urban regions has been defined by large subdivisions of single-family detached units. This growth is made possible by the mobility supported by automobiles and an extensive highway network. These dispersed and highly automobile-dependent developments have generated a large body of work examining the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of suburban growth on cities. The particular debate that this study addresses is whether suburban residents are more energy intensive in their travel behavior than central city residents. If indeed suburban residents have needs that are not satisfied by the amenities around them, they may be traveling farther to access such services. However, if suburbs are becoming like cities with a wide range of services and amenities, travel might be contained and no different from the travel behavior of residents in central areas. This paper will compare the effects of long term suburban growth on travel behavior, energy consumption, and GHG emissions through a case study of neighborhoods in central Phoenix and the city of Gilbert, both in the Phoenix metropolitan region. Motorized travel patterns in these study areas will be generated using 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data by developing a four-step transportation demand model in TransCAD. Energy consumption and GHG emissions, including both Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) and Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) for each study area will be estimated based on the corresponding trip distribution results. The final normalized outcomes will not only be compared spatially between Phoenix and Gilbert within the same year, but also temporally between years 2001 and 2009 to determine how the differential land use changes in those places influenced travel. The results from this study reveal that suburban growth does have an impact on people's travel behaviors. As suburbs grew and diversified, the difference in travel behavior between people living in suburban and urban areas became smaller. In the case of shopping trips the average length of trips for suburban residents in 2009 was slightly shorter than that for central city residents. This convergence was substantially due to the faster growth in trip lengths for central city compared to suburban residents in the 8-year period. However, suburban residents continue to be more energy intensive in their travel behavior, as the effect of reduction in trip length is likely to be offset by the more intensive growth in trip frequency. Additionally, overall energy consumption has grown significantly in both study areas over the period of study.

Visitor activities in parks often have a heavy impact on the soil, vegetation, water and wildlife. In front country areas, the most extreme damage is concentrated on and adjacent to recreational trails. Aside from controlling the numbers, activities and behaviours of trail users, managers may choose to make trails more resistant to impact through surfacing. Unfortunately, surfacing may have negative influences on park visitors' enjoyment of trails by limiting access or detracting from the primitive setting. In addition, some surfaces may be ineffective in certain environmental conditions such as wet ground or steep slopes. Finally, the wide variety in construction and maintenance costs may make some surface types economically unfeasible. The goals of this research are to investigate the role of trail surfacing in the management of impacts from outdoor recreation; to develop better understanding of the social, economic and environmental aspects of trail surfacing decisions; and to explore a comprehensive framework for incorporating these three factors in trail management. It is hoped that this research can assist park managers in selecting surfacing options to reduce visitor impact without excessively compromising recreational experience or organizational limitations, such as financial resources. In addition to a comprehensive review of literature on visitor impact management on trails and surfacing techniques, this research employs three methods to further investigate the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing: a trail user survey, manager survey and trail condition assessment. The trail user survey was conducted at two well-used natural areas in southwestern Ontario, Canada: Presqu'ile Provincial Park and Belfountain Conservation Area. Surveys at each area explored trail users' perceptions and preferences of trail surfacing techniques in late summer 1999. The managers' survey provided insight into organizational approaches to surfacing, including construction cost and observations on recreational or environmental effectiveness. Finally, the trail condition assessment explored an approach to determining environmental effectiveness of trail surfacing techniques, but was limited by the physical and recreational variation between trails. Seven recommendations for trail managers are presented, tying in several conceptual frameworks of visitor impact management and trail surfacing decisions developed in the thesis. First, trail managers are recommended to develop a full understanding of trail design principles and alternative visitor impact management techniques. If surfacing is selected as the best impact management technique, trail managers should obtain as much information on user characteristics, environmental conditions and organizational limitations as possible. Despite the benefits and drawbacks for all surfaces, road base gravel (or angular screenings with fines) merits special attention as an excellent surface, while asphalt and concrete are not recommended for front country, semi-primitive recreation. Finally, trail managers are encouraged to share information on surfacing more freely and open surfacing decision processes to affected trail users. Overall, trail managers are provided with an approach to surfacing decisions that considers the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing, with the goal of working toward more enjoyable, environmentally responsible and cost-effective trail solutions.

The aim of this thesis was to answer a number of questions about the environmental consequences of aircraft de-icing. A further aim was to suggest how the environmental consequences due to the release of de-icing fluids can be measured and reduced. The main impact of the aircraft de-icing on the environment is due to the large oxygen demand for the degradation of glycol based de-icing fluids which are released in the environment. The effect of the increase in oxygen demand depends on where the degradation occurs in the ecosystem. In a sensitive ecosystem, the large demand of oxygen could provide an anaerobic environment which would be harmful for many types of organisms. In order to reduce the negative effects of the applied de-icing fluid, there is some type of collection system at every regular airport in Sweden. The methods of collection can be divided into two general groups, hydrological isolation or vacuum sweeper trucks. When the area used for hydrological isolation is relatively small it is called a central de-icing pad. This thesis investigates which methods are being used at 16 of the Swedish airports with the most intense de-icing activity. Of all of these airports, only one does not use vacuum sweeper trucks. Six of the airports use central de-icing pads and five use hydrological isolation of a larger area. The investigation of the efficiency of each method showed no significant differences. This is due to the lack of accurate measurements and that different measurement methods are employed at different airports. This thesis also examines which methods for measuring the efficiency are being used, their weaknesses and what alternatives methods are available. Suggestions are also given to minimize the environmental consequences of aircraft de-icing, taken into account both leakage of the de-icing fluid and its judicious use. The case study of Stockholm-Bromma Airport includes a more detailed investigation of the de-icing activities and a rough mass balance is established. The aim of establisheing the mass balance is to determine the extent of collection of the de-icing fluids, their runoff to the storm water system or arrival at a diffuse sink. The results show that even if the collection is low, only a small part of the de-icing fluids reaches the storm water system. A relatively large part goes to the diffuse sinks where the de-icing fluids degrade on the soil surface or percolate into the soil. In the case study there is also an investigation of the probable impacts on the surrounding environment due to aircraft de-icing at Stockholm-Bromma Airport and suggestions are made how to reduce the impact. / Det primära syftet med examensarbetet har varit att besvara ett antal frågeställningar om flygplansavisningens miljöpåverkan. Frågeställningar som behandlar hur flygplansavisningens miljöpåverkan kan uppskattas/mätas samt reduceras. Den miljöpåverkan flygplansavisningen ger upphov till består främst av den syreförbrukning som orsakas vid nedbrytningen av den använda, glykolbaserade avisningsvätskan. Hur stor denna miljöbelastning blir beror till stor del av var nedbrytningen äger rum. I känsliga ekosystem ger syreförbrukningen upphov till syrefattiga miljöer vilket många organismer missgynnas av. För att reducera de negativa effekter som använd avisningsvätska kan ge upphov till sker på alla svenska reguljära flygplatser ett tillvaratagande av den använda avisningsvätskan. Uppsamlingsmetoderna som används kan uppdelas i två huvudprinciper. Den ena är att området där avisning sker begränsas hydrologiskt och den andra metoden är uppsamling med ”vakuum-sugbil”. Den hydrologiska avgränsningen kan göras för ett mindre område och benämns då som en stationär avisningsyta. Examensarbetet utreder vilka uppsamlingsmetoder för avisningsvätska som används på 16 av de svenska flygplatserna med mest avisningsaktivitet. Vid de undersökta flygplatserna används ”vakuum-sugbil” på alla utom en. På sex av flygplatserna används stationära avisningsplatser och större avgränsade områden för uppsamling finns vid fem flygplatser. Ingen signifikant skillnad i effektivitet (uppsamlingsgrad) kunde påvisas mellan de olika uppsamlingsmetoderna. Anledningen till detta kan ligga i att mätmetoderna skiljer sig mellan de olika flygplatserna och att det är mycket svårt att mäta eller uppskatta effektiviteten. Examensarbetet utreder även vilka mätmetoder som används, deras svagheter samt alternativ till dessa. Förslag ges även till allmänna åtgärder för att minimera flygplansavisningens miljöpåverkan ur såväl utsläppssynpunkt som för resursåtgång. En fallstudie av Stockholm-Bromma flygplats ger en betydligt djupare utredning än för övriga flygplatser och en grov massbalans upprättas för den använda glykolen. Massbalansen upprättas för man ska kunna avgöra hur stora mängder av den använda avisningsvätskan som samlas upp, lämnar flygplatsen via dagvattennätet eller når diffusa sänkor. Resultaten visar att även om uppsamlingsgraden är liten är belastningen på dagvattennätet ringa. En stor andel når de s.k. diffusa sänkorna och bryts ner på markytan eller perkolerar ner genom marken. I fallstudien utreds även den troliga påverkan på vattenrecipienter och omkringliggande närmiljö. Förslag ges även på hur man på bästa sätt skall reducera den miljöpåverkan som den använda avisningsvätskan ger upphov till.

Assessment of impacts on nature and reindeer husbandry by the considered mountain road between Borgafjäll and Saxnäs- Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institutes method for assessment of damage to heritage assets There are plans regarding the building of a new road from Borgafjäll/Båtas to Saxnäs, and two road alternatives have been presented. The road has been localized to an area which is protected as a nature reserve and listed as a Nature 2000 area. This report aims to determine the effects on the Nature 2000 area and reindeer husbandry, and to be a source of knowledge for future environmental impact assessment in that project. In order to assess the impact on nature values and reindeer husbandry a method from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) has been used. A literature review has been made to prescribe the effects and consequences. Interviews and geographical information system analysis compliments the report. Both alternatives are going to affect arctic birch forests and specially protected mires. Almost one fifth of the protected arctic birch forest in Gitsfjällets nature reserve will be affected by the alternatives. The distribution and reproduction of arctic fox and wolverine will also be complicated and inhibited. The alternatives are going to create a barrier and fragment the area for reindeer husbandry. This will disturb the reindeer’s mating and calving. On the basis of VTI’s method for the assessment of damage to heritage assets the conclusion is that both road alternatives will affect the nature value and reindeer husbandry negatively. The prerequisite to build the road depends on whether the community

I en miljökonsekvensbeskrivning, MKB ska en beskrivning av planerade åtgärder ges för att undvika, minska eller avhjälpa skadliga verkningar, då projektet antas medföra betydande miljöpåverkan. Eftersom det upptäckts allvarliga brister för skadeförebyggande åtgärder i forskningsrapporter utomlands, var det intressant att undersöka åtgärdskvalitén i några svenska MKB. Svagheter och styrkor i skadeförebyggande åtgärder i 6st MKB för 2st markkabelanläggningar i Sverige undersöktes. Metoden för undersökningen var två fallstudier som jämfördes mot varandra och analyserades mot teorier. Resultatet visade att kvalitén på det undersökta materialet var övervägande bra, jämförelsevis mot de forskningsrapporter som visat på bristfälliga åtgärdsförslag utomlands. Det var väl beskrivna åtgärder där identifiering och implementering av skadeförebyggande åtgärder skedde i ett tidigt skede, enligt Mitchells åtgärdshierarki. Det fanns dock brister som stämde överens mot nämnda forskningsrapporter i uppsatsen: Otydlighet i beskrivningen om hur en särskild miljöaspekt skulle åtgärdas samt avsaknad av åtgärder för denna specifika miljöaspekt, var en stor avvikelse mot de annars välbeskrivna åtgärdsförslagen mot betydande miljöpåverkan i föreliggande undersökning. Otydlighet om åtgärderna bara var förslag eller om de skulle användas, var den brist som ansågs allvarligast för att en MKB skulle vara verkningsfull. Denna allvarliga brist var gemensam för miljökonsekvensbeskrivningarna i föreliggande undersökning och för nämnda forskningsrapporter i uppsatsen. / In an environmental impact assessment, EIA there must be a description of planned measures to avoid, minimize and repair consequences that are damaging, when a project is presumed to bring significant environmental impact. Since detecting serious lack of failure for mitigation measures in science rapports abroad, it was interesting to investigate the quality for mitigation measures for some Swedish EIA. The weakness and strengths in mitigation measures in 6 EIA for 2 ground cable structure in Sweden was examined. The method for this study was two case studies that was compared against each other and analysed with theories. The results showed that the quality of the test material was considered good, comparatively to the research that demonstrated the lack of proposals for action abroad. It was well described measures in which the identification and implementation of mitigation measures were made at an early stage, according to Mitchell's mitigation hierarchy. However, there were deficiencies that were consistent with the mentioned research in this paper: Opaque in the description of how a particular environmental aspect would be addressed and the lack of action for this particular environmental aspect, was a major deviation from the otherwise well described action proposals for significant environmental effects in this study. Opaque if the measures were just proposals or if they would be used, where the shortage was most serious for an EIA would be effective. This serious deficiency was common for the environmental impact assessments in the present study and that research reports in the paper.

Visitor activities in parks often have a heavy impact on the soil, vegetation, water and wildlife. In front country areas, the most extreme damage is concentrated on and adjacent to recreational trails. Aside from controlling the numbers, activities and behaviours of trail users, managers may choose to make trails more resistant to impact through surfacing. Unfortunately, surfacing may have negative influences on park visitors' enjoyment of trails by limiting access or detracting from the primitive setting. In addition, some surfaces may be ineffective in certain environmental conditions such as wet ground or steep slopes. Finally, the wide variety in construction and maintenance costs may make some surface types economically unfeasible. The goals of this research are to investigate the role of trail surfacing in the management of impacts from outdoor recreation; to develop better understanding of the social, economic and environmental aspects of trail surfacing decisions; and to explore a comprehensive framework for incorporating these three factors in trail management. It is hoped that this research can assist park managers in selecting surfacing options to reduce visitor impact without excessively compromising recreational experience or organizational limitations, such as financial resources. In addition to a comprehensive review of literature on visitor impact management on trails and surfacing techniques, this research employs three methods to further investigate the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing: a trail user survey, manager survey and trail condition assessment. The trail user survey was conducted at two well-used natural areas in southwestern Ontario, Canada: Presqu'ile Provincial Park and Belfountain Conservation Area. Surveys at each area explored trail users' perceptions and preferences of trail surfacing techniques in late summer 1999. The managers' survey provided insight into organizational approaches to surfacing, including construction cost and observations on recreational or environmental effectiveness. Finally, the trail condition assessment explored an approach to determining environmental effectiveness of trail surfacing techniques, but was limited by the physical and recreational variation between trails. Seven recommendations for trail managers are presented, tying in several conceptual frameworks of visitor impact management and trail surfacing decisions developed in the thesis. First, trail managers are recommended to develop a full understanding of trail design principles and alternative visitor impact management techniques. If surfacing is selected as the best impact management technique, trail managers should obtain as much information on user characteristics, environmental conditions and organizational limitations as possible. Despite the benefits and drawbacks for all surfaces, road base gravel (or angular screenings with fines) merits special attention as an excellent surface, while asphalt and concrete are not recommended for front country, semi-primitive recreation. Finally, trail managers are encouraged to share information on surfacing more freely and open surfacing decision processes to affected trail users. Overall, trail managers are provided with an approach to surfacing decisions that considers the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing, with the goal of working toward more enjoyable, environmentally responsible and cost-effective trail solutions.

The residential sector is recognized as a major energy consumer and thus a significant contributor to climate change. Rather than focus only on current energy consumption and the associated emissions, there is a need to broaden sustainability research to include full life cycle contributions and impacts. This thesis looks at houses from the perspective of the Ecological Footprint (EF), a well-known sustainability indicator. The research objective is to integrate EF and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) measures to provide an enhanced tool to measure the sustainability implications of residential energy retrofit decisions. Exemplifying single-detached houses of the early 20th century, the century-old REEP House (downtown Kitchener, Canada), together with its high performance energy retrofits, is examined in detail. This research combines material, energy and carbon emission studies. Its scope covers the life cycle of the house, including the direct and indirect consumption of material and energy, and concomitant carbon emissions during its stages of material extraction, transportation, construction, operation, and demolition. The results show that the REEP House had a significant embodied impact on the environment when it was built and high operating energy and EF requirements because of the low levels of insulation. Even though the renovations to improve energy efficiency by 80% introduce additional embodied environmental impacts, they are environmentally sound activities because the environmental payback period is less than two years.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning process used to predict, assess, mitigate, and monitor the potential environmental and social impacts that may be associated with a proposed development project. Essential to the efficacy of EIA is follow-up - a post-decision process that attempts to understand EIA outcomes and provides feedback on project development and learning processes to improve environmental management practices. While considerable literature on follow-up related themes exists, the actual implementation and engagement of all stakeholders involved with follow-up in post-consent decision stages lacks or is not done well. That being said, in northern Canada, and in the mining sector in general, much of this post-decision activity is occurring under a new institutional arrangement: privatized community-industry Environmental Agreements and associated community-based monitoring programs. Based on a case study of follow-up in northern Saskatchewans uranium mining industry, this thesis examines both the institutional development of EIA follow-up and the role and contribution of community-based Environmental Agreements to EIA follow-up and impact management practices. This thesis adopted a manuscript-style format; both utilized a combined methodology of document review and semi-structured interviews. The first manuscript focuses on the institutional development of follow-up in the northern Saskatchewan uranium mining industry, giving context to the current situation. Results demonstrate that follow-up in Saskatchewans uranium industry has transformed and is characterized by four themes ranging from little or no follow-up to a new system that now includes a participatory yet privatized process based on privatized agreements. Results suggest that follow-up has evolved to a current emphasis on environmental management incorporating a community-centric approach, recognition of socioeconomic issues in monitoring programs, and an increased community and industry presence in follow-up and monitoring activities. The second manuscript examines the nature and scope of the northern Saskatchewan uranium industrys Environmental Agreement and its potential role in EIA follow-up. Results indicate that although privatized Environmental Agreements and community-led monitoring programs complement and supplement formal EIA follow-up processes and contribute to environmental management practices, they do not have the capacity to replace EIA follow-up. Results from this thesis advance current knowledge and understanding of the evolution of EIA follow-up and the current role and contribution of privatized agreements to post-decision follow-up and impact management practices.