Computer Support for Environmental Impact Assessment

Any choice with a significant impact on the environment should, in principle, be the outcome of a political process reflecting the social preferences of everyone involved. Unfortunately, this ideal procedure requires a level of time and money that does not justify its application for planning each specific intervention. Different methods, mainly derived from traditional investment analyses, have been proposed for providing a rational basis for environmental decisions that cannot be analysed through a public debate. These methods have proved inadequate, however, and are being replaced by Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a less formal, but more applicable, method of incorporating environmental considerations in the decision process. Though the interpretation of EIA differs among various national and regional laws, it is now widely accepted as a potentially useful aid and is becoming a routine procedure for environmental planning and management in many countries. Computers can help to make EIA as explicit and repeatable as possible by supplying tools supporting its various phases.This book addresses topics such as the use of databases and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in the first screening phase, the development of mathematical models or expert systems to predict the impacts, and the use of multicriteria methodologies to support the final choice. Actual implementations of integrated computer systems that can be used throughout the decision process are also described.

Table of Contents:
Environmental Database and Information System. SAMBA - a way to deal with GIS (J. Boman, M. Olsson, M. Sundholm). The Torre del Sale (Piombino) DEM and its contribution to an environmental monitoring oriented GIS (L. Mussio, B. Crippa, O. Sharif). A visualization system of marine environmental data (F. Fuchs). Visualization of pH changes due to liming treatments in Lake Orta, Italy, using computer generated animations (E. Halfon, G. Tartari, M. Howell, A. Binelli). Spatio-temporal modeling of complex geographical structures (F. Bonfatti, P.D. Monari). EQUEL - a database system for the management of environmental data (T. Plank). Information system for air pollutants emissions inventories on local level (C. Trozzi, R. Vaccaro). RADICAL, radiation information center with analyzing logic (H. Rantanen). Simulation and Decision Models. FLORA: a distributed flood risk analyzer (P. Burlando, M. Mancini, R. Rosso). BILAN1: a computer model assisting the evaluation of the effect of water consumption upon the environmental water resources (T. Stochliński, M. Wawro). CATNAP and PWQIS: spatial tools for river and potable water quality evaluation (A. McDonald, M. Clarke, E. Bramley, R. Freestone). The real-time procedure LORAN to couple long range atmospheric models with monitored data. Recent improvements (M. De Cort, S. Galmarini, G. Graziani, G. Grippa). A package of numerical models and graphical tools for analyses and forecast of noise impact (G. Clerici, S. Giarola, S. Meneguzzo). Multicriteria value functions for evaluating soil pollution: a new assessment procedure and its applications (E. Beinat, P. Nijkamp, P. Rietveld). Contaminated sites evaluation by use of the successive principle and artificial neural networks (O. Kiilerich, H. Ruff). Tools for multicriteria decision making in a multi-actor context that may be applied to a hazardous plant location problem (S. Collette, M. Installé). Determining the uses of land in the vicinity of major hazard facilities: an optimization algorithm (H. Briassoulis, I. Papazoglou). Designing a simulation tool for the environmental assessment of logistical systems and strategies (L.M. Hilty, D. Martinssen, B. Page). A structured approach to conflict resolution in EIA: the use of Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management (AEAM) (A.J. Gilmour, G. Walkerden). Applications of Expert Systems. FRAME: a knowledge-based tool to support the choice of the right air pollution model (G. Calori, F. Colombo, G. Finzi). Knowledge-based system for evaluating in-stream habitat (W. Grenney, T. Senti, K. Bovee). Application of an expert system for point source water quality modelling (W.G. Booty, I.W.S. Wong, D.C.L. Lam, J.P. Kerby, R. Ruddock, D.F. Kay). Environmental impact assessment for regional planning with SAFRaN (M. Burde, T. Jäckel, R. Dieckmann, H. Hemker). SIBILLA: an expert system for analysis and use of the local planning acts (L. Ciancarella, P. De Sabbata, M. Litido, P. Secondini, M. Catellani, S. Travasoni). Integrated Decision Support Systems. Integrated environmental information and decision support systems (K. Fedra). Integrated computer support for environmental impact assessment (A. Baumewerd-Ahlmann, F. Scholles, A. Schwabl, K.-H. Simon, R. Waschkowski). Decision support systems for environmental impact assessment: addressing the industrial need (M.P. Misseyer, P.F.J. van der Most). LIVIA project: a computer laboratory for environmental impact assessment (L. Del Furia, M. Petrucci).