Due to death being an extremely sensitive issue, the topic of cemeteries and associated environmental impacts is often left outside the mainstream environmental critique. However, this is a topic becoming more prevalent as the population numbers and the death rate increases, while the amount of available land decreases. Recent research has indicated that poorly sited cemeteries may pose a significant threat to groundwater resources with the consequential potential for severe health hazards. This has resulted in the need for a method of determining the acceptability of a given area for the establishment of a cemetery in a South African context. Cemeteries should be sited in such a way as to mitigate potential public health and safety concerns, minimise associated environmental impacts and provide a method of body disposal that is economically viable. This study therefore provides an integrated methodology to identify and assess a given area and rank a number of potential sites, ultimately determining a single cemetery site which proves to be acceptable for the establishment of a cemetery. Cemetery site selection should be based on the factors affecting the pollution potential of a proposed cemetery. These factors were identified and quantified based on research into the mechanisms of cemetery site pollution resulting in a number of fatal flaws and criteria deemed decisive when selecting a potential cemetery site. The assessment of a site with regards to these criteria and fatal flaws is undertaken through the use of GIS analysis software utilising data layers containing information on the site selection criteria, by investigating existing studies, literature or reports relating to the relevant area, or through field investigations. Although these criteria are vital when determining the specific characteristics of a site in terms of its pollution potential, a method of assessing a number of potential sites with regards to these criteria is vital. To this end, a multi-criteria ranking matrix has been developed, allowing for an objective method of assessing individual sites and thus indicating which sites are more suited for the establishment of a cemetery. The ranking matrix identifies a range of values for each criterion, therefore identifying a minimum and maximum allowable value. A site is then assessed with regards to these criteria in relation to the values identified in the ranking matrix. Each criteria is assigned a score according to the site conditions. Once the criteria for each site has been assessed and scored, the results can be tallied allowing the sites to be ranked according to which site proved to be the most acceptable for a cemetery based on the findings of the application of the site selection criteria. The methodology developed in this study is unique to previous studies in that it provides an integrated and staged approach to identifying, assessing and applying the criteria affecting the pollution potential of a cemetery. The methodology also provides a means of ranking a number of potential sites so to determine the most suitable. Furthermore, the criteria deemed as decisive in previous investigations were in most cases not quantified by the relevant authors, therefore leaving many of the criteria values up for interpretation. For this methodology to be affective, all criteria must be quantified therefore identifying maximum and minimum allowable limits for each. This study applies minimum and maximum allowable limits to these criteria, therefore aiding in the ranking process. The integrated methodology developed was then applied to a case study where by the effectiveness in identifying a number of potential cemetery sites could be tested. Subsequent to the application of this methodology to a case study, it was concluded that an additional two criteria, not identified in previous investigations, needed to be assessed to more adequately determine the suitability or otherwise of a site for a cemetery. Ultimately, twelve major criteria have been proposed for use as the basis of the methodology. The methodology and pertinent criteria proposed in this study should be compiled as a standard for planning authorities and consultants to use as a method of determining a number of potential environmentally sound cemetery sites.

No description available.

Environmental Impact Assessment is a procedure that ensures that the environmental consequences of development proposals are understood and adequately considered in the planning process. This important project planning requirement is often inadequately addressed in many developing countries - especially with regard to dam projects. Lesotho is a small developing country in Southern Africa which is currently engaged in a multi-phased dam project - the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) - in order to utilize its most abundant natural resource - water. Planning for the LHWP incurred some irregularities, particularly with regard to environmental implications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the environmental impact assessment procedures of the LHWP, Phase lA. This includes review of the environmental studies that were carried out and the findings of these studies; assessment of the familiarity of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) staff with EIA procedures; and examination of the extent to which the communities in the project area were consulted regarding this project. The study is based on two surveys: firstly, within the Environment Division of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority to assess the familiarity of staff members with proper EIA procedures. In this survey 28 self-administered questionnaires were issued, and 23 were collected. Secondly, structured interviews and unstructured group discussions were carried out in 14 villages to examine the extent to which the communities affected by the LHWP had been involved in the environmental impact assessments of Phase lA; and whether the impacts they experienced and the subsequent. Mitigation efforts had been considered comprehensively by the project proponents. Eighty interviews were conducted in six of the 14 villages selected in the study, in the remaining villages data was collected through group discussions. The groups consisted of 10 - 12 members (usually prominent persons) from the community. The study revealed that EIA for Phase 1 A of the LHWP was not carried out according to recognized standards. Environmental studies that were undertaken were done too late in the EIA process, and did riot facilitate the project planning. The study also found that the majority of LHDA staff members are not familiar with the details of the EIA process, and did not participate in Phase lA project planning. The communities affected by the LHWP were not given the opportunity to raise their concerns about the project. This is manifested by the magnitude and type of impacts which they have incurred because of the LHWP. Members of these communities therefore regard their livelihoods as being worse than before the project. It is thus recommended that LHDA should revise and significantly improve its project planning approaches - especially for the subsequent phases of the project. It is imperative· to incorporate public participation in the EIAs of these phases. Formulation of guideline sand legislation - in Lesotho as a whole - will ensure enforcement and compliance with sound environmental assessment procedures, and improve on LHDA's manpower capabilities with regard to EIA and environmental management. This in turn will enhance an environmentally sustainable development.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is subject to challenges that undermine this process as an effective safeguard to biodiversity. Internationally, effective EIA is hindered by the following issues: a low priority assigned to the consideration of biodiversity and a limited capacity to carry out assessments; a lack of formalised procedures and inconsistent methodologies to address biodiversity within the EIA framework; and a lack of formal requirements for post-project monitoring of biodiversity aspects. Traditionally effectiveness studies in this regard have focused on evaluating the procedural aspects of EIA, and have focused less on the substantive outcomes of the post-authorisation phase of a proposed project. While South Africa has a considerable body of literature pertaining to the procedural aspects of EIA, there remain two substantial gaps in the literature. Firstly, there is an evident absence of effectiveness studies in South Africa that focus primarily on biodiversity-specific procedure. Secondly, almost no research has been conducted in South Africa which investigates the outcomes of mitigation measures, mandatory monitoring, reporting and compliance with biodiversity aspects of EIA. This research therefore aims to fill these gaps by investigating the quality of information generated in five EIAs in the Western Cape. It also examines the implementation success of mitigation measures aimed at managing unavoidable impacts in the post-authorisation phase of these projects. This research has adopted a case study methodological approach. Five EIAs were selected from a sample of 9. In no order of significance, the variables considered most important in the sampling protocol were: the presence of a biodiversity-related specialist report; availability of environmental assessment documentation; overall cases to represent at least two different local jurisdictions; and the uniqueness of adopted biodiversity-related mitigation measures. The primary method used to evaluate the quality of biodiversity-related information is a Key Performance Indicator analysis, whereby the performance of cases is measured against legal and best-practice reporting principles. The substantive outcomes of EIA have been investigated by means of site inspections and interviews with key stakeholders. This research has found that the five cases performed well with complying with best-practice EIA procedure, indicating a 53% full compliance, 29% partial compliance and 18% of best-practice principles were not complied with at all. This research has shown that direct impacts on biodiversity (such as the physical removal of indigenous vegetation) are adequately identified, and indirect impacts (typically those impacting off-site and on ecological processes) are poorly identified in EIA. Therefore, the information required to avoid impacts on biodiversity is available, but this research has found that it is underutilized in this regard. Notably, avoidance of impacts was undermined inadequate site and layout alternatives and poor decision making in terms of the regular authorisation of irreversible impacts on biodiversity. Conversely, only 18% of mitigation measures were fully complied with, 36% were partially complied with, and 45% of mitigation measures were not complied with. These results indicate a poor performance of EIA in the implementation stage of a project lifecycle. This research has concluded this is most likely due to a poor conversion of recommended mitigation measures into conditions of authorisation and a limited capacity of the competent authority to perform compliance monitoring.

Bibliography: p. 109-111. / This is an academic report submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Environmental Science. It is written to demonstrate the competence of the writer in undertaking work in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment. The main purpose of the report is the comparative evaluation of two proposed alternative roads, the "Western Access Route" (WAR) and the "Least Cost Alternative Route" (LCAR). Since this is an academic report, it will not be used as a decision-making document and it will not be submitted to the proponent of the alternative roads.

Bibliography: p. 94-95. / The purpose of this report is to: * assess the biophysical and socio-economic impacts of closure of De Beers Namaqualand Mines (DBNM) * provide preliminary suggestions for mitigation measures. DBNM anticipate that they will close in approximately 10 years' time. By the year 2002, all diamond deposits which are currently economically viable to mine on a large-scale would have been exploited. Closure is anticipated to have a significant impact on DBNM employees, their households, and towns where the households of employees live. Furthermore, closure is anticipated to have a significant impact on the Namaqualand economy. Therefore, DBNM commissioned the EEU to undertake an assessment of the impacts resulting from mine closure, to ascertain the effects on their employers and their affected households and communities. Through discussions with DBNM the scope for this assessment was established: * Briefly to describe the current biophysical, social and economic environments in Namaqualand and identify different trends in the region. * To assess in detail the socio-economic impacts resulting from the closure of DBNM. In addition, this report considers the impacts on the biophysical environment resulting from the closure of DBNM, because the socio-economic well-being of employees from rural areas of Namaqualand and Transkei is intrinsically linked to changes in the biophysical environment. Lastly, this report also contains preliminary suggestions for mitigating the impacts of closure.

This dissertation proposes the use of fiction as models to enhance the process of impact assessment (IA) and to improve the quality of IA reports. It demonstrates that works of extrapolative fiction (EF), a subset of science fiction, raise issues and clarify concerns not currently included in the IA process, suggesting the potential for improving the relevance of IA results for decisionmakers. The dissertation also demonstrates that EF stories can enhance the presentation of IA results, making those results more readable. Through literature review and content analysis, the current IA process is shown to lead to results lacking in specific content areas (e.g., effects on emotional well-being and community cohesiveness) necessary for their utility to decisionmakers. The body of literature here called extrapolative fiction is then shown to include many content areas missing in existing assessments. Two alternatives for an IA process that could incorporate extrapolative fiction are presented and discussed by means of examples. The first includes existing EF stories as a part of or an appendage to an IA report. The example is a preliminary combining of published EF stories with an IA report concerning life-extending technologies. The second includes the use of existing EF stories in the assessment process through inclusion of an EF-oriented reader on the IA team. The example is a case description of an IA process regarding the commercialization of guayule as a source of natural rubber, a process in which the author incorporated EF methods. Severa other results emerged from this research: (a) an initial statement of objectives for a unified field of impact assessment (recently emerging as an amalgamation of technology assessment, environmental impact statements and social impact assessment); (b) a working definition for an emerging subgenre of science fiction here called extrapolative fiction; (c) a topical bibliography of some hundred EF stories. These results extend the current understanding of the field of impact assessment and the emerging genre of extrapolative fiction and should be useful to both the impact assessment and science fiction criticism communities.

Las angiospermas marinas son organismos esenciales para los ecosistemas costeros de zonas templadas. Sostienen una amplia diversidad biológica, regulan la dinámica sedimentaria costera y capturan grandes cantidades de carbono atmosférico. Sin embargo, a pesar de los servicios ecosistémicos que proporcionan, se encuentran amenazadas por actividades humanas y, especialmente, por la contaminación marina. Para conservar las praderas de angiospermas marinas es necesario desarrollar herramientas de seguimiento a todos los niveles de organización biológica que permitan detectar el estrés fisiológico para prevenir la regresión de estos valiosos hábitats, o de determinar la magnitud de estos procesos a gran escala. Es por ello que se plantea esta tesis con el objetivo de determinar el grado de afección de los vertidos de salmuera procedente de plantas desaladoras, además de su interacción con otros estresores ambientales, desde la escala molecular (expresión de genes) hasta la poblacional (cobertura de las praderas). Estos análisis podrán permitir la selección de biomarcadores específicos que sirvan como indicadores de alerta temprana de estrés y puedan permitir la toma de medidas de gestión para conservar. Los capítulos 2 y 3 de la tesis mostraron, por un lado, una estabilidad general de las praderas someras de la angiosperma marina Posidonia oceanica en la provincia de Alicante y, por otro, una grave regresión de la pradera en la bahía de la ciudad de Alicante. Esto se debe a la coexistencia de diversos impactos ambientales en esa zona que son responsables de esta pérdida de cobertura (619 hectáreas desde 1984), a pesar de la estabilidad general de estas praderas a mayor escala. De esta forma se puede determinar que los procesos de declive de estos ecosistemas no se produce de forma global y generalizada sino a escala local y, por tanto, las herramientas de gestión deben enfocarse en una menor escala espacial y atendiendo a los estresores específicos de cada zona. En el capítulo 4 se sometió a la angiosperma marina Zostera chilensis (endémica del Pacífico sudamericano) a incrementos de salinidad (+3 y +6 practical salinity units, psu) con sales artificiales para determinar su respuesta y tolerancia a potencial vertido de salmuera. La planta mostró una reducción fotoquímica una producción de peróxido de hidrógeno y una sobreexpresón de genes relativos a la osmorregulación y el estrés oxidativo. La respuesta etabólica fue similar a ambos incrementos de salinidad, pero la mayor producción de peróxido y de enfriamiento no fotoquímico a +6 psu parecen indicar que esta salinidad está por encima del umbral de tolerancia de la planta, y por tanto que podría ser vulnerable a un in. En los capítulos 5, 6 y 7 se aplicaron distintos incrementos de salinidad a P. oceanica (desde +2 hasta +6 psu) con salmuera real de una planta desaladora, tanto en condiciones de laboratorio como de terreno (frente a vertido de una planta desaladora) y midiendo respuestas metabólicas tanto en hojas como en meristemos apicales. La salmuera mostró incrementar ciertos indicadores de estrés comparado con sales artificiales y la producción de peróxido de hidrógeno, la peroxidación de lípidos y la expresión de genes relacionados con el estrés osmótico y oxidativo fueron superiores en condiciones naturales (terreno). Además las respuestas fueron más claras en los meristemos apicales en comparación con las hojas. Todos estos resultados indican que los vertidos de salmuera en interacción con los factores naturales ambientales pueden genera un mayor estrés metabólico y fisiológico, que además se puede medir más claramente en los meritemos que en las hojas. El uso de biomarcadores moleculares y bioquímicos en praderas expuestas a vertidos de salmuera, puede permitir la detección temprana de estrés y la potencial interacción con otros factores ambientales (naturales o antrópicos) que puedan comprometer la fisiología y la supervivencia de la planta. Por tanto estos indicadores tienen el potencial de usarse, en combinación con indicadores fenológicos o poblacionales, en planes de seguimiento para medir el grado de afección de un estresor. En esta tesis se proponen una serie de biomarcadores específicos al estrés generado por la salmuera con el fin de desarrollar medidas de gestión costera específicas a escala local que puedan detectar el impacto ambiental y prevenir la degradación de estos ecosistemas marinos. / Tesis financiada por la convocatoria UAFPU98 del programa propio del Vicerrectorado de Investigación de la Universidad de Alicante.

The United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Operations Center obtained American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funding to conduct an ethnographic overview of select proposed solar energy zones (SEZs) to augment the research that had been conducted for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Solar Development in Six Southwestern States (Draft Solar PEIS). The objective of this project was to solicit tribal identification of traditional cultural properties and sacred landscapes, religious and traditional use sites, significant ethnobotanical resources, other sensitive or significant resources (including visual), and tribal perspectives on the direct and indirect effects of solar energy development through oral interviews and on-site visits to proposed SEZs in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) was selected to perform this work, assisted by the University of Arizona’s Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology (BARA). As the project progressed, the list of participating tribes was modified to accommodate changing tribal needs and requests. When the tribe that had requested to participate in an ethnographic study for three of the California SEZs (Imperial East, Iron Mountain, and Riverside East) was unable to participate, the scope of the project was modified. In the Draft Solar PEIS, the high cost of conducting Class I archaeological records searches for the four California SEZs had precluded that research; the current project was modified from ethnographic interviews to a Class I records search for all four California SEZs (Imperial East, Iron Mountain, Pisgah, and Riverside East) by SWCA. BARA conducted ethnographic studies for Amargosa Valley, Delamar Valley, Dry Lake, East Mormon Mountain, Gold Point, and Millers in Nevada (inclement weather prevented visits to Dry Lake Valley North), and for Escalante Valley, Milford Flats South, and Wah Wah Valley in Utah.

A Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental (AIA) é um processo de caráter prévio que visa fundamentar e auxiliar no processo de tomada de decisão sobre a viabilidade ambiental de um empreendimento ou atividade. No Brasil, uma das principais etapas deste processo é a elaboração do Estudo de Impacto Ambiental (EIA). Objetivando o embasamento para a tomada de decisão, um ponto fundamental de um EIA é a apresentação e comparação de alternativas locacionais. Apesar de ter um papel primordial na análise dos possíveis cenários de impactos ambientais, na prática atual, tanto no contexto nacional como internacional, a análise de alternativas de localização dentro da AIA exibe diversas deficiências e falhas indicadas por inúmeros autores, como a não apresentação de alternativas de localização, a presença de alternativas impraticáveis, a ausência de comparação entre as alternativas, a baixa qualidade dos estudos e a fraca justificativa da seleção locacional. Dessa maneira, o presente estudo objetivou descrever e analisar a qualidade dos estudos de alternativa locacional apresentadas nos EIAs do estado de São Paulo no período de 2005 a 2016. Para isso, elaborou-se uma lista de verificação que foi então aplicada para a amostra de 52 EIAs e 33 Termos de Referência (TR). Verificou-se que, do total de estudos analisados, 46% não apresentaram alternativas de localização para o empreendimento proposto. Além disso, 75% dos critérios estabelecidos na lista de verificação obtiveram conceitos insatisfatórios. Mesmo entre os estudos que continham alternativas de localização, 58% dos critérios foram também avaliados como insatisfatórios, indicando uma baixa qualidade geral dos estudos e diversas fragilidades, principalmente referentes aos processos de seleção de alternativas a serem analisadas, de comparação entre as alternativas e de justificativa de seleção do local determinado com base na análise locacional apresentada. Os critérios que obtiveram os melhores conceitos foram os referentes a apresentação e descrição de alternativas, indicando um caráter muito mais descritivo do estudo de localização do que comparativo. Os TRs avaliados também obtiveram conceitos insatisfatórios, o que indicou que não apenas a qualidade dos estudos locacionais é inadequada, como também a qualidade das diretrizes que os guiam. Os resultados observados reforçaram as deficiências encontradas na literatura e evidenciaram a necessidade de aprimoramento desta etapa da AIA no estado de São Paulo, principalmente por meio da inclusão de diretrizes mais detalhadas nos TRs, do desenvolvimento de instrumentos de planejamento territorial que auxiliem e direcionem os estudos locacionais e da melhora nos processos de seleção de alternativas para análise, comparação entre as alternativas e justificativa do local selecionado dentro dos estudos locacionais nos EIAs / The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool that aims to support and assist the decision-making process about the environmental viability of a project or activity. In Brazil, one of the main steps in this process involves the elaboration of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS). To properly support the decision-making process, an EIS key point is the study of locational alternatives, including the presentation, analysis and comparison of alternatives. In spite of having a primary role in analysing possible scenarios of environmental impacts, in current practice, both in the national and international context, the locational alternatives analysis in the EIA process shows several deficiencies indicated by many authors, such as the lack of alternatives consideration, the presence of unreasonable alternatives, the lack of comparison between alternatives, the poor quality of the studies and the poor justification of the site selection. Thus, this study aimed to describe and evaluate the quality of the alternative locational studies presented in the EISs of the state of São Paulo from 2005 to 2016. For this purpose, a checklist was elaborated, which was then applied to a sample of 52 EISs and 33 Terms of Reference (TR). The results show that 46% of the studies did not consider any locational alternatives. Additionally, 75% of the criteria set out in the checklist were assessed as unsatisfactory. Even among the studies that considered locational alternatives, 58% of the criteria were also assessed as inadequate, indicating a low general quality of the studies and several weaknesses, mainly referring to the processes of selecting alternatives to be analysed, of comparing alternatives and of justifying the site selection based on the presented locational analysis. The criteria that obtained the best results were those referring to the alternatives presentation and description, indicating that the locational analysis tend to approach a much more descriptive aspect rather than a comparative approach. The TRs criteria were also evaluated as inadequate, indicating that not only the quality of the locational studies is insufficient, but the quality of its guidelines is also inappropriate. The results in this study support the deficiencies found in the literature review and point out the need to improve the locational analysis in the EISs of São Paulo state, mainly through the input of more detailed guidelines in the TRs, the development of territorial planning tools that can help to guide the studies in the selection of reasonable alternatives to be assessed and the improvement of alternatives analysis, comparison and justification