Environmental concerns go hand-in-hand with capital development.Now, development is in the spotlight with the recognition that it is construction projects which will bring in the levels of foreign capital to begin moving Bermuda out of the economic recession.But communities and organisations will often have objections to these developments on environmental grounds, and there are laws in place to protect and preserve the land and sea. For developers, the environmental aspects of the process are often seen as inconvenient and impediments.There is another view — and it is that the environment is a critical aspect of economic development. Dr Annie Glasspool of Bermuda Environmental Consulting Ltd (BEC), a chartered environmentalist who led the Bermuda Biodiversity Project, said: “We talk about the two legs of the economy being tourism and international business. Underlying these is a healthy environment.“We live in a beautiful place — our air is clean, our water is clean.” She also said: “It’s a desired approach that a developer wants to be a good neighbour and work in our community, and strengthen the community.”Dr Glasspool’s partner Jack Ward, a biologist who was the first director of the Department of Conservation Services, said: “Today the challenge is balancing the need for due process when the economic needs are so great — there is extreme pressure to do whatever you can do to stimulate the process, to expedite economic activity and jobs.”He defended the Planning Department. “Planners are doing a good job of balancing that pressure with the need to do the due diligence.”BEC’s role helps move the process forward, working with developers to provide the environmental information that planners and other regulators demand, often in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and to help find solutions to differences on environmental issues between the parties.The environmental consultants have provided these services for major development projects that have moved off the drawing boards and on to sites. They also have worked for non-governmental organisations, government, educators and the business sector.They also will look at a site for a purchaser before a sale has taken place. Dr Glasspool said: “Most people will do a preliminary feasibility study — if someone was contemplating something for development, they should do their due diligence — and regulators will caution them ahead of time.”To date projects that BEC have worked on have moved through the planning process smoothly.The reason for this is that BEC works proactively, so that planning authorities and the community have the information they need, and resolutions to issues that arise are found before an application ever reaches the Development Applications Board (DAB).It makes it an efficient way to work through the process. Mr Ward said: “If you work from the outset with planners and other stakeholders, our expectations in terms of time lines are often fully met.”He pointed out that there are other government agencies that may be involved in the planning application process, including Health and Safety, Water Resources, the Fire Service and Marine and Ports, to name a few.“For any one of these, reviewing environmental impact assessments is not their primary function. They have to find the time to respond and carefully consider the application. Some are weighty documents, which they have to go through.“The key is you have to find out what they need, then hone in on the issues they are concerned about, so they can sign off with the necessary level of comfort that the regulations have been met, and so that they can easily respond if questions arise.”Dr Glasspool said talking to those people who know the area and its history is an important aspect of their work. “There is so much embedded knowledge in the community. One project I’m working on is an offshore project, and we had public consultation. Someone said to us, ‘We know there’s an ammunition dump there,’ which obviously had an impact on siting. There is this huge embedded knowledge, and people are keen to share it.”Mr Ward added: “We seek to support evidence-based decisions, to bring the best evidence available to inform appropriate decision-making.”Dr Glasspool said: “Bermuda is incredibly well served by the non-governmental environmental community. They are doing their due diligence as well; it’s a very important role that they’re playing. Again, we speak to them at the earliest possible stage. We have a positive back and forth, find out their concerns, and respond.”The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process aims to provide the information necessary for the Planners and the Development Applications Board to weigh up the costs of the development against the benefits and thus to determine whether the development is in the better interests of the community.This process is clearly laid out in the Planning guidelines. It begins with a phase called ‘screening’. “We ask does this project need an EIA? We review the guidance and consult with the planners. If the screening indicates the need for an EIA, the next step ‘scoping’ — aims to identify all issues and define the scope of the work that needs to be done. “Then we review the legislation, engage with the stakeholders to discover what issues they are concerned about. It's a collaborative exercise.All the conversations with stakeholders are documented and shared to ensure that everyone knows all the issues have been captured.”She said: “That tells us what form the EIA will take.”“From there you conduct the agreed studies, to produce the Environmental Impact Statement. Among the things we might look at are the marine environment, terrestrial ecology, traffic, parking, cultural concerns, recreational use, noise and vibrations.“We’d rather scope them in, to make sure they’re covered. It’s easier to address them ahead of time.“If you’ve done all of that, and you’ve done the consultation with the regulators, then it should be good — unless, of course, the importance of the environmental aspects are too weighty for the cost benefits.“But truthfully, if there are real dealbreaking issues out there, you should have uncovered that in the scoping — you should have had such strong signals from the regulator before you got to that stage.”She said: “It’s a shame that environmental work comes with a label that it is a big impediment, because this process benefits Bermuda and the larger community, so it’s not that way at all. It also benefits the developer, with early consultation often leading to significant cost savings in design.Useful website: environmentbda.comBOX/SIDEBARBermuda Environmental Consulting, Ltd philosophy:ŸWe believe in the application of the best available scientific information to promote informed, evidence-based, decision-making to best serve our clients.ŸWe understand that as natural resources are depleted there is a heightened need to seek the most efficient solutions.ŸWe encourage the sharing of environmental information to support sustainable communities.ŸWe appreciate the need for early application of environmental information in planning and design development to achieve successful solutions that are compliant, cost effective and effectively leverage available environmental assets.ŸWe commit to accurately reporting the results of our work without bias. Our clients recognise, as we do, that solutions must be supported by objective analysis.ŸWe ensure timely response to client concerns, and complete assignments on schedule through effective application of all necessary resources.ŸWe develop innovative technical tools and approaches to meet client needs, as part of our commitment to providing the best long-term, cost-effective solutions.