The cost of carrying out an environmental impact assessment can be a significant part of the planning and design cost of a development project. Notoriously, the EIA costs are difficult to predict at the outset of the project. This uncertainty is mainly due to an initial lack of knowledge of the environmental baseline conditions on the development site. As the project progresses, site knowledge increases gradually and new costs may emerge while some risks may reduce. Particularly in the current economic climate, there is a need to have a clear understanding of the costs and the risks of the environmental impact assessment at an early stage in the project.

The first step to effective cost management of an environmental impact assessment is to carry out a thorough EIA scoping study. The outcome of the EIA scoping study should be a clear understanding of the basic site characteristics and the likely environmental risks and sensitivities. It should also provide a clear programme on how to address the issues that have been identified in the further environmental impact assessment.

Following a carefully undertaken EIA scoping study, uncertainties remain. These uncertainties are however much more manageable. For instance, during the EIA scoping study it was identified that no important archaeological features have been recorded in the wider area around a site. The following step that is proposed is to carry out a geophysical site survey. Depending on the outcome of the survey there may be a requirement to carry out an intrusive investigation in the form of an excavation.

There are three uncertainties that will determine the final cost for archaeological work as part of the environmental impact assessment. Firstly there is the uncertainty about the exact cost to carry out the geophysical survey. The error margin on this should be relatively small as it is a fairly defined activity. The second uncertainty relates to whether or not the results of the survey indicate the need of further work. This is a yes or no issue, where the uncertainty relates to the chance that further work is required. Finally, the third piece of uncertainty relates to the cost of the intrusive investigation should this be required.

A system that is based on the Monte Carlo cost forecasting system is ideally suited to deal with these kind of uncertainties. The outcome of the Monte Carlo cost forecasting system is typically a series of potential project costs together with the probability that each of these costs will not be exceeded. Thus, employing a combination of a rigorous EIA scoping study and the use of the Monte Carlo cost forecasting methodology are essential tools in the effective cost management of environmental impact assessments.

Environmental resource management is the most important major a young person can have today because it is essential to handle the growing population, growing demand, and the new options of an ever-changing world. One reason that resource management is important is because it will manage the increasing population of the world. As the world’s population continues to increase, adding as many as one and a half billion people in the next twenty years, the global environment will continue to become more strained. The resources such as water and land will become more scarce, and they need to be used in the most efficient way possible to achieve maximum benefit. The world needs an efficient method to handle the power needs of large populations, especially as there is a global shift in energy usage that has its focus away from fossil fuels. It will be increasingly important in the near future to discover a way to efficiently power global commerce while having minimal effect on the environment.

Resource management will also be important to handle the rising demand of the world’s population. As the population grows, more resources will be needed to supply the needs of each person and forward the economy. The idea of consumerism that has been prevalent in America since the 1950′s has spread across the world, and has caused a greater demand for goods and products. In order to meet the needs of the economy, it is essential to be able to handle the resources needed and be able to distribute them efficiently.

Environmental resource management is also important because it will greatly assist in handling the new options that will be available in the future. As technology improves, there will be more efficient methods to distribute and harness the earth’s resources, as well as possibly using the resources of something outside the planet. A resource manager needs to be able to adapt to the new changes and be able to decide which resources to use and how to use them. Discovering new resources and new ways to handle resources is essential to handling the rapid growth of a changing world.

Handling new options, growing demand, and growing population are all reasons that environmental resource management is the major and career best suited for handling problems now and in the future. Although the future of the world is uncertain, it is important to be able to adapt to the changes that will inevitably occur. The world’s resources are limited, and it will become increasingly important to handle them correctly.

Environmental Law in Australia

In Australia, the primary environmental legislation at a federal level is called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This legislation means that a Construction Environmental Management Plan (or otherwise known by the acronym CEMP) must be prepared before commencing any type of construction work.

In addition, the legislation specifies the penalties that you can incur if you are found to not be in compliance with the law. The softest penalty is a financial one, which can vary in size depending on each case. The harshest penalty by far is being prosecuted for environmental negligence. Nobody ever wants to face that prospect.

What to Include In an Environmental Plan

Before I go into what should be included in an environmental plan for a construction worksite, it’s important that I point out that the following is simply a guideline to base your own environmental plan on. It is not a definitive list and I would highly recommend that you visit your respective state government website to get more information. This is because legislation can vary slightly from state to state.

Here are the components that should be included in your plan:

- Description of the project to take place
- The objectives of the environmental plan
- Important contact numbers
- The requirements as outlined by legislation
- Working hours of the project
- Procedures for complaints and communication within the worksite
- Procedures for emergencies
- Non-conformance control
- Environmental training to be undertaken
- Environmental protection measures

Once again, the information presented above is simply a guideline to follow which may prove useful for those who have no idea about how to create a CEMP.

As a small-business owner, what should you do? Is the amount of time and money you’ll spend on going green worth the investment?

The answer is: Yes. Go green. More and more companies are going green every day.

Most small-business owners do not know that environmental management can be beneficial to the company in ways that go well beyond helping the environment:

· From an internal operations perspective, going green can actually reduce costs and help avoid liabilities, as well as present unexpected business opportunities if your company can provide an environmental solution to others. You can even go so far as to obtain certification from an independent third party so you can include their logo or “ecolabel” on your product and other green marketing materials. Ecolabeling helps market your product to green-conscious consumers.

· From an external perspective, by going green your company is that much more attractive to investors, lenders, insurers, customers and employees.

Environmental management is quickly becoming a bottom-line benefit – and a proverbial win-win – for small businesses.

Not All or Nothing

Environmental management is not an all-or-nothing proposition. There is so much that can be done to go green – from buying green products to recycling to using green technologies to moving to solar power. The multitude of options can seem overwhelming.

Yet, there is a tangible approach to environmental management that can be easily mapped out and implemented according to how you prefer to do business. It involves, simply, developing an Environmental Action Plan.

How do you develop this Environmental Action Plan? The place to start is the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has put together a workbook designed specifically to help small businesses go green. This workbook is called the Small Business Environmental Management Plan Workbook and can be found and downloaded at the Business.gov web site.

Step One: Develop an Environmental Policy

The first step is to take some time to develop an environmental policy. This is both an internal and external statement that formalizes your company’s level of commitment toward going green.

First decide what is most appropriate for your management and employees. Whether implementing a recycling program or moving to solar power, decide on what will work best for you. Then, put this decision into a formal document. The document will serve two purposes:

· to help communicate to the entire company your environmental level of commitment, as well as a first step toward communicating employees’ environmental responsibilities

· to help communicate your environmental management plans to suppliers, customers, shareholders, and the community so everyone will be aware of where your company stands in its efforts to go green.
There is also an environmental policy worksheet – including guidelines and samples – in the EPA Environmental Management Plan Workbook.

Step Two: Assemble an Environmental Manual

An Environmental Manual will be your “how to” document. This will map out the details of your environmental management strategy and how, exactly, you plan to go green.

This document should include things such as those environmental regulations and permits that pertain to your business, as well as best practices for environmental management. It is important to note that these details will be quite different depending on your industry and your business. Regulations, permits, and best practices will be vastly different for food service, healthcare service, or landscape service businesses.

And, of course, there is also an environmental manual planning worksheet – including guidelines and samples – in the EPA Environmental Management Plan Workbook.

Step Three: Go Green

Once you’ve got the details in place, it’s time to go green – according to your Environmental Policy and Environmental Manual. You must, of course, implement any necessary training and additional communication to company employees. You should also:

· Keep records of your environmental management activities

· Monitor your environmental compliance

· Measure your environmental performance

· Report your environmental results

Once your environmental management plan has been in place for a significant amount of time, you’ll also want to conduct an environmental review to see what’s working, what’s not, and what other policies you may want to put in place over time.

Conclusion

There is so much you can do as a small business to go green. While moving to solar power may be out of your reach, implementing a simple recycling program may be just the right fit. In fact, you may be surprised that the more you do, the more it will benefit both your company and the environment.

Small-business owners often think of ‘going green’ as a double-edged sword. On one hand, many think of going green as the right thing to do to support the environment and the local community. Yet many also see it as an extra expense that cannot be recouped.

As a small-business owner, what should you do? Is the amount of time and money you’ll spend on going green worth the investment?

The answer is: Yes. Go green. More and more companies are going green every day.

Most small-business owners do not know that environmental management can be beneficial to the company in ways that go well beyond helping the environment:

· From an internal operations perspective, going green can actually reduce costs and help avoid liabilities, as well as present unexpected business opportunities if your company can provide an environmental solution to others. You can even go so far as to obtain certification from an independent third party so you can include their logo or “ecolabel” on your product and other green marketing materials. Ecolabeling helps market your product to green-conscious consumers.

· From an external perspective, by going green your company is that much more attractive to investors, lenders, insurers, customers and employees.

Environmental management is quickly becoming a bottom-line benefit – and a proverbial win-win – for small businesses.

Not All or Nothing

Environmental management is not an all-or-nothing proposition. There is so much that can be done to go green – from buying green products to recycling to using green technologies to moving to solar power. The multitude of options can seem overwhelming.

Yet, there is a tangible approach to environmental management that can be easily mapped out and implemented according to how you prefer to do business. It involves, simply, developing an Environmental Action Plan.

How do you develop this Environmental Action Plan? The place to start is the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has put together a workbook designed specifically to help small businesses go green. This workbook is called the Small Business Environmental Management Plan Workbook and can be found and downloaded at the Business.gov web site.

Step One: Develop an Environmental Policy

The first step is to take some time to develop an environmental policy. This is both an internal and external statement that formalizes your company’s level of commitment toward going green.

First decide what is most appropriate for your management and employees. Whether implementing a recycling program or moving to solar power, decide on what will work best for you. Then, put this decision into a formal document. The document will serve two purposes:

· to help communicate to the entire company your environmental level of commitment, as well as a first step toward communicating employees’ environmental responsibilities

· to help communicate your environmental management plans to suppliers, customers, shareholders, and the community so everyone will be aware of where your company stands in its efforts to go green.
There is also an environmental policy worksheet – including guidelines and samples – in the EPA Environmental Management Plan Workbook.

Step Two: Assemble an Environmental Manual

An Environmental Manual will be your “how to” document. This will map out the details of your environmental management strategy and how, exactly, you plan to go green.

This document should include things such as those environmental regulations and permits that pertain to your business, as well as best practices for environmental management. It is important to note that these details will be quite different depending on your industry and your business. Regulations, permits, and best practices will be vastly different for food service, healthcare service, or landscape service businesses.

And, of course, there is also an environmental manual planning worksheet – including guidelines and samples – in the EPA Environmental Management Plan Workbook.

Step Three: Go Green

Once you’ve got the details in place, it’s time to go green – according to your Environmental Policy and Environmental Manual. You must, of course, implement any necessary training and additional communication to company employees. You should also:

· Keep records of your environmental management activities

· Monitor your environmental compliance

· Measure your environmental performance

· Report your environmental results

Once your environmental management plan has been in place for a significant amount of time, you’ll also want to conduct an environmental review to see what’s working, what’s not, and what other policies you may want to put in place over time.

Conclusion

There is so much you can do as a small business to go green. While moving to solar power may be out of your reach, implementing a simple recycling program may be just the right fit. In fact, you may be surprised that the more you do, the more it will benefit both your company and the environment.

For more detailed information on going green, including Environmental Management and how to put together an Environmental Action Plan, go to the Green Business Guide section of Business.gov.

Nancy Sternberg, Business Gateway Program Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration

Nancy B. Sternberg was selected as the Business.gov Business Gateway Program Manager in May 2006. In this role, Ms. Sternberg is responsible for working with representatives from the 22 partner agencies to improve the delivery of services to businesses by providing a single access point for businesses to easily find government information, including forms and compliance assistance resources and tools. Ms. Sternberg moderated a press briefing for an audience of more than a hundred business leaders and business owners at the National Press Club to unveil the Business.gov site, which is designed to help businesses stay in compliance with federal regulations.