The principles and practices of environmental impact assessment are best taught to chemical engineering undergraduate students by means of a role­-playing case study. Many suitable examples are available from public sources. The planning appeal process has been selected so as to introduce an adversarial style involving cross-­examination on controversial subjects. The regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC), which has been used to remove pesticides from drinking water, is used as an example subject. While on the one hand, no one can doubt the need to provide wholesome water, local communities, on the other hand, are skeptical about the siting of a GAC regeneration plant near their homes.