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B 1,456, 898
A PROCEDURE
FOR EVALUATING
ENVIEONMENEAL IMPACT
Washington 1971
Public Health
VAC
no
.E5
Geological Survey
V. E. McKelvey, Director
ROGERS C. B. MORTON
Secretary of the Interior
in
A Procedure for Evaluating Environmental Impact
By Luna B. Leopold, Frank E. Clarke, Bruce B. Hanshaw, and James R. Balsley
B. Technologic possibilities
for achieving objective
D. Environmental characteri
zation report prior to
initiation of action
E. Alternative engineering
plans
F. Identification of impact
and analysis of magnitude
and importance of impact.
G5 j G. Assessment of impact
Recommendations
8
the northwest, across the center of the whole of the proposed plant site using either over
National Forest area. The ordinary flight head or buried lines.
or soaring patterns for condors would pass The impact on vegetation and wildlife is in
through the general region of the proposed fluenced by the fact that, over the life of the
mine site. One condor nest, apparently now mine, only 400 acres will be subjected to actual
abandoned, has been noted a few miles west of mining. The mining operation would involve
the mining site. The other known condor nests an annual excavation of 4 to 5 acres with recla
all lie within the condor sanctuary. mation following closely in the mined-out area.
Among the subsidiary environmental impacts A total of about 40 acres thus would be dis
which the mining operation might cause, a few turbed at any given time.
are mentioned briefly below and are discussed The brief summary above shows the main
in more detail in connection with the impact aspects of the planned mining operation for
matrix. which environmental impact is being evaluated.
The possibility of water pollution from the More details on these and other aspects of the
phosphate itself is minimized by the fact that area and the project plan are contained in the
the phosphate ore is quite insoluble as shown company's report.
by water quality analyses on surface water in Using material contained in the company's
the area. The mining operation would not in report, an information matrix analysis was
crease the soluble phosphate content of the completed in the manner described in the pre
water resource. The effectiveness of erosion vious section of this circular. The outcome of
control measure applied within the mining area the analysis is recapitulated in reduced form
will determine the quantity of particulate phos as figure 2. The explanations which follow in
phate mineral and other sediments added to dicate the reasoning followed in this example.
Sespe Creek. The liquid chemicals handled at The mining plan calls for a small "alterna
the plant are to be confined within dikes. Ex tion of drainage" so that effects on "erosion"
cept for possible leakage from these dikes, or and "sedimentation" should be minor as com
in case of spills on the highway, water pollution pared with the effect of "highways and
from processing chemicals and products should bridges" and "emplacement of tailings." "Mod
not occur. ification of habitat" and "alteration of ground
Increased soil erosion and related sediment cover" are not likely to be important impacts
load to stream channels will depend upon the because the total mined area is relatively
manner in which the stream channels crossing small. "Industrial buildings" and "construction
the ore body are protected from the open-pit of highways" are considered to be among the
mining operation. more important impacts. The "blasting and
Some level of air pollution is possible from drilling" under "construction" (II. B. q.) will
noxious gases emanating from the plant in be short term and have limited impact, but
the form of fluorine from the ore, S02 gas "drilling and blasting" for "resource extrac
from the manufacture of sulphuric acid, and tion" (II. C. a.) will continue sporadically over
fuel combustion products. Blasting, drilling, and the life of the project and, therefore, is rela
equipment noise will have some environmental tively important. "Surface excavation" and
impact. Mining equipment will be diesel-pow- "mineral processing" appear to have rela
ered and controlled by conventional mufflers. tively important impact potential. On detailed
The power requirements of the plant are es consideration, "product storage" and "erosion
timated to be 5,000 KVA. The mine would re control" are viewed as less important than
quire the construction of 14 miles of transmis some of the construction and resource extrac
sion lines which is to be erected on wooden poles tion items noted above. Changes in traffic
on the right-of-way of State Highway 33. Nat owing to the increase in "trucking" rather than
ural gas would be taken from a pipeline al increase in "automobile traffic" is considered to
ready in the area which passes within 3 miles be capable of producing important impact. The
-O TJ .C TO -O "^ o o -Q
CD m CO o o Q O I —>
in
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00
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E Q.
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£ i h fi m 5 CO
A. 2. d.
A. 3. a.
Water quality
Atmospheric quality
% xH % /*
A. 4. b.
A. 4. c.
Erosion
Deposition, Sedimentation
X */ H
B. 1. b. Shrubs
H 2A %
B. I.e. Grasses
A
lA 2/
B. l.f.
B. 2. c.
Aquatic Plants
Fish
H
H
\/3
H 'A
K
C. 2. e. Camping and hiking
2A
C. 3. a. Scenic views and vistas
% 2A H H
j4 W yt
to H
C. 3. b. Wilderness qualities
H %
2S
H 3A 3/s
C. 3. h. Rare and unique species
H 5/o % $A
C. 4. b. Health and safety
X
Figure 2.—The reduced matrix for a phosphate mining lease.
10
sibility of "accidental spills and leaks." The Shrubs (I. B. 1. b.) and grasses (I. B. 1.
planned "surface excavation" is off-channel c.).—The disturbance of native "shrubs" and
and was, therefore, assigned magnitude 2. Be "grasses" is important only on the area which
cause of the ephemeral nature of the streams, is going to be physically disturbed by the min
the importance of the excavation in affecting ing. Because vegetation change would occur
water quality was rated 2 also. only on parts of the 2,434 acre lease over the
The same reasoning applies to the "emplace life of the project and revegetation is part of
ment of tailings" which are off-channel and not the scheduled project, the magnitude and im
of a noxious character. "Spills and leaks" were portance are both rated low.
considered sufficiently rare to be assigned Aquatic plants (I. B. 1. /.).—"Aquatic
magnitude 1, but if they occurred, they would plants" do not occur in the ephemeral streams
be moderately important and, therefore, given near the plant site but do occur in the portion
a value of 4. of the main stream some miles down valley
In actual practice, any of the identified im where Sespe Creek is perennial. Any effect on
pacts can be expanded to produce secondary "aquatic plants" reaching that far down
matrices which can cover greater detail than stream would come from "excavation" and
is possible on plate I or figure 2 if the analysts from "emplacement of tailings." The distance
or reviewer feels the need to do so. As an ex to the perennial stream indicated low values
ample, expanding the matrix items related to for magnitude, but a moderate value for im
"water quality," the relative magnitude and portance in the case of "spills."
importance of different specific actions may be Fish (I. B. 2 c.).—The same reasoning that
more clearly shown than by merely using the governed the assessment of impact on
main headings in the matrix. The example (fig. "aquatic plants" applies also to "fish" which
3) indicates how expansion may show details persists only some miles downstream where
pertinent to the individual situation. Addi Sespe Creek is perennial and the probable im
tionally, water quality could also be expanded pacts are rated low.
into subcategories such as pH, dissolved oxy Camping and Hiking (I. C. 2. e.) .—The only
gen, turbidity, etc. alteration involving "camping and hiking" is
Atmospheric quality (I. A. 3. a.).—"Mineral caused by "surface excavation." Owing to the
processing" would be the principal source of small area to be affected, its magnitude is rated
degradation in atmospheric quality. Its mag 2, but its importance was considered moderate
nitude was rated 2 owing to the small size of and rated 4 because any environmental change
the plant and the absence of other industrial that interrupts recreational use of public land
operations. Its importance, however, was rated in a highly populated State is relatively impor
3 because of the sulphuric nature of the gases tant.
produced. Scenic Views and Vistas (II. C. 3. a.).—This
Erosion (I. A. 4. b.) and deposition (I. A. 4- is one of the characteristics that is most seri
c.).—Some "erosion" and thus some channel ously impacted by the proposed development.
"deposition" will be caused by the construc "Scenic views" are impaired in quality owing
tion of "highways and bridges" and by the to "industrial buildings," "highways and
"emplacement of tailings." The sandy nature bridges," "transmission lines," "surface exca
of the washes in the area and thus naturally vation," "trucking," and "emplacement of tail
high sediment loads give both "erosion" and ings." All these have a low to moderate value
"deposition" caused by the project a relatively of magnitude and generally a somewhat higher
low importance. The magnitude and impor figure for importance. Compared with any of
tance of each were relatively low owing to the the previous items, the actions impacting
fact that the mining operation would involve "scenic views and vistas" are more numerous.
the construction of less than 2 miles of new Wilderness qualities (I. C. 3. b.).—The item
roads and that protection against erosion is "wilderness and open space" (I. B. 1. a.) as
included in the design of the mining operation. a land use is not important in this area be-
11
High Trans Emplace
lndustrial Surface Mineral Spills
sites and ways mission ment
excav proc U and
buildings and lines ation 3 of
essing leaks
bridges tailings
c
a to o
N
(/>
TJ
C
"S c 3 8 *♦- 3 3
paving
from
Runoff £c x:1 S .i = a $ 8. £ 2
o <*> E 00 O. TO <2 o
<J c
DO TO■— c • a S 2 o
o
to "> «> * TO
E R 3 TO _ o) 9"
P c S 0) » w
water
Waste C p
«*= o ^ O "D
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o
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>>
3
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| J2 42 5 & & *
o
c
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.i t?
1) O
.£
-o y
v v* = i |
TO5. 2 | 3
en or (S> UJ LU
3
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O
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Water quality }i # lA y* X lA X //
^ /^ X yi /^ k ## 2 #^#
FIGURE 3.— Expanded matrix showing actions which would impact water quality.
cause it is not designated wilderness; accord be under both. As a matter of choice then, the
ingly, it was not rated. What is important is condor problem is specified under the item of
the aesthetic and human interest item—"wil "aesthetics and human interest."
derness qualities." Thus, a distinction is made Consideration was given to the fact that the
between wilderness as a "land use," not im main nesting area for the condors is some miles
portant in this area, and the "quality" of wild to the southeast and that a Naval training
land which is considered highly important in camp involving much heavy equipment is al
the area. "Wilderness qualities" would be im ready operating near that nesting area. It is
pacted under the proposed project primarily believed that the effect of the proposed devel
by "industrial buildings," "highways and opment on condors would come about primarily
bridges," "surface excavation," "trucking," and from the "blasting" and from the increase in
"emplacement of tailings." The impact of each "truck traffic." For both of these actions, the
on "wilderness qualities" is rated moderate magnitude is considered moderate and rated 5,
with respect to both magnitude and impor- but the importance of the survival of condors
ance. The result of this is that the degradation was considered to be great and thus any impact
of "wilderness qualities" may be considered is of high importance. Those two items were,
a potentially important impact caused by the therefore, given an importance score of 10.
proposed development. Also the sulphur fumes from "mineral process
Rare and unique species (I. C. 3. h.) .—Pos ing" might be an important deterrent to the use
sibly the most important environmental impact of this part of the range by condors. The effect
of the proposed development is its potential on the birds is unknown, but it is conceivable
effect on the condor. A distinction is made be that air pollution would keep them from land
tween the biological conditions of fauna, "en ing to catch prey wherever the smell and smoke
dangered species" (I. B. 2. g.), and the item occurred. The magnitude of impact of this ac
under "aesthetics and human interest," "rare tion was assessed as 5 and importance as 10.
and unique species." The condor could be cov Health and safety (/. C. U. 6.).—"Health
ered under either of these two, but should not and safety" would be impacted primarily by
12
the increase in "trucking" on the highway as significantly reduced. Assume also that as an
a result of mine operation. other step to reduce impact, the company de
Summary.—Inspection of figure 2 immedi cided to mat the ground surface prior to any
ately gives the essence of the matrix analysis: rock blasting. If this step were deemed effec
the proposed actions which have the most en tive, matrix entry of 5/10 of blasting on rare
vironmental impacts are the construction of and unique species might perhaps reduce the
"highways and bridges," the "blasting," "sur entry at 1/10. These changes may, in one sense,
face excavation," "mineral processing," "truck appear to be minor, but in fact would cause a
ing," and the "emplacement of tailings." The significant reduction in impact on the specific
enviromental characterisitcs most frequently environmental factor shown to be most
impacted are those of "scenic views and vista," affected.
"wilderness qualities," and "rare and unique
species."
As an outcome of this matrix analysis, the REFERENCES
reviewers could ask the petitioners for the Council on Environmental Quality, 1971, Statements
phosphate project "What actions can you take on proposed Federal actions affecting the environ
to reduce these possible impacts to lower lev ment: Federal Register, v. 36, no. 19, p. 1398-
1402 and no. 79, p. 7724-7729.
els?" if the impact is deemed sufficiently great. Gillette, Robert, 1971, Trans-Alacka pipeline: Impact
As an example, assume that the company, in Study Receives Bad Reviews: Science, v. 171, Mar.
light of the comparative values shown in the 19.
simplified matrix, decided to substitute for Sorensen, J. C, 1971, A framework for identification
daytime trucking, a night-time only schedule and control of resource degradation and conflict
in the multiple use of the coastal zone: Univ. of
for moving supplies and products. If it were Calif., Berkeley, Dept. of Landscape Architecture,
known that condors soar only during the day M. S. thesis, p. 42; in press, Univ. of Calif. Press.
and would be unaffected by night-time traffic, (Contains a state-.of-the-art review of matrix use
that magnitude-importance impact might be in environmental studies)
13
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