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Impact Minimization through Environmentally-based Site Selection: a Multivariate Approach

Abstract:

This paper describes a procedure for minimizing the environmental cost of an activity in a city neighbourhood. It takes into account the correlations between the partial impact values estimated for numerous components of the environmental quality of the area. The correlations between these partial impacts are used to establish a multivariate ordination, which serves for the estimation of the overall impact of the activity and the subsequent recommendation for its location. The minimization of environmental costs of the activity is undertaken by means of location optimization. This location is chosen in accordance with the overall impact showed by the ordination trends. It is thus possible to see which environmental components should preferably be sacrificed for the conservation of others which are more perniciously affected by the activity. In the case study, given the nature of the area and the proposed activity (a rubbish dump), the visibility of the activity and, to a degree, the quality of the affected soil will have to be sacrificed in order to safeguard the quality of the groundwater as its impact value correlates with that of the vegetation, fauna and other well-conserved ecological components of the area. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.