Environmental Assessment
Volume C-5.2
Slurry Pipeline
Cultural Property
Ambatovy Project
184
January 2006
5.2.5
Impact Assessment
5.2.5.1 Assessment Methods
Assessment methods consisted of identifying which cultural resources discovered
during the fieldwork phase would be directly impacted by construction activities.
Secondary impacts relating to hydrologic or soil erosion effects outside of the
project footprint were evaluated based on impacts predicted in the hydrology and
soils EA sections (Volume E, Sections 3.8 and 3.3).
Cultural resources may suffer tertiary impacts (through increased visitation to the
area by non-local residents following construction of the project). These impacts
are difficult to predict, but can be mitigated. They are only broadly alluded to in
this assessment.
5.2.5.2 Assessment Criteria
The assessment criteria used for cultural resources are presented in Table 5.2-2.
Table 5.2-2 Impact Description Criteria for Cultural Resources
Direction
Magnitude
Geographic Extent
Duration
Reversibility
Frequency
neutral:
no
effect on
cultural
resources
negative:
cultural
resources are
destroyed
negligible
: no
measurable
effect on cultural
resources
moderate:
tertiary impact
on cultural
resources
high:
primary
impact on
cultural
resources
local:
effect
restricted to the
mine site footprint
regional:
effect
extends beyond the
mine site footprint
(secondary
impacts)
medium
term:
3 to 30
years
long term:
>30 years to
permanent
reversible or
irreversible
low:
occurs
once
medium:
occurs
intermittently
high:
occurs
continuously
5.2.5.3 Impact Analysis
Residual Impacts
The residual impacts during each project period are summarized in Table 5.2-3.
