Environmental Impact Assessment in Chile: A Comprehensive Guide to SEIA and Emission Standards
Primary Environmental Quality Standard:
– The one that sets the values of concentrations and periods, maximum or minimum allowable elements, compounds, chemicals, chemical derivatives or biological, energy, radiation, vibration, noise or combination thereof, whose presence or absence in the environment may constitute a risk to life or population health.
High Standard of Environmental Quality:
– The one that sets the values of concentrations and periods, maximum or minimum allowable substances, elements, energy, or combination thereof, whose presence or absence in the environment may constitute a security risk or conservation of the environment, or nature conservation;
Emission Standards
– Establish the maximum allowable amount for a pollutant measured in the effluent from the source;
By means of Law 19,300, establishing the creation of CONAMA, defined as “a public service functionally decentralized, with legal and own assets, subject to supervision of the President of the Republic through the Ministry Secretariat General of the Presidency.”
Law No. 19,300 also established the System of Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), an important management tool which are subject projects investment and/or productive activities, to determine the actual effects on the environment will environment. In this way it tries to prevent further damage establish ecological and responsible when cause damage to the environment.
Environmental Impact
Direct Environmental Impact: These involve partial or total loss of a resource or deterioration of an environmental variable, e.g.: contaminate water, cut down forests, etc.).
Indirect Environmental Impact: induced and/or create other risks on the environment, e.g.: Anthropogenic erosion, floods, etc.
Impact Assessment System EnvironmentalAnalysis of Impact on Quality Water.
The water quality criteria are defined as levels Constituent concentrations expected to ensure As for specific uses.
– Quality Standards correspond to legal regulations limiting the concentration of various constituents in the water.
Indicators of Water Quality (surface water and Groundwater)
Temperature, pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved solids, Solid Total Suspended, BOD5, COD, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, Nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, nitrogen Kjeldhl, Phosphates, Sulphates, Chlorides, Iron, Manganese, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Silica, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic, Lead, Copper, and Fecal Coliform Total pesticides.Indicators of air quality (Air Quality)
Total suspended particulate matter, Material settleable particulates, respirable fraction (PM10). Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur dioxide sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NO, NO2, Total), volatile hydrocarbons (CH4 and others) Photochemical oxidants (ozone). Material Total particulate. Arsenic (As), Carbon (CO). Hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen.
The processes of land degradation are dynamic phenomena and often interacting, they can be grouped into five categories: erosion, excess salts, degradation chemical degradation, physical and biological degradation.Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):
– The environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the study effects on the environment generated by a human action.
– Environmental Impact Assessment (Law 19,300): the procedure, by the Evaluation Service Environmental, if any, which, based on a study or Impact Statement “The EIA is a powerful tool for design processes with minimum environmental impact.
– When such action has not yet been made (i.e. when a project is in its study phase),the EIA has predictive in nature, which anticipate possible future impacts resulting from human activity.
“The preventive approach is to identify and evaluate environmental impacts before they occur, i.e. prior to execution of any human action. For this there are important steps that must be considered in the evaluation, among which are:
Investment project stages
A project is broken down in the following stages main
Project Idea:
The project idea originated with a proposal that fixes a problem or to exploit a opportunity arising from the profit that could achieved by satisfying the requirements of community for goods and services.
Project Profile
The profile allows to analyze the technical feasibility of alternatives, discarding those that are not technically feasible. At this stage, further evaluating technically feasible alternatives. The study profile can take any of the following decisions:
-To deepen the study of aspects of the project that required.
“Abandon the idea if the profile is unfavorable to it.
“Delaying the implementation of the project.
Feasibility Study
-For the preparation of project feasibility study be analyzed in detail the issues identified in the phase profile, especially those that affect the feasibility and profitable alternatives. These aspects stand out:
“The market.
“The technology.
“The size and location.
-The terms of institutional and legal.
Feasibility study
– The further studies of the pre-investment, in which made a deeper analysis of the alternatives were seen as more viable in the study feasibility. This stage is what gives rise to what some authors have called the draft final.
“You must specify the project’s investments and let clearly identified the costs and benefits with more likely is expected to be incurred during the period of operation.
When the EIA is needed?
– When providing information relevant to the development activities.
“When the environment can be altered significant.
“When the environment is worthy values special protection.
IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THE PROCESS EIA
“Decide early if required an impact assessment environment.
-Scan only actions that have significant impacts on the environment
-Incorporate criteria for deciding early significant impacts such as:
“To affect the quality of air and water.
“Adversely affect natural resources and environmental protection.
-Create undesirable impacts such as deterioration of the landscape, generating Noise and others.
“Cause discharge toxic or hazardous materials or generate waste
-Cause adverse cumulative effects.
-Cause adverse socio-cultural impacts.
-Cause significant public controversy.
Income Assessment System Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA)
Law 19,300, the Basic Environment requires all projects, whether new initiatives or modifications to existing permits, must be submitted to System Impact Assessment (SEIA), consisting of a cross-evaluation process performing public services have competence in the subject to ensure that the construction and operational phases of the project, safeguard and protect the environment.
About SEIA
“The objective of the Environmental Impact Assessment, which applies to projects or activities of public sector private development is to ensure that their activities are sustainable from the standpoint of environment.
“The LBGMA provides that certain projects or activities likely to cause environmental impact, it must undergo to a System of Environmental Impact Assessment. Depending their effects, characteristics or circumstances, shall submit an Environmental Impact Statement or Study Environmental Impact Assessment.
About SEIA
“The SEIA should be understood as a whole procedures that are designed to identify and evaluate environmental impacts a specific project or generate activity or present, allowing to design measures to reduce negative impacts and strengthen positive impacts for the Study Procedure to follow and Environmental Impact Statement
The SEIA entry can be in two ways: a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and determine which of the two modalities must resort to Law 19,300 and Decree N ยบ 95/01 corresponding to System Regulation Environmental Impact Assessment.
When a project must be submitted an EIA?
– A project or activity shall submit a Environmental Impact Study when you build or present some of the effects, characteristics or circumstances set out in article 11 of Law 19,300 and in Part II with Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of 95 DS / 01 Regulation System Impact Assessment
What should one study Environmental impact?
An Environmental Impact Study must contain a description of project or activity, a plan of compliance applicable environmental, base line, a description of those effects, characteristics or circumstances of Article 11 of Law 19,300 giving rise to the need for an EIA.
?? Also, identification, prediction and evaluation of impacts environmental project or activity, including any risk situations, the Plan of Mitigation Measures, Reparation and Compensation, and prevention measures risks and accident control, if applicable, and the plan monitoring of relevant environmental variables that give rise to the EIA.
Rating process and within EIA
Article 15. The Commission established in Article 86 or the Director Executive, if any, willwithin 120 days to decide on the Environmental Impact Study. The favorable rating on Environmental Impact Study will be accompanied by permits or environmental statements that may be granted in such opportunity for state agencies.
? If the Commission under Article 86 or the Director Executive, as appropriate, not to rule on the Environmental Impact Study because of the failure to provide Finding a permit or environmental sector, require the State agency responsible for, within fifteen days, issue the permit or determination. After this period, the permit or determination shall be deemed given missing favorably.
Environmental Impact Analysis in Landscape.
The landscape can be studied from two different aspects:
a. Where the value of the landscape corresponds to all interrelationships of other elements (water, air, plants, rocks) and their study requires the prior investigation them.
b. Where the landscape includes a large fraction of values plastics and emotional environment, making it recommended study, based on qualities or visual values.
“The considerations which make the landscape are addressed Through its main qualities of visibility, fragility and quality.
What should a Statement Environmental Impact?
An EIS should be in the form of a affidavit, which states that complies with existing environmental regulations accompanying all background enable the authority to assess whether its impact Environmental conforms to environmental standards force.
Who qualifies environmentally the projects?
? Law 19,300, Article 86. The projects will ranked by a committee chaired by Quartermaster and integrated by the Secretaries Regional Ministerial Environment of Health, Economy, Development and Reconstruction Energy, Public Works, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Transport and Telecommunications, Mining, Planning, and Regional Director of the Service, acting as secretary.
Civic Engagement Civic Engagement
Unlike the Environmental Impact Statement, the Environmental Impact Study includes among its public participation procedures (Article 49 Regulation 54 of the SEIA), for which correspond to the Regional Commissions and National Environment Commission, as appropriate, establish mechanisms to ensure informed participation in organized community the qualification process Impact Studies Environmental.
? Article 30 bis. The Regional Law 19,300 or Executive Director, as appropriate, may order the implementation of a participatory process citizen for a period of twenty days, in Environmental Impact Statements submitted to assessment and relate to projects that generate loads environment for nearby communities. All this whenever requested at least two organizations citizens with legal status, through their representatives.
Examples SEIA income
PROJECT: SERVICE STATION SOUTH-SOUTH
?? The project consists of replacing facilities storage and internal supply of liquid fuel the task which now constitute the Station South-South service. This will provide continuity of service to fuel supply tanks and will be renewed the respective networks (close to fulfilling his life) in the sector of South-South pit Andina.
?
The project considers the installation (underground) of seven (7) fuel storage tanks of steel capacity of 25 m3 of storage.
Answer
? As provided in Article 10, e) of Law 19,300 and Article 3, literal e) of the SEIA, the SEIA is submitted to the project because includes the installation and operation of a station with capacity Storage cent or more twenty thousand liters of fuel (120,000 L).
Environmental Impact Statements must contain, at least:
? Indication of the type of project or activity in question;
? Description of the project or activity to be carried out or the amendments to be introduced;
? Indication of the background necessary to determine whether environmental impact the project will generate or present or activity complies with environmental standards, and it does not require the submission of an Environmental Impact Environment, in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Regulation;
? Description of the contents of those environmental commitments voluntary, not required by law, the holder of contemplated project or activity carried out.
Emission standards for liquid waste emission standards determined maximum of each element contaminant may be present in Wastewater discharged by noise sources, be they industrial (Riles) or home (sewage).
DS 90/00 EMISSION STANDARDS
This standard establishes emission concentration maximum allowable pollutant runoff downloaded by the emission sources, bodies of water marine and inland surface of the Republic of Chile. Regulates discharges liquid surface watercourses, streams, lakes and marine Maximum concentration limits for parameters contaminants depending on the receiving body of Issuer Establishment Control: Directemar (marine water discharges) and SISS. This standard applies throughout nacionaln
TANDARDS OF EMISSION DS 46/00
Regulates the liquid discharges to groundwater through works of infiltration.
Maximum concentration limits for parameters contaminants depending on the vulnerability of the aquifer Establishment receiver vulnerability is certified Emisor.la
DS 609/00 EMISSION STANDARDS
Regulates the liquid discharges to sewers public.
Maximum concentration limits for parameters Issuer Establishment pollutants, depending on the existence of a Water Treatment Plant Served (PATH), which taxed the sewer system.
Qualification Procedure for Industrial Establishment (PC & I)
The PC & I, will be required only when the available information (Information from the Economic Activity (EA), monitoring, etc.) No CCMD to determine if the waste fluids to evacuate economic activities such as industries, workshops, craft or others, is higher or lower in one or more parameters, load daily pollutant wastewater equivalent to 100 or 200 residents as set forth in the rules.
Issuance of Certificate
Accredited certification bodies in accordance with the requirements required by the National Institute Accreditation National Standardization (INN) will be responsible for make the determination of the average daily pollutant load (CCMD) of liquid waste from economic activity determining whether it be industrial establishments, upon request of the auditors or audited bodies.
Certificates issued by Certification Bodies the classification of industrial establishments must bear the Certificate of Qualification title following Industrial and only may be granted to the applicant satisfying all requirements of this document.
The certificate must state in your last point, as a conclusion, if economic activity is qualified as Industrial Establishment
Dilution rate of effluent discharge (d) is the ratio of the available flow of the receiving and the average monthly flow the effluent discharged during the month of maximum production liquid waste, expressed in the same units.
Dilution Rate, then, is as follows: d = flow available / caudalmediomensual
* = The available bandwidth of the receiving body of water is the amount available expressed in volume per unit time for determine the dilution capacity of a receiving body. For these effects, the available flow of the receiving body will be determined by General Directorate of Water.
** = The monthly average effluent flow is the sum of the volumes liquid waste discharged daily during the month divided by the number of days in the month in which there was shock. Caudalmediomensual of the effluent discharged * *
d = Delivery is available receiver body *
Ecological flow is defined as the minimum flow to ensure for the preservation of nature and the environment
Sold Watershed: those basins that have all permanent consumptive rights allocated, the available flow to dilute void.