RIA is an acronym for Regional Impact Assessment, which is a process used to evaluate the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of a proposed development project. An INLET is a narrow body of water that connects to a larger body of water, such as a sea or lake. A COVE is a small, sheltered bay or INLET, usually with a curved shape. A CREEK is a small stream or tributary of a larger river. A FIORD is a long, narrow INLET of the sea between steep cliffs, typically formed by glacial erosion. All of these terms can be used to describe the geographical features that may be affected by a Regional Impact Assessment.