9 services found
Apercu Consultants, Inc. services
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that involves predicting and evaluating the likely impacts of a project on the environment (land, water, air, flora, fauna and people) at various stages (construction, commissioning, operation and abandonment) of the project development. It also involves the development of appropriate preventive, mitigating and enhancement measures that will protect the environment from the identified impacts. These measures are formulated into environmental management and monitoring plans.
Environmental Perfomance Report & Management Plan
This report form is normally used for existing facilities that intend to undergo expansion. An EPRMP is a report that reviews how an existing facility has performed with regards to the implementation of its management plan for critical environmental parameters specific to its operations. Emissions, effluents and waste management records covering a period of three to five years are reviewed. Any breaches of the waste quality on the applicable standards and the manner in which these were remedied are assessed. The impacts of the intended expansion on the existing management plan and the adequacy of the latter to address any additional impacts are then evaluated. Important programs that need to be included in the document are an Environmental Monitoring Plan ( EMoP), Information Education and Communication (IEC) Programs, Social Development Program (SDP) or Community Assistance Program (CAP) and an Environmental Risk Management and Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
Environmental Due Diligence
A due diligence study is an investigative process done with a certain standard of care through which a potential acquirer evaluates a target asset. Those conducted by Apercu involved power plants that were being put up for sale by the national government.
Air Quality Monitoring
Air quality monitoring is a process composed of inter-related activities which include sampling, analysis, data interpretation, and reporting. Air sampling may be generally classified into two types, namely: ambient and source sampling. In ambient air monitoring, the measurements are indicative of only a small portion of the atmosphere and cannot be assumed to be representative of the total atmosphere. In emission testing, the cross sectional area of the gas stream is fixed and the result is generally representative of the total volume of stack effluent.
Water Quality Monitoring
Water quality monitoring is an integrated activity for evaluating the physical, chemical, and biological character of water in relation to human health, ecological conditions, and designated water uses. Components of water quality include microbial, biological, chemical, and physical aspects. Water quality data are used to characterize waters, identify trends over time, identify emerging problems, determine whether pollution control programs are working, help direct pollution control efforts to where they are most needed, and respond to emergencies such as floods and spills.
Aquatic Biota Monitoring
Coastal and marine waters serve as sinks for wastes from land-based sources, provide livelihood directly and indirectly to millions of people, provide food, maintain water cycles, regulate climatic conditions, and maintain the complex ecological balance of coastal and marine ecosystems. Therefore, sustainably managing the coastal and marine resources, as well as, maintaining its quality is a high priority. Owing to the development of housing, industry and support infrastructure having cumulative impacts on the integrity of coastal and marine environments, industries are now viewed as important partners in environmental management.
Terrestrial Fauna Monitoring
As part of the EIA, vegetative cover and terrestrial fauna are assessed. Terrestrial fauna include all species of animals with the exception of fish, which are referred to as aquatic fauna. Surveys of terrestrial flora and fauna are conducted to assess the extent of potential impacts of a development on the environment and monitor effects of disturbances or rehabilitation success. Standard field survey methodologies such as transect walks, habitat searching, trapping, etc., are employed to determine richness, relative abundance, diversity, endemnicity, rare or endagnered status, and other ecological parameters. Literature and databases are also reviewed to assess the environmental values of the terrestrial floral and faunal community.
Social Impact Assessment
The Social Impact Assessment is an important component of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and aims to achieve a more sustainable and equitable biophysical and human environment. Through this study, the geographic area and the stakeholders to be affected by the proposed project are identified. Qualitative and quantitative data are collected and analyzed to understand and assess the social environment of the area. Potential impacts of the project on social, cultural, economic, heritage as well as health of the community are then identified. The SIA aids in developing monitoring and management plans for addressing social changes that may directly or indirectly result from the project. Methods such as the conduct of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) programs; Key Informant Interviews (KII); and Focused Group Discussions (FGD) are employed as necessary to ensure public participation.
Underwater Video Monitoring
Underwater video is a valuable tool in assessing status of coral reefs and does not require interference with the environment. Based on images from the video, software applications can be used to evaluate fish populations, coral diversity, percent benthic cover of corals, algae, and other organisms. Considering time and other constraints while scuba diving, underwater video monitoring allows sampling of larger areas of the reef in less time as identification and analysis are done on land. The video obtained offers a visual representation of the sampled area that can be archived.
