Environmental assessment is the evaluation and reporting of environmental impacts from certain activities. The impacts considered range from potential harm to human health to reduced environmental quality. Activities for which environmental assessments are carried out are usually stipulated by law.  They typically include things like major housing, road, or other construction projects; mining, oil and gas and other resource extraction projects; large manufacturing on other industrial facilities; energy generating plants; and use of genetically modified organisms.  Environmental assessments are typically used to guide decision-making about whether an action takes place, whether an action complies with environmental laws, and whether fees or remedial actions are required to offset adverse impacts. Environmental assessments can include a wide range of technical perspectives including biology, chemistry, ecology, engineering, epidemiology, genetics, modeling, statistics, and toxicology. These perspectives can be applied to a number of different processes and criteria.  In some jurisdictions, the formal reporting of environmental assessments is referred to as an Environmental Impact Assessment.