Abstract
ABSTRACT This study addresses the persistent tensions in Impact Assessment (IA), which aim to balance public engagement with technical analysis. In this context, the IA process itself poses a significant risk to the individuals and communities involved in the impact assessment. The consequences of these risks, and whether they materialize, remain uncertain and depend on the specific context of each IA process. Drawing on the sociology of risk and broader IA literature, we present a case study of the Grassy Mountain Coal Project in southern Alberta, Canada. Instead of evaluating project-specific impacts within the IA process, we examine the impacts of the IA process on community members. By reversing our gaze, we aim to understand how IA processes impact communities and how these impacts manifest. Led by the results of the study, the impacts of the IA on community members are examined under three specific impact locations: (1) risk perceptions and anticipatory impacts, (2) procedural issues, and (3) community and regional conflicts. Our conclusions underscore the need to recognize these types of impact on communities and explore ways to minimize the costs of IA to communities.
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