Abstract

MICHEL VARGAS, Ana María et al. Evaluation of the methods and processes for preparing Environmental Impact Assessment studies (EEIAs) of hydroelectric projects in Bolivia. RevActaNova. [online]. 2023, vol.11, n.2, pp.119-139.  Epub Nov 30, 2023. ISSN 1683-0789.  https://doi.org/10.35319/acta-nova.20234.

The EEIA in Bolivia is an instrument that does not measure the real negative, positive, direct, and indirect impacts. This fact is worrying knowing that the Plan of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to 2025 considers 44 hydroelectric projects. In this project, the methods, and processes for preparing the EEIAs of hydroelectric projects in Bolivia were evaluated, for which the competent authorities were requested the EEIAs and environmental documents of all hydroelectric projects, which were reviewed, analyzed, and interpreted holistically in workshops with experts. There were 5 hydroelectric projects that were analyzed with the help of comparative matrices and two of them were verified in the field. It was determined that 4 of the projects use the same method that, although they comply with environmental regulations, do not identify the real impacts, present superficial information, merge the operation and maintenance stages, 100% of the EEIAs do not mention biodiversity indices, they also do not quantify the real impact on them, their mitigation measures are almost null. Risk management is centralized like all impacts to the work and within it, they do not consider the possible threats and vulnerabilities of direct and indirect impacts, to the communities involved in the stages of the project, leaving a void for the prevention and mitigation of possible threats that could occur in the short, medium and/or long term. The EEIA needs clear and specific regulations, considering indicators and/or bioindicators that evaluate and quantify the real impacts at the ecosystem level.

Keywords : Methods; evaluation; socioeconomic and environmental impact; hydroelectric projects.

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