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Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is essentially a planning tool for preventing environmental problems due to an action. It seeks to avoid costly mistakes in project implementation, either because of the environmental damages that are likely to arise during project implementation, or because of modifications that may be required subsequently in order to make the action environmentally acceptable.

The aim of the EIA is to assess the overall impact on the environment of development projects proposed by the public and private sectors. The objectives of environmental impact assessment are:

• To examine and select the best from the project options available;
• To identify and incorporate into the project plan appropriate abatement and mitigating measures;
• To predict significant residual environmental impacts;
• To determine the significant residual environmental impacts predicted; and
• To identify the environmental costs and benefits of the project to the community.

Under section 34A, Environmental Quality Act, 1974, EIA is REQUIRED for the following 19 prescribed activities:

• AGRICULTURE:
  • Land development schemes covering an area of 500 hectares or more to bring forest land into agricultural production.
  • Agricultural programmes necessitating the resettlement of 100 families or more.
  • Development of agricultural estates covering an area of 500 hectares or more involving changes in types of agricultural use.
• AIRPORT:
  • Construction of airports (having an airstrip of 2,500 metres or longer).
  • Airstrip development in state and national parks.
• DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION:
  • Construction of dams and man-made lakes and artificial enlargement of lakes with surface areas of 200 hectares or more.
  • Drainage of wetland, wild-life habitat or of virgin forest covering an area of 100 hectares or more.
  • Irrigation schemes covering an area of 5,000 hectares or more.
• LAND RECLAMATION:
  • Coastal reclamation involving an area of 50 hectares or more.
• FISHERIES:
  • Construction of fishing harbors.
  • Harbour expansion involving an increase of 50 percent or more in fish landing capacity per annum.
  • Land based aquaculture projects accompanied by clearing of mangrove swamp forests covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
• FORESTRY:
  • Conversion of hill forest land to other land use covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
  • Logging or conversion of forest land to other land use within the catchment area of reservoirs used for municipal water supply, irrigation or hydro-power generation or in areas adjacent to state and national parks and national marine parks.
  • Logging covering and area of 500 hectares or more.
  • Conversion of mangrove swamps for industrial, housing or agricultural use covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
  • Clearing of mangrove swamps on islands adjacent to national marine parks.
• HOUSING:
  • Housing development covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
• INDUSTRY:
  • Chemical
    • Where production capacity of each product or combined products is greater than 100 tonnes/day.
  • Petrochemicals
    • All sizes.
  • Non-ferrous - Primary smelting:
    • Aluminium - all sizes
    • Copper - all sizes
    • Others - producing 50 tonnes/day and above of product
  • Non-metallic
    • Cement - for clinker throughput of 30 tonnes/hour and above
    • Lime -100 tones/day and above burnt lime rotary kiln or 50 tonnes/day and above vertical kiln.
  • Iron and steel
    • Require iron ore as raw materials for production greater than 100 tonnes/day; or
    • Using scrap iron as raw material for production greater than 200 tonnes/day
  • Shipyards
    • Dead Weight Tonnage greater than 5,000 tonnes
  • Pulp and paper industry
    • Production capacity greater than 50 tonnes/day
• INFRASTRUCTURE:
  • Construction of hospitals with outfall into beachfronts used for recreational purposes.
  • Industrial estate development for medium and heavy industries covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
  • Construction of expressways.
  • Construction of national highways.
  • construction of new townships.
• PORTS:
  • (a) Construction of ports.
  • (b) Port expansion involving an increase of 50 percent or more in handling capacity per annum.
• MINING:
  • Mining of minerals in new areas where the mining lease covers a total area in excess of 250 hectares.
  • Ore processing, including concentrating for aluminium, copper, gold or tantalum.
  • Sand dredging involving an area of 50 hectares or more.
• PETROLEUM:
  • Oil and gas fields development.
  • Construction of off-shore and on-shore pipelines in excess of 50 kilometers in length.
  • Construction of oil and gas separation, processing, handling, and storage facilities.
  • Construction of oil refineries.
  • Construction of product depots for the storage of petrol, gas or diesel (excluding service stations) which are located within 3 kilometres of any commercial, industrial or residential areas and which have a combined storage capacity of 60,000 barrels or more.
• POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION:
  • Construction of steam generated power stations burning fossil fuels and having a capacity of more than 10 megawatts.
  • Dams and hydro-electric power schemes with either or both of the following:
    • dams over 15 metres high and ancillary structures covering a total area in excess of 40 hectares;
    • reservoirs with a surface area in excess of 400 hectares.
  • Construction of combined cycle power stations.
  • Construction of nuclear-fueled power stations.
• QUARRIES:
  • Proposed quarrying of aggregate, limestone, silica, quartzite, sandstone, marble and decorative building stone within 3 kilometres of any existing residential, commercial or industrial areas, or any area for which a licence, permit or approval has been granted for residential, commercial or industrial development.
• RAILWAYS:
  • Construction of new routes.
  • Construction of branch lines.
• TRANSPORTATION:
  • Construction of Mass Rapid Transport projects.
• RESORT AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
  • Construction of coastal resort facilities or hotels with more than 80 rooms.
  • Hill station resort or hotel development covering an area of 50 hectares or more.
  • Development of tourist or recreational facilities in national parks.
  • Development of tourist or recreational facilities on islands in surrounding waters which are gazetted as national marine parks.
• WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL:
  • Toxic and Hazardous Waste
    • (i) Construction of incineration plant.
    • (ii) Construction of recovery plant (off-site).
    • (iii) Construction of wastewater treatment plant (off-site).
    • (iv) Construction of secure landfill facility.
    • (v) Construction of storage facility (off-site).
  • Municipal Solid Waste
    • (i) Construction of incineration plant.
    • (ii) Construction of composting plant.
    • (iii) Construction of recovery/recycling plant.
    • (iv) Construction of municipal solid waste landfill facility.
  • Municipal Sewage
    • (i) Construction of wastewater treatment plant.
    • (ii) Construction of marine outfall.
• WATER SUPPLY:
  • Construction of dams or impounding reservoirs with a surface area of 200 hectares or more.
  • Groundwater development for industrial, agricultural or urban water supply of greater than
    4,500 cubic metres per day.

I’m currently working with Associate Professor Dr. Johan Sohaili and his team to provide Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) solutions for interested clients in Malaysia. Dr. Johan (CS0151) is a DoE registered EIA consultant and subject specialist for “water quality”, “wastewater” and “air quality & odour” categories. We’ll be able to assist you in deciding proper implementation of your project and obtaining the appropriate license within your desired budget.

Kindly Contact me for quotation. More information about EIA here.