Environmental impact assessment and the environmental (in)feasibility of alternative sites of airports

Abstract

Studies on alternative sites related to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) require the typology-location approach regarding the development project under analysis. However, shortcomings regarding the alternative sites of Dr. Leite Lopes airport (Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) were reported, such as a lack of multi-criteria analyses. This study aims to reanalyze the eight alternative sites proposed by the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for expanding the Dr. Leite Lopes airport. We applied a methodology based on technical, economic, environmental, and social factors, using multiple criteria proposed by aviation agencies for avoiding and reducing impacts caused by airports. We classified each alternative site, calculating the product of these factors. If one of the factors received a zero score, the product was zero. Consequently, the alternative site was considered infeasible. We compared the alternative site selected by our study and the EIS. The results indicated that Ribeirão Preto has feasible alternatives for expanding the airport. Based on our multi-criteria reclassification, the Usina Galo Bravo II site had the highest score, while the current site - Dr. Leite Lopes - was considered infeasible. In contrast, the EIS indicated the Dr. Leite Lopes site as the best alternative.

Keywords

• análise multicriterial
• estudo de impacto ambiental
• estudo de localização
• hierarquia de mitigação