575.637.81 - Environmental Impact Assessment

Course Topics

• Conceptual Foundations of the EIA Process and NEPA
• Implementing NEPA and Performing Impact Studies
• Methods for Identifying Environmental Impacts
• Describing the Environmental Setting and Using Environmental Indices and/or Indicators
• Prediction and Assessment of Impacts on the Environment
• Prediction and Assessment of Impacts on the Biological Environment
• Prediction and Assessment of Impacts on the Cultural, Visual and Socioeconomic Environments
• Environmental Decision Making, Public Participation, Documentation, and Monitoring
• International EIA Processes
• Course Examination
• Example Analysis of an EIS
• Analyzing an EIS Course
  

Course Goals

Gain understanding of the origin and evolution of United States environmental policy, as contained in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; Discover key aspects of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and evaluate selected methodologies designed to implement the EIA process; Study how the EIA process is used in management decision-making; and accomplish structured critiques of selected Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Gain understanding of the origin and evolution of United States environmental policy, as contained in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; Discover key aspects of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and evaluate selected methodologies designed to implement the EIA process; Study how the EIA process is used in management decision-making; and accomplish structured critiques of selected Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).

Textbooks

The textbook for this course is:

1. Preparing NEPA Environmental Assessments; A User’s Guide to Best Professional Practices by Charles Eccleston and J. Peyton Doub, CRC Press 2012.(ISBN: 978-1-4398-0882-5).

    Textbook information for this course is available online through the

     MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore.

 2. Environmental Impact Assessment, Theory and Practice; by Anji Reddy Mareddy, Elsevier Inc., Butterworth- Heinemann 2018(ISBN:978=012-811139-0)

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/C2015-0-06055-5

Other Materials & Online Resources

Additional readings and other materials can be found under Additional Resources on the left navigation menu of the course. Please note that these resources are not required.

Student Coursework Requirements

Student Coursework Requirements: 

It is expected that each module will take approximately 6-8 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts or assigned journal articles (approximately 2–3 hours per week), listening to the audio annotated slide presentations, and assigned videos and pod casts (approximately 1–2 hours per week), and self-assessment quizzes, problem sets and writing assignments (approximately 1–2 hours per week).

 Student Coursework Requirements

 This course will consist of five basic requirements:

 1. Quizzes (10% of Final Grade Calculation)
There are ten (10) courses quizzes; one at the conclusion of each of Modules 2 through 11. All quizzes consist of ten multiple choice questions.

•  2. Discussion Activity (25% of Final Grade Calculation)
  The Discussion Activity consists of 10 discussion topics. A new discussion topic will be introduced in the beginning of Modules 2 through 11.
  Your discussion activity posts should consist of:
  An Initial Discussion Activity Response,
  A Critical Thinking Question, and
  Responses to your class-mates posts.
                                                                                                                                                                                                               
   Each student is responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussions. Additional readings are given to supplement the assigned text readings.
  Post your initial response and your Critical Thinking Question to the discussion question by the evening of day 3 for that module week.
  
  Part two of your grade for module discussion is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least four classmates (i.e., Critical Thinking). Just posting your response to a discussion question is not sufficient; you are to interact with your classmates. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are professional and constructive.
  Your instructor will monitor module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted and will summarize the overall discussions on a weekly basis. Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions. Relevance to the topic and understanding of the subject matter is worth 50% and quality and timeliness of postings is worth 50% of the overall discussion grade.
  The Discussion Activity Grading rubric may be found on the left-hand menu under
  Grading Rubrics. This rubric will be used to grade your inputs to the Discussion Questions.
  
  3. Assignments (15% of Final Grade Calculation)
  will include a mix of qualitative assignments(e.g., written literature reviews, model summaries),and quantitative problem sets. Each problem should include assumptions, computations, and the final answers should be boxed. All assignments are due according to the dates in the Course schedule.
  In group assignment, your working group will work as a team on group-related assignments and activities. Each group will have a private assignment area located in course the left-hand menu. Group Assignments require you to draw upon information gained because of:
  Examining the module’s objectives,
  Doing the module’s reading assignment, and
  Reading the module’s Instructor Comments.
  Assignments will include a mix of qualitative assignments (e.g., literature reviews, model summaries, etc.), quantitative question sets, and case study updates.
  In group assignments only one member, selected by the group, will submit the group’s response by the due date for that Group Assignment.
  Please include a cover sheet with your individual names and assignment identifier. Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions. Each problem should have the problem statement, assumptions, computations, and conclusions/discussion delineated. All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately. All assignments are due according to the dates in the course Schedule.
  Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each day late, exceptions will be considered with prior approval.
  A rubric will be used to grade your Group Assignments. Grading Rubrics may be found on the course left-hand menu.
  Your instructors will provide feedback on the posted discussions and on final product.
  
  4.Technical Research Presentation Project (30% of Final Grade Calculation)
  By the third week of the course, students will propose and seek approval from instructors for a research project topic.
  The topic should represent a novel or application of a novel environmental impact assessment. The last week will be devoted to presentation of each student’s research project.
  The project details are outlined in Research Presentation Project Guidelines pdf (see Course Content Folder entitled: Research Presentation Project).
  The course project is evaluated by the following grading elements:
  
  A written report(review paper) including Abstract, Methods and Material, Results, discussions. References.
  Material is coherent and logical in its presentation (35%),
  Presentation demonstrates in depth knowledge and critical analysis of subject (20%)
  Presentation came to a logical conclusion and makes recommendations for future research (10%) Effective use of PowerPoint slides in presentation (10%)
  Research is conducted using credible sources (include slide of all references) (10%)
  Public speaking/presentation skill (10%) Presentation falls within specified time limit (5%).

 5. Final Exam

The “Final Exam” (20% of Final Grade Calculation) will be available in Module14. Students will have one week to complete the final exam.

Grading Policy

Grading

Throughout the course, your performance will be evaluated on quizzes, discussion activities, group assignments, and case studies. Grading rubrics have been developed for each of these graded course components. These grading rubrics may be found on the course menu on the left-hand course toolbar.

The grading scheme is:

  There are 1000 possible points in the course, which is made up of:

 Ten (10) Quizzes worth 10 points each (10 points x 10 = 100 points); 

Ten (10) Discussion Activities worth 25 points each (2 x 12.5 and 25 points x 9 = 250 points);

 Three (3) Group Assignments worth totally 150 points (50 points x 3) = 150 points);

 One (1) Research Project = 300 points

 One (1) Final Exam = 200 points

 Course Total =  1,000 points

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.