What is the purpose of the EIA system under Executive Order 42?

• A. To promote urban expansion regardless of areas.
• B. To assess environmental impacts of projects across the entire country.
• C. To assess the environmental impacts of projects in environmentally critical areas.
• D. To evaluate economic viability only.

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is that the EIA system under Executive Order 42 is designed to protect environmentally critical areas by requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment for proposed projects within those areas. Environmentally critical areas are zones with sensitive resources—like biodiversity, water quality, and fragile ecosystems—where development could cause significant harm. By mandating an EIA, planners must identify potential environmental effects, propose mitigation measures, and establish monitoring before a project can proceed. This ensures development in these sensitive areas is planned with environmental safeguards in place, rather than expanding without regard to ecological impacts. It’s not about promoting urban sprawl, assessing every project nationwide regardless of location, or evaluating only economic viability. The focus is specifically on assessing and mitigating impacts in environmentally critical areas.