Environmental Impact Assessment
Following section 58 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), 1999, which stipulates that a proponent must seek an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) license, “notwithstanding any approval permit or license granted under this Act or any other law in force in Kenya. This is an obligation to the second schedule to the Act that underlines all the projects that require an EIA license. Among the activities listed include an activity out of character with its surrounding, major changes in land use, and any structure of scale not keeping with its surrounding. The EIA project report is to ensure compliance with the legal requirement, which makes it mandatory for any party taking part in development projects to undertake an ESIA to submit to NEMA.
The role played by EIA is a significant one, its major purpose is to identify potential impact may it be positive or negative impacts arising from the proposed project, and give recommendations on mitigation of the negative impacts and on the other hand improvising way to take advantage of the positive impacts
Mumias sugar Co. Ltd being the proponent, consulted the EIA expert under an EIA lead expert registered with National Environmental management Authorities (NEMA) to help conduct an EIA study for the proposed project and draft a report to submit to NEMA. The proposed Biogas production plant is an initiative started by the company Executives in an attempt to bring forth an affordable source of energy to the company and cater to energy necessities for the surrounding areas.
These reports will highlight the findings of the EIA carried out for the proposed setting up of a biogas production plant in the Mumias sugar Co, the proponent being aware of the prerequisite importance of undertaking the EIA to comply with the existing legal framework to safeguard the environment.
The EIA team devised the assessment by the use of several fronts which included, ground surveys, conducted interviews with neighbors, project management, and other interested people and parties. During the assessment period, various regulations and acts were reviewed to gather more information required for the drafting of the final EIA project and the report.