Environmental noise impact assessments (sometimes known also as environmental noise impact statements) are used to balance the negative noise impact of a proposed development versus the benefits that the development, such as a new highway industrial development area or recreation facility, could bring to a nearby community [1, 82–86]. Existing community noise exposure guidelines are consulted when preparing the assessments. These are based on the premise that there is a level of noise that is acceptable to the majority of the community. If this level is likely to be exceeded by a proposed development, appropriate mitigation measures need to be selected with due consideration of cost and technical feasibility. The mitigated noise impact is assessed for acceptability to the potentially affected community as well as the benefit of the development to the community as a whole. Sometimes the terms community noise and environmental noise are used interchangeably.
An environmental impact assessment can be formally defined as a procedure for considering all the environmental consequences of a decision to endorse legislation, putting into practice policies and plans, or to initiate infrastructure projects. An environmental impact statement corresponds to the final step of an environmental assessment exercise where the conclusions of the assessment are published in a communicable form to the concerned developers, authorities, and the general public [87].
The assessment should report the analysis of the impact of the proposed development on both the natural and social environment. It includes assessment of long‐ and short‐term effects on the physical environment, such as air, water, and noise pollution, as well as effects on employment, living standards, local services, and aesthetics [88].
In general, there is typically a two‐ to five‐year decision‐making process required before any major project can be built. The authors of an environmental impact assessment usually represent many areas of expertise and possibly will include biologists, sociologists, economists, and engineers [87].
Since their origin 50 years ago, environmental impact assessments have become widely accepted tools in environmental management for both planning and decision‐making. Environmental impact assessments have been adopted in several countries with different degrees of enthusiasm, where they have evolved to varying levels of sophistication [88]. Since 1969, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has put into practice the environmental impact assessment procedures in the US. Other industrialized countries have also implemented procedures. For example, Canada adopted the legislation in 1973 while Australia approved it in 1974. The Netherlands and Japan approved the legislation in 1981 and 1984, respectively. In 1985, after nearly a decade of deliberation, the European Community adopted a directive making environmental impact assessment mandatory for certain categories of projects [88]. The Resource Management Act (RMA), passed in 1991, is New Zealand’s main legislation for environmental assessment. In 1974, Colombia became the first Latin American country to establish these procedures. In addition, environmental impact assessment procedures have been endorsed by law in many other countries. These procedures are normally conducted by local and government agencies [88, 89].
Public acceptance of an environmental impact assessment procedure is clearly supported by community participation [1]. A community involvement process warrants that residents, businesses, and others have an opportunity to participate. It is well known that, in some cases, litigation arises from environmental groups who want to block a project or from parties who feel that the assessment exaggerates the threat to the environment to the detriment of economic interests [87]. Therefore, a collaborative planning process with the community does not have to begin only after claims and conflicts occur. In addition, initiating a collaborative planning process does not require extraordinary resources or leadership at the very highest levels of government. This is particularly important during scoping to incorporate new ideas from the community that will serve as the basis for alternative development, screening, and environmental evaluation
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