Environmental impact assessment: Integrated methodology—a case study of kuwait, arabian gulf

Kuwait's coastal area is considered to have special importance because most urban, industrial, commercial, and recreational activities are concentrated in this zone. It is also the country's site for production of fresh water and electricity. Moreover, the coastal zone has a unique ecosystem and is one of the primary nursery ground sites for fish and shrimp. The characteristics of a proposed power plant are presented and an integrated environmental impact assessment methodology is reviewed. The methodology takes into account an overall assessment and prediction of the impacts of construction and operation of the power plant on the marine and atmospheric environments. Two methodologies—matrix system and weighted summation methodology—are discussed. Both methods have shown that the proposed site can be considered acceptable from the environmental viewpoint. The integrated methodologies were adequate and can be used for similar studies. It requires the existence of environmental baseline data and a similar power plant that could be used as a reference station.