Consultants preparing EIS's have a legal obligation to avoid the outer area of falsehoods, omissions and deliberate distortions. But because so many judgements are required in doing the studies for an EIS and presenting the results, there is a range of scientifically credible results that would meet with peer approval and could not be considered to be fraudulent. Around that range is a grey area, where the credibility of the EIS could become questionable. Within the grey area, consultants can choose methods and interpretations that favour the project.

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