Overview of Environment Management Plan (EMP)

The environmental management plan consists of a set of mitigation, management, monitoring, and institutional measure ensured during the development and operation of any environment-related project to eliminate adverse environmental impacts or reduce them to acceptable levels. The following Acts and Rules are considered when creating an Environment Management Plan.

• The Environmental (Protection) Act. 1986 and the Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1987- 2002
• The EIA Notification 2006 and the subsequent amendments
• The Water (P& CP) Act, 1974
• The Air (P& CP) Act. 1981
• Noise Pollution (Regulation And Control) Act, 1990
• Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
• Wild Life Protection Act, 1972
• Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification, 1991
• Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958
• The Motor Vehicle Act. 1988
• The Explosives Act (& Rules) 1884 (1983)
• Public Liability And Insurance Act,1991
• Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989
• Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996
• Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957, as amended in 1972
• The Building & Other Construction Workers  BOCW Act, 1996

Objectives of Environment Management Plan

A proper Environment Management Program should have the following objectives.

• Overall conservation of the environment
• Ensure effective operation of all control measures
• Safety, welfare and good health of the workforce and populace
• Minimization of waste generation and pollution
• Judicious use of natural resources and water
• Vigilance against probable disasters and accidents
• Monitoring of cumulative and long-term impacts
• Ensure effective operation of all control measures

Licences and registrations involved in the development of EMP

Environment Management Program must show proof that the project proponent has received all necessary licences and permissions needed for their project. Commonly required licences and registrations include.

• NOC And Consents Under Air, Water, EP Acts & Noise rules of SPCB
• Permission to store Hazardous Materials
• Permission for Activities near the protected archaeological area
• Diversion of Sanctuary land / Permission for road construction
• Forest Clearance or felling of Trees
• PUC certificate for the use of vehicles for construction
• NOC for water extraction for construction and allied works
• Environmental Clearance

Why does your business need an Environment Management Plan

EMP is an indispensable part of the Environment Impact Assessment Report.   Usually, project proponents regard Environment Management Plan simply as a legal requirement for their project and make it brief, but clear EMP, including detailed mitigation and monitoring planning, will help create a strong Environment Impact Assessment Report beneficial for the project proponent in the long run. Environment Management Plan consists of all mitigation measures for each activity undertaken during the construction, operation and the entire life cycle of a project needing Environment Clearance. EMP help minimizes adverse environmental impacts as a result of the activities of the project.

Relation between EIA and EMP and Environmental Monitoring Plan

MoEF notified criteria and rules regarding Environment Impact Assessment in EIA Notification of 2006. The notification mentioned EMP as one of the requirements in the EIA Report, which is prepared by a project proponent requiring Environmental Clearance. So Environment Management Plan is a part of the Environment Impact Assessment that is often integrated directly into EIA reports. It describes the administrative aspects of ensuring that mitigative measures are implemented and their effectiveness is monitored after approval of the EIA. Environment Management is different from environmental monitoring, but both are related. The latter includes the technical aspects of monitoring the effectiveness of mitigation measures like measurement methodologies, reporting schedules, emergency procedures,  frequency, location, data analysis, detailed budget and procurement schedules. EMP also delineates the environmental monitoring plan for compliance with various environmental regulations. EMP also lays down the steps to be taken in emergencies like accidents at the site.

Documents needed to develop Environment Management Plan

Documentation is a critical component in implementing Environmental Management Plan. The plan will need the following documents.

• Major technical information in operation
• Organizational Charts
• Emergency plans
• Environmental Monitoring Standards
• Operational Procedure
• Monitoring Records
• Quality Assurance Plan for Monitoring
• Environmental and related legislation

Stages included in EMP

All Environment Management plans must be constructed keeping in view the objective of the EIA. However, the common factors included in the plan have been listed briefly in the following section.

Mitigation Plan: Mitigation Plan is the key to ensuring that the environmental qualities of the area will not deteriorate due to the project. The Mitigation Plan will cover all aspects of the construction and operation phases related to the environment.

Monitoring of Environmental Parameters: Environmental control measures can only be understood by properly monitoring the environmental parameters. Detailed monitoring for different environmental parameters will be carried out per the concerned authority's direction.

Ambient Air and Water Quality Report: Parameters to access Air quality include monitoring the levels of SPM, RPM, SO2, NO2 or any other pollutant specified by the authorities depending on the nature of the project.

Stack Emission Report: Analysis of Emissions from boiler stack to find out ensure those are meeting the required emission levels.

Noise Monitoring Report: Analysis of noise monitoring both within the premises and just outside the boundary of the project

Quality Assurance: A quality assurance plan is also included in the EMP, which includes all reference methods for implementation for monitoring, calibration of equipment, relevant analytical techniques, the standard of reagents, collection and presentation of results etc.

Safety & Health: Report on the workers' health which has to be done regularly as per the Factories Act. A section which gives details for mock safety drills of the concerned employees for handling emergencies must also be included as a part of the On-Site Emergency Plan.

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