The environmental impact assessment process as applied in Malta to major coastal engineering works : an evaluation

Abstract

The scope of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is to ensure that when public or private projects are proposed, and prior to planning consent is decided upon, any potential environmental impacts are duly taken into consideration and the relevant authorities can take an informed decision based on appropriate investigations. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the EIA process in Malta, as applied to a named example of a major coastal engineering work. The evaluation attempts to use a local coastal engineering development from 2001, namely a proposed beach nourishment project at St George’s Bay, San Giljan. After the execution of the works, the stability of the nourished beach as well as any environmental degradation have been monitored for five years by carrying out an Ecological Monitoring Plan. Several surveys were conducted and the scientific information about the shore and sub littoral system was collected by using adequate tools and methodologies. The overall monitoring results and conclusions showed that the EIA ecological impacts were correctly predicted and the mitigation measures with the respective recommendations were accurately identified and implemented. While analysing the project retrospectively, improvement opportunities can be observed, thus a number of recommendations regarding methodology, study accuracy and objectivity have been proposed.