Transmission Component)
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Environmental Impact Assessment (Draft) August 2014 (Updated: November 2014) BHU: Second Green Power Development Project (Part B: Transmission Component) Prepared by Druk Green Power Corporation Limited and Tangsibji Hydro Energy Limited for the Asian Development Bank The environmental impact assessment report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. NIKACHHU HYDROPOWER PROJECT, BHUTAN (118 MW) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR 132 kV TRANSMISSION LINE FROM NIKACHHU POTHEAD YARD TO MANGDECHHU POTHEAD YARD- 2014 Prepared for: Prepared by: Druk Green Power Corporation Limited and Tangsibji Bhutan Consultants & Research (BHUCORE) Hydro Energy Limited (THyE) Taba, Post Box: 955, Thimphu Thori Lam, Thimphu (revised by PWC Consultants) Bhutan Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 10 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 24 1.1 Background................................................................................................................. 24 1.2 Purpose of the report .................................................................................................. 24 1.3 Extent and scope of the study ..................................................................................... 24 1.4 Structure of the Report ................................................................................................ 25 2 Policy, Legal, and Administrative Framework ..................................................................... 27 2.1 National Laws and Regulations ................................................................................... 27 2.2 Applicable Guidelines and Standards.......................................................................... 32 3 Description of the Project ................................................................................................... 36 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 36 3.2 Description of the Transmission Line .......................................................................... 38 3.2.1 Project Ancillaries ............................................................................................... .45 3.2.2 Land Required for the Project ............................................................................. ;46 3.2.3 Construction Power Requirements .......................................................................47 3.2.4 Water Supply Requirement ..................................................................................48 3.2.5 Requirements for Raw Materials/Construction Materials ......................................49 3.3 Construction Activities and Schedule .......................................................................... 50 3.4 Work Implementation and Staffing Requirement ......................................................... 51 4 Analysis of Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 54 5 Description of the Environment .......................................................................................... 56 5.1 Physical Resources .................................................................................................... 56 5.1.1 Location ...............................................................................................................56 5.1.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ...........................................................................59 5.1.3 Climate ................................................................................................................62 5.1.4 Air Quality ............................................................................................................64 5.1.5 Noise ...................................................................................................................68 5.1.6 Surface Water ......................................................................................................69 5.1.7 Ground Water ......................................................................................................73 5.2 Ecological Resources ................................................................................................. 74 5.2.1 Protected Areas ...................................................................................................74 1 5.2.2 Forest and Vegetation ..........................................................................................75 Vegetation Types in Bhutan ...............................................................................................75 5.2.3 Wildlife .................................................................................................................85 Graph 5.5: Percentage of plots with wildlife signs in them ..................................................85 5.2.4 Birds ....................................................................................................................87 5.2.5 Amphibians and Reptiles .....................................................................................88 5.3 Economic development ............................................................................................... 89 5.3.1 Land Use, Industry and Agriculture ......................................................................89 5.3.2 Infrastructure........................................................................................................93 5.3.3 Transportation ......................................................................................................94 5.3.4 Tourism Industry ..................................................................................................94 5.4 Social and Cultural Resources .................................................................................... 95 5.4.1 Demography ........................................................................................................95 5.4.2 Health and Education ...........................................................................................96 5.4.3 History and Culture ..............................................................................................97 6 Anticipated Project Impacts ................................................................................................ 99 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 99 6.2 Determining the degree of potential impacts ............................................................... 99 6.3 Impacts during Pre-Construction ............................................................................... 101 6.3.1 Economic Impacts ............................................................................................. 101 6.3.2 Employment Opportunities ................................................................................. 102 6.3.3 Mobilization of Construction Equipment and Materials ....................................... 103 6.3.4 Environmental Impacts ...................................................................................... 106 6.4 Impacts during construction phase ............................................................................ 107 6.4.1 Economic Impacts ............................................................................................. 108 6.4.2 Social Impacts ................................................................................................... 108 6.4.3 Environmental Impacts ...................................................................................... 109 6.4.3.5 Risk of slope instability ................................................................................... 112 6.4.3.6 Impacts on community forest .......................................................................... 112 6.4.3.7 Impact on surface waters ............................................................................... 112 6.4.3.8 Impacts from improper storage of fuel ............................................................ 113 6.4.3.9 Impacts from improper closure of project work sites ....................................... 113 2 6.5 Impacts during Operation Phase ............................................................................... 113 6.5.1 Economic Impacts: Decrease in income opportunities ....................................... 113 6.5.2 Social Impacts ................................................................................................... 113 6.5.3 Environmental Impacts ...................................................................................... 114 6.5.4 Electrocution of raptors and other large birds ..................................................... 115 7 Environmental Mitigation and Management Plan ............................................................. 116 7.2 Employment opportunities ..................................................................................... 117 7.3 Management of impacts from mobilization of equipment, construction materials and their storage ....................................................................................................................