20 February 2015
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: WATER RESOURCES
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 3rd floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13359-1 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESMENT: WATER RESOURCES
Executive Summary
Water within the Project area is a scarce resource, critical to all people, animals and plants in the area. Three distinct water resources were identified in the Project area: Shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed via hand-dug wells. Water is influenced by anthropogenic activities and varies between locations (i.e. dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates). Deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) accessed by through boreholes by motorised pumps (NaCa-ClSO4 type water). Water is characteristic of extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events. Stored surface water in Birkas impoundments (Ca-bicarbonate type water). Water is characterised by high turbidity, bacteriological contaminants, and evaporation (if open to the atmosphere). Water sources (utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering) are not suitable for human consumption (i.e. most parameters measured exceed relevant drinking standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points. Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells.
Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east. No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system as it was not accessible. Static water level (of shallow aquifer) varied throughout the Project area and potential over abstraction is a concern as a 1m drop in water level could result in wells becoming dry. Overall the Project represents a positive impact on water resources (provided mitigation measures are implemented).
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ...... 1
1.1 The Project ...... 1
1.2 Scope/ Approach ...... 1
1.3 Study Limitations ...... 2
2.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ...... 3
3.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 3
3.1 Geology ...... 3
3.2 Regional Geology and Structure ...... 3
3.3 Soil Characteristics ...... 6
3.4 Topography ...... 7
3.5 Vegetation ...... 7
3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology ...... 7
3.5.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology ...... 7
3.5.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology ...... 8
3.6 Water resources ...... 9
3.6.1 Rivers and Streams...... 9
3.6.2 Groundwater ...... 9
3.6.3 Surface water ...... 10
4.0 METHODOLOGY ...... 12
4.1 Hydrocensus ...... 12
4.1.1 Sampling protocol ...... 12
5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...... 14
5.1 Groundwater elevations and flow direction ...... 14
5.2 Microbial Analysis ...... 17
5.3 Chemical analysis ...... 18
5.4 Characterising of the water sources ...... 19
6.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 26
6.1 Methodology for assessing impacts ...... 26
6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts ...... 28
6.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures ...... 28
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7.0 POTENTIAL WATER RESOURCE IMPACTS ...... 28
7.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 29
7.2 Improved access to water resources ...... 29
7.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 29
7.4 Runoff Diversion ...... 29
7.5 Contamination of water resources ...... 29
7.6 Water resource depletion ...... 30
7.7 Residual impacts ...... 30
7.8 Proposed Mitigation Measures ...... 30
7.8.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 30
7.8.2 Improved access to water ...... 30
7.8.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 30
7.8.4 Runoff Diversion ...... 30
7.9 Contamination of water resources ...... 31
7.10 Water resource depletion ...... 31
8.0 SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 33
8.1 Overview ...... 33
8.1.1 Competence training and awareness ...... 33
8.1.2 Integration of management plan ...... 33
8.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing ...... 33
9.0 CONCLUSION ...... 34
10.0 REFERENCES ...... 35
TABLES Table 1: Chemical parameters tested by JEFL ...... 13 Table 2: Physical parameters measured during field sampling (Note HDW: hand dug well/ BH: Borehole)...... 23 Table 3: Chemical results from JEFL Laboratory ...... 24 Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 27 Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 27 Table 6: Impact significance ratings ...... 32
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FIGURES Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks ...... 2 Figure 2: Regional Geological Map of The Project Area, (Mengesha et al, (1996). License concession blocks are outlined in black...... 4 Figure 3: Summary of Ogaden Basin stratigraphy (Kazmin, 1972)...... 5 Figure 4: Carbonate outcrop in reddish sandy soil (Calcisols) at El Sonkor Village ...... 6 Figure 5: Photographs showing carbonate rock outcrop in stream channel in alluvial sand deposit at Agrveni (left) and Carbonate rock outcrop on flat topography at Waf Dug Villages (right) ...... 7 Figure 6: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 8 Figure 7: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 8 Figure 8: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole...... 9 Figure 9: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below)...... 10 Figure 10: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs...... 11 Figure 11: Warder Dam ...... 11 Figure 12: Sites investigated during field sampling ...... 15 Figure 13: Groundwater elevations and flow direction ...... 16 Figure 14: Photographs showing typical drainage channels into Birkas (above) and typical water quality of Birkas...... 17 Figure 15: Piper diagram for the deep aquifer ...... 20 Figure 16: Piper diagram for the shallow aquifer ...... 21 Figure 17: Piper diagram of the surface water samples ...... 21
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Analytical Results APPENDIX B Document Limitations
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1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (i.e. the “Project”) will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area (Figure 1). The total Block area is 29,865km2, however, the survey will cover an area of only approximately 30% of the Blocks. 1.1 The Project The Project is outlined below but the reader is referred to the Scoping or ESHIA report for full project description. Delonex propose to conduct 2D Seismic Surveys within Blocks 18, 19 and 21 of the Abred- Ferfer area, Ethiopia. The concession blocks are located adjacent to the border of the Republic of Somalia in the eastern part of Ethiopia. This area falls within the Somali National Regional State. The administrative blocks cover approximately 30 000 km2, encompassing the Korahe, Gode and Warder Zones (Figure 1). Prior to establishing the survey routes, information will be gathered from scouting activities, satellite imagery, existing seismic lines, existing tracks, access to the proposed survey route, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. This information will be collated and used to plot the location of survey routes. This exercise will ensure avoidance of sensitive areas (e.g. water resources and cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and will minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along this survey route (identified using GPS data). Survey lines will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately 6-7m. This approach is a relatively low impact with no drilling, excavating or blasting required. The proposed survey activities will continue for approximately six months and will constitute the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camps; Establishment of temporary airstrips; Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. 1.2 Scope/ Approach The main focus of the Project is to identify Oil & Gas bearing geological structures. This will be achieved through a 2D survey program consists of 17 seismic lines totalling approximately 940 line-km. The Project will involve the use of seismic techniques to map Oil & Gas bearing geology along the seismic lines. In accordance with Ethiopian legislation1 and requirements for external financing, Delonex is required to demonstrate that the proposed Project’s potential environmental impacts have been adequately considered, mitigated and managed.
1 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an SEIA;
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Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks
The 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA provides description of the baseline water resources within the Project area. The purpose of the Surface water assessment is thus to consider changes which may have occurred since the 2008 study with reference to published data sources, reports and mapping data for local and regional levels. The study identifies the Projects potential to impact ground and surface water resources (water resources) and provides management and mitigation measures to reduce and increase negative and positive impacts respectively. Such a study is a required by Ethiopian legislation2 and is compliant with IFC standards and Equator Principles. In summary, the water resource assessment involved: A hydrocensus to identify and visit water sources such as boreholes, springs and wells that allow identification or confirmation of groundwater elevations, flow directions, and groundwater quality; Consulting with and/or identifying groundwater users or groundwater dependant ecosystems to understand the dependence of communities on groundwater (e.g. source of water for domestic, agricultural or other use); and Establishing a baseline assessment of the project area, including the quality of the water resources in the area, importance of drainage lines and their riparian zones, and linkages to the hydrogeological regime from an environmental and social perspective. 1.3 Study Limitations This report focuses on the clearing of 2D seismic lines only. As the location of camps and airstrips had not been determined at the time of fieldwork being undertaken, recommendations have been included in the
2 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an SEIA;
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Environmental Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP) to guide selection of these sites to mitigate potential impacts on critical habitats. The information obtained from the 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA is assumed to be correct and is used in conjunction with field sampling to provide the appropriate level of detail for an impact assessment. Logistics related to fieldwork limited the duration and extent of fieldwork. It should be noted that only a small area of the project area was covered during the site visit and, therefore, this report stands as a representative description of the water resources and not a comprehensive inventory. 2.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK The reader is referred to the Scoping report and ESHIA for a full outline of the regulatory framework associated with the Project 3.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT A full Impact Assessment Study was conducted by Pexco in 20083 and a Risk evaluation report (RPS) was done in 20144. These reports have been summarised below to provide context for following sections where Golder’s field sampling results are discussed. Unless otherwise stated, baseline conditions are sourced from the Pexco (2008) and RPS (2014) studies. 3.1 Geology 3.2 Regional Geology and Structure Ethiopia is dominated by sedimentary regions which comprise distinct sedimentary basins (Figure 2). The Ogaden Basin (which contains License Blocks 18, 19 and 21) is such an area and is an intra-continental rift basin formed as a result of extensional stresses induced by the break-up of Gondwanaland in the Upper Paleozoic. In keeping with the Geological Survey of Ethiopia (2014) the Ogaden is characterised by deep asymmetrical grabens (blocks of the earth’s crust displaced downwards and flanked by two faults). Sedimentary succession range in age from Late Paleozoic to Early Tertiary and is over 10,000m deep in areas. The sedimentary succession is broadly divisible into two mega sequences (Figure 3): Lower Mega Sequence and the upper mega-sequence. Lower Mega Sequence typically comprises continental clastics (rocks) of Permian to Earliest Jurassic age. The Upper Mega-Sequence is dominated by shallow water carbonates along with some evaporates (i.e. formed by chemical sediments). The principal oil source is the Late Jurassic Uarandab Formation, which is a mature oil source rock (Karoo Group). The Cenozoic history of the western Ogaden region of Ethiopia (between the Ethiopian rift and the South Afar margin) is marked by uplift and incision of the Ogaden plateau down to the Gorrahei Formation, an upper Cretaceous evaporite formation. Mège et al (2013) relays that the succession and timing of tectonic events are in response to regional geodynamic processes during the Neogene period.
3 Pexco (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC 4 RPS (2014) Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, Phase 1 & 2; RPS Energy; Rev 01; September 2014
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Figure 2: Regional Geological Map of The Project Area, (Mengesha et al, (1996). License concession blocks are outlined in black.
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Figure 3: Summary of Ogaden Basin stratigraphy (Kazmin, 1972).
Geological formations are typically comprised of sedimentary rocks and extend west into the study area. The geology was typically formed through three cycles of transgression and regression of the sea during the Cretaceous period. Successions of sediments consist of sandstone, limestone, shale, gypsum, and anhydrite, and deposits become progressively younger towards the east. In the southwest part of the Project area (by Belet Uen and Jesomma), formations consist of limestone, shale and sandstone, while the rest of the project area is covered by Jesomma sandstone, Auradu limestone, and Taleh evaporate. Tectonics are dominated by northeast faults/ fractures (Pexco, 2008).
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3.3 Soil Characteristics The major rock units observed in the Project area were gypsum, limestone, marl, and sandstone and, the project area has a mix of soil groups including Fluvisols, Calcisols, Arenosols, gypisols, cambisols, leptosols and vertisols.
Figure 4: Carbonate outcrop in reddish sandy soil (Calcisols) at El Sonkor Village
Fluvisol is commonly associated with the Wabi Shebele basin as well as its tributaries. Calcisols are common in areas underlain by calcareous parent materials such as limestone, and calcareous sediments under arid and semi-arid environments. Arenosols are sandy soils, developed on sandstone and sand silica rich rocks of diverse origins (e.g. from residual materials remaining after the long-term acid weathering of rocks). Gypisols are soils with substantial secondary accumulation of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) and are found in the driest parts of the arid climate zone; associated with gypsum formations. Cambisol has a poor horizon differentiation; i.e. has mostly brownish stains and/or structure. It is commonly observed in gently to steep slopping areas where the soil development is poor. Leptosols is least common and is a typically shallow soil over hard rock (or highly calcareous material) or a deeper soil that is extremely gravelly and/or stony. Vertisol (black cotton soils) has a high content of expansive clay (i.e. montmorillonite). This soil forms deep cracks in drier seasons or years. It occurs in water locked in the river basin and bottom of artificial ponds
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Figure 5: Photographs showing carbonate rock outcrop in stream channel in alluvial sand deposit at Agrveni (left) and Carbonate rock outcrop on flat topography at Waf Dug Villages (right) 3.4 Topography The project area is predominantly flat with little undulation. Pexco (2008) relays that flat to undulating plains (slopes <10%) cover ~95% while residual hills and Marshlands cover ~4.3% and 0.7% of the area respectively. Altitude ranges from 375 to 582m above mean sea level (amsl) in the Darbe Wein and Gumbro villages respectively. Marshlands typically occur in the lower reaches of the Wabi Shebele River. 3.5 Vegetation Most of Somalia region of Ethiopia consists of dry savanna, suitable only for limited pasturage and occasional cultivation. The project is dominantly tropical desert scrub (desert to semi-desert scrubland). A good deal of Somalia region of Ethiopia is arid and able to sustain only limited numbers of people and animals (Abebe 2001). 3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology 3.5.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology The climate of Ethiopia is strongly influenced by topography and the large central highland regions are much cooler than the south-eastern and north-eastern lowland regions (where climate is typically tropical)5. Mean annual temperatures are ~15-20°C in these elevated regions, while the lowlands are ~25-30°C. Rainfall in Ethiopia is largely driven by the migration of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The majority of Ethiopia experiences one main wet season from mid-June to mid-September (up to 350mm per month in the wettest regions), when the ITCZ in in its northern-most position. The central regions have a secondary wet season, with considerably less rainfall from February to May. Southern regions experience two distinct wet seasons as the ITCZ migrates to its southern most position. The main wet season occurs from March to May and generally yields 100-200mm per month, while the secondary wet season occurs from October to December and yields around 100mm per month. The eastern corner of Ethiopia receives very little rainfall throughout the year.
5 C. McSweeney., M. New., and G. Liczano (2010) UNDP Climate Change Country Profiles: Ethiopia, Available: http://country-profiles.geog.ox.ac.uk
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3.5.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology The Project Area is characterised as semi-arid and mean temperatures in Shilabo range between 19° C (December) and 29°C (March; Figure 6).
Figure 6: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015)
Rainfall typical occurs in southern Ethiopia with two defined rainfall periods(between March and June, and again between September and November (Figure 7). Rain days typically fall within October (9 days), April (8 days) and May (7 days). Precipitation is generally highest in May and October with 33 mm during these months.
Figure 7: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015)
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3.6 Water resources 3.6.1 Rivers and Streams Ethiopia is hydrologically divided into 12 basins: 8 river basins, 1 lake basin and 3 dry basins6. The Project area falls across the basins of Wabi Shebele (a river basin) and Ogaden (a dry basin). Both the Wabi Shabele and Ogaden basins are part of the wider Eastern Ethiopian Basin that flows in a south easterly direction toward the Indian Ocean. Groundwater sources within Ethiopia are generally limited due to the poor permeability of the crystalline rocks and variable depths of the water table. While the Wabe Shebele River flows outside of the Project area close to its southeast corner, there are no rivers in the Project area. Water is typically sourced from boreholes and Birkas (small ponds) which are further discussed below. Rain and flood water is harvested in Birkas (discussed below) (i.e. pond: 10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep dug in the ground and made water tight by either clay or concrete walls). Water is typically transported from boreholes by tanker trucks to the villages but camels and donkeys are used as well for short distances. 3.6.2 Groundwater Boreholes Within the Project area, water is particularly scarce and is typically sourced from groundwater through boreholes using submersible pumps (requiring generators at each borehole site) and hand-dug wells. The Calub Gas Development study (Calub, 1993) in the region found two main sources of groundwater: Perched aquifers (30-50m) deep, which produce fresh water but in relatively small quantities, and Cretacious Faf formation aquifers (180-200m) deep, which produce brackish water but with a sustainable flow of 3 litres/sec. Field observations confirmed the presence of the two aquifer types although observed boreholes ranged in depth from 160-320m (Pers. comm., 2014). Observed boreholes (Figure 8) are installed with casings and operated with generator sets of variable size and energy capacity. The casing was typically steal (65/8 diameter at surface) and raiser GSP pipes were 6 to 9cm in diameter.
Figure 8: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole.
Boreholes are typically the major source of water for towns and to a lesser extent for the villages. Domestic animals (e.g. camels, cattle, goats and sheep) are also dependent on these water resources. Livestock
6 FDRE (2014a) Ministry of Water & Energy website. http://www.mowr.gov.et/index.php?pagenum=3.1&pagehgt=5500px Accessed 15 December 2014.
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watering varies according to the size of the settlement but typically involves filling water troughs, which can be >30m in size. In smaller settlements, drums/buckets are used to water animals. Water tankers are typically used to transport water from deep (pumped) well sites to remote settlements. Camels and donkeys were also observed to facilitate water transport over short distances (i.e. <10km). Hand-dug wells Perched aquifers are typically accessed by hand-dug wells (Figure 9) and are primarily linked to seasonal rainfall and runoff. Wells are essentially circular holes (typically constructed flush with the ground) in sandy soil (cemented by calcium carbonates) and water is manually raised using ropes and buckets. No observed hand-dug wells had motorised pumps. Well depths typically range between 8.1- 30m.
Figure 9: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below). 3.6.3 Surface water Surface runoff is harvested in concrete walled ponds called Birkas (~10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep; Figure 10) dug into the ground. In a similar fashion to the hand-dug wells, water extraction is done with rope and bucket for both animal and livestock consumption. Sanitation near and at Birkas and hand-dug wells is accordingly poor as rope and bucket are returned to the water directly after use (i.e. groundwater has no protection from contaminants). In addition, livestock faeces surround Birkas (and hand-dug wells) and are carried in by rainfall runoff. Dams are not common but were encountered near the Warder and Waf dug village (Figure 11).
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Figure 10: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs.
Figure 11: Warder Dam
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4.0 METHODOLOGY 4.1 Hydrocensus A hydrocensus was conducted to determine the following attributes of water resources in the Project area. Type (i.e. Birka, dam, pumped borehole, hand-dug borehole etc.); Location (GPS position); Elevation (above mean sea level); Flow direction (e.g. North, South, etc.); Use (e.g. Consumed by humans, livestock, agriculture etc.); Microbial, Physical, and Chemical quality; and Relevance of drainage lines, riparian zones and other hydrological features associated with the water resource. The term water quality is generally used to describe the microbiological, physical and chemical properties of water that determine the fitness for use of a specific water source. Microbiological quality: Refers to the presence of organisms that cannot be individually seen by the naked eye, such as protozoa, bacteria and viruses. Many of these microbes are associated with the transmission of infectious water-borne diseases such as gastroenteritis and cholera. Faecal and total coliform bacteria are commonly used as indicator organisms to determine the microbiological status and safety of water supplies. Physical quality: Refers to water quality properties (such as conductivity, pH and turbidity) that may be determined by physical methods. The physical quality mainly affects the aesthetic quality (taste, odour and appearance) of water. Chemical quality: Refers to the nature and concentration of dissolved substances (such as organic and inorganic chemicals including metals). Many chemicals in water are essential as part of a person’s daily nutritional requirements, but unfortunately above a certain concentration most chemicals (e.g. zinc, copper, manganese) may have negative health effects. 4.1.1 Sampling protocol The procedure followed to determine the above attributes is briefly outlined below. Equipment used Multi-parameter meter (i.e. pH, conductivity, Salinity, temperature, ORP, DO, TDS, Turbidity); Alkanex (detergent); Disposable gloves; Water level meter; Disposable bailers (for collecting water from Birkas and Boreholes); 300m cord (for bailers); UV Lamp (Microbial testing); 100 Colilert test packets; and
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Global Positioning System (GPS). Water collection procedure Water from representative boreholes and Birkas within the Project area was collected using bailers tied to a cord used for retrieval. At each sample location, water was emptied from a bailer into two bottles (each 250ml) for microbial (100ml) and chemical (250ml) testing. Sample water (~300ml) was also placed into a sterilized open container for physical water testing. Photographs and a GPS position were recorded at each sample site. Physical quality testing Physical parameters (i.e. pH, conductivity, Salinity, temperature, ORP, DO, TDS, Turbidity) were sampled using the multi-parameter meter and recorded in the field. An alternate hand help pH meter was used to verify the pH of the multi-parameter meter and turbidity was assessed visually. Microbiological quality testing Microbial (and E. Coli specifically) presence/ absence was determined using a Colilert test kits in conjunction with 18 hour incubation (35oC) and UV light exposure. In summary the Colilert test: Is approved by U.S. EPA, AOAC, IBWA, EBWA, and accepted by Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater; and Detects total coliforms within 18 hours and and E. coli simultaneously in 24 hours or less. Chemical quality testing Chemical parameters (Table 1) were measured in laboratory conditions by Jones Environmental Forensics Limited (JEFL). Laboratory analytical results are provided in Appendix A. Table 1: Chemical parameters tested by JEFL Abbreviation Chemical Laboratory Meter Turb Turbidity 2100P Turbidity Meter TS Total Solids Gravimetric - BSEN15216 TDS Total Dissolved Solids Gravimetric - BSEN15216 EC Electrical Conductivity Metrohm pH pH Determination of pH (Metrohm) Amm N - NH3 Ammoniacal Nitrogen as NH3 Kone analyser Earth Metals Ca(0.2), Mg(0.1), K(0.1), Na(0.1) ICP-OES Alk Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 Metrohm ICP-OES (Dissolved unless requested Metals Fe(20), Mn(2) otherwise) low level available F Fluoride Dionex Cl Chloride Kone analyser NO3 Nitrate as NO3 Kone analyser NO2 Nitrite as NO2 Kone analyser Carb Alk Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 Metrohm Bi Alk Bicarbonate Alkalinity Metrohm SO4 Sulphate Kone analyser PO4 Ortho-Phosphate as PO4 Kone analyser Dissolved Oxygen- should be analysed within DO O Hach HQ30D Oxygen Meter 6 hours
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Challenges and Limitations Due to high travel risks in the Project area (International SOS), representative sampling was limited to 12 days and could only be conducted along known road routes that could be accessed within ~140km (~4 hours)7 of an Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) Camp (see section 1.3). 5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A field survey to assess the water resources in the Project area was conducted from 19- 30 January 2015 and sites investigated are shown in Figure 12 below. Physical parameters (including Microbial presence/ absence) measured in the field are listed in Table 2 and photographs of water resources are provided from Figure 8 through to Figure 11 above. Chemical attributes of samples are given in Table 3 below. 5.1 Groundwater elevations and flow direction Water level measurements in the Project area were limited to eight sites due to accessibility to the wells and boreholes (see Section1.3). The measured water levels were limited to shallow wells (<30m below surface), and thus characteristic of the shallow perched aquifer. None of these wells were equipped with pumps and the water levels represent the static conditions measured for the areas. The static water level below surface varied between 5.46m (U’Ub) to 15.44m (El-Senkor). These wells are generally dug to depths of a metre below the static water level, with exception of the two sites that were deeper than 20m. Potential over abstraction of this shallow system is accordingly a concern and a 1m drop in water level could potentially wells going dry. Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east (Figure 13). No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system associated with the deeper lying crystalline formations.
7 Driving speed was limited to 40km/ hour and travel time was limited to ensure the survey team could return to a secure ENDF camp before dark.
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Figure 12: Sites investigated during field sampling
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Figure 13: Groundwater elevations and flow direction
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5.2 Microbial Analysis Presence/ Absence of faecal and total coliform bacteria were assessed for twenty one water resource samples in the Project area (Figure 12; Table 2). Livestock (e.g. goats, camels, and sheep) faeces was observed around all water resources; and is likely the source of the E. coli contamination found in the samples tested (Table 2). E. coli was not present in any of the borehole but coliforms were present (except in Boh). Birkas rely on surface runoff and accordingly contained faecal (E.Coli) contamination (Figure 14).
Figure 14: Photographs showing typical drainage channels into Birkas (above) and typical water quality of Birkas.
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5.3 Chemical analysis Chemical results of the water samples (Figure 12) are shown in Table 3 and varied significantly within the Project area. Guidelines listed below refer to Ethiopian Drinking8- and World Health Organisation (WHO)- guidelines. Shilabo Guidelines were exceeded in Sulphate (1523.13 mg/l), Alkalinity (207 mg/l), and TDS (2676 mg/l). Calcium was measured to be 716.1 mg/l (average: 193.3 mg/l) which is the highest amount sampled in the Project area. Sulphate was also high at 1523.13 mg/l (average: 441.2 mg/l); typically an order of magnitude above other samples. Manganese was highest (297µg/l) in Shilabo, typically 3 orders of magnitude above other samples. Suspended solids are also high and the manganese is likely from geological particles within the suspended solids. Lasonnot Guidelines were exceeded in Sodium (261.9 mg/l), Sulphate (256.77 mg/l), chloride (572.2 mg/l), Nitrate (114 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (253 mg/l), and TDS (2049 mg/l). Fedi Garadile Guidelines were exceeded in Chloride (322.8 mg/l), Nitrate (294.4 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (351 mg/l), and TDS (1777 mg/l). Nitrate was found to be high in this area, exceeding the average (131.1 mg/l) by 163.3 mg/l. Albay 1 Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (127.3 mg/l) and Total Alkalinity (216 mg/l). pH was highest in Albay 1 at 8.01. Albay 2 Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (182.3 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (331 mg/l), TDS (3026 mg/l), and Turbidity (3070 NTU). Manganese (297 µg/l) was particularly high in Albay 2; above the average (107.7 µg/) by 103.3 µg/l. Deh Derli All analysed parameters were within guidelines. Turbidity was high at 15.5 NTU, while chloride (1.2 mg/l) and Sulphate (<0.05 mg/l) were relatively low. Warden dam Guidelines were exceeded in Potassium (510.8 mg/l), Sodium (717.7 mg/l), Chloride (1136.2 mg/l), Nitrate (18.05 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (629 mg/l), and TDS (2935 mg/l). Sodium (717.7mg/l), Chloride, Nitrite, Total Alkalinity, and Potassium were highest in the dam. TDS was also relatively high at 146 mg/l. Salolo All analysed parameters were within WHO and National Ethiopian Guidelines, but Turbidity was found to be the highest sampled at 15.9. Bah Midigan Guidelines were exceeded in Sulphate (282.79 mg/l), Chloride (424.3 mg/l), Nitrate (82.1 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (269 mg/l), TDS (1456 mg/l), and Turbidity (6.2 NTU). Elale Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (104.3 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (269 mg/l), TDS (1385 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.5 NTU).
8 Ethiopian Standard ES 261:2001 “Drinking water – Specifications”
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Agraveni All analysed parameters except Turbidity (6.7 NTU) were within the guidelines. Phosphate was relatively high at 0.37mg/l. Warder Robday The National and WHO guidelines were exceeded in Sodium (241.8 mg/l), Sulphate (259.69 mg/l), Chloride (588.8 mg/l), Nitrate (124.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (287 mg/l), TDS (2051 mg/l), and Turbidity (5.1 NTU). Warder Camel Compound The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Chloride (308.1 mg/l), Nitrate (179.5 mg/l),Total Alkalinity (245 mg/l), and TDS (1298 mg/l). El Senkor The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (328.5 mg/l), Chloride (412.3 mg/l), Nitrate (863 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (351 mg/l), TDS (2111 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.3 NTU). Nitrate and Total Alkalinity were highest in El Senkor. El Kurale The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (354.7 mg/l), Flouride (1.8 mg/l), Sulphate (453.86 mg/l), Nitrate (437.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (363 mg/l), TDS (2000 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.3 NTU). Total Alkalinity is highest in El Kurale. Mir- Fradag All analysed parameters, except Turbidity (3.5 NTU), were within WHO and National Ethiopian guidelines. Esgoyis The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Chloride (497.2 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (362 mg/l), TDS (1644 mg/l), and Turbidity (4.2 NTU). Boh The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (231.4 mg/l), Chloride (498.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (274 mg/l), and TDS (1896 NTU). Baaltaag All analysed parameters except Turbidity (8.4 NTU) were within WHO and National Guidelines, although pH was relatively high at 8.4. Geladi Household The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (320.3 mg/l), Flouride (2.9 mg/l), Chloride (427.3 mg/l), Nitrate (129.1 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (293 mg/l), and TDS (4284 mg/l). Flouride, Ammoniacal Nitrogen (11.2 mg/l) and TDS were highest in the Geladi household well. Rochis The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (331.4 mg/l), Sulphate (702.72 mg/l), Chloride (548.7 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (305 mg/l), TDS (2402 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.2 NTU). 5.4 Characterising of the water sources Samples were taken from three distinctive water sources: the shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed with hand dug wells, a deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) associated with crystalline formations, and stored surface water in so called “Birka” impoundments. As can be expected the water quality and character of the sources will differ based on the type of recharge mechanisms. Piper diagrams are used to characterise the groundwater. The Piper plots include two triangles, one for plotting cations and the other for plotting anions. The cations and anion fields are combined to show a single
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point in a diamond-shaped field, from which inference is drawn on the basis of hydro-geochemical facies concept. These tri-linear diagrams are useful in bringing out chemical relationships among groundwater samples in more definite terms than is possible with other plotting methods. From the plotted Piper diagram (Figure 15) for the deep aquifer samples it can be seen that wells can be characterised as NaCa-ClSO4 dominated type water. The samples all plot in a similar pattern within the diagram with only minor variances in either cation or anion content. The enrichment in salts (TDS is generally >1300 mg/L), can be attributed to an extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events.
Figure 15: Piper diagram for the deep aquifer
The shallow aquifer has a much more varied water character (Figure 16), indicating the influences from surface sources and anthropogenic activities on the water quality. Generally the dominant salts in the shallow system are Ca – bicarbonate, which is typical of shallow recently recharged groundwater. However, enrichment in Na, Cl, and SO4 is evident in the samples caused by mineralisation from shallow geological formations and soils (i.e. gypsum is associated with the evaporate type formations), high evaporation rate and a low annual recharge from precipitation. Salinity of the shallow system is lower than that of the deep aquifer (600 to 2000mg/L TDS), but will also very dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates.
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Figure 16: Piper diagram for the shallow aquifer
The water samples taken at the Birkas sites, can be characterised as Ca-bicarbonate type waters (Figure 17). Inorganic water quality is generally good with low salinity (TDS ~ 150 mg/L). However, the Birka samples is characterised by high turbidity and bacteriological contaminants. Warden Dam is an exception to the Birka water quality, which clearly shows that water quality is severely affected by evaporation if sources are allowed to be open to the atmosphere.
Figure 17: Piper diagram of the surface water samples
From the above discussion it is evident that the water sources utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering cannot be classified as suitable for human drinking purposes (i.e. most parameters measured exceed WHO and National Ethiopian water quality standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points.
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Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells.
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Table 2: Physical parameters measured during field sampling (Note HDW: hand dug well/ BH: Borehole). HDW/ Location Elev. Depth Water o EC No. Site BH/ T C ORP(mV) pH DO (%) Sal (ppt) Contamination (GPS) (m) (m) level (m) (us/cm) Birka 6.09661E; 1 Shilabo1 HDW 399 8.1 6.9 31 117.8 6.74 0 1343 1.41 E. coli. 44.76658N Fedi 6.17562E; Not 2 HDW 450 20 12.1 30 191.2 6.75 0 1455 E. coli. Garadile 45.29676N sampled Lasonnot 6.25116E; Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 3 Birka 465 5 3 1 45.38625 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed Lasonnot 6.25116E 4 BH 465 185 unknown 33.35 92.4 6.93 0.2 1627 1.27 Coliform 2 45.38625N 6.34383E 5 Albay1 HDW 466 10.78 10.65 30.6 35.3 7.38 0 879 0.4 E. coli. 45.4752N 6.34322E 6 Albay2 HDW 471 10 9.2 29.4 -6.9 7.06 0 885 0.5 E. coli. 45.47554N Nef Goish 6.54911E Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 7 Birka 529 5 village 45.39250N sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 6.65403 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 8 Harraf Birka 538 5 45.397513 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 6.88627 9 Deh Derli Birka 540 5 3 25.1 144.9 7.48 0 171 0.8 E. coli. 45.56284 Warder 6.96423 10 Dam 538 Unknown surface 29.8 128 8.14 0 4712 2.34 E. coli. Dam 45.34637 Salolo 6.87771 11 Birka 475 5 4 23.5 182.5 7.51 0.01 220 0.1 E. coli. Village 45.66475 Bah 6.83246 12 BH 466 214 Unknown 28 76.9 7.2 0 1266 1.4 Coliform Midigan 45.80710 6.55751 13 Elale HDW 457 290 Unknown 29 132.1 6.97 0 1495 1.05 Coliform 45.77967 6.90323 14 Agraveni Birka 457 290 Unknown 32 115.4 7.94 0.1 183 0.9 E. coli. 45.84852 Warder 6.99758 15 BH 517 320 Unknown 33.6 142 6.85 0 1852 1.34 Coliform Robday 45.35214 Warder 6.99758 Private 16 Camel 517 45 Unknown 30.9 117.4 7.18 0 1340 0.84 Coliform 45.35214 BH compound 6.97107 17 El-Senkor HDW 547 15.6 15.44 29.9 152.5 7.04 0 max 1.52 Coliform 45.33865 6.9682 18 El-Kurale HDW 459 13.2 13.1 29.8 138.6 7.23 0 1905 1.3 Coliform 45.33718 6.92225 19 Mir-fradag Birka 493 5 Unknown 26.7 85.1 7.99 0.1 154 0.7 E. coli. 45.94702 6.90758 20 Esgoyis PBH 463 193 Unknown 38.6 124.8 7.34 10 1652 1.13 E. coli. 46.06325 7.43529 21 Boh BH 484 233 Unknown 34.9 115.2 6.96 10 1785 1.28 None 46.64585 7.43529 Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 22 Chirale Birka 487 5 0.1 46.64606 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 7.22543 23 Baaltaag Birka 489 5 4 24 146.3 7.25 0.9 185 0.9 E. coli. 46.53640 Geladi 6.97165 Meter 24 HDW 416 29.6 10.38 29.1 158 6.77 0 2.47 E. coli. household 46.41103 fault 6.95655 Meter 25 Rochis BH 416 Unknown Unknown 31.4 146.4 6.61 1.8 1.55 E. coli. 46.38820 fault 6o48’56.32’’ Meter 26 Wafdug HDW 571 17.72 10.11 30.4 138.7 6.42 0.1 2.34 Not sampled 45o6’12.36’’ fault 6.86572 27 Gerlogube HDW 627 20.15 13.31 30.2 167.6 6.96 0 1706 1.03 E. coli. 45.03760 6.79256 28 U’ Ub HDW 616 18.72 5.46 29.6 169.2 7.33 0 1725 0.99 E. coli. 44.99117 Clinic solar 6.79353 Solar Not Not Not Not Not Not 29 611 Unknown 5.81 Not sampled pump 44.98730 BH sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled 6.74404 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 30 Klombur Birka 578 Unknown 44.35170 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed. 6.74404 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not 31 El-Har HDW 500 ~10m Not sampled 44.35170 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled Wabi Shebele 5.92306 32 River 264 Unknown Surface 26.9 110.9 8.12 0 542 0.27 Not sampled (Gode) 43.54966 River
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Table 3: Chemical results from JEFL Laboratory
Site Name SHILABO 1 2 LASONNOT FEDI GARADILE ALBAY1 ALBAY2 DEH DERLI WARDEN DAM SALOLO MIDIGAN BAH ELALE AGRAVENI WARDER ROBDAY WARDER CAMEL COMPOUND EL-SENKOR EL-KURALE MIR-FRADOG ESGOYIS BOH BAALTAAG GELADI HOUSEHOLD ROCHIS Sample No. (Figure 12) 1 4 2 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 WH Standard9 O (mg/l) Chemical Unit LOD (mg/l ) - 104. 121. Calcium (Ca) mg/l <0.2 - 716.1 206 251.4 90.7 31.1 61.8 32.5 207.5 170 29.4 244.9 152 160.6 25.3 176.2 203.2 29.5 718 327.3 3 6 Iron (Fe) ug/l <20 0.3 0.3 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 Magnesium mg/l <0.1 - 81.2 87.4 90.5 25.5 35.1 1.7 80.4 4.3 63.9 64.6 3.8 90.6 54.4 131.2 93.6 2.1 98.6 102.3 2.4 279.4 145.8 (Mg) Manganese 0.5 ug/l <2 0.1 297 <2 <2 <2 211 <2 <2 <2 5 11 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 50 <2 <2 72 <2 (Mn) Potassium 1.5 mg/l <0.1 - 18.4 10.2 38.2 21.8 46 4.6 510.8 5.7 16.5 16.7 4.5 10.4 9.2 11.1 10.6 3.9 11.2 25 8.1 236.9 19.4 (K) 200 158. Sodium (Na) mg/l <0.1 200 107.1 261.9 133 25.6 32.7 2 717.7 7.2 180.7 183.4 1.2 241.8 328.5 354.7 1.7 180.3 231.4 3.5 320.3 331.4 4 Flouride (F) mg/l <0.3 1.5 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 <0.3 <0.3 <0.3 0.5 0.5 <0.3 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.8 <0.3 1 2 <0.3 2.9 1.4 Sulphate <0.0 250 1523.1 256.7 169.1 93.0 65.1 <0.0 282.7 208.4 <0.0 259.6 75.3 168.6 453.8 <0.0 188.0 410.3 <0.0 2407.9 702.7 mg/l 250 231.6 3.41 (SO4) 5 3 7 5 3 5 5 9 7 5 9 5 6 6 5 6 4 5 5 2 250 1136. 308. Chloride (Cl) mg/l <0.3 - 238.4 572.2 322.8 37.3 32.6 1.2 14.4 424.3 414.9 0.7 588.8 412.3 243.9 2.1 497.2 498.5 1.4 427.3 548.7 2 1 50 127. 182. 179. Nitrate (NO ) mg/l <0.2 50 41.5 114 294.4 2.6 4.2 5.1 82.1 104.3 1.1 124.5 863 437.5 1 0.4 8.8 2.4 129.1 49 3 3 3 5 <0.0 3 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 Nitrite (NO ) mg/l 3 <0.02 <0.02 0.15 0.95 18.05 <0.02 <0.02 0.08 <0.02 0.8 0.17 <0.02 <0.02 0.13 <0.02 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Phosphate <0.0 - <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 mg/l - <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.78 <0.06 0.28 <0.06 <0.06 0.37 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.11 <0.06 (PO4) 6 6 6 6 6 Ammoniacal - <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 Nitrogen mg/l - <0.03 <0.03 0.04 7.33 0.13 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.06 <0.03 <0.03 0.36 0.12 0.05 0.09 11.12 <0.03 3 3 3 3 3 (NH3) Total 200 Alkalinity mg/l <1 - 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 (CaCO3) Bicarbonate 300 Alkalinity mg/l <1 - 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 (CaCO3) Dissolved - Oxygen mg/l <1 - 9 10 9 9 1 9 2 7 9 9 8 9 9 8 9 8 9 9 8 8 9 (DO) Electrical - uS/c Conductivity <2 - 3165 2710 2203 826 1025 180 4740 246 2226 2081 190 2663 1704 3055 2704 178 2262 2504 207 5096 3094 m (EC @
9 Ethiopian Standard ES 261:2001 “Drinking water – Specifications”
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25°C:Lab) pH 6.5 6.5 to <0.0 pH unit to 8.5 7.64 7.81 7.71 8.01 7.25 7.51 7.68 7.18 7.93 7.94 7.52 7.57 7.77 7.66 7.77 7.48 7.52 7.65 7.63 7.53 7.61 1 s 8.5 Total 1000 Dissolved mg/l <10 600 2676 2049 1777 626 780 118 2935 163 1456 1385 93 2051 1298 2111 2000 167 1644 1896 110 4284 2402 Solids (TDS) Total - Suspended mg/l <10 - 29 22 24 48 3026 21 146 63 12 12 17 15 15 32 43 14 <10 <10 <10 35 13 Solids (lab) NT - Turbidity <0.1 1 0.9 3.4 5.1 45.5 3070 15.5 2.2 15.9 6.2 1.5 6.7 5.1 0.7 1.3 1.3 3.5 4.2 1 8.4 0.8 1.2 U
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6.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6.1 Methodology for assessing impacts The significance of potential impacts will be determined using the approach outlined below. This section provides an overview of the methodology applied when appraising potential change (or impact) that the proposed seismic lines may have upon the existing environment. The method is transparent and is applied consistently. The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project was assessed by considering the following, relative to the hydrological environment: Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, a gain in available habitat area for a key species would be classed as positive, whereas a habitat loss would be considered negative. Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed seismic lines, and may be classified as:
. None/negligible . Minor . Low . Moderate . High . Very high The categorisation of “magnitude” was based on a set of criteria that was specific to the discipline area being considered. Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
. Transient (less than 1 year); . Short-term (1 to 5 years); . Medium-term (5 to 15 years); . Long-term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or . Permanent. Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site); . Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site); . Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance); . National; or . International. Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
. No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change); . Improbable (less than 5% chance); . Low probability (5% to 40% chance); . Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance); . Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or . Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) was then appraised. This was done using a semi-quantitative scoring system based on the attributes in Table 4.
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Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t know 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after closure 4 National 4 Highly probable of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 15 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) was determined as:
SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Scale) x Probability
The relative significance of the change (or impact) was typically ranked in accordance to Table 5. Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) SP Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates high environment and/or the community(s) is unacceptably high. It is unlikely
environmental and/or that an impact of this magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this >75 social significance impact cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates moderate environment and/or the community(s) is high. The Project may be 30 - 75 environmental and/or compromised if this impact cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce social significance the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates low environment and/or the community(s) is relatively low. Opportunities to <30 environmental and/or avoid or mitigate the impact should be considered, however this should social significance not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the existing environment + Positive impact and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change.
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6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future activities. The possible cumulative impacts of the Project were considered within the impact assessment ratings below and typically increased all factor scores influencing impact significance (Table 4). 6.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures To ensure successful implementation, the following section describes, at a high level, the good mitigation measures that the Delonex exportation should use. The following summarize the different approaches that may be used in prescribing and designing mitigation measures, this approach follow the mitigation hierarchy (BBOP 2012): Avoidance: mitigation by not carrying out the proposed action on the specific site, but rather on a more suitable site. Minimization: mitigation by scaling down the magnitude of a development, reorienting the layout of the project or employing technology to limit the undesirable environmental impact. Rectification: mitigation through the restoration of environments affected by the action. Reduction: mitigation by taking maintenance steps during the course of the action. Compensation: mitigation through the creation, enhancement or acquisition of similar environments to those affected by the action. Offsetting falls into this category. 7.0 POTENTIAL WATER RESOURCE IMPACTS The process for the 2D seismic exploration is summarised above in Section 1.1 and detailed in the scoping report and ESHIA. For ease of reference, the proposed Project will include the following two activities, which could potentially affect water resources: Clearing of vegetation Linear lines for vehicle access will be cleared of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately six to seven metres. In areas of light to medium vegetation, straight lines will be cleared using heavy machinery. Where vegetation is dense, a zigzagged line technique will be used. Surface vegetation will also be cleared for base camp construction and survey camps (size of and locations to be confirmed). Surveying and recording The survey will utilise a vibroseis10 process to generate seismic waves. The vibroseis waves are generated by sources within purpose-built trucks which communicate with the geophones and are recorded by a separate recording truck (i.e. seismograph truck). Each machine will exert up to 80,000 lbs (~36,000 kg) of force at approximately 50m intervals along each seismic line. The survey will be conducted for 12 hours a day, 7 days per week, and is expected to take 6 months to complete. The above two activities may result in the flowing impacts11:
10 ‘Vibroseis’ is a registered name (trademark) of a device which uses a truck-mounted vibrator plate coupled to the ground to generate a wave train of several frequencies. The recorded data from an upsweep or downsweep (increasing or decreasing frequency respectively) are added together and compared with the source input signals to produce a conventional-looking seismic section (i.e. geological profile). 11 All impacts are rated in the context of cumulative effects arising from the Project
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7.1 Siltation of water resources With the clearing of surface cover, sand/soils will be exposed to erosion factors such as wind, water and increased vehicle/ livestock traffic. Increased movement of sediment (e.g. via runoff load and dust) has the potential to increase the rate of siltation in Birkas/ Boreholes and reduce water storage volume. Based on observations made in the field of historical seismic lines, the magnitude of erosion is considered minor. As lines will remain cleared, duration will remain long-term. Topography is typically flat and erosion would be limited to the site. Probability of erosion is medium as clearing and exposure of soils is required for the seismic lines. Based on the historical seismic lines observed and roads utilised during field work, the impact significance of siltation is ranked as low. 7.2 Improved access to water resources In villages where there are no water resources, tanker trucks typically deliver water for drinking and domestic use. Improved access to the Project area will enable delivery of water to a greater area than is currently possible. The magnitude of this impact is high as it would enable the delivery of a key resource. The duration would be permanent as significant access corridors would be left open. The scale of the impact is rated as site specific as it would be limited to transport would be limited to corridors. Probability of the impact would be medium as it is not confirmed if logistical resources are available to extend water delivery. Overall, given the importance of water, the impact significance is rated as positive 7.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes Vibration from clearing vegetation and survey activities could potentially damage water resources such as Birkas and boreholes. For example, community members within the Project area have alleged that previous seismic surveys have cracked the walls of Birkas, resulting in leaks. As Birkas, wells and boreholes are vital for subsistence living in the area, the magnitude of this impact is high. The duration of the impact will be for as long as the project is active (i.e. long term). Birkas and boreholes are located locally. The impact is however improbable as vibrations are low and will be situated away from water resource infrastructure. Impact significance is accordingly rated as low. 7.4 Runoff Diversion Clearing and stockpiling of vegetation and soil has the potential to block or reduce surface flows to Birkas and boreholes, thereby reducing recharge potential. Rainfall is infrequent in the Project area and any diversion of runoff from water resources during rain events would have a moderate magnitude with a long- term effects. The scale of the impact would affect local Birkas and boreholes. Clearing of seismic lines will require extensive earth movement and the probability of runoff diversion is thus medium, resulting in an impact significance of Moderate. 7.5 Contamination of water resources Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks Machinery used in harsh conditions will be prone to spills and leaks of fuels and hydraulic fluids. Any spill in such an environment could potentially contaminate water resources through runoff or direct input. Solid waste With an increase in the level of activity and number of people on site, solid waste production will increase. Survey camp size and vehicle numbers will be limited and situated away from water resources, while livestock fecies contamination is already prolific in the Project area. The magnitude of contaminating water resources is therefore moderate. Potential contamination will be monitored and cleaned shortly after occurrence resulting in a transient duration. The scale of the impact will site only, while harsh environmental conditions make the probability of the impact moderate. The impact significance of the potential impact is therefore Low.
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7.6 Water resource depletion In addition to Project employees, improved access into the Project area could result in an influx of people which may decrease water availability (through increased abstraction). Water is essential to survival in the Project area and its depletion would have a very high magnitude impact. The duration of the impact would depend on the settlement of newcomers to the area. As these people would likely leave after the Project’s completion (i.e. 6 months), if water resources could not support them; duration of the impact is rated as transient. The scale of the impact is rated as local as potential migrants would want to be close to the seismic lines that provide access to transport. As the Project is expected to last 6 months, the overall impact significance is low. Please note that water abstraction is assumed to be used for domestic use only, excessive use will escalate the impact significance to moderate. 7.7 Residual impacts No negative residual impacts are anticipated to be associated with the Project with regard to water resources. Potentially improving access to water by means of leaving cleared corridors open is viewed as a positive impact. 7.8 Proposed Mitigation Measures Mitigation measures to reduce the impacts described in Section 7.0. 7.8.1 Siltation of water resources Soil disturbances must be minimised where practical; In order to reduce soil erosion through vegetation loss, heavy machinery and trucks must adhere to the one track policy at all times. Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks must be used for the seismic corridors and to gain access to survey areas/ camps; Increased entrainment of fine sediment (i.e. dust) can be reduced by aligning survey corridors at right angles to typical wind directions. Where practical survey corridors should also incorporate gaps or angles to reduce the build-up of wind energy. By aligning corridors in this manner, adjacent vegetation will assist in reducing dust that could find its way into water resources; and In order to further reduce erosion, it is recommended that access to remote survey corridors be restricting during (and after) Project activities. This will reduce human migration to the area and overutilization of the natural resources (i.e. facilitate regeneration of vegetation). 7.8.2 Improved access to water The positive impact of improving access to water (through clearing corridors) for water trucks can be enhanced by: Allowing corridors that potentially link settlements (villages) to be left open (i.e. not rehabilitated or blocked). 7.8.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes A buffer of 100m (minimum) must be maintained between clearing activities and water resources (e.g. Birkas, rivers, and boreholes) to avoid damaging these resources. The structural integrity of water resources within 100m should be photographed (and discussed with local owners if possible) before seismic operations begin to provide a baseline for potential damage claims from community members. 7.8.4 Runoff Diversion Survey corridors must take cognisance of surface drainage patterns and avoid altering flows to Birkas, boreholes, and settlements (as water resources are typically located in/ near villages). Clearing activities should not construct berms (vegetation and/or soil stockpiles) along the sides of survey corridors or at right angles to drainage lines. In cases where this is unavoidable, it is recommended that
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berms should be levelled after seismic testing is completed. Where possible, drainage should also be encouraged away from the corridors to reduce erosion and facilitate potential Birka development after surveying is complete. 7.9 Contamination of water resources Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks should be used for the seismic lines and to gain access to the survey areas; Vehicles/ machinery must be maintained and serviced when necessary to prevent leaks and breakdowns. As a minimum, the following must be done:
. Avoid overfilling of tanks; . Ensure correct disposal of hydrocarbons such as lubricants and oils. . Toxic chemicals (e.g. fuel, lubricants and oils) must be kept within an appropriate bund; . Vehicles must be parked in a designated place with drip trays and spill kits readily available; . All vehicles must be regularly services and in good working order. . Ensure an appropriately trained person is on site at all times to quickly deal with spills. Vehicles/ machinery must be kept at least 100m from water resources; Solid and liquid waste must remain contained and quarantined, and be disposed of at an appropriately licenced facility (a register containing safe disposal receipts should be maintained on site); Bins must be provided on site for both contractors and ENDF12 security personal. Litter must be removed from site and disposed of correctly; and Temporary camps must consider pit latrines for all contractors, security personal and potential visitors. 7.10 Water resource depletion Only water abstracted from a sustainable resource (i.e. water availability to local inhabitants must not be significantly reduced) should be used by the Project; Water should not be abstracted from the Project area unless an appropriate study has been conducted to prove that water abstraction will not significantly deplete borehole groundwater in the area; and It is recommended that access to remote survey corridors (that do not link settlements) be restricting during (and after) Project activities to discourage settlement in the area (overutilization of the natural resources); allowing natural regeneration of plant species
12 Ethiopian National Defence Force.
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Table 6: Impact significance ratings Impact Description Magnitude Duration Scale Probability Impact Significance After Mitigation Increased movement of sediment (e.g. Low Long-term Local Medium Low (24) Low via runoff load and dust) has the Siltation of water potential to increase the rate of siltation resources in Birkas and reduce water storage 2 4 2 3 volume Clearing of vegetation for seismic lines Moderate Permanent Site Medium Improved access to will provide roads to access areas that Positive (36) Positive water were previously inaccessible. 6 5 1 3 Vibration from clearing vegetation and high Long-term Local Improbable Physical damage of survey activities could potentially Low (14) Low Birkas and Boreholes damage water resources such as 8 4 2 1 Birkas and boreholes. Blocked or reduced surface flows to Moderate Long term Local Medium Runoff Diversion Moderate (33) Low Birkas and boreholes 6 4 2 3 Moderate Transient Site Medium Contamination of Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks, as well Low (24) Low water resources as Solid waste 6 1 1 3 High Long term Local Low Water resource Decreased water availability due to Low (26) Low depletion influx of people 10 1 2 2
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8.0 SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN 8.1 Overview In order to protect and maintain the integrity of water resources in the project area during the construction (clearing) and operation (seismic surveys) phases of the Project, it is important to implement appropriate, adaptive management, monitoring and auditing programmes. It is recommended that a site-specific “Water resource Action Plan” be compiled for the project. In the absence of such a plan, this section describes the management plan that will need to be implemented to mitigate impacts on water resources in the interim. The management plan strives to ensure best practice and environmentally friendly procedures to enable effective preventive and corrective actions to be taken to minimize negative impacts of the Project. Responsible persons should be identified to carry out the plan as follows: Health, Safety and Environmental Manager (HSEM): Responsible for implementing the monitoring plan and site audits
. HSEM Advisor: Responsible for co-ordinating monitoring plan/ audits and reporting back to relevant authorities and stakeholders.
Environmental Consultant: Specialist field studies (if required)
Contractor HSEM: Responsible for fieldwork and onsite compliance. 8.1.1 Competence training and awareness It is important that personal allocated to specific tasks are appropriately trained and have sufficient training and knowledge of the proposed Project activities, associated risks/ impacts, and water resources, as well as the relationship between them. 8.1.2 Integration of management plan Compliance monitoring of water resources must be integrated with other plans to reinforce monitoring and compliance as well as reduce the duplication of resources. The plans below should be considered: Dust monitoring. This will give an indication as to how far the impacts of the proposed activities are having on the project area; Biodiversity monitoring (disturbance etc.); Noise monitoring (e.g. degree and duration of excessive noise); Emergency response, including spill clean-up etc. (e.g. drills and incident reporting); and Erosion and sediment control (e.g. development and progression of gullies and winnowing). 8.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing Auditing and monitoring needs to take account of the identified impacts and the proposed mitigation measures. During the clearing of survey routes and seismic activities, monitoring should record the degree of disturbance, and ensure that all procedures and protocols are applied. Monitoring will act as an early warning system, enabling corrective measures to be carried out. Over time, this data can identify trends and changes within the systems and can be linked to an adaptive management plan. Information will then be used to evaluate the extent of site-related impacts.
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9.0 CONCLUSION Water within the Project area is a scarce resource, critical to all people, animals and plants in the area. Three distinct water resources were identified in the Project area: Shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed via hand-dug wells. Water is influenced by anthropogenic activities and varies between locations (i.e. dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates). Deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) accessed by through boreholes by motorised pumps (NaCa-ClSO4 type water). Water is characteristic of extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events. Stored surface water in Birkas impoundments (Ca-bicarbonate type water). Water is characterised by high turbidity, bacteriological contaminants, and evaporation (if open to the atmosphere). Water sources (utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering) are not suitable for human consumption (i.e. most parameters measured exceed relevant drinking standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points. Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells. Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east. No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system as it was not accessible. Static water level (of shallow aquifer) varied throughout the Project area and potential over abstraction is a concern as a 1m drop in water level could result in wells becoming dry. Overall the Project represents a positive impact on water resources (provided mitigation measures are implemented).
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10.0 REFERENCES Abebe ,T (2001) Initial National communication of Ethiopia to united nations framework convention on Climate change. National meteorological Service Agency, Addis Ababa Pexco (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC FDRE (2014) Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy website: http://www.mowie.gov.et/en_GB/ngos/- /asset_publisher/HsoICs1occZm/content/major-river-basins-in- ethiopia;jsessionid=D7474D8EA712A640C716EF3AFC85DB1A. Accessed January 2015 Geological Survey of Ethiopia (2014: http://www.gse.gov.et/index.php/minerals-gallery2) IFC (2013) Good practice handbook: Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management: guidelines for the Private Sector in Emerging Markets MacDonald, A.M., Calow, R.C., Nicol, A., Hope, B. and Robins, N.S (2001). Ethiopia: Water Security and Drought. BGS Technical Report WC/01/02
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
Jonathan Bond Jennifer Pretorius Hydrologist Senior Hydrologist
Reg. No. 2002/007104/07 Directors: SA Eckstein, RGM Heath, SC Naidoo, GYW Ngoma
Golder, Golder Associates and the GA globe design are trademarks of Golder Associates Corporation.
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APPENDIX A Analytical Results
20 February 2015 Report No. 1417532-13359-1
Jones Environmental Laboratory
Sample ID SHILABO 1 LASONNOT 2 FEDI GARADILE ALBAY1 ALBAY2 DEH DERLI WARDEN DAM SALOLO VILLAGE BAH MIDIGAN ELALE AGRAVENI WARDER ROBDAY WARDER CAMEL COMPOUND EL-SENKOR EL-KURALE MIR-FRADOG ESGOYIS BOH BAALTAAG GELADI HOUSEHOLD ROCHIS Report: Liquid Depth JE Job No: 15/3384 Sample Type Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Client: Golder Associates Africa Ltd Sampled Date <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> Client ref: Sample Received Date 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015
Location: Delonex Energy J E Sample No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Contact Jonathan Bond Batch Number 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Test Method Units LOD
Dissolved Calcium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.2 716.1 206 251.4 90.7 104.3 31.1 61.8 32.5 207.5 170 29.4 244.9 121.6 152 160.6 25.3 176.2 203.2 29.5 718 327.3 Total Dissolved Iron TM30/PM14 ug/l <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 Dissolved Magnesium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 81.2 87.4 90.5 25.5 35.1 1.7 80.4 4.3 63.9 64.6 3.8 90.6 54.4 131.2 93.6 2.1 98.6 102.3 2.4 279.4 145.8 Dissolved Manganese TM30/PM14 ug/l <2 297 <2 <2 <2 211 <2 <2 <2 5 11 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 50 <2 <2 72 <2 Dissolved Potassium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 18.4 10.2 38.2 21.8 46 4.6 510.8 5.7 16.5 16.7 4.5 10.4 9.2 11.1 10.6 3.9 11.2 25 8.1 236.9 19.4 Dissolved Sodium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 107.1 261.9 133 25.6 32.7 2 717.7 7.2 180.7 183.4 1.2 241.8 158.4 328.5 354.7 1.7 180.3 231.4 3.5 320.3 331.4
Fluoride TM27/PM0 mg/l <0.3 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 <0.3 <0.3 <0.3 0.5 0.5 <0.3 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.8 <0.3 1 2 <0.3 2.9 1.4
Sulphate TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.05 1523.13 256.77 169.15 93.03 65.15 <0.05 231.6 3.41 282.79 208.47 <0.05 259.69 75.35 168.66 453.86 <0.05 188.06 410.34 <0.05 2407.95 702.72 Chloride TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.3 238.4 572.2 322.8 37.3 32.6 1.2 1136.2 14.4 424.3 414.9 0.7 588.8 308.1 412.3 243.9 2.1 497.2 498.5 1.4 427.3 548.7 Nitrate as NO3 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.2 41.5 114 294.4 127.3 182.3 2.6 4.2 5.1 82.1 104.3 1.1 124.5 179.5 863 437.5 1 0.4 8.8 2.4 129.1 49 Nitrite as NO2 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.15 <0.02 0.95 <0.02 18.05 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.08 <0.02 <0.02 0.8 0.17 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.13 <0.02 Ortho Phosphate as PO4 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.78 <0.06 <0.06 0.28 <0.06 <0.06 0.37 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.11 <0.06
Ammoniacal Nitrogen as NH3 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.04 <0.03 7.33 <0.03 0.13 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.06 <0.03 <0.03 0.36 0.12 0.05 0.09 11.12 <0.03
Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 Bicarbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305
Dissolved Oxygen TM59/PM0 mg/l <1 9 10 9 9 1 9 2 7 9 9 8 9 9 8 9 8 9 9 8 8 9 Electrical Conductivity @25C TM76/PM0 uS/cm <2 3165 2710 2203 826 1025 180 4740 246 2226 2081 190 2663 1704 3055 2704 178 2262 2504 207 5096 3094 pH TM73/PM0 pH units <0.01 7.64 7.81 7.71 8.01 7.25 7.51 7.68 7.18 7.93 7.94 7.52 7.57 7.77 7.66 7.77 7.48 7.52 7.65 7.63 7.53 7.61 Total Dissolved Solids TM20/PM0 mg/l <10 2676 2049 1777 626 780 118 2935 163 1456 1385 93 2051 1298 2111 2000 167 1644 1896 110 4284 2402 Total Suspended Solids TM37/PM0 mg/l <10 29 22 24 48 3026 21 146 63 12 12 17 15 15 32 43 14 <10 <10 <10 35 13 Turbidity TM34/PM0 NTU <0.1 0.9 3.4 5.1 45.5 3070 15.5 2.2 15.9 6.2 1.5 6.7 5.1 0.7 1.3 1.3 3.5 4.2 1 8.4 0.8 1.2
IMPACT ASSESMENT: WATER RESOURCES
APPENDIX B Document Limitations
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DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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GAA GAIMS Form 10 Version 2
January 2015 1/1
Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. P.O. Box 29391 Maytime, 3624 Block C, Bellevue Campus 5 Bellevue Road Kloof Durban, 3610 South Africa T: [+27] (31) 717 2790
20 February 2015
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: WATER RESOURCES
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 3rd floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13359-1 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESMENT: WATER RESOURCES
Executive Summary
Water within the Project area is a scarce resource, critical to all people, animals and plants in the area. Three distinct water resources were identified in the Project area: Shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed via hand-dug wells. Water is influenced by anthropogenic activities and varies between locations (i.e. dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates). Deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) accessed by through boreholes by motorised pumps (NaCa-ClSO4 type water). Water is characteristic of extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events. Stored surface water in Birkas impoundments (Ca-bicarbonate type water). Water is characterised by high turbidity, bacteriological contaminants, and evaporation (if open to the atmosphere). Water sources (utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering) are not suitable for human consumption (i.e. most parameters measured exceed relevant drinking standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points. Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells.
Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east. No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system as it was not accessible. Static water level (of shallow aquifer) varied throughout the Project area and potential over abstraction is a concern as a 1m drop in water level could result in wells becoming dry. Overall the Project represents a positive impact on water resources (provided mitigation measures are implemented).
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ...... 1
1.1 The Project ...... 1
1.2 Scope/ Approach ...... 1
1.3 Study Limitations ...... 2
2.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ...... 3
3.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 3
3.1 Geology ...... 3
3.2 Regional Geology and Structure ...... 3
3.3 Soil Characteristics ...... 6
3.4 Topography ...... 7
3.5 Vegetation ...... 7
3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology ...... 7
3.5.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology ...... 7
3.5.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology ...... 8
3.6 Water resources ...... 9
3.6.1 Rivers and Streams...... 9
3.6.2 Groundwater ...... 9
3.6.3 Surface water ...... 10
4.0 METHODOLOGY ...... 12
4.1 Hydrocensus ...... 12
4.1.1 Sampling protocol ...... 12
5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...... 14
5.1 Groundwater elevations and flow direction ...... 14
5.2 Microbial Analysis ...... 17
5.3 Chemical analysis ...... 18
5.4 Characterising of the water sources ...... 19
6.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 26
6.1 Methodology for assessing impacts ...... 26
6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts ...... 28
6.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures ...... 28
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7.0 POTENTIAL WATER RESOURCE IMPACTS ...... 28
7.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 29
7.2 Improved access to water resources ...... 29
7.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 29
7.4 Runoff Diversion ...... 29
7.5 Contamination of water resources ...... 29
7.6 Water resource depletion ...... 30
7.7 Residual impacts ...... 30
7.8 Proposed Mitigation Measures ...... 30
7.8.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 30
7.8.2 Improved access to water ...... 30
7.8.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 30
7.8.4 Runoff Diversion ...... 30
7.9 Contamination of water resources ...... 31
7.10 Water resource depletion ...... 31
8.0 SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 33
8.1 Overview ...... 33
8.1.1 Competence training and awareness ...... 33
8.1.2 Integration of management plan ...... 33
8.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing ...... 33
9.0 CONCLUSION ...... 34
10.0 REFERENCES ...... 35
TABLES Table 1: Chemical parameters tested by JEFL ...... 13 Table 2: Physical parameters measured during field sampling (Note HDW: hand dug well/ BH: Borehole)...... 23 Table 3: Chemical results from JEFL Laboratory ...... 24 Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 27 Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 27 Table 6: Impact significance ratings ...... 32
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FIGURES Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks ...... 2 Figure 2: Regional Geological Map of The Project Area, (Mengesha et al, (1996). License concession blocks are outlined in black...... 4 Figure 3: Summary of Ogaden Basin stratigraphy (Kazmin, 1972)...... 5 Figure 4: Carbonate outcrop in reddish sandy soil (Calcisols) at El Sonkor Village ...... 6 Figure 5: Photographs showing carbonate rock outcrop in stream channel in alluvial sand deposit at Agrveni (left) and Carbonate rock outcrop on flat topography at Waf Dug Villages (right) ...... 7 Figure 6: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 8 Figure 7: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 8 Figure 8: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole...... 9 Figure 9: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below)...... 10 Figure 10: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs...... 11 Figure 11: Warder Dam ...... 11 Figure 12: Sites investigated during field sampling ...... 15 Figure 13: Groundwater elevations and flow direction ...... 16 Figure 14: Photographs showing typical drainage channels into Birkas (above) and typical water quality of Birkas...... 17 Figure 15: Piper diagram for the deep aquifer ...... 20 Figure 16: Piper diagram for the shallow aquifer ...... 21 Figure 17: Piper diagram of the surface water samples ...... 21
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Analytical Results APPENDIX B Document Limitations
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1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (i.e. the “Project”) will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area (Figure 1). The total Block area is 29,865km2, however, the survey will cover an area of only approximately 30% of the Blocks. 1.1 The Project The Project is outlined below but the reader is referred to the Scoping or ESHIA report for full project description. Delonex propose to conduct 2D Seismic Surveys within Blocks 18, 19 and 21 of the Abred- Ferfer area, Ethiopia. The concession blocks are located adjacent to the border of the Republic of Somalia in the eastern part of Ethiopia. This area falls within the Somali National Regional State. The administrative blocks cover approximately 30 000 km2, encompassing the Korahe, Gode and Warder Zones (Figure 1). Prior to establishing the survey routes, information will be gathered from scouting activities, satellite imagery, existing seismic lines, existing tracks, access to the proposed survey route, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. This information will be collated and used to plot the location of survey routes. This exercise will ensure avoidance of sensitive areas (e.g. water resources and cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and will minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along this survey route (identified using GPS data). Survey lines will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately 6-7m. This approach is a relatively low impact with no drilling, excavating or blasting required. The proposed survey activities will continue for approximately six months and will constitute the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camps; Establishment of temporary airstrips; Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. 1.2 Scope/ Approach The main focus of the Project is to identify Oil & Gas bearing geological structures. This will be achieved through a 2D survey program consists of 17 seismic lines totalling approximately 940 line-km. The Project will involve the use of seismic techniques to map Oil & Gas bearing geology along the seismic lines. In accordance with Ethiopian legislation1 and requirements for external financing, Delonex is required to demonstrate that the proposed Project’s potential environmental impacts have been adequately considered, mitigated and managed.
1 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an SEIA;
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Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks
The 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA provides description of the baseline water resources within the Project area. The purpose of the Surface water assessment is thus to consider changes which may have occurred since the 2008 study with reference to published data sources, reports and mapping data for local and regional levels. The study identifies the Projects potential to impact ground and surface water resources (water resources) and provides management and mitigation measures to reduce and increase negative and positive impacts respectively. Such a study is a required by Ethiopian legislation2 and is compliant with IFC standards and Equator Principles. In summary, the water resource assessment involved: A hydrocensus to identify and visit water sources such as boreholes, springs and wells that allow identification or confirmation of groundwater elevations, flow directions, and groundwater quality; Consulting with and/or identifying groundwater users or groundwater dependant ecosystems to understand the dependence of communities on groundwater (e.g. source of water for domestic, agricultural or other use); and Establishing a baseline assessment of the project area, including the quality of the water resources in the area, importance of drainage lines and their riparian zones, and linkages to the hydrogeological regime from an environmental and social perspective. 1.3 Study Limitations This report focuses on the clearing of 2D seismic lines only. As the location of camps and airstrips had not been determined at the time of fieldwork being undertaken, recommendations have been included in the
2 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an SEIA;
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Environmental Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP) to guide selection of these sites to mitigate potential impacts on critical habitats. The information obtained from the 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA is assumed to be correct and is used in conjunction with field sampling to provide the appropriate level of detail for an impact assessment. Logistics related to fieldwork limited the duration and extent of fieldwork. It should be noted that only a small area of the project area was covered during the site visit and, therefore, this report stands as a representative description of the water resources and not a comprehensive inventory. 2.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK The reader is referred to the Scoping report and ESHIA for a full outline of the regulatory framework associated with the Project 3.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT A full Impact Assessment Study was conducted by Pexco in 20083 and a Risk evaluation report (RPS) was done in 20144. These reports have been summarised below to provide context for following sections where Golder’s field sampling results are discussed. Unless otherwise stated, baseline conditions are sourced from the Pexco (2008) and RPS (2014) studies. 3.1 Geology 3.2 Regional Geology and Structure Ethiopia is dominated by sedimentary regions which comprise distinct sedimentary basins (Figure 2). The Ogaden Basin (which contains License Blocks 18, 19 and 21) is such an area and is an intra-continental rift basin formed as a result of extensional stresses induced by the break-up of Gondwanaland in the Upper Paleozoic. In keeping with the Geological Survey of Ethiopia (2014) the Ogaden is characterised by deep asymmetrical grabens (blocks of the earth’s crust displaced downwards and flanked by two faults). Sedimentary succession range in age from Late Paleozoic to Early Tertiary and is over 10,000m deep in areas. The sedimentary succession is broadly divisible into two mega sequences (Figure 3): Lower Mega Sequence and the upper mega-sequence. Lower Mega Sequence typically comprises continental clastics (rocks) of Permian to Earliest Jurassic age. The Upper Mega-Sequence is dominated by shallow water carbonates along with some evaporates (i.e. formed by chemical sediments). The principal oil source is the Late Jurassic Uarandab Formation, which is a mature oil source rock (Karoo Group). The Cenozoic history of the western Ogaden region of Ethiopia (between the Ethiopian rift and the South Afar margin) is marked by uplift and incision of the Ogaden plateau down to the Gorrahei Formation, an upper Cretaceous evaporite formation. Mège et al (2013) relays that the succession and timing of tectonic events are in response to regional geodynamic processes during the Neogene period.
3 Pexco (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC 4 RPS (2014) Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, Phase 1 & 2; RPS Energy; Rev 01; September 2014
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Figure 2: Regional Geological Map of The Project Area, (Mengesha et al, (1996). License concession blocks are outlined in black.
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Figure 3: Summary of Ogaden Basin stratigraphy (Kazmin, 1972).
Geological formations are typically comprised of sedimentary rocks and extend west into the study area. The geology was typically formed through three cycles of transgression and regression of the sea during the Cretaceous period. Successions of sediments consist of sandstone, limestone, shale, gypsum, and anhydrite, and deposits become progressively younger towards the east. In the southwest part of the Project area (by Belet Uen and Jesomma), formations consist of limestone, shale and sandstone, while the rest of the project area is covered by Jesomma sandstone, Auradu limestone, and Taleh evaporate. Tectonics are dominated by northeast faults/ fractures (Pexco, 2008).
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3.3 Soil Characteristics The major rock units observed in the Project area were gypsum, limestone, marl, and sandstone and, the project area has a mix of soil groups including Fluvisols, Calcisols, Arenosols, gypisols, cambisols, leptosols and vertisols.
Figure 4: Carbonate outcrop in reddish sandy soil (Calcisols) at El Sonkor Village
Fluvisol is commonly associated with the Wabi Shebele basin as well as its tributaries. Calcisols are common in areas underlain by calcareous parent materials such as limestone, and calcareous sediments under arid and semi-arid environments. Arenosols are sandy soils, developed on sandstone and sand silica rich rocks of diverse origins (e.g. from residual materials remaining after the long-term acid weathering of rocks). Gypisols are soils with substantial secondary accumulation of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) and are found in the driest parts of the arid climate zone; associated with gypsum formations. Cambisol has a poor horizon differentiation; i.e. has mostly brownish stains and/or structure. It is commonly observed in gently to steep slopping areas where the soil development is poor. Leptosols is least common and is a typically shallow soil over hard rock (or highly calcareous material) or a deeper soil that is extremely gravelly and/or stony. Vertisol (black cotton soils) has a high content of expansive clay (i.e. montmorillonite). This soil forms deep cracks in drier seasons or years. It occurs in water locked in the river basin and bottom of artificial ponds
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Figure 5: Photographs showing carbonate rock outcrop in stream channel in alluvial sand deposit at Agrveni (left) and Carbonate rock outcrop on flat topography at Waf Dug Villages (right) 3.4 Topography The project area is predominantly flat with little undulation. Pexco (2008) relays that flat to undulating plains (slopes <10%) cover ~95% while residual hills and Marshlands cover ~4.3% and 0.7% of the area respectively. Altitude ranges from 375 to 582m above mean sea level (amsl) in the Darbe Wein and Gumbro villages respectively. Marshlands typically occur in the lower reaches of the Wabi Shebele River. 3.5 Vegetation Most of Somalia region of Ethiopia consists of dry savanna, suitable only for limited pasturage and occasional cultivation. The project is dominantly tropical desert scrub (desert to semi-desert scrubland). A good deal of Somalia region of Ethiopia is arid and able to sustain only limited numbers of people and animals (Abebe 2001). 3.5.1 Climate and Meteorology 3.5.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology The climate of Ethiopia is strongly influenced by topography and the large central highland regions are much cooler than the south-eastern and north-eastern lowland regions (where climate is typically tropical)5. Mean annual temperatures are ~15-20°C in these elevated regions, while the lowlands are ~25-30°C. Rainfall in Ethiopia is largely driven by the migration of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The majority of Ethiopia experiences one main wet season from mid-June to mid-September (up to 350mm per month in the wettest regions), when the ITCZ in in its northern-most position. The central regions have a secondary wet season, with considerably less rainfall from February to May. Southern regions experience two distinct wet seasons as the ITCZ migrates to its southern most position. The main wet season occurs from March to May and generally yields 100-200mm per month, while the secondary wet season occurs from October to December and yields around 100mm per month. The eastern corner of Ethiopia receives very little rainfall throughout the year.
5 C. McSweeney., M. New., and G. Liczano (2010) UNDP Climate Change Country Profiles: Ethiopia, Available: http://country-profiles.geog.ox.ac.uk
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3.5.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology The Project Area is characterised as semi-arid and mean temperatures in Shilabo range between 19° C (December) and 29°C (March; Figure 6).
Figure 6: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015)
Rainfall typical occurs in southern Ethiopia with two defined rainfall periods(between March and June, and again between September and November (Figure 7). Rain days typically fall within October (9 days), April (8 days) and May (7 days). Precipitation is generally highest in May and October with 33 mm during these months.
Figure 7: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015)
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3.6 Water resources 3.6.1 Rivers and Streams Ethiopia is hydrologically divided into 12 basins: 8 river basins, 1 lake basin and 3 dry basins6. The Project area falls across the basins of Wabi Shebele (a river basin) and Ogaden (a dry basin). Both the Wabi Shabele and Ogaden basins are part of the wider Eastern Ethiopian Basin that flows in a south easterly direction toward the Indian Ocean. Groundwater sources within Ethiopia are generally limited due to the poor permeability of the crystalline rocks and variable depths of the water table. While the Wabe Shebele River flows outside of the Project area close to its southeast corner, there are no rivers in the Project area. Water is typically sourced from boreholes and Birkas (small ponds) which are further discussed below. Rain and flood water is harvested in Birkas (discussed below) (i.e. pond: 10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep dug in the ground and made water tight by either clay or concrete walls). Water is typically transported from boreholes by tanker trucks to the villages but camels and donkeys are used as well for short distances. 3.6.2 Groundwater Boreholes Within the Project area, water is particularly scarce and is typically sourced from groundwater through boreholes using submersible pumps (requiring generators at each borehole site) and hand-dug wells. The Calub Gas Development study (Calub, 1993) in the region found two main sources of groundwater: Perched aquifers (30-50m) deep, which produce fresh water but in relatively small quantities, and Cretacious Faf formation aquifers (180-200m) deep, which produce brackish water but with a sustainable flow of 3 litres/sec. Field observations confirmed the presence of the two aquifer types although observed boreholes ranged in depth from 160-320m (Pers. comm., 2014). Observed boreholes (Figure 8) are installed with casings and operated with generator sets of variable size and energy capacity. The casing was typically steal (65/8 diameter at surface) and raiser GSP pipes were 6 to 9cm in diameter.
Figure 8: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole.
Boreholes are typically the major source of water for towns and to a lesser extent for the villages. Domestic animals (e.g. camels, cattle, goats and sheep) are also dependent on these water resources. Livestock
6 FDRE (2014a) Ministry of Water & Energy website. http://www.mowr.gov.et/index.php?pagenum=3.1&pagehgt=5500px Accessed 15 December 2014.
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watering varies according to the size of the settlement but typically involves filling water troughs, which can be >30m in size. In smaller settlements, drums/buckets are used to water animals. Water tankers are typically used to transport water from deep (pumped) well sites to remote settlements. Camels and donkeys were also observed to facilitate water transport over short distances (i.e. <10km). Hand-dug wells Perched aquifers are typically accessed by hand-dug wells (Figure 9) and are primarily linked to seasonal rainfall and runoff. Wells are essentially circular holes (typically constructed flush with the ground) in sandy soil (cemented by calcium carbonates) and water is manually raised using ropes and buckets. No observed hand-dug wells had motorised pumps. Well depths typically range between 8.1- 30m.
Figure 9: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below). 3.6.3 Surface water Surface runoff is harvested in concrete walled ponds called Birkas (~10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep; Figure 10) dug into the ground. In a similar fashion to the hand-dug wells, water extraction is done with rope and bucket for both animal and livestock consumption. Sanitation near and at Birkas and hand-dug wells is accordingly poor as rope and bucket are returned to the water directly after use (i.e. groundwater has no protection from contaminants). In addition, livestock faeces surround Birkas (and hand-dug wells) and are carried in by rainfall runoff. Dams are not common but were encountered near the Warder and Waf dug village (Figure 11).
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Figure 10: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs.
Figure 11: Warder Dam
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4.0 METHODOLOGY 4.1 Hydrocensus A hydrocensus was conducted to determine the following attributes of water resources in the Project area. Type (i.e. Birka, dam, pumped borehole, hand-dug borehole etc.); Location (GPS position); Elevation (above mean sea level); Flow direction (e.g. North, South, etc.); Use (e.g. Consumed by humans, livestock, agriculture etc.); Microbial, Physical, and Chemical quality; and Relevance of drainage lines, riparian zones and other hydrological features associated with the water resource. The term water quality is generally used to describe the microbiological, physical and chemical properties of water that determine the fitness for use of a specific water source. Microbiological quality: Refers to the presence of organisms that cannot be individually seen by the naked eye, such as protozoa, bacteria and viruses. Many of these microbes are associated with the transmission of infectious water-borne diseases such as gastroenteritis and cholera. Faecal and total coliform bacteria are commonly used as indicator organisms to determine the microbiological status and safety of water supplies. Physical quality: Refers to water quality properties (such as conductivity, pH and turbidity) that may be determined by physical methods. The physical quality mainly affects the aesthetic quality (taste, odour and appearance) of water. Chemical quality: Refers to the nature and concentration of dissolved substances (such as organic and inorganic chemicals including metals). Many chemicals in water are essential as part of a person’s daily nutritional requirements, but unfortunately above a certain concentration most chemicals (e.g. zinc, copper, manganese) may have negative health effects. 4.1.1 Sampling protocol The procedure followed to determine the above attributes is briefly outlined below. Equipment used Multi-parameter meter (i.e. pH, conductivity, Salinity, temperature, ORP, DO, TDS, Turbidity); Alkanex (detergent); Disposable gloves; Water level meter; Disposable bailers (for collecting water from Birkas and Boreholes); 300m cord (for bailers); UV Lamp (Microbial testing); 100 Colilert test packets; and
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Global Positioning System (GPS). Water collection procedure Water from representative boreholes and Birkas within the Project area was collected using bailers tied to a cord used for retrieval. At each sample location, water was emptied from a bailer into two bottles (each 250ml) for microbial (100ml) and chemical (250ml) testing. Sample water (~300ml) was also placed into a sterilized open container for physical water testing. Photographs and a GPS position were recorded at each sample site. Physical quality testing Physical parameters (i.e. pH, conductivity, Salinity, temperature, ORP, DO, TDS, Turbidity) were sampled using the multi-parameter meter and recorded in the field. An alternate hand help pH meter was used to verify the pH of the multi-parameter meter and turbidity was assessed visually. Microbiological quality testing Microbial (and E. Coli specifically) presence/ absence was determined using a Colilert test kits in conjunction with 18 hour incubation (35oC) and UV light exposure. In summary the Colilert test: Is approved by U.S. EPA, AOAC, IBWA, EBWA, and accepted by Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater; and Detects total coliforms within 18 hours and and E. coli simultaneously in 24 hours or less. Chemical quality testing Chemical parameters (Table 1) were measured in laboratory conditions by Jones Environmental Forensics Limited (JEFL). Laboratory analytical results are provided in Appendix A. Table 1: Chemical parameters tested by JEFL Abbreviation Chemical Laboratory Meter Turb Turbidity 2100P Turbidity Meter TS Total Solids Gravimetric - BSEN15216 TDS Total Dissolved Solids Gravimetric - BSEN15216 EC Electrical Conductivity Metrohm pH pH Determination of pH (Metrohm) Amm N - NH3 Ammoniacal Nitrogen as NH3 Kone analyser Earth Metals Ca(0.2), Mg(0.1), K(0.1), Na(0.1) ICP-OES Alk Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 Metrohm ICP-OES (Dissolved unless requested Metals Fe(20), Mn(2) otherwise) low level available F Fluoride Dionex Cl Chloride Kone analyser NO3 Nitrate as NO3 Kone analyser NO2 Nitrite as NO2 Kone analyser Carb Alk Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 Metrohm Bi Alk Bicarbonate Alkalinity Metrohm SO4 Sulphate Kone analyser PO4 Ortho-Phosphate as PO4 Kone analyser Dissolved Oxygen- should be analysed within DO O Hach HQ30D Oxygen Meter 6 hours
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Challenges and Limitations Due to high travel risks in the Project area (International SOS), representative sampling was limited to 12 days and could only be conducted along known road routes that could be accessed within ~140km (~4 hours)7 of an Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) Camp (see section 1.3). 5.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A field survey to assess the water resources in the Project area was conducted from 19- 30 January 2015 and sites investigated are shown in Figure 12 below. Physical parameters (including Microbial presence/ absence) measured in the field are listed in Table 2 and photographs of water resources are provided from Figure 8 through to Figure 11 above. Chemical attributes of samples are given in Table 3 below. 5.1 Groundwater elevations and flow direction Water level measurements in the Project area were limited to eight sites due to accessibility to the wells and boreholes (see Section1.3). The measured water levels were limited to shallow wells (<30m below surface), and thus characteristic of the shallow perched aquifer. None of these wells were equipped with pumps and the water levels represent the static conditions measured for the areas. The static water level below surface varied between 5.46m (U’Ub) to 15.44m (El-Senkor). These wells are generally dug to depths of a metre below the static water level, with exception of the two sites that were deeper than 20m. Potential over abstraction of this shallow system is accordingly a concern and a 1m drop in water level could potentially wells going dry. Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east (Figure 13). No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system associated with the deeper lying crystalline formations.
7 Driving speed was limited to 40km/ hour and travel time was limited to ensure the survey team could return to a secure ENDF camp before dark.
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Figure 12: Sites investigated during field sampling
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Figure 13: Groundwater elevations and flow direction
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5.2 Microbial Analysis Presence/ Absence of faecal and total coliform bacteria were assessed for twenty one water resource samples in the Project area (Figure 12; Table 2). Livestock (e.g. goats, camels, and sheep) faeces was observed around all water resources; and is likely the source of the E. coli contamination found in the samples tested (Table 2). E. coli was not present in any of the borehole but coliforms were present (except in Boh). Birkas rely on surface runoff and accordingly contained faecal (E.Coli) contamination (Figure 14).
Figure 14: Photographs showing typical drainage channels into Birkas (above) and typical water quality of Birkas.
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5.3 Chemical analysis Chemical results of the water samples (Figure 12) are shown in Table 3 and varied significantly within the Project area. Guidelines listed below refer to Ethiopian Drinking8- and World Health Organisation (WHO)- guidelines. Shilabo Guidelines were exceeded in Sulphate (1523.13 mg/l), Alkalinity (207 mg/l), and TDS (2676 mg/l). Calcium was measured to be 716.1 mg/l (average: 193.3 mg/l) which is the highest amount sampled in the Project area. Sulphate was also high at 1523.13 mg/l (average: 441.2 mg/l); typically an order of magnitude above other samples. Manganese was highest (297µg/l) in Shilabo, typically 3 orders of magnitude above other samples. Suspended solids are also high and the manganese is likely from geological particles within the suspended solids. Lasonnot Guidelines were exceeded in Sodium (261.9 mg/l), Sulphate (256.77 mg/l), chloride (572.2 mg/l), Nitrate (114 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (253 mg/l), and TDS (2049 mg/l). Fedi Garadile Guidelines were exceeded in Chloride (322.8 mg/l), Nitrate (294.4 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (351 mg/l), and TDS (1777 mg/l). Nitrate was found to be high in this area, exceeding the average (131.1 mg/l) by 163.3 mg/l. Albay 1 Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (127.3 mg/l) and Total Alkalinity (216 mg/l). pH was highest in Albay 1 at 8.01. Albay 2 Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (182.3 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (331 mg/l), TDS (3026 mg/l), and Turbidity (3070 NTU). Manganese (297 µg/l) was particularly high in Albay 2; above the average (107.7 µg/) by 103.3 µg/l. Deh Derli All analysed parameters were within guidelines. Turbidity was high at 15.5 NTU, while chloride (1.2 mg/l) and Sulphate (<0.05 mg/l) were relatively low. Warden dam Guidelines were exceeded in Potassium (510.8 mg/l), Sodium (717.7 mg/l), Chloride (1136.2 mg/l), Nitrate (18.05 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (629 mg/l), and TDS (2935 mg/l). Sodium (717.7mg/l), Chloride, Nitrite, Total Alkalinity, and Potassium were highest in the dam. TDS was also relatively high at 146 mg/l. Salolo All analysed parameters were within WHO and National Ethiopian Guidelines, but Turbidity was found to be the highest sampled at 15.9. Bah Midigan Guidelines were exceeded in Sulphate (282.79 mg/l), Chloride (424.3 mg/l), Nitrate (82.1 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (269 mg/l), TDS (1456 mg/l), and Turbidity (6.2 NTU). Elale Guidelines were exceeded in Nitrate (104.3 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (269 mg/l), TDS (1385 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.5 NTU).
8 Ethiopian Standard ES 261:2001 “Drinking water – Specifications”
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Agraveni All analysed parameters except Turbidity (6.7 NTU) were within the guidelines. Phosphate was relatively high at 0.37mg/l. Warder Robday The National and WHO guidelines were exceeded in Sodium (241.8 mg/l), Sulphate (259.69 mg/l), Chloride (588.8 mg/l), Nitrate (124.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (287 mg/l), TDS (2051 mg/l), and Turbidity (5.1 NTU). Warder Camel Compound The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Chloride (308.1 mg/l), Nitrate (179.5 mg/l),Total Alkalinity (245 mg/l), and TDS (1298 mg/l). El Senkor The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (328.5 mg/l), Chloride (412.3 mg/l), Nitrate (863 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (351 mg/l), TDS (2111 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.3 NTU). Nitrate and Total Alkalinity were highest in El Senkor. El Kurale The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (354.7 mg/l), Flouride (1.8 mg/l), Sulphate (453.86 mg/l), Nitrate (437.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (363 mg/l), TDS (2000 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.3 NTU). Total Alkalinity is highest in El Kurale. Mir- Fradag All analysed parameters, except Turbidity (3.5 NTU), were within WHO and National Ethiopian guidelines. Esgoyis The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Chloride (497.2 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (362 mg/l), TDS (1644 mg/l), and Turbidity (4.2 NTU). Boh The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (231.4 mg/l), Chloride (498.5 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (274 mg/l), and TDS (1896 NTU). Baaltaag All analysed parameters except Turbidity (8.4 NTU) were within WHO and National Guidelines, although pH was relatively high at 8.4. Geladi Household The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (320.3 mg/l), Flouride (2.9 mg/l), Chloride (427.3 mg/l), Nitrate (129.1 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (293 mg/l), and TDS (4284 mg/l). Flouride, Ammoniacal Nitrogen (11.2 mg/l) and TDS were highest in the Geladi household well. Rochis The National and WHO guideline was exceeded in Sodium (331.4 mg/l), Sulphate (702.72 mg/l), Chloride (548.7 mg/l), Total Alkalinity (305 mg/l), TDS (2402 mg/l), and Turbidity (1.2 NTU). 5.4 Characterising of the water sources Samples were taken from three distinctive water sources: the shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed with hand dug wells, a deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) associated with crystalline formations, and stored surface water in so called “Birka” impoundments. As can be expected the water quality and character of the sources will differ based on the type of recharge mechanisms. Piper diagrams are used to characterise the groundwater. The Piper plots include two triangles, one for plotting cations and the other for plotting anions. The cations and anion fields are combined to show a single
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point in a diamond-shaped field, from which inference is drawn on the basis of hydro-geochemical facies concept. These tri-linear diagrams are useful in bringing out chemical relationships among groundwater samples in more definite terms than is possible with other plotting methods. From the plotted Piper diagram (Figure 15) for the deep aquifer samples it can be seen that wells can be characterised as NaCa-ClSO4 dominated type water. The samples all plot in a similar pattern within the diagram with only minor variances in either cation or anion content. The enrichment in salts (TDS is generally >1300 mg/L), can be attributed to an extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events.
Figure 15: Piper diagram for the deep aquifer
The shallow aquifer has a much more varied water character (Figure 16), indicating the influences from surface sources and anthropogenic activities on the water quality. Generally the dominant salts in the shallow system are Ca – bicarbonate, which is typical of shallow recently recharged groundwater. However, enrichment in Na, Cl, and SO4 is evident in the samples caused by mineralisation from shallow geological formations and soils (i.e. gypsum is associated with the evaporate type formations), high evaporation rate and a low annual recharge from precipitation. Salinity of the shallow system is lower than that of the deep aquifer (600 to 2000mg/L TDS), but will also very dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates.
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Figure 16: Piper diagram for the shallow aquifer
The water samples taken at the Birkas sites, can be characterised as Ca-bicarbonate type waters (Figure 17). Inorganic water quality is generally good with low salinity (TDS ~ 150 mg/L). However, the Birka samples is characterised by high turbidity and bacteriological contaminants. Warden Dam is an exception to the Birka water quality, which clearly shows that water quality is severely affected by evaporation if sources are allowed to be open to the atmosphere.
Figure 17: Piper diagram of the surface water samples
From the above discussion it is evident that the water sources utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering cannot be classified as suitable for human drinking purposes (i.e. most parameters measured exceed WHO and National Ethiopian water quality standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points.
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Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells.
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Table 2: Physical parameters measured during field sampling (Note HDW: hand dug well/ BH: Borehole). HDW/ Location Elev. Depth Water o EC No. Site BH/ T C ORP(mV) pH DO (%) Sal (ppt) Contamination (GPS) (m) (m) level (m) (us/cm) Birka 6.09661E; 1 Shilabo1 HDW 399 8.1 6.9 31 117.8 6.74 0 1343 1.41 E. coli. 44.76658N Fedi 6.17562E; Not 2 HDW 450 20 12.1 30 191.2 6.75 0 1455 E. coli. Garadile 45.29676N sampled Lasonnot 6.25116E; Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 3 Birka 465 5 3 1 45.38625 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed Lasonnot 6.25116E 4 BH 465 185 unknown 33.35 92.4 6.93 0.2 1627 1.27 Coliform 2 45.38625N 6.34383E 5 Albay1 HDW 466 10.78 10.65 30.6 35.3 7.38 0 879 0.4 E. coli. 45.4752N 6.34322E 6 Albay2 HDW 471 10 9.2 29.4 -6.9 7.06 0 885 0.5 E. coli. 45.47554N Nef Goish 6.54911E Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 7 Birka 529 5 village 45.39250N sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 6.65403 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 8 Harraf Birka 538 5 45.397513 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 6.88627 9 Deh Derli Birka 540 5 3 25.1 144.9 7.48 0 171 0.8 E. coli. 45.56284 Warder 6.96423 10 Dam 538 Unknown surface 29.8 128 8.14 0 4712 2.34 E. coli. Dam 45.34637 Salolo 6.87771 11 Birka 475 5 4 23.5 182.5 7.51 0.01 220 0.1 E. coli. Village 45.66475 Bah 6.83246 12 BH 466 214 Unknown 28 76.9 7.2 0 1266 1.4 Coliform Midigan 45.80710 6.55751 13 Elale HDW 457 290 Unknown 29 132.1 6.97 0 1495 1.05 Coliform 45.77967 6.90323 14 Agraveni Birka 457 290 Unknown 32 115.4 7.94 0.1 183 0.9 E. coli. 45.84852 Warder 6.99758 15 BH 517 320 Unknown 33.6 142 6.85 0 1852 1.34 Coliform Robday 45.35214 Warder 6.99758 Private 16 Camel 517 45 Unknown 30.9 117.4 7.18 0 1340 0.84 Coliform 45.35214 BH compound 6.97107 17 El-Senkor HDW 547 15.6 15.44 29.9 152.5 7.04 0 max 1.52 Coliform 45.33865 6.9682 18 El-Kurale HDW 459 13.2 13.1 29.8 138.6 7.23 0 1905 1.3 Coliform 45.33718 6.92225 19 Mir-fradag Birka 493 5 Unknown 26.7 85.1 7.99 0.1 154 0.7 E. coli. 45.94702 6.90758 20 Esgoyis PBH 463 193 Unknown 38.6 124.8 7.34 10 1652 1.13 E. coli. 46.06325 7.43529 21 Boh BH 484 233 Unknown 34.9 115.2 6.96 10 1785 1.28 None 46.64585 7.43529 Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 22 Chirale Birka 487 5 0.1 46.64606 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed 7.22543 23 Baaltaag Birka 489 5 4 24 146.3 7.25 0.9 185 0.9 E. coli. 46.53640 Geladi 6.97165 Meter 24 HDW 416 29.6 10.38 29.1 158 6.77 0 2.47 E. coli. household 46.41103 fault 6.95655 Meter 25 Rochis BH 416 Unknown Unknown 31.4 146.4 6.61 1.8 1.55 E. coli. 46.38820 fault 6o48’56.32’’ Meter 26 Wafdug HDW 571 17.72 10.11 30.4 138.7 6.42 0.1 2.34 Not sampled 45o6’12.36’’ fault 6.86572 27 Gerlogube HDW 627 20.15 13.31 30.2 167.6 6.96 0 1706 1.03 E. coli. 45.03760 6.79256 28 U’ Ub HDW 616 18.72 5.46 29.6 169.2 7.33 0 1725 0.99 E. coli. 44.99117 Clinic solar 6.79353 Solar Not Not Not Not Not Not 29 611 Unknown 5.81 Not sampled pump 44.98730 BH sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled 6.74404 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not Faeces 30 Klombur Birka 578 Unknown 44.35170 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled observed. 6.74404 Not Not Not Not Not Not Not 31 El-Har HDW 500 ~10m Not sampled 44.35170 sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled sampled Wabi Shebele 5.92306 32 River 264 Unknown Surface 26.9 110.9 8.12 0 542 0.27 Not sampled (Gode) 43.54966 River
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Table 3: Chemical results from JEFL Laboratory
Site Name SHILABO 1 2 LASONNOT FEDI GARADILE ALBAY1 ALBAY2 DEH DERLI WARDEN DAM SALOLO MIDIGAN BAH ELALE AGRAVENI WARDER ROBDAY WARDER CAMEL COMPOUND EL-SENKOR EL-KURALE MIR-FRADOG ESGOYIS BOH BAALTAAG GELADI HOUSEHOLD ROCHIS Sample No. (Figure 12) 1 4 2 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 WH Standard9 O (mg/l) Chemical Unit LOD (mg/l ) - 104. 121. Calcium (Ca) mg/l <0.2 - 716.1 206 251.4 90.7 31.1 61.8 32.5 207.5 170 29.4 244.9 152 160.6 25.3 176.2 203.2 29.5 718 327.3 3 6 Iron (Fe) ug/l <20 0.3 0.3 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 Magnesium mg/l <0.1 - 81.2 87.4 90.5 25.5 35.1 1.7 80.4 4.3 63.9 64.6 3.8 90.6 54.4 131.2 93.6 2.1 98.6 102.3 2.4 279.4 145.8 (Mg) Manganese 0.5 ug/l <2 0.1 297 <2 <2 <2 211 <2 <2 <2 5 11 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 50 <2 <2 72 <2 (Mn) Potassium 1.5 mg/l <0.1 - 18.4 10.2 38.2 21.8 46 4.6 510.8 5.7 16.5 16.7 4.5 10.4 9.2 11.1 10.6 3.9 11.2 25 8.1 236.9 19.4 (K) 200 158. Sodium (Na) mg/l <0.1 200 107.1 261.9 133 25.6 32.7 2 717.7 7.2 180.7 183.4 1.2 241.8 328.5 354.7 1.7 180.3 231.4 3.5 320.3 331.4 4 Flouride (F) mg/l <0.3 1.5 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 <0.3 <0.3 <0.3 0.5 0.5 <0.3 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.8 <0.3 1 2 <0.3 2.9 1.4 Sulphate <0.0 250 1523.1 256.7 169.1 93.0 65.1 <0.0 282.7 208.4 <0.0 259.6 75.3 168.6 453.8 <0.0 188.0 410.3 <0.0 2407.9 702.7 mg/l 250 231.6 3.41 (SO4) 5 3 7 5 3 5 5 9 7 5 9 5 6 6 5 6 4 5 5 2 250 1136. 308. Chloride (Cl) mg/l <0.3 - 238.4 572.2 322.8 37.3 32.6 1.2 14.4 424.3 414.9 0.7 588.8 412.3 243.9 2.1 497.2 498.5 1.4 427.3 548.7 2 1 50 127. 182. 179. Nitrate (NO ) mg/l <0.2 50 41.5 114 294.4 2.6 4.2 5.1 82.1 104.3 1.1 124.5 863 437.5 1 0.4 8.8 2.4 129.1 49 3 3 3 5 <0.0 3 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 Nitrite (NO ) mg/l 3 <0.02 <0.02 0.15 0.95 18.05 <0.02 <0.02 0.08 <0.02 0.8 0.17 <0.02 <0.02 0.13 <0.02 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Phosphate <0.0 - <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 mg/l - <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.78 <0.06 0.28 <0.06 <0.06 0.37 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.11 <0.06 (PO4) 6 6 6 6 6 Ammoniacal - <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 <0.0 Nitrogen mg/l - <0.03 <0.03 0.04 7.33 0.13 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.06 <0.03 <0.03 0.36 0.12 0.05 0.09 11.12 <0.03 3 3 3 3 3 (NH3) Total 200 Alkalinity mg/l <1 - 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 (CaCO3) Bicarbonate 300 Alkalinity mg/l <1 - 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 (CaCO3) Dissolved - Oxygen mg/l <1 - 9 10 9 9 1 9 2 7 9 9 8 9 9 8 9 8 9 9 8 8 9 (DO) Electrical - uS/c Conductivity <2 - 3165 2710 2203 826 1025 180 4740 246 2226 2081 190 2663 1704 3055 2704 178 2262 2504 207 5096 3094 m (EC @
9 Ethiopian Standard ES 261:2001 “Drinking water – Specifications”
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25°C:Lab) pH 6.5 6.5 to <0.0 pH unit to 8.5 7.64 7.81 7.71 8.01 7.25 7.51 7.68 7.18 7.93 7.94 7.52 7.57 7.77 7.66 7.77 7.48 7.52 7.65 7.63 7.53 7.61 1 s 8.5 Total 1000 Dissolved mg/l <10 600 2676 2049 1777 626 780 118 2935 163 1456 1385 93 2051 1298 2111 2000 167 1644 1896 110 4284 2402 Solids (TDS) Total - Suspended mg/l <10 - 29 22 24 48 3026 21 146 63 12 12 17 15 15 32 43 14 <10 <10 <10 35 13 Solids (lab) NT - Turbidity <0.1 1 0.9 3.4 5.1 45.5 3070 15.5 2.2 15.9 6.2 1.5 6.7 5.1 0.7 1.3 1.3 3.5 4.2 1 8.4 0.8 1.2 U
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6.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6.1 Methodology for assessing impacts The significance of potential impacts will be determined using the approach outlined below. This section provides an overview of the methodology applied when appraising potential change (or impact) that the proposed seismic lines may have upon the existing environment. The method is transparent and is applied consistently. The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project was assessed by considering the following, relative to the hydrological environment: Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, a gain in available habitat area for a key species would be classed as positive, whereas a habitat loss would be considered negative. Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed seismic lines, and may be classified as:
. None/negligible . Minor . Low . Moderate . High . Very high The categorisation of “magnitude” was based on a set of criteria that was specific to the discipline area being considered. Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
. Transient (less than 1 year); . Short-term (1 to 5 years); . Medium-term (5 to 15 years); . Long-term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or . Permanent. Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site); . Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site); . Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance); . National; or . International. Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
. No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change); . Improbable (less than 5% chance); . Low probability (5% to 40% chance); . Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance); . Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or . Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) was then appraised. This was done using a semi-quantitative scoring system based on the attributes in Table 4.
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Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t know 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after closure 4 National 4 Highly probable of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 15 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) was determined as:
SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Scale) x Probability
The relative significance of the change (or impact) was typically ranked in accordance to Table 5. Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) SP Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates high environment and/or the community(s) is unacceptably high. It is unlikely
environmental and/or that an impact of this magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this >75 social significance impact cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates moderate environment and/or the community(s) is high. The Project may be 30 - 75 environmental and/or compromised if this impact cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce social significance the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the Indicates low environment and/or the community(s) is relatively low. Opportunities to <30 environmental and/or avoid or mitigate the impact should be considered, however this should social significance not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the existing environment + Positive impact and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change.
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6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future activities. The possible cumulative impacts of the Project were considered within the impact assessment ratings below and typically increased all factor scores influencing impact significance (Table 4). 6.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures To ensure successful implementation, the following section describes, at a high level, the good mitigation measures that the Delonex exportation should use. The following summarize the different approaches that may be used in prescribing and designing mitigation measures, this approach follow the mitigation hierarchy (BBOP 2012): Avoidance: mitigation by not carrying out the proposed action on the specific site, but rather on a more suitable site. Minimization: mitigation by scaling down the magnitude of a development, reorienting the layout of the project or employing technology to limit the undesirable environmental impact. Rectification: mitigation through the restoration of environments affected by the action. Reduction: mitigation by taking maintenance steps during the course of the action. Compensation: mitigation through the creation, enhancement or acquisition of similar environments to those affected by the action. Offsetting falls into this category. 7.0 POTENTIAL WATER RESOURCE IMPACTS The process for the 2D seismic exploration is summarised above in Section 1.1 and detailed in the scoping report and ESHIA. For ease of reference, the proposed Project will include the following two activities, which could potentially affect water resources: Clearing of vegetation Linear lines for vehicle access will be cleared of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately six to seven metres. In areas of light to medium vegetation, straight lines will be cleared using heavy machinery. Where vegetation is dense, a zigzagged line technique will be used. Surface vegetation will also be cleared for base camp construction and survey camps (size of and locations to be confirmed). Surveying and recording The survey will utilise a vibroseis10 process to generate seismic waves. The vibroseis waves are generated by sources within purpose-built trucks which communicate with the geophones and are recorded by a separate recording truck (i.e. seismograph truck). Each machine will exert up to 80,000 lbs (~36,000 kg) of force at approximately 50m intervals along each seismic line. The survey will be conducted for 12 hours a day, 7 days per week, and is expected to take 6 months to complete. The above two activities may result in the flowing impacts11:
10 ‘Vibroseis’ is a registered name (trademark) of a device which uses a truck-mounted vibrator plate coupled to the ground to generate a wave train of several frequencies. The recorded data from an upsweep or downsweep (increasing or decreasing frequency respectively) are added together and compared with the source input signals to produce a conventional-looking seismic section (i.e. geological profile). 11 All impacts are rated in the context of cumulative effects arising from the Project
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7.1 Siltation of water resources With the clearing of surface cover, sand/soils will be exposed to erosion factors such as wind, water and increased vehicle/ livestock traffic. Increased movement of sediment (e.g. via runoff load and dust) has the potential to increase the rate of siltation in Birkas/ Boreholes and reduce water storage volume. Based on observations made in the field of historical seismic lines, the magnitude of erosion is considered minor. As lines will remain cleared, duration will remain long-term. Topography is typically flat and erosion would be limited to the site. Probability of erosion is medium as clearing and exposure of soils is required for the seismic lines. Based on the historical seismic lines observed and roads utilised during field work, the impact significance of siltation is ranked as low. 7.2 Improved access to water resources In villages where there are no water resources, tanker trucks typically deliver water for drinking and domestic use. Improved access to the Project area will enable delivery of water to a greater area than is currently possible. The magnitude of this impact is high as it would enable the delivery of a key resource. The duration would be permanent as significant access corridors would be left open. The scale of the impact is rated as site specific as it would be limited to transport would be limited to corridors. Probability of the impact would be medium as it is not confirmed if logistical resources are available to extend water delivery. Overall, given the importance of water, the impact significance is rated as positive 7.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes Vibration from clearing vegetation and survey activities could potentially damage water resources such as Birkas and boreholes. For example, community members within the Project area have alleged that previous seismic surveys have cracked the walls of Birkas, resulting in leaks. As Birkas, wells and boreholes are vital for subsistence living in the area, the magnitude of this impact is high. The duration of the impact will be for as long as the project is active (i.e. long term). Birkas and boreholes are located locally. The impact is however improbable as vibrations are low and will be situated away from water resource infrastructure. Impact significance is accordingly rated as low. 7.4 Runoff Diversion Clearing and stockpiling of vegetation and soil has the potential to block or reduce surface flows to Birkas and boreholes, thereby reducing recharge potential. Rainfall is infrequent in the Project area and any diversion of runoff from water resources during rain events would have a moderate magnitude with a long- term effects. The scale of the impact would affect local Birkas and boreholes. Clearing of seismic lines will require extensive earth movement and the probability of runoff diversion is thus medium, resulting in an impact significance of Moderate. 7.5 Contamination of water resources Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks Machinery used in harsh conditions will be prone to spills and leaks of fuels and hydraulic fluids. Any spill in such an environment could potentially contaminate water resources through runoff or direct input. Solid waste With an increase in the level of activity and number of people on site, solid waste production will increase. Survey camp size and vehicle numbers will be limited and situated away from water resources, while livestock fecies contamination is already prolific in the Project area. The magnitude of contaminating water resources is therefore moderate. Potential contamination will be monitored and cleaned shortly after occurrence resulting in a transient duration. The scale of the impact will site only, while harsh environmental conditions make the probability of the impact moderate. The impact significance of the potential impact is therefore Low.
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7.6 Water resource depletion In addition to Project employees, improved access into the Project area could result in an influx of people which may decrease water availability (through increased abstraction). Water is essential to survival in the Project area and its depletion would have a very high magnitude impact. The duration of the impact would depend on the settlement of newcomers to the area. As these people would likely leave after the Project’s completion (i.e. 6 months), if water resources could not support them; duration of the impact is rated as transient. The scale of the impact is rated as local as potential migrants would want to be close to the seismic lines that provide access to transport. As the Project is expected to last 6 months, the overall impact significance is low. Please note that water abstraction is assumed to be used for domestic use only, excessive use will escalate the impact significance to moderate. 7.7 Residual impacts No negative residual impacts are anticipated to be associated with the Project with regard to water resources. Potentially improving access to water by means of leaving cleared corridors open is viewed as a positive impact. 7.8 Proposed Mitigation Measures Mitigation measures to reduce the impacts described in Section 7.0. 7.8.1 Siltation of water resources Soil disturbances must be minimised where practical; In order to reduce soil erosion through vegetation loss, heavy machinery and trucks must adhere to the one track policy at all times. Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks must be used for the seismic corridors and to gain access to survey areas/ camps; Increased entrainment of fine sediment (i.e. dust) can be reduced by aligning survey corridors at right angles to typical wind directions. Where practical survey corridors should also incorporate gaps or angles to reduce the build-up of wind energy. By aligning corridors in this manner, adjacent vegetation will assist in reducing dust that could find its way into water resources; and In order to further reduce erosion, it is recommended that access to remote survey corridors be restricting during (and after) Project activities. This will reduce human migration to the area and overutilization of the natural resources (i.e. facilitate regeneration of vegetation). 7.8.2 Improved access to water The positive impact of improving access to water (through clearing corridors) for water trucks can be enhanced by: Allowing corridors that potentially link settlements (villages) to be left open (i.e. not rehabilitated or blocked). 7.8.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes A buffer of 100m (minimum) must be maintained between clearing activities and water resources (e.g. Birkas, rivers, and boreholes) to avoid damaging these resources. The structural integrity of water resources within 100m should be photographed (and discussed with local owners if possible) before seismic operations begin to provide a baseline for potential damage claims from community members. 7.8.4 Runoff Diversion Survey corridors must take cognisance of surface drainage patterns and avoid altering flows to Birkas, boreholes, and settlements (as water resources are typically located in/ near villages). Clearing activities should not construct berms (vegetation and/or soil stockpiles) along the sides of survey corridors or at right angles to drainage lines. In cases where this is unavoidable, it is recommended that
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berms should be levelled after seismic testing is completed. Where possible, drainage should also be encouraged away from the corridors to reduce erosion and facilitate potential Birka development after surveying is complete. 7.9 Contamination of water resources Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks should be used for the seismic lines and to gain access to the survey areas; Vehicles/ machinery must be maintained and serviced when necessary to prevent leaks and breakdowns. As a minimum, the following must be done:
. Avoid overfilling of tanks; . Ensure correct disposal of hydrocarbons such as lubricants and oils. . Toxic chemicals (e.g. fuel, lubricants and oils) must be kept within an appropriate bund; . Vehicles must be parked in a designated place with drip trays and spill kits readily available; . All vehicles must be regularly services and in good working order. . Ensure an appropriately trained person is on site at all times to quickly deal with spills. Vehicles/ machinery must be kept at least 100m from water resources; Solid and liquid waste must remain contained and quarantined, and be disposed of at an appropriately licenced facility (a register containing safe disposal receipts should be maintained on site); Bins must be provided on site for both contractors and ENDF12 security personal. Litter must be removed from site and disposed of correctly; and Temporary camps must consider pit latrines for all contractors, security personal and potential visitors. 7.10 Water resource depletion Only water abstracted from a sustainable resource (i.e. water availability to local inhabitants must not be significantly reduced) should be used by the Project; Water should not be abstracted from the Project area unless an appropriate study has been conducted to prove that water abstraction will not significantly deplete borehole groundwater in the area; and It is recommended that access to remote survey corridors (that do not link settlements) be restricting during (and after) Project activities to discourage settlement in the area (overutilization of the natural resources); allowing natural regeneration of plant species
12 Ethiopian National Defence Force.
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Table 6: Impact significance ratings Impact Description Magnitude Duration Scale Probability Impact Significance After Mitigation Increased movement of sediment (e.g. Low Long-term Local Medium Low (24) Low via runoff load and dust) has the Siltation of water potential to increase the rate of siltation resources in Birkas and reduce water storage 2 4 2 3 volume Clearing of vegetation for seismic lines Moderate Permanent Site Medium Improved access to will provide roads to access areas that Positive (36) Positive water were previously inaccessible. 6 5 1 3 Vibration from clearing vegetation and high Long-term Local Improbable Physical damage of survey activities could potentially Low (14) Low Birkas and Boreholes damage water resources such as 8 4 2 1 Birkas and boreholes. Blocked or reduced surface flows to Moderate Long term Local Medium Runoff Diversion Moderate (33) Low Birkas and boreholes 6 4 2 3 Moderate Transient Site Medium Contamination of Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks, as well Low (24) Low water resources as Solid waste 6 1 1 3 High Long term Local Low Water resource Decreased water availability due to Low (26) Low depletion influx of people 10 1 2 2
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8.0 SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN 8.1 Overview In order to protect and maintain the integrity of water resources in the project area during the construction (clearing) and operation (seismic surveys) phases of the Project, it is important to implement appropriate, adaptive management, monitoring and auditing programmes. It is recommended that a site-specific “Water resource Action Plan” be compiled for the project. In the absence of such a plan, this section describes the management plan that will need to be implemented to mitigate impacts on water resources in the interim. The management plan strives to ensure best practice and environmentally friendly procedures to enable effective preventive and corrective actions to be taken to minimize negative impacts of the Project. Responsible persons should be identified to carry out the plan as follows: Health, Safety and Environmental Manager (HSEM): Responsible for implementing the monitoring plan and site audits
. HSEM Advisor: Responsible for co-ordinating monitoring plan/ audits and reporting back to relevant authorities and stakeholders.
Environmental Consultant: Specialist field studies (if required)
Contractor HSEM: Responsible for fieldwork and onsite compliance. 8.1.1 Competence training and awareness It is important that personal allocated to specific tasks are appropriately trained and have sufficient training and knowledge of the proposed Project activities, associated risks/ impacts, and water resources, as well as the relationship between them. 8.1.2 Integration of management plan Compliance monitoring of water resources must be integrated with other plans to reinforce monitoring and compliance as well as reduce the duplication of resources. The plans below should be considered: Dust monitoring. This will give an indication as to how far the impacts of the proposed activities are having on the project area; Biodiversity monitoring (disturbance etc.); Noise monitoring (e.g. degree and duration of excessive noise); Emergency response, including spill clean-up etc. (e.g. drills and incident reporting); and Erosion and sediment control (e.g. development and progression of gullies and winnowing). 8.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing Auditing and monitoring needs to take account of the identified impacts and the proposed mitigation measures. During the clearing of survey routes and seismic activities, monitoring should record the degree of disturbance, and ensure that all procedures and protocols are applied. Monitoring will act as an early warning system, enabling corrective measures to be carried out. Over time, this data can identify trends and changes within the systems and can be linked to an adaptive management plan. Information will then be used to evaluate the extent of site-related impacts.
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9.0 CONCLUSION Water within the Project area is a scarce resource, critical to all people, animals and plants in the area. Three distinct water resources were identified in the Project area: Shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed via hand-dug wells. Water is influenced by anthropogenic activities and varies between locations (i.e. dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates). Deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) accessed by through boreholes by motorised pumps (NaCa-ClSO4 type water). Water is characteristic of extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events. Stored surface water in Birkas impoundments (Ca-bicarbonate type water). Water is characterised by high turbidity, bacteriological contaminants, and evaporation (if open to the atmosphere). Water sources (utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering) are not suitable for human consumption (i.e. most parameters measured exceed relevant drinking standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points. Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells. Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east. No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system as it was not accessible. Static water level (of shallow aquifer) varied throughout the Project area and potential over abstraction is a concern as a 1m drop in water level could result in wells becoming dry. Overall the Project represents a positive impact on water resources (provided mitigation measures are implemented).
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10.0 REFERENCES Abebe ,T (2001) Initial National communication of Ethiopia to united nations framework convention on Climate change. National meteorological Service Agency, Addis Ababa Pexco (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC FDRE (2014) Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy website: http://www.mowie.gov.et/en_GB/ngos/- /asset_publisher/HsoICs1occZm/content/major-river-basins-in- ethiopia;jsessionid=D7474D8EA712A640C716EF3AFC85DB1A. Accessed January 2015 Geological Survey of Ethiopia (2014: http://www.gse.gov.et/index.php/minerals-gallery2) IFC (2013) Good practice handbook: Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management: guidelines for the Private Sector in Emerging Markets MacDonald, A.M., Calow, R.C., Nicol, A., Hope, B. and Robins, N.S (2001). Ethiopia: Water Security and Drought. BGS Technical Report WC/01/02
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
Jonathan Bond Jennifer Pretorius Hydrologist Senior Hydrologist
Reg. No. 2002/007104/07 Directors: SA Eckstein, RGM Heath, SC Naidoo, GYW Ngoma
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APPENDIX A Analytical Results
20 February 2015 Report No. 1417532-13359-1
Jones Environmental Laboratory
Sample ID SHILABO 1 LASONNOT 2 FEDI GARADILE ALBAY1 ALBAY2 DEH DERLI WARDEN DAM SALOLO VILLAGE BAH MIDIGAN ELALE AGRAVENI WARDER ROBDAY WARDER CAMEL COMPOUND EL-SENKOR EL-KURALE MIR-FRADOG ESGOYIS BOH BAALTAAG GELADI HOUSEHOLD ROCHIS Report: Liquid Depth JE Job No: 15/3384 Sample Type Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Liquid Client: Golder Associates Africa Ltd Sampled Date <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> Client ref: Sample Received Date 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015 09/02/2015
Location: Delonex Energy J E Sample No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Contact Jonathan Bond Batch Number 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Test Method Units LOD
Dissolved Calcium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.2 716.1 206 251.4 90.7 104.3 31.1 61.8 32.5 207.5 170 29.4 244.9 121.6 152 160.6 25.3 176.2 203.2 29.5 718 327.3 Total Dissolved Iron TM30/PM14 ug/l <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 <20 Dissolved Magnesium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 81.2 87.4 90.5 25.5 35.1 1.7 80.4 4.3 63.9 64.6 3.8 90.6 54.4 131.2 93.6 2.1 98.6 102.3 2.4 279.4 145.8 Dissolved Manganese TM30/PM14 ug/l <2 297 <2 <2 <2 211 <2 <2 <2 5 11 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 <2 50 <2 <2 72 <2 Dissolved Potassium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 18.4 10.2 38.2 21.8 46 4.6 510.8 5.7 16.5 16.7 4.5 10.4 9.2 11.1 10.6 3.9 11.2 25 8.1 236.9 19.4 Dissolved Sodium TM30/PM14 mg/l <0.1 107.1 261.9 133 25.6 32.7 2 717.7 7.2 180.7 183.4 1.2 241.8 158.4 328.5 354.7 1.7 180.3 231.4 3.5 320.3 331.4
Fluoride TM27/PM0 mg/l <0.3 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 <0.3 <0.3 <0.3 0.5 0.5 <0.3 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.8 <0.3 1 2 <0.3 2.9 1.4
Sulphate TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.05 1523.13 256.77 169.15 93.03 65.15 <0.05 231.6 3.41 282.79 208.47 <0.05 259.69 75.35 168.66 453.86 <0.05 188.06 410.34 <0.05 2407.95 702.72 Chloride TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.3 238.4 572.2 322.8 37.3 32.6 1.2 1136.2 14.4 424.3 414.9 0.7 588.8 308.1 412.3 243.9 2.1 497.2 498.5 1.4 427.3 548.7 Nitrate as NO3 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.2 41.5 114 294.4 127.3 182.3 2.6 4.2 5.1 82.1 104.3 1.1 124.5 179.5 863 437.5 1 0.4 8.8 2.4 129.1 49 Nitrite as NO2 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.15 <0.02 0.95 <0.02 18.05 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.08 <0.02 <0.02 0.8 0.17 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 0.13 <0.02 Ortho Phosphate as PO4 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.78 <0.06 <0.06 0.28 <0.06 <0.06 0.37 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.06 <0.06 <0.06 <0.06 0.11 <0.06
Ammoniacal Nitrogen as NH3 TM38/PM0 mg/l <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.04 <0.03 7.33 <0.03 0.13 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 <0.03 0.06 <0.03 <0.03 0.36 0.12 0.05 0.09 11.12 <0.03
Total Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305 Carbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 Bicarbonate Alkalinity as CaCO3 TM75/PM0 mg/l <1 207 253 351 216 331 120 629 128 269 258 128 287 245 351 363 109 362 274 143 293 305
Dissolved Oxygen TM59/PM0 mg/l <1 9 10 9 9 1 9 2 7 9 9 8 9 9 8 9 8 9 9 8 8 9 Electrical Conductivity @25C TM76/PM0 uS/cm <2 3165 2710 2203 826 1025 180 4740 246 2226 2081 190 2663 1704 3055 2704 178 2262 2504 207 5096 3094 pH TM73/PM0 pH units <0.01 7.64 7.81 7.71 8.01 7.25 7.51 7.68 7.18 7.93 7.94 7.52 7.57 7.77 7.66 7.77 7.48 7.52 7.65 7.63 7.53 7.61 Total Dissolved Solids TM20/PM0 mg/l <10 2676 2049 1777 626 780 118 2935 163 1456 1385 93 2051 1298 2111 2000 167 1644 1896 110 4284 2402 Total Suspended Solids TM37/PM0 mg/l <10 29 22 24 48 3026 21 146 63 12 12 17 15 15 32 43 14 <10 <10 <10 35 13 Turbidity TM34/PM0 NTU <0.1 0.9 3.4 5.1 45.5 3070 15.5 2.2 15.9 6.2 1.5 6.7 5.1 0.7 1.3 1.3 3.5 4.2 1 8.4 0.8 1.2
IMPACT ASSESMENT: WATER RESOURCES
APPENDIX B Document Limitations
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DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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GAA GAIMS Form 10 Version 2
January 2015 1/1
Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. P.O. Box 29391 Maytime, 3624 Block C, Bellevue Campus 5 Bellevue Road Kloof Durban, 3610 South Africa T: [+27] (31) 717 2790
February 2015
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19 and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 3rd Floor Mekwa Place Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13388-2 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
SEP FOR THE DELONEX
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1.1 The Project ...... 1
1.2 Objectives ...... 1
1.3 Purpose and need for the Proposed Action ...... 2
2.0 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS ...... 3
2.1 National ...... 3
2.2 International ...... 3
3.0 STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION ...... 4
3.1 Stakeholder Categories ...... 4
4.0 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME ...... 7
4.1 Consultation Programme ...... 7
4.2 Goals and Objectives ...... 8
4.3 Integration with Project Planning ...... 8
4.4 Commitment to the Following Principles of Stakeholder Engagement ...... 8
4.5 Previous Stakeholder Engagement ...... 9
4.6 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy ...... 11
4.7 Methods and Techniques of Communication ...... 12
5.0 HUMAN RIGHTS ...... 12
6.0 SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ...... 12
7.0 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM ...... 13
8.0 MONITORING AND REPORTING ...... 15
9.0 MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS ...... 16
10.0 REFERENCES ...... 16
TABLES Table 1: Stakeholder categories and key issues of concern ...... 5 Table 2: Summary of consultation in January 2015 ...... 9
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FIGURES Figure 1: Survey area for the 2015 2D seismic vibroseis programme...... 2 Figure 2: IFC Spectrum of Stakeholder Engagement (Source: IFC Stakeholder Engagement handbook) ...... 7 Figure 3: Complaints procedure and decision making process ...... 14
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Document Limitations ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Acronym or Explanation Word
CLO Community Liaison Officer
DFS Definitive Feasibility Study
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
ESHIA Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessment
EPs Equator Principles
IFC International Finance Corporation
JEMA JEMA International Consulting PLC
MoM Ministry of Mines
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
SEP Stakeholder Engagement Plan
WBG World Bank Group
WHO World Health Organization
WMP Waste Management Plan
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1.0 INTRODUCTION Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (i.e. the “Project”) will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area. The total Block area is 29,865km2, however, the survey will cover an area of only approximately 30% of the Blocks. The survey will continue for a period of approximately six months. In summary, the project constitutes the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camp(s); Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. 1.1 The Project The Project is outlined below but the reader is referred to the Scoping or ESHIA report for full project description. Delonex propose to conduct 2D Seismic Surveys within Blocks 18, 19 and 21 of the Abred- Ferfer area, Ethiopia. The concession blocks are located adjacent to the border of the Republic of Somalia in the eastern part of Ethiopia. This area falls within the Somali National Regional State. The administrative blocks cover approximately 30 000 km2, encompassing the Korahe, Gode and Warder Zones (Figure 1). Prior to establishing the survey routes, information will be gathered from scouting activities, satellite imagery, existing seismic lines, existing tracks, access to the proposed survey route, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. This information will be collated and used to plot the location of survey routes. This exercise will ensure avoidance of sensitive areas (e.g. water resources and cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and will minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along this survey route (identified using GPS data). Survey lines will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately 6-7m. This approach is a relatively low impact with no drilling, excavating or blasting required. The proposed survey activities will continue for approximately six months and will constitute the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camps; Establishment of temporary airstrips; Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. 1.2 Objectives Stakeholder engagement is an important element of good planning within the environmental assessment process. Effective stakeholder engagement relies on a commitment to engage and communicate openly and honestly with stakeholders. The public can also be an important source of local information surrounding the project’s site. Through this strategic engagement process, Delonex can gain a better understanding of the social context of their project, respond to public concerns and inform people about decisions to address their concerns. The overall objective of the SEP is to ensure that stakeholders, including local residents, are involved in the ESHIA process of the proposed Delonex Project. Delonex’s Social Policy is compliant with IFC Performance Standards and stresses that public consultation should continue through the entire life of the Project and must be documented to demonstrate that stakeholders have opportunities to influence Project design.
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The SEP is a working document that will be revised during the development of the Project. The SEP will be updated with a list of planned meetings and integrated into the overall bankable ESHIA. The SEP is a material requirement for projects funded by Equator Principle Financial Institutions or the IFC that may have significant environmental or social impacts. The SEP has been written to satisfy IFC Guidelines. The SEP at this stage of Project development is intended as a strategic planning document to indicate the approach and tools which will be used to effectively manage the relationship between stakeholders and the proponent. As the project goes through its phases, the SEP will need to be adapted and revised to include all the activities implemented, including any changes that were made due to Project development and stakeholder issues. The SEP can then be finalised prior to submission of the final ESHIA to the lender consortium.
Figure 1: Survey area for the 2015 2D seismic vibroseis programme. 1.3 Purpose and need for the Proposed Action The primary method of exploring for hydrocarbon deposits is by seismic data acquisition. The purpose and need for the proposed action is for the determination of: Potential Oil & Gas resources in the Project area; and Areas where drilling wells will have a higher probability of finding commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. While Seismic data acquisition cannot specifically locate Oil & Gas resources, it is useful to map formations that could potentially hold petroleum reserves. Surveying enables a relatively sensitive environmental approach to finding these resources and can result in fewer unproductive wells ‘dry holes’ and associated expenses and surface disturbances. Seismic surveys can also identify resource poor areas and save time and money later in the resource extraction stage.
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2.0 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS Delonex will conduct all its stakeholder engagement activities consistent with the relevant Ethiopian regulations and proclamations, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and available international best practices. 2.1 National Ethiopia has a well-developed set of environmental and social regulations which companies such as Delonex must adhere to during its exploration, development and operations. Ethiopian Proclamations and Regulations applicable to this Project are listed in the ESHIA for reference. 2.2 International IFC Performance Standards are applied to manage social and environmental risks and impacts and to enhance development opportunities. As the Delonex project is an oil and gas project in its exploration phase using non-invasive technology on a large greenfields area, it is assumed to be a “Category C” project Performance Standard 1, Social and Environmental Assessment and Management System is applicable to this Project. Accordingly, the client will implement performance requirements in social and environmental management system (“SEMS”) which includes Social and Environmental Assessment, Management Program, Organizational Capacity, Training, Community Engagement, Monitoring and Reporting aspects. Based on PS1, currently the Company is updating the ESHIA to be in line with IFC Standards guidelines.
Performance Standards 2-6 and 8, which relate to Labour and Working Conditions, Pollution Prevention and Abatement, Community Health, Safety and Security, Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement, Bio- diversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management and Cultural Heritage will be applicable to the Project1 but it should also be considered that this is an exploration project utilising a non- invasive operating technique. Stakeholders will take part in ensuring that the implementation of the mitigation action plans identified through the ESHIA, feasibility study and engineering designs are consistent with the requirements of these standards. This includes consultation and participation in monitoring action plans that relate to the planning, construction, operation and decommissioning stages of the Project. Action plans that will be implemented according to these performance standards include Resettlement Action Plans, Waste Management Plans, Emergency Response Plans, and Community Health and Safety Plans. The IFC describes consultation as a two-way process of dialogue between the project company and its stakeholders. The public participation process described below has been designed to fulfil the IFC and Equator Principles objectives for adequate stakeholder consultation aiming to provide sufficient and accessible information allowing stakeholders to: During the scoping phase Raise issues of concern and suggestions for enhanced benefits; Verify that their issues have been recorded; Assist in identifying reasonable alternatives; and Contribute relevant local information and traditional knowledge to the environmental assessment. During the Impact assessment phase Contribute relevant information and local and traditional knowledge to the environmental assessment; Verify that their issues have been considered in the environmental investigations; and
1 PS 7 – Indigenous Peoples is not deemed applicable as Ethiopian people are considered “indigenous” and there are thus no ethnic differentiators are of relevance.
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Comment on the findings of the environmental assessments. During the decision-making phase Advise stakeholders of the outcome, i.e. the authority decision, and how and by when the decision can be appealed. These objectives are outcomes-based. They specify what should be achieved rather than how. Each of the objectives can be broken down into actions that should be undertaken by the public practitioner: During the scoping process Identify stakeholders; Announce opportunity to become involved; Provide with information to comment; Obtain contributions (issues, suggestions, local knowledge, alternatives); and Give opportunity to verify contributions have been heard. During the impact assessment phase Give opportunity to verify contributions have been considered; and Give opportunity to comment on findings. During the decision-making phase Advise stakeholders of the outcome. 3.0 STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION Stakeholder identification or determining who your stakeholders are, their key groupings and sub-groups are an integral part of the stakeholder engagement process. Accurate stakeholder identification reduces the risk of a narrow stakeholder group dominating the consultation process and helps a project sponsor identify and address legitimate concerns related to project impacts. When stakeholders are accurately identified and interactions are documented, a project sponsor can demonstrate compliance, responsiveness and improvement of the Project overall.
Stakeholders are persons or groups who are directly or indirectly affected by a project, as well as those who may have interests in a project or the ability to influence its outcome, either positively or negatively. Many stakeholders will be obvious, such as government authorities responsible for permitting and local communities adjacent to the Project. However, preliminary stakeholder identification will include groups, organisations and individuals that may not appear to be directly involved. Such groups maybe familiar with the existing community dynamic and can help to improve the quality of impact analysis and ensure mitigation and social investment are coordinated with existing initiatives. Expanding stakeholder identification beyond government and local residents increases the likelihood that a wide array and representation of interests and opinions will be considered in the development of the Project. Stakeholder identification can be done using stakeholder mapping which assesses the zone of influence of the project and classifies stakeholders into directly and indirectly affected groups. Stakeholders can be any person involved in activities related to or affected by the proposed project operations and infrastructure. 3.1 Stakeholder Categories When considering the zone of influence for the project, the following preliminary categories of stakeholders were identified: Government authorities at the national, regional and local levels, including traditional leadership entities;
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Multi-national and international organizations (United Nations, World Bank, bilateral donors, etc.); Non-governmental Organizations (NGO) at the international, national, regional and local levels, including organised community-based organisations or interest groups (labour, youth, education, religious, business, etc.); Project-affected communities, including individual residents as well as non-organised groups with particular areas of interest or that may be at risk (elderly, gender, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, indigenous groups, etc.); Commercial organizations and business associations; Project employees; and Media. Governmental consultation was undertaken and documented by Delonex. On-going stakeholder engagement is expected with Federal (the MoM), Regional, Zonal and Woreda government representatives. The primary project stakeholders are those directly or indirectly affected landowners and local residents, there are a range of other potential stakeholders identified during development of the SEP, through engagement, and through a review of different sources (for example, NGOs, commercial organisations and business associations. Table 1: Stakeholder categories and key issues of concern
STAKEHOLDER NAME INTEREST AND ISSUES OF CONCERN Stakeholders with regulatory and enforcement roles FEDERAL The right to ownership of all natural resources of Ethiopia Federal Democratic Republic of Ensures mineral resources contribute to socio-economic Ethiopia (FDRE) and Peoples’ of progress Ethiopia Ensures ecologically sustainable development of minerals Regulates Project as a whole Regulates environmental aspects on behalf of Ethiopian Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Collects information on the project Ministry of Mines Registers compensation agreement Determines compensation when required Receives royalties and other tax benefits Issues regulations to determine participation in community development plan of people in the license area Environmental Protection Authority Responsibility for review of the ESHIA delegated to the Ministry of Mines, but might be interested in receiving reports ZONE Infrastructure and social development Gode (Shebele) Administration Employment and local economic development Warder Zone Administration Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats)
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STAKEHOLDER NAME INTEREST AND ISSUES OF CONCERN Water availability and access Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats) Qorhey Zone Administration Water availability and access Health and school facilities WOREDA Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats, hand dug wells Warder Woreda Administration and boreholes) Employment and local economic development Geladi Woreda Administration Community development initiatives (infrastructure development) Bookh Woreda Administration Employment and local economic development Access roads Shilabo Woreda Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats) Directly or Indirectly affected Stakeholders WOREDA / KEBELE Employment and local economic development Bookh Community Elders Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats) Water availability and access Solole Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine) Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats, hand dug wells)
Elale Employment and local economic development Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine) School facilities and teachers Employment and local economic development Dherilay Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine) Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats) Employment and local economic development Bilmidigan Access roads between villages Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine) School facilities and teachers Los Arnot Employment and local economic development Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats, hand dug wells) Elbay Water availability and access Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine)
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STAKEHOLDER NAME INTEREST AND ISSUES OF CONCERN Water infrastructure and maintenance (birkats) Fedigarable Water availability and access Health inputs for human and livestock (medicine) Have “ interest” in Project or Delonex Energy Ethiopia Limited Water scarcity NGOs operating in this area like WFP, Community development initiatives UNICEF, IRC and Save the Children Support government initiatives Work on emergency and crisis projects
4.0 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME The project is in exploration phase at this stage and as it develops into operation and closure phases, this SEP would need to be revised. Currently the planned exploration activities are envisaged to be non-invasive and cover a large (approximately 30 000 square meters) section of land. Due to the size of this project area, it is not necessary to engage with all stakeholder groups with the same level of intensity throughout the duration of this phase.
The IFC (2007A) highlights the inverse relationship between the number of people engaged with the intensity of engagement. As shown in Figure 2, early engagement involves a larger number of stakeholders to ensure that all stakeholder interests are taken into consideration. As strategies and management systems are put in place, this number will typically decrease as a much smaller number will work closely with the company in the implementation of the Project.
Figure 2: IFC Spectrum of Stakeholder Engagement (Source: IFC Stakeholder Engagement handbook) 4.1 Consultation Programme At this stage of the project, a national and regional rather than a local public consultation program would be more appropriate for the scope of this project. Information for consultation will be made available and accessible in a form and content which is meaningful to the affected parties. Documents will be prepared in English, Oromo, and Amharic (as required) and made intelligible to a non-specialist/scientist. Consultation will be systematic and flexible enough to respond to changing conditions, new information, or shifts in public opinion. The consultation process will be formally documented and feedback provided to interested parties.
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4.2 Goals and Objectives The objectives of the public consultation program are to fully inform residents of the effected communities about the Project and to address any questions or concerns related to the project. Consultation was undertaken at government level and discussions were held with representatives of Federal (the MoM), Regional, Zonal and Woreda government to: Introduce the project; Secure confirmation and approval that the ESHIA may proceed; and Confirm whether there are specific areas of concern associated with the proposed project that need to be considered in the ESHIA. 4.3 Integration with Project Planning Stakeholder issues should inform the findings of an ESHIA and should inform the Project planning and design. Stakeholder engagement during ESHIA is distinct from ongoing stakeholder relations throughout the life of the Project. Stakeholder engagement during the ESHIA usually includes a minimum of two formal periods of consultation: Consultation as it relates to the initial scoping site visits, disclosure of the draft Terms of Reference or work plans for the ESHIA and baseline studies (normally contained in a Draft Scoping Report); and Consultation as it relates to the draft ESHIA report (i.e. the findings of the ESHIA). 4.4 Commitment to the Following Principles of Stakeholder Engagement Delonex recognizes that effective and early stakeholder engagement is a critical component to identify and minimise risks and negative impacts while enhancing development opportunities. Delonex recognises that there are a range of stakeholders with differing interests in the project including individuals and organizations who are directly or indirectly affected by the project, “have interest” in the project or otherwise have the potential to influence the project outcome. Delonex is committed to the following key principles of stakeholder engagement: Provide meaningful information in a format and language that is tailored to the needs of local communities and other affected stakeholders; Respect for local traditions, languages, timeframes, and decision making processes; Provide information as early in advance as possible of consultation activities and decision-making; Two-way dialogue that gives both the Company and stakeholders the opportunity to exchange views and information, to listen, and to have their issues heard and addressed; Inclusiveness in representation of views, including women, vulnerable and/or minority groups; and Processes free of intimidation and a mechanism for responding to people’s concerns, suggestions and grievances. Delonex has developed this SEP which will be managed as part of an integrated social and environmental assessment and management system.
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4.5 Previous Stakeholder Engagement The project area is very large and it is still in the initial stages of development therefore the beginning of the consultation process. Only one previous meeting occurred on 20 November 2014 with the Ministry of Mines (MoM), Delonex and Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. The following was agreed upon: ESHIA will focus on the 2D Seismic activities that are proposed to commence in Q3 2015; ESHIA will provide sufficient background information to enable the MoM to be in a position to assess later project components (the drilling aspects, etc.) without considerable additional aspects (on an Addendum basis); Community Engagement (including government bodies) will be a critical component of the ESHIA and will commence with discussions with Regional, Zonal and Woreda officials as key inputs to the Scoping process; ESHIA report will be succinct (< 100 pages in length) to facilitate the MoM decision-making process; Community Engagement and Community Development will be key components of the Project and Delonex must ensure these aspects receive significant focus; Consultation must be conducted in the Somali language, but the ESHIA shall be submitted in English only; Engagement with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MEF; formerly the EPA) should be considered as a general stakeholder; and Cultural Heritage resources within the Project area must be identified and a chance find procedure put into the Environmental and Social Management Plan. Direct interaction with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is required if Cultural Heritage resources are identified.
Further consultation took place from the 19th – 27th January 2015 with project affected Woreda’s, community leaders (Kabele), NGO’s, Health representatives, Agricultural Bureau and Clan Leaders. Table 2: Summary of consultation in January 2015
Date Zone/Woreda Place Entity Shilabo Woreda Administration 19 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Shilabo Shilabo Community Leaders 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Dherilay Kebele Chairman Head of Water Office 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Los Anot Kebele Chairman 20 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elbay Community Leader Warder Zone Administrator 21 January 2015 Warder Zone Warder Head of Somali Democratic Party Warder Woreda Administrator Warder Woreda Head of Health Office Warder Woreda Head of Water 21 January 2015 Warder Woreda Warder Warder Woreda Head of Finance and Economic Development Warder Woreda Head of Agriculture Warder Woreda Head of Health Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Dherilay Community Leaders 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Solole Women’s group
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Date Zone/Woreda Place Entity Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Bilmidigan Community Leaders Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elale Community Leaders Bookh Woreda Administrator Bookh Woreda Head of Health 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Bookh Woreda Parlaimentary Office Bookh Woreda Revenue Office Head 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Clan Leaders Geladin Woreda Administrator 24 January 2015 Geladin Woreda Geladin Geladin Office of Justice 26 January 2015 Qorhey Zone Kebridahar Qorhey Zone Administrator Shebelle Zone Shebelle Zone Administrative Head 26 January 2015 (Gode Zone) / Gode Shebelle Zone Agricultural Bureau Ferfer Woreda Shebelle Zone Zonal Security Advisor UNICEF Shebelle Zone Save the Children 27 January 2015 Gode (Gode Zone) FAO IRC
Comments through the public consultation process undertaken in January 2015 are summarised as follows: The administrative authorities and communities are highly supportive of Delonex and the proposed development. They are eager to see further development of oil resources within the Somali Region, in the hope that it will lead to development of the communities and the economy; The proposed seismic lines are useful as communities use these as access routes; Previous exploration companies employed from the local population, which provided a significant positive impact to communities. Specifically, communities requested that Delonex hires drivers and vehicles from local villages. The vehicles that were observed appeared to be poorly maintained, with no number plates or insurance cover; Previous exploration companies assisted with development of health and education infrastructure, which is a significant positive impact for communities; Previous seismic exploration activities reportedly resulted in damage to birkats, and local communities claim to have not received compensation or recourse for damaged birkats; The creation of the seismic lines may affect the drainage channels of birkats; The creation of new access routes may increase dust when more vehicles pass along the roads; The noise from the seismic exploration activities may disturb communities whilst the survey is in the vicinity of communities; The clearing of vegetation may affect the availability of grazing vegetation for camels, goats, sheep and cattle; and Communities and authorities requested assistance with development of water resources, educational resources and health resources as their top priorities.
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4.6 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Through previous consultation, the main areas of interest were water scarcity and infrastructure (birkats) as well as employment of local people, community benefits, health, education and social and environmental impacts. Building sustainable relationships with the range of stakeholders and responding to their different interests and roles in an effective and targeted way requires a strategic and coordinated approach. To this effect, Delonex will engage with all stakeholders through mechanisms that respond to their concerns and enable them to be informed about the Project, participate in monitoring activities, and work in a collaborative way in the interest of both local communities and the Company. At this stage, the exploration activities are designed for a large area where the most effective communication strategy is word of mouth. Based on the non-invasive, high level activities planned for exploration, Golder recommends a high level communication strategy utilising already developed government structures and forum groups. Going forward, Delonex’s key strategic objectives for stakeholder engagement should be to: 1) To continuously engage with all stakeholders through information disclosure, consultation and participation in monitoring the project activities to build positive relationships minimize risks and maximize opportunities for social development. Delonex will develop a stakeholder database which will be maintained and regularly reviewed to identify issues and improve performances.
2) To integrate stakeholder information across the project planning functions (including risk assessment, design and engineering, health and safety planning, external communication, financial and workforce planning) by, for example, ensuring regular information exchange and communication between different teams, managers and staff. 3) To work closely with key government departments, other organizations and the community representatives in a coordinated way to enhance their participation and contribution to complex issues that may arise as the project progresses. Methods like setting up a high level stakeholders’ regional forum with membership comprised of senior staff from these organisations could be coordinated. 4) To respond to stakeholders’ concerns and complaints effectively and efficiently based on the Company’s grievance mechanism.
5) To provide periodic updates on changes in the evolving project design and on other developments and issues regarding the project through established communication mechanisms appropriate and accessible to local, national and international stakeholders. This includes any changes in project design. 6) To participate in community development and community-based initiatives: a. Community development: Enable affected individuals and vulnerable groups such as women with children to achieve social development and development of income generating schemes, individual learning, positive action and participation. The action plan for this will be developed and refined based on ongoing liaison and negotiation with local communities and on the requirements to be issued by the Ministry of Mines. b. Capacity building: The identification of social investment and capacity building themes is based on an understanding of community needs and business impacts as well as an appreciation of ongoing and planned activities by governmental and non-governmental organisations. The Delonex social investment themes are likely to emphasise on local capacity and local institution building which are vital to the long term sustainability of any social investment initiatives in the local communities and to ensuring that dependence on Delonex is minimised. The sub plans will clearly outline the objectives and goals of each theme and the intended social and business outcomes over all exploration phases. 7) Facilitate partnerships by working with the private, public, NGOs and other groups to enhance and diversify the future development of the region by using local communities’ experiences and international
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good practice models to promote local economic growth. This can be achieved through promoting new/alternate economic activities and manufacturers to the oil and gas industry in the surrounding community 4.7 Methods and Techniques of Communication The public consultation team will include an experienced consultation coordinator. The consultation coordinator may not have to be a leader of the team, but should report to him. The coordinator should identify affected parties, facilitate conflict resolution, and be able to bring issues and concerns to the ESHIA team in an organized way. The consultation coordinator should be a person accepted by all participants as knowledgeable, respected, neutral and receptive to new ideas and concerns. Ideally, the coordinator should be fluent in Amharic, Somali and English, and be familiar with local issues and concerns. The public consultation program will utilize some of the following methods and techniques. Establishing Community Forum – An advisory committee representing various interests affected by the project. The Committee can provide a forum to discuss and evaluate issues, alternatives, and environmental concerns. The community forum usually does not make decisions but is expected to arrive at reasoned recommendations. It is a useful approach for information exchange between the public and the proponent. Copies of the ESHIA executive summary and the project map shall be sent to the advisory committee, with a copy of the full ESHIA available, prior to the forum meeting; Workshops/Seminars – Workshops and seminars provide an opportunity for a large number of people to learn about many diverse viewpoints. They are particularly useful for informing the public and increasing the general levels of understanding; Display/visual presentations/posters – Displays are often used in conjunction with other forms of consultation such as focus groups and open houses. Displays should be informative and easily constructed and may include site plans, photos, artist sketches, and models. A major difficulty in consulting with people who may be affected by the project is the difficulty of many to understand how their world can be different from what it is, or envisage realistically what their real needs might be when the project materializes. Where feasible, graphic illustrations should be used to clarify the issues; scale models of the area showing villages, roads and the mine will be better understood than speeches or technical drawings; Media Presentations – Media Presentations could include videos, PowerPoint presentations, posters, brochures, copies of the ESHIA executive summary in English, etc. These communication devices are passive because the flow of information is one way; however they can be useful in presenting information about the project. These presentations should be constructed in clear, concise and non- technical language, intelligible to broad public, and available in Amharic/Somali and English. Media presentations should utilize as much as possible pictures while avoiding diagrams, tables or charts. Mailing lists for brochures or newsletters are not very effective because of a lack of home mail delivery; and Internet – Copies of the ESHIA (in pdf format), shall be made available on the Internet. 5.0 HUMAN RIGHTS It is recommended that Delonex develop and implement a Human Rights Policy (i.e. Principles on Security and Human Rights) to proactively demonstrate commitment to protecting human rights, and ensuring training of all personnel (permanent, temporary and contractors) to respect human rights. 6.0 SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT During future stakeholder engagement, Project documentation will include information on Delonex’s strategy toward social investment in Ethiopia and in particular, in regions and local communities affected by the project.
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Delonex will create a clear strategy for social investment and distribute it to stakeholders. The strategy will emphasise the distinction between social investment offered as philanthropic good will to support community needs and “mitigation” required to reduce negative impacts. This distinction should be combined with efforts to align communication processes with the ESHIA. The required mitigation measures and optional social investment are most effective when linked to the actual impacts created by the Project, such as targeted support for economic development in affected communities that are disadvantaged by the Project; or fits strategic goals that benefit both stakeholders and the company, such as training that improves the local skilled workforce and decreases the need to import expatriate workers. Best practice includes using the results of stakeholder engagement to ensure that the mitigation measures and social investment are supported by a broad range of community groups and will be sustainable after the Project is decommissioned. Sustainable social investment avoids simply meeting short-term “wish lists” that may be determined by a narrow group and do not represent ethnic, gender and other socio-economic differences within the community. As much as possible, project benefits should be distributed through a transparent process. Determination of effective social investment is a key decision. Results of social investment are usually more successful when based on the following principles: Goes beyond philanthropic giving, primarily as such initiatives are not sustainable and can create dependency; Builds capacities that are beneficial to the company and the community; Links directly to community needs and aspirations as determined through community-led planning; Utilises a tripartite approach that includes the company, the community and government; this is also likely to include capacity-building at the local and regional government levels; and Promotes activities that utilize core skills, resources and experiences of the company; and where this is not the case, consider using a qualified third party, such as a not-for-profit organization, for delivery. 7.0 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM2 The purpose of a grievance mechanism is to demonstrate responsiveness to stakeholder needs. A clear and widely publicised grievance mechanism improves stakeholder management by ensuring the grievances are documented in writing and clearly understood. Having a good overall community engagement process in place and providing access to information on a regular basis can substantially help to reduce or eliminate grievances. In this context, the grievance mechanism flows from the Company’s broader process of stakeholder engagement and the two are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The company will continue to maintain local presence in the community to continually improve the relationship and engender trust. Purpose and Scope: The grievance mechanism will ensure that all complaints from stakeholders are dealt with appropriately, with corrective actions being implemented and the complainants being informed of the outcome. All complaints will be handled in accordance with this procedure and treated without prejudice. Confidentiality statement: All personal information provided by the complainant will be treated by the company with the strictest confidentiality. No details of the complainant will be provided to other organisations or individuals without prior written permission. Delonex may use the information provided for the purposes of monitoring and reporting without disclosing personal data. Fair and transparent process: The complaints procedure is designed to be readily understandable, accessible and culturally appropriate for people in the project area and the surrounding area. Where a complaint needs an interpreter or translation, this will be made available by the company.
2 Resettlement-related grievance issues are not covered by this mechanism; should there be a need for land acquisition in future, then these would be dealt with in a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and the grievance mechanism clearly provided to those affected stakeholders.
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Publicity and accessibility: As part of the overall stakeholder engagement process and encouraging local communities to engage with the work of the project, Delonex will publicize the complaints procedure through an appropriate medium of communication such as through the traditional authority structures, meetings and other events. Complaint mechanism: Community groups or stakeholders may initiate informal and direct dialogue, for example through a suggestion box or by contacting the company’s community liaison officers, sometimes with assistance from a representative or another organization. It is generally considered that with relatively straightforward issues, addressing complaints quickly might encourage complainants to engage informally with Delonex. Others may prefer to lodge a formal complaint. The policy should be that all complaints will be recorded formally (see Comments and Complaints Form). Responding to complaints: Community liaison officers based at the Delonex Offices (or another officer authorised by Delonex) is primarily responsible for managing complaints. Community liaison officers are authorised to resolve basic complaints which are relatively straightforward. However, when the complaint is of a serious nature, intervention by senior managers is required. Response time: Depending on the nature of the complaint, Delonex is publicly committed to make a first respond to any registered complaints within 30 days. Complaint procedure and decision making process Figure 3 illustrates the generic process for a complaint procedure and this is followed by a detailed description of the different stages for informal and formal complaints received by Delonex. This process would need to be further refined to suite the purposes and appropriate methods of Delonex and it communities.
Figure 3: Complaints procedure and decision making process
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1) Complaint registered in a complaint log book. 2) If the complaint is informal and was able to be resolved right away, register the outcome of the complaint and close the case. 3) If the response requires further information and/or consideration; inform the complainant what happens next, including that Delonex will provide a first respond within 30 days (in practice it may be sooner, depending on the case). 4) Investigation stage: The case will be investigated by a community liaison officer or the responsible Delonex Manager in consultation with his line manager and others as appropriate, including legal experts and those with local knowledge. 5) Outcome of investigation told to the complainant and registered in the log book. If the outcome is accepted by the complainant, the case will be closed. If the outcome is not accepted by the complainant, she/he will be notified of their entitlement to appeal against the decision and they will be informed how to do this; if necessary offering help. 6) Appeal stage: Delonex Manager will re-examine the investigation led by the Community Liaison Officer. As necessary the manager might consider setting up an investigation panel involving external experts/community elders/leaders and discuss the case with the complainant. If the case cannot be resolved, it may be appropriate to enable the complainant to have recourse to an arbitrator. 7) Access to legal remedies: Where the above is not possible and complainants choose to pursue legal recourse, Delonex will not impede access to these mechanisms. Delonex will cooperate to give information and work with the judicial and administrative channels at Kebele, Woreda and Zone levels as appropriate.
Record keeping and reporting: The Company will keep written records of all complaints for effective grievance management. As part of the broader community engagement process, Delonex will also report back periodically to communities and other stakeholder groups as to how the company has been responding to the grievances it has received (i.e. time to respond, percentage of closed/resolved cases, number of complaints monthly). The following details of all comments and complaints will be entered into the complaints log book: Date the comment or complaint was recorded; Summary of nature of comment or complaint; Follow up notes from any communication or investigation to resolve the case ( signed and dated); Information on proposed corrective action sent to complainant; The date the complaint was closed; Date response sent to complainant; Person responsible for the complaint (complainant name, signature, date); and Acceptance of the response (complainant name, signature and date). 8.0 MONITORING AND REPORTING This is a developing document and process. Regular feedback from stakeholders will help in adjusting or refining the communication strategies and techniques proposed. Corrective actions will be taken to amend the stakeholder engagement program based on feedback from stakeholders through the Complaints and Grievance Mechanism. The Company also will take account of comments and views of local staff that live among the wider communities. Stakeholders will have access to ESHIA reports, Delonex newsletters, annual
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company reports and sustainability reports. Quarterly and annual reports to the Ministry of Mines will also be made accessible to stakeholders. Contractors (supervised by Delonex) will record information to track performance and [will use] operational controls. Senior management personnel will receive a monthly high level progress report and a three month detailed report from the contractor. External audits and evaluation may be engaged to verify compliance and progress towards the desired outcome, and stakeholders will be provided opportunity to submit their opinions. 9.0 MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS Delonex will create an Environmental Management System (EMS) that incorporates management of the SEP. The proposed high level framework for the SEP is for the exploration phase of the project and will require ongoing revision and updates as the operation commences into the next phase. 10.0 REFERENCES IFC, 2007, IFC’s Guidance Notes: Performance Standards on Social & Environmental Sustainability, Washington, D.C., USA. IFC, 2007A, Stakeholder Engagement: A Good Practice Handbook for Companies Doing Business in Emerging Markets, Washington, D.C., USA.
IFC, 2007. IFC’s Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines; GENERAL EHS GUIDELINES. Delonex’s stakeholder engagement and fieldwork log for meetings that took place between January 19th-27th 2015.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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APPENDIX A Document Limitations
February 2015 Report No. 1417532-13388-2
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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April 2015
DELONEX ENERGY ETHIOPIA LTD
Final: Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. 3rd Floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
R EP O RT ES H I A
Report Number: 1417532-13389-3 Distribution:
F I NAL 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates UK 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
ESHIA REPORT: 2D SEISMIC SURVEY
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ...... 1
1.1 Background ...... 1 1.2 Purpose of the ESHIA ...... 1 1.3 Who is conducting the ESHIA? ...... 2 1.3.1 The Proponent ...... 2 1.3.2 Details of Environmental Assessment Practitioner ...... 3 1.3.3 Ethiopian Partner ...... 3 1.3.4 Project Team (Golder and JEMA) ...... 4
2.0 ESHIA SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY ...... 4
2.1 Scope of the Project ...... 4 2.2 Scope of the ESHIA ...... 4 2.3 Specialist Studies...... 6 2.3.1 Socio-economic and Health ...... 8 2.3.2 Cultural Heritage ...... 8 2.3.3 Noise ...... 9 2.3.4 Air Quality ...... 9 2.3.5 Water Resources ...... 9 2.3.6 Biodiversity ...... 9 2.4 ESHIA Assumptions and Limitations ...... 10 2.5 Delineation of Study Area for the Assessment ...... 10 2.6 Project Motivation / Justification ...... 10
3.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE ESHIA ...... 10
3.1 Policies ...... 10 3.2 National Administrative and Legislative Organisations ...... 11 3.3 Environmental Regulations ...... 11 3.4 International Conventions ...... 12 3.5 National and International Environmental Standards ...... 13 3.6 Regulatory Framework for Public Consultation ...... 14 3.7 Compliance with relevant Delonex standards ...... 14 3.8 International Finance Corporation Performance Standards ...... 14
4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...... 14
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4.1 Location of Project ...... 14 4.2 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action ...... 15 4.3 Oil and Gas Exploration ...... 15 4.4 Project Associated Activities ...... 16 4.4.1 Construction (Enabling of Seismic corridors) ...... 16 4.4.2 Seismic Survey Operations ...... 17 4.4.3 Accommodation and Associated Support Facilities ...... 19 4.4.4 Access and Transport ...... 20 4.4.5 Employment Requirements ...... 20 4.4.6 Decommissioning / Closure ...... 20 4.4.7 Waste generation ...... 20 4.4.7.1 Hazardous wastes ...... 21 4.4.7.2 Best Available Techniques ...... 22 4.4.8 Water usage ...... 22 4.5 IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVES ...... 23 4.5.1 No- Go Option ...... 23 4.5.2 Seismic surveying ...... 23 4.5.3 Corridor clearing ...... 23
5.0 DESCRIPTION OF BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 23
5.1 Physical Environment ...... 23 5.1.1 Climate and Meteorology ...... 24 5.1.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology ...... 24 5.1.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology ...... 24 5.1.2 Topography ...... 25 5.1.3 Geology ...... 25 5.1.3.1 Regional Geology ...... 25 5.1.3.2 Geology of the Project Area ...... 25 5.1.3.3 Seismicity ...... 25 5.1.4 Soils ...... 26 5.1.4.1 Specific Soil Types ...... 26 5.1.4.2 Soil Fertility ...... 26 5.1.4.3 Agricultural Land Potential ...... 27 5.1.5 Present Land use ...... 27
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5.1.6 Water resources ...... 28 5.1.6.1 Rivers and Streams ...... 28 5.1.6.2 Groundwater ...... 28 5.1.6.3 Surface water ...... 29 5.1.6.4 Groundwater elevations and flow direction ...... 29 5.1.6.5 Characteristics of the water resources ...... 30 5.1.6.6 Potential Water abstraction sites for Seismic survey activities ...... 30 5.2 Air Quality ...... 35 5.3 Noise and Vibration...... 37 5.3.1 Monitoring locations ...... 38 5.3.2 Measured Noise Levels ...... 38 5.4 Biodiversity ...... 39 5.4.1 Study Area ...... 39 5.4.1.1 Regional Study Area ...... 39 5.4.1.2 Local Study Area ...... 42 5.4.2 Flora ...... 42 5.4.3 Fauna ...... 43 5.4.3.1 Avifauna ...... 45 5.4.4 Aquatic and Wetland Ecology ...... 47 5.4.5 Landscape Features ...... 47 5.5 Socio-Economic Environment ...... 48 5.5.1 Administrative Structure ...... 48 5.5.2 Population and Settlements ...... 48 5.5.3 Household Composition ...... 49 5.5.3.1 Marital Status ...... 49 5.5.3.2 Gender Roles and Relations ...... 49 5.5.4 Education ...... 49 5.5.5 Infrastructure ...... 50 5.5.5.1 Energy ...... 50 5.5.5.2 Water ...... 50 5.5.5.3 Roads ...... 50 5.5.6 Livelihoods and Land Use ...... 50 5.5.7 Natural Disasters and Armed Conflict ...... 50
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5.6 Cultural Heritage ...... 51 5.6.1 Delineation of the Study Area ...... 51 5.6.2 Archaeological Resources ...... 51 5.6.3 Cultural Resources ...... 52 5.6.4 Site Significance ...... 53 5.7 Health ...... 54 5.7.1 Health and Nutrition ...... 54 5.7.2 Access to water ...... 55
6.0 ESHIA PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ...... 55
6.1 Impact Assessment Methodology ...... 55 6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts ...... 57 6.1.2 Mitigation Measures ...... 57 6.2 Stakeholder Engagement Methodology ...... 57 6.2.1 Stakeholder Identification ...... 58 6.2.2 Stakeholder Engagement Programme ...... 59 6.2.2.1 Scoping Phase ...... 59 6.2.2.2 Impact Assessment Phase ...... 60 6.3 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy going forward ...... 61 6.4 Methods and Techniques of Communication ...... 62
7.0 SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ...... 62
8.0 IMPACT PREDICTION AND EVALUATION...... 63
8.1 Summary of Impact Assessment Methodology ...... 63 8.2 Identified Impacts ...... 63 8.2.1 Water Resources ...... 63 8.2.1.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 63 8.2.1.2 Improved access to water resources ...... 63 8.2.1.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 64 8.2.1.4 Runoff Diversion ...... 64 8.2.1.5 Contamination of water resources ...... 64 8.2.1.6 Water resource depletion ...... 64 8.2.2 Air Quality ...... 64 8.2.3 Noise and Vibration ...... 65 8.2.4 Biodiversity ...... 65
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8.2.4.1 Clearing of vegetation ...... 66 8.2.4.2 Surveying and recording ...... 66 8.2.5 Socio-Economic and Health ...... 67 8.2.6 Cultural Heritage ...... 69 8.2.7 Waste ...... 70 8.2.8 Residual Impacts ...... 71
9.0 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 71
9.1 Objectives of the ESHMP ...... 78 9.2 ESHMP Implementation ...... 78 9.2.1 Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities ...... 78 9.2.1.1 Delonex Team ...... 78 9.2.1.2 Contractor ...... 79 9.2.2 Training and Competency Development ...... 79 9.2.3 Performance Monitoring of ESHMP Implementation ...... 80 9.3 Management and Mitigation Measures ...... 80 9.3.1 Water resources ...... 80 9.3.1.1 Siltation of water resources ...... 80 9.3.1.2 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ...... 80 9.3.1.3 Runoff Diversion ...... 81 9.3.1.4 Contamination of water resources ...... 81 9.3.1.5 Water resource depletion ...... 81 9.3.2 Air Quality ...... 82 9.3.3 Noise and Vibration ...... 82 9.3.4 Waste ...... 83 9.3.4.1 Roles and Responsibilities ...... 83 9.3.4.2 General Minimum Requirements ...... 84 9.3.4.3 Specific Minimum Requirements ...... 84 9.3.4.4 Waste Transportation...... 85 9.3.4.5 Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal ...... 86 9.3.4.6 Waste Segregation ...... 87 9.3.4.7 Record Keeping and Reporting ...... 88 9.3.4.8 Identified Ethiopian Waste Management Companies ...... 88 9.3.5 Soils ...... 90
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9.3.6 Clearing of Vegetation ...... 90 9.3.7 Socio-Economic and Health ...... 90 9.3.8 Employment Creation and Skills Development ...... 91 9.3.9 Cultural and Heritage Resources ...... 91
10.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 92
TABLES Table 1: Details of the proponent ...... 3 Table 2: Details of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) ...... 3 Table 3: Golder and JEMA team members ...... 4 Table 4: Relevant International Agreements, Conventions and Financing Standards ...... 12 Table 5: Applicable environmental standards during specialists’ studies ...... 13 Table 6: Characteristics of potential waste streams associated with the Project ...... 21 Table 7: UN hazard classes ...... 22 Table 8: Water consumption...... 23 Table 9: Potential water abstraction sites ...... 32
Table 10: Measured ambient NO2 and NOX concentrations ...... 37 Table 11: Noise Monitoring Locations ...... 38
Table 12: Measured Ambient Noise Levels, dBLAeq,1hr ...... 39 Table 13: Proportion and Description of Land Cover Categories within the Regional study area as per the FAO, 2014 ...... 40 Table 14: Dominate plant species expected within the Project Area (Modified from ARDCO, 2008) ...... 42 Table 15: Listed Mammal species with range distribution in Project area ...... 43 Table 16: Mammal species observed during the site visit, January 2015 ...... 44 Table 17: Listed Bird species with range distribution in Project area ...... 45 Table 18: Bird species observed during the site visit, January 2015 ...... 46 Table 19: Overall population distribution in the administrative authorities according to gender (CSA, 2012; updated from Golder Field work 2015) ...... 49 Table 20: Documented Archaeological Investigations in the Project Region (after JD Clark, 1954)...... 51 Table 21: Cultural Heritage Site Valuation Summary ...... 53 Table 22: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 56 Table 23: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 56 Table 24: Key identified stakeholders ...... 58 Table 25: Summary of consultation in January 2015 ...... 61 Table 27: Potential waste transport companies identified to date ...... 89 Table 28: potential Recycling Companies identified to date ...... 89 Table 29: Environmental, Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP) ...... 2
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FIGURES Figure 1: Summary of ESHIA Process ...... 5 Figure 2: Outline of the Proposed Authorisation Strategy agreed between Delonex, Golder Associates and the Ministry of Mines...... 6 Figure 3: Location of villages within and surrounding the Project Area (Concession Blocks 18, 19 and 21) and sample locations (Golder 2015 and Pexco 2009) ...... 7 Figure 4: Project Location in relation to concession license blocks...... 15 Figure 5: Historic seismic corridor in Ogaden region. Note linear clearing of vegetation is limited to the seismic corridor...... 16 Figure 6: Simplified 2D seismic survey schematic showing how sound waves reflect off different geology and are recorded by geophones and then recorded and interpreted at the recording truck (i.e. Seismograph truck) (source cougarlandservices.net)...... 18 Figure 7: Illustrative example of A) Vibrator truck, B) Vibrator on truck that generates sound waves, and C) reflection of sound waves received by geophones and Seismograph truck (Wintershall Energía, 2013)...... 18 Figure 8: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 24 Figure 9: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) ...... 25 Figure 10: Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2013 (http://risk.preventionweb.net) ...... 26 Figure 11: Farming systems and potentials zoning (IFPRI, 2010: 9) ...... 27 Figure 12: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole ...... 28 Figure 13: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below)...... 29 Figure 14: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs...... 29 Figure 15: Map showing groundwater elevation nd flow direction, as well as potential sites for water abstraction...... 31 Figure 16: Photographs showing water pump and reservoir at Lasonnot 2...... 32 Figure 17: Photographs showing Warder Dam. While not shown in the photograph, a non-functioning pump and reservoir is located within a hundred meters of the dam ...... 33 Figure 18: Photographs showing a pumped borehole and two reservoirs at Bah Midigan. Note that a water truck is being filled...... 33 Figure 19: Photographs showing a pumped borehole at Warder Robday as well as a water truck being filled by the pump...... 33 Figure 20: Photographs showing the pump at the Warder Camel compound as well as a water truck being filled at the site...... 34 Figure 21: Photographs showing the reservoir and pump generator at Elale...... 34 Figure 22: Photographs showing pump engine and borehole at Esgoyis ...... 34 Figure 23: Photographs showing the pumped borehole and reservoirs at Boh...... 35 Figure 24: Photographs showing water reservoir and pumped borehole at Rochis...... 35 Figure 25: Measured dust and particulate concentrations at Shilabo (left) and Warer (right) ...... 36 Figure 26: Passive diffusion tubes, Warder Camp ...... 37
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Figure 27: Noise monitoring equipment assembly ...... 37 Figure 28: Regional Study selected by utilising topography, geology, land cover, drainage basins, temperature, groundwater (MacDonald et al., 2001; FDRE, 2014; Hopping and Wann, 2009) ...... 41 Figure 29: Stakeholder engagement with Warder Administration at Liyu camp (left) and at the Zonal office (right) ...... 60 Figure 30: Stakeholder engagement with (A-B) Geladi Administrators near Jijiga and C) the Deputy chairman of the Geladi District (and two council representatives) at a local roadside café ...... 60 Figure 31: Waste management Hierarchy used by Delonex in Ethiopia ...... 85
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Impact Assessments APPENDIX B Document Limitations APPENDIX C Environmental, Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP). APPENDIX D Stakeholder Engagement Plan APPENDIX E Chance Find Procedure APPENDIX F Delonex’s Ethiopian-Waste Management Standard. APPENDIX G Consultant Legal Certificate / License
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1.0 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Delonex Energy Ltd. (hereafter “Delonex”) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (hereafter the “Project”) will entail a two-dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Concession Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area (hereafter the “Project Area”). While the total area of the three Concession Blocks or Project Area is 29,865km2, the survey will only cover approximately 30% of this area. The survey will continue for a period of approximately six months. In summary, the Project constitutes the following key activities: ¡ Establishment of temporary base camp and support camp(s); ¡ Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey corridors; and ¡ Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the Project Area. 1.1 Background The exploration licence for Blocks 18, 19 and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area was previously held by Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V. (hereafter “Pexco”), which undertook gravity and magnetic surveys, as well as seismic surveys in 2008 and 2009. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)1 was conducted on behalf of Pexco for the seismic surveys. Pexco’s exploration licence expired in July 2013 and an exploration licence was subsequently granted to Delonex in August 2014. Delonex are currently undertaking an airborne gravity magnetic survey of the Project Area which is expected to be completed in early 2015, enabling the 2D seismic survey to take place in the second half of 2015. In line with industry best practise, a focused environmental and social risk assessment of the Project was undertaken by RPS Energy (RPS) 2 for this activity. 1.2 Purpose of the ESHIA The main purpose of an Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) is to provide the relevant authorities with sufficient information on the proposed activities to allow them to make an informed decision on whether or not the Project should be authorised. This ESHIA will be conducted in accordance with Delonex Policies and Standards which are aligned to Ethiopian legislation3 and requirements for external financing (World Banks’ IFC Performance Standards). The objectives of an ESHIA are to: ¡ Ensure that social, health and environmental considerations are explicitly addressed and incorporated into the development decision-making process; ¡ Anticipate and avoid, minimize or offset significantly adverse biophysical, social, health and other relevant impacts of proposed developments; ¡ Protect the productivity and capacity of natural systems and the ecological processes which maintain their functions; and ¡ Promote development that is sustainable and that optimizes resource use and management opportunities.
An ESHIA functions as a planning tool which helps determine the social, health, economic and environmental impacts of a proposed Project through stakeholder engagement and independent specialist assessment. Through the ESHIA, potential negative and positive impacts are identified and recommendations are made for reducing or avoiding negative impacts, and enhancing positive impacts.
1 ARDCO (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC 2 RPS (2014) Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report: Phase 1 and 2; RPS Energy; Rev 01; September 2014 3 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an SEIA;
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The findings of an ESHIA are transferred into clear and measurable objectives that must be achieved during construction, operation and decommissioning of a proposed project. These objectives, and plans for achieving them, are captured in an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESHMP). The ESHMP is a public document and typically becomes a component of the project financing terms and conditions should the project go ahead. 1.3 Who is conducting the ESHIA? 1.3.1 The Proponent The Project proponent is Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. (Delonex) which is an Oil & Gas Exploration Company focused on Sub-Saharan Africa. The Company’s vision is to unlock the hydrocarbon potential of the countries they operate within to create value for host governments and communities. The Company is led by CEO: Rahul Dhir, Executive Director: David Ginger, and CFO: Ajay Gupta. The company was established in 2013 with investment led by Warburg Pincus (a global private equity firm) and the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. The Company is committed to the highest standards of Health, Safety, Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance, and has a strong focus on promoting community development to create sustainable value. Delonex is headquartered in London, with subsidiaries in Ethiopia, India and Kenya. In order to protect the environment and benefit local communities, as well as to ensure the health, safety and security of its staff and assets, Delonex have developed and adopted the following policies: ¡ Delonex Environmental Policy ¡ Delonex Social Policy; ¡ Delonex Health & Safety Policy; and ¡ Delonex Security Policy. These policies have been taken into consideration in the preparation of the ESHIA, and in particular the ESHMP. Delonex Personnel in Other Countries The Delonex teams’ experience in other countries has involved: ¡ Drilling the first hydrocarbon discoveries in the frontier Mannar Basin in Sri Lanka. Completed 2D and 3D Seismic and a 3-well deep-water drilling programme, the first wells in the basin and the first wells in country for 30 years, within just 3 years of being awarded the licence; ¡ Oil and gas discoveries in often remote onshore and offshore environments in south-east Asia (Indon ESHIA, Thailand, Malaysia), West Africa (Gabon), NW Europe (UK), Canada (Arctic) and South America; ¡ Refined the full potential of Barmer Basin in Rajasthan, western India, establishing 1.7 billion barrels of oil equivalent recoverable resource base (7 billion barrels oil equivalent in place); ¡ Extended Krishna Godavari offshore oil play into the onshore part of the basin in south-east India; ¡ Helping India to reduce their country’s oil imports by approximately $14 billion and contributing approximately $6 billion to the Indian Exchequer.
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Table 1: Details of the proponent Item Description Proponent (Operator) Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. (Delonex) Name of Proposed Project Delonex 2D Seismic ESHIA, Ethiopia 3rd Floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Address Addis Ababa Ethiopia Website http://www.delonexenergy.com/ Contact Person HSE Manager - Cameron D. Bain Email / Telephone [email protected] / +44 (0)20 7024 4700
1.3.2 Details of Environmental Assessment Practitioner Delonex has appointed an independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP), Golder Associates (hereafter “Golder”) to undertake the ESHIA for the proposed Project.
Golder was established in 1960 and is an employee-owned organisation driven by our purpose to engineer earth’s development while preserving earth’s integrity. From over 180 offices worldwide, our more than 8,000 employees help our clients find sustainable solutions to the challenges society faces today including extraction of finite resources, energy and water supply and management, waste management, urbanisation, and climate change. Golder has completed over 300 major ESHIA projects around the world in the last 10 years, with over 30% of studies undertaken for the Oil & Gas sector with projects including Liquified natural Gas (LNG) projects, Refineries, Oil Fields and Oil & Gas pipelines. A large proportion of our clients are reliant upon international funding and as a result the vast majority of our ESHIA work has been compliant not only with the relevant national legislation framework, but also with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and Equator Principles. All work will be performed to comply with the Equator Principles and IFC Performance Standards. Table 2: Details of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) Item Description EAP Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. Address 5 Bellevue Road, Kloof, 3610; Po Box 29391; South Africa Website http://www.golder.com/ Contact Person Rob Hounsome Email / Telephone [email protected] / +27317172777
1.3.3 Ethiopian Partner JEMA International Consulting Plc. is a licensed firm working with multi-disciplinary groups of professionals. The firm was registered in 1999 under the Commercial Law of Ethiopia, to provide professional consultancy services by integrating locally available know-how with those of international consultants for planning and implementing development projects, particularly those related to mineral, water & energy resources, Environmental Social and Heath Impact Assessment (ESHIA) and Baseline surveys.
The firm can call upon the services of highly qualified professionals with multi-disciplinary specializations. These include geologists, mining geologists and engineers, processing engineers, civil structural engineers, architects, electrical and mechanical engineers, market experts, GIS specialists, economists, environmentalists, anthropologists, botanists, ecologists, financial analysts, surveyors, sociologists and
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human resource specialists. These professionals have several years of experience and have been involved in several resource development projects in Ethiopia. 1.3.4 Project Team (Golder and JEMA) The Project team including specialists are listed in Table 3 below. Table 3: Golder and JEMA team members Team Members Role Company Rob Hounsome Project Director Golder Jonathan Bond Project Manager Golder Stuart McGowan Air and Noise Specialist Golder Warren Aken Ecological Specialist Golder Pierre Gouws Socio-economic and Community Specialist Golder Jennifer Pretorius Surface and Groundwater Specialist Golder Assefa Bekeler JEMA Team Leader and co-ordinator JEMA Dr. Deksissa Hydro-geologist JEMA Deme Abera Anthropologist/Sociologist JEMA
2.0 ESHIA SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 2.1 Scope of the Project In terms of IFC Performance Standard 1, the Project requires a Limited or Focussed Environmental and Social Assessment as the proposed activities are likely to have limited adverse environmental or social risks and/or impacts. However, the Ethiopian Ministry of Mines (MoM) requested that Delonex conduct a full Environment, Social, and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). The purpose of this ESHIA is to identify and evaluate the Project’s potential environmental, social and health impacts, and to anticipate and avoid, and where avoidance is not possible, to mitigate these potential impacts. In this situation, the IFC requires compliance with the more stringent regulations, i.e. the Ethiopian regulations. For a detailed description of the Project see Section 4.0. 2.2 Scope of the ESHIA The MEPF (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Forestry MEPF) and Ministry of Mines (MoM) has established an Environmental Impact Assessment system for development in Ethiopia, including the preparation of Procedural and Sectoral Guidelines as a prerequisite for the approval of new development activities and projects. The current process for preparing and submitting the ESHIA is set out in the following documents: ¡ Environmental Impact Assessment Procedural Guidelines Series 1, November 2003. This document sets out the basic procedures and the responsibilities of the various parties; ¡ Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines Document, May 2000. Although the procedures in this document are superseded by the guidelines of 2003, the Sectoral guidelines in this document are still important; ¡ Guidelines Series Documents for Reviewing Environmental Impact Study Reports, January 2003; and ¡ The stages of the ESHIA process in Ethiopia, in common with many countries, follow logical sequences that involve screening, scoping, ESHIA, Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and are summarised in Figure 1.
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Figure 1: Summary of ESHIA Process
The MoM is the primary agency responsible for reviewing the ESHIA of projects licensed at Federal level. Accordingly the Project will be licensed by the MoM with who a meeting was held on the 20 November 2014 to discuss the ESHIA process for this Project. Figure 2, presents a summary of the key points coming out of this meeting.
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Proposed Authorisation Strategy
On 20 November 2014, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Mines (MoM) in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) between MoM, Delonex, and Golder to discuss the ESHIA process for the Project. The following was agreed at the meeting: ¡ ESHIA will focus on the 2D Seismic activities that are proposed to commence in Q3 2015; ¡ ESHIA will provide sufficient background information to enable the MoM to be in a position to assess later Project components (the drilling aspects, etc.) without considerable additional aspects (on an Addendum basis); ¡ Community Engagement (including government bodies) will be a critical component of the ESHIA and will commence with discussions with Regional, Zonal and Woreda officials as key inputs to the Scoping process; ¡ ESHIA report will be succinct (< 100 pages in length) to facilitate the MoM decision- making process; ¡ Community Engagement and Community Development will be key components of the Project and Delonex must ensure these aspects receive significant focus; ¡ Consultation must be conducted in the Somali language, but the ESHIA shall be submitted in English only; ¡ Engagement with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MEF; formerly the EPA) should be considered as a general stakeholder; and ¡ Cultural Heritage resources within the Project area must be identified and a chance find procedure put into the Environmental and Social Management Plan. Direct interaction with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is required if Cultural Heritage
Figure 2: Outline of the Proposed Authorisation Strategy agreed between Delonex, Golder Associates and the Ministry of Mines.
The ESHIA report includes the following sections. Note that as per requirements of the Ministry of Mines (MoM), the report was not to be more than 100 pages (excluding supporting Appendices). 2.3 Specialist Studies Two full Impact Assessment Studies have been previously been completed for the Project Area by ARDCO in 2008 and RPS in 2014. While the baseline information contained in these reports is relatively detailed, additional specialist studies were required to fill identified gaps in information and to update, where necessary, outdated baseline information. The specialist studies (Appendix A) were undertaken at the desktop level and verified in the field through a two week field programme (19 – 30 January 2015. Investigated areas are shown in Figure 3 below. Note that the duration and extent of fieldwork was restricted by the logistical limitations. Assumptions and limitations for the respective studies are summarised in Section 2.4. Specialist studies and their scope of work are outlined below.
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Figure 3: Location of villages within and surrounding the Project Area (Concession Blocks 18, 19 and 21) and sample locations (Golder 2015 and Pexco 2009)
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2.3.1 Socio-economic and Health The primary purpose of this specialist study was to ground-truth information collated during the scoping phase and to fill identified information gaps.
Key issues to be addressed through this study include: ¡ Demographics and potential social disruption; ¡ Land tenure and land use; ¡ Livelihood activities of major importance in the area; ¡ Socio-cultural structures and their importance in the area; ¡ Community health and education; and ¡ Community livelihoods. A representative sample of communities located within the Project Area, namely Concession Blocks 18, 19 and 21 (see), were sampled through a combination of qualitative methods, including: ¡ Field visits, focus groups and participatory rural appraisal including local communities/households, local decision makers/community leaders, potentially such as women, farmers, educators, the clergy and others; and ¡ Consultative engagement through semi-structured key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders (such as communities, government agencies and public/social institutions, and NGOs.
Further to this, during the field survey, information on potential health impact areas of concern was also collected so as to determine whether the Project will further cause impact to these concerns. 2.3.2 Cultural Heritage The purpose and scope of the specialist study was to characterise the baseline cultural heritage environment within the area potentially affected by the Project.
With reference to the International Finance Corporation’s definition of cultural heritage (IFC, PS8, 2012) and Ethiopian cultural heritage law (10/88), the following assets were considered: ¡ Archaeological Sites and Artefacts; ¡ Cultural or Religious Sites; and ¡ Historic Structures and Districts; ¡ Intangible Heritage Practice. ¡ Cultural Landscapes; The baseline data gathering was undertaken between January and February 2015: i) A desk study and literature review of existing archaeological information pertinent to the Project area, including consultation with an expert in Ethiopian archaeology at the University of Addis Ababa; ii) Targeted community consultation throughout the study area to gather information pertaining to sites and elements of local cultural and religious activities.
As the potential exists that the Project Area could contain archaeological sites not previously identified, appropriate mitigation plans will be included within the ESHMP, which will incorporate a Chance Find Procedure (CFP) (further details are provided in Section 5.6 and the Cultural Heritage Impact assessment in Appendix A). The Draft CFP is provided in Appendix E for finalisation in consultation with Authorities for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and a local archaeological specialist.
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2.3.3 Noise The purpose of the noise study was to identify noise and vibration sensitive receptors within the Project Area, characterise baseline conditions and to predict future impacts attributable to the Project. This involves: ¡ Review on national and international regulations and guidance related to noise and vibration; ¡ Identification of Project study area and receptor locations; ¡ Baseline survey to determine representative baseline noise levels at receptor locations within the study area; and ¡ Predict future noise and vibration effects associated with the Project and evaluate the significance of impacts.
Appropriate good practice in noise and vibration control was identified as part of the study which has been included in the ESHMP. 2.3.4 Air Quality The purpose of the air quality study was to identify air quality sensitive receptors within the Project Area, characterise baseline conditions and to predict future impacts attributable to the Project. This involves: ¡ Review on national and international regulations and guidance related to air quality; ¡ Identification of Project study area and receptor locations; ¡ Baseline survey to determine representative baseline air quality levels within the Project area; and ¡ Predict future effects associated with the Project and evaluate the significance of impacts. Appropriate good practice in control of air emissions was identified as part of the study which has been included in the ESHMP. 2.3.5 Water Resources The primary purpose of the Water Resource study was to identify and classify water resources in terms of quality and function in the Project area. This involved: ¡ A hydrocensus to identify and visit water sources to allow identification or confirmation of groundwater elevations, flow directions, and groundwater quality; ¡ Consulting with and/or identifying groundwater users or groundwater dependant ecosystems to understand the dependence of communities on groundwater (e.g. source of water for domestic, agricultural or other use); and ¡ Establishing a baseline assessment of the Project area, including the quality of the water resources in the area, importance of drainage lines and their riparian zones, and linkages to the hydrogeological regime from an environmental and social perspective. 2.3.6 Biodiversity The purpose of the Biodiversity study was to identify sensitive ecological receptors within the Project area, characterise baseline conditions and predict future impacts attributable to the Project. This involved: ¡ A site visit to supplement gaps in available data (Pexco, 2008) whereby field notes and photographs were taken to groundtruth existing data and desktop information (i.e. relating to potential unique or irreplaceable habitats and potential threatened species within the Project area).
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2.4 ESHIA Assumptions and Limitations In addition to the document limitations listed in Appendix B, the following assumptions and limitations should be noted: ¡ Safety concerns related to fieldwork logistics limited the extent of fieldwork; ¡ Accessibility of certain areas was difficult and in some cases , such as Ferfer, was limited due to poor road conditions and lack of alternative routes; ¡ Telecommunications were generally limited as the majority of villages do not have telephone lines, and cellular phone reception in the area is relatively poor; and ¡ Recent and readily available baseline information is limited as very few studies have been undertaken in the area. 2.5 Delineation of Study Area for the Assessment The study area for assessment or Project Area is based primarily on the boundaries of Concession Blocks 18, 19, and 21. This area encompasses the proposed seismic survey lines as well as the support camps. The local communities which may be directly or indirectly affected by these activities are also located within these Blocks. The Project Area also includes the existing survey camp and runway located near the village of Shilabo (25km north-west of the south-west corner of Block 18) as Delonex may choose to use this camp in the future. 2.6 Project Motivation / Justification The primary method of exploring for hydrocarbon deposits is by seismic data acquisition. The purpose and need for the proposed action is for the determination of: ¡ Potential oil and gas resources in the Project Area; and ¡ Areas where drilling wells will have a higher probability of finding commercial quantities of hydrocarbons.
While Seismic data acquisition cannot specifically locate oil and gas resources, it is useful to map formations that could potentially hold petroleum reserves. Surveying enables a relatively sensitive environmental approach to finding these resources and can result in fewer unproductive wells ‘dry holes’ and associated expenses and surface disturbances. Seismic surveys can also identify resource poor areas and save time and money later in the resource extraction stage. 3.0 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE ESHIA Ethiopia adopted its Constitution in 1995, which provides the basic and comprehensive principles and guidelines for environmental protection and management in the country. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) divides management responsibilities between the Federal Government and Regional States. Federal Proclamations 33/1992, 41/1993 and 4/1995 define the duties and responsibilities of the Regional States to include planning, directing and developing social and economic development programs as well as protection of natural resources. Accordingly the legislative frameworks applicable to the ESHIA are relevant proclamations, national environmental guidelines and regulations issued by the FDRE and the regional government. 3.1 Policies Federal proclamations provide a number of guiding principles emphasizing sustainable development, and a high commitment to: ¡ Ensure that environmental impact assessments consider not only physical and biological impacts but also address social, socio-economic, political and cultural conditions;
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¡ Ensure that public and private sector development programs and projects recognize any environmental impacts early and incorporate their containment into the development design process; ¡ Recognize that public consultation is an integral part of ESHIA and ensure that ESHIA procedures make provision for both an independent review and public comment before consideration by decision makers; and ¡ Ensure that an environmental impact statement always includes a mitigation plan for environmental management problems and contingency plans in case of accidents.
These policies set the scene for developments and projects within Ethiopia, particularly those of national significance. The policy underpins the regulatory requirements for ESHIA and pollution control and requires proponents to aspire to the highest international standards of environmental and social management for project development. 3.2 National Administrative and Legislative Organisations The following key administrative and legislative organisations regulate oil and gas, and mining development in Ethiopia and are key in the authorisation process: The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Forestry (MEPF) The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Forestry (MEPF) is the institution responsible for preparing environmental policies for the country and to prepare the legislation at the national level, supervising and inspecting the implementation process. Under the Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation 299/2002, the EPA (or the relevant regional environmental agency) is the authority responsible for approving or refusing the implementation of a project based upon review of the environmental impact assessment and is responsible for subsequent monitoring of its implementation. Regional Environmental Protection Bureau The Regional Environmental Protection Bureau has the responsibility to ensure all development projects or programs are executed according to ESHIA requirements. The Federal Ministry of Mines (MoM) The Ministry is responsible for formulation of broad policy direction, coordination, organizing and leading negotiations of mining and petroleum agreements and supervising (in collaboration with the regional bureau) large scale operations. 3.3 Environmental Regulations The following environment and petroleum operations proclamations are applicable to the Delonex ESHIA to ensure compliance with Ethiopian environmental regulations. ¡ Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation 299/2002; ¡ Proclamation to Regulate Petroleum Operations (Proclamation No. 295/1986); ¡ The Environmental Protection Organization Establishment (Proclamation No. 295/2002); ¡ Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, (2003); ¡ Environmental Pollution Control Proclamation (Proclamation No. 300/2002); ¡ Ethiopian Water Resources Management Proclamation (Proclamation No.197/2000); ¡ Wildlife Conservation Proclamation (Proclamation No. 192/1972 & 1980); ¡ Development, Conservation and Utilization of Wildlife Proclamation (Proclamation No. 541/2007);
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¡ Forest Development, Conservation and Utilization Proclamation (Proclamation No. 542/2007); ¡ Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation (Proclamation No. 209/2000); ¡ The Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998); ¡ The Investment Proclamation (Proclamation No.37/1996); and ¡ Payment of Compensation for Property Situated on Landholdings Expropriated for Public Purposes Council of Ministers Regulations (Proclamation No. 135/2007). 3.4 International Conventions Relevant international agreements, conventions and financing standards are detailed in Table 4 below. Table 4: Relevant International Agreements, Conventions and Financing Standards Date of Date of coming ratification, International Conventions and Treaties Date of signing into force for accession or Ethiopia succession Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes 12 April 2000 and Their Disposal Convention on the conservation of migratory 1 January 2010 species of wild animals (Bonn Convention) Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety 24 May 2000 9 October 2003 7 January 2004 Constitution of the World Health Organisation 22 July 1946 11 April 1947 Convention concerning Minimum Age for 27 May 1999 Admission to Employment Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory 02 September
Labour 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible 24 February 2006 24 May 2006 Cultural Heritage Convention on Biological Diversity 10 June 1992 05 April 1994 Convention on International Trade in Endangered 04 September 5 April 1989 Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 1989 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of 10 September 08 July 1980 Discrimination against Women 1981 Convention on the Political Rights of Women 31 March 1953 21 January 1969 Convention on the Rights of Persons with 30 March 2007 7 July 2010 Disabilities Convention on the Rights of the Child 14 May 1991 International Convention on the Elimination of All 23 June 1976 Forms of Racial Discrimination International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 11 Jun 1993 International Covenant on Economic, Social and 11 June 1993
Cultural Rights International Covenant on Economic, Social and 11 Jun 1993 Cultural Rights Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on 14 April 2005 13 July 2005 Climate Change Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the 11 October 1994 Ozone Layer Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits 12 October 2014 Arising from their Utilization Paris Convention on the protection of the World 06 July 1977 Cultural and Natural Heritage Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic 17 May 2002 09 January 2003 Pollutants
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Date of Date of coming ratification, International Conventions and Treaties Date of signing into force for accession or Ethiopia succession 25 September UN Convention to Combat Desertification 15 October 1994 27 June 1997 1997 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 10 June 1992 5 April 1994 4 July 1994 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone 11 October 1994 Layer
3.5 National and International Environmental Standards During the ESHIA process, specialist studies are undertaken and impacts are assessed. These assessments are determined on the basis of various relevant national and international environmental standards and regulations. Table 5 below outlines the Ethiopian and international laws, regulations, standards and guidelines that are proposed for the ESHIA. Applying these standards would deliver an ESHIA that is compliant not only with national regulations, but also with IFC standards and good international practice. Table 5: Applicable environmental standards during specialists’ studies Specialist Environmental Standards Study The AQIA will be conducted in terms of both the WHO guidelines and IFC ambient air quality standards for mining. The IFC and WHO do not provide standards or guidelines for TSP or Air Quality fallout dust therefore the South African draft regulations, derived from and aligned with international best practice guidelines (ASTM D1739), were used to form a base for comparison. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Cultural Policy proclamations No.229/66, Cultural 36/89, and 209/2000. Proclamations 299/2002 regulate cultural-environmental interactions, and heritage international guidelines established by the World Bank, IFC and UNESCO World Heritage Convention (to which Ethiopia is a party) will be included. Ethiopia has no national standards governing effluent discharges from industries. However, Effluent since 2003 Ethiopia has had draft regulations governing the quality of the effluent discharged standards from facilities to public sewers and surface water systems (EPA, 2003). These draft guidelines will be considered in the studies. Wastewater Effluent and Storm water; and Water Supply and Resources (IFC, 2007) will be Hydrology applied in the hydrology study. The IFC Mining Guidelines (Industry specific) were applicable for water quality standards. Ethiopia has no national legislation for noise, but World Bank guidelines have been adopted by Noise EPA and are used for benchmarking purposes along with the draft National Noise Standards that are being prepared. The guidelines and standards relevant to the soil study include IFC’s General Environmental, Soil Health, and Safety Guidelines (April 2007): Environmental Contaminated Land; and Performance Standard 3: Pollution Prevention and Abatement. Ethiopian Waste Management Legislation and the IFCWB EHS Guidelines are applicable to Waste this study. Stakeholder engagement activities need to be conducted in compliance with the relevant Stakeholder Ethiopian regulations and proclamations, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Consultations Performance Standards and available international best practices (see Section The main laws that relate to expropriation and compensation are Proclamation No 455/2005 Expropriation of Landholdings for Public Purposes and Payment of Compensation, and Council Resettlement of Ministers Regulations No. 135/2007 on the payment of Compensation for Property Situated Action Plan on Landholdings Expropriated for Public Purposes. Also important is Proclamation No. 456/2005: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Rural Land Administration and Land Use Proclamation.
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3.6 Regulatory Framework for Public Consultation Public consultation during the ESHIA process is conducted in compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1995) Article (92), and Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation 299/2002 Article (15), with the following objectives: ¡ To increase public awareness and understanding of the Project; ¡ To inform and involve stakeholders in the identification of potential Project impacts, and prioritize remedial measures accordingly; ¡ To understand the perspectives of affected stakeholders and develop aligned mitigation measures; and ¡ To provide a timeline in which to respond to questions. 3.7 Compliance with relevant Delonex standards Specialist impact assessments (see Appendix A) were approached with a number of Delonex requirements which are IFC compliant. These include: ¡ Delonex Corporate Health and Safety Policy; ¡ Delonex Corporate Environmental Policy; ¡ Delonex Corporate Social Policy; ¡ Delonex Corporate Security Policy; ¡ HSESS-03-01-Corporate-Life-Saving Rules; ¡ HSESS-02-02-Corporate-Stakeholder Engagement Standard; ¡ HSESS-03-03-Corporate-Land Acquisition & Resettlement Standard; ¡ HSESS-03-04-Corporate-Grievance Mechanism Standard; ¡ HSESS-03-09-Corporate-Cultural Heritage Standard; ¡ HSESS-03-05-Corporate-Security Management Standard; and ¡ HSESS-03-010-Corporate-Journey Management Standard. 3.8 International Finance Corporation Performance Standards IFC Performance Standards on environmental and social sustainability (updated in 1 January 2012) represent international best practices and are incorporated in all aspects of the ESHIA (unless otherwise stated). 4.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The main focus of the Project is to identify oil and gas bearing geological structures. The 2D survey program consists of ~17 seismic corridors totalling approximately 940 line-kilometres. The Project will involve the use of vibroseis trucks to generate ground energy to map oil and gas bearing geology along the seismic corridors. 4.1 Location of Project The Project is proposed to take place in the Abred-Ferfer area of Ethiopia, along the border of Somalia. Seismic survey operations and support camps will be restricted to Concession Blocks 18, 19, and 21, which have combined total area 29,865 km².
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The Blocks are located between 70°N (Latitude) and 45°E (Longitude), within the Korahe, Gode, and Warder Zones. It is likely that the existing survey camp and runway located near the village of Shillabo may be used as it is accessible by an all-weather tar road from Addis Ababa or by air. The temporary seismic support camps will be located nearer the 2D seismic corridors. Figure 4 below, shows the proposed alignment of the 2D seismic corridors in blue. Note the orange lines depict the existing lines previously surveyed by Pexco Exploration.
Figure 4: Project Location in relation to concession license blocks. 4.2 Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action The primary method of exploring for hydrocarbon deposits is by seismic data acquisition. The purpose and need for the proposed action is for the determination of: ¡ Potential oil and gas resources within the Concession Blocks or Project Area; and ¡ Areas where drilling wells will have a higher probability of finding commercial quantities of hydrocarbons.
While Seismic data acquisition cannot specifically locate oil and gas resources, it is useful to map formations that could potentially hold petroleum reserves. Surveying enables a relatively sensitive environmental approach to finding these resources and can result in fewer unproductive wells ‘dry holes’ and associated expenses and surface disturbances. Seismic surveys can also identify resource poor areas and save time and money later in the resource extraction stage. 4.3 Oil and Gas Exploration The exploration and appraisal of potential oil and gas fields typically involves the following process:
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¡ Review of field geology from published records to identify potential for hydrocarbon basins; ¡ Airborne gravimetric surveys to confirm the likely location of subsurface anomalies which can then be used to more accurately target ground-based seismic studies; ¡ Seismic Exploration to understand sub-surface geology and further identify potential for oil or gas- bearing sedimentary basins; ¡ Exploration drilling, to verify the presence of oil or gas; and ¡ Appraisal drilling, to establish the size and characteristics of any oil discoveries, including its quality such that the optimum method of oil or gas recovery can be determined.
The Ogaden Basin has been the subject of numerous exploration activities by various operators in the past decade. The Project proposes to conduct seismic exploration activities (specifically seismic data acquisition) to further develop the understanding of potential oil reserves in Concession Blocks 18, 19, and 21 of the Ogaden Basin. The survey will provide information needed to identify oil-bearing sedimentary basins and determine if further exploration, or appraisal drilling surveys, is required. 4.4 Project Associated Activities 4.4.1 Construction (Enabling of Seismic corridors) In advance of the proposed seismic survey, a series of scouting activities will be undertaken to enhance Delonex’s understanding of the area. Satellite imagery (sourced from Google Earth) will be used to inspect ecological and archaeological features, existing seismic corridors, existing tracks, access to the proposed survey area, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. These satellite images, as well scouting of the proposed routes, will be used to plot the seismic corridors in order to avoid sensitive areas (e.g. cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and to minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along the survey route (identified using GPS data). Survey lines will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of 6m to 7m. A historic survey line in the Project Area is illustrated in Figure 5 for reference.
Figure 5: Historic seismic corridor in Ogaden region. Note linear clearing of vegetation is limited to the seismic corridor.
The planned seismic corridors will be inspected for explosive remnants of war (ERW) and, where necessary, de-mined by Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) troops. Mine clearance teams will inspect all areas suspected of having ERW to determine that they are safe for scouting and seismic survey activities. In areas of light to medium vegetation, straight lines will be cleared using CAT DHR8 or equivalent machines.
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Where vegetation is dense, a ‘slalom’ (i.e. zigzag) line technique will be used go around trees, termite mounds and other sensitive structures in order to minimise environmental and social impacts. Cleared material (i.e. vegetation and surface soil) will not be stockpiled across drainage lines and will be placed in such a way as not to restrict runoff or water flows. In addition Delonex will: ¡ Minimise soil disturbance where practicable; ¡ Minimise vegetation removal where practicable; ¡ Avoid creating windrows where practicable; ¡ Deviate around sites of scientific, heritage or archaeological significance; ¡ Roll or walk heavy machinery (e.g. bulldozers) on gravel or rocky plains; ¡ Avoid blocking water courses or impeding possible water flows, especially at Wadi crossings and Birkas ¡ Ensure heavy vehicles (e.g. Bulldozers) adhere to a one track policy. Surveying and clearance of the seismic corridors will not commence before all scouting activities have been completed. Issues identified by the scouting team will be addressed and resolved prior to final clearance of the corridors to minimise impacts. Once cleared, Seimsic corridors are typically utilized as roads and previous rehabilitation has not been successful in the Project area (e.g. Pexco, 2008). Delonex propose to leave seismic corridors open where they may facilitate transport within the Project area. Cleared corridors will however be rehabilitated if identified as remote and not needed by the local population. Surface material removed from these corridors will be stockpiled (as described above) and placed over the corridors following completion of seismic activity. Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks will be used for the seismic corridors and to gain access to the survey areas. Where necessary, new access tracks will be created following the same corridor clearance method mentioned above (e.g. environmentally sensitive features are avoided). The planned locations of the seismic corridors are as indicated in Figure 4 above, however at present these lines are only indicative and will be adjusted according to the recommendations of the ESHIA and scouting activities. 4.4.2 Seismic Survey Operations Once the survey corridors have been prepared, the seismic survey will be undertaken. The survey operates by sending a seismic energy wave or ‘shot’ through the ground, which is recorded by a series of geophones located along the survey route (Figure 6). The geophones record the wave as they ‘rebound’ from the layers of rock beneath the surface. The survey will utilise a vibroseis4 process to generate the seismic waves (as opposed to waves generated by explosives). The vibroseis waves are generated by sources within purpose- built trucks which communicate with the geophones and are recorded by a separate recording truck (i.e. Seismograph truck), as indicated in Figure 6 and Figure 7 below.
4 ‘Vibroseis’ is a registered name (trademark) of a device which uses a truck-mounted vibrator plate coupled to the ground to generate a wave train of several frequencies. The recorded data from an upsweep or downsweep (increasing or decreasing frequency respectively) are added together and compared with the source input signals to produce a conventional-looking seismic section (i.e. geological profile).
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Figure 6: Simplified 2D seismic survey schematic showing how sound waves reflect off different geology and are recorded by geophones and then recorded and interpreted at the recording truck (i.e. Seismograph truck) (source cougarlandservices.net)
Vibrator Truck A Vibroseis machine on truck B
Seismograph truck records Vibrator truck in field and interprets data from geophones
Geophone receives vibration signals Vibration waves
Vibration signals
C
Figure 7: Illustrative example of A) Vibrator truck, B) Vibrator on truck that generates sound waves, and C) reflection of sound waves received by geophones and Seismograph truck (Wintershall Energía, 2013).
Each machine will exert up to 80,000lbs (36,000kg) of force at approximately 50m intervals along each seismic corridor. Geophones, or nodes, will be placed at approximately 25m intervals to record the data. These nodes are easily deployed, retrieved and require no cabling. The survey will proceed in a linear manner, with support staff walking the route adjacent to the vibroseis machines (i.e. Vibrator truck). The survey will be conducted by a crew of expatriate staff supported by Ethiopian junior staff, the majority of which will be hired locally.
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No shallow drilling activities or explosives will be required during this stage of the Project. The survey will be conducted for 12 hours a day, 7 days per week and is expected to take approximately 6 months to complete. 4.4.3 Accommodation and Associated Support Facilities The seismic survey will be run from a base camp and a number of separate support camps. The candidate locations for the base camp and support camps will be identified during the initial scouting of the area, taking account of local environmental and social constraints. The preferred option would be to reuse the base camp developed for the 2009 Pexco seismic survey in the area (near Shilabo); however the suitability of the site still needs to be confirmed. It is anticipated that the base camp will have an area of ~150m² and will contain accommodation, offices for surveyors, communications, security, crew management, and field data processing, in addition to a medical facility. Workshops will be provided for mechanics and maintenance of the recording equipment. Accommodation will typically be in the form of tents. A temporary double earth berm of approximately 2m high will be constructed around the base camp to provide additional security. The camp will be sufficient to accommodate approximately 200 survey personnel and additional ENDF troops.
Support camps may be developed close to specific seismic corridors to minimise travelling time when operating at lines distant from the main camp. Any support camps will have temporary single earth berm / ditch constructed around them with tented accommodation for the recording crew and ENDF troops. The use of support camps will be minimised, where possible, for security reasons. Ablutions Toilet and wash facilities will be provided in the form of temporary erected containers. Hot and cold water systems will be developed by means of pumping stored water via a water filtration system, with the hot water heated by means of electrical heaters attached to the inside of the containers. Black water from the facilities will be discharged to a septic pit system located beyond the camp boundary. The black water will pass through a septic tank system, prior to discharge to a seepage pit. Grey water from the facilities, along with laundries and kitchen will be fed to a soak-away system, also beyond the camp boundary. All wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste management Standard (Appendix F). The reader is referred to Section 4.4.7 for further details regarding waste generation, and Section 9.3.4 for more information on waste management. Water Water for use in ablutions, washing up, laundry, and cleaning will be sourced locally from wells. Water is likely to be transported from camp to wells using 15,000 litre tankers (or similar). The sourcing of suitable wells will be undertaken in consultation with the local communities and will take account of environmental and social considerations. Non-potable water supplies will be filtered and treated with chlorine for sterilisation purposes. Potable water will be delivered by truck from Debri Kahar or similar towns and stored in bladders within the camp. Supplementary supplies of bottled water will be supplied to the camp by truck from Addis Ababa. Food and supplies Food and supplies will be supplied to the site by truck from Addis Ababa. Where supplies are available locally these will be sourced accordingly, however care will be taken not to disturb the local economy or supply chains through increases to food prices or disruption to availability. Power and fuel The camp will be powered by portable diesel generators which will be transferred to the camp by road from Addis Ababa. Fuel will also be delivered to the camp by road and stored in above ground tanks within the camp site. The tanks will be appropriately bunded and managed in accordance with guidelines based on Good International Industry Practice (GIIP). Similarly, fuel for the vehicles will be stored in similar bunded tanks and refuelling activities undertaken in a specific bunded area such that leakages and spillages can be appropriately controlled in line with Delonex policies, standards and procedures.
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Medical Facilities Medical facilities will be supplied at base camp and a medevac aircraft will operate from either the nearby airstrip or a purpose built temporary airstrip at the main camp. 4.4.4 Access and Transport Access to and from the camp site, the airport and the survey lines will be undertaken utilising existing tracks and roads, where possible. Depending on the location of the camp it may be necessary to clear new tracks in a similar manner to that described for the seismic corridors above. Staff are likely to travel to the site by air from Addis Ababa. Once in the area, the seismic field crew will utilise various light 4x4 support vehicles in addition to their specialised mobile equipment. The vehicles will be sourced locally, where possible, subject to Delonex safety and procurement standards and, where not available, transported from Addis Ababa. Additional security support (in the form of ENDF troops) will transported in 4x4 vehicles and heavy trucks, where necessary. A medevac aircraft and periodic supply flights will occur from local airstrips, but the construction of temporary airstrips at other locations may be required within the survey area. 4.4.5 Employment Requirements The 2D seismic survey will be conducted by a crew consisting of senior international staff. These staff will be supported by Ethiopian junior staff, most of which will be hired locally. Approximately 35 foreign national employees and approximately 240 Ethiopian national employees will be needed for the duration of the survey. Delonex will liaise with the ENDF and arrange all operational and base camp security. ENDF security services will be in operation on the site to safeguard personnel, equipment, and utilities from deliberate damage. The ENDF troops will be required to protect the camp from attack including guarding bulk fuel supplies brought in by road. The ENDF will also be required to guard the aircraft and fuel bladder lying outside the camp perimeter and guard all equipment placed around the airport and on the runway approach. 4.4.6 Decommissioning / Closure Upon completion of the survey, all instrumentation, accommodation and vehicles from the base camp and remote camps will be removed unless required for ongoing activities in the Project Area. Any markers or other equipment will be retrieved from the survey lines. At the camps, all wastes will be collected, grey water pits filled in, and perimeter berms will be bulldozed back to natural levels. Due to the aridity and sparse vegetation occurring in the area, any vegetation cleared to make way for the base camp and seismic corridors will not be replaced by planting. Instead, the area will be left to naturally restore itself to its naturally occurring sparsely vegetated state. 4.4.7 Waste generation Waste is defined as remains of raw materials, substances or articles that are no longer of economic value to the waste generator and are intended or required to be recycled, reused, treated or disposed of. Non- hazardous solid waste is any solid or semi-solid material which does not pose any danger to the environment or to human health, if it is dealt with in a safe scientific way. Hazardous waste is any liquid or solid waste, which because of its quantity, physical, chemical or infectious characteristics can be hazardous or potentially hazardous to human health, to plants or animals and to air, soil or water.
Differentiation between hazardous and non-hazardous waste, is subject to regulatory rules and interpretation on a case-by-case basis. Where uncertainty exists, or in cases where international practice differs from that of the Ethiopia, Delonex and its Contactors shall assume the more conservative waste classification for that waste. Potential hazardous wastes associated with the Project are described below.
Typical waste that may be generated during the above activities are listed below and waste characteristics are outlines in Table 6. ¡ Waste concrete, building sand, various grades of gravel; ¡ Waste steel and other metals; ¡ E-waste such as used small electronic equipment;
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¡ Waste electrical cables and associated materials; ¡ Wood used for machine packaging, concrete boxing and related purposes; ¡ General domestic waste from camps such as office paper, plastics, food and other related waste; ¡ Oily mops and absorbents, paint and other used containers, used tyres, vehicle parts and other hazardous waste associated with the construction activities such as chemicals, degreasers, bitumen, herbicides, resins and curing agents; and ¡ Domestic, sanitation, sewage, and waste water. The proposed Project is situated in a remote area where no current landfill sites for waste disposal are available. Accordingly waste will be transported and disposed of at an appropriately licensed facility.
Non-hazardous and hazardous waste generated during the construction of Project infrastructure will not be mixed, but stored separately (in a fashion as to mitigate against potential pollution) on the site before removal by a private contractor for disposal at approved waste facilities (see section 9.3.4 and Appendix F). Waste will be recycled as far as possible to give effect to the waste management hierarchy. Table 6: Characteristics of potential waste streams associated with the Project Preliminary Preferable Disposal Waste stream Area generated Volumes classification Option Vehicles and Camp / Batteries e.g. lead acid batteries Low Hazardous Treatment workshop Medical Waste Medical facility Low Hazardous Incineration
Electrical and Electronic waste Camp / workshop Low Hazardous Recycle / Treatment General office, including Offices, canteen, Non-hazardous landfill paper/plastics, uncontaminated residential area, Non Low or on site mass burn containers and putrescible guest house, sport hazardous incinerator wastes facilities Non Metals, ferrous and non-ferrous Camp / workshop Low Recycle hazardous Oily rags, filters, containers, Camp / workshop Low Hazardous Recycle / Treatment cotton and other similar wastes Petroleum Waste Workshops Low Hazardous Recycle / Treatment
Sewage and Sewage Sludge camps Low Hazardous Treatment Sesimic activity Non- Recycle / Landfill / Tyres and rubber hoses etc. areas and camps/ Low Hazardous Incinerate workshops Non Wood pallets and off cuts Camp / workshop Low Reuse / Recycle hazardous
4.4.7.1 Hazardous wastes Hazardous wastes that may be generated at camps or along seismic corridors will require characterization in accordance with applicable Ethiopian laws. In the absence of such laws, a waste should be considered a hazardous waste if, based on testing or knowledge of the hazardous characteristics of the waste in light of the materials or processes used, a representative sample of the waste meets one or more UN System hazard classes (identified in Classes 1 to 8) as follows:
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Table 7: UN hazard classes Hazardous Waste Code Hazardous Material Class Flammable gas (Class 2) Flammable liquid (Class 3) Ignitable hazardous waste Flammable solid or substance susceptible to spontaneous combustion (Class 4) Oxidizing substances (Class 5) Corrosive hazardous waste Corrosive material (Class 8) Explosive (Class 1) Reactive hazardous waste Compressed gas (Class 2) Dangerous when wet substance (Class 4) Radioactive hazardous waste Radioactive material (Class 7) Toxic hazardous waste Poisonous (toxic) material (Class 6)
Batteries Batteries potentially contain heavy metals which can be stripped from the cells and recycled. The heavy metal type is dependent on battery type however; lead is often one of the constituents. Batteries, including battery acid, will be removed from the seismic activity areas and recycled (if possible) or taken to an appropriately licensed landfill. Medical Waste Medical waste has the potential to contain infectious materials, it is therefore necessary to ensure that this waste is handled in a manner that prevents exposure to receptors. A means of doing this is to incinerate the waste at a medical waste incinerator after it has been placed in one-way sealed burn-bins. Oils and Petroleum Waste Petroleum products will be used in a variety of applications for the seismic activities. Potential petroleum waste may come from vehicles such as seismic trucks, company vehicles and other vehicles operated on site. Maintenance of these vehicles generates used oil and other petroleum waste. Used oil and other petroleum waste generally do not meet hazardous waste identification criteria; however, if released into the environment, they can significantly impact human health or the environment. 4.4.7.2 Best Available Techniques With regard to waste, Delonex will use Best Available Technologies (BAT). BAT is defined as “the most effective and advanced stage in the development of activities and their methods of operation which indicates the practicable suitability of particular techniques for providing the basis for emission limit values designed to prevent, and where that is not practicable, generally to reduce the emissions and the impact on the environment as a whole”. For example black water which contains human waste, shall be treated using chemicals, electrical, heat, filtration or other BAT techniques (where possible). Methods to manage waste are further discussed in Section 9.3.4. 4.4.8 Water usage Delonex estimates that the Project will require approximately 60 000 litres of water per day for various activities (Table 8). Water will be sourced from established pump sites (see section 5.1.6) and brought to site using three water tankers (20 000 litre capacity each). A water reserve of between 40 000- 60 000 litres will be stored on site to buffer water demand ad supply. Water infrastructure will be considered in consultation with local communities and form part of the future drilling plan (expected to follow from the seismic operations).
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Table 8: Water consumption Water requirement Volume of water per day (litres) Washing, cleaning, sanitation, and waste disposal 28 000 Vehicle cleaning 12 000 Cleaning of accommodation and coverall washing 10 000 Contingency (i.e. for emergencies such as fires etc.) 10 000
Total 60 000
4.5 IDENTIFICATION OF ALTERNATIVES Project alternatives are explored to ensure that development is sustainable in the context of socio-economic (e.g. employment, health etc.) and physical (e.g. topography, drainage etc.) environmental needs of the Project Area and surrounds. Project alternatives are explored below in terms of sustainability. 4.5.1 No- Go Option The no-go option (i.e. do nothing alternative) is the best environmental approach from a strictly biophysical perspective. The option however fails to enable potential social and economic benefits associated with an oil discovery. Considering adverse impacts due to the seismic operation are minimal and can be mitigated, the no-go option is not viewed as a better alternative to the proposed Project. 4.5.2 Seismic surveying An alternative to the vibroseis seismic surveying method would be the use of explosives. This method entails generating sound waves by drilling shallow holes for the detonation of explosives (as opposed to electric vibrators). Islam and Khan (2007)5 however explain that the use of explosives is less environmentally friendly in comparison to the vibroseis method. The use of explosives also increases the overall Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) risk. 4.5.3 Corridor clearing An alternative method to corridor clearing would involve the use of a helicopter to limit the use of access roads and clearing activities. The seismic corridor is developed using small drills/ heli-drills for shot holes and all personnel and equipment are brought to the site by helicopter. While, Islam and Khan (2007) argue that Helicopter seismic operations are more environmentally sensitive, the operation still requires 1.5m wide corridors along seismic corridors and helicopter landing sites must be cleared every 2km for safety reasons. Accordingly, significant clearing is still necessary and given the Projects large survey area; helicopter seismic operations are prohibitively expensive. The remoteness of the Project Area also makes adequate helicopter maintenance difficult and this option is unlikely to be a feasible alternative to the method described in Section 4.4.1. 5.0 DESCRIPTION OF BASELINE ENVIRONMENT 5.1 Physical Environment The baseline condition of the Project environment is given to identify and highlight any sensitive areas or receptors (e.g. communities, aquifers etc.) and to provide a baseline for which to evaluate the significance of any impacts or changes to the environment, associated with the Project or other developments in the area. As mentioned previously, two full Impact Assessment Studies have been conducted by ARDCO in 2008 and RPS in 2014.
5 M.R. Islam, M.I. Khan (2007) The Petroleum Engineering Handbook: Sustainable Operations
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The baseline conditions presented in the following sections is based primarily on the information presented in the ARDCO (2008) and RPS (2014) studies, supplemented with recent information collected during field investigations undertaken between 19 and 30 January 2015. 5.1.1 Climate and Meteorology 5.1.1.1 Regional Climate and Meteorology The climate of Ethiopia is strongly influenced by topography. The large central highland regions of the country are much cooler than the south-eastern and north-eastern lowland regions, where the climate is typically tropical6. Mean annual temperatures are around 15-20°C in these elevated regions, while the lowlands are around 25-30°C.
Rainfall in Ethiopia is largely driven by the migration of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The majority of Ethiopia experiences one main wet season from mid-June to mid-September (up to 350mm per month in the wettest regions), when the ITCZ in in its northern-most position. The central regions also have a secondary wet season, with considerably less rainfall from February to May. The southern regions also experience two distinct wet seasons as the ITCZ migrates to its southern most position. The main wet season occurs from March to May and generally yields 100-200mm per month, while the secondary wet season occurs from October to December and yields around 100mm per month. The eastern corner of Ethiopia receives very little rainfall throughout the year. 5.1.1.2 Project Area Climate and Meteorology The Project Area is characterised as mostly arid or semi-arid. As shown in Figure 8, average temperatures in Shilabo range between of 19°C in December and January to 29°C in March.
Figure 8: Average monthly high and low temperatures in Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015)
Rainfall in the Project Area is typical of southern Ethiopia with two defined rainfall periods between March and June, and again between September and November (see Figure 9). October, April and May are generally the months with the greatest number of rain days (9, 8 and 7 days respectively). Precipitation is generally greatest in May and October with 33 mm during these months.
6 C. McSweeney., M. New., and G. Liczano (2010) UNDP Climate Change Country Profiles: Ethiopia, Available: http://country-profiles.geog.ox.ac.uk
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Figure 9: Average monthly rainfall (mm) for Shilabo, Ethiopia, between 2000 and 2012 (World Weather Online, 2015) 5.1.2 Topography ARDCO (2008) shows that the predominant landforms of the Project Area include flat to undulating plains, residual hills, and marshlands. Flat to undulating plains (slopes <10%) cover ~95% while residual hills and Marshlands covering ~4.3% and 0.7% of the area respectively. Altitude ranges from 375 to 582m above mean sea level (amsl) in the Darbe Wein and Gumbro villages respectively. Marshlands typically occur in the lower reaches of the Wabi Shebele River 5.1.3 Geology 5.1.3.1 Regional Geology Within a regional context, Geological Survey of Ethiopia (2014: http://www.gse.gov.et/index.php/minerals- gallery2) shows that Ethiopia is dominated by sedimentary regions which comprise distinct sedimentary basins, including the Ogaden Basin. The Ogaden Basin, which contains blocks 18, 19 and 21, is presumed to be an intra-continental rift basin formed as a result of extensional stresses induced by the break-up of Gondwanaland in the Upper Paleozoic. The Ogaden Basin, covers an area of ~350,000 km2 and extends from the east to the southeast of Ethiopia. Its geometry is characterised by deep asymmetrical grabens (blocks of the earth’s crust displaced downwards and flanked by two faults). Sedimentary succession ranges in age from Late Paleozoic to Early Tertiary and the basin reaches over 10,000m in its deepest areas and is characterised by non-marine to deep-sea clastics, and thick shallow-deep-sea carbonates. 5.1.3.2 Geology of the Project Area The geological formations of the Project Area are typically comprised of sedimentary rocks and extend west into the study area. The geology was typically formed through three cycles of transgression and regression of the sea during the Cretaceous period. Successions of sediments consist of sandstone, limestone, shale, gypsum, and anhydrite, and deposits become progressively younger towards the east. In the southwest part of the Project Area (by Belet Uen and Jesomma), formations consist of limestone, shale and sandstone, while the rest of the Project Area is covered by Jesomma sandstone, Auradu limestone, and Taleh evaporate. Tectonics are dominated by northeast faults/ fractures (ARDCO, 2008). 5.1.3.3 Seismicity In Ethiopia, 90% of the seismic and volcanic activity is related to the East African rift system. As shown in Figure 10, the risk associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity decreases away from the rift valley, posing little or no risk to Project Area.
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Figure 10: Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2013 (http://risk.preventionweb.net) 5.1.4 Soils Within Ethiopia, 19 major soils are identified7. The extreme variability is attributed to the wide ranges of topographic and climatic factors, parent material and land use. 5.1.4.1 Specific Soil Types Six specific soil groups cover the Project Area, but Gypsisols and Calcisols dominate, comprising 85% of the prospecting area. The major landform types and principal soil groups of the Project Area are described below:
¡ Gypsisols: Soils with substantial secondary accumulation of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O). Haplic and Petro Gypsisols occupy the eastern and south-eastern part of the Project Area and cover 52.15%; ¡ Calcisols: Soils with substantial secondary accumulation of lime. Haplic and Petro Calcisols occur on central, western and north-western parts of the Project Area, covering ~32.74%; ¡ Arenosols: Soils developed in situ after weathering of old, usually quartz- rich soil material. Only Brunic Arenosol occurs the southern part of the Project Area (10.53%). ¡ Leptosols: These are very shallow soils over hard rock or highly calcareous material. At present, these soils are characterised by shrub cover and used by cattle. Only Lithic Leptosol occurs on the residual hills (~4.34% of the Project Area). ¡ Fluvisols: Soils developed from alluvial deposits. Calcaric Fluvisol can be found on the marsh lands, along the Wabe Shebelle River (0.06% of the Project Area). ¡ Vertisols: Dense clay soils with a high proportion of swelling 2:1 lattice clays. Eutiric Verisol in conjunction with Fluvisols can be found in the southern reaches of the Project Area (0.16% of the Project Area) and is currently under cultivation. 5.1.4.2 Soil Fertility Data on soil fertility in Ethiopia is largely out-of-date at the national level with the last major surveys undertaken in 1980s by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)8. In general, Ethiopian soils are low in available nitrogen and phosphorous and cannot produce high yields crops unless these are supplied. As
7 A. Mengistu (2003), Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles: Ethiopia, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, www.fao.org 8 IFPRI (2010), Fertilizer and Social Fertility Potential in Ethiopia: Constraints and Opportunities for Enhancing the System, Working Paper, International Food Policy Research Institute, www.ifpri.org.
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shown in Figure 11 below, the Project Area falls within the “Agro-pastoral and Pastoral Zone”, and has limited potential for cultivation of cash crops or cereal.
Figure 11: Farming systems and potentials zoning (IFPRI, 2010: 9) 5.1.4.3 Agricultural Land Potential The Project Area falls within the Bereha (dry-hot) Ethiopian Agro-Ecological Zone9. The general features of this zone are: ¡ Elevation - less than 500m above sea level; ¡ Mean annual rainfall - less than 900mm; ¡ Mean annual temperature - greater than 22°C. ¡ Soil types - yellow, sandy soils; ¡ Natural vegetation - Acacia commiphora Bushland; ¡ Crops – Only with irrigation; and ¡ Livestock – Camels and goats. Due to limited agricultural land potential within the Project Area, livestock production is very important to local communities. Livestock includes camels, goats, and sheep, as well as cattle. The condition of these lowland grasslands is considered to be poor to very poor due to shrub invasion, overgrazing, short duration of growing season (<60 days), limited rainfall and recurrent drought. 5.1.5 Present Land use Based on classification of land use and land cover, the Project Area can be divided into five major land covers (i.e. vegetation communities). These include: Woodlands, Barelands, Shrublands, and Wetlands. Wetlands will be addressed under the section 4.6. Woodlands cover more than half of the Project Area (56.66%), followed by Barelands contributing 31.53%. The remaining categories comprise the remaining 11.81% of land cover.
9 A. Mengistu (2003), Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profiles: Ethiopia, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, www.fao.org
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5.1.6 Water resources Unless otherwise referenced, the information presented below is taken from the Water Resource impact assessment. The reader is refered to the report in Appendix C for more detailed information relating to water resources. 5.1.6.1 Rivers and Streams Ethiopia is hydrologically divided into 12 basins: 8 river basins, 1 lake basin and 3 dry basins10. The Project area falls across the basins of Wabi Shebele (a river basin) and Ogaden (a dry basin). Both the Wabi Shabele and Ogaden basins are part of the wider Eastern Ethiopian Basin that flows in a south easterly direction toward the Indian Ocean. Groundwater sources within Ethiopia are generally limited due to the poor permeability of the crystalline rocks and variable depths of the water table. While the Wabe Shebele River flows outside of the Project area close to its southeast corner, there are no rivers in the Project area. Water is typically sourced from boreholes and Birkas (small ponds) which are further discussed below. Rain and flood water is harvested in Birkas (discussed below) (i.e. pond: 10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep dug in the ground and made water tight by either clay or concrete walls). Water is typically transported from boreholes by tanker trucks to the villages but camels and donkeys are used as well for short distances. 5.1.6.2 Groundwater Boreholes Within the Project area, water is particularly scarce and is typically sourced from groundwater through boreholes using submersible pumps (requiring generators at each borehole site) and hand-dug wells. The Calub Gas Development study (Calub, 1993) in the region found two main sources of groundwater: ¡ Perched aquifers (30-50m) deep, which produce fresh water but in relatively small quantities, and ¡ Cretacious Faf formation aquifers (180-200m) deep, which produce brackish water but with a sustainable flow of 3 litres/sec.
Field observations confirmed the presence of the two aquifer types although observed boreholes ranged in depth from 160-320m (Pers. comm., 2014). Observed boreholes (Figure 12) are installed with casings and operated with generator sets of variable size and energy capacity. The casing was typically steal (65/8 diameter at surface) and raiser GSP pipes were 6 to 9cm in diameter.
Figure 12: Photograph of Borehole (pumped) wellhead at Bali Midigan (left) and water supply system (right) showing the filling of a water tanker and concrete reservoir from the Bali Midigan deep (pumped) borehole
Boreholes are typically the major source of water for towns and to a lesser extent for the villages. Domestic animals (e.g. camels, cattle, goats and sheep) are also dependent on these water resources. Livestock watering varies according to the size of the settlement but typically involves filling water troughs, which can be >30m in size. In smaller settlements, drums/buckets are used to water animals.
10 FDRE (2014a) Ministry of Water & Energy website. http://www.mowr.gov.et/index.php?pagenum=3.1&pagehgt=5500px Accessed 15 December 2014.
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Water tankers are typically used to transport water from deep (pumped) well sites to remote settlements. Camels and donkeys were also observed to facilitate water transport over short distances (i.e. <10km). Hand-dug wells Perched aquifers are typically accessed by hand-dug wells (Figure 13) and are primarily linked to seasonal rainfall and runoff. Wells are essentially circular holes (typically constructed flush with the ground) in sandy soil (cemented by calcium carbonates) and water is manually raised using ropes and buckets. No observed hand-dug wells had motorised pumps. Well depths typically range between 8.1- 30m.
Figure 13: Photographs of hand-dug-wells accessed by rope and bucket in Geladi (above) and Albay (below). 5.1.6.3 Surface water Surface runoff is harvested in concrete walled ponds called Birkas (~10m long by 5m wide and 5m deep; Figure 14) dug into the ground. In a similar fashion to the hand-dug wells, water extraction is done with rope and bucket for both animal and livestock consumption. Sanitation near and at Birkas and hand-dug wells is accordingly poor as rope and bucket are returned to the water directly after use (i.e. groundwater has no protection from contaminants). In addition, livestock faeces surround Birkas (and hand-dug wells) and are carried in by rainfall runoff. Dams are not common but were encountered near the Warder and Waf dug village.
Figure 14: Photographs showing Kuneso Birka (above) and Salole Birka (below). Birkas fill by surface runoff only and typically do not have roofs. 5.1.6.4 Groundwater elevations and flow direction In the Project area, static water level below surface typically varies between 5.46m (U’Ub) to 15.44m (El- Senkor). These wells are generally dug to depths of a metre below the static water level, with exception of the two sites that were deeper than 20m. Potential over abstraction of this shallow system is a concern and a 1m drop in water level could potentially cause wells to go dry. Groundwater flow is typically governed by topography. In the western portion of the Project area, flow is towards the southwest, but flow is in a south easterly direction towards the east Figure 15. No water level information was available for the deep aquifer system associated with the deeper lying crystalline formations.
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5.1.6.5 Characteristics of the water resources Three distinct water resources are in the Project area: ¡ Shallow aquifer (<30m below surface) that is accessed via hand-dug wells. Water is influenced by anthropogenic activities and varies between locations (i.e. dependent on the depth of occurrence, recharge and evaporation rates). ¡ Deep aquifer system (>30m to 300m below surface) accessed by through boreholes by motorised pumps (NaCa-ClSO4 type water). Water is characteristic of extended residence time within the deep aquifer system and low recharge from sporadic rainfall events. ¡ Stored surface water in Birkas (Ca-bicarbonate type water). Water is characterised by high turbidity, bacteriological contaminants, and evaporation (if open to the atmosphere).
Water sources (utilised by the local inhabitants for drinking, domestic use, and livestock watering) are not suitable for human consumption (i.e. most parameters measured exceed relevant drinking standards). Elevated nitrate and the presence of faecal bacteria in samples indicate that the pollutants affecting the water sources are most likely from poor human sanitation practices and close proximity of livestock animals to water abstraction points. Water character is dominated by recharge and evaporation mechanisms. To insure the protection of water resources, the abstraction points need to be protected from surface infiltration and run-off of contaminants, evaporation, and direct contamination through access of groundwater wells. 5.1.6.6 Potential Water abstraction sites for Seismic survey activities As already discussed in Section 4.4.8, Delonex requires approximately 60 000 litres of water per day to support the undertaking of seismic activities. Potential sites for water abstraction were investigated in the Project area and are shown in Figure 15 (and illustrated in Figure 16 to Figure 24). Project area and are shown in Figure 15 (and illustrated in Figure 16 to Figure 24). While Delonex will continue to source available information on water abstraction sites, information regarding abstraction/ recharge rates in the Project area is very poor due to the remote nature of water resources and historical conflict. Sites were thus chosen on the basis of established infrastructure (i.e. reservoirs and submersible pumps with generators) and observed flow output to water tanker vehicles. While hand dug wells were investigated (see Figure 3), these cannot provide enough water for Delonex’s purposes and are not explored further.
Recommended sites for water abstraction are listed in Table 9 and are all viewed as sustainable water sources, provided suitable mitigation measures are implemented (see section 9.3.1.5). As discussed above, water is not suitable for drinking and should only be used for cleaning and sanitation etc. (see Table 8 in section 4.4.8).
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Figure 15: Map showing groundwater elevation nd flow direction, as well as potential sites for water abstraction.
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Table 9: Potential water abstraction sites
Contaminatio Site Location (GPS) Type Elev. (m) Depth (m) Ref. No. n (Figure 15) 6.25116E 4 Lasonnot 2 BH 465 185 Coliform 45.38625N 6.96423 - Warder Dam Dam 538 Unknown E. coli. 45.34637 6.83246 12 Bah Midigan BH 466 214 Coliform 45.80710 Warder 6.99758 15 BH 517 320 Coliform Robday* 45.35214 Warder Camel 6.99758 Private 16 517 45 Coliform compound** 45.35214 BH 6.55751 13 Elale HDW 457 290 Coliform 45.77967 6.90758 20 Esgoyis BH 463 193 E. coli. 46.06325 7.43529 21 Boh BH 484 233 None 46.64585 6.95655 25 Rochis BH 416 Unknown E. coli. 46.38820 * Estimated discharge is 200 litres/ minute ** Owner is Kemal Mohammad and his contact number is +044 74 21 15 24 58. Estimated discharge is 88 litres/ minute
Figure 16: Photographs showing water pump and reservoir at Lasonnot 2.
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Figure 17: Photographs showing Warder Dam. While not shown in the photograph, a non-functioning pump and reservoir is located within a hundred meters of the dam
Figure 18: Photographs showing a pumped borehole and two reservoirs at Bah Midigan. Note that a water truck is being filled.
Figure 19: Photographs showing a pumped borehole at Warder Robday as well as a water truck being filled by the pump.
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Figure 20: Photographs showing the pump at the Warder Camel compound as well as a water truck being filled at the site.
Figure 21: Photographs showing the reservoir and pump generator at Elale.
Figure 22: Photographs showing pump engine and borehole at Esgoyis
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Figure 23: Photographs showing the pumped borehole and reservoirs at Boh..
Figure 24: Photographs showing water reservoir and pumped borehole at Rochis. 5.2 Air Quality Ambient air quality monitoring was undertaken of ambient dust and fine particulate concentrations, as well as ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations as a marker for combustion generated gases. Ideally, ambient air quality would be measured over a longer averaging period, typically 6 months to a year in accordance with IFC EHS Guidelines, however the security and logistical restrictions associated with working in this area restricted the timeframe over which measurements were undertaken. The measured concentrations therefore provide an indicative snap-shot of ambient concentrations for consideration in the impact assessment process. Particulate material Measurements of particulate material were undertaken using a Dusttrak Aerosol Monitor. The Dusttrak monitor is a handheld battery-operated, data-logging, light-scattering laser photometer which provides real- time particulate/aerosol mass readings. The monitor as utilised as a suitable meter to obtain representative readings whilst satisfying the restrictions of permanent power supply and harsh environmental conditions. The length of the survey periods was restricted by the power capacity of the meter. Measurements were undertaken of various particulate size fractions, including PM2.5, PM10 and Total Suspended Particulate (PM100) size fractions. Monitoring of ambient dust and particulate materials was undertaken at two locations: ¡ Shilabo, in the vicinity of the survey camp.
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¡ Warder, in a location adjacent to the field camp. The field camp had a temporary electricity generator which operated for part of the survey time. Other generators were occasionally operating in the general vicinity with a number of vehicle movements also observed (both related to the survey and by other vehicles).
Monitoring at Shilabo was undertaken over a 3 hour survey period in the vicinity of the survey camp. The camp operates a large electricity generator which operates continuously and was therefore operational during the survey period. Measurements were undertaken upwind of the generator. No other anthropogenic noise sources were located in the vicinity of the monitoring position during the survey. Wind-whipping of dust and fine materials from the dry ground was observed throughout the monitoring period. Monitoring at warder was undertaken over a 7 hour survey period. The field camp had a temporary electricity generator which operated for part of the survey time. Other generators were occasionally operating in the general vicinity with a number of vehicle movements also observed (both related to the survey and by other vehicles). Wind- whipping of dust and fine materials from the dry ground was also observed throughout the monitoring period. The measured dust and particulate concentrations are presented in Figure 25.
Figure 25: Measured dust and particulate concentrations at Shilabo (left) and Warer (right)
The measured concentrations at both Shilabo and Warder indicate elevated concentrations of dust and particulate material in the atmosphere. Ambient PM10 concentrations during each survey period were typically above the WHO guideline value of 50 µg/m3, as an annual mean concentration (Interim Target 2), but below the equivalent 24-hour mean concentration target of 100 µg/m3. It is anticipated that the measured concentrations during the period were representative of typical conditions, therefore an annual mean 3 concentration of 50 – 60 µg/m may be anticipated. Correspondingly, measured PM2.5 concentrations during both monitoring periods are in excess of the annual and 24-hour mean WHO guideline values. Overall, the measured concentrations are considered representative of the general dusty environment attributable to the dry conditions and wind whipping of dust which occurs. Nitrogen dioxide
Measurements of ambient NO2 and total oxides of nitrogen (NOX) were undertaken using passive diffusion tubes. The diffusion tubes were prepared with an 20% TEA in Water solution which reacts with ambient oxides of nitrogen and subsequently laboratory analysed to determine concentrations of oxides of nitrogen in air. Measurements were undertaken using diffusion tubes in triplicate mounted on a fence post next to the camp-site within Warder town. Diffusion tubes were located to measure total NOX and NO2. The tubes were exposed for a period of 5-6 days. The location of the diffusion tubes and a picture of the type are provided in Figure 26. Measured concentrations are summarised in Table 10
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Figure 26: Passive diffusion tubes, Warder Camp
Table 10: Measured ambient NO2 and NOX concentrations Monitoring Measured concentration i.d. 3 3 NO2 (µg/m ) Total NOx (µg/m ) MP1 5.8 20.6 MP2 5.6 26.3 MP3 5.7 22.3 Average 5.7 23.0
3 The measured concentrations are low, with the average measured NO2 concentration of under 6µg/m comparing to the WHO guideline value of 40 µg/m3 as an annual mean concentration. The results indicate that air quality in the study area is good, with low levels of combustion generated pollutants. 5.3 Noise and Vibration The following sections are exerts from the attached Impact Assessment for Noise and Vibration (see Appendix A). Monitoring (Figure 27) was undertaken in accordance with ISO 1996 Parts 1 and 2 (ISO, 2003). This sets out the equipment to be used to undertake measurements, conditions under which noise measurements should be undertaken, measurement parameters and appropriate siting of monitoring equipment. Class 1 sound level meters, with a tolerance of ± 0.7 dB were used to undertake baseline surveys as defined by IEC 61672 (IEC, 2002).
Figure 27: Noise monitoring equipment assembly
The sound level meters were housed in an environmental case which provided weather protection and contained an external 12 volt battery. The microphones were mounted in Norsonic 1212 protection assemblies, and protected by enhanced wind shields to minimise wind flow disturbance of the microphone. The sound level meters were connected to the microphone via an external cable.
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The sound level meter assembly is shown below. All baseline noise survey measurements were undertaken in external, free-field locations, therefore negating interference of vertical reflective surfaces, consistent with ISO 1996. The baseline noise survey was undertaken in January 2015, during the traditional dry season. Meteorological conditions during the survey period were dry, with no rainfall recorded. Wind conditions were typically calm or light during the daytime period, however at night high gusting winds were experienced. These conditions are noted and potential effects on measured noise levels considered and discussed in the analysis of monitored noise levels. Monitoring was undertaken during both daytime (07:00 to 19:00) and night-time (19:00 to 07:00) hours. The duration enabled each location to be characterized in terms of typical daytime and night-time conditions; the diurnal variation could also be determined. The baseline survey recorded a series of noise indices, including:
¡ LAeq – the equivalent continuous steady state A-weighted sound pressure level over period of time; ¡ LA90 – the A-weighted sound pressure level which is that exceeded for 90% of the measurement period, indicating the noise level during quieter periods, and is often referred to as the background noise level; The durations of measured noise and the indices recorded are consistent with the requirements of ISO 9613. 5.3.1 Monitoring locations The locations of baseline noise monitoring are presented in Table 11. The noise monitoring positions are annotated on Figure 1. Table 11: Noise Monitoring Locations Dates Grid Reference (UTM) ID Location On Off Easting Northing NMP1 Shilabo 19.01.15 20.01.15 44o 45’45.71” 6o 04’38.92” NMP2 Werder 21.01.15 23.01.15 45o 20’24.38” 6o 58’26.00” NMP3 Derdera 22.01.15 24.01.15 45o 34’ 00.94” 6o 53’14.57”
The monitoring location at Shilabo was located adjacent to the survey camp at the airfield. The ambient noise environment was considered quiet, with the exception of anthropogenic noise sources associated with the camp (electricity generator, air conditioning units etc.). The monitoring location was located such that the main anthropogenic sources were screened from the monitoring position. The daytime noise environment at Shilabo was dominated by anthropogenic activity, with occasional audible noise from birdsong and livestock (goats etc.). At night, the noise environment was quiet, with occasional wildlife noise audible and wind induced noise dominating during higher wind gusts. At Werder, the monitoring site was located within the police compound, which in turn is located at the heart of the town. The ambient noise environment reflected the higher populations of the town, including a number of anthropogenic noise source such as use of generators or other machinery, occasional vehicle noise, music and noise from both domestic animals (dogs) and livestock (goats, donkeys and camels). During the daytime, noise levels were intermittently elevated due to work activities, however the noisiest environment occurred during the evening period related to human leisure activities. At night, the noise environment was typically quiet and affected by wind induced noise. The village of Derdera was considered a typically rural village within the study area and represented a suitable proxy monitoring site for most inhabited locations within the study area. Although situated on a principal road, the village does not experience significant road traffic (1 - 2 vehicles per hour as a maximum) nor was there any electricity generators or machinery in the village. Noise sources were therefore related to general human activity, livestock related noise and wind induced noise particularly during the night-time period. 5.3.2 Measured Noise Levels
The measured LAeq and LA90 noise levels at each monitoring location are sumamrised below. The reader is refered to the Noise and Vibration Impact assessment in Appendix A for a more detailed discussion of noise levels in the Project area.
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Overall, background noise levels are considered to be particularly quiet and reflect the absence of anthropogenic noise sources and limited vegetation or insect noise in the area. This is considered to be representative of a number of the smaller villages located within the study area. Overall, the survey results indicate that the lowest measured daytime noise levels are typically higher than the lowest measured night- time noise levels. Daytime noise levels are most influenced by human activities. Noise levels typically decrease around dusk as human activity reduces, and then steadily reduce as the night passes, although occasional noise due to wind, or human activity related can lead to short-term increases during the night- time period. A summary of the lowest measured ambient (LAeq) noise level during daytime and night-time at each location is presented in Table 12. The IFC EHS guidelines values are included at the bottom of the table for convenience. Importantly, the lowest recorded background noise levels are below the relevant guideline values for day and night respectively at all monitoring locations.
Table 12: Measured Ambient Noise Levels, dBLAeq,1hr
Measured Measured noise level parameter Daytime (07:00 - 22:00) Night-time (22:00 - 07:00) id Location Period Max Min Period Max Min Average (10 min) (10 min) Average (10 min) (10 min) MP1 L 41.7 48.6 34.8 45.9 59.6 35.7 Shilabo Aeq LA90 - 40.6 33.5 - 37.1 34.5 MP2 L 47.1 55.6 34.5 50.5 57.2 30.9 Werder Aeq LA90 - 48.2 30.6 - 53.7 28.2 MP3 L 61.9 77.8 25.9 55.8 70.2 25.9 Derdera Aeq LA90 - 46.9 21.2 - 37.0 19.9
5.4 Biodiversity The following sections are exerts from the attached Preliminary Biodiversity Assessment Report (see Appendix A). 5.4.1 Study Area 5.4.1.1 Regional Study Area In order to select a regional study area for assessing the impacts, a number of environmental and specific technical attributes were considered. Due to the limited information available for the Project area and the high resolution of the information that does exist, the following approach was taken to identify a regional study area that incorporated a broad scope of data. The regional study area was therefore based on the flowing sources, which once combined provided a generalised area to be delineated to represent the biodiversity component (Figure 28). ¡ Land Cover - The land cover is an indication of vegetation communities and human disturbances. ¡ Elevation - The elevation of the site as well as the topography will influence species assemblages. ¡ Rainfall - The amount of rainfall will contribute to the vegetation communities as well as water supply for biota. ¡ Temperature - Minimum, maximum and average temperatures as well as seasonal changes will influence the vegetation communities and biota. ¡ Geology and Groundwater - Both geology (soils) and groundwater will drive the vegetation communities and ecology of an area. ¡ Drainage Basins - Drainage basins driven by geology and topography drive the structural components of an ecosystem (e.g. vegetation, water, soil, atmosphere and biota).
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Based on these inputs the regional study area selected was approximately 78 000km2 and comprised ten land cover categories. These categories are briefly discussed below in Table 13. Ninety percent of the regional study area comprises sparse vegetation and mosaic shrub lands/grasslands. Table 13: Proportion and Description of Land Cover Categories within the Regional study area as per the FAO, 2014 Land Cover Type Proportion Description This category is defined by sparse woody/ herbaceous Sparse vegetation 68% vegetation where cover is less than (<) 15%.
Mosaic forest or shrub This category is defined by mosaic forest or shrub land (50- 22% land/grassland 70%)/ grassland (20-50%). This category is defined by mosaic vegetation (grassland/shrub Mosaic vegetation / land/forest) (50-70%)/ cropland (20-50%), and incorporates 6% cropland natural and semi-natural primarily terrestrial vegetation/ cultivated and managed terrestrial area(s).
This category is defined by mosaic cropland (50-70%)/ vegetation (grassland/shrub land/forest) (20-50%) and Mosaic cropland vegetation 2% incorporates cultivated and managed terrestrial area(s) and/or natural and semi-natural primarily terrestrial vegetation.
Rain fed cropland 1% This category is defined by rain fed herbaceous crop(s).
Closed to open This category is defined by closed to open (>15%) herbaceous herbaceous vegetation (or 1% vegetation (grassland, savannahs or lichens/mosses). lichen and mosses) Open grassland <1% This category is defined by open herbaceous vegetation. This category is defined by closed to open (>15%) shrub lands of greater than 5 m (thickets) and comprises broadleaved or needle-leaved, evergreen or deciduous vegetation. It should be Closed to open shrub land <1% noted that there are no closed to open shrub land areas in close proximity to the Project area, within the regional study area these areas are located northwest in the Jijiga Woreda.
Bare areas <1% This category is defined by bare areas with little to no cover. This category is defined by consolidated bare material(s) such Consolidated bare areas <1% as hardpans, gravels, bare rock, stones, and boulders).
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Figure 28: Regional Study selected by utilising topography, geology, land cover, drainage basins, temperature, groundwater (MacDonald et al., 2001; FDRE, 2014; Hopping and Wann, 2009)
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5.4.1.2 Local Study Area In order to calculate the impact of clearing the surface cover, a 1 km buffer was placed around all the proposed survey routes. This area provided the delineation for the “local” study area as it was felt that any impacts such as noise, dust and vibration would be felt further than the six to seven meters (provided by client) of clearing (the “Site”). It should, however, be noted that the ratio between the direct impacts of clearing the Site and the indirect impacts on the local study area are much larger due to the width of the corridor (7 meters vs 2 kilometres). This ratio has been considered when assessing impacts and does not exaggerate the impacts. 5.4.2 Flora The ARDCO study conducted in 2008 identified five major land covers (vegetation communities), with the dominant two being woodlands and barelands, comprising 88% of their study area (ARDCO, 2008). These areas correlate to the sparse woody vegetation/ herbaceous sparse vegetation and closed to open trees/ closed to open shrubland (Thicket) (90%) of the 2014 land cover classification (Table 2 and Table 13).
The dominate grass species identified during the 2008 ESHIA include Eragrostis hararensis, Panicum turgidum and Aristida funiculata. These grasses are typically patchy and are associated with wood and shrublands. The dominate tree and shrub species include Commiphora erythraea, Acacia milifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussie, Calotropis procera, Cordeauxia edulis and Ziziphus mauritiana (ARDCO, 2008). Table 14 provides a list of the dominant species within the Project area, as well as their current status. Table 14: Dominate plant species expected within the Project Area (Modified from ARDCO, 2008) IUCN Status Scientific Name English Name Vernacular Name (2014.3)
Tree and Shrub
Acacia bussei Gerbi ( Oromifa) LC
Acacia brevispica Wait-a-bit-thorn Furgori ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia sensgal Gum- Arabic Adad-meru (Somaligna) Not Assessed Whistling thorn/white galled Acacia sayal Fulaay/gek/jiiq ( Somaligna) Not Assessed acacia Acacia tortilis Spiral fruited trees Gurha-Druye, Harah ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia nilotica Egyptian mimosa Marah/Dugar ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia mellifera Black thorn Adal/bilel/hadad ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia oerfota Gomur, Gumara, Gumero (Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia albida Apple ring acacia Gerbi ( Oromifa) Not Assessed
Acacia sieberiana Jerin, Cherin Burquqe, lafto-adi(Oromifa) Not Assessed
Balanites aegyptica Soap berry tree Not Assessed
Balanites glabra Torchwood Kidi (Somaligna) Not Assessed
Carissa edulis Arabian Sena Orgabat ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Commiphora erythraea Corkwood Hagar meadow ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Crotalaria aegyptica Castnet plant Aba-alu ( Amharic) Not Assessed
Dichrostachys cinerea Sicklebush Dhgdar/katabir/aalol-sur (Somaligna) LC
Dodonea viscose Stciky hop bush/horse seed Hayramata ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Ficus sycomorus Sycamore fig Dare,Dure,Mokko ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Commiphora Africana Corkwood Kobbo ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Ziziphus mauritiana Jujube Gob ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
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IUCN Status Scientific Name English Name Vernacular Name (2014.3)
Berchemia discolor Wild almond Amor,Hamor,Korgula(Somaligna) Not Assessed Apple of seldom, Dead sea Calotropis procera Gala, Boha ( Somaligna) Not Assessed fruit Tamarix aphylla Athel tree, salt cedar Dur ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Tamarindus indica Tamarind Roka (Oromifa) Not Assessed
Grasses
Eragrostis hararensis Love grass Not Assessed
Panicum turgidum Taman Du-ghasi (Saomalia) Not Assessed
Aristida funiculum Not Assessed
Littania obscura Not Assessed
Scilla carunculifera Not Assessed
5.4.3 Fauna Limited information on faunal diversity is available for the regional study area, with only a study by the Investment Office of Somali National Regional State (IOSNRS) (IOSNRS, 2000) available. This study provided information on the Gode, Korahe, Warder and Shilabo zones, which potentially host mammals such as Lions, Hyena, Warthog, Monkey, Gazelle, Dik Dik, Bush Buck and Fox (ARDCO, 2008).
A search of the IUCN (2014.3) database showed that seven mammal species of conservation importance may occur within the Project area (Table 15). An assessment of these species’ status, habitat preferences and observations from the field allowed us to predict their likelihood of occurrence within the Project area. All of these species are large and would likely move away from any survey activities. Table 15: Listed Mammal species with range distribution in Project area
IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) occurrence
· The Lion has a broad habitat tolerance, absent only from tropical rainforest and the interior of the Sahara desert (Nowell and Jackson 1996). · Although Lions drink regularly when water is available, they are Panthera leo African Lion VU capable of obtaining their moisture requirements from prey and Unlikely even plants, and thus can survive in very arid environments (IUCN, 2015). · Known range is to the west of the site. · Occurs widely in the semi-arid and arid bushland and grasslands of North-East Africa. · Poaching (for meat and hides) and encroachment by settlement Oryx beisa Beisa Oryx NT Probable and livestock remain the major threats to this species, especially since the majority of the population remains outside protected areas (IUCN, 2015). · Endemic to the Ogaden region of SE Ethiopia and adjoining areas of N and C Somalia. Ammodorcas Clarke's · Inhabit semi-arid, dense to scattered bush, low- to medium- VU height thornbush savannah and plains with thicket/grassland Probable clarkei Gazelle mosaics. They prefer sandy to moderately gravelled, ferrous oxide rich red soils, characterized by numerous termite mounds (Wilhelmi, in press).
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IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) occurrence
· Inhabits bushland, thickets, semi-arid and arid thornbush (below Litocranius 1,600 m), avoiding dense woodlands and very open grass-
Gerenuk NT Probable walleri dominated habitats. One of the most exclusive browsers, Gerenuk are largely independent of water (Leuthold in press). · It has a wide habitat tolerance and is the only African cat to occupy rainforest and desert, yet they prefer woodland, grassland savannah, and forest, mountainous habitats, shrubland and semi-desert (Hunter et al. 2013). Panthera · They are very tolerant of habitat conversion, and, provided Leopard NT cover and prey is present, they can persist in close proximity to Unlikely pardus large human populations (Hunter et al. 2013). · The global population trend for this species appears to be decreasing, with major threats from intense persecution and habitat degradation, particularly prey numbers (Henschel et al. 2008). · The Lesser Kudu is closely associated with Acacia-Commiphora Tragelaphus thornbush in semi-arid areas of north-eastern Africa; it generally
Lesser Kudu NT Probable imberbis avoids open spaces and long grass (East 1999; Leuthold in press). · Occupies arid coastal plains and mudflats, arid and semi-arid Nanger Soemmerring's Acacia savannahs, and semi-arid grassland plains. Tends to VU prefer rough hilly country, but also found in open bush Possible soemmerringii Gazelle savannahs, and thinly-wooded grasslands (Schloeder and Jacobs, in press). · Previously listed as VU. · This species is known only from a few records in Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. Ammodillus Ammodile DD · It is found in open, dry short grassland and also in areas with Likely imbellis scattered shrubs. · Listed as Data Deficient in view of the absence of recent information on its extent of occurrence, ecological requirements, threats and conservation status (IUCN, 2015). · In most of its range the Striped Hyaena occurs in open habitat or light thorn bush country in arid to semi-arid environments Hyaena (Hofer 1998) Striped Hyena NT Probable hyaena · Striped Hyaena are sometimes found close to dense human settlements
During the site visit, a large number of Dik-Dik were observed, as well as Ground Squirrels (Table 16). The habitat of the Warder and Shilabo Zones, with extensive sparse woodlands, shrublands and grasslands may provide the necessary habitat for a large number of mammal species including some of the above mentioned listed species. Typically small antelope are targeted by hunters for bush meat, however when asked, local communities mentioned that there were rules governing if wild animal were halaal and did not seem to have a preference for bush meat. Typically people’s protein intake is obtained from Camels milk with meat from goats and sheep comprising the meat portion of their diet. Table 16: Mammal species observed during the site visit, January 2015 Common Name Scientific Name IUCN
Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus LC
(Salt's) Dik-Dik Madoqua saltiana LC
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The majority of animals observed whilst on site were domesticated livestock. Livestock are an important contributor to the economy and the livelihood of many local communities. Arabian Camels (Dromedary) roam out of the villages to graze as they are not dependant on water. Goats, Sheep, Cattle and Donkeys are dependent on drinking water daily and therefore are kept in the villages where herders can provide water from open wells and birkas. In and around villages and water sources, overgrazing and trampling from livestock is prevalent, with large areas cleared of any ground cover (Grasses/ small shrubs). 5.4.3.1 Avifauna A number of bird species have been recorded within the Project area during the 2008 ESHIA. These include the Little Brown Bustard, White-winged Dove, Short-billed Crombec, Somali Bee Eater, Short-tailed Lark, Chestnut-headed Sparrow Lark, Heuglin’s Bustard , Somali Weatears, Ostrich, Hunter’s Sunbird, Smaller Black Sunbird, Golden Palm Waver, Somali Sparrow, Parrot Pipit, Mongolian Plover, Violet Tipped Courser, Scaly Babbler, Jubbland Weaver and Water Thick Knee (ARDCO, 2008). Of these species recorded, the Little Brown Bustard (Eupodotis humilis) is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. A search of the IUCN (2014.3) database showed that six bird species of conservation importance may occur within the Project area (Table 17). The Egyptian Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Rueppell's Vulture and White-backed Vulture are potential trigger species for critical habitat due to their endangered status (EN). No sightings of vultures or nests were made during the survey. Table 17: Listed Bird species with range distribution in Project area IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) Occurrence
· In its breeding range it mostly inhabits areas with high grass and soft soil (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Johnsgard 1981), occasionally using sandy areas. Its preferred habitats include cattle pastures, hayfields (Johnsgard 1981), lowland wet grasslands, grassy Black- marshland, raised bogs and moorland, lake margins and damp Limosa tailed NT grassy depressions in steppes (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Possible limosa · Non-breeding migrants tend to prefer freshwater habitats, Godwit including swampy lake shores, pools, and flooded grassland (BirdLife International 2012). · Their population trend appears to be stable (BirdLife International 2012). · Forages in lowland and montane regions over open, often arid, country. Neophron Egyptian · Typically nests on ledges or in caves on cliffs (Sarà and Di EN Vittorio 2003), crags and rocky outcrops, but occasionally also in Possible percnopterus Vulture large trees · Their population trend appears to be decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). · The species is often associated with human settlements, but is also found in open grassland, forest edge, wooded savanna, desert and along coasts (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Necrosyrtes Hooded EN · This species is often associated with human settlements, but is Possible monachus Vulture also found in open grassland, forest edge, wooded savannah, and desert (BirdLife International 2014). · Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). · Inhabits open woodland, wooded savanna, bushy grassland, thornbush and, in southern Africa, more open country and even sub-desert, from sea level to 3,000 m but mainly below 1,500 m (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001) Polemaetus Martial VU · This species prefers Savannah, woodland, scrub and forest in Possible bellicosus Eagle upland areas, including miombo woodland and montane areas (Stevenson and Fanshawe 2002). · Their population trend appears to be stable (BirdLife International 2012).
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IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) Occurrence
· The species favours light, open thornbush and occasionally also adjacent tussocky plains where it feeds on insects, small reptiles Little and seeds (Urban et al. 1986). Eupodotis Brown NT · Known only from north and west-central Somalia and adjacent Possible humilis areas of eastern Ethiopia (IUCN, 2015) Bustard · Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). · It frequents open areas of Acacia woodland, grassland and montane regions, and it is gregarious, congregating at carrion, soaring together in flocks and breeding mainly in colonies on cliff faces and escarpments at a broad range of elevations Gyps Rueppell's (IUNC, 2015). EN · Occurs throughout the Sahel region of Africa from Senegal, Possible rueppellii Vulture Gambia and Mali in the west to Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia in the east (IUCN, 2015). · Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). White- · This species prefers open wooded savannah, where it requires Gyps tall trees for nesting (BirdLife International 2012). backed EN Possible africanus · Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International Vulture 2012). · It has an extremely large range in sub-Saharan Africa preferring mixed, dry woodland, avoiding semi-arid thorn belt areas (Stevenson and Fanshawe 2002, BirdLife International 2012). White- · The population trend appears to be decreasing, with an estimate Trigonoceps of between 7000 and 12,500 mature individuals extrapolated headed VU Possible occipitalis from a number of regional estimates. This equates to between
Vulture 10,500 and 18,750 individuals in total (BirdLife International 2012). Reductions in populations of medium-sized mammals and wild ungulates, as well as habitat conversion throughout its range best explain the current decline (BirdLife International 2012).
During the January 2015 site visit 35 bird species were observed (Table 18). Table 18: Bird species observed during the site visit, January 2015 Common Name Scientific Name IUCN Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca LC Vulturine Guineafowl Acryllium vulturinum LC Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala LC Great Egret Ardea alba LC Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis LC Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus LC Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus LC Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus LC Eastern Chanting-Goshawk Melierax poliopterus LC Buff-crested Bustard Eupodotis gindiana LC Spur-winged Plover Vanellus spinosus LC Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula LC Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus LC Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis LC Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola LC
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Common Name Scientific Name IUCN Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus LC Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea LC Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola LC Namaqua Dove Oena capensis LC White-bellied Go-away-bird Corythaixoides leucogaster LC Somali Bee-eater Merops revoilii LC Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus LC Purple Roller Coracias naevius LC Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus LC Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus flavirostris LC African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus LC Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis LC Somali Crow Corvus edithae LC Red-breasted Wheatear Oenanthe bottae LC Rueppell's Glossy-Starling Lamprotornis purpuroptera LC Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus LC White-crowned Starling Spreo albicapillus LC White Wagtail Motacilla alba LC White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli LC African Silverbill Euodice cantans LC
5.4.4 Aquatic and Wetland Ecology Due to the arid nature of the region, there are no perennial rivers within the Project area. The Wabe Shebele River flows outside the Project area close to its southeast corner. Due to the lack of surface water, the major source of water within the Project area is groundwater and birkas. Groundwater is collected from open wells or pumped via diesel generators from drilled boreholes. These artificial water points contribute to the distribution of many dependant species and as result are large drivers in ecosystem functionality. According to the studies conducted by ARDCO in 2008, approximately 0.02% of the Project area can be categorised into wetland habitat. These areas flank the Ferfer Woreda around the Wabe Shebelle River in the south eastern tip of the Project area. These wetlands are used for livestock grazing (ARDCO, 2008). In the absence of abundant water, these areas become very important for migratory species and will likely result in high numbers of individuals congregating.
During the 2015 site visits the majority of water sources utilised by humans (including livestock watering) were open wells and diesel driven boreholes (refer to groundwater report for more details). The only significant water feature observed during the site visit was the pan located to the south of Warder. The pan is approximately 3.6 ha (0.036 km2), and provided habitat for a number of bird species. 5.4.5 Landscape Features Any landscape features that provide a different type of habitat from that of the surrounding landscape, are likely to be important for biota. Such features include rocky outcrops, wetlands/pans, caves, etc. Besides the pan mentioned in Section 5.4.4, there were no definitive features identified during the site visit. It should be noted that only a small area of the Project area was covered during the site visit and, therefore, this is not an indication that no such landscape features occur within the Project area. Whilst onsite termite mounds were noted in certain areas and were relatively densely distributed. Burrows were also observed, ranging from small to large. These are likely to have been dug by rodents such as Ground Squirrels, however, locals also referred to the larger burrows being dug by ‘Jackal’, and the 2008 study made reference to ‘Fox’. From satellite imagery, one can see circular structures in and surrounding villages.
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These structures are bomas constructed from branches and are used to either keep livestock fenced in or livestock away from water sources. 5.5 Socio-Economic Environment The following sections are excerpts from the attached Social Impact Assessment Report (see Appendix C). Heath issues are summarised in Section 5.7. Current socio-economic information for the Project area is typically non-existent, and information presented (where not referenced) is based upon face-to-face stakeholder meetings. 5.5.1 Administrative Structure Ethiopia is divided into nine ethnically based and politically autonomous regional states. These states are subdivided into a total of sixty eight administrative Zones which are themselves divided into a total of 550 districts known as Woredas. Woredas consist of towns, which are sub-divided into Kebeles (or wards), which mainly comprise neighbourhood associations. Kebele are the lowest administrative level in the administrative hierarchy. There are two chartered cities in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (the capital city), and Dire Dawa. The administrative structure can be summarised as: ¡ Regional State; ¡ Administrative Zone; ¡ Woreda; ¡ Town; and ¡ Kebele. The proposed Project is located in the Somali Regional State. The Area of Influence (AOI) encompasses three administrative zones and four associated woredas (see Figure 3): ¡ The Shabelle (formerly known as Gode) Administrative Zone includes the Ferfer Woreda; ¡ The Warder (also spelled as Werder) Administrative Zone includes the Warder, Geladin, and Bookh (also spelled as Boh) Woredas, and; ¡ The Qorhey (also spelled as Korahe) Zone includes the Shilabo Woreda. 5.5.2 Population and Settlements According to the latest data available from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia the population of Ethiopia in 2012 was 84,320,987 (50.4% male and 49.6% female). The population of the Somali Regional State was 5,148,989 (55.6% male and 44.4% females) (CSA, 2012) – indicating that the area is sparsely populated. In 2007, the rural population accounted for approximately 85% of the total population within the Somali Regional State. There is a disproportionate split in the distribution of genders in the Project zones and woredas , with an average distribution of 57.2% males and 42.8% females with some woredas comprising up to 59% males. Based on population numbers obtained through consultation, an estimated 20% population growth has occurred since 2007 and is used to calculate a total population increase within the combined zones to 436,696 in 2015. Similarly, the population within Block 18, 19, and 21 is estimated to be approximately 59 966, 52 018 and 125 710 respectively (estimated from block total area and associated size and number of human settlements within the block). The total population size of the Project area is therefore projected to be approximately 237 694.
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Table 19: Overall population distribution in the administrative authorities according to gender (CSA, 2012; updated from Golder Field work 2015) Projected Administrative Authority Male % Female % Total Total (2015) Somali Region 2,468,784 55.6 1,970,363 44.4 4,439,147 Warder Woreda 32,743 56.4 25,292 43.6 58,035 80,730 Warder Zone Geladin Woreda 57,464 58.6 40,584 41.4 98,053 117,342 Bookh Woreda 58,533 56.7 44,501 43.1 103,164 123,236 Qorhey Zone Shilabo Woreda 33,176 57.6 24,214 42.0 57,590 69,108 Gode Zone Ferfer Woreda 21,225 54.4 17,579 45.1 38,984 46,280 Total 203,141 57.2 152,170 42.8 355,826 436,696
5.5.3 Household Composition Ethiopian households consist of an average of 4.6 people. Almost half (47%) of household members are children under age 15. Twenty-six percent of Ethiopian households are headed by women (EDHS, 2011). 5.5.3.1 Marital Status The term ‘married’ refers to legal or formal marriage, while the term ‘living together’ designates an informal union in which a man and a woman live together, but a formal civil or religious ceremony has not taken place. Respondents who are currently married, widowed, divorced, or separated are referred to as ‘ever married’. Twenty-seven percent of women aged between 15 and 49 years have never married, 58% are currently married, 4% are living together with a man, and 11% are divorced, separated, or widowed. The low proportion (less than 1%) of women aged between 45 and 49 who have never been married indicates that marriage is highly common in Ethiopia (EDHS, 2011). Eleven percent of women are married to a man with more than one wife. Polygamous marriage is most common in the Somali region (EDHS, 2011). Early marriages typically result in pregnancy at young ages, and high fertility rates. Discussions with women in the Project area indicate that they typically marry at a young age (before 18) and have multiple children (typically between 5 and 15 – the average is estimated at 7 children per woman). 5.5.3.2 Gender Roles and Relations In the study area, the patriarchal social system is still largely intact. Women are responsible for taking care of children and other family members, construction of houses, preparation of food, cleaning, purchasing food items, collecting water, and watering the livestock. Men are mostly engaged in herding livestock, as well as construction and maintenance of birkas. 5.5.4 Education Literacy in the Somali Region is estimated at 41% slightly below the national literacy rate of 45%. The adult literacy rate is dramatically lower, at 7.96%, with 10.75% amongst men and 4.61% amongst women (Saad Aid, 2010). Primary school enrolment for children aged seven to fourteen in 2008/2009 reached 63.8% in the Somali Region, far below the national rate of 85%. School attendance in the Somali Region in 2007 totalled 187, 508 individuals (60% male, 40% female). Data gathered in 2009 showed that 29.5% of children aged 14 completed primary schools, however; the secondary gross enrolment rate was only 12.5%, which is significantly lower than the national rate of 35%. According to respective Woreda Administrations, in Warder Woreda there are 54 schools with 23,050 students with 333 teachers, in Bookh Woreda there are 49 schools with 28,075 students and 357 teachers and in Ferfer Woreda there are 34 schools with 10,723 students and 146 teachers in 2015.
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5.5.5 Infrastructure The Somali Region in general and the Project area in particular has poorly developed infrastructure such as roads, transport, communication, water supply, electricity supply, marketing services, health and educational facilities. 5.5.5.1 Energy The dominant sources of energy in the Project area are firewood and charcoal for cooking. Within the towns of Shilabo, Bookh and Warder, electricity is available sporadically through the use of generators. 5.5.5.2 Water Water is generally accessed through seasonal rivers, wells, birkas/cisterns and boreholes. Seasonal rivers and water basins are the main source of water for pastoralists and their livestock, when they are able to take advantage of rainfall during the wet season. In the dry season, hand dug wells and boreholes create important access points to groundwater supplies within the region and play a vital role in water supply within major towns and villages, including Shilabo, Warder, Geladin, Bookh while Ferfer get water from the Shebelle river by diversion and treating water at treatment plant constructed for this purpose. In some villages, rain water is collected in “birkas”; lined, clay or concrete reservoirs that collect run-off rainwater. Usually, these birkas are covered with corrugated iron to prevent evaporation, but most of the birkas that were observed during fieldwork were poorly maintained. The birkas which are well maintained typically are privately-owned and serve as a source of income for the owner by selling drinking water for livestock. A well maintained birka can sustain a small village for a few months, but during times of poor rainfall these villages with birkas are severely affected by water shortage. During these times villagers need to resort to shallow wells, or (as reported in most cases during fieldwork) purchasing water from a water truck. 5.5.5.3 Roads The Project Area contains 940km of dry weather roads and 108km all weather roads, which connect the woredas, adjacent towns and zonal towns with each other. As result, accessibility is generally limited in the rain season when dry weather roads become inaccessible. 5.5.6 Livelihoods and Land Use The Somali Region covers a vast area of arid and semi-arid plains. The population are predominantly pastoralists whose livelihoods are largely dependent on livestock production and continuous movement in search of pasture and water (Pexco, 2008). The largest number of livestock in the region are sheep (42%) and goats (39%), followed by cattle (10%) and camels (9%). Pastoralism is the main livelihood strategy (90% of the rural population), with remaining population engaged in agro-pastoralism, trade and commerce. Trade is generally informal (e.g. bartering) and restricted to towns and villages, and along the main rural roads. There is also some illegal cross-border trade. Development of tertiary economy in the Project Area is limited to a large extent by location and poor infrastructure development. The mean monthly household income is $39/714 birr. Generally, the economy is not cash based with livestock (e.g. goats and sheep) being the main source of trade (EDHS, 2011). The major source of cash income in the Project Area is casual labour (52.5% of the respondents). 5.5.7 Natural Disasters and Armed Conflict The region is very prone to recurrent disasters such as drought, floods, and human/livestock diseases, which has had negative impacts on the population. Flooding reportedly occurs twice or three times every year where there is good or normal rainfall, though the last flood occurred in October 2012 in part of Shabelle (Gode) Zone, causing temporary displacement of households, loss of crops and livestock and damage to infrastructure and other property. There is currently a drought occurring in the Somali region, with the last reported rainfall being more than two years ago. This is resulting in substantial challenges to water supply for households and livestock. The cumulative impact of the successive droughts and floods over the last four years in the Somali Region has rendered both pastoralists and agro-pastoralists food insecure and less resilient to future shocks. Ethiopia was engaged in a number of armed conflicts both within and outside the country. For the past 20 years, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has waged a rebellion in Ethiopia's Somali region (known locally as the Ogaden), fighting for independence from Ethiopia.
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Under the government of Siad Barre, Somalia had claimed the Ogaden was part of a "Greater Somalia". Reports that Eritrea had been arming the Islamist militia in Somalia led to fears that instability there could lead to a wider regional conflict. 5.6 Cultural Heritage The following sections are exerts from the attached Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Report (see Appendix A).
Due to time constraints and security and logistical concerns a cultural heritage specialist was not present during any on site baseline fieldwork. The baseline cultural heritage environment was therefore collected through desk-based research, in conjunction with an Ethiopian archaeological specialist and supplemented by data gathered on-site by the Socio-Economic team with regard to religious and cultural spaces. 5.6.1 Delineation of the Study Area For the purposes of the cultural heritage study, the study area was defined as the land directly impacted by, and adjacent to, all proposed Project elements. The wider geographic area was incorporated as appropriate, in order to adequately assess the potential for (as yet unknown) cultural heritage receptors and provide a context for those sites which may occur in the immediate Project vicinity. 5.6.2 Archaeological Resources As a country, Ethiopia has a globally significant archaeological record, frequently referred to as the ‘cradle of mankind’. A number of sites are noteworthy in this regard and may provide a high level context for the regional archaeological and paleontological record. Full details of the regional archaeological and paleontological context are provided in the Cultural Heritage impact assessment in Appendix A. The area in which the Delonex Project is situated is characterised by flat, sparse vegetation and any archaeological remains are most likely within areas favourable of ancient settlement i.e. near historic watercourse/dry valleys, wells, rocky outcrops and vegetated areas. Artefacts and sites may relate to previous climate conditions and taxa not historically present in the area e.g. the wide spread grasslands, bush and mosaic forests of the late Pleistocene/ Middle Stone Age (http://humanorigins.si.edu, Assefa, 2006). In the Warder (or Wardere) Zone, in which the Delonex site is situated the only documented artefacts include Stone Age (SA) materials found at three sites (Clark, 1954), unfortunately exact locations for these sites are not known (see Table 20). Similar finds were also recovered further north, in the vicinity of Jijiga, including surface chert and rare quartz (Clark, 1954), and along the Hargeisa-Burao Road (surface finds, lithics of typical Levalloisian date) (ibid). Table 20: Documented Archaeological Investigations in the Project Region (after JD Clark, 1954) Site Location Site Name Date Description Notes At a historic water well, approx. 25 m Middle Stone Age Sirrau Ballen north of the centre lithic flakes, blades and a chert scraper ‘Magosian Type’ of Warder, on the Buroa road Hargeisa– No further info Late Stone Age microlithic blade core, double backed blade Warder Road known (LSA) and a scraper Stone Age (LSA) Kebri Dehar typical of ‘Ogaden – Stone Age artefacts / Levalloisian tools were Gabredarre approx. 40km Willton’ Industrial found within exposed calcareous alluvium west of Block 18 Period Type
In summary, there is a potential for archaeological sites (including surface scatter) which may comprise to stone tools or fossils associated with early evolutionary periods and past climates and overall there is a heightened potential for the following cultural heritage site types within the Project development area:
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¡ Artefact Surface Scatter (stone tools, lithics – quartz, chert); ¡ Artefact Scatter (bone – fossilized human or animal/anthropogenic remains); ¡ Stone walled terraces and/or stock encloses (historic or traditionally maintained i.e. – associated cultural sites/practice); ¡ Water wells (traditionally maintained, i.e. – associated cultural sites/practice); ¡ Tombs / cemeteries (traditional and modern); and ¡ Cave or Rock Shelter Paintings/Carvings and associated artefacts. The above list is not exhaustive and archaeological sites, potentially local to the area may exist within the Project concession. There remains therefore, a potential for previously unidentified archaeological sites and artefacts to exist within the study area. Further investigation will be required to determine whether these remains are indicative of past activity in the immediate Project locality or purely representative of ephemeral, possibly migratory, landscape exploitation. At present, the above artefacts are within the category of ‘Moveable’ cultural heritage as defined by Ethiopian Law (39/2000) and are likely ‘Non-Replicable’ cultural heritage, as defined by IFC (PS 8, 2012) representative of human evolutionary processes, adaptation, the development of industry and eventual migration out of Africa. 5.6.3 Cultural Resources A high level review of existing data pertinent to the region was carried out and supplemented by data gathered during local consultations sessions carried out by Golder’s Socio-Economic team (data is presented in Appendix A) Cemeteries and Burial Sites Communities within the Study Area were observed to bury their dead within settlement areas, near to houses, rather than in demarcated burial grounds. There is also a potential for previously unknown cemeteries/burials to exist, related to other villages or abandoned settlement areas and at unmarked burial sites, particularly along the roads where unknown victims of the civil war may have been laid to rest. Mosques Islam was found to be prevalent across the villages within the study area with mosques typically situated within settlements. The mosques identified are relatively new (and ‘movable’) features. Other historic or cultural sites No built heritage sites have been noted during any field visits to the study area. No sites of local cultural significance within the villages were noted by the field team nor disclosed during community consultation. There remains potential for sites of local cultural importance, possibly associated with pastoralist activities or specific clans (e.g. sites associated with ceremonial activities/seasonal festivals), to exist beyond settlement confines and across the wider study area). Intangible cultural heritage Intangible cultural heritage is defined as the traditional practices, cultural norms and knowledge transmitted from one generation to the next, which communities or individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage, such (non-material) assets are protected by Ethiopian law. An on-site survey of intangible heritage practice has not yet been undertaken within the study area and the following issues remain relevant and may warrant further study if Project impacts are identified to follow: ¡ In addition to Islam, religious systems may include beliefs in spirits, ‘jinn’, causing both misfortune and bring good luck and/or ‘baraka’ spirits who can cure illness; ¡ Nomadic communities may identify a ‘wadad’ or cultural leader (possibly clan-specific);
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¡ Water well sites, cemeteries, forest/bush and medicinal plants (for both animals and humans) may be maintained by traditional methods; and ¡ Traditional pastoralist activities e.g. specific milk carrying gourds, annual or seasonal festivities or ceremonies. 5.6.4 Site Significance For the purposes of the impact assessment to follow, Valued Environmental and Social Components (VECs) have been identified for cultural heritage and rated in terms of their significance. This baseline value is derived from a consideration of each receptor in terms of its potential form, survival, condition, complexity, context and period. Significance has also been calculated in terms of a perceived research worth and with reference to Ethiopian designations (‘moveable’ and ‘immovable’). It also takes into account the scale at which the site matters matter (e.g. local or regional) and their rarity. The results of the valuation process are presented in Table 21.
The following values (low – high) have been applied to the identified cultural heritage site types within the Project area: ¡ Low: sites of low local value, in the sense that new buildings (e.g. mosques) can be established, archaeological sites or artefacts which are common and well-researched; ¡ Medium: sites potentially movable under certain conditions and of moderate regional or community value and/or a potential research value (e.g. artefactual remains), and ¡ High: both ‘moveable’ and ‘immovable’ sites of high national value and of high local value (e.g. burials, artefactual remains of known, or potentially significant, high research value). Table 21: Cultural Heritage Site Valuation Summary Valued Component Description Location Notes Significance (VEC) Prehistoric artefacts and any Archaeological or related stratigraphic context Potential throughout the Paleontological High³ (deposit)/paleo- study area Features environmental remains Recent burials are within All burials/cemetery sites – settled areas, others may Cultural Sites High modern and ancient be found throughout the study area Other sites of local historic May be found throughout and/or religious/cultural Historic Sites the study area, beyond Low - High importance (e.g. past currently settled areas settlement areas) All mosques (presumed of Religious Sites Within settled areas Low recent date) ³ May be reduced to or low dependent upon a number of factors including, levels of preservation/damage, survival of artefact context (i.e. in-situ) and the rarity of the feature The archaeological potential of the region is relatively significant. Although previous research is limited, this is not necessarily reflective of an absence of potential material on the ground. This archaeological potential is primarily associated surface scatter indicative of past climate phases, particularly the grasslands, bush and mosaic forest environments of the late Pleistocene/Mid Stone Age which may provide evidence for the evolution of modern humans, the beginnings of pastoralism and eventual diaspora. This theory is substantiated by the artefactual remains gathered during Clark’s archaeological investigations (1957).
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However, without further analysis and investigation it not possible to relate any (presupposed) surface material to archaeological sites / deposits of particular significance (e.g. related to past settlement or prehistoric industrial activity).
In summary, any (as yet unidentified) archaeological sites which may occur within the study area are valued (on a ‘worst case scenario’ basis) as high to account for their potential research value and (as yet unsubstantiated) potential association with sub-surface features.. This valuation may be reduced to medium or low dependent upon a number of factors including, level of preservation/damage, survival of artefact context (i.e. in-situ) and frequency. The significance of cultural sites presently identified in the study area (e.g. cemeteries and mosques) has been calculated in terms of the potential negative impact on the community in the event that they (the community) or the sites themselves are relocated. In order to ensure maintenance of the ‘cultural norm’ (i.e. continuation of normal cultural activity) for those communities affected by the Project, access to local cultural sites identified in the study area is required. Burial sites and any (as yet unidentified) sites which provide tangible ancestral links to the past are considered particularly sensitive and ‘immovable’ i.e. of high value. Any features associated with unique, intangible, cultural practice are also highly sensitive. Mosques have been valued as low in account of their relative modernity and potential movability. 5.7 Health 5.7.1 Health and Nutrition Slightly more than one-third (33.5%) of the Somali Region’s population is underweight (EDHS , 2011). Only 50% of families eat a meal 3 times a day. Maize, rice, wheat, porridge and pancakes are the staple foods. Camel meat does not appear to be readily eaten – except in extreme circumstances. This is primarily because camels are considered an investment and the wealth of a household is measured in the number of camels the household owns. Life expectancy in Somali Region in 2009 was 58.7 for men and 55.4 for females (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014), higher than the national level of 54 and 58 respectively (Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs, 2014, extrapolated from 2007 census statistics). Fertility in Ethiopia has declined modestly over the past decade. Currently, women in Ethiopia have an average of 4.8 children, down from 5.5 in 2000. Childhood mortality levels are decreasing in Ethiopia. Currently, infant mortality is 59 deaths per 1,000 live births for the five-year period before the survey compared with 77 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2005. The main health issues reported in 2008 included: ¡ Malaria; ¡ Diarrhoea; ¡ Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI); ¡ Tuberculosis; and ¡ Malnutrition. Prevalence of HIV in the Somali Region is low with an estimated 0.9% against 1.3% at a national level in 2012.
Access to health services in the local Project area is very poor. The numbers of health facilities available are limited and most of the health facilities are not operating due to shortages of drugs, equipment and manpower. The prevailing weather condition, life style, food shortages and scarcity of health facilities contributes to the wide spread health problems in the Project area. There are no veterinary clinics in Warder and Shilabo Woredas and major livestock diseases are CCPP, external and internal parasites, anthrax and others). Current statistics regarding mortality, morbidity and epidemiological rates were requested from administrative officials, but no updated statistics were available.
Domestic waste generated at remote villages is typically buried within pits near these settlements and human waste (excrement etc.) is not formally managed. Poor management of waste is likely to negatively influence health within communities; however this issue does not seem to be significant due to typically low population density at villages.
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5.7.2 Access to water Within Ethiopia, water is generally accessed through seasonal rivers, wells, birkas/ cisterns and boreholes. Seasonal rivers and water basins are the main source of water for pastoralists and their livestock. In the dry season, hand dug wells and boreholes provide access to groundwater supplies within the region and play a vital role in water supply within major towns and villages. Water characteristics in the Project area are discussed in section 5.1.6.5 and detailed in the Water Resource study in Appendix C. 6.0 ESHIA PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION The Project triggers the need for a full ESHIA process as it has the potential to generate significant environmental, social or health impacts. The ESHIA is required to assess those impacts, prepare mitigation measures and modify engineering design and management practices to avoid, minimise and compensate or offset potential impacts. 6.1 Impact Assessment Methodology The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project has been assessed by considering the following, relative to each attribute of the existing environment (or discipline area) that has been appraised as part of the baseline study: ¡ Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, a gain in available habitat area for a key species would be classed as positive, whereas a habitat loss would be considered negative. ¡ Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed development, and may be classified as:
§ None/negligible;
§ Minor
§ Low;
§ Moderate;
§ High; or
§ Very high The categorisation of “magnitude” should be based on a set of criteria that is specific to the discipline area being considered. For example, in the case of surface water, the magnitude may be defined as the extent to which the water quality (e.g. suspended solids) exceeds the adopted national criteria. ¡ Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
§ Transient (less than 1 year);
§ Short term (1 to 5 years);
§ Medium term (5 to 15 years);
§ Long term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or
§ Permanent. ¡ Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
§ Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site);
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§ Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site);
§ Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance);
§ National; or
§ International. ¡ Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
§ No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change);
§ Improbable (less than 5% chance);
§ Low probability (5% to 40% chance);
§ Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance);
§ Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or
§ Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) is then appraised using a simple scoring system applied in line with the example provided in Table 22 below. Table 22: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t know 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know 4 Long-term (impact ceases 8 High 4 National 4 Highly probable after closure of activity) 6 Moderate 3 Medium-term (5 to 15 years) 3 Regional 3 Medium probability 4 Low 2 Short-term (0 to 5 years) 2 Local 2 Low probability 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) is determined as: SP (Signifiance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Extent) x Probability
Where the relative significance of the change (or impact) is typically ranked as set out in the table below. Table 23: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is unacceptably Indicates high environmental SP >75 high. It is unlikely that an impact of this magnitude can be and/or social significance satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have Indicates moderate upon the environment and/or the community(s) is high. The SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or social Project may be compromised if this impact cannot be avoided significance or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). SP <30 Indicates low environmental The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have
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and/or social significance upon the environment and/or the community(s) is relatively low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the impact should be considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the existing + Positive impact environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the Project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change. 6.1.1 Cumulative Impacts A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future activities. Possible cumulative impacts of the Project were considered within the impact assessment ratings and typically increased all factor scores influencing impact significance. 6.1.2 Mitigation Measures A common approach to describing mitigation measures for critical impacts is to specify a range of targets with a predetermined acceptable range and an associated monitoring and evaluation plan. To ensure successful implementation, mitigation measures are unambiguous statements of actions and requirements that are practical to execute. The following summarize the different approaches used in prescribing and designing mitigation measures: ¡ Avoidance: mitigation by not carrying out the proposed action on the specific site, but rather on a more suitable site; ¡ Minimization: mitigation by scaling down the magnitude of a development, reorienting the layout of the Project or employing technology to limit the undesirable environmental impact; ¡ Restoration: mitigation through the restoration of environments affected by the action; and ¡ Compensation / offset: mitigation through the creation, enhancement or acquisition of similar environments to those affected by the action. 6.2 Stakeholder Engagement Methodology Stakeholder engagement during the ESHIA process was conducted in compliance with the relevant Ethiopian regulations and proclamations (Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, 1995 Article (92) and Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation № 299/2002 Article (15)), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) 2012 Performance Standards and international best practices, and in conjunction with the appropriate government authorities. The overall objective of stakeholder engagement in the ESHIA process was to provide stakeholders, particularly Affected Communities, with opportunities to express their views on Project risks, impacts and mitigation measures, and for Proponent to consider and respond to these. The 2012 IFC Performance Standards stress that stakeholder engagement should continue through the entire life of the Project, and be documented to demonstrate that stakeholders have opportunities to influence Project design and implementation, and adherence to free, prior and informed consultation.
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6.2.1 Stakeholder Identification Stakeholders are identified as persons, groups, or communities external to the core operations of a project who may be affected by the Project or have interest in it11. In accordance with IFC Performance Standards, the following steps were undertaken in identifying the various individuals, groups, communities, local government authorities, non-government authorities (NGOs) and other institutions who have an interest in the Project or may be affected by the Project (see Table 24 below):
1) Identify individuals, groups or local communities that may directly or indirectly, positively or negatively affected by the Project;
2) Identify broader stakeholders who may be able to influence the outcome of the Project because of their knowledge about the affected communities or have political influence over them; 3) Identify legitimate stakeholder representatives, including elected elders within the affected communities;
4) Mapping the impact zones in order to identify affected communities within the Project Area.
Table 24: Key identified stakeholders IDENTIFIED STAKEHOLDERS Directly or Indirectly affected stakeholders Kebele administrators Landowners/farmers Landowner family members Vulnerable groups: -Women KEBELE -Youth -Elderly -Handicapped Current and future residents in the surrounding area and neighbouring Kebeles Stakeholders with regulatory and enforcement roles Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) and Peoples’ of Ethiopia FEDERAL Ministry of Mines (MoM) Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Gode, Korahe, and Warder Administration and government departments in ZONE charge of education, health and agriculture Bale and Welwel & Warder Administration and government departments in charge of education, health and agriculture Regional office of Agriculture WOREDA Bureau of Health Bureau of Women Affairs Woreda Council Neighbouring Woredas General interest in 2D Seismic Surveying Project or Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd.
11 IFC (2012), International Finance Corporation’s Guidance Notes: Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Responsibility, January 1, 2012
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IDENTIFIED STAKEHOLDERS
Delonex shareholders and investment community Overseas Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with a general interest in Oil & Gas projects in developing countries. MULTINATIONAL AND World Bank; INTERNATIONAL International Finance Corporation; and UN Development Programme.
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) World Food Programme (WFP) Non-Government Organisations Safe the Children IRC
Potential suppliers and other business communities Ethiopian NGOs, political groups and civil society organizations such as NATIONAL Teachers’ Associations (especially Woreda and Zone level) Ethiopian media and the general public
6.2.2 Stakeholder Engagement Programme 6.2.2.1 Scoping Phase A meeting occurred on 20 November 2014 with the Ministry of Mines (MoM), Delonex and Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. The following was agreed upon: ¡ ESHIA will focus on the 2D Seismic activities that are proposed to commence in Q3 2015; ¡ ESHIA will provide sufficient background information to enable the MoM to be in a position to assess later Project components (the drilling aspects, etc.) without considerable additional aspects (on an Addendum basis); ¡ Community Engagement (including government bodies) will be a critical component of the ESHIA and will commence with discussions with Regional, Zonal and Woreda officials as key inputs to the Scoping process; ¡ ESHIA report will be succinct (< 100 pages in length) to facilitate the MoM decision-making process; ¡ Community Engagement and Community Development will be key components of the Project and Delonex must ensure these aspects receive significant focus; ¡ Consultation must be conducted in the Somali language, but the ESHIA shall be submitted in English only; ¡ Engagement with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MEF; formerly the EPA) should be considered as a general stakeholder; and ¡ Cultural Heritage resources within the Project area must be identified and a chance find procedure put into the Environmental and Social Management Plan. Direct interaction with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is required if Cultural Heritage resources are identified.
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Figure 29: Stakeholder engagement with Warder Administration at Liyu camp (left) and at the Zonal office (right)
A B C
Figure 30: Stakeholder engagement with (A-B) Geladi Administrators near Jijiga and C) the Deputy chairman of the Geladi District (and two council representatives) at a local roadside café 6.2.2.2 Impact Assessment Phase Further consultation took place as part of the Impact Assessment Phase (19th – 27th January 2015) with Project affected Woreda’s, community leaders (Kabele), NGO’s, Health representatives, Agricultural Bureau and Clan Leaders (Table 25). Comments are summarised below: ¡ The administrative authorities and communities are highly supportive of Delonex and the proposed development. They are eager to see further development of oil resources within the Somali Region, in the hope that it will lead to development of the communities and the economy; ¡ The proposed seismic corridors are useful as communities use these as access routes; ¡ Previous exploration companies employed from the local population, which provided a significant positive impact to communities. Specifically, communities requested that Delonex hires drivers and vehicles from local villages. The vehicles that were observed appeared to be poorly maintained, with no number plates or insurance cover; ¡ Previous exploration companies assisted with development of health and education infrastructure, which is a significant positive impact for communities; ¡ Previous seismic exploration activities reportedly resulted in damage to birkas, and local communities claim to have not received compensation or recourse for damaged birkas; ¡ The creation of the seismic corridors may affect the drainage channels of birkats; ¡ The creation of new access routes may increase dust when more vehicles pass along the roads; ¡ The noise from the seismic exploration activities may disturb communities whilst the survey is in the vicinity of communities; ¡ The clearing of vegetation may affect the availability of grazing vegetation for camels, goats, sheep and cattle; and ¡ Communities and authorities requested assistance with development of water resources, educational resources and health resources as their top priorities.
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Table 25: Summary of consultation in January 2015
Date Zone/ Woreda Place Entity Shilabo Woreda Administration 19 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Shilabo Shilabo Community Leaders 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Dherilay Kebele Chairman Head of Water Office 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Los Anot Kebele Chairman 20 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elbay Community Leader Warder Zone Administrator 21 January 2015 Warder Zone Warder Head of Somali Democratic Party Warder Woreda Administrator Warder Woreda Head of Health Office Warder Woreda Head of Water 21 January 2015 Warder Woreda Warder Warder Woreda Head of Finance and Economic Development Warder Woreda Head of Agriculture Warder Woreda Head of Health Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Dherilay Community Leaders 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Solole Women’s group Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Bilmidigan Community Leaders Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elale Community Leaders Bookh Woreda Administrator Bookh Woreda Head of Health 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Bookh Woreda Parlaimentary Office Bookh Woreda Revenue Office Head 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Clan Leaders Geladin Woreda Administrator 24 January 2015 Geladin Woreda Geladin Geladin Office of Justice 26 January 2015 Qorhey Zone Kebridahar Qorhey Zone Administrator Shebelle Zone Administrative Head Shebelle Zone (Gode 26 January 2015 Gode Shebelle Zone Agricultural Bureau Zone) / Ferfer Woreda Shebelle Zone Zonal Security Advisor UNICEF Shebelle Zone (Gode Save the Children 27 January 2015 Gode Zone) FAO IRC
6.3 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy going forward Delonex will engage with all stakeholders through mechanisms that respond to their concerns and enable them to be informed about the Project, participate in monitoring activities, and work in a collaborative way in the interest of both local communities and the Company. At this stage, the exploration activities are designed for a large area where the most effective communication strategy is word of mouth. Based on the non- invasive, high level activities planned for exploration, Golder recommends a high level communication strategy utilising already developed government structures and forum groups.
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Going forward, Delonex’s key strategic objectives for stakeholder engagement are outlined in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan in conjunction with methods and techniques of Communication (see Section 6.2 and Appendix D). 6.4 Methods and Techniques of Communication The public consultation team will include an experienced consultation coordinator. The consultation coordinator may not have to be a leader of the team, but should report to him. The coordinator should identify affected parties, facilitate conflict resolution, and be able to bring issues and concerns to the ESHIA team in an organized way. The consultation coordinator should be a person accepted by all participants as knowledgeable, respected, neutral and receptive to new ideas and concerns. Ideally, the coordinator should be fluent in Amharic, Somali and English, and be familiar with local issues and concerns.
The public consultation program will utilize some of the following methods and techniques. ¡ Establishing Community Forum – An advisory committee representing various interests affected by the Project. The Committee can provide a forum to discuss and evaluate issues, alternatives, and environmental concerns. The community forum usually does not make decisions but is expected to arrive at reasoned recommendations. It is a useful approach for information exchange between the public and the proponent. Copies of the EIA executive summary and the Project map shall be sent to the advisory committee, with a copy of the full EIA available, prior to the forum meeting; ¡ Workshops/Seminars – Workshops and seminars provide an opportunity for a large number of people to learn about many diverse viewpoints. They are particularly useful for informing the public and increasing the general levels of understanding; ¡ Display/visual presentations/posters – Displays are often used in conjunction with other forms of consultation such as focus groups and open houses. Displays should be informative and easily constructed and may include site plans, photos, artist sketches, and models. A major difficulty in consulting with people who may be affected by the Project is the difficulty of many to understand how their world can be different from what it is, or envisage realistically what their real needs might be when the Project materializes. Where feasible, graphic illustrations should be used to clarify the issues; scale models of the area showing villages, roads and the Project will be better understood than speeches or technical drawings; ¡ Media Presentations – Media Presentations could include videos, PowerPoint presentations, posters, brochures, copies of the EIA executive summary in English, etc. These communication devices are passive because the flow of information is one way; however they can be useful in presenting information about the Project. These presentations should be constructed in clear, concise and non- technical language, intelligible to broad public, and available in Amharic/Somali and English. Media presentations should utilize as much as possible pictures while avoiding diagrams, tables or charts. Mailing lists for brochures or newsletters are not very effective because of a lack of home mail delivery; and ¡ Internet – Copies of the ESHIA (in pdf format), shall be made available on the Internet. 7.0 SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT During future stakeholder engagement, Project documentation will include information on Delonex’s strategy toward social investment in Ethiopia and in particular, in regions and local communities affected by the Project. Delonex will create a clear strategy for social investment and distribute it widely to stakeholders. The strategy will emphasise the distinction between social investment offered as philanthropic good will to support community needs and “mitigation” required to reduce negative impacts. This distinction should be combined with efforts to align communication processes with the ESHIA.
The required mitigation measures and optional social investment are most effective when linked to the actual impacts created by the Project, such as targeted support for economic development in affected communities that are disadvantaged by the Project; or fits strategic goals that benefit both stakeholders and the company,
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such as training that improves the local skilled workforce and decreases the need to import expatriate workers. Best practice includes using the results of stakeholder engagement to ensure that the mitigation measures and social investment are supported by a broad range of community groups and will be sustainable after the Project is decommissioned. Sustainable social investment avoids simply meeting short- term “wish lists” that may be determined by a narrow group and do not represent ethnic, gender and other socio-economic differences within the community. As much as possible, Project benefits should be distributed through a transparent process. Determination of effective social investment is a key decision and social investment should be based upon Delonex’s social policy. 8.0 IMPACT PREDICTION AND EVALUATION As discussed in the preceding sections, the purpose of this ESHIA is to identify and assess the proposed Project’s potential environmental, social and health impacts and risks, then develop appropriate mitigation measures and management plans to avoid, minimise and compensate or offset potential impacts (Section 6.0). The following section identifies potential impacts and mitigation measures associated with the proposed 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19 and 21, and responds to the issues identified during the specialist studies, the Scoping Phase and the Impact Assessment phase of the ESHIA. 8.1 Summary of Impact Assessment Methodology A standard approach to impact identification and assessment was applied to determine a wide range of impacts that can be clearly compared with one another. This section is informed by the collected data and impact assessment undertaken by specialists in each discipline (reports in Appendices A). Impacts were identified, then assessed using information gathered during the field surveys in combination with previously collected data and detailed project plans. The significance of the impacts was determined using the approach outlined in Section 6.1 of this report. The significance ratings of all impacts before and after mitigation are detailed for construction / enabling of seismic corridors, survey operations, and decommissioning / closure phases in Section 8.2. Four basic approaches were used in prescribing and designing mitigation measures: avoidance, minimization, restoration, and compensation/ offset. The identification of mitigation measures was determined using the approach outlined in Section 6.0 of this report. Mitigation and monitoring measures are detailed in Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESHMP) found in Appendix C of this report. 8.2 Identified Impacts Potential impacts to each resource are identified during construction / enabling of seismic corridors, survey operations, and decommissioning / closure phases of the proposed 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19 and 21. Where appropriate, impacts during two or three phases are discussed concurrently. Mitigation measures are also listed. For a full explication of each study, refer to the complete specialist reports in Appendices A. 8.2.1 Water Resources 8.2.1.1 Siltation of water resources With the clearing of surface cover, sand/soils will be exposed to erosion factors such as wind, water and increased vehicle/ livestock traffic. Increased movement of sediment (e.g. via runoff load and dust) has the potential to increase the rate of siltation in Birkas/ Boreholes and reduce water storage volume. Based on observations made in the field of historical seismic corridors, the magnitude of erosion is considered minor. As lines will remain cleared, duration will remain long-term. Topography is typically flat and erosion would be limited to the site. Probability of erosion is medium as clearing and exposure of soils is required for the seismic corridors. Based on the historical seismic corridors observed and roads utilised during field work, the impact significance of siltation is ranked as low. 8.2.1.2 Improved access to water resources In villages where there are no water resources, tanker trucks typically deliver water for drinking and domestic use. Improved access to the Project area will enable delivery of water to a greater area than is currently possible. The magnitude of this impact is high as it would enable the delivery of a key resource.
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The duration would be permanent as significant access corridors would be left open. The scale of the impact is rated as site specific as it would be limited to transport would be limited to corridors. Probability of the impact would be medium as it is not confirmed if logistical resources are available to extend water delivery. Overall, given the importance of water, the impact significance is rated as positive 8.2.1.3 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes Vibration from clearing vegetation and survey activities could potentially damage water resources such as Birkas and boreholes. For example, community members within the Project area have alleged that previous seismic surveys have cracked the walls of Birkas, resulting in leaks. As Birkas, wells and boreholes are vital for subsistence living in the area, the magnitude of this impact is high. The duration of the impact will be for as long as the Project is active (i.e. long term). Birkas and boreholes are located locally. The impact is however improbable as vibrations are low and will be situated away from water resource infrastructure. Impact significance is accordingly rated as low. 8.2.1.4 Runoff Diversion Clearing and stockpiling of vegetation and soil has the potential to block or reduce surface flows to Birkas and boreholes, thereby reducing recharge potential. Rainfall is infrequent in the Project area and any diversion of runoff from water resources during rain events would have a moderate magnitude with a long- term effects. The scale of the impact would affect local Birkas and boreholes. Clearing of seismic corridors will require extensive earth movement and the probability of runoff diversion is thus medium, resulting in an impact significance of Moderate. 8.2.1.5 Contamination of water resources Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks Machinery used in harsh conditions will be prone to spills and leaks of fuels and hydraulic fluids. Any spill in such an environment could potentially contaminate water resources through runoff or direct input. Solid waste With an increase in the level of activity and number of people on site, solid waste production will increase. Survey camp size and vehicle numbers will be limited and situated away from water resources, while livestock fecies contamination is already prolific in the Project area. The magnitude of contaminating water resources is therefore moderate. Potential contamination will be monitored and cleaned shortly after occurrence resulting in a transient duration. The scale of the impact will site only, while harsh environmental conditions make the probability of the impact moderate. The impact significance of the potential impact is therefore Low. 8.2.1.6 Water resource depletion In addition to Project employees, improved access into the Project area could result in an influx of people which may decrease water availability (through increased abstraction). Water is essential to survival in the Project area and its depletion would have a very high magnitude impact. The duration of the impact would depend on the settlement of newcomers to the area. As these people would likely leave after the Project’s completion (i.e. 6 months), if water resources could not support them; duration of the impact is rated as transient. The scale of the impact is rated as local as potential migrants would want to be close to the seismic corridors that provide access to transport. As the Project is expected to last 6 months, the overall impact significance is low. As mentioned above, water abstraction will be approximately 60 000 litres per day. 8.2.2 Air Quality Air emissions will be generated as a result of dust generation and removal of vegetation which will increase propensity for wind-whipping of ground dust, and emissions from engine and vehicle exhausts. A qualitative assessment of dust impacts indicated a potential to increase dust and particulates from wind-whipping at up to 1km from source. The increase in ambient dust concentrations was not considered significant in comparison to existing baseline levels. The magnitude of change is anticipated to be minor.
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Emissions from vehicle or plant exhausts will have a very localised effect, however the effects will be transient in duration, with emissions dispersing in atmosphere and reducing in concentration. A low magnitude of change at receptor locations would be expected when operating in close proximity to receptors, however the effects will reduce as activities move further away from villages. Based on the predicted magnitude of change the impact significance is categorised as low. 8.2.3 Noise and Vibration The proposed 2D seismic exploration could result in the following noise and vibration impacts: Construction The predicted noise levels during the construction period indicate that noise levels would be expected to fall below IFC EHS guideline levels within approximately 100 m of locations of activity. As the seismic corridors will maintain a minimum stand-off distance from permanently inhabited villages of approximately 100m, noise levels at permanently inhabited villages are not predicted to exceed IFC Guidelines during the day, however noise levels are expected to be more than 5 dB greater than existing noise levels, accordingly the magnitude of change is categorised as Moderate. The duration of any adverse noise effects is likely to be restricted to no more than one day (typically a few hours), following which the activities will move further from the receptors and the noise effects will reduce accordingly. The duration of effects is therefore categorised as Transient. The extent of any adverse effects will be Local.
Based on the determined magnitude of change, duration and extent of effects and the definite probability of effect then the worst case overall significance score is determined to be Moderate. Outside of these worst case periods the impact significance will be no effect. Although operational noise may exceed relevant guidelines 100m from permanently inhabited dwellings (due to the use of nearby roads), the effects are transient in duration, typically lasting less than a day and will occur during the daytime period only. Adopting a larger separation distance would preclude the use of existing roads for seismic corridors and require additional vegetation clearance. The transient noise impact is deemed to be of lesser significance than the permanent clearance of vegetation, therefore the buffer of 100 m is recommended despite the noise impact. Operation Predicted noise levels indicate that during seismic operations noise from the vibrator truck engine and exhaust will exceed IFC daytime guidelines at up to 500 m from the source. During worst case operations (within 100 m of receptors), therefore, noise levels are likely to exceed IFC guidelines. Where such adverse effects occur the magnitude of change is anticipated to be High. The duration of any adverse noise effects is likely to be restricted to no more than one day (typically a few hours), following which the activities will move further from the receptors and the noise effects will reduce accordingly. The duration of effects is therefore categorised as Transient. The extent of any adverse effects will be Local.
Based on the determined magnitude of change, duration and extent of effects and the definite probability of effect then the worst case overall significance score is determined to be Moderate. Outside of these worst case periods the impact significance will be no effect. Vibration International guidelines indicate that vibroseis operations are unlikely to cause adverse effects on even the most sensitive receptors (water wells) beyond 100 m. The proposed operations will maintain a minimum set- back distance from receptors of 100m. Correspondingly no adverse vibration effects are predicted. The magnitude of change in vibration levels is therefore none. The impact significance is therefore categorized as neutral. 8.2.4 Biodiversity The process for the 2D seismic exploration will include the following two activities, which could result in potential effects to biodiversity:
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8.2.4.1 Clearing of vegetation ¡ Linear lines for vehicle access will be cleared of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately six to seven metres. In areas of light to medium vegetation, straight lines will be cleared using heavy machinery. Where vegetation is dense, a ‘slalom’ (i.e. zigzag) line technique will be adopted. Surface vegetation will also be cleared for construction of base camp and survey camps (size of and locations to be confirmed). 8.2.4.2 Surveying and recording ¡ Surveying will be conducted by sending a seismic energy wave or ‘shot’ through the ground, which is recorded by a series of geophones located along the survey route. The geophones record the wave as they ‘rebound’ from the layers of rock beneath the surface. The survey will utilise a vibroseis12 process to generate the seismic waves (as opposed to waves generated by explosives). The vibroseis waves are generated by sources within purpose-built trucks which communicate with the geophones and are recorded by a separate recording truck (i.e. seismograph truck). Each machine will exert up to 80,000 lbs (~36,000 kg) of force at approximately 50 m intervals along each seismic corridor. Geophones, or nodes, will be placed at 25 m intervals to record the data. These nodes are easily deployed and retrieved; requiring no cabling. The survey will proceed in a linear manner, with support staff walking the route adjacent to the vibroseis machines (i.e. vibrator truck). The survey will be conducted for 12 hours a day, 7 days per week and is expected to take 6 months to complete.
These activities may result in the flowing impacts: Habitat Loss and Loss in Biodiversity Surface vegetation, including grasses, shrubs and tree species will be cleared to allow access of the vibroseis machines, as well as construction of base camp and survey camps. In relation to the regional study area, only about 2.5% of the area will be disturbed. This calculation is based on land cover with a 1 km buffer around the proposed seismic corridors. In keeping with the above stated width of approximately 6 to 7m, this area will be significantly reduced. Of the different land cover categories affected, Open Grasslands are likely to be the most impacted, with 2.92% (3.44 km2) potentially being affected. Habitat fragmentation as a result of the linear clearing will result in discontinuities in habitat. Based upon the vegetation communities and the proportion of area that will be cleared, the magnitude of habitat loss in considered low. Due to the slow adaptive capacity of an arid region and the fact that local communities use the survey lines as roads, the duration of the impact have been rated as permanent and will definitely occur. The ratio of potentially impacted habitat and the fact that there is a buffer built into this assessment resulted in the scale of habitat loss restricted to the site. Overall the significance of habitat loss associated with the proposed exploration activates is moderate.
This clearing of surface cover and movement and compaction of sand/soils will result in the disturbance of habitat and individuals and potentially populations. This coupled with the noise and vibration of associated activities, may result in the loss in biodiversity. The cleared lines may also act as a barrier (functional connectivity) for smaller species. As lines will be permanently cleared, the low impact will be localised. The overall significance of biodiversity loss remains moderate due to the fact that most species will be able to move away from the activities as they approach (vegetation clearing has been accounted for under habitat loss). This ranking takes into account cumulative impacts from historical lines and considers the fact that roads (survey routes) into remote areas will make access for hunting and resource utilisation easier. Soil Erosion With the clearing of surface cover, sand/soils will be exposed to erosion factors such as wind, water and increased traffic. Based on the observations made during the site visit of historical seismic corridors, the magnitude of erosion is considered minor, yet due to the fact that the lines will remain cleared, the duration
12 ‘Vibroseis’ is a registered name (trademark) of a device which uses a truck-mounted vibrator plate coupled to the ground to generate a wave train of several frequencies. The recorded data from an upsweep or downsweep (increasing or decreasing frequency respectively) are added together and compared with the source input signals to produce a conventional-looking seismic section (i.e. geological profile).
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will remain long-term. Due to the flat topography of the site, any erosion would be limited to the site. As there will be clearing and exposed unconsolidated soils, there is a low probability of erosion. Based on the historical seismic corridors visited and roads utilised during the site visit, the impact of this Project on soil erosion was ranked as low. Vibration and Noise Both the clearing of vegetation as well as the survey activities will pose an impact in terms of noise and vibration. Mechanical clearing of surface cover will utilise heavy machinery, while survey activities will exert a large amount of force onto the ground, resulting in surface vibrations. These activities will disturb fauna. Whilst onsite community members spoke about historical surveys, where “the machines arrived, shook the ground, and all the goats ran away”, after which all returned to normal. The magnitude of this impact is low, and will be transient at a site scale. As these activities will take place, the probability of noise and vibration affecting fauna remains low. Even though short lived, these impacts of noise and vibrations on fauna, is real and as a result has been rated as low. Dust Clearing activities will disturb the soils and remove the vegetation layer that protects the soils from wind erosion. Long linear routes will provide a corridor for wind to mobilise sand particles. These particles will be disbursed and will settle on plants, smothering them and having a negative effect. The magnitude of this impact is low, and will be noticeable in the medium-term at a local scale. Solid Waste With an increase in the level of activity and number of people on site, solid waste production will increase. Due to the remote location of the Project, the lack of infrastructure, and the fact that there are very little anthropogenic activities outside of the villages, the magnitude of the impact has been ranked as minor. As the proposed activities will be limited to the seismic corridors, the impact will be localised and have a low probability of occurring as the Project team (workforce) for such exploration will be relatively small. If unmitigated these impacts are likely to manifest during the exploration activities (transient). In such an area, and with the current Project description, the impact of solid waste is considered low. Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks As the site is a remote location, and there will be no workshops, one should consider that any machinery used in harsh conditions would be prone to spills and leaks of fuels and hydraulic fluids. Any spill in such an environment would have a low impact, and would impact the site. If not dealt with appropriately contaminated areas pose a short-term risk. As specialised equipment (vibroseis machines) will be brought in for the surveys, the condition of the machines is assumed to be in a state that the probability of major spills/leaks occurring would be low. Influx of People With increased access into new areas the influx of people will have an indirect impact on biodiversity. As people more into new largely natural areas, one would expect an increase in resource utilization (including: increased poaching, fire wood harvest, fire risk, etc.). The overall significance of the influx of people was rated as moderate due to the fact that it would be permanent and extend regionally. 8.2.5 Socio-Economic and Health The Socio-economic and health assessment (SHIA) found that the proposed 2D seismic exploration may result in the following socio-economic and health impacts (see Table 26): Employment creation The proposed seismic exploration activities are anticipated to create approximately 35 foreign national employment opportunities and approximately 240 Ethiopian national employment opportunities for the duration of the survey. These employment figures are indicative only and may vary considerably, resulting in a a positive impact of low significance.
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Employment will nevertheless supplement household incomes and result in skills development and transfer. Where possible, employees must be sourced from local communities within the vicinity of operations. Damage to property Generally, the ESHIA recommends a minimum clearance distance of 100m from structures and birkas to avoid damage to these assets. Where the survey corridors are within 100m of birkas or other structures, the corridors should be re-routed to avoid the structure and or birka. Photographs should be taken of birkas and/or structures as documented proof of the condition of the structure prior to the seismic survey. Safety risk to communities and livestock During fieldwork activities it was clear that communities (especially children) are unaccustomed to vehicles and the associated safety risks. With the presence of larger vehicles involved in the vegetation clearing and seismic surveying activities, it will be prudent to ensure that the supporting crew inform communities in the vicinity of the approaching vehicles and request that children and livestock be kept away from the surveying activities. When working in the vicinity of communities, drivers need to be extra aware of potential safety hazards. Training of drivers will need to include traffic risks arising from communities and livestock. Economic benefits Should the proposed Project determine sufficient reserves to facilitate further development, this will constitute a significant positive socio-economic impact to the local areas, region and on a national scale. Demand for supplies and pressure on infrastructure Given the largely self-sufficient nature of the exploration camps and workforce, it is anticipated that limited pressure will be placed on community infrastructure and services. Water is the most sensitive resource for communities and therefore it is critical that the workforce extracts water from a sustainable resource (to be discussed in the ESHIA document). The presence of the workforce may stimulate local economic opportunities (e.g. sale of foodstuff and goods), which may result in inflation of prices. Due to the short-term nature of the Project, it is expected that inflationary effects will be limited. Impacts on health and livelihoods The proposed activities are likely to attract opportunity seekers who aim to obtain employment from the Project. The mobile nature of the seismic exploration is expected to limit impacts of the opportunity seekers on local communities, but there may be slightly more pronounced impacts at the exploration base camp. These impacts can be mitigated by formulating a clear employment policy that is publically available. Change in sense of place arising from visual impacts Whilst the SHIA does not include a detailed visual impact assessment, the current environment is characteristic of numerous seismic corridors from historic exploration activities. These have become part of the generally accepted landscape and serve as access routes for communities. Whilst the clearing activities and conducting of the survey may cause temporary disturbance to communities, it is unlikely that this will result in a permanent change in sense of place. Increased safety and development opportunities With the seismic activities, the safety of the communities will increase along the new seismic corridors. These may allow for easier access between communities, and with known seismic activities the region may attract more development. Potential human right risks Whilst this SHIA does not explicitly focus on human right risks, the history of conflict in the region has indicated that a number of historical human right infringements may have occurred. It is recommended that Delonex implement its Human Rights Policy (i.e. Principles on Security and Human Rights, see Stakeholder Engagement Plan).
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Domestic / Sanitary Waste Water Discharge Spillages and malfunctioning of drain systems can lead to shallow soil, surface water and groundwater pollution, as well as health impacts to local communities.
As mentioned in Section 4.4.3, toilet and wash facilities will be provided in the form of temporary erected containers. Black water from the facilities will be discharged to a septic pit system located beyond the camp boundary. The black water will pass through a septic tank system, prior to discharge to a seepage pit. Grey water from the facilities, along with laundries and kitchen will be fed to a soak-away system, also beyond the camp boundary. All wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste management Standard (see Section 9.3.4 and Appendix F).
The impact from this activity can potentially be moderate if soil and groundwater resources are polluted from waste disposal, and cause an outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera and hepatitis. This would affect local communities and Delonex employees/ contractors.
The impact can however be reduced to low if adequate mitigation measures are put in place, such as Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste management Standard (see Section 9.3.4 and Appendix F). Mitigation will typically be the provision of clean water or hand washing and provision of portable toilets at the camp sites. These portable toilets need to managed and maintained in a manner that will protect the environment (i.e. in accordance with Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste management Standard. Domestic Solid Waste Generation Camp survey workers will generate domestic solid waste; i.e. food packaging, food waste, plastic bags, and bottles, etc. Such waste has the potential to accumulate and visually degrade the environment, as well as harm local livestock; negatively impacting on economic livelihoods.
As laid out in Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste management Standard (Appendix F), domestic waste should be disposed at an appropriately licenced off-site facility. The formal waste management plan takes into account the waste management hierarchy including re-use and recycling, which will be required to reduce the impact from this activity on communities, as well as the air, soil and groundwater. Hazardous Waste Generation Hazardous waste may be generated during maintenance activities (e.g. vehicle service and repair). Hazardous waste generated during the seismic surveying activities will range from used solvents, used oil and grease, etc. This impact would typically affect local communities indirectly through degradation of soil, surface- and ground- water, and is expected to be moderate. After the implementation of mitigation measures, such as Delonex’s waste management plan, the magnitude can be reduced to minor (i.e. short term site specific). 8.2.6 Cultural Heritage The proposed 2D seismic exploration may result in the following cultural heritage impacts (see Table 26): Change to the land surface Land will be cleared of vegetation, levelled and compacted (as a result of vehicle movements). Surface material (artefacts) will be re-deposited, damaged or destroyed as a result. Sites of cultural significance will be destroyed. Subsurface remains (e.g. burials and archaeological deposits) will be compacted and damaged by heavy machinery and vehicles. Site workers may also remove artefacts by chance. Ground Pollution Physical pollution can arise from Project-related e.g. oil spillage. Damage to archaeological deposits and/or sites of natural/cultural significance could occur as a result. Change in Environmental Setting Project activity can result in increased noise levels, dust and visual disturbance.
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The physical setting of a cultural or religious site (e.g. mosques and cemeteries or other cultural sites) could be disturbed as a result. Demographic changes Project activity in the area may instigate demographic change (e.g., increased income, education, healthcare and in-migration) and can affect change in local belief systems and intangible heritage. 8.2.7 Waste Generation of solid non-hazardous waste materials Non-hazardous waste will be generated during camp construction (unless existing camps can be used) and seismic activities. These are not only industrial waste materials but also packaging materials, scrap steel, cables, paper, containers, plastic etc. The accumulation of solid non-hazardous materials can be hazardous to local animals and can contaminate soil and water resources.
Generation of non-hazardous waste and its impact on the environment before and after mitigation is rated as low. The duration of the Project is relatively short and waste generation is localised. Most of the waste streams will be managed at source where possible or at a temporary salvage and recycling yard, minimising the need for disposal. The probability of an impact occurring before mitigation is low due to the non- hazardous nature of the waste and low after mitigation measures, i.e. the implantation of Delonex’s Ethiopia- Waste management Standard (Appendix F). Generation of hazardous waste materials Various hazardous waste materials may be generated during the camp construction and seismic activities. This ranges from used solvents, chemical containers, fluorescent tubes, used oil and grease, medical waste from the medical facility etc. Hazardous materials can make people and animals sick and can cause death.
While hazardous waste has the potential to be a high magnitude impact, relatively low amounts of waste are expected to be generated and the impact is thus moderate before mitigation. After the implementation of mitigation measures, such as Delonex’s waste management plan (Appendix F), the magnitude is reduced to low and the potential impact will be short term and localised. The probability of an impact occurring before mitigation is rated as medium and after mitigation measures; the impact is rated as low. Food waste from camps If left unattended, food waste can facilitate the spread of disease and cause sickness and death. Disposal of food waste also unnecessarily diminishes landfill space which could be used for other materials.
The magnitude of the impact of food waste before mitigation is rated as low. Food waste will be minimised by ongoing food preparation planning (in accordance with previous meals and the number of people eating) and through re-use (i.e. untouched food can be preserved and reheated etc. for future meals). Spoiled food will not be reused in this manner and must be temporarily kept in sealable containers and removed from site with other solid waste. The impact of food waste will be for a short term, localised and of moderate probability. Storage of non-hazardous waste The volumes of non-hazardous waste expected to be generated at the site will be low. Food and other domestic waste will be removed on a daily basis by a contractor for disposal at a local landfill site. Recyclable materials such as metals, plastic, carton, glass, wood etc. will be sorted and temporarily stored at a storage area until removed by licensed contractors. The environmental significance of these waste streams are moderate without any mitigation measures, but reduced to low with the implementation of mitigation measures such as proper recycling strategies, proper storage containers and bays to mitigate potential impacts. Storage of hazardous waste Hazardous waste can cause severe impacts on the surrounding environment without proper mitigation. All hazardous waste must be collected by a licensed contractor for safe disposal off site.
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The environmental significance before mitigation is rated as moderate and reduced to low after the implementation of mitigation measures, such as a bunding storage areas and implementing monitoring. Spillage of hazardous waste Spillage of hazardous waste liquids specifically during transport is a possibility. The significance before mitigation is rated as very high and with mitigation in place, the rating is low. Care should be taken that containers are sealed properly and as a first choice be returned to the suppliers if possible. Vehicles transporting hazardous waste should be purpose build and a strict speed limit should be imposed. Unauthorised disposal of waste to the environment Illegal disposal of waste materials and littering can potentially occur around the site. The environmental significance of illegal dumping occurring is rated as very high without any mitigation measures in place. Delonex will however implement its waste management standard (see section 9.3.4 and Appendix F) to manage all waste activities of the seismic operations and this will serve to make illegal disposal of waste improbable to the surrounding environment, reducing the environmental significance to low. 8.2.8 Residual Impacts The Project takes place over approximately 6 months and impacts are typically transient. Seismic corridors and temporary camp areas (cleared of vegetation) will however remain as residual impacts. Non-hazardous and hazardous wastes will be removed and disposed of at an appropriately licensed facility (in accordance with Delonex’s Waste Management Standard, see section 9.3.4 andAppendix F). Once the Project is complete, cleared corridors will be typically utilized by the local populace for transport purposes. This impact is rated as positive. Similarly, cleared camp areas are likely to be used by the ENDF and the overall impact is rated as low.
9.0 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN This Section presents an overview of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESHMP) developed to guide environmental and social management on the site during all three Project phases (i.e. construction, operational and closure) of the proposed 2D seismic surveying of Block 18, 19 and 21. The primary aim of this ESHMP is to mitigate negative impacts and enhance positive benefits of the proposed Project. The development of this ESHMP has been informed by the ESHIA and associated specialist studies. This ESHMP is a “living document” and information contained in this version will be reviewed and where necessary updated. The findings and recommendations of internal / external environmental and social auditors (annually or more frequently) will form the basis of updates to the ESHMP, as required.
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Table 26: Summary of potential impacts (after implementation of mitigation measures outlined in section 9.3)
Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty Clearing of grasses, shrubs and trees for Permanent Site 1 Habitat Loss the seismic corridors, as well as base - Low (4) Definite (5) 50 Moderate (5) (1) camp and survey camps Loss of terrestrial species diversity, Loss of ecological integrity and important habitats Permanent Site High 2 - Low (4) 40 Moderate biodiversity due to alterations and disturbances of (5) (1) (4) habitat. Clearing of vegetation will expose sand/soil Minor Long-term Site 3 Soil Erosion to erosion factors such as wind, water and - Low (2) 14 Low (2) (4) (1) increased traffic. Vibration and Mechanical clearing and survey (seismic) Low Transient Local High 4 - 28 Low Terrestrial Noise activities may disturb sensitive fauna. (4) (1) (2) (4) Ecology Clearing of vegetation, disturbances of Medium- Low Local Low 5 Dust soils and long linear corridors may cause - term 18 Low (4) (2) (2) dust during windy conditions (3) An increased level of activity and number Minor Transient Site Improbable 6 Solid Waste of people on site will increase the amount - 4 Low (2) (1) (1) (1) of solid water generated. Hydrocarbon Minor Transient Site 7 Machinery used in remote sites. - Low (2) 8 Low Spills and Leaks (2) (1) (1) With easier access one would expect an Regio Low Permanent Medium 8 Influx of People influx of people, increased poaching, fire - nal 36 Moderate (4) (5) (3) wood harvest, fire risk, etc. (3) Socio- Localised increases in wealth, as more Low Short-term Local High 9 Economic Employment local people are employed. Skills may be + 32 Moderate (4) (2) (2) (4) and health developed.
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Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty Clearing of lines and the seismic surveying Damage to High Short-term Local Low 10 activity may result in damage to property - 20 Low property (8) (2) (2) (2) such as birkats birkas and structures Vehicle High Short-term Local High 11 Safety risk to communities and livestock - 48 Moderate movement (8) (2) (2) (4) Injection of significant wealth into the Discovery of regional and national economy with the Natio Very High Long-term High 12 significant oil potential to maintain sustainable + nal 72 Moderate (10) (4) (4) reserves development and growth at a national (4) level. Demand for Pressure on local community ‘s resources, Low Short-term Local Low 13 - 18 Low supplies public facilities and infrastructure (4) (2) (2) (2) Temporary Low Short-term Local Low 14 Impact on health and livelihoods - 18 Low influx of workers (4) (2) (2) (2) Visual Site Change in sense of place arising from Low Short-term Low 15 degradation of - only 17 Low visual impacts (4) (2) (2) the landscape (1) Site Project area will become safer and more Moderate Permanent High 16 Mine clearance + only 48 Moderate desirable for development/ settlement. (6) (5) (4) (1) Medium- High term Local Medium 17 All Potential human right risks - 39 Moderate (8) (3) (2) (3)
Domestic / Health impacts to local communities such Short-term Local 18 Sanitary Waste as generation of waterborne diseases (e.g. - High (8) Low (2) 28 Low (2) (2) Water cholera and hepatitis).
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Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty Discharge Visual degradation of the environment, as Domestic solid Long-term Local 19 well as harm to local livestock; negatively - High (8) Low (2) 28 Low waste impacting on economic livelihoods. (4) (2)
Medium- Hazardous Indirect health impact through degradation Local 20 - High (8) term Low (2) 26 Low waste of soil, surface- and ground- water. (2) (3) Land will be cleared of vegetation, levelled and compacted (as a result of vehicle movements). Surface material (artefacts) will be re-deposited, damaged or destroyed Site Change of land as a result. Sites of cultural significance will High Permanent Low 21 - only 28 Low surface be destroyed. Subsurface remains (e.g. (8) (5) (2) (1) burials and archaeological deposits) will be compacted and damaged by heavy machinery and vehicles. Site workers may also remove artefacts by chance. Cultural Physical pollution can arise from Project- Heritage related e.g. oil spillage. Damage to Minor Short-term Site Improbable 22 Ground pollution archaeological deposits and/or sites of - 5 Low (2) (2) (1) (1) natural/cultural significance could occur as a result. Project activity can result in increased noise levels, dust and visual disturbance. Change in The physical setting of a cultural or Minor Transient Site Improbable 23 environmental - 4 Low religious site (e.g. mosques and (2) (1) (1) (1) setting cemeteries or other cultural sites) could be disturbed as a result.
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Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty Project activity in the area may instigate demographic change (e.g., increased Change in Minor Transient Local Low 24 income, education, healthcare and in- - 10 Low demographics (2) (1) (2) (2) migration) and can affect change in local belief systems and intangible heritage. Noise resulting from construction vehicles Highly Construction Low Transient Local 25 clearing surface vegetation and obstacles - probable 28 Low vehicles (4) (1) (2) for seismic survey corridors (4) Highly Noise and Noise resulting from vibrator truck Low Transient Local 26 Vibration trucks - probable 28 Low Vibration impacting on inhabited villages (4) (1) (2) (4) Highly Seismic survey Vibrations from seismic survey impacting Moderate Transient Local 27 - probable 52 Moderate operations on inhabited villages and birkas (6) (1) (2) (4) Increased movement of sediment (e.g. via Siltation of water runoff load and dust) has the potential to Low Long-term Medium 28 - Local 24 Low resources increase the rate of siltation in Birkas and (4) (4) (3) reduce water storage volume Clearing of vegetation for seismic corridors Moderate Improved Permanent Site Medium 29 will provide roads to access areas that + (6) 36 Positive access to water (5) (1) (3) Water were previously inaccessible. resources Physical Vibration from clearing vegetation and damage of survey activities could potentially damage Long-term Local Improbable 30 - High (8) 14 Low Birkas and water resources such as Birkas and (4) (2) (1) Boreholes boreholes. Blocked or reduced surface flows to Birkas Local Medium 31 Runoff Diversion - Moderate Long term 33 Moderate and boreholes (2) (3)
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Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty Contamination Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks, as well as Moderate Transient Site Medium 32 of water - 24 Low Solid waste (6) (1) (1) (3) resources Water resource Decreased water availability due to influx of Long-term Local 33 - High (8) Low (2) 26 Low depletion people (4) (2) Removal of vegetation will increase Removal of propensity for wind-whipping of ground Transient Local Definite (5) 34 Air Quality - Minor (2) 25 Low vegetation dust, and emissions from engine and (1) (2) vehicle exhausts. Moderate Transient Local Definite (5) 35 Construction Civil work noise - 45 Moderate (6) (1) (2) Noise Moderate Transient Local Definite (5) 36 Operation Seismic activity noise - 45 Moderate (6) (1) (2) Generation of Contamination of soil and water resources solid non- Short-term Local 37 and harm to local animals and - Low (4) Low (2) 16 Low hazardous (2) (2) waste materials communities.
Generation of Contamination of soil and water resources Short-term Local 38 hazardous and harm to local flora and fauna, as well - Low (4) Low (2) 16 Low (2) (2) Waste waste materials as workers and local community. Food waste Facilitate spread of disease and/or reduce Short-term Site Moderate 39 - Low (4) 24 Low from camps efficiency of landfills. (2) (2) (3) Storage of non- Short-term Local Improbable 40 hazardous - Low (4) 16 Low Contamination of soil and water resources (2) (2) (1) waste materials and harm to local plants, animals, and Storage of communities. Medium- Local Moderate 41 - Low (4) 27 Low hazardous term (3) (2) (3)
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Impact No. Category Aspect Potential Impact Description Significance Di r ec t i on Ma gn i tude D u r a t i on G e og r a ph ic E x t e nt Pr ob a b i l ty waste materials Spillage of Very High Short-term Local 42 hazardous - Low (2) 28 Low (10) (2) (2) waste Unauthorised disposal of Very High Medium- Local Improbable 43 - 15 Low waste to the (10) term (3) (2) (1) environment
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9.1 Objectives of the ESHMP Key objectives of the ESHMP are to: ¡ Facilitate compliance with applicable acts, regulations and guidelines; ¡ Avoid and/or minimise social, health and environmental negative impacts of the Project and maximise positive impacts; ¡ Recognise that social responsibility and environmental management are among the highest corporate priorities; ¡ Assign clear accountability and responsibility for environmental protection and social responsibility to management and employees; ¡ Facilitate environmental and social planning through Project life cycle; ¡ Provide a process for achieving targeted performance levels; ¡ Provide appropriate and sufficient resources, including training, to achieve targeted environmental performance levels on an on-going basis; and ¡ Evaluate environmental performance and social responsibility against Delonex’s environmental and social policies, objectives and targets and seek improvement where appropriate. 9.2 ESHMP Implementation The implementation and operation of the ESHMP is delivered through a number of key aspects: ¡ Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities; ¡ Training and Competency Development; and ¡ Implementation performance monitoring. These are discussed in detail below. 9.2.1 Roles, Responsibilities and Accountabilities 9.2.1.1 Delonex Team Delonex will ensure the availability of the human and financial resources needed to conduct all environmental management, mitigation and monitoring activities during the 2D seismic surveying of Blocks 18, 19 and 21 (i.e. construction, operation, and closure phases). As necessary, but primarily during construction of seismic survey corridors, this will include the investment of capital to ensure that environmental mitigation measures such as pollution control equipment are integrated into various project components.
Delonex will employ a dedicated Environmental Management team to ensure the implementation of the ESHMP during construction, operation, and closure phases. The roles of the Environmental Management team include, inter alia: ¡ Development of overarching systems (e.g. waste, spillage etc.); ¡ Setting of targets based on legal and lender requirements; ¡ Ensure that annual budgets, etc. plan addresses the environmental requirements of the surveying; ¡ Liaison with various governmental agencies on environmental and social issues; ¡ Training in environmental policy and programmes (including: awareness, legal issues, etc.);
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¡ Ambient monitoring; ¡ Inspections and periodic internal auditing; ¡ Management of internal and external environmental audits; ¡ Reporting; and ¡ Co-ordinate and manage review meetings. Delonex will employ a dedicated Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager to ensure the implementation of the ESHMP during construction, operation, and closure phases. The roles of the EHS Manager include, inter alia: ¡ Monitor the implementation and functioning of mitigation measures; ¡ Conduct routine environmental monitoring (i.e., biophysical parameters) that are described in the ESHIA report and ESHMP; ¡ Liaise with the contractor and Project Manager, to provide input into the functioning and adequacy of mitigation measures, and make recommendations for additional measures if necessary; ¡ Have the authority to stop work in the event of an identified risk to the environment and human health; ¡ Prepare on a monthly basis an audit report which will be submitted to the regulatory authorities (if required) and an independent Environmental Control Officer (ECO) for review; and ¡ Implementation of the finalised Cultural Heritage Chance Find Procedure (CFP) and cultural heritage mitigation plan in liaison with the local archaeological specialist.
In addition, Delonex will appoint an independent Environmental Control Officer (ECO). This should be done by an independent reputable environmental consultancy. The responsibilities of the ECO include, inter alia: ¡ Review the audit reports prepared by the HSE Manager on monthly basis; ¡ Provide recommendations on how and when non-compliance and deficiencies will be rectified (if necessary); ¡ Liaison with various governmental agencies, HSE Officer, and Project Manager on environmental and social issues (if necessary). 9.2.1.2 Contractor On appointment all contracting companies will receive a copy of the ESHMP for the Project. The relevant section of the ESHMP – whether the construction, operational or closure section – will be attached to contract documents of contractors. When contracts are signed, contractors will commit to comply with the requirements of the ESHMP, as well as their own environmental and social policies as they apply to their operations. 9.2.2 Training and Competency Development The HSE Manager will be responsible for conducting environmental awareness training for all Contractors (and subcontractors) that will be working on site. The training will cover: ¡ Delonex Environmental, Social, Health & Safety, and Security Policies (see Section 3.0); ¡ Chance Find Procedure; ¡ Conditions of the EPA approval;
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¡ Content and conditions of the ESHMP; ¡ Basic workforce Environment and Safety (ES) awareness; ¡ Environmental / Social sensitivities of the site and surrounding community; ¡ Personnel ES training needs; and ¡ Resources available for use during personnel ES awareness training. At the end of the training, participants will have to confirm that they have participated in the environmental awareness training, that they understand the requirements of the ESHMP, and that they will undertake to comply with the conditions therein. It is the responsibility of the contractors which attended the training to ensure that all their staff understand and comply with the conditions of the ESHMP. 9.2.3 Performance Monitoring of ESHMP Implementation A performance assessment of Delonex’s implementation of the ESHMP will be conducted at the end of the Project by the HSE Manager. This should be done by an independent reputable environmental consultancy. A typical ESHMP Performance Assessment Report will contain the following information: ¡ Information regarding the period applicable to the performance assessment; ¡ The scope of the assessment; ¡ The procedure used for the assessment; ¡ The interpreted information gained from monitoring the approved ESHMP; ¡ The evaluation criteria used during the assessment; and ¡ The results of the assessment. The ESHMP performance assessment report must be submitted to the relevant financiers (e.g. IFC). 9.3 Management and Mitigation Measures 9.3.1 Water resources Mitigation measures to reduce the impacts described in Section 8.2.1 are outlined below. Impact ratings with mitigation measures implemented are provided in Table 26 (in Section 8.2). 9.3.1.1 Siltation of water resources ¡ Soil disturbances must be minimised where practical; ¡ In order to reduce soil erosion through vegetation loss, heavy machinery and trucks must adhere to the one track policy at all times. Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks must be used for the seismic corridors and to gain access to survey areas/ camps; and ¡ In order to further reduce erosion, it is recommended that access to remote survey corridors be restricting during (and after) Project activities. This will reduce human migration to the area and overutilization of the natural resources (i.e. facilitate regeneration of vegetation). 9.3.1.2 Physical damage of Birkas and Boreholes ¡ A buffer of 100m (minimum) must be maintained between clearing activities and water resources (e.g. Birkas, rivers, and boreholes) to avoid damaging these resources. The structural integrity of water resources within 100m should be photographed (and discussed with local owners) before seismic operations begin to provide a baseline for potential damage claims.
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9.3.1.3 Runoff Diversion ¡ Survey corridors must take cognisance of surface drainage patterns and avoid altering flows to Birkas, boreholes, and settlements (as water resources are typically located in/ near villages). Clearing activities should not construct berms (vegetation and/or soil stockpiles) along the sides of survey corridors or at right angles to drainage lines. In cases where this is unavoidable, it is recommended that berms should be levelled after seismic testing is completed. Where possible, drainage should also be encouraged away from the corridors to reduce erosion and facilitate potential Birka development after surveying is complete. ¡ Where possible, avoid drainage line crossings. If unavoidable, the culvert crossing is to be properly designed to pass the design flood with minimum backwater. 9.3.1.4 Contamination of water resources ¡ Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks should be used for the seismic corridors and to gain access to the survey areas; ¡ Vehicles/ machinery must be maintained and serviced when necessary to prevent leaks and breakdowns. As a minimum, the following must be done:
§ Avoid overfilling of tanks; § Ensure correct disposal of hydrocarbons such as lubricants and oils. § Toxic chemicals (e.g. fuel, lubricants and oils) must be kept within an appropriate bund; § Vehicles must be parked in a designated place with drip trays and spill kits readily available; § All vehicles must be regularly services and in good working order. § Ensure potential spills are managed in accordance with Delonex’s corporate incident management Plan. ¡ Vehicles/ machinery must be kept at least 100m from water resources; ¡ Solid and liquid waste must remain contained and quarantined, and be disposed of at an appropriately licenced facility (a register containing safe disposal receipts should be maintained on site); ¡ Blackwater to be disposed of via septic tanks and soakaways, and greywater via soakpits. All wastewater will be disposed of in accordance with guidelines based on Good International Industry Practice (GIIP). ¡ Bins must be provided on site for both contractors and ENDF13 security personal. Litter must be removed from site and disposed of correctly; and ¡ Temporary camps must consider pit latrines for all contractors, security personal and potential visitors. 9.3.1.5 Water resource depletion ¡ Water availability to local inhabitants must not be significantly reduced (i.e. water level must not decrease by more than a conservative 0.5 m per month); ¡ Only water abstracted from established pumped boreholes (i.e. sites listed in Table 9) should be used by the Project; ¡ Daily water abstraction must not exceed 20 000 litres from any one site and must instead be sourced from at least three sources (20 000 litres each) to make up the requirement of 60 000 litres per day;
13 Ethiopian National Defence Force.
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¡ A stored water reserve (40 000- 60 000 litres) must be maintained at all times to provide a water supply buffer to the Project area; ¡ On-going water monitoring must be conducted by water tanker operators at abstraction boreholes to assess the potential for the sites to meet the requirements of the Project; and ¡ If monitoring shows that a water source are significantly diminished (i.e. water level decreases by more than 0.5m), Delonex must stop abstraction and source water from a different site (Table 9) until the original water resource has sufficiently recovered (i.e. water level has stabilised to typical level).
It is recommended that access to remote survey corridors (that do not link settlements) be restricting during (and after) Project activities to discourage settlement in the area (overutilization of the natural resources); allowing natural regeneration of plant species. 9.3.2 Air Quality Delonex shall implement the following air quality mitigation measures, for the impacts identified and described in Section 8.2 of this ESHIA report. ¡ Delonex will implement good practice in reducing dust through implementing the following according to the IFC Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines by:
§ Taking care to disturb as little ground cover as possible;
§ Minimising traffic volumes;
§ Rigorous speed control and the institution of traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle entrainment. Based on international best practice guidelines, a recommended maximum speed of 50 km/h to be set on all unpaved roads;
§ Wet suppression of materials transported by road (i.e. load spraying) or load covering with tarpaulins to reduce fugitive dust generation;
§ All vehicles and other equipment should be maintained and serviced regularly to ensure that tailpipe particulate emissions are kept to a minimum. 9.3.3 Noise and Vibration Delonex shall implement the following noise and vibration mitigation measures, for the impacts identified and described in Section 8.2 of this ESHIA report. ¡ Vibration machinery must be restricted to the proposed survey routes and must adhere to the one track policy at all times. A minimum buffer of 100 m must be maintained between vibroseis vehicles and water resources (i.e. water wells, boreholes and birkas). ¡ Delonex will implement good practice in reducing noise through implementing the following: § Select equipment with lower sound power levels;
§ Install silencers for fans (if applicable);
§ Install suitable mufflers on engine exhausts and compressor components;
§ Enclosures (where practical) for equipment causing radiating noise;
§ Install vibration isolation (i.e. to reduce the transmission of noise and vibration from mechanical equipment onto a building structure) for mechanical equipment (where applicable);
§ Re-locate noise sources to areas which are less noise sensitive, to take advantage of distance and natural shielding;
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§ Take advantage during the design stage of natural and manmade topography as a noise buffer; and ¡ Delonex will consult with local communities in advance of planned works in close proximity to towns and villages, and respond to complaints through their corporate grievance mechanism. ¡ Where activities are undertaken in close proximity to permanently inhabited settlements, a daily qualitative assessment of noise will be undertaken to ensure noise from activities is minimised where possible (i.e. vehicles are not left idling and engine revving is not occurring). ¡ Although operational noise may exceed relevant guidelines 100m from permanently inhabited dwellings (due to the use of nearby roads), the effects are transient in duration, typically lasting less than a day and will occur during the daytime period only. Adopting a larger separation distance would preclude the use of existing roads for seismic corridors and require additional vegetation clearance. The transient noise impact is deemed to be of lesser significance than the permanent clearance of vegetation, therefore the buffer of 100m is recommended despite the noise impact. 9.3.4 Waste As mentioned above, waste will be managed through Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste Management Standard (i.e. Plan) and the reader is referred to Appendix F for more details on waste management. In summary, the Standard has been developed specifically to ensure effective implementation of waste management to meet Delonex’s stringent Environmental Policy and HSESS Control Framework. The standard has the following objectives: ¡ Minimise risk of adverse Environment and / or health impacts resulting from incorrect waste management ¡ Inform and align all contractors to international IOGP Standards for waste management; ¡ Compliance with all statutory and contractual requirements concerning management of waste; ¡ Recording and tracking of all generated waste, i.e. ‘cradle to grave’ methodology; and ¡ Identify and communicate waste related issues to all responsible persons. 9.3.4.1 Roles and Responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are provided in Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste Management Standard but are summarised here for ease of reference: Project and Asset Managers: Project and Asset managers ensure that: ¡ Waste Management Plans are prepared by relevant Contractors for the activities and operations for which they are responsible, regardless of location. ¡ Monitoring and reporting of waste compliance and performance data are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Standard and ¡ Records and reports of the above data are maintained as required. ¡ Waste minimisation, reuse and recycling are incorporated into waste management solutions for projects, facilities and operations under their control.
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HSESS Function The Delonex corporate HSESS Function is responsible for: ¡ Receiving, collating and analysing waste management compliance monitoring and performance data, and for reporting this information within the Company and other external stakeholders as appropriate; ¡ Determining or confirming the waste classification for newly generated wastes and for approving waste transporters; and ¡ Auditing and where applicable approving all waste treatment, off-site storage and disposal facilities Supervisors Supervisors are responsible for ensuring: ¡ All staff and contractors under their supervision understand and are competent to meet the requirements laid out in Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste Management Standard Employees, contractors and sub-contractors Employees, contractors and sub-contractors are responsible for ensuring that they understand and comply with Delonex’s Ethiopia-Waste Management Standard. Identified licensed Ethiopia operators are shown in Section 9.3.4.8. 9.3.4.2 General Minimum Requirements Applicable waste management regulations and individual licences/permits may establish requirements that are more stringent than this Standard. In these situations, the more stringent requirements shall apply. ¡ The impact of waste management activities from existing and planned company business activities shall be minimised to a level that is ‘as low as reasonably practicable’ (ALARP). ¡ Delonex and its contractors shall promote waste management solutions and best practice and shall be responsible for the waste that it generates until it is transferred contractually to appropriate parties for reuse or recycling, or to authorised waste management facility operators for treatment and/or disposal. ¡ Each Delonex assets, project, contractor or subcontractor that generates waste, shall prepare and implement its own Waste Management Plan as well as complete a waste management key requirements checklist (see Waste Management - Key Requirements Checklist in Appendix F). ¡ Licences/permits for waste management activities, if required, shall be obtained from the appropriate regulatory authorities. 9.3.4.3 Specific Minimum Requirements Delonex ‘s overall waste management strategy is based on the principle that waste generation should be minimised and that waste material should be managed as close to the source of its generation as practicable (Figure 31). This is combined with application of a hierarchical approach to selecting appropriate waste management solutions, which prioritises waste minimisation consistent with best practical techniques methodology. This hierarchy consists of the following options:
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Figure 31: Waste management Hierarchy used by Delonex in Ethiopia
9.3.4.4 Waste Transportation Delonex shall use waste transportation contractors that have been, whenever possible, approved for use by Delonex HSESS Function. Contractors shall comply with Delonex Waste Management Standard.
When transporting waste internationally for treatment or disposal; Delonex will comply with the requirements of the Basel Convention (www.basel.int). The provisions of the Convention centres on the following principal aims: ¡ Reduction of hazardous waste generation and the promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, wherever the place of disposal; ¡ Restriction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes except where it is perceived to be in accordance with the principles of environmentally sound management; and ¡ Provide a regulatory system for permissible transboundary movements. The regulatory system is the cornerstone of the Basel Convention as originally adopted. Based on the concept of prior informed consent, it requires that, before an export may take place, the authorities of the State of export notify the authorities of the prospective States of import and transit, providing them with detailed information on the intended movement. The movement may only proceed if and when all States concerned have given their written consent (articles 6 and 7). In keeping with Delonex policy, the following requirements will be met for waste transport: ¡ Hazardous liquid waste should be placed in suitable sealed containers and labelled; ¡ Only trained persons should handle hazardous wastes. For example, an approved contractor will transport and dispose hazardous waste oil, contaminated oil and distillates sludge;
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¡ Vehicles transporting waste will be purpose built and all required Haz-chem signage and emergency contact details should be displayed on these vehicles; ¡ Strict speed limits will be imposed on hazardous waste vehicles; and ¡ Only trained and informed persons should transport hazardous wastes. 9.3.4.5 Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal After maximising reuse, recycling and resource recovery options, there may remain a balance of wastes requiring treatment and/ or disposal. Where practical, such wastes shall be treated to reduce or eliminate any potential environmental hazard prior to disposal (e.g., volume/toxicity reduction, stabilisation, incineration, etc.). ¡ Prior to removal from the facility or site where generated, waste materials shall be stored in designated short-term waste storage facilities. These waste storage areas shall include appropriate controls as specified in the site waste management plan(s).
There is the potential for wastes to be generated for which no environmentally sound recycling, reuse, recovery, treatment or disposal options are immediately available in the location, region or even in Ethiopia. Long-term storage or export may be the only options for these hazardous wastes. Long-term storage facilities shall meet the requirements for a hazardous storage facility. ¡ Hazardous waste storage facility shall comply with the following security requirements: § Peripheral fencing;
§ Lockable gate;
§ Signboard posted at the main gate indicating the hazards; and
§ Adequate bunding (150%) and overhead protection to ensure migration of waste to environment is not possible. ¡ Each waste stream generated shall be managed according to applicable requirements based on the type of waste and it’s Hazard Class. This includes all aspects of waste management, including but not limited to container selection, labelling (in the local Langaues (Somali or Amharic) and English, or as appropriate), transportation, recycling, reuse, treatment, storage and disposal. ¡ Mixing of different types of waste shall be avoided to the extent practicable. Chemically or physically incompatible wastes shall not be mixed even if the wastes are in the same Hazard Class. ¡ Self-contained field operations such as Seismic and Drilling camps shall dispose of domestic waste at the nearest landfill site if located within 100 km of a camp. Otherwise domestic waste from these areas may be disposed of through an acceptable waste disposal system such as a small local landfill (GPS recorded location), mobile refuse incinerator or another method that is firstly accepted by the Delonex Ethiopia HSESS function. ¡ Waste lubricants shall be segregated and stored in a water tight container. Waste lubricants shall be recycled if available; alternatively disposal to a licensed facility capable of treating this waste shall be thought. ¡ Contaminated oily sand will be transferred to a waste management facility capable of accepting the waste. Alternative treatment and disposal (i.e. land farming) may be agreed in-conjunction with HSESS Function and Authorities. ¡ Dry cell batteries that cannot be recycled shall be placed in ordinary refuse bags together with domestic waste.
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¡ Recyclable Hazardous Batteries -Lead acid batteries, wet type lithium batteries and nickel cadmium batteries shall be fully discharged and all battery terminals are to be covered with electrical tape. The batteries shall then be segregated, labelled and transferred to a licensed waste management facility and stored on rigid wooden pallets. Large wet type lithium batteries and nickel-cadmium batteries shall be returned to the manufacturer for recycling, if possible. Batteries may be stock piled until suitable disposal route is identified. ¡ Transformer cooling fluids known to contain greater than 50 (ppm) Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) shall be handled by a specialist waste disposal contractor. Transformers not containing greater than 50 ppm PCBs shall be transported to a designated waste facility, to decant off the cooling fluids ¡ Clinical wastes including medical wastes and medical ‘sharps’ shall be stored in dedicated yellow bags or cartons (U.N. Hazardous Material Standard Number Din. U 30 739) designated for this purpose. Clinical waste shall be transported to clinical waste incinerators by licensed operators. ¡ Hazardous material/chemical containers shall be decontaminated by full drainage and triple rinsing prior to being considered as Empty Containers. Empty Containers shall be disposed of as required depending on the material of their construction. Empty Containers that previously contained hazardous materials or chemicals shall not be reused other than for storage of a material that is the same as or compatible with the material previously stored. ¡ Prior to use, and at least annually thereafter, Delonex shall inspect and approve all off-site treatment, storage and disposal facilities used for management of Delonex waste streams. The HSESS Function shall maintain a list of approved treatment, off-site storage and disposal facilities. ¡ Treatment, off-site storage, and disposal of waste shall only be conducted with licensed and approved waste management Contractors and/or at licensed and approved waste management facilities. These facilities shall be operated in compliance with the conditions of their licences/ permits and applicable regulatory requirements. Identified licensed Ethiopia operators are shown in Section 9.3.4.8. ¡ Land farming of oily waste material shall only be performed at approved facilities that are licensed and have received all required Government approvals. Case study and approval must be carried out by Delonex Ethiopia HSESS Function. ¡ The grey water which contain the fluid waste of the kitchens, showers and dish washings, are constructed with three chambers. The effluent shall pass through at least one grease trap constructed in the piping system prior to entering the first chamber where all heavy matter will settle. The second chamber is used for further deposition prior to where the filtered water enters the third chamber. The third and final chamber will hold the cleanest and least viscous matter. This is the chamber which then will be pumped/ sprayed onto the surface ponds to evaporate. Any sludge’s shall be disposed-off as hazardous waste. ¡ The black water which contains human waste, shall where possible be treated using chemicals, electrical, heat, filtration or other Best available technology (BAT) techniques. Where camps are temporary or mobile, the fluid waste of the toilets may be done through the constructed chambers. This water waste enters the first chamber where any heavy waste will settle on the bottom. The water then passes into the second chamber where heavy waste further deposit remained. After passing through into the third pit, the water will be sprayed into evaporation ponds protected by fences and covered with membrane. Solid waste shall be disposed off-site to licence treatment facility. 9.3.4.6 Waste Segregation An important aspect of a waste management is the need to segregate waste materials according to their general physical and chemical characteristics. After waste streams and their sources have been identified, they can be analysed to determine what they consist of and waste types can be segregated due to safety concerns and handling requirements or for reuse, recycling or recovery, or treatment and final disposal.
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In most cases, similar waste types may be combined to simplify storage, treatment, recycling, and/or disposal, but some streams should remain segregated (e.g. hazardous wastes). It is beneficial and cost effective to segregate waste as close to the place that it was generated as possible. Colour-coded waste receptacles and awareness training are effective ways of doing this. An example of waste segregation colour-codes is: ¡ Organic is GREEN; ¡ Glass is YELLOW; ¡ Paper and cardboard is BLACK; ¡ Metal is GREY; ¡ Plastic is BLUE; and ¡ Hazardous waste is RED. Colour-coded containers should be placed at strategic locations where waste is generated, the number and type of container depending on the waste stream for that area. 9.3.4.7 Record Keeping and Reporting Record keeping and reporting regarding waste will be in the following manner: ¡ A Waste Consignment Note (WCN) or similar note shall be raised by the waste generator for both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Separate Waste Consignment Notes are required for hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. A Waste Consignment Note shall accompany a waste load and shall be signed when the waste has been received at the disposal location.; ¡ A signed copy shall then be returned to the ‘Waste Originator’ as proof that the waste arrived safely at the correct place. The Waste Contractor will provide the Waste Originators with a monthly summary of waste received; ¡ Records of each Delonex Ethiopia waste from the time of its generation to its final destination (e.g., reuse, recycling, treatment, storage, disposal, etc.) shall be prepared and maintained according to the requirements of the site specific Waste Management Plan; ¡ Records shall be subject to HSESS audit; and ¡ All waste volumes shall be supplied in end of operations report by Contractor. 9.3.4.8 Identified Ethiopian Waste Management Companies As mentioned above, best practice in waste management is to ensure that wastes are reused, recycled or disposed-off responsibly using licensed contractors. The potential contractors below have been identified through consultation and will be audited to ensure that they can demonstrate appropriate duty of care for all wastes streams generated by the Project. Waste Transportation Contractors Waste transport contractors identified to date are given in Table 27. Note this list is not exhaustive and more companies will be identified and assessed.
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Table 27: Potential waste transport companies identified to date Company Name and Contact Name Contact Number Email Address Rose Solid and Liquid Waste Collection and Office +251-116- Transportation 186633/34 (direct) RobelEstifanos, [email protected] Service. Mob:+251-911-514718 General Manager P.O. Box: 439 +251-911-684556 code1110 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia TSEnvironmental
GirumHailu Tel +251911 373167 [email protected] Technology Consult
Recycling Companies Potential recycling companies identified to date are given in Table 28 below. Note this list is not exhaustive and more companies will be identified and assessed. Table 28: potential Recycling Companies identified to date Company Name and Contact Name Contact Number Email Address Plastics AquaPure General Trading Plc Tel: +251 114406944 Mohammed Mob: +251 911 [email protected] Debrezeit Road, Near SeidMohammednur Kadisco Building, Kebele 11247905
12/13, House No. 113, Addis Ababa Inova Packaging Plc ZishanGhaswala Tel: +251 1538061 [email protected] Debrezeit, Ethiopia Mob: +251 9405909 SOS Addis, Tel:+251 118500042 [email protected] PO Box 10633, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia
Plastics and Glass MOHA soft drinks Industry
S.C
Battery Recycling Awash Auto Batteries Plc
Dynamic Enterprise Habye Mob: +251911236008 [email protected]
Used Oil Nigat Mechanical Tel: +251 116461545
BelekeBayissa [email protected] Engineering SC Mob: +251 911456898 Tel: +251 11212391
Elroi Plc WoraboMennu [email protected] Mob:+251922175212 Senkele lime factory
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9.3.5 Soils ¡ Soil disturbances must be minimised where practical; ¡ If erosion has taken place, rehabilitation should be implemented as soon as possible. Methods of stabilisation include: re-contouring, mulch or chip cover, straw stabilising, sodding, hydro-seeding, the application of soil binders and physical stabilisation methods such as retaining walls; ¡ Clearing activities must avoid creating berms on the sides of the survey corridors where practical. In cases where this is unavoidable, it is recommended that these should be levelled after seismic testing is completed in that particular area; and ¡ All roads / survey corridors need to be maintained and any erosion ditches forming along the road filled. 9.3.6 Clearing of Vegetation ¡ Clearing of grasses, shrubs and trees must be kept to a minimum (width) and survey corridors need to be aligned with existing roads and paths where feasible. Where possible, survey corridors to avoid dense vegetation by using a ‘slalom’ zigzagging technique to go around trees; ¡ Similarly, the base camp and survey camps should be located as close to survey corridors as possible and in existing areas of disturbance. Where practical, vegetation removal must be avoided and/or minimised; ¡ Provide well marked access routes into exploration and construction areas; ¡ Heavy machinery and trucks must adhere to the one track policy at all times; ¡ Avoid locating infrastructure or survey corridors in/across landscape features, taking surface runoff and wind direction into consideration. Such features include termite mounds, burrows, tree clusters and wells, boreholes, and birkas. Although artificial, birkas provide water for many species in an otherwise arid region; ¡ Open fires must be forbidden in remote areas; and ¡ Remote survey corridors should consider restricting access post exploration. This will prevent the overutilization of the natural resources allowing natural regeneration of plant species. 9.3.7 Socio-Economic and Health ¡ Training of drivers will need to include traffic risks arising from communities and livestock; ¡ When working in the vicinity of communities, drivers will need to be hyper- aware of potential safety hazards, especially children; and ¡ Delonex will implement its Human Rights Policy (i.e. Principles on Security and Human Rights, see Stakeholder Engagement Plan) to ensure that the human rights of all personnel (permanent, temporary and contractors) are respected, and that personnel receive training on respecting human rights of affected communities.
The positive impact of improving access to water (through clearing corridors) for water trucks can be enhanced by allowing corridors that potentially link settlements (villages) to be left open (i.e. not rehabilitated or blocked).
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9.3.8 Employment Creation and Skills Development ¡ Delonex will develop, disclose, adopt and implement Local Employment Policy and appropriate human resources plans and procedures; ¡ As part of the Local Employment Policy, a skills audit should be undertaken to determine the potential for local employment and procurement and to develop a training and capacity development program; ¡ The Local Employment Policy and recruitment process will be well communicated and disseminated throughout the local study area through the Stakeholder Engagement Plan. Labour rights and human rights will be respected and clearly communicated to all potential workers. Importantly, the recruitment process will be open, transparent and clearly communicated; ¡ Where possible, Delonex should work together with government and local education and training institutions (when in line with investment and development plans) to develop skills to enable local people to benefit from prospecting related job opportunities; and ¡ Where possible, a core group of trained professionals in each technical area should train local employees and develop skills through a capacity building initiative, relevant for job tasks and roles. 9.3.9 Cultural and Heritage Resources A Chance Find Procedure (CFP) has been developed and will be attached to this ESHIA once finalised. It will be implemented in consultation with Authorities for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and the local archaeological specialist. The CFP will meet requirements for accidental cultural heritage disturbance as stipulated by both IFC and Ethiopian Law (Proclamation No. 209/2000) and as set out in Delonex’s own Cultural Heritage Standard (2014).The CFP will form a component of the ESHMP and be will be updated during the lifetime of the Project to make provisions for a course of action in the event that artefacts are recovered. ¡ The CFP should include provisions for a locally licenced archaeologist to oversee (i.e. remotely and through site visitations) the demarcation and clearance of the seismic corridors. The local archaeological expert will ensure the methodology detailed in Appendix 1 of the Chance Find Procedure is followed in order to ensure that archaeological artefacts and/or sites are identified and managed during Project implementation; ¡ The local archaeologist will address on-going cultural heritage issues that may be encountered throughout the Project development in consultation with ARRCH; ¡ In the event that archaeological sites are identified within the Project area, avoidance or preservation in situ is preferred (i.e. re-route survey corridors or relocate survey camps) Where this is not possible, “preservation by record” through systematic recording (archaeological excavation) should be the recourse. Such work, where required, will be carried out by a suitably qualified person under a license for archaeological survey; ¡ Contractors to be made aware of presence of culturally significant places (including mosques and cemeteries) at any early stage; ¡ In the event that cultural sites are identified in the Project, these sites are to be demarcated or preserved in situ, and managed (e.g. signage). Continued community consultation is recommended in this regard; ¡ Local community access to cultural and religious sites must be maintained if identified; and ¡ Delonex personal to be respectful of local intangible cultural heritage, tradition and taboo.
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10.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Project is expected to have minimal impact on the Project area, and surrounding region. Impact significance is typically low and moderate impacts can be adequately mitigated. The Project area has been seismically surveyed in the past and apart from the utilization of seismic corridors as transport routes, no significant residual impacts have been identified from these types of operations. It is recommended that the Project proceed if mitigation measures and management plans are implemented.
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ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Block 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. 3rd Floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number 1417532-13390-4 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates UK 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: NOISE AND VIBRATION
Executive Summary
An assessment of the potential noise and vibration effects associated with the proposed 2D seismic survey was undertaken. Potential effects associated with the development include noise from vehicles and plant during the clearance of survey corridors (construction phase) and engine exhaust noise from vehicles during the survey itself. Potential vibration effects were identified in relation to the seismic survey itself. Suitable evaluation criteria for assessing noise and vibration effects were identified with reference to international standards, in the absence of specific local standards. Evaluation criteria were developed with reference to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for community noise (as adopted by IFC) and Canadian Geophysical Operation regulations with respect to vibration. The alignment of seismic survey corridors proposed for the Project have not yet been finalised, and therefore a corridor approach to assessment of potential noise and vibration effects was undertaken. Baseline noise levels within the study area were measured at locations representative of larger villages and towns as well as smaller villages with limited infrastructure or anthropogenic noise. Ambient noise levels were determined to be closely related to levels of human activity, and in particular use of electricity generators or other machinery, as well as the influence of wind induced noise at night. In the absence of such sources ambient noise levels were determined to be quiet, particularly during the night-time period. Predictions of noise levels were undertaken to determine the potential changes in ambient noise related to identified Project activities. The predictions were undertaken based on stand-off distance from activities. The minimum stand-off distance from activities and villages will be 100 m. The assessment therefore considered the worst case scenario of operations within 100 m of a receptor to establish the highest potential magnitude of effect. The predictions identified that the magnitude of change during the construction period would be Moderate, with noise levels being below WHO/IFC guidelines, but higher than the low existing ambient noise levels for the worst case scenario. During operations, the noise levels were predicted to be in excess of WHO/IFC guidelines. Any effects would be restricted to the daytime period only, however, with no night-time period working proposed.
Any noise effects on receptors would be typically transient over a very short duration (typically less than a day) at receptors located close to activities (local). Beyond the immediate locality, and outside of the short time periods, noise effects will be much less. Potential therefore exists for effects of Moderate impact on human receptors, although for the majority of the time effects will be negligible or minor in magnitude. Based on international guidance it is determined that the effect of seismic vibroseis beyond 100 m from source will be below that likely to cause structural damage to even the most sensitive structures. Such a buffer will be maintained to ensure no effects occur. Correspondingly, the impact significance of vibration will be no effect. Good practice will be adopted in controlling noise from activities to minimise adverse impacts. Activities will be restricted to the daytime period only to minimise disturbance. Noise from activities will also be minimised by careful selection of plant and adoption of low noise alternatives, where possible. Consultation with local communities will be undertaken where activities will be undertaken in close proximity to residential dwellings and qualitative surveys undertaken on a daily basis during these periods to ensure activities are being suitably controlled.
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 4
1.1 Overview ...... 4
1.2 Scope ...... 4
2.0 TERMINOLOGY ...... 5
2.1 Noise ...... 5
2.2 Vibration ...... 5
3.0 APPROACH AND METHODS ...... 6
3.1 Study Area ...... 6
3.2 Sensitive Receptors ...... 6
3.3 Legal Framework and Standards ...... 6
3.3.1 Local standards ...... 6
3.3.2 International Standards ...... 7
3.3.2.1 Noise ...... 7
3.3.2.2 Vibration ...... 7
3.4 Impact Assessment Approach and Methods ...... 8
3.4.1 Activities ...... 8
3.4.2 Source Noise Terms ...... 8
3.4.3 Method of Prediction of Change ...... 8
3.4.4 Overview ...... 8
3.4.5 Assumptions ...... 9
4.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 10
4.1 Survey limitations ...... 10
4.2 Baseline methodology ...... 10
4.2.1 Instrumentation ...... 10
4.2.2 Measurement Location ...... 11
4.2.3 Meteorological conditions ...... 11
4.2.4 Measurement duration and indices ...... 11
4.2.5 Monitoring locations ...... 12
4.3 Results ...... 12
4.3.1 Measured Noise Levels ...... 12
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5.0 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS ...... 16
5.1 Evaluation Criteria ...... 16
5.2 Predicted Noise Levels ...... 18
5.2.1 Construction activities ...... 18
5.2.2 Operational activities ...... 19
5.3 Assessment of Effects ...... 20
5.3.1 Construction ...... 20
5.3.1.1 Operation ...... 20
5.3.2 Vibration ...... 21
6.0 NOISE AND VIBRATION MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 23
6.1 Control Measures - Noise ...... 23
6.1.1 Vibrations and Noise during seismic activity ...... 23
7.0 CONCULSION ...... 24
8.0 ACRONYMS ...... 25
TABLES
Table 1: Environmental Health and Safety Guideline Values for Noise, dBLAeq,1hour ...... 7 Table 2: Canada Oil and Gas Geophysical Operations Regulations SOR/96-117, set back requirements for vibroseis operations ...... 7 Table 3: Baseline noise monitoring equipment ...... 10 Table 4: Noise monitoring locations ...... 12
Table 5: Measured ambient noise levels, dBLAeq,1hr ...... 15 Table 6: Impact description criteria for noise ...... 16 Table 7: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 17 Table 8: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 18 Table 9: From BS 5228-01: 2009 ...... 18 Table 10: Predicted construction noise levels ...... 19 Table 11: Data used for vibrator truck and generator at geophone receiver ...... 19 Table 12: Prediction Operational Noise Levels ...... 20 Table 13: Impact significance ratings ...... 22
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FIGURES Figure 1: Noise monitoring equipment assembly ...... 11 Figure 2: MP1 - Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level ...... 13 Figure 3: MP2 - Warder Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level ...... 13 Figure 4: MP3 – Derdera Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level...... 14
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Document Limitations
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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview This chapter presents an assessment of noise and vibration impacts arising from the construction and operation activities of the Project. The following sources of potential noise and vibration impacts are considered during the life of the Project: Construction activities – clearing a strip of land of surface vegetation and obstacles to create suitable seismic survey corridors; and Operational activities – excitation of the ground surface along the seismic survey corridor and the recording of reflected sound waves, i.e. the seismic survey. The chapter is structured as follows: Section 2 provide an introduction to the terms used in the assessment; Section 3 provides a description of the approach and methods used for the assessment, including defining the study area, preliminary screening of impacts, and relevant performance standards; Section 4 provides a description of the current baseline conditions in the proposed study area; Section 5 provides an assessment of the noise and vibration effects; Section 6 presents a summary of findings of the assessment; and Section 7 provides relevant information for the Environmental, Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP). 1.2 Scope The potential effects of noise and vibration have been considered with respect to the proposed activities in the Project. The locations of the proposed seismic corridors have yet to be finalised, and will be finalised in part based on the findings of this ESHIA. The assessments therefore consider a corridor evaluation of potential effects, i.e. the potential effects of operations are considered based on a setback distance from seismic survey corridors, rather than considering specific effects on identified receptors (unless specified receptors such as villages/settlements refer explicitly as permanently inhabited). The determined setbacks will inform the development of the ESHMP.
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2.0 TERMINOLOGY 2.1 Noise Firstly, noise is defined as unwanted sound. The range of audible sound is from 0 dB to 140 dB from the threshold of audibility to the threshold of pain, respectively. The frequency response of the human ear is usually taken to cover the range from 20 Hz (number of oscillations per second) to 20,000 Hz. The ear does not respond equally to different frequencies at the same sound pressure level. It is more sensitive in the mid-frequency range than the lower and higher frequencies and, because of this, the low and high frequency components of a sound are reduced in importance by applying a weighting (filtering) circuit to noise measurements. The weighting which is most widely used and which correlates best with human subjective response to noise is the A-weighting. This is an internationally accepted standard for noise measurements to represent human subjective response to sound. For steady state noise levels an increase or decrease of 1 dB (A) is not perceptible to most human beings under normal conditions, although this may be perceptible under laboratory conditions. An increase or decrease of 3 dB(A) is normally only just perceptible under normal conditions. The ‘loudness’ of a noise is a purely subjective parameter, but it is generally accepted that an increase/decrease of 10 dB(A) corresponds to a doubling or halving in perceived loudness. External noise levels are rarely steady, but rise and fall according to surrounding activities. In an attempt to produce a figure that relates this variable noise level to the subjective response, a number of noise metrics are used. Relevant noise parameters to this assessment include:
1. The LAeq Noise Level This is the ‘equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level, in decibels’, and is defined as the ‘value of the A-weighted sound pressure level of a continuous, steady sound that, within a specified time interval, T, has the same mean square sound pressure as a sound under consideration whose level varies with time’. It is a unit commonly used to describe environmental noise, and is referred to as the ambient noise;
2. The LA90 Noise Level
The LA90 is the noise level that is exceeded for 90% of the measurement period and gives an indication of the noise level during quieter periods. It is often referred to as the background noise level and is used in the assessment of disturbance by relating it to the predicted ambient noise level. 2.2 Vibration Vibration is an oscillatory motion which can be described in terms of displacement, velocity or acceleration. The number of oscillations per second gives the frequency of vibration, measured in Hz. Vibrations can be continuous or intermittent. Vibrating particles can move in any one of three axes (vertical, longitudinal and traverse). The greatest movement in each of the axes can be quantified in terms of: Acceleration – the rate of change in velocity over time, measured in mm s-2; Velocity – the rate at which displacement varies with time, measured in mm s-1; and Displacement or amplitude – the distance (typically in mm) moved from the fixed reference position. Ground borne vibration will not typically cause annoyance or disturbance to human receptors, particularly if outdoors, however ground vibrations with a velocity greater than 10 mm s-1 can cause structural damage.
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3.0 APPROACH AND METHODS 3.1 Study Area The effects of noise and vibration from the construction and operational phases of the seismic survey will typically be experienced at relatively close proximity to the emitting source. Both noise and vibration effects will dissipate with distance from source. Noise effects are therefore considered to be localised, with no regional effect considered. The study area is therefore considered to represent the local area around the proposed seismic survey corridors, delineated by an approximate 100m buffer on either side of each survey line. 3.2 Sensitive Receptors This assessment considers the likely noise and vibration impacts on sensitive receptors. For noise, sensitive receptor location include residential dwelling, locations of cultural heritage (places of worship), schools and other noise sensitive and terrestrial fauna or habitats designated for their international or national nature conservation importance. Within the Project area most residential dwellings are located within designated towns or villages. Temporary dwellings are located outside of towns or villages and are typically inhabited on a seasonal basis by shepherds or nomadic families. The locations of towns and villages have been accurately mapped across the study area (see Figure 3 in ESHIA), however the locations of all dwellings within the study area cannot be accurately mapped at this stage. Locations of cultural heritage importance or institutional buildings like schools and hospitals are all located within the towns and villages.
No locations of designated sensitive faunal habitat have been identified within the Project area, therefore ecological receptors have not been considered in the assessment. In relation to vibration, the study primarily considers ground borne vibration and the effects on physical structures. Relevant sensitive receptors include buildings within identified towns and villages (i.e. permanently inhabited). Nomadic dwellings outside villages are considered less susceptible to ground borne vibration and noise, as well as structures such as water wells and birkas. The locations of sensitive physical structures cannot be accurately mapped, therefore the study considers potential stand-off from sensitive vibration receptors (i.e. permanent inhabitants). Village/dwelling/ or inhabited areas are viewed as receptors only if they are inhabited on a permanent basis. 3.3 Legal Framework and Standards 3.3.1 Local standards Ethiopian environmental legislation is focussed around the Environment Impact Assessment Proclamation No. 299/2002, which sets out requirements for Environmental Impact Assessment and defines a “pollutant” as anything that “directly or indirectly produces toxic substances, diseases, objectionable odor, noise, vibration, heat, or any other phenomenon that is hazardous or potentially hazardous to human health or to other living things”. The Proclamation is supported by guidelines issued by the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA Guideline 2000 (EPA, 2000) provides standards and guidelines for ambient conditions. No guidelines are specifically referenced by noise, however general guidance is provided that states that “standards and guidelines should consider local conditions and the socio-economic level of a particular situation…..the quoted standards of developed countries (like USA, Belgium etc.) should be applied with caution, recognizing the inherent limitations of their application.” It is noted that Ethiopia will in time develop its own standards and guidelines. In relation to other environmental standards reference is typically made to international standards, like World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines. The EPA guidelines for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects (EPA, 2003) identify the requirement to consider noise and vibration in EIA studies of petroleum
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operations. In the absence of national legislation or standards relevant international standards have been adopted for this assessment. 3.3.2 International Standards 3.3.2.1 Noise International standards for evaluating noise effects are set out in the International Finance Corporation (IFC) environmental, health and safety (EHS) Guidelines (IFC 2007), which implements World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline values (WHO 1999). The guideline values are specified as either a fixed noise limit or an increase of 3 dB over existing baseline noise levels, whichever is the higher. These levels are presented in Table 1. Measured baseline noise levels (determined during the baseline study) therefore form a critical component of the evaluation criteria for the Project. Noise exposure of workers is covered by operational health and safety legislation and is not considered within this ESHIA.
Table 1: Environmental Health and Safety Guideline Values for Noise, dBLAeq,1hour Period1 Receptor Daytime Night-time Notes (07:00 – 22:00) (22:00 – 07:00) residential, institutional or 3 dB increase in background 55 45 and educational noise levels or 3 dB increase in background industrial and commercial 70 70 noise levels
The guidelines advise that, where noise levels attributable to an installation or operation exceed the guidelines values at the façade of the nearest noise receptor, appropriate noise and mitigation measures should be adopted. The indicators for the magnitude of change in noise levels are related to human response to these changes. Noise levels are measured on a logarithmic scale, thus a doubling of noise levels is equivalent to a 3 dB increase in noise. However, the human response to noise is different in that an increase in noise level of less than 3 dB is imperceptible to the average person, while an increase in noise level of more than 5 dB is considered to represent a significant increase (WHO 1999). 3.3.2.2 Vibration No international (IFC, WHO etc.) standards exist for vibration; however other national standards apply in relation to structural effects of vibration. The most relevant national standards are the Canada Oil and Gas Geophysical Operations Regulations SOR/96-117 (Canada SOR/96-117). The regulations define set back distances from vulnerable structures for vibroseis operations and summarised in Table 2. Table 2: Canada Oil and Gas Geophysical Operations Regulations SOR/96-117, set back requirements for vibroseis operations Item Setback required (m) Dam 100 Oil or Gas Pipeline 15 Residence 50 Structure with concrete base 50 Area of public congregation 50 Water Well 100
1 Periods for Ethiopia are given as 7am-7pm (daytime) and 7pm-7am (night time) to more accurately reflect local conditions
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3.4 Impact Assessment Approach and Methods 3.4.1 Activities Two sets of activity have been considered to reflect the potential effect of the construction and operational phases of the Project: Construction activities – clearing a strip of land of surface vegetation and obstacles for the seismic survey corridor; and Operational activities – excitation of the ground surface along the seismic survey corridor and the recording of reflected signals. It is assumed that all construction and operational surveying activities will occur during the daytime period, assuming a 12-hour working day. 3.4.2 Source Noise Terms Source noise terms for each item of proposed plant and equipment have been identified from either equipment manufacturers or from the relevant British Standard (BSI. 2008a). A list of plant/equipment and associated source noise terms is provided in Section 4.2.1. 3.4.3 Method of Prediction of Change 3.4.4 Overview To determine the noise levels at nearby receptors attributable to specific activities, and hence the potential change in ambient noise levels, a noise propagation model was created using CadnaA proprietary software. All noise propagation calculations within CadnaA were in accordance with ISO 9613-2 (ISO 1996). The ISO standard propagation model provides for the prediction of sound pressure levels based on down-wind (i.e., worst-case) conditions and other conditions favourable to noise propagation. The prediction of construction noise levels was undertaken in accordance with BS5228:1-2009 (BSI 2008a).
The model calculates the predicted sound pressure level by taking the sound power level (SWL) or sound pressure level (SPL) for each noise source, and accounting for a range of attenuation factors, including geometric divergence, atmospheric absorption, ground attenuation and barriers (which may include topographical screening). For construction and operational activities, items of plant were selected to represent the typical anticipated activities for that task (or range of tasks). Source noise terms and the % on-time for each item of plant were assigned. Predictions of noise levels at each of the setback distances were undertaken assuming activities were occurring at the closest point of activity. ISO 9613 In order to determine the specific noise levels attributable to the surveying activities, a noise propagation model was created within CadnaA and the predicted noise levels compared with the measured noise levels at each receptor. All noise propagation within the model was calculated in accordance with ISO9613 Parts 1 & 2 Acoustics - Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors. The propagation model described in the ISO standard provides for the prediction of sound pressure levels based on down-wind (i.e. worst-case) conditions and other conditions favourable for noise propagation. The model calculates the predicted sound pressure level by taking the SWL for each noise source in separate octave bands and subtracting a number of attenuation factors, according to the following: Predicted Octave Band Noise Level = Lw – A Where Lw is the octave band sound power level and A represents the various attenuation factors, also in dB. A is defined as: A = Adiv + Aatm + Agr + Abar + Amis
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Adiv is the attenuation due to geometric divergence. This is the reduction in noise levels caused by the spherical spreading of the noise over distance from the point source. The attenuation factor therefore increases as the distance from the noise source increases. Aatm is the atmospheric absorption of the noise in the atmosphere as sound energy is converted to heat. The level of absorption varies depending on the distance from source and the atmospheric conditions (temperature and humidity). ISO 9613-1, Acoustics Attenuation of Sound during Propagation Outdoors: Part 1 - Method of calculation of the attenuation of sound by atmospheric absorption provides appropriate air attenuation factors for differing atmospheric conditions. Agr is the ground attenuation factor and represents the reduction in noise levels due to the absorption and reflection of sound energy by ground cover. The ground attenuation will vary significantly depending on the absorptive qualities of the ground cover. ISO9613-1 provides advice on appropriate ground attenuation factors based on ground cover ranging from hard ground (concrete) to soft absorbent ground. Abar relates to the attenuation due to the screening and reflection effects provided by obstacles between the source and the receiver. The level of attenuation will vary depending on the degree by which the line of sight between source and receptor is affected and the frequency considered. Amis represents any miscellaneous causes of attenuation. 3.4.5 Assumptions Ground conditions between the seismic survey corridor and the nearest receptors principally comprise open scrub land. Noise attenuation varies according to ground conditions, with hard ground (G=0) offering lowest attenuation of noise and soft ground (G=1) offering greatest attenuation. Predictions of noise levels have assumed hard ground conditions (G=0), as a worst case scenario.
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4.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT To determine the ambient noise level within the study area baseline noise measurements were undertaken. The findings of the survey are outlined in the following sections. 4.1 Survey limitations The study area is located in a remote part of Ethiopia with challenging logistical requirements (see Section 2.3 of main ESHIA report). All travel in the area was undertaken in the form of escorted convoys with strict daily travel plans. The consequence of such arrangements, and the competing demands of differing baseline survey requirements, was that the number of baseline noise monitoring locations was restricted. 4.2 Baseline methodology Monitoring was undertaken in accordance with ISO 1996 Parts 1 and 2 (ISO, 2003). This sets out the equipment to be used to undertake measurements, conditions under which noise measurements should be undertaken, measurement parameters and appropriate siting of monitoring equipment. 4.2.1 Instrumentation ISO 1996 provides a specification of the capability of a sound level meter to measure particular noise indices. The accuracy of a noise meter is defined by IEC 61672 (IEC, 2002), with the Type or Class of a sound level meter describing its accuracy. Class 1 sound level meters, with a tolerance of ± 0.7 dB were used to undertake baseline surveys. The monitoring equipment used during the baseline monitoring survey is detailed in Table 3. Table 3: Baseline noise monitoring equipment Equipment Type Serial Number Calibration Due Date Sound level meter Norsonic NOR-140 140.1402742 April 2015 Sound level meter Norsonic NOR-131 131.1313177 August 2015 Calibrator Norsonic NOR-1251 1251.31525 March 2015
All instrumentation was certified by a UKAS accredited facility, and was within calibration date. Field calibration of sound level meters was undertaken prior to and following measurement. No significant deviations in calibrations were noted. The sound level meters were housed in an environmental case which provided weather protection and contained an external 12 volt battery. The microphones were mounted in Norsonic 1212 protection assemblies, and protected by wind shields to minimise wind flow disturbance of the microphone. The sound level meters were connected to the microphone via an external cable. The sound level meter assembly is shown below.
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Figure 1: Noise monitoring equipment assembly 4.2.2 Measurement Location ISO 1996 specifies that monitoring equipment should be located at least 3.5 m away from any vertical reflective surface, at a height of between 1.2 to 1.5 m above ground level.
All baseline noise survey measurements were undertaken in external, free-field locations, therefore negating interference of vertical reflective surfaces, consistent with ISO 1996. 4.2.3 Meteorological conditions Ambient noise is influenced by prevailing meteorological conditions. This includes the effect of wind induced noise or increased noise from watercourses following periods of rainfall. Atmospheric and meteorological conditions can also have an influence on attenuation of noise. Consideration of meteorological conditions is, therefore, critical, in evaluating noise. The baseline noise survey was undertaken in January 2015, during the traditional dry season. Meteorological conditions during the survey period were dry, with no rainfall recorded. Wind conditions were typically calm or light during the daytime period, however at night high gusting winds were experienced. These conditions are noted and potential effects on measured noise levels considered and discussed in Section 2.3 of main ESHIA Report. 4.2.4 Measurement duration and indices Monitoring was undertaken during both daytime (07:00 to 19:00) and night-time (19:00 to 07:00) hours. The duration enabled each location to be characterized in terms of typical daytime and night-time conditions; the diurnal variation could also be determined. The baseline survey recorded a series of noise indices, including:
LAeq – the equivalent continuous steady state A-weighted sound pressure level over period of time;
LA90 – the A-weighted sound pressure level which is that exceeded for 90% of the measurement period, indicating the noise level during quieter periods, and is often referred to as the background noise level; The durations of measured noise and the indices recorded are consistent with the requirements of ISO 9613.
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4.2.5 Monitoring locations The locations of baseline noise monitoring are presented in Table 4. Table 4: Noise monitoring locations Dates Grid Reference (UTM) ID Location On Off Easting Northing NMP1 Shilabo 19.01.15 20.01.15 44o 45’45.71” 6o 04’38.92” NMP2 Werder 21.01.15 23.01.15 45o 20’24.38” 6o 58’26.00” NMP3 Derdera 22.01.15 24.01.15 45o 34’ 00.94” 6o 53’14.57”
The monitoring location at Shilabo was located adjacent to the existing survey camp at the airfield. The ambient noise environment was considered quiet, with the exception of anthropogenic noise sources associated with the camp (electricity generator, air conditioning units etc.). The monitoring location was located such that the main anthropogenic sources were screened from the monitoring position. The daytime noise environment at Shilabo was dominated by anthropogenic activity, with occasional audible noise from birdsong and livestock (goats etc.). At night, the noise environment was quiet, with occasional wildlife noise audible and wind induced noise dominating during higher wind gusts. At Warder, the monitoring site was located within the police compound, which in turn is located at the heart of the town. The ambient noise environment reflected the higher populations of the town, including a number of anthropogenic noise source such as use of generators or other machinery, occasional vehicle noise, music and noise from both domestic animals (dogs) and livestock (goats, donkeys and camels). During the daytime, noise levels were intermittently elevated due to work activities, however the noisiest environment occurred during the evening period related to human leisure activities. At night, the noise environment was typically quiet and affected by wind induced noise. The village of Derdera was considered a typically rural village within the study area and represented a suitable proxy monitoring site for most inhabited locations within the study area. Although situated on a principal road, the village does not experience significant road traffic (1 - 2 vehicles per hour as a maximum) nor was there any electricity generators or machinery in the village. Noise sources were therefore related to general human activity, livestock related noise and wind induced noise particularly during the night-time period. 4.3 Results 4.3.1 Measured Noise Levels
The measured LAeq and LA90 noise levels at each monitoring location are presented in Figures 2 – 4.
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Figure 2: MP1 - Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level
The results indicate a close correlation between the measured LAeq and LA90 noise levels, indicating generally consistent noise environment at the Shilabo camp. Noise levels are shown to fall from a daytime LAeq level of 40-45 dB(A) to under 35 dB(A) during the evening and night-time period. The evening and night-time period floor is considered to represent the ambient noise level due to the generator operating in the background, and therefore the ambient noise level during the evening and night-time at locations distant from such sources can be considered to be lower than measured at Shilabo camp.
The measured daytime levels are considered to be representative of ambient noise levels due to human activities, and therefore daytime background noise levels of ~40 dB(A) is representative.
Figure 3: MP2 - Warder Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level
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The measured noise levels at Warder demonstrate a large variation between differing times of the day. The measured levels are observed to vary from 30-35 dB(A) in the evening and night-time period, to in excess of 60 dB(A) during the daytime. The elevated levels during the early morning and parts of the daytime are considered to indicate the influence of electricity generators (related to both the survey camp and other neighbouring properties) and vehicle movements in the morning and afternoon periods. Daytime noise levels on the second day of monitoring (22nd January) are less influenced by the constant noise sources (assumed to be generator noise) and therefore provided a more representative indication of daytime noise levels within the town. The divergence of the LAeq and LA90 levels indicates the influence of non-constant noise sources on overall levels during this period, which would be expected from human activity. The daytime LA90 level, or background level, is typically in the range 35-45 dB(A). These levels are considered representative of daytime background noise levels within the larger towns within the region.
Figure 4: MP3 – Derdera Time Varying Ambient (LAeq) and Background (LA90) Noise Level
The measured noise levels at Derdera demonstrate a correlation between ambient LAeq and LA90 levels, however with a difference of approximately 5-10 dB, indicating a relatively consistent background noise levels (reflected by the LA90), but with short elevated noise events raising the LAeq level.
The measured LAeq levels are demonstrate to fluctuate between 40 – 70 dB, and may demonstrate human or animal generated noise in close proximity to the noise meter. Background daytime noise levels are observed to vary from 30-35 dB(A) in the daytime period, and fall to below 30 dB(A) during the evening and night-time periods. Overall, background noise levels are considered to be particularly quiet and reflect the absence of anthropogenic noise sources and limited vegetation or insect noise in the area. This is considered to be representative of a number of the smaller permanently inhabited villages located within the Project area. Overall, the survey results indicate that the lowest measured daytime noise levels are typically higher than the lowest measured night-time noise levels. Daytime noise levels are most influenced by human activities. Noise levels typically decrease around dusk as human activity reduces, and then steadily reduce as the night passes, although occasional noise due to wind, or human activity related can lead to short-term increases during the night-time period.
A summary of the lowest measured ambient (LAeq) noise level during daytime and night-time at each location is presented in Table 5. The IFC EHS guidelines values are included at the bottom of the table
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for convenience. Importantly, the lowest recorded background noise levels are below the relevant guideline values for day and night respectively at all monitoring locations.
Table 5: Measured ambient noise levels, dBLAeq,1hr Measured Measured noise level parameter Daytime (07:00 - 22:00) Night-time (22:00 - 07:00) id Location Period Max Min Period Max Min Average (10 min) (10 min) Average (10 min) (10 min) MP1 L 41.7 48.6 34.8 45.9 59.6 35.7 Shilabo Aeq LA90 - 40.6 33.5 - 37.1 34.5 MP2 L 47.1 55.6 34.5 50.5 57.2 30.9 Werder Aeq LA90 - 48.2 30.6 - 53.7 28.2 MP3 L 61.9 77.8 25.9 55.8 70.2 25.9 Derdera Aeq LA90 - 46.9 21.2 - 37.0 19.9
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5.0 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS 5.1 Evaluation Criteria Criteria to evaluate the noise impact of the Project at sensitive receptor locations are presented in Table 6. Noise will contribute to ambient conditions in addition to the prevailing background or baseline condition. Ambient noise levels will therefore either increase or remain unchanged as a result of the Project. The direction of effect is therefore described as either adverse or neutral. Noise levels are measured on a logarithmic decibel scale, thus a doubling of noise levels will lead to a 3 dB increase in noise. However, the human response to noise is different, and an increase in noise levels of less than 3 dB is imperceptible to the average person, while an increase in noise levels of up to 5 dB would be unlikely to cause disturbance. The magnitude of change in noise levels is therefore categorised in compliance with IFC guidelines and the relative increase in noise levels. Where IFC guidelines are met and an increase of less than 3 dB is predicted, the magnitude of change is categorised as negligible as the change would be imperceptible. If the IFC guidelines are met and an increase of more than 3 dB is predicted, the magnitude of change is categorised as minor as the increase would be perceptible but unlikely to cause disturbance. Table 6: Impact description criteria for noise Attribute Definition Magnitude of Change very high IFC night-time fixed level criteria exceeded during night-time operations high IFC daytime fixed level criteria exceeded during daytime operations IFC daytime or night-time fixed level criteria not exceeded, and increase in ambient moderate noise level >5 dB IFC daytime or night-time fixed level criteria not exceeded, and increase in ambient low noise level >3 and <5 dB IFC daytime or night-time fixed level criteria not exceeded, and increase in ambient minor noise level <3 dB IFC daytime or night-time fixed level criteria not exceeded, and no increase in ambient negligible noise level Scale site extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site local effect is limited to the local study area Duration transient less than a month short term 0 to 5 years medium term 5 to 15 years long term greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the project permanent effect remains following completion of project Probability no chance not applicable for noise improbable not applicable for noise low probability not applicable for noise medium not applicable for noise probability highly good chance effect will occur probable definite effect will definitely occur
Changes to the noise environment from Project activities are typically adverse, i.e. an increase in unwanted anthropogenic noise, or neutral / no effect if the project is inaudible at receptors. Positive changes may occur, albeit rarely, for example; where a project component screens an existing
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anthropogenic noise source from a receptor. Given the lack of significant anthropogenic noise sources in the study area, noise effects will be limited to neutral (no effect) and negative. Where the IFC guidelines are predicted to be exceeded, the magnitude of change has been categorised as major, as noise would be at a level that would be expected to cause disturbance. The geographic extent of impact is categorised according to the Project area, thus an effect within the Project area is recorded as local. The duration of noise effects are a factor in determining the nature of an effect. Short-term effects are categorised only during the construction term, and medium-term effects are categorised only during operations. The Project will be linear in nature, with works moving along corridors. The duration of noise effects at any given receptor will therefore always be ‘transient’. The frequency with which noise effects arise, whether hourly, daytime only, 24-hourly or over longer periods, could also have been considered, however in this assessment, due the schedule of activity, only the daytime period has been considered. All noise effects are considered highly probable, as the noise level arising from the activities and the propagation of noise from source to receptor are well understood. The overall impact of the Project is categorised as neutral (no effect), low, moderate, or high, based on the predicted magnitude of change and the sensitivity of receptor. In this assessment, human receptors are considered to be of high sensitivity. The matrix for the evaluation of significance is presented in Table 7. Table 7: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after 4 National 4 Highly probable closure of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability 15 years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 Negligible occurrence Note – grey fill boxes not applicable to noise assessment for reasons discussed above. The significance of the change (impact) will then be determined as: SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Extent) x Probability Where the relative significance of the change (or impact) is typically ranked as set out in the Table 8.
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Table 8: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is Indicates high unacceptably high. It is unlikely that an impact of this SP >75 environmental and/or magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact social significance cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates moderate have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or high. The Project may be compromised if this impact social significance cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates low have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP <30 environmental and/or relatively low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the social significance impact should be considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have no effect or a positive benefit + Neutral / Positive impact upon the existing environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the Project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change. 5.2 Predicted Noise Levels 5.2.1 Construction activities A strip of land will be cleared of surface vegetation and obstacles for the seismic survey corridors. Data for taken from BS 5228-01: 2009 for a bulldozer has been used as a representative noise source. This data is provided in Table 9. The predictions are based on a single bulldozer, operating 12 hours a day moving at a speed of 1 km/h. Table 9: From BS 5228-01: 2009 Equipment Power Equipment Octave band sound pressure levels at 10 A-weighted sound rating, size, m, Hz pressure level, kW weight LAeq, dB at 10m (mass), capacity 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k Dozer 239 41 t 89 90 81 73 74 70 68 64 80
The noise model considers a point source moving at 1 km/h, over the assessment period of an hour equating to a line source length of 1,000m. The receptors in the model are located at the centre of the line, at the various setback distances in a perpendicular direction. The predictions have been made following the methods in BS 5228-01:2009 and the results presented in Table 10.
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Table 10: Predicted construction noise levels
Receptor Predicted Noise Level, dBLAeq 1hr
ID Distance* (m) Daytime NR1 10 65 NR2 25 61 NR3 50 58 NR4 100 54 NR5 250 50 NR6 500 45 NR7 1000 40 NR8 2000 34 *perpendicular distance from centre of line of activity 5.2.2 Operational activities Each vibrator truck or vibroseis machine will exert up to 36,000kg of force at approximately 50m intervals along each seismic survey corridor. Geophones, or nodes, will be placed at approximately 25m intervals to record the data. The data from the geophones is received and processed at a stationary truck specialised for this purpose. The survey will proceed in a linear manner. No shallow drilling activities or explosives will be required during this stage of the project. The survey will be conducted for 12 daylight hours, 7 days per week and is expected to take approximately 6 months to complete. Noise level predictions have been made based on a single stationary Geophone receiver truck and 6 vibrator trucks, operating 12 daylight hours a day. The vibrator trucks are spaced at 15 m, covering 5 km a day. Over a 12 hour working day, this is equivalent to a speed of 0.42 km/h.
An example vibrator truck has been used in the predictions, Industrial Vehicles International ‘Birdwagen’ Mark 4C vibrator truck, 336 kW weighing 29,030 kg (29.03 Tonnes) It has been assumed that the dominant noise source from the vibrator truck will be the engine and not the vibrating plate. The plate will only operate for sweeps of 10-20 seconds at a time. The engine is likely to run constantly, even when the truck is stationary, for air-conditioning and powering of the hydraulics for the vibrating plate. Data for an equivalent specification of HGV Lorry taken from BS 5228-01: 2009 has been used as a representative noise source. This data is provided in Table 11 and also includes a generator noise source from BS 5228-01:2009 to represent the noise due to the geophone receiver truck. Table 11: Data used for vibrator truck and generator at geophone receiver Equipment Power Equipment Octave band sound pressure levels at 10 A-weighted sound rating, size, m, Hz pressure level, kW weight LAeq, dB at 10m (mass), capacity 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k Lorry 343 29 t 92 83 76 78 77 76 74 68 83 Diesel 6.5 ‐ 80 74 57 54 53 48 45 37 61 generator
The noise prediction model has 6 point sources moving at 0.4km/h, with start points spaced 15m in the x- axis, running parallel to y-axis. The worst case hour with all trucks being as close as possible to a receiver equates to moving point source of length of 400m. The receptors in the model are located at the mean average centre of these survey corridors, at the various setback distances in a perpendicular
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direction. Predictions of the propagation of noise have been made following the methods in ISO9613-1 and the results presented in Table 12. Table 12: Prediction Operational Noise Levels
Receptor Predicted Noise Level, dBLAeq 1hr
ID Distance (m)* Daytime NR1 10 79 NR2 25 75 NR3 50 73 NR4 100 69 NR5 250 62 NR6 500 56 NR7 1000 48 NR8 2000 40 *perpendicular distance from mean average centre of lines of activity 5.3 Assessment of Effects 5.3.1 Construction Construction, or enabling, works for the seismic survey corridors such as line clearance will be required for the majority of the construction route. The proximity of these activities to sensitive receptors will vary, however at a worst case it is anticipated that such works may occur within 100 m of sensitive receptors at the closest point. The predicted noise levels during the construction period indicate that noise levels would be expected to fall below IFC EHS guideline levels within approximately 100 m of locations of activity. As the seismic lines will maintain a minimum stand-off distance from permanently inhabited villages of approximately 100 m, noise levels at permanently inhabited villages are not predicted to exceed IFC Guidelines during the day, however noise levels are expected to be more than 5 dB greater than existing noise levels, accordingly the magnitude of change is categorised as Moderate
The duration of any adverse noise effects is likely to be restricted to no more than one day (typically a few hours), following which the activities will move further from the receptors and the noise effects will reduce accordingly. The duration of effects is therefore categorised as Transient. The extent of any adverse effects will be Local. Based on the determined magnitude of change, duration and extent of effects and the definite probability of effect then the worst case overall significance score is determined to be Moderate. Outside of these worst case periods the impact significance will be no effect (Table 13). 5.3.1.1 Operation As identified for the construction phase it is anticipated that the seismic survey corridors will, for the worst case, be located within 100 m of permanently inhabited villages. Accordingly, operations will occur within 100 m of residential receptors in the worst case. Predicted noise levels indicate that during seismic operations noise from the vibrator truck engine and exhaust will exceed IFC daytime guidelines at up to 500 m from the source. During worst case operations (within 100 m of receptors), therefore, noise levels are likely to exceed IFC guidelines. Where such adverse effects occur the magnitude of change is anticipated to be High. The duration of any adverse noise effects is likely to be restricted to no more than one day (typically a few hours), following which the activities will move further from the receptors and the noise effects will reduce accordingly. The duration of effects is therefore categorised as Transient.
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The extent of any adverse effects will be Local. Based on the determined magnitude of change, duration and extent of effects and the definite probability of effect then the worst case overall significance score is determined to be Moderate. Outside of these worst case periods the impact significance will be no effect (Table 13). 5.3.2 Vibration International guidelines indicate that vibroseis operations are unlikely to cause adverse effects on even the most sensitive receptors (e.g. water wells) beyond 100 m. The proposed operations will maintain a minimum set-back distance from receptors of 100 m. Correspondingly, no adverse vibration effects are predicted. The magnitude of change in vibration levels is therefore none. The impact significance is therefore categorised as low (Table 13). .
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Table 13: Impact significance ratings Impact Description Magnitude Duration Scale Probability Impact Significance After Mitigation 54 dBL at 100 m from receptor Moderate Transient Local Highly Construction Noise Aeq 1hr Moderate (36) Moderate (during daytime) 6 1 2 4 69 dBL at 100 m from receptor High Transient Local Highly Operation Noise Aeq 1hr Moderate (44) Moderate (during daytime) 8 1 2 4 Vibration from clearing vegetation and Negligible Transient Local Improbable survey activities could potentially Vibration Low (8) Low damage water resources such as 1 1 2 2 Birkas and boreholes.
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6.0 NOISE AND VIBRATION MANAGEMENT PLAN 6.1 Control Measures - Noise In order to minimise noise generation at the site it is recommended that good practice is followed during the construction (enabling) and operation (survey) phases of the Project. During the survey planning of the seismic survey corridors, a minimum separation distance of 100 m should be maintained from permanently inhabited villages and towns. Activities should be conducted within daytime hours only. Where it is necessary to undertake seismic works during the evening or night-time period these activities should be minimised, and a minimum exclusion distance of 1 km from permanently inhabited villages or towns maintained where possible. Where activities are undertaken within this distance of permanently inhabited towns or villages community notification should be undertaken in advance and any specific concerns or limitations noted. Plant and equipment selected for use in the Project should be specified for purpose and not over- specified, with quieter options e.g. silenced exhausts on plant utilised where available. A daily programme of qualitative noise assessment should be undertaken when working in close proximity to noise receptors. The assessment should be undertaken by a field supervisor and where abnormal or excessive noise is identified appropriate actions should be taken to reduce noise at the affected receptors. 6.1.1 Vibrations and Noise during seismic activity The seismic survey corridors should be planned with a minimum 100 m buffer applied to permanent residential dwellings. In particular cognisance should be given to the presence of water wells and water birkas. The locations of such wells and birkas should be identified in consultation with local communities.
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7.0 CONCULSION Noise and vibration impacts associated with the construction (enabling) and operational (seismic survey) phases of the Project have been assessed against appropriate evaluation criteria for noise and vibration in accordance with relevant international standards. The seismic survey corridors proposed for the Project have not yet been finalised, and therefore a corridor approach to assessment of potential noise and vibration effects has been undertaken. Baseline noise levels within the study area were measured at locations representative of larger villages and towns as well as smaller villages with limited infrastructure or anthropogenic noise. Ambient noise levels were determined to be closely related to levels of human activity, and in particular use of electricity generators or other machinery, as well as the influence of wind induced noise at night. In the absence of such sources ambient noise levels were determined to be quiet, particularly during the night-time period. The predicted noise level for the operational phase shows that ambient noise levels will be exceeded at 100m from source. Any noise effects on receptors would be typically transient over a very short duration (1-2 weeks) following which activities will move further from the receptor. Overall, potential exists for effects of moderate magnitude on human receptors, although for the majority of the time effects will be negligible or minor in magnitude. Overall, the potential noise impact is categorised as moderate where activities are undertaken in close proximity to receptors, for the remainder of the time the impact significance will be no effect or low.
Based on international guidance it is determined that the effect of seismic vibroseis beyond 100 m from source will be below that likely to cause structural damage to even the most sensitive structures. Such a buffer will be maintained to ensure no effects occur. Correspondingly, the impact significance of vibration will be no effect. Good practice will be adopted in controlling noise from activities to minimise adverse impacts. Activities will be restricted to the daytime period only to minimise disturbance. Noise from activities will also be minimised by careful selection of plant and adoption of low noise alternatives, where possible. Consultation with local communities will be undertaken where activities will be undertaken in close proximity to residential dwellings and qualitative surveys undertaken on a daily basis during these periods to ensure activities are being suitably controlled.
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8.0 ACRONYMS BSI British Standards Institute dB the equivalent continuous steady state A-weighted sound pressure level EHS Guidelines World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety Guidelines ESHIA environmental, social and health impact assessment ESHMP Environmental Social and Health Management Plan IFC International Finance Corporation ISO International Standardisation Organisation LSA local study area
LA90 the A-weighted sound pressure level which is that exceeded for 90% of the measurement period, indicating the noise level during quieter periods, and is often referred to as the background noise level.
LAeq the value of the A-weighted sound pressure level in decibels of continuous steady sound that within a specified time interval, T, has the same mean-squared sound pressure as a sound that varies with time. RH relative humidity SPL sound pressure level SWL sound power level
WHO World Health Organisation
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REFERENCES BSI 2008a. BS5228-1: 2009 Code of Practice for Noise and vibration Control on Construction and Open Sites. Vibration, December 2008. British Standards Institute. BSI, London, United Kingdom. IFC 2007 Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines, General EHS Guidelines: Environmental, World Bank Group, April 2007. International Finance Corporation. IFC, Washington DC, USA. ISO 1993 ISO 9613-1 Acoustics – Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors Part 1: Calculation of the absorption of sound by the atmosphere. International Standardisation Organisation. ISO, Geneva, Switzerland. ISO 1996 ISO 9613-2 Acoustics – Attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors -- Part 2: General method of calculation, 1996. International Standardisation Organisation. ISO, Geneva, Switzerland. ISO 2003a ISO 1996-1:2003 Acoustics -- Description, Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Noise -- Part 1: Basic Quantities and Assessment Procedures, 2003. International Standardisation Organisation. ISO, Geneva, Switzerland.
ISO 2007 ISO 1996-2:2007 Acoustics -- Description, Measurement and Assessment of Environmental Noise -- Part 2: Determination of Environmental Noise Levels, 2003. International Standardisation Organisation. ISO, Geneva, Switzerland. WHO 1999 Guidelines for Community Noise, 1999. World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES (UK) LTD
Dan Morton Stuart McGowan Noise Specialist Noise Specialist
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APPENDIX A Document Limitations
20 February 2015 Report No. 1417532-13390-4
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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GAA Form 201 Version 0
May 2010 1/1
Golder Associates (UK) Ltd Sirius Building, The Clocktower South Gyle Crescent Edinburgh EH12 9LB UK T: [+44] (0) 131 314 5900
20 February 2015
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: AIR QUALITY
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer Area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. 3rd Floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number 1417532-13391-5 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: AIR QUALITY
Executive Summary
An assessment of the potential air quality effects associated with the proposed 2D seismic survey was undertaken. Potential effects associated with the development include the generation of dust during the clearance of seismic survey lines (construction phase) and engine exhaust emissions from vehicles during the survey itself. Suitable evaluation criteria for assessing air quality effects were identified with reference to international standards, in the absence of specific local standards. Evaluation criteria were developed with reference to World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines (as adopted by IFC). The seismic survey corridors proposed for the Project have not yet been finalised, and therefore a corridor approach to assessment of potential air quality effects was undertaken. Baseline air quality levels within the study area were measured at locations representative of the area. Ambient concentrations of dust and particulate material were found to be relatively high, reflecting the general dusty environment due to the dry conditions and wind whipping of loose material on the ground into air. Ambient concentrations of combustion gases were determined to be low, indicating a generally good air quality level in the area. Predicted effects were evaluated with reference to published information on the generation of dust and combustion gases from vehicle engines. The overall emissions associated with the development cannot be accurately quantified due to their likely fugitive nature, however it is considered unlikely that emissions would be categorised as significant based on IFC definitions. The assessment determined that the contribution of emissions associated with the development to ambient air quality levels would be low, with any effects occurring close to the point of emission. Any effects on sensitive receptors would be of very short duration (less than a month) following which activities will move further from the receptor.
The predictions identified that the magnitude of change during the construction period would be Low, with any additional contribution to ambient particulate concentrations contributing less than 10% of WHO/IFC guidelines. The effect of combustion gas emissions is anticipated to have a Negligible effect on local air quality. Any air quality effects on receptors would be typically transient over a very short duration (typically less than a day) at receptors located close to activities (local). Beyond the immediate locality, and outside of the short time periods effects will be much less. Overall, the potential air quality impact is categorised as low where activities are undertaken in close proximity to receptors, for the remainder of the time the impact significance will be no effect. Good practice will be adopted in controlling emissions from activities to minimise adverse impacts, although due to local scarcity of water no spraying of materials will be undertaken to suppress dust.
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 4
1.1 Overview ...... 4
1.2 Scope ...... 4
2.0 TERMINOLOGY ...... 5
3.0 APPROACH AND METHODS ...... 5
3.1 Study Area ...... 5
3.2 Sensitive Receptors ...... 5
3.3 Legal Framework and Standards ...... 7
3.3.1 Local standards ...... 7
3.3.2 International Standards ...... 7
3.4 Impact Assessment Approach and Methods ...... 8
3.4.1 Activities ...... 8
3.4.2 Dust and Particulate Emissions ...... 9
3.4.3 Traffic Emissions ...... 9
4.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 9
4.1 Survey limitations ...... 9
4.2 Baseline Methodology ...... 10
4.2.1 Instrumentation ...... 10
4.2.2 Meteorological Conditions ...... 10
4.2.3 Monitoring Locations ...... 11
4.3 Results ...... 11
4.3.1 Dust and particulates ...... 11
4.3.2 Oxides of Nitrogen ...... 12
5.0 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS ...... 12
5.1 Evaluation Criteria ...... 12
5.2 Results ...... 15
5.3 Predicted Effects...... 15
5.3.1 Particulates ...... 15
5.3.2 Nitrogen dioxide ...... 15
5.4 Evaluation of effects ...... 15
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6.0 DUST MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 17
7.0 CONCULSION ...... 18
8.0 ACRONYMS ...... 19
TABLES Table 1: WHO Ambient Air Quality Guidelines ...... 7 Table 2: Air Quality Monitoring Locations ...... 11
Table 3: Measured ambient NO2 and NOX concentrations ...... 12 Table 4: Impact description criteria for air quality ...... 13 Table 5: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 14 Table 6: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 14
FIGURES Figure 1: Location of villages within and surrounding the Project Area (Concession Blocks 18, 19 and 21) and sample locations (Golder 2015 and Pexco 2009) ...... 6 Figure 2: Passive diffusion tubes, Warder Camp ...... 10 Figure 3: Measured dust and particulate concentrations, Shilabo ...... 11 Figure 4: Measured dust and particulate concentrations, Warder ...... 12
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Laboratory Results APPENDIX B Document Limitations
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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview This chapter presents an assessment of potential air impacts arising from the construction and operation activities of the Project. The following sources of air emissions are considered during the life of the Project: Construction activities – clearing a strip of land of surface vegetation and obstacles to create suitable seismic survey corridors, leading to potential dust emissions from wind whipping of loose material and exhaust emissions from vehicles and mobile plant; and Operational activities – emissions of dust through re-suspension/entrainment from vehicle movements and exhaust emissions from vehicles and mobile plant. The chapter is structured as follows: Section 2 provides a description of the approach and methods used for the assessment, including defining the study area, preliminary screening of impacts, and relevant performance standards; Section 3 provides a description of the current baseline conditions in the proposed study area; Section 4 provides an assessment of the air quality effects; Section 5 presents a summary of findings of the assessment; and Section 6 provides relevant information for the Environmental, Social and Health Management Plan (ESHMP). 1.2 Scope The potential effects of air emissions have been considered with respect to the proposed activities in the Project area. The locations of the proposed seismic survey corridors have yet to be finalised, and will be finalised in part based on the findings of this Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). The assessments therefore consider a corridor evaluation of potential effects, i.e. the potential effects of operations are considered based on a setback distance from seismic survey lines, rather than considering specific effects on identified receptors. The determined effects will inform the development of the ESHMP.
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2.0 TERMINOLOGY Air quality is a general term used to describe the concentration of various pollutants in the atmosphere, i.e. that which is breathed by humans. The quality of the air is determined by comparing the concentration of pollutants to threshold levels which have been determined through epidemiological studies to cause adverse health effects to humans. Air pollutants considered within the assessment include those generated as a by-product of the combustion of organic materials and are generally referred to as ‘combustion gases’. These include nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (NO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The first three pollutants have been determined to have adverse health effects, whilst CO2 is a gas with no adverse health effect (except asphyxiation where it displaced oxygen from breathed air), however has been identified as a pollutant which contributes to global warming.
Particulate material is typically categorised by size, with the smaller size fractions, PM10 (particles of less than 10 microns in diameter) and PM2.5 (of less than 2.5 microns in diameter) are within the respirable range and have been linked to adverse effects on human health1. 3.0 APPROACH AND METHODS 3.1 Study Area The effects of air emissions from the construction and operational phases of the seismic survey will typically be experienced at relatively close proximity to the emitting source, with emissions dispersing in atmosphere with distance from source. Emissions will occur at ground level (or close to ground level) with little thermal buoyancy therefore it is anticipated that all emissions will ‘ground’ close to source. Air quality effects are therefore considered to be localised, with no regional effect considered. The study area is therefore considered to represent the local area around the proposed seismic survey corridors, delineated by an approximate 1km buffer on each line (i.e. total width of 2km). 3.2 Sensitive Receptors This assessment considers the likely air quality impacts on sensitive receptors. Sensitive receptor locations include locations where members of the public are expected to be present for long periods of time, i.e. residential properties, schools or hospitals. Other locations sensitive to air emissions, such as manufacturing facilities or sensitive ecological habitats would be considered as potential receptors. Within the study area most residential dwellings are located within designated towns or villages. Temporary dwellings are located outside of towns or villages and are typically inhabited on a seasonal basis by shepherds or nomadic families. The locations of towns and villages have been accurately mapped across the study area (see Figure 1); however the locations of all dwellings within the study area cannot be accurately mapped at this stage. Locations of cultural heritage importance or institutional buildings like schools and hospitals are all located within the towns and villages. No locations of designated sensitive faunal habitat have been identified within the study area, therefore ecological receptors have not been considered in the assessment.
1 The Mortality Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution in the United Kingdom, A report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air pollution, 2010
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Figure 1: Location of villages within and surrounding the Project Area (Concession Blocks 18, 19 and 21) and sample locations (Golder 2015 and Pexco 2009)
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3.3 Legal Framework and Standards 3.3.1 Local standards Ethiopian environmental legislation is focussed around the Environment Impact Assessment Proclamation No. 299/2002, which sets out requirements for Environmental Impact Assessment and defines a “pollutant” as anything that “directly or indirectly produces toxic substances, diseases, objectionable odor, noise, vibration, heat, or any other phenomenon that is hazardous or potentially hazardous to human health or to other living things”. This is interpreted to include emissions to air. The Proclamation is supported by guidelines issued by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA Guideline 2000 (EPA, 2000) provides standards and guidelines for ambient conditions. No guidelines are specifically referenced by noise, however general guidance is provided that states that “standards and guidelines should consider local conditions and the socio-economic level of a particular situation…..the quoted standards of developed countries (like USA, Belgium etc.) should be applied with caution, recognizing the inherent limitations of their application.” It is noted that Ethiopia will in time develop its own standards and guidelines. In relation to the air environment, reference is made to international standards, like World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines, USEPA, South African or UK Guidelines.
The EPA guidelines for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects (EPA, 2003) identify the requirement to consider air emissions in EIA studies of petroleum operations. Air quality standards for discharge are quoted in the guidelines, however no ambient air quality standards are identified. In the absence of national legislation or standards relevant international standards have been adopted for this assessment. 3.3.2 International Standards International standards for evaluating air quality effects are set out in the International Finance Corporation (IFC) environmental, health and safety (EHS) Guidelines (IFC 2007), which implements World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline values. These levels are presented in Table 1. The air quality guidelines are specified as fixed value criteria to be achieved over differing averaging periods. The averaging periods relate to either short-term (acute) exposure from 10-minutes through to 24-hours, to longer-term (chronic) exposure over longer averaging periods of a year. The guideline values have been determined with respect to the findings of epidemiological studies, however it is recognised that the guideline levels may not be immediately achievable in all countries due to particular local circumstance. A series of interim targets have therefore been developed which are considered to be achievable with successive and sustained abatement measures. Based on the contribution of natural sources to ambient particulate concentrations in Ethiopia (for example) it is considered that the interim targets are a more appropriate benchmark at this stage. Exposure of workers is covered by operational health and safety legislation and is not considered within this ESHIA. Table 1: WHO Ambient Air Quality Guidelines Pollutant Averaging Period Guideline Value µg/m3 24-hour 125 (Interim target 1) 50 (interim target 2) Sulphur dioxide (SO ) 2 20 (guideline) 10-minute 500 (guideline) 1-year 40 (guideline) Nitrogen dioxide 1-hour 200 (guideline)
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Pollutant Averaging Period Guideline Value µg/m3 1-year 70 (Interim target 1) 50 (interim target 2) 30 (interim target 3) 20 (guideline) Particulate Matter (PM10) 24-hour 150 (Interim target 1) 100 (interim target 2) 75 (interim target 3) 50 (guideline) 1-year 35 (Interim target 1) 25 (interim target 2) 15 (interim target 3) 10 (guideline) Particulate Matter (PM2.5) 24-hour 75 (Interim target 1) 50 (interim target 2) 37.5 (interim target 3) 25 (guideline) 8-hour daily 160 (Interim target 1) Ozone maximum 100 (guideline)
IFC EHS guidelines require that ‘projects with significant (author emphasis) sources of air emissions, and potential for significant impacts to ambient air quality, should prevent or minimise impacts by ensuring that:
Emissions do not result in pollutant concentrations that reach or exceed relevant ambient air quality standards or in their absence, the current WHO Air Quality Guidelines, or other internationally recognised sources;
Emissions do not contribute a significant proportion to the attainment of relevant ambient air quality guidelines or standards……’
The guidelines provide a definition of ‘significant sources’ defined based on the net emission increase of one or more pollutants attributable to the development. The increase is established as more than 500 tons per year of PM10, NOX or SO2. The nature of emissions associated with the seismic survey are largely fugitive and therefore cannot be accurately quantified, however it is not anticipated that emissions would be above those quoted in IFC guidelines, therefore the emissions are not regarded as significant. The assessment does, however determine potential air quality effects with reference to the WHO guidelines. 3.4 Impact Assessment Approach and Methods 3.4.1 Activities Two sets of activity have been considered to reflect the potential effect of the construction and operational phases of the Project: Construction activities – clearing a strip of land of surface vegetation and obstacles to create suitable seismic survey corridors, leading to potential dust emissions from wind whipping of loose material and exhaust emissions from construction vehicles and equipment; and Operational activities – emissions of dust through re-suspension/entrainment from vehicle movements and exhaust emissions from vehicles and survey equipment.
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It is assumed that all construction and operational surveying activities will occur during the daytime period, assuming a 12-hour working day. 3.4.2 Dust and Particulate Emissions The effects of dust can vary according to the size of the particles (Scottish Office 1998). Large dust particles (>30 µm) can travel up to 100 m from the source, medium sized particles (10 – 30 µm) can travel between 250 and 500 m whereas smaller dust particles (< 10 µm) can travel up to 1 km from the source. Although the potential for severe dust impact is greatest within 100 m of dust generating activities, there is still the potential for dust in some instances to affect receptors up to 1 km away. The potential effects of dust deposition is therefore limited to within 100 m of source. Smaller particles, such as PM10 and PM2.5, can travel up to 1 km from the source. Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) Technical Guidance TG (09) (Defra et al, 2009) provides estimates for the potential contribution of dust sources towards annual mean PM10 concentrations. The typical contribution of coarse particulates from fugitive dusts, stockpiling, quarries and construction activities can be up to 5 µg/m3 in the immediate locality of the source and up to 2 µg/m3 to background concentrations ‘near’ the source.
3 Based on this guidance it is considered that an increase of up to 5 µg/m in ambient PM10 concentrations can occur ‘near’ to source (approximately 200 - 400 m from source) and up to 2 µg/m3 increase can be achieved within 1 km of source. It is assumed that PM2.5 contributions will typically comprise less than 50% of the PM10 contribution.
The assessment therefore considers the potential effects of the additional burden to ambient PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations as a result of fugitive dust generation. 3.4.3 Traffic Emissions The impact of road traffic emissions associated with the construction and decommissioning phases of the development are assessed in accordance with UK Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) guidance on assessing air quality impacts. The assessment method allows for a screening assessment of road traffic emissions based on the percentage change in vehicle movements on any public road to be considered.
The DMRB assessment method provides screening and scoping criteria to assess the likely impact of changes to traffic flows on local air quality. The scoping phase of the assessment identifies potential changes which are likely to have a significant impact on air quality. Where traffic flow changes are less than 1,000 vehicles a day then emissions from road traffic are considered to have an insignificant effect on air quality. The potential effect of exhaust emission from mobile plant and vehicles is considered with reference to the screening criteria set out in DMRB guidance. 4.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT To determine the air quality levels within the study area baseline measurements were undertaken. The findings of the survey are outlined in the following sections. 4.1 Survey limitations Ideally, ambient air quality would be measured over a longer averaging period, typically 6 months to a year in accordance with IFC EHS Guidelines. However, for logistical reasons, the timeframe over which the measurements could be taken in this area were restricted. The measured concentrations therefore provide an indicative snap-shot of ambient concentrations for consideration in the impact assessment process.
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4.2 Baseline Methodology Monitoring was undertaken in accordance with ISO 1996 Parts 1 and 2 (ISO, 2003). This sets out the equipment to be used to undertake measurements, conditions under which noise measurements should be undertaken, measurement parameters and appropriate siting of monitoring equipment. 4.2.1 Instrumentation Measurements of particulate material were undertaken using a Dusttrak Aerosol Monitor. The Dusttrak monitor is a handheld battery-operated, data-logging, light-scattering laser photometer which provides real-time particulate/aerosol mass readings. The monitor as utilised as a suitable meter to obtain representative readings whilst satisfying the restrictions of permanent power supply and harsh environmental conditions. The length of the survey periods was restricted by the power capacity of the meter.
Measurements were undertaken of various particulate size fractions, including PM2.5, PM10 and Total Suspended Particulate (PM100) size fractions.
Measurements of ambient NO2 and total oxides of nitrogen (NOX) were undertaken using passive diffusion tubes. The diffusion tubes were prepared with a 20% TEA in Water solution which reacts with ambient oxides of nitrogen and subsequently laboratory analysed to determine concentrations of oxides of nitrogen in air. The tubes were supplied and analysed by Gradko a UK-based laboratory with UKAS accreditation for analysis. Measurements were undertaken using diffusion tubes in triplicate mounted on a fence post next to the camp-site within Warder town. Diffusion tubes were located to measure total NOX and NO2. The tubes were exposed for a period of 5-6 days. The location of the diffusion tubes and a picture of the type are provided in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Passive diffusion tubes, Warder Camp 4.2.2 Meteorological Conditions Ambient air quality is influenced by prevailing meteorological conditions. This includes the effect of wind on dispersion of pollutants or generation of re-suspended dust, or the suppression of dust following periods of rainfall. Consideration of meteorological conditions is, therefore, critical, in evaluating air quality. The baseline survey was undertaken in January 2015, during the traditional dry season. Meteorological conditions during the survey period were dry, with no rainfall recorded. Wind conditions were typically calm or light during the daytime period, however at night high gusting winds were experienced. The wind was observed to cause re-suspension of dust materials during gusting events.
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4.2.3 Monitoring Locations The locations of baseline monitoring locations are presented in Table 2. Table 2: Air Quality Monitoring Locations Grid Reference (UTM) Pollutants ID Location Easting Northing MP1 Shilabo 44o 45’45.71” 6o 04’38.92” Particulates only o o MP2 Warder 45 20’24.38” 6 58’26.00” NOX and particulates
Monitoring at Shilabo was undertaken over a 3 hour survey period in the vicinity of the existing survey camp. The camp operates a large electricity generator which operates continuously and was therefore operational during the survey period. Measurements were undertaken upwind of the generator. No other anthropogenic noise sources were located in the vicinity of the monitoring position during the survey. Wind-whipping of dust and fine materials from the dry ground was observed throughout the monitoring period. Monitoring at Warder was undertaken over a 7 hour survey period. The field camp had a temporary electricity generator which operated for part of the survey time. Other generators were occasionally operating in the general vicinity with a number of vehicle movements also observed (both related to the survey and by other vehicles). Wind-whipping of dust and fine materials from the dry ground was also observed throughout the monitoring period. 4.3 Results 4.3.1 Dust and particulates The measured dust and particulate concentrations are presented in Figure 3 (Shilabo) and Figure 4 (Warder).
Figure 3: Measured dust and particulate concentrations, Shilabo
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Figure 4: Measured dust and particulate concentrations, Warder
The measured concentrations at both Shilabo and Warder indicate elevated concentrations of dust and particulate material in the atmosphere. Ambient PM10 concentrations during each survey period were typically above the WHO guideline value of 50 µg/m3, as an annual mean concentration (Interim Target 2), but below the equivalent 24-hour mean concentration target of 100 µg/m3. It is anticipated that the measured concentrations during the period were representative of typical conditions, therefore an annual mean concentration of 50 – 60 µg/m3 may be anticipated.
Correspondingly, measured PM2.5 concentrations during both monitoring periods are in excess of the annual and 24-hour mean WHO guideline values. Overall, the measured concentrations are considered representative of the general dusty environment attributable to the dry conditions and wind whipping of dust which occurs. 4.3.2 Oxides of Nitrogen The measured concentrations are summarised in Table 3.
Table 3: Measured ambient NO2 and NOX concentrations Monitoring Measured concentration i.d. 3 3 NO2 (µg/m ) Total NOx (µg/m ) MP1 5.8 20.6 MP2 5.6 26.3 MP3 5.7 22.3 Average 5.7 23.0
3 The measured concentrations are low, with the average measured NO2 concentration of under 6 µg/m comparing to the WHO guideline value of 40 µg/m3 as an annual mean concentration. The results indicate that air quality in the study area is good, with low levels of combustion generated pollutants. 5.0 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS 5.1 Evaluation Criteria Criteria to evaluate the potential air quality impacts of the Project at sensitive receptor locations are presented in Table 4. Air emissions will contribute to ambient conditions in addition to the prevailing
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background or baseline condition. Air quality levels will therefore either increase or remain unchanged as a result of the Project. The direction of effect is therefore described as either adverse or neutral. The magnitude of increase in air quality levels is referenced to a percentage increase in concentrations, relative to the relevant air quality standards, with consideration to whether current air quality levels are below or in excess of those standards. Table 4: Impact description criteria for air quality Attribute Definition Nature of Change adverse effect is an increase in ambient air quality neutral / no no change in ambient air quality effect positive reduction in air quality – not applicable in this scenario Magnitude of Change high IFC guidelines exceeded and development contribution greater than 20% of standard moderate IFC guidelines exceeded and development contribution less than 10% of standard low FC guidelines met and development contribution greater than 10% of standard minor FC guidelines met and development contribution less than 10% of standard negligible No change in ambient air quality Scale site extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site local effect is limited to the local study area Duration transient less than 1 month short term 1 month to 1 year medium term 1 to 5 years long term greater than 5 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the project permanent effect remains following completion of project Probability no chance effect will not occur improbable improbable that effect will occur low probability potential for effect to occur but considered unlikely medium potential for effect to occur but considered possible probability highly potential for effect to occur and considered likely probable definite effect will definitely occur
Changes to the air quality from Project activities are typically adverse, i.e. an increase in emissions. Air quality effects will be limited to neutral (no effect) and negative. The geographic extent of impact is categorised according to the study area, thus an effect within the study area is recorded as local. The duration of noise effects are a factor in determining the nature of an effect. Short-term effects are categorised only during the construction term, and medium-term effects are categorised only during operations. The Project will be linear in nature, with works moving along transect. The duration of effects at any given receptor will therefore always be ‘transient’. Air quality effects are typically considered as medium or low probability as it is known that emissions will be generated, however the effect of the emissions on receptors cannot be fully determined due to dispersion effects.
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The overall impact of the Project is categorised as neutral (no effect), low, moderate, or high, based on the predicted magnitude of change and the sensitivity of receptor. In this assessment, human receptors are considered to be of high sensitivity. The matrix for the evaluation of significance is presented in Table 5. Table 5: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after 4 National 4 Highly probable closure of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability 15 years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 Negligible occurrence Note – grey fill boxes not applicable to air assessment for reasons discussed above. The significance of the change (impact) will then be determined as:
SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Extent) x Probability Where the relative significance of the change (or impact) is typically ranked as set out in the Table 6. Table 6: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is Indicates high unacceptably high. It is unlikely that an impact of this SP >75 environmental and/or magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact social significance cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates moderate have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or high. The Project may be compromised if this impact social significance cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates low have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP <30 environmental and/or relatively low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the social significance impact should be considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have no effect or a positive benefit + Neutral / Positive impact upon the existing environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the Project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change.
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5.2 Results 5.3 Predicted Effects 5.3.1 Particulates
The predicted increase in ambient PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in proximity to the seismic operations are considered to reflect published guidance and are considered as follows:
3 3 An increase of 5 µg/m PM10 and 2.5 µg/m PM2.5 within 400 m of the seismic survey corridor or other sites during both construction and survey; and
3 3 An increase of 2 µg/m PM10 and 1 µg/m PM2.5 within 1 km of the seismic survey corridor during both construction and survey. It is anticipated that the seismic survey corridors will maintain a minimum stand-off distance from permanently inhabited villages of approximately 100 m, therefore the increase in ambient particulate 3 3 concentrations at receptors within the villages is expected to be up to 5 µg/m PM10 and 2 µg/m , i.e. less than 10% of the relevant air quality guidelines. 5.3.2 Nitrogen dioxide The increase in vehicles movements associated with the Project is expected to be significantly less than the 1000 vehicle movements per day threshold set out in published guidance. Air quality effects from road traffic are therefore considered to be not significant. Emissions from the survey equipment utilised during the seismic survey will rapidly disperse in the environment, therefore the increase in combustion generated pollutants at receptor locations will be Negligible. 5.4 Evaluation of effects The predicted effects associated with the construction (enabling) and operation of the seismic survey will be an increase in atmospheric emissions which will have a detrimental effect on local air quality.
The magnitude of change in ambient air quality levels at sensitive receptors will be low as a worst case, as for both particulates and combustion gases any increase will be less than 10% of ambient air quality guidelines, where baseline conditions currently meet interim targets (particulates) or guideline concentrations. Any adverse effects will be localised and transient in duration for a short period of a few days to two weeks at a maximum. The effects will reduce as activities move further away from permanently inhabited villages. Based on the predicted magnitude of change the impact significance is categorised as low during short- term worst case periods. Outside of these worst case periods the impact significance will be low.
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Table 7: Summary of potential impacts
No. Category Aspect Impact Description Impact Significance Direction Direction Magnitude Duration Geographic Extent Probability Removal of vegetation will increase propensity for wind- Medium Removal of Transient Local 30 Air Quality whipping of ground dust, and - Low (4) (3) 21 Low vegetation (1) (2) emissions from engine and vehicle exhausts.
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6.0 DUST MANAGEMENT PLAN The predicted impacts of air emissions associated with the development is low, however Delonex will implement good practice in reducing dust through implementing the following according to the IFC Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines by: Taking care to disturb as little ground cover as possible; Minimising traffic volumes; Rigorous speed control and the institution of traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle entrainment. Based on international best practice guidelines, a recommended maximum speed of 50 km/h to be set on all unpaved site roads; All vehicles and other equipment should be maintained and serviced regularly to ensure that tailpipe particulate emissions are kept to a minimum; and Maintain a minimum stand-off distance from permanently inhabited villages of approximately 100 m. Whilst suppression of dust through water spraying or use of other liquids would be a preferred option on stockpiles of disturbed materials to minimise the generation of dust through wind-whipping the scarcity of water in the study area, and wider region means that the environmental effects of adopting such suppression procedures would outweigh the environmental benefits. Use of dust suppression techniques is therefore not proposed.
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7.0 CONCULSION Air quality impacts associated with the construction (enabling) and operational (seismic survey) phases of the Project have been assessed against appropriate evaluation criteria in accordance with relevant international standards. The alignment of seismic survey corridors proposed for the Project have not yet been finalised, and therefore a corridor approach to assessment of air quality effects has been undertaken. Baseline air quality levels within the study area were measured at locations representative of the area. Ambient concentrations of dust and particulate material were found to be relatively high, reflecting the general dusty environment due to the dry conditions and wind whipping of loose material on the ground into air. Ambient concentrations of combustion gases were determined to be low, indicating a generally good air quality level in the area. Predicted effects were evaluated with reference to published information on the generation of dust and combustion gases from vehicle engines. The overall emissions associated with the development cannot be accurately quantified due to their likely fugitive nature, however it is considered unlikely that emissions would be categorised as significant based on IFC definitions. The assessment determined that the contribution of emissions associated with the development to ambient air quality levels would be low, with any effects occurring close to the point of emission. Any effects on sensitive receptors would be of very short duration (less than a month) following which activities will move further from the receptor.
Overall, the potential air quality impact is categorised as low where activities are undertaken in close proximity to receptors, for the remainder of the time the impact significance will be no effect. Good practice will be adopted in controlling emissions from activities to minimise adverse impacts, although due to local scarcity of water no spraying of materials will be undertaken to suppress dust.
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8.0 ACRONYMS BSI British Standards Institute EHS Guidelines World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety Guidelines ESHIA Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment ESHMP Environmental, Social and Health Management Plan IFC International Finance Corporation ISO International Standardisation Organisation LSA Local Study Area WHO World Health Organisation
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REFERENCES
IFC 2007 Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines, General EHS Guidelines: Environmental, World Bank Group, April 2007. International Finance Corporation. IFC, Washington DC, USA. DEFRA 2009 Part IV of the Environment Act 1995. Local Air Quality Management. Technical Guidance LAQM.TG(09). Defra, Scottish Executive, National Assembly for Wales and Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland, (2009). Scottish Planning Advice Note PAN 50, Controlling the Environmental Effects of Surface Office 1996 Mineral Workings, ISSN 0141-514X, ISBN 0 7480 5652 1. Scottish Planning Advice Note PAN 50, Controlling the Environmental Effects of Surface Office 1998 Mineral Workings, Annex B: The Control of Dust at Surface Mineral Workings. ISSN 0141-514X, ISBN 0 7480 7055 9.
WHO 2005 Air Quality Guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide, Global Update 2005, Summary of Risk Assessment. World Health Organisation, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Reg. No. 2002/007104/07 Directors: SA Eckstein, RGM Heath, SC Naidoo, GYW Ngoma
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APPENDIX A Laboratory Results
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(A division of Gradko International Ltd.) 2187 St. Martins House, 77 Wales Street Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0RH tel.: 01962 860331 fax: 01962 841339 e-mail:[email protected]
LABORATORY ANALYSIS REPORT NITROGEN DIOXIDE IN DIFFUSION TUBES BY U.V.SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
REPORT NUMBER X2932R
BOOKING REFERENCE No X2932
DESPATCH NOTE No SOR20845
CUSTOMER Golder Associates UK Ltd Attenborough House
Browns Lane, Business Park, Stanton-on-the Wolds
Nottinghamshire, NG12 5BL DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 10/02/2015 JOB REFERENCE 14514860660
Exposure Data NO2 NOX NO NO2 NOX NO TOTAL TOTAL
+ 3 3 3 + NO2 Tube Number NOx Date On Date Off Time (hr.) ppb * ppb * ppb * µµµg/m µµµ g/m µµµ g/m µµµ G NO2 µµµ G NOx
474921 Office Blank 474927 115.50 0.31 3.05 2.74 0.60 5.84 5.24 0.01 0.05 474922 Field I 474928 20/01/2015 25/01/2015 115.50 3.05 10.76 7.71 5.84 20.61 14.77 0.05 0.17 474923 Field II 474929 20/01/2015 25/01/2015 115.50 2.92 13.74 10.82 5.60 26.33 20.73 0.05 0.22 474924 Field III 474930 20/01/2015 25/01/2015 115.50 2.98 11.63 8.64 5.72 22.28 16.56 0.05 0.19 474925 Field Blank 474932 115.50 0.44 25.12 24.68 0.83 48.13 47.29 0.01 0.40 The Diffusion Tubes have been tested within the scope of Gradko International Ltd. Laboratory Quality Procedures calculations and assessments involving the exposure procedures and periods provided by the client are not within the scope of our UKAS accreditation. Those results obtained using exposure data shall be indicated by an asterisk. Any queries concerning the data in this report should be directed to the Laboratory Manager Gradko International Ltd. This report is not to be reproduced, except in full, without the written permission of Gradko International Ltd. Form LQF32c Issue 6 – February 2015 Report number X2932R Page 1 of 2
(A division of Gradko International Ltd.) 2187 St. Martins House, 77 Wales Street Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0RH tel.: 01962 860331 fax: 01962 841339 e-mail:[email protected]
LABORATORY ANALYSIS REPORT
Lab Blanks 115.50 0.50 1.55 1.06 0.95 2.98 2.03 0.008 0.025
Comment: Results are not blank subtracted Exposure times were calculated from start and finish times given on the exposure sheet. +NO results are derived by subtracting NO2 from NOx.
Results have been corrected to a temperature of 293K (20C) Overall M.O.U. 7.3% +/- Limit of Detection 0.071ug NOx, 0.017ug NO2 on tube Tube Preparation: 20%TEA/Water Analysed on UVS04 Camspec M550
Analyst Name C. Gemmell
Date of Analysis 19/02/20415 Date of Report 19/02/2015
Analysis carried out in accordance with documented in-house Laboratory Method GLM7
The Diffusion Tubes have been tested within the scope of Gradko International Ltd. Laboratory Quality Procedures calculations and assessments involving the exposure procedures and periods provided by the client are not within the scope of our UKAS accreditation. Those results obtained using exposure data shall be indicated by an asterisk. Any queries concerning the data in this report should be directed to the Laboratory Manager Gradko International Ltd. This report is not to be reproduced, except in full, without the written permission of Gradko International Ltd. Form LQF32c Issue 6 – February 2015 Report number X2932R Page 2 of 2
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: AIR QUALITY
APPENDIX B Document Limitations
20 February 2015 Report No. 1417532-13391-5
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD
\\dur2-s-fs3\gaadata\projects\1417532_delonex_ener_eshia_2d_seismic_ethiopia\6.1_deliverables\1417532_document_limitations.docx
GAA Form 201 Version 0
May 2010 1/1
Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. P.O. Box 29391 Maytime, 3624 Block C, Bellevue Campus 5 Bellevue Road Kloof Durban, 3610 South Africa
February 2015
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: BIODIVERSITY
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd. 3rd Floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13392-6 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: BIODIVERSITY
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1.1 The Project ...... 1
1.2 Scope / Approach ...... 1
1.3 Study Limitations ...... 2
2.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT ...... 2
2.1 Past Studies ...... 2
2.2 Project Area ...... 2
2.2.1 Land Cover ...... 4
2.2.2 Vegetation Communities ...... 5
2.3 Terrestrial Ecology - Flora and Fauna ...... 7
2.3.1 Flora ...... 7
2.3.1.1 Fauna ...... 8
2.3.1.2 Avifauna ...... 11
2.3.2 Aquatic and Wetland Ecology ...... 14
2.3.3 Landscape Features ...... 15
2.4 Regional Study Area: Biodiversity Context ...... 17
2.5 Local Study Area ...... 18
3.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 20
4.0 METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING IMPACTS ...... 21
4.1.1 Cumulative Impacts ...... 25
4.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures ...... 25
5.0 POTENTIAL BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS...... 26
5.1 Proposed Mitigation Measures ...... 28
6.0 BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 31
6.1 Overview ...... 31
6.1.1 Competence training and awareness ...... 31
6.1.2 Linkages ...... 31
6.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing ...... 32
7.0 CONCLUSIONS ...... 32
8.0 REFERENCES ...... 33
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TABLES Table 1: Land Cover (after FAO Geonetwork, 2014)...... 4 Table 2: Land cover divided into categories with their area (%) covered (PEXCO, 2008) ...... 5 Table 3: Woodlands (PEXCO, 2008) ...... 6 Table 4: Barelands (PEXCO, 2008) ...... 6 Table 5: Shrublands (PEXCO, 2008) ...... 7 Table 6: Grasslands (PEXCO, 2008) ...... 7 Table 7: Dominate plant species expected within the Project area (Modified from PEXCO, 2008) ...... 8 Table 8: Listed Mammal species with range distribution in Project area ...... 9 Table 9: Mammal species observed during the site visit, January 2015 ...... 10 Table 10: Livestock observed during the site visit, January 2015 ...... 11 Table 11: Listed Bird species with range distribution in Project area ...... 12 Table 12: Bird species observed during the site visit, January 2015 ...... 13 Table 13: Land Cover Categories taken from the FAO Geonetwork (2014), calculations based on the survey routes provided by the client and the regional and local study area as described in this report ...... 20 Table 14: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 24 Table 15: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 25 Table 16: Impact significance ratings ...... 30
FIGURES Figure 1: Project area in relation to concession blocks ...... 3 Figure 2: Project area showing 2D seismic survey corridors in relation to land use cover, settlements and concession blocks ...... 3 Figure 3: Fauna, photographs of Unstriped Ground Squirrel and Dik-Dik (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015 and Ingeborg van Leeuwen: Flickr) ...... 10 Figure 4: Domestic Livestock, photographs of Dromedary and Cattle (Taken by W. Aken, 2015) ...... 11 Figure 5: Selected photographs of some of the bird species observed during the January 2015 site visit (Taken by W. Aken, 2015)...... 15 Figure 6: Water sources observed during the site visit (January 2015) (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015, Google Earth) ...... 16 Figure 7: Features observed during the site visit (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015) ...... 16 Figure 8: Proportion of Land Cover Categories within the regional study area as per the FAO, 2014 ...... 17 Figure 9: Regional Study selected by utilising topography, geology, land cover, drainage basins, temperature, groundwater (MacDonald et al., 2001; FDRE, 2014; Hopping and Wann, 2009) ...... 19 Figure 10: Map illustrating diversity of ground cover within land cover categories ...... 22 Figure 11: Map illustrating diversity of tree density and height within land cover categories ...... 23
APPENDIX A Document Limitations
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1.0 INTRODUCTION Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. (Golder) was commissioned by Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd (Delonex), an Oil & Gas Exploration Company focused on Sub-Saharan Africa, to conduct a biodiversity impact assessment of the environment associated with the proposed oil exploration located in the Somali National Regional State. This work has been conducted as part of the requirements for the Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). Biodiversity value is a term used by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in their Performance Standard 6 (PS6) on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources (IFC 2012). Biodiversity values represent components of biodiversity at various levels of biological organisation, such as species or ecosystems that are important for conservation. 1.1 The Project Please refer to the Scoping report or ESHIA document for full project description. Delonex propose to conduct 2D Seismic Surveys within Blocks 18, 19 and 21 of the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia. The concession blocks are located adjacent to the border of the Republic of Somalia in the eastern part of Ethiopia. This area falls within the Somali National Regional State. The administrative blocks cover approximately 30,000 km2, encompassing the Korahe, Gode and Warder Zones (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
Prior to establishing the seismic survey corridors, information will be gathered from scouting activities, satellite imagery, existing seismic lines, existing tracks, access to the proposed seismic survey corridors, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. This information will be collated and used to plot the location of seismic survey corridors. This exercise will ensure avoidance of sensitive areas (e.g. cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and will minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along this seismic survey corridor (identified using GPS data). Survey corridors will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately 6-7m. This approach is a relatively low impact with no drilling, excavating or blasting required. The proposed survey activities will continue for six months and will constitute the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camps; Establishment of temporary airstrips; Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey corridors; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the Project area. 1.2 Scope / Approach The main focus of the Project is to identify Oil & Gas bearing geological structures. This will be achieved through a 2D survey program, comprising approximatelty 17 seismic corridors totalling approximately 940 line-km. The Project will involve the use of seismic techniques to map Oil & Gas bearing geology along the seismic corridors. In accordance with Ethiopian legislation1 and requirements for external financing, Delonex is required to demonstrate that the proposed Project’s potential environmental impacts have been adequately considered, mitigated and managed.
1 Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, 2003 and Directive No 2/2008 on projects requiring an ESIA;
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The 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA provides description of the baseline ecological characteristics of the Project area. The study therefore considers changes which may have occurred since the 2008 study with reference to published data sources, reports and mapping data for local and regional levels. A site visit to supplement this data was conducted between the 18 and 24 January 2015, where field notes and photographs were taken to groundtruth existing data, desktop information and identify if any unique or irreplaceable habitats may occur within the proposed project footprint and if any threatened species are likely to occur. 1.3 Study Limitations This report focuses on the clearing of 2D seismic survey corridors only. As the location of camps and airstrips had not been determined at the time of fieldwork being undertaken, recommendations have been included in the ESMP to guide selection of these sites to mitigate potential impacts on critical habitats. The information obtained from the 2008 Pexco Exploration ESIA is assumed to be correct and will be used in conjunction with the updated FAO (2014) land cover and the groundtruthing conducted in the field to provide the appropriate level of detail for an impact assessment.
. The map of the vegetation communities referred to in the 2008 study did not form part of the final ESIA deliverable provided to Golder. Due logistical reasons, the survey was largely limited to driving through the Project area on existing roads and stopping in communities. No formal transects or trapping was conducted.
. It should be noted that only a small area of the Project area was covered during the site visit and, therefore, this report stands as a representative description of the fauna and flora and not a comprehensive inventory. This study does not include an assessment of ecosystem goods and services, however it should be noted that vegetation plays an important role within the landscape as it provides food (grazing and browsing) for livestock such as goats and camels. Furthermore, local communities rely on woody vegetation for fuel as well as income and medicinal purposes. Due to the expansive area, no major bush clearing has occurred and impacts are largely isolated to villages and water sources. 2.0 BASELINE ENVIRONMENT 2.1 Past Studies In 2008, a full Impact Assessment Study was conducted by Addis Resources Development Pty Ltd (PEXCO) as part of the Pexco Exploration ESHIA. The study included a baseline assessment of Blocks 18, 19 and 21(Figure 1). The fauna and flora components of these studies were carried out between the 13 and 20 September 2008, with field work being carried out by helicopter (PEXCO, 2008). Land cover classification was based on works undertaken by Woody Biomass and Strategic Planning Project–WBSPP (WBSPP, 2003) and the earlier Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 1984). 2.2 Project Area The location of the development and proposed seismic survey corridors are shown in red on Figure 1 and Figure 2. The concession blocks are located between 70 N Latitude and 440 E Longitude, and the operation area for the seismic activity is located in the Korahe, Gode, and Warder Zones.
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Figure 1: Project area in relation to concession blocks
Figure 2: Project area showing 2D seismic survey corridors in relation to land use cover, settlements and concession blocks
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2.2.1 Land Cover Land cover refers to the observed bio-physical cover on the earth’s surface, and, as a result, is a good indicator of vegetation and human activities (LCCS, 2005). In determining land cover, two attributes are considered: environmental and specific technical. Environmental attributes are those that influence land cover but are not necessarily a characteristic feature; these include aspects such as climate, landform, altitude, geology, etc. The specific technical attributes on the other hand are more specific, and include aspects such as vegetation, cultivation, soils, etc. (LCCS, 2005). In 2014, a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO GEONETWORK) updated the land cover mapping for Ethiopia (Table 1). In simple terms, Ethiopia, as a country, has an elevated plateau (Ethiopian Highlands) to the west, and the low lying plains to the east. The Somali Region, where this project is located, sits within the eastern plains at an average elevation of 43 m above sea level (ASL). As a result of the topography, the Somali Region experiences high temperatures and low rainfall, resulting in semi-desert conditions (McSweeney, et. al., 2010; FDRE, 2014). Table 1 summarises the 46 land cover classes of Ethiopia as per the FAO classifications. Green cells indicate the land cover types found within the Regional Study Area (Section 2.2.1). Table 1: Land Cover (after FAO Geonetwork, 2014). Land Cover Categories Closed to open (>15%) mixed broadleaved Closed to open grassland on regularly flooded or 100 185 deciduous and need leaved evergreen forest waterlogged soil - Fresh or brackish water Closed (>40%) mixed broadleaved deciduous and 101 190 Artificial surfaces and associated areas needle leaved evergreen forest 11- 13 Post flooding or irrigated or aquatic cropland 20 Mosaic cropland vegetation 110 Mosaic forest or shrub land/grassland 200 Bare areas 12 Irrigated trees or scrub crops 201 Consolidated bare areas 120 Mosaic grassland/forest or shrub land 202 Non - consolidated bare areas 130 Closed to open shrub land 203 Salt hardpans Closed to open broadleaved or need leaved 131 21 Mosaic cropland/ grassland or shrub land evergreen shrub land 134 Closed to open broadleaved deciduous shrub land 210 Water bodies 14 - 15 Rain fed cropland 220 Permanent snow and ice Closed to open herbaceous vegetation (or lichen 140 30 Mosaic vegetation / cropland and mosses) 141 Closed grassland 31 Mosaic grassland or shrub land / cropland 143 Open grassland 32 Mosaic forest / cropland Closed to open broadleaved evergreen or semi-deciduous 150 Sparse vegetation 40 forest Closed (>40%) broadleaved evergreen or semi-deciduous 151 Sparse grassland 41 forest Open (15-40%) broadleaved semi-deciduous or evergreen 152 Sparse shrub land 42 forest with emergent 16 Rain fed trees and scrub crops 50 Closed (>40%) broadleaved deciduous forest Closed to open broadleaved forest regularly 160 flooded (semi-permanently or temporarily) - fresh or 60 Open (15-40%) broadleaved deciduous forest /woodland brackish water Closed to open broadleaved forest on temporarily 161 70 Closed (>40%) needle-leaved evergreen forest flooded land - fresh water Closed to open broadleaved forest on temporarily Open (15-40%) needled leaved deciduous or evergreen 162 90 flooded land - fresh water. forest Closed broadleaved forest or shrub land 170 91 Open (15-40%) needle-leaved deciduous forest permanently flooded - brackish water
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Closed to open grassland or woody vegetation on 180 regularly flooded or waterlogged soil - Fresh, 92 Open (15-40%) needle-leaved evergreen forest. brackish or saline water Closed to open woody vegetation on regularly 181 flooded or waterlogged soil - Fresh or brackish water Green Highlighted cells are those land cover types that occur within the Regional study area 2.2.2 Vegetation Communities Based on the classification of land use and land cover, the Project area is divided into five major land covers (vegetation communities). These include: Woodlands, Barelands, Shrublands, and Wetlands (PEXCO, 2008). Wetlands will be addressed under the Section 2.3.2. Based on the underlying geology and soils, these vegetation communities are divided in sub-categories. Table 2 (modified from Pexco (PEXCO, 2008)) summarises the land cover of the Project area. The area considered in the previous survey was only 25,508.60 km2, and the boundaries unknown. Table 2: Land cover divided into categories with their area (%) covered (PEXCO, 2008) Category Area (%) Category Area (%) Woodlands Shrublands Dense Woodlands Exposed Sand/Soil > 50% tree cover > 50% woody cover 11.52 > 50% tree cover/ Bare land > 50% tree cover) 56.66 Open Woodlands Grasslands Cultivation Exposed Rock Exposed Rock Grasslands Exposed Sand/Soil Exposed Rock 0.18 Barelands Exposed Sand/Soil Bare Shrublands 31.53 Wetlands 0.11 Bare Woodlands Exposed Sand/Soil
Woodlands cover more than half of the Project area (56.66%), followed by Barelands contributing 31.53%; the remaining categories comprise the remaining 11.81% of land cover (Table 2). Woodland The Woodland category can be divided into six sub-categories based upon the canopy cover (density) (Table 3). The sub-categories include dense woodlands, where there is more than 50% tree cover and where there is either Bareland (exposed sand/soil) or not. Open woodlands are subdivided based on cultivation, exposed rock, and/or exposed sand/soil.
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Table 3: Woodlands (PEXCO, 2008) Area Category Location Dominate Tree Species Land-use (%)
Tamarindus indica,Dichrostastachys cinerea, Dense Woodlands , Central and southern Acacia melifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Livestock grazing > 50% tree cover part of the Project area. Acacia bussei, Calotropis procera, and and browsing. Cordeauxia edulis.
Commiphora erythraea, Acacia melifera, Acacia Dense Woodlands, North-eastern, central tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussei, Calotropis Livestock grazing >50% tree cover/ Bare and south-western parts procera, Cordeauxia edulis and ziziphus and browsing. land of the Project area. mouritiana.
Livestock grazing Open Woodlands Similar to those found in Dense Woodlands. and browsing. 53.66
Commiphora erythraea, Acacia melifera, Acacia Rain fed cultivation, Southern tip of the Cultivation tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussei, Calotropis livestock grazing Project area. procera, and Cordeauxia edulis. and browsing.
Commiphora erythraea, Acacia melifera, Acacia North-eastern part of the Exposed Rock tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussei, Calotropis Project area. procera, and Cordeauxia edulis.
Livestock grazing Exposed Sand/Soil Similar to those found in Open Woodlands. and browsing.
Bareland The Bareland category can be divided into two sub-categories based upon the associated land cover (Table 4). These categories are presumed to be as a result over overgrazing and drought conditions (PEXCO, 2008).
The sub-categories include areas associated with Shrublands and Woodlands. Table 4: Barelands (PEXCO, 2008) Area Category Location Dominate Tree Species Land-use (%) Central part of the Project area. Bare Shrublands Severe overgrazing. Fragmented and scattered. 31.53 Northern and Similar to open shrub land associated with Bare Woodlands northeastern part of the exposed rock sub-category. Project area.
Shrubland The Shrubland category can be divided into five sub-categories based upon shrub vegetation and canopy cover (density) (Table 5). The sub-categories include dense shrublands, where there is more than 50% tree cover and where there is either bare land (exposed sand/soil) or not. Open shrublands associated with grasslands or shrublands associated with Barelands where there is either exposed sand/soil or exposed rock (PEXCO, 2008).
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Table 5: Shrublands (PEXCO, 2008) Area Category Location Dominate Tree Species Land-use (%) Central part of the Similar to open shrub land associated with sand Livestock grazing Exposed Sand/Soil Project area. or soil. and browsing. Acacia melifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia nilotica, North eastern part of the Livestock grazing > 50% woody cover Acacia bussei, Acacia oerfota, Calotropis Project area. and browsing. procera and Cordeauxia edulis. Commiphora Africana, Berchemia discolor, 11.52 Southern part of the Acacia melifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia bussei, Livestock grazing > 50% tree cover Project area. Acacia oerfota, Calotropis procera and and browsing. Cordeauxia edulis. Commiphora erythraea, Acacia melifera, Acacia Northern part of the Livestock grazing Grasslands tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussei, Calotropis Project area. and browsing procera and Cordeauxia edulis. Acacia melifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia nilotica, North eastern part of the Livestock grazing Exposed Rock Acacia bussei, Acacia oerfota, Calotropis procer, Project area. and browsing and Cordeauxia edulis.
Grassland The Grassland category can be divided into two sub-categories based upon the associated land cover (PEXCO, 2008). The sub-categories include areas associated with either exposed sand/soil or exposed rock (Table 6). Table 6: Grasslands (PEXCO, 2008) Area Category Location Dominate Tree Species Land-use (%) North eastern part of the Exposed Rock 60% grass cover and exposed rocks. Grazing. Project area. 0.18 South eastern tip of the Exposed Sand/Soil 60% grass cover and exposed sand/soil. Project area.
2.3 Terrestrial Ecology - Flora and Fauna 2.3.1 Flora The PEXCO study conducted in 2008 identified five major land covers (vegetation communities), with the dominant two being woodlands and barelands, comprising 88% of their study area (PEXCO, 2008). These areas correlate to the sparse woody vegetation/ herbaceous sparse vegetation and closed to open trees/ closed to open shrubland (Thicket) (90%) of the 2014 land cover classification (Table 2 and Table 13). The dominate grass species identified during the 2008 ESHIA include Eragrostis hararensis, Panicum turgidum and Aristida funiculata. These grasses are typically patchy and are associated with wood and shrublands. The dominate tree and shrub species include Commiphora erythraea, Acacia milifera, Acacia tortolis, Acacia nilotica, Acacia bussie, Calotropis procera, Cordeauxia edulis and Ziziphus mauritiana (PEXCO, 2008). Table 7 provides a list of the dominant species within the project area, as well as their current status.
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Table 7: Dominate plant species expected within the Project area (Modified from PEXCO, 2008) IUCN Status Scientific Name English Name Vernacular Name (2014.3)
Tree and Shrub
Acacia bussei Gerbi ( Oromifa) LC
Acacia brevispica Wait-a-bit-thorn Furgori ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia sensgal Gum- Arabic Adad-meru (Somaligna) Not Assessed Whistling thorn/white galled Acacia sayal Fulaay/gek/jiiq ( Somaligna) Not Assessed acacia Acacia tortilis Spiral fruited trees Gurha-Druye, Harah ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia nilotica Egyptian mimosa Marah/Dugar ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia mellifera Black thorn Adal/bilel/hadad ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia oerfota Gomur, Gumara, Gumero (Somaligna) Not Assessed
Acacia albida Apple ring acacia Gerbi ( Oromifa) Not Assessed
Acacia sieberiana Jerin, Cherin Burquqe, lafto-adi(Oromifa) Not Assessed
Balanites aegyptica Soap berry tree Not Assessed
Balanites glabra Torchwood Kidi (Somaligna) Not Assessed
Carissa edulis Arabian Sena Orgabat ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Commiphora erythraea Corkwood Hagar meadow ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Crotalaria aegyptica Castnet plant Aba-alu ( Amharic) Not Assessed
Dichrostachys cinerea Sicklebush Dhgdar/katabir/aalol-sur (Somaligna) LC
Dodonea viscose Stciky hop bush/horse seed Hayramata ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Ficus sycomorus Sycamore fig Dare,Dure,Mokko ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Commiphora Africana Corkwood Kobbo ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Ziziphus mauritiana Jujube Gob ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Berchemia discolor Wild almond Amor,Hamor,Korgula(Somaligna) Not Assessed Apple of seldom, Dead sea Calotropis procera Gala, Boha ( Somaligna) Not Assessed fruit Tamarix aphylla Athel tree, salt cedar Dur ( Somaligna) Not Assessed
Tamarindus indica Tamarind Roka (Oromifa) Not Assessed
Grasses
Eragrostis hararensis Love grass Not Assessed
Panicum turgidum Taman Du-ghasi (Saomalia) Not Assessed
Aristida funiculum Not Assessed
Littania obscura Not Assessed
Scilla carunculifera Not Assessed
2.3.1.1 Fauna Limited information on faunal diversity is available for the regional study area, with only a study by the Investment Office of Somali National Regional State (IOSNRS) (IOSNRS, 2000) available. This study provided information on the Gode, Korahe, Warder and Shilabo zones, which potentially host mammals such as Lions, Hyena, Warthog, Monkey, Gazelle, Dik Dik, Bush Buck and Fox (PEXCO, 2008).
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A search of the IUCN (2014.3) database showed that seven mammal species of conservation importance may occur within the Project area (Table 8). An assessment of these species’ status, habitat preferences and observations from the field allowed us to predict their likelihood of occurrence within the Project area. All of these species are large and would likely move away from any survey activities. Table 8: Listed Mammal species with range distribution in Project area IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) occurrence
The Lion has a broad habitat tolerance, absent only from tropical rainforest and the interior of the Sahara desert (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Although Lions drink regularly when water is available, they are Panthera leo African Lion VU capable of obtaining their moisture requirements from prey and Unlikely even plants, and thus can survive in very arid environments (IUCN, 2015). Known range is to the west of the site. Occurs widely in the semi-arid and arid bushland and grasslands of North-East Africa. Poaching (for meat and hides) and encroachment by settlement Oryx beisa Beisa Oryx NT Probable and livestock remain the major threats to this species, especially since the majority of the population remains outside protected areas (IUCN, 2015). Endemic to the Ogaden region of SE Ethiopia and adjoining areas of N and C Somalia. Ammodorcas Clarke's Inhabit semi-arid, dense to scattered bush, low- to medium- VU height thornbush savannah and plains with thicket/grassland Probable clarkei Gazelle mosaics. They prefer sandy to moderately gravelled, ferrous oxide rich red soils, characterized by numerous termite mounds (Wilhelmi, in press). Inhabits bushland, thickets, semi-arid and arid thornbush (below Litocranius 1,600 m), avoiding dense woodlands and very open grass-
Gerenuk NT Probable walleri dominated habitats. One of the most exclusive browsers, Gerenuk are largely independent of water (Leuthold in press). It has a wide habitat tolerance and is the only African cat to occupy rainforest and desert, yet they prefer woodland, grassland savannah, and forest, mountainous habitats, shrubland and semi-desert (Hunter et al. 2013). Panthera They are very tolerant of habitat conversion, and, provided Leopard NT cover and prey is present, they can persist in close proximity to Unlikely pardus large human populations (Hunter et al. 2013). The global population trend for this species appears to be decreasing, with major threats from intense persecution and habitat degradation, particularly prey numbers (Henschel et al. 2008). The Lesser Kudu is closely associated with Acacia-Commiphora Tragelaphus thornbush in semi-arid areas of north-eastern Africa; it generally
Lesser Kudu NT Probable imberbis avoids open spaces and long grass (East 1999; Leuthold in press). Occupies arid coastal plains and mudflats, arid and semi-arid Nanger Soemmerring's Acacia savannahs, and semi-arid grassland plains. Tends to VU prefer rough hilly country, but also found in open bush Possible soemmerringii Gazelle savannahs, and thinly-wooded grasslands (Schloeder and Jacobs, in press). Previously listed as VU. This species is known only from a few records in Somalia and Ammodillus eastern Ethiopia. Ammodile DD Likely imbellis It is found in open, dry short grassland and also in areas with scattered shrubs. Listed as Data Deficient in view of the absence of recent information on its extent of occurrence, ecological requirements,
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IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) occurrence threats and conservation status (IUCN, 2015). In most of its range the Striped Hyaena occurs in open habitat or light thorn bush country in arid to semi-arid environments Hyaena (Hofer 1998) Striped Hyena NT Probable hyaena Striped Hyaena are sometimes found close to dense human settlements
During the site visit, a large number of Dik-Dik were observed, as well as Ground Squirrels (Table 9 and Figure 3). The habitat of the Warder and Shilabo Zones, with extensive sparse woodlands, shrublands and grasslands may provide the necessary habitat for a large number of mammal species including some of the above mentioned listed species. Typically small antelope are targeted by hunters for bush meat, however when asked, local communities mentioned that there were rules governing if wild animal were halaal and did not seem to have a preference for bush meat. Typically people’s protein intake is obtained from Camels milk with meat from goats and sheep comprising the meat portion of their diet. Table 9: Mammal species observed during the site visit, January 2015 Common Name Scientific Name IUCN
Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus LC
(Salt's) Dik-Dik Madoqua saltiana LC
Figure 3: Fauna, photographs of Unstriped Ground Squirrel and Dik-Dik (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015 and Ingeborg van Leeuwen: Flickr)
The majority of animals observed whilst onsite were domesticated livestock. Livestock are an important contributor to the economy and the livelihood of many local communities. Arabian Camels (Dromedary) roam out of the villages to graze as they are not dependant on water. “Camel boys” drink the milk from the heard and as a result they can stay out for extended periods of time. Goats, Sheep, Cattle and Donkeys are dependent on drinking water daily and therefore are kept in the villages where herders can provide water from open wells and birkas2 (Table 10 and Figure 4).
2 Birkas are a type of pond about 15m long by 7m wide and 5m deep. They are dug into the ground and made water tight by either clay or concrete wall. Rain and flood water is collected in these structures and harvested at a later stage.
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In and around villages and water sources, overgrazing and trampling from livestock is prevalent, with large areas cleared of any ground cover (Grasses/ small shrubs). Table 10: Livestock observed during the site visit, January 2015 Domesticated Livestock
Dromedary (Arabian camel) Camelus dromedarius
Goats (Short-eared Samali)
Sheep (Black Head Samali)
Cattle (Somali Boran and Sahwal)
Donkey
Figure 4: Domestic Livestock, photographs of Dromedary and Cattle (Taken by W. Aken, 2015) 2.3.1.2 Avifauna A number of bird species have been recorded within the project area during the 2008 ESIA. These include the Little Brown Bustard, White-winged Dove, Short-billed Crombec, Somali Bee Eater, Short-tailed Lark, Chestnut-headed Sparrow Lark, Heuglin’s Bustard , Somali Weatears, Ostrich, Hunter’s Sunbird, Smaller Black Sunbird, Golden Palm Waver, Somali Sparrow, Parrot Pipit, Mongolian Plover, Violet Tipped Courser, Scaly Babbler, Jubbland Weaver and Water Thick Knee (PEXCO, 2008). Of these species recorded, the Little Brown Bustard (Eupodotis humilis) is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. A search of the IUCN (2014.3) database showed that six bird species of conservation importance may occur within the project area (Table 11). The Egyptian Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Rueppell's Vulture and White- backed Vulture are potential trigger species for critical habitat due to their endangered status (EN) (Table 11). No sightings of vultures or nests were made during the survey.
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Table 11: Listed Bird species with range distribution in Project area IUCN Likelihood Scientific Common Status Habitat/ Comments of Name Name (2014.3) Occurrence In its breeding range it mostly inhabits areas with high grass and soft soil (del Hoyo et al. 1996, Johnsgard 1981), occasionally using sandy areas. Its preferred habitats include cattle pastures, hayfields (Johnsgard 1981), lowland wet Black- grasslands, grassy marshland, raised bogs and Limosa tailed NT moorland, lake margins and damp grassy Possible limosa Godwit depressions in steppes (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Non-breeding migrants tend to prefer freshwater habitats, including swampy lake shores, pools, and flooded grassland (BirdLife International 2012). Their population trend appears to be stable (BirdLife International 2012). Forages in lowland and montane regions over open, often arid, country. Typically nests on ledges or in caves on cliffs (Sarà Neophron Egyptian EN and Di Vittorio 2003), crags and rocky outcrops, but Possible percnopterus Vulture occasionally also in large trees Their population trend appears to be decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). The species is often associated with human settlements, but is also found in open grassland, forest edge, wooded savanna, desert and along coasts (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Necrosyrtes Hooded This species is often associated with human EN Possible monachus Vulture settlements, but is also found in open grassland, forest edge, wooded savannah, and desert (BirdLife International 2014). Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). Inhabits open woodland, wooded savanna, bushy grassland, thornbush and, in southern Africa, more open country and even sub-desert, from sea level to 3,000 m but mainly below 1,500 m (Ferguson- Lees & Christie 2001) Polemaetus Martial VU This species prefers Savannah, woodland, scrub Possible bellicosus Eagle and forest in upland areas, including miombo woodland and montane areas (Stevenson and Fanshawe 2002). Their population trend appears to be stable (BirdLife International 2012). The species favours light, open thornbush and occasionally also adjacent tussocky plains where it Little Eupodotis feeds on insects, small reptiles and seeds (Urban Brown NT Possible humilis et al. 1986).
Bustard Known only from north and west-central Somalia and adjacent areas of eastern Ethiopia (IUCN,
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2015) Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). It frequents open areas of Acacia woodland, grassland and montane regions, and it is gregarious, congregating at carrion, soaring together in flocks and breeding mainly in colonies on cliff faces and escarpments at a broad range of Gyps Rueppell's elevations (IUNC, 2015). EN Possible
rueppellii Vulture Occurs throughout the Sahel region of Africa from Senegal, Gambia and Mali in the west to Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia in the east (IUCN, 2015). Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). This species prefers open wooded savannah, White- where it requires tall trees for nesting (BirdLife Gyps backed EN International 2012). Possible africanus Vulture Their population trend is decreasing (BirdLife International 2012). It has an extremely large range in sub-Saharan Africa preferring mixed, dry woodland, avoiding semi-arid thorn belt areas (Stevenson and Fanshawe 2002, BirdLife International 2012). The population trend appears to be decreasing, White- with an estimate of between 7000 and 12,500 Trigonoceps headed VU mature individuals extrapolated from a number of Possible occipitalis regional estimates. This equates to between Vulture 10,500 and 18,750 individuals in total (BirdLife International 2012). Reductions in populations of medium-sized mammals and wild ungulates, as well as habitat conversion throughout its range best explain the current decline (BirdLife International 2012).
During the January 2015 site visit 35 bird species were observed (Table 12 and Figure 5). Table 12: Bird species observed during the site visit, January 2015 Common Name Scientific Name IUCN Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca LC Vulturine Guineafowl Acryllium vulturinum LC Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala LC Great Egret Ardea alba LC Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis LC Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus LC Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus LC Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus LC Eastern Chanting-Goshawk Melierax poliopterus LC Buff-crested Bustard Eupodotis gindiana LC Spur-winged Plover Vanellus spinosus LC Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula LC
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Common Name Scientific Name IUCN Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus LC Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis LC Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola LC Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus LC Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea LC Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola LC Namaqua Dove Oena capensis LC White-bellied Go-away-bird Corythaixoides leucogaster LC Somali Bee-eater Merops revoilii LC Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus LC Purple Roller Coracias naevius LC Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus LC Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus flavirostris LC African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus LC Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis LC Somali Crow Corvus edithae LC Red-breasted Wheatear Oenanthe bottae LC Rueppell's Glossy-Starling Lamprotornis purpuroptera LC Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus LC White-crowned Starling Spreo albicapillus LC White Wagtail Motacilla alba LC White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli LC African Silverbill Euodice cantans LC
2.3.2 Aquatic and Wetland Ecology Due to the arid nature of the region, there are no perennial rivers within the Project area. The Wabe Shebele River flows outside the Project area close to its southeast corner. Due to the lack of surface water, the major source of water within the Project area is groundwater and birkas. Groundwater is collected from open wells or pumped via diesel generators from drilled boreholes (Figure 6). These artificial water points contribute to the distribution of many dependant species and as result are large drivers in ecosystem functionality. According to the studies conducted by Pexo in 2008, approximately 0.02% of the Project area can be categorised into wetland habitat. These areas flank the Ferfer Woreda around the Wabe Shebelle River in the south eastern tip of the Project area. These wetlands are used for livestock grazing (Pexco, 2008). In the absence of abundant water, these areas become very important for migratory species and will likely result in high numbers of individuals congregating. During the 2015 site visits the majority of water sources utilised by humans (including livestock watering) were open wells and diesel driven boreholes (refer to groundwater report for more details). The only significant water feature observed during the site visit was the pan located to the south of Warder. The pan is approximately 3.6 ha (0.036 km2), and provided habitat for a number of bird species.
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Figure 5: Selected photographs of some of the bird species observed during the January 2015 site visit (Taken by W. Aken, 2015) 2.3.3 Landscape Features Any landscape features that provide a different type of habitat from that of the surrounding landscape, are likely to be important for biota. Such features include rocky outcrops, wetlands/pans, caves, etc. Besides the pan mentioned in Section 2.3.2, there were no definitive features identified during the site visit. It should be noted that only a small area of the Project area was covered during the site visit and, therefore, this is not an indication that no such landscape features occur within the project area. Whilst onsite, termite mounds were noted and, in certain areas, were relatively densely distributed. Burrows were also observed, ranging from small to large. These are likely to have been dug by rodents such as Ground Squirrels, however, locals also referred to the larger burrows being dug by ‘Jackal’, and the 2008 study made reference to ‘Fox’. From satellite imagery, one can see circular structures in and surrounding villages. These structures are bomas constructed from branches and are used to either keep livestock fenced in or livestock away from water sources (Figure 10).
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Figure 6: Water sources observed during the site visit (January 2015) (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015, Google Earth)
Figure 7: Features observed during the site visit (Taken by: W. Aken, 2015)
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2.4 Regional Study Area: Biodiversity Context In order to select a regional study area for assessing the impacts, a number of environmental and specific technical attributes were considered. Due to the limited information available for the Project area and the high resolution of the information that does exist, the following approach was taken to identify a regional study area that incorporated a broad scope of data. The regional study area was therefore based on the flowing sources, which once combined provided a generalised area to be delineated to represent the biodiversity component (Figure 9). Land Cover; . The land cover is an indication of vegetation communities and human disturbances. Elevation; . The elevation of the site as well as the topography will influence species assemblages. Rainfall; . The amount of rainfall will contribute to the vegetation communities as well as water supply for biota. Temperature; . Minimum, maximum and average temperatures as well as seasonal changes will influence the vegetation communities and biota. Geology and Groundwater; and . Both geology (soils) and groundwater will drive the vegetation communities and ecology of an area. Drainage Basins. . Drainage basins driven by geology and topography drive the structural components of an ecosystem (e.g. vegetation, water, soil, atmosphere and biota).
Based on these inputs the regional study area selected was approximately 78,000 km2 and comprised ten land cover categories. These categories are represented in Figure 8 and briefly discussed below. Ninety percent of the regional study area comprises sparse vegetation and mosaic shrub lands/grasslands.
Figure 8: Proportion of Land Cover Categories within the regional study area as per the FAO, 2014
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Land Cover Categories Sparse vegetation (68%) This category is defined by sparse woody/ herbaceous vegetation where cover is less than (<) 15%. Mosaic forest or shrub land/grassland (22%) This category is defined by mosaic forest or shrub land (50-70%)/ grassland (20-50%). Mosaic vegetation / cropland (6%) This category is defined by mosaic vegetation (grassland/shrub land/forest) (50-70%)/ cropland (20-50%), and incorporates natural and semi-natural primarily terrestrial vegetation/ cultivated and managed terrestrial area(s). Mosaic cropland vegetation (2%) This category is defined by mosaic cropland (50-70%)/ vegetation (grassland/shrub land/forest) (20-50%) and incorporates cultivated and managed terrestrial area(s) and/or natural and semi-natural primarily terrestrial vegetation. Rain fed cropland (1%) This category is defined by rain fed herbaceous crop(s). Closed to open herbaceous vegetation (or lichen and mosses) (1%) This category is defined by closed to open (>15%) herbaceous vegetation (grassland, savannahs or lichens/mosses). Open grassland (<1%) This category is defined by open herbaceous vegetation. Closed to open shrub land (<1%) This category is defined by closed to open (>15%) shrub lands of greater than 5 m (thickets) and comprises broadleaved or needle-leaved, evergreen or deciduous vegetation. It should be noted that there are no closed to open shrub land areas in close proximity to the project area, within the regional study area these areas are located northwest in the Jijiga Woreda. Bare areas (<1%) This category is defined by bare areas with little to no cover. Consolidated bare areas (<1%) This category is defined by consolidated bare material(s) such as hardpans, gravels, bare rock, stones, and boulders). 2.5 Local Study Area In order to calculate the impact of clearing the surface cover, a 1 km buffer was placed around all the proposed seismic survey corridors. This area provided the delineation for the “local” study area as it was felt that any impacts such as noise, dust and vibration would be felt further than the six to seven meters (provided by client) of clearing (the “Site”). It should, however, be noted that the ratio between the direct impacts of clearing the Site and the indirect impacts on the local study area are much larger due to the width of the corridor (7 meters vs 2 kilometres). This ratio has been considered when assessing impacts and does not exaggerate the impacts.
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Figure 9: Regional Study selected by utilising topography, geology, land cover, drainage basins, temperature, groundwater (MacDonald et al., 2001; FDRE, 2014; Hopping and Wann, 2009)
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3.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT A geospatial assessment on the proposed seismic survey corridors was conducted using the 2014 Land Cover Classifications. This analysis showed that of the 117,881.5 km2 regional study area, 1,937.3 km2 (1.64 %) fell within the local study area (1 km buffer) (Table 13). Assuming that the survey routes are cleared to 7 m wide, a total of 6.774 km2 will be cleared (the “Site”), comprising only 0.006 % of the regional study area (Table 13). Within the regional study area, sparse vegetation (80,193.1 km2) is the most abundant cover type, and, as a result, contributes the largest area of loss within regional study area (Table 13). However, open grasslands, which only contribute 117.7 km2 of the regional study area, has a higher proportion affected (2.92%) than that of the more abundant sparse vegetation (1.95%) at a local level (Table 13). It should be noted that these classifications have been assigned based on a number of algorithms at a desktop level with limited groundtruthing. If we consider three points all within the sparse vegetation cover type, and look at aerial imagery (Figure 10) and photographs (Figure 11), one can immediately see that there is variation in soils, vegetation height and basal cover. Whilst driving through the study area during the site visit, it was noted that soils rapidly changed, and with it so did vegetation density (sparse to dense) and composition. Even with these changes the same species were observed thought the study area, just in different ratios. Therefore the drivers within these systems are expected to be the same and as a result the impacts and effects of any activities would have the same affects. Table 13: Land Cover Categories taken from the FAO Geonetwork (2014), calculations based on the survey routes provided by the client and the regional and local study area as described in this report ) 2 )
Land Cover 2 Description Category ) 2 Total Area of Land Cover within Local (1km Study area (Km Buffer) Percent of Land Cover Studywithin Local area (1km Buffer) (%) Total Area of Land Cover affected by seismic corridors - Site (Site 1:286) (Km Land Cover Code Total Area of Land Cover Category in Regional Study Area (Km Percentage of Land Cover affected by seismic corridors - Site (Site 1:286) (%)
Rain fed Rain fed cropland 14 1322.542 8.78824 0.664496 0.030728 0.002323 Herbaceous Crop(s) Cultivated and Managed Terrestrial Area(s) Mosaic cropland / Natural And Semi- 20 1892.3 13.86206 0.732551 0.048469 0.002561 vegetation Natural Primarily Terrestrial Vegetation Natural And Semi- Natural Primarily Terrestrial Mosaic vegetation / Vegetation 30 7499.37 84.15 1.122 0.294 0.004 cropland / Cultivated and Managed Terrestrial Area(s) Closed to Open Trees / Closed to Open Mosaic forest or (100-40)% 110 26241.57 255.80 0.975 0.894 0.003 shrubland/grassland Shrubland (Thicket) / Herbaceous Closed to Open Vegetation Closed to open Closed to Open 130 77.93 0 0 0 0 shrubland Shrubland (Thicket) Closed to open Herbaceous Closed herbaceous to Open Vegetation 140 456.47 1.93 0.422 0.007 0.002 vegetation (or lichen / Closed to Open
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) 2 )
Land Cover 2 Description Category ) 2 Total Area of Land Cover within Local (1km Study area (Km Buffer) Percent of Land Cover Cover Land of Percent Studywithin Local area (1km Buffer) (%) Total Area of Land Cover affected by seismic corridors - Site (Site 1:286) (Km Land Cover Code Total Area of Land Cover Category in Regional Study Area (Km Percentage of Land Cover affected by seismic corridors - Site (Site 1:286) (%)
and mosses) Lichens/Mosses
Open Herbaceous Open grassland 143 117.70 3.44 2.920 0.012 0.010 Vegetation Sparse Woody Vegetation Sparse vegetation 150 80193.08 1569.31 1.957 5.487 0.007 / Herbaceous Sparse Vegetation Bare areas Bare Area(s) 200 73.57 0 0 0 0 Consolidated bare Consolidated 201 6.98 0 0 0 0 areas Material(s) Total Km2 117881.5 Km2 1937.278 Km2 6.774 Km2
Total Percentage 1.643 % 0.006 %
4.0 METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING IMPACTS The significance of the potential impacts will be determined using the approach outlined below. This section provides an overview of the methodology that was applied when appraising the potential change (or impact) that the proposed seismic corridors may have upon the existing environment. The method is transparent and is applied consistently.
The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project was assessed by considering the following, relative to the biophysical environment: Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, a gain in available habitat area for a key species would be classed as positive, whereas a habitat loss would be considered negative. Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed seismic corridors, and may be classified as:
. None/negligible . Minor . Low . Moderate . High . Very high The categorisation of “magnitude” was based on a set of criteria that was specific to the discipline area being considered.
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Figure 10: Map illustrating diversity of ground cover within land cover categories
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Figure 11: Map illustrating diversity of tree density and height within land cover categories
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Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
. Transient (less than 1 year); . Short-term (1 to 5 years); . Medium-term (5 to 15 years); . Long-term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or . Permanent. Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site); . Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site); . Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance); . National; or . International. Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
. No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change); . Improbable (less than 5% chance); . Low probability (5% to 40% chance); . Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance); . Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or . Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) was then be appraised. This was done using a semi-quantitative scoring system based on the attributes in Table 14.
Table 14: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t know 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after closure 4 National 4 Highly probable of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 15 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) was determined as:
SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Scale) x Probability
The relative significance of the change (or impact) was typically ranked in accordance to Table 15.
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Table 15: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is Indicates high unacceptably high. It is unlikely that an impact of this SP >75 environmental and/or magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact cannot social significance be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have Indicates moderate upon the environment and/or the community(s) is high. The SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or Project may be compromised if this impact cannot be avoided social significance or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have Indicates low upon the environment and/or the community(s) is relatively SP <30 environmental and/or low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the impact should be social significance considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the existing + Positive impact environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the Project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change. Before moving into the assessment of impacts, it is important to define the scale in terms of the specific discipline, in this case the ecological environment and associated biodiversity. .
For the assessment of the biodiversity impacts the following Scale was applied:
The site will refer to the footprint of the proposed seismic corridors. Survey corridors Site are envisioned to be no wider than 10 m (the six to seven meters, provided by client). The local extent of the project refers to area encompassed within a 1 km buffer of the Local proposed seismic corridors. The regional study area is defines in section 2.2.1, and is based on a combination of Regional land cover, elevation, geology, groundwater, drainage basins, temperature and rainfall. National The international boarder of Ethiopia will be considered. International The Horn of Africa Acacia Savannahs ecosystem of Eastern Africa.
4.1.1 Cumulative Impacts A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. The possible cumulative impacts of this Project were considered during the impact assessment studies. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future activities. 4.1.2 Development of Mitigation Measures To ensure successful implementation, the following section describes, at a high level, the good mitigation measures that the Delonex exportation should use. The following summarize the different approaches that may be used in prescribing and designing mitigation measures, this approach follow the mitigation hierarchy (BBOP 2012):
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Avoidance: mitigation by not carrying out the proposed action on the specific site, but rather on a more suitable site. Minimization: mitigation by scaling down the magnitude of a development, reorienting the layout of the project or employing technology to limit the undesirable environmental impact. Restoration: mitigation through the restoration of environments affected by the action. Compensation / Offset: mitigation through the creation, enhancement or acquisition of similar environments to those affected by the action. Offsetting falls into this category.
5.0 POTENTIAL BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS The process for the 2D seismic exploration is explained above in Section 1.3 and further elaborated on in the Scoping Report and ESHIA. Essentially, the proposed activity will include the following two activities, which could result in potential effects to biodiversity:
Clearing of vegetation Linear corridors for vehicle access will be cleared of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately six to seven metres. In areas of light to medium vegetation, straight corridors will be cleared using heavy machinery. Where vegetation is dense, a ‘slalom’ (i.e. zigzag) line technique will be adopted. Surface vegetation will also be cleared for construction of base camp and survey camps (size of and locations to be confirmed). Surveying and recording Surveying will be conducted by sending a seismic energy wave or ‘shot’ through the ground, which is recorded by a series of geophones located along the seismic survey corridors. The geophones record the wave as they ‘rebound’ from the layers of rock beneath the surface. The survey will utilise a vibroseis3 process to generate the seismic waves (as opposed to waves generated by explosives). The vibroseis waves are generated by sources within purpose-built trucks which communicate with the geophones and are recorded by a separate recording truck (i.e. seismograph truck). Each machine will exert up to 80,000 lbs (~36,000 kg) of force at approximately 50 m intervals along each seismic line. Geophones, or nodes, will be placed at 25 m intervals to record the data. These nodes are easily deployed and retrieved; requiring no cabling. The survey will proceed in a linear manner, with support staff walking the route adjacent to the vibroseis machines (i.e. vibrator truck). The survey will be conducted for 12 hours a day, 7 days per week and is expected to take 6 months to complete. These activities may result in the flowing impacts: Habitat Loss and Loss in Biodiversity Surface vegetation, including grasses, shrubs and tree species will be cleared to allow access of the vibroseis machines, as well as construction of base camp and survey camps. In relation to the regional study area, only about 2.5% of the area will be disturbed. This calculation is based on land cover with a 1 km buffer around the proposed seismic survey corridors. In keeping with the above stated width of approximately 6 to 7m, this area will be significantly reduced. Of the different land cover categories affected, Open Grasslands are likely to be the most impacted, with 2.92% (3.44 km2) potentially being affected. Habitat fragmentation as a result of the linear clearing will result in discontinuities in habitat. Based upon the vegetation communities and the proportion of area that will be cleared, the magnitude of habitat loss in considered low. Due to the slow adaptive capacity of an arid region and the fact that local communities use the survey corridors as roads, the duration of the impact have been rated as permanent and will definitely occur. The ratio of
3 ‘Vibroseis’ is a registered name (trademark) of a device which uses a truck-mounted vibrator plate coupled to the ground to generate a wave train of several frequencies. The recorded data from an upsweep or downsweep (increasing or decreasing frequency respectively) are added together and compared with the source input signals to produce a conventional-looking seismic section (i.e. geological profile).
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potentially impacted habitat and the fact that there is a buffer built into this assessment resulted in the scale of habitat loss restricted to the site. Overall the significance of habitat loss associated with the proposed exploration activates is moderate. This clearing of surface cover and movement and compaction of sand/soils will result in the disturbance of habitat and individuals and potentially populations. This coupled with the noise and vibration of associated activities, may result in the loss in biodiversity. The cleared corridors may also act as a barrier (functional connectivity) for smaller species. As corridors will be permanently cleared, the low impact will be localised. The overall significance of biodiversity loss remains moderate due to the fact that most species will be able to move away from the activities as they approach (vegetation clearing has been accounted for under habitat loss). This ranking takes into account cumulative impacts from historical lines and considers the fact that roads (survey routes) into remote areas will make access for hunting and resource utilisation easier. Soil Erosion With the clearing of surface cover, sand/soils will be exposed to erosion factors such as wind, water and increased traffic. Based on the observations made during the site visit of historical seismic survey corridors, the magnitude of erosion is considered minor, yet due to the fact that the corridors will remain cleared, the duration will remain long-term. Due to the flat topography of the site, any erosion would be limited to the site. As there will be clearing and exposed unconsolidated soils, there is a low probability of erosion. Based on the historical seismic survey corridors visited and roads utilised during the site visit, the impact of this Project on soil erosion was ranked as low. Vibration and Noise Both the clearing of vegetation as well as the survey activities will pose an impact in terms of noise and vibration. Mechanical clearing of surface cover will utilise heavy machinery, while survey activities will exert a large amount of force onto the ground, resulting in surface vibrations. These activities will disturb fauna. Whilst onsite, community members spoke about historical surveys, where “the machines arrived, shook the ground, and all the goats ran away”, after which all returned to normal. The magnitude of this impact is low, and will be transient at a site scale. As these activities will take place, the probability of noise and vibration affecting fauna remains low. Even though short lived, these impacts of noise and vibration on fauna is real and as a result has been rated as low. Dust Clearing activities will disturb the soils and remove the vegetation layer that protects the soils from wind erosion. Long linear corridors will provide an avenue for wind to mobilise sand particles. These particles will be disbursed and will settle on plants, smothering them and having a negative effect. The magnitude of this impact is low, and will be noticeable in the medium-term at a local scale. Solid Waste With an increase in the level of activity and number of people on site, solid waste production will increase. Due to the remote location of the Project, the lack of infrastructure, and the fact that there are very little anthropogenic activities outside of the villages, the magnitude of the impact has been ranked as minor. As the proposed activities will be limited to the seismic survey corridors, the impact will be localised and have a low probability of occurring as the Project team (workforce) for such exploration will be relatively small. If unmitigated these impacts are likely to manifest during the exploration activities (transient). In such an area, and with the current project description, the impact of solid waste is considered low. Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks As the site is a remote location, and there will be no workshops, one should consider that any machinery used in harsh conditions would be prone to spills and leaks of fuels and hydraulic fluids. Any spill in such an environment would have a low impact, and would impact the site. If not dealt with appropriately contaminated areas pose a short-term risk. As specialised equipment (vibroseis machines) will be brought in for the surveys, the condition of the machines is assumed to be in a state that the probability of major spills/leaks occurring would be low.
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Influx of People With increased access into new areas the influx of people will have an indirect impact on biodiversity. As people more into new largely natural areas, one would expect an increase in resource utilization (including: increased poaching, fire wood harvest, fire risk, etc.). The overall significance of the influx of people was rated as moderate due to the fact that it would be permanent and extend regionally. 5.1 Proposed Mitigation Measures During the site visit, historical survey corridors now being used as roads were driven to get an understanding of the long-term impact of clearing such corridors. Local communities use these routes as transport corridors and, during engagements conducted in January 2015, community leaders showed interest in further corridors being constructed as they would be able to use these as roads. As the vegetation within the Project area is slow growing, recolonization of cleared areas is expected to be slow. This coupled with the fact that people will use these cleared routes means that rehabilitation is unlikely to prove effective, especially in areas near or between settlements. In areas that are remote and that do not link to other communities, restricted access will promote natural re-vegetation. Therefore, these mitigation measures take the realism of the future scenario into account and have been put forward in order to avoid and reduce the impact to the receiving environment and associated biota. The following mitigation measures have been recommended: Habitat Loss and Loss of Biodiversity Clearing of grasses, shrubs and trees must be kept to a minimum (width) and seismic survey corridors need to be aligned with existing roads and paths where feasible. Similarly, base camp and survey camps should be located as close to seismic survey corridors as possible and in existing areas of disturbance. Where practical, vegetation removal must be avoided and/or minimised.
. Provide well marked access routes into exploration and construction areas. Heavy machinery and trucks must adhere to the one track policy at all times. Avoid locating infrastructure or seismic survey corridors in/across landscape features, taking surface runoff and wind direction into consideration. Such features include termite mounds, burrows, tree clusters and birkas. Although artificial, birkas provide water for many species in an otherwise arid region. Open fires must be avoided in remote areas. The magnitude of biodiversity loss can largely be reduced by implement the above mentioned mitigation measures. Further to these:
. Where practical, survey routes should deviate around any sensitive areas, such as termite mounds, burrows, tree clusters and birkas.
. Wherever possible, existing roads and tracks should be used for the seismic survey corridors and to gain access to the survey areas.
. Where possible, base camp and survey camps should be located as close to survey corridors as possible and within areas of existing disturbance. Soil Erosion Soil disturbances must be minimised where practical. Clearing activities must avoid creating berms on the sides of the seismic survey corridors where practical. In cases where this is unavoidable, it is recommended that these should be levelled after seismic testing is completed in that particular area.
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Dominant wind directions should be taken into account when selecting alignment of seismic survey corridors to avoid creating wind corridors. Remote survey corridors should consider restricting access post exploration. This will allow natural regeneration of plant species. Note discussion above in Section 5.1. Vibration and Noise The noise and vibration caused by the proposed activities are, to a large extent, unavoidable. To reduce the magnitude of the impact, and as mentioned above, machinery must be restricted to the proposed seismic survey corridors and must adhere to the one track policy at all times. Dust As it is not feasible to wet roads during clearing activities care must be taken to disturb as little ground cover as possible. Solid Waste Bins must be provided on site for both contractors and Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) security officials. This litter must be removed from site and disposed of correctly. Whilst in the field conducting the seismic surveys, temporary camps must consider pit latrines for all contractors and security personal. Hydrocarbon Spills and Leaks Routine maintenance of trucks and 4x4 vehicles must be adhered to. . Avoid overfilling of tanks. . Ensure correct disposal of hydrocarbons such as lubricants and oils. . Make use of drip trays when vehicles are parked. . All vehicles must be regularly services and in good working order. Ensure a spill kit and appropriately trained person is on site at all times, so that any spills and be rapidly dealt with. Influx of People Remote seismic survey corridors should consider restricting access post exploration. This will prevent the overutilization of the natural resources allowing natural regeneration of plant species. Note discussion above in Section 5.1.
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Table 16: Impact significance ratings Impact Impact Description Magnitude Duration Scale Probability Description Significance Clearing of grasses, shrubs and trees for the seismic Low Permanent Site Definite Habitat Loss survey corridors, as well as base camp and survey 50 Moderate camps. 4 5 1 5 Loss of terrestrial species diversity, ecological Low Permanent Site High Loss of biodiversity integrity and important habitats due to alterations and 40 Moderate disturbances of habitat. 4 5 1 4 Clearing of vegetation will expose sand/soil to Minor Long-term Site Low Soil Erosion erosion factors such as wind, water and increased 14 Low traffic. 2 4 1 2 Mechanical clearing and survey (seismic) activities Low Transient Local High Vibration and Noise 28 Low may disturb sensitive fauna. 4 1 2 4 Medium- Clearing of vegetation, disturbances of soils and long Low Local Low Dust linear corridors may cause dust during windy term 18 Low conditions. 4 3 2 2 An increased level of activity and number of people Minor Transient Site Improbable Solid Waste on site will increase the amount of solid water 4 Low generated. 2 1 1 1
Hydrocarbon Spills Minor Transient Site Low Machinery used in remote sites. 8 Low and Leaks 2 1 1 2 With easier access one would expect an influx of Low Permanent Regional Medium Influx of People people, increased poaching, fire wood harvest, fire 36 Moderate risk, etc. 4 5 3 3
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6.0 BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PLAN 6.1 Overview In order to protect and maintain the integrity of the Project area during the construction (clearing) and operation (seismic surveys) phases of the Project, it is important to implement appropriate, adaptive management, monitoring and auditing programmes. It is recommended that a site-specific “Biodiversity Action Plan” be compiled for the Project. In the absence of such a plan, this section describes the management plan that will need to be implemented to mitigate impacts on biodiversity in the interim. In addition to the ESHMP, the management plan for the clearing of seismic survey corridors and construction of camps, as well as seismic activates will strive to ensure best practice and environmentally friendly procedures to ensure that effective preventive and corrective actions are taken to minimize negative impacts within the Project area. The management plan strives to ensure best practice and environmentally friendly procedures to enable effective preventive and corrective actions to be taken to minimize negative impacts of the Project.In order for the above-mentioned management and monitoring to be implemented and effective, the following structure is recommended: Health, Safety and Environmental Manager (HSEM): Responsible for implementing the monitoring plan and site audits
. HSEM Advisor: Responsible for co-ordinating monitoring plan/ audits and reporting back to relevant authorities and stakeholders.
Environemental Consultant: Specialist field studies (if required)
Contractor HSEM: Responsible for fieldwork and onsite compliance. 6.1.1 Competence training and awareness It is important that personal allocated to specific tasks have the required training and knowledge of the proposed activities, associated risks/impacts, the habitat and the relationship between these. Training can be provided for an onsite Officer to conduct routine fieldwork/ auditing, but this must be approved by a suitably qualified and independent professional (e.g. Golder). 6.1.2 Linkages It is important to link any biodiversity compliance monitoring to other plans that may exist because these will feed into one another and will reduce the duplication of resources. Therefore, the following plans should be considered: Dust monitoring. This will give an indication as to how far the impacts of the proposed activities are having on the Project area. Noise monitoring. The degree and duration of excessive noise. Surface and Groundwater monitoring. Any monitoring of open wells or birkas. Erosion and Sediment Control. Emergency Response. Spill Clean Up.
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6.1.3 Monitoring and Auditing Monitoring and auditing should take cognisance of the identified impacts and the proposed mitigation measures. During the clearing of seismic survey corridors and whilst seismic testing is taking place, monitoring should document the degree of disturbance, and ensure that all procedures and protocols are adhered to. This is important as it acts as an early warning system, allowing corrective measures to be implemented. This information will then be used to evaluate the extent of site-related impacts. Over time, this data will be used to look at trends and changes within these systems and will be linked to an adaptive management plan. Procedures could include but are not limited to: injured wildlife, fire control, inclement weather, etc. 7.0 CONCLUSIONS This report details the biodiversity inputs for the Delonex Project located in the Somali region of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. This work has been conducted as part of the requirements for the ESHIA. A site visit was conducted between the 18 and 24 January 2015, to identify if any unique or irreplaceable habitats that may occur within the proposed Project footprint and if any threatened species are likely to occur. The proposed activities include clearing of vegetation and seismic recording. The impacts of these activities are likely to manifest in the following ways: habitat loss and loss in biodiversity, soil erosion, vibration and noise, dust, solid waste hydrocarbon spills and influx of people. During the site visit, community leaders showed interest in seismic survey corridors being constructed as they would be able to utilize these as roads. This means that rehabilitation is unlikely to prove effective, especially in areas near or between settlements. Therefore, mitigation measures put forward have taken the practicality of the future scenario into account. The clearing of grasses, shrubs and trees for the exploration camp and seismic survey corridors pose a moderate impact to the Project area. This is primarily as a result of the fact that long linear corridors will be cleared and these will remain permanently.
The significance of soil erosion, noise and vibration, solid waste and hydrocarbon spills are likely to be low once as long as industry best practices are adhered to and appropriate mitigation measures are in place. This clearing of surface cover and movement/compaction of sand/soils will result in the disturbance of habitat. This coupled with the noise and vibration of associated activities my result in the loss in biodiversity. The cleared corridors may also act as a barrier (functional connectivity, habitat fragmentation) for smaller species. The overall significance of biodiversity loss was ranked as moderate due to the fact that most mobile species will be able to move away from the activities as they approach. Sedentary species, species that are slow moving or those that are nesting (incl. burros and dens) would not be able to move away. This ranking takes into account cumulative impacts from historical corridors and considers the fact that roads (survey routes) into remote areas will make access for hunting and resource utilisation easier. It is recommended that mitigation measures as discussed in this report be implemented and that monitoring and auditing of Project activities from project initiation take place. This is especially important on this Project due to the size and remoteness of the seismic survey corridors and the fact that not all areas have been visited. Constant infield monitoring and auditing act as an early warning system, allowing corrective measures to be implemented before larger issues arise. Due to the fact that much of the area to be cleared is natural vegetation, an off-set would be required to ensure no net loss of natural habitat. Once the final alignmment of seismic survey corridors have been determined, a calculation of natural verses modified habitat can be conducted.
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8.0 REFERENCES Pexco (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Study Food and Agriculture Organization of the United For Blocks 18, 19 & 21 For Seismic Exploration In Nations. FAO GEONETWORK. (2014) Land cover of Somalia Regional State; Pexco Exploration (East Ethiopia - Globcover Regional (GeoLayer). (Latest Africa) N.V; Addis Resources Development PLC update: 18 Feb 2014) Accessed (6 Jan 2015). URI: http://data.fao.org/ref/acdb1530-1840-4a91-a25e- BirdLife International (2012). Heterotetrax humilis. The 09ee6e4d06e8.html?version=1.0 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2.
BirdLife International (2012). Necrosyrtes monachus. Hopping and Wann, (2009). climate data from The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version WorldClim, 30 arc-seconds (~1 km); all 19 Bioclim 2014.2.
BirdLife International (2013). Gyps africanus. The IUCN Hunter L., Henschel, P. and Ray, J. C. In press. Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. Panthera pardus. In: J. S. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann
East, R. (1999). African Antelope Database 1999. MacDonald, A.M., Calow, R.C., Nicol, A., Hope, B. and IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Robins, N.S (2001). Ethiopia: Water Security and FDRE (2014) Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy Drought. BGS Technical Report WC/01/02 website: http://www.mowie.gov.et/en_GB/ngos/- McSweeney, C., New, M. & Lizcano, G. (2010). UNDP /asset_publisher/HsoICs1occZm/content/major-river- Climate Change Country Profiles: Afghanistan. basins-in- Available: http://country-profiles.geog.ox.ac.uk/ ethiopia;jsessionid=D7474D8EA712A640C716EF3AFC Accessed February 2015. 85DB1A. Accessed January 2015 Nowell, K. and Jackson, P. (1996). Wild Cats. Status Ferguson-Lees, J., and D.A. Christie. (2001). Raptors of Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Cat the world. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
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Sarà, M.; Di Vittorio, M. (2003). Factors influencing the Stevenson T and Fanshawe J (2002). Birds of East distribution, abundance and nest-site selection of an Africa. Helm Field Guides, Christopher Helm, London endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) population in Sicily. Animal Conservation 6(4): 317-328. Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. (1986). The birds of Africa vol. II. Academic Press, London. Schloeder, C. and Jacobs, M. In press. Nanger soemmerringi. In: J. S. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann (eds), Wilhelmi, F. K. In press. Ammodorcas clarkei. In: J. S. The Mammals of Africa, Academic Press, Amsterdam, Kingdon and M. Hoffmann (eds), The Mammals of The Netherlands. Africa, Academic Press, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
Warren Aken Mervyn Mason Biodiversity Lead Senior Biodiversity Specialist
WA/MM/wa
Reg. No. 2002/007104/07 Directors: SA Eckstein, RGM Heath, SC Naidoo, GYW Ngoma
Golder, Golder Associates and the GA globe design are trademarks of Golder Associates Corporation.
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APPENDIX A Document Limitations
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DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. P.O. Box 6001 Halfway House, 1685 Building 1, Golder House, Magwa Crescent West Maxwell Office Park, cnr. Allandale Road and Maxwell Drive Waterfall City Midrand, 1685 South Africa T: [+27] (11) 254 4800
18 February 2015
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ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to: Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 3rd Floor Mekwa Place Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13393-7 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND HEALTH
Executive Summary
Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (i.e. the “Project”) will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area. The total Block area is 29 865km2, however, the survey will cover an area of only approximately 30% of the Blocks. The survey will continue for a period of approximately six months. In summary, the project constitutes the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camp(s); Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. This report presents the results of a Socio-economic and Health Impact Assessment (SHIA) of the proposed Project, in support of the overall Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). Methodology Using guidelines from the Ethiopian EPA, the scope of the SHIA was refined to administrative areas covered by Blocks 18, 19 and 21, with specific focus on the administrative areas covered by the seismic corridor exploration. Scoping consultation was undertaken with key authorities in the project area, which assisted in defining the focus for the impact assessment consultation. Relevant documents and previous studies of the project area were reviewed and relevant socio-economic and health and health baseline and impact assessment information was extracted from these sources. Primary data was collected through the use of key stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations. Nineteen (19) key stakeholder interviews and/or focus group discussions were held throughout the project area in order to collect data and obtain stakeholder views on the proposed project. Existing secondary data was collected from both respective zones and woredas sector offices and other relevant institutions. Based on the fieldwork results, limited and basic socio-economic and health and health secondary data is available. Social and Economic Baseline The socioeconomic environment refers to a wide range of interrelated and diverse aspects and variables relating to or involving a combination of social and economic factors. For the purposes of this assessment, the regional study area is classified as the Somali Region, whilst the local study area is classified as the Shabelle (formerly Gode), Warder and Qorhey Zones and the Ferfer, Warder, Geladin, Bookh and Shilabo Woredas. The Somalis are the major ethnic group in the Somali Region and the project area. They constitute the overwhelming majority of the total population (97%), with Oromo’s and other groups constituting the remaining 3%. The Somali Regional State is sparsely populated with the distribution of people in more rural settlements than urban centres. There is a disproportionate split in the distribution of genders in the project zones and woredas, with more men than women in these areas. Ethiopian households consist of an average of 4.6 people where the majority of household members are children under age 15. Almost a quarter of Ethiopian households are headed by women which indicates their vulnerability in a gender biased society. Literacy in the Somali Region is estimated at 41% slightly below the national literacy rate of 45% however, the adult literacy rate is dramatically lower with amongst men and even lower amongst women (Saad Aid, 2010). Literacy rate seems to be higher in urban areas but there is still the disproportion of men having higher literacy than women. There is a low record of attendance from children in schools which could be due to their level of responsibility within the household and economic activities. Once again, it is more likely that mostly girls are kept home to help with domestic chores. Challenges to education are lack of schools and teachers as well as the barriers for women to further their education due to the culture of society.
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Access to health care in the Somali Region is reported to be very poor. In addition to a very small number of health care facilities, the healthcare system is facing a shortage of drugs, medical equipment and staff (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014). In general, the region and the project area in particular have poorly developed infrastructure such as roads, transport, communication, water supply, electricity supply, marketing services, health and educational facilities. The project area due to its remote geographical location lacks access to basic physical and social infrastructure. Water is a valued commodity in the region and study area. Migration around permanent water sources depicts settlement patterns. Water is generally accessed through seasonal rivers, wells, Birkas/cisterns and boreholes. Seasonal rivers and water basins are the main source of water for pastoralists and their livestock, when they are able to take advantage of rainfall during the wet season. In the dry season, hand dug wells and boreholes create important access points to groundwater supplies within the region and play a vital role in water supply within major towns and villages. However, water infrastructure is poorly maintained and those which are well maintained typically are privately-owned and serve as a source of income for the owner by selling drinking water for livestock. In the Somali Region and the study area, the predominant livelihood of the population is pastoralism where livelihoods primarily depend on livestock production systems and continuous movement in search of pasture and water. Other livelihood activities are agro-pastoralism, trade and commerce. Trade as source of livelihood is principally run by town settlers and by villagers along the main rural roads. The Project area road networking consists of 940km dry weather roads (i.e. gravel/dirt) and 108km all weather roads (i.e. tar), which connects the woredas, adjacent towns and zonal towns with each other. The dry weather roads are not easily reached during the rainy season thus limiting accessibility to certain areas in the rainy season. The markets in the study area are classified into two groups, namely the local market and cross-border market. The local market is held at town and village level, for trading commodities such as food stuff and other consumables (usually purchased from across the border) and animal products. The next level in the marketing chain is the cross border market. At the time of this study, the Ethiopian government had prohibited cross border trade. Natural disasters, mainly flooding occur in the region which impacts the population causing temporary displacement of households, loss of crops and livestock and damage to infrastructure and other property. In general, Ethiopia continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, including chronic drought in many areas of the country, widespread food insecurity, ongoing conflict in the south-eastern Somali Region, and the impact of hosting a large number of Somali, Sudanese and Eritrean refugees on its soil. Stakeholder Consultation Summary Stakeholder consultation indicated that generally, authorities and communities are supportive of the proposed project. However, the authorities and communities cautioned that previous seismic exploration activities resulted in damages to Birkas, and recommended that a distance from these structures be kept during seismic exploration. Impact Assessment and Mitigation Measures The focus of the SHIA was on contextualising the social and economic baseline conditions of the area of exploration and identifying and assessing potential impacts to infrastructure, development sectors, social services (e.g. health, education, water supply), and communities’ way of living. The following potential socio-economic and health and health impacts were identified: Employment creation; Damage to property; Safety risks to communities and livestock; Economic benefits;
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Demand for supplies and pressure on infrastructure; Impacts on health and livelihoods; Change in sense of place; Increased safety and development opportunities; and Potential human right risks. Most of the abovementioned impacts are assessed as to be of low socio-economic and health and health impact significance and therefore no mitigation measures are proposed. Safety risks to communities and potential human rights risks are considered of moderate socio-economic and health and health impact significance, and are identified and mitigated in Delonex’s risk assessment on Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR). Additional mitigation recommendations include: When working in the vicinity of communities, drivers need to be extra aware of potential safety hazards. Training of drivers will need to include traffic risks arising from communities and livestock. Delonex should undertake an assessment of transport impacts on local communities and where practical, implement appropriate road safety mitigation measures.; and Development and implementation of a grievance redress mechanism which also acts as a monitoring and evaluation tool for the duration of the project;
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 4
1.1 The Project ...... 4
2.0 METHODOLOGY ...... 5
2.1 Socio-economic and Health Scoping ...... 5
2.2 Review of Relevant Documents and Previous Studies ...... 6
2.3 Data Collection and Stakeholder Consultation ...... 6
2.4 Data Analysis ...... 7
3.0 ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS ...... 8
4.0 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BASELINE CONDITIONS ...... 8
4.1.1 Administrative Structure ...... 9
4.1.2 Cultural Environment, Language and Religion ...... 11
4.1.3 Population and Settlements ...... 12
4.1.4 Household Composition ...... 13
4.1.5 Marital status ...... 13
4.1.6 Gender roles and relations ...... 15
4.1.7 Education ...... 16
4.1.8 Health and Nutrition ...... 16
4.1.9 Infrastructure ...... 17
4.1.10 Access to water ...... 18
4.1.11 Livelihoods and land use ...... 21
4.1.12 Asset Ownership ...... 22
4.1.13 Roads and Markets ...... 22
4.1.14 Natural Disasters and Impacts to Livelihoods and Food Security ...... 22
4.1.15 Armed Conflict ...... 23
5.0 SUMMARY OF COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC CONSULTATION ...... 23
6.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 24
6.1 Impact Assessment Methodology ...... 24
6.2 Summary of impacts ...... 26
6.3 Description of impacts ...... 28
6.3.1 Employment creation ...... 28
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6.3.2 Damage to property ...... 28
6.3.3 Safety risk to communities and livestock ...... 29
6.3.4 Economic benefits ...... 29
6.3.5 Demand for supplies and pressure on infrastructure ...... 29
6.3.6 Impacts on health and livelihoods ...... 29
6.3.7 Change in sense of place arising from visual impacts ...... 29
6.3.8 Increased safety and development opportunities ...... 29
6.3.9 Potential human right risks ...... 29
6.4 Cumulative Impacts ...... 29
7.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 30
8.0 MONITORING ...... 36
9.0 CONCLUSION ...... 36
10.0 REFERENCES ...... 37
Policy Frameworks ...... 41
Legal Frameworks ...... 41
Institutional and Administrative Frameworks ...... 44
TABLES Table 1: Primary data collection and stakeholder consultation ...... 7 Table 2: Government Administration ...... 9 Table 3: Overall population distribution in the administrative authorities according to gender (CSA, 2012; updated from Golder Field work 2015) ...... 12 Table 4: Urban population in the main settlements located in the area (CSA, 2012) ...... 13 Table 5: Marital status (EDHS, 2011) ...... 14 Table 6: Health facilities in the Project area ...... 17 Table 7: Towns and villages and their Infrastructure ...... 18 Table 8: Livestock population of the region ...... 21 Table 9: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 25 Table 10: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 26 Table 11: Impact assessment before mitigation ...... 27 Table 12: SMP Table of Actions ...... 31
FIGURES Figure 1: Survey area for the 2015 2D seismic vibroseis programme (Source: Delonex 2014)...... 5 Figure 2: Zone and Woreda Administrative Boundaries in the Project Area ...... 10
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Figure 3: Birka with corrugated iron sheet cover ...... 19 Figure 4: Poorly maintained Birka ...... 19 Figure 5: Women and children fetching water from a shallow well ...... 20 Figure 6: One of the water trucks in the project area ...... 20 Figure 7: From left to right: The fieldwork team translator holding a bunch of khat, typical goods sold in a small shop in the rural villages, a sewing machine where a woman was making cushions for sale...... 22 Figure 8: Potential structures and Birkas within 100 metres of the seismic corridor routes ...... 28
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Document Limitations APPENDIX B Minutes of meetings APPENDIX C Legislative and policy framework POLICY, LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS
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1.0 INTRODUCTION Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration (i.e. the “Project”) will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area. The total Block area is 29,865km2, however, the survey will cover an area of only approximately 30% of the Blocks. The survey will continue for a period of approximately six months. In summary, the project constitutes the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camp(s); Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. This report presents the results of a Socio-economic and Health Impact Assessment (SHIA) of the proposed Project, in support of the overall Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). The SHIA was undertaken and developed by socio-economic and health and health specialists from Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd and JEMA International Consulting Plc., a registered Ethiopian environmental consulting firm. 1.1 The Project The Project is outlined below but the reader is referred to the Scoping or ESHIA report for a full project description. Delonex propose to conduct 2D Seismic Surveys within Blocks 18, 19 and 21 of the Abred- Ferfer area, Ethiopia. The concession blocks are located adjacent to the border of the Republic of Somalia in the eastern part of Ethiopia. This area falls within the Somali National Regional State. The administrative blocks cover approximately 30 000 km2, encompassing the Korahe, Gode and Warder Zones (Figure 1). Prior to establishing the survey routes, information will be gathered from scouting activities, satellite imagery, existing seismic corridors, existing tracks, access to the proposed survey route, and any existing disturbance related to previous exploration activities. This information will be collated and used to plot the location of survey routes. This exercise will ensure avoidance of sensitive areas (e.g. water resources and cultural landmarks), or obstacles (e.g. rock formations), and will minimise environmental and social disturbances. Initially, a series of marker stakes will be placed along this survey route (identified using GPS data). Survey lines will then be created along each route by clearing linear lines of surface vegetation and obstacles (where possible) to a width of approximately 6-7m. This approach is a relatively low impact with no drilling, excavating or blasting required. The proposed survey activities will continue for approximately six months and will constitute the following key activities: Establishment of temporary support camps; Establishment of temporary airstrips; Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey lines; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area.
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Figure 1: Survey area for the 2015 2D seismic vibroseis programme (Source: Delonex 2014).
The proposed seismic exploration activities are anticipated to create approximately 35 foreign national employment opportunities and roughly 240 Ethiopian national employment opportunities for the duration of the survey. These employment figures are indicative only and may vary considerably, resulting in a positive impact of low significance. Employment will nevertheless supplement household incomes and result in skills development and transfer. 2.0 METHODOLOGY The SHIA was conducted according to the following methodology:
1) Conducting socio-economic and health and environmental scoping; 2) Review of relevant previous E SHIAs and other documents, and identifying data gaps with respect to the present exploration areas and surrounding conditions; 3) Collecting primary and secondary data from relevant sectors and institutions; and 4) Impact assessment. 2.1 Socio-economic and Health Scoping Using guidelines from the Ethiopian EPA, the scope of the Socio-economic and Health assessment (SHIA) was refined to administrative areas covered by Blocks 18, 19 and 21, with specific focus on the administrative areas covered by the seismic corridor exploration. The focus of the SHIA would be on contextualising the social and economic baseline conditions of the area of exploration and identifying and assessing potential impacts to infrastructure, development sectors, social services (e.g. health, education, water supply), and communities’ way of living. Scoping consultation was undertaken with key authorities in the project area, which assisted in defining the focus for the impact assessment consultation.
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2.2 Review of Relevant Documents and Previous Studies Documents relevant to- and previous studies of the project area were reviewed and relevant socio-economic and health baseline and impact assessment information was extracted from these sources. These reports and studies included: Central Statistical Agency. Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, IFC International Calverton, Maryland, USA. March 2012; CHF International: Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report Somali Region – Gode and Warder Zones. February 2012; Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N. V, Environmental Impact Assessment Study for Blocks 18, 19 and 21 for Seismic Exploration- In Somalia Regional State (Draft Report), Addis Resources Development PLC (ARDCO), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 2008; RPS Energy. Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental Social Risk Evaluation Report Phase 1 and 2 (Performed by RPS Energy on behalf of Delonex). Delonex Energy, September 2014; UNHCR Statistics. UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2002. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/4a07e87d6.html. Retrieved 7 January 2015. 2 September 2004; UNHCR 2015 country operations profile- Ethiopia. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e483986.html. Retrieved 7 January 2015; Environmental Policy of Ethiopia (see Appendix C); Health Policy of Ethiopia (see Appendix C); The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia (see Appendix C); Proclamation on public health (see Appendix C); Proclamation on Establishment of Environmental Protection Organs (see Appendix C); Proclamation on Environmental Impact Assessment (see Appendix C); The Environmental Impact Assessment guideline (EPA, 2000) (see Appendix C); and Proclamation on Environmental Pollution Control (see Appendix C). In general, recently updated statistics are not available. Where projected statistics are available, these were included in this report 2.3 Data Collection and Stakeholder Consultation Primary data collection: Primary data was collected through the use of key stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations. A semi-structured interview guide was used to obtain information from key stakeholders (including government authorities), and a semi-structured focus group guide was used to conduct consultation with community representatives. Field observations allowed the social specialists insight into community livelihoods, social services, housing types, land use and vegetation coverage, water sources, livestock types and population characteristics. Nineteen (19) key stakeholder interviews and/or focus group discussions were held throughout the project area in order to collect data and obtain stakeholder views on the proposed project (see Table 1). Minutes of these meetings are provided in Appendix B.
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Table 1: Primary data collection and stakeholder consultation
Date Zone/Woreda Place Entity Shilabo Woreda Administration 19 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Shilabo Shilabo Community Leaders 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Dherilay Kebele Chairman Head of Water Office 20 January 2015 Shilabo Woreda Los Anot Kebele Chairman 20 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elbay Community Leader Warder Zone Administrator 21 January 2015 Warder Zone Warder Head of Somali Democratic Party Warder Woreda Administrator Warder Woreda Head of Health Office Warder Woreda Head of Water 21 January 2015 Warder Woreda Warder Warder Woreda Head of Finance and Economic Development Warder Woreda Head of Agriculture Warder Woreda Head of Health Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Dherilay Community Leaders 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Solole Women’s group Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Bilmidigan Community Leaders Kebele Chairman 22 January 2015 Warder Woreda Elale Community Leaders Bookh Woreda Administrator Bookh Woreda Head of Health 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Bookh Woreda Parlaimentary Office Bookh Woreda Revenue Office Head 24 January 2015 Bookh Woreda Bookh Clan Leaders Geladin Woreda Administrator 24 January 2015 Geladin Woreda Geladin Geladin Office of Justice 26 January 2015 Qorhey Zone Kebridahar Qorhey Zone Administrator Shebelle Zone Shebelle Zone Administrative Head 26 January 2015 (Gode Zone) / Gode Shebelle Zone Agricultural Bureau Ferfer Woreda Shebelle Zone Zonal Security Advisor UNICEF Shebelle Zone Save the Children 27 January 2015 Gode (Gode Zone) FAO IRC
Secondary data: Existing secondary data was collected from both respective zones and woredas sector offices and other relevant institutions. Based on the fieldwork results, limited and basic socio-economic and health secondary data is available. 2.4 Data Analysis The primary and secondary data that was collected was captured, evaluated and analysed using iterative inductive analytical approaches. With the lack of recent, site-specific quantitative data, a focus was placed on analysis of qualitative data. Based on the analysis, key impacts and issues were identified that feed into the baseline and impact assessment.
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3.0 ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS The SHIA was subject to the following assumptions and limitations: The project area covers a vast surface area across Blocks 18, 19 and 21 with poor road access. Logistical factors limited the ability to directly consult with all communities within the three exploration blocks; Specifically, Ferfer Woreda was reported by Shabelle Zone authorities as having extremely poor road access conditions, which would have placed high safety and security risks on the project team to travel to Ferfer town. In order to mitigate this risk, consultation was held with Shabelle Zone authorities. These authorities indicated that project information will be distributed from Shabelle Zone to Ferfer Woreda; Despite the access and security limitations, the consultants undertook consultations with all Zonal Authorities (Qorhey, Warder and Shabelle Zones) and four of the five Woreda Authorities located in the exploration blocks (Shilabo, Warder, Galadin, Boh – see bullet above for Ferfer) ; Organised information was not readily available in many cases from meetings with government authorities and NGOs. Where information was available or sourced from meetings, it often was lacking detail or inconsistent – specifically around population demographics and social services coverage and provision. Where possible, this information was triangulated with known official statistics and/or data. No development plans are available for the region, zones or woredas, furthermore reducing the availability of data; and Although limited data is available, the SHIA has sufficient detail in order to assess the socio- economic and health impacts that may arise from the proposed project.
4.0 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BASELINE CONDITIONS Like any development, this proposed project is expected to result in both positive and adverse effects to the surrounding population and environment. Baseline data was gathered for the socio-economic and health environment in the local study area using secondary sources, the sample quantitative household survey, and key stakeholder interviews and FGDs. The socioeconomic environment refers to a wide range of interrelated and diverse aspects and variables relating to or involving a combination of social and economic factors. These aspects and variables could, in general, be categorized into several categories including, economic, demographic, public services, fiscal and social. The social aspects may, for instance, involve community life as well as social and cultural attitude and values. Community services may meanwhile be concerned with housing and requirements for public services such as water, sanitation, communications, police and fire protection facilities, solid waste disposal as well as health and educational services. Demographic aspects may include population growth structures, distribution and density. Similarly, economic factors may include general characteristics, structures and changes various economic activities and employment. For the purposes of this assessment, the regional study area is classified as the Somali Region, whilst the local study area is classified as the Shabelle (formerly Gode), Warder and Qorhey Zones and the Ferfer, Warder, Geladin, Bookh and Shilabo Woredas. Somali Region is one of Ethiopia’s largest regions. It borders the Republic of Djibouti to the north, the Federal Republic of Somalia to the east and north-east, and the Republic of Kenya to the south. To the west it borders Oromiya Region, to the north-west Afar Region. The Somali Region contains nine administrative zones: Shinile, Jijiga, Fik, Degahbur, Qorhey, Warder, Shabelle (formerly known as Gode), Afder and Liban (SNRS, 2004).
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4.1.1 Administrative Structure Ethiopia is divided into nine ethnically based and politically autonomous regional states. These states are subdivided into a total of sixty eight administrative Zones which are themselves divided into a total of 550 districts known as Woredas. Woredas consist of towns, which are sub-divided into Kebeles (or wards), which mainly comprise neighbourhood associations. Kebele are the lowest administrative level in the administrative hierarchy. There are two chartered cities in Ethiopia, Addis Abeba (the capital city), and Dire Dawa (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014). The administrative structure can be summarised as: Regional State; Administrative Zone; Woreda; Town; and Kebele. The proposed project is located in the Somali Regional State. The AOI encompasses three administrative zones and four associated woredas (see Figure 2): The Shabelle (formerly known as Gode) Administrative Zone includes the Ferfer Woreda; The Warder (also spelled as Werder) Administrative Zone includes the Warder, Geladin, and Bookh (also spelled as Boh) Woredas, and; The Qorhey (also spelled as Korahe) Zone includes the Shilabo Woreda. Governmental administration in Ethiopia occurs through five levels, ranging from Federal to Kebele, as summarised in Table 2. Administratively, every government department has an office at woreda level, which coordinates development and administrative activities. Table 2: Government Administration
Administrative Description Relevant to Project Unit Ethiopian Federal Government House of People’s Federal National government level Representatives: 11 Standing committees, each with 13 members Region There are nine regional administrations in Ethiopia Somali Regional State Zone There are 9 zones within the Somali region Warder, Shabele, Qorhey Zone Shilabo, Warder, Geladin, Bookh Woreda There are 68 woredas in the Somali Region and Ferfer Woredas There are more than 75 kebeles in the five project Kebele woredas
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Figure 2: Zone and Woreda Administrative Boundaries in the Project Area
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4.1.2 Cultural Environment, Language and Religion The Somalis are the major ethnic group in the Somali Region and the project area. They constitute the overwhelming majority, 97% of the total population, with Oromo’s accounting for 2% and other groups the remaining 1%. While ethnic homogeneity and language provides an important point of reference for regulating Somali society, the key to an understanding of Somali social organization and ideas of community is clanship. Patriarchal descent provides every Somali with a way dividing him/her socially into a hierarchy of increasingly inclusive kinship group. Within the Somali Region there are representatives of four major clan- families: Hawiye, Pre-Hawiye, Dir and Darood. The dominant clan-family in the project area is the Darod clan. In the Somali clan system, every ancestor who has sons is at the same time a point of segmentation into kinship groups and a point of unity in him. The major Somali clan living in the Project area is the Ogadeni clan which is descended from the Darood clan- family. There is also the Meharan clan, who trace their ancestry to the Darood clan-family, they are few in number and restricted to some kebeles in the project area like Lasanot (also spelled as Losanot) in Shilabo Woreda (Pexco, 2008). Usually, the average Somali operates only at the lower levels of the segmentary system. Clan-families are too large and unwieldy to act as corporate entities. As a result most individuals relate to smaller groups with a shallower time depth. The important levels of segmentation are:
Clan‐Family
Clan
Sub‐Clan
Jufo Group
The Somali terms for clan and sub-clan have no fixed definitions but are largely defined by their situation. At the lower levels of the segmentary tree are a group of closely related kinsmen. Clanship expresses all that is strong and binding in Somali society. While clanship do not strictly define particular clan territories, most Somali have a concept of a home area, in which their clan or sub-clan normally lives and moves. The main language used in the Somali Region and in the project area is Somaligna (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014). Approximately 98% of the population are followers of Muslim religion, with 0.6% following the Christian religion in the Somali Region (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014). Based on discussions and observation within the various woredas, the vast majority of residents are following the Muslim religion. This guides and influences daily behaviour, with the remote nature of the area resulting in limited external influences influencing the current cultural environment.
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In accordance with the Muslim religion, graves are constructed to bury the deceased, followed by the heaping of stones and soil to commemorate the site. These graves typically are located within the vicinity of settlements and need to be avoided by the proposed projects’ activities. 4.1.3 Population and Settlements According to the latest data available from the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia the population of Ethiopia in 2012 was 84,320,987 (50.4% male and 49.6% female). The population of the Somali Regional State was 5,148,989 (55.6% male and 44.4% females) (CSA, 2012) – indicating that the area is sparsely populated. In 2007, the rural population accounted for approximately 85% of the total population within the Somali Regional State. There is a disproportionate split in the distribution of genders in the project zones and woredas , with an average distribution of 57.2% males and 42.8% females with some woredas comprising up to 59% males. Based on population numbers obtained through consultation, an estimated 20% population growth has occurred since 2007 and is used to calculate a total population increase within the combined zones to 436,696 in 2015. Similarly, the population within Block 18, 19, and 21 is estimated to be approximately 59 966, 52 018 and 125 710 respectively (estimated from block total area and associated size and number of human settlements within the block). The total population size of the Project area is therefore projected to be approximately 237 694 (Table 3). Table 3: Overall population distribution in the administrative authorities according to gender (CSA, 2012; updated from Golder Field work 2015)
Projected Administrative Authority Male % Female % Total Total (2015) Somali Region 2,468,784 55.6 1,970,363 44.4 4,439,147 Warder Woreda 32,743 56.4 25,292 43.6 58,035 80,730 Warder Zone Geladin Woreda 57,464 58.6 40,584 41.4 98,053 117,342 Bookh Woreda 58,533 56.7 44,501 43.1 103,164 123,236 Qorhey Zone Shilabo Woreda 33,176 57.6 24,214 42.0 57,590 69,108 Gode Zone Ferfer Woreda 21,225 54.4 17,579 45.1 38,984 46,280 Total 203,141 57.2 152,170 42.8 355,826 436,696
The population is predominantly pastoral whose livelihoods primarily depend on livestock production systems and continuous movement from place to place in search of pasture and water. These pastoral livelihoods typically require a nomadic lifestyle – resulting in villages only being established along roads and near woreda towns. However, with the extended drought, water sources such as Birkas (birkas)/cisterns are drying up. This has resulted in a developing trend where the traditionally nomadic population is settling in towns and villages where water is easily available from deep and shallow wells. Woreda authorities, however, did not indicate that there was significant or rapid population growth in the towns. The main towns in the three exploration blocks are: Werder (located in the Warder woreda); Geladi (located in the Geladin woreda); Bookh (located in the Bookh woreda); Ferfer (located in the Ferfer woreda); and Shilabo (located in the Shilabo wordea).
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Shilabo is the nearest town to the proposed camp location required for the project. The population of Shilabo Woreda in 2011 was 66,659, of which 5,769 people were living in Shilabo town in 2007. The gender distribution in the urban areas identified is similar to those of the greater region showing a higher number of male residents than female (CSA, 2012). The populations within the main towns in the area, including Shilabo, are shown in Table 4. Table 4: Urban population in the main settlements located in the area (CSA, 2012)
Zone Woreda Town Male % Female % Total Warder Warder 5,986 55.5 4,806 44.5 10,792 Geladin Geladin 6,321 58.5 4,478 41.5 10,799 Warder Boh 2,866 56.5 2,203 43.5 5,069 Bookh Dimeryad 1,033 58.7 728 44.7 1,761 Merkan 2,245 56.8 1,708 43.2 3,953 Shebelle Ferfer 1,436 56.8 1,005 41.2 2,441 Ferfer (Gode) Burkur 2,197 51.6 2,060 48.4 4,257 Qorhey Shilabo Shilabo 3,399 58.9 2,370 41.1 5,769 Total 25,483 56.8 19,358 43.2 44,841
4.1.4 Household Composition Ethiopian households consist of an average of 4.6 people. Almost half (47%) of household members are children under age 15. Twenty-six percent of Ethiopian households are headed by women (EDHS, 2011). 4.1.5 Marital status Table 5 presents the percent distribution of women by marital status, according to age group. The term ‘married’ refers to legal or formal marriage, while the term ‘living together’ designates an informal union in which a man and a woman live together but a formal civil or religious ceremony has not taken place. Respondents who are currently married, widowed, divorced, or separated are referred to as ‘ever married’.
Twenty-seven percent of women aged between 15 and 49 years have never married, 58% are currently married, 4% are living together with a man, and 11% are divorced, separated, or widowed. The low proportion (less than 1%) of women aged between 45 and 49 who have never been married indicates that marriage is highly common in Ethiopia (EDHS, 2011). Eleven percent of women are married to a man with more than one wife. Polygamous marriage is most common in the Somali region (EDHS, 2011). Early marriages typically result in pregnancy at young ages, and high fertility rates. Discussions with women in the project area indicate that they typically marry at a young age (before 18) and have multiple children (typically between 5 and 15 – the average is estimated at 7 children per woman).
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Table 5: Marital status (EDHS, 2011)
Marital Status Percentage of Weighted Unweighted Age Never Living respondents number of number of Married Divorced Separated Widowed Total married together currently in respondents respondents union Women 15-19 77.0 17.6 1.5 3.2 0.7 0.1 100.0 19.1 4,009 3,835 20-24 31.9 55.0 5.1 5.4 2.4 0.2 100.0 60.1 2,931 3,022 25-29 9.7 74.5 5.3 6.3 2.3 2.0 100.0 79.8 3,147 3,185 30-34 4.1 78.7 5.0 5.1 3.4 3.7 100.0 83.7 2,054 2,100 35-39 1.8 77.6 5.4 7.1 2.9 5.1 100.0 83.0 1,916 1,958 40-44 1.4 76.2 5.8 6.1 1.6 8.9 100.0 81.9 1,261 1,314 45-49 0.6 72.3 3.4 6.7 2.1 15.0 100.0 75.7 1,196 1,101 Total 15-49 27.1 58.1 4.2 5.3 2.1 3.2 100.0 62.3 16,515 16,515 Men 15-19 97.6 1.9 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 100.0 2.1 3,013 2,832 20-24 72.5 23.5 1.7 1.8 0.5 0.0 100.0 25.2 2,319 2,330 25-29 31.5 61.1 3.3 2.9 1.2 0.0 100.0 64.5 2,297 2,274 30-34 10.1 82.7 3.2 1.9 1.7 0.4 100.0 85.9 1,483 1,682 35-39 4.3 89.6 2.4 2.5 0.6 0.6 100.0 92.0 1,648 1,579 40-44 1.8 91.3 3.4 1.8 0.6 1.1 100.0 94.7 1,121 1,210 45-49 1.4 92.2 1.5 2.2 1.4 1.3 100.0 93.7 952 961 Total 15-49 43.6 51.5 2.0 1.8 0.8 0.3 100.0 53.5 12,834 12,868 50-59 0.4 92.5 2.9 2.6 0.2 1.3 100.0 95.4 1,276 1,242 Total 15-59 39.7 55.2 2.1 1.8 0.7 0.4 100.0 57.3 14,110 14,110
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4.1.6 Gender roles and relations Due to historical, socio-cultural, economic and environmental factors that have been against the interest of women in general throughout Ethiopia, the project area gender relations still continue to be unfavourable to women. The household is considered the basic unit of economic activity. Within the household, productive and domestic activities are the responsibility of household heads (who are usually men) however, women and children play a vital role in economic and domestic activities. Most times, women are found undertaking the work of the economic activities as well as the responsibilities of motherhood and “housekeeping”. The burden of responsibilities experienced by women is therefore much heavier in terms of local standards. Gender is a socially constructed roles and responsibilities which are assigned to women and men but not a biological factor in any given culture or location. This sex based division of labour has been established since ancient times in the study area. In the study area women actively participate in all aspect of livelihood activities except watering camels and cattle and the construction and maintenances of Birkas. Women are involved in water, sanitation and hygiene related activities. Women are also responsible to take care of their children and other members of the family. It is considered the duty of women to prepare food, clean and manage the house, purchase food items, fetch the water from source and collect firewood. Women construct houses and also look after small domestic animals. Men in the study area are mostly engaged in herding camels and cattle, though there are cases were men resume the socially accepted work of women particularly during difficult times. In the decision making process of the family, the husband plays a pivotal role and the wife is consulted. Patriarchal social structures are sustained even though there are efforts made by different stakeholders to change the value system which propagates the notion of women’s and men’s work. In other parts of the country, water, sanitation and hygiene related activities remain the sole responsibility of women and girls.
Easy access to a reliable and safe water supply could relieve women and female children of the burden of fetching water, and can allow them more time for other productive and domestic activities. A safe water supply would also increase school attendance among school aged girls. Based on observations and through FGD in the survey area, the effect of inadequate quantity and quality of water for domestic purposes are experienced differently by women and children due to their predominance in the domestic sphere. These effects include: Long queuing and time spend for water collection particularly during the peak dry season. Because women and children are the primary water collectors, longer collection times mean that women have less time for income generating activities, less control over income, and less time for child care or rest. And children have less time to attend school; Less water for drinking, bathing, washing and sanitation, which reflects a poor hygiene and health situation; Loss of income from water-intensive activities undertaken by women. Domestic water supplies are used in brewing or other small-scale food processing activities as well as craft activities which are important sources of income; Poor water quality for domestic use. Water is contaminated due to use of inappropriate vessels or containers as well as contaminated areas around public fountains and water sources due to poor workmanship and or site selection; and Increased incidence of water-borne diseases. Diarrheal diseases due to contamination or other health effects from bad water management. Women are affected differently because they have to bear health expenses and time burdens while caring for sick household members. Women who are pastoralists in Somali region assume multiple household responsibilities to work in the house, to care for the children, to look after livestock and construct a house, which is called hut (made up of grass and wood). The men participate in different social activities and keep the social order in the community from the threat of neighbouring ethnic groups. The men also have responsibility of contributing labour for man-made water infrastructure such as Birkas and traditional hand dug wells.
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4.1.7 Education Literacy in the Somali Region is estimated at 41% slightly below the national literacy rate of 45%. The adult literacy rate is dramatically lower, at 7.96%, with 10.75% amongst men and 4.61% amongst women (Saad Aid, 2010). Literacy rate seems to be higher in urban areas with rates of 47.6% in Jijiga town and 52.8% in Gode town. It is worth noting that in these two towns male literacy rates are respectively 65.9% and 69.8% and female rates are 30.8% and 35.8%. Primary school enrolment for children aged seven to fourteen in 2008/2009 reached 63.8% in the Somali Region, far below the national rate of 85%. School attendance in the Somali Region in 2007 totalled 187, 508 individuals (60% male, 40% female). Data gathered in 2009 showed that 29.5% of children aged 14 completed primary schools, however; the secondary gross enrolment rate was only 12.5%, which is significantly lower than the national rate of 35%. According to respective Woreda Administrations, in Warder Woreda there are 54 schools with 23,050 students with 333 teachers, in Bookh Woreda there are 49 schools with 28,075 students and 357 teachers and in Ferfer Woreda there are 34 schools with 10,723 students and 146 teachers in 2015. The main challenges faced by education in the project area (and the Somali Region) are: The shortage of teachers and poor training of teachers in rural areas; The lack of adequate school facilities; The lack of teaching equipment such as text books and teaching materials; The lack of options for continuing education after primary school due to the absence of secondary schools; and Barriers to girls’ education mainly due to cultural practice. 4.1.8 Health and Nutrition Slightly more than one-third (33.5%) of the Somali Region’s population is underweight (EDHA, 2011). Only 50% of families eat a meal 3 times a day. Maize, rice, wheat, porridge and pancakes are the staple foods. The usual diet of a Somali resident is to eat porridge and rice with camel milk and occasionally with meat. For lunch the wheat is boiled with bones and meat (typically goat or sheep) and add a meat soup to it, which makes it more palatable and nutritious. Dinner usually consists of a meat soup or porridge, eaten with milk, or soup consisting of cereals, vegetables and meat. The diet primarily depends on affordability and availability of foodstuff. Camel meat does not appear to be readily eaten – except in extreme circumstances. This is primarily because camels are considered an investment and the wealth of a household is measured in the number of camels the household owns. Life expectancy in Somali Region in 2009 was 58.7 for men and 55.4 for females, higher than the national level of 53.4 and 55.4 respectively. Access to health care in the Somali Region is reported to be very poor. In addition to a very small number of health care facilities, the healthcare system is facing a shortage of drugs, medical equipment and staff (Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental and Social Risk Evaluation Report, 2014). Fertility in Ethiopia has declined modestly over the past decade. Currently, women in Ethiopia have an average of 4.8 children, down from 5.5 in 2000. Fertility varies by residence. Women in urban areas have 2.6 children on average, compared with 5.5 children per woman in rural areas (EDHS, 2011). According to the 2011 EDHS, 12% of young women age 15–19 have already begun childbearing: 10% are mothers, and an additional 2% are pregnant with their first child. Young motherhood is more common in rural areas than in urban areas. Childhood mortality levels are decreasing in Ethiopia. Currently, infant mortality is 59 deaths per 1,000 live births for the five-year period before the survey compared with 77 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2005.
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Under-five mortality levels have also decreased from 123 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2005 to the current level of 88 deaths per 1,000 live births (EDHS, 2011). The main health issues reported in 2008 included: Malaria; Diarrhoea; Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI); Tuberculosis; and Malnutrition. Prevalence of HIV in the Somali Region is low with an estimated 0.9% against 1.3% at a national level in 2012. Access to health services in the local study area is very poor. The numbers of health facilities available are limited and most of the health facilities are not operating due to shortages of drugs, equipment and manpower. The prevailing weather condition, life style, food shortages and scarcity of health facilities contributes to the wide spread health problems in the project area. There are no veterinary clinics in Warder and Shilabo Woredas. The major livestock diseases prevalent in the area are CCPP, external and internal parasites, anthrax and others. The number and type of health facilities on the project area are shown Table 6. Updated statistics regarding livestock and human health were requested from authorities, but in many cases the information was either not available or contradictory. Table 6: Health facilities in the Project area
Health Facilities Woredas Veterinary Health Centers Health Posts Clinics Hospitals Health Posts Warder 1 9 1 - - Geladin - 4 2 - - Bookh - 4 1 - - Shilabo 1 3 1 - - Ferfer 2 15 0 9 - Total 1 20 5 - - Source: Woreda relevant health offices 4.1.9 Infrastructure The Somali Region in general and the project area in particular has poorly developed infrastructure such as roads, transport, communication, water supply, electricity supply, marketing services, health and educational facilities (see Table 7 for a summary of available infrastructure in the various towns – sourced from Pexco, 2008) . Based on fieldwork undertaken during this study, the available facilities have not changed significantly. The project area due to its remote geographical location lacks access to basic physical and social infrastructure. The dominant sources of energy in the project area are firewood and charcoal for cooking. Within the towns of Shilabo, Bookh and Warder, electricity is available sporadically through the use of generators.
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Table 7: Towns and villages and their Infrastructure
Facilities Town/Village Hotel Electricity Telephone Potable Water Health Center Shilabo X X X Motorized deep well X Kebridehar X X X X Plus Hospital Warder X X X Motorized deep well X Bookh X Motorised deep well Geladin X Ferfer X X Shay Gosh X X Mustahili X Motorized deep well Bemagog HagereWwein X X X X Source: Pexco fieldwork data (2008), supplemented by SHIA fieldwork (2015) 4.1.10 Access to water Water is generally accessed through seasonal rivers, wells, Birkas/cisterns and boreholes. Seasonal rivers and water basins are the main source of water for pastoralists and their livestock, when they are able to take advantage of rainfall during the wet season. In the dry season, hand dug wells and boreholes create important access points to groundwater supplies within the region and play a vital role in water supply within major towns and villages, including Shilabo, Warder, Geladin, Bookh while Ferfer get water from the Shebelle river by diversion and treating water at treatment plant constructed for this purpose. In some villages, rain water is collected in “Birkas”; lined, clay or concrete reservoirs that collect run-off rainwater. Usually, these Birkas are covered with corrugated iron to prevent evaporation (see Figure 3), but most of the Birkas that were observed during fieldwork were poorly maintained (see Figure 4). The Birkas which are well maintained typically are privately-owned and serve as a source of income for the owner by selling drinking water for livestock.
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Figure 3: Birka with corrugated iron sheet cover
Figure 4: Poorly maintained Birka
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Figure 5: Women and children fetching water from a shallow well
A well maintained Birka can sustain a small village for a few months, but during times of poor rainfall these villages with Birkas are severely affected by water shortage. During these times villagers need to resort to shallow wells, or (as reported in most cases during fieldwork) purchasing water from a water truck (see Figure 6). In villages close to the Wabe Shebelle River, water is brought to town via donkey carts, where water can be purchased for 5-25 Birr ($0.29-$1.49USD) per 200 liter barrel, depending on the season. The fetching of water is considered the task of women and children.
Figure 6: One of the water trucks in the project area
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In Warder Woreda the water supply is much worse than in Shabelle (formerly known as Gode) Zone. The main sources of water are shallow wells, boreholes and Birkas. The distances of these water sources from villages vary – from a couple of hundred meters (as observed during fieldwork) to 7 km (as reported in the Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report, 2012). 4.1.11 Livelihoods and land use Ethiopia is an agrarian country and agriculture accounts for 43% of the gross domestic product or GDP (CSA, 2009). Coffee has long been one of the main export items of the country; however, other agricultural products are currently being introduced on the international market. Ethiopia has seen the commercialization of small-scale agriculture, and the expansion of non-agricultural production in services and industry (CSA, 2011). The Somali Region, however, covers a vast area of arid and semiarid plains. The population are predominantly pastoral whose livelihoods primarily depend on livestock production systems and continuous movement in search of pasture and water. Generally the predominant livelihood source in the project area is pastoralism which occupies 90% of the rural population in the project area. The remaining 10% of the pupation is engaged in agro-pastoralism, trade and commerce. Trade as source of livelihood is principally run by town settlers and by villagers along the main rural roads. Thus, employment in trade, as secondary economy, is limited in extent and location. Development of tertiary economy is almost none existent due partly to the poor infrastructure development in throughout the Somali region. Trade as a secondary economy could employ large numbers of people. However, the potential of this has not been realized because it is mostly informal and illegal cross-border trade. Trade in the area is mostly depends on bartering of sheep and goats for food stuff. Both Ethiopian and Somali currency are interchangeably used. The vast arid and semiarid land of the Somali region is conductive for production of livestock of different types such as cattle, camel, goat, sheep and donkey. The region is characterized by erratic rainfall, very low humidity and large evapotranspiration. The local study area follows a similar pattern, with the largest number of livestock being accounted for by sheep and goats, followed by camel and cattle (see Table 8). Updated statistics on livestock numbers were requested from agricultural officials in the woredas, and the information was outdated and not disaggregated according to type of livestock therefore the available secondary data is referenced. The number of livestock owned by households vary between households, with some households reporting that they own in excess of 100 camels. Livestock keeping faces the challenges of lack of rainfall, which limits available drinking water and feed for livestock, lack of medical services for livestock, and the absence of improved breeds. Furthermore, there is a highly limited agricultural market system and limited access to credit facilities. No veterinary support from NGOs was reported by focus group participants. Table 8: Livestock population of the region
Warder Qorhey Gode Total Cattle 274,000 168,000 402,000 844,000 Goats 1,960,000 719,000 636,000 3,315,000 Sheep 1,372,000 1,150,000 1,004,000 3,526,000 Camel 480,000 275,000 14,000 769,000 Source: Somali Region Agriculture Bureau (Pexco, 2008) Unlike the case in other Somali areas like Degahabur and Harshin forest products and charcoal sales is not common. The mean monthly household income is $39/714 birr. The economy is not cash based economy and relies of livestock as the main source of livelihood (EDHS, 2011). The major source of income used for purchasing food (when trade is not practices) for the majority (52.5%) of the respondents is casual labour. Sugar is the item which most (99.3%) of the households spend on, followed by salt and cereals with 98% and 89% respectively. Sugar has the highest mean monthly expenditure with 323 birr followed by cereals with 255 birr.
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Clothing accounts for the highest amount of expenditure with an average of 131 birr. Field observation indicated that the purchase and chewing of khat (a plant that is chewed as a recreational drug) is common to supplement income in some households, though it is legally purchased and sold (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: From left to right: The fieldwork team translator holding a bunch of khat, typical goods sold in a small shop in the rural villages, a sewing machine where a woman was making cushions for sale. 4.1.12 Asset Ownership According to EHDS (2011), 41% of Ethiopian households own a radio and 25% have a mobile phone. Approximately 42% of urban households own a television, compared with 1% of rural households. More than half (57%) of Ethiopian women own a house, either alone or jointly, compared with 53% of men. Women and men are equally likely to own land, either alone or jointly (50% and 51%, respectively) (EDHS, 2011). Within the local study area, the number of livestock (specifically camel) determines the wealth of the household. Camels are usually used to pay for blood feuds and resolve conflict between tribes, and therefore are considered valuable assets. Where there are vulnerable or poor households in communities, the communities indicated during data gathering that the residents of villages look after the vulnerable and poor by providing assistance and sharing food and other necessities. 4.1.13 Roads and Markets The project area road networking consists of 940km dry weather roads and 108km all weather roads, which connects the woredas, adjacent towns and zonal towns with each other. The 940km dry weather roads are not easily reached during the rainy season thus limiting accessibility to the dry season. The markets in the study area are classified into two groups, namely the local market and cross-border market. The local market is held at town and village level, for trading commodities such as food stuff and other consumables (usually purchased from across the border) and animal products. The next level in the marketing chain is the cross border market. The cross-border markets are characterised by various informal market operators, who act as intermediaries between the local markets and cross-border markets. At the time of fieldwork, the government of Ethiopia had prohibited cross-border trading, which local communities indicated has had a negative influence on trade. 4.1.14 Natural Disasters and Impacts to Livelihoods and Food Security The region is very prone to recurrent disasters such as drought, floods, and human/livestock diseases, which has had negative impacts on the population. Flooding reportedly occurs twice or three times every year where there is good or normal rainfall, though the last flood occurred in October 2012 in part of Shabelle (Gode) Zone, causing temporary displacement of households, loss of crops and livestock and damage to infrastructure and other property. The Multi-Agency Rapid Deyr/Meher Assessment stated that the November 2011 flooding affected 72,948 people (killing 5), destroyed over 3,000 hectares of maize, sorghum and sesame, killed over 100 livestock and damaged 23 schools and 5 health posts.8 In addition, as a result of the flooding, pest infestation such as army worm, honeycomb and termites and unusual weeds destroyed any remaining crops. The flooding also increased the prevalence of water-borne diseases, specifically watery diarrhoea, bilharzias, skin disease and malaria (Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report, 2012).
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There is currently a drought occurring in the Somali region, with the last reported rainfall being more than two years ago. This is resulting in substantial challenges to water supply for households and livestock. The cumulative impact of the successive droughts and floods over the last four years in the Somali Region has rendered both pastoralists and agropastoralists food insecure and less resilient to future shocks. FEWSNET’s estimated food security conditions for the first quarter of 2012 (Jan – March) for the Somali region are dire. Most of Shabelle (Gode) and Warder Zones are classified as IPC level 4: emergency, with pockets of IPC 3: crisis. This is concerning since the 2011 fourth quarter reports classified the entire Somali region as IPC 3; thus the situation is predicted to deteriorate in 2012, after slightly recovering after the somewhat successful 2011 deyr rains (Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report, 2012). The December 2011 Multi-Agency Rapid Deyr/Meher 2011 Assessment Report gives a few possible reasons for the high inflation rates: lack of staple crop production, poor harvest (due to flooding in Gode), restricted commercial movement by customs authorities, and delay of food aid due to road access constraints. All of these reasons are likely impacting the overall price increases and few are likely to change in the coming months. Staple food costs are likely to remain high due to the reduced level of deyr rains cultivation and the loss of many crops due to the Shebelle River flooding in Gode. These high prices are weakening the purchasing power of the local communities and increasing their food insecurity (Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report, 2012). 4.1.15 Armed Conflict Ethiopia continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, including chronic drought in many areas of the country, widespread food insecurity, ongoing conflict in the south-eastern Somali Region, and the impact of hosting a large number of Somali, Sudanese and Eritrean refugees on its soil. According to the Government of Ethiopia and United Nations estimates, at least 2.7 million people (2.3 million Ethiopians and 400,000 refugees) will require humanitarian assistance, including food assistance, nutritional and medical support, and water and sanitation in 2014. Ethiopia is engaged in a number of armed conflicts both within and outside the country. For the past 20 years, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has waged a rebellion in Ethiopia's Somali region (known locally as the Ogaden), fighting for independence from Ethiopia. Under the government of SHIAdBarre, Somalia had claimed the Ogaden was part of a "Greater Somalia". Reports that Eritrea had been arming the Islamist militia in Somalia led to fears that instability there could lead to a wider regional conflict. Since the beginning of 2014, Ethiopia has accepted almost 190,000 refugees who fled conflict in South Sudan. Owing to its geographical location and to geopolitical developments, Ethiopia is likely to receive more people seeking refuge from neighbouring countries in 2015 and beyond. The Government maintains an open-door-policy and continues to allow humanitarian access and protection to those seeking refuge on its territory (UNHCR, 2015). 5.0 SUMMARY OF COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC CONSULTATION Comments through the public consultation process are summarised as follows: The administrative authorities and communities are highly supportive of Delonex and the proposed development. They are eager to see further development of oil resources within the Somali Region, in the hope that it will lead to development of the communities and the economy; The proposed seismic corridors are useful as communities use these as access routes; Previous exploration companies employed from the local population, which provided a significant positive impact to communities. Specifically, communities requested that Delonex hires drivers and vehicles from local villages. The vehicles that were observed appeared to be poorly maintained, with no number plates or insurance cover;
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Previous exploration companies assisted with development of health and education infrastructure, which is a significant positive impact for communities; Previous seismic exploration activities reportedly resulted in damage to Birkas, and local communities claim to have not received compensation or recourse for damaged Birkas; The creation of the seismic corridors may affect the drainage channels of Birkas; The creation of new access routes may increase dust when more vehicles pass along the roads; The noise from the seismic exploration activities may disturb communities whilst the survey is in the vicinity of communities; The clearing of vegetation may affect the availability of grazing vegetation for camels, goats, sheep and cattle; and Communities and authorities requested assistance with development of water resources, educational resources and health resources as their top priorities. 6.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND HEALTYH IMPACT ASSESSMENT 6.1 Impact Assessment Methodology This section provides an overview of the methodology that will be applied when appraising the potential change (or impact) that the proposed development may have upon the existing environment. The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project can be assessed by considering the following, relative to each attribute of the existing environment (or discipline area) that has been appraised as part of the baseline study: Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, a gain in available habitat area for a key species would be classed as positive, whereas a habitat loss would be considered negative; Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. None/negligible;
. Minor
. Low;
. Moderate;
. High; or
. Very high The categorisation of “magnitude” should be based on a set of criteria that is specific to the discipline area being considered. For example, in the case of surface water, the magnitude may be defined as the extent to which the water quality (e.g. suspended solids) exceeds the adopted national criteria. Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
. Transient (less than 1 year);
. Short term (1 to 5 years);
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. Medium term (5 to 15 years);
. Long term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or
. Permanent. Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site);
. Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site);
. Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance);
. National; or
. International. Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
. No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change);
. Improbable (less than 5% chance);
. Low probability (5% to 40% chance);
. Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance);
. Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or
. Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) will then be appraised. A simple scoring system will be applied in line with the example provided in the table below. Table 9: Factors used to measure impact significance
Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t know 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after closure 4 National 4 Highly probable of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 15 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) will then be determined as: SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Extent) x Probability
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Where the relative significance of the change (or impact) is typically ranked as set out in the table below. Table 10: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive)
Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is Indicates high unacceptably high. It is unlikely that an impact of this SP >75 environmental and/or magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact social significance cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates moderate have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or high. The Project may be compromised if this impact social significance cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates low have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP <30 environmental and/or relatively low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the social significance impact should be considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the + Positive impact existing environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change. 6.2 Summary of impacts A summary table of the predicted socio-economic and health impacts and their assessment ratings is provided in Table 11. Further descriptions of each impact are provided in section 6.3.
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Table 11: Impact assessment before mitigation
Environmental Operational Activity Impact Magnitude Duration Scale Probability Significance Aspect area Localised increases in wealth, as Employment more local people are employed. Low Short-term Local High Positive (32) Line surveying Skills may be developed. and vegetation Clearing of lines and the seismic clearing surveying activity may result in Damage to property High Short-term Local Low Low (20) damage to property such as Birkas and structures Line surveying, vegetation Safety risk to communities and Moderate Vehicle movement High Short-term Local High clearing and livestock (48) seismic survey Injection of significant wealth into the Discovery of regional and national economy with Seismic significant oil the potential to maintain sustainable Very High Long term National High Positive (72) Socio- corridors economic reserves development and growth at a national level. Pressure on local community ‘s Demand for resources, public facilities and Low Short-term Local Low Low (18) Campsites and supplies associated infrastructure supply logistics Temporary influx of Impact on health and livelihoods Low Short-term Local Low Low (18) workers Visual degradation Change in sense of place arising Site- Low Short-term Low Low (18) Line and of the landscape from visual impacts only access track Project area will become safer and Site preparation Mine clearance more desirable for development/ Moderate Permanent High Positive (48) only settlement. Moderate All All Potential human right risks High Medium Local Medium (39)
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6.3 Description of impacts A brief description of the various impacts is provided below. 6.3.1 Employment creation The proposed seismic exploration activities are anticipated to create approximately 35 foreign national employment opportunities and approximately 240 Ethiopian national employment opportunities for the duration of the survey. This is anticipated to be a positive impact of low significance, but will nevertheless supplement household incomes and result in skills development and transfer. Where possible, employees must be sourced from local communities within the vicinity of operations. 6.3.2 Damage to property Generally, the ESHIA recommends a minimum clearance distance of 100 m from structures and Birkas to avoid damage to these assets. An indicative1 indication of potential water resources in close proximity to the seismic corridors is provided in Figure 8 (in conjunction with water resources identified in the field). Where the lines are within 100 metres of water resources, the seismic corridor route should be re-routed to avoid them. Photographs should be taken of Birkas and/or structures as documented proof of the condition of the structure prior to the seismic survey.
Figure 8: Potential water resources (boreholes/water wells and Birkas in close proximity to potential seismic corridors
1 Note available aerial imagery is dated (i.e. from 2007 and 2012) and resolution is not sufficient for accurately identify water resources. Accordingly, the identification of water resources is a potential estimation.
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6.3.3 Safety risk to communities and livestock During fieldwork activities it was clear that communities (especially children) are unaccustomed to vehicles and the associated safety risks. With the presence of larger vehicles involved in the vegetation clearing and seismic surveying activities, it will be prudent to ensure that the supporting crew inform communities in the vicinity of the approaching vehicles and request that children and livestock be kept away from the surveying activities. When working in the vicinity of communities, drivers need to be extra aware of potential safety hazards. Training of drivers will need to include traffic risks arising from communities and livestock. 6.3.4 Economic benefits Should the proposed project determine sufficient reserves to facilitate further development, this will constitute a significant positive socio-economic and health impact to the local areas, region and on a national scale. 6.3.5 Demand for supplies and pressure on infrastructure Given the largely self-sufficient nature of the exploration camps and workforce, it is anticipated that limited pressure will be placed on community infrastructure and services. Water is the most sensitive resource for communities and therefore it is critical that the workforce extracts water from a sustainable resource (to be discussed in the E SHIA document). The presence of the workforce may stimulate local economic opportunities (e.g. sale of foodstuff and goods), which may result in inflation of prices. Due to the short-term nature of the project, it is expected that inflationary effects will be limited. 6.3.6 Impacts on health and livelihoods The proposed activities are likely to attract opportunity seekers who aim to obtain employment from the project. The mobile nature of the seismic exploration is expected to limit impacts of the opportunity seekers on local communities, but there may be slightly more pronounced impacts at the exploration base camp. These impacts can be mitigated by formulating a clear employment policy that is publically available. 6.3.7 Change in sense of place arising from visual impacts Whilst the SHIA does not aim to conduct a detailed visual impact assessment, the current environment features numerous seismic corridors from historic exploration activities. These have become part of the generally accepted landscape and serve as access routes for communities. Whilst the clearing activities and conducting of the survey may cause temporary disturbance to communities, it is unlikely that this will result in a permanent change in sense of place. 6.3.8 Increased safety and development opportunities With the seismic activities, the safety of the communities will increase along the new seismic roads. These may allow for easier access between communities, and with known seismic activities the region may attract more development. 6.3.9 Potential human right risks Whilst this SHIA does not explicitly focus on human right risks, the history of conflict in the region has indicated that a number of historical human right infringements have occurred. The current security risks indicate that armed conflict still remains a threat in the area, and human rights violations risks remain associated with these armed conflicts. It is recommended that the project develops a human rights policy to proactively demonstrate commitment to protecting human rights, and ensuring training of all personnel (permanent, temporary and contractors) to respect human rights. 6.4 Cumulative Impacts A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. The possible cumulative impacts of this project were considered during the impact assessment studies. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and future activities will have an impact on a common resource.
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Through the fieldwork and consultation, communities indicated that exploration activities have occurred intermittently for the last 70 years by different proponents. There are no existing operations in the proposed study area but the communities mentioned a Chinese exploration operation which is located outside of the proposed 3 blocks of Delonex’s study area. The nature of the seismic exploration activity and the large area the project covers supports the conclusion that there wouldn’t be substantial cumulative impacts of the project at this stage. 7.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT PLAN A social impact assessment not only forecasts impacts, it should identify means to mitigate adverse impacts. Mitigation includes avoiding the impact by not taking or modifying an action; minimizing, rectifying, or reducing the impacts through the design or operation of the project or policy; or compensating for the impact by providing substitute facilities, resources, or opportunities. Ideally, mitigation measures are built into the selected alternative, but it is appropriate to identify mitigation measures even if they are not immediately adopted or if they would be the responsibility of another person or government unit. (Federal legislation which mandates mitigation measures is shown literature review). We suggest a sequencing strategy to manage social impacts modelled after one used with oil seismic survey. During the first sequence, oil seismic survey managers strive to avoid all adverse impacts. In the second sequence, managers strive to minimize any adverse impacts (abandoning of Birkas/water source, noise, dust and bush clearing)) that cannot be avoided. During the third sequence, managers fail to compensate for adverse impacts. Compensation for the loss induced by oil seismic survey abandoning water source is not easy to measure for consultant. The two steps avoiding and minimizing to the project itself or to the host community or the impacted region. The community may be able to take steps to attenuate, if not avoid, and adverse effects. Application of the sequencing concept for the mitigation of adverse social impacts requires that the assessor first rank the level of importance of each significant SHIA variable determined during the estimated effects step. The first step in evaluating potential mitigation for each variable is to determine whether the proponent could modify the project or proposed policy to avoid the adverse effects. For example, a oil seismic survey root that abandon water source could be rerouted if any. The next step in the sequencing process is to identify ways to minimize adverse social impacts. For example, most community members are comfortable with the oil seismic survey and expected oil fields availed near their community.
Attitudes (particularly negative ones) formed about the project cannot be eliminated, but might be moderated if the public has complete information about the proposed development, are included in the decision making process, or are provided with structural arrangements that assure safe operations. There are at least three benefits of identifying irresolvable social impacts that may result from a proposed project. The first is identifying methods of compensating individuals and the community for unavoidable impacts, the second occurs when the community may identify ways of enhancing other quality of life variables as compensation or the adverse effects. The third happens when the identification of irresolvable social impacts makes community leaders and project proponents more sensitive to the feelings of community residents. By articulating the impacts that will occur and making efforts to avoid or minimize the adverse consequences, or compensating the residents or the community for the losses, benefits may be enhanced and avoidable conflicts can be managed or minimized.
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Table 12: SMP Table of Actions
Indicator/ Description of Project Detailed Mitigation Responsible Monitoring Discipline Aspect Objective Performance Timing Impact Phase Action Person/Entity Mechanism Criteria Where possible, employees must be Localised sourced from local increases in Delonex: communities within Number of wealth, as more Maximise Recruitment/ Pre- Pre- the vicinity of activity. local Social Employment local people are Exploration positive Human construction construction This will supplement population employed. Skills impact Resources Audit phase household incomes employed may be Manager and result in skills developed. development and transfer. Adhere to 100m buffer zones around identified water resources. Where the Clearing of lines seismic corridors are Pre- and the seismic within 100 metres of Maintain a construction surveying activity water resources, the 100m buffer Minimise Audit; Pre- Damage to may result in corridor route should zone around Social Exploration adverse Delonex Construction construction property damage to be re-routed. Birkas and impact Audit and phase property such as Photographs should other Operation Birkas and other be taken water infrastructure Audit structures resources as documented proof of the condition of the structure prior to the seismic survey. When working in the Pre- vicinity of Construction communities, drivers Inform Audit and Safety risk to Minimise need to be extra communities Vehicle Delonex reports Social communities and Exploration speed of aware of potential before large movement Safety Officer logged livestock vehicles safety hazards. vehicles use through the Training of drivers will the roads grievance need to include traffic mechanism risks arising from
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Indicator/ Description of Project Detailed Mitigation Responsible Monitoring Discipline Aspect Objective Performance Timing Impact Phase Action Person/Entity Mechanism Criteria communities and livestock. Should the proposed Injection of project determine significant wealth Proposed sufficient reserves to into the regional Outcomes of community facilitate further and national the benefit development, this will Discovery of economy with the Maximise exploration initiatives and End of constitute a Social significant potential to Exploration positive Delonex phase potential Exploration significant positive oil reserves maintain benefits reserve development Phase socio-economic and sustainable determina- of local and health impact to the development and tion regional local areas, region growth at a economy and on a national national level. scale. Given the largely self- sufficient nature of the exploration camps and workforce, it is anticipated that limited pressure will Pressure on be placed on community community Minimise infrastructure Pressure on local infrastructure and impact on and community ‘s services. Pre- End of Demand for scarce monitoring Social resources, public Exploration Water is the most Delonex construction Exploration supplies resources changes to facilities and sensitive resource for Phase Audit Phase and local living infrastructure communities and infrastructure costs which therefore it is critical could indicate that the workforce inflation extracts water from a sustainable resource (to be discussed in the E SHIA document). The presence of the workforce may
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Indicator/ Description of Project Detailed Mitigation Responsible Monitoring Discipline Aspect Objective Performance Timing Impact Phase Action Person/Entity Mechanism Criteria stimulate local economic opportunities (e.g. sale of foodstuff and goods), which may result in inflation of prices. Due to the short-term nature of the project, it is expected that inflationary effects will be limited. The proposed activities are likely to attract opportunity seekers who aim to obtain employment This impact from the project. The can be mobile nature of the mitigated by Minimise Temporary seismic exploration is Pre- formulating a End of Impact on health potential in- Social influx of Exploration expected to limit Delonex Construction clear Exploration and livelihoods migration to workers impacts of the Audit employment Phase the area opportunity seekers policy that is on local communities, publically but there may be available. slightly more pronounced impacts at the exploration base camp. The current Conducting of environment features the survey Visual Change in sense numerous seismic may cause Pre- degradation of place arising Minimise corridors from historic temporary End of Social Exploration Delonex Construction of the from visual visual impact exploration activities. disturbance to Exploration Audit landscape impacts These have become communities, part of the generally it is unlikely accepted landscape that this will
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Indicator/ Description of Project Detailed Mitigation Responsible Monitoring Discipline Aspect Objective Performance Timing Impact Phase Action Person/Entity Mechanism Criteria and serve as access result in a routes for permanent communities. change in sense of place. With the seismic activities, the safety of the communities will increase along Project area will the new seismic Measure in become safer and Maximise roads. These may Reduced Mine terms of End of Social more desirable for Exploration improved allow for easier Delonex incidents of clearance explosive Exploration development/ safety access between explosions incidents settlement. communities, and with known seismic activities the region may attract more development. It is recommended The history of conflict that in the region has indicated that a Delonex number of historical develop and human right implement a infringements have Human Rights occurred. The current Develop a Policy (i.e. Exploration Minimise Delonex and Potential human security risks indicate Human Principles on End of Social All and Human Government right risks that armed conflict Rights Risk Security and Exploration Construction Rights risks Authority still remains a threat Assessment Human in the area, and Rights, see human rights Stakeholder violations risks Engagement remain associated Plan) to with these armed proactively conflicts. demonstrate commitment to protecting
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Indicator/ Description of Project Detailed Mitigation Responsible Monitoring Discipline Aspect Objective Performance Timing Impact Phase Action Person/Entity Mechanism Criteria human rights, and ensuring training of all personnel (permanent, temporary and contractors) to respect human rights.
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8.0 MONITORING A monitoring program should be developed that is capable of identifying deviations from the proposed action and any important unanticipated impacts. A monitoring plan should be developed to track project and program development and compare real impacts with projected ones. It should spell out (to the degree possible) the nature and extent of additional steps that should take place when unanticipated impacts or impacts larger than the projections occur. Monitoring programs are particularly necessary for projects and programs that lack detailed information or that have high variability or uncertainty. It is important to recognize, in advance, the potential for "surprises" that may lie completely outside the range of options considered by the SHIA. If monitoring procedures cannot be adequately implemented, then mitigation agreements should acknowledge the uncertainty faced in implementing the decision. It's generally only at this stage that the community or affected group has the influence to "get it in writing." The development and implementation of a grievance mechanism will allow for future recording and monitoring of social issues which may arise during the exploration activities. An independent party may be commissioned to monitor the overall impacts of the oil seismic survey. 9.0 CONCLUSION The proposed project’s three exploration blocks are located in the Shilabo Region of Eastern Ethiopia, and covers the administrative zones of Qorhey, Warder and Shabelle (formerly known as Gode) and the woredas of Shilabo, Warder, Bookh, Geladin and Ferfer. The proposed seismic exploration activities are located in the Shilabo, Warder and Geladin woredas. The project area generally is sparsely populated, though small villages/hamlets are situated throughout the three blocks. Accurate statistics on population numbers does not appear to be available, with the most recent available population numbers projected from the 2007 census. The population is mostly of the Somali cultural grouping, and the predominant livelihood in the project area is pastoralism. Whilst goats and sheep account for the largest number of livestock that are kept, camels and cattle (in certain areas) are also kept. The number of camels that are kept by a household indicates the status and wealth of the household. Traditionally, the pastoralists were nomadic in order to find grazing for the livestock. With the reported drought and increasing pressure on water sources, households have settled closer to reliable water sources. The water sources primarily constitute shallow hand dug wells and Birkas, which are shared between households and livestock. Water is considered the most valuable resource for households in this area and therefore community’s greatest need. Stakeholder consultation indicated that generally, authorities and communities are supportive of the proposed project. However, the authorities and communities cautioned that previous seismic exploration activities resulted in damages to Birkas, and recommended that a distance from these structures be kept during seismic exploration. The following potential socio-economic and health and health impacts were identified: Employment creation; Damage to property; Safety risks to communities and livestock; Economic benefits; Demand for supplies and pressure on infrastructure; Impacts on health and livelihoods; Change in sense of place; Increased safety and development opportunities; and
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Potential human right risks. Most of the abovementioned impacts are assessed as to be of low socio-economic and health impact significance and therefore no mitigation measures are proposed. Safety risks to communities and potential human rights risks are considered of moderate socio-economic and health impact significance, and can be mitigated through measures described in Section 6.0 and 7.0 and in in Delonex’s risk assessment on Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR).. Based on the IFC guidelines, Golder recommends that Delonex consider: Development of a Community Health, Safety and Security Plan for the exploration phase of the project; When working in the vicinity of communities, drivers need to be extra aware of potential safety hazards. Training of drivers will need to include traffic risks arising from communities and livestock. Delonex should undertake an assessment of transport impacts on local communities and where practical, implement appropriate road safety mitigation measures.; and Development and implementation of a grievance redress mechanism which also acts as a monitoring and evaluation tool for the duration of the project; 10.0 REFERENCES Central Statistical Agency.Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2011.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, IFC International Calverton, Maryland, USA. March 2012. CHF International: Ethiopia Needs Assessment Report Somali Region – Gode and Warder Zones. February 2012. Pexco Exploration (East Africa) N. V, Environmental Impact Assessment Study for Blocks 18, 19 and 21 for Seismic Exploration- In Somalia Regional State (Draft Report), Addis Resources Development PLC (ARDCO), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 2008.
RPS Energy. Aeromagnetic Survey Environmental Social Risk Evaluation Report Phase 1 and 2 (Performed by RPS Energy on behalf of Delonex). Delonex Energy, September 2014. UNHCR Statistics.UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2002. Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/4a07e87d6.html. viewed 7 January 2015. 2 September 2004. UNHCR 2015 country operations profile- Ethiopia.Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e483986.html. viewed 7 January 2015.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
Pierre Gouws Jon Bond Senior Social Specialist ESHIA Manager
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Reg. No. 2002/007104/07 Directors: SA Eckstein, RGM Heath, SC Naidoo, GYW Ngoma
Golder, Golder Associates and the GA globe design are trademarks of Golder Associates Corporation.
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APPENDIX A Document Limitations
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DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
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APPENDIX B Minutes of meetings
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MINUTES
Project No: 1417543 Date: 19 January 2015
ACTION
1. PRESENT Abdi Fatah Shuar – Administration Head Farax Mahamud – Community Leader Abdi Mahamed Farah – Community Leader Ahmed Cige – Community Leader Muhumed Farah – Community Leader Demi Abera – JEMA consulting Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates Tite Demba – Delonex Energy Jon Bond – Golder Associates Tsegaye Talila – JEMA consulting CLO – Delonex Energy (translator) Germai – Delonex Energy (translator)
2. APOLOGIES None
3. MINUTES The CLO from Delonex introduced the community leaders and the representative of the administrative head of the woreda.
Tite introduced the ESHIA team and explained the purposes of the meeting.
The ESHIA team members introduced themselves and their disciplines to the meeting participants.
Jon Bond provided a brief explanation of the project, including the clearing of seismic lines, the operation of the vibrator trucks, the process of ESHIA and the approval authority.
The administrative head representative thanked the participants for meeting. He indicated that Shilabo has a high population density. The main needs of the people are health, water and education. He indicated that he hopes that Delonex will continue engaging with them and that the community representatives are ready to work with Delonex.
The traditional leaders expressed their gratitude for Delonex to engage with them – this is the first time that exploration companies have come to meet with them. There is a need to receive feedback after the surveys have been completed. They indicated hope that Delonex find oil and gas so that the benefits can come – development in this woreda is needed. There are 30,000 people, it’s a large area. There is inadequate road transport. We need better water infrastructure – there are lots of livestock that need water. We have many diseases such as malaria from the “birkas”. We request that a water sample is taken from the shallow wells to test as we are worried that this water makes livestock sick.
The other community leader expressed gratitude for the meeting, and
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requested that the community is supported with water projects. There is another Chinese company that is also doing exploration but they have not consulted with the community leaders.
The third community elder also expressed gratitude for the meeting, and indicated that they know that Delonex cares about the community as Delonex does not want to affect Shilabo town’s water sources – rather Delonex abstracts water for the camps from another area.
Demie asked about potential positive and negative impacts they foresee from the proposed project, and how these can be mitigated. The elder indicated that the development oil and gas energy reserves will allow for other development such as water infrastructure, electricity and shelter (housing). There will also be employment opportunities, and a market for selling of livestock products can be created. Negative impacts will include land degradation – the clearing of vegetation, which will affect both livestock and humans. There also may be spillover of waste products, increased competition over scarce resources such as water, and there may be noise and dust created as a result of traffic. He suggested that it is critical that there needs to be good communication and consultation between the community, the community leaders and Delonex in order to mitigate these impacts.
Regarding cultural heritage, the elders responded that there are no known sites of archeological or cultural heritage significance in the Shilabo Woreda. The main concern is that cemetaries should be avoided. There are 3 in Shilabo.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 20 January 2015
Informal focus group at Dherilay Kebele (Warder Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT Tite Demba (Community Development Manager – Delonex) Pierre Gouws (Senior Social Scientist – Golder) Demie Abera (Senior Social Scientist – JEMA) Germai (Translator, Delonex)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced the team and the purpose of the visit.
The village chairman welcomed the visitors.
There are about 100 households in the village. The village was established about 20 years ago. It is the father of the chairman who found the village. People in the village are all pastoralists, keeping goat, camels, cows. Camels are used for transportation as well as milk. The male camels are sold to earn money to buy foodstuff and clothes. Food is purchased from Somalia – Bosaso. Cross-border trading is common in the area. There is not school in the village but education is provided by a non-qualified teacher under a shaded area. There is a health post but there is no health professional or medicine. The major diseases in the area are malaria, water borne diseases, anemia and tuberculosis. There are no maternity services in the village. There are no cultural heritage or archeological sites in the villages. Females and children look after sheep and goats, males look after the camels and watering livestock from the borehole.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 14175632 Date: 20 January 2015
Meeting in Elbay (Warder Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT Abid Sheka – Village Chairman Cabdi Aden – Village Elder Galayah Gohad – Village Elder Hasan Mahamed – Village Elder Abdi Risad – Village Elder Abdulahi Adan – Village Elder Ali Abdi – Village Elder Demie Abera – JEMA consulting Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates Germai – Delonex Energy (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite and Pierre introduced the team and the project to the chairman and elders.
The chief indicated that they are very appreciative of any potential development that can occur, as well as the previous development that occurred from previous companies. Scarcity of water is the biggest problem in the area. There are not many water sources, they have many wells but many are dry. In the rainy season the wells are full but in the dry season the water is not safe for drinking. People and cattle are getting sick from the water. There are about 7,000 – 8,000 people in this Kebele. People don’t treat or boil water. Sanitation is also a big problem. There is also no medicine for cattle. The security of the area is fine though. It is important to have a company that finds oil. There are no sacred sites or cultural sites in the area – the people here are Muslim so the only sites of significance are the cemeteries.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 20 January 2015
Meeting in Fedigerable (Shilabo Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT Ferhan Alkadir Gurea – Village Chief Dahir Awale – Village Elder Mohamed Egale – Village Elder Adule Herise – Village Elder Demie Abera – JEMA consulting (senior social scientist) Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates (senior social scientist) Tite Dema – Delonex Energy (community development manager) Germai – Delonex Energy (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Pierre and Tite introduced the team and the project.
The participants welcomed the team to the area. The most important need in the community is water, followed by medicine. The community is aware of oil exploration projects over the last 70 years. The village itself stretches for about 70 km with a population of about 20,000 people. They use a shallow well in the dry season for water, and a birka in the wet season. When the water starts to run dry they truck water in from Balabali in Somalia. Water costs about 8,000 birr for 1,000 litres.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 20 January 2015
Informal focus group discussion at Los Anot ACTION
1. PRESENT Jemel Alkedir Gulet – Village Chairman Head of water administration in Woreda (no name) Demie Abera – JEMA consulting Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates Germai Segeye – Delonex Energy (translator) Tite Demba – Delonex Energy (Community Development Manager)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite and Pierre introduced the project and the team.
There is a large water tank in this village that runs from a generator, drawing water from a borehole. The government installed the tank and water generator, fuel and maintenance costs are obtained through charging for livestock to drink water. Camels drink water every 7 days, and they pay 2 birr per head. Goat drinks water every 3 days, they pay 0.5 birr per head. Cow drinks water every 3 days, and they pay 1 birr per head. This money is placed in a savings account. It takes about one hour to fill the water tank. This village has about 27,000 people and falls under Shilabo woreda. The only NGO that works in the area is International Rescue Committee (IRC) who do maintenance of water supply infrastructure. The first time they came was today. The reservoir was non-functional at the time of our visit. The community mentioned there are no archaeological or cultural heritage sites, except the cemeteries which need to be avoided.
En route to Los Anot we saw a privately owned birka. They charge 2 birr per goat to drink water there. The owner lives in Los Anot. The birka has been standing for less than a year. This is a well constructed birka – it reportedly cost 7,000 USD to build.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 21 January 2015
Meeting with Warder Woreda Administration ACTION
1. PRESENT Mohamed Youis – Acting Head of Woreda Administration Ahmed Abdi – Acting head of Finance and Economic Division Arab Muhamed Abdalahi – Acting Head of Agriculture Muhamed Abdi – Head of Health Bureau Jama Abdulahi – Acting Head of Education Tite Demba – Delonex Energy Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates Stuart McGowan – Golder Associates Jonathan Bond – Golder Associates Demie Abera – JEMA consulting Germai Tsegaye – Delonex Energy (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced the Delonex and ESHIA team and explained the purpose of the visit. Pierre Gouws introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
The administration welcomed the visitors and thanked them for their time.
The total population in the woreda is ~80,730. The population is mostly rural (85%), with about 15% urban. Most depend on livestock as a means of livelihood (95%), with the remainder earning a living from other areas.
Most people use hand dug wells – there are 2,000 wells in the woreda. There are 3 boreholes in the town.
Most people move towards the permanent water wells which may lead to conflict. Delonex can use water from Mir Khalif or Elale.
The maintenance of the boreholes is conducted by the government, whilst fuel is handled by the community.
Education There are 54 schools, of which 30 are formal, 13 are ABE, 6 are informal schools. Total there are 23,050 students, comprising 12818 are male and 10,200 are female. There are also 333 teachers, 41 with “first” degree (BA/BSc), 17 have a diploma, 130 have TTI, and 96 have alternative base training.
Agriculture The woreda has about 1,324,000 livestock, mostly goat and sheep. There are about 10,000-20,000 camels in the woreda. Cash is mostly obtained through selling goat and sheep. There are 20 veterinary health posts. There is a small scale farming area around Warder town. There are 35 employees, 8 in the office, 2 have natural science first degree, 19 animal science graduates and 10
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community animal health workers.
Health The woreda has 21 health posts, 3 health centers. There are 22 health extension workers, of which 16 are male and 6 are female. There are also 12 female nurses and 36 male nurses, all at diploma level. The total number of health professionals is reported as 50. 30% of the population have access to health services. There are 3 health posts under construction. The existing health infrastructure needs maintenance. There is 1 hospital in Warder town. The 10 main diseases (from most common to less common): Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI), Urinary Tract Infection (URI), Gastritis, Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI), Diarrhoea, Trauma, Intestinal Parasites, STIs, Anemia, Eye infections.
Finance Source of budget is local government revenue and block grants. The woreda budget is 32,041,089 birr – comprising salaries (22,505,065 birr), operation (5,820,752 birr), capital (32,241,089 birr).
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 21 January 2015
ACTION
1. PRESENT Malow Ibrahim Cabdi – Zone deputy administrator Abdiwadi Yahed – ESPDP Head in Doblo Zone Demie Abera – JEMA consulting Tsegaye Talila – JEMA consulting Germai Tsegaye – Delonex Energy Tite Demba – Delonex Energy Jon Bond – Delonex Energy Stuart McGowan – Golder Associates
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite Demba introduced the team and the purpose of the visit.
Stuart McGowan provided an overview of the proposed project.
The administrator welcomed everyone and thanked Delonex for returning after previous visits in December.
There is a shortage of water in the zone. There are privately owned birkas, 90% of the community uses water from the hand dug wells. Sharing of information is very important. The zone administrator expressed their commitment and support to Delonex in the ESHIA study and future works.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 22 January 2015
Meeting in Bilmidigan (Warder Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT Shiil Taabile – Village Chairman Cali Hasan Warfar – Community Leader Chaali Maled Hasle – Community Leader Cawaale Faandhe – Community Leader Taani Nuur Hali – Community Leader Dayah Shi Doon – Community Leader Shiikhe Cabdi Shi – Community Leader Ahmad Haadi Owcaldi – Community Leader Aadan Mahamed Nuu – Community Leader
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduces the Delonex and Golder teams and thanks the community for availing time for the meeting. Pierre introduces the project and the ESHIA process.
The chairman indicates that the community is well aware of the exploration that is undertaken and occurring. They expect that employment opportunities will be provided to them and that vehicle rentals can occur from the local community. The seismic lines are also useful to use as roads to connect villages. Negative impacts include drying up of water wells. No compensation was given for the loss of water sources during previous seismic surveys. They would like to know whether there are any community development initiatives for this exploration project. There is a borehole, but not reservoir to accumulate water. There is also no water trough for animals. There is a health post that could deliver adequate medical services. Several studies were conducted in the past with no feedback to communities. The main development priorities are water, health and schools.
The kebele was established about 25 years ago, and houses about 30,000 people. Because the area has a permanent water source, different people come from across the area to use the water. Women have little involvement in political decision making. There are no cultural or archeological centers in the kebele.
When students finish primary school, they leave school as there is no high school in the locality.
They report that there is no to very little cash flow in the area as cross border trade has been banned.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 21 January 2015
Informal focus group at Dherilay Kebele (Warder Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT 3 community members, including village chairman Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates Demie Aberra – JEMA Germai Seggaye – Delonex (translator) Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced the team and the purpose of the visit.
The village chairman welcomed the visitors.
There are about 100 households in the village. The village was established about 20 years ago. It is the father of the chairman who found the village. People in the village are all pastoralists, keeping goat, camels, cows. Camels are used for transportation as well as milk. The male camels are sold to earn money to buy foodstuff and clothes. Food is purchased from Somalia – Bosaso. Cross-border trading is common in the area. There is not school in the village but education is provided by a non-qualified teacher under a shaded area. There is a health post but there is no health professional or medicine. The major diseases in the area are malaria, water borne diseases, anemia and tuberculosis. There are no maternity services in the village. There are no cultural heritage or archeological sites in the villages. Females and children look after sheep and goats, males look after the camels and watering livestock from the borehole.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 22 January 2015
Community meeting in Elale ACTION
1. PRESENT Mahamed Armush – Village Chairman Jammal Diriye – Community Leader Agaad Warsam – Community Leader Ucasis Ulaahi Cah – Community Leader Cawil Guuled Gule – Community Leader Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Demie Abera – JEMA Germai Seggaye – Delonex (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
The majority of the people in the area use water from unprotected sources such as hand dug wells. Due consideration is required to protect wells from collapsing and to protect the catchment area of birkats. Male community members spend most of their time chewing chat. Unemployment rate is high. The previous oil exploration company working in the area worked in close consultation with the community. The company brought employment from other areas such as Mir Khalif. The previous oil exploration company could not undertake any effective community development, even though they tried to construct birkats. Water is the main need of the community. The community also requests the company to rent vehicles from the local area and provide employment opportunities to local people. They also request that the company adopts a right-based development approach. The community also require medical services and schools as many children do not attend school. The community uses the seismic lines as roads in the project area. There is definitely population movement towards the village (inmigration) for services. In the kebele there is one health center. There is one elementary and one high school with 560 students and 8 teachers. The high school is up to grade 9. In the area there is bimodal rainfall - the main rain season starts in April and the second rain season starts in September. Almost all the people are pastoralists, except a few people who run small businesses. In the village there is no recorded or known cultural heritage or archaeological sites.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 22 January 2015
Women’s focus group discussion – Solole (Warder Woreda) ACTION
1. PRESENT 3 women Demie Aberra – Jema Consulting Tite Demba – Delonex Energy Germai Tsegaye – Delonex Energy (translator) Pierre Gouws – Golder Associates
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite and Germai introduced the team and the purpose of the visit.
The women welcomed the team to the village.
Women in the area take care of the children and undertake small trade to earn a living. They are well aware of the oil exploration that is ongoing. The village faces problems with lack of medicine for humans and livestock. There is a shortage of water during the dry season. They pay 100 birr for 200 litres of water when purchasing from the water tanker. Somalian and Ethiopian currency is used interchangeably. Cross-border trade is banned by the government at the moment. The women report having 9, 15 and 7 children each, averaging about 10 children per women. The woman of 32 years of age has 7 children.
The women commented that some people are sceptical that the exploration companies are not searching for oil but for other resources such as gold. Tite responded to indicate that Delonex is searching only for oil.
The women requested that water sources are provided through the exploration process.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 24 January 2015
Meeting with Bookh Community Elders ACTION
1. PRESENT Ali Warseme – Community Leader Ahmed Arudef – Community Leader Shobe Hasaru – Community Leader Mahmed Hirse – Community Leader Esman Hasen – Community Leader Mhamed Ulhorsame – Community Leader Hasaal Chama – Community Leader Ali Seid – Community Leader Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Demie Abera - JEMA Germai Seggaye – Delonex (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
They are bordering Somalia for the last 24 years. They request that companies rent vehicles from their community and provide local employment to them. Bush clearing has its own negative impacts on the feeding of camels and goats. They are willing to support the company for oil exploration undertakings. Water is a significant issue for the community. During the previous seismic exploration, some birkats were damaged and the previous company did not repair or compensate these birkats. In the past 17 years, several companies engaged in oil exploration from various parts of the world. Delonex is the first company who consults the community leaders. Collaboration is required on security matters as there may be intruders from the neighbouring Somalia. There may be risk that there is shooting at the plane unless security is provided.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 24 January 2015
Meeting with Bookh Woreda Administration ACTION
1. PRESENT Abdi Maelin Bashir – Acting Head of Woreda Administration Mohamed Aden Talui – Head of Health Office Atesh Mohamed Hassen – Parlama Office Ahmed Kader Ahmed – Revenue Office Head Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Demie Aberra – JEMA Germai Seggaye – Delonex (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
The administration highlighted that close consultation and discussion with the administration and community is important because it’s adjacent to the Somali border for security. There are 6 boreholes in the woreda, of which 4 are functional. There are 3,056 functional birkats, 313 non-functional birkats. The cost to construction 600m3 birkat is estimated at 500,000 birr. The woreda has 15 main kebeles and 16 sub-kebeles. The community has interest in whether oil is available in the area. It is good to inform community members of the aerial surveys as the planes will be flying low and some community members may be frightened. There are about 123,236 people in the woreda, 47 schools out of which 4 are high schools, 30 is grade 1-8, 15 are ABE, including 28,075 students of which15,610 are male and 12,456 are female. There are 357 teachers.
There are 5 health centers, 12 health posts, 68 staff comprising 11 with first degree, 22 have diploma, 23 are health extension workers, 2 public health workers and 11 administrative staff.
There are 5 animal posts in the woreda. The total number of animals vaccinated are: Camels: 152,315 Goats: 140,700 Donkeys: 6
Regarding conflict resolution, the communities have their own conflict resolution mechanisms. If someone is killed, the guilty has to pay 120 camels to reconcile. The reconciliation is mediated by the community leaders.
The negative impacts of the project may include the clearing of vegetation, and the risk of birkats collapsing and the blockage of the catchment area of birkats. The positive impacts are that the seismic lines serve as roads.
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The town has electricity from a generator.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 24 January 2015
Meeting with Geladi Woreda Administration ACTION
1. PRESENT Mahamed Abdulah Hassah – Acting Head of Woreda Administration Mohunu Mohamad Ahmed – Office of Justice Tite Demba – Delonex (Community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Demie Abera – JEMA Germai Tseggaye – Delonex (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
It is in the interest of the woreda to support the oil exploration undertaking. In the woreda there are 35 kebeles, out of which 4 kebeles border Somalia. There has been oil exploration for the past 70 years so the communities are aware of oil exploration. They expect community development initiatives as prior companies have constructed schools, and provided medicine and drilled water points.
The administration will inform all the communities in the woreda. They request continued consultation between administration and Delonex. They request local employment, renting of vehicles from the local area and support to the local economy. The seismic lines connect villages that were previously not connected. Some birkats have collapsed during previous seismic exploration activities. Because the area is conflict prone, especially the ones bordering Somalia, care must be taken in the area.
The total population is 117,342. There are 51 schools, of which 38 is formal, 10 ABE. There are 8 veterinary health posts, and 23 human health posts. There 3 human health posts under construction. There are 7 boreholes of which 6 are functional.
The total number of livestock is 1,000,000, comprising: Goats: 392,477 Sheep: 300,500 Camel: 275,365 Cattle: 21,343 Donkey: 21,343
Major diseases are malaria and water borne diseases. GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417532 Date: 26 January 2015
Meeting with Gode/Shebele Zone Administration and Ferfer Woreda ACTION
1. PRESENT Shanu Godane Dida – Zonal Public Service Abdirezak Mahamond – Shabelle Zone Agricultural Bureau Surafula Abram – Zonal Security Advisor Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Demie Abera – JEMA Germai Tseggaye – Delonex (translator) Jonathan Bond – Golder Tsegaye – JEMA
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
The zonal officers provided information regarding Ferfer Woreda to the ESHIA team and indicated that they can speak on behalf of Ferfer Woreda. The zonal officers also indicated that they will provide information on the project to Ferfer Woreda officials.
Most of the population in the area are pastoralists. There are a few engaged in agricultural activities.
The water supply for Ferfer is from the Wabe Shabale river.
There are no cultural heritage or archeological sites registered in the Shebelle zone.
The population of Ferfer woreda is 46,280 (projected) of which are 21,702 males and 24,528 females. 85.7% live in the rural area, 14.36% live in urban area. The Wabi-Shebelle river is the major water source for the agro- pastoralists, whilst pastoralists get water from hand dug wells and constructed birkats.
Agricultural and livestock production is the backbone of the economy with an estimated livestock population of 636,125 comprising cattle, sheeps, goats, camel and donkey. The major crops that are produced are cereals (maize and sorghum), pulses (cowpea), oil crops (sesame), horticulture (banana, papaya, mango, watermelon, onion, tomatoes etc).
There are 15 ABE schools, 17 formal schools, 2 high schools, totalling 34 schools. There are 7,040 boys, 3,686 girls totalling 10,723 pupils. The total number of teachers are 146, comprising 124 males and 22 females. There
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are78 classrooms. The education coverage is 80%.
There are 9 animal health posts, with 1 animal health assistant, 5 animal health technicians, 5 community animal health workers, with a veterinary coverage of 32.5% in the Ferfer woreda.
There are 2 health centers, 15 health posts – 14 functional and 1 non- functional. There are 2 health officers, 3 BSc Nursing, 6 clinical nurses, 1 midwife, 1 pharmacist, 3 lab technicians, 13 health extension workers, 3 public health workers, totalling 32 health professionals.
The woreda borders Somalia, which requires due attention for security matters.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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Project No: 1417543 Date: 26 January 2015
Meeting with Qorhey Zone Administration ACTION
1. PRESENT Yusuf Aden Yusuf – Head of Zone Administration Tite Demba – Delonex (community development manager) Pierre Gouws – Golder Jonathan Bond – Golder Demie Abera – JEMA Tsegaye – JEMA Germai Tsegaye – Delonex (translator)
2. APOLOGIES
3. MINUTES Tite introduced Delonex and the ESHIA team. Pierre introduced the project and the ESHIA process.
The head of the zone emphasised that close consultation is required between the project and the administration. Exploration has been undertaken for the last 70 years, which has benefitted the local population. There is a demand from the community for construction of schools, health institutions and water supply schemes.
Community awareness creation is important regarding the potential benefits of the exploration. There is a need for water supply, health and schools in Shilabo. There are about 500,000 people living in Qorhey zone.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD.
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APPENDIX C Legislative and policy framework
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POLICY, LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS Considerations of relevant policies and strategies are very essential in examining environmental aspects and harmonize with the overall development goal of the country. The Government of Ethiopian has enacted a number of policies and strategies for addressing the ecological and socioeconomic demands of the country. Under this section; relevant policy, legal and institutional frames in addressing the environmental aspects of the project area are addressed. Policy Frameworks Environmental Policy: The Environmental Policy of Ethiopia (EPE, 1997), provides a number of guiding principles that require strong adherences to sustainable development. The policy states that; the Environmental Assessment (EA) needs to ensure, impacts on human and natural environments, early considerations of environmental impacts in projects and programs design, public consultation, considerations of mitigation measures, environmental management and monitoring plans, environmental auditing, legal binding requirements, institutionalization, etc. Health Policy: As in other sectors, the government of Ethiopia issued a national health policy in September 1993. The policy addresses critical health problems through identifying their nature, magnitude, and root causes of the prevailing health problems of the country. It gives especial emphasis to the rural population, which constitute the overwhelming majority of the nation. The policy aims at considering health development as not only humanitarian aspects but also as an essential component of social and economic development packages of the country. It protects and promotes populations’ health and ensures friendly and healthy environment by controlling those environmental factors which are the direct and indirect causes for spread of environmental health related diseases such as water based and water related diseases through: Ensuring pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals are properly stored, handled, transported, applied and disposed of in a manner that does not cause health risks, Establish effective monitoring mechanisms for the control of environmental pollution (water, soil, air, food, noise, etc.) and also Conduct and participate actively in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of proposed development projects, etc. Legal Frameworks The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia: The 1995 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia provides the overriding principles and legal provisions for all legislative frameworks in the country. Articles 43, 44 and 92 of the constitution address sustainable development, environmental rights and environmental objectives. Article 43: the Right to development. The article recognizes that peoples have right to: Improved living standards and to sustainable development; Participate in national development and, in particular, to be consulted with respect to policies and projects affecting them; Capacities to development to meet their basic needs. Article 44: Environmental Rights. The article indicates that all persons are entitled to: Live in a clean and healthy environment; Compensation, including relocation with adequate state assistance Article 92: Environmental Objectives. The article addresses that: Government shall ensure that all Ethiopians live in a clean and healthy environment;
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Programs and projects design shall not damage or destroy the environment; Peoples have the right to full consultation and expression of views; Government and citizens have the duty to protect the environment. The constitutional provisional serves as the guiding principles for all activities with potential environmental impacts and promote environmental protections activities. Proclamation on public health: The public health proclamation number 200/2000 of the country prohibits activities that disturb water quality of an area. The proclamation also addresses waste handling and disposal. It states as “no person shall dispose solid, liquid or any waste in a manner which contaminants the environment or affects public health. The same proclamation also entitled that any person who happens to know existence of communicable disease in his/her vicinity has a duty to report immediately to the nearest health service institution. Therefore, the proclamation provides bases for protection of environmental health and sanitation by the public itself. Environmental Framework Legislation: There are proclamations that are aimed to foster environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources of the country. The relevant four proclamations which are directly related to general environmental protection activities are included. 1) Proclamation on Establishment of Environmental Protection Organs: The Environmental Protection Authority, EPA, was established with a Proclamation No. 9/1995 and also re-established by Proclamation No.295/2002 as an autonomous public institution of the Federal Government of Ethiopia that is entrusted with the protection and conservation of natural resources of the country. The proclamations stipulate need to establish a system that enables to foster coordinated but differentiated responsibilities among environmental protection agencies at Federal and Regional levels. The proclamation requires the establishment of Sect oral and Regional Environmental Units and agencies, respectively. This shows that institutionalizing and mainstreaming environmental concerns has a legal foundation.
2) Proclamation on Environmental Impact Assessment: Protection and control of environmental impacts due to development plans and any other that has potential impacts on natural environment need to be studied to propose management tools that helps in maintaining the environmental objectives of the country. The Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation No. 299/2002 laid bases for harmonizing possible adverse impacts of such man-made and/or natural environmental aspects with the environment through assessing positive and negative impacts. Impact assessment shall be conducted on the basis of the size, location, nature, cumulative effect, trans-regional context, duration, reversibility or irreversibility or other related effects. 1) The Environmental Impact Assessment guideline (EPA, 2000): The guideline created enabling bases for including ecological, social and economical aspects that help in attaining environmental sustainability of the planned development activities or natural phenomena that has potential impacts. The guideline provides details of the EIA process such as; screening, scoping, impacts identification and evaluation, developing environmental management and monitoring plans, alternatives consideration, reporting structure, review and approval processes. The EIA study and approvals processes are intended to pass through the following EIA application processes shown in Figure 2.1.
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Figure 2.1 EIA Application Process
EIA Application Process 1) Proclamation on Environmental Pollution Control: Environmental Pollution Control Proclamation No. 300/2002 is promulgated with a view to eliminate or, when not possible to mitigate pollution as an undesirable consequence of social and economic development activities. The proclamation provides basis from which the relevant ambient environmental standards applicable to Ethiopia can be developed, and to make the violation of these standards a punishable act. By the proclamation, EPA is mandated for conducting Environmental Inspections to ensure implementation and enforcement of environmental standards and related requirements. This proclamation is one of the basic legal
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documents, which need to be observed as corresponding to effective EA administration. The proclamation helps in administering environmental pollution of the lake level rise and expansion areas. Institutional and Administrative Frameworks The Proclamation for the Establishment of Environmental Protection Organs, No. 295/2002, was issued a series of institutional mandates that extend powers and duties of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Council (EPC) beyond those defined in the enabling legislation frameworks down to lower administrative levels. National Environmental Institutional Frameworks The administrative structure of the country is based on a Federal System that has nine regional states and two special city administrations. At national level, the environmental protection activities are directed through three levels of institutional arrangements; the Environmental Protection Council, the Environmental Protection Authority and the Inter-ministerial Commissions coordinating mechanisms. 1) Environmental Protection Council The proclamation for the establishment of the Environmental Protection Authority establishes Environmental Protection Council to ensure integration of environmental concerns with development policies, strategies and plans as well as coordination among sectors. The council is composed of Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Mines, Commissioner of Science and Technology, Minister of Water Resources and Energy and The General Manager of Environmental Protection Authority.
2) Environmental Protection Authority Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is the competent environmental agency at the Federal level in the country with one of its objectives, Article 5, indicating that the authority is established: To ensure that all social and economic activities are carried out in a manner that will protect the welfare of human beings as well as sustainably protects, develops and utilizes the resources base on which they depend for survival. It also indicates that EPA is aimed at providing for the protection and conservation of the broad Ethiopian environment, through formulation of policies, strategies, laws and standards, which foster social and economic development of the country in a manner that enhances the welfare of humans and the safety of the environmental sustainability to ensure that proper mitigating measures be designed and implemented for conditions with adverse effects on the environment.
3) Inter-ministerial Commissions and Coordinating Mechanisms Besides the Environmental Protection Authority and the Environmental Protection Council, there are a number of inter-ministerial commissions that are established in the form of standing national committees and boards to deliberate upon issues relevant to their functional areas. These committees and boards facilitate cooperation and coordination among different government ministries, authorities, commissions and NGOs and other relevant organizations regarding issues related to Ethiopian environmental conditions.
Regional Environmental Protection Agencies EPA proclamation No.295/2002 states that each National Regional States shall establish an independent Regional Environmental Agency or designate an existing agency based on the Ethiopian Environmental Policy and Conservation Strategy to ensure the environmental protection activities and environmental impact assessment. The national provisions indicate that Federal EPA devolves responsibilities to the regional environmental body, especially for projects that fully fall under the jurisdiction of the Regional Governments. In the light of this, the regional environmental body is entitled to coordinate the formulation, implementation, review and revision of regional conservation strategies, and also environmental monitoring, protection and regulation. The proclamation also states that regional environmental agencies shall ensure implementation of federal
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environmental standards or, as may be appropriate, issue and implement their own no less stringent standards. Generally, the country has proactive basic policy and legislative frameworks on environmental protection and management activities to reconcile the development need of the country with the environmental requirements on efficient basis and helps in promoting sustainable development of the country.
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Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd. P.O. Box 6001 Halfway House, 1685 Building 1, Golder House, Magwa Crescent West Maxwell Office Park, cnr. Allandale Road and Maxwell Drive Waterfall City Midrand, 1685 South Africa T: [+27] (11) 254 4800
20 February 2015
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: CULTURAL HERITAGE
ESHIA for 2D Seismic Surveying in Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area, Ethiopia
Submitted to:
Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 3rd floor Mekwor Plaza Debrezeit Road Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Report Number: 1417532-13394-8 Distribution:
REPORT 1 Copy Delonex Energy Ethiopia Ltd 1 Copy Golder Associates UK 1 Copy Golder Associates Africa (Pty) Ltd Digital Library
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: CULTURAL HERITAGE
Executive Summary
An assessment of the potential effects of the proposed Delonex project (the Project) on cultural heritage is presented in this chapter. The focus of the assessment is on cultural heritage sites within the region proposed for oil exploration in the Somali Region of Ethiopia encompassing temporary survey camp(s); 2D seismic survey corridors (totalling ~940 km in length); and civil works as necessary for access and operations in the project area. The study of the baseline cultural heritage environment was completed in February 2015. The study of cultural heritage encompasses all elements as defined by International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards guidelines and Ethiopian law including: archaeology, palaeontology, historic sites, burials, cemeteries, religious and sacred places together with any related immaterial (intangible) heritage. Disturbance within the Project area has the potential to permanently remove legally protected, unique cultural heritage features of high local sensitivity and research value. Due to time constraints and security and logistical concerns a cultural heritage specialist was not present during any on site baseline fieldwork. The baseline cultural heritage environment was therefore collected through desk-based research, in conjunction with an Ethiopian archaeological specialist, supplemented by data gathered on-site by the Socio-Economic team. Existing archaeological research in the region is very limited. Records for the Warder Zone entail Middle and Late Stone Age artefacts / stone tools (lithic flakes, blades and scrapers) indicative of past occupation phases, particularly during grassland, bush and mosaic forest environments of the late Pleistocene/Mid Stone Age. These may provide evidence for the evolution of modern humans, the beginnings of pastoralism and diaspora, through the Horn of Africa and beyond. These features likely constitute ‘non-replicable’ cultural heritage assets, as defined by IFC (2012). The potential for important Stone Age sites and associated surface scatter is likely to endure throughout the Project area which will pose a significant risk to the client without the implementation of further, targeted study and appropriate mitigation to manage accidental disturbance and destruction as set out below. Community consultation carried out by the Socio-Economic team at 16 settlements within the Project area has highlighted a potential for cemetery sites and mosques to exist within the permanently inhabited villages. These are unlikely to be affected by Project activities (which seek to avoid direct community impacts). There is however some potential for other cemetery sites (including roadside graves) outside of the permanently settled zones, related to the civil war and/or to abandoned villages. Further and ongoing consultation is recommended in this regard. Burials (high value) could be destroyed as a result of ground works (levelling, road widening) and vehicle-induced compaction. This will result in impact of very high/permanent severity. Mitigation measures for cultural heritage are suggested in accordance with best practice, Ethiopian and IFC guidelines. These should be incorporated into the Project’s Environmental, Social, and Health Management Plan (ESHMP). Archaeological mitigation recommendations include: Implementation of Delonex’s Chance Find Procedure (CFP). The CFP should be reviewed and finalised in consultation with Authority for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and a local archaeological specialist. The CFP will seek to manage and monitor all cultural heritage effects for the Project lifetime as required by International Finance Corporation Performance Standard 8 (2012) and Article 41 of Ethiopian Cultural Heritage Law (Proclamation No. 209/2000). The CFP should include provisions for a locally licenced archaeologist to oversee (i.e. remotely) the demarcation and clearance of the seismic survey corridors. The local archaeological expert will ensure the methodology detailed in Appendix B of the Chance Find Procedure is followed in order to ensure that archaeological artefacts and/or sites are identified and managed during Project implementation. In the event that an archaeological site is identified and preservation in situ is not possible (following discussions with Delonex with regard to possible avoidance) “preservation by record” through
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systematic recording (archaeological excavation) should be the recourse. Such work, where required, will be described in appropriate detailed work programmes and specifications to be prepared by the cultural heritage specialist. To meet the requirements of Ethiopian law this work should be carried out by a suitably qualified person under a licence for archaeological survey. Cultural mitigation recommendations include: Enhancement or demarcation/ protection of the environmental setting for cultural sites close to construction / operation areas e.g. through planting/screening and demarcation of areas to be avoided (e.g. by noisy, dust-inductive) site vehicles; and Maintaining community access to sites (if identified) and facilitating respect for local intangible cultural heritage, tradition and taboo will ensure that the negative socio-cultural effects are effectively managed – regular platforms for community liaison are recommended in this regard (provisions to be made within the ESHMP). Other, site specific mitigation may be required as the infrastructure is finalised. The details of such mitigation should be prepared for inclusion within the CFP. As preparation works and environmental studies are presently ongoing at the Project area there is also potential for the disturbance of previously unidentified cultural heritage materials.
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List of Acronyms
AD Anno Domini ARCCH Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage BC Before Christ CFP Chance Find Procedure CRCCH Centre for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage EMP Environmental Management Plan ESA Early Stone Age GPS Global Positioning System IFC International Finance Corporation LSA Late Stone Age
MSA Middle Stone Age Mya Million Years Ago
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Glossary
Archaeological Site: Any locality where traces of old human activities are evident (i.e., accumulation of artefacts, remains of buildings and structures, as well as the associated presence of organic elements, rock paintings, etc.); Chance Find Procedure: The chance find procedure is a project-specific procedure that outlines what will happen if previously unknown heritage resources, particularly archaeological resources, are encountered during project construction or operation (PS 8 Guidance Note, IFC 2012). Critical Cultural Heritage: The internationally recognised heritage of communities who use, or have used within living memory, the cultural heritage for long-standing purposes. It also applies to legally protected cultural heritage areas and those proposed for such designated status (IFC 2012). Cultural Heritage: Defined in accordance to IFC PS 8 (2012) and protected, in conjunction with their immediate setting, by Ethiopian Law (39/2000) - to include (i) tangible forms e.g. objects, pottery, sites and structures with archaeological (prehistoric), paleontological, historical, cultural, artistic or religious values; (ii) natural features which embody cultural values e.g. sacred groves, water bodies, rocks; and (iii) the intangible cultural heritage of communities e.g. folklore, festivals, ceremonies, music, drama, traditional taboos, oral history.
Field Survey: A non-intrusive walkover exercise to identify cultural heritage sites and related objects through visual surface inspection. Intangible Cultural Heritage: Any cultural heritage that can be seen and felt, including traditional practices, cultural norms and knowledge transmitted from one generation to the next, which communities or individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage e.g. belief systems, cultural taboos, songs and dances, language, medicinal knowledge (IFC, 2012 and Ethiopian Law 39/2000). Immovable Cultural Heritage: Cultural heritage attached to the ground with a foundation and which can be moved only by dismantling and shall include: paleontological and prehistoric archaeological sites; buildings, memorials and monuments; ancient settlements, burial places, cave paintings and inscriptions; and churches, mosques or other places of worship (Ethiopian Law 39/2000).
Non-Replicable Cultural Assets: Non-replicable cultural heritage may relate to the social, economic, cultural, environmental, and climatic conditions of past peoples, their evolving ecologies, adaptive strategies, and early forms of environmental management, where the (i) cultural heritage is unique or relatively unique for the period it represents, or (ii) cultural heritage is unique or relatively unique in linking several periods in the same site (IFC, 2012). Material Remains: Objects produced by man, as stone or iron instruments or artefacts, ceramics, kitchen remains, construction, building and works remains, amongst others. Moveable Cultural Heritage: cultural heritage not attached to the foundation and that can be moved from place to place easily and which are handed down from place to place, including: manuscripts, paintings, sculptures, archaeological and bone or other materials and palaeontological remains; written and graphic materials; coins; and ethnographic implement, ornament or other cultural object (Ethiopian Law 39/2000). Preservation in situ: To preserve in the same place where the archaeological material was found and within its primary or secondary context. Replicable Cultural Assets: tangible forms of cultural heritage that can themselves be moved to another location or that can be replaced by a similar structure or natural features to which the cultural values can be transferred by appropriate measures. Archaeological or historical sites may be considered replicable where the particular eras and cultural values they represent are well represented by other sites and/or structures (IFC, 2012).
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1.1 Background to the Project ...... 1
1.2 Description of the Project ...... 1
1.3 Scope of the Cultural Heritage Study ...... 1
2.0 LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND GUIDANCE ...... 3
2.1 Ethiopian legislation ...... 3
2.2 International Guidance ...... 4
2.2.1 International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards ...... 4
2.2.2 The Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage ...... 4
2.3 Applicable Permits to Work ...... 4
3.0 STUDY METHODOLOGY ...... 4
3.1 Delineation of the Local Study Area (LSA) ...... 5
3.2 Limitations ...... 5
4.0 RESULTS: THE BASELINE CULTURAL HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT ...... 6
4.1 Archaeological Resources ...... 6
4.2 Cultural Resources ...... 8
4.3 Site Significance ...... 9
5.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ...... 10
5.1 Impact Assessment Methodology ...... 10
5.2 Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment ...... 13
5.2.1 Impact Identification for Cultural Heritage – all Project Phases ...... 13
5.2.2 Cumulative Impacts to Cultural Heritage ...... 14
5.3 Risk Rating ...... 14
6.0 RECOMMENDED MITIGATION AND MONITORING ...... 14
6.1 Archaeological Mitigation ...... 15
6.2 Cultural Site Mitigation ...... 15
6.3 Monitoring ...... 16
7.0 CONCLUSIONS ...... 16
8.0 REFERENCES ...... 17
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TABLES Table 1: Summary of cultural heritage ESHIA Process for the Delonex Ethiopia Project ...... 2 Table 2: Documented Archaeological Investigations in the Project Region (after JD Clark, 1954) ...... 7 Table 3: Cultural Heritage Site Valuation Summary ...... 10 Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance ...... 12 Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) ...... 12 Table 6: Types of impact for cultural heritage ...... 13 Table 7: Potential impacts to cultural heritage ...... 13 Table 8: Environmental impact assessment matrix for Project ...... 14 Table 9: Monitoring plan for Cultural Heritage ...... 16
FIGURES Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks ...... 1 Figure 2: Settlements within the Project area ...... 5 Figure 3: Artefacts from the Hargeisa area: bifacial points: chert and quartzite (Clark, 1988) ...... 7
APPENDICES APPENDIX A Document Limitations APPENDIX B Chance Find Procedure (CFP)
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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Project Delonex Energy Ltd. (Delonex) is an upstream Oil & Gas operator involved in exploration activities in Central/ East Africa. The company is proposing to commence oil exploration in the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia. Exploration will entail a two dimensional (2D) seismic oil surveys over Blocks 18, 19, and 21 in the Abred-Ferfer area (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Project Location in relation to concession blocks 1.2 Description of the Project The total Block area is 29,865km2 with the current seismic survey covering approximately 30% of the Blocks. This seismic survey (the Project) will continue for a period of approximately six months with Golder’s ESHIA focusing on the 2D seismic activities that are proposed to commence in Q3 of 2015. The 2D survey program consists of ~17 seismic lines totalling approximately 940 km. This will involve the use of vibroseis trucks to generate ground energy in order to map oil & gas bearing geology along the seismic survey corridors. In summary, the Project constitutes the following key activities: Establishment of temporary survey camp(s); Undertaking a number of 2D seismic survey corridors; and Civil works as necessary for access and operations in the Project area. 1.3 Scope of the Cultural Heritage Study In accordance with requirements for external financing, Delonex is required to demonstrate that the proposed Project’s potential environmental, social and health impacts have been adequately considered,
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mitigated and managed. As far as Golder is aware, no previous comprehensive study of cultural heritage resources, by an appropriately qualified cultural heritage specialist, has been completed in the Project area. The purpose and scope of this specialist study is to characterise the baseline cultural heritage environment within the area potentially affected by the Project-related developments. In this context cultural heritage is nationally defined as: Anything tangible or intangible which is the product of creativity and labour of man in prehistoric and historic periods and which has major value in its scientific, historical, cultural artistic and handicraft content (The Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation of Ethiopia, No. 39, 2000) With reference to the International Finance Corporation’s definition of cultural heritage (IFC, PS8, 2012) and Ethiopian cultural heritage law (10/88), the following assets are considered: Archaeological Sites and Artefacts; Historic Structures and Districts; Cultural Landscapes; Cultural or Religious Sites; and Intangible Heritage Practice. The cultural heritage study had the following overarching aims: To conduct a baseline cultural heritage survey of a defined Project Area, incorporating land potentially affected by the Project and focusing on those cultural heritage assets listed above; and To assess potential impacts on the cultural heritage baseline environment arising from the proposed Project developments and propose measures to mitigate these impacts on cultural heritage. Due to local security and logistical issues the data relating to archaeological heritage was primarily restricted to that which could be accessed remotely. A comprehensive study of readily available resources detailing regional historical, archaeological and palaeontological baseline environment was undertaken. This literature review was complemented by a site visit by Golder’s Socio-Economic Team in late January 2015. In consultation with those communities local to the Project, the team sought to capture information on local cultural sites and intangible heritage. In addition, guidance and comment from an Ethiopian archaeologist familiar with the region, Dr Temesgen Burka (Assistant Archaeological Professor at Addis Ababa University), was also provided. The results of these work phases have been consolidated and incorporated into Section 4.0 of this report. Section 5.0 presents the impact assessment with Section 6.0 detailing the mitigation recommendations to follow. Table 1: Summary of cultural heritage ESHIA Process for the Delonex Ethiopia Project
Objectives Project phases Outline Method
Baseline: Review existing literature concerning cultural heritage pertinent to the Project area To characterise the baseline All cultural heritage environment Consult with the local community in order to identify and locate sites of cultural importance (e.g. sacred sites and graves) Record, photograph and map the locations of all
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cultural heritage assets found Undertake a valuation assessment to characterise the significance of the identified assets Impact Assessment: Identify cases where sites could be affected To assess the potential during construction or operation. Project-related on cultural All heritage Quantify these impacts with regard to the significance of the cultural heritage receptor and the magnitude of effects upon it. Mitigation Recommendations: To mitigate significant Propose cultural heritage mitigation to adequately Project-related impacts on All address Project impacts on cultural heritage cultural heritage resources in accordance with Ethiopian Law and IFC guidance.
2.0 LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND GUIDANCE 2.1 Ethiopian legislation The following national legislative instruments are applicable to this assessment: Petroleum Operations Legislation 295/1986, specifically Article 17 which requires the contractor to conduct his operations in a manner designed to protect anthropological, archaeological and historical objects and sites; and Proclamation No. 209/2000: Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, detailed below. The Proclamation to Provide for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage was established in 2000 to ensure the legal protection of both tangible and intangible features of Ethiopian cultural heritage. It is implemented by the Authority for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) in Addis Ababa. For purposes of the law, cultural heritage is defined as “anything tangible or intangible which is the product of creativity and labour of man in prehistoric and historic periods and which has major value in its scientific, historical, cultural artistic and handicraft content”. The law differentiates between ‘immoveable’ and ‘moveable’ features (article 7) and qualifies all cultural heritage assets newly discovered in Ethiopian territory as State property (article 21). The law states that immoveable cultural heritage1 must not be removed from its original site without the prior written approval of ARCCH. In addition, any person shall notify ARCCH before removing registered (i.e. documented) moveable heritage2 from its original site (article 21). Article 30 specifies that no person may conduct exploration, discovery or study of cultural heritage without obtaining prior written permit (license) from the ARCCH. Furthermore, in the event of fortuitous cultural heritage discovery (i.e. ‘chance finds’ during Project-related clearance activities), the find must be reported to the ARCCH and discovery should be protected until the Authority takes delivery and registration thereof (article 41).
1 “Cultural heritage attached to the ground with a foundation and which can only be moved by dismantling…including: paleontological and prehistoric archaeological sites; buildings, memorials and monuments; ancient settlements, burial places, cave paintings and inscriptions; and churches, mosques or other places of worship” (Article 7, 39/2000). 2 Registered by ARRCH. Moveable includes that not attached to the foundation and that which can be moved easily from place to place including: manuscripts, archaeological or palaeontological or other cultural artefacts.
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2.2 International Guidance 2.2.1 International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards The most pertinent Performance Standard (PS) is PS 8: Cultural Heritage. PS 8 defines cultural heritage as archaeology, historic sites, cultural sites (sacred places) and related intangible heritage practice. The PS requires the investor to identify and reduce or avoid adverse impacts upon cultural heritage resources. The PS provides guidance which specifies the participation of affected communities in the identification of, and potential mitigation of, cultural heritage resources recommending appropriate strategies for impact reduction and long term cultural heritage management (e.g. implementation of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan and a Chance Find Procedure). 2.2.2 The Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage Ethiopia has been a signatory to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO’s) Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage since 1977. The Convention seeks to raise awareness of threats to sites of ‘outstanding universal value’ among member states in the identification, protection and management of World Heritage. Ethiopia has nine sites inscribed on the World Heritage List (eight are ‘cultural’, one is ‘natural’) and five sites on the Tentative List. 2.3 Applicable Permits to Work No archaeological site work was undertaken as part of the baseline data gathering stage. The appropriate license, issued by the Authority for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH), will be sought for the Ethiopian archaeologist involved in the implementation of the Chance Find Procedure (CFP) and any recommended mitigation/management to follow prior to, and during, Project implementation.
3.0 STUDY METHODOLOGY Baseline Study Approach The baseline data gathering was undertaken in January and February 2015: i) A desk study and literature review of existing archaeological information pertinent to the Project area, including consultation with an expert in Ethiopian archaeology at the University of Addis Ababa; ii) Targeted community consultation throughout the Project area to gather information pertaining to sites and elements of local cultural and religious activities. Impact Assessment Study Approach The objectives of this impact assessment report are: To summarily describe the results of the baseline cultural heritage literature review and field survey phases; To clarify the nature, location and significance (value) of any receptors of cultural heritage importance which may be affected by the Project; To assess the extent of potential Project impacts upon these cultural heritage resources; and To identify the scope of any mitigation recommended in advance of the Project commencing. The impact assessment criteria are described fully in Section 5.0, Impact Assessment.
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3.1 Delineation of the Local Study Area (LSA) For the purposes of the cultural heritage study, the LSA was defined as the land directly impacted by, and adjacent to, all proposed Project elements. The wider geographic area was incorporated as appropriate, in order to adequately assess the potential for (as yet unknown) cultural heritage receptors and provide a context for those sites which may occur in the immediate Project vicinity. The study area includes the following elements: The proposed 2D seismic survey corridors; Accommodation and associated support facilities including base camp and survey camps; Access routes associated infrastructure; and Those settlements within the Local Study Area (LSA) including approximately 62 villages in Blocks 18, 19 and 21. The settlement locations (and proposed seismic line corridors) are depicted on Figure 2:
Figure 2: Settlements within the Project area 3.2 Limitations Access across the LSA was primarily constrained by local logistical restrictions (see main ESHIA report, Section 2.3).
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The baseline survey comprised ground inspection only by (archaeologically) unqualified staff, with no systematic field-walking undertaken. The archaeological baseline has been gathered remotely, via desk- based research. Whilst a comprehensive data search was undertaken there remains a potential for (as yet unrecorded) features of unknown archaeological and paleontological interest across the Project area. The information gathered in relation to cemeteries, traditional cultural sites and intangible heritage is restricted to that which the targeted (x16) communities were willing to share with the Socio-Economic field team in a focus group setting. Consequently there is some potential for unidentified features of cultural importance within the Project area, particularly related to communities not consulted (e.g. displaced groups). The mitigation measures set in Section 6.0 seek to address these limitations in conjunction with Ethiopian cultural heritage law and IFC guidance. The extent of the cultural heritage LSA was also defined in consideration of the breadth of the Project footprint as of January – February 2015. Any subsequent design changes and/or alterations may require new surveys to be conducted (e.g. if the layout is changed).
4.0 RESULTS: THE BASELINE CULTURAL HERITAGE ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Archaeological Resources The following section summaries the literature review undertaken in order to establish the cultural heritage background and context of the immediate Project area. The literature review sought to summarily qualify the nature of tangible archaeological resources within the Project area and provide the field team with an understanding of potential site types in order to guide their onsite survey. In particular, the review focused on readily available online journal articles pertinent to the region and published articles accessed through Golder’s research library. In general, limited cultural heritage baseline data, pertaining to other projects in the region, was noted. Recent archaeological investigations in the area are particularly scarce but may be somewhat explained by political upheaval, conflict and displacement.
As a country, Ethiopia has a globally significant archaeological record, frequently referred to as the ‘cradle of mankind’. A number of sites are noteworthy in this regard and may provide a high level context for the regional archaeological and paleontological record. Southern Ethiopia: Rift Valley Hominid fossils have been recovered in the Upper Turkana Basin area, on the border with Kenya, dated to 0.8 – 4 million years ago. The Lower Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), is notable for its exceptional intangible cultural heritage (unique performing arts, dance, festivals and music), cultural landscapes and natural sites. Konso Cultural Landscape, also in southern Ethiopia and within the Ethiopian Plateau, east of the Rift Valley, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2011. Comprising approximately 55km² of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements (paletas) the site is designated for its spectacular living cultural tradition (believed to be over 400 years old). In the immediate area, traditional forests are used and managed as burial places for ritual leaders and for medicinal purposes. Wooden statues (waka) are used as tomb markers, carved to mimic the deceased. Water wells/reservoirs (harda) are located in or near to these forested areas and are maintained by very specific communal social and cultural practices (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1333/). Northern Ethiopia: Rift Valley At Hadar, northern Ethiopia, along the northern most part of East Africa’s Rift Valley, the partial remains of a 3.2 million year old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton (‘Lucy’) were excavated in 1974 providing archaeologists with the earliest skeletal evidence of bipedalism. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Older than Lucy, other skeletal remains, Ardipithecus ramidus (an extinct homininae) were recovered from the Lower Awash Valley in 1992 and dated to 4.4 million years ago (Wayman, 2012, Semaw, 2000). Stone artefacts recovered in 2000, found in the fine-grained sediments of a dry riverbed in the Gona (Afar Region)
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have been argued to represent the earliest use of stone tools (dated to approx. 2.6 million years ago) (Semaw, 2000). At Dire Dawa, the Porc Epic cave site, approx. 500 km west of the Project area, has revealed significant middle Stone Age material including obsidian and basalt artefacts and opercula, with the latter apparently collected as beads for symbolic reasons (Assfa et al. 2008). Central – South Eastern Ethiopia, Harerghe Region Excavations focussing on the historic Harerghe region recovered Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Late Stone Age (LSA) rock art, artefacts and faunal remains (Zelalem et al. 2014). Rock art was recorded at 18 sites in the region in total – out of 21 cave sites and rock shelters documented with associated cultural deposits. Project Area The Project area is characterised by flat, sparse vegetation and any archaeological remains are most likely within areas favourable of ancient settlement i.e. near historic watercourse/dry valleys, wells, rocky outcrops and vegetated areas. Artefacts and sites may relate to previous climate conditions and taxa not historically present in the area e.g. the wide spread grasslands, bush and mosaic forests of the late Pleistocene/ Middle Stone Age (http://humanorigins.si.edu, Assefa, 2006). In the Warder (or Wardere) Zone, in which the Project is situated the only documented artefacts include Stone Age (SA) materials found at three sites (Clark, 1954), unfortunately exact locations for these sites are not known:
Table 2: Documented Archaeological Investigations in the Project Region (after JD Clark, 1954) Site Location Site Name Date Description Notes At a historic water well, approx. 25 m Middle Stone Age Sirrau Ballen north of the centre lithic flakes, blades and a chert scraper ‘Magosian Type’ of Warder, on the Buroa road Hargeisa– No further info Late Stone Age microlithic blade core, double backed blade Warder Road known (LSA) and a scraper Stone Age (LSA) Kebri Dehar typical of ‘Ogaden – Stone Age artefacts / Levalloisian tools were Gabredarre approx. 40km Willton’ Industrial found within exposed calcareous alluvium west of Block 18 Period Type
Similar finds were also recovered further north, in the vicinity of Jijiga, including surface chert and rare quartz (Clark, 1954), and along the Hargeisa-Burao Road (surface finds, lithics of typical Levalloisian date) (ibid).
Figure 3: Artefacts from the Hargeisa area: bifacial points: chert and quartzite (Clark, 1988)
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In summary, there is a potential for archaeological sites (including surface scatter) which may comprise stone tools or fossils associated with early evolutionary periods and past climates. It is anticipated that there is a heightened potential for the following cultural heritage site types within the Project development area: Artefact Surface Scatter (stone tools, lithics – quartz, chert); Artefact Scatter (bone – fossilized human or animal/anthropogenic remains); Stone walled terraces and/or stock encloses (historic or traditionally maintained i.e. – associated cultural sites/practice); Water wells (traditionally maintained, i.e. – associated cultural sites/practice); Tombs / cemeteries (traditional and modern); and Cave or Rock Shelter Paintings/Carvings and associated artefacts. The above list is not exhaustive and other materials of archaeological interest may be present within the Project area. There remains therefore, a potential for previously unidentified archaeological sites and artefacts to exist within the LSA. Where present, further investigation would be required to determine whether these remains are indicative of past activity in the Project area or purely representative of ephemeral, possibly migratory, landscape exploitation. Potential artefacts likely to be found within the Project area are within the category of ‘Moveable’ cultural heritage as defined by Ethiopian Law (39/2000) and are likely ‘Non-Replicable’ cultural heritage, as defined by IFC (PS 8, 2012) representative of human evolutionary processes, adaptation, the development of industry and eventual migration out of Africa. 4.2 Cultural Resources A fully comprehensive baseline review of local cultural resources, including graves, mosques and other cultural spaces, was not undertaken as part of this cultural heritage study. A high level review of existing data pertinent to the region was carried out and supplemented by data gathered during local consultations sessions carried out by Golder’s Socio-Economic team. The full details and results of the 16 village-focused, community consultation exercises are presented in Appendix D of the main ESHIA report. 4.2.1.1 Cemeteries and Burial Sites Communities within the LSA were observed to bury their dead within settlement areas, near to houses, rather than in demarcated burial grounds. Specific cemetery sites were mentioned by the following three communities, the exact locations of these sites are not yet known: Shilabo Woreda (x3); Elbay; and Los Anot. There is also a potential for previously unknown cemeteries/burials to exist, related to other villages or abandoned settlement areas and at unmarked burial sites, particularly along the roads where unknown victims of the civil war may have been laid to rest. 4.2.1.2 Mosques Islam was found to be prevalent across the villages within the Project area with mosques typically situated within settlements. The mosques identified are relatively new (and ‘movable’) features. 4.2.1.3 Other historic or cultural sites No built heritage sites have been noted during any field visits to the LSA. No sites of local cultural significance within the villages were noted by the field team nor disclosed during community consultation.
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The full details and results of the community consultation exercise are presented in Appendix D of the main ESHIA report. There remains potential for sites of local cultural importance, possibly associated with pastoralist activities or specific clans (e.g. sites associated with ceremonial activities/seasonal festivals), to exist beyond settlement confines and across the wider LSA. 4.2.1.4 Intangible cultural heritage Intangible cultural heritage is defined as the traditional practices, cultural norms and knowledge transmitted from one generation to the next, which communities or individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage, such (non-material) assets are protected by Ethiopian law (see Section 2.0). An on-site survey of intangible heritage practice has not yet been undertaken within the LSA and the following issues remain relevant: In addition to Islam, religious systems may include beliefs in spirits, ‘jinn’, causing both misfortune and bring good luck and/or ‘baraka’ spirits who can cure illness; Nomadic communities may identify a ‘wadad’ or cultural leader (possibly clan-specific); Water well sites, cemeteries, forest/bush and medicinal plants (for both animals and humans) may be maintained by traditional methods; and Traditional pastoralist activities e.g. specific milk carrying gourds, annual or seasonal festivities or ceremonies. 4.3 Site Significance For the purposes of the impact assessment, Valued Environmental and Social Components (VECs) have been identified for cultural heritage and rated in terms of their significance. This baseline value is derived from a consideration of each receptor in terms of its potential form, survival, condition, complexity, context and period. Significance has also been calculated in terms of a perceived research worth and with reference to Ethiopian designations (‘moveable’ and ‘immovable’). It also takes into account the scale at which the site matters matter (e.g. local or regional) and their rarity. The results of the valuation process are presented in Table 3.
The following values (low – high) have been applied to the identified cultural heritage site types within the Project area: Low: sites of low local value, in the sense that new buildings (e.g. mosques) can be established, archaeological sites or artefacts which are common and well-researched; Medium: sites potentially movable under certain conditions and of moderate regional or community value and/or a potential research value (e.g. artefactual remains), and High: both ‘moveable’ and ‘immovable’ sites of high national value and of high local value (e.g. burials, artefactual remains of known, or potentially significant, high research value). The archaeological potential of the region is relatively significant. Although previous research is limited, this is not necessarily reflective of an absence of potential material on the ground. This archaeological potential is primarily associated with surface scatter indicative of past climate phases, particularly the grasslands, bush and mosaic forest environments of the late Pleistocene/Mid Stone Age which may provide evidence for the evolution of modern humans, the beginnings of pastoralism and eventual diaspora. This theory is substantiated by the artefactual remains gathered during Clark’s archaeological investigations (1957). However, without further analysis and investigation it not possible to relate any (presupposed) surface material to archaeological sites / deposits of particular significance (e.g. related to past settlement or prehistoric industrial activity). In summary, any (as yet unidentified) archaeological sites which may occur within the LSA are valued (on a ‘worst case scenario’ basis) as high to account for their potential research value and (as yet
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unsubstantiated) potential association with sub-surface features. They are assessed on this basis in Section 5.0. The valuation may be reduced to medium or low dependent upon a number of factors including, level of preservation/damage, survival of artefact context (i.e. in-situ) and frequency. The significance of cultural sites presently identified in the LSA (e.g. cemeteries and mosques) has been calculated in terms of the potential negative impact on the community in the event that they (the community) or the sites themselves are relocated. In order to ensure maintenance of the ‘cultural norm’ (i.e. continuation of normal cultural activity) for those communities affected by the Project, access to those local cultural sites identified in the LSA is required. Burial sites and any (as yet unidentified) sites which provide tangible ancestral links to the past are considered particularly sensitive and ‘immovable’ i.e. of high value. Any features associated with unique, intangible, cultural practice are also highly sensitive. Mosques have been valued as low in account of their relative modernity and potential movability. Table 3: Cultural Heritage Site Valuation Summary Valued Component Description Location Notes Significance (VEC) Prehistoric artefacts and any Archaeological or related stratigraphic context Potential throughout the Paleontological High³ (deposit)/paleo- LSA Features environmental remains Recent burials are within All burials/cemetery sites – settled areas, others may Cultural Sites High modern and ancient be found throughout the LSA Other sites of local historic May be found throughout and/or religious/cultural Historic Sites the LSA, beyond Low - High importance (e.g. past currently settled areas settlement areas) All mosques (presumed of Religious Sites Within settled areas Low recent date) ³ May be reduced to or low dependent upon a number of factors including, levels of preservation/damage, survival of artefact context (i.e. in-situ) and the rarity of the feature. 5.0 IMPACT ASSESSMENT 5.1 Impact Assessment Methodology The potential change (or impact) upon the existing environment as a result of the proposed Project can be assessed by considering the following, relative to each attribute of the existing environment (or discipline area) that has been appraised as part of the baseline study:
Nature of Change - The nature of the change (or impact) that is being considered may be positive, neutral or negative. For example, identification and preservation of cultural resources could be classified as positive, confirming the absence of cultural resources could be classified as neutral, and loss of identified cultural resources could be classified as negative. Magnitude of Change – The magnitude of change (or impact) is a measure of the degree of change that will be incurred as a result of the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. None/negligible;
. Minor;
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. Low;
. Moderate;
. High; or
. Very high. Duration of Change – The duration of change (or impact) refers to the length of time over which an environmental impact may occur. This may be categorised as:
. Transient (less than 1 year);
. Short term (1 to 5 years);
. Medium term (5 to 15 years);
. Long term (greater than 15 years with impact ceasing after decommissioning of the Project); or
. Permanent. Scale (Geographic Extent) of Change – The scale of change (or impact) refers to the area that may be affected by the proposed development, and may be classified as:
. Site (i.e. the extent of change is restricted to areas within the boundaries of the site);
. Local (e.g. affecting the water supplies to communities that are in close proximity to the site);
. Regional (e.g. affecting habitat areas that may support species that are of regional significance);
. National; or
. International. Probability of Occurrence - Probability of occurrence is a measure of the likelihood of the change (or impact) actually occurring. This may be categorised as:
. No chance of occurrence (0% chance of change);
. Improbable (less than 5% chance);
. Low probability (5% to 40% chance);
. Medium probability (40 % to 60 % chance);
. Highly probable (most likely, 60% to 90% chance); or
. Definite (impact will definitely occur). Having assessed the attributes of change set out above, the “significance” of the change (or impact) will then be appraised. A simple scoring system will be applied in line with the example provided in the table below.
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Table 4: Factors used to measure impact significance Magnitude Duration Scale Probability 10 Very high/ don’t 5 Permanent 5 International 5 Definite/don’t know know 4 Long-term (impact 8 High ceases after 4 National 4 Highly probable closure of activity) 3 Medium-term (5 to 6 Moderate 3 Regional 3 Medium probability 15 years) 2 Short-term (0 to 5 4 Low 2 Local 2 Low probability years) 2 Minor 1 Transient 1 Site only 1 Improbable 0 No chance of 1 None/Negligible occurrence
The significance of the change (impact) will then be determined as:
SP (Significance Points) = (Magnitude + Duration + Extent) x Probability Where the relative significance of the change (or impact) is typically ranked as set out in the table below. Table 5: Significance categories (High, Moderate, low, and Positive) Value Significance Implications for the Project The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is Indicates high unacceptably high. It is unlikely that an impact of this SP >75 environmental and/or magnitude can be satisfactorily mitigated. If this impact social significance cannot be avoided, the Project is unlikely to be permitted for development. The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates moderate have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP 30 - 75 environmental and/or high. The Project may be compromised if this impact social significance cannot be avoided or mitigated (i.e. to reduce the significance of the impact). The degree of change (or impact) that the Project may Indicates low have upon the environment and/or the community(s) is SP <30 environmental and/or relatively low. Opportunities to avoid or mitigate the social significance impact should be considered, however this should not compromise the viability of the Project. The changes will have a positive benefit upon the + Positive impact existing environment and/or the community(s).
Adopting this approach, where it is deemed that the Significance Points of the Project exceed a value of 30, the Project design should be reviewed so as to mitigate the potential impact that the development will have upon the existing environment. This will involve the modification of the design to avoid sensitive areas of the site, and/or to incorporate additional measures that will reduce the resulting significance of the change. Cumulative Impact A cumulative impact, in relation to an activity, is the impact of an activity that may not be significant in isolation, but may become significant when added to the existing and potential impacts arising from similar or other activities in the area. The possible cumulative impacts of this Project will be considered during the
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impact assessment studies. Cumulative impacts represent incremental impacts of the activity as a whole, and other past, present and future activities will have an impact on a common resource. In keeping with IFC guidelines3, the assessment of cumulative impacts identifies the degree to which the Project is affecting Valued Environmental and Social Components (VECs4). The approach is VEC-centred, as opposed to a project-centred, approach and focuses on the impact or stresses that multiple projects or developments may have on the overall health or status of the VEC. Indicators are chosen to reflect the resulting condition of the VEC and not the incremental change in a VEC (as is typical). 5.2 Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Table 6 summaries the types of impacts to cultural heritage features while Section 5.2.1 identifies these in relation to proposed Project activities.
Table 6: Types of impact for cultural heritage Impacts that result from a direct interaction between a planned project activity and the Direct Impact receiving environment/receptors (i.e. destruction of an archaeological feature or cultural site). Secondary impacts that result from project activity and affect the environment in which the receiving receptor is experienced (i.e. increase in noise/dust or loss of access to Indirect impact cultural sites) resulting in a change in site setting/sense of place. Change in lifestyles and loss of traditional cultural knowledge/ intangible heritage. Cumulative Impacts that act together with other impacts (including those from concurrent or impact planned activities) to affect the same receptors (VECs) as the Project.
5.2.1 Impact Identification for Cultural Heritage – all Project Phases Table 7 presents a description of potential impacts to cultural heritage. Table 7: Potential impacts to cultural heritage
Potential Impact Description of potential Project impacts
Change to the land Land will be cleared of vegetation, levelled and compacted (as a result of vehicle surface movements). Surface material (artefacts) will be re-deposited, damaged or destroyed as a result. Sites of cultural significance will be destroyed. Subsurface remains (e.g. burials and archaeological deposits) will be compacted and damaged by heavy machinery and vehicles. Site workers may also remove artefacts by chance. Ground Pollution Physical pollution can arise from Project-related e.g. oil spillage. Damage to archaeological deposits and/or sites of natural/cultural significance could occur as a result. Change in Project activity can result in increased noise levels, dust and visual disturbance. Environmental The physical setting of a cultural or religious site (e.g. mosques and cemeteries or Setting other cultural sites) could be disturbed as a result. Demographic Project activity in the area may instigate demographic change (e.g., increased changes income, education, healthcare and in-migration) and can affect change in local belief systems and intangible heritage.
3 IFC (2013) Good practice handbook: Cumulative Impact Assessment and Management: guidelines for the Private Sector in Emerging Markets (2013) 4 Valued Environmental and Social components refer to sensitive environmental and social receptor values. These may be ecological, social or cultural (e.g. ambient air quality, freshwater availability, etc).
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5.2.2 Cumulative Impacts to Cultural Heritage In the Project area there is a potential for all cultural and religious sites to be affected by cumulative indirect Project impacts. These impacts may occur through accumulative visual, noise and /or dust induced disturbance created and escalated by Project activities. There is also a potential for concurrent Project activities to impact archaeological resources where repeated ground works may continually damage and destroy features or reduce the overall research potential of the area. 5.3 Risk Rating Change to the land surface is likely to partially or wholly destroy any archaeological features within the LSA. This will result in impact of very high/permanent severity. While any archaeological artefact may not be of great heritage value in isolation, particularly if removed from its original context and/or partially damaged, its occurrence may be indicative of previous occupation (settlement or industry) and it is possible that a more intensive search involving excavation would uncover other, more valuable, material in a region devoid of recent investigation and research. There is a significant potential for the accidental destruction of archaeological materials in the Project area through changes in land surface. This potential must be mitigated in line with procedures detailed in Section 6.0 and as stipulated by Ethiopian law.
Ground pollution, changes to environmental setting and changes in demographics may result in impacts of moderate severity pre-mitigation through indirect disturbance of cultural sites (e.g. to graves or mosques). Particular impacts in relation to increased construction or heavy traffic potentially resulting in increases in dust, noise and ground compaction are highlighted in this regard. Any roadside cemetery or religious sites (which are yet to be recorded and mapped) could be compacted through heavy vehicle movements and/or any associated road widening. These sites are of high value and this would result in an impact of high/permanent severity. It is difficult to anticipate exactly how or when changes to intangible (immaterial) heritage and traditional cultural practices occur and some cultural change over time is inevitable. Selecting severity of impact is subjective with deviation from the cultural norm perceived as either positive or negative by different people. Furthermore, an influx of migrants may either strengthen or weaken local cultural practices over the Project lifetime. If impacts were to occur they would be of unknown severity. Table 8: Environmental impact assessment matrix for Project Environmental Significance
Before mitigation After mitigation
Potential Impact Severity Severity Duration Spatial Extent Probability Total SP Severity Duration Spatial Extent Probability Total SP
Change of land surface 10 5 1 4 64 M 8 5 1 2 28 L Ground pollution 8 2 2 2 24 L 2 2 1 1 5 L Change in environmental setting 8 3 2 3 39 M 2 1 1 1 4 L Change in demographics 10* 3 2 3 45 M 2 1 2 2 10 L
*rated as unknown
6.0 RECOMMENDED MITIGATION AND MONITORING Based on the potential cultural heritage impacts identified in Section 5.0, the following section describes the associated mitigation measures that Delonex are required to implement, aimed at reducing potential
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negative environmental and social impacts and enhancing potential positive environmental and social impacts. 6.1 Archaeological Mitigation A review of the current project description suggests that it may be impractical to undertake an archaeological watching brief (archaeological monitoring) during the seismic survey itself. It may be more suitable to ensure all archaeological mitigation is completed during commencement of the Project as part of the pre-clearance surveys. Cognisant of these issues the following mitigation recommendations are made: Implementation of Chance Find Procedure (CFP) to be included within the ESHMP. The CFP should be reviewed and finalised in consultation with Authority for the Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and a local archaeological specialist. The CFP will seek to manage and monitor (e.g. remotely) all cultural heritage effects for the Project lifetime as required by International Finance Corporation Performance Standard 8 (2012), Article 41 of Ethiopian Cultural Heritage Law (Proclamation No. 209/2000) and Delonex’s own Cultural Heritage Standard (2014). The CFP should include provisions for the over-sight (i.e. remotely) of a locally licenced archaeologist during the demarcation and clearance of the seismic survey corridors. The local archaeological expert will follow the methodology detailed in the Chance Find Procedure attached as Appendix B in order to ensure that archaeological artefacts and/or sites are identified and managed during Project implementation. In the event that an archaeological site is identified and preservation in situ is not possible (following discussions with Delonex with regard to possible avoidance) “preservation by record” through systematic recording (archaeological excavation) should be done. Such work, where required, will be described in appropriate detailed work programmes and specifications to be prepared by a cultural heritage specialist. To meet the requirements of Ethiopian law this work should be carried out by a designated person under a license for archaeological survey. In the event of artefact recovery, all materials should be surrendered to the local authority. 6.2 Cultural Site Mitigation The preferred mitigation for any cemetery sites identified within the LSA is avoidance. Where avoidance is not possible, a full mitigation strategy should be developed in conjunction with affected communities. If the cemetery sites are found to be adjacent (rather than within) the areas of proposed activity appropriate signage and demarcation is recommended to protect these sites. It will remain important, as the Project progresses, to consult with local communities to potential further impacts to other cultural sites in the vicinity. Where other cultural sites are identified within the Project area as the Project progresses, these may require demarcation and provisions for site-specific monitoring as the Project is finalised. Continued community consultation is recommended in this regard. Cultural sites, including graves, may be affected by (as yet undefined) Project survey corridors. Where a change in a site’s setting is anticipated (e.g. by increased traffic) planting (screening) may be considered to minimise adverse impacts. Any mitigation measures must be agreed in conjunction with the affected community. Maintaining community access to cultural and religious sites and facilitating respect for local intangible cultural heritage, tradition and taboo will ensure that the negative socio-cultural effects are effectively managed – regular platforms for community liaison are recommended in this regard. It is suggested that the presence of culturally significant places (including mosques and cemeteries) are highlighted to contractors at any early stage and further managed (e.g. demarcation/ signage) as required.
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The details of such mitigation should be prepared for inclusion within a project-specific ESHMP of which the CFP will form a major part. 6.3 Monitoring Monitoring requirements are specified in Table 9 below. Table 9: Monitoring plan for Cultural Heritage Indicator / Performance Potential Impact Monitoring Requirement Frequency Criteria Prepare, update and Quarterly, for Direct disturbance and disseminate the project- the first year. Records of correspondence – destruction of cultural specific ESHMP – to include Annually for update ESHMP heritage resources a Chance Find Procedure remainder. Monitor visual, sound and air Evidence/records of visual quality changes, monitor Indirect changes to the Quarterly, for assessments, evidence of changes to infrastructure environmental setting the first year. implemented plans/access corridors and of cultural sites, loss of Annually for mitigation/improvements and associated development. site access remainder. community consultation in this Facilitate community regard – update ESHMP consultation in this regard.
7.0 CONCLUSIONS The cultural heritage impact assessment has established a potential for remains of significant archaeological value within the Project area. Existing records are indicative of the prehistoric utilization of the landscape during past climate phases, particularly the grasslands, bush and mosaic forest environments of the late Pleistocene/Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age. Related artefacts may provide evidence for the evolution of modern humans, the beginnings of pastoralism and diaspora through the Horn of Africa and beyond. The potential for such Stone Age sites and associated surface scatter is likely to endure throughout the Project area which will pose a significant risk to the client without the implementation of further, targeted study and appropriate mitigation to manage accidental disturbance and destruction as set out below.
Community consultation carried out by the Socio-Economic team at 16 settlements within the Project area has highlighted a potential for cemetery sites and mosques to exist within the permanently inhabited villages. These are unlikely to be affected by Project developments (that seek to avoid direct community impacts). There is however some potential for other cemetery sites (including roadside graves) outside of permanently settled zones, related to the civil war or to abandoned villages. Further consultation is recommended in this regard. Cemeteries (high value) could be destroyed as a result of ground works and vehicle-induced compaction. This will result in impact of very high/permanent severity. Mitigation measures for cultural heritage are suggested in Section 6.0, in accordance with best practice, Ethiopian and IFC guidelines. These should be incorporated into the ESHMP. The ESHMP should include the project-specific CFP which will provide clear provisions in the event of accidental archaeological disturbance and meet the requirements of both IFC PS 8 and Ethiopian Law (Proclamation No. 209/2000).
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8.0 REFERENCES Assefa, Z, 2006: Faunal Remains from Porc-Epic: Palepecological and zooarchaeological investigations from a Middle Stone Age site in Southeastern Ethiopia, Journal of Human Evolution 51 (2006) 50-75 Assefa, Z et al., 2013: Survey and Explorations of Caves in South Eastern Ethiopia: Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age Archaeology and Holocene Rock Art, Quaternary International 343 (2014) 136-147 Assefa, Z, Lam, Y and Mienis, H, 2008: Symbolic Use of Terrestrial Gastropod percula during the Middle Stone Age at Porc-Epic Cave, Ethiopia, Current Anthropology 49:4 (2008) 746-756 Clark, D and Williamson, K, 1984: A Middle Stone Age Occupation Site at Porc Epic Cave, Dire Dawa (east- central Ethiopia), The African Archaeological Review 2 (1984) 37-71 Clark, JD, 1954: The Prehistoric Cultures of the Horn of Africa: An analysis of the Stone Age Cultural and Climatic Succession in the Somalilands of Eastern parts of Abyssinia. Cambridge University Press Clark, JD, 1988, The Middle Stone Age of East Africa and the Beginnings of Regional Identity, Journal of World History, Vol.2 (3) Delonex Energy, 2014, HSESS Management System: Cultural Heritage Standard Fattovich, R, 2010: The Development of Ancient States in the Northern Horn of Africa, c. 3000 BC – AD 1000: An Archaeological Outline. World Prehistory 32 (2010) 145-175
Gezahegn, A, 2006: Characterisation of Rangeland Resources and Dynamics of the Pastoral Production Systems in the Somali Region of Eastern Ethiopia. Doctoral thesis, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein Golder Associates, 2012: Elluran Project Environmental Impact Assessment, unpublished client report Hole, F, 1959: A Critical Analysis of the Magosian, The South African Archaeological Bulletin 14:56 (1959) 126-134
Lesurm J et al., 2013: The Advent of Herding in the Horn of Africa: New Data from Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somaliland. Quaternary International (2013) 1 -11 Sanz, N, (ed), 2012: Human Origin Sites and the World Heritage Convention in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Papers, UNESCO, Paris Semaw, S, 2000: The World’s Oldest Stone Artefacts from Gona, Ethiopia: Their Implications for Understanding Stone Technology and Patterns of Human Behaviour Between 2.6 – 1.5 Million Years Ago, Journal of Archaeological Science 27 (2000) 1197 - 1214 Tropics Consulting Engineers PLC & Gamma Systems Ltd, 2012: Ethiopia – Kenya Power Systems Interconnection Project http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Environmental-and-Social- Assessments/Ethiopia%20RAP%20Final%20Report.pdf Wayman, E, 2012: The Top Ten Human Evolution Discoveries from Ethiopia http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-top-ten-human-evolution-discoveries-from-ethiopia- 67871931/#UvCh2JW6eGVepg1L.99 Websites 19/01/15: Konso Cultural Landscape: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1333/ Hadar Archaeological Site: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/251031/Hadar Somali Heritage and Archaeology: http://somaliheritage.org/endangered.php
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GOLDER ASSOCIATES (UK) LTD
Alice Hobson Stuart McGowan Cultural Heritage Consultant Project Manager
AH/SM/ah
Company Registered in England No.1125149. At Attenborough House, Browns Lane Business Park, Stanton-on-the-Wolds, Nottinghamshire NG12 5BL VAT No. 209 0084 92 Golder, Golder Associates and the GA globe design are trademarks of Golder Associates Corporation.
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APPENDIX A Document Limitations
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DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS
DOCUMENT LIMITATIONS This Document has been provided by Golder Associates Africa Pty Ltd (“Golder”) subject to the following limitations: i) This Document has been prepared for the particular purpose outlined in Golder’s proposal and no responsibility is accepted for the use of this Document, in whole or in part, in other contexts or for any other purpose. ii) The scope and the period of Golder’s Services are as described in Golder’s proposal, and are subject to restrictions and limitations. Golder did not perform a complete assessment of all possible conditions or circumstances that may exist at the site referenced in the Document. If a service is not expressly indicated, do not assume it has been provided. If a matter is not addressed, do not assume that any determination has been made by Golder in regards to it. iii) Conditions may exist which were undetectable given the limited nature of the enquiry Golder was retained to undertake with respect to the site. Variations in conditions may occur between investigatory locations, and there may be special conditions pertaining to the site which have not been revealed by the investigation and which have not therefore been taken into account in the Document. Accordingly, additional studies and actions may be required. iv) In addition, it is recognised that the passage of time affects the information and assessment provided in this Document. Golder’s opinions are based upon information that existed at the time of the production of the Document. It is understood that the Services provided allowed Golder to form no more than an opinion of the actual conditions of the site at the time the site was visited and cannot be used to assess the effect of any subsequent changes in the quality of the site, or its surroundings, or any laws or regulations. v) Any assessments made in this Document are based on the conditions indicated from published sources and the investigation described. No warranty is included, either express or implied, that the actual conditions will conform exactly to the assessments contained in this Document. vi) Where data supplied by the client or other external sources, including previous site investigation data, have been used, it has been assumed that the information is correct unless otherwise stated. No responsibility is accepted by Golder for incomplete or inaccurate data supplied by others. vii) The Client acknowledges that Golder may have retained sub-consultants affiliated with Golder to provide Services for the benefit of Golder. Golder will be fully responsible to the Client for the Services and work done by all of its sub-consultants and subcontractors. The Client agrees that it will only assert claims against and seek to recover losses, damages or other liabilities from Golder and not Golder’s affiliated companies. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the Client acknowledges and agrees it will not have any legal recourse, and waives any expense, loss, claim, demand, or cause of action, against Golder’s affiliated companies, and their employees, officers and directors. viii) This Document is provided for sole use by the Client and is confidential to it and its professional advisers. No responsibility whatsoever for the contents of this Document will be accepted to any person other than the Client. Any use which a third party makes of this Document, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, is the responsibility of such third parties. Golder accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this Document.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES AFRICA (PTY) LTD
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GAA GAIMS Form 10 Version 2
January 2015 1/1
IMPACT ASSESSMENT: CULTURAL HERITAGE
APPENDIX B Chance Find Procedure (CFP)
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Delonex HSESS
HSESS-04-01-Ethiopia-Chance Find Procedure
April 2015
Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
Document Control Document Details and Issue Record Rev No. Details Date Author Checked Approved CB‐ 00 Chance Find Procedure April 2015 ND/HK/AS/GP C Daly Golder
Document Reference: HSESS‐04‐01‐Ethiopia‐Chnace Find Procedure
Distribution and control Copy No Name / Position Hard/Word Copy PDF E‐Copy 01 HSESS Manager X X 02 Delonex Leadership Team X 03 Contracts and Procurement X 04 All contractors X 06 08
i Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION ...... 3
1.1 OVERVIEW ...... 3
1.2 PURPOSE ...... 3
1.3 OBJECTIVES ...... 3 2 SCOPE ...... 4
2.1 SCOPE ...... 4
2.2 DEFINITIONS ...... 4 3 LEGISLATION AND REGULATION ...... 4 4 PROCEDURE ...... 5
4.1 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL SITE WORKERS ...... 5
4.2 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE QC OR FIELD HSE ADVISORS ...... 5
4.3 EXCEPTION ...... 6
4.4 SUSPENSION OF WORK ...... 6
4.5 MONITORING AND FEEDBACK ...... 6 APPENDIX 1 ‐ CHANCE FIND PROCESS FLOWCHART ...... 8
ii Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
1 Introduction
1.1 Overview Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Environmental Impact Assessment Guideline for Mineral and Petroleum Operation Projects, aims to protect heritage values and sites from disturbance and destruction. Through the Impact Assessments and working with local and international experts, Delonex Ethiopia and its Contractors will identify and protect any potential sites of cultural heritage. The Delonex Energy HSESS‐03‐09‐Corporate‐Cultural Heritage Standard asks for a chance find procedure to be establish for all projects. Given the long history of human occupation of Ethiopia it is likely that cultural heritage sites and material are in existence across the three block concession (Block 18, 19 & 21). However, the ground disturbance due to historical exploration of resources, conflict and looting may have disturbed or destroyed many of these sites. Parts of the concession have been subject to famine and conflict and it is possible that graves associated with such are present in the area. In addition to the cultural significance of the graves, there is a high level of weapon ownership within the area and corpses may have been buried with their weapons or ammunition, and thus can also be a safety hazard. 1.2 Purpose Previous archaeological studies specific to the study area are limited. However, the cultural heritage impact assessment (Golder 2015) has identified a potential for previously undiscovered archaeological features to occur (Golder Associates, 2014). These may include both sensitive cultural sites (medicinal plants, cemeteries, graves) and archaeological or palaeontological remains (ancient stone tools, fossilised bone, potentially relating to periods of human evolution and environmental/technological adaptation). Consequently, there remains the possibility for previously unknown (and as yet undiscovered) archaeological objects (e.g. stone tools, bone) to be disturbed during project ground investigation activity. This procedures purpose is set out the step to be followed by all Delonex operations, contractors and subcontractors operating on behalf of Delonex Energy Ethiopia. 1.3 Objectives The chance find procedure is designed to: Minimise the risk of an adverse impact to the environment and / or health, resulting from incorrect waste management. Ensure that all contractors are clear of the Delonex Waste Management standards which are aligned with International IOGP Standards for Waste Management. Comply with all statutory and contractual requirements concerning the management of waste. Ensure that appropriate recording and tracking occurs for all wastes generated "cradle to grave". Identify problems with the process and communicate them to the responsible person.
3 Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
2 Scope
2.1 Scope The scope of application for this Chance Find Procedure includes the Delonex Ethiopia project area (as existing and any extensions). It applies to the following activities, carried out Delonex, its contractor and their subcontractors: Preliminary geotechnical, hydrological, ecological and other environmental investigation and survey. Survey, investigation and construction of seismic survey lines. Establishment and construction of associated works and infrastructure (e.g. camps, airstrip etc.) De‐mining and bush clearance. Survey, investigation and construction of access tracks and roads Project Operation. Project Closure. 2.2 Definitions Archaeological materials ‐ constitute “Moveable Cultural Heritage” assets as stated in, and protected by, Ethiopian cultural heritage legislation No.209/2000: “parchment manuscripts, stone paintings and implements, sculptures and statues made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, copper or' of any other mineral or wood, stone, inscriptions of skin, ivory, horn, archaeological and bone or earth or of any other material, and also Palaeontological remains” Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation (Article 3.8). Chance Finds ‐ are defined as cultural heritage objects, commonly related to archaeological or historic sites (e.g. pottery, bones, stone tools) which are unexpectedly encountered during project related activities/ clearance. Chance Find Procedure ‐ is a project‐specific instruction that outlines the actions to be taken if objects or sites are accidently encountered and applies to all occurrences, whether or not it is legally protected ort whether of nor not it has been previously disturbed and regardless of condition.
3 Legislation and Regulation
This Chance Find Procedure has been prepared in compliance with national regulations and international guidance, including: Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation (No. 209/2000) Delonex Energy’s Cultural Heritage Standard (2014). Specifically, Article 41 of Ethiopia’s Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage Proclamation states that:
4 Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
Anyone who ‘fortuitously discovers’ any cultural heritage during the course of an excavation associated with mining explorations, building works, road construction or other similar activities or in the course of any other fortuitous event shall forthwith report same to the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH). No excavation or disturbance of archaeological sites should occur by persons without the appropriate licence issued by ARCCH.
4 Procedure
For the purposes of this document a Chance Find is defined as ‘Objects of potential cultural heritage significance fortuitously recovered or disturbed during any site work, commonly related to archaeological sites and/or historic sites. Including surface or sub‐ surface artefacts e.g. stones, bones, pottery, metalwork, iron slag etc., individual burials and/or graveyards’. The process to be followed in the event of a Chance Find is described below, with a summary flow chart provided in Appendix A. The main stakeholder with regard to cultural heritage in Ethiopia is The Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARRCH); The local archaeological expert engaged to liaise with ARCCH and advise on cultural heritage issues is Dr Alemseged Beldados, Assistant Professor and Chair, Addis Ababa University. Department of Archaeology and Heritage Management, Contact shall on be made through the Delonex 4.1 Responsibilities of all Site Workers Delonex and Key Contractors shall provide all staff and sub‐contractors with knowledge of the Chance Find Procedure during the project induction process. It is recommended that a copy of Appendix A: Chance Find Procedure Flow Diagram is included within the onsite induction pack/information provided to all staff. In the event that a Chance Find is observed and/or disturbed, site workers will prevent the illegal disturbance of archaeological material by: Immediately stopping work in the area of the Chance Find, in a safe manner. Demarcating the discovered site or artefact (in situ). Photographing and GPS the discovery (if possible). Immediately reporting the discovery to Delonex’s QC or HSE. Follow any instructions issued to protect the site, including arranging for security to prevent any loss of removable objects (e.g. overnight). 4.2 Responsibilities of the QC or Field HSE Advisors The QC or HSE Advisor is required to notify the Delonex’s HSE Manager and produce a Chance Find Memo (email) within 48 hours, to detail: The date and time of the Chance Find. The location (UTM Grid Reference) of the Chance Find site (obtained using a GPS).
5 Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
The details of the discovery team (names, roles, nature of activity). Estimated nature of the site/artefacts observed. The temporary protection (demarcation/security) measures implemented (e.g. overnight patrol). The dates of the next steps to be implemented (as set out below) which must be completed within 48 hours from the production of the Chance Find Memo I. The Memo must be emailed to Dr Alemseged Beldados ([email protected]). II. They will review the memo as a priority and decide on the next steps in conjunction with the local archaeological authority. These will include appropriate mitigation measures. III. If required (i.e. by ARCCH) Dr Beldados will be sent to verify and qualify the Chance Find and further advise on appropriate mitigation measures. 4.3 Exception In the event that the chance find is a small, isolated (singular) object (e.g. a pottery shard), the Project Team may use their professional judgement to decide that a Chance Find observed can be sensitively recorded and removed so that the work can continue. In this instance the following steps should be implemented and recorded within a Chance Find Memo to detail: I. The date and time of the Chance Find. II. The location (UTM Grid Reference). III. Photographs of the Chance Find in situ (if possible). IV. The method and rationale of collection and location of the collected find, including location of appropriate safe storage in the Camp Office. V. The details of the discovery team (names, roles, nature of activity). As per the procedure, the Chance Find Memo will be submitted as necessary. 4.4 Suspension of Work In the event of significant findings, and in accordance with international best practice and Ethiopian law, Golder’s cultural heritage experts, in consultation with ARCCH, may wish to carry out more detailed analysis. In this instance they will propose a scheme of work to Delonex before taking steps to potentially request the temporary suspension of Project works in the vicinity of the discovery site for an agreed period. Work should only resume once approval is received from ARCCH. 4.5 Monitoring and Feedback The implementation of the Chance Find Procedure aims to ensure that accidental cultural heritage discoveries are managed in a clear and sustainable fashion throughout the lifetime of the Delonex project. This procedure is intended for review on a regular basis so the content can be refined to take account of experiences learnt and any significant new phases of activity. This Chance Find Procedure should be appended to the Project’s Environmental Management Plan with the findings of any Chance Finds – i.e. reports, used to update and inform the monitoring and mitigation plans throughout the project lifetime.
6 Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
7 Delonex Energy Ethiopia Chance Find Procedure
Appendix 1 ‐ Chance Find Process Flowchart
Chance Find Process Flowchart
Cultural, historical, archaeological Safely suspend operations, mark the paleontological sites and objects area (by contractor) including human remains observed or found
Inform Project Lead (by Delonex rep. Inform senior Delonex representative on on site) site (by contractor)
Inform available details to Ethiopia Inform MOM or relevant Ethiopia authorities based on findings (by Country Manager and then HSE Manager in London Country Manager)
Work with in country team to identify Based on MOM & ARCCH permits and process. All chance finds advice, and HSE Function populated into GIS. initiate detailed investigation
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