Questionnaire checklist for cumulative impacts

Abstract

Cumulative impact considerations have been required since 1979 in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process in the United States. Incorporation of these considerations has been minimal due to confusion over appropriate spatial and temporal boundaries in impact studies, lack of emphasis by project proponents and government agencies, and the absence of structured methodologies. The study described herein was conducted to delineate the types of cumulative impact methods being used in scientific studies and/or environmental impact statements (EISs) and to couple this information with existing EIA methodologies to delineate a generic methodology that could provide a framework for cumulative impact identification and assessment. Eight scientific studies were reviewed, and the utilized methods included five interaction matrices and/or composite indices, two geographic information systems, and one simple checklist. Five EISs were also reviewed relative to how cumulative impacts were addressed and the methodologies utilized. The five EISs included oil and gas leasing and development in New Mexico, a housing/urban development project in McKinney, Texas, a program to install and operate terminal Doppler weather radar facilities at airport locations across the United States, a reservoir project in the Rogue River Basin in Oregon, and a surface lignite mine in Titus County, Texas. All five EISs addressed cumulative impacts to some extent — a simple checklist methodology was used for each, although the checklist items differed from study to study. Based on these findings, and considering extant EIA methodologies, a structured questionnaire checklist is proposed for usage in scoping cumulative impacts, addressing detailed impact issues and summarizing the results of cumulative impact considerations in an impact study. The items in the proposed checklist will not all be applicable to all projects and impact studies. However, usage of this approach would provide a consistent beginning for systematically addressing cumulative impacts.