Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) method for the tuzla geothermal and Can thermal power plant in Canakkale, Turkey

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) work is becoming more and more extensive in the world. The environmental assessment process has to be differently defined in different countries. In fact, it appears that no two countries have defined it in exactly the same way. It is an aid to decision-making and the minimization or elimination of environmental impacts at an early planning stage. The EIA process is potentially a basis for negotiations between the developer, public interest groups and the planning regulator. The Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) method is based on a standard definition of the important assessment criteria as well as the means by which semiquantitative values for each of these criteria can be collected to provide an accurate and independent score for each condition. The impact of project activities is evaluated against the environmental components and for each component a score is determined, which provides a measure of the impact expected from the component. The RIAM method makes it possible to carry out a global analysis of the results based on the individual environmental score (ES) for each component, which is classified in ranges and so can be compared to each other. In this study, RIAM method was used for the Tuzla Geothermal and Can Thermal Power Plant in Canakkale. The most impacts are of class -B and there is a majority of positive impacts in Tuzla Geothermal Power Plant. No major negative impact has been identified by RIAM. Because of the geothermal fluid, physico-chemical effects are prominent in the study area. This power plant will cause positive impacts resulting from the sociological-cultural and economic-operational changes due to this power plant. Most impacts are of class -D in Can Thermal Power Plant. Because of the low quality coal, biological-ecological and physico-chemical effects are predominant in the study area. This power plant will cause positive impacts resulting from the sociological-cultural and economic-operational changes due to this power plant.