Abt Associates has performed a broad range of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for clients worldwide. EIAs examine not only physical impacts to the local and broader environment, but may also evaluate social and economic effects of development projects. These assessments can also be used:
As tools to help identify specific actions to mitigate harmful environmental effects of development;
To examine specific projects, such as industrial plants, dams or highways; and
To evaluate the impacts of policy or sector-level programs, such as agricultural reform programs.
Our EIAs apply to specific projects and to industrial and agricultural sectors in developing countries. Examples of our work include:
El Salvador: We conducted an Environmental Assessment (EA) of San Nicolás Lempa-La Pita Highway, an improvement project for a 22km rural road in the Pacific lowlands of El Salvador. The team provided practical EA training and guidelines to local professionals, and defined environmental impacts and mitigation measures for highway development.
Jamaica: For Jamaica's Development of Environmental Management Organizations (DEMO), we estimated the cost and benefits of environmental protection. In the absence of sufficient information to calculate traditional internal rates of return, we focused on low-medium-high case scenarios to demonstrate the impacts on improved environmental management on the tourist industry.
Kazakhstan: For the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Kazakhstan, we conducted an environmental assessment of pesticide management as part of ADB's evaluation of market reforms in the agricultural sector.
Malawi: For the World Bank, we conducted an initial review of potential environmental concerns associated with the privatization of Malawi Railways.
Peru: We provided technical assistance to the Government of Peru to develop a risk-based screening tool for evaluating the potential environmental impacts of industrial facilities. The purpose of the tool is to give regulators and the regulated community an easy-to-use but scientifically-grounded tool for determining which facilities should perform a formal Evaluation of Environmental Impacts under Peru's new environmental regulation.
Trinidad and Tobago: For the Organization of American States, we contributed to the preparation of the Area-Wide Environmental Impact Assessment in South-West Tobago in Trinidad and Tobago. In a workshop format, we worked with a range of stakeholders to develop a strategy for the regional EIA. Workshop participants suggested reform and alternative development strategies to address major environmental problems in South-West Tobago.
Ukraine: We performed a program environmental assessment of the Regional Agricultural Development Project in the Ukraine. The project involves various proposed grant-financed agricultural and agribusiness activities. We designed a set of guidelines and specific procedures to be applied in the screening of grant proposals with regard to potential environmental impact.
List of Other Environmental Impact Assessment Projects
Caspian Comparative Risk Study For Oil And Gas Development (Caspian Sea)
Development of Risk-based Criteria for Environmental Impact Assessments (Peru)
Environmental Assessment of Malawi Railways Restructuring (Malawi)
Environmental Assessment of San Nicolás Lempa-La Pita Highway (El Salvador)
Environmental Impact Assessment for South-West Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago)
Impact of Environmental Protection on the Tourist Industry (Jamaica)
Market Reforms in the Agricultural Sector: Pesticide Management (Kazakhstan)
Preparation of Environmental Impact Statements and National Environmental Policy Act
Related Studies for EPA, Region I (U.S)
Program Environmental Assessment, Regional Agricultural Development Project (Ukraine)
Environmental Impact Assessment Clients
Asian Development Bank, Development of Environmental Management Organizations (DEMO) (Jamaica), Government of Kazakhstan, Organization of American States, Government of Peru, U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S. AID), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The World Bank
