This manual is a result of the joint effort of the Environmental Protection Agency and the national stakeholders including line ministries/agencies and the private sectors. The intention is to provide the EPA, sector agencies, private sector, NGOs, members of the public and consultants a set of approved guidelines for the conduct and review of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) in Liberia.

The need to have clear guidance on the EIA process has been evident since the establishment of the EPA. EIA is a means of identifying and planning for the avoidance or minimization of environmental impacts that may arise from development and exploitation of resources, and ensuring sustainable development. It will also be customized to reflect issues that are relevant and specific to projects. While not exhaustive, the guidelines are meant to complement other sectoral EIA guidelines which may be produced by the EPA from time to time.

The Environmental Protection and Management Law (EPML) provide for a wide ranging responsibility for environmental management by the EPA. One of the most prominent issues is the need for development of administrative procedures for the preparation of EIA to ensure effective environmental governance. The required administrative procedures and how they are arranged to reflect the intent of the law is the subject of the following guidelines. These Guidelines will be reviewed periodically when necessary.