Practice with Screening & Getting started with the Environmental Procedures Training Manual (EPTM) [SPEAKERS NAMES] [DATE]

 ! About this session In this module, we will practice Reg. 216 screening using the step-by-step guidance and resources in the Environmental Procedures Training Manual (EPTM). ! The EPTM is a key resource for USAID Mission and Partner staff responsible for preparing Reg. 216 documents. ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

EPTM Orientation: Chapters 1. Introduction and Overview 2. Step-by-step Guide to Screening Under Reg. 216 Together, these chapters guide you step-by-step to answering the question: “what documentation must I prepare & submit?” 3. Environmental Documentation Requirements 1. 0 Look at the Table of Contents and How the EPTM is organized. 3.0 First Step in looking at how USAID Environmental Procedures apply to your DAP or PAA. 4.0 Most people in this course will be writing IEEs. 5.0 Developed by FAM Environmental Working Group, Ethiopia Title II Working Group. If you must write an IEE, Chapter 4 provides step-by-step guidance—beginning with the basic question: “how do I organize my IEE?” 4. A Guide to Writing the IEE 5. Frequently Asked Questions ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

EPTM Orientation: Annexes The annexes are an essential part of the EPTM Detailed information about exemptions, categorical exclusions A. Reg. 216 Screening Definitions in detail B. Official USAID Regs and Guidance Includes full text of Reg. 216, plus Title II Guidance, ADS excerpts C. Blank Forms Download electronic versions of the forms at www.encapafrica.org D. Sample IEEs & CatExs Annexes: Have everyone briefly look through the Annexes. E. Sample Tables & Matrices F. Programmatic EAs Contains the Environmental Review Form & help with Umbrella IEEs G. Sub-project review ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

Let’s get started with Screening Turn to page 2-2 in the EPTM. The first step: list out your activities! Use a summary table to keep yourself organized Where you begin ! The EPTM presents Reg. 216 identically to the modules in this course. The EPTM is available on-line at www.encapafrica.org. ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

The summary table Pg 2-3 contains a summary table. The summary table helps you make sure that EVERY activity is screened—and helps the reviewer evaluate your work. The complete table is available in the SOURCEBOOK. Note that this is a sample table only. You are free to construct a table that works for you. However the table MUST clearly show the screening result for each activity! List activities in this section ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

 ! What is an activity? An activity is: a desired accomplishment or output E.g.: a road, seedling production, or river diversion to irrigate land Accomplishing an activity requires a set of actions ACTIVITY: market access road rehabilitation ACTIONS: Survey, grading, culvert construction, compaction, etc. . . ! Screening is done at the activity level, NOT the action level. . ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

These instructions lead you through the Reg. 216 screening flowchart Screening: Step 2. . . Now, keep following the EPTM’s instructions. Pg 2-5 Pg 2-5 These instructions lead you through the Reg. 216 screening flowchart Pg 2-6 ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

Review: Reg 216 Screening flowchart start Screening results & their meaning “EXEMPTION” No environmental review required, but anticipated adverse impacts should be mitigated 1. Is the activity an EMERGENCY? YES NO “CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION” In most cases, no further environmental review is necessary. 2. Is the activity VERY LOW RISK? YES NO ATTENTION: You probably must do a full Environmental Assessment (EA) or revise the activity 3. Is the activity HIGH RISK? FIRST, LIST EACH ACTIVITY AND THEN SCREEN, AS SHOWN ON THE SLIDE. (Note, we WILL BE PRACTICING SCREENING in just a few minutes.) IMPORTANT: “EMERGENCY,” “VERY LOW RISK,” AND “HIGH RISK” are NOT terms used in reg 216. They are used here to describe the screening process in plain language. The definition of each category is provided in Reg 216 & discussed in the following slides Remember the definitions of USAID terms from the previous presentation Exemptions: Regulation 216 exempts certain activities undertaken in response to emergencies, such as international disaster assistance (famine, civil war and displaced populations), or in circumstances involving exceptional foreign policy sensitivities. Exemptions require the Administrator’s or Assistance Administrator’s formal approval. Categorical exclusions: Categories of projects which are considered by their nature very unlikely to have significant impacts on the environment. These project types are eligible for ‘categorical exclusion.’ More on that later. USAID uses the term “Environmental Assessment”—EA for the full environmental impact assessment YES (or not yet clear) NO recommended Allowed by Reg. 216 But not recommended Prepare Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) Prepare Environmental Assessment (full EIA study) ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

! REMEMBER, Reg. 216 defines “Emergencies” (EXEMPTIONS) and “Low Risk Activities” (CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS) very specifically. YOUR ACTIVITY MUST SATISFY THE REG. 216 DEFINITIONS, or it is NOT an exemption/ categorical exclusion! ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

Resources to help you answer each key screening question Sidebars in Chapter 2 summarize the types of activities in each screening category: Exemption (emergencies) Categorical exclusions Activities usually requiring an EA Detailed discussion of each category is found in Annex A. The full text of Reg. 216 is in Annex B. ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

List screening results in this section Screening: Final step After completing the screening instructions, fill in screening results For each activity, only three results are possible: Exempt, Cat Ex, IEE Required Star or underline “high-risk” activities “High-risk” activities still require an IEE, as we do not recommend proceeding directly to an EA. List screening results in this section ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

Review: What documentation is required? The outcome of your screening process determines the documentation you must submit: Overall screening results Environmental documentation required All activities are exempt None* All activities are categorically excluded Categorical Exclusion request* All activities require an IEE IEE covering all activities* Some activities are categorically excluded, some require an IEE An IEE that*: covers activities for which an IEE is required AND Justifies the categorical exclusions *plus a Compliance facesheet ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

Review: Basic Reg. 216 compliance documents The categorical exclusion request is a simple document used when ALL activities are “low risk” Initial Environmental Examination 1. Goals and purpose of project; list of activities 2. Baseline information 3. Evaluation of potential environmental impacts 4. Recommended findings, mitigation & monitoring Categorical Exclusion Request Goals and purpose of project: list activities Justification for a Categorical Exclusion (must cite the appropriate section of Reg. 216.) What about a request for EXEMPTION? Outline: Statement of justification; approved by the Assistant Administrator Only for emergency circumstances or circumstances of exceptional foreign policy sensitivity 3 A “facesheet” form accompanies both the IEE & the CatEx Request The IEE is USAID’s “preliminary assessment” ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.

 Reminder: Annex C of the EPTM contains templates and blank forms Annex D of the EPTM contains sample documentation. ENCAP EA-ESD Training Course: USAID sub-project procedures. Visit www.encapafrica.org.