Batumi Bypass Road Project (RRP GEO 50064)
Environmental Impact Assessment
January 2017
Georgia: Batumi Bypass Road Project
Prepared by Hagler Bailly, Pakistan for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Roads Department and the Asian Development Bank.
This environmental impact assessment is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.
Environmental Impact Assessment Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Final Report
R7V08BPG January 13, 2017
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table of Content
1. Executive Summary ...... 1-1 1.1 The Proposed Project ...... 1-1 1.2 Description of the Environment ...... 1-4 1.3 Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation ...... 1-5 1.4 Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ...... 1-5 1.4.1 Ecology and Habitat ...... 1-5 1.4.2 Construction Noise ...... 1-6 1.4.3 Vibration ...... 1-7 1.4.4 Air Quality ...... 1-11 1.4.5 Land Stability ...... 1-11 1.4.6 Operation Noise ...... 1-12 1.4.7 Socioeconomic Impact ...... 1-13 1.5 Environmental Management Plan ...... 1-14 1.6 Conclusions ...... 1-14
2. Introduction ...... 2-1 2.1 Introduction to the EIA ...... 2-1 2.2 Project Category ...... 2-1 2.3 Organization of the Report ...... 2-1
3. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework ...... 3-1 3.1 Environmental Policies and Laws of Georgia ...... 3-1 3.1.1 Constitution of Georgia 1995 (Last Amended 2013) ...... 3-1 3.1.2 Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection 1996 (Last Amended 2016) ...... 3-2 3.1.3 Law of Georgia on Environmental Permit 2007 (Last Amended 2016) ...... 3-4 3.1.4 Other Relevant Laws ...... 3-4 3.2 Requirements for Environmental Assessment in Georgia ...... 3-7 3.2.1 Requirements for EIA ...... 3-7 3.2.2 The EIA Process ...... 3-7 3.3 ADB Safeguard Policies...... 3-8 3.4 AIIB Safeguard Policies ...... 3-9 3.5 Harmonization of ADB and Government Safeguard Requirements ..... 3-10 3.6 Institutional Framework ...... 3-13 3.6.1 Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection (MoENRP) ...... 3-13
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 ii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
3.6.2 Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD) ...... 3-13 3.6.3 The Roads Department (RD or RDMRDI) ...... 3-13 3.6.4 Environment and Natural Resources Directorate of Adjara Autonomous Region ...... 3-13 3.6.5 Other Responsible Governmental Institutions ...... 3-14 3.7 International Treaties ...... 3-14 3.8 Applicable Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention Criteria ...... 3-16 3.8.1 Ambient Air Quality Standards ...... 3-16 3.8.2 Noise Level Standards ...... 3-18 3.8.3 Water Quality Standards ...... 3-18 3.8.4 Vibration Standards ...... 3-19
4. The Proposed Project ...... 4-1 4.1 The Adjara Bypass Project ...... 4-1 4.2 Need of the Project ...... 4-3 4.3 Project Design ...... 4-3 4.3.1 Road Alignment and Right of Way ...... 4-3 4.3.2 Road Dimensions ...... 4-5 4.3.3 Road Design ...... 4-6 4.3.4 Tunnels ...... 4-7 4.3.5 Bridges ...... 4-2 4.3.6 Interchanges ...... 4-4 4.3.7 Culverts ...... 4-6 4.3.8 Service Buildings ...... 4-6 4.4 Construction Process ...... 4-7 4.4.1 Temporary Right of Way ...... 4-8 4.4.2 Construction Camps ...... 4-10 4.4.3 Land Clearing ...... 4-10 4.4.4 Leveling and Earthwork ...... 4-10 4.4.5 Bridge Construction ...... 4-11 4.4.6 Tunnel Excavation ...... 4-11 4.5 Resource Requirement ...... 4-12 4.5.1 Construction Material ...... 4-12 4.5.2 Water ...... 4-12 4.6 Borrow Areas and Quarries ...... 4-13 4.7 Current and Projected Traffic ...... 4-14 4.8 Project Implementation Schedule ...... 4-16
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 iii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5. Description of the Environment ...... 5-1 5.1 Area of Influence ...... 5-1 5.2 Physical Environment ...... 5-3 5.2.1 Topography ...... 5-3 5.2.2 Land Use ...... 5-5 5.2.3 Climate ...... 5-7 5.2.4 Geomorphology ...... 5-10 5.2.5 Geological Hazards ...... 5-11 5.2.6 Air Quality ...... 5-12 5.2.7 Water Resources ...... 5-18 5.2.8 Water Quality ...... 5-19 5.2.9 Soil Quality ...... 5-27 5.2.10 Noise Levels ...... 5-34 5.3 Ecological Baseline ...... 5-39 5.3.1 Introduction ...... 5-39 5.3.2 Terrestrial Ecology ...... 5-49 5.3.3 Aquatic Ecology ...... 5-76 5.3.4 Summary of Ecological Baseline ...... 5-80 5.4 Socioeconomic Environment ...... 5-82 5.4.1 Administrative Set-up ...... 5-83 5.4.2 Demography ...... 5-85 5.4.3 Physical Infrastructure ...... 5-86 5.4.4 Social Infrastructure ...... 5-91 5.4.5 Cultural Resources ...... 5-93 5.4.6 Archaeological Sites ...... 5-93 5.4.7 Economy ...... 5-95
6. Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation ...... 6-1 6.1 Framework for Consultations ...... 6-1 6.1.1 ADB Safeguard Policy Statement ...... 6-1 6.1.2 Georgian Requirement ...... 6-1 6.2 Overview of Stakeholders ...... 6-1 6.3 Consultation Methodology ...... 6-2 6.3.1 Scoping and Feedback Consultation ...... 6-2 6.3.2 Consultation Material ...... 6-7 6.3.3 Consultation Team ...... 6-7 6.4 Summary of Consultations ...... 6-8 6.5 Future Consultations ...... 6-12 6.5.1 Information Disclosure ...... 6-12 6.5.2 Public Hearing ...... 6-12
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 iv Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
6.5.3 Consultations for Implementation of Specific Mitigation Measures ...... 6-13 6.5.4 Consultations during the Life of the Project ...... 6-13
7. Analysis of Alternatives ...... 7-1 7.1 No Project Option ...... 7-1 7.2 Alternatives to the Proposed Project ...... 7-1 7.2.1 Alternate Method of Service Delivery ...... 7-1 7.2.2 Alternative Project Design ...... 7-1 7.2.3 Discussion ...... 7-2
8. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ...... 8-1 8.1 Impact Assessment Methodology ...... 8-1 8.1.1 Identification of Significant Environmental Aspects ...... 8-1 8.1.2 Impact Significance Rating...... 8-4 8.1.3 Mitigation, Management and Good Practice Measures ...... 8-7 8.2 Screening of Impacts ...... 8-7 8.3 Land Use ...... 8-12 8.4 Visual Impact ...... 8-13 8.5 Ecology and Habitat ...... 8-14 8.5.1 Site Clearance ...... 8-27 8.5.2 Pollution and Waste Generation ...... 8-28 8.5.3 Lack of Regulation ...... 8-28 8.5.4 Impacts on Ecosystems ...... 8-29 8.5.5 Impacts on Wildlife Habitat...... 8-29 8.5.6 Protected Species ...... 8-30 8.5.7 Mitigation Measures ...... 8-30 8.6 Noise ...... 8-33 8.6.1 Construction Phase Impact ...... 8-34 8.6.2 Operation Phase Impacts ...... 8-38 8.7 Vibration ...... 8-86 8.7.1 Construction Phase Impacts ...... 8-86 8.7.2 Operation Phase Impacts ...... 8-102 8.8 Air Quality ...... 8-103 8.8.1 Construction Phase Impacts ...... 8-103 8.8.2 Operation Phase Impacts ...... 8-105 8.9 Soil and Water Quality ...... 8-124 8.10 Land Stability ...... 8-125 8.11 Disposal of Spoil from Tunnel Construction ...... 8-126
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 v Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.12 Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change ...... 8-126 8.12.1 Construction Phase GHG Emission ...... 8-126 8.12.2 Operation Phase GHG Emission ...... 8-127 8.12.3 Climate Change Risk ...... 8-129 8.13 Socioeconomic Impacts ...... 8-132 8.13.1 Cultural Resources ...... 8-132 8.13.2 Employment ...... 8-132 8.13.3 Resettlement ...... 8-133 8.13.4 Community Safety ...... 8-133 8.13.5 Occupational Health and Safety ...... 8-133 8.14 Residual Impacts ...... 8-134
9. Cumulative Impact Assessment ...... 9-1 9.1 Anticipated Development in the Region ...... 9-1 9.2 Study Area ...... 9-2 9.3 Valued Environmental Components ...... 9-4 9.4 Cumulative Impacts of the Anticipated Developments ...... 9-4 9.5 Recommendations for Mitigation Measure ...... 9-6
10. Environmental Management Plan ...... 10-1 10.1 Overview of EMP ...... 10-1 10.2 Environmental Mitigation Plan ...... 10-1 10.3 Environmental Monitoring Plan ...... 10-19 10.4 Specific Monitoring Plan ...... 10-19 10.5 Documentation and Reporting ...... 10-1 10.6 Site-Specific Environmental Management Plan ...... 10-1 10.7 Guidelines for Supporting Plans...... 10-4 10.7.1 Emergency Response Plans ...... 10-4 10.7.2 Spoil Management Plan ...... 10-5 10.7.3 Waste Management Plan ...... 10-6 10.8 Change Mangement ...... 10-6 10.9 Institutional Framework for Implementation ...... 10-7 10.10 Institutional Strengthening and Training ...... 10-7 10.11 Implementation Budget ...... 10-8
11. Grievance Redress Mechanism ...... 11-1 11.1 Introduction ...... 11-1 11.2 Georgian Regulations ...... 11-2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 vi Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
11.3 ADB Policy (SPS 2009) requirements in relation with the Grievance Redress ...... 11-2 11.4 Grievance Redress Process ...... 11-3 11.5 Grievance Redress Mechanism ...... 11-3 11.6 Grievance Redress Commission in IAs ...... 11-4 11.7 Grievance Redress Procedures ...... 11-5 11.8 Grievance Log ...... 11-9 11.8.1 Grievance Log in GRCE ...... 11-9 11.8.2 Grievance Log in GRCN ...... 11-9
12. Conclusions...... 12-1
Appendices Appendix 1: TOR EIA Update Batumi Bypass-9 May 2016 Appendix 2: Air Quality Lab Reports Appendix 3: Water Quality Sampling Results Appendix 4: Attendance Lists Appendix 5: Background Information Document Appendix 6: Consultation Log Appendix 7: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration Appendix 8: Index of Structures within Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones Appendix 9: Annexures to Grievance Redress Mechanism
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 vii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Tables
Table 3-1: ADB Project Categories ...... 3-9 Table 3-2: Comparison of Georgian Legislation and ADB Requirements ...... 3-11 Table 3-3: International Environmental Treaties Ratified by Georgia ...... 3-14 Table 3-4: Georgian Standards for Ambient Air Quality ...... 3-17 Table 3-5: IFC Ambient Air Quality Guidelines ...... 3-17 Table 3-6: Georgian Standards for Noise Levels ...... 3-18 Table 3-7: IFC Noise Level Guidelines ...... 3-18 Table 3-8: Applicable Standards for Surface Water Quality ...... 3-19 Table 3-9: Georgian General Admissible Vibration Values in Residential Houses, Hospitals and Rest Houses, Sanitary Norms 2001 ...... 3-19
Table 4-1: Typical Road Dimensions ...... 4-5 Table 4-2: List of Tunnels ...... 4-7 Table 4-3: Typical Tunnel Dimensions...... 4-7 Table 4-4: Soil Types in the Study Area...... 4-9 Table 4-5: List of Bridges ...... 4-2 Table 4-6: Typical Bridge Dimensions ...... 4-2 Table 4-7: List of Interchanges ...... 4-4 Table 4-8: Culvert Requirements ...... 4-6 Table 4-9: Required Volume of Earthwork for Construction ...... 4-11 Table 4-10: Main Tunnel Excavation Quantities (100 m3) ...... 4-12 Table 4-11: Major Steel Requirements ...... 4-12 Table 4-12: Pavement Material Requirements ...... 4-12 Table 4-13: List of Potential Quarries ...... 4-13 Table 4-14: List of Existing Sand-Gravel Quarries ...... 4-13 Table 4-15: Forecasted Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Volume...... 4-15 Table 4-16: AADT Volume on S2 from 2011 to 2014 ...... 4-16
Table 5-1: Land Use Distribution in the Study Area ...... 5-5 Table 5-2: Average Monthly Air Temperature (C) ...... 5-7 Table 5-3: Average Monthly and Total Annual Precipitation (mm) ...... 5-8 Table 5-4: Average Monthly Humidity ...... 5-9 Table 5-5: Wind Direction (% of annual values) ...... 5-10 Table 5-6: Air Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-13 Table 5-7: Methodology and Duration of Sampling ...... 5-13 Table 5-8: Ambient Air Quality Sampling Results (µg/m3) ...... 5-17 Table 5-9: Water Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-20 Table 5-10: Water Quality Sampling Results ...... 5-24 Table 5-11: Water Quality Assurance Sample Analysis Result ...... 5-26
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Tables R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 viii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-12: Physical Properties of Common Soils in the Project Area ...... 5-27 Table 5-13: Soil Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-28 Table 5-14: Soil Quality Sampling Results ...... 5-32 Table 5-15: Noise Level Sampling Locations ...... 5-34 Table 5-16: Summary Statistics of Noise Levels during the Survey ...... 5-38 Table 5-17: Hourly Leq Results (dB A) ...... 5-38 Table 5-18: Percentage Distribution of Habitat Types in the Study Area ...... 5-44 Table 5-19: Survey Observations ...... 5-46 Table 5-20: List of Plant Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area...... 5-52 Table 5-21: List of Mammal Species with Ranges Overlapping with the Study Area...... 5-57 Table 5-22: List of Birds Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area . 5-64 Table 5-23: List of Herpetofauna Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area ...... 5-72 Table 5-24: List of Fish Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area ... 5-77 Table 5-25: List of Villages in the Project Impact Zone ...... 5-85 Table 5-26: Population of Adjara Region (thousands) ...... 5-85 Table 5-27: Ethnicity of Households in the Study Area ...... 5-85 Table 5-28: Education of Households ...... 5-91 Table 5-29: Health Care Facilities in Adjara ...... 5-92 Table 5-30: Major Cropping Pattern ...... 5-96 Table 5-31: Economic Activity of the Households ...... 5-96 Table 5-32: Economic Activity of the Households Members ...... 5-97 Table 5-33: Average Monthly Household Income against Number of Sources ...... 5-97 Table 5-34: Average Annual Income ...... 5-97
Table 6-1: List of Stakeholders ...... 6-2 Table 6-2: Consultation Team ...... 6-8 Table 6-3: Summary of Concerns Expressed in Scoping Consultation and How They Have Been Addressed in the EIA ...... 6-9
Table 7-1: Discussion of Alternate Alignments ...... 7-3
Table 8-1: Characteristics Used to Describe Impact...... 8-3 Table 8-2: Method for Rating the Significance of Impacts ...... 8-5 Table 8-3: Initial Rating of Impacts ...... 8-8 Table 8-4: Species Selection as Receptors ...... 8-14 Table 8-5: Species Impacts and Mitigation ...... 8-18 Table 8-6: Construction Equipment Noise (dB(A)) ...... 8-35 Table 8-7: Predicted Noise Level for Construction Equipment (dB(A)) ...... 8-36
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Tables R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 ix Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-8: Result of Noise Modeling ...... 8-82 Table 8-9: Criteria for Structural Damage Due to Vibration ...... 8-87 Table 8-10: Approximate Vibration Levels for Various Sources ...... 8-87 Table 8-11: Composite Rock Property Calculation ...... 8-90 Table 8-12: Powder Factor for Different Hardness of Rocks ...... 8-90 Table 8-13: Instantaneous Charge Weight Calculation ...... 8-92 Table 8-14: Calculated PPV as Function of Distance from Blast Site ...... 8-93 Table 8-15: Sensitivity Analysis ...... 8-94 Table 8-16: Houses in Risk Zones ...... 8-95 Table 8-17: Salient Features of AERMOD Air Dispersion Model ...... 8-105
Table 8-18: Emission Rates used for Each Segment (µg/m2/s) ...... 8-108 Table 8-19: Predicted Increment in Pollutant Concentrations (µg/m3) ...... 8-108 Table 8-20: GHG Emissions for Project Steel Requirements ...... 8-127 Table 8-21: GHG Calculation Parameters during Operation ...... 8-128 Table 8-22: GHG Emission Reduction for Proposed Project ...... 8-129 Table 8-23: Residual Impacts of the Project ...... 8-135
Table 9-1: Land Identified VECs and their Current Status ...... 9-4 Table 9-2: Total Land Acquisition for the Kobuleti and Batumi Bypass ...... 9-5
Table 10-1: Design Phase Mitigation Plan ...... 10-2 Table 10-2: Construction Phase Mitigation Plan ...... 10-5 Table 10-3: Operation Phase Mitigation Plan ...... 10-13 Table 10-4: Mitigation Measures for Ecological Impacts ...... 10-14 Table 10-5: Environmental Monitoring Program for Construction and Operation ...... 10-20 Table 10-6: EMP Implementation Budget for Construction Phase ...... 10-8
Table 11-1: GRCN Composition ...... 11-4 Table 11-2: GRCE composition ...... 11-5 Table 11-3: Grievance Resolution Process ...... 11-8
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Tables R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 x Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figures
Figure 1-1: Project Road Alignment ...... 1-2 Figure 1-2: Kobuleti Bypass Road ...... 1-3 Figure 1-3: A Tunnel with Similar Design...... 1-3 Figure 1-4: A Bridge over Kobuleti Road with Similar Design ...... 1-3
Figure 4-1: Adjara Bypass Project ...... 4-2 Figure 4-2: Project Road Alignment ...... 4-4 Figure 4-3: Typical Road Cross Section...... 4-5 Figure 4-4: Kobuleti Bypass Road ...... 4-6 Figure 4-5: Asphalt Pavement Structure ...... 4-6 Figure 4-6: Typical Tunnel Cross Section ...... 4-8 Figure 4-7: A Tunnel with Similar Design...... 4-8 Figure 4-8: Depth of Tunnel 1 ...... 4-9 Figure 4-9: Depth of Tunnel 2 ...... 4-0 Figure 4-10: Depth of Tunnel 3 ...... 4-0 Figure 4-11: Depth of Tunnel 4 ...... 4-1 Figure 4-12: Depth of Tunnel 5 ...... 4-1 Figure 4-13: Typical Bridge Cross Section ...... 4-3 Figure 4-14: A Bridge over Kobuleti Road with Similar Design ...... 4-4 Figure 4-15: Layouts of Interchange ...... 4-5 Figure 4-16: Service Building Locations ...... 4-7 Figure 4-17: Temporary Right of Way Example ...... 4-9 Figure 4-18: Locations of Potential Quarries ...... 4-14
Figure 5-1: Study Area...... 5-2 Figure 5-2: Current Ground Elevations of Project Alignment ...... 5-3 Figure 5-3: Topography of the Study Area ...... 5-4 Figure 5-4: Land Use in the Study Area ...... 5-6 Figure 5-5: Average Monthly Air Temperature (C) ...... 5-8 Figure 5-6: Average Monthly Precipitation ...... 5-9 Figure 5-7: Average Monthly Relative Humidity ...... 5-9 Figure 5-8: Geological Activity within the Study Area ...... 5-11 Figure 5-9: Global Seismic Hazard Map of Georgia ...... 5-12 Figure 5-10: Diffusion Tubes and RAM Site Photographs ...... 5-14 Figure 5-11: Particulate Matter Sampling Site Photographs ...... 5-15 Figure 5-12: Air Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-16 Figure 5-13: Water Resources in the Study Area ...... 5-19 Figure 5-14: Water Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-21 Figure 5-15: Photographs of Water Sampling ...... 5-22
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Figures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xi Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-16: Soil Quality Sampling Locations ...... 5-29 Figure 5-17: Soil Quality Sampling Photographs ...... 5-30 Figure 5-18: Noise Level Sampling Photographs ...... 5-35 Figure 5-19: Noise Level Measurement Locations ...... 5-36 Figure 5-20: Time Series for Noise Levels at N2...... 5-37 Figure 5-21: Areas of Conservation Importance...... 5-41 Figure 5-22: Habitat Distribution in Study Area ...... 5-43 Figure 5-23: Ecological Sampling Locations ...... 5-45 Figure 5-24: Terrestrial Vegetation in the Study Area ...... 5-51 Figure 5-25: Alien Invasive Species ...... 5-55 Figure 5-26: Important Bird Areas ...... 5-62 Figure 5-27: Administrative Setting ...... 5-84 Figure 5-28: Road Network ...... 5-87 Figure 5-29: Photographs of Local Roads in the Study Area ...... 5-88 Figure 5-30: Local Bus Stop ...... 5-89 Figure 5-31: Photographs of Railway Infrastructure ...... 5-89 Figure 5-32: Photographs of Utilities in the Study Area ...... 5-90 Figure 5-33: Photograph of a Typical Latrine Facility ...... 5-90 Figure 5-34: Housing Structures in the Study Area ...... 5-91 Figure 5-35: Schools and Playgrounds in the Study Area ...... 5-92 Figure 5-36: Cultural Resources ...... 5-93 Figure 5-37: Cultural Heritage Sites around Project Site ...... 5-94 Figure 5-38: Photographs of Cultural Heritage Sites around Project Site ...... 5-95
Figure 6-1: Consultation Locations ...... 6-4 Figure 6-2: Consultation Photographs ...... 6-7
Figure 7-1: Alternate Alignments ...... 7-6
Figure 8-1: Urbanization of Batumi Area ...... 8-12 Figure 8-2: Construction Noise ...... 8-37 Figure 8-3: Effect of Noise levels due to Relative Position of the Roadway and Receptor ...... 8-39 Figure 8-4: Noise Modeling Segments ...... 8-41 Figure 8-5: Segment 1 Noise Modeling ...... 8-42 Figure 8-6: Segment 1 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-43 Figure 8-7: Segment 1 Grid Noise Map – Night time ...... 8-44 Figure 8-8: Segment 2 Noise Modeling ...... 8-45 Figure 8-9: Segment 2 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-46 Figure 8-10: Segment 2 Grid Noise Map – Nighttime ...... 8-47 Figure 8-11: Segment 3 Noise Modeling ...... 8-48
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Figures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-12: Segment 3 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-49 Figure 8-13: Segment 3 Grid Noise Map – Nighttime ...... 8-50 Figure 8-14: Segment 4 Noise Modeling ...... 8-51 Figure 8-15: Segment 4 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-52 Figure 8-16: Segment 4 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime ...... 8-53 Figure 8-17: Segment 5 Noise Modeling ...... 8-54 Figure 8-18: Segment 5 Grid Noise Map - Daytime ...... 8-55 Figure 8-19: Segment 5 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime ...... 8-56 Figure 8-20: Segment 6 Noise Modeling ...... 8-57 Figure 8-21: Segment 6 Grid Noise Map - Daytime ...... 8-58 Figure 8-22: Segment 6 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime ...... 8-59 Figure 8-23: Segment 7 Noise Modeling ...... 8-60 Figure 8-24: Segment 7 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-61 Figure 8-25: Segment 7 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime ...... 8-62 Figure 8-26: Segment 8 Noise Modeling ...... 8-63 Figure 8-27: Segment 8 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-64 Figure 8-28: Segment 8 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime ...... 8-65 Figure 8-29: Segment 9 Noise Modeling ...... 8-66 Figure 8-30: Segment 9 Grid Noise Map – Daytime ...... 8-67 Figure 8-31: Segment 9 Grid Noise Map – Night time ...... 8-68 Figure 8-32: Segment 1-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-70 Figure 8-33: Segment 2-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-71 Figure 8-34: Segment 3-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-72 Figure 8-35: Segment 4-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-73 Figure 8-36: Segment 5-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-74 Figure 8-37: Segment 6-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-75 Figure 8-38: Segment 7-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-76 Figure 8-39: Segment 8-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-77 Figure 8-40: Segment 9-Single Point with Noise Protection ...... 8-78 Figure 8-41: Relative Positions of Selected Receiver ...... 8-81 Figure 8-42: How Noise Barriers Work ...... 8-82 Figure 8-43: Absorbing and Reflecting the Noise ...... 8-86 Figure 8-44: Drilling and Blasting Method ...... 8-91 Figure 8-45: Typical Borehole Pattern ...... 8-92 Figure 8-46: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 1...... 8-96 Figure 8-47: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 2...... 8-97 Figure 8-48: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 3...... 8-98 Figure 8-49: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 4...... 8-99 Figure 8-50: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 5...... 8-100 Figure 8-51: Air Dispersion Modelling Divisions ...... 8-107
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Figures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xiii Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-52: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2 ...... 8-109
Figure 8-53: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2 ...... 8-110
Figure 8-54: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2 ...... 8-111
Figure 8-55: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 1 and 2 ...... 8-112
Figure 8-56: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 1 and 2 ...... 8-113
Figure 8-57: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4 ...... 8-114
Figure 8-58: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4 ...... 8-115
Figure 8-59: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4 ...... 8-116
Figure 8-60: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 3 and 4 ...... 8-117
Figure 8-61: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 3 and 4 ...... 8-118
Figure 8-62: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6 ...... 8-119
Figure 8-63: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6 ...... 8-120
Figure 8-64: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6 ...... 8-121
Figure 8-65: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 5 and 6 ...... 8-122
Figure 8-66: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 5 and 6 ...... 8-123 Figure 8-67: GHG Emissions, Transient vs Smooth Driving...... 8-128
Figure 9-1: Developments in the Project Vicinity ...... 9-3
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Figures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xiv Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Acronyms
AADT Annual Average Daily Traffic ADB Asian Development Bank AIIB Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank AIS Alien Invasive Species AM Accountability Mechanism APs Affected Person BID Background Information Document BRC Batumi Raptor Count
CH4 Methane CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CMS Convention on Migratory Species CO Carbon monoxide
CO2 Carbon dioxide CSC Construction Supervision Consultant EC European Commission EE Ecological Examination EHS Environmental, Health and Safety EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIP Environmental Impact Permits EMP Environmental Management Plan EMS Environmental Management System GHG Greenhouse Gas GRCE Grievance Redress Committee GRCN Grievance Redress Commission GRL Georgian Red List GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GSHAP Global Seismic Hazard Map Project IEE Initial Environmental Examination IFC International Finance Corporation IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature LARP Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan MAC Maximum Allowable Concentrations MACI Main Architecture and Construction Inspection MOVES Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator
N2O Nitrous oxide NGOs Non-government Organization
NO2 Nitrogen dioxide
NOx Oxides of Nitrogen NSIDC National Snow and Ice Data Centre OHS Occupational Health and Safety OWS Oil Water Separators PGA Peak Ground Acceleration
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Acronyms R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xv Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
PPV Peak Particle Velocity RAM Rapid Air Monitors RC Reinforced Concrete RD Roads Department SC Supervision Consultant SPS Safeguard Policy Statement SSEMP Site Specific Environmental Management Plan UNEP United Nations Environment Programme WHO World Health Organization
Units µg Microgram µg/m3 Microgram per Cubic Meter dBA A-weighted decibels g/mi gram per mile GWP Global Warming Potential km kilometer kph kilometer per hour Leq Equivalent Sound Level Lmax Maximum Sound Level m Meter mph mile per hour squrare km square kilometer
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Acronyms R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 xvi Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
1. Executive Summary
1. The 81-km Poti–Batumi–Sarpi Road (“S2” under Georgian Highway Designation) along the western coast of Georgia, located in the Adjara Autonomous Republic, is a key international highway and international transit route in Georgia. It is connected to the important towns Batumi, Poti and Kobuleti. Batumi is a major Black Sea port and a holiday resort; Poti is the largest port of Georgia; and Kobuleti is a holiday resort. Due to heavy traffic on S2, there has been significant increase in congestion and accidents particularly during the tourist season in Batumi and Kobuleti. The Government of Georgia plans to construct two roads around Batumi and Kobuleti to bypass the highway traffic from these towns. This EIA has been prepared for the Batumi Bypass. 2. This EIA is a continuation of the previous study however wherever necessary new baseline data collection (including air, water and soil quality sampling and measurements of noise levels), stakeholder consultation, and assessment has been done, especially with regards to the new technology and scope of operation. 3. The Project is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
1.1 The Proposed Project 4. Adjara Autonomous Region, located in the southwest part of Georgia, is bordered by the Black Sea to the west and Turkey to the south. The two major towns Batumi and Kobuleti are major tourist centers, especially in the summer months. Batumi is also the second largest port in Georgia. Whilst the two towns cater for extensive tourist traffic, the existing S2 Highway also carries heavy goods and passenger traffic. Turkey is Georgia’s most important trading partner and substantially all trade with Turkey passes along this road. The high incidence of traffic accidents, and the associated death and injury place a heavy burden on the health and welfare systems of the area. The proposed Project will support (i) construction of bypass roads around the Batumi; (ii) improve the international road transit network; (iii) improve road safety; (iv) strengthen institutions and (v) promote activities to involve the private sector.1 5. The Project road, bypassing the city of Batumi from East, is entirely located in Khelvachauri District (see Figure 1-1 for the alignment and location of tunnels and bridges). The design alignment goes through the villages of Makhinjauri, Gantiadi, Kapreshumi, Salibauri, Peria, and Makhvilauri. Passing through the above villages, the design alignment crosses complex landscape of multiple ravines, streams, rivers, hills and hillsides. Thirteen kilometer of road (Figure 1-2), five tunnels (Figure 1-3), 15 bridges (Figure 1-4) and four interchanges are planned along the Project alignment. 6. Tentative commencement date of the contract is 2017 and the expected time to complete the construction works is 2020.
1 Feasibility Study, 2009
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 1-1: Project Road Alignment
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 1-2: Kobuleti Bypass Road
Figure 1-3: A Tunnel with Similar Design
Figure 1-4: A Bridge over Kobuleti Road with Similar Design
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
1.2 Description of the Environment 7. The potential impacts of the Project on its surrounding physical and biological environments include air and water quality impacts, noise generation, land transformation and changes to soil. These are expected to reduce with the increased distance from the Project facilities, affecting more the areas located closer, up to one kilometer, to the Project alignment. For this, a study area of one kilometer around the site was delineated, to assess the baseline conditions in the areas likely to be affected by the Project due to its proximity to the Project site. This is referred to as the Study Area in this report. A detailed baseline of the physical, social, and ecological environment is provided. 8. The Project passes through a rolling and hilly terrain with elevations ranging from 20 to 197 m on the alignment. Nearly two-third of the Study Area is covered with vegetation whereas the remaining is anthropogenic in nature. 9. Air quality sampling was carried out at five different locations in the Study Area between September and October 2016 to characterize the current air quality within the Study Area. Particulate matter was sampled using Airmetrics MiniVol Portable Air Samplers, whereas the remaining pollutants measured using Gradko diffusion tubes. The results of the ambient air quality sampling are presented below.
NO2 levels are within limits at all locations other than A2. It is very slightly above the limit here likely due to the presence of the busy main road and industries near A2.
SO2 levels were lower than the detectable level at all locations. Ozone levels were below limits at all locations. Particulate matter results were high near A1, A2 and A5. The concentration is within the 24 hour IFC interim target 1 but above the guideline values. It must be noted that the tourist season is over. During the tourist season there are more cars and traffic jams within Batumi which could give higher readings at A1. However, the current reading is so low that the additional pollutant concentrations are also likely within limits. 10. To determine the baseline noise in the area, measurements were taken at seven locations, each for 24-hr. The survey was conducted with Cirrus Research plc.’s sound level meter, which was calibrated before and after measurements using a field calibrator. 11. The sources of noise were identified using the following sources: Identification of noise sources in the vicinity during set up and dismantling of sampling equipment The noise sampling equipment was set to record audio when noise levels exceed 80 dB A. These recordings were reviewed. 12. Based on the above the following conclusions are drawn regarding noise sources in the area: Traffic: for sampling locations along sealed roads traffic noise was very significant. Vehicles were observed to drive fairly fast (up to 50 kmph) on small roads adjacent to the noise sampling location (such as N4, and N5) with rapid acceleration and deceleration. There were more vehicles during the day than the night which explains the higher noise levels during the day.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Natural sources: The major natural source of noise is the many streams that crisscross the mountainous landscape. Other sources include rain and wind. At night a drop in temperature results in an increase in the density and pressure of the air which may facilitate the propagation of noise from natural sources. This may result in conditions that have a higher noise level at night than during the day2. There are also fewer fluctuations during the night which further indicates that this is from steady natural sources. 13. Based on these results the following conclusions can be drawn Mountainous low density areas with low traffic o These areas such as N2, N3 and N7 have low noise.
o L90 which is the background sound level is between 34 – 38 dB A. L10, which corresponds to noise disturbances are lower than 51 dB A. o Daytime noise levels are lower (between 42 and 45.5 dB A) than night time noise levels (between 45 and 49 dB A. This is because these areas are dominated by natural noise sources discussed earlier. Medium density settlements along major roads o These areas such as N1, N4, N5 and N6 have a moderate amount of noise.
o L90 ranges between 38 and 56 dB A. L10, levels are as high as 62.8 dB A. o Daytime noise levels (between 55 and 63 dB A) are higher than nighttime noise levels (between 50 and 55 dB A) as these areas are dominated by human noise influences which reduce at night.
1.3 Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation 14. As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process, consultations are undertaken with communities and institutions that may have interest in the proposed project or may be affected by it. The objective of conducting stakeholder consultations during the ESIA process is to inform all the stakeholders about the Project, record and take into account their opinions, suggestions and concerns and establish confidence amongst the Project stakeholders that the Project is developed in a responsible way. This section documents the consultation process for the EIA of the proposed Project.
1.4 Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures 15. During the scoping stage of the EIA process, several potential environmental and social impacts of the project were identified. The baseline surveys were conducted keeping in consideration the potential impacts. In this chapter, the potential environmental and social impacts are evaluated. The impacts have been identified based on consideration of the information presented in previous chapters. To avoid unnecessary repetition of supporting information, cross referencing to previous sections is given where necessary. Following the impact assessment, the mitigation measures related to each impact category is presented.
1.4.1 Ecology and Habitat 16. The main concerns for impacts on ecological receptors are disturbances caused by site clearance, contamination of feeding, breeding and resting habitats, poaching of
2 Davis M. L. and Cornwall, D. A. 1991. Introduction to Environmental Engineering. McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
wildlife and introduction of invasive species, due to a lack of regulation, by staff involved in Project-related activities.
1.4.2 Construction Noise 17. Noise is defined as a loud, undesired sound that interferes with normal human activities. If it affects the well-being of the surrounding community (environmental noise), it is considered a nuisance and normally has no direct health impacts. Exposure to very high noise levels (exceeding 85 dBA), particularly for prolonged period can cause hearing loss. This level of noise is usually encountered in the workplace around construction sites and is considered an occupational hazard. 18. The potential noise related issue during construction of the project is disturbance to surrounding communities of the Project. The noise during the construction phase greatly depends on the stage of construction work and equipment used at the site. The construction activities can be divided into the following phases: Site clearing and preparation, delivery of equipment and materials to the site, excavation and tunnel construction, piling and concrete placement, erection of bridges, and finishing. 19. The main sources of noise and vibration during construction of the project are as follows: Construction machinery Drilling activities Haulage activities Concrete mixing and aggregate production systems, Vehicular movement; and Construction Camps 20. The proposed mitigation measures include: No construction work will be undertaken within 250 m of a house during the night. Prior of start of work on activities that may result in excessive noise, such as jack-hammer, tractor, dozer, grader and bored piling the community will be informed about the activity is imminent and the likely duration of the activity. Equipment emitting excessive noise in comparison with other similar equipment will not be allowed to operate. Equipment under use will be regularly maintained, tuned, and provided with mufflers to minimize noise levels.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Equipment in poor state of maintenance, particularly without effective noise control will be checked to determine if it can be improved, and replaced with less noisy equipment as soon as practicable. Blowing of horn will be prohibited within the construction zones except under emergency conditions. Close liaison with the community and regular monitoring of the noise levels in the community are key to successfully implementation of the above mitigation measures. Specifically, the communities will be informed of all major construction activities at least three days in advance. Noise control measures will be discussed with the community through informal and formal meetings. A complaint registering, tracking and redressal mechanism will be implemented. Noise levels will be monitored regularly in the community in order to take timely corrective measures, if needed.
1.4.3 Vibration 21. Ground-borne vibration is the oscillatory motion of the ground about some equilibrium position, and can be described in terms either of displacement, velocity or acceleration. Because human sensitivity to vibration typically corresponds best to the amplitude of vibration velocity within the low frequency range of most concern (roughly 5- 100 Hertz), vibration velocity is the preferred measure for evaluating ground-borne vibration from transit projects. 22. Vibration from the construction activities is a cause of concern to the community. The effects of vibration varies and depends on the magnitude of the vibration source, the particular ground conditions between the source and receiver, presence of rocks or other large structures in the area. The intensity, duration, frequency and number of occurrences of a vibration all play an important role in both the annoyance levels caused and the strains induced in structures. 23. The effects of vibration includes annoyance, sleep disturbance, and potential damage to structures. Sources of vibration includes construction equipment movement, pile driving, compaction, hammering (hydraulic or pneumatic), operation of batching plant and generators. Another source of vibration will be the blasting to be undertaken for tunneling. The propagation of vibration from construction activities are different in nature from the vibration from blasting. The construction activities are undertaken essentially on ground surface and spreads basically as two-dimensional waves. In contrast, the tunneling is undertaken below the surface and spreads in three-dimension. For this reason, the impact of the two is assessed separately. 24. It is shown the anticipated levels of vibration are well below the threshold of any possibility of damage to structures due to vibrations from typical construction activities related to roller, compactors, and movement of construction equipment. The piling for the bridge piers are likely to generate relatively more vibrations which depends on soil condition. However, even under extreme conditions, the vibration is unlikely to exceed 10 mm/s beyond 25 m. 25. Tunnel excavation will be carried out by two methods. “Drilling and Blasting” is the preferred method for Category V rocks whereas “Excavator and Jackhammer” is the preferred method for Category II and II rocks. Blasting results in release of energy in four
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
forms: a) ground vibration; b) airborne shockwaves; c) flying debris and rocks; and d) sound waves. 26. The airborne shockwaves are generated mainly if the blast is carried out on the surface or near the surface. The impact of airborne shockwaves is calculated and is shown that it is not of concern if the explosives are confined. The efficiency of blasting requires that the energy in airborne shockwaves remains low so that maximum energy is used for breaking rocks. 27. A second source of concern is flying rocks from the blast. Depending in the rock type and explosive strength, these rocks can go up to 50 m and can potentially damage structures. For the above reason, surface blasting or blasting near the mouth of the tunnel is not recommended. To prevent damage to the structures from flying rock and, to some extent minimize effect of airborne shockwaves and sound, no blasting will be carried out within 100 m of the mouth of the tunnel. 28. Underground blasting results in ground vibrations that cannot be confined to the site. The Project will conduct construction blasting consistent with Georgian and international safety standards. Blasting will be conducted using standard mining industry practices and procedures to ensure safety of personnel and equipment. This includes establishing a safety zone around the blast area, say to a distance of 500 m (actual distance will be established by the contractor based on the safety standards) and evacuating it. 29. Prediction of vibration levels at a location away from the blasting site is a complex function of blasting parameters and rocks through which the waves propagate. A number of site specific experimental formulae have been developed to predict and control blasting effects. A recently developed model for blasting induced vibration was used. 30. In the case of ground vibrations, the level of vibration is measured by the Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) with units of millimeters of movement per second (mm/s). The PPV is directly related to the size of the blast and the distance from the blast—the closer to the blast the greater the vibration. Using the rock parameters and instantaneous charge weight, the PPV at intervals of 10 m from the blasting site was calculated. 31. The results indicate that for the given configuration, the applicable criteria of no damage (5 m/s) will be met at a distance of 130 from the blasting site. Further the PPV will exceed the threshold for structural damage at a distance of 60 m from the blasting site. The above results are based on certain key assumptions and understanding. These are: The accuracy and representativeness of information in the Feasibility Study. This includes the rock type, rock type distribution, and RQD; The tunnel composition of rock type is representative of the entire area to allow developing property of composite rock; The assumptions about borehole depth (5 m), total rock blasted in one cycle (460 m3), powder factor (0.75) and maximum instantaneous charge (50 kg) are reasonable. 32. It is emphasized that these are assumptions and shall not be considered as binding. They are based on available information and have been selected as indicative of typical conditions that are likely to be encountered in the actual tunneling. In selection of the numbers, a reasonable level of conservative approach has been taken.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
33. It is, therefore, believed that during the blasting for tunnels it shall be possible to meet the evaluation criteria which shall be considered binding on Construction Contractor. 34. A sensitivity analysis was also undertaken to ascertain the variation in distance at which the threshold values are exceeded. To investigate the impact of simultaneous variation in the three parameters, random variation about the mean values of the three parameters was generated. The calculated distance to structural damage risk was calculated to be 59 ± 13 m, and to the cosmetic damage risk was calculated to be 126 ± 28 m. 35. Blasting induced vibration risk zone maps were developed for each tunnel. The number of houses around the five tunnels that are in the structural damage and cosmetic damage risk zones are 64 and 80, respectively. 36. The PPV is predicted using a semi-empirical model which is the best alternate in the absence of measured field data. Although, there is reasonable confidence in the predicted value, but the norm is to measure field data to assess vibration levels. It is therefore proposed that the tunneling shall start from a tunnel with sparse population in the surrounding (for example, Tunnel 3). In the initial stages, the blasting induced vibration shall be measured as a function of maximum instantaneous charge and distance from the blasting site. This data shall be then used to refine the damage risk zones on the basis of the adopted criteria. 37. Early during the construction phase, the construction contractor shall develop a detailed tunnel blasting plan as part of the overall construction schedule. The plan shall specify, to a reasonable level of accuracy, the schedule for boring of each tunnel. 38. Using, the refined damage risk map and the tunnel boring schedule, the Supervision Consultant in consultation with the Roads Department and the Construction Contractor, shall identify the houses that will be affected and the impact duration and schedule. 39. For the houses that will fall in the Structural Damage Risk Zone, a temporary relocation plan will be developed. An amendment to the Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARP) will be commissioned for this purpose. Before start of blasting, all residents of houses in the Structural Damage Risk Zone will be relocated as per the LARP. 40. A survey will be undertaken in both zones, to determine the pre-blasting conditions of the buildings. The survey will be commissioned by the Supervision Consultant and will identify and record any existing damage to the structures. The survey will cover the following aspects: a. Overall condition of the structures, both exterior and interior. b. Documentation of defects observed in the structure using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. c. Documentation of pre-existing cracks using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. 41. The survey will be accompanied with consultations with the affected household to explain the extent and reason for the survey, and the process for reporting any grievances regarding vibration impacts. The households should be provided with materials that summarize the grievance redress process.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
42. Following completion of the blasting, the survey will be repeated in the Structural Damage Risk Zone to determine the condition of the buildings and verify that they are safe for re-occupation. If the buildings are safe, the residents will be allowed to return to their houses following any necessary damage repairs. If the buildings are damaged beyond repair, compensation will be paid to the owners as per the LARP. 43. If there are any claims or reports of damage in the Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone, the affected house will be surveyed against the pre-Project survey and repairs will be undertaken as appropriate. 44. Following are key mitigation measures for the management of blasting: Blasting will be scheduled during the day only. Local communities will be informed of blasting timetable in advance and will be provided adequate notice of when blasts are required outside of the planned schedule. A Blasting Management Plan will be developed by the Construction Contractor. The Plan will be reviewed and approved by the Supervision Contractor before the initiation of the blasting work. Throughout the blasting activity, vibration sensors will be installed at strategic location to monitor the impact of blasting and to ensure that the vibration levels are within the adopted criteria. The monitoring plan will be part of the Blasting Management Plan. 45. Unlike other construction activities, it is recognized that the impact of blasting on the community can be significant or can be perceived as significant by the community. It is therefore vital that regular and meaningful contact with the community shall be maintained and their grievance shall be attended to in a timely manner. In this regard: A meaningful community engagement plan will be developed. The plan will cover identify the affected community; the key contact persons; frequency of engagement; the information to be shared; the responsibilities to manage the plan; and the notice period to be giving to the community for various blasting related generating activities. The Grievance Redress Mechanism will be used to record, investigate, and respond to any complaints. Investigation of the complaints will be undertaken by the Supervision Consultant. 46. Vibration Monitoring Plan will include monitoring of vibration levels and frequency around the blasting sites. The objectives of the monitoring will be to: Ensure that vibration levels in the communities are within the adopted criteria levels; Maintain record of vibration to settle any potential conflicts; and Monitor changes in the vibration levels due to possible changes in the rock formation and take appropriate corrective actions. 47. Vibration data will be documented, reviewed, and preserved. It will be regularly shared with the RD, ADB, ministry of Environment and the community as part of the monthly progress report.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Operation Phase Impacts 48. Highway traffic is not likely to have any measurable impact on the structures or on comfort. The Federal Highway Administration of the USA has determined that “All studies the highway agencies have done to assess the impact of operational traffic induced vibrations have shown that both measured and predicted vibration levels are less than any known criteria for structural damage to buildings. In fact, normal living activities (e.g., closing doors, walking across floors, operating appliances) within a building have been shown to create greater levels of vibration than highway traffic.”3
1.4.4 Air Quality 49. The ambient air quality may be affected by the Project activities during the construction phase. In this section, the impacts of construction activities on ambient air quality are discussed. 50. The sources of emission will include point sources (a single, stationary and identified source of pollution from where pollutants can be emitted into the atmosphere instantaneously and continuously). The stacks of all the generators are an example of point source. Other point sources include the batching plant. 51. The proposed mitigation measures include: Minimize disturbance to, or movement of, soil and vegetation. Prevent soil damage and erosion to reduce dust emission. Retain as much natural vegetation as possible. Install and maintain all vehicles and machinery with appropriate emission control equipment. Smoke from internal combustion engines should not be visible for more than ten seconds. Sprinkle water on all exposed surfaces, particularly those close and up-wind of the settlements. Dust suppression with covers on loads, water sprays, covers on long-term piles of materials when there are visible dust emissions.
Operation Phase Impacts 52. The air quality of the Study Area was modeled to assess the impacts of traffic on the new road. The results of the dispersion model shows marginal increase in air pollutant concentration in the surrounding areas.
1.4.5 Land Stability 53. The top cover of soil on the slopes around the Project facilities is mainly sand and fine clay. Any excavation work during the construction activities, whether permanent or temporary, would lead to loss of soil. Excavated material collected during excavation of the tunnels may be used during construction of the road. Erosion of soil can occur from removal of vegetation cover, runoff from unprotected excavated areas, muck disposal
3http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/regulations_and_guidance/analysis_and_abatement_guidance/ polguide09.cfm
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
sites and quarry sites. Excavations on slopes would also decrease its stability. Given the topography of the area, unprotected excavations on sloping grounds may lead to landslides, especially during the rainy season. Major landslides will disturb the slopes of the area and may also alter the bed of streams and rivers. 54. The proposed mitigation measures include: Vegetation loss will be limited to demarcated construction area. Areas such as muck disposal area, batching plant, labor camp and quarry sites after the closure shall be covered with grass and shrubs. Slope stabilization measures will be adopted such as adequate vertical and horizontal drains, drainage along roadsides, cross drainage and retaining walls. Slope movements will be monitored around excavation work areas.
1.4.6 Operation Noise 55. Noise is undesirable or unwanted sound. It can be subjective but its impacts may include annoyance, disturbance, stress, and physical and psychological damage. Sources of noise from highway traffic includes: Engine noise mainly from exhaust, during acceleration and stopping Friction between road surface and vehicle tire Horns and loud music Aerodynamic friction 56. To assess the impact of the proposed traffic on the surrounding communities, noise modeling was undertaken with the following objectives: Predict the noise level due to traffic on the proposed Batumi Bypass Road on the surrounding areas, particularly on the residences located within 100 m of the proposed road. Identify generic specifications of noise barriers to reduce the noise levels to acceptable criteria. Identify the areas, where the noise levels are unlikely to be mitigated to acceptable noise levels using the standard mitigations methods 57. The noise model, SoundPLAN Essential Version 3.0 by Braunstein + Berndt GmbH / SoundPLAN International LLC was used. The model is capable of modeling noise levels in three-dimensions. The following are the key inputs and assumptions: For the convenience of modeling the entire road was divided in to 9 segments. Each segment was modelled separately. In the 1-km zone on each side of the road, a total of 490 houses were identified. These are the potential receptors. 58. In addition to these 490 houses, 25 houses fell within 25 m of the edge of the road. These were not modeled as the Road Departments intends to remove all houses within 25 m of the edge of the road. These houses will be thus included in the LARP. 59. Following the modeling of “without mitigation” emission, noise walls were introduced to reduce the impacts on the receptors. The length and surface area of the walls in each segment is provided in the table. An estimated 14.5 km of noise wall of
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
2-4 m height will be required. The total surface area of the walls is estimated to be 58,000 m2. The estimated cost of this noise wall is USD 275 per m2 for a total cost of USD 15.95 million. 60. A key mitigation measure to achieve compliance with the noise standard is to ensure that the vehicle speed on the highway does not exceed 90 kph. 61. Even after the introduction the noise wall, the noise levels for some receivers could not be mitigated due to their location with respect to the road for the relative positions of selected receiver. The number of such receivers is 52. The strategy for these receivers will be as follows: Refined mitigation options will be considered. These may include higher walls (up to 6 m); wall and berm on the hill to provide better shielding; and plantation of 200 m wide avenue of trees to shield the houses. If by any of these measures noise levels for the houses cannot be mitigated, the owners of the houses will be given the option to relocate after selling their houses. Their names will be included in the LARP. An alternate, is that they despite the high noise want to stay in their houses. In that case, a legally binding agreement will be executed between the Roads Department and the receiver.
1.4.7 Socioeconomic Impact 62. The proposed Project is located in an area which is close to the urban area of Batumi, however, has a semi-urban and rural setting. The residents of the village depend on the city for their essential economic needs. Agricultural farming is the local economic activities. The key socioeconomic impacts on the community relates to resettlement. Other impacts such as noise, dust, and traffic impacts are covered elsewhere in the report. The Adjara is rich with archeological findings, though no known archeological sites are located within the construction corridor of the Project alignment, there is a potential that these works may damage the unidentified underground archaeological remnants. According to the Law of Georgia on Cultural Heritage, a separate study will be carried out to ascertain whether there is any archeological site present in the area. As part of the study Chance find procedure will also be developed. A cemetery is within the RoW of the alignment and will be displaced. The community is in agreement to relocate the cemetery. The Roads department will execute an agreement with the community and facilitate the relocation of the cemetery. The Project will have impacts on both urban economics and rural poverty in the project area. The road construction will create lot of job opportunities to the local community. It is expected that about 70,000 man months of employment during construction. The construction of the new bypass road constitutes the long-term improvement of economic conditions in the project area due to better traffic access. The greatest beneficiaries from a monetary standpoint will be the current road users, who will experience greater efficiency, higher safety, time and operational cost reduction, and less wear and damage to their vehicles.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
The most significant socioeconomic impact relates to the land acquisition and resettlement. A Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan has been prepared separately to manage the resettlement process in accordance with the ADB safeguard policies. Consideration is made in the engineering design to provide paved full-width shoulder for pedestrians and roadside lay-bys for marketing local produce. Where space permits, either a part of the roadway or a separate surface from the edge of the roadbed is considered, especially in the region where road is passing through settlements, schools, and markets. Special provisions are made in bridge and tunnel designs for pedestrian traffic. Crash guardrails and barriers will be constructed along the roads and bridges designed to German standards. These barriers protect both the vehicles and surrounding communities from collisions. Bridges also contain pedestrian guardrails, after the sidewalk.
1.5 Environmental Management Plan 63. The main objective of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is to identify mechanisms to implement the environmental mitigation measures discussed in Chapter 9. It is the fundamental tool that ensures that all mitigation measures are consolidated, their implementation responsibilities identified and the resources required to implement the measures are provided. Further, the EMP includes monitoring measures as a feedback mechanism on implementation and effectiveness of the mitigation measures. 64. Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is prepared for all the identified environmental impacts during design, construction, and operation and management (O&M) stages due to implementation of various Project activities.
1.6 Conclusions 65. The proposed Project, the Batumi Bypass Road Construction, was evaluated in this report. The proposed design and construction activities were assessed against the laws of Georgia, and ADB’s safeguard policies. Mitigation and management measures were recommended and made part of the project design. 66. Environmentally, the most important aspect of the project is the noise to be generated during project operation. Noise modeling was undertaken to predict the impact, and identify mitigation measures. Socially, the most important aspect is resettlement. A resettlement action plan has been prepared separately to undertake the resettlement in a fair and open manner and to minimize social or economic impacts.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Executive Summary R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
2. Introduction
67. The 81-km Poti–Batumi–Sarpi Road (“S2” under Georgian Highway Designation) along the western coast of Georgia, located in the Adjara Autonomous Republic, is a key international highway and international transit route in Georgia. It is connected to the important towns Batumi, Poti and Kobuleti. Batumi is a major Black Sea port and a holiday resort. Poti is the largest port of Georgia. Kobuleti is a holiday resort. Due to heavy traffic on S2, there has been significant increase in congestion and accidents particularly during the tourist season in Batumi and Kobuleti. The Government of Georgia plans to construct two roads around Batumi and Kobuleti to bypass the highway traffic from these towns. This EIA has been prepared for the Batumi Bypass (the ‘Project’). 68. The Project is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
2.1 Introduction to the EIA 69. This EIA is a continuation of the previous study however wherever necessary new baseline data collection (including air, water and soil quality sampling and measurements of noise levels), stakeholder consultation, and assessment has been done, especially with regards to the new technology and scope of operation. The Terms of Reference (TOR) is included as Appendix 1.
2.2 Project Category 70. ADB uses a classification system to reflect the significance of a project’s potential environmental impacts. A proposed project is classified as category A, B, C or Fl. A project is classified as Category A if it is likely to have significant adverse environmental impacts that are irreversible, diverse, or unprecedented. These impacts may affect an area larger than the sites or facilities subject to physical works. Whereas a proposed project is classified as Category B if its potential adverse environmental impacts are less adverse than those of Category A projects. These impacts are site-specific, few if any of them are irreversible, and in most cases mitigation measures can be designed more readily than for Category A projects. 71. The proposed Project is classified as Category A mainly because a) it will have a permanent footprint that will be irreversible, and b) it involves resettlement of a relatively large number of people.
2.3 Organization of the Report 72. The EIA contains 12 chapters as follows: After the Executive Summary (Chapter 1) and Introduction (this chapter), the Legal and Institutional Framework (Chapter 3) discusses the environmental laws of the country and the ADB SPS 2009. The proposed project is described in The Proposed Project (Chapter 4). The physical, ecological and socioeconomic baseline is presented in Description of the Environment (Chapter 5). Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation (Chapter 6) and Analysis of Alternatives (Chapter 7) follow. The core of the EIA is the Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Chapter 8) which identifies the potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed Project, predicts their magnitude, evaluates the significance of impacts, and proposes mitigation measures, where required. The cumulative impacts are discussed in Chapter 9. This chapter is followed by the
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Introduction R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 2-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Environmental Management Plan (Chapter 10) which identifies various implementing mechanisms, institutional arrangements, monitoring mechanisms, and other plans to ensure effective implementation of the proposed mitigation measures. The Grievance Redress Mechanism (Chapter 11) proposes the mechanism to affectively address any grievances of the community and other stakeholders against the project. 73. Finally, Conclusions (Chapter 12) concludes the report. The background information and detailed data is provided in the appendices.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Introduction R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 2-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
3. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework
74. This chapter reviews the provisions for environmental protection in the laws of Georgia that are relevant to the proposed Project. It also discusses the potential implications of the international treaties to which the Republic of Georgia is a party. Finally, the administrative framework for environmental management is also described. Note: All legal instruments in Georgia are in the Georgian Language. English translations that have been used and quoted in this chapter are from various online sources and shall not be construed as official translation.
3.1 Environmental Policies and Laws of Georgia 75. Georgian legislation comprises the Constitution, environmental laws, international agreements, subordinate legislation, normative acts, presidential orders and governmental decrees, ministerial orders, instructions and regulations. Along with the national regulations, Georgia is signatory to a number of international conventions, including those related to environmental protection. 76. The Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources Protection (MoENRP) of the Government of Georgia is responsible for regulating the activities that affect the natural environment.
3.1.1 Constitution of Georgia 1995 (Last Amended 2013) 77. The Constitution of Georgia4 defines both the rights and duties of the citizens of Georgia and the responsibilities of the State in the context of environment and sustainable development. Specifically it states that: Rights of the Citizen Everyone shall have the right to live in a healthy environment and to use the natural and cultural environment [Article 37, Part 3]. Everyone shall have the right to complete, objective, and timely information about environmental conditions [Article 37, Part 5]. Every citizen of Georgia shall have the right of access to information as determined by law, as well as to official documents about him/her stored in state institutions, unless they contain state, professional, or commercial secrets [Article 41, Part 1]. Duties of the Citizen Everyone shall be obliged to protect the natural and cultural environment [Article 37, Part 3]. Responsibilities of the State Taking into account the interests of current and future generations, the State shall guarantee environmental protection and rational use of nature in order to ensure a safe environment for human health and maintain sustainable
4 Georgia's Constitution of 1995 with Amendments through 2013, https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Georgia_2013?lang=en. Accessed October 15, 2016.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
development of the country in line with the ecological and economic interests of society [Article 37, Part 4].
3.1.2 Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection 1996 (Last Amended 2016) 78. Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection 19965 is the earliest environmental law that “regulates legal relations in the field of environmental protection and the use of natural resources ('environmental protection') between state bodies and natural and legal persons…” 79. The main goals of this law, relevant to the proposed Project are: “protect fundamental human rights established by the Constitution of Georgia in the field of environmental protection, in particular the right to live in a healthy environment and the right to enjoy the natural and the cultural environment; ensure the protection of the environment and the rational use of natural resources by the State, and ensure a healthy environment in accordance with the environmental and economic interests of society and taking into account the interests of present and future generations; support the preservation of biological diversity and of rare, endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna typical of the country, and support the protection of, and ensure ecological balance within, the marine environment; preserve and protect natural landscapes and ecosystems; and ensure appropriate conditions for the sustainable development of the country. 80. Article 5 states that “when planning and carrying out activities6, state bodies and natural and legal persons (regardless of their ownership and organizational and legal form) shall be guided by the main environmental principles.” For the applicability of this article, the law lists 12 environmental principles, which are: the risk reduction principle —an operator7 shall, when planning and carrying out his/her/its activities, take relevant measures to prevent or reduce the risk of an adverse impact on the environment and human health; the sustainability principle—the use of the environment and natural resources in a manner where no danger is posed to the development of society and where the protection of the environment and natural resources from irreversible quantitative and qualitative changes is ensured; the priority principle—an action that may have an adverse impact on the environment and human health may be replaced by another, less risky, though more expensive, action. Priority shall be given to the latter if its value does not exceed the costs of compensation of ecological damage caused by a less expensive action; the user pays principle—an operator pays for the use of natural resources of soil, water, forest, flora and fauna, subsoil and fossils;
5 https://www.matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/download/33340/19/en/pdf, Accessed October 15, 2016. 6 The term “activity” is defined in Article of the Law of Georgia on Environmental Impact Permits. 7 “Operator is defined in the law as “a natural or a legal person carrying out an activity”
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
the polluter pays principle—the obligation of an operator or other natural or legal person to compensate damage caused to the environment; the biological diversity preservation principle—activities shall not cause the irreversible degradation of biodiversity; the waste minimization principle—in the course of activities, preference is given to such technology as ensures the minimization of waste; the recycling principle—in the course of activities, preference is given to substances, materials and chemical compounds which can be reused or reprocessed, or biologically degraded, or decomposed safely for the environment; the restitution principle—the environment degraded as a result of activities shall be brought as close as possible to its original state; the environmental impact assessment principle—an operator shall, in the process of designing or planning his/her/its activities, take into consideration and assess the possible impact of those activities on the environment in accordance with the procedure established by law; the public participation principle—the participation of the public in the process of making important decisions related to the carrying out of an activity; the information accessibility principle—information on the environmental condition shall be open and available to the public. 81. Article 37 of the Law of Georgia on Environmental Protection 1996 covers the EIA and requires that: An environmental impact assessment shall be carried out before the issuance of environmental impact permits for the implementation of activities in order to prevent or reduce adverse environmental impacts. An environmental impact assessment shall determine the potential impacts of activity on the environment, and shall evaluate the ecological, social and economic consequences caused by such impacts. An operator shall include the results of environmental impact assessment in an environmental impact assessment report. 82. Articles of Chapter XII of the Act discusses the protection of the natural ecosystem. These include among others coastline, forests, and wildlife. Similarly, Chapter XIII of the Act covers the protected areas. Chapter XIV covers the global issues such as the climate change, biodiversity, and ozone layers. However, the implementation of these articles requires separate legislation under the Act. Where any law has been enacted in this context and is relevant is discussed later in this chapter. 83. In the context of this EIA, the specific requirements under this law are: Wherever relevant, the EIA process shall take into account the environmental principles. This is particularly important for those aspects of the environment for which specific laws, regulations and standards have not been enacted. An EIA shall be carried out for the proposed project for the issuance of environmental impact permits for the implementation of the Project.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
3.1.3 Law of Georgia on Environmental Permit 2007 (Last Amended 2016) 84. The Law of Georgia on Environmental Permit 20078 is a legal instrument that regulates the environmental assessment procedures in Georgia. The Law defines the term “Environmental Impact Assessment”, lists the activities that are subject to EIA, lays down the procedure for mandatory public hearing, EIA preparation and review process. And identifies the minimum contents of the EIA. Activities subject to environmental assessment include “Engineering of international and national highways, railways and the bridges and viaducts of the tunnel, as well as road, railway, and construction protection facilities of their areas” (Article 4, Clause 1(J)). 85. Specific provisions of the law that may affect the proposed Project are discussed later in this chapter.
3.1.4 Other Relevant Laws
Law of Georgia on Licenses and Permits 2005 (Last Amended 2016) 86. The Law regulates activities which may result in increased hazard to human life or health, involves interests of importance to the State or public, or connected to consumption of State resources. The Law defines the full list of activities which require licenses and permits, and sets out the rules for granting, amending and abolishing licenses and permits.
Law of Georgia on Ecological Expertise 2007 (Last Amended 2013) 87. The Law makes an ecological examination obligatory for issuance of development permits. According to the Low the independent expert opinion is mandatory to adopt a decision on the issuance of an Environmental Impact Permit. The ecological expertise is the responsibility of the MoENRP, which undertakes expert examination in accordance with the provisions on the Procedure of Conducting State Ecological Expertise, and the normative-technical and methodological guidance documents and the procedure established under law, through a commission of experts.
Law of Georgia on Water 1997 (Last Amended in 2015) 88. The Law regulates the use of water resources, determines the rights and responsibilities of water users, and regulates water abstraction and discharges. Consistent with the legislation, water within the territory of Georgia owned by the State can be abstracted only for consumption. Any actions directly or indirectly violating the State ownership rights for water are prohibited.
Law of Georgia on Public Health 2007 89. The purpose of this law is the promotion of the healthy lifestyle and protection of the population’s health; provision of the environment that is safe to human health; protection of the reproductive health of the family; prevention of the contagious and non- contagious diseases.
Law of Georgia on Soil Protection 1994 (Last Amended in 2015) 90. The Law aims at ensuring preservation of integrity and improvement of soil fertility. It defines the obligations and responsibility of land users and the State regarding the provision of soil protection conditions and ecologically safe production. The Law sets the
8 https://tenders.procurement.gov.ge/public/lib/files.php?mode=app&file=356952&code=1344627268
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
maximum permissible concentrations of hazardous matter in soil and restricts the use of fertile soil for non-agricultural purposes, the execution of any activity without prior striping and preservation of top soil, open quarry processing without subsequent re-cultivation of the site, terracing without preliminary survey of the area and approved design, agricultural activities that could lead to overgrazing, wood cutting, damage of soil protection facilities, and any activity that could potential deteriorate soil quality (e.g. unauthorized chemicals/fertilizers, etc). 91. The law sets general basis for the protection of soil from erosion, contamination, sedimentation, sanitization, secondary swamping, etc., regulation of the open extraction of natural resources and construction materials, impact from human economic activity. The Law sets up norms and standards for allowable concentration limits of pollutants in the soil to ensure human health and better environment.
Law of Georgia on Protection of Atmospheric Air 1999 (Last Amended in 2016) 92. The Law regulates protection of the atmospheric air from adverse anthropogenic impact within the whole Georgian territory (Part I, Chapter I, Article 1.1). Adverse anthropogenic impacts are any human induced effect on atmospheric air causing or capable of causing a negative impact on human health and environment (Part II, Chapter IV, Article II.I).
Waste Management Code 2015 (Last Amended in 2016) 93. The purpose of this Code is to establish a legal framework in the field of waste management to implement measures that will facilitate waste prevention and its increased re-use as well as environmentally safe treatment of waste. The objective of this Code is to protect the environment and human health through: a) the prevention or reduction of waste and its adverse impact; b) the establishment of effective mechanisms for waste management; c) the reduction of damage caused by the consumption of resources and the more efficient use of resources.
The Law on Minerals 1996 (Last Amended in 2015) 94. The Law establishes the requirement to obtain a license according to the procedures established under this law and the Law on Licensing and Permits (June 25, 2005). According to the current system all quarries and borrow pits require to obtain a license.
The Wildlife Law 1996 (Last Amended in 2015) 95. The law mandates the MoENRP to regulate wildlife use and protection overall territory of the country, including existing protected areas. For now, the Ministry of Energy is responsible for this function also. This law also determines activities on protected areas by the corresponding structural units.
The Law on the System of Protected Areas 1996 (Last Amended in 2016) 96. The law provides definitions of protected areas and outlines the limits for activities in these areas. Permitted activities are defined according to the area designation, territorial regulations, individual charters and area management plans, as well as the requirements of international agreements and conventions to which Georgia is a signatory. 97. The following activities are generally restricted within protected territories: damaging or changing in any way natural ecosystems; destroying natural resources for
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
exploitation or any other purpose; catching, disturbing, damaging natural ecosystems and species; environmental pollution; introducing new and exotic species of living organisms; bringing explosive materials or poisoning substances; and Any other activities specifically prohibited by the management plan for a protected area.
The Law on Red List and Red Book of Georgia 2003 (Last Amended in 2016) 98. The Law establishes the legal basis for the preparation and approval of the Red List and Red Data Book to provide these instruments for the protection and restoration of threatened species of flora and fauna. The new Georgian Red List (GRL) has been approved in May 2006 and is as such legally enforceable. The new GRL has been organized in accordance with the guidelines and principles of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to article 4 of the law: any type of activity is forbidden, including, hunt, cutting and others, besides special occasions (events) fixed by law.
Forestry Code of Georgia 1999 (Last Amended in 2013) 99. The Law establishes legal grounds for protection, restoration, and for the use of the Georgian Forest Fund and its resources. The Law defines property rights to the forests of Georgia, the principles for the protection and use of forest resources and establishes the procedures for their use and the requirement to obtain a license.
The Law of Georgia on Rules for Expropriation of Ownership for Necessary Public Needs 1999 (Last Amended in 2013) 100. The Law defines terms, rules and procedures for the expropriation of assets necessary in the public interest. Expropriation requires the Presidential decree and a court decision. The decision of the court gives a detailed description of the expropriable property and due compensation to the owner. The Law states the public interests which allow expropriation of assets. These are the construction/installation of: a) Roads and highways; b) Railways; c) oil, gas and oil product pipelines; d) Power transmission and distribution lines; e) Water supply, sewage and storm water drainage systems; f)Telephone lines; g) Premises and objects of public needs; h) Works required for national defense; i) Mining and reserve development. 101. After issuance of the Presidential decree a person seeking for expropriator’s right announces in the central and local printed media about the project, its scope, area coverage and brief description of the potentially expropriable property. All affected landowners also shall be informed about the dates of application to the court and action proceeding. 102. An expropriator should endeavor to obtain property in agreement with the owner. Prior to negotiation the expropriator evaluates the property and determines an estimated compensation sum or other property compensation according to fair market price. Agricultural lands are to be evaluated together with price of crops that could be yielded by the owner throughout the current agricultural year.
Georgian Labor Legislation 103. Applicable Georgian Labor Laws are as follows: Labor Code of Georgia (2006) governs the rights of the employees in all enterprises, institutions and organizations. This law establishes the requirements regarding human rights and creation of safe and healthy working
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
environment including health and safety conditions, social security and insurance; and Law of Georgia on Employment (2001) regulates the employment policy of Georgia, including protection of the unemployed in terms of economic, social and legal issues. For the protection of the unemployed, this law promotes employment programs.
3.2 Requirements for Environmental Assessment in Georgia
3.2.1 Requirements for EIA 104. The Environmental Impact Assessment is defined under the Georgian Law as:9 - studying and examination procedure of the planned activities is designed to protect separate components of the environment, human, as well as landscape and cultural heritage. EIA study, identify and describe the direct and indirect impacts on human health and safety, herbage and animals, soil, air, water, climate, landscape, ecosystems and historical monuments, or all the above factors unity, among the factors that influence the cultural values (cultural heritage) and the social - economic factors. 105. The law requires that the EIA or its accompanying information shall include: A layout (indicating a distance) of the place where the project shall be implemented; Volume and classes of emissions expected of stationary pollution sources and hazardous substances discharged and emission and a project of hazardous substances discharged and emission standards allowed to limit); A short summary on the activities (as a technical summary) A full schedule of the technological cycle to the administrative body issuing a permit even the activity includes commercial and/or state secret. 106. The law also requires that wherever relevant, the EIA process shall take into account the environmental principles as listed in Section 3.1.2. This is particularly important for those aspects of the environment for which specific laws, regulations and standards have not been enacted.
3.2.2 The EIA Process 107. The EIA process will follow the relevant national and international requirements. The Law of Georgia on Environmental Impact Permit sets the legal basis for issuance of an environmental permit, including implementation of an ecological examination, public consultations and community involvement in the processes. Granting of permission or refusal to issue a permit is based on ecological examination of environmental documents presented to the Ministry of Environment and natural Resource Protection (MoENRP) by the project proponent. 108. Article 6 of the Environmental Impact Permit Law requires the project proponent to organize a public hearing of the EIA prior to submission of the final version documentation to the MoENRP. The permit application/issuance procedure for the Project, including EIA
9 Law of Georgia on Environmental Impact Permit. Article 2 (D).
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
coordination, establishment of the timeframes for information disclosure and public review and discussion in accordance with Georgian Law will include the following steps: Step 1: The project proponent publishes information on the Project in central and regional newspapers. The advertisement has to include the project title, location, place and the date, time and venue of public disclosure meeting(s). It will also identify locations where the EIA can be reviewed and where comments may be submitted. Step 2: Within one week after publishing the information in the newspapers, the project proponent will submit the EIA report (hard copy and electronic version) to the MoENRP. A period of 45 days is allowed for public comments on the EIA. Between 50 and 60 days after publication, the project proponent will hold a series of meetings to receive comments from stakeholders (which may include government agencies, local authorities, NGOs, community members). Within five days of the meetings, the project proponent will submit minutes of the meetings (summary of comments and discussions) to the MoENRP. Step 3: All comments received from the stakeholders at the meeting or in writing will be reviewed and addressed in the final version of the EIA. A copy of all written comments, the minutes together with a comment-response section will be included in the final EIA as an appendix. The final EIA will be submitted to the MoENRP and made available to the public, along with a project location map, an executive summary, and the any necessary reports on emissions and allowable limits. The permit is to be issued or denied within 20 days from registration of the submission. 109. According to the Law on Construction Permit, 2004 and Law on Licenses and Permits 2005, construction and modernization of highways requires the Construction Permit. Procedures for obtaining the permit are described in the Law of Georgia on the Construction Permit. The administrative body responsible to issue the permit is the the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Under the law, the Ministry is required to ensure involvement of other ministries including the MoENRP in the permitting process. For the projects subjected to the construction permit, the construction permit incorporates elements of environmental impact permit. 110. Environmental impact permit is also required for running asphalt and concrete batching plant. License for use of natural resources, if own quarries are to be used, is also required. The authority responsible for issuing the license is MoENRP. All other issues such as temporary disposal of inert construction waste and unusable asphalt are regulated with the local municipal authorities and requires a formal agreement with them.
3.3 ADB Safeguard Policies 111. As per Asian Development Bank’s SPS 2009, depending on the significance of project impacts and risks, the assessment may comprise a full-scale environmental impact assessment (EIA) for category A projects, an initial environmental examination or equivalent process for category B projects, or a desk review. ADB uses a classification system to reflect the significance of a project’s potential environmental impacts. A project’s category is determined by the category of its most environmentally sensitive component, including direct, indirect, cumulative, and induced impacts in the project’s area of influence. Projects are assigned to one of the four categories shown in Table 3-1.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
112. The policy principles under the SPS 2009 for environmental assessment are: Apply pollution prevention and control technologies and practices consistent with international good practice, as reflected in internationally recognized standards such as the World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines. Adopt cleaner production processes, and good practices of energy efficiency. Avoid or, when avoidance is not feasible, minimize or control the intensity or load of pollutants emissions and discharges, including direct and indirect greenhouse gases emissions, waste generation, and release of hazardous material from their production, transportation, handling and storage. 113. The ADB SPS 2009 in its Policy Principles require conducting “an environmental assessment for each proposed project to identify potential direct, indirect, cumulative, and induced impacts and risks to physical, biological, socioeconomic (including impacts on livelihood through environmental media, health and safety, vulnerable groups, and gender issues), and physical cultural resources in the context of the project’s area of influence. Assess potential trans-boundary and global impacts, including climate change.” 114. Section D of the ADB SPS 2009, in its Subsection 6 requires analysis of impacts in the context of project’s area of influence, encompassing “areas and communities potentially affected by cumulative impacts from further planned development of the project, other sources of similar impacts in the geographical area, any existing project or condition, and other project-related developments that are realistically defined at the time the assessment is undertaken.”
Table 3-1: ADB Project Categories
Category Project Description and Requirements Category A A proposed project is classified as category A if it is likely to have significant adverse environmental impacts that are irreversible, diverse, or unprecedented. These impacts may affect an area larger than the sites or facilities subject to physical works. An environmental impact assessment is required. Category B A proposed project is classified as category B if its potential adverse environmental impacts are less adverse than those of category A projects. These impacts are site- specific, few if any of them are irreversible, and in most cases mitigation measures can be designed more readily than for category A projects. An initial environmental examination is required. Category C A proposed project is classified as category C if it is likely to have minimal or no adverse environmental impacts. No environmental assessment is required although environmental implications need to be reviewed. Category A proposed project is classified as category FI if it involves investment of ADB funds FI to or through a FI
3.4 AIIB Safeguard Policies 115. The environmental and social policies are described in the document Environmental and Social Framework of the AIIB.10 The overarching Policy of the AIIB is states that “The Bank recognizes that environmental and social sustainability is a
10 http://www.aiib.org/uploadfile/2016/0226/20160226043633542.pdf. Accessed October 30, 2016.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
fundamental aspect of achieving outcomes consistent with its mandate to support infrastructure development and enhance interconnectivity in Asia. The objective of this overarching policy is to facilitate achievement of these development outcomes, through a system that integrates sound environmental and social management into Projects.” 116. As ADB is the lead lender for the proposed Project, AIIB has determined that the Project’s compliance with the ADB social safeguards policies will be sufficient to meet AIIB requirements.
3.5 Harmonization of ADB and Government Safeguard Requirements The environmental assessment of the Project will need to satisfy the requirement of both the government and ADB. A harmonized safeguard framework is developed for conducting EIA study of the Project. The framework is given in Table 3-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 3-2: Comparison of Georgian Legislation and ADB Requirements
Aspect Asian Development Bank Government of Georgia Harmonized Framework Environmental ADB’s SPS (2009) sets out the policy objectives, Environmental assessment and permitting Policy and scope and triggers, and principles for three key procedure in Georgia is set out in three laws: Regulations safeguard areas: i. The Law on Licenses and Permits i. Environmental safeguards, (2005); ii. Involuntary resettlement safeguards, and ii. The Law on Environmental Impact iii. Indigenous peoples safeguards Permits (EIP), and iii. The Law on Ecological Examination (EE) 2008 Screening ADB carry out project screening and Project Proponent in consultation with The Project is Categorized in to categorization at the earliest stage of project MOENRP ‘Category A’ preparation when sufficient information is available for this purpose using REA checklist. Categorization into Category A, B, C, FI Scoping Avoid, minimize, mitigate and/or offset for adverse The impact assessment shall include Conduct a process of Environmental impacts and enhancement of positive impacts components such as Air, Noise, Land, Water, Assessment that will consider in an through environmental planning and management Biological and health and safety. Involuntary integrated manner the potential resettlement is not a component of environmental (including labor, health, Assessment. and safety) risks and impacts of the project. EA takes into account potential impacts (direct, Scoping is however not a requirement under The Environmental Assessment will take indirect and cumulative) and risks on physical, the law into account natural environment (air, biological, resettlement, socio-economic (including water, and land); human health and health and safety), and physical cultural resources safety; social aspects (involuntary resettlement, indigenous peoples, and physical cultural resources Alternatives Examination of financially and technically feasible Alternative assessments are to be carried out Assessment of alternatives will include alternatives to the project location, design, for the project location and design the location and design, and also no technology and components, their potential project alternative environmental and social impacts Consider no project alternative.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Aspect Asian Development Bank Government of Georgia Harmonized Framework EIA Report Guidelines and Table of Contents are provided for No guideline or Table of Contents are The EIA and EMP reports will follow the EIA report in SPS (2009). available for EMP reports. Only guidelines table of contents proposed in ADB’s SPS EMP will include proposed mitigation measures, (Regulation) on EIA is available, which (2009). monitoring and reporting requirements, includes required content of the EIA. institutional arrangements, schedules, cost estimates and performance indicators Public Carry out meaningful consultation with affected Publication of information in national and Consultations will be carried out with the Consultations people and facilitate their informed participation regional mass-media. Arrange consultation stakeholders, affected people, NGOs Ensuring women’s participation in consultation. not later than 60 days from the date of throughout the project cycle and Involving stakeholders, project- affected people publication. All stakeholders are to be invited consider their views in project design and and concerned NGOs early in the project for the meetings. safeguard plan. Questions and concerns preparation and ensure that their views and raised during public consultations held in concerns are made known and understood by Feasibility stage will be considered. decision makers and taken into account Village level consultations will be held Continue consultations with stakeholders with the affected people. throughout project implementation as necessary to Conduct a public consultation meeting in address environmental assessment- related accordance with Georgian Guidelines in issues. Batumi. Public Disclosure Draft EIA will be published in ADB website for 120 The draft EIA should be available for public Draft EIA report (English and Georgian) days before Project approval by the Board review for 45 days before public will be published in ADB and Roads consultations. Department Websites. The copies of the draft EIA report will be made available with the municipal offices.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
3.6 Institutional Framework
3.6.1 Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection (MoENRP) 117. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection is responsible for all environmental protection issues and natural resources. The responsibilities of the Ministry as the competent authority are: a) to intermit, limit, or stop any activity having or likely to have adverse impact on the environment, b)to issue a series of licenses and permits (including for environmental impact), c) to control the execution of mitigation measures by the developer, d)to receive free and unrestricted information from the developer about the utilization of natural resources, monitoring systems, waste management and explanations from authorities concerning the Project. 118. Connected with projects of the actions presented to ecological examination, department of the mentioned ministry of ecological examination organizes discussion of an estimation of influence on environment and prepares the documentation (the project of the order of the minister) to let out the permission to influence to environment.
3.6.2 Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD) 119. MoESD is responsible for carrying out the review of technical documentation (including conclusion of independent experts) and issuing Permits on Construction for projects, as well as for supervision over constructing activities and for arranging Acceptance Commission after completion of construction. 120. State supervision of construction and compliance monitoring is provided by the Main Architecture and Construction Inspection (MACI), which is operating under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
3.6.3 The Roads Department (RD or RDMRDI) 121. The Roads Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure (RD or RDMRDI) is responsible for elaboration of policy and strategic plans related to developing motor roads, management of road and traffic related issues and construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction and maintenance of the roads of public use of international and national significance, utilizing funds from the state budget, lawns, grants and other financial sources. 122. Thus, the RDMRDI is responsible for the procurement of design and EIA studies, as well as works on construction and rehabilitation of roads and is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Georgian legislation and environmental and social requirements of the relevant donor organizations. Control of implementation of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is direct responsibility of the Roads Department. 123. Within the RD there is Environmental Division dealing with the environmental issues. This division is supposed to review the EIAs and EMPs related to the Roads Department projects and perform monitoring of compliance of the contractor’s performance with the approved EMPs, EIAs, environmental standards and other environmental commitments of the contractor.
3.6.4 Environment and Natural Resources Directorate of Adjara Autonomous Region 124. The Directorate of Environment and Natural Resources of the of Autonomous Republic of Adjara is responsible on establishing policy of sustainable development of the
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
autonomous republic of Adjara and monitoring in a field of natural resource management and environmental protection. Compliance of developing industrial projects with the environmental requirements set forth in legal documents, standards and norms is conducted by the department at all stages of the project development: preparation of development plans and programs, preparation of EIAs, design of particular projects, construction and rehabilitation activities and operation of facilities.
3.6.5 Other Responsible Governmental Institutions 125. The Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports is responsible on supervision of the construction activities in order to protect archaeological heritage. In case if construction is to be carried out in a historic sites or zones of cultural heritage, consent of the Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sport is also required for issuing construction permit. 126. The “National Service for the Foodstuffs Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection” of the Ministry of the Agriculture is responsible for implementation of complex sanitary protection measures in case of identification burial sites during earthworks. Information about suspicious burial sites should be delivered to the “National Service for the Foodstuffs Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection” of the Ministry of the Agriculture by the Construction Contactor (field environmental officer) and RDMRDI field officer.
3.7 International Treaties 127. Important international environmental treaties that have been signed by Georgia and may have relevance to the Project are listed in Table 3-3. They concern: climate change, depletion of the ozone layer, biological diversity and trade in wild flora and fauna, desertification; waste and pollution; cultural heritage, and preservation of the ecology of the Black Sea.
Table 3-3: International Environmental Treaties Ratified by Georgia
Agreement Agreement Name Ratification Entry into Date Force
6/4/1999 Agreement on cooperation in the area of 6/4/1999 preservation and use of genetic resources of cultured plants of member states of the CIS
6/16/1995 Agreement on The Conservation Of African-Eurasian 8/1/2001 Migratory Waterbirds
11/24/1996 Agreement on The Conservation of Cetaceans Of 5/31/2001 The Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea And Contiguous Atlantic Area 12/4/1991 Agreement on The Conservation of Populations of 7/25/2002 8/24/2002 European Bats
4/12/1996 Agreement on The Control of Transboundary 4/12/1996 Shipments of Hazardous and other Wastes Between States Members of The Commonwealth of Independent States 6/14/2002 Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation 9/22/2009 6/20/2011 Protocol to the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Agreement Agreement Name Ratification Entry into Date Force 1/29/2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention 2/2/2009 2/2/2009 On Biological Diversity 3/22/1985 Convention for The Protection of The Ozone Layer 3/21/1996 6/19/1996
11/23/1972 Convention For The Protection Of The World Cultural 11/4/1992 And Natural Heritage 6/25/1998 Convention on Access to Information, Public 4/11/2000 10/30/2001 Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters 6/5/1992 Convention on Biological Diversity 6/2/1994 8/31/1994 3/3/1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered 9/13/1996 12/12/1996 Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 11/13/1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air 2/11/1999 5/12/1999 Pollution 5/22/2001 Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 10/4/2006 1/2/2007 9/19/1979 Convention on The Conservation of European 11/19/2009 3/1/2010 Wildlife And Natural Habitats
6/23/1979 Convention on The Conservation Of Migratory 6/1/2000 Species Of Wild Animals 3/22/1989 Convention on The Control of Transboundary 5/20/1999 8/18/1999 Movements of Hazardous Wastes And Their Disposal 4/21/1992 Convention on The Protection of The Black Sea 9/1/1993 1/15/1994 Against Pollution 2/2/1971 Convention on Wetlands Of International Importance 2/7/1997 6/7/1997 Especially as Waterfowl Habitat 6/17/1994 Convention to Combat Desertification in Those 7/23/1999 10/21/1999 Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly In Africa
12/2/1961 International Convention for The Protection of New 11/29/2008 Varieties of Plants 11/17/1997 International Plant Protection Convention (1997 3/8/2007 3/8/2007 Revised Text) 9/16/1987 Montreal Protocol On Substances that Deplete The 3/21/1996 6/21/1996 Ozone Layer 4/21/1992 Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Pollution of 9/1/1993 1/15/1994 The Black Sea Marine Environment By oil and other Harmful Substances in Emergency Situations 4/21/1992 Protocol on The Protection of The Black Sea Marine 9/1/1993 1/15/1994 Environment Against Pollution by Dumping 4/21/1992 Protocol on The Protection of The Black Sea Marine 9/1/1993 1/15/1994 Environment Against Pollution From Land-Based Sources
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-15 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Agreement Agreement Name Ratification Entry into Date Force
4/17/2009 Protocol on the Protection of the Marine Environment 9/24/2009 of the Black Sea from Land-Based Sources and Activities 12/11/1997 Protocol to The United Nations Framework 6/16/1999 2/16/2005 Convention on Climate Change 12/10/1982 United Nations Convention on The Law of The Sea 3/21/1996 4/21/1996 5/9/1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate 7/29/1994 10/27/1994 Change
3.8 Applicable Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention Criteria 128. The proposed project is legally required to comply with the Georgian standards and norms. In addition, the ADB financing requires that World Bank Group’s environmental guidelines should also be followed. 129. The Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines of the World Bank Group (includes International Finance Corporation (IFC)) are technical reference documents with general and industry-specific examples of Good International Industry Practice. The EHS Guidelines contain the performance levels and measures that are generally considered to be achievable in new facilities by existing technology at reasonable costs. 130. In accordance with the Law of Georgia on Public Health, the environmental qualitative norms are approved by Decrees of the Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia (Decrees Nos. 297/N of 16.08.2001, including the changes made to it by further decrees of the Ministry Nos. 38/N of 02.24.2003, 251/N of 09.15.1006, 351/N of 12.17.2007). The quality of atmospheric air (pollution with hazardous matter) is also defined by the order of the Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources (#89, 23 October 2001) on approval of the rule for calculation of index of pollution of atmospheric air with hazardous pollution.
3.8.1 Ambient Air Quality Standards 131. Georgian and IFC guidelines for ambient air quality are presented in Table 3-4 and Table 3-5. IFC provides several interim targets and guideline value for each parameter. This project will see the compliance with national as well as IFC guideline value (not interim targets) as these values are more stringent than the national standards.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-16 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 3-4: Georgian Standards for Ambient Air Quality
Substance Maximum permissible concentration (MAC) mg/m3/average time Nitrogen dioxide 0.085/30 minutes 0.04/24 hours Sulphur dioxide 0.5/ 30 minutes 0.05/24 hours Carbon Oxide 5.0/30 minutes 3.0/24 hours Inorganic dust 0.3
Table 3-5: IFC Ambient Air Quality Guidelines
Averaging Period Guideline value in μg/m3
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) 24-hour 125 (Interim target-1) 50 (Interim target-2) 20 (guideline) 10 minute 500 (guideline)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) 1-year 40 (guideline) 1-hour 200 (guideline)
Particulate Matter PM10 1-year 70 (Interim target-1) 50 (Interim target-2) 30 (Interim target-3) 20 (guideline)
24-hour 150 (Interim target-1) 100 (Interim target-2) 75 (Interim target-3) 50 (guideline)
Particulate Matter PM2.5 1-year 35 (Interim target-1) 25 (Interim target-2) 15 (Interim target-3) 10 (guideline)
24-hour 75 (Interim target-1 50 (Interim target-2) 37.5 (Interim target-3) 25 (guideline) Ozone 8-hour daily 160 (Interim target-1) maximum 100 (guideline) World Health Organization (WHO). Air Quality Guidelines Global Update, 2005. PM 24-hour value is the 99th percentile. Interim targets are provided in recognition of the need for a staged approach to achieving the recommended guidelines.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-17 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
3.8.2 Noise Level Standards 132. Admissible noise standards of IFC and Georgian national standards for the residential area are similar. The standards about the noise are allowed according to the Decree # 297/N of Georgian Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs about “affirmation the norms over the qualitative norms of the environment” issued on August 16, 2001. There are defined as the admissible norms of noise as the maximum of the admissible norms for several zones of the territories. For the residential areas the standard requirements for noise are given in Table 3-6. 133. For IFC noise impacts should not exceed the levels presented in Table 3-7 or result in a maximum increase in background levels of 3 dB at the nearest receptor location off site. This project will comply with both IFC Guidelines and Georgian Standards.
Table 3-6: Georgian Standards for Noise Levels
Time Daytime Nighttime 7am – 11 pm 11pm – 7am The average allowed level of noise (DCB) 55 45 The maximum allowed norms of noise (DCB) 70 60
Table 3-7: IFC Noise Level Guidelines
One hour Laeq (dBA) Receptor Daytime Nighttime 07:00 – 22:00 22:00 – 07:00 Residential; institutional; educational 55 45 Industrial; commercial 70 70
3.8.3 Water Quality Standards 134. The values of Maximum Admissible Concentrations of the harmful substances in surface are provided in the Environmental Quality Norms approved by the Order #297N (16.08.2001) of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Protection (as amended by the Order No 38/n of the same Ministry of 24.02.2003). The admissible level of pollutants in surface and groundwater is given in Table 3-8. All effluents shall comply with the Georgian National Standards. However certain parameters are not specified in the national standards for these IFC Guidelines are being used as shown in the Table.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-18 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 3-8: Applicable Standards for Surface Water Quality
No Description Maximum Permissible Concentration Source Surface Water 1. pH 6.5-8.5 National 2. Diluted oxygen, mg/l 4 – 6 National 3. BOD5, mg/l 30 IFC 4. COD, mg/l 125 IFC 5. Total nitrogen, N, mg/l 10 IFC 6. Total phosphate, mg/l 2 IFC 7. Chlorides, mg/l 350 National 8. Oil products, mg/l 0.3 National 9. Zinc (Zn2+) 1g/kg National 10. Lead (Pb total) 23.0 National 11. Chrome (Cr6+) 32.0 National 12. Cadmium (Cd, total) 6.0 National 13. Total Suspended Solids (mg/l) 50 IFC
3.8.4 Vibration Standards The Georgian Standards for vibration are designed for human comfort. These are shown in Table 3-9. Note that no standards for building damage exist.
Table 3-9: Georgian General Admissible Vibration Values in Residential Houses, Hospitals and Rest Houses, Sanitary Norms 2001 Average Geometric Allowable Values X0,Y0, Z0 Frequencies of Octave Zones Vibro-acceleration Vibro-speed (Hz) m/sec2 dB m/sec 10-4 dB 2 4.0 72 3.2 76 4 4.5 73 1.8 71 8 5.6 75 1.1 67 16 11.0 81 1.1 67 31.5 22.0 87 1.1 67 63 45.0 93 1.1 67 Corrected and equivalent 4.0 72 1.1 67 corrected values and their levels Note: It is allowable to exceed vibration normative values during daytime by 5 dB during daytime In this table of inconstant vibrations, a correction for the allowable level values is 10dB, while the absolute values are multiplied by 0.32. The allowable levels of vibration for hospitals and rest houses have to be reduced by 3dB
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-19 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4. The Proposed Project
4.1 The Adjara Bypass Project 135. The 81-km Poti–Batumi–Sarpi Road (“S2” under Georgian Highway Designation) along the western coast of Georgia, located in the Adjara Autonomous Republic, is a key international highway and international transit route in Georgia. It is connected to the important towns Batumi, Poti and Kobuleti. Batumi is a major Black Sea port and a holiday resort. Poti is the largest port of Georgia. Kobuleti is a holiday resort. Due to heavy traffic on S2, there has been significant increase in congestion and accidents particularly during the tourist season in Batumi and Kobuleti. The Government of Georgia plans to construct two roads around Batumi and Kobuleti to bypass the highway traffic from these towns. 136. The Adjara bypass project is packaged into 4 contracts for preparation of detailed designs and implementation. These are: Contracts 1 and 2—new alignments of 12.4 km and 15.6 km, respectively to bypass Kobuleti Town Contract 3—incorporating the 3-km existing road near recently constructed 4- lane Makhinjauri tunnel, and Contract 4—new alignments of 17 to bypass Batumi Town 137. Contracts 1, 2 and 3 are either complete or under construction. Contract 4 is the focus of this report. There is a proposal to further extend the Adjara bypass project towards the south to avoid the towns of Gonio and Kvariati. This would require realignment of the southern 4-km section of the Contract 4. For this reason the last section has been excluded from this Project and the total length of the road which is subject of this EIA is 13.2 km. The complete bypass alignment is shown in Figure 4-1.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-1: Adjara Bypass Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4.2 Need of the Project 138. Adjara Autonomous Region, located in the southwest part of Georgia, is bordered by the Black Sea to the west and Turkey to the south. The two major towns Batumi and Kobuleti are major tourist centers, especially in the summer months. Batumi is also the second largest port in Georgia. Whilst the two towns cater for extensive tourist traffic, the existing S2 Highway also carries heavy goods and passenger traffic. Turkey is Georgia’s most important trading partner and substantially all trade with Turkey passes along this road. Traffic growth was strong in 2007-8 (averaging around 20 percent a year) but has fallen by 18 percent in 2009 north of Batumi. Travel speeds are low and traffic accidents are higher than the national rate, which itself compares badly with nearby countries. The high incidence of traffic accidents, and the associated death and injury place a heavy burden on the health and welfare systems of the area. The proposed Project will support (i) construction of bypass roads around the Batumi; (ii) improve the international road transit network; (iii) improve road safety; (iv) strengthen institutions and (v) promote activities to involve the private sector.11 139. The direct beneficiaries of the project includes the autonomous region of Adjara, particularly the municipality of Batumi where 32% of the population of Adjara resides. The benefits includes reduced congestion and safer passage on the existing road, and faster travel for highway traffic using the bypass. The Project will also generate employment during its construction phase and, in the long-term, by increasing tourism opportunities in Batumi.
4.3 Project Design
4.3.1 Road Alignment and Right of Way 140. The Project road, bypassing the city of Batumi from East, is entirely located in Khelvachauri District (see Figure 4-2 for the alignment and location of tunnels and bridges). The design alignment goes through the villages of Makhinjauri, Gantiadi, Kapreshumi, Salibauri, Peria, and Makhvilauri. Passing through the above villages, the design alignment crosses complex landscape of multiple ravines, streams, rivers, hills and hillsides. 141. The Project road alignment starts north of Makhinjauri. It swings of to the left from the existing highway by means of an interchange at the end of the newly constructed Chakvi Tunnel. This point is taken as 0 km of the chainage12. The total length of the Project road is approximately 13.2 km. 142. The road starts with a 200-m long transition section from the existing highway. An interchange will be constructed here. Within the limits of Makhinjauri, the road overpasses number of secondary roads and streams by 3 bridges and underpasses the populated hills via 2 tunnels. In Gantiadi also, the road overpasses local roads and streams by a bridge and follows slopes of hillside in cuts along the ravines.
11 Feasibility Study, 2009 12 For linear infrastructure such as a road, chainage refers to linear measured from one end of the road along the center line of the road. It is a useful way to indicate the location of features on and in the vicinity of the road.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-2: Project Road Alignment 143. In Kapreshumi, the road overpasses the existing oil terminal and river Korolistskali and enters the valley of Kveda Salibaruri, where the second interchange is located to provide access to local traffic.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
144. In Kveda Salibauri the road crosses the local road and Skurdubi River. The Project road follows hillside cuts along the valley and enters the third tunnel under the Salibauri hill. After this tunnel, the road overpass the local roads and near the existing military camp, the road links to the third interchange to be constructed to provide access to the Batumi city. Following the interchange, the road approaches the village Peria through the fourth tunnel, where it overpasses the local road and valley by the viaduct. 145. Following the hillside in the valley, the road enters the fifth tunnel under the Peria hill. After the tunnel a long bridge, about one km long, overpasses number of steams and secondary roads in village Makhvilauri. Near the end of the alignment the proposed road follows flat terrain in the terraces of rivers Makhvilauris Tskali and Mejinistskali. At the intersection with the existing Batumi–Khelvachauri Road another full interchange is planned. However, this interchange will only be partly constructed under this project. The construction work to the south of the Batumi–Khelvachauri Road will be undertaken as part of the bypass extension project (see Section 4.1).
4.3.2 Road Dimensions 146. The Project road is a single carriageway i.e. a road with only one lane in each direction, other than in locations where a merging lane is required. Typical Project road dimensions are provided in Table 4-1 and the corresponding layout shown in Figure 4-3. A photograph of the Kobuleti bypass is shown in Figure 4-4 which has design similar to the Proposed Project.
Table 4-1: Typical Road Dimensions
Width of traffic lanes 3.5 m 2 Width of paved shoulder 2.5 m 2 Width of unpaved shoulders 1.0 m 2 Total width of road 14.0 m
Figure 4-3: Typical Road Cross Section
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-4: Kobuleti Bypass Road
4.3.3 Road Design 147. The road is designed as a freeway by overpassing or underpassing all the existing roads. The design speed of the Project road is 100 kilometers per hour (kph). The width of the road is 14.0 m but the Right-of-Way (RoW) extends to at least 7 m outside the toe of the embankment to accommodate space for drainage ditch and a 3 m reserve zone outside of the ditch. The embankments consist of rocky soil. 148. Pavement design is based on the projected traffic volume discussed in Section 4.8. Asphalt concrete will be used for roads pavement, whereas cement concrete will be used in tunnels. Asphalt pavement structure is shown in Figure 4-5. The ramps have a different pavement structure due to lower expected traffic volumes on them. The pavement structure conforms to Georgian National Standards and to German and AASHTO standards.
Figure 4-5: Asphalt Pavement Structure
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4.3.4 Tunnels 149. Five tunnels are planned along the Project alignment as listed in Table 4-2 and shown in Figure 4-2. The total length of tunnels along the alignment is 3,808 m. Emergency shafts will be installed in Tunnels 2, 3 and 4. Due to short lengths, no shaft will be required in the Tunnels 1 and 5. A diagram of the typical layout is presented in Figure 4-6. Figure 4-7 displays an image of an already constructed nearby tunnel and illustrates the expected lighting, signage, pavement and footpath of the proposed tunnels 150. Tunnel design is based on the principles of New Austrian Tunneling Method. Tunnels are to be excavated through very weak weathered soil layer which consists of lean, brown-reddish clay, crushed stone and eluvial tuff-breccia. 151. The anticipated subsurface conditions and the strength of soil layers create difficult conditions for the design and construction of tunnels. The soft and weak deposits at the Project site with lower shear strength will be able to induce large deformation during tunneling. Therefore application of various pre-support techniques ahead of advancing tunnel face is recommended to limit the ground deformation.
Table 4-2: List of Tunnels
Tunnel Length Chainage Start End Tunnel 1 542 m 938 m 1480 m Tunnel 2 807 m 2215 m 3022 m Tunnel 3 805 m 5994 m 6799 m Tunnel 4 1067 m 7663 m 8730 m Tunnel 5 587 m 9520 m 10107 m
Table 4-3: Typical Tunnel Dimensions
Parameters Value Width of traffic lanes (2 lanes) 3.75 m each Width of sidewalk (2 sidewalks) 0.75 m each Total width of tunnel 10.76 m Height clearance of tunnel 5.0 m Pavement type Cement concrete
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-6: Typical Tunnel Cross Section
Figure 4-7: A Tunnel with Similar Design
152. As shown in Table 4-4, there are five types of soil in the Study Area. The linear cross-sections of the tunnels and the type of soils is shown in Figure 4-8 to Figure 4-12.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 4-4: Soil Types in the Study Area
Category Description 4 Lean Clay, brownish-reddish, firm, with crushed stone inclusions 13 Lean clay, brownish-reddish, with inclusions, eluvial tuffbreccia 14 Highly weathered tuffbreccia 15 Tuffbreccia of medium weathered and fractured andesite-basalt content 16 Tuffbreccia of slightly weathered andesite-basalt content
For soil categorization see Table 4-4
Figure 4-8: Depth of Tunnel 1
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
For soil categorization see Table 4-4 Figure 4-9: Depth of Tunnel 2
For soil categorization see Table 4-4 Figure 4-10: Depth of Tunnel 3
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-0 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
For soil categorization see Table 4-4 Figure 4-11: Depth of Tunnel 4
For soil categorization see Table 4-4 Figure 4-12: Depth of Tunnel 5
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4.3.5 Bridges 153. There are 15 bridges planned along the main alignment as listed in Table 4-5. Additionally 3 bridges are designed on interchange ramps and 1 bridge is planned to connect to the existing roads. The bridges will be either 15 meters or 19 meters (where an acceleration or deceleration lane is required) wide, having dimensions listed in Table 4-6. A typical cross section layout for a 15 meter wide bridge is given in Figure 4-13. Photographs of bridges in the area are given in Figure 4-14 to illustrate what the final bridge may be expected to look like.
Table 4-5: List of Bridges
Tunnel Length (m) Width (m) Chainage (m) Start End Bridge 1 190 15 417 607 Bridge 2 127 15 729 855 Bridge 3 475 15 1,631 2,105 Bridge 4 317 15 3,490 3,807 Bridge 5 570 15 4,219 4,789 Bridge 6a 32 15 4,975 5,007 Bridge 6b 32 19 5,112 5,143 Bridge 7 222 19 5,204 5,426 Bridge 8 203 19 6,926 7,129 Bridge 9 127 19 7,406 7,533 Bridge 10 430 15 8,796 9,224 Bridge 11 1,060 15 10,357 11,417 Bridge 12 158 15 11,601 11,759 Bridge 13 127 15 11,841 11,967 Bridge 14 32 19 12,932 12,963 Bridge 15 32 15 13,712 13,743
Table 4-6: Typical Bridge Dimensions
Parameters Value 15 m wide bridges Width of traffic lane 3.5 m Width of shoulder 2.5 m Width of sidewalk 0.75 m Width of barriers 0.75 m Total width of bridge 15.0 m 19 m wide bridges
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Parameters Value 15 m wide bridges Width of traffic lane 2 x 3.5 m Width of shoulder 1.0 m Width of sidewalk 0.75 m Width of barriers 0.75 m Total width of bridge 19.0 m
Figure 4-13: Typical Bridge Cross Section
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-14: A Bridge over Kobuleti Road with Similar Design
4.3.6 Interchanges 154. There are 4 interchanges planned on the alignment. The list of the interchanges with their purposes are provided in Table 4-7 whereas the layouts are shown in Figure 4-15.
Table 4-7: List of Interchanges
Interchange Chainage Type Purpose Interchange 1 200 Direct Allows traffic coming from Kobuleti to split into bypass traffic and Batumi city traffic. The interchange does not allow for connection of the local traffic onto the Bypass or the Bypass traffic to exit or turn around. Interchange 2 5000 Partial Compensates for the short coming of Interchange N1 by Diamond allowing local traffic connect onto the Bypass going towards Sarpi and bypass traffic from Sarpi to exit. Interchange 3 7200 Semi Constructed in the eastern suburb of Batumi, as it is a direct convenient connection to the city. Traffic from both directions on the Bypass can exit, and incoming traffic can enter and go in both directions. Interchange 4 13000 Cloverleaf The full cloverleaf design is constructed at the crossing with highway connecting city of Batumi to the districts of Ajara Autonomous Republic (Khelvachauri, Keda, Sheakhevi, Khulo), Southern Georgia (Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki) and the border crossing with Armenia.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-15: Layouts of Interchange
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4.3.7 Culverts 155. In total 67 culverts are located along the project roads. For design life of rectangular and circular culverts AASHTO and SNiP-84 design standards are used. The application of the SNIP Standard considers the utilization of locally produced prefabricated culvert elements.
Table 4-8: Culvert Requirements
Width (m) Number Circular Culverts Diameter (meters) 0.5 4 1 7 1.5 38 Box Culverts Dimensions (meters) 1.5 x 1.5 1 1.3 x 1.8 1 2.5 x 2.5 3 1.0 x 4.0 1 5.0 x 6.0 12
4.3.8 Service Buildings 156. One operation control center (site area 1777 m2 and floor area 363 m2) and five service buildings (site area 1028 m2 and floor area 365 m2 each) are planned along the route, which are placed near the tunnel entrances to ensure safe driving environments in the tunnel. The locations of these buildings are shown in Figure 4-16. 157. The operation control center will contain a control room, toilet, night duty room, utility room, hall, machinery room and electrical room. Service buildings will contain a control room, machinery room, electrical room and power generator room. All buildings are single story.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-16: Service Building Locations
4.4 Construction Process 158. The construction process consists of preparation, construction and completion works. Each phase is described briefly below.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Preparation works include the following activities: o Site preparation: after relocating power lines, water supply pipes, fiber optic cables, the site will be handed over to the Contractor o Site clearance: removal of existing building, structure, trees in construction site; o Manpower and equipment preparation: mobilizing manpower, mustering construction equipment, getting construction licenses o Auxiliary works: material transfer sites, temporary road, temporary drain, site leveling. Construct camp, site office. Connect power line, install water supply system for domestic and construction, set up concrete mixing plant and asphalt plant Construction works include the following activities: o Road base construction o Soft soil improvement and road sub base works will be conducted immediately after completing the road base construction; o Building of bridges and viaducts will be carried out in parallel with the soft soil improvement and road base construction o Install road pavement and slope protection o Install lighting system and security/safety signal systems Completion works include the following activities: o Repair of small defects o Return the drainage system affected temporarily during construction phase to its original status o Repair any local roads affected during construction o Clean up of the whole structure o Clean up of the construction site, warehouses o Collection of waste and superfluous materials o Transport of construction waste to licensed disposal site
4.4.1 Temporary Right of Way 159. The temporary right of way required for construction is variable largely dependent on the cut and fill requirements for the road. The bridge sections are more uniform and approximately 25 m wide. An example of the temporary right of way required for construction of the Project from Chainage 8700 m to 9540 m is shown in Figure 4-17 with the widths of the construction corridor delineated in certain portions. It must be noted that this is an example and not an exhaustive representation of the width of the temporary RoW.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-17: Temporary Right of Way Example
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
4.4.2 Construction Camps 160. Construction camp sites will be selected keeping in view the availability of an adequate area for establishing camp sites, including parking areas for machinery, stores and workshops, access to communication and local markets. They will be at an appropriate distance from sensitive areas, such as natural waterways, in the vicinity. The location of construction camps are not yet selected and final locations will be selected by the contractor after the approval from RD. 161. The area requirement for construction camps will depend upon the workforce deployed and the type and quantity of machinery mobilized. In view of the area required, it will not be possible to locate camp sites within the ROW and the contractors will have to acquire land on lease from private landowners. The construction camp will have facilities for site offices, workshop and storage yard, and other related facilities including fuel storage. 162. Detailed criteria for siting of construction camps and establishment of facilities are given in the Environmental Management Plan in Chapter 10. The contractor will provide the following basic facilities in the construction camps: o Adequate ventilation facilities o Safe and reliable water supply. Hygienic sanitary facilities and sewerage system. Treatment facilities for sewerage of toilet and domestic wastes o Storm water drainage facilities. o Sick bay and first aid facilities
4.4.3 Land Clearing 163. 76.6 ha of general site clearance and removal of obstructions, including bush and undergrowth and trees less than 0.1 m in girth is required. Felling and removal of 1,908 trees13 greater than 0.1 m in girth is required. The number of existing structures that have to be dismantled is not finalized, however an estimated 93,000 m3 of demolition is expected.
4.4.4 Leveling and Earthwork 164. A summary of required earthwork is provided in Table 4-9. Soils for fill can be obtained from cut areas or from borrow areas. Road way excavation will also yield material suitable for the construction of the capping layer. The topsoil is usually thin and weathered rock is found at a depth of 80 mm to 100 mm. The thickness of the topsoil including parts of the overburden interspersed by organic matter is 150 to 300 mm in average. 165. Where widening is required and in areas of new cuttings, the disturbance might initiate local slope slips. The slopes have to be protected against erosion due to water running of the road or from areas above the cut. Road side drains will prevent surface water from the road running down the embankment slope.
13 The corresponding LARP identifies an impact on 41,730 trees. However, this includes trees that are on land plots that will be purchased but not necessarily felled and removed.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 4-9: Required Volume of Earthwork for Construction
Item Amount (m3) Clearing and Grubbing 92,944 Earth Excavation- Common Soil 351,566 Embankment Filling – Common Soil 1,456,066 Removal of Unsuitable Materials 150,143
4.4.5 Bridge Construction 166. Most bridges will be constructed using pre-stressed precast concrete girders. In this method a crane moves the precast concrete girder up to the top of substructure. The weakness of this method is the requirement of installation of temporary plant for prefabrication of precast girder and difficulty of span arrangement over 40 m in a span length, but the strength is short construction period due to using crane method and economic efficiency. In this project, even though subsoil is in good condition of mountainous area, the typical span length of 31.6m was applied in consideration to convenience of fabrication and transportation. 167. Bridges number 5, 10 and 11 will be constructed using staging construction method using temporary steel bent to place the cast-in place concrete of superstructure. The weakness is relatively difficult in construction due to long period of construction to place cast-in-situ concrete of superstructure and requirement of temporary steel bent to support the formwork of concrete. 168. The superstructure of bridges was designed in accordance with HL-93 loading and the others were designed based on AASHTO Standards Specification for highway bridges (2002) and AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (2007). 169. For foundation of substructures, installation of piles will be done through boring using cast-in-place bored pile with reinforced concrete was adopted due to local field condition, environment effect, and supply of materials. This construction method has minor noise and vibration impacts compared to pre cast driving methods.
4.4.6 Tunnel Excavation 170. Tunnels will be excavated using two methods: a) excavators of 0.5 m3 capacity, Liebherr excavators and jackhammers and b) drilling and blasting. The first method will be used for Category II-III14 soils and for Category V soils near the tunnel mouth. The second method will be used for Category V rock away from the tunnel mouth. With reference to Soils Types (Table 4-4), Soil Type 4, 14 and 14 fall in Categories II and III whereas Soil Type 15 and 16 fall in Category V. A breakdown of excavation volume by tunnel and method is provided in Table 4-10. In addition to the main tunnel, about 118 m3 of soil and rock will be removed near mouth of the tunnel.
14 Here rock categories are defined with respect to the volume that they will take after removal. Category II is defined as fragmented rock but the muck pile is “frozen”; Category III as fragmented rock pile with mucking difficulties; Category V is Fragmented rock. https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=8NHKBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Blasting+Category+ V+Rocks&source=bl&ots=_APKZS89cx&sig=DkeqfS2s5OHHnrSaMy6WcoQutHU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a hUKEwiE9uOTqfDQAhXJPBoKHTuuDlUQ6AEIHTAB#v=onepage&q=Blasting%20Category%20V%20R ocks&f=false
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 4-10: Main Tunnel Excavation Quantities (100 m3)
Tunnel Total Excavation 1 2 3 4 5 by method Excavation of soil layer of category II-III 632 226 568 365 363 2,154 by 0.5 m3 capacity, Liebherr excavators and jackhammers Excavation of soil layer of Category V 555 301 543 176 1,574 by drilling and blasting Total excavation of main tunnel 632 781 869 908 539 3,728
4.5 Resource Requirement
4.5.1 Construction Material 171. A large quantity of steel is required for the Project. The steel requirement for major heads as listed in Table 4-11 comes to approximately 11,700 tons. Materials required for the pavement are listed in Table 4-12. Required culverts are listed in Table 4-8. Estimates are obtained from the Bill of Quantities for the Project.
Table 4-11: Major Steel Requirements
Item Tons of Steel Tunnels Installation of permanent steel frames 3,852
Wire mesh (100x100xΦ4.8) 806 Bridges15 Deep Foundation 2,572 Substructure 3,366 Superstructure 1,099 Total 11,695
Table 4-12: Pavement Material Requirements
Item Preparation of Subgrade m2 228,539 Sub Base m2 197,920 Upper Base m2 185,725 Asphalt Concrete surface course m3 14,720
4.5.2 Water 172. Water is required during construction mainly for the following purposes Water for mixing or curing cement concrete, mortar, or grout. Water for planting or care of vegetation.
15 Not including the bridges number 5, 10 and 11 will be constructed using staging construction method
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Water for earthwork, pavement courses, dust control, and incidental construction.
4.6 Borrow Areas and Quarries 173. This section describes quarries that were selected during detail design. The final locations of quarries and borrow areas will be determined at the final design stage. The exploitation of the borrow pits and quarries will be conducted by licensed companies or the Constructing Contractor will obtain its own licenses. The Project will not implement any exploration activities from illegal sources. 174. Construction materials, such as boulders, stones, gravel and sand are locally available at a reasonable distance. Possible borrow areas and quarries are listed in Table 4-13 and shown in Figure 4-14.
Table 4-13: List of Potential Quarries
Name of Deposit Resources Region Proximity Kheghru Diorite- Porphyry Khelvachauri 9 km southeast of Batumi Abanostskali Andesite and Tuff- Kobuleti Adjacent to village of Khala breccia Achi Porphyry Ozurgeti 8-9 km south of district centre Ozurgeti Akhalsheni Tuff-Breccia Khelvachauri 4 km south of Batumi Bezonisthkali Andesite and Lava Kobuleti The confluence of Bezonistskali and Breccia Chaqvistavi Rivers Dagvi Andesite-Basalt Kobuleti 1.5 km north-east of village of Zeda- Dagvi Dologani Andesite-Porphyry Keda 0.5-1 km from village of Dologani Kinkishi Basaltic Andesite Kobuleti 0.5 km southeast of village of Zeda Sameba Simoneti RubbleAndesite Khelvachauri 5-6 km from district centre of Khelvachauri
Table 4-14: List of Existing Sand-Gravel Quarries
License No Region Company 00117, 100279, 100282, Khelvachauri Temi Ltd., Holder, Zimo-7, Construction Company, 100280, 100278, 100284, Gza Energy 2006 Ltd., Loseb Khalvashi Contact Ltd., 100285, 100286, 100128, Zimo-7, Nurol Georgia, Deko 100127, 100125 00122, 100291, 100123 Kobuleti Evrika Zka Ltd., Jakmar Moistsrapashvili, New Construction Technologies Ltd.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 4-18: Locations of Potential Quarries
4.7 Current and Projected Traffic 175. The detailed design study provides traffic projections based on traffic surveys that were conducted in 2011 at multiple locations on the proposed alignment and expected GDP growth rate. These projections are shown in Table 4-15. 176. The Road Department conducts traffic counts at key locations on the road network. Two of these counts are on the S02, one between Kobuleti and Batumi and the second between Batumi and Sarpi. These counts are presented in Table 4-16. It must be noted
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
that these counts are for both directions and that these are total volumes. The detailed design estimates that 55% of traffic on the existing road is expected to divert to the bypass road.
Table 4-15: Forecasted Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) Volume
Year Car Bus Truck Total Mini Medium Large Light Medium Heavy Trailer 2014 2999 1244 34 29 216 62 38 183 4805 2015 3138 1302 36 30 226 65 40 191 5028 2016 3282 1362 37 32 237 68 42 200 5260 2017 3435 1425 39 33 248 71 44 209 5504 2018 3593 1491 41 35 259 75 46 219 5759 2019 3761 1560 43 36 271 78 48 229 6026 2020 3934 1632 45 38 284 82 50 240 6305 2021 4117 1708 47 39 297 86 53 250 6597 2022 4307 1787 49 41 311 90 55 262 6902 2023 4507 1870 51 43 325 94 58 274 7222 2024 4665 1935 53 45 336 97 60 284 7475 2025 4828 2003 54 46 348 101 62 294 7736 2026 4998 2073 56 48 360 104 64 304 8007 2027 5172 2146 58 49 373 108 66 315 8287 2028 5353 2221 60 51 386 111 69 326 8577 2029 5542 2299 62 53 399 115 71 337 8878 2030 5736 2379 64 55 413 119 73 349 9188 2031 5936 2463 66 57 428 123 76 361 9510 2032 6143 2549 69 59 443 128 78 374 9843 2033 6359 2638 71 61 458 132 81 387 10187
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-15 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 4-16: AADT Volume on S2 from 2011 to 2014
Year Cars Mini Buses and Pickups Buses, Trucks and Trailers Total
Kobuleti-Batumi km 95 2011 6,865 3,364 1,084 11,313 2012 7,038 3,284 1,179 11,502 2013 11,341 1,360 1,619 14,320 2014 12,393 1,381 1,627 15,401
Batumi-Sarpi km 110 2011 3,788 1,672 915 6,375 2012 5,973 2,229 1,030 9,231 2013 8,468 1,304 1,328 11,100 2014 10,447 1,322 1,356 13,125
4.8 Project Implementation Schedule 177. Tentative commencement date of the contract is 2017 and the expected time to complete the construction works is 2020.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan The Proposed Project R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-16 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5. Description of the Environment
178. This section describes the Study Area’s existing environment including the physical, ecological and socioeconomic baseline conditions. The physical baseline includes geomorphology, water resources, climate, air quality, and noise levels. The ecological baseline includes nearby protected areas, habitat types and ecological resources. The description of the socioeconomic environment includes the area’s population, infrastructure, education, health, and occupations and income.
5.1 Area of Influence 179. The potential impacts of the Project on its surrounding physical and biological environments include air and water quality impacts, noise generation, land transformation and changes to soil. These are expected to reduce with the increased distance from the Project facilities, affecting more the areas located closer, up to one kilometer, to the Project alignment. For this, a study area of one kilometer around the site was delineated, to assess the baseline conditions in the areas likely to be affected by the Project due to its proximity to the Project site (Figure 5-1). This is referred to as the Study Area in this report. The Study Area selected for the EIA includes sensitive receptors16 that are most likely to be impacted by the Project’s development activities. The spatial boundaries of the Study Area includes part of the Black Sea. Although no direct impact of the proposed Project is anticipated on the Black Sea, wherever relevant discussion of the marine environment has been provided.
16 Sensitive receptors include, but are not limited to, residential areas, schools, places of worship, wetlands, and habitats. These are areas which are more susceptible to the adverse effects of an anthropogenic activity such as noise, air emissions, traffic influx, and privacy issues.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-1: Study Area
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2 Physical Environment
5.2.1 Topography 180. The Project passes through a rolling and hilly terrain with elevations ranging from 20 to 197 m on the alignment. The elevation profile of the current ground elevations along the proposed alignment given in Figure 5-2. The Project road passes through 3 hill ranges, namely Makhinjauri Hill Range, Salibauri Ridge and Peria Hill Range. These ranges and the topography of the Study Area are shown in Figure 5-3. 250 Current Ground Elevation Design Road Elevation 200
150
100
50
Elevation (metersamsl)Elevation 0 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000
Chainage (meters)
Figure 5-2: Current Ground Elevations of Project Alignment17
17 From detailed design study
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-3: Topography of the Study Area
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2.2 Land Use 181. Land use within the Study Area was digitized using Google Earth imagery dated May 9, 2016. The land use distribution is presented in Table 5-1 and shown in Figure 5-4. Land use shown outside the Study Area was obtained from various online resources. 182. Towards the north the town of Makhinjauri lies within the Study Area and has densely packed homes. Towards the south a large number of houses are clustered around the Batumi – Khelvachauri road. Most of the remaining built-up area along the alignment consists of distributed homes along the mountain roads. 183. The main industrial zone in the Study Area is to the south of Batumi along the Chorokhi River and includes crushing plants, batching plants, warehouses. A large oil terminal is present towards the north. 184. There are agricultural fields near the Chorokhi and Korolistsskali Rivers as the topography is flatter here. The remaining terrain in the Study Area is mountainous and some areas are terraced to make space for agriculture. 185. There are a few rivers and many small streams that crisscross the Study Area. There are approximately 227 km of road and 5 km of railway that cross the Study Area. There are also several graveyards with the Study Area. Unclassified area is categorized as vegetation. This includes dense natural vegetation, planted orchards of citrus, and distributed nut and other fruit trees and some grassy areas.
Table 5-1: Land Use Distribution in the Study Area
Land Use Square km Percentage Vegetation 19.48 65.40% Built-up Area 2.91 9.80% Agricultural Field 2.49 8.30% Industrial Area 1.64 5.50% Black Sea 1.46 4.90% Road 1.21 4.10% Rivers 0.34 1.10% Graveyard 0.22 0.70% Railway 0.03 0.20% Total 29.78 100%
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-4: Land Use in the Study Area
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2.3 Climate 186. The climate baseline is established based on the information provided in the detailed design of the bypass. Data from multiyear observations of the weather stations at Batumi, Makhinjauri and Chakvi, as given in the detailed design study are presented in this section. 187. The Project is located in the southern extension of the Kolkheti Valley. Therefore, the climatic conditions typical to the Kolkheti Valley prevail in the given area. The little altitude of the area, its near location to the warm Black Sea and the frequency of humid air masses penetrating from the west in all seasons of the year contribute to a humid subtropical climate. 188. The Study Area is highly influenced by the Black Sea, and therefore, winter is warm and summer is relatively cool here. In addition, no direct penetration of the cold northern air masses is possible, as the Caucasian Mountains serve as a natural obstacle for them. 189. The duration of the sunshine per annum on Kolkheti Valley is long with its annual average value exceeds 2000 hrs. The total radiation varies between 110 and 130 Kcal/cm2 and the annual factor of the radiation balance is close to 60 Kcal/cm2. 190. Average monthly temperatures are provided in in Table 5-2 and graphed in Figure 5-5.
Table 5-2: Average Monthly Air Temperature (C)
Weather Temperature
Station ay Jan Feb Mar Apr M Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Chakvi Average 6.2 6.5 8.3 11.5 15.7 19.6 22.2 22.6 19.7 16.1 12 8.4 14.1 Max 25 28 33 37 37 40 40 40 36 36 29 27 40 Min -9 -9 -7 -3 1 7 11 10 6 1 -3 -7 -9 Makhinjauri Average 5.7 6 7.9 11.2 15.5 19.5 22.2 22.6 19.7 15.9 11.3 7.6 13.8 Max 25 27 31 37 38 39 41 42 37 35 29 27 42 Min -11 -10 -8 -3 1 8 11 12 6 1 -6 -8 -11 Batumi Average 7.1 7.2 8.4 11.5 15.8 20 22.8 23.2 20.3 16.6 12 8.6 14.5 Max 25 28 33 38 38 39 41 41 37 33 29 28 41 Min -9 -9 -7 -1 3 10 13 14 7 3 -6 -6 -9
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
50
40
30 C) o
20
10 Temperature ( Temperature
0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec -10
-20 Chakvi Average Chakvi Max Chakvi Min Makhinjauri Average Makhinjauri Max Makhinjauri Min
Batumi Average Batumi Max Batumi Min
Figure 5-5: Average Monthly Air Temperature (C) 191. Precipitation is regular and abundant in the study area. In particular, the annual sum of the atmospheric precipitation falling over mountain Mtirala over the watershed on the river Korolistskali exceeds 4500 mm. There is a small dip in precipitation in April – May to below 150 mm per month. Precipitation peaks in September at over 300 mm per month. Furthermore, annual precipitation exceeds 2700 mm. The trend in precipitation is presented in Table 5-3 and shown in Figure 5-6.
Table 5-3: Average Monthly and Total Annual Precipitation (mm)
Weather Station Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Chakvi 281 240 207 120 111 170 192 251 333 321 297 265 2,788 Makhinjauri 258 263 201 126 104 158 178 266 335 314 286 265 2,754 Batumi 281 228 174 122 92 163 182 255 335 306 304 276 2,718
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
400 Chakvi Makhinjauri Batumi 350 300 250 200 150
Precipitation Precipitation (mm) 100 50 - Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Figure 5-6: Average Monthly Precipitation 192. Air humidity is high as shown in Table 5-4 and Figure 5-7.
Table 5-4: Average Monthly Humidity
Relative, % Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Chakvi 74 76 78 78 81 79 80 81 81 80 78 73 Makhinjauri 78 78 80 80 82 80 81 82 84 84 81 76 Batumi 76 78 80 81 82 80 81 83 85 86 83 77
90 Chakvi Makhinja uri Batumi
85
80
Humidity Humidity (Rel %) 75
70 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Figure 5-7: Average Monthly Relative Humidity 193. The southern-eastern and southern western winds prevail in the area for 40-50% of the time. 30-40% of the time the air is still. The remaining time is spread between the other directions. This is illustrated in Table 5-5.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-5: Wind Direction (% of annual values)
Weather Station N NE E SE S SW W NW Still Chakvi 3 4 13 33 7 18 15 7 32 Makhinjauri 9 4 9 32 16 13 10 7 32 Batumi 9 7 8 11 14 31 12 8 43
5.2.4 Geomorphology 194. Geotechnical investigation team of BT Design and Consulting Company conducted assessment and geological surface survey of the design road corridor from February 22 to March 20, 2011. 195. In a geomorphological respect, the study area is included in the region of Adjara- Trialeti mountain system of the Lesser Caucasioni occupying hilly and seaside zones of so called Adjara-Guria piedmont in the south-western area of the region. Its geomorphological nature was totally formed on the general background of the alternating -sign tectonic movements of the Late Apline orogenetic cycle and active course of erosive- denudation processes. The morphometric ridges of different hypsomeric heights and directions with numerous branches, deep narrow gorges, basins, hills, denudation and marine-accumulative plains developed here form a multispectral mosaic landscape. It should be noted that the alternating-sign tectonic movements of the late orogenetic stage continue to present. This is clearly evidenced by the morphological structures with flattened denudation surfaces located at different hypsometric levels, terrace steps and thick accumulative plains (Kobuleti, Kakhaberi Plains, etc.). This is also proved by the alluvial deposits with the thickness of over 40-60 m deposited in the beds of the rivers Ajaristskali and Chorokhi. The rate of elevation for the piedmont zone in Adjara-Trialeti western part measured with instruments on average amounts to 2 mm a year and increases gradually as the hypsometric altitude increases. At the same time, it is worth mentioning that the process of elevation and subsidence takes place on its own in the morphological-structural blocks isolated with tectonic faults, such as Supsa-Natanebi structural and Tsikhisdziri-Makhinjauri blocks where the rate of elevation is 2 mm annually on average; Kobuleti structural block, which is located between the river Natanebi and Tsikhisdziri mountain ridge, subsides by 1 mm a year, and the elevation process in Sarpi- Kalgandeti structural block takes place at the speed of 2 mm a year and so on. 196. Hence, the formation of the primary morphological structures in the region is caused by active differentiated processes at the Neotectonic stage and different erosion and denudation properties of the bedrocks, with a clear layering of the relief on their general background, with the relief-forming exogenic factors typical to them. 197. In this connection, there are three sharply different morphological levels identified within the limits of the study area: a plain-accumulative relief of Kolkheti Lowland presented by Kobuleti seaside area and Kakhaberi Plain; a hilly piedmont zone of Adjara-Trialeti western segment, a zone of a low-mountainous erosive relief. 198. The morphological zone of Kobuleti and Kakhaberi plain-accumulative seaside zone of Kolkheti Lowland is developed by a joint action of river and marine processes and
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
is structured with thick deposits of delta facies with the thickness of 140 m in Kobuleti zone and up to 300 mm in Kakhaberi area.
Coastal Geomorphology 199. The Eastern Black Sea Region, located in the north east of Turkey, has been exposed to severe coastal erosion and shoreline recession for the last 30 years. One of the most important reasons for this problem is the response of the coast on manmade activities. As a result of sand mining by people and municipalities, the coastal balance was broken.18
5.2.5 Geological Hazards 200. Due to complex morphological relief, unstable geological formations and for climatic process, the mountainous region of Adjara contains sensitive geological environmental and exhibits active geological processes. Landslides are the major outcome of this geological process and are a major geological hazard in the Project area. 201. According to the state Department of Geology of Georgia, by 2000, there were 374 newly formed and active landslide bodies, 18 mudflow-transformable erosive water flows and over 57-km-long river bank erosion areas were identified. The degree of activation of these processes was comparatively higher in last 15 years and is evident almost every year. Only in 2004-2009, 200 landslide sites were activated and approximately 1600 residential houses were destroyed to different degrees. In 2008, about 40 populated areas were found in the high risk area of landslide events. The landslides took the lives of 10 people. Within the alignment examples of geological activity is shown in Figure 5-8. 202. Based on the Global Seismic Hazard Map Project (GSHAP), the peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 10% in 50 years is between 2.4 and 3.2 m/s2 (see Figure 5-9).
Cracked walls due to shifting soils. Landslide in lateritic slope at km 0+500. (41°40'45.91"N, 41°42'18.57"E).
Figure 5-8: Geological Activity within the Study Area
18 Coastal erosion in Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey: Reply, Coastal Engineering December 1995
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-9: Global Seismic Hazard Map of Georgia Source: Giardini, D., Grünthal, G., Shedlock, K. M. and Zhang, P.: The GSHAP Global Seismic Hazard Map. In: Lee, W., Kanamori, H., Jennings, P. and Kisslinger, C. (eds.): International Handbook of Earthquake & Engineering Seismology, International Geophysics Series 81 B, Academic Press, Amsterdam, 1233-1239, 2003.
5.2.6 Air Quality 203. This section describes the current ambient air quality in the area where Project activities are proposed. The results discussed in this section are based on measurements undertaken for the EIA in October 2016. The pollutants selected for evaluation, based on the expected emissions from the Project activities and the level of risk to human health posed by these pollutants, are as follows:
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)
Ozone (O3)
Coarse (PM10) and fine (PM2.5) respirable particulate matter
Methodology and Sampling Locations 204. Air quality sampling was carried out at five different locations in the Study Area between September and October 2016 to characterize the current air quality within the Study Area. Weather data was collected using a portable weather meter during the duration of particulate matter sampling. A description of sampling locations and the rationale of selection is given in Table 5-6. The ambient air quality data was compared against applicable IFC and Georgian Standards.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-6: Air Quality Sampling Locations
Sample ID Coordinates Location Rationale for Site Selection A1 41°38'13.40"N Bagrationi Along the truck transport route in the city that 41°38'20.30"E Street, Batumi may benefit from traffic diversion. A2 41°35'36.31"N Khelvachuri Near proposed interchange on main road to 41°38'33.95"E Khelvachauri. A3 41°39'03.77"N Kapreshumi Main road near Interchange 2 which will see 41°41'46.40"E increased traffic A4 41° 36' 21.5" N Makhvilauri Typical air quality of low density valleys where 41° 39' 34.2" E bypass will pass. A5 41°35'29.60"N Zanakidzeebi Reference location far from any development. 41°40'51.20"E
Note: O3 was only sampled at A1, A2 and A4 Particulate matter was only sampled at A1, A2, A4, and A5
205. O3, NOX, NO2 and SO2 were measured using Gradko diffusion tubes. These tubes passively uptake pollutants via diffusion and hence require longer sampling of durations of between 2-4 weeks. The collected pollutants are quantified using ion chromatography. Repeat measurements were made for NO2 and SO2 using Gradko rapid air monitors (RAM) at A2 and A3. 206. Particulate matter was sampled using Airmetrics MiniVol Portable Air Samplers. This equipment draws an air sample through an inlet by a vacuum pump at a fixed flow rate. The particulates are filtered using an impactor and collected on a filter paper which was dried and weighed after the sampling to obtain the weight of particulates in the sampled volume of air. The equipment was factory calibrated on March 11, 2015. The MiniVol calibration is performed with an NIST -traceable standard. Each unit has a unique pair of calibration constants derived from the calibration which are used to calculate the sampler's actual flow rate at all ambient conditions 207. The method, duration of sampling and laboratory for analysis is summarized in Table 5-7. Photographs of the diffusion tube and particulate matter sampling sites are shown in Figure 5-10 and Figure 5-11 respectively. The sampling locations, along with nearby settlements and roads are shown in Figure 5-12.
Table 5-7: Methodology and Duration of Sampling Parameter Equipment Date and Duration of Sampling Lab for Analysis
O3, NO, NO2 Passive Sept 30 to Oct 14, 2016 Gradko Lab, and SO2 diffusion tubes 2 weeks1 UK
NO2 and SO2 Rapid air Oct 14, 2016 Gradko Lab, monitor 17-19 hours UK
PM10 and Low October 6 to 16, 2016 HBP Lab, PM2.5 volume sampler 24 Hours at each location for each parameter Islamabad Weather data2 Kestrel 5500 During PM sampling Field data weather meter 24 Hours at each location Note: 1. Recommended sampling duration is between 2-4 weeks. 2. Weather data includes wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Diffusion Tubes at A1 Diffusion Tubes at A2
Diffusion Tubes at A3 Diffusion Tubes at A4
Diffusion Tubes at A5 Rapid Air Monitors at A3
Figure 5-10: Diffusion Tubes and RAM Site Photographs
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Low Volume Sampler at A2 Low Volume Sampler at A3
Low Volume Sampler at A5
Figure 5-11: Particulate Matter Sampling Site Photographs
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-15 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-12: Air Quality Sampling Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-16 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Results and Analysis 208. The results of the ambient air quality sampling are presented in Table 5-8, the complete laboratory reports found in Appendix 2, and discussed below:
NO2 levels are within limits at all locations other than A2. It is very slightly above the limit here likely due to the presence of the busy main road and industries near A2.
SO2 levels were lower than the detectable level at all locations. Ozone levels were below limits at all locations. Particulate matter results were high near A1, A2 and A5. The concentration is within the 24 hour IFC interim target 1 but above the guideline values. It must be noted that the tourist season is over. During the tourist season there are more cars and traffic jams within Batumi which could give higher readings at A1. However, the current reading is so low that the additional pollutant concentrations are also likely within limits.
Table 5-8: Ambient Air Quality Sampling Results (µg/m3)
Sample ID NO2 SO2 O3 PM10 PM2.5 A1 – 14 day 10.51 <1.37 43. 21 A1 – 24 hour 14.92 <4.45 81.24 49.86 A2 – 14 day 40.32 <1.38 40.13 A2 – 24 hour 23.01 <4.83 72.54 44.45 A3 – 14 day 12.85 <1.39 27.74 A4 – 14 day 11.58 <1.39 A4 – 24 hour 40.97 28.17 A5 – 14 day 36.12 <1.39 A5 – 24 hour 89.38 63.59 Georgian Standard – 24 hour 40 50 – 150 IFC (8 hour daily max - guideline) – 100 – – IFC (annual – interim target 1) – – – 70 35 IFC (annual – guideline) 40 – – 20 10 IFC (24-hour – interim target 1) – 125 – 150 75 IFC (24-hour – guideline) – 20 – 50 25 Note: 1. Blank cells indicate no measurement was undertaken 2. An en dash ‘–‘ indicates that no standards specified 3. Georgian Standards for PM are for all particle sizes.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-17 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2.7 Water Resources 209. Water resources in the Study Area include surface drainage and mountain springs. Photographs of major rivers and selected springs are shown in Figure 5-13. 210. The rivers in the Study Area are mountainous rivers and do not have large basins and hence river lengths are short. None of the rivers are fed by glaciers or permanent snow mountains, and rather are fed by rain, snow melt and groundwater and hence they are characterized by spring and autumn floods. Most of the rivers are characterized by a large fall and fast flow. In some sections rivers flow in narrow and deep gorges and create canyons and waterfalls. In some sections the rivers causes the bank erosion causing damage to roads, bridges, crops, and residential houses. Among these the Korolistskali, Bartskhana, Mejini and the Chorokhi are main rivers. Other than these rivers there are a large number of small streams that are present in the Study Area. 211. Some homes rely solely on mountain spring water collection structures are constructed around springs to store water from where it is transported to homes using PVC or steel pipes. Most communities have water supply connections.
River Korolistskali River Chorokhi
Small stream near Makhvilauri Spring water collection structure
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-18 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Water supply pipes from collection structure Spring without collection structure.
Spring water collection structure Spring water collection structure
Figure 5-13: Water Resources in the Study Area
5.2.8 Water Quality 212. Water quality samples from rivers, streams and community springs were collected and analyzed for establishing baseline conditions for surface and groundwater.
Methodology and Sampling Locations 213. A total of 5 samples were collected and analyzed. Of these, 3 were surface water samples and 2 were spring water samples. Table 5-9 describes the sample locations and rationale for their selection. The sampling locations are mapped in Figure 5-14. 214. Water samples were tested at the National Environmental Agency. Photographs of the sampling are shown in Figure 5-15. Strict sampling protocol was followed during sampling including Powder-free disposable gloves were worn at all times. Sample bottles were filled to the top to eliminate air space. Sample bottles were capped as soon as they were filled, placed in plastic bags, and placed into coolers. One duplicate sample was collected as part of QC check Samples were transported to the lab within 24 hours of sampling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-19 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-9: Water Quality Sampling Locations
ID Coordinates Description Notes and Justification W1 41° 40' 47.0" N Mountain spring, near To establish baseline for spring water 41° 42' 21.0" E Makhinjauri quality. Spring water is used extensively by surrounding communities. W2 41° 39' 33.8" N Korilistskali River, River water may be contaminated due to 41° 41' 17.9" E downstream of oil terminal the oil terminal W3 41° 39' 03.1" N Korilistskali River, Reference sample to compare with W3 41° 42' 23.3" E upstream of oil terminal W4 41° 36' 30.2" N Stream near Makhvilauri To establish baseline for streams in area. 41° 39' 37.4" E Secondly the construction corridor follows this stream for a large part increasing chances of contamination W5 41° 36' 25.8" N Mountain spring near To establish baseline for spring water 41° 39' 35.1" E Makhvilauri quality. Spring water is used extensively by surrounding communities. W6 41° 36' 30.2" N Duplicate of W4 Quality control check for lab 41° 39' 37.4" E
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-20 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-14: Water Quality Sampling Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-21 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Collection of water sample W01 Collection of water sample W02
Collection of water sample W03 Collection of water sample W04
Sample labeling and packing in zip lock bags Sample storage in chilled containers
Figure 5-15: Photographs of Water Sampling
Results and Analysis 215. The results are tabulated in Table 5-10 and the complete laboratory report can be found in Appendix 3. An analysis of the results is provided below: Both spring water samples (W1 and W5) tested negative for E.coli and total coliforms and therefore are fit for drinking in this regard. All other samples were
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-22 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
in excess of Georgian standards likely due to seepage of household sewage into streams. Other than microbiology all samples comply with Georgian maximum permissible concentrations. Very low concentrations of metals were detected. This is likely due to the short flow distance of these rivers. W02 and W03 are show almost identical results. These samples were taken from downstream and upstream of the oil terminal. The large fast flowing river resulted in a well-mixed water samples. No contamination due to the oil terminal was observed in this sampling.
Quality Assurance 216. One duplicate sample (W06) was analyzed as quality control (QC) sample. The real identity was unknown to the testing laboratory. Upon receipt of results, relative percentage difference (RPD) was checked with the corresponding sample (Table 5-11). Key findings on QC results are as follows: Of nine parameters analyzed for general ions RPD of QC sample results with corresponding sample results for seven (07) parameters fall below and four above 20%. RPD of QC sample results with corresponding sample results for all analyzed major ions fall below 10%. RPD of QC sample results with corresponding sample results for analyzed 15 metals, eight fall below and seven above 20%. Based on above discussions generally for most of the parameters RPD fall below 20% and the results are deemed acceptable.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-23 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-10: Water Quality Sampling Results
Parameter Unit Method Georgian MPC W01 W02 W03 W04 W05 W06 General Parameters pH ISO 10523:2010 6.5-8.5 7.68 7.52 7.69 7.61 7.41 7.64 Turbidity NTU Photometric 0.31 0.14 0.14 0.59 0.09 0.68 Total suspended solid mg/l ISO 11923:2007 4.8 4.4 3.8 3 6.2 5.4 Total dissolved Solids mg/l Weight 1000 50 31 31 96 199 143
Hardness mgeqv./l ISO 6059-84 0.74 0.72 0.64 1.48 2.2 1.3
BOD5 mg/l ISO 5815-1:2010 6 0.79 0.64 0.93 1.23 0.79 0.68 COD mg/l ISO 6060:2010 30 2.74 1.96 1.76 2.35 3.92 2.94 Chloride mg/l ISO 10304-1:2007 350 4.449 1.983 1.514 3.42 5.428 3.286
Alkalinity mg/l Titrimetric 42 48 46 104 132 88 Major Ions Sodium mg/l ISO 9964-3:2010 200 8 2.5 2 7.5 9.5 7 Calcium mg/l ISO 6058:2008 180 8.73 9.83 8.49 15.93 26.08 16.31
Potassium mg/l ISO 11885:2007 1.499 0.547 0.5034 0.8808 0.8646 0.8598 Sulphate mg/l ISO 10304-1:2007 500 1.496 2.098 1.521 3.75 7.081 4.125 Microbiology
Total coliforms in 1 dm3 membrane filtration N/D 10 000 12 000 9 000 N/D 13 000 E-coli in 1 dm3 membrane filtration 5000 N/D 8 000 8 000 7 000 N/D 10 000 Fecal streptococci in 1 dm3 membrane filtration N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D N/D Metals (Total) Iron - Fe mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.3 0.0881 0.0269 0.0323 0.0974 0.0137 0.1054
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-24 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Parameter Unit Method Georgian MPC W01 W02 W03 W04 W05 W06 Zinc - Zn mg/l ISO 11885:2007 1 0.0082 0.0066 0.0115 0.0062 0.01 0.009 Cadmium - Cd mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.001 0.0002 0.0002 0.0003 0.0001 0.0003 0.0002 Cupper - Cu mg/l ISO 11885:2007 1 0.0006 0.0011 0.0011 0.0024 0.0017 0.0025 Nickel-Ni mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.1 0.0002 0.0016 0.0014 0.0001 0.0015 0.0005 Arsenic - As mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.05 0.0018 0.0033 0.0008 0.0037 0.0023 0.0039 Lead - Pb mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.03 0.005 0.0024 0.003 0.0016 0.0046 0.0032 Chrome - Cr mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.5 0.0055 0.0041 0.0044 0.0031 0.0095 0.0047 Manganese-Mn mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.1 0.0047 0.0068 0.0024 0.0026 0.0016 0.0031 Mercury mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.0005 <0.0003 <0.0002 <0.0002 <0.0001 <0.0003 <0.0002 Aluminum - Al mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.5 0.0477 0.0189 0.0226 0.0694 0.0057 0.0758 Antimony - Sb mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.05 0.0004 0.013 0.0075 0.0005 0.0041 0.0073 Barium - Ba mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.1 0.0201 0.0058 0.0055 0.0041 0.0009 0.0044 Boron - B mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.5 0.0064 0.0483 0.0109 0.0028 0.0004 0.0035 Selenium - Se mg/l ISO 11885:2007 0.01 <0.0006 <0.00006 <0.0006 0.0009 <0.0003 0.0069
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-25 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-11: Water Quality Assurance Sample Analysis Result
Parameter Unit Sample ID: Sample ID: RPD(%) WR16- FB WR16A-3b (D) General Parameters pH 7.64 7.61 0.4% Turbidity NTU 0.68 0.59 14.2% Total suspended solid mg/l 5.4 3 57.1% Total dissolved Solids mg/l 143 96 39.3% Hardness mgeqv./l 1.3 1.48 12.9%
BOD5 mg/l 0.68 1.23 57.6% COD mg/l 2.94 2.35 22.3% Chloride mg/l 3.286 3.42 4.0% Alkalinity mg/l 88 104 16.7% Major Ions Sodium mg/l 7 7.5 6.9% Calcium mg/l 16.31 15.93 2.4% Potassium mg/l 0.8598 0.8808 2.4% Sulphate mg/l 4.125 3.75 9.5% Metals (Total) Iron - Fe mg/l 0.1054 0.0974 7.9% Zinc - Zn mg/l 0.009 0.0062 36.8% Cadmium - Cd mg/l 0.0002 0.0001 66.7% Cupper - Cu mg/l 0.0025 0.0024 4.1% Nickel-Ni mg/l 0.0005 0.0001 133.3% Arsenic - As mg/l 0.0039 0.0037 5.3% Lead - Pb mg/l 0.0032 0.0016 66.7% Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0047 0.0031 41.0% Manganese-Mn mg/l 0.0031 0.0026 17.5% Mercury mg/l <0.0002 <0.0001 0.0% Aluminum - Al mg/l 0.0758 0.0694 8.8% Antimony - Sb mg/l 0.0073 0.0005 174.4% Barium - Ba mg/l 0.0044 0.0041 7.1% Boron - B mg/l 0.0035 0.0028 22.2% Selenium - Se mg/l 0.0069 0.0009 153.8%
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-26 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2.9 Soil Quality 217. There is one-story hilly and lowland landscape with typical wet subtropical climate, well-developed red-soils in the area and if not considering Batumi Botanical Garden, all the territory is intensely anthropogenized and cultivated. 218. The Geotechnical Engineering Report in the design documents contains detailed information on the soils. 234 disturbed and undisturbed soil samples were studied in total. A summary of the physical properties of the soils in the road and bridge sections, as obtained by that study, are summarized in Table 5-12.
Table 5-12: Physical Properties of Common Soils in the Project Area
Moisture Bulk Porosity content % Density Earth fill - 1.80 - Clay, yellowish firm 40.3 1.59 58.4 Clay, brownish black 50.9 1.57 61.4 lean clay, reddish brown 43.6 1.6 58.6 Lean clay, brownish-reddish 29.8 1.6 54.1 Silty sand, dark grey - - - Sand silty, dark grey - - - Gravel, crushed stones, with lean clay inclusion 23.4* 1.63* 50.7* Cobbles, yellowish brown with clay inclusion 29.1* 1.61* 54.1* Cobbles, with boulder inclusions, with lean clay filling 24.9* 1.62* 51.5* Cobbles, with boulder inclusions, with silty sand filling 21.3* 1.61* 49.5* Cobbles, with boulder inclusions, with sand filling 20.1* 1.64* 58.3* Lean clay, reddish brown with gravel inclusion, eluvial 29.6 1.75 49.8 tuff breccia Tuff breccia, extremely weathered 25.8 2.00 41.3 Tuff breccia, weathered and fractured andesite-basalt 8.7 2.35 20.1 content Tuff breccia, slightly weathered and andesite-basalt 4.9 2.50 11.9 content * Parameters are given for soil filling 219. Surface samples were also collected to elucidate the Study Areas’ soil quality with regard to agriculture, and existing toxic metals.
Methodology and Sampling Locations 220. Surface soil samples were collected after removing of 15 cm upper surface layer with a plastic spoon. Samples were taken in a manner that minimized loss of volatile compounds, and samples were sealed immediately in double zip lock bags with minimal headspace. Sampling locations are provided in Table 5-13 and shown in Figure 5-16. Photographs of sampling are shown in Figure 5-17.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-27 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-13: Soil Quality Sampling Locations
ID Coordinates Description Notes and Justification S1 41° 40' 47.0" N Forested area To establish baseline for soil quality. 41° 42' 21.0" E near Makhinajauri S2 41° 39' 30.1" N Downstream of oil Soil may be contaminated due to the oil 41° 41' 21.5" E terminal terminal S3 41° 39' 01.5" N Upstream of oil Reference sample to compare with W3 41° 42' 23.6" E terminal S4 41° 36' 28.3" N Near Makhvilauri Agricultural land along right of way 41° 39' 34.5" E S5 41° 36' 28.3" N Duplicate of S4 Quality control check 41° 39' 34.5" E S6 41° 35' 48.3" N Near Makhvilauri Agricultural land along right of way 41° 38' 52.3" E
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-28 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-16: Soil Quality Sampling Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-29 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Soil sampling at S1 Soil sampling at S2
Soil sample and duplicate at S4 Soil sample site S6
Figure 5-17: Soil Quality Sampling Photographs
Results and Analysis 221. The results are presented in Table 5-14. Key observations are as follows: pH of soil sample S01 and S04 were found to be acidic as per available criteria19. Nitrates were found adequate for agricultural activity in soil sample S01, and marginal in S02 and S04 but low in S03 and S06 as per available criteria20. Phosphates levels were found low for agricultural activity in all soil samples21. Cobalt (Co) was detected higher than target value (i.e. three times its average crustal abundance) in sample S02.
19 The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service classifies soil pH in the ranges acidic (5.1–6.0), normal (6.1 – 7.8), alkaline (7.9 – 9.0). Soil pH is in the range 6.0 to 7.0 for most plants but some prefer acid or alkaline conditions 20 Land Resources Research Institute National Agricultural Research Center Islamabad- Pakistan classifies soil Nitrate in the ranges Low (< 11 mg/kg), marginal (11 – 20 mg/kg) and adequate (>20 g/kg). For soil Phosphate the ranges Low (<4 mg/kg), marginal (4 – 7 mg/kg) and adequate (>7 mg/kg) 21 ibid
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-30 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Arsenic (As) was detected higher than target value in sample S06 Molybdenum (Mo) was detected higher than target value in sample S01, S02, S03 and S06. Boron (B) was detected higher than target value in sample S01, S02 and S03. Cadmium (Cd) was detected higher than target value in sample S01 and S04. The higher values of above metals may be due to natural conditions.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-31 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-14: Soil Quality Sampling Results
Parameter Unit Method Reference Georgian MPC 3 x Crustal S01 S02 S03 S04 S06 Abundance
General and Major Ions
pH ISO 10523:2010 – – 5.78 6.81 6.01 4.4 7.03 TPH mg/kg Weight method – – ND ND ND ND ND
NO3 mg/kg ISO 10304-1:2007 – – 184.55 13.28 6.39 14.99 0.35
PO4 mg/kg ISO 10304-1:2007 0.764 0.122 0.302 0.19 0.782 – – Metals Cu mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 3 204 72.59 63.63 55.56 40.51 82.62 Ni mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 4 270 17.02 34.07 32.53 11.5 13.02 Zn mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 23 237 395.98 279.56 439.44 118.02 410.12 Co mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 5 60 60.57 42.59 36.54 29.01 13.52 Cr mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 6 420 33.04 32.06 27.53 64.51 32.05 Pb mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 6 30 20.02 <2.51 15.02 1.5 3 As mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 2 6.3 5.01 <1.50 5.01 5 12.02 Ca mg/kg ISO 6058:2008 – 123,000 45.82 18.22 18.48 16.8 44.24 Mg mg/kg ISO 6058:2008 – 62,700 15.6 6.62 4.36 3.66 11.26 Na mg/kg ISO 9964-3:2010 – 69,000 13 9 5 4 11 Mo mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 4.5 22.53 18.04 13.01 8 5.01 Mn mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 700 3,300 515.12 591.68 599.1 456.09 481.22 K mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 45,000 559.67 388.28 222.72 384.08 386.58 Al g/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 240,000 14.71 15.75 11.96 15.15 9.61
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-32 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Parameter Unit Method Reference Georgian MPC 3 x Crustal S01 S02 S03 S04 S06 Abundance B mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 26.1 129.15 64.13 33.03 21.5 2 Ba mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 1,020 65.58 96.19 80.08 36.51 118.68 Cd mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 0.45 2 1.5 0.5 1.5 0.5 Se mg/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 0.15 8.51 25.05 25.53 16.5 5.51 Hg ug/kg ISO 11885:2007 – 0.201 <0,9 <0,9 <0,9 <0,9 <0,9 Fe % ISO 11885:2007 3 123,000 2.61 2.81 2.06 2.5 2.25
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-33 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.2.10 Noise Levels 222. This section defines the baseline ambient sound levels in the Study Area in a manner that can be used for the assessment of the noise impact of the proposed Project. Sound levels were measured at selected locations considered representative of the nearby receptors of possible noise pollution from the Project.
Methodology and Sampling Locations 223. To determine the baseline noise in the area, measurements were taken at seven locations. These locations are given in Table 5-15. The survey was conducted from October 1 to October 14, 2016. At each location approximately 24-hour readings were taken. 224. The survey was conducted with Cirrus Research plc.’s sound level meter, Model CR:1720. The instrument meets the International standards IEC 61672-1:2002, IEC 660651:1979, IEC 60804:2001, IEC 61260:1995, IEC 60942:1997, IEC 61252:1993, ANSI S1.4-1983, ANSI S1.11-1986, and ANSI S1.43-1997 where applicable. The instruments have a resolution of 0.1 dB. 225. The meter was calibrated at the start and end of measurement at each site, using Cirrus Research plc.’s acoustic calibrator, Model: CR:514. The sound meter and calibrator were factory calibrated on September 28, 2015. The instrument was mounted on a tripod, to avoid interference from reflecting surfaces within the immediate neighborhood, and a wind shield was used in all measurements. Photographs of the sampling equipment setup are provided in Figure 5-18. The sound sampling locations are mapped in Figure 5-19.
Table 5-15: Noise Level Sampling Locations
ID Location Coordinates Dates of Survey Description N1 Makhinjauri 41° 40' 31.6" N Start: Oct 1 , 10:51 am At house opposite a school and 41° 41' 59.5" E End: Oct 2, 10”51 am along a sealed road N2 Makhinjauri 41° 39' 30.3 " N Start: Oct 2, 11:13 am Remote houses along low density 41° 41' 43.5 " E End: Oct 3, 12:35 pm section of right of way N3 Makhinjauri 41°39'28.66"N Start: Oct 13, 3:27pm Remote houses along low density 41°41'44.19"E End: Oct 13, 4:07am section of right of way N4 Kapreshumi 41° 39' 08.1" N Start: Oct 3, 1:51 pm Along sealed road in medium sized 41° 41' 36.5" E End: Oct 4, 1:31 pm settlement, near proposed interchange N5 Kapreshumi 41° 39' 03.0" N Start: Oct 7, 10:46 pm Near N4 but closer to existing 41° 41' 47.3" E End: Oct 8, 11:19 pm intersection. QC for N4. N6 Makhlivauri 41° 36' 21.5" N Start: Oct 4, 4:03 pm Houses along sealed road, in low 41° 39' 34.2" E End: Oct 5, 3:30 pm density section of right of way N7 Makhvilauri 41° 36' 21.5" N Start: Oct 22, 5:55 pm Low density section of right of way 41° 39' 34.2" E End: Oct 23, 11:20 AM at a distance from the road.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-34 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Sound meter at N1 Sound meter at N2
Sound meter at N4 Sound meter at N5
Sound meter at N6 Sound meter at N7
Figure 5-18: Noise Level Sampling Photographs
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-35 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-19: Noise Level Measurement Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-36 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Results and Analysis 226. The sources of noise were identified using the following sources: Identification of noise sources in the vicinity during set up and dismantling of sampling equipment The noise sampling equipment was set to record audio when noise levels exceed 80 dB A. These recordings were reviewed. 227. Based on the above the following conclusions are drawn regarding noise sources in the area: Traffic: for sampling locations along sealed roads traffic noise was very significant. Vehicles were observed to drive fairly fast (up to 50 kmph) on small roads adjacent to the noise sampling location (such as N4, and N5) with rapid acceleration and deceleration. There were more vehicles during the day than the night which explains the higher noise levels during the day. Dogs: almost every home that was visited along the alignment owned a dog. During the night if a vehicle passed by the home these dogs would bark even after the vehicle had left. Natural sources: The major natural source of noise is the many streams that crisscross the mountainous landscape. Other sources include rain and wind. At night a drop in temperature results in an increase in the density and pressure of the air which may facilitate the propagation of noise from natural sources. This may result in conditions that have a higher noise level at night than during the day22. Figure 5-20 illustrates the rise in base noise levels as the night progresses and a decline after sunrise. There are also fewer fluctuations during the night which further indicates that this is from steady natural sources.
Figure 5-20: Time Series for Noise Levels at N2
22 Davis M. L. and Cornwall, D. A. 1991. Introduction to Environmental Engineering. McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-37 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
228. A summary of the results are provided in Table 5-16. Georgian and IFC EHS noise standards indicate a 55 dB A limit for daytime and 45 dB A limit for nighttime noise levels (see Chapter 3 for details). However, IFC EHS limits further require that the sound levels comply with limits for each hour. Therefore, hourly Leq (db A) is presented in Table 5-17.
229. Leq, is the average sound level. L10 and L90 refer to percentile noise levels that are exceeded 10% and 90% of the time, respectively with L50 being the median sound level. Daytime averages are calculated for 7 am to 10pm and nighttime for 10 pm to 7 am according to IFC EHS guidelines. Reported sound levels are on the A scale, which covers the full audio range and is relatable to human hearing.
Table 5-16: Summary Statistics of Noise Levels during the Survey
Location Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Kapreshumi Kapreshumi Makhlivauri Makhlivauri ID N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 Urban Rural Rural Urban Urban Rural Rural 24 hour 53.7 46.6 54.5 56.7 60.9 55.3 44.1 Day 55.6 44.1 45.4 58.1 62.6 56.7 42.7 Night 50.2 49.3 ** 52.5 56.6 ** 45.2 L10 52.1 49.8 50.8 59.5 62.8 53.7 45.2 L50 44.6 41.6 42.7 45.8 56.1 42.7 36.8 L90 38.9 36.8 37.8 39.9 45.3 38.6 34 ** Results are being analyzed further for quality assurance
Table 5-17: Hourly Leq Results (dB A)
Location Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Kapreshumi Kapreshumi Makhlivauri Makhlivauri ID N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 Urban Rural Rural Urban Urban Rural Rural Daytime IFC limits: 55 dbA
7:00 AM 46.6 46.6 54.4 56.7 62.4 45.5
8:00 AM 49.3 44.6 59.5 58.8 52.4 45.5
9:00 AM 53 40.5 59.8 60.3 54.6 44.7
10:00 AM 52.6 41.4 58.6 64.7 56.2 44.4
11:00 AM 53.1 40.9 58.3 60.2 58.1 46.8
12:00 PM 62.1 40.2 57.3 61.7 49.2
1:00 PM 54.8 39.5 57.1 62.1 54.8
2:00 PM 51.4 38.9 59.4 59 54.8
3:00 PM 55.2 41.8 46.3 58.7 61.5 50.9
4:00 PM 50.3 38.9 44.5 57.8 60.1 52 5:00 PM 54.7 41.4 46.1 57.2 63.7 51.5 46.7 6:00 PM 51.3 46.6 44.1 58.3 65.7 52.6 45.9
7:00 PM 57.9 49.2 57.2 63.4 55 47.6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-38 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Location Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Makhinjauri Kapreshumi Kapreshumi Makhlivauri Makhlivauri ID N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 Urban Rural Rural Urban Urban Rural Rural 8:00 PM 52.9 45.1 48.3 56.8 64.5 50.9 44.2 9:00 PM 49.2 43 43.1 57 62.2 51.9 40.9 Nighttime IFC limits: 45 dbA 10:00 PM 51.4 51.5 43.3 55.9 62 57.5 39.9 11:00 PM 55.6 45.2 52.6 56.1 57.7 54.6 47.2 12:00 AM 49.7 47.6 64.8 52.3 54.8 52 43.9 1:00 AM 51.8 46.2 47.6 53.1 54.5 59.6 40.3 2:00 AM 48 48.6 46.2 49.8 51.7 45.1 36.9 3:00 AM 46.5 50.4 46.9 48.3 57 48.9 35.8 4:00 AM 44.8 51.4 44.5 43.7 53.8 49.2 40.6
5:00 AM 44.1 50.1 47.8 54.5 54.5 45.4
6:00 AM 45.8 48.1 52.5 52.5 56.5 41.7
230. Based on these results the following conclusions can be drawn Mountainous low density areas with low traffic o These areas such as N2, N3 and N7 have low noise.
o L90 which is the background sound level is between 34 – 38 dB A. L10, which corresponds to noise disturbances are lower than 51 dB A. o Daytime noise levels are lower (between 42 and 45.5 dB A) than night time noise levels (between 45 and 49 dB A. This is because these areas are dominated by natural noise sources discussed earlier. Medium density settlements along major roads o These areas such as N1, N4, N5 and N6 have a moderate amount of noise.
o L90 ranges between 38 and 56 dB A. L10, levels are as high as 62.8 dB A. o Daytime noise levels (between 55 and 63 dB A) are higher than nighttime noise levels (between 50 and 55 dB A) as these areas are dominated by human noise influences which reduce at night.
5.3 Ecological Baseline 231. The ecological baseline has been prepared to describe the ecological resources within the Study Area.
5.3.1 Introduction
Scope 232. The scope of the ecological baseline includes the following: A review of the literature to determine areas of conservation importance around the Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-39 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Habitat classification to describe the Study Area and to assess the presence of potential habitats for species of conservation importance A review of the ecological survey results presented in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)23 A review of the species of conservation importance, based on Georgia’s National List, reported in the EIA, to be present in the Project area Identification of species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List Review of the ranges of the species of conservation importance, based on the IUCN Red List Review of the species reported from Georgia whose distributions overlap with that of the Study Area Review of the threats faced by the species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List (Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened), to assess Project-related threats 233. The list of species to take into consideration was developed based on a review of the distributions of species that overlap with the Study Area as well as those reported to be present in the Project area. For all species of conservation importance, information on habitat and threats is presented. For all species of conservation importance reported to be present in the Project area, detailed discussions are presented.
Sources of Information Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2 BirdLife International Georgia Biodiversity Database The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) Other Literature
Areas of Conservation Importance 234. Areas of conservation importance located closest to the Project are shown in Figure 5-21. These include protected areas and Important Bird Areas (IBAs). They have been marked from various sources, shown below.
23 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-40 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-21: Areas of Conservation Importance Sources: Agency of Protected Areas, Georgia
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-41 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
235. It can be seen from Figure 5-21 that the IBA labelled Batumi, overlaps with the Project and that of the Chorokhi Delta is located less than 3.75 km from it. The other Areas of Conservation Importance closest to the Project are listed below along with their distances from it: Mtirala National Park, 4 km Machakhela Planned National Park, 11 km Kintrishi Nature Reserve and IBA of Kintrishi, 15 km
Habitat Classification and Description of Study Area 236. The Study Area comprises a variety of habitat types. Habitat classification of the Study Area was carried out using Google EarthTM satellite imagery. The different habitat types identfied include the following: Vegetation Cluster Builtup Area Agricultural Field Industrial Area 237. The distribution of these habitat types is shown in Figure 5-22. The percentage of each habitat type in the Study Area is provided in Table 5-17. The Study Area is dominated by Vegetation Cluster habitat. The second highest habitat type is Builtup Area. It can be seen in Figure 5-22 that Builtup Area habitat is distributed throughout the Study Area with no large stretches of Vegetation Cluster habitat. This is indicative of a very disturbed environment with widespread human activity. 238. The habitat is classified as a Modified Habitat based on ADB standards.24 It is altered natural habitat formed by removeal of native species during resource harvesting and land use conversion.
24 https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional-document/33739/files/environment-safeguards-good- practices-sourcebook-draft.pdf
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-42 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-22: Habitat Distribution in Study Area
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-43 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-18: Percentage Distribution of Habitat Types in the Study Area
Habitat Type Percentage Distribution in Study Area Vegetation Cluster 65.4 Built-up Area and 20.2 Infrastructure Agricultural Field 8.3 Marine 4.9 River 1.1 Total 100
Surveys 239. Surveys were carried out as part of the EIA conducted by Sambo Engineering.25 The sampling locations for the surveys within the Study Area are shown in Figure 5-23. They were carried out in an area that is larger than the Study Area. Therefore, only sampling locations within the Study Area are shown. 240. The results of the surveys are provided in Table 5-19. It provides a description of each sampling location along with observations of fauna.26
25 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 26 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-44 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-23: Ecological Sampling Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-45 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-19: Survey Observations
Sampling Coordinates Site Description Fauna Location ID
1. 41° 37' 50.9628" E Stone-crushing plant and kitchen-garden Five synanthropic27 bird species were observed. 41° 35' 29.4324" N 2. 41° 38' 24.2592" E Typical urban landscape. Two synanthropic bird species - House Sparrow Passer 41° 35' 46.6800" N Old trees plantation on the eastern side. domesticus, Carrion (Hooded) Crow Corvus corone cornix 3. 41° 39' 08.0424" E Common anthropogenic landscape. 11 common synanthropic species bird species were 41° 36' 05.7132" N A few large, old trees of Eucalyptus along road, observed bushes, fences. 4. 41° 39' 42.4584" E Common anthropogenic landscape, typical of the No tracks of mammals 41° 36' 38.4408" N area 19 bird species were observed Small outcrops of wild plants; citrus gardens, shrubs. The noteworthy breeding site of the Common Buzzard Remnants of secondary forest. Buteo buteo – observed one pair Probably breeding site of the Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus – single specimen Common forest passerines observed Lizards observed – Spint-Tailed Lizard Darevskia rudis. 5. 41° 39' 33.4152" E Common anthropogenic landscape, typical for area 26 bird species were observed 41° 37' 01.1460" N Small outcrops of wild vegetation. Noteworthy observation of migration of raptor –- A lot of introduced exotic plants. European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus – six migrating individuals were observed flying in North-West direction; Citrus gardens, orchards, brushwood Lizards observed. Species not identified Secondary forest; a few large trees, but it seems that all old trees were cut down and, therefore, there are low chances to find bat colony.
27 Living in close association with humans
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-46 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Sampling Coordinates Site Description Fauna Location ID
6. 41° 39' 33.7428" E Common anthropogenic landscape, 26 bird species were observed 41° 36' 57.1896" N typical for area with small outcrops of wild vegetation, Noteworthy observation of migration of raptor birds - A lot of introduced exotic plants. European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus – six migrating individuals were observed flying in North West direction; Citrus gardens, orchards, brushwood, Lizards observed. Species not identified Secondary forest; a few large trees, but it seems that all old trees were cut down and, therefore, there are low chances to find bat colony. 7. 41° 39' 39.2796" E Common anthropogenic landscape, 26 bird species were observed 41° 36' 58.8708" N typical for area with small outcrops of wild vegetation, Noteworthy observation of migration of raptor birds - A lot of introduced exotic plants. European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus – six migrating individuals were observed flying in North West direction; Citrus gardens, orchids, brushwood, Lizards observed. Species not identified secondary forest; A few large trees, but it seems that all old trees were cut down and, therefore, there are low chances to find bat colony. 8. 41° 41' 13.6140" E Common anthropogenic landscape, typical for area. 15 bird species (common forest species) observed 41° 38' 22.2612" N Tea plantation, small citrus gardens, orchards; No other animals observed Small wet meadow (about 20x50 m); A few large trees. 9. 41° 41' 15.4968" E Common anthropogenic landscape, typical for area. 15 bird species (common forest species) observed 41° 38' 34.3248" N Tea plantation, small citrus gardens, orchards; No other animals observed Small wet meadow (about 20x50 m); A few large trees. 10. 41° 41' 42.1332" E Small gardens 11 common garden bird species observed 41° 38' 57.1560" N Degraded pasture No other animals Small stream
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-47 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Sampling Coordinates Site Description Fauna Location ID
11. 41° 41' 45.1500" E Settlement 6 common synanthropic bird species observed 41° 39' 41.6592" N Ruins of school No other animals grazing area within the village Gardens Old Eucalyptus along road 12. 41° 41' 50.6400" E The alignment is going along the existing highway eight common synanthropic bird species observed 41° 40' 40.2528" N Batumi - Kobuleti within the Makhinjauri settlement. No other animals observed 13. 41° 41' 26.1996" E The alignment is going along the existing highway eight common synanthropic bird species observed 41° 40' 18.6636" N Batumi - Kobuleti within the Makhinjauri settlement. No other animals observed 14. 41° 42' 36.3420" E Orchards 6 common synanthropic bird species observed 41° 41' 01.0320" N Kitchen-gardens No other animals observed Rich vegetation Gentle slopes Roads 15. 41° 42' 43.5852" E Orchards, 6 common synanthropic bird species observed 41° 41' 15.4068" N Kitchen-gardens, No other animals observed Rich vegetation, Gentle slopes, Roads. 16. 41° 43' 07.5432" E Orchards Nine bird species were observed – all common garden 41° 41' 26.8296" N Kitchen-gardens species, Road. No other animals observed Source: Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-48 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.3.2 Terrestrial Ecology 241. Terrestrial ecology consists of the following: Terrestrial Flora Mammals Birds Herpetofauna Invertebrates 242. Each of these have been described in detail below.
Terrestrial Flora 243. The plant ecological diversity in Georgia is complex and wide-ranging, as habitat in the country ranges from high mountain ridges of north Georgia to flatwoods and swamps of south Georgia. Among the geographic regions numerous ecosystems or environments exist where unique plants species have adapted. In some cases, plant species have adapted to very specific and restricted environmental conditions. Others occur over much wider and more general environments.28 The flora of Georgia contains between 4,200 and 4,500 species of vascular plants. Of these, nine percent are endemic to Georgia and 14 percent are endemic to the Caucasus. Ten species of vascular plants are known to have become extinct in Georgia. In addition, 50 are Critically Endangered, 300 are classified as rare, and 140 have undergone significant decline. Relic and endemic species are widely distributed in Georgian forests. In total, 1,000 plant species are considered endemic. Of more than 400 species of trees, 60 naturally occur only in Georgia and another 43 only in the Caucasus region. Among the endemics the most common species are Taxus baccata, Pinus pithycesa, Pterocaria fraxinifolia, Corylus iberica, Quercus imeretina, Zelkova carpinifolia, Pistacea mutica, and Acer iberica.29 244. Plant cover in Batumi is dominated by Prunus laurocerasus.30 Other planted vegetation includes Magnolia grandiflora, Quercus acuta, Eucalyptus viminalis, Camelia japonica, Acer japonicum, Cedrus deodara, Lagerstroemia indica, Ternstroemia japonica, Cupressus sempervirens, Juglans regia, Olea europaea, Podocarpus species, Eriobotrya japonica, Prunus cerasifera, Magnolia soulengeana, Liriodendron tulipifera, Paeonia arborea, Pyracantha species, Michelia species, Juniperis sabina, Cinnamomum camphora, Washingtonia filifera, Trachycarpus fortunei, Chamaerops humilis, Phoenix canariensis, Butia capitata and Thuja species. Bushes include Abelia species, Ilex species, Euonymus species, Chaenomeles japonica, Photinia species, Spirea species, Kalistimoni species, Leptospermum species, Gardenia species, Forsythia species, Hibiscus species, Mutabilis species, Nandina domestica and Rhododendron
28 UGA Extension Bulletin 987. Native Plants for Georgia Part 1: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines,
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-49 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
catawbiense.31 Photographs of the terrestrial vegetation observed in the Study Area are provided in Figure 5-24.
41°40'40.26"N, 41°42'10.62"E Citrus species, 41°40'40.26"N, 41°42'10.62"E
41°40'25.24"N, 41°41'57.98"E Diospyros kaki, 41°39'30.74"N, 41°41'44.44"E
41°39'30.74"N, 41°41'44.44"E Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, 41°39'30.74"N, 41°41'44.44"E
31 Batumi City Council (BCC). 2014. “Batumi Sustainable Energy Action Plan.”
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-50 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
41°39'33.74"N, 41°41'18.18"E Miscanthus sinensinsis, 41°35'54.64"N, 41°36'35.63"E
41°36'26.19"N, 41°39'43.40"E
Figure 5-24: Terrestrial Vegetation in the Study Area
245. The IBAT was used to find the species whose distribution overlaps with the Study Area as reported by the IUCN Red List Database. A list of these species is provided in Table 5-20, along with their IUCN status, information on habitat and threats.32
32 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-51 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-20: List of Plant Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area
Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Status Habitat Threats Campanula pontica Pontic Campanula Vulnerable Grows on limestone rocky areas in the Deforestation and road construction are the main montane forest zone. threats in Georgia. Chaerophyllum Astrantia-like Cow Near Threatened Recorded in alpine meadows and Habitat degradation on account of overgrazing is astrantiae Parsley rhododendron shrubland in Georgia. the major plausible threat in Georgia. Dryopteris liliana Buckler Fern Vulnerable Occurs in spruce-beech forests. Logging is a plausible threat to the species habitat. Kemulariella colchica Colchic Vulnerable Grows in limestone rock crevices in the Construction, land development and recreation Kemulariella upper montane to subalpine zones. are the main threats. Laserpitium affine Similar Laserwort Endangered Occurs in forest clearings, crook- Deforestation, grazing, and global climate change stemmed forests and meadows in are as the major threats. subalpine and alpine zones. Myosotis lazica Lazetian Forget-me- Near Threatened Occurs in moist meadows and forests. Grazing and deforestation. not Symphytum ibericum Georgian Comfrey Data Deficient Can be found in rhododendron scrub Threats are unclear. on shaded coastline areas as well as Colchic rainforest from the lower through middle montane zone. Trapa colchica Colchis Water- Critically Grows in freshwater ponds and Major threats are coastal freshwater ponds Chestnut Endangered artificial canals. degradation and habitat loss caused by land privatization, infrastructure development and very low environmental education.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-52 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
246. Of the plant species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List reported to be found in the Project area33, thereare two species classified as being of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List. These include Colchic Boxwood Buxus colchica and Common Walnut Juglans regia, both Near Threatened (although Buxus colchica is Lower Risk/near threatened). Both species are described in detail below. There
Colchic Boxwood Buxus colchica 247. Colchic Boxwood is an evergreen tertiary-period relict plant species of genus Buxus growing in Europe. It is small-leaved and the most winter hardy of European boxwoods, found at elevations ranging from 1300-1800 meters (m) above sea level. It can tolerate winter temperatures up to -10°C and lives up to 600 years, growing very slowly. Under favorable conditions, it reaches heights of 15 m to 20 m.34 248. The main growing area of the species in Georgia is the Mtirala National Park (Kobuleti region, Adjara, Western Georgia)35, located 4 km from the Project. The main threats that the species is facing in Georgia include climate change impacts, increasing temperatures, shrinking glaciers, rising sea levels, reduction, and redistribution of river flows, decreasing snowfall and an upward shift of the snowline.36 In addition to these environmental changes pathogen attack is also an important factor in reducing its population.37 Due to such threats the species has been listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN and Vulnerable in Georgia’s Red List.
Common Walnut Juglans regia 249. The Common Walnut is the most widespread tree nut in the world. It is native to the old world.38 Its range extends from Xinjiang province of western China, parts of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and southern Kyrgyzstan, and from the mountains of Nepal, Tibet, northern India, and Pakistan west through Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran to portions of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and eastern Turkey.39 In Adjara it is rare and can be found near Zamleti and Shuakhevi Scheme.40
33 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 34 Matsiakh I, 2016. Assessment of Forest Pests and Diseases in Native Boxwood Forests of Georgia. Forestry Department, Ukrainian National Forestry University (Lviv). 35 Gorgiladze L, Meparishvili G, Sikharulidze Z, K.Natsarishvili, Davitadze R, 2011. First report of box blight caused by Cylindrocladium buxicola in Georgia. New Disease Reports 23, 24. [doi:10.5197/j.2044- 0588.2011.023.024] 36 Akhalkatsi M. 2015. Forest habitat restoration in Georgia, Caucasus ecoregion. Clean Up Georgia – Increasing Public Awareness and Involvement in Solid Waste Management Improvement (Phase II), 103 pp. 37 Gorgiladze L, Meparishvili G, Sikharulidze Z, K.Natsarishvili, Davitadze R, 2011. First report of box blight caused by Cylindrocladium buxicola in Georgia. New Disease Reports 23, 24. [doi:10.5197/j.2044- 0588.2011.023.024] 38 Fernandez-Lopez J, Aleta N, Alıas R, 2000. Forest Genetic Resources Conservation of Juglans regia L. IPGRI Publishers, Rome 39 McGranahan G and Leslie C, 2009. Breeding Walnuts (Juglans Regia) 40 Adjaristsqali Hydropower Project, 2014. Environmental and Social Impact Assessment – Part 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-53 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
250. The Common Walnut is facing many threats across its range including fruit collection, livestock grazing and cutting.41 Due to these threats its population is declining and as a result it has been listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List and Vulnerable in Georgia Red List.
Invasive Plant Species 251. Alien invaders are plants that are of exotic origin and are invading previously pristine areas or ecological niches.42 As exotic plant species have very limited natural “check” mechanisms within the natural environment, they are often the most opportunistic and aggressively-growing species within the ecosystem. Therefore, they are often the most dominant and noticeable within an area. Disturbances of the ground through trampling, excavations or landscaping often leads to the rapid dominance of exotic pioneer species. As a result Project-related activities which cause disturbance to vegetation can result in the growth and expansion of invasive plant species. Under natural conditions, these pioneer species are overtaken by sub-climax and climax species through natural veld succession. This process, however, takes many years to occur, with the natural vegetation never reaching the balanced, pristine species composition prior to the disturbance. There are many species of indigenous pioneer plants, but very few indigenous species can out-compete their more aggressively-growing exotic counterparts.43 252. Alien vegetation invasion results in degradation of the ecological integrity of an area, causing:44 A decline in species diversity Local extinction of indigenous species Ecological imbalance Decreased productivity of grazing pastures Increased agricultural input costs 253. Some of the invasive species of Georgia include Ailanthus altissima, Clerodendrum bungei, Miscanthus sinensinsis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Spiraea japonica and Vitex rotundifolia. The species Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia have predicted potential distributions in Batumi.45 Photographs of these species are shown in Figure 5-25.
41 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-54 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Ailanthus altissima (Tree) Robinia pseudoacacia (Tree) Source: Kikodze D, Memiadze N, Kharazishvili D, Manvelidze Z, Mu¨ller-Scha¨rer H, 2010. The alien flora of Georgia. Figure 5-25: Alien Invasive Species
Proximity of Mtirala National Park from Project 254. Mtirala National Park is located 4 km from the Project. It was established in 2006 with a total area of 15,806 hectares (ha). Situated high in the Caucasus Mountains, it was created with the purpose of preserving the Colchic forest ecosystems. Flora of the National Park is represented by Chestnut Castanea and Beech Fagus forests. At elevations ranging from 550 m to 1,000 m above sea level Chestnus trees are mixed with Beech, Caucasian Oak Quercus macranthera, Alder Alnus barbata and Lime trees Tilia. Mixed forest of Cholchic type spreads from 50 m to 600 m above sea level and consists of Beech, Hornbeam Carpinus, Chestnut and Alder. Sub-forest is covered with shrubbery of Pontic Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum, Cherry Laurel Laurocerasus officinalis, Black Sea Holly Ilex colchica, Colchic Box Tree Buxus colchica and several kinds of Lianas. Endemic plant species of the park are Alnus barbata, Epigaea gaultheroides, Primula megasaefolia. Relict Species are Buxus colchica, Betula medwedewii, Laurocerasus officinalis, Rhododendron ponticum, Ilex colchica. Plant species ofn the Red List of Georgia present are Epigaea gaultheroides, Primula megasaefolia, Betula medwedewii.46
Mammals 255. Georgia has rich diversity of mammals with a total 95 reported species. Among these 68 are small mammals and 27 are large mammals. A total of 19 species of these are endemics and 15 have not had their conservation statuses evaluated. A total of seven species are Endangered and five are Vulnerable, based on the IUCN Red List, with 20 classified as being Least Concern. Large mammals were widely distributed up to the beginning of this century, for example the ranges of Asian leopard Panthera pardus, Lynx Felis lynx, and Grey Wolf Canis lupus covered practically the whole country. The Striped Hyena Hyaena hyaena was common in all arid zones of the country.47
46 Rec Caucasus,
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-55 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
256. The IBAT was used to find the species whose distribution overlaps with the Study Area as reported by the IUCN Red List Database. A list of these species is provided in Table 5-21, along with their IUCN status, information on habitat and threats.48
48 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-56 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-21: List of Mammal Species with Ranges Overlapping with the Study Area
Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Status Habitat Threats Barbastella Western Near Forages in mature woodland and woodland Loss of old mature woodland and ancient barbastellus Barbastelle Threatened edges trees with loose bark or wood crevices In summer, roosting sites occur in mature (reforested areas are not suitable for this woodlands and occasionally in older buildings. species); disturbance and loss of underground habitats, disturbance and loss In winter the hibernation may start in trees, but of roost sites in older buildings. later underground sites are preferred Lutra lutra Eurasian Otter Near Lives in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, The aquatic habitats of otters are extremely Threatened including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, vulnerable to man-made changes. streams, marshes, swamp forests and coastal Canalization of rivers, removal of bank side areas independent of their size, origin or latitude vegetation, dam construction, draining of wetlands, aquaculture activities and associated man-made impacts on aquatic systems are all unfavorable to otter populations Miniopterus Schreiber's Near Forages in a variety of open and semi-open In the Caucasus, disturbance caused by schreibersii Bent-winged Bat Threatened natural and artificial habitats, including suburban tourism in caves is a problem areas It is a colonial species that roosts mostly in caves and mines (although it can also be found in man made tunnels, ruins and other buildings) Myotis Bechstein's Near Has specialized habitat requirements and is Threats include inappropriate management bechsteinii Myotis Threatened largely dependent on mature natural forests. and development of woodland habitats, intensive agriculture (e.g., use of pesticides on farmland adjacent to woodland occupied by the species) and human disturbance of roost sites. The loss of old trees with hollows is a particular problem.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-57 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Scientific Name Common Name IUCN Status Habitat Threats Nyctalus Giant Noctule Vulnerable Forages over mixed and deciduous forest and Little is known about potential threats, but lasiopterus wooded river valleys (the latter especially on loss of mature woodland and loss of or migration). It is highly dependent on mature forest disturbance to roost sites (old trees) have a negative impact on the species. Rhinolophus Mediterranean Near Forages in Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean Threats include loss of foraging habitat, and euryale Horseshoe Bat Threatened shrubland and woodland disturbance and loss of underground habitats. On a landscape scale, fragmentation Rhinolophus Mehely's Vulnerable Forages in Mediterranean shrubland and Affected by disturbance and loss of mehelyi Horseshoe Bat woodland, in dry steppes and particularly link to underground habitats and adequate hunting water bodies grounds, changes in foraging habitats
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-58 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
257. A list of mammal species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List reported to be found in the Project area49, three are of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List include the Mehely's Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus mehely listed as Vulnerable, Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus Euryale listed as Near Threatened, and Common Otter Lutra lutra, also listed as Near Threatened. Details about these three mammal species are provided below.
Mehely's Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus mehelyi 258. Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat is an exclusive cave-dwelling bat species, preferring warm caves located below 700 m and in extensive karstic50 areas. The species living in colonies, typically include up to 200 bats, but significantly larger colonies of over 5,000 bats have also been documented.51,52 It is insectivorous, foraging in Mediterranean shrubland and woodland, in dry steppes and particularly linked to water bodies.53 259. A decline in the population of the Mehely's Horsehoe Bat has been recorded since the 1980s.54 Fragmented distribution55, loss of roosting sites, modification of feeding areas, as well as the high frequency and uncontrolled nature of cave tourism are the main causes for its decreasing population.56 As a result the species has been has been listed as Vulnerable both in Georgia’s Red List and the IUCN Red List. It is protected by national legislation in all European range states. There are also international legal obligations for its protection through the Bonn Convention (Eurobats) and Bern Convention where those apply. Its inclusion in the EU Habitats and Species Directive means this species is ear- marked for special conservation measures, and some of its roosts are already protected.57
Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus Euryale 260. The Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat is social, gathering in colonies to roost.58 Summer colonies are generally fairly small, usually containing up to a few hundred individuals, while winter colonies are often much larger, sometimes numbering over 2,000
49 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department (EIA) 50 Karstic is “an area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns.” 51 Dietz, C., von Helversen, O., Nill, D., 2009: Bats of Britain, Europe and Northwest Africa. AandC Black, London. 399 pp. 52 Dumitrescu, M., Tanasachi J., Orghidan, T. 1963: Răspândirea chiropterelor în R.P. Română. Travaux d’Institut de Spéologie Émile Racovitza 34: 509-575. 53 Salsamendi, E., Garin, I., Arostegui, I., Goiti, U., Aihartza J. 2012: What mechanism of niche segregation allows the coexistence of sympatric sibling rhinolophid bats? Frontiers in Zoology 9: 30 54 Gazaryan S.V., Jamirzoev G.S. 2005. Results and Perspectives on the Study of Bats Fauna of Daghestan // In: Mammals of mountainous areas. Materials of International Conference (4-9 September, 2005). KMK, M.: 49-57. (in Russian) 55 Dietz, C., von Helversen, O., Nill, D. 2009: Bats of Britain, Europe and Northwest Africa. AandC Black, London. 399 pp. 56 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-59 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
individuals. This species also forms large groups during the breeding season.59 It is insectivorous, reported feeding close to vegetation.60 261. The threats faced by the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat include loss of its foraging habitat and disturbance to its underground habitat.61 Urbanization, tourism and intensive farming by humans further exacerbate the problem.62 Due to this its population is decreasing in most of its range and as a result it has been declared by the IUCN as Near Threatened and Vulnerable in Georgia’s Red List. The Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat and some of its roosts are protected in Europe by national legislation. It is included in the Bonn Convention and the Bern Convention, and it is also listed on Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats and Species Directive.63
Common Otter Lutra lutra 262. The Common Otter is adapted to life in aquatic conditions.64 It lives in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamp forests and coastal areas independent of their size, origin or latitude.65 The species is facing many threats throughout its range including man-made changes. Canalization of rivers, removal of bank side vegetation, dam construction, draining of wetlands, aquaculture activities and associated man-made impacts on aquatic systems are all unfavorable for otter populations.66 263. The Common Otter is rare in Adjara and in Georgia due to a low food supply and conflict with commercial fisheries. Due to such threats its population is decreasing throughout its range as well as in Georgia. It has been declared as Near Threatened by the IUCN and Vulnerable in Georgia Red List. It has been also included in the Appendix I of the CITES Species. The Eurasian Otter is strictly protected under international legislation and conventions.67
59 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-60 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Birds 264. A total 360 bird species have been reported from Georgia.68 There are a total of 31 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in the country covering an area of 1,432,960 ha.69 A map showing all IBAs is provided in Figure 5-21. There is lower level of endemism in birds as compared to other groups of wildlife due to their mobility in different seasons. Some 100 species are migratory and appear in the country on passage or during the winter. Many species are dependent on wetland habitats, which are under severe threat in Georgia.70 Among birds of prey, the most threatened species is the Imperial eagle Aquila heliaca. Among vultures, the Black Vulture Aegipius monachus is the rarest. The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is noteworthy as a widespread but uncommon species.71
Important Bird Areas Closest to the Study Area 265. The IBA which overlaps with the Project includes that of Batumi. Located 3.75 km from the Project is the IBA of the Chorokhi Delta. The boundaries of both IBAs are shown in Figure 5-26.
68 Chemonics International Inc, 2000, Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia: Task Order under the Biodiversity & Sustainable Forestry IQC (BIOFOR) for USAID Washington E&E Bureau, Environment & Natural Resources Division 69 BirdLife International < http://www.birdlife.org/>, accessed October 15, 2016 70 Chemonics International Inc, 2000, Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia: Task Order under the Biodiversity & Sustainable Forestry IQC (BIOFOR) for USAID Washington E&E Bureau, Environment & Natural Resources Division 71 Shavgulidze, I. 2014. Stakeholder Participation in the NBSAP Revision Process: Georgia.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-61 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-26: Important Bird Areas
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-62 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
266. The IBA of Batumi covers about 38% of the Study Area. It has a high abundance of soaring birds and cranes, especially in the passage season. In 2003 an estimated 74,625 individuals of these type of birds were observed in the IBA during this season.72 The Eastern Black Sea Flyway is also located over Batumi73 making this an important IBA for migratory bird species. 267. The IBA of Chorokhi Delta is important for certain species of conservation importance, based on the IUCN Red List, including Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan (Vulnerable), Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius (Critically Endangered), and Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (Near Threatened). 268. Wetlands International reported survey results74 for wintering waterbirds and migratory waterbirds in the Chorokhi Delta. Three species of conservation importance were observed amongst the wintering water birds, the Yelkouan Shearwater, Dalmatian Pelican and the Common Pochard, all listed as Vulnerable.
Raptor Migration 269. Raptor migration takes place during the autumn season (Late August to November) every year. These birds of prey make their way from the Russian forests and plains to their warmer African wintering grounds. Part of the migration route is along the shores of the Black and Caspian Sea with Batumi being one of the most visually impressive areas where there is a 10 km wide corridor in which over a million raptors are recorded annually. A total of 36 species of raptors have been recorded with numbers regularly reaching 100,000. Late August is the time when almost the entire eastern population of Honey Buzzards and loose flocks of harriers pass through this corridor. In mid-September eagles start to migrate and towards the end of September Steppe Buzzards build up.75 270. Hunting is a serious concern during the passage season. On average 13,000 harriers, Honey Buzzards and eagles are killed annually. This is illegal in Georgia but law enforcement has been limited. The coastal wetlands near Batumi are frequented by hunters who often kill indiscriminately, targeting species of conservation importance including the Sociable Lapwing, Great Snipe, Baillon’s Crake and Purple Swamphen.76 271. Batumi Raptor Count (BRC) is a nature conservation NGO that works to protect and monitor the migratory birds of prey that travel during the autumn season.77 The highest number of raptor species of conservation importance were observed in 2015. The species listed as Endangered that were observed include the Steppe Eagle, Egyptian Vulture and Saker Falcon. During all three years at least two species listed as Endangered were observed. The results highlight the importance of the Eastern Black Sea Flyway passing over Batumi, as a very important route for migratory species of conservation importance.
72 BirdLife International
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-63 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
272. The IBAT was used to find the species whose distribution overlaps with the Study Area as reported by the IUCN Red List Database. A list of these species is provided in Table 5-22, along with information on their IUCN status, habitat and threats.78
Table 5-22: List of Birds Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area
Scientific Name Common IUCN Status Habitat Threats Name Aquila heliaca Imperial Vulnerable In the Caucasus, it occurs Breeding sites Eagle in steppe, lowland and are threatened riverine forests and semi- primarily by deserts. intensive forestry in the mountains, and by the shortage of large indigenous trees in the lowlands Aythya nyroca Ferruginous Near Strong preference for fresh Threatened by Duck Threatened standing water and is very the degradation rarely found on flowing and destruction streams or rivers of well- vegetated shallow pools and other wetland habitats Coracias garrulus European Least Prefers lowland open Persecution on Roller Concern countryside with patches migration in of oak Quercus forest, some mature Mediterranean pine Pinus woodland with countries and heathery clearings, hundreds, orchards, mixed farmland, perhaps river valleys, and plains thousands, are with scattered thorny or shot leafy trees. Falco cherrug Saker Endangered Open grassy landscapes Suffered Falcon such as desert edge, mainly from the semi-desert, steppes and loss and arid montane areas degradation of steppes and dry grasslands through agricultural intensification, plantation establishment and declines in
78 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-64 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Scientific Name Common IUCN Status Habitat Threats Name sheep pastoralism, causing a decline in key prey species Ficedula semitorquata Semi- Least Favors forest belts, mainly Suffers from collared Concern on mountain slopes up to habitat Flycatcher about 2,000 m altitude, destruction in occupied by mature some areas, deciduous trees (notably which is likely oak Quercus and to be hornbeam Carpinus) as responsible for well as temperate riverine recent and swamp forests declines. Gypaetus barbatus Bearded Near Nests are located on The main Vulture Threatened remote overhung cliff causes of on- ledges or in caves and will going declines be re-used over the years. appear to be non-target poisoning, direct persecution, habitat degradation, disturbance of breeding birds, inadequate food availability Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi Caucasian Near Found in subalpine and Ongoing road Grouse Threatened alpine meadows, on north- building for the facing slopes construction of with Rhododendronand holiday homes juniper Juniperus, and on in the the edge of birch forest in mountains is spring and winter, at currently the elevations of 1,300-3,000 major threat m and is likely to significantly increase the rate of decline by fragmenting habitat, causing disturbance and allowing increased access for hunters and herdsmen
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-65 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Scientific Name Common IUCN Status Habitat Threats Name Melanitta fusca Velvet Vulnerable The species breeds on Moulting and Scoter wooded coastlines, small wintering freshwater lakes, pools concentrations and rivers especially of this species where there are boulder- are very covered or small rocky susceptible to islands available for oil spills and nesting with extensive other marine herbaceous vegetation, pollutants shrubs and low trees Neophron Egyptian Endangered Typically nests on ledges Disturbance, percnopterus Vulture or in caves on cliffs, crags lead poisoning and rocky outcrops, but (from gun occasionally also in large shot), direct trees, buildings (mainly in poisoning, India), electricity pylons electrocution and exceptionally on the (by ground. Forages in powerlines), lowland and montane collisions with regions over open, often wind turbines, arid country. reduced food availability and habitat change Pelecanus crispus Dalmatian Vulnerable Occurs mainly at inland, Continuing Pelican freshwater wetlands but threats include also at coastal lagoons, disturbance river deltas and estuaries from tourists and fishers, wetland alteration and destruction, water pollution Puffinus yelkouan Yelkouan Vulnerable Breeds on rocky coastal The most Shearwater and offshore islets, and on serious threat the mainland. to the species is mortality from incidental fishing bycatch, followed by predation by invasive predators (predominantly rats Rattus rattus and to a lesser extent, feral cats Felis catus).
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-66 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
273. Of the bird species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List reported to be found in the Project area79, there are a total of eight species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List. In addition to this 19 species are migratory and congregatory. The species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List, reported to be present in the Project area, are described in detail below.
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus 274. The Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus is a huge, whitish water bird, having silvery-white breeding plumage, yellow to purple bare skin around the eyes, orange-red gular pouch at onset of breeding becoming yellow later, pale grey under-wing becoming darker at wing-tips, and bushy crest on nape.80 275. The species mainly inhabits inland, freshwater wetlands but also coastal lagoons, river deltas and estuaries.81 It breeds on small islands in freshwater lakes or in dense aquatic vegetation.82 Nest sites are found in areas with plentiful fish and vegetation, and nests are constructed from reeds, grass, and sticks, fastened together with droppings. 276. Declines in the past have been due to wetland drainage, shooting, and persecution by fishermen who believe that the Dalmatian Pelican competes with them for food. Currently, habitat degradation from wetland alteration and water pollution are serious threats.83 277. The Dalmatian Pelican is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN84 and Endangered 85 in the Georgia’s Red List. The species has been listed in Appendix I of CITES. . It is also listed on Appendices I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn 86 87 Convention) and in Annex I of the European Commission (EC) Birds Directive.
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca 278. The White-Winged Scoter Melanitta fusca is the largest scoter. It is distinguished from other scoters by the all-white patch (speculum) on the secondary feathers of its wings. Adult males are entirely blackish with a small white, teardrop-shaped patch around its eye. Its orange bill has a black hump at the base and is somewhat wedge-shaped. Females and juveniles of both sexes are dark brownish with paler bellies, having a dark
79 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 80 Birdlife International, < http://www.birdlife.org/>, accessed October 18, 2016 81 BirdLife International, 2016. Species factsheet: Pelecanus crispus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/10/2016. 82 del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A.; Sargatal, J. 1992. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. 83 BirdLife International 2016. Species factsheet: Pelecanus crispus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/10/2016. 84 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-67 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
bill and variable amounts of white on their head that can appear as spots.88 The species breeds in most European countries. An estimated 1,500 birds winter in the Black Sea and Caucasus, and there are thought to be breeding populations in Georgia as well.89 In spring, scoters move from the saltwater habitats where they wintered (usually bays and inlets) to inland freshwater habitat, using estuaries and open coast habitats, then large lakes and rivers when moving inland to breeding areas.90 279. The main threats to the White-winged Scoter in the Europe are identified as loss of breeding and wintering habitat, drowning in fishing nets, pollution – especially oil spills, and human disturbance.91 Due to these threats and decreasing populations the species has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN and Endangered in Georgia’s Red List. The species has also been listed in Annex II of the EC Birds Directive.92
Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca 280. Imperial Eagles Aquila heliaca are stocky in shape with black-brown feathers and a pale golden crown and nape. The shoulders have prominent white patches and the tail is greyish-brown.93 The Imperial Eagle is a large generalist predator.94 281. During the year 1996 there were 10-12 breeding pairs in East Georgia, while the western parts of the country were not inhabited by this species.95 The current size of the Georgian population is estimated around 15 breeding pairs, most of them located in a relatively small area on the Iori River plain.96 282. Globally the population is decreasing primarily as a result of habitat loss and degradation, adult mortality through persecution and collision with power lines, nest robbing and prey depletion.97 Due to such decreasing population the species has been listed as Vulnerable both in the IUCN Red List and Georgia’s Red List. 283. The species has been listed in CITES Appendix I and II. It is also listed in Appendices I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention). It is legally protected in many countries including Georgia.98
88 Sea Duck Information Series, 2003. White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-68 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga 284. The Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga is a medium-sized dark eagle. Adults are dark brown with slightly paler flight feathers. Under-wing cover is generally darker than flight feathers. Bands of white spots across upper wing of juveniles are prominent.99 During the breeding season, the greater spotted eagle is found in lowland forests near wetlands, where it nests in tall trees and hunts over swamps and wet meadows.100 During the migration seasons and in winter, it visits deserts, shrub land, wetlands, and mangroves, congregating around shallow water and perching on low bushes and small trees.101 The species habitat is destroyed as a result of wetland drainage, deforestation, urbanization and agricultural intensification as well as abandonment of traditional methods of floodplain management.102 285. The species has been listed as Vulnerable both by IUCN and in Georgia’s Red List. The species is protected under various international agreements (EC Birds Directive Annex I, Annexes II of Bern, Bonn and Washington conventions).103 However, it is not protected in Georgia.
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus 286. This is a small vulture with long, pointed wings, a small and pointed head, and a wedge shaped tail.104 The Egyptian Vulture is rapidly declining in large parts of its range. The native breeding range extends over Georgia.105 The European population is estimated to be 3,300-5,050 breeding pairs, equating to 9,900-15,150 individuals which makes up 25-49% of the global range.106 This population has declined by more than 50% over the last three generations, consistent with a worldwide decline in the species population.107 287. The Egyptian Vulture typically nests on ledges or in caves on cliffs, crags and rocky outcrops, but occasionally also in large trees. It forages in lowland and montane regions over open, often arid, country. It also scavenges at human settlements.108 Disturbance, lead poisoning (from gun-shot), direct poisoning, electrocution (by powerlines), collisions with wind turbines, reduced food availability and habitat change are currently impacting upon European populations.109
Black Vulture Aegypius monachus 288. The Black Vulture Aegypius monachus is a large, dark brown bird. It has broad wings which have a serrated appearance to their trailing edges, owing to the pointed tips
99 ibid 100 BirdLife International, < http://www.birdlife.org/>, accessed October 21, 2016 101 BirdLife International, 2001. Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK. 102 Wild Screen Arkive
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-69 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
of the secondary feathers.110 In flight, the tips of the wings show seven deeply splayed ‘fingers’111, and this species has a short, slightly wedge-shaped tail.112 It occurs in scrub, arid and semi-arid alpine steppe and open grassland, as well as in forest. It can be found at elevations of around 300 m to 1,400 m in Europe, and up to 4,500 m in Asia.113 The total number in Georgia is estimated to be 17-19 pairs.114 289. The Black Vulture is currently facing two main threats, direct human-caused mortality and reduced food availability. Habitat loss may also present a threat to this bird. The use of poisoned baits for predator extermination, as well as shooting and the destruction of nests, all contribute to human-associated deaths.115 290. The threats and decreasing population has resulted in this species being declared as Near Threatened by IUCN and Endangered by Georgia’s Red List. It is also included in Annex I of the EU Wild Birds Directive and in Appendix II of the Bern, Bonn and CITES Conventions.116
Saker Falcon Falco cherrug 291. The Saker Falcon Falco cherrug is a large, powerful bird of prey with an exceptionally broad wingspan for its size.117 Like other falcons this species is equipped with sharp, curved talons for grasping prey, while the strong, hooked beak is used to tear its victim’s flesh.118 The Saker Falcon prefers open terrain for hunting, such as forest steppe, desert steppe and arid montane areas.119 292. In Georgia it is widespread and a regular passage visitor across the country, but very rare (in Western Georgia, i.e. in the Black Sea basin) to rare (in Eastern Georgia, i.e. in the Caspian Sea basin), passage migrant and irregular (occasional) winter visitor to Georgia. The data on this species in Georgia is quite fragmentary and on biological features is absent totally.120 293. In Europe, this species has suffered mainly from the loss and degradation of steppes and dry grasslands through agricultural intensification, plantation establishment and declines in sheep pastoralism, causing a decline in key prey species; off take for
110 Clark, S. 1999. A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, The Middle East and North America. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 111 World Association of Zoos and Aquariums - Cinereous vulture < http://www.waza.org/en/site/home>, accessed October 20, 2016 112 del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Sargatal, J. 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. 113 ibid 114 Abuladze, A. 1994. Birds of prey in Georgia in the 20th century. In: Meyburg, B. -U. and Chancellor, R. D. (eds.) Raptor Conservation Today. WWGBP/Pica Press. 115 Wild Screen Arkive
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-70 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
falconry is a serious problem, which has caused local extinctions.121 Due to such threats and decreasing populations the species has been listed as Endangered by the IUCN and Critically Endangered in Georgia’s Red List. The Saker Falcon is protected across much of its range, particularly in Eastern Europe, where controls of illegal trade were implemented in various countries in the 1990s. There have been concerted conservation efforts in Europe.122 The species is listed on Appendix II of the CITES, and in 2002 CITES imposed a trade ban on the United Arab Emirates.123
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus 294. The Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus is a small, slender bird of prey.124 Males have mostly slate-grey plumage. Its legs are red, as are the eye-rings and a patch at the base of its bill. The larger females have blue-grey upper parts and tail patterned with black bands, with rusty orange or yellowish plumage on the under parts. The pale head bears a rust-colored crown, a blackish eye patch and slight moustache.125 295. The global population is estimated to number 300,000-800,000 individuals, with 26,000-39,000 pairs in Europe.126 In Georgia 10-50 breeding pairs are present where the species is an occasional, irregular migratory breeder in small numbers (10-50) breeding pairs. 296. In the Eurasian breeding range, the Red-footed Falcon inhabits open habitats with some tree cover. This includes steppe, wooded steppe, cultivation and pastures, normally in lowland, although up to 1,500 m in Asia.127 297. The Red footed Falcon is facing a number of threats across it distribution range, including the destruction of suitable nest sites and the widespread use of pesticides which affects the falcon’s food supply.128 298. Due to a decreasing population the species has been listed as Near Threatened by IUCN and Endangered in Georgia’s Red List. The species has also been added to Annex I of EC Birds Directive and on Appendix II of CITES.
Herpetofauna (Reptiles and Amphibians) 299. The herpetofauna of Georgia is represented by 66 species, including 53 species of reptiles and 13 species of amphibians. Reptile species occur throughout Georgia, consisting of 3 species of tortoises, 27 lizards and 23 snakes. A total of six reptiles are included in the Georgia’s Red List. Seven reptiles having the largest parts of their ranges in Georgia are Vulnerable. The ranges of Vipera lebetina, Eumeces schneider and Eryx
121 Baumgart, W. 1994. Saker Falco cherrug. In: Tucker, G.M.; Heath, M.F. (ed.), Birds in Europe: their conservation status, pp. 198-199. BirdLife International (Conservation Series 3), Cambridge, UK. 122 BirdLife International
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-71 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
jaculus have been declining for the past 10 years.129 Amphibians are represented by four species of newts and nine species of frogs and toads. One species, Caucasian Salamander Mertensiella caucasica is endemic to Georgia and Turkey.130 Among the vertebrate groups, reptiles probably contain the highest proportion of endemic species to the Caucasus - out of 53 reptile species found in the Caucasus, 12 are considered endemic to the region.131 300. The IBAT was used to find the species whose distribution overlaps with the Study Area as reported by the IUCN Red List Database. A list of these species is provided in Table 5-23, along with information on their IUCN status, habitat and ecology.132
Table 5-23: List of Herpetofauna Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area
Amphibians Common IUCN Habitat Threats Name Status Bufo Caucasian Near Mountain coniferous, Destruction of forests and verrucosissimus Toad Threatened mixed and deciduous drainage of wetlands by forests upwards to the people might result in sub alpine belt. population declines of this hygrophilous forest species. Mertensiella Caucasian Vulnerable It is a habitat specialist, Habitat destruction is a caucasica Salamander found mainly in beech major threat across the (Fagus orientalis), species range. In Georgia, coniferous (Abies the destruction of forests nordmanniana and Pic (tree felling), use of brooks ea orientalis), box as roads for the forest (Buxus sp.), transportation of cut trees, and destruction of habitats by cattle Ommatotriton Northern Near Found in coniferous, This species is sensitive to ophryticus Banded Threatened mixed and deciduous habitat loss. Newt forests (composed of birch, oaks, eastern hornbeams, alders, chestnuts, beach and rhododendrons) up to subalpine meadows
129 Chemonics International Inc, 2000, Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia: Task Order under the Biodiversity & Sustainable Forestry IQC (BIOFOR) for USAID Washington E&E Bureau, Environment & Natural Resources Division 130 Chemonics International Inc, 2000, Biodiversity Assessment for Georgia: Task Order under the Biodiversity & Sustainable Forestry IQC (BIOFOR) for USAID Washington E&E Bureau, Environment & Natural Resources Division 131 Shavgulidze, I. (2014) Stakeholder Participation in the NBSAP Revision Process: Georgia,
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-72 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Amphibians Common IUCN Habitat Threats Name Status Pelodytes Caucasian Near Associated with broad A general loss and caucasicus Parsley Frog Threatened leaved, mixed pollution of habitats coniferous deciduous (including through and, rarely, coniferous pesticides, mineral mountain forests. It fertilizers, and cattle), generally occurs in dense vegetation (bushes and grasses). Aquatic habitats of the species include the shores and banks of ponds and streams with clear and cold flowing water, and still waters. Pseudepidalea Varying Data Grassland, meadows The loss (for instance variabilis Toad Deficient and steppe habitats, through agricultural forests and shrubland, expansion) or degradation and a range of wetland (pollution) of wetland areas or waterbodies. breeding habitats. Reptiles Darevskia Derjugin's Near Typically associated Ongoing habitat loss derjugini Lizard Threatened with damp areas in through deforestation is forested montane considered to be a major habitats threat Natrix Large- Vulnerable Associated with Predation from the megalocephala headed Colchis type forests introduced North American Water Snake with an evergreen Raccoon Procyon lotor; underwood. competition with raccoons for prey (fishes); and habitat loss, most especially because of development along the Black Sea coastline (including tourism). Vipera Caucasian Endangere Inhabits the forested Threatened by illegal kaznakovi Viper d slopes of mountains, overcollection for the the beds of wet ravines international pet trade and post-forested (Baran and Atatur, 1998). clearings. Additional threats include habitat conversion for urban development, tourism and agriculture Lymnaea None Data The habitat Unknown if this species is bakowskyana Deficient preferences of this affected by any major species are not known. threat processes.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-73 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Amphibians Common IUCN Habitat Threats Name Status Paladilhiopsis None Data This species is known It is unknown whether this schakuranica Deficient from caves species is being impacted on by any major threat processes.
301. There are two herpetofauna species of conservation importance reported to be present in the Project area, based on Georgia’s Red List.133 Both species are of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List as well; the Caucasian Viper Vipera kaznakovi is listed as Critically Endangered and the Caucasian Salamander Mertensiella caucasica is listed as Vulnerable. They are described in more detail below.
Caucasian Viper Vipera kaznakovi 302. The Caucasian Viper is endemic to the Caucasus (endemism status above refers to Georgia) and is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List due to its Area of Occupancy134 being less than 500 km2.135 It inhabits the forested slopes of mountains, in the bottoms of humid canyons, in post-forested clearings and meadows.136 The Study Area covers approximately 0.2% of its range. 303. The Caucasian Viper is terrestrial and found in a range of forest habitats, both in ravines and on mountain sides. These habitats include mixed subtropical forests with evergreen underwood, coniferous forest, chestnut and cherry groves, and beech and willow woods. It may also be found in disturbed habitats including areas of cleared forest and tea cultivation.137 It is known to occur on or near the Black Sea Coast, including the western half of the Adjaristsqali basin Discrete Management Unit.138 However, confirmed records are only from the coastal part of Adjara (near Poti, Batumi and Charnali Gorge), Kintrishi Nature Reserve and Mtirala National Park. The estimated number of Caucasus viper in Georgia is just above 3,000 individuals.139 304. The species is threatened by illegal international pet trade, habitat loss to urbanization, agriculture, dam construction especially in Georgia, and increased tourism-
133 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 134 Area of occupancy is defined as the area within its 'extent of occurrence' which is occupied by a taxon, excluding cases of vagrancy. The measure reflects the fact that a taxon will not usually occur throughout the area of its extent of occurrence, which may, for example, contain unsuitable habitats. The area of occupancy is the smallest area essential at any stage to the survival of existing populations of a taxon (e.g. colonial nesting sites, feeding sites for migratory taxa). 135 Tuniyev B., G. Nilson, A. Agasyan, N. Orlov, S. Tuniyev. 2009. Vipera kaznakovi. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. . Accessed: 19 June 2013. 136 Mallow D., D. Ludwig, G. Nilson. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida, Krieger Publishing Company, 410 p. 137 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-74 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
based development on the coast of the Black Sea.140 Due to such threats it has been also listed as Endangered in Georgia’s Red List. The Caucasian Viper is subject to state and regional level legal protection.141
Caucasian Salamander Mertensiella caucasica 305. The Caucasian Salamander Mertensiella caucasica is a habitat specialist, found mainly in beech (Fagus orientalis), coniferous (Abies nordmanniana and Picea orientalis), box forest (Buxus sp.), in Mediterranean shrub forest, mixed forests, the subalpine belt and in alpine meadows.142 306. The species distribution is severely fragmented and confined to small streams free of fish, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat in Turkey and Georgia. The current distribution includes the north-east part of Anatolia in Turkey and south-west Georgia including Adjara.143 In Adjara, the Caucasian Salamander has been recorded in 19 sites, including Mtirala National Park, Kintrishi Nature Reserve and Machakhela National Park.144,145 The Study area covers approximately 0.1% of its range. 307. The Caucasian Salamander faces many threats across its distribution. In Georgia, the destruction of forests (tree felling), use of brooks as roads for the transportation of cut trees, and destruction of habitats by cattle are known causes of population declines.146 Due to decreasing numbers the species has been listed as Vulnerable both in the IUCN Red List and Georgia’s Red list.147 Its range includes the town of Batumi where the specimens have light, earthworm-like coloration and their spots are reduced.148
Invertebrates 308. Georgia has rich diversity of invertebrate fauna. Over 11,100 invertebrate species have been recorded across the country but still information is somewhat patchy. Some groups have been very well studied, while other groups are almost totally lacking in information. The most diverse group is represented by arthropods having 9,150 species (over 8,230 insect species). Groups including many of the parasitic worms and flukes have been well studied, as have earthworms and some of the key insect groups such as
140 ibid 141 Khanna, D.R. and Yadav, P.R. 2004. Biology of Reptiles. Discovery Publishing House, New Delhi. Ananjeva, N.B., Orlov, N.L., Khalikov, R.G., Darevsky, I.S., Ryabov, S.A. and Barabanov, A. 2006. The Reptiles of Northern Eurasia: Taxonomic Diversity, Distribution, Conservation Status. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia. 142 IUCN 2016. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-4.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-75 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Lepidoptera (butterflies) and Coleoptera (beetles). The Coleoptera (with almost 5,000 recorded species) along with Diptera (flies) and Hymenoptera (wasps and bees) show high species richness among the groups studied to date.149 309. Of the invertebrates species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List, reported to be found in the Project area150, only one is of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List, the Fen Raft Spider Dolomedes Plantarius. Information about this species is provided below.
Fen Raft Spider Dolomedes Plantarius 310. The Fen Raft Spider is predatory, however, it does not build a web to catch prey. It inhabits the margins of pools or ditches where it hunts over open water surfaces. Adults eat drowning terrestrial insects and many aquatic species, including pond skaters, other species of aquatic spiders, dragonfly larvae and even sticklebacks. Fen Raft Spiders are largely aquatic animals, dependent on the presence of standing or slow-moving water.151 Clear water is essential for breeding. The eggs are laid into silk sacs that are immersed in water in hot weather.152 Low availability of suitable aquatic habitat, drainage and polluted water are the main causes for the species decline.153
5.3.3 Aquatic Ecology 311. Aquatic Ecology consists of fish fauna, phytoplankton. These have been described in below.
Fish Fauna 312. A total of 48 species are reported to be living in Georgian waters of the Black Sea.154 The most important groups of species are sturgeons (7 species), anchovies, sprats, whiting, spiny dogfish, scads, pickerel, red mullets and mullets. The most internationally and locally valued freshwater fish species are the sturgeons. Major fish populations are in the Chorokhi River, located adjacent to the Study Area (Figure 5-1), and in the Black Sea. 313. The IBAT was used to find the species whose distribution overlaps with the Study Area as reported by the IUCN Red List Database. A list of these species is in Table 5-24, along with information on their IUCN status, habitat and ecology.155
149 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan-Georgia, 2005, Tbilisi, Page 106 150 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 151 Wild screen Archive 2016.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-76 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 5-24: List of Fish Species with Ranges Overlapping with Study Area
Species Diversity Common Name IUCN Status Habitat Threats Alopias vulpinus Common Vulnerable While found both in Threatened from a Thresher Shark coastal and oceanic combination of slow life waters, it is most history characteristics, hence abundant in waters low capacity to recover from up to 40 or 50 miles moderate levels of offshore exploitation, and high levels of largely unmanaged and unreported mortality in target (for fins and their valuable meat) and bycatch fisheries. Anguilla anguilla European Eel Critically Range of habitats The causes of the declining Endangered from small streams recruitment rates are still not to large rivers and fully understood lakes, and in estuaries, lagoons and coastal waters Arnoglossus Scaldback Data Deficient Found on the upper A possible major threat could kessleri part of the be bycatch in trawlers continental shelf, at depths ranging from 10 to 200 m. It lives on muddy and sandy substrata Dasyatis pastinaca Common Data Deficient A demersal brackish Taken as bycatch and is Stingray to marine water sometimes targeted in semi- species, found over industrial, small-scale and sandy and muddy commercial bottom trawl, bottoms from shallow gillnet, beach seine, bottom waters to a depth of longline and trammelnet approximately 200 fisheries. m, although it seems to be most abundant in inshore waters. Hippocampus Long-snouted Data Deficient Mostly found Habitat degradation and guttulatus Seahorse inhabiting small disturbance through direct home ranges in anthropogenic activities such shallow coastal as coastal developments and waters, lagoon the effect of fishing gear systems and estuaries Syngnathus Narrow-snouted Data Deficient Inhabits estuaries May be threatened by the tenuirostris Pipefish with rocky, sandy degradation of shallow-water and muddy habitats. Habitat loss is substrates, and caused by land reclamation associated and coastal development, and with Zostera seagras habitat quality has decreased s beds and sparsely as a result of sedimentation, vegetated habitats pollution and eutrophication
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-77 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
314. Of the fish species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List, reported to be present in the Project area156, five are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Species. These are described in detail below. 315. The five species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List are sturgeons of the family Acipenseridae. All are anadromous, i.e. they spend most of their life at sea but migrate into river systems for reproduction.157 These species are highly prized for their meat and unfertilized roe (caviar), traded both legally and illegally.158 Overfishing is a major threat.159 316. In Georgia, the south east coast of the Black Sea is an important feeding and wintering area for sturgeons. They migrate upstream in a number of rivers for spawning, the main ones being the Supsa, Inguri, Chorokhi and Rioni.160
Giant Sturgeon Beluga Huso Huso 317. The species is native to Georgia but it is found in other countries as well.161 It spawns in the main course of large and deep rivers with strong current and on stone or gravel bottoms.162 Juveniles occur in shallow, riverine habitats during their first summer.
Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser sturio 318. The species lives the major part of its life in the sea but enters rivers for reproduction. It is found on various substrates, from sand to rocks. At the sea, it occurs in coastal and estuarine zones. In freshwaters, it inhabits estuaries and large rivers.163
Fringebarbel Sturgeon Acipenser nudiventris 319. The adult specimens of this species mainly occur in the sea close to shores and estuaries and in deep stretches of large rivers over muddy substrate. They are usually solitary while juveniles live in shallow riverine habitats. Spawning takes place in strong- current habitats in the main course of large and deep rivers on stone or gravel bottoms, from end of April to June.164 This species has the highest relative fecundity for any sturgeon species.
156 Sambo Engineering, March 10, 2016, Environmental Impact Assessment for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section for the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Road Department 157 Bemis, W. E. and Kynard, B. 1997. Sturgeon rivers: an introduction to Acipenseriformes biogeography and life history, in Birstein, V. J., Waldman, J. R., & Bemis, W. E., (eds.), Sturgeon Biodiversity and Conservation. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. 25-71. 158 Engler, M. and Knapp, A. 2008. Briefing on the evolution of the caviar trade and range state implementation of Resolution Conf. 12.7 (Rev. Cop 14). A TRAFFIC Europe Report for the European Commission. Brussels, Belgium. 159 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-78 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Starred Sturgeon Acipenser stellatus 320. The south east coast of the Black Sea is an important feeding and wintering area in Georgia. The main rivers used are the Supsa, Inguri, Chorokhi and Rioni.165 The species is found at sea, in coastal and estuarine zones, where it forages on clayey sand bottoms, as well as intensively in middle and upper water layers. It spawns in strong-current habitats in the main course of large and deep rivers, on stone or gravel bottoms. It migrates upriver at higher temperatures and therefore later than other sturgeons, with two peaks, in spring and in autumn.
Persian Sturgeon Acipenser persicus 321. In Georgia, the south east coast of the Black Sea is an important feeding and wintering area. It migrates upriver for spawning. The main rivers used are the Chorokhi and the Rioni.166 At sea, in coastal and estuarine zones, it spawns in strong-current habitats in the main course of large and deep rivers on stone or gravel bottoms. Juveniles are found in riverine habitats during their first summer. Juveniles migrate to the sea during their first summer and remain there until maturity. There is strict national and international regulation of fishing and trading of caviar and meat, but there is still illegal trade.167
Phytoplankton 322. Phytoplankton refers to the autotrophic component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. Its cumulative energy fixation in carbon compounds (primary production) is the basis for the vast majority of oceanic and some freshwater food chains.168 323. At the flowing places of rivers carrying large amounts of suspended solid material (sand and silt) and also some hazardous substances, considerable reduction of some species is observed. 324. The Georgian Black Sea coast is characterized by large variability of the hydrological regime and anthropogenic impact, resulting in considerable differences in systematic composition and quantitative development of phytoplankton by seasons and years, especially in areas of river discharge.169
Habitat Assessment 325. The Study Area does not meet the criteria for Critical Habitat because it does not have high biodiversity value. It is not located in a legally protected area or an area officially proposed for protection. 326. The criteria for Critical Habitat170 include the following, along with their respective habitat assessments for the Study Area:
165 CITES Species Database
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-79 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Habitat required for the survival of critically endangered or endangered species 327. The Study Area does contain species listed as Critically Endangered and Endangered, however, it does not contain habitat that is required for their survival. These species are widespread outside the Study Area.
Areas with special significance for endemic or restricted-range species 328. The Study Area does contain species that are endemic and range restricted. However, it does not have areas with special significance for them. These species are widely distributed outside the Study Area.
Sites that are critical for the survival of migratory species 329. The Study Area does not contain sites that are critical for the survival of migratory species. Sites important for migratory species are located outside the Study Area.
Areas supporting globally significant concentrations or numbers of individuals of congregatory species 330. The Study Area does not contain areas of globally significant concentrations or numbers of individuals of congregatory species. Sites important for congregatory species are located outside the Study Area.
Areas with unique assemblages of species that are associated with key evolutionary processes or provide key ecosystem services 331. The Study Area is not an area with unique assemblages of species that are associated with key evolutionary processes or provide key ecosystem services.
Areas with biodiversity that has significant social, cultural or economic importance to local communities 332. The Study Area is not an area with biodiversity that has significant social, cultural or economic importance to local communities. 333. Based on the criteria for Critical Habitat as applied above, the Study Area does not qualify as a Critical Habitat.
5.3.4 Summary of Ecological Baseline 334. The biodiversity of Adjara and in particular, Batumi, consists of a number of species of conservation importance based on both Georgia’s Red List and the IUCN Red List. Also there are areas in and around Batumi which are important habitat for wildlife, most notably the IBAs of Batumi and the Chorokhi Delta. Another area of conservation importance near the Project is the Mtirala National Park, home to a number of endemic and relic plant species. In addition to this there are two herpetofauna species of conservation importance, whose ranges overlap with that of the Project area, which is of particular concern because of the limited mobility of herpetofauna. 335. Habitat distribution within the Study Area shows that the dominant habitat type is Vegetation Clusters, making up 65% of it with the second most dominant one being Builtup Area making up 20%. Builtup Area is spread throughout the Study Area, on either side of the Project. The Vegetation Clusters are patches of vegetation within an area that is very disturbed by Builtup Area and the associated human activity. Nevertheless, the presence
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-80 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
of species of conservation importance and habitat suitable for such species cannot be ignored especially because of the overlap of Batumi with the Eastern Black Sea Flyway and the nearby Chorokhi Delta, which is an important wetland habitat for migratory and congregatory bird species. In particular, the Egyptian Vulture, listed as Endangered, has been known to forage around human settlements; human disturbance along with electrocution and collisions with powerlines are amongst the reasons for its decline.
Terrestrial Flora 336. There are two main Project-related concerns including the presence of four species of conservation importance in the Project area and the risk of spread of invasive species. The species of conservation importance reported from the Project area include Colchic Boxwood (Near Threatened), and Common Walnut (Near Threatened). The spread of invasive species is a key concern because disturbance to native plants species, for example, by vegetation clearance, favors the spread of invasive species. This is of particular concern because the nearby Mtirala National Park, located 4 km from the Project, contains a number of species endemic to Georgia.
Mammals 337. There are three mammal species of conservation importance reported from the Project area which include two bat species and the Common Otter. Mehely’s Horseshoe Bat is classified as Vulnerable and the Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat is classified as Near Threatened. Both bat species are protected under the Bonn Convention and Bern Convention. Threats to these bat species include habitat disturbance. However, considering the topography around the Project, it is unlikely that there is significant habitat for these species in the Study Area. 338. The Common Otter is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. It is rare in Adjara. Threats to the species include removal and bank side vegetation, drainage of wetlands and man-made changes to aquatic ecosystems.
Birds 339. Of the 31 IBAs in Georgia, two of them are located close to the Project, including the IBA of Batumi and that of Chorokhi Delta. The IBA of Batumi overlaps with the Study Area whilst that of Chorokhi Delta is 3.75 km from it. The IBA of Batumi is part of the Eastern Black Sea Flyway, therefore, numerous species pass over it during the passage season. The IBA of Chorokhi Delta is also important for a number of species including three species of conservation importance the Yelkouan Shearwater (Vulnerable), Sociable Lapwing (Critically Endangered), and Black-winged Pratincole (Near Threatened). It is also an important wetland habitat where wintering waterbirds and migratory waterbirds are monitored. 340. There are a total of eight bird species of conservation importance reported from the Project area including the Egyptian Vulture (Endangered), Dalmatian Pelican (Vulnerable), the White-winged Scoter (Vulnerable), Imperial Eagle (Vulnerable), Greater Spotted Eagle (Vulnerable), Black Vulture (Near Threatened), Saker Falcon (Saker Falcon) and Red-footed Falcon (Near Threatened). Habitat degradation, pollution, human disturbance and wetland modification are amongst the reasons for population declines. In addition to this there are a total of 19 migratory and congregatory bird species reported from the Project area.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-81 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Herpetofauna 341. A total of two herpetofauna species are reported in the Project area including the Caucasian Viper (Endangered) and the Caucasian Salamander (Vulnerable). For both species threats include habitat loss and degradation as well as urbanization. The Caucasian Salamander is endemic to Georgia and Turkey and is reported to be present in Batumi.
Invertebrates 342. A total of 12 invertebrate species of conservation importance based on Georgia’s Red List are reported to be found in the Project area. Of these one, the Fen Raft Spider, is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The species requires aquatic habitat and relies on clear water, in particular, for breeding. Pollution of water bodies and drainage are, therefore, serious threats to it.
Fish 343. The Black Sea and Georgia’s rivers are important for a number of fish species, the most of notable of which are those belonging to the group of Sturgeons. 344. A total of five fish species of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List are reported from the Project area. These include the Giant Sturgeon, the Atlantic Sturgeon, Fringebarbel Sturgeon, Starred Sturgeon, and Persian Sturgeon. All five species are Critically Endangered and migrate between the sea and the rivers, making both habitats important for their life cycles. The riverine habitats, in particular, are important for juveniles. Three of these, especially, rely on them including the Giant Sturgeon, Fringebarbel Sturgeon and Persian Sturgeon. All five species are found in other countries; even within Georgia, they are found in rivers outside the Study Area, most notably the Rioni River. 345. The major threats to all five species include over-exploitation for uses such as food (e.g. caviar), medicine and leather. Pollution is another major concern along with impoundment of rivers due to dam construction resulting in blockage of fish from reaching their spawning sites. 346. The distribution of the European Eel also overlaps with the Study Area. Threats to this species are not well understood but chemical pollution is considered one of them.
Phytoplankton 347. Phytoplankton is a primary producer in marine and freshwater food chains. Georgian Black Sea phytoplankton is characterized by instability and fluctuations which are contributed to by anthropogenic impact, particularly sea pollution by organic substances. As a result the main concern with Project-related activities is pollution of water bodies in the Study Area, both the rivers and the coastal habitat.
5.4 Socioeconomic Environment 348. This section describes the socioeconomic environment of the Study Area. Where values for the Study Area are reported they are based on surveys of affected households conducted for the corresponding LARP of the Project. Photographs were taken during the field visit in September and October 2016.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-82 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.4.1 Administrative Set-up 349. Adjara, officially known as the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, is an historical, geographic and political-administrative region of Georgia. The status of the Adjaran Autonomous Republic is defined by Georgia's law on Adjara and the region's new constitution. The local legislative body is the Parliament. The head of the region's government—the Council of Ministers of Adjara—is nominated by the President of Georgia who also has powers to dissolve the assembly and government and to overrule local authorities on issues where the constitution of Georgia is contravened. 350. Adjara is subdivided into six administrative units namely: City of Batumi, Keda District, Kobuleti District, Khelvachauri District, Shuakhevi District, and Khulo District. These districts are shown in Figure 5-27.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-83 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-27: Administrative Setting
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-84 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
351. The Project passes 8 villages as given in Table 5-25, all of which are in the Khelvachauri district. Table 5-25: List of Villages in the Project Impact Zone
Name of Village Legal Status Sakrebulo District/Rayon Makhinjauri Urban Village Makhinjauri Khelvachauri Kapreshumi Village Ortabatumi Khelvachauri Salibauri Village Ortabatumi Khelvachauri Akhalsheni Village Akhalsheni Khelvachauri Sameba Village Akhalsheni Khelvachauri Ganakhleba Village Akhalsheni Khelvachauri Makhvilauri Village Sharabidzeebi Khelvachauri Khelvachauri Urban Village Khelvachauri Khelvachauri
5.4.2 Demography 352. Population of Adjara as of 2009 statistics is 382 thousands (see Table 5-26). Approximately, 43.6% of the population live in urban whereas 56.4% live in rural areas. From 2003 to 2005, the population growth rate has remanded stable, at around 0.5%. Batumi is the most populated city, with a population of approximately 122,000.
Table 5-26: Population of Adjara Region (thousands)
2002 2009 2015 Adjara Autonomous Republic 376.016 382.4 336.5 Batumi 121.806 122.5 151.4 Kobuleti Municipality 88.063 89.9 75.2 Khelvachauri Municipality 90.843 92.8 51.6 Keda Municipality 20.024 20.0 15.2 Shuakhevi Municipality 21.850 22.3 23.5 Khulo Municipality 33.430 35.0 Source: National Statistics Service of Georgia 353. Ethnic groups of Adjara include Georgian, Russians, Armenians, Greeks, Abkhaz, etc. In the Study Area, about 97% are of Georgian ethnicity with the remaining ethnicities comprising of Armenians, Russians and others. The distribution is shown in Table 5-27.
Table 5-27: Ethnicity of Households in the Study Area
No Ethnicity Total No. of Households % Age 1 Georgian 389 96.8 2 Armenian 8 2.0 3 Russian 1 0.25 4 Others 4 1.0 Total 402 100.0 Source: Socioeconomic survey, Feasibility Study (2009)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-85 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
5.4.3 Physical Infrastructure
Road Network 354. Georgia has two main ports and both lie on this section of the Black Sea coast, Poti, 30 km to the north of the Project, and Batumi. Although some of the goods and materials leave the ports by rail, much of it also transported by road. In addition heavy commercial road traffic from Turkey enters Georgia through the Sarpi border post, some destined for other areas of Georgia and some transiting through Georgia along the existing road and then along the main East West highway to Azerbaijan, Armenia and beyond. Except for oil, transit trade mostly comprises agricultural products, building materials, and machinery. 355. This mix of international and local traffic combined with poor road conditions leads to dangerous driving situations and frequent traffic accidents. At present a significant volume of international transportation is carried on the Batumi-Poti section of road amounting to 1.0 million tons annually (2005), with 0.5 million tons on the Batumi-Sarpi section. 356. The road network of the Study Area is mapped in Figure 5-28.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-86 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-28: Road Network
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-87 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
357. The road network in the Study Area is poor with several rural areas which are not connected to the road network. Only national and regional highways are asphalted and most rural roads are graveled, and these graveled rural roads are difficult to drive on, during the rainy season. Asphalting of local roads is currently under way. Photographs of the various quality of roads that can be found in the Study Area is shown in Figure 5-29.
Cemented road. Gravel road
Freshly asphalted road. Main road to the south of the Study Area.
Figure 5-29: Photographs of Local Roads in the Study Area 358. Rural communities in the Study Area are serviced by private minibuses that collect people from stops at intervals between half an hour to an hour. The minibuses generally take a round trip to Batumi. A bus stop in the Study Area is shown in Figure 5-30.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-88 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-30: Local Bus Stop
Rail 359. The Batumi railway station is close to the Study Area and the railway line cross the Study Area. Railway is used for both passenger and freight transport as shown in Figure 5-31. The railway line present in the area is shown in Figure 5-28.
New passenger train at Batumi Station Cargo trains carry oil from Azerbaijan to Batumi Port
Figure 5-31: Photographs of Railway Infrastructure
Utilities 360. The major source of drinking water is dug-well and piped water supply. 29% of households use water from dug-well and 63% of households use water from piped supply, 8% of households reported other sources.171 361. Wood is the major source of fuel being used by the households (89%) for heating.172
171 Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant) 172 Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-89 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
362. During consultations it was determined that currently governmental projects are underway to connect houses to water and gas. Photographs of existing gas and water connections are shown in Figure 5-32.
Water connection Gas connection
Figure 5-32: Photographs of Utilities in the Study Area
Sanitation 363. 54% of surveyed households use flush toilet and 46% use latrine.173 A photograph of a typical latrine is given in Figure 5-33.
Figure 5-33: Photograph of a Typical Latrine Facility
Housing 364. Almost all homes in the Study Area are of masonry construction. However, there is a large variation in structural quality as illustrated by photographs in Figure 5-34.
173 Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-90 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Apartment building Single story home
House constructed with blocks as foundation New doubly story structure Figure 5-34: Housing Structures in the Study Area
5.4.4 Social Infrastructure
Education 365. About 20% of the population of the Study Area has a university education, 74% have primary and secondary level education and 6% have pre-school level education (see Table 5-28).
Table 5-28: Education of Households
No Category Male Female Total No % No % No % 1 Pre-School 32 8.9 17 4.2 49 6.4 2 Primary 243 67.7 322 79.3 565 73.9 4 University 84 23.4 67 16.5 151 19.7 5 Illiterate 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Total 359 100 406 100 765 100
Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant) 366. Photographs of schools and playgrounds in the Study Area are shown in Figure 5-35.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-91 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
School in Makhinjauri School in Makhlivauri
Playground in Makhinjaurui Playground in Makhlivauri
Figure 5-35: Schools and Playgrounds in the Study Area
Health 367. Details of health care facilities in Adjara are given in Table 5-29, which includes 19 hospitals and 248 first aid network facilities. 1252 medical professionals are working in these facilities. Among them 78 are physicians, 42 are surgeons, 122 are gynecologists, 115 are village doctors, and 93 are paramedics. 368. During consultations it was determined that there are no healthcare facilities directly in the rural portions of the Study Area. Residents go to Khelvachauri or Batumi for treatment. Residents are covered by national health insurance. Ambulances are available for transport to healthcare facilities.
Table 5-29: Health Care Facilities in Adjara
No Facilities In 2008 In 2009 1. Number of Hospitals 18 19 2. Neurological Centre (with Hospital) 1 1 3. Blood transfusion station 1 1 4. Ambulance Service 6 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-92 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No Facilities In 2008 In 2009 First Aid Network in Total 245 248 Among them 5. Centre for Family Medicine 2 2 6. Independent Polyclinics 11 11 7. Medical Centre for Polyclinic Profile 5 5 8. Private Polyclinic Institutions 3 4 9. Health Centre 3 3 10. Centre for Primary Health Care 46 45 11. Community Medical Centre 175 177
5.4.5 Cultural Resources 369. Images of cultural resources in the Study Area are shown in Figure 5-36.
Spring dedicated to individual Memorial within Study Area
Mosque in Khelvachauri Graveyard within Study Area
Figure 5-36: Cultural Resources
5.4.6 Archaeological Sites 370. Archeological sites as mentioned on the website of the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency are shown in Figure 5-37. There are no sites directly along the Project alignment. Photographs of these sites are shown in Figure 5-38.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-93 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 5-37: Cultural Heritage Sites around Project Site
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-94 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Akhalsheni Transfiguration Church Erge (Jocho) Bridge
Former Bariatinski House Makho Bridge
Makho Fortress-Tower Tamaris Fortress
Figure 5-38: Photographs of Cultural Heritage Sites around Project Site174
5.4.7 Economy 371. In 2004, the Gross Domestic Product of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara was GEL 490 million, which is 5% of the GDP of Georgia. The main industries in Adjara are manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. The manufacturing sector is dominated by food, tobacco, and woodworking industries and accounted for 5.9% of Adjara’s GDP. As of 2005 there were 515 industrial enterprises in Adjara, 34 state enterprises and 117 non- governmental enterprises. The agricultural sector is dominated by tobacco, citrus plants, potatoes, tea, and livestock farming. The share of agriculture in the GDP of Adjara is
174 Photographs taken from the website of the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-95 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
18.7% (GEL 91.52 million). Private farms occupy 63.8% of the agricultural lands. State and non-governmental agricultural farms occupy the rest, 46.2%. 372. Tourism is one of the major industry in the Project area and extensive resort infrastructure is located all along the existing road in Batumi and Kobuleti. In 2004, the total cost of services rendered in the sphere of tourism was GEL 16.7 million, which is 3.4% if the Adjara GDP. The tourist season lasts about 3 months, from late June till the end of September. On average, according to 2004 estimates, about 65-70 thousand people visited Adjara during the tourist season. 373. Citrus and vegetables are the major crops being cultivated in the Study Area. Details of major cropping pattern in the project area obtained from the affected households are given in Table 5-30. Table 5-30: Major Cropping Pattern
No Type of Crops Households % of Total Average Area Average Average that have Crop Households of Cultivation Yield Total Yield Cultivated (HA) (Ton) (GEL) 1 Corn 52 21.3 0.16 0.48 258 2 Bean 32 13.1 0.06 0.04 126 3 Vegetables 49 20.1 0.08 0.10 96 4 Fruit 29 11.9 0.10 0.55 924 5 Grape 4 1.6 0.07 0.42 400 6 Citrus 53 21.7 0.19 4.91 2996 7 Others 25 10.2 0.04 0.23 355 Total Households 244
Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant) 374. Agriculture is the primary economic activity reported 41% households, 24% of the households reported government service as the primary economic activity. The third contributor is daily wage (11%) as primary economic activity including agriculture labor and non-agriculture daily labor. The details are given in Table 5-31 below.
Table 5-31: Economic Activity of the Households
No Type of Activities No Primary % No Secondary % (of total) (of total) 1 Agriculture 107 40.5 11 36.7 2 Working for other farmers (Agricultural 12 4.5 3 10.0 Laborer) 3 Small enterprise 14 5.3 3 10.0 4 Government Service 64 24.2 2 6.7 5 Business and trading 21 8.0 3 10.0 6 Daily Wage 29 11.0 6 20.0 7 Others 17 6.4 2 6.7
Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-96 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Employment Status 375. About 15% working age people in the Study Area are wage employed, 24% are self-employed and about 15% are economically inactive (see Table 5-32). Unemployment is very high with 46% reporting that they are unemployed (see Table 5-32).
Table 5-32: Economic Activity of the Households Members
Gender Economically Wage Self Unemployed Total Inactive Employed Employed No % No % No % No % No % Male 32 10.8 44 14.8 87 29.3 134 45.1 297 100 Female 64 17.6 58 16.0 69 19.0 172 47.4 363 100 Total Average 96 14.5 102 15.5 156 23.6 306 46.4 660 100
Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant)
Average Annual Income (household Income) 376. Agriculture, service and wage employment are major contributors to income in the Study Area. The survey found that 15% of the households get income from one single source, 36% from double sources and 49% from three or more sources. Table 5-33 shows the distribution of incomes from various sources. Average annual income is GEL 15,658 per household as shown in Table 5-34.
Table 5-33: Average Monthly Household Income against Number of Sources
Number of Sources of Income No. of AHs % of Ahs Average annual income Single source 23 15 9631 Double Source 54 36 14270 Three + sources 73 49 17917 Total 150 100 Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant) Table 5-34: Average Annual Income
No Source of Income No. of Households Average Annual Income from Source (GEL) 1 Wage employment 149 6,135 2 Agriculture 114 4,685 3 Business/Service 50 2,056 4 Property income 9 361 5 Pension 16 674 6 Remittances 24 988 7 Other 18 759 Total Households Surveyed: 380 15,658
Source: DMS/AP Census 25 March–11 April 2011 (Detail Design Consultant)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Description of the Environment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-97 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
6. Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation
377. As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment process, consultations are undertaken with communities and institutions that may have interest in the proposed project or may be affected by it. The objective of conducting stakeholder consultations during the ESIA process is to inform all the stakeholders about the Project, record and take into account their opinions, suggestions and concerns and establish confidence amongst the Project stakeholders that the Project is developed in a responsible way. This section documents the consultation process for the EIA of the proposed Project.
6.1 Framework for Consultations 378. The EIA of the proposed Project is undertaken in compliance with relevant national legislation and in accordance with the environmental and social safeguards laid out under ADB’s safeguard policy (SPS 2009).175
6.1.1 ADB Safeguard Policy Statement 379. Public consultation is mandated under Asian Development Bank’s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS 2009).176
SPS 2009 on Pubic Consultations The borrower/client will carry out meaningful consultation with affected people and other concerned stakeholders, including civil society, and facilitate their informed participation. Meaningful consultation is a process that (i) begins early in the project preparation stage and is carried out on an ongoing basis throughout the project cycle; (ii) provides timely disclosure of relevant and adequate information that is understandable and readily accessible to affected people; (iii) is undertaken in an atmosphere free of intimidation or coercion; (iv) is gender inclusive and responsive, and tailored to the needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups; and (v) enables the incorporation of all relevant views of affected people and other stakeholders into decision making, such as project design, mitigation measures, the sharing of development benefits and opportunities, and implementation issues. Consultation will be carried out in a manner commensurate with the impacts on affected communities. The consultation process and its results are to be documented and reflected in the environmental assessment report.
6.1.2 Georgian Requirement 380. As discussed in Chapter 2 the Law on Environmental Impact Permit contains details on consultation and disclosure that must happen after the draft EIA has been prepared and is ready for submission. The EIA process will follow all regulations laid down by Georgian Law. However information regarding final public disclosure is not available at the time of writing of this report.
6.2 Overview of Stakeholders 381. Stakeholders can be divided into two groups: communities that lie along the RoW and institutional stakeholders. A list of identified stakeholders is given in Table 6-1.
175 Safeguard Policy Statement, Asian Development Bank, June 2009 176 Safeguard Policy Statement, Asian Development Bank, June 2009
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 6-1: List of Stakeholders
Stakeholder Date and Location Consulted Community Stakeholders Makhinjauri and surrounding communities Oct 22, 2016 Makhinjauri Kapreshumi and surrounding communities Oct 22, 2016 Kapreshumi Makhlivauri and surrounding communities Oct 23, 2016 Makhlivauri Institutional Stakeholders Local Government Khelvachauri Municipality Oct 13, 2016 Era Palace Batumi City Hall Oct 13, 2016 Era Palace Ministry of Environment Oct 13, 2016 Era Palace Department of Tourism Biodiversity Batumi Shota University, Biodiversity Oct 9, 2016 Batumi Shota University Department World Wildlife Fund Nov 23-25, 2016 Email correspondence Batumi Raptor Count Oct 21 - Nov 10, Email correspondence Transboundary Joint Secretariat for Southern Oct 4-20, 2016 Email correspondence Caucuses Batumi Botanical Garden Oct 11, 2016 Batumi Botanical Garden Businesses in Batumi Including: fuel stations, hotels, shops, car Oct 5-8, 2016 at business venues in Batumi washes, shops, workshops and others. Transport Batumi Public Transport Oct 13, 2016 Era Palace Adjara Road Department Office Oct 13, 2016 Era Palace Batumi Port Georgia Railways Cultural Heritage Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency Batumi Archaeological Museum
6.3 Consultation Methodology
6.3.1 Scoping and Feedback Consultation 382. Scoping consultations for the Project were undertaken in 2009, 2011 and 2016 as described below: Two public consultations were conducted during the feasibility study for the entire alignment (Kobuleti and Batumi bypasses) in April and June, 2009. Additional consultations were held for the preparation of the previous EIA in March and April, 2011. These included 5 institutional consultations and 6 community consultations.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
To get updated information, additional scoping consultations were undertaken for this study. These consultations were conducted in October, 2016. These consultations were conducted informally during the baseline surveys. A workshop was arranged in Batumi for institutional consultations. The RD facilitated contact with the institutional stakeholders. Important stakeholders who could not make it to the workshop were met separately or contacted via email or telephone. The attendance list is provided in Appendix 4. 383. Feedback consultations were held with communities on Oct 22 and 23, 2016. Three meetings along the RoW were organized to which over 63 community representatives attended. The meetings were arranged with the support of the local Road Department. The attendance lists are provided in Appendix 4. An overview of the EIA methodology was provided to explain how the concerns of the communities as ascertained by scoping consultations were being addressed. 384. The public consultations proceeded in the following manner: An overview of the Project was provided Discussion of modelling procedure to quantify potential impacts and expected mitigation measures for noise and air quality deterioration due to the Project. Other impacts that were being investigated such as vibration, water and soil contamination and impacts to ecology and socioeconomic conditions. An overview of the EIA review and approval process based on ADB, AIIB and Georgian requirements. Further questions and comments from the community were addressed and recorded. After the general consultation small sessions were conducted with individual households which wanted to convey specific concerns, 385. Consultation locations for the 3 community consultations and the institutional consultations workshop are shown in Figure 6-1 and photographs in Figure 6-2 for consultations conducted during this study.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 6-1: Consultation Locations
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Informal consultation along RoW. Participants Participant concerned regarding spring water concerned with landslides and employment. infrastructure.
Informal consultation along RoW. Informal consultation along RoW. Participants concerned about noise and vibration impacts.
Consultation with shops along right of way. Consultation with shops along right of way.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Institutional consultation workshop. Institutional consultation workshop.
Formal consultation session at C1. Individual consultations at C1.
Formal consultation session at C2. Formal consultation session at C2.
Breakout session at C2. Participants are Small group discussions at C2. conversing with the EIA consultants (HBP), ADB representatives and RD representatives.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Formal public consultation session at C3. Formal public consultation session at C3.
Participants were explained the Project using large printouts of the RoW at C3.
Figure 6-2: Consultation Photographs
6.3.2 Consultation Material 386. The main document for distribution to stakeholders during the consultations was the Background Information Document (BID). The BID contained information on the Project and the EIA process. The BID for the Project is included as Appendix 5. The consultation material was made available to the stakeholders in English and Georgian to suit their language preference. The BID was distributed in both the institutional consultation workshop and in the formal public consultations. A PowerPoint presentation was given at the institutional consultation workshop.
6.3.3 Consultation Team 387. The consultation team consisted of the persons detailed, along with their roles and designations, in Table 6-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 6-2: Consultation Team
Organization Name Designation Role Hagler Bailly Hidayat Hasan Principal Project Led consultations in English and Pakistan Consultant answered questions Paata National Expert Facilitated consultations and Tchankotadze translated to Georgian Hassan Bukhari Environmental Expert Administrative and logistic support Road Irakli Khergiani Deputy Chairman Provided a brief introduction and Department answered road department specific questions Mr Zurab Director, Ajara RD Answered local road department specific questions Asian Mr Metger Resettlement Expert, Answered resettlement related Development ADB Georgia queries Bank Keti Dgebuadze Environmental Expert, Observer ADB Georgia Jeffery Bowyer Environmental Expert, Observer ADB Manilla
6.4 Summary of Consultations 388. Table 6-3 summarizes the key concerns emerging from consultations and explains how each concern was addressed in the EIA. The detailed log of consultations is provided in Appendix 6. 389. The photographs of the consultations are given in Figure 6-2.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 6-3: Summary of Concerns Expressed in Scoping Consultation and How They Have Been Addressed in the EIA
Issues Raised by Stakeholders Addressed in the EIA Resettlement and Related Issues The bridge passes in close proximity to some houses that are not included in the LARP. Detailed noise modelling was conducted to ascertain noise Concern was shown regarding noise levels generated by disturbance due to construction and impacts due to the road. Mitigation measures were identified traffic during operation. Some participants informed that resettlement of their houses will be and houses were noises levels were still above acceptable decided based on calculation of noise impacts during the EIA. limits have been identified for inclusion in the LARP. See Section 8.3.2 for details. Land plots in close proximity of the road, but with no houses currently constructed, but with Devaluation of asset price is discussed in Section 8.13. potential of future construction, will be rendered unusable due to the road. Strictly speaking asset devaluation is not compensated as per ADB policy. Rates for land acquisition are low compared to the market price. Price determination is discussed in the associated LARP. Specific grievances should be communicated to the GRM (see Chapter 11). Complete land plots were not acquired and small portions of large plots are not usable for Land acquisition is discussed in the associated LARP. agriculture. Specific grievances should be communicated to the GRM (see Chapter 11). A graveyard with around 25 graves belonging to a single family is present on the right of way. After discussion with the affected family the EIA suggests that The family stated that while they have not had an agreement as yet they have an agreement the graveyard be shifted on available land a few hundred that an agreement will be reached in the future. meters away the right of way. Land acquisition and resettlement will be the major issue. According to participants, this can be Land acquisition is discussed in the associated LARP. mitigated through proper compensation and assistance to the affected persons. Specific grievances should be communicated to the GRM (see Chapter 11). Other Social issues Communities inquired regarding the start date of the Project and what sort of employment Good practice measures that will be put in place to ensure opportunities would be available. Many people were interested in working for the Project. local employment are discussed in Section 8.13. In village Makhvilauri it was suggested to build shops along the road, so local people could According to the design the Project is designed as a freeway have trade points. and will not have local access points other than the 4 interchanges.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Issues Raised by Stakeholders Addressed in the EIA Participants suggested signage (speed limits, warnings etc.), pedestrian crossings in front of These measures are already included in the project design social institutions and to ensure that there are footpaths along the road. Shops, hotels and other businesses within Batumi are optimistic regarding the diversion as it No response. will reduce traffic jams and improve the environment in Batumi. Alignment Participants were concerned regarding the alignment of the remaining segment of the bypass, The remaining portion of the alignment is beyond the scope which is not clear. of this study. Physical Environment Related Issues The area is very pristine, in terms of good air quality, low anthropogenic noise sources and few The air quality impacts of the Project have been evaluated to disturbances. The physical environment of the area will change significantly after construction be minimal (see Section 8.4.3). Extensive mitigation of the Project. measures including noise walls and speed controls have been identified to control noise impacts (see Section 8.4.1). Construction impacts will be managebale and temporary. Some households are completely dependent, (others partially) on mountain springs. Some of All springs that are impacted by the Project will be repaired the water collecting infrastructure is close to the RoW, and some will be acquired. Concern was or replaced by an alternate source of water shown by the community regarding proper reconstruction of water infrastructure and possibility of disruption in the water supply. Affected and surrounding households had understanding and awareness regarding the Impacts will be mitigated to meet Georgian and international proposed RoW of the Project. Some households could quote the distance in meters from their standards (see Chapter 8) house to the RoW. However, having no previous experience regarding such construction they were unable to identify what the number of meters meant in terms of disturbance to the physical environment. Many homes, especially those near the tunnel portal (therefore, on a cliff edge) showed signs The baseline discusses the geology of the area (see of cracks and repairs which had occurred during landslides in the area. They were concerns Section 5.1). Areas that are prone to such impacts are regarding additional landslides and rockfall during construction of the road and tunnel. identified for detailed preconstruction surveys (see Section 8.3.3). Communities expressed concern that the construction activities will generate air, noise and Each of these impacts have been evaluated and appropriate water pollution which will impact their quality of life. mitgation measures suggested in Chapter 8.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Issues Raised by Stakeholders Addressed in the EIA Biodiversity Related Issues No very important species grows within the area. There may be some very protected plants See Section 8.5. present in the area but it is because they have been introduced by people and it is not within the natural range. There are a large number of large eucalyptus trees along the right of way that help control the Any trees that are removed will be replanted (see water levels in the valley. If these are cut down then it may disturb the current balance in the Section 8.3.1) water table.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
6.5 Future Consultations
6.5.1 Information Disclosure 390. The electronic versions of the draft EIA will be placed on the RD, Adjara Government and ADB websites. Hard copies of Georgian version of draft EIA report will be placed in: the RD office MoE Department of Licenses and Permits Environment and Natural Resources Directorate of Adjara Batumi and Khevachauri Municipalities Gamgeoba of all Project villages 391. The EIA will be available in both English and Georgian languages.
6.5.2 Public Hearing 392. According to Georgian Law, detailed in Chapter 2, public consultation meetings will be conducted following 50 days after the disclosure of EIA documentation at Batumi. Information about the public consultation process will be made available for public through: publication in central mass media publication in regional newspapers distribution of information via the Aarhus Center internet resources placing information on the RD website 393. The disseminated announcement will contain information on: where the interested parties can find the electronic versions and hard copies of the disclosed documents place and schedule of the planned public consultation meetings the deadlines for providing comments details of contact persons for submitting comments 394. In addition the following stakeholders to be invited for the Consultation meetings: Representative of Adjara Governments Mayors of Batumi and Khelvachauri Representative of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure Head, Department of Roads, Batumi Representative of the Ministry of Environment Protection, Tbilisi Representatives of Affected Communities representatives of NGOs familiar with social, economic and cultural conditions in the area affected
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
6.5.3 Consultations for Implementation of Specific Mitigation Measures 395. Chapter 10 presents the impact assessment and proposed mitigation measures for the Project. Specific mitigation measures require additional consultations so that the community is aware and on board thereby ensuring that the mitigation measures are socially feasible as well as being technically feasible. The following additional consultations will be conducted for these mitigation measures: 396. Consultations are to be conducted regarding the construction of the noise wall. The community should be made aware of issues regarding its effectiveness, any potential connectivity issues regarding its construction and any additional resettlement that is required for areas where the noise wall is ineffective. See Section 8.6 for further details on impacts due to noise. 397. Consultations are to be conducted regarding the preconstruction survey that is to be conducted in areas at risk of damage due to construction vibration. The at risk homes should be made aware the scope of the survey, and where they should go in case of any grievance with regards to vibration related impacts. See Section 8.7 for further details on impacts due to vibration.
6.5.4 Consultations during the Life of the Project 398. The RD will continue stakeholder engagement activities throughout the life of the Project. Further details of RD’s future stakeholder engagement activities are given in Chapter 10. Stakeholder engagement activities will include: ongoing reporting on progress on the implementation of environmental and social management measures identified during the EIA process and recording of comments on the effectiveness of these measures; updating communities about new project developments and recording comments on these; and, ongoing operation of the grievance redress mechanism.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
7. Analysis of Alternatives
399. This section discusses the alternatives considered for the Project and compares their environmental and economic benefits and drawbacks. The project initiated in 2009. Details of early options that were considered are not available. The following chapter is based on limited information discussed in the feasibility study.
7.1 No Project Option 400. The Project road has a significant potential for increase of subregional trade with Georgia’s major trading partners and tourism revenue. Other important benefits of the project are reduction of congestion and accidents in Batumi, and favorable atmosphere for further investment in Batumi. A detailed study on the benefits of the Project has been conducted during the feasibility study. 401. Furthermore, there has been significant increase in congestion and accidents on the existing road especially during the tourist season in summer. The without project scenario will continue to increase the negative impacts generated by increased traffic loads on insufficient capacity of the existing road (traffic congestion, noise, low speed, higher emissions, accidents, etc.). Continuous growth of tourist and residential infrastructure along the existing road will further deteriorate the movement of international and transit traffic, smooth access of the local population, and tourists.
7.2 Alternatives to the Proposed Project
7.2.1 Alternate Method of Service Delivery 402. A major reason for the development of the Project is to reroute transit traffic. Alternate methods such as developing public transit cannot sufficiently meet this goal. Therefore, alternate service delivery methods were not discussed in the feasibility or design stages.
7.2.2 Alternative Project Design 403. Multiple alternates were considered before the selection of the final Project design discussed in Chapter 4. These include both location (alignment routes) and design (road tunnel vs overland) alternates. Technology alternates were considered for specific construction process such as tunneling and process alternates such as speed limits are discussed as mitigation measures in Chapter 8.
Process Alternates 404. The bypass is designed as a freeway and therefore has a speed limit of 90 kph according to Georgian standards. However, for specific portions where noise impacts cannot be mitigated by noise walls, lower speed limits have been suggested. This is discussed in detail in Chapter 8.
Location and Design Alternates 405. Table 7-1 discusses the merits and demerits of each alternate alignment that was considered during the planning phases. Three alignments were considered during the Prefeasibility stage. These are discussed first. Further alternates were considered to the
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
prefeasibility selected alignment during the Feasibility and Detailed Design stages which are discussed in Table 7-1 and shown in Figure 7-1.
7.2.3 Discussion 406. Overall, the selected alignment is the environmentally, technically and financially the best alternative as shown in Table 7-1. The resettlement impact is minimized as the alignment passes outside the built-up area however by keep the alignment as close to the city as possible, the length remains short and hence the cost does not increase significantly.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 7-1: Discussion of Alternate Alignments
Alternate Economic Environmental Social Conclusion Prefeasibility Stage Alignments The westernmost alignment Benefit: The alignment is 0.5 km Benefit: The alignment is relatively in flat are Cost: Increase in Unfeasible due to encroaches on the Batumi shorter than the central alignment and will, therefore require, cuts and fill and built-up area along large resettlement Municipal Development Area and passes through easier terrain, disturbance to land route since impacts. and passes through some removing the need for a tunnel. feasibility study heavily built-up areas; even which would require more built-up now than when large amounts of the prefeasibility study was resettlement. carried out. The central alignment follows Neutral: Price is between the Benefit: Is outside the Batumi Municipal Area Selected as the line of the Batumi western and eastern alignments. and so does not cross major built up areas. economically and Municipal Development Area environmentally to the west of Batumi, and most feasible runs along but outside the alignment. development plan margin. The easternmost alignment Cost: This alignment is 0.5 km Cost: The alignment is passes through Benefit: This Unfeasible due to bypasses the developed longer and an estimated 8% more relatively higher hills and will therefore result alignment is likely to larger costs involved area around the Bartskhana expensive than central alignment. in more environmental disturbance. require least without significant River and staying up to 2–3 resettlement environmental km east of the Batumi benefits. Development Plan boundary.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Alternate Economic Environmental Social Conclusion Detail Design Stage Section 0 – 4500 Use of the one km section of Cost: Bypass uses existing main Cost: Major impediments and difficulty in Cost: Large amount Unfeasible due to the existing highway that road that has traffic jams during the traffic control to tourist traffic during the tourist of resettlement of unfavorable impacts passes though Makhinjauri tourist season, thereby reducing season as construction of the interchange will crowded houses, on tourism during town and start of Batumi the total positive impact of the take place on the existing and only main road buildings and construction and Bypass after the town. Project. (S2). shopping district. large required Benefit: Lower Project cost as the Cost: Passes in close proximity of a Predicted resettlement. existing section road section is graveyard. environmental used. damages and civil complaints during construction and operation of road. Start of the Batumi bypass Cost: More expensive as Benefit: The two tunnels and three bridges in Cost: Passes Selected due to before Makhinjauri town approximately an additional 2 km of this portion of the alignment minimize through the densely lower social and bypassing the densely alignment is added and 2 tunnels resettlement as opposed to an on grade route populated environmental populated section in and 3 bridges incorporated into through the same area. Makhinjauri town. impacts than Makhinjauri town. design to minimize resettlement. Benefit: Alignment alternate and Benefit: Bypasses section of S2 avoids graveyards additional economic running through Makhinjauri which benefits. is also prone to traffic jams in the tourist season. Section 4500 – 10360 Alignment contains 4 Cost: The frequent change of driver’s vision continuous curves in short due to 4 curves in short distance will raise the distance risk of accident. Alignment has one curve with Cost: An additional tunnel had to Benefit: One curve with larger radius Benefit: Less land Selected as large radius. be included in the Project Design improves drivability as compared to 4 curves. acquisition due to alignment provides (between chainage 4500 and 6850 inclusion of tunnel. safer travel mark in Figure 7-1). conditions.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Alternate Economic Environmental Social Conclusion Section 10360 to End Towards the end of the The different alternates have similar The different Project alignment alignment the land use environmental impacts. alternates have selected on design consists of mostly similar social considerations. agricultural fields. impacts.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 7-1: Alternate Alignments
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Analysis of Alternatives R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures
407. During the scoping stage of the EIA process, several potential environmental and social impacts of the project were identified. The baseline surveys were conducted keeping in consideration the potential impacts. In this chapter, the potential environmental and social impacts are evaluated. The impacts have been identified based on consideration of the information presented in previous chapters. To avoid unnecessary repetition of supporting information, cross referencing to previous sections is given where necessary. Following the impact assessment, the mitigation measures related to each impact category is presented.
8.1 Impact Assessment Methodology 408. The general methodology used for impact assessment is described in this section. It describes the process of impact identification and definition, significance rating, the mitigation, management and good practice measures.
8.1.1 Identification of Significant Environmental Aspects 409. There are several guidelines and textbooks on identification and description of environmental and social impacts. These documents use various tools in an attempt to define a comprehensive and consistent method to capture the potential impacts of a proposed Project. However, it is now widely recognized by EIA practitioners that impact evaluation is not a purely objective and quantitative exercise. It has a subjective element; often based on judgment and values as much as scientific criteria. Recognizing this, a uniform system of impact description is used to enable the reviewers to understand how impacts have been interpreted. The description of each impact will have the following features: a definition of the impact using an impact statement identifying the Project activity or activities that causes the impact, the pathway or the environmental parameter that is changed by the activity, and the potential receptors of the impact (aspect-pathway-receptor) description of the sensitivity and importance value of the receiving environment or receptors (based on the stakeholder consultations undertaken) extent of change associated with the impact rating of the significance of the impact description of appropriate mitigation and management measures and potential effectiveness of the proposed measures characterization of the level of uncertainty in the impact assessment The significance of an impact is determined based on the product of the consequence of the impact and the probability of its occurrence. The consequence of an impact, in turn, is a function primarily of three impact characteristics: o magnitude o spatial scale
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
o timeframe 410. Magnitude is determined from quantitative or qualitative evaluation of a number of criteria including: sensitivity of existing or reasonably foreseeable future receptors importance value of existing or reasonably foreseeable future receptors, described using the following: o inclusion in government policy o level of public concern o number of receptors affected o intrinsic or perceived value placed on the receiving environment by stakeholders o economic value to stakeholders severity or degree of change to the receptor due to impact, measured qualitatively or quantitatively, and through comparison with relevant thresholds: o legal thresholds—established by law or regulation o functional thresholds—if exceeded, the impacts will disrupt the functioning of an ecosystem sufficiently to destroy resources important to the nation or biosphere irreversibly and/or irretrievably o normative thresholds—established by social norms, usually at the local or regional level and often tied to social or economic concerns o preference thresholds—preferences for individuals, groups or organizations only, as distinct from society at large o reputational thresholds—the level of risk a company is willing to take when approaching or exceeding the above thresholds 411. Spatial scale is another impact characteristic affecting impact consequence. The spatial scale of impacts can range from localized (confined to the proposed Project Site) to extensive (national or international extent). They also may vary depending on the component being considered. 412. The impact timeframe is the third principal impact characteristic defining impact consequence and relates to either its duration or its frequency (when the impact is intermittent). Impact duration can range from relatively short (less than four years) to long (beyond the life of the Project). Frequency ranges from high (more than 10 times a year) to low (less than once a year). These timeframes will need to be established for each Project based on its specific characteristics and those of the surrounding environment. 413. Once the impact consequence is described on the basis of the above impact characteristics, the probability of impact occurrence is factored in to derive the overall impact significance. The probability relates to the likelihood of the impact occurring, not the probability that the source of the impact occurs. For example, a continuous Project activity may have an unlikely probability of impact if there are no receptors within the area influenced by that activity. 414. The reversibility of each impact at the end of construction and operation are important, as these impacts may need on-going management after operation. The reversibility of each impact at the end of construction and operation will be noted and
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
described alongside the three primary characteristics of magnitude, spatial scale and duration. 415. The characteristics are outlined in Table 8-1.
Table 8-1: Characteristics Used to Describe Impact
Characteristics Sub-components Terms used to describe the impact Type Positive (a benefit), negative (a cost) or neutral Nature Biophysical, social, cultural, health or economic Direct, indirect or cumulative or induced Phase of Project Construction, operation, decommissioning or post closure Magnitude Sensitivity of receptor High, medium or low capacity to accommodate change High, medium or low conservation importance Vulnerable or threatened Rare, common, unique, endemic Importance or value of High, medium or low concern to some or all receptor stakeholders High, medium or low value to some or all stakeholders (for example, for cultural beliefs) Locally, nationally or internationally important Protected by legislation or policy Severity or degree of Gravity or seriousness of the change to the change to the receptor environment Intensity, influence, power or strength of the change Never, occasionally or always exceeds relevant thresholds Spatial scale Area affected by impact - Area or Volume covered boundaries at local and Distribution regional extents will be Local, regional, transboundary or global different for biophysical and social impacts. Timeframe Length of time over which Short term or long term an environmental impact Intermittent (what frequency) or continuous occurs or frequency of Temporary or permanent impact when intermittent Immediate effect (impact experienced immediately after causative project aspect) or delayed effect (effect of the impact is delayed for a period following the causative project aspect)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Characteristics Sub-components Terms used to describe the impact Probability - likelihood or chance an impact will Definite (impact will occur with high occur likelihood of probability) Possible (impact may occur but could be influenced by either natural or project related factors) Unlikely (impact unlikely unless specific natural or Project related circumstances occur) Reversibility/Sustainability Potential for recovery of the endpoint from a negative impact Reversible or irreversible Sustainability for positive impacts Confidence in impact evaluation (degree of Scientific uncertainty – limited understanding certainty in the significance ascribed to the impact) of ecosystem (or community) and processes governing change Data uncertainty – restrictions introduced by incomplete or incomparable information, or by insufficient measurement techniques Policy uncertainty – unclear or disputed objectives, standards or guidelines
8.1.2 Impact Significance Rating 416. The impact significance rating process serves two purposes: firstly, it helps to highlight the critical impacts requiring consideration in the approval process; secondly, it serves to show the primary impact characteristics, as defined above, used to evaluate impact significance. The impact significance rating system is presented in Table 8-2 and described as follows: Part A: Define impact consequence using the three primary impact characteristics of magnitude, spatial scale and duration. Part B: Use the matrix to determine a rating for impact consequence based on the definitions identified in Part A; and Part C: Use the matrix to determine the impact significance rating, which is a function of the impact consequence rating (from Part B) and the probability of occurrence. 417. Using the matrix, the significance of each described impact is rated.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-2: Method for Rating the Significance of Impacts
PART A: DEFINING CONSEQUENCE IN TERMS OF MAGNITUDE, DURATION AND SPATIAL SCALE Use these definitions to define the consequence in Part B Definition Criteria MAGNITUDE Negative Positive Major Large number of receptors affected Large number of receptors affected Receptors highly sensitive and/or are of conservation importance Receptors highly amenable to positive change Substantial deterioration, nuisance or harm to receptors expected Receptors likely to experience a big improvement in their situation Relevant thresholds often exceeded Relevant positive thresholds often exceeded Significant public concern expressed during stakeholder consultation Receiving environment has an inherent value to stakeholders Moderate Some receptors affected Some receptors affected Receptors slightly sensitive and/or of moderate conservation Receptors likely to experience some improvement in their situation importance Relevant positive thresholds occasionally exceeded Measurable deterioration, nuisance or harm to receptors Relevant thresholds occasionally exceeded Limited public concern expressed during stakeholder consultation Limited value attached to the environment Minor No or limited receptors within the zone of impact No or limited receptors affected Receptors not sensitive to change Receptors not sensitive to change Minor deterioration, nuisance or harm to receptors Minor or no improvement in current situation Change not measurable or relevant thresholds never exceeded Change not measurable Stakeholders have not expressed concerns regarding the receiving Relevant positive thresholds never exceeded environment No stakeholder comment expected TIMEFRAME (determine Duration of continuous aspects Frequency of intermittent aspects specific to each Project) Short term/ low Less than 4 years from onset of impact Occurs less than once a year frequency Medium term/ frequency More than 4 years from onset of impact up to end of life of project Occurs less than 10 times a year but more than once a year (approximately 30 years) Long term/ high Impact is experienced during and beyond the life of the project Occurs more than 10 times a year frequency (greater than 30 years)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
SPATIAL SCALE Biophysical Socio-economic (determine specific to each project) Small Within the project fence line or within 200 m of unfenced facilities Within the municipality in which the activity occurs Intermediate Within the district in which is the facilities are located Within the province in which the activity occurs Extensive Beyond the district in which the facilities are located Beyond the province in which the activity occurs
PART B: DETERMINING CONSEQUENCE RATING Rate consequence based on definition of magnitude, spatial extent and duration MAGNITUDE TIMEFRAME SPATIAL SCALE Small Inter-mediate Extensive Minor Short term / low frequency Low Low Medium Medium term / frequency Low Low Medium Long term / high frequency Medium Medium Medium
Moderate Short term / low frequency Low Medium Medium Medium term / frequency Medium Medium High Long term / high frequency Medium High High
Major Short term / low frequency Medium Medium High Medium term / frequency Medium Medium High Long term / high frequency High High High
PART C: DETERMINING SIGNIFICANCE RATING Rate significance based on consequence and probability CONSEQUENCE Low Medium High PROBABILITY Definite Low Medium High (of exposure to impacts) Possible Low Medium High Unlikely Low Low Medium
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.1.3 Mitigation, Management and Good Practice Measures 418. Wherever the Project is likely to result in unacceptable impact on the environment, mitigation measures are proposed (over and above the inherent design measures included in the Project description). In addition, good practice measures may be proposed however these are unlikely to change the impact significance. In the case of positive impacts, management measures are suggested to optimize the benefits to be gained. Where mitigation measures are required the impact will be rated again to show the residual impact after implementation of management controls. 419. The following mitigation hierarchy will be utilized in selecting practical mitigation measures for unacceptable impacts as follows (in order of preference): avoid the impact wherever possible by removing the cause(s) reduce the impact as far as possible by limiting the cause(s) ameliorate the impact by protecting the receptor from the cause(s) of the impact providing compensatory measures to offset the impact, particularly where an impact is of high significance and none of the above are appropriate.
8.2 Screening of Impacts 420. Based on the impact assessment methodology discussed in Section 8.1, Table 8-3 presents the possible impacts of the proposed Project. Each impact is discussed further in this chapter.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-3: Initial Rating of Impacts
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors
Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 1 Land Use D The change in land use due to the Overall H M M None Minor Major Medium Small L Possible L proposed Project is potentially EQ incompatible with the existing land use and hence will affect the overall environmental quality in the Study Area 2 Visual D The proposed road will affect the visual Nearby M M M None Moderate Moderat Medium Small M Possible M Impact and aesthetic quality in the Study Area communiti e es
3 Visual C Degradation of aesthetic value of the Nearby M M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Impact area due to construction activities communiti low es
4 Ecology C Loss of habitat due to site clearance Terrestrial M M L Legal (for Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Definite L and flora, Red list low Habitat herpetofau species) na 5 Ecology C Pollution and waste generation during Overall M L L None Moderate Moderate Short/ Small L Possible L and construction activities may deteriorate EQ low Habitat the surrounding habitats such as water bodies.
6 Ecology C Lack of regulation may result in poaching Aviafuana L L M None Minor Minor Short/ Intermed L Possible L and of wildlife, especially birds, by staff. low iate Habitat
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 7 Noise C Construction activities will generate noise Nearby M H H High (strict Major Moderat Short/ Small M Definite M which may result in annoyance, communiti IFC and local e low disturbance, stress. es regulations)
8 Noise O Vehicles on the Project road will generate Nearby M H H High (strict Major Major Medium Small M Definite M noise which may result in annoyance, communiti IFC and local disturbance, stress. es regulations)
9 Vibration C Construction activities will generate Nearby L M H None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Definite L vibration which may result in annoyance, communiti low disturbance, stress. es
10 Vibration O Vibration impacts unlikely of Project Nearby L L M None Minor Major Medium Small L Definite L operation communiti es
11 Air C Construction activities will generate Nearby M L H Moderate Moderate Minor Short/ Intermed M Definite M Quality pollution which will deteriorate the air communiti (IFC and low iate quality of the area. es local regulations)
12 Air O Vehicles on the Project road will generate Nearby M L M Moderate Moderate Major Medium Intermed M Definite M Quality pollution which will deteriorate the air communiti (IFC and iate quality of the area. es local regulations) 13 Water C Construction may impact mountain Spring L M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Resource springs including altering hydrology and water low s damaging existing water infrastructure users such as pipes and water collection units
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 14 Land C Excavation and site clearance will result Nearby L H H None Moderate Minor Medium Small M Possible M Stability in decreased slope stability which can communiti result in landslides es, water bodies
15 Greenhou C Construction activities will generate Global H L L None Minor Minor Long/ Extensiv M Definite M se Gas Greenhouse Gas emissions high e Emission s
16 Greenhou O Project road will divert vehicles onto Global H L L None Minor Major Long/ Extensiv M Definite M se Gas smoother road reducing net GHG high e Emission emissions. s 17 Soil and C Construction activities, especially Water and M M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Water excavation may damage old oil pipelines soils low Quality that can leak and contaminate soils and water. 18 Soil and C Bridge construction at the oil terminal Water and L M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Water (near chainage 4310 m) may unearth soils low Quality contaminated soils which can contaminate the area if not handled properly. 19 Socioeco D A cemetery is within the RoW of the Single L M M None Minor Moderat Short/ Small L Possible L nomic alignment and will be displaced resulting family e low in sentimental impacts on the families.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 20 Socioeco D Access to residential and other land, via Household M M M None Moderate Moderat Medium Small M Possible M nomic an informal routes, may be hampered due to s along the e d C the Project road causing inconvenience RoW to owners. 21 Socioeco C Resettlement of households in the LARP Household M M M None Moderate Moderat Medium Small M Possible M nomic may result in negative socioeconomic s with the e impacts to their wellbeing during the LARP transition.
Number of Receptors Sensitivity of Receptors Level of Public Concern Risk of Exceeding Threshold Consequence Significance Affected (Legal or Other) H Large Highly Sensitive High High High High M Moderate Sensitive Medium Medium Medium Medium L Small Not Sensitive No or insignificant Low or Not Applicable Low Low
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.3 Land Use
Phase ID Impact Design 01 The change in land use due to the proposed Project is potentially incompatible with the existing land use and hence will affect the overall environmental quality in the Study Area
421. The current land use in the Study Area is discussed in Section 5.2.2. Nearly two- third of the land is covered with natural or planted vegetation. The footprint of the proposed Project is about 0.6 square km. Assuming that about half of it will require removal of vegetation, the proportion of natural habitat will reduce by about 1%. 422. There are various impacts of land use change also. For example, conversion of farmland and forests to urban development reduces the amount of land available for food and timber production; conversions of farmland and forests to urban development reduce the amount of open space and environmental amenities for local residents; and where the rural community has unique cultural identity, the urban development may result in the loss of the community’s identify. 423. As shown in the Figure below, the Batumi Region can be distinctly divided into three regions. The westernmost region is the urban area of Batumi. The eastern area are the mountain region with very little human population. Whereas the central region, where the proposed Project, will be located is semi urban are characterized by farmland, orchards, and houses scattered across the landscape.
Figure 8-1: Urbanization of Batumi Area
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
424. The proposed Project will be constructed in an area which is already modified by human activities and cannot be considered as pristine. There is a network of roads that connects the villages located in the area. The entire area is accessible by road. Therefore, it cannot be argued that the change in land use is completely incompatible. 425. However, the presence of the road will be the first major urban infrastructure in the area. To minimize the impact of the change in land use, following mitigation measures will be used: Removal of vegetation under the bridges will be minimized As part of the restoration following the completion of the construction, all areas which are not required for the project will be planted with trees.
8.4 Visual Impact
Phase ID Impact Design 02 The proposed road will affect the visual and aesthetic quality in the Study Area Construction 03 Degradation of aesthetic value of the area due to construction activities
426. Visual impacts are the effects on people of the changes in available views through intrusion or obstruction and whether important opportunities to enjoy views may be improved or reduced. Visual impact to nearby receptors of the Project include: Degradation of aesthetic value of the area due to construction activities Permanent change in visual character due to proposed Project 427. The Project Area largely consists of mountainous valleys with large trees and bushes of heights greater than 2 m. The hilly landscape greatly restricts visibility to a less than one km at receptor locations. It is likely that some hiking trails are located in the Study Area, however, this is not a popular location for hiking and trekking and other areas further east of the Batumi are the preferred location. 428. The construction phase visual impact will be local and temporary. The activities during construction that will affect the aesthetics of the area include excavation, stacking of material onto stockpiles and dumping at the waste disposal areas. Borrow pits and quarry areas are to be excavated, useful material will be stacked to stockpiles whereas waste and spoils will be dumped to waste disposal areas. Quarries and borrow areas may leave a long-term scar on the hillsides. Minimize disturbance to, or movement of, soil and vegetation; Wherever possible back fill the pits that are not required; Undertake landscaping after the completion of the activities to match in with surrounding landscape; Reinstate vegetation; and Consider environmentally friendly design for structures particularly noise walls.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.5 Ecology and Habitat
Phase ID Impact Construction 04 Loss of habitat due to site clearance Construction 05 Pollution and waste generation during construction activities may deteriorate the surrounding habitats such as water bodies. Construction 06 Lack of regulation may result in poaching of wildlife, especially birds, by staff.
429. The main concerns for impacts on ecological receptors are disturbances caused by site clearance/preparation, the spread of invasive species and contamination of feeding, breeding and resting habitats. Another concern is poaching due to a lack of regulation. 430. In order to determine which species are likely to be impacted by the Project, all species listed as Vulnerable (VU), Near Threatened (NT), Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List were shortlisted and a selection process was devised taking into consideration the following: Species reported in the Project area Likelihood of species being found within the Project area based on habitat preference 431. The IUCN Red List species falling in one of the four categories (VU, NT, EN, CR) that are either reported from the Project area or likely to be present based on habitat preference were classified as receptors. The results of the selection process are presented in Table 8-4.
Table 8-4: Species Selection as Receptors
Species IUCN Reported Likelihood of presence in Classification Status from Project Project area based on as Receptor area (Yes/No) habitat preference (Yes/No) (Yes/No) Plants Colchic Boxwood NT Yes Yes Yes Buxus colchica Common Walnut NT Yes Yes Yes Juglans regia Similar Laserwort EN No No No Laserpitium affine Pontic Campanula VU No No No Campanula pontica Astrantia-like Cow NT No No No Parsley Chaerophyllum astrantiae Buckler Fern VU No No No Dryopteris liliana
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Species IUCN Reported Likelihood of presence in Classification Status from Project Project area based on as Receptor area (Yes/No) habitat preference (Yes/No) (Yes/No) Colchic Kemulariella VU No No No Kemulariella colchica Lazetian Forget-me- NT No Yes Yes not Myosotis lazica Colchis Water- CR No Yes Yes Chestnut Trapa colchica Mammals Mehely's Horseshoe VU Yes Yes Yes Bat Rhinolophus mehelyi Mediterranean NT Yes Yes Yes Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus Euryale Common Otter NT Yes Yes Yes Lutra lutra Western Barbastelle NT No Yes Yes Barbastella barbastellus Schreiber's Bent- NT No Yes Yes winged Bat Miniopterus schreibersii Bechstein's Myotis NT No Yes Yes Myotis bechsteinii Giant Noctule VU No Yes Yes Nyctalus lasiopterus Birds Dalmatian Pelican VU Yes Yes Yes Pelecanus crispus White-winged VU Yes Yes Yes Scoter Melanitta fusca Imperial Eagle VU Yes Yes Yes Aquila heliacal Greater Spotted VU Yes Yes Yes Eagle Aquila clanga Egyptian Vulture EN Yes Yes Yes Neophron percnopterus
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-15 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Species IUCN Reported Likelihood of presence in Classification Status from Project Project area based on as Receptor area (Yes/No) habitat preference (Yes/No) (Yes/No) Black Vulture NT Yes Yes Yes Aegypius monachus Saker Falcon Falco EN Yes Yes Yes cherrug Red-footed Falcon NT Yes Yes Yes Falco vespertinus Ferruginous Duck NT No No No Aythya nyroca Bearded Vulture NT No No No Gypaetus barbatus Caucasian Grouse NT No No No Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi Velvet Scoter VU No Yes No Melanitta fusca Yelkouan VU No No No Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan Herpetofauna Caucasian Viper EN Yes Yes Yes Vipera kaznakovi Caucasian VU Yes Yes Yes Salamander Mertensiella caucasica Caucasian Toad NT No No No Bufo verrucosissimus Northern Banded NT No No No Newt Ommatotriton ophryticus Caucasian Parsley NT No Yes Yes Frog Pelodytes caucasicus Derjugin's Lizard NT No Yes Yes Darevskia derjugini Large-headed VU No Yes Yes Water Snake Natrix megalocephala
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-16 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Species IUCN Reported Likelihood of presence in Classification Status from Project Project area based on as Receptor area (Yes/No) habitat preference (Yes/No) (Yes/No) Invertebrates Fen Raft Spider VU Yes Yes Yes Dolomedes Plantarius Fish Beluga/ Giant CR Yes Yes Yes Sturgeon Huso huso Atlantic Sturgeon CR Yes Yes Yes Acipenser sturio Fringebarbel CR Yes Yes Yes Sturgeon Acipenser nudiventris Starred Sturgeon CR Yes Yes Yes Acipenser stellatus Persian Sturgeon CR Yes Yes Yes Acipenser persicus European Eel CR No Yes Yes Anguilla anguilla Common Thresher VU No No No Shark Alopias vulpinus
432. The species found or likely to be found in the Project area, based on the selection were classified as receptors. The impacts on receptors, both generally based on category and for each species, are provided in Table 8-5. Specific mitigation measures for the impacts are also provided in Table 8-5.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-17 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-5: Species Impacts and Mitigation
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Plants Site Clearance Planting of native species Loss of habitat Use of measures to prevent the spread of invasive species Rapid spread of invasive species hence native species are including environmentally friendly pesticides outcompeted Monitoring surveys to identify growth of invasive species in Close proximity of Mtirala NP (4 km) and the native, the disturbed area endemic and relict flora within it Replacement of top soil to restore conditions for biological Soil removal leading to a decrease in biological activity activity Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Dumping on vegetation Contamination of soil Dust Pollution Lack of Regulation Introduction of invasive species Colchic Boxwood The species will lose habitat as it is reported to be present in Re-planting of the species Buxus colchica the Project area. Spread if invasive species has not been identified as a major threat for this species, however, it is a relict species, therefore, the impact of the spread of invasive species will be more severe than for other species. In addition the main growing area is the Mtirala National Park located 4 km away Common Walnut It will undergo loss of habitat as it is reported to be present Re-planting of species. This is a key measure for this Juglans regia in the Project area species as tree cutting is major threat and the species is Cutting of trees is already a threat to the species rare in Adjara It is rare in the Adjara region which makes it even more important within the Project area and for consideration in mitigation measures
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-18 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Colchis Water- As this is an aquatic plant, site clearance will not impact the Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting Chestnut Trapa species aquatic habitat colchica It is endemic to Georgia Mitigating impacts against this species will result in benefits Irresponsible dumping of waste that results in contamination to bird and fish fauna as well of aquatic sites within the Study Area will cause habitat loss and mortality, especially since the species requires unpolluted, nutrient-rich water. It is in important food source for birds and provides fish with spawning grounds, therefore, loss of this species will impact birds and fish fauna Lazetian Forget- Habitat loss will have an impact on the plants present within Re-planting of the species me-not Myosotis any cleared area lazica Mammals Site Clearance Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife Loss of habitat will result in loss of suitable feeding, that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is breeding and resting sites established Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Contamination of water bodies Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in Contamination of the food chain prevention of contamination of the food chain Noise Pollution Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the Dust Pollution disturbance to animals as far as possible Lack of Regulation Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to Hunting and poaching animals as far as possible Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-19 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Mehely's Site clearance and presence of the Project will result in The species is legally protected in Georgia, therefore, if any Horseshoe Bat habitat fragmentation which are already documented threats specimens are found in the Project area or any roosting Rhinolophus for it sites are identified, a specialist should be consulted on re- mehelyi It may also lose feeding areas due to both habitat loss and location of the bats contamination of the food chain If bats are found within the Project area, pollution including As it is reported to be present in the Project area it will noise, dust and contamination of nearby habitat should be affected by noise and dust pollution prevented The species is legally Protected in Georgia Re-plantation is needed to for the re-establishment of feeding sites Mediterranean The species is already facing a loss of foraging habitat. The species is legally protected in Georgia, therefore, if any Horseshoe Bat Construction of the Project is likely to result in further loss as specimens are found in the Project area or any roosting Rhinolophus the species has been reported to be present in the Project sites are identified, a specialist should be consulted on re- Euryale area location of the bats Urbanization is already a threat to the species, therefore, the If bats are found within the Project area, pollution including Project’s contribution to it could result in an increase in noise, dust and contamination of nearby habitat should be threat to this species prevented As it is reported to be present in the Project area it will Re-plantation is needed to for the re-establishment of affected by noise and dust pollution feeding sites The species is legally Protected in Georgia Western The removal of mature woodland will impact the species as Clearance of mature woodland should be minimized as far Barbastelle it prefers such habitat as possible to preserve the species’ habitat Barbastella Re-plantation and support to trees until they are established barbastellus will increase chances of habitat restoration for the species Schreiber's Bent- Impacts are expected to be low as the species is adaptable Habitat loss should be minimized to avoid depletion of its winged Bat to living in artificial habitats including suburban areas food supply Miniopterus Disturbances to caves should be minimized as that is schreibersii present threat
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-20 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Giant Noctule The removal of mature woodland will impact the species as Clearance of mature woodland should be minimized as far Nyctalus lasiopterus it prefers such habitat as possible to preserve the species’ habitat Re-plantation and support to trees until they are established will increase chances of habitat restoration for the species Common Otter The species is very unlikely to be affected as it is very rare Although this species is reported to be present in the Project Lutra lutra in Adjara due to an already low food supply and conflict with area, its distribution within Georgia does not overlap with the commercial fisheries Study Area If the species is observed in the Project area, a biodiversity specialist should be notified the specimens re-located Birds Site Clearance Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife Loss of habitat will result in loss of suitable feeding, that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is breeding and nesting sites established Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Contamination of water bodies. Can result in contamination of the breeding and resting grounds of congregatory bird Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in species some of which include the Red-necked Grebe, prevention of contamination of the food chain, especially of Great White Pelican and the White Stork water bodies which are very important for bird fauna in and around the Study Area Contamination of the food chain Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the Noise Pollution disturbance to birds as far as possible Dust Pollution Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to Lack of Regulation birds as far as possible Hunting and poaching Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect The migratory season is through August and September so species of conservation importance and minimize loss of restrictions should be placed during this period wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-21 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Dalmatian Pelican The species does not inhabit areas typical of those in the If vegetation around aquatic habitat is disturbed it should be Pelecanus crispus Study Area, however, it does breed in dense aquatic re-planted at similar sites to facilitate the development of vegetation so any such habitat in or around the Study Area habitat to replace that lost that is lost will result in loss of breeding sites for this species Contamination of aquatic areas should be prevented to Contamination of aquatic habitat, due to improper waste minimize risk of contamination of its food source disposal, will contaminate the species’ food source Staff should not engage in hunting as this species is often Shooting is a threat, therefore, is a target for those engaged targeted in hunting White-winged The main impact on this species is from pollution from Improper waste disposal should be avoided to minimize the Scoter Melanitta improper disposal of waste risk of contamination of aquatic habitat which, as pollution is fusca one of the threats to this species Imperial Eagle The main impacts will be from habitat loss, mostly indirectly Re-plantation should be done to restore habitat as far as Aquila heliacal as the prey base of the species can be impacted possible to prevent decline in the species’ prey base The species is legally Protected in Georgia Staff should not engage in hunting as this species can be targeted and is legally protected in Georgia Greater Spotted The Project will result in habitat loss which will impact the Re-plantation to restore habitat is important to minimize Eagle Aquila clanga species directly or indirectly as it is affected by urbanization impacts on this species, both direct and indirect and loss of habitat. Egyptian Vulture The Project will result in a loss of habitat Re-plantation to restore habitat is important. In particular this Neophron The species can also suffer from being shot species forages around human settlements, therefore, the percnopterus likelihood of loss of habitat for it is higher than for other bird species Staff should not engage in shooting of wildlife as this species is sometimes targeted Black Vulture The main impact will be from reduced food availability due to Re-plantation to restore habitat is important as one of the Aegypius loss of habitat threats to this species reduced food availability monachus Human-caused mortality, for example, by hunting, is also Staff should not engage in shooting of wildlife as this possible species is sometimes targeted
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-22 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Saker Falcon Falco The species will not face impacts related to the Project with Re-plantation to restore habitat is important cherrug the possible exception of some habitat loss indirectly impacting it by causing a loss in prey Red-footed Falcon The species will be impacted by habitat loss as destruction Re-plantation is important to restore habitat so that the Falco vespertinus of suitable nesting sites is a threat it is facing species can have alternative nesting sites to replace those destroyed by the Project Migratory species The main impact will be due to hunting Staff should not engage in hunting as migratory bird species are targeted by hunters in Batumi
Herpetofauna Site Clearance Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Reptile Loss of habitat will result in loss of suitable feeding, and amphibian species that will re-locate may return once breeding and resting sites planted vegetation is established Loss of habitat on site especially because of limited mobility Any herpetofauna species observed during construction activities should be re-located with assistance from a Loss of habitat in nearby surrounding area is especially biodiversity expert to ensure proper handling important because of their limited ability to relocate Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting Risk of being killed by Project-related activities such as ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife movement of equipment Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in Pollution and Waste Generation prevention of contamination of the food chain Contamination of water bodies Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the Contamination of the food chain disturbance to herpetofauna species as far as possible Noise Pollution Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to Dust Pollution herpetofauna species as far as possible Lack of Regulation Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect Hunting and poaching species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-23 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Caucasian Viper The species will be impacted by habitat loss Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Vipera kaznakovi It will also be impacted by Project –activities as it is known Care should be taken when carrying out Project-related to inhabit disturbed areas activities even in areas that are already disturbed The Project will contribute towards urbanization which is a If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located threat to the species, therefore, it will be impacted by the with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper Project handling The species is legally Protected in Georgia Caucasian Habitat loss and fragmentation will impact the species as Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Salamander these are already threats to it If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located Mertensiella Tree felling is also a threat, therefore, site clearance will with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper caucasica impact the species especially near small streams handling Caucasian Parsley Habitat loss will impact the species as it relies on dense Disturbance to pools and small pond habitats should be Frog Pelodytes vegetation (bushes and grasses) minimized to preserve the species’ habitat caucasicus Loss of pools and small ponds will also impact the species Re-plantation to restore habitat is important as it is also found in such habitats If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located Pollution of aquatic habitat will also impact the species with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Derjugin's Lizard Loss of damp forest areas will impact the species as these Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Darevskia derjugini are typical habitats If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located Deforestation is a current threat with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Large-headed Loss of Colchis type forests will impact the species Disturbance of undergrowth in Colchis type forests should Water Snake Natrix especially loss of evergreen undergrowth be minimized as far as possible to preserve the species’ megalocephala habitat Re-plantation to restore habitat is important If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-24 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Invertebrates Site Clearance Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife Loss of habitat will result in loss of suitable feeding, that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is breeding and nesting sites established Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Contamination of water bodies Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in Contamination of the food chain prevention of contamination of the food chain, especially of Noise Pollution water bodies which are very important for invertebrates Dust Pollution Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the disturbance as far as possible Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance as far as possible Fen Raft Spider The species will be impacted by loss of pools and ditches, During re-plantation, some habitat that is restored should be Dolomedes which are its habitats ponds and small bodies of water so that the species can re- Plantarius It will also be impacted by contamination of water, especially colonize increase in turbidity, as it requires relatively clear water Its foraging and reproduction, both will be impacted by removal and contamination of standing or slow-moving water Fish Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting Contamination of water bodies can result in contamination of ecologically important aquatic habitat habitat used for breeding by migratory species like the Use of sites designated for dumping will also prevent Sturgeons. These rivers are especially important for their contamination of the aquatic food chain juvenile life stage Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect Contamination of the food chain species of conservation importance and minimize loss of Lack of Regulation wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project Hunting and poaching
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-25 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Impacts Management and Mitigation Measures Sturgeon Species All the Sturgeon species reported from the Project area will Dumping of waste should not be carried out in the riverine be impacted by pollution of rivers because they migrate into habitat or any aquatic habitat that connects to the river the rivers and breed system The impact is not expected to be high as the rivers reported Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect to be used by these species are not in the Study Area, species especially the Sturgeon species for whom this is however, one, the Chorokhi River is adjacent to the Study already a threat Area and is important for them The juveniles of Sturgeon species will be most impacted by contamination of riverine habitat Sturgeon species will be impacted by poaching by staff. Poaching is already a threat to these species European Eel The species will be impacted by pollution of any aquatic Dumping of waste should not be carried out in the riverine Anguilla anguilla habitat as it inhabits a range of aquatic habitats from small habitat or any aquatic habitat that connects to the river streams to large rivers and lakes. It occurs in natural bodies system connected to the sea, which are present in the Study Area, It is indicated that adults may be at risk from accumulation of and adjacent to it lipophilic chemical pollutant, therefore, preventing The causes of decline are not well understood, therefore, it contamination of aquatic habitats is very important for this cannot be said with certainty whether pollution of aquatic species habitat will impact the species. However, the accumulation of lipophilic chemical pollutants is indicated as a threat to adults Periphyton Pollution and Waste Generation Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting Contamination of water bodies aquatic habitat Contamination of the food chain Impacts on periphyton should be minimized to avoid impacts on other organisms in the food chain Impacts on periphyton will impact other organisms as it makes up the base of the food chain in marine and freshwater ecosystems. The impacts can be felt through the ecosystem
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-26 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.5.1 Site Clearance 433. The main effects of site clearance/preparation and movement of equipment include loss of habitat. The ecological receptors most affected include those that have limited mobility such as terrestrial flora, reptiles and amphibians. Loss of habitat can also affect more mobile species which lose breeding, nesting and feeding sites. The spread of invasive plant species is facilitated by disturbances (Section 5.3.1) such as site clearance and this results in a risk to the native, endemic and relict flora (Section 5.3.1). 434. The removal of vegetation, including up-rooting of shrubs and cutting of trees, will result in loss of plants, contributing to a decline in their numbers, as well as loss of habitat for species of mammals, birds, insects and herpetofauna that they provide. Fauna with limited mobility, such as reptiles, are at a greater risk of direct mortality due to Project- related activities such as movement of equipment. Site clearance may also result in loss of some pools and small, stagnant water bodies which are important habitat for invertebrate species such as the Fen Raft Spider. However, extensive loss of aquatic habitat due to site clearance and preparation is not a risk. 435. Terrestrial flora is at risk from disturbances such as site clearance because this can result in the spread of invasive species as they grow more rapidly than native species under these conditions (Section 5.3.1). The two species classified as being of conservation importance, the Colchic Boxwood Buxus colchica and Common Walnut Juglans regia, are of particular concern. The Project area is already modified by anthropogenic activity. Invasive species in Georgia include Ailanthus altissima, Clerodendrum bungei, Miscanthus sinensinsis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Spiraea japonica and Vitex rotundifolia of which Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia have distributions within Batumi (Section 5.3.1). However, Project-related activities can add to their spread. The close proximity (4 km from the Project) of the Mtirala National Park, an area that is home to numerous endemic and relict plant species of Georgia, is a concern as the increase in invasive species within the Project area can be followed by their spread to the National Park which threatens the native, endemic and relict species within it (Section 5.3.1). Site clearance/preparation and movement of equipment results in the removal of top soil which can negative influence several soil functions which are relevant in nature and environmental protection, e.g. carbon storage, and a decrease in biological activity.177 436. There are two herpetofauna species, the Caucasian Viper and the Caucasian Salamander, reported from the Project area. The Caucasian Salamander, in particular, is at risk because it is endemic to Georgia and Turkey (Section 5.3.4). Reptiles and amphibians have limited ranges and are unable to travel long distances unlike birds and mammals. As a result any individuals found within the Project area are at risk of either being killed by Project-related activities, or having suitable habitat destroyed and perishing as a result of their inability to re-locate. 437. Loss of habitat results in the loss of breeding, feeding and nesting sites for all species including highly mobile ones. Even though the Project is located in habitat modified by anthropogenic activity, certain bird species, such as the Endangered Egyptian Vulture is known to forage around human settlements (Section 5.3.3). However, no evidence of the presence of this species or its nests in or around the Project area is
177 Geissen, V., S. Wang, K. Oostindie, E. Huerta, K. B. Zwart, A. Smit, C. J. Ritsema, and D. Moore. "Effects of topsoil removal as a nature management technique on soil functions." Catena 101 (2013): 50- 55.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-27 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
available. Mammal species of conservation importance that can suffer habitat loss include Mehely's Horseshoe Bat and Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat (Section 5.3.2). Invertebrate species that have limited mobility are more at risk than those that are more mobile. The Project is not expected to alter aquatic habitat, therefore, there is lower risk from site clearance/preparation and movement of equipment impacting aquatic ecology. 438. Site clearance/preparation will also result in habitat fragmentation. This will cause a disturbance in the connectivity of habitat. Individuals belonging to species with limited ranges will be most affected, especially species with limited mobility who will be unable to re-locate. An example of a species already at risk from habitat fragmentation is the Mehely's Horseshoe Bat.
8.5.2 Pollution and Waste Generation 439. Pollution and improper disposal of waste, generated during construction activities, poses a threat to surrounding flora and fauna. The ecological receptors at risk are not only those that have limited mobility but also more mobile receptors, such as migratory fish and bird fauna which pass through the Project area. Improper waste disposal can result in dumping on vegetation and contamination of soil which can result spread of contaminants into the ecosystem. Water bodies can also be contaminated. Both land and water pollution can result in contamination of the food chain. Pollution of water channels can put at risk both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Pollution from noise and dust from construction activities will result in presently suitable habitat nearby becoming uninhabitable. It can also cause loss of suitable foraging and breeding sites. 440. Batumi and the nearby Chorokhi Delta (less than 3.75 km from the Project) are important habitat for numerous bird species, many of which are of conservation importance based on the IUCN Red List. Many of them are also migratory and congregatory species (Section 5.3.3). The Eastern Black Sea Flyway, which passes over Batumi, is an important migratory route for a number of waterbirds (migratory and wintering waterbirds), cranes and raptors (Section 5.3.3). Pollution as a result of noise and contamination of water puts their feeding and resting grounds at risk. 441. Pollution of water bodies such as the rivers and streams in and around the Project area can result in contamination of sites that may currently be suitable habitat for feeding and breeding of migratory fish species. Some of these species spend a part of their life in the rivers, especially when they are juveniles, therefore, the water quality in this habitat is important for their survival and reproduction (Section 5.4.1). 442. The phytoplankton in Batumi’s rivers and coastal areas is already disturbed by pollution and other anthropogenic impacts (Section 5.4.2). Project-related activities can add to this if proper waste management and disposal practices are not followed. As phytoplankton is an important primary producer in marine and aquatic ecosystems, contamination can result in impacts to the entire ecosystem. One invertebrate species, the Fen Raft Spider, in particular, is of concern as uses aquatic habitat for breeding (Section 5.3.5).
8.5.3 Lack of Regulation 443. Staff involved on-site, such as workers and site managers, can engage in poaching and illegal exploitation of wildlife. This can result in the targeting of species of conservation importance including those currently under legal protection from hunting and exploitation. A number of bird species are also at risk, in particular, raptor species that pass through Batumi during the passage season (Section 5.3.3). There are reports that bird species of
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-28 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
conservation importance are shot during this season by indiscriminate hunting (Section 5.3.3). 444. Staff can introduce invasive species, such as alien plant species, which can have adverse impacts on native flora by out-competing them. Invasive can spread rapidly and pose a threat to the Mtirala National Park which has a number of endemic and relict plant species. 445. There are four legally protected species in the Project area, therefore, hunting should be avoided to avoid the risk of violation of laws (see Section 8.5.6).
8.5.4 Impacts on Ecosystems 446. Ecosystems178 can be divided into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The impact on terrestrial ecosystems will be limited, with the main one being due to loss of habitat from construction of the Project. The resulting habitat fragmentation will impact certain species but not all. Furthermore, loss of connectivity will be limited to the extent of the road. The spread of invasive species, however, if not prevented, will have an impact on the terrestrial ecosystem, especially on the composition of native flora. Under disturbed conditions invasive species will be able out-compete native flora and alter the plant community composition permanently. Irresponsible waste disposal will result in impacts on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Dumping on soil will reduce soil quality and inhibit biological activity, whilst dumping in water bodies will reduce water quality, which will impact the aquatic ecosystem. Contamination of both ecosystems will result in adverse impacts on the food chain for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms. The Study Area partially overlaps with an IBA, therefore, bird species dependent on resources in the Study Area or immediately surrounding areas will at risk from contaminated food chains.
8.5.5 Impacts on Wildlife Habitat 447. Impacts on wildlife habitat include habitat loss, fragmentation and loss of connectivity along pollution from noise, dust and irresponsible dumping of waste. Site clearance carried out for the Project will result in loss of habitat that is presently being used by wildlife. Construction activities will result in generation of noise and dust which will drive wildlife away from areas surrounding the Project site. Improper waste disposal will result in pollution which will contaminate soil and water resulting in a reduction in quality of habitat available for wildlife. During the operational life of the Project the habitat for wildlife will be fragmented and there will be loss of connectivity for certain species, especially herpetofauna and mammal species. Loss of connectivity will not impact birds and fish.
178 An ecosystem is defined as a the complex of living organisms, their physical environment and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-29 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.5.6 Protected Species 448. There are four protected species in the Project area which include Mehely's Horseshoe Bat, Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat, Imperial Eagle and Caucasian Viper. Mitigation measures to ensure that the Project does not impact these species are provided in Table 8-5, for each species.
8.5.7 Mitigation Measures 449. As the habitat is classified as a Modified Habitat, examples of opportunities to protect and enhance it, based on ADB standards179 include the following: assisting traditional forest users to protect and enhance areas of forest adjacent to the project by funding forest patrols to prevent illegal harvesting or fence installation to exclude livestock funding the replanting of degraded land or forest within a protected area or community forest funding the relocation of an endangered wildlife species to a protected area where it previously existed 450. The mitigation measures that will be incorporated to minimize the impacts on the ecological resources, in line with the ADB standards presented above are provided along their associated residual impacts:
The implementation of the mitigation measures recommended in Table will 5 8 ensure that the impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat are minimized. It will also result in colonize areas of r-restoration of habitat, therefore, any wildlife displaced can reestored habitat, successfully reproduce and establish their populations. Avoiding clearance of vegetation and disturbance of habitat where possible, including aquatic habitat (such as pools and small ponds) is important as these are important habitat for wildlife. Re-plantation to compensate for loss of vegetation and to restore habitat for fauna. Within the part of the Study Area that overlaps with the IBA, tree species used by birds can be planted including those used by the Endangered Egyptian Vulture. The re-planted vegetation should be monitored and supported until it establishes itself. Planting of native plant species and preventing the spread of invasive plant species, for example, by use of chemical or physical means of prevention of growth as well as removal. This will allow native species to colonize successfully. Re-plantation should be carried out in areas that are disturbed by the Project. These include areas that need to be restored as well as those located immediately around the Project structures, such as along the road-side. These area are most susceptible to the spread of invasive species, therefore, planting and ensuring the success of native species at these sites is most important. Re-planting in areas further from Project structures is also recommended as
179 Asian Development Bank, December 2012, Environmental Safeguards, A Good Practice Sourcebook Draft Working Document
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-30 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
this will contribute towards habitat restoration and compensation for loss of habitat as a result of the Project. Factors such as soil conditions and likelihood of success of re-planted species at each site need to be taken into consideration in deciding the most suitable locations for each species to be re- planted. Monitoring the spread of invasive species using monitoring surveys. This will provide information on the spread of invasive species. The restoration of top soil is important because its removal can result in a negative influence on several soil functions including biological activity. Restoration will ensure soil functions are replaced as far as possible so that risks to biological activity are reduced. The plant species of conservation importance, Colchic Boxwood, Common Walnut, Lazetian Forget-me-not and Colchis Water-Chestnut are facing threats that are not Project-related (Section 5.3.1). Except those plants that come directly into the footprint of the road, the removal of these species should be avoided. However, mitigation measures to re-plant any of the four species of conservation importance removed by Project-related activities is recommended, preferably in a higher than 1:5 ratio of replantation to removal. This will ensure that the Project does not negatively impact their numbers in Georgia. Re-planted vegetation should be monitored and supported until it is established. This will provide them with the best chance of establishment. Providing wildlife crossings so that impacts of habitat fragmentation are minimized. Re-location of any specimens found while Project-related activities are being carried out, with the help of biodiversity experts to ensure proper handling. This is especially important for species of conservation importance. The practice will provide the best possible chance of survival for wildlife. Biodiversity experts can devise effective relocation plans, taking species-specific factors into consideration, to maximize the chances of success. If herpetofauna species are observed in the Project area, they should be removed to other suitable habitat, with the help biodiversity experts to ensure proper handling. Herpetofauna species are most at risk because of their limited ability to re-locate. These species are at higher risk because of their limited ranges. Also there are two species of conservation importance present here, the Caucasian Viper and Caucasian Salamander. If bird nests are observed, they should be carefully removed and placed in suitable habitat, with the help of biodiversity experts to ensure proper handling. An expert can help identify the species the nests belong to. If it is a species of conservation importance, special care should be taken. This will reduce the risk of mortality faced by them as a result of Project-related activities. Waste should be disposed without dumping on vegetation or allowing it to contaminate water ways. This will prevent contamination of habitat and the spread of pollution through the food chain.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-31 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
If roosting sites for bat species are identified, first priority needs to be given to protecting the roosting sites. However, in the absence of this option, biodiversity experts should be consulted. The bats should be re-located with the help of experts to ensure proper handling and development of a plan for relocation that maximizes chances of its success. Research into relocation of bats is limited with documented success of relocations even more so. It is recommended that the following characteristics be taken into consideration for the species being relocated, to both assess feasibility and develop an effective relocation protocol:180 o Dispersal from the release site o Size of the founder group o Habitat quality at the release site o Disease transmission o Anthropogenic effects on the founder population o Post-release monitoring These factors have implications for establishing populations, effects of these populations on the release site, and ability to monitor translocation success following release.181 Noise and dust pollution should be minimized to minimize disturbance to habitat surrounding the Project. This will reduce disturbance to wildlife as a result of Project-related activities. Hunting and exploitation of flora and fauna should be avoided by staff. In particular, hunting of birds during the passage season is practiced in the nearby Chorokhi Delta as well as in Batumi. The staff should also avoid bringing alien plant species into the Project facilities as these can spread and become invasive species. this will ensure that Project-related activities do not contribute to the mortality of bird species of conservation importance, however, it will not have any impact on the hunting that occurs annually in the area. It is notable that there are non-Project-related threats to many of the species mentioned. These threats, such as widespread hunting and habitat loss due to increase in agriculture, urbanization and pollution, will continue regardless of the construction and operation of the Project. Pollution of water bodies in Batumi is also an issue that is likely to continue regardless of the Project. Restrictions on hunting will limit animals lost that would otherwise be killed by staff engaging in it. 451. Mitigation and management measures for each species are provided in Table 8-5.
Significance of Impacts 452. If the mitigation measures suggested are implemented, the residual impacts of the Project will not be significant. The vegetation removed as a result of Project-related activities will be re-planted. Monitoring of re-planted vegetation and supporting it until it-
180 Ruffell, Jay, Joshua Guilbert, and Stuart Parsons. "Translocation of bats as a conservation strategy: previous attempts and potential problems." Endangered Species Research 8 (2009): 25-31. 181 Ibid
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-32 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
establishes will result in restoration of habitat that is lost due to the Project. Relocation of species with proper handling will ensure that that mortality of wildlife located within the Study Area is minimized. The prevention of the spread of invasive species by monitoring and removal will protect the native vegetation and increase the chance of native species, which are re-planted, to re-establish themselves.
8.6 Noise
Phase ID Impact Construction 07 Construction activities will generate noise which may result in annoyance, disturbance and stress. Operation 08 Vehicles on the Project road will generate noise which may result in annoyance, disturbance and stress.
453. Noise is undesirable or unwanted sound that interferes with normal human activities. Noise perception may be subjective. Its documented impacts include annoyance, disturbance, stress, and physical and psychological damage. If it disturbs the surrounding community (environmental noise), it is classified as nuisance and normally has no direct health impacts. However, long-term exposure to such noise may affect overall well-being of human beings. Exposure to very high noise levels (exceeding 85 dBA), particularly for prolonged period can cause hearing loss. This level of noise is usually encountered in the workplace around construction sites and is considered an occupational hazard. 454. In general, human sound perception is such that a change in sound level of 3 dB is just noticeable, a change of 5 dB is clearly noticeable, and an increase of 10 dB is perceived as a doubling of sound level 455. The following is a brief description of terminology used in this assessment: Sound: A vibratory disturbance created by a vibrating object, which, when transmitted by pressure waves through a medium such as air, is capable of being detected by a receiving mechanism, such as the human ear or a microphone Noise: Sound that is loud, unpleasant, unexpected, or otherwise undesirable Decibel (dB): A unitless measure of sound on a logarithmic scale, which indicates the squared ratio of sound pressure amplitude to a reference sound pressure amplitude. The reference pressure is 20 micro-pascals A-Weighted Decibel (dB(A)): An overall frequency-weighted sound level in decibels, which approximates the frequency response of the human ear. The typical human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies of the audible sound spectrum. As a consequence, when assessing potential noise impacts on people, an electronic filter is used that de-emphasizes certain frequencies in a manner corresponding to the human ear’s decreased sensitivity to low and extremely high frequencies. All of the noise levels reported in this Section are A-weighted Equivalent Sound Level (Leq): The equivalent steady state sound or vibration level, which in a stated period of time, typically one hour, would contain the same acoustical or vibration energy.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-33 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Maximum Sound Level (Lmax): The greatest A-weighted sound level, within a stated time interval. When the noise consists of a small number of discrete events, Lmax is a better indicator of the disturbance to sleep and other activities.
8.6.1 Construction Phase Impact 456. The potential noise related issue during construction of the project is disturbance to surrounding communities of the Project. 457. There is no continuous major anthropogenic source of noise in the communities. Intermittent sources include farm equipment and traffic. River noise is only the continuous source present at construction sites of the Project. Noise baseline conditions at the project construction sites in the villages is reported in Section 5.2.10. 458. The noise during the construction phase greatly depends on the stage of construction work and equipment used at the site. The construction activities can be divided into the following phases: Site clearing and preparation, delivery of equipment and materials to the site, excavation and tunnel construction, bored piling and concrete placement, erection of bridges, and finishing. 459. The main sources of noise and vibration during construction of the project are as follows: Construction machinery Drilling activities Haulage activities Concrete mixing and aggregate production systems, Vehicular movement; and Construction Camps 460. Criteria for Determining Significance is the World Bank guidelines for noise require that the sound level in residential areas should not exceed 55 dB(A) during the day and 45 dB(A) during the night. During construction period, it is likely that these standards will be exceeded for short duration during the day. 461. The potential sources of significant noise during the construction period include the construction machinery, generators at camps and construction related traffic. Precise prediction of noise due to construction activity at given location at a given time requires the list of all equipment that is operational at the time and the following information regarding each piece of equipment: The maximum and minimum noise levels, measured at a reference distance from the equipment, during a work cycle
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-34 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
The fraction of time it operates at maximum level during a work cycle The usage factor, i.e., the number of hours during the day when the equipment is operational The distance of the equipment from the receptor Potential noise barriers and other topographic features that attenuate the sound. Atmospheric conditions—the wind speed and direction, humidity and barometric pressure—also affect the propagation of sound, however, for short distances the effect of these is insignificant compared to other variables. 462. The analysis presented in this Section is based on the approach recommended by Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation for assessment of construction noise and uses Roadway Construction Noise Model (RCNM) Ver 1.1, for the prediction of construction equipment noise. 463. Construction noise levels at the receptors would fluctuate depending on the type, number, distance from receptor, and duration of use of various pieces of construction equipment. In this analysis, first the noise level due to each piece of equipment, which is likely to be used in the construction, is calculated. The peak noise levels of construction equipment mainly used at a typical construction site, are shown in Table 8-6. The list includes all equipment except vehicles and some minor pieces of equipment. Using this data, the expected noise level, Leq(8-hr), is calculated. The predicted noise levels at 100 m from the source are shown in Table 8-7. It shows that the highest equivalent noise level for an 8-hour shift due to a single piece of equipment at a receptor, at a typical distance of 100 m from the source will be about 61 dB(A) during preparation stage. 464. When more than one piece of equipment are working simultaneously, the noise level at the receptor will increase. The attenuation due to topographic factors could be up to 2 dB(A). Good maintenance of equipment with installation of noise mufflers may also reduce the noise.
Table 8-6: Construction Equipment Noise (dB(A))
Equipment Actual Max Usage Factor (%) Roads -Preparation Stage Dozer 81.7 30 Excavator 80.7 30 Grader 85 30 Roller 80.0 15 Rock Drill 81.0 15 Dump Truck 76.5 30 Roads - Completion Stage Compressor 77.7 30 Paver 77.2 30 Roller 80.0 15
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-35 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Equipment Actual Max Usage Factor (%) Tractor 84.0 30 Concrete mixer truck 78.8 30 Tunnel Mouth Jack Hammer 88.9 50 Tunnel Blasting 94.0 1 Bridge Boring Jack Power Unit 83.0 20 Source: Roadway Construction Noise Model Notes: a the fraction of time each piece of construction equipment is operating at full power (i.e., its loudest condition) during a construction operation
Table 8-7: Predicted Noise Level for Construction Equipment (dB(A))
Equipment Actual Max Usage Leq (dB(A)) at Various Distance Factor (%) 50m 100m 200m 300m 400m 500m Roads -Preparation Stage Dozer 81.7 30 64.2 58.1 52.1 48.6 46.1 44.2 Excavator 80.7 30 63.2 57.1 51.1 47.6 45.1 43.2 Grader 85 30 67.5 61.4 55.4 51.9 49.4 47.5 Roller 80.0 15 59.4 53.4 47.4 43.9 41.4 39.4 Rock Drill 81.0 15 60.4 54.4 48.4 44.9 42.4 40.4 Dump Truck 76.5 30 59.0 52.9 46.9 43.4 40.9 39.0 Roads - Completion Stage Compressor 77.7 30 60.2 54.1 48.1 44.6 42.1 40.2 Paver 77.2 30 59.7 53.6 47.6 44.1 41.6 39.7 Roller 80.0 15 59.4 53.4 47.4 43.9 41.4 39.4 Tractor 84.0 30 66.5 60.4 54.4 50.9 48.4 46.5 Concrete mixer truck 78.8 30 61.3 55.2 49.2 45.7 43.2 41.3 Tunnel Mouth Jack Hammer 88.9 50 73.6 67.6 61.5 58.0 55.5 53.6 Tunnel Blasting 94.0 1 61.7 55.7 49.6 46.1 43.6 41.7 Bridge Boring Jack Power Unit 83.0 20 63.7 57.7 51.7 48.1 45.6 43.7
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-36 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
465. For a more detailed impact assessment, the construction noise was calculated at distances starting from 50 m to 500 m to see the extent of spreading of noise and separately for surface, bridge and tunnel. The modeling results for construction noise are shown in Figure 8-2. Following assumptions were made during calculation: It was assumed that the equipment working simultaneously in preparation stage are; dozer, excavator, grader, road roller, rock drill and dumpers whereas in completion stage the equipment are; compressor, paver, road roller, tractor and concrete mixers. Blasting will not be used for excavation at the tunnel mouth and portal. Boring is used for bridges whereas the jack hammer is used for tunnel mouth. The estimated shielding was taken as 2 dBA. Shielding is the reduction in noise due to addition of mitigation measures like barriers and dirt mound.
Figure 8-2: Construction Noise
80 Bridge Boring 75 Tunnel Mouth Preparation Stage 70 Completion Stage Tunnel Blasting 65
60
55 Noise Noise Levels (dBA) 50
45
40 0 100 200 300 400 500 Distance (m)
Note: The maximum sound levels (LMAX) of blasting is highest of all construction activities but the above graph reports average sound levels (LEQ) which is dependant on the frequency of the activity, which is low for blasting. 466. It can be seen that all the construction activities detailed above cannot take place at nighttime (22:00pm to 7:00am) except the boring which is meeting the nighttime limit at 400 m distance. 467. The overall construction noise at a distance of 100 m exceeds the prescribed 55/45 dB(A) limit. However, the resultant noise levels at the receptors when the construction work is carried out at a distance of the 500 m from the receptor could be in the range 45- 55 dB(A). As a worst case, when the baseline noise level is over 60 dB(A) like in Kapreshumi In areas where the baseline noise level is high, say 60 dB(A), there the increase will be still less than 2 dB(A) and thus barely noticeable. Note that the above
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-37 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
statement is valid if there is a continuous non-fluctuating noise source. As the noise levels of construction equipment vary considerably, the community can easily notice the variation. 468. The proposed mitigation measures include: Equipment emitting excessive noise in comparison with other similar equipment will not be allowed to operate. Equipment under use will be regularly maintained, tuned, and provided with mufflers to minimize noise levels. Equipment in poor state of maintenance, particularly without effective noise control will be checked to determine if it can be improved, and replaced with less noisy equipment as soon as practicable. Blowing of horn will be prohibited within the construction zones except under emergency conditions. Close liaison with the community and regular monitoring of the noise levels in the community are key to successfully implementation of the above mitigation measures. Specifically, the communities will be informed of all major construction activities at least three days in advance. Noise control measures will be discussed with the community through informal and formal meetings. A complaint registering, tracking and redressal mechanism will be implemented. Noise levels will be monitored regularly in the community in order to take timely corrective measures, if needed.
8.6.2 Operation Phase Impacts 469. The impact of the traffic noise on the community is a major concern of the community. It is planned that all residential buildings within 25 m of the edge of the road will be acquired by the project. However, in many sections of the road there are houses located within 100 m of the road and there is a concern that the noise level in these houses will exceed the acceptable limits. Sources of noise from highway traffic includes: Engine noise mainly from exhaust, during acceleration and stopping Friction between road surface and vehicle tire Horns and loud music Aerodynamic friction 470. Typical noise levels are in the Study Area are: Country side during night — About 40 dB(A) Country side during day — About 50 dB(A) Quiet road — About 60 dB(A) Busy road — 65 to 90 dB(A) 471. Characteristics of Traffic Noise [1]
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-38 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
The noise of one large truck such as an flat-bed 40 feet articulated truck is equal to the noise of about 9 to 10 cars The noise of one large truck such is equal to the noise of about 32 cars [3] Doubling the distance between the receptor and road decreases the noise by about 3 dB(A) Doubling the traffic volume results in increase of noise by about 3 dB(A) Increasing the traffic volume from 200 to 2000 results in doubling the noise [3] Doubling the speed results in increasing the noise by about 6 dB(A) Increase in the speed from 15 mph to 55 mph results in doubling the noise [3] Noise exposure is also affected by the relative position of the road and the receptor as shown in Figure 8-3.
Figure 8-3: Effect of Noise levels due to Relative Position of the Roadway and Receptor 472. The propagation of noise depends on various factors such as: Noise is generated at source and spreads spherically away from source Intensity diminishes with distance Losses also occur from sound energy being dissipated as sound is transferred by air particles Bending and diffraction occurs as sound waves encounter natural and manufactured solid objects 473. To assess the impact of the proposed traffic on the surrounding communities, noise modeling was undertaken with the following objectives: Predict the noise level due to traffic on the proposed Batumi Bypass Road on the surrounding areas, particularly on the residences located within 100 m of the proposed road. Identify generic specifications of noise barriers to reduce the noise levels to acceptable criteria. Identify the areas, where the noise levels are unlikely to be mitigated to acceptable noise levels using the standard mitigations methods
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-39 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
474. The noise model, SoundPLAN Essential Version 3.0 by Braunstein + Berndt GmbH / SoundPLAN International LLC was used. The model is capable of modeling noise levels in three-dimensions. The following are the key inputs and assumptions: 1-m resolution Ground Elevation Model was used; Projected Traffic for 2033 was modeled (Section 4.7); Uniform traffic speed of 90 kph was used; Trees and grassland was assumed as volume attenuation areas; Each receptor was separately identified, with location, building height and number of floors, No noise emission from the tunnels was assumed; and Road Surface: Asphalt concrete, without gritting 475. The detailed results of the Noise model are included at the end of this section. For the convenience of modeling the entire road was divided into 9 segments and each segment was modelled separately (Figure 8-4 to Figure 8-31). In the 100 m zone on each side of the road, a total of 490 houses were identified. These are the potential receptors. 476. In addition to these 490 houses, 25 houses fell within 25 m of the edge of the road on either side. These were not modeled as the Road Department intends to remove all houses within 25 m of the edge of the road. These houses will be thus included in the LARP. 477. Following the modeling of “without mitigation” emission, noise walls were introduced to reduce the impact on the receptors. The length and surface area of the walls in each segment is provided in the table. An estimated 14.5 km of noise wall of 2 to 4 m height will be required. The total surface area of the walls is estimated to be 57,250 m2. For bridges, the noise wall will be installed at the edges of the bridge. Where the road runs on the surface the noise wall will be installed either on the edge of the on the side of the road, within the area acquired for the road construction. 478. The current speed limit on the existing highways in the Adjara region is 90 kph. There are some reports that vehicle can exceed the limit by 10-15% on the highways. A 10-15% increase in the speed may result in 1-2 dB(A) increase in traffic noise. Therefore, a key assumption in the modeling is that the speed limit of 90 kph will have to be strictly enforced.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-40 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-4: Noise Modeling Segments
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-41 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-5: Segment 1 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-42 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-6: Segment 1 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-43 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-7: Segment 1 Grid Noise Map – Night time
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-44 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-8: Segment 2 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-45 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-9: Segment 2 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-46 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-10: Segment 2 Grid Noise Map – Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-47 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-11: Segment 3 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-48 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-12: Segment 3 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-49 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-13: Segment 3 Grid Noise Map – Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-50 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-14: Segment 4 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-51 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-15: Segment 4 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-52 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-16: Segment 4 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-53 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-17: Segment 5 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-54 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-18: Segment 5 Grid Noise Map - Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-55 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-19: Segment 5 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-56 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-20: Segment 6 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-57 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-21: Segment 6 Grid Noise Map - Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-58 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-22: Segment 6 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-59 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-23: Segment 7 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-60 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-24: Segment 7 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-61 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-25: Segment 7 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-62 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-26: Segment 8 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-63 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-27: Segment 8 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-64 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-28: Segment 8 Grid Noise Map - Nighttime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-65 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-29: Segment 9 Noise Modeling
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-66 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-30: Segment 9 Grid Noise Map – Daytime
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-67 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-31: Segment 9 Grid Noise Map – Night time
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-68 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Results and Discussion 479. Following the modeling of the ‘without noise protection option’, the noise wall was introduced in the model. The location, height and length of the wall was adjusted to achieve the reduction in order to achieve compliance with noise standards. In most of the cases, it was possible to comply with the standards. However, even after the introduction the noise wall, the noise levels for some receivers could not be mitigated (Figure 8-32 to Figure 8-40) due to their location with respect to the road (see Figure 8-41 for the relative positions of selected receiver). If the receiver is located on a hill, the noise wall is unable to shield it from the noise. The number of such receivers is 52. A summary of the modeling including mitigation is presented in Table 8-8.The strategy for these receivers will be as follows: Refined mitigation options will be considered. These may include higher walls (up to 6 m); wall and berm on the hill to provide better shielding; and plantation of 20 m wide avenue of trees to shield the houses. If by any of these measures noise levels for the houses cannot be mitigated, the owners of the houses will be given the option to relocate after selling their houses to the Road Department. Their properties will be included in the LARP. An alternate, is that some homeowners despite the high noise may want to stay in their houses. In that case, a legally binding agreement will be executed between the Roads Department and the receiver. 480. The key to implementation of the above strategy is consultations with the affected households. Early consultations with the communities will be initiated to discuss the options and the impacts of each option. The consultation will be conducted by the Roads Department with the effected households for relocation and with the entire community as the noise wall may have visual and connectivity impacts to the entire community. 481. During the operation phase, the key mitigation option will be control of speed on the road. The Roads Department will work with the traffic police to ensure that the speed limit is enforced. In this regards, additional speed monitoring equipment will be installed on the entire road.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-69 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-32: Segment 1-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-70 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-33: Segment 2-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-71 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-34: Segment 3-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-72 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-35: Segment 4-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-73 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-36: Segment 5-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-74 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-37: Segment 6-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-75 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-38: Segment 7-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-76 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-39: Segment 8-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-77 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-40: Segment 9-Single Point with Noise Protection
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-78 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-79 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-80 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-41: Relative Positions of Selected Receiver
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-81 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-8: Result of Noise Modeling
Section 1 Section 2
Segment 1 Segment1 Segment2 Segment3 Segment4 Segment5 Segment6 Segment7 Segment8 Segment9
Length of Segment (m) 521 735 785 980 1207 864 805 1493 1174 8,563 Surface Road (m) 205 260 468 400 923 534 362 433 888 4,473 Bridge (m) 316 475 316 580 284 330 443 1060 286 4,091 No of receptors 38 97 37 53 41 61 42 59 62 490 No of receivers 21 52 13 30 20 22 27 40 31 256
Structures removed, 25 m 3 7 3 2 3 – 1 5 1 25 from Edge Total Length of the Noise 951 1,420 1,033 1,181 2,008 1,400 1,639 2,550 2,343 14,525 walls (m) Total Area of Noise Walls 3,805 5,679 4,131 4,723 7,200 5,600 6,555 10,201 9,374 57,267 (m2) Houses that may have the 6 7 2 3 2 7 8 15 2 52 option of relocating for noise
482. The noise control strategy involves construction of noise barriers. In addition to absorbing and reflecting the noise, as shown in Figure 8-42, noise is "diffracted" over the barrier, thus increasing the distance it travel to the listener.
Source: FHWA, “Keeping the Noise Down, Highway Traffic Noise Barriers
Figure 8-42: How Noise Barriers Work
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-82 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-83 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-84 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-85 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-43: Absorbing and Reflecting the Noise
8.7 Vibration
Phase ID Impact Construction 09 Construction activities will generate vibration which may result in annoyance, disturbance, stress and damage to structure. Operation 10 Vibration impacts unlikely of Project operation
8.7.1 Construction Phase Impacts 483. Ground-borne vibration is the oscillatory motion of the ground about some equilibrium position, and can be described in terms either of displacement, velocity or acceleration. Because human sensitivity to vibration typically corresponds best to the amplitude of vibration velocity within the low frequency range of most concern (roughly 5- 100 Hertz), vibration velocity is the preferred measure for evaluating ground-borne vibration from transit projects. 484. Vibration from the construction activities is a cause concern to the community. The effects of vibration varies and depends on the magnitude of the vibration source, the particular ground conditions between the source and receiver, presence of rocks or other large structures in the area. The intensity, duration, frequency and number of occurrences of a vibration all play an important role in both the annoyance levels caused and the strains induced in structures. 485. The effects of vibration includes annoyance, sleep disturbance, and potential damage to structures. The Georgian Standards for vibration are provided in Table 3-9. 486. The proposed criteria for damage to buildings are shown in Table 8-9. These are derived from British Standard BS 6472 and are German Standards DIN 4150-3:1999. The details are provided in Appendix 7.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-86 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-9: Criteria for Structural Damage Due to Vibration
No Damage Likely PPV < 5 mm/s Cosmetic damage risk PPV 5 to 15 mm/s Structural damage risk PPV > 15 mm/s
487. Sources of vibration includes construction equipment movement, pile driving, compaction, hammering (hydraulic or pneumatic), operation of batching plant and generators. Another source of vibration will be the blasting to be undertaken for tunneling. The propagation of vibration from construction activities are different in nature from the vibration from blasting. The construction activities are undertaken essentially on ground surface and spreads basically as two-dimensional waves. In contrast, the tunneling is undertaken below the surface and spreads in three-dimension. For this reason, the impact of the two is assessed separately. Vibration Impact of Construction Activities on the Surface 488. Table 8-10 provides an indication of the approximate vibration levels that may be expected for various vibration sources.
Table 8-10: Approximate Vibration Levels for Various Sources
Activity Typical levels of ground vibration Vibratory rollers Up to 1.5 mm/s at distances of 25 m Higher levels could occur at closer distances; however, no damage would be expected for any building at distances greater than approximately 12 m (for a medium to heavy roller) Hydraulic rock breakers 4.50 mm/s at 5 m (levels typical of a large rock 1.30 mm/s at 10 m breaker operating in hard 0.4 mm/s at 20 m sandstone) 0.10 mm/s at 50 m Compactor 20 mm/s at distances of approximately 5 m, 2 mm/s at distances of 15m. at distances greater than 30 m, vibration is usually below 0.3 mm/s Pile driving/removal 1 to 3 mm/s at distances of 25 m to 50 m depending on soil conditions and the energy of the pile driving hammer Bulldozers 1 to 2 mm/s at distances of approximately 5 m. at distances greater than 20 m. vibration is usually below 0.32 mm/s Air track drill 4 to 5 mm/s at a distance of approximately 5 m, and 1.5 mm/s at 10 m. at distances greater than 25 m, vibration is usually below 0.6 mm/s and at 50 m or more, vibration is usually below 0.1 mms Truck traffic (over normal 0.01 to 0.2 mm/s at the footing of buildings located 10 to 20 m (smooth) road surfaces) from a roadway Truck traffic (over irregular 0.1 to 2.0 mm/s at the footings of buildings located 10 m to 20 m surfaces) from a roadway Source: Northern Expressway Environmental Report: Noise and Vibration technical Paper. 2007. http://www.southroad.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0019/13780/Noise_and_Vibration_Technical_Pa per.pdf
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-87 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
489. These levels are well below the threshold of any possibility of damage to structures due to vibrations from typical construction activities related to roller, compactors, and movement of construction equipment. 490. The piling for the bridge piers are likely to generate relatively more vibrations which depends on soil condition. However, even under extreme conditions, the vibration is unlikely to exceed 10 mm/s beyond 25 m. However, there are several old residences in the Study Area that may be prone to damage. Mitigations measures are described later in this section to ensure that no damage to structures take place due to the piling operation and in case of a damage appropriate compensation is made. Vibration Impact of Tunnel Construction 491. Tunnels will be excavated using two methods: a) excavators of 0.5 cubic meter (m3) capacity, excavators and jackhammers and b) drilling and blasting. The first method will be used for Category II-III182 soils and for Category V soils near the tunnel mouth. The second method will be used for Category V rock away from the tunnel mouth. With reference to Soils Types (Table 4-4), Soil Type 4, 13 and 14 fall in Categories II and III whereas Soil Type 15 and 16 fall in Category V. A breakdown of estimated excavation volume by tunnel and method is provided in 4-10. These are estimated volumes based on available information. The actual volume is likely to differ from these estimated. In addition to the main tunnel, about 118 m3 of soil and rock will be removed near mouth of the tunnel. The linear cross-sections of the tunnels and the type of soils is shown in Figure 4-8 to Figure 4-12. 492. The airborne shockwaves are generated mainly if the blast is carried out on the surface or near the surface. As all blasting will be undertaken in the tunnel, airborne shockwaves are not considered as a serious concern. 493. A second source of concern is flying rocks from the blast. Depending in the rock type and explosive strength, these rocks can go up to 50 m and can potentially damage structures. For the above reason, surface blasting or blasting near the mouth of the tunnel is not recommended. 494. Underground blasting results in ground vibrations that cannot be confined to the site. The Project will conduct construction blasting consistent with Georgian and international safety standards. Blasting will be conducted using standard mining industry practices and procedures to ensure safety of personnel and equipment. This includes establishing a safety zone around the blast area, say to a distance of 500 m (actual distance will be established by the contractor based on the safety standards) and evacuating it.
Prediction Model 495. Prediction of vibration levels at a location away from the blasting site is a complex function of blasting parameters and rocks through which the waves propagate. A number
182 Here rock categories are defined with respect to the volume that they will take after removal. Category II is defined as fragmented rock but the muck pile is “frozen”; Category III as fragmented rock pile with mucking difficulties; Category V is Fragmented rock. https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=8NHKBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Blasting+Category+ V+Rocks&source=bl&ots=_APKZS89cx&sig=DkeqfS2s5OHHnrSaMy6WcoQutHU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a hUKEwiE9uOTqfDQAhXJPBoKHTuuDlUQ6AEIHTAB#v=onepage&q=Blasting%20Category%20V%20R ocks&f=false
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-88 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
of site specific experimental formulae have been developed to predict and control blasting effects. All of these formulae have the same form:
Equation 1 −� � ���where:= � PPV = peak particle velocity (mm/s); k = site constant R = distance to the point of concern (m); Q = maximum instantaneous charge weight; b = rock properties constant; and n = constant that depends on the geometry of the explosive. 496. Zhou et al (2000) have identified 8 different formulae from various studies. Similarly, Kumar et al (2016) have listed 23 different formulae. 497. The constant n is generally taken as ½ in most of the studies. The predicted value of PPV critically depends on the empirical constants, k and b. These are considered site specific and are normally determined by blast experiments. In the absence of experimental data, as is the case with this Project, empirical models can be used to evaluate these constants. Because of wide variation in site condition—charge per delay, vibration frequency, rock characteristics (type, unit weight, layering, slope of layers), blast hole conditions, presence of water, propagation of surface and body waves in the ground, and method of initiation—the site-specific empirical equations, if used at other sites are likely to have large errors. 498. Kumar et al (2016), have studied the effects of important engineering properties of rock and have developed an empirical model that relates the unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and rock quality designation (RQD) with the PPV. The present study uses the Kumar model for predicting the vibration levels. 499. According to Kumar’s model,
Equation 2 .64 �� −1. 6 / ���where:= � PPV = peak particle velocity (mm/s);
fc = UCS of rock R = distance to the point of concern (m); Q = maximum instantaneous charge weight (kg); = unit weight (kN/m3).
The value of fc is proposed as follows: 2 For RQD less than or equal to 75 fc = 0.59476 RQD + 0.00893 RQD 2 For RQD Greater than 75 fc = –7.91562 RQD + 0.12152 RQD
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-89 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Composite Rock Property 500. The vibration from blasting will propagate through the rocks in the surrounding hills. Geological information on the rocks is not available. However, given that the rocks in the five tunnels are of similar nature, it is reasonable to assume that similar rocks will be present in the surrounding areas also. For the purpose of calculating the PPV of the vibration, a composite rock property has been the developed. Five different types of rocks have been identified in the Project Area as shown in Figures 4-8 to Figure 4-12. Using the cross-sectional area of the rocks in these figures, the proportion of each type of rock has been calculated. All properties are then calculated by taking weighted average of the individual rock type. The result is shown in Table 8-11. Table 8-11: Composite Rock Property Calculation
Rock Category 4, 3, and 14 Rock Category 15 Rock Category 16 Composite Volume fraction (%) 67 9 24 100 RQD (%) 10 68 91 34.7 fc (MPa) 6.84 81.74 286.0 31.3 (kN/m3) 26 27 27 26.3
501. RQD has been obtained from the geotechnical engineering report183 whereas for the density of predominant rocks, andesite and basalt has been used. Both have a density of about 2.7 g/cm3. To obtain, unit weight it has been multiplied by the value of g, the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2).
Maximum Instantaneous Charge Weight 502. The mass of explosives required to break a unit volume of rocks, called the powder factor, depends on the strength of rocks and the type of explosives. The recommended typical powder factor for different types of rocks are given in Table 8-12.184 Table 8-12: Powder Factor for Different Hardness of Rocks
Rock Type Powder Factor (kg/m3) Hard 0.7 – 0.8 Medium 0.4 – 0.5 Soft 0.25 – 0.35 Very Soft 0.15 – 0.25 503. As basalt and andesite are both categorized as hard rocks,185 for this analysis the mean value for hard rock as shown in Table 8-12 is taken. 504. In the standard drilling and blasting tunneling method, the sequence of activities in one cycle is shown in Figure 8-44.186 After one cycle, a slice of the rock is removed. The
183 Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Road Department. Bidding Documents for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section Km. 1 +000~km. 13+325. Volume 3.2 Supplementary Information Geotechnical Engineering Report, Material Sources. October 2016. 184 Dyno Nobel. Blasting and Explosives Quick Reference‐ Guide. 2010. 185 Hard Rock Miner’s Handbook Edition 5. Jack de la Verne, Stantec Consulting, 2014. 186 Rock Excavation Handbook. Sandvik Tamrock Corp. 1999
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-90 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
thickness of the slice depends on the depth of borehole. The total volume of rock removed in one cycle is equal to the cross-sectional area of the tunnel multiplied by the depth of the borehole. Once the volume is known the total quantity charge to be used in one cycle can be calculated by using the powder factor.
Figure 8-44: Drilling and Blasting Method
505. The total quantity of charge is different from that of the maximum instantaneous charge. One blast cycle may include a number of boreholes. A typical pattern is shown in Figure 8-45.187 The detonation of the explosive starts from the center and after brief delays, lasting not more a fraction of a second, progresses outward in concentric circle. The quantity of charge in each delay is the instantaneous charge. The number of boreholes blasted, and hence quantity of instantaneous charge, increases as the blast progresses radially. It may be noted that the charge in the perimeter holes is typically less than those in the holes in the center to prevent damage to the walls. Thus the maximum instantaneous charge is not when the outer most ring of boreholes is detonated.188
187 Dyno Nobel. Blasting and Explosives Quick Reference Guide. 2010. 188 Personal communication with road construction engineer
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-91 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-45: Typical Borehole Pattern
506. Based on the above considerations, the maximum instantaneous charge weight is calculated as shown in Table 8-13. Table 8-13: Instantaneous Charge Weight Calculation
Parameter Value Explanation Tunnel cross-section (m2) 92 Calculated from drawings Borehole depth (m) 5 Assumed, based on personal communication with road construction engineer Rock removed in one blast 460 cycle (m3) Rock type Hard Powder factor (kg/m3) 0.75 See Table 8-12. Total charge weight (kg) 345 Maximum instantaneous 50 Estimated from typical borehole pattern and personal charge weight (kg) communication with road construction engineer
Results of Modeling 507. Using the rock parameters and instantaneous charge weight calculated above, the PPV at intervals of 10 m from the blasting site is calculated. The results are shown in Table 8-14.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-92 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-14: Calculated PPV as Function of Distance from Blast Site
Distance from Blast Site (m) PPV (mm/s) 10 208.9 20 75.8 30 41.9 40 27.5 50 19.8 60 15.2 70 12.1 80 10.0 90 8.4 100 7.2 110 6.3 120 5.5 130 4.9 140 4.4 150 4.0 160 3.6 170 3.3 180 3.0 190 2.8 200 2.6
508. The results indicate that for the given configuration, the applicable criteria of no damage (5 m/s) will be met at a distance of 130 from the blasting site. Further the PPV will exceed the threshold for structural damage at a distance of 60 m from the blasting site. 509. The above results are based on certain key assumptions and understanding. These are: The accuracy and representativeness of information in the Feasibility Study. This includes the rock type, rock type distribution, and RQD; The tunnel composition of rock type is representative of the entire area to allow developing property of composite rock; The assumptions about borehole depth (5 m), total rock blasted in one cycle (460 m3), powder factor (0.75) and maximum instantaneous charge (50 kg) are reasonable. 510. It is emphasized that these are assumptions and shall not be considered as binding. They are based on available information and have been selected as indicative of
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-93 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
typical conditions that are likely to be encountered in the actual tunneling. In selection of the numbers, a reasonable level of conservative approach has been taken. Therefore, chances are that the actual level of PPV will be less than the level shown in Table 8-14. 511. It is, therefore, believed that during the blasting for tunnels it shall be possible to meet the evaluation criteria (Section 2.4) which shall be considered binding on Construction Contractor.
Sensitivity Analysis 512. A sensitivity analysis was undertaken to ascertain the variation in distance at which the threshold values are exceeded. For this, the calculations were repeated for possible extremes values of the rock and blasting parameters, and the resulting change in the distance to threshold values was calculated. The results are shown are Table 8-15. This indicates that if Q is increased to 70 kg, the structural damage risk will increase to 72 m. Similarly, if RQD is increased to 55% or the unit weight is decreased to 24, the structural damage risk will increase to 80 and 64 m, respectively. 513. To investigate the impact of simultaneous variation in the three parameters, random variation about the mean values of the three parameters (±40% in Q, ±50% in RQD, ±10% in ) was generated. The calculated distance to structural damage risk was calculated to be 59 ± 13 m, and to the cosmetic damage risk was calculated to be 126 ± 28 m. Table 8-15: Sensitivity Analysis
Condition Distance to Threshold (m) Q (kg) RQD (%) (kN/m3) PPV > 15 m/s PPV < 5 m/s 50 35 26 60 130 30 35 26 47 101 70 35 26 72 154 50 15 26 38 82 50 55 26 80 172 50 35 24 64 137 50 35 28 58 123
Impacts on Houses 514. Figure 8-46 through Figure 8-50 show the tunnels and the risk zones around the tunnels. It may be noted that: The boundaries of risk zones are drawn without taking into consideration the variation in elevation of the terrain. The actual boundaries are likely to be closer to the tunnels. Based on the current information, no blasting is anticipated for Tunnel 1. However, recognizing that the actual distribution of rocks may differ from that shown in Figures 4-8 to 4-12, it is possible that some hard rock may be encountered during drilling and necessity of blasting may arise. Therefore, Tunnel 1 is also include in the Risk Area maps.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-94 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Emergency tunnels and shafts will be constructed in Tunnels 2, 3, and 4 (2 tunnels). The risk zones boundaries also take into considerations, the location of the surface opening of the emergency tunnels and shafts. 515. Based on this analysis, the number of houses that are at risk in each of the five tunnels are shown in Table 8-16. An indexed list of structures located within the risk zones, along with coordinates and corresponding maps are provided in Appendix 8. Table 8-16: Houses in Risk Zones
Tunnel Structural Damage Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone Risk Zone 1 11 15 2 20 17 3 3 9 4 25 30 5 5 9 Total 64 80
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-95 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-46: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 1
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-96 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-47: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-97 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-48: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 3
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-98 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-49: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-99 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-50: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 5
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-100 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Mitigations Measures
Overall Approach 516. The PPV is predicted using a semi-empirical model which is the best alternate in the absence of measured field data. Although, there is reasonable confidence in the predicted value, but the norm is to measure field data to assess vibration levels. It is therefore proposed that the tunneling shall start from a tunnel with sparse population in the surrounding (for example, Tunnel 3). In the initial stages, the blasting induced vibration shall be measured as a function of maximum instantaneous charge and distance from the blasting site. This data shall be then used to refine the damage risk zones on the basis of the adopted criteria. 517. Early during the construction phase, the construction contractor shall develop a detailed tunnel blasting plan as part of the overall construction schedule. The plan shall specify, to a reasonable level of accuracy, the schedule for boring of each tunnel. 518. Using, the refined damage risk map and the tunnel boring schedule, the Supervision Consultant in consultation with the Roads Department and the Construction Contractor, shall identify the houses that will be affected and the impact duration and schedule. 519. For the houses that will fall in the Structural Damage Risk Zone, a temporary relocation plan will be developed. An amendment to the Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARP) will be commissioned for this purpose. Before start of blasting, all residents of houses in the Structural Damage Risk Zone will be relocated as per the LARP. 520. A survey will be undertaken in both zones, to determine the pre-blasting conditions of the buildings. The survey will be commissioned by the Supervision Consultant and will identify and record any existing damage to the structures. The survey will cover the following aspects: a. Overall condition of the structures, both exterior and interior. b. Documentation of defects observed in the structure using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. c. Documentation of pre-existing cracks using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. 521. The survey will be accompanied with consultations with the affected household to explain the extent and reason for the survey, and the process for reporting any grievances regarding vibration impacts. The households should be provided with materials that summarize the grievance redress process. 522. Following completion of the blasting, the survey will be repeated in the Structural Damage Risk Zone to determine the condition of the buildings and verify that they are safe for re-occupation. If the buildings are safe, the residents will be allowed to return to their houses following any necessary damage repairs. If the buildings are damaged beyond repair, compensation will be paid to the owners as per the LARP. 523. If there are any claims or reports of damage in the Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone, the affected house will be surveyed against the pre-Project survey and repairs will be undertaken as appropriate.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-101 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Mitigation Plan 524. Following are key mitigation measures for the management of blasting: No blasting will be carried out within 100 m of the portal of the tunnel. Blasting will be scheduled during the day only. Local communities will be informed of blasting timetable in advance and will be provided adequate notice of when blasts are required outside of the planned schedule. A Blasting Management Plan will be developed by the Construction Contractor. The Plan will be reviewed and approved by the Supervision Contractor before the initiation of the blasting work. Throughout the blasting activity, vibration sensors will be installed at strategic location to monitor the impact of blasting and to ensure that the vibration levels are within the adopted criteria. The monitoring plan will be part of the Blasting Management Plan. 525. Unlike other construction activities, it is recognized that the impact of blasting on the community can be significant or can be perceived as significant by the community. It is therefore vital that regular and meaningful contact with the community shall be maintained and their grievance shall be attended to in a timely manner. In this regard: A meaningful community engagement plan will be developed. The plan will cover identify the affected community; the key contact persons; frequency of engagement; the information to be shared; the responsibilities to manage the plan; and the notice period to be giving to the community for various blasting related generating activities. The Grievance Redress Mechanism will be used to record, investigate, and respond to any complaints. Investigation of the complaints will be undertaken by the Supervision Consultant.
Vibration Monitoring 526. Vibration Monitoring Plan will include monitoring of vibration levels and frequency around the blasting sites. The objectives of the monitoring will be to: Ensure that vibration levels in the communities are within the adopted criteria levels; Maintain record of vibration to settle any potential conflicts; and Monitor changes in the vibration levels due to possible changes in the rock formation and take appropriate corrective actions. 527. Vibration data will be documented, reviewed, and preserved. It will be regularly shared with the RD, ADB, ministry of Environment and the community as part of the monthly progress report.
8.7.2 Operation Phase Impacts 528. Highway traffic is not likely to have any measurable impact on the structures or on comfort. The Federal Highway Administration of the USA has determined that “All studies the highway agencies have done to assess the impact of operational traffic induced
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-102 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
vibrations have shown that both measured and predicted vibration levels are less than any known criteria for structural damage to buildings. In fact, normal living activities (e.g., closing doors, walking across floors, operating appliances) within a building have been shown to create greater levels of vibration than highway traffic.”189
8.8 Air Quality
Phase ID Impact Design - Construction 11 Construction activities will generate pollution which will deteriorate the air quality of the area. Operation 12 Vehicles on the Project road will generate pollution which will deteriorate the air quality of the area.
8.8.1 Construction Phase Impacts 529. The ambient air quality may be affected by the Project activities during the construction phase. In this section, the impacts of construction activities on ambient air quality are discussed. 530. The sources of emission will include point sources (a single, stationary and identified source of pollution from where pollutants can be emitted into the atmosphere instantaneously and continuously). The stacks of all the generators are an example of point source. Other point sources include the batching plant. 531. An area source is a source that is distributed in space releasing x mass of pollutant per unit area of activity not having a single identified source of emission. These are small sources of air pollution which by themselves may not emit very much but, when their emissions are added together, they account for a significant portion of the total emissions. Sand and gravel are typically mined in a moist or wet condition by open pit excavation or by dredging. After mining, the materials are transported to the processing plant where the material is dried and screened and are a source of particulate matter emissions. Temporary waste disposal or storage sites are not major emission sources but unloading the waste (dumping) onto dump sites results in emissions. Dumping activity will result in particulate matter emission. 532. Wind erosion from stockpile areas may be significant emission source. Wind erosion is a phenomenon that erodes the exposed surface, removes the soil from one point and deposits it to another point. 533. Quarry areas are the areas from which stones, rocks, sand, gravel and aggregate are excavated from ground. This include loading of excavated material from quarries to stockpiles. 534. Generally line source emissions refer to emissions from transport along a line of the road. The transport emissions include emissions from vehicles moving on roads and their exhaust emissions. As vehicle moves on the road, due to friction between vehicle’s tyre and road, the dust particles comes in suspension which causes dust (PM10 and PM2.5)
189 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/regulations_and_guidance/analysis_and_abateme nt_guidance/polguide09.cfm
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-103 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
emissions. Exhaust emissions include emissions attributable to engine related processes such as fuel combustion and particles that exit the tailpipe. 535. The proposed mitigation measures include: Dust suppression with covers on loads, water sprays, covers on long-term piles of materials when there are visible dust emissions. Minimize disturbance to, or movement of, soil and vegetation. Prevent soil damage and erosion. Retain as much natural vegetation as possible. Sprinkle water on all exposed surfaces, particularly those close and up-wind of the settlements. Site specific environmental management plan will be made for each construction site and must outline areas to be cleared, vegetated areas to be protected or fenced, solid waste disposal locations, and sprinkling locations. Indicate the limits of a clearing with highly visible markers. Erect silt fences around perimeter of works area and/or rock check dams, sedimentation ponds, and silt traps. Give stockpiles protective covering, e.g., revegetation, geotextiles. For fugitive dust control, sprinkling of water on the all unsealed roads used by the project vehicles that are within 200 m of any community will be done Earthwork operation to be suspended when the wind speed exceeds 20 km/hr in areas within 500 m of any community All stockpiles shall be adequately wetted, or covered with plastic, or provided with wind shield to reduce dust emission. Speed limits and defensive driving policies will be strictly implemented Road damage caused by project activities will be promptly attended to with proper road repair and maintenance work Install and maintain all vehicles and machinery with appropriate emission control equipment. Smoke from internal combustion engines should not be visible for more than ten seconds. To the extent possible, new and low emission equipment and vehicles shall be used Batching plants and associated machinery installed for project activities will be installed with suitable pollution control arrangements Best quality fuel and lubes shall be purchased where possible lead free oil and lubes should be used Batching plant shall be set up considering the wind direction so that the nearby communities are not affected by the emissions from batching plant Regular maintenance of vehicles and equipment will be conducted to keep emissions in check
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-104 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Filters will be installed wherever available in equipment. The minimum acceptable performance is obtained using a fabric filter dust collector. Whichever technology is employed, it needs to be maintained properly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, to ensure adequate performance.190 Filters will minimize dust emissions from operations. All stacks will be vertical and at least 3 m above ground
8.8.2 Operation Phase Impacts 536. The air quality impacts of the Project road were modeled to assess the impacts of traffic on the new road.
AERMOD Modeling System 537. AERMOD provides predicted pollutant concentrations for hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly averaging periods, and complies with the USEPA’s guidelines on air quality models. The model also accounts for varying wind speeds and directions (sectors), and has the ability to model seasonal or monthly variations in emissions characteristics. It is capable of taking into account building downwash, meteorological, and surface data in its calculations. While AERMOD does not have the built-in capacity to directly process this data, it is provided with three stand-alone pre-processors to do so: BPIPPRM for building downwash, AERMET for meteorological data, and AERMAP to calculate surface characteristics. The salient features of the model are described in Table 8-17.
Table 8-17: Salient Features of AERMOD Air Dispersion Model
Model Name AERMOD Modeling System Release date On April 21, 2000, the USEPA proposed that AERMOD to be adopted as the EPA's preferred regulatory model for both simple and complex terrain.191 On November 9, 2005, AERMOD was adopted by the EPA and promulgated as their preferred regulatory model, effective as of December 9, 2005.192 Current version Version 13350 Model source http://www.epa.gov/scram001/dispersion_prefrec.htm Model type Gaussian Plume Model Gaussian plume treatment in horizontal and vertical directions for stable atmospheres. Non-Gaussian treatment in vertical for unstable atmospheres Type of Source Point such as stacks (allows multiple stacks) Area such as villages Volume such as stock piles Line such as roads Source Urban or rural. Urban effects are scaled by population. locations Plume Dry or wet deposition of particulates and/or gases deposition
190 Environmental Guidelines for the Concrete Batching Industry, EPA Victoria, June 1998 191 Federal Register: April 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 78) Proposed Rule 192 Federal Register: November 9, 2006 (Volume 70, Number 216) Final Rule
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-105 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Model Name AERMOD Modeling System Terrain types Simple or complex terrain Requires digital elevation model for complex terrain Building effects Includes algorithms for building downwash Meteorological Requires minimum one-year (preferably 3-year) hourly meteorological data for data the site or nearby weather station Output options Calculates averages for specified periods (for example, annual or monthly), maximum or given percentile during the specified period, and concentration at specific locations
538. The pre-processors are discussed below. AERMET requires the user to input hourly surface observation data and twice- daily upper air sounding data. The program uses this data to develop the necessary boundary layer parameters for dispersion calculation by AERMOD. The AERMAP’s pre-processor processes terrain data and prepares a grid of receptors to be used in the AERMOD program. Since the terrain in the vicinity is not much elevated and considered as flat, so the AERMAP was not used. The building profile input program for PRIME algorithm (BPIPPRM) requires the user to input the physical characteristics (height, length, width etc.) of buildings and stacks in the modeled area. The program then determines the emission plume disturbance due to building downwash but this pre-processor was not used as there was not disturbance from buildings.
Model Grid 539. A polar grid receptor network was used to simulate the model. The receptor locations were plotted in 36 radial directions; beginning with 10 degrees with commanded increment of 10 degrees in a clockwise fashion up to a radius of 3 km, with an interval of 100 m. Three such grids were defined to capture the entire length of the road and maintain an acceptable resolution.
Meteorological Data 540. Hourly climatic data of Batumi weather station for the years 2014 and 2015 was utilized for the air quality modeling. The data was used as both these areas share similar climatic conditions. The key parameters included in the data are wind speed, wind direction, pressure, and temperature.
Traffic Analysis 541. The traffic projection for 2033 provided in the Feasibility Study was used for the prediction.
Emission Sources 542. The Project road was modelled as a 14 m wide area source. The open areas of the Project alignment (road and bridge sections) was divided into 6 divisions, from tunnel to tunnel, as mapped in Figure 8-51. Emission contributions from closed section (i.e. tunnels) was divided into two and equally added to the divisions adjacent to that tunnel.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-106 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-51: Air Dispersion Modelling Divisions
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-107 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Emission Factors 543. The Updated Emission Factors of Air Pollutants from Vehicle Operations in GREETTM Using MOVES was used. The numbers used in the modelling, based on the traffic volumes for each segment, are presented in Table 8-18.
Table 8-18: Emission Rates used for Each Segment (µg/m2/s)
NOX SO2 PM10 Division 1 1.18 0.061 0.051 Division 2 1.76 0.091 0.076 Division 3 1.18 0.061 0.051 Division 4 2.06 0.106 0.088 Division 5 1.98 0.102 0.085 Division 6 1.08 0.056 0.046
Results 544. The results of the dispersion model is shown in Table 8-19 and discussed below:
Predicted incremental SO2 concentrations are marginal at all locations. Furthermore, the baseline in Section 5.2.6 established that SO2 concentrations in the Study Area were very low. Therefore, this pollutant is of least concern.
PM10 incremental concentrations are also marginal and much below IFC and Georgian limits. However, baseline conditions of PM10 adjacent to busy roads was significant as established in the baseline.
3 Annual increase in NO2 concentrations between 2.95 to 4.16 µg/m are within IFC limits. 545. Pollutant dispersion maps for of vehicular emissions to a distance of 1 km, on both sides, from the centerline of the road are provided in Figure 8-52 to Figure 8-56 for divisions 1 and 2, Figure 8-57 to Figure 8-61 for divisions 3 and 4; and Figure 8-62 to Figure 8-66 for divisions 5 and 6. Table 8-19: Predicted Increment in Pollutant Concentrations (µg/m3)
Sources Averaging Period NO2 SO2 PM10 Division 1 & 2 24 hour Maximum 12.74 0.64 0.53 Annual Average 4.16 0.21 0.17 Division 3 & 4 24 hour Maximum 13.76 1.15 0.57 Annual Average 3.05 0.25 0.13 Division 5 & 6 24 hour Maximum 10.71 0.58 0.49 Annual Average 2.95 0.16 0.13 Georgian Standard 24 hour 40 50 150 IFC (guideline) annual 40 20 IFC (guideline) 24-hour 20 50
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-108 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-52: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-109 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-53: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-110 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-54: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 1 and 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-111 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-55: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 1 and 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-112 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-56: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 1 and 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-113 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-57: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-114 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-58: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-115 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-59: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 3 and 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-116 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-60: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 3 and 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-117 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-61: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 3 and 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-118 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-62: Predicted Incremental Annual NO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-119 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-63: Predicted Incremental 24-hour NO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-120 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-64: Predicted Incremental 24-hour SO2 Concentration at Division 5 and 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-121 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-65: Predicted Incremental Annual PM10 Concentration at Division 5 and 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-122 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-66: Predicted Incremental 24-hour PM10 Concentration at Division 5 and 6
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-123 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.9 Soil and Water Quality
Phase ID Impact Construction 17 Activities near the water bodies may result in spills leading the contamination of soil and water bodies. Construction activities, especially excavation may damage old oil pipelines that can leak and contaminate soils and water. 18 Bridge construction at the oil terminal (near chainage 4310 m) may unearth contaminated soils which can contaminate the area if not handled properly.
546. The proposed road will cross one river and several streams. Construction work near the stream can pose a risk to these water bodies through accidental spills of oil, fuel, lubricants, and other potentially hazardous chemicals transported by road to the site or stored nearby. 547. There are reports that some old abandoned pipelines are located near the existing oil terminals. However, no map is available describing the precise location of the pipelines. There is a risk that during construction these pipelines may get damaged and result in spillage of residual oil from the pipelines. 548. Bridge construction at the oil terminal (near Chainage 4310 m) may unearth contaminated soils which can contaminate the area if not handled properly. 549. To minimize the risk, the following measures will be taken: No construction camp, workshop, or storage facility will be located within 100 m of streams. If the stream is within 250 m and downstream of the project facilities or construction site, temporary dykes will be installed to prevent any potential impact from spill and run-off. Spill prevention trays will be provided and used at refueling locations The run off from maintenance workshops will be collected by impervious channels and be passed through oil water separators (OWS) before final disposal. The sludge and oil collected at the OWS will be disposed off properly. Separate impervious pits (with concrete walls and proper shed) will be built at camping sites for temporary handling and storage of contaminated soil and water if encountered during construction such as sludge from OWS. All fuel storage tanks and lubricating oil drums will be kept in secondary containment impervious pits with impervious shed walls. On-site maintenance of construction vehicles and equipment will be avoided, as far as possible. Regular inspections will be carried out to detect leakages in construction vehicles and equipment. Spill control kit (shovels, plastic bags and absorbent materials) will be available near fuel and oil storage areas, vehicular parkings and vehicular maintenance areas as well as at construction sites.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-124 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Emergency plan for spill management will be prepared and inducted to the staff for any incident of spill. The Construction Contractor will provide the location of the of soak pits and septic tanks; The bottom of any soak pit or septic tank will be constructed at least 100 meters away from springs and water bores Record of spills and volume of removed contaminated soil will be maintained. Record of remedial measures taken will be maintained. Silt traps will be used to prevent contamination of river and streams. Contaminated soil will be removed from the site and disposed in a manner to ensure protection of water sources using the facilities of the municipal government. Besides the removal of the contaminated soil and its disposal according to the norms, the Contractor should be responsible for the remediation of the contaminated soil. The disposal site for contaminated soil shall be chosen in accordance with the requirements of the Georgian Legislation. Before any excavation work within on kilometer of the existing terminal, a survey for buried metal object will be undertaken metal to locate the pipeline, if present in the area.
8.10 Land Stability
Phase ID Impact Design - Construction 14 Excavation and site clearance will result in decreased slope stability which can result in landslides Operation -
550. The top cover of soil on the slopes around the Project facilities is mainly sand and fine clay. Any excavation work during the construction activities, whether permanent or temporary, would lead to loss of soil. Excavated material collected during boring of the tunnels may be used during construction of the road. Erosion of soil can occur from removal of vegetation cover, runoff from unprotected excavated areas, muck disposal sites and quarry sites. Excavations on slopes would also decrease its stability. Given the topography of the area, unprotected excavations on sloping grounds may lead to landslides, especially during the rainy season. Major landslides will disturb the slopes of the area and may also alter the bed of streams and rivers. 551. The proposed mitigation measures include: Vegetation loss will be limited to demarcated construction area. Areas such as muck disposal area, batching plant, labor camp and quarry sites after the closure shall be covered with grass and shrubs.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-125 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Slope stabilization measures will be adopted such as adequate vertical and horizontal drains, drainage along roadsides, cross drainage and retaining walls. Slope movements will be monitored around excavation work areas.
8.11 Disposal of Spoil from Tunnel Construction 552. The main impacts of tunnel construction will be vibration and generation spoil. Vibration is discussed in Section 8.7. Overall construction of tunnel over surface road or bridge may be considered preferable as it reduces land acquisition, is less intrusive on the vista, does not impact flora and fauna and avoids issues such as noise and fragmentation of land. 553. There is a possibility of soil erosion and adverse aesthetic impact if spoils from tunnel excavation are not properly placed and rehabilitated. An estimate of soil and rock to be excavated, and thus disposed of properly, should be completed. It is estimated that 490,500 cubic meter of spoil will be generated. Part of the material may be used for road construction. The remaining material may have to permanently disposed of at a suitable location. Before the final disposal, temporary storage may have to be undertaken. 554. Inadequate management and disposal of waste from the tunnel can lead to deterioration of soil, contamination of water bodies, and habitat destruction with consequent negative impacts on the flora and fauna, and generation of dust. 555. The following mitigation measures are proposed: The disposal site for the spoil will be discussed with the local municipality and a mutually agreed location will be identified; The permanent disposal site or temporary storage will not be located will within 250 m of a streambed, house, or any other building or site where people assemble.
8.12 Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change
Phase ID Impact Construction 15 Construction activities will generate Greenhouse Gas emissions Operation 16 Project road will divert vehicles onto smoother road reducing net GHG emissions.
8.12.1 Construction Phase GHG Emission 556. The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions resulting from road construction have been estimated to be between 0.37 and 1.07 ktCO2/km for a 13m wide road – depending on construction methods. Maintenance over the road lifetime (typically 40 years) can also be significant in terms of costs, energy consumption and GHG emissions. GHG emissions are estimated at between 26% and 67% of the total emissions from the construction phase, depending on materials and conditions of the maintenance regime.193
557. Using the conservative value of 1.07 k tCO2/km the 13.2 km construction of the Project road will emit an approximate total of 14,124 t CO2.
193 EA ETSAP - Technology Brief T14 – August 2011
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-126 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
558. As the Project contains many bridges and tunnels which require a large amount of steel, Table 8-20 presents the GHG emissions due to the steel production required for the Project.
Table 8-20: GHG Emissions for Project Steel Requirements
Material Required Amount Emission factor Total
A Steel 11,695 tons 1.8 t CO2 e / ton 21,051 t CO2 e / ton A http://www.worldsteel.org/publications/position-papers/Steel-s-contribution-to-a-low-carbon-future.html 559. These two values come to an approximate total of 35,000 t CO2 e of GHG emissions during construction of the Project. This does not include emissions due to tunneling and cement required for bridge construction and tunnel lining. 560. The Project also requires clearing a number of trees. As per the EMP these will be replanted therefore there is no net negative impact expected.
8.12.2 Operation Phase GHG Emission 561. GHG emissions are calculated broadly on the methodology described in the Handbook for Estimating Transportation Greenhouse Gases for Integration into the Planning Process developed by the Federal Highway Administration, US Department of Transportation.
562. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary GHG associated with the combustion of transportation fuels, accounting for over 95% of transportation GHG emissions based on global warming potential. CO2 is emitted in direct proportion to fuel consumption, with different emissions levels associated with different fuel types.
563. Other notable GHGs include methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which together account for two percent of transportation GHG emissions, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which comprise approximately three percent of transportation GHG emissions. N2O and CH4 are not directly related to fuel consumption, but instead are dependent on engine operating conditions (i.e., vehicle speeds) and emissions control technologies. In addition, HFCs are emitted from vehicle air conditioners and refrigeration used in some freight shipments; these emissions do not come from the tailpipe, and depend on factors such as the age of the vehicle and how often air conditioners are used.
564. CO2 emissions from transportation can be calculated based on the amount of fuel - gasoline, diesel, and other fuels - used by motor vehicles and other transportation sources. This simple concept becomes more complex though, when trying to capture the variety of factors that affect fuel consumption, some of which are listed below: Vehicle kilometers travelled Fuel economy (speeds, stops/starts, idling) Vehicle composition Fuel type 565. The parameters used to calculate the GHG emissions due to the Project are given in Table 8-21. Traffic volume estimates for the Project road for 2023 and 2033 were used as described in Section 8.5.1.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-127 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-21: GHG Calculation Parameters during Operation
Parameter Existing Road Project Road Length 16 km 17 kmA Average Speed 60 kph 90 kph Speed Type Transient Smooth Note: A: Length is of the Project road plus the possible option two of the remaining route as shown in Figure 4-1
566. Based on Figure 8-67 smooth driving at 90 kph has 13% less GHG emissions than transient driving at 60 kph. It should be noted that after 65 kph (40 mph) increasing speeds further increases GHG emissions.
Source: U.S. EPA, analysis using MOVES for all light-duty vehicles for 2010.
Figure 8-67: GHG Emissions, Transient vs Smooth Driving
567. Table 8-22 presents the results. The columns showing tons of CO2 e are an average of those emitted in 2023 and 2033. The Project road emissions are reduced by 13% to account for smoother traffic flows compared to the transient traffic flow on the existing road. 568. There is a 4 t CO2 e decrease per day, 1500 t CO2 e decrease per year and a 44,000 t CO2 e decrease over 30 years. This compares favorably to the 35,000 t CO2 e required for construction as evaluated in Section 8.4.11.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-128 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-22: GHG Emission Reduction for Proposed Project
AADT Classification used CO e Tons CO e 2 2 (g/mi)A 2023 2033 Existing Project Road Road Cars 3,621 5,107 Passenger Car 395 17.2 15.9 Bus Small 1,108 1,563 Transit Bus 1,373 18.3 17.0 Middle 124 175 Transit Bus 1,373 2.1 1.9 Large 48 68 Intercity Bus 1,864 1.1 1.0 Truck Small 254 359 Light Comm. Truck 731 2.2 2.1 Middle 77 109 Single Unit Long-haul Truck 1,104 1.0 1.0 Large 130 183 Combination Long-haul Truck 2,266 3.6 3.3 Trailer 284 401 Combination Long-haul Truck 2,266 7.8 7.2 Total 53.3 49.3 A Sample emission factors from Handbook for Estimating Transportation Greenhouse Gases for Integration into the Planning Process. CO2e emissions include running, start, and extended idle (as appropriate for each vehicle type) exhaust emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4, each pollutant normalized according to its Global Warming Potential (GWP).
8.12.3 Climate Change Risk 569. A separate climate risk screening exercise was undertaken for the Project.194 The exercise concluded that due to possible increase in precipitation in the highlands, there is a risk that climate change will influence the frequency and intensity of floods. The study cautioned that the current engineering designs may not take into account the climate change risk such as flooding. The risk was categorized as medium and therefore recommended that a more detailed climate risk and vulnerability assessment be carried out. 570. The screening report, prepared using Acclimatise AwareTM tools, listed the following topics as high risk, each of which is discussed further in this section based on the: Flood Snow Loading Landslide Sea Level Rise
Flood 571. The Project is located in a region which has experienced recurring major flood events in the recent past. Between 1985 and 2010 there have been more than one significant, large-scale flood event in the region. This is based on post-processed data
194 ADB Internal Communication
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-129 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
from the Dartmouth Flood Observatory at the University of Colorado. The risk and type of flooding is dependent on local geographical factors including: Proximity to the coast and inland water courses Local topography Urban drainage infrastructure 572. Cause of Concern. Climate change is projected to influence the frequency and intensity of flood events. Existing engineering designs need to take into consideration the impact of climate change on the risks from flooding. 573. Relevant Design Parameters. In the Detailed Design hydraulic calculations were carried out to determine the maximal discharges and highest water levels at bridge crossings. The hydraulic calculations for bridge river crossings were carried out for 100- year return period for the 4 rivers present in the design section. 574. In total 67 culverts are located along the Project roads. In order to adapt the structures to a wider range of discharges and, at the same time, limit the height of the required structures, single or double culverts are used depending on the required discharge capacity and the topography. The following principles are included in the design for drainage infrastructure: 50 year return period 1.5 m minimum diameter/height for culverts on main road 1.0 m minimum diameter/height for culverts on ramps and secondary roads
Snow Loading 575. The Project is located in a region where snow is commonly observed and future precipitation may also increase (2050s). This is based on snow extent data for the northern (1967 – 2005) and southern hemispheres (1987–2002) from the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in addition to precipitation projections from 16 global climate models. 576. Cause of Concern. The impact of increasing precipitation at higher latitudes could represent an increased risk of snow loading which could impact the structural integrity of bridges and road surfaces. Existing design standards need to take into consideration the impact of climate change on snow loading risk.
Landslide 577. The Project is located in a region which is at risk from precipitation induced landslide events. A high exposure in Aware means that based on slope, lithology, geology, soil moisture, vegetation cover, precipitation and seismic conditions the area is classed as ‘medium’ to ‘very high’ risk from landslides. This is based on post-processed data from UNEP/ GRID-Europe. Risk is locally influenced by other factors, for example local slope and vegetation conditions as well as long term precipitation trends. 578. Cause of Concern. Climate change is projected to influence landslide risk in regions where the frequency and intensity of precipitation events is projected to increase. Existing engineering designs may not take into consideration the impact of climate change on the risk of landslides. Previously affected areas may suffer from more frequent and severe events.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-130 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
579. Relevant Design Parameters. The Project road alignment runs through the complicated hilly area requiring a significant amounts of high cuts and fills. More than 2 kilometers road side cuts require support-stabilization. Design walls are located at 179 places respectively with different lengths and heights. Slope stabilization is achieved through the appropriate placement of: Terramesh walls Reinforced concrete (RC) retaining walls Gabion walls 580. The most critical and unfavorable places were selected for the terramesh walls. The Terramesh system is a modular system used for soil reinforcement applications such as mechanically stabilized earth walls and slopes. Terramesh System is fabricated soft tensile, heavily Galfan (Zn-5%Al-MM alloy) and PVC coated double twisted steel wire mesh. 581. Application of the RC retaining walls is quite limited throughout the design section due to the conditions of the foundation soils. RC retaining walls are applied for separation of ramp embankments and also used to retain high embankment at the outlets of some culverts, simultaneously serving as headwalls. 582. One of the purposes of introducing the Gabion walls is to safeguard the edge of the road embankment fills from direct impact of the stream flow where expected.
Sea Level Rise 583. Some recent research suggests that global sea levels could be 0.75 to 1.9m higher by the end of the century. Sea level rise has the potential to accelerate the rate of coastal erosion. Changes in erosion regimes also impact the rate of sedimentation in other areas, particularly in estuarine and other tidal settings. Erosion of the coastline can exacerbate ‘coastal squeeze’, putting pressure on natural sea defenses, such as salt marshes and mangroves as well as man-made structures. This could provide problems with access to existing ports and jetties. 584. Cause of Concern. Sea level rise could result in impacts of inundation from the sea that may not be considered in the current design, operational and maintenance standards.
Relevant Design Parameters 585. Relevant Design Parameters. The Project road is more than 500 m away from the Black Sea at its closest point (near Makhinjauri) and runs through mountainous terrain with a minimum elevation of 25 m above sea level. The current road (S2) has a greater risk due to sea level rise as it is within 20 m of the Black Sea near the Batumi Port area and has near sea level elevation. 586. Batumi city is under more threat from sea level rise than the Project which is much further inland. The Batumi coast is already facing coastal erosion which could be accelerated due to climate change. Coastal erosion is not expected to impact the Project road.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-131 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
8.13 Socioeconomic Impacts
Phase ID Impact Design 17 A cemetery is within the RoW of the alignment and will be displaced resulting in sentimental impacts on the families. Construction 18 Access to residential and other land, via informal routes, may be hampered due to the Project road causing inconvenience to owners. Construction 19 Resettlement of households in the LARP may result in negative socioeconomic impacts to their wellbeing during the transition.
587. As described in Section 5.3, there are 8 villages in the Study Area. The proposed Project is located in an area which is close to the urban area of Batumi, however, has a semi-urban and rural setting. The residents of the village depend on the city for their essential economic needs. Agricultural farming is the local economic activities. 588. The key socioeconomic impacts on the community relates to resettlement. Other impacts such as noise, dust, and traffic impacts are covered elsewhere in the report. 589. There were some other concerns expressed by the community such as the fear that the construction of the road near their property devalue the property. This may be a concern if the residences experience direct impact from the road such as noise, vibration or visual intrusion. With the implementation of the mitigation measures proposed in the EIA, this is not considered a valid concern. It may be necessary to undertake awareness sessions with the community to allay the fear. Open sharing of information about the project, particularly, the monitoring data will also be essential in this regard. 590. Similarly, fragmentation of the land and possible restriction due to the project was another concern expressed by the community. This is also not likely to happen. The proposed road is divided into nearly 40 sections of bridges, surface, and tunnel. Passage will be available under the bridge and where necessary over the tunnel. The longest section of the surface road is 790 m. The project will ensure that if any existing road is blocked alternate route either under the bridge or from over the tunnel is provided.
8.13.1 Cultural Resources 591. The Adjara is rich with archeological findings and the list of the identified archeological sites located near the Project road is given in Chapter 4. Though no known archeological sites are located within the construction corridor of the Project alignment, there is a potential that these works may damage the unidentified underground archaeological remnants. According to the Law of Georgia on Cultural Heritage, a separate study will be carried out to ascertain whether there is any archeological site present in the area. As part of the study Chance find procedure will also be developed. 592. A cemetery is within the RoW of the alignment and will be displaced. The community is in agreement to relocate the cemetery. The Roads department will execute an agreement with the community and facilitate the relocation of the cemetery.
8.13.2 Employment 593. The Project will have impacts on both urban economics and rural poverty in the project area. The road construction will create lot of job opportunities to the local community. It is expected that about 70,000 man months of employment during construction. The construction of the new bypass road constitutes the long-term
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-132 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
improvement of economic conditions in the project area due to better traffic access. The greatest beneficiaries from a monetary standpoint will be the current road users, who will experience greater efficiency, higher safety, time and operational cost reduction, and less wear and damage to their vehicles. From a numerical standpoint, the largest group of beneficiaries will be all kind of people around Batumi city and the periphery by getting rid of traffic congestion and huge traffic flow. Second group will the local people, who will have improved access to markets and cheaper transport costs for their commercial produce. 594. Local residents will also be benefitted from expanded opportunities for seasonal employment elsewhere to earn supplemental incomes. Rural villages will also have improved delivery of health, education, and other social services by virtue of all weather feeders and rural road connections to the bypass interchanges. With the year-round access to new markets provided by the Project, the village level enterprises will also prosper, promoting local economic growth.
8.13.3 Resettlement 595. The most significant socioeconomic impact relates to the land acquisition and resettlement. A Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan has been prepared separately to manage the resettlement process in accordance with the ADB safeguard policies.
8.13.4 Community Safety 596. Consideration is made in the engineering design to provide paved full-width shoulder for pedestrians and roadside lay-bys for marketing local produce. Where space permits, either a part of the roadway or a separate surface from the edge of the roadbed is considered, especially in the region where road is passing through settlements, schools, and markets. Special provisions are made in bridge and tunnel designs for pedestrian traffic. 597. Crash guardrails and barriers will be constructed along the roads and bridges designed to German standards. These barriers protect both the vehicles and surrounding communities from collisions. Bridges also contain pedestrian guardrails, after the sidewalk. 598. The bypass roads will attract more traffic after their completion. To help reduce the risk of serious accidents, speed control signs and other visual means will be considered at the entrance and through the urban zones of towns and settlements along the road. Reduced speed will help improve safety and reduce noise, particularly in the evening.
8.13.5 Occupational Health and Safety 599. An Occupational health and safety (OHS) management system will be developed to international standards and good practices. Local employees, may only speak Georgian and any relevant training, literature or signs must be sensitive to the language requirements of the employees. The OHS system will take into account risks inherent to the road construction sector and specific classes of hazards in the work areas, including physical, chemical, biological, and radiological hazards. The may include, for example, of the falling hazards during bridge construction, asphyxiation hazard in tunnels. The Road Department will take steps to prevent accidents, injury, and disease arising from, associated with, or occurring during the course of work by (i) identifying and minimizing, so far as reasonably practicable, the causes of potential hazards to workers; (ii) providing preventive and protective measures, including modification, substitution, or elimination of
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-133 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
hazardous conditions or substances; (iii) providing appropriate equipment to minimize risks and requiring and enforcing its use; (iv) training workers and providing them with appropriate incentives to use and comply with health and safety procedures and protective equipment; (v) documenting and reporting occupational accidents, diseases, and incidents; and (vi) having emergency prevention, preparedness, and response arrangements in place.
8.14 Residual Impacts 600. After the successful implementation of the mitigation measures described in this chapter the residual impacts of the Project are presented below
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-134 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-23: Residual Impacts of the Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors
Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 1 Land Use D The change in land use due to the Overall H M M None Minor Major Medium Small L Possible L proposed Project is potentially EQ incompatible with the existing land use and hence will affect the overall environmental quality in the Study Area 2 Visual D The proposed road will affect the Nearby M M M None Moderate Moderat Medium Small M Possible M Impact visual and aesthetic quality in the communiti e Study Area es
3 Visual C Degradation of aesthetic value of the Nearby M M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Impact area due to construction activities communiti low es
4 Ecology C Loss of habitat due to site clearance Terrestrial M M L Legal (for Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Definite L and flora, Red list low Habitat herpetofa species) una 5 Ecology C Pollution and waste generation during Overall M L L None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L and construction activities may deteriorate EQ low Habitat the surrounding habitats such as water bodies.
6 Ecology C Lack of regulation may result in Aviafuana L L M None Minor Minor Short/ Intermed L Possible L and poaching of wildlife, especially birds, low iate Habitat by staff.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-135 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 7 Noise C Construction activities will generate Nearby L H H High (strict Moderate Minor Short/ Small M Definite L noise which may result in annoyance, communiti IFC and low disturbance, stress. es local regulations)
8 Noise O Vehicles on the Project road will Nearby L H H High (strict Minor Minor Medium Small M Definite L generate noise which may result in communiti IFC and annoyance, disturbance, stress. es local regulations)
9 Vibration C Construction activities will generate Nearby L M H None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Definite L vibration which may result in communiti low annoyance, disturbance, stress. es
10 Vibration O Vibration impacts unlikely of Project Nearby L L M None Minor Major Medium Small L Definite L operation communiti es
11 Air C Construction activities will generate Nearby L L H Moderate Minor Minor Short/ Intermed M Definite L Quality pollution which will deteriorate the air communiti (IFC and low iate quality of the area. es local regulations)
12 Air O Vehicles on the Project road will Nearby M L M Moderate Moderate Major Medium Intermed M Definite M Quality generate pollution which will communiti (IFC and iate deteriorate the air quality of the area. es local regulations) 13 Water C Construction may impact mountain Spring L M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Resource springs including altering hydrology water low s and damaging existing water users
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-136 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance infrastructure such as pipes and water collection units 14 Land C Excavation and site clearance will Nearby L H H None Minor Minor Medium Small M Possible L Stability result in decreased slope stability communiti which can result in landslides es, water bodies
15 Greenhou C Construction activities will generate Global H L L None Minor Minor Long/ Extensiv M Definite M se Gas Greenhouse Gas emissions high e Emission s
16 Greenhou O Project road will divert vehicles onto Global H L L None Minor Major Long/ Extensiv M Definite M se Gas smoother road reducing net GHG high e Emission emissions. s 17 Soil and C Construction activities, especially Water and L M M None Minor Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Water excavation may damage old oil soils low Quality pipelines that can leak and contaminate soils and water. 18 Soil and C Bridge construction at the oil terminal Water and L M M None Moderate Minor Short/ Small L Possible L Water (near chainage 4310 m) may unearth soils low Quality contaminated soils which can contaminate the area if not handled properly.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-137 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Aspect Impact Receptors Receptors Phase Phase Affected of Receptors Number of Receptors Sensitivity Public Concern Level of Threshold Risk of Exceeding or (Legal Other) Magnitude Aspect Continuous Duration of Intermittent of Frequency Aspects Timeframe Spatial Scale Consequence Probability Significance 19 Socioeco D A cemetery is within the RoW of the Single L M M None Minor Moderat Short/ Small L Possible L nomic alignment and will be displaced family e low resulting in sentimental impacts on the families. 20 Socioeco D Access to residential and other land, Househol L M M None Minor Moderat Medium Small M Possible L nomic and via informal routes, may be hampered ds along e C due to the Project road causing the RoW inconvenience to owners. 21 Socioeco C Resettlement of households in the Househol L M M None Minor Moderat Medium Small M Possible L nomic LARP may result in negative ds with the e socioeconomic impacts to their LARP wellbeing during the transition.
Number of Receptors Sensitivity of Receptors Level of Public Concern Risk of Exceeding Threshold Consequence Significance Affected (Legal or Other) H Large Highly Sensitive High High High High M Moderate Sensitive Medium Medium Medium Medium L Small Not Sensitive No or insignificant Low or Not Applicable Low Low
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-138 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
9. Cumulative Impact Assessment
601. Cumulative impacts are those that result from the incremental impact of a project when assessed in combination with other existing and reasonably foreseeable future developments in a rationally set geographical and temporal scale. Cumulative impacts of a project are limited to those impacts only which are generally recognized as important on the basis of scientific concerns and concerns of the local communities located around the project area which can be affected by the project development and other developments in their vicinity. 602. Section D of the ADB SPS 2009, in its Subsection 6 requires analysis of impacts in the context of project’s area of influence, encompassing “areas and communities potentially affected by cumulative impacts from further planned development of the project, other sources of similar impacts in the geographical area, any existing project or condition, and other project-related developments that are realistically defined at the time the assessment is undertaken”195.
9.1 Anticipated Development in the Region 603. Other than the continuing growth and expansion of the city of Batumi in the vicinity of the Project there are currently no plans for major additional developments such as industrial zones or housing schemes that are likely to be triggered by the construction of the Project or developed otherwise along the Project alignment. Most development in Batumi is occurring along the coastline. Secondly, there are limited access locations in the Project. Nevertheless, there are several developments expected in the wider region which are described below.
Complete Adjara Bypass Road 604. The complete Adjara bypass alignment consists of the Kobuleti and Batumi bypasses and is discussed in Chapter 1. The start and end points of the Project will be connected to the complete Adjara Bypass road.
Adjara Solid Waste Management Project 605. A company has been established by the Autonomous Republic of Ajara to own and operate a new landfill facility. It intends to use the proceeds of a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and an investment grant from the Swedish International Development Agency for a project to improve solid waste management services in Adjara through building a new sanitary landfill. The project will be the first regional landfill fully compliant with EU standards and Georgian legislation. It will establish a model structure that could be replicated for the financing of other regional waste management companies in Georgia and create new legal and institutional structures to promote economies of scale, employ new technology and install best practice management techniques. The total area of the site is 27 ha and the area planned for landfilling is 17 ha. The proposed project, which has a total estimated cost of 7 million euros and will include the following196: Building a new sanitary landfill; and
195 Asian Development Bank, “ADB Policy Paper; Safeguard Policy Statement” Manila, June 2009. 196 http://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/procurement/p-pn-141222a.html
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Closures of existing landfills in Batumi and Kobuleti.
Coastal Erosion Rehabilitation. 606. A section of coastline and roadways in several of Georgia’s Black Sea towns will be soon corrected and restored. This investment will help halt coastal erosion and falling rocks in the popular summer seaside resort areas.197 607. The ADB has approved a $20 million loan to stem coastal erosion around the popular Black Sea tourist destination of Batumi198
Installation of Local Infrastructure 608. During consultations it was ascertained that there are several local infrastructure development Projects ongoing in the Study Area. These include the following: a. local road construction, repair and maintenance; b. gasification of homes; and c. connection of homes to a central water supply system.
9.2 Study Area 609. As described in the paragraph 464 cumulative impacts should be evaluated in the projects area of influence. The area of influence and rationale for selection is discussed in Chapter 4 and has been referred to as the Study Area in this report. 610. The locations of the projects discussed in Section 9.1 are shown in Figure 9-1 along with the Study Area.
197 http://agenda.ge/news/58703/eng 198 https://www.adb.org/news/adb-extends-20-million-protect-vulnerable-batumi-coastline
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 9-1: Developments in the Project Vicinity
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
9.3 Valued Environmental Components 611. Valued Environmental Components (VECs) are the biophysical attributes of the environment which are considered to be significant in assessing risk associated with the cumulative impacts of the Project and reasonably foreseeable developments. VECs may include wildlife habitats (such as terrestrial and fresh water ecosystems to support biodiversity); environmental processes (such as hydrological cycle and nutrient cycling); physical features (such as air, noise, water, and soil); flora and fauna (such as resident and migratory birds and medicinal plants); and social conditions (such as public health, livelihood, and access). The VECs are identified on the basis of literature review and scoping consultations. 612. The list of identified VECs along with the perception of communities on them is provided in Table 9-1. The baseline of the VECs is established in Chapter 5. Table 9-1: Land Identified VECs and their Current Status
VECs Key Component Status Physical Air The area adjacent to the Project is mostly rural with very few environment industrial units other than the southern portion. Currently the air quality in the Study Area is not compromised. Baseline conditions are discussed in Section 5.1.6. Noise Noise levels near major existing roads is beyond limits at certain times, but the remaining rural areas are fairly quiet. Baseline noise levels are discussed in Section 5.1.10. Traffic During the tourist season Batumi faces serious traffic jams that Congestion extend up till and beyond Makhinjauri which is within the Study Area. Coastal Literature review indicates that coast along northeast Turkey Geomorphology and southwest Georgia is exposed to severe coastal erosion. Social Livelihood Livelihood in the area is associated with agricultural land, fruit conditions trees and tourism. While the Project will make Batumi favorable for tourists the land acquisition will reduce fruit trees and arable land in the area. There are limited markets for selling citrus. Unemployment is quite high. Construction of the Project may increase employment opportunities for the population in the Study Area. The socioeconomic baseline can be found in Section 5.3. Access A few respondents reported access issues across the RoW.
9.4 Cumulative Impacts of the Anticipated Developments 613. As is clear in Figure 9-1 the expected developments are at a distance from the Project and no major cumulative impacts are expected on the area of influence of the current Project.
Social Conditions 614. The complete Adjara bypass results in a large amount of acquisition of land which includes the displacement of fruit and nut trees and agriculturally productive land. Table 9-2 displays the total estimated agricultural land (including fruit and nut trees) to be acquired for the construction of the Kobuleti and Batumi bypasses as per their associated
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
LARPs. It can be observed that hazelnut, mandarin, and walnut trees are effected in larger quantities than the other categories. 615. This cumulative impact is not on individual growers but an indirect impact on businesses a step down the supply chain such as on buyers, redistributors, transporters etc a transporters, processors and resellers. These groups may see a decline in the produce available to them locally. 616. It can be observed that hazelnut, mandarin, and walnut trees are effected in larger quantities than the other categories.
Table 9-2: Total Land Acquisition for the Kobuleti and Batumi Bypass
Kobuleti Bypass Batumi Bypass Total Section 1 Section 2 Section 1 Section 2 Number of Productive trees Hazelnut 517 5073 5955 7440 18985 Mandarin 53 3810 2719 5787 12369 Walnut 18 1125 2363 2997 6503 Other 53 765 1864 2664 5346 Grape 19 246 712 914 1891 Plum 2 236 688 919 1845 Persimmon 22 269 431 739 1461 Lemon - 59 589 683 1331 Medlar 2 84 423 497 1006 Pear 29 210 369 325 933 Fig 15 66 243 530 854 Orange - 77 437 299 813 Apple 24 182 251 332 789 Feijoa 3 55 170 130 358 Kiwi 0 72 147 113 332
Acres of Crops Corn 27.7 20.1 0.0 0.8 48.7 Hay/Grass 2.7 36.8 - 0.2 39.7 Tea - 9.2 0.8 0.5 10.5 Vegetables 0.1 3.0 0.6 1.2 4.9 Beans - 0.7 0.8 0.3 1.8
Physical Environment 617. The other developments are at a large distance from the Project to directly impact the noise, air quality, water quality and other physical parameters of the Study Area. 618. The construction of the Projects will required extraction of quarry materials, such as gravel, which may be extracted from the river beds in the area. The cumulative impact of this extraction can exacerbate the erosion of the coastline.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
619. The multiple linked road developments discussed are likely to increase road transport especially freight. Indeed the purpose of these developments is to facilitate in Georgia becoming a transport and logistics hub that will facilitate the development of trade relations on the one hand with Central Asia and the Far East and on the other hand with Turkey and Europe. Due to the increased traffic flow there may be negative impacts on noise and air quality in the Study Area. However, the projected increase in traffic which was used in the impact assessment of the Project is expected to accommodate for most of this increase. 620. The previous landfill was to the south of the city however the new landfill is adjacent to the bypass road. This means that waste material transport is likely to use the bypass route. Maximum waste produced in Batumi is during the tourist season and peaks in August. The EIA for the project estimates that waste generated in Batumi was close to 4000 tons in August, 2007 and an annual 3% increase.199 Therefore, the waste generated is approximately 8500 tons (or 27 truckloads per day200) in August, 2033 most of which is likely to use the Project road. This is not a significant increase over the projected traffic, of over a thousand trucks per day, in 2033.
Batumi City 621. Batumi City, while not directly within the Study Area, sees multiple cumulative benefits of all the expected developments. The Project will divert traffic from the city which will divert traffic during the entire year and especially during the tourist season. This will improve the noise, air quality and traffic of the city. 622. The shifting of the poorly managed landfill will improve environmental conditions, such as odor and air quality in Batumi in areas near the landfill.
9.5 Recommendations for Mitigation Measure 623. The fruit and nut industry in the area should be supported. Possible enhancement measures include: a. Developing markets for fruit and nut produced in the area. A possible benefit of the bypass includes quick market access. However, in the absence of markets increased connectivity does not benefit the farmers. b. Replacement seeds and saplings of high quality should be made available to the houses within the Study Area. This is especially true for mandarin as poor quality mandarins demand a very low price and households are not motivated to continue their production. 624. As the landfill is being constructed to EU standards, so should the waste transport be maintained at the highest standards. Any trucks carrying waste from Batumi should be properly covered and maintained accordingly.
199 EIA Waste amounts disposed at Batumi and Kobuleti 2007. 200 Assuming a dump truck can carry 10 tons of waste.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Cumulative Impact Assessment R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
10. Environmental Management Plan
10.1 Overview of EMP 625. The main objective of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is to identify mechanisms to implement the environmental mitigation measures discussed in Chapter 8. It is the fundamental tool that ensures that all mitigation measures are consolidated, their implementation responsibilities identified and the resources required to implement the measures are provided. Further, the EMP includes monitoring measures as a feedback mechanism on implementation and effectiveness of the mitigation measures. 626. Environmental Management Plan (EMP) is prepared for all the identified environmental impacts during design, construction, and operation and management (O&M) stages due to implementation of various Project activities. The methodology followed for preparing the EMP consists of the following steps: Deriving mitigation/protection measures for identified impacts, Recommend mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures for each identified impacts and risks, Developing a mechanism for monitoring the proposed mitigation measures, Estimating budget requirements for implementation mitigation and monitoring measures, and Identifying responsibilities of various agencies involved in the Project for implementation and monitoring of mitigation measures.
10.2 Environmental Mitigation Plan 627. The Environmental Mitigation Plan for the Project is presented in Table 10-1 through Table 10-3.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 10-1: Design Phase Mitigation Plan
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibility Monitoring Indicators 01 The change in land use Removal of vegetation under the bridges will be minimized During detailed Construction Measures due to the proposed As part of the restoration following the completion of the design Contractor included in design Project is potentially construction, all areas which are not required for the project will documents incompatible with the be planted with trees. existing land use and hence will affect the overall environmental quality in the Study Area 03 The proposed road will Consider environmentally pleasing design for structures During detailed Construction Measures affect the visual and particularly noise walls. design Contractor included in design aesthetic quality in the documents Study Area 08 Relocation of Houses for Undertake negotiations with the owners of the house to Before Roads Part of LARP noise mitigation determine the course of action. Construction Department Refined mitigation options will be considered. These may include Phase higher walls (up to 6 m); wall and berm on the hill to provide better shielding; and plantation of 200 m wide avenue of trees to shield the houses. If by any of these measures noise levels for the houses cannot be mitigated, the owners of the houses will be given the option to relocate after selling their houses. Their names will be included in the LARP. An alternate, is that they despite the high noise want to stay in their houses. In that case, a legally binding agreement will be executed between the Roads Department and the receiver. Conduct community consultations to establish social feasibility of the above mitigation options.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibility Monitoring Indicators 09 Vibration Impacts of Overall Approach Before Construction Vibration Data construction The tunneling will start from a tunnel with sparse population in Construction Contractor and Tunnel Blasting the surrounding (for example, Tunnel 3). In the initial stages, the Phase Supervision Plan blasting induced vibration shall be measured as a function of Consultant maximum instantaneous charge and distance from the blasting site. This data shall be then used to refine the damage risk zones on the basis of the adopted criteria. Early during the construction phase, the construction contractor shall develop a detailed tunnel blasting plan as part of the overall construction schedule. The plan shall specify, to a reasonable level of accuracy, the schedule for boring of each tunnel. Using, the refined damage risk map and the tunnel boring Early During Supervision List of Houses to schedule, the Supervision Consultant in consultation with the Construction Consultant be Relocated Roads Department and the Construction Contractor, shall RD for Updated Updated Impact identify the houses that will be affected and the impact duration LARP Zone and schedule. Updated LARP For the houses that will fall in the Structural Damage Risk Zone, a temporary relocation plan will be developed. An amendment to the Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARP) will be commissioned for this purpose. Before start of blasting, all residents of houses in the Structural Damage Risk Zone will be relocated as per the LARP. A survey will be undertaken in both zones, to determine the pre- Log of blasting conditions of the buildings. The survey will be consultations commissioned by the Supervision Consultant and will identify Survey report and record any existing damage to the structures. The survey will cover the following aspects: o Overall condition of the structures, both exterior and interior. o Documentation of defects observed in the structure using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibility Monitoring Indicators o Documentation of pre-existing cracks using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. The survey will be accompanied with consultations with the affected household to explain the extent and reason for the survey, and the process for reporting any grievances regarding vibration impacts. The households should be provided with materials that summarize the grievance redress process. Following completion of the blasting, the survey will be repeated in the Structural Damage Risk Zone to determine the condition of the buildings and verify that they are safe for re-occupation. If the buildings are safe, the residents will be allowed to return to their houses following any necessary damage repairs. If the buildings are damaged beyond repair, compensation will be paid to the owners as per the LARP. If there are any claims or reports of damage in the Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone, the affected house will be surveyed against the pre-Project survey and repairs will be undertaken as appropriate. 12/24 Deterioration of Include appropriate traffic control measures at traffic hotspots. During detailed Construction See above community safety and air These may include traffic signal, traffic warden posts, speed design Contractor quality due to breakers (on the side roads) and roundabouts. construction traffic. Install appropriate traffic signs on all roads Consult Traffic Police for implementation of the above measures 20 Damage to the An agreement will be reached between the community and the During detailed Construction Measures graveyard. Roads Department to relocate the graveyard design Contractor included in design documents
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 10-2: Construction Phase Mitigation Plan
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators
- Construction Impacts The site specific environmental management plan (SSEMP) for each At start of Site SSEMPs prepared site will outline areas to be cleared, vegetated areas to be protected construction Managers of before initiation of or fenced, slopes to be stabilized and solid waste disposal locations. EPC construction Submit all SSEMP to Roads Department and ADB for approval.
04 Loss of habitat due to Implement measures listed in Table 10-4. During Construction Measures included site clearance Construction Contractor in design A supporting plan to manage these mitigation measures should be documents 05 Pollution and waste developed. generation during construction activities SSEMPs prepared may deteriorate the before initiation of surrounding habitats construction. such as water bodies. Visual confirmation 06 Lack of regulation may of replantation result in poaching of The re-planted wildlife, especially vegetation should birds, by staff. be monitored and supported until it is established. This should be verified by a botanist.
07 Construction activities Equipment emitting excessive noise in comparison with other similar During Construction Maintenance will generate noise equipment will not be allowed to operate. construction Contractor record of which may result in equipment annoyance, Equipment under use will be regularly maintained, tuned, and disturbance and stress. provided with mufflers to minimize noise levels. Records of Equipment in poor state of maintenance, particularly without effective community noise control will be checked to determine if it can be improved, and meetings regarding replaced with less noisy equipment as soon as practicable. noise.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators Blowing of horn will be prohibited within the construction zones except under emergency conditions. Noise level Close liaison with the community and regular monitoring of the noise monitoring in levels in the community are key to successfully implementation of the nearby above mitigation measures. Specifically, the communities will be communities informed of all major construction activities at least three days in advance. Noise control measures will be discussed with the community through informal and formal meetings. A complaint registering, tracking and redressal mechanism will be implemented.
09 Construction activities Blasting will be scheduled during the day only. During Construction Log of vibration will generate vibration construction Contractor/S monitor and crack which may result in Local communities will be informed of blasting timetable in advance upervision gauge readings disturbance to humans, and will be provided adequate notice of when blasts are required Consultant and damage to outside of the planned schedule. buildings. A meaningful community engagement plan will be developed. The plan will cover identify the affected community; the key contact persons; frequency of engagement; the information to be shared; the responsibilities to manage the plan; and the notice period to be giving to the community for various blasting related generating activities. The Grievance Redress Mechanism will be used to record, investigate, and respond to any complaints. Investigation of the complaints will be undertaken by the Supervision Consultant.
11 Construction activities Minimize disturbance to, or movement of, soil and vegetation. Before and Construction SEMP documents will generate pollution during Contractor prepared before which will deteriorate Prevent soil damage and erosion. Construction initiation of the air quality of the construction Retain as much natural vegetation as possible. area. Sprinkle water on all exposed surfaces, particularly those close and up-wind of the settlements.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators Site specific environmental management plan will be made for each Vehicle and construction site and must outline areas to be cleared, vegetated equipment areas to be protected or fenced, solid waste disposal locations, and maintenance logs sprinkling locations. Indicate the limits of a clearing with highly visible markers. Erect silt fences around perimeter of works area and/or rock check dams, sedimentation ponds, and silt traps. Give stockpiles protective covering, e.g., revegetation, geotextiles. For fugitive dust control, sprinkling of water on the all unsealed roads used by the project vehicles that are within 200 m of any community will be done Earthwork operation to be suspended when the wind speed exceeds 20 km/hr in areas within 500 m of any community All stockpiles shall be adequately wetted, or covered with plastic, or provided with wind shield to reduce dust emission. Speed limits and defensive driving policies will be strictly implemented Road damage caused by project activities will be promptly attended to with proper road repair and maintenance work Install and maintain all vehicles and machinery with appropriate emission control equipment. Smoke from internal combustion engines should not be visible for more than ten seconds. To the extent possible, new and low emission equipment and vehicles shall be used Batching plants and associated machinery installed for project activities will be installed with suitable pollution control arrangements
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators Best quality fuel and lubes shall be purchased where possible lead free oil and lubes should be used Batching plant shall be set up considering the wind direction so that the nearby communities are not affected by the emissions from batching plant Regular maintenance of vehicles and equipment will be conducted to keep emissions in check Filters will be installed wherever available in equipment. The minimum acceptable performance is obtained using a fabric filter dust collector. Whichever technology is employed, it needs to be maintained properly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, to ensure adequate performance.201 Filters will minimize dust emissions from operations. All stacks will be vertical and at least 3 m above ground
13 Activities near the No construction camp, workshop, or storage facility will be located Emergency Spill water bodies may within 100 m of streams. Management Plan result in spills leading document the contamination of The Construction Contractor will provide the location of the of soak soil and water bodies. pits and septic tanks in the layout accompanying the SSEMP; Visual If the stream is within 250 m and downstream of the project facilities implementation of or construction site, temporary dykes will be installed to prevent any mitigation potential impact from spill and run-off. measures Spill prevention trays will be provided and used at refueling locations Log of spills and The run off from maintenance workshops will be collected by remedial actions impervious channels and be passed through oil water separators taken (OWS) before final disposal. The sludge and oil collected at the OWS will be disposed of properly.
201 Environmental Guidelines for the Concrete Batching Industry, EPA Victoria, June 1998
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators Separate impervious pits (with concrete walls and proper shed) will be built at camping sites for temporary handling and storage of contaminated soil and water if encountered during construction such as sludge from OWS. The contractor shall make arrangements for safe disposal, according to Georgina Law, of the contaminated soil or its remediation. The disposal site for contaminated soil shall be chosen in accordance with the requirements of the Georgian Legislation; All fuel storage tanks and lubricating oil drums will be kept in secondary containment impervious pits with impervious shed walls. On-site maintenance of construction vehicles and equipment will be avoided, as far as possible. Regular inspections will be carried out to detect leakages in construction vehicles and equipment. Spill control kit (shovels, plastic bags and absorbent materials) will be available near fuel and oil storage areas, vehicular parkings and vehicular maintenance areas as well as at construction sites. Emergency plan for spill management will be prepared and inducted to the staff for any incident of spill. The bottom of any soak pit or septic tank will be constructed at least 100 meters away from springs and water bores Record of spills and volume of removed contaminated soil will be maintained. Record of remedial measures taken will be maintained. Silt traps will be used to prevent contamination of river and streams.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators
14 Construction activities, Before any excavation work within one kilometer of the existing Before Construction Survey records especially excavation terminal, a survey for buried metal object will be undertaken metal to Construction Contractor may damage old oil locate the pipeline, if present in the area. pipelines that can leak and contaminate soils and water. Bridge construction at 15 Contaminated soil will be removed from the site and disposed in a During Construction the oil terminal (near Construction Contractor chainage 4310 m) may manner to ensure protection of water sources using the facilities of the unearth contaminated municipal government. soils which can contaminate the area if not handled properly. 16 Excavation and site Limit vegetation loss to demarcated construction area. During Construction clearance will result in construction Contractor decreased slope Areas such as muck disposal area, batching plant, labor camp and stability which can quarry sites after the closure shall be covered with grass and shrubs. result in landslides Adopt slope stabilization measures such as adequate vertical and horizontal drains, drainage along roadsides, cross drainage and retaining walls. Monitor slope movements around excavation work areas.
17 Improper spoil disposal The disposal site for the spoil will be discussed with the local During Construction Spoil Management can lead to soil erosion municipality and a mutually agreed location will be identified; construction Contractor Plan document and ruin aesthetics of the disposal site. The permanent disposal site or temporary storage will not be located will within 250 m of a streambed, house, or any other building or site where people assemble. Adopt slope stabilization measures such as adequate vertical and horizontal drains, drainage along roadsides, cross drainage and retaining walls.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators Prepare a Spoil Management Plan
18 GHG emissions during Ensure vehicles are maintained During Construction Vehicle inspection Construction construction Contractor log and results Regularly inspect vehicle exhaust emissions to meet required standard for exhaust emissions
17 Construction activities Record location of the springs especially those in areas proximal to During Construction Flow records of may be cause where the tunnels will be closer to the ground level. construction Contractor identified springs alterations to the groundwater flow Monitor flow for located springs and maintain records patterns. Support the community in development of alternate water supply schemes Ensure the availability of water to the communities and the access of the communities to the water resources being used by them is not adversely affected.
21 Direct, indirect and During Construction Contractual Include an assessment of the contractor’s demonstrated commitment induced employment at to domestic and local procurement and local hiring in the tender construction Contractor documents the local levels, evaluation process. resulting in increased Number and ratio prosperity and Coordinate recruitment efforts related to non-skilled labor, including of local employees wellbeing due to higher for non-skilled labor positions required by contractors. and stable incomes of people. Determine what is considered to be ‘fair and transparent’ in recruitment and in distribution of jobs between different community groups, in consultation with local communities and their leaders.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibil Monitoring ity Indicators
22 Resettlement of These are quantified and addressed in the corresponding LARP of the Before and RD As given in the households in the Project. During corresponding LARP may result in Construction LARP negative socioeconomic impacts to their wellbeing during the transition.
23 Construction workers An Occupational health and safety (OHS) management system will be During Construction Occupational will be exposed to developed to international standards and good practices. Construction Contractor/R health and safety occupational health D (OHS) and safety hazards Local employees, may only speak Georgian and any relevant training, management literature or signs must be sensitive to the language requirements of system the employees. documentation The following additional measures will also be taken to prevent accidents, injury, and disease arising from, associated with, or Reports on occurring during the course of work by occupational accidents, o identifying and minimizing, so far as reasonably practicable, the diseases, and causes of potential hazards to workers; incidents o providing preventive and protective measures, including modification, substitution, or elimination of hazardous conditions or substances; o providing appropriate equipment to minimize risks and requiring and enforcing its use; o training workers and providing them with appropriate incentives to use and comply with health and safety procedures and protective equipment; o documenting and reporting occupational accidents, diseases, and incidents; and o having emergency prevention, preparedness, and response arrangements in place.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-12 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 10-3: Operation Phase Mitigation Plan
ID Impact Mitigation Measure When Responsibility Monitoring Indicators 08 Vehicles on the Project road The following measures should be implemented to control noise During Road Department will generate noise which may Operation result in annoyance, Maintenance of the noise wall disturbance, and stress. Enforce speed limits through the use of speed cameras and patrolling Consult Traffic Police for implementation of the above measures
24 Community Safety Install appropriate traffic signs on all roads During Road Department Operation Consult Traffic Police for implementation of the above measure
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-13 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 10-4: Mitigation Measures for Ecological Impacts
Receptors Management and Mitigation Measures Plants Planting of native species Use of measures to prevent the spread of invasive species including environmentally friendly pesticides Monitoring surveys to identify growth of invasive species in the disturbed area Replacement of top soil to restore conditions for biological activity Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Colchic Boxwood Re-planting of the species Buxus colchica Common Walnut Re-planting of species. This is a key measure for this species as tree cutting is major threat and the species is rare in Adjara Juglans regia Colchis Water- Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting aquatic habitat Chestnut Trapa Mitigating impacts against this species will result in benefits to bird and fish fauna as well colchica Lazetian Forget-me- Re-planting of the species not Myosotis lazica Mammals Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is established Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in prevention of contamination of the food chain Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the disturbance to animals as far as possible Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to animals as far as possible Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project Mehely's Horseshoe The species is legally protected in Georgia, therefore, if any specimens are found in the Project area or any roosting sites are Bat Rhinolophus identified, a specialist should be consulted on re-location of the bats mehelyi If bats are found within the Project area, pollution including noise, dust and contamination of nearby habitat should be prevented Re-plantation is needed to for the re-establishment of feeding sites
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-14 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Management and Mitigation Measures Mediterranean The species is legally protected in Georgia, therefore, if any specimens are found in the Project area or any roosting sites are Horseshoe Bat identified, a specialist should be consulted on re-location of the bats Rhinolophus Euryale If bats are found within the Project area, pollution including noise, dust and contamination of nearby habitat should be prevented Re-plantation is needed to for the re-establishment of feeding sites Western Barbastelle Clearance of mature woodland should be minimized as far as possible to preserve the species’ habitat Barbastella Re-plantation and support to trees until they are established will increase chances of habitat restoration for the species barbastellus Schreiber's Bent- Habitat loss should be minimized to avoid depletion of its food supply winged Bat Disturbances to caves should be minimized as that is present threat Miniopterus schreibersii Giant Noctule Clearance of mature woodland should be minimized as far as possible to preserve the species’ habitat Nyctalus lasiopterus Re-plantation and support to trees until they are established will increase chances of habitat restoration for the species Common Otter Lutra Although this species is reported to be present in the Project area, its distribution within Georgia does not overlap with the Study lutra Area If the species is observed in the Project area, a biodiversity specialist should be notified the specimens re-located Birds Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is established Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in prevention of contamination of the food chain, especially of water bodies which are very important for bird fauna in and around the Study Area Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the disturbance to birds as far as possible Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to birds as far as possible Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project Dalmatian Pelican If vegetation around aquatic habitat is disturbed it should be re-planted at similar sites to facilitate the development of habitat to Pelecanus crispus replace that lost Contamination of aquatic areas should be prevented to minimize risk of contamination of its food source Staff should not engage in hunting as this species is often targeted
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-15 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Management and Mitigation Measures White-winged Scoter Improper waste disposal should be avoided to minimize the risk of contamination of aquatic habitat which, as pollution is one of the Melanitta fusca threats to this species Imperial Eagle Aquila Re-plantation should be done to restore habitat as far as possible to prevent decline in the species’ prey base heliacal Staff should not engage in hunting as this species can be targeted and is legally protected in Georgia Greater Spotted Re-plantation to restore habitat is important to minimize impacts on this species, both direct and indirect Eagle Aquila clanga Egyptian Vulture Re-plantation to restore habitat is important. In particular this species forages around human settlements, therefore, the likelihood Neophron of loss of habitat for it is higher than for other bird species percnopterus Staff should not engage in shooting of wildlife as this species is sometimes targeted Black Vulture Re-plantation to restore habitat is important as one of the threats to this species reduced food availability Aegypius monachus Staff should not engage in shooting of wildlife as this species is sometimes targeted Saker Falcon Falco Re-plantation to restore habitat is important cherrug Red-footed Falcon Re-plantation is important to restore habitat so that the species can have alternative nesting sites to replace those destroyed by the Falco vespertinus Project Migratory species Staff should not engage in hunting as migratory bird species are targeted by hunters in Batumi Herpetofauna Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Reptile and amphibian species that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is established Any herpetofauna species observed during construction activities should be re-located with assistance from a biodiversity expert to ensure proper handling Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in prevention of contamination of the food chain Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the disturbance to herpetofauna species as far as possible Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance to herpetofauna species as far as possible Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-16 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Management and Mitigation Measures Caucasian Viper Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Vipera kaznakovi Care should be taken when carrying out Project-related activities even in areas that are already disturbed If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Caucasian Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Salamander If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Mertensiella caucasica Caucasian Parsley Disturbance to pools and small pond habitats should be minimized to preserve the species’ habitat Frog Pelodytes Re-plantation to restore habitat is important caucasicus If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Derjugin's Lizard Re-plantation to restore habitat is important Darevskia derjugini If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Large-headed Water Disturbance of undergrowth in Colchis type forests should be minimized as far as possible to preserve the species’ habitat Snake Natrix Re-plantation to restore habitat is important megalocephala If the species is spotted, the specimens should be re-located with the help of a biodiversity specialist to ensure proper handling Invertebrates Re-plantation will result in some habitat restoration. Wildlife that will re-locate may return once planted vegetation is established Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important areas such as habitat for wildlife Use of sites designated for dumping will also result in prevention of contamination of the food chain, especially of water bodies which are very important for invertebrates Noise pollution should be minimized to reduce the disturbance as far as possible Dust pollution should be minimized to reduce disturbance as far as possible Fen Raft Spider During re-plantation, some habitat that is restored should be ponds and small bodies of water so that the species can re-colonize Dolomedes Plantarius
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-17 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Receptors Management and Mitigation Measures Fish Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting ecologically important aquatic habitat Use of sites designated for dumping will also prevent contamination of the aquatic food chain Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species of conservation importance and minimize loss of wildlife, which will already be undergoing habitat loss due to the Project Sturgeon Species Dumping of waste should not be carried out in the riverine habitat or any aquatic habitat that connects to the river system Hunting and poaching should be prevented to protect species especially the Sturgeon species for whom this is already a threat European Eel Dumping of waste should not be carried out in the riverine habitat or any aquatic habitat that connects to the river system Anguilla anguilla It is indicated that adults may be at risk from accumulation of lipophilic chemical pollutant, therefore, preventing contamination of aquatic habitats is very important for this species Periphyton Use of sites designated for dumping to avoid polluting aquatic habitat Impacts on periphyton should be minimized to avoid impacts on other organisms in the food chain
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-18 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
10.3 Environmental Monitoring Plan 628. Monitoring of environmental components and mitigation measures during implementation and operation stages is a key component of the EMP to safeguard the protection of environment. The objectives of the monitoring are to: manage environmental issues arising from construction works through closely monitoring evidence for implementation of the mitigation measures and environmental compliance; and monitor changes in the environment during various stages of the Project life cycle with respect to baseline conditions. 629. A monitoring mechanism is developed for identified impact and includes: location of the monitoring (near the Project activity, sensitive receptors or within the Project influence area); means of monitoring, i.e. parameters of monitoring and methods of monitoring (visual inspection, consultations, interviews, surveys, field measurements, or sampling and analysis); and frequency of monitoring (daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally, annually or during implementation of a particular activity). 630. Monitoring program will include regular monitoring of construction and commissioning activities for their compliance with the environmental requirements as per relevant standards, specifications and EMP. The purpose of such monitoring is to assess the performance of the undertaken mitigation measures and to immediately formulate additional mitigation measures and/or modify the existing ones aimed at meeting the environmental compliance as appropriate during construction. 631. The monitoring program will be coupled with a series of supporting procedures, yet to be developed, covering: sample or data collection; sample handling, sample storage and preservation; sample or data documentation; quality control; data reliability (calibration of instruments, test equipment, and software and hardware sampling); data storage and backup, and data protection; interpretation and reporting of results; and verification of monitoring information by qualified and experienced external experts.
10.4 Specific Monitoring Plan 632. Environmental monitoring and reporting plan for the construction and operation phases are provided in Table 10-6.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-19 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 10-5: Environmental Monitoring Program for Construction and Operation
Aspect Type of monitoring Frequency of Location/s Reporting Monitoring and Report Report Monitoring Frequency implementation Preparation Receiving Responsibility Responsibility Authority Construction Phase Soil Quality Visual inspection for any oil Daily Construction area and Monthly Construction Construction RD, SC and and lubricant spills and drains at the report during Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB leakages in the construction construction site construction RD area and presence of oil in the drains at the construction site Soil Erosion Visual inspection of soil Once a month in Construction sites, Monthly Construction Construction RD,SC and erosion and land sliding, dry season. Once rehabilitated areas and report during Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB especially in the wet season a week in wet water release points construction RD season. Waste Disposal Inspection of waste disposal Weekly Waste disposal sites, Quarterly Construction Construction RD, SC and areas and channels report during Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB construction RD Water Resource Record of water used and Daily Construction sites, Quarterly Construction Construction RD and Depletion source of water supply for truck filling points and report during Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB construction, sprinkling and water tanks at camp. construction RD camp Community Water Monitor flow for springs Monthly Identified springs in Quarterly Construction Construction RD and Supplies identified as at risk from communities. report during Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB tailrace construction. construction RD
Fugitive Dust Air quality sampling (PM10 As required, in Social receptors Report as Construction Construction RD and Emissions and PM2.5) at social case complaints required, in Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB receptors in case any are received case RD complaints regarding complaints excessive particulate matter are received in ambient air are received.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-20 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Aspect Type of monitoring Frequency of Location/s Reporting Monitoring and Report Report Monitoring Frequency implementation Preparation Receiving Responsibility Responsibility Authority Vehicular and Visual checks of exhaust Monthly Construction sites and Quarterly Construction Construction RD and Machinery Exhaust emissions from vehicles and batching plant location Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB Emissions batching plant machinery to RD ensure excess pollutants are not being released Noise Nuisance Monitoring of the noise Once a month Nearest settlements or Quarterly Construction Construction RD and levels (24 hour and when a area for which Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB measurements for hourly complaint is complaint is received RD Leq in dB A) in the nearest received communities against the baseline noise conditions Traffic Random speed checks and Once a month Different location and Quarterly Construction Construction RD and inspections and and in case different time Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB investigations in case of complaints are RD complaints by community received Vibration Vibration sensors for PPV Continuous One sensor for each Quarterly Construction Construction RD and monitoring. during blasting in cluster of house within Contractor, SC, Contractor ADB the vicinity the risk zones. At least RD 5 sensors within 100 m and 5 beyond. Operation Phase Noise Level Monitoring of the noise Continuous RD ADB levels (24 hour measurements for hourly Leq in dB A).
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-21 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
10.5 Documentation and Reporting 633. Monitoring elements of the EMP will be documented and controlled in accordance with a document control system by the Supervision Consultant (SC) and communicated to RD. Records demonstrating compliance with legal requirements and conformance with the EMP will also be maintained. RD through SC will supervise, establish, implement and maintain procedures. 634. Documentation and record keeping controls will include: measures to enable relevant documents and records to be readily available and identifiable (labeled, dated and properly filed), legible and protected from damage; review, revision and approval of documents for adequacy by authorized personnel at least once a year; establishment of the electronic document control version as the ‘authorized version’; making current versions of relevant documents available at locations where operations essential to the effective functioning; suitably identifying obsolete documents retained for legal and knowledge preservation purposes; and identification and segregation of confidential and privileged information. 635. Monitoring data will be documented and analyzed to determine temporal and spatial trends and confirm compliance with relevant thresholds. Monitoring reports will be produced to meet internal and external reporting requirements. If monitoring results indicate non-conformance with stipulated thresholds or if a significant deteriorating trend is observed, it will be recorded as a non-conformance and handled by the non- conformance and incident procedure. 636. The following reports will be prepared The construction contractor will prepare reports based on the parameters detailed in Table 10-5 based on inputs from the SC, RD and their own monitoring. The SC will prepare quarterly reports to be reviewed by the RD. The RD will prepare bi-annual reports to be shared and reviewed by the ABD.
10.6 Site-Specific Environmental Management Plan 637. EPC’s Contractor’s managers during the construction phase will operationalize their responsibilities described in Section 10.2 by developing Site Specific Environmental Management Plans (SSEMP). These will applied to the actual site where construction activities will occur. Ideally, the preparation of the SSEMP must occur before the contractor is given access to the project site. However, it can be prepared after the access is given but certainly before the initiation of site clearance and any major site construction or erection work.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
638. All contract documents must include the requirement that SSEMPs be prepared by the contractor and reviewed by RD and OE and approved by ADB prior to commencement of construction activities. 639. This section explains the following steps that should be followed while developing an SSEMP: Definition of boundaries Identification of environmental values and sensitive receptors of the site and its surrounds Definition of construction activities Assignment of environmental management measures Preparation of site plans Preparation of environment work plans
Definition of Boundaries 640. For megaprojects with multiple construction sites, there will be a number of SSEMPs. Generally, areas falling under the jurisdiction of a construction manager should have a separate SEMP. At a minimum the following sites should have an SSEMP prepared: Each tunnel Each bridge Asphalt and batching plants Construction camps Quarry areas Waste dump areas 641. Some of these sites, such as the longer bridges or tunnels may require multiple SSEMPs to cover the entire spatial extent of the development.
Identification of Sensitive Receptors 642. Once the boundaries of a site to be covered by a SSEMP have been defined, the sensitive receptors surrounding the site and the environmental values of the area need to be confirmed. 643. Areas that can be considered sensitive receptors include Forested area Water bodies Communities (including schools, hospitals, homes) Agricultural areas 644. The physical, ecological and socioeconomic baselines in Chapter 4 provide the necessary details. The information is best presented as an overlay on the detailed engineering drawings or maps for the project.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Construction and Associated Mitigation Activities 645. A schedule of works for the project will have been prepared during the detailed design phase. It is important to understand what the various phases of work are for each site, as different phases will include different activities and thus different environmental management requirements. In this simplified example, the construction of a bridge across a river could have the following schedule of works: Site surveying, vegetation clearance Site establishment Soil stripping and earth movement Bridge construction Grading approaches Surfacing Painting and finishing structures Landscaping and signage 646. The planning of the environmental management requirements for the bridge must ensure that the necessary environmental management activities take place at the right time. For example, the site survey should markup areas of vegetation to be removed, trees that must be saved, and the locations of any species of importance. Soil stripping will need to be accompanied by the introduction of erosion-control measures to prevent sediment from entering the river. The concrete pouring and filling of the bridge abutments will require a large number of vehicle movements, so it may be necessary to develop a traffic management plan to ensure that the vehicles don’t disrupt traffic on existing roads. If there are sensitive receptors nearby, there may be a requirement to limit working hours that will require a change in the work schedule. These measures are easy to plan for, but very hard to introduce once the project has started. This, again, emphasizes the need for effective planning of the environmental management measures. 647. Section 10.2 provides a list of required mitigation measures that must be incorporated into the relevant SSEMPs.
Site Plan 648. A site plan must cover the extent of the construction activity and should contain: Location and nature of planned work; Locations of sensitive receptors; and Locations of required mitigation activities. 649. Other important features may include: Indication of North, and scale; Existing and planned supporting infrastructure (e.g., access roads, water supplies, electricity supplies, etc.); Contours; and Drainage systems.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Work Plan 650. The completed SSEMP provides details of all the environmental management requirements for all stages of the construction process. For individual work teams responsible for only a small part of the overall construction work, it can be hard to understand what is required for their particular work components. For example, the work team responsible for stripping soil for the construction areas are not going to be interested in the requirements for pouring concrete for footings and foundations. However, it is essential that the soil stripping team know exactly what to clear, what to leave, and where to put stockpiles of soil for later use. 651. When different work activities are required at different times or at different locations, environmental work plans can be prepared. These are similar to the work method statements often produced for major construction projects.
10.7 Guidelines for Supporting Plans 652. Specific management plans, for areas of concern, will be developed by RD or contractors as specified. The framework, outline and requirements for each plan is discussed in this section.
10.7.1 Emergency Response Plans 653. The Construction Contractor will prepare an emergency response plan for natural and human made emergencies.
Spill Prevention and Mitigation Plan 654. Liquid waste spills that are not appropriately managed have the potential to harm the environment. By taking certain actions, the likelihood of spills can be reduced and their effect minimized. 655. To avoid spills and to help the cleanup process of any spills, the EPC contractors and the management and staff of RD should be aware of spill procedures. By formalizing these procedures in writing, staff members can refer to them when required thus avoiding undertaking incorrect spill procedures 656. A detailed spill management plan will be prepared for the construction phase. A plan will also be developed for specific areas during plant operation. These plans will contain the following: Identification of potential sources of spill and the characterization of spill material and associated hazards. Risk assessment (likely magnitude and consequences) Steps to be undertaken taken when a spill occurs (stop, contain, report, clean up and record). A map showing the locations of spill kits or other cleaning equipment. This should also be included in the SSEMP
Landslide Prevention and Mitigation Plan 657. Due to the geology and climate of the construction sites it is susceptible to landslides during and after construction. Areas highly prone to land sliding have been identified in the detailed design and supporting structures (such as terramesh, RC
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
retaining walls and Gabion walls) are planned for those areas. However, it is possible that despite these measures or during implementation landslides may occur. Landslides can be a hazard to surrounding communities. Therefore, a landslide prevention and mitigation plan will be developed by the Construction Contractor. The plan should cover the following aspects: Steps to be followed during imminent danger of landslides Steps to be followed during landslide emergencies. Operational issues o Zoning (marking areas prone to landslides and should be included in the SSEMP) o Evacuation signals in case of emergency o Prioritizing strategy for evacuation and clearing works 658. Staff of the CC, SC and RD should be aware of the response procedures
Other Emergencies 659. Response plans for other emergencies, including but not limited to the following, will also be developed: Heavy downpour and consequent flooding Vehicle accident Earthquake Electrical hazards Equipment Failure
10.7.2 Spoil Management Plan 660. The Spoil Management Plan will be prepared to manage spoil during construction of the Project. A large amount of spoil will be generated during tunnel excavation and other earthwork along the alignment. The plan should cover the following: Spoil storage/disposal units in terms of site preparation (e.g., compaction, overburden removal), Under- and side-drainage control (e.g., return interval to be handled), unit configuration (e.g., thickness of lifts, amount of benching, side slope shape and angle), Possible methods of compaction (e.g., with truck routing), and Closure (e.g., if to be compacted and lined, topsoil and vegetation placement, monitoring and maintenance). 661. These will be critical measures to ensure spoil units are stable for decades and centuries. 662. The construction contractor should coordinate with the following during development of the Spoil Management Plan Batumi Landfill, for possible use of spoil for closure of the landfill
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Surrounding communities, for possible use of spoil for reclamation of unusable land.
10.7.3 Waste Management Plan 663. The purpose of this plan is to minimize the amount of waste produced due to activities resultant of the Project as described in this document, for the benefit of the environment and to maximize cost savings. The plan should detailed guidelines to meet the following objectives: Waste Minimization: To minimize the waste load discharged to the environment. The following suggested measures can be adopted: o Carry out a waste minimization assessment which examines opportunities for waste avoidance reduction, reuse and recycling. o Reduce wastes by selecting, in order of preference, avoidance, reduction, reuse and recycling. o Incorporate waste minimization targets and measures into the environmental management plan. Ensure that all contaminated material uncovered on a construction site are excavated and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. The following suggested measures can be adopted: o Assay material uncovered on-site prior to disposal. If the wastes include putrescible wastes, then also analyze leachate and landfill gases. o Excavate material in a manner which avoids off-site environmental problems. o Seal remaining contaminated material or wastes, where only part of the tip has been excavated, to ensure that there is no off-site effect now or in the future. o Transport odorous wastes in covered vehicles. o Dispose of contaminated material in a landfill licensed to take the type of contaminated material or wastes uncovered.
10.8 Change Mangement 664. During the implementation of the project, often need arises to change the project design, site, construction technology, or implementation method. The change may constitute a departure from the project described in the EIA and may necessitate reevaluation of the environmental impact. In case of any change in the project as described in the Feasibility Study and the EIA, the Supervision Consultant, will make an initial assessment of its likely environmental consequence. 665. If the change is minor departure from the EIA but necessitates a change in the EMP, the SC and the Construction Contractor will propose the change in the EMP and submit to the RD and ADB for approval. 666. If the change is assessed to be significant departure from the EIA (for example the use of explosives for tunnel boring), the SC will recommend an independent environmental assessment of the change which will be commissioned by the RD. The assessment, and recommended changes to the EMP will be submitted to the ADB and MoE for approval.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
10.9 Institutional Framework for Implementation 667. Institutions responsible for executing and monitoring the environmental aspects of this Project are: MRDI is responsible for planning, constructing, operating and maintaining regional, national and provincial infrastructures in Georgia and RD is responsible for overall management of roads. Environmental Division of the RD will undertake routine and random monitoring of the specific environmental management plans (EMP) addressed in this EIA. The supervision consultants under RD are responsible for environmental monitoring and management of project implementation and to help ensure the implementation of environmental management practices at each stage of the construction. MOEPNR will be consulted if complicated issues arise during construction and operation stages. External Monitor will be responsible for independent monitoring and implementation of EMP, and external monitoring and evaluation 668. Contractor is responsible for implementation of EMP during construction works and Construction Supervision Consultant (CSC) is primarily responsible for supervision of monitoring of the implementation of the EMMP. RD will hire ‘external monitoring consultant’ to monitor implementation and supervision of EMMP. 669. Each Contractor procured under this Project will be recommended to be a compliant of ISO 14001, 2004 Environmental Management System (EMS) certification. Further conditions of compliancy for OHSAS 18000 (2007) related Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) could also be imposed on the Contractors. Each contractor will be recommended to have one Environmental Specialist and one Occupational, Health and Safety (OH) Specialist, who will be working in close coordination with the environmental staff of CSC and RD. 670. CSC will be responsible to monitor all activities of all contractors procured under the Project. As several contractors will be working simultaneously for timely and speedy implementation of the project, it is important that CSC has an environmental unit to effectively supervise and monitor the environmental activities being implemented in the field. The CSC is also responsible to update or make necessary changes to the EMMP if required based on the revised designs and locations.
10.10 Institutional Strengthening and Training 671. The RD will play a key role during the implementation of the Project. Based on the assessment of the present capacity of the RD and the sensitivity of the project, the RD will require additional resources and training. At present the Batumi office the RD does not have a dedicated environmental expert. The environmental resource person is located in the capital Tbilisi, about 400 km from the proposed Project site. Given the sensitive nature of the Project, it is essential that the environmental and social capacity of RD at Batumi shall be strengthened. It is therefore recommended that before the initiation of land acquisition work and the construction work, a safeguard specialist shall be appointed in Batumi with the following key responsibilities:
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Monitor the environmental and social impacts (excluding that of LARP) of the proposed project during construction; Keep a liaison with the community on environmental matters; and Organize awareness sessions for the community.
10.11 Implementation Budget 672. The implementation budget for EMP is presented in Table 10-6.
Table 10-6: EMP Implementation Budget for Construction Phase
Head Item Quantity Unit Rate Total Cost (US$) (US$) Equipment Noise meters 3 400 1,200 Ambient air quality 1 5000 5,000 (Low vol sampler) Vibration meters 10 800 8,000 Sampling and Water 36 200 7,200 Analysis Soil 36 200 7,200 Noise wall 58,000 m2 275 15,950,000 Staff 36 months 2,500 90,000 Vehicle and Fuel 36 months 500 18,000 Total 16,086,600
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Environmental Management Plan R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 10-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
11. Grievance Redress Mechanism
11.1 Introduction 673. Grievance redress mechanisms (GRMs) are institutions, instruments, methods, and processes by which a resolution to a grievance is sought and provided. GRM is seen by ADB as a pre-litigation mechanism for conciliation of disagreements and addressing concerns of APs at early stages of dispute. GRM is aimed on smooth and creative resolution of disputes, minimizing time and resources waste and reputational risk to the project. The experience gained in ADB and other donor funded projects demonstrates that the efficient GRM enables to avoid time-consuming and complex legal procedures in majority cases of claims. 674. The grievance redress mechanism (GRM) is an integral part of the ADB Accountability Mechanism (AM) that complements the problem solving (OSPF) and compliance review (CRP) functions of the ADB AM Policy 2012. 675. The GRM should be established and operated in compliance with the Georgian Regulations and ADB Policy requirements. 676. According to the ADB requirements, the GRM should be arranged to address the resettlement related issues (SPS 2009 – Safeguard Requirements 2: Involuntary Resettlement, Requirement 7. Grievance Redress Mechanism) and the environmental concerns of the affected communities and other stakeholders (SPS 2009 - Safeguard Requirements 1: Environment, Requirement 5. Grievance Redress Mechanism). 677. Requirement on establishing GRM is stipulated in LARFs/LARPs and EARFs/IEE/EIA. Legitimization of the GRM is ensured through approval of these documents by the Georgian Government. LARFs/LARPs and EARFs/IEEs/EIAs contain description of general principles of operation and structure of the GRM. The present guideline provides more detailed description of GR process and recommendations. 678. The grievance redress mechanism, as defined in LARFs, shall deal with the issues of land and other assets acquisition (e.g. amount of compensation, suitability of residual land plots, loss of acess roads, etc) as well as the losses and damages caused by the construction works, e.g. temporray or permanenet occupation of land by the contractor. Therefore the grievance redress mechanism shall be in place by the time of LARP preparation and intense communication with the APs and shall function until the completion of the construction. 679. The grievance redress mechanism, as defined in EARFs, shall deal with the environmental concerns raised by the affected communities and stakeholder at the stage of IEE/EIA preparation and furher during the construction stage. At the IEE/EIA stage the grievances comprise complains of more general character (complains against triggering geohazard risks, affecting flora and fauna and valuable landscapes and ecosystems, climate change or pollution, impacts on cultural heritage etc.), with more community- focused complains, like risks of damage of property, nuiscance or losses of community property etc. At the construction stage the environmental claims raised by the local communities usually prevail. However, in case of gross violation resulting in significant impacts, the claims could be raised by NGOs or other stakeholders. 680. The environmental and/or the resettlement related grievances from affected population and stakeholders could be submitted throughout the project preparation and
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
implementation stage. The core group of people involved in grievance resolution (IA staff, local authorities, Construction and Supervising companies, representatives of population and NGOs, etc.) are the same for both processes. There is no substantial reason to consider as a feasible scheme development of two separate GRM for LAR implementation and managing environmental issues. It is considered that the one GRM could be established as an efficient tool for addressing both – environmental and resettlement problems related to ADB financed projects. The proposed structure of GRM, process and procedures for grieavnce resoultion is described in chapters 1.4 and 1.5 of this guideline.
11.2 Georgian Regulations 681. Administrative Code of Geeorgia is the legal document defining the rules and procedures for the grievance review and resolution. 682. According to the law, the Administrative body receiving officially lodged claims is oblidged to review the claims and engage the claimant in the grievance review and resolution process, and issue final decision in that regard. 683. Clause 181. defines the content and the grievance submission forms. In particular, the grievance package should include: a) Name of the administrative body to whom the complaints are addressed; b) Name, address and contact details of the claimant; c) Name of the administrative body, who’s decisions or administrative acts are the subject of complain; d) Name of the administrative act or decision, which is subject of complain; e) Content of the claim; f) The context and facts, based on which the complaint is substantiated; g) list of attachments; 684. Clauses 194 and 198 define the rules and procedures ensuring participation of the claimants in the grievance review process. 685. According to the clause 202, the decision issued by the Administrative Body in relation with the reviewed claim has a status of individual administrative legal act. 686. The standard period given for the issuance of the decision in relation with the grievance is 1 month.
11.3 ADB Policy (SPS 2009) requirements in relation with the Grievance Redress 687. The borrower/client will establish a mechanism to receive and facilitate the resolution of affected persons’ concerns and grievances about physical and economic displacement and other project impacts, paying particular attention to the impacts on vulnerable groups. 688. The grievance redress mechanism should be scaled to the risks and adverse impacts of the project. 689. It should address affected persons’ concerns and complaints promptly, using an understandable and transparent process that is gender responsive, culturally appropriate, and readily accessible to the affected persons at no costs and without retribution. 690. The mechanism should not impede access to the country’s judicial or administrative remedies. The borrower/client will inform affected persons about the mechanism.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-2 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
11.4 Grievance Redress Process 691. At the LARP/EIA preparation stage, during the consultation meetings and negotiations the APs shall be fully informed of the grievance redress mechanism, its functions, procedures, contact persons and rules of making complaints. This will be ensured through oral information and booklets distributed during the information campaign. 692. Grievance resolution is viewed as a two-stage process, first involving local resources (site-and project specific structures/units) for the grievance resolution and only in case of failure engaging top management and entire capacity of the central offices of IA/PIUs. 693. Grievance redress procedures of Stage 1 represent an informal tool of dispute resolution allowing the APs and the project implementation team to resolve the disagreement without any formal procedures, procrastination and impediments. The international experience of LAR/Environmental Mnagement shows that such informal grievance redress mechanism helps to solve most of the complaints without formal procedures (i.e. without using the procedures specified in the Administrative Code or litigation). This mechanism enables unimpeded implementation of the Project and timely satisfaction of complaints. 694. Care will always be taken to prevent grievances rather than going through official procedures of Stage 2. The achivement of this goal can be ensured through careful planning and preparation of IEE/EIA and LARP, active participation of APs, effective consultations, proper communication and coordination among local communities, IAs and local authorities. 695. In case of failure of the grievance resolution attempts at the stage 1, the process of grievance review and resolution enters Stage 2. Stage 2 is a process formalized in accordance with the Administrative Code of Georgia. The claimant submits official claim in a written form to the IA and the IA as an administrative body is conducting the grievance review and response process following requirements of the law, regarding time frames, involvement of claimant, etc. The stage 2 process may require involvement of different departments and specialists of the IA, its consultants, local authorities and other stakeholders. 696. If the grievance is not resolved at the stage 2 GR process, the claimant has right and possibility to apply to court and the GRM helps the claimant to prepare application package.
11.5 Grievance Redress Mechanism 697. The present chapter specifies the procedures of establishing Grievance Reddress Mechanism (GRM) and its structure and composition. The Safeguard Units of the IA has important role for establishing the GRM. 698. The GRM consists of temporary, project-specific units established at the municipal level in project affected municipality and regular system established at IA. Grievance Reddress Committee (GRCE) established at municipal level as a project-specific instrument, which is functional only for the period of the project implementation. Grievance Redress Commission (GRCN) is formed as permanently functional informal structure within the IA to ensure grievance review, resolution and record.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
11.6 Grievance Redress Commission in IAs 699. Grievance Redress Commission (GRCN) is formed by the order of the Head of IA as a permanently functional informal structure, engaging personnel of IA from all departments having regard to the environmental and LAR issues and complaint resolution. This includes top management, Environmental and Social Safeguards Units, Legal Departments, PR department and other relevant departments (depending on specific structure of the IA). The GRCN is involved at the Stage 2 of grievance resolution process. The Order shall also state that if necessary representative of local authorities, NGOs, auditors, representatives of APs and any other persons or entities can be engaged in a work of GRCN. For the GRCN the following composition is proposed (Table 11-1):
Table 11-1: GRCN Composition
i. Top management of IA/PIU Member ii. Head of Environmental and Social Safeguards Units Member iii. Legal Departments of IA/PIU Member iv. PR department of IA/PIU Member v. Other relevant departments (depending on specific structure of the IA). Member
700. A Grievance Redress Committee (GRCE) is an informal, project-specific grievance redress mechanism, established to administer the grievances at Stage 1. This informal body will be established at community level in both the affected Municipality. The representative of Rayon Gamgebeli in the Muncipality will be a Chairman of the GRCE. The IA/PIU representative(s) of Environmental and Resettlement Unit in GRCE (Convener, Contact Person(s)) shall coordinate the GRCE formation. The Contact Person will then be responsible for the coordination of GRC activities and organizing meetings. In addition, GRCE shall comprise representative of Sakrebulo (Secretary), representatives of APs, women APs (if any), and appropriate local NGOs to allow voices of the affected communities to be heard and ensure a participatory decision-making process. 701. GRCEs will be established at the community level (office of the official Representative of the Gamgebeli in the Municipality and the Head of the Municipal Sakrebulo202). Establishment of GRCE will be formalized by the protocol of the first meeting with the reference on LARFs/EARFs, as a part of binding agreement of the Government and ADB. For the GRCE following composition is proposed (Table 11-2):
202 Sakrebulo is a elected local authority (local parliament) and the Representative of the Gamgebeli in the Municipality is an executive authority.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-4 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 11-2: GRCE composition
i. Representative(s) of Environmmental and Resettlement Convener; Contact Safeguards Unit of IA/PIU Person(s) ii. Representative of Sakrebulo Member iii. Representative of Rayon Gamgebeli in the concerned Muncipality Chairman (village/municipality level) iv. Representative of APs Member v. Representative of NGO Member vi. Representative of Civil Works Contractor Member vii. Environmental and Resettlement/Social Specialists of Supervision Member Consultant
702. Representative(s) of the Environmental and Resettlement Unit of IA/PIU (Conviner/Contact Person) is coordinating the work of the Commettee and at the same time he is nominated as a contact person for collecting the grievances and handling grievance log. The local authorities at the municipal level, civil works Contractor, Supervising Company (Engineer), as well as IPs (through informal meetings) are informed about the contact person and his contact details are available in offices of all mentioned stakeholders. The ToR for the members of GRCE is given in Appendix 9. 703. The APs should be informed about the available GRM. This could be achieved through implementing information campaigns, distributing brochures (e.g. Communication Plan), and forms for the grievance for APs (see Appendix 9). Keeping all focal points up- to-date & maintaining regular communication with them, allowing multiple entry points for complaints, Introducing forms for ease of reporting complaints.
11.7 Grievance Redress Procedures
Stage 1 – informal review of the AP’s complaint (whether written or oral) 704. Grievance Collection and registration. The representative(s) of Environmental and Resettlement Unit of IA/PIU (Contact Person) is a person responsible for collecting the grievances received from different entry points and for recording them. Through the information campaign conducted at the early stages of the project development, the APs will be informed that grievances should be addressed directly to the Contact Person. However, despite any efficient information campaigns, it is expected that some portion of grievances will be addressed to the local authorities at the Municipal or Regional level, to the Construction Contractor and Supervising Company (Engineer). All these stakeholders will arrange entry points and recording systems for grievances and will readdress the grievances to the Contact Person. Further, the Contact Person will register the grievances and will coordinate the grievance resolution process, engaging the required members of GRCE.
Step 1: Informal negotiations 705. Representative of IA (Contact Person) will review the grievance, and based on that will: define the list of members of the GRCE and specialists required to address the grievance
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-5 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
agree with the claimant the date and site for the informal meeting conduct meetings, site visits and negotiations with the AP with participation of relevant members of the GRCE will document all site-visits, meetings and discussions with the involved parties (minnutes of meetings, photos, etc.) 706. In case of amicable resolution of the dispute, a Protocol of Agreement (Protocol 1: Action Plan) is prepared by the Contact Person describing agreed actions, dates, other conditions (See Appendix 9). The protocol is signed by the claimant and Contact Person. The Action Plan should define: clear timeline for each action, parties responsible for undertaking and completing each action, budget 707. After implementation of the agreed action another protocol is prepared by the Contact Person (Protocol of Grievance Closure), which confirms the fact that the parties have finally resolved the dispute (Appendix 9). The protocol will be signed by Contact Person as a representative of GRCE and by the claimant.
Step 2.: Formal Review of the Grievance by GRCE: 708. In case if informal negotiations conducted as step 1 of the stage 1 process fails to resolve the issue, the official procedure of the grievance review by the GRCE is triggered. 709. The Contact Person (Representative(s) of Environmmental and Resettlement Safeguards Unit of IA/PIU) assists the claimant to prepare the official written claim addressed to the GRCE and supplements this by his information notes. 710. The written claim will contain the following information: Name and contact details of the claimant Date of submitting claim The brief description of the essence of claim Documents prepared (photos, maps, other documents) confirming the information presented in a claim 711. The Contact Person will notify IA/PIU and all members of the GRCE regarding the need of execution of the formal GRCE procedure. The Contact Person will agree the date of formal meeting with the chairman and Secretary of the GRCE and inform the claimant and all members of the GRCE regarding the meeting site and date. The meeting should be held not later than 2 weeks after the notification issued by the Contact Person. The Contact Person will distribute the claim supplementary documents among the GRCE members. 712. The GRCE will engage all required specialist in reviewing the claim and, in case of need, will invite them on a planned meeting. During 1 week after the meeting the GRCE will issue its Conclusion and the Contact Person will inform the caimant about the decision. 713. In case of amicable resolution of the dispute, a Protocol of Agreement is prepared by the Contact Person describing agreed actions, dates, other conditions. The protocol is signed by the claimant and Chairman of the GRCE.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-6 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
714. After implementation of the agreed action the Protocol of Grievance Closure is prepared by the Contact Person. The protocol will be signed by the Chairman of GRCE and by the claimant. 715. In case if informal negotiations conducted as stage 1 process fails to resolve the issue, the grievance resolution by GRCE at the local level is considered as not sufficient and the claim resolution process by GRCN at the central level is triggered. 716. The Contact Person (Representative of IA) assists the claimant to prepare the official written claim addressed to the GRCE and supplements this by his information notes. 717. The written claim will contain following information: Name and contact details of the claimant Date of submitting claim The brief description of the essence of claim Documents prepared (photos, maps, other documents) confirming the information presented in a claim
Stage 2 – Official Review of the Grievances by GRCN 718. Stage 2 process is triggered by notice from the Contact Person sent to the GRCN with the attached claim and the supplementary package of documents prepared with the assistance of the Contact Person. 719. The notice send by the Contact Person contains brief description of the grievance review and resolution attempts made at the stage 1, including explanation of the reasons of diesagreement and attachements (minnutes of meetings, protocols, photos etc.). 720. Upon receiving the grievance and supplementary documents, the secretary of the GRCN will register the claim in a grievance log and initiate the formal grievance review and resolution process in accordance with the requirements of the Administrative Code. The GRCN members will discuss the issue and engage relevant departments and specialist of the IA, in order to find solutions for the grievance resolution. In case of need the specialists from other governmental institutions or expert groups could be also engaged. 721. Not later than 2 weeks from receiving the claim, the GRCN will conduct a formal hearing participation of the claimant at a date fixed by the GRCN member secretary. On the date of hearing, the aggrieved AP will appear before the GRCN at the IA office for consideration of grievance. The member secretary will note down the statements of the complainant and document all details of the claim, proposed solutions and final agreement. 722. In case of amicable resolution of the dispute, a Protocol of Agreement (protocol 1) is prepared by the Secretary of GRCN, describing agreed actions, deadlines and other conditions. The protocol is signed by the claimant and Chairman of the GRCN. 723. After implementation of the agreed action the Protocol of Grievance Closure is prepared by the Secretary of GRCN. The protocol will be signed by the Chairman of GRCE and by the claimant. 724. If the IA/PIU decision fails to satisfy the aggrieved APs, they can pursue further action by submitting their case to the appropriate court of law (Rayon Court). GRCN
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-7 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
(secretary) will help the claimant to prepare the documents for submission to the Rayon (municipal) court. 725. Brief description of all stages of Grievance Resolution Process are given in the Table 11-3 below.
Table 11-3: Grievance Resolution Process
Steps Action level Process Stage 1 Step 1: The complaint is informally reviewed by the GRCE Contact Person (GRCE Informal – Representative of Environmental and Resettlement Unit of IA/PIU, Level) negotiations which takes all necessary measures to resolve the dispute amicably. with Aps At this stage, Contact Person engages in discussions with AP only those members of the GRCE, who have direct relation to the issue. Step 2: If the oral grievance is not solved during the negotiations, the GRCE Formal will assist the aggrieved APs to formally lodge the grievances to the negotiations GRCE. with APs The aggrieved APs shall submit their complaints to the GRCE within GRCE level 1 week after completion of the negotiations at the village level or resolution of later, as he wishes. The aggrieved AP shall produce documents grievance supporting his/her claim. The GRCE Contact Person will review the complaint and prepare a Case File for GRCE hearing and resolution. A formal hearing will be held with the GRCE at a date fixed by the GRCE Contact Person. On the date of hearing, the aggrieved AP will appear before the GRCE at the Municipality office for consideration of grievance. The member secretary will note down the statements of the complainant and document all details of the claim. The decisions from majority of the members will be considered final from the GRCE at Stage 1 and will be issued by the Contact Person/Convener and signed by other members of the GRCE. The case record will be updated and the decision will be communicated to the complainant AP. After implementation of the agreed action the Protocol of Grievance Closure is prepared by the Contact Person. The protocol will be signed by the Chairman of GRCE and by the claimant. Stage 2 Step 3 If any aggrieved AP is unsatisfied with the GRCE decision, the next Decision from option will be to lodge grievances to the IA/PIU at the national level. central IA/PIU GRCE should assist the plaintiff in lodging an official complaint to GRCN GRCN (the plaintiff should be informed of his/her rights and obligations, rules and procedures of making a complaint, format of complaint, terms of complaint submission, etc.). The aggrieved AP shall produce documents supporting his/her claim, in accordance with the legal requirements (Administrative Code of Georgia). The GRCN of the IA shall review the complaint in compliance with the procedures specified in the Administrative Code of Georgia. If needed, a formal hearing will be held with the GRCN at a date fixed by the GRCN member secretary. On the date of hearing, the aggrieved AP will appear before the GRCN at the IA office for consideration of grievance. The Contact person will note down the statements of the complainant and document all details of the claim. The plaintiff shall be informed of the decision.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-8 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Steps Action level Process Stage 3 Step 4 If the IA/PIU decision fails to satisfy the aggrieved APs, they can Court decision pursue further action by submitting their case to the appropriate court of law (Rayon Court). The aggrieved AP can take a legal action not only about the amount of compensation but also any other issues, e.g. occupation of their land by the contractor without their consent, damage or loss of their property, restrictions on the use of land/assets, etc.
11.8 Grievance Log 726. The Grievance Logs will be developed at both – GRCE and GRCN levels.
11.8.1 Grievance Log in GRCE 727. The GRCE is a project specific structure established at the municipal level and functional for the period of project life. Accordingly, the GRCE Grievance Logs will be developed and maintained at the Municipal level (See Appendix 9). 728. The Grievance Logs will be developed and managed by the IA/PIU representative at site (Convenor of the GRCE/Contact Person) and will be kept at site (in the IA/PIU office or Engineer’s office). 729. The records in Grievance logs include the following information: Name and contact details of the claimant Date of receiving claim Form of claim – (oral or written) To whom the claim has been addressed initially (entry point) The brief description of the essence of claim the stages, dates and participants of negotiations with the AP with GRCE (stage 1) Minutes of meetings Final decision of the GRCE (in case of the dispute is resolved, the decision is about closure of the issue. In case if the dispute remains unresolved, the decision is about passing to the stage 2 of the grievance redress process) Date of decision of GRCE Documents prepared by AP with the help of GRCE for passing to GRCN 730. The copies of the records/documents may be also kept in the municipal office.
11.8.2 Grievance Log in GRCN 731. Grievance Redress Commission (GRCN) is formed by the order of the Head of IA/PIU as a permanently functional informal structure within the IA/PIU, to handle the stage 2 process of the grievance resolution. The GRCN is linked with the GRCE through the IA/PIU representatives, who are nominated as Contact Persons and at the same time as coordinators/conveners at the GRCE level.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
732. The Convener and Secretary of the GRCE will ensure that properly prepared grievance package is lodget by the complainant to the GRCN. Related records are made in a Complaint Log of GRCE, as described in paragraph 1.6.1. 733. The registration of the complaints passing stage 2 process, will be executed by GRCN. The entire package of complaints will be kept in archaives and appropriate records will be made in a Complaints Log, providing chronologically structured information regarding the grievance resolution. 734. The records in Grievance Logs include the following information: Name and contact details of the claimant Date of receiving claim Form of claim – (oral or written) To Whom the claim has been delivered to GRCN (directly or from GRCE, after failure of the stage 1 GR process) The brief description of the essence of claim The stages, dates and participants of negotiations with the AP with GRCN (stage 2) Minutes of meetings Final decision of the GRCN (in case of the dispute is resolved, the decision is about closure of the issue. In case if the dispute remains unresolved, the decision is about passing to the stage 2 of the grievance redress process) Date of decision of GRCN Documents prepared by AP with the help of GRCN to sent to court. 1.7 Afterword 735. The guidelines presented above should not be perceived as a very strict and obligatory scheme and certain variations are accepted. However, there are several basic principles, which should be regarded and ensured through the developed GRM. 736. Efficient Grievance Redress Mechanism should be: Hierarchically organized o The lower level component of GRM should be project –specific and organized at the local level in those municipalities, where the project is being implemented (municipalities; local branches or offices of IA/PIU, etc.) o The higher level component of GRM should be arranged at the level of central office of IA/PIU and should be permanently functional. Scaled to risks & adverse impacts and spatial coverage of the project o Allowing for multiple entry points for high risk projects and/or projects to be implemented at different locations. The multiple entry points comprise different entities, as: municipal authorities, IAs/PIUs, Construction Contractor, Supervising Company (Engineer), etc. o Assigning focal persons at each entry point o Documenting complaints, queries, requests, etc (e.g. complaint log)
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-10 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
o Delivering training for GRM & focal points, developing advisory notes or ToR for GRCE/GRCN members o Leveraging technical expertise to make balanced and fair decisions regarding complaints Readily accessible to APs o accessible to APs with no costs & without retribution o efficient and understandable to the affected parties o transparent & impartial o culturally appropriate, sensitive to gender & vulnerable groups o Engaging CSOs, Office of Ombudsman, special facilitators etc o Including representative of APs (complainant) to the Grievance Review Group o Documenting grievance review & resolution process
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Grievance Redress Mechanism R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 11-11 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
12. Conclusions
737. The proposed Project, the Batumi Bypass Road Construction, was evaluated in this report. The proposed design and construction activities were assessed against the laws of Georgia, and ADB’s safeguard policies. Mitigation and management measures were recommended and made part of the project design. 738. Environmentally, the most important aspect of the project is the noise to be generated during project operation. Noise modeling was undertaken to predict the impact, and identify mitigation measures. Socially, the most important aspect is resettlement. A resettlement action plan has been prepared separately to undertake the resettlement in a fair and open manner and to minimize social or economic impacts.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Conclusions R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 12-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 1: TOR EIA UPDATE BATUMI BYPASS-9 MAY 2016
See following pages.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 1 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 1-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Terms of Reference for updating of the Batumi Bypass Environmental Impact Assessment Report
1. Background: The Government of Georgia (GOG) intends to carry out construction of Batumi Bypass under ADB financing. The section represents a two-lane road with a total length of 12km. The Detail Design for the mentioned road section was prepared in 2011-2012 through the ADB financing. As of today, the preparatory activities for implementation of the project are underway. 2. Objectives of the assignment is the update EIA prepared during the Detail Design stage in accordance but not limited to the scope of the services listed below: 3. Scope of Services The broad activities that need to be conducted for the EIA are listed below, and the specific detailed outline of Environmental Assessment report is also presented. The consultant will review, revise and update the existing EIA for the project with the assistance of experts in the area of environmental assessment, noise and vibration modeling, GIS and social impact assessment etc.
Perform a scoping exercise and gap analysis to see how the present EIA differs from the required EIA format of ADB, according to ADB SPS 2009. The EIA is to follow pollution prevention and control technologies and practices consistent with international good practices as reflected in internationally recognized standards1 such as the World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. (WB EHS guidelines); Update, revise and supplement the information on the project description as per the detailed design. This should include specific information on the number, location and design of the fly-overs and bridges. This should be supplemented with maps that show the location in relation to the back ground environment of the area, all information should be adequately cross referenced; Study the relevant baseline information including: biodiversity, noise, air quality and water quality; conduct baseline surveys for each parameter to establish ambient environmental conditions in the area. Conduct noise, vibration and air dispersion modelling using the traffic projections for the project to establish likely environmental impacts in the area; Perform an impacts analysis for the construction and operation stages of the project and propose mitigation measures to minimize and/or remove the impacts;
1 These standards contain performance levels and measures that are normally acceptable and applicable to projects. When host country regulations differ from these levels and measures, more whichever is more stringent will be followed. If less stringent levels or measures are appropriate in view of specific project circumstances, a full justification is to be provided.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Assess environmental impacts of the operation and its ancillary activities also discuss cumulative environmental impacts; Perform a clear analysis of project alternatives such that the environmentally most feasible option emerges as the selected alignment; Develop an environmental sensitivity mapping of the area using the baseline data collected; include data on noise, vibration, social indicators, water and soil;. Perform a risk based environmental impact analysis of the likely impacts of the operation based on the findings and results of the noise and air emissions modeling, biodiversity baseline and other sensitive environmental parameters along the alignment; Propose state of the art mitigation measures to minimize, mitigate or altogether remove these impacts; As part of the EIA prepare an environmental management plan (EMP) including the use of appropriate mitigation technologies, an environmental monitoring plan with monitoring indicators, and institutional arrangements and responsibilities (including cost estimates and training); Conduct an institutional environmental capacity review with regards to the EAs implementation capacity with regards to Environmental safeguards. Prepare a capacity development program to deal with each of the identified capacity gaps. Conduct meaningful public consultation with communities and relevant stakeholders in the area of influence of the project at least twice during the environmental assessment process, once at the planning stage and once when the detailed design is available for sharing with all stakeholders. Consult all local and national level stakeholders, including Community based organization and national and international NGOs actively working in the area; Ensure, and provide evidence that the findings and concerns of the communities have been addressed in the EIA report; The EIA report that should include an EMP and environmental monitoring plan as required by ADB’s safeguards policy statement 2009; Ensure that the EIA contains an environmental management cost, i.e., the cost for implementing the EMP in the field; The EIA and its EMP should contain the requirement for the preparation of a site specific EMP by the contractor (using a risk based approach) to ensure that the mitigation measures are customized to the needs of the various aspects of the operation and the alignment; The EIA should contain maps and figures to explain the details and all supporting data and studies performed as part of the EIA should be duly annexed; Prepare a Grievance Redress Mechanism that is operational for the project, including community representation along the entire alignment of the road.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
OUTLINE OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT (SPS 2009) This outline is part of the Safeguard Requirements for Environment. The EIA for each of the power plants must contain the following major elements. The substantive aspects of this outline will guide the preparation of environmental impact assessment reports, although not necessarily in the order shown. A. Executive Summary This section describes concisely the critical facts, significant findings, and recommended actions.
B. Policy, Legal, and Administrative Framework This section discusses the national and local legal and institutional framework within which the environmental assessment is carried out. It also identifies project-relevant international environmental agreements to which the country is a party. C. Description of the Project This section describes the proposed project; its major components; and its geographic, ecological, social, and temporal context, including any associated facility required by and for the project (for example, access roads, power plants, water supply, quarries and borrow pits, and spoil disposal). It normally includes drawings and maps showing the project’s layout and components, the project site, and the project's area of influence. D. Description of the Environment (Baseline Data) This section describes relevant physical, biological, and socioeconomic conditions within the study area. It also looks at current and proposed development activities within the project's area of influence, including those not directly connected to the project. It indicates the accuracy, reliability, and sources of the data. E. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures This section predicts and assesses the project's likely positive and negative direct and indirect impacts to physical, biological, socioeconomic (including occupational health and safety, community health and safety, vulnerable groups and gender issues, and impacts on livelihoods through environmental media), and physical cultural resources in the project's area of influence, in quantitative terms to the extent possible; identifies mitigation measures and any residual negative impacts that cannot be mitigated; explores opportunities for enhancement; identifies and estimates the extent and quality of available data, key data gaps, and uncertainties associated with predictions and specifies topics that do not require further attention; and examines global, transboundary, and cumulative impacts. F. Analysis of Alternatives This section examines alternatives to the proposed project site, technology, design, and operation—including the no project alternative—in terms of their potential environmental impacts; the feasibility of mitigating these impacts; their capital and recurrent costs; their suitability under local conditions; and their institutional, training, and monitoring requirements. It also states the basis for selecting the particular project design proposed and, justifies recommended emission levels and approaches to pollution prevention and abatement. G. Information Disclosure, Consultation, and Participation
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
This section: (i) describes the process undertaken during project design and preparation for engaging stakeholders, including information disclosure and consultation with affected people and other stakeholders; (ii) summarizes comments and concerns received from affected people and other stakeholders and how these comments have been addressed in project design and mitigation measures, with special attention paid to the needs and concerns of vulnerable groups, including women, the poor, and Indigenous Peoples; and (iii) describes the planned information disclosure measures (including the type of information to be disseminated and the method of dissemination) and the process for carrying out consultation with affected people and facilitating their participation during project implementation.
H. Grievance Redress Mechanism This section describes the grievance redress framework (both informal and formal channels), setting out the time frame and mechanisms for resolving complaints about environmental performance. I. Environmental Management Plan This section deals with the set of mitigation and management measures to be taken during project implementation to avoid, reduce, mitigate, or compensate for adverse environmental impacts (in that order of priority). It may include multiple management plans and actions. It includes the following key components (with the level of detail commensurate with the project’s impacts and risks): (i) Mitigation: (a) identifies and summarizes anticipated significant adverse environmental impacts and risks; (b) describes each mitigation measure with technical details, including the type of impact to which it relates and the conditions under which it is required (for instance, continuously or in the event of contingencies), together with designs, equipment descriptions, and operating procedures, as appropriate; and (c) provides links to any other mitigation plans (for example, for involuntary resettlement, Indigenous Peoples, or emergency response) required for the project. (ii) Monitoring: (a) describes monitoring measures with technical details, including parameters to be measured, methods to be used, sampling locations, frequency of measurements, detection limits and definition of thresholds that will signal the need for corrective actions; and
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
(b) describes monitoring and reporting procedures to ensure early detection of conditions that necessitate particular mitigation measures and document the progress and results of mitigation. (iii) Implementation arrangements: (a) specifies the implementation schedule showing phasing and coordination with overall project implementation; (b) describes institutional or organizational arrangements, namely, who is responsible for carrying out the mitigation and monitoring measures, which may include one or more of the following additional topics to strengthen environmental management capability: technical assistance programs, training programs, procurement of equipment and supplies related to environmental management and monitoring, and organizational changes; and (c) estimates capital and recurrent costs and describes sources of funds for implementing the environmental management plan. (iv) Performance indicators: describes the desired outcomes as measurable events to the extent possible, such as performance indicators, targets, or acceptance criteria that can be tracked over defined time periods. J. Conclusion and Recommendation This section provides the conclusions drawn from the assessment and provides recommendations.
4. Contract Duration and Reporting Obligation
The Duration of the Contract is 2 months:
Reporting Obligation of the Consultant is as follows:
1. Draft Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report the Report will be submitted at the end of 1 month after commencement of the service and will include EIA report prepared based on the requirements underlined under the Scope of Services of the ToR. 2. Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report will be submitted within 1 week period after obtaining comments from the employer and shall incorporate all revisions deemed necessary arising from comments received from the Road Department following discussions and agreements in the course of evaluating the draft report and will be submitted to the Client for approval and disclosure. Note: all reports shall be submitted in English and Georgian Language. 5. Qualification and experience:
The EIA Consultant shall be a qualified Environmental specialist with at least 5 years working experience. The successful candidate should have: An advanced degree in Environmental Studies (or relevant) from an accredited educational institution;
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Proven practical experience in Environmental monitoring, reporting and stakeholder consultation (include names and contact information of previous clients). Knowledge and practical experience In preparation of EIA reports; Familiar with IFI financed projects; Good knowledge of written and spoken English language; Selection criteria:
Selection will be done according to the recruitment of individual consultant selection method provided in Guidelines on The Use of Consultants by Asian Development Bank and Its Borrowers (available at http://www.adb.org/documents/guidelines-use-consultants-asian- development-bank-and-its-borrowers), and the following criteria and weights: 1. 20% General Qualification. 2. 70% Assignment-related Experience. 3. 10% Regional Experience
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 2: AIR QUALITY SAMPLING RESULTS
1. This appendix contains the laboratory analysis reports for the following parameters 2. This appendix contains the laboratory analysis reports for the following parameters:
NOX and NO2 in diffusion tubes
SO2 in diffusion tubes
O3 in diffusion tubes
NO2 in rapid analysis monitors
SO2 in rapid analysis monitors
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 2 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 2-1
(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 K06466R
BOOKING REFERENCE No K06466
DESPATCH NOTE No SOR 32394
CUSTOMER Hagler Bailly Pakistan Ltd 39, Street 3, E7 Islamabad 44000 Pakistan DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 19/10/2016
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
793991 A1 - Oil Terminal 793998 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 336.58 5.48 13.19 7.70 10.51 25.26 14.76 0.26 0.62 793990 A2 - Batumi 793997 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 335.42 21.05 34.32 13.27 40.32 65.76 25.43 0.98 1.60 793989 A3 - Long Bridge 793996 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 333.95 6.71 6.34 12.85 12.15 0.31 0.30 793987 A4 - Reference 793994 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 332.67 6.04 11.12 5.07 11.58 21.30 9.72 0.28 0.52 793988 A5 -Interchange 793995 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 332.18 18.85 30.96 12.11 36.12 59.31 23.20 0.87 1.43
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 K06466R 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 336.58 0.19 0.20 0.00 0.37 0.38 0.01 0.009 0.009
Comment: Results are not blank subtracted
Where nitric oxide (NO) results have not been calculated result for NOx was lower than result for NO2 +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 Charlotte Grove
Date of Analysis 20/10/2016 Date of Report 26/10/2016
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 K06466R Page 2 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 DETERMINATION OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE IN DIFFUSION TUBES BY ION CHROMATOGRAPHY
REPORT NUMBER K06468R BOOKING IN REFERENCE No K06468 DESPATCH NOTE No 32394
CUSTOMER Hagler Bailly Pakistan Ltd 39, Street 3, E7 Islamabad 44000 Pakistan DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 19/10/2016 Sample Date Date Exposure µg S µg S - SO SO 2 2 Location Number Exposed Finished Hours Total Blank µg/m3* ppb*
A0- TBILSI 794001 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 337.25 <0.03 <0.01 <1.37 <0.51 A1- OIL TERMINAL 794007 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 336.58 <0.03 <0.01 <1.37 <0.52 A2- BATUMI 794006 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 335.42 <0.03 <0.01 <1.38 <0.52 A3- LONG BRIDGE 794004 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 333.95 <0.03 <0.01 <1.39 <0.52 A3A- SHORT BRIDGE 794005 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 333.95 <0.03 <0.01 <1.39 <0.52 A4- REFERENCE 794002 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 332.67 <0.03 <0.01 <1.39 <0.52 A5- INTERCHANGE 794003 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 332.18 <0.03 <0.01 <1.39 <0.52
Laboratory Blank 0.01
Comment: Results are blank subtracted Results reported as <0.03µg S are below the reporting limit.
Overall M.U. ±6.0% Reporting Limit 0.03µg S
Analysed on Dionex ICS3000 ICU5 Analyst Name Katya Paldamova
Date of Analysis 20/10/2016 Date of Report 21/10/2016
Analysis has been carried out in accordance with in-house method GLM1
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 LQF32b Issue 7 – Oct 2016 Report Number K06468R Page 1 of 1
(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 DETERMINATION OF OZONE IN DIFFUSION TUBES BY ION CHROMATOGRAPHY
REPORT NUMBER K06475R BOOKING IN REFERENCE No K06475 DESPATCH NOTE No 32394 CUSTOMER Hagler Bailly Pakistan Ltd 39, Street 3, E7 Islamabad 44000 Pakistan DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 19/10/2016 µg µg - Sample Date Date Exposure on O O Blank 3 3 Tube Location Number Exposed Finished Hours Total µg/m3* ppb*
A1- OIL TERMINAL 794012 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 336.58 0.26 0.25 43.21 21.60 A2- BATUMI 794011 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 335.42 0.24 0.23 40.13 20.07 A3- LONG BRIDGE 794010 30/09/2016 14/10/2016 333.95 0.17 0.16 27.74 13.87
Laboratory Blank 0.01
Comment: Results are blank subtracted
Overall M.U. ±10.0% Reporting Limit 0.096µg O3
Analysed on Dionex ICS3000 ICU5 Analyst Name Katya Paldamova
Date of Analysis 20/10/2016 Date of Report 21/10/2016
Analysis has been carried out in accordance with in-house method GLM 2
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 LQF32b Issue 7 – Oct 2016 Report Number K06475R Page 1 of 1
(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 RAPID ANALYSIS MONITORS BY U.V.SPECTROPHOTOMETRY REPORT NUMBER K06471R BOOKING IN REFERENCE No K06471 DESPATCH NOTE No 32394
CUSTOMER Hagler Bailly Pakistan Ltd Attn: Shahid Mehmood 39, Street 3, E7 Islamabad 44000 Pakistan DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 19/10/2016
Exposure Sample Data Temp. G NO2 Time g/m3 Location Number Date On Date Off (hr.) Deg C on RAM * ppb *
A1- OIL TERMINAL 794018 14/10/2016 15/10/2016 19.20 20.0 0.49 14.92 7.79 A2- INTERCHANGE 794017 14/10/2016 15/10/2016 17.72 20.0 0.70 23.01 12.01
Laboratory Blank 19.20 20.0 0.01 0.00 0.00
Comment: Results are not blank subtracted If temperatures are not supplied results are calculated assuming a temperature of 293 K (20°) Limit of Detection 0.035gNO2 Analysed on UVS04 Preparation : 20% TEA / Water Camspec M550 Analyst Name Blazej Fiser
Date of Analysis 25/10/2016 Date of Report 25/10/2016
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 LQF32b Issue 7 – Oct 2016 Report Number K06471R Page 1 of 1
(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 DETERMINATION OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE IN RAPID AIR MONITORS BY ION CHROMATOGRAPHY
REPORT NUMBER K06473R BOOKING IN REFERENCE No K06473 DESPATCH NOTE No 32394 CUSTOMER Hagler Bailly Pakistan Ltd 39, Street 3, E7 Islamabad 44000 Pakistan DATE SAMPLES RECEIVED 19/10/2016
Sample Date Date Exposure Temp. µgSO2 µgSO2 on SO2 SO2 Location Number Exposed Finished hours °C on RAM RAM-Blank µµµg/m3 * ppb *
A1- OIL TERMINAL 794015 14/10/2016 15/10/2016 19.20 20.00 <0.53 <0.13 <4.45 <1.67 A2- INTERCHANGE 794014 14/10/2016 15/10/2016 17.72 20.00 <0.53 <0.13 <4.83 <1.81
Laboratory Blank 0.40
Comment: Results are blank subtracted If temperatures are not supplied results are calculated assuming a temperature of 293 K (20°) Results reported as <0.053µg SO2 on RAM are below the reporting limit.
Overall M.U. ±7.8% at 20µgm-3 (1 to 4 week exposure) Reporting Limit 0.53µg SO2 on RAM
Analysed on Dionex ICS3000 ICU5 Analyst Name Katya Paldamova
Date of Analysis 20/10/2016 Date of Report 21/10/2016
Analysis has been carried out in accordance with in-house method GLM1
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 LQF32b Issue 7 – Oct 2016 Report Number K06473R Page 1 of 1
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 3: WATER QUALITY SAMPLING RESULTS
1. This appendix contains the following laboratory analysis reports: General water parameters Metals in water
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 3 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 3-1
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC AIR, WATER and SOIL ANALYSIS LABORATORY 8th Floor – David Agmashenebeli ave. 150, Tbilisi, Georgia O112
- Test report – #122-2016
1 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
Registered sample number: #1230-#1235 (Surface water); #1236-#1241 (Soil)
Number of Parties to the Protocol: 11
Name of customer: Private person – Hasan Buhar; Private #423015-607857-1
Address of customer: Pakistan, Islamabad, ave. #21 F8/2
Tel.: (+99532) 599 18-17-53
Identification of samples by the applicant: #W01-#W06 (Surface water); #S01-#S06 (Soil) Description and identification of the sample (matrix): Surface water and soil
Identification of the used method: Ion-Chromatography, spectrophotometer, titrimetric, ICP-OES, Microwave Extraction Systems-MILESTONE and BERGOF, Weight method, mobile apparatus The date of receipt of the sample: 05.10.2016
The date of examination: 05.10.2016 – 21.10.2016
Date of issue: 24.10.2016
2 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1230 (2) Adjara Region
Surface water - W02 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.14 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 4.4 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 0.72 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 0.64 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 1.96 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 2.098 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 1.983 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 48.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 2.5 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 9.83 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 0.5470 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 31.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 10 000 Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 8 000 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
3 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1231 (3) Adjara Region
Surface water - W03 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.14 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 3.8 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 0.64 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 0.93 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 1.76 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 1.521 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 1.514 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 46.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 2.0 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 8.49 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 0.5034 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 31.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 12 000 Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 8 000 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
4 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1232 (4) Adjara Region
Surface water - W04 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.59 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 3.0 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 1.48 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 1.23 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 2.35 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 3.750 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 3.420 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 104.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 7.5 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 15.93 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 0.8808 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 96.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 9 000 Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 7 000 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
5 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1233 (5) Adjara Region
Surface water - W05 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.09 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 6.2 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 2.2 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 0.79 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 3.92 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 7.081 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 5.428 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 132.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 9.5 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 26.08 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 0.8646 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 199.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 N/D Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 N/D 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
6 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1234 (6) Adjara Region
Surface water - W06 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.68 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 5.4 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 1.30 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 0.68 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 2.94 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 4.125 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 3.286 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 88.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 7.0 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 16.31 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 0.8598 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 143.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 13 000 Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 10 000 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
7 / 12
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1235 (1) Adjara Region
Surface water - W01 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPC Methods Parameters 1 Turbulence NTU 0.31 Photometric 2 Total suspended solid mg/l 4.8 ISO 11923:2007
3 Hardness mgeqv./l 0.74 ISO 6059-84 4 BOD5 mg/l 0.79 6.0 ISO 5815-1:2010 5 COD mg/l 2.74 30.0 ISO 6060:2010 6 Sulphate mg/l 1.496 500 ISO 10304-1:2007 7 Chloride mg/l 4.449 350 ISO 10304-1:2007 8 Alkalinity mg/l 42.0 Titrimetric
9 Sodium mg/l 8.0 200 ISO 9964-3:2010 10 Calcium mg/l 8.73 180 ISO 6058:2008 11 Potassium mg/l 1.4990 ISO 11885:2007 12 TDS mg/l 50.0 1000 Weight membrane filtration 13 3 N/D Total coliforms in 1 dm method membrane filtration 14 3 N/D 5000 E-coli in 1 dm method membrane filtration 15 3 N/D Fecal streptococci in 1 dm method
8 / 12
~~~~- -- ~ ~ ~- ~-~ - /
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.2ov.2e QMA 6
Note: Testresults may be disputedwithin 14days from the dateof receiptof the Protocol.
Executors:
G.Kuchava II 'f7f");1.J
M.ChigitashviliJjJ~
M.Khvedeliani ~ b~Q~
M.Mikava ij (~Jv~
N.Korchilava G~ I'">~ l.jI.-q..J N.Vasadze\i"~
Head of laboratory: J5 Elina Bakradze
)-..1
11 / 11 The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC AIR, WATER and SOIL ANALYSIS LABORATORY 8th Floor – David Agmashenebeli ave. 150, Tbilisi, Georgia O112
Accreditation Certificate GAC -TL - 0094 Registration date 23 December, 2014 Valid until 23 December, 2018
- Test report – #122a-2016
1 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
Registered sample number: #1230-#1235
Number of Parties to the Protocol: 9
Name of customer: Private person – Hasan Buhar; Private #423015-607857-1
Address of customer: Pakistan, Islamabad, ave. #21 F8/2
Tel.: (+99532) 599 18-17-53
Identification of samples by the applicant: #W01 - # W06 Description and identification of the sample (matrix): Surface water Identification of the used method: ICP-OES
The date of receipt of the sample: 05.10.2016
The date of examination: 05.10.2016 – 21.10.2016 Date of issue: 24.10.2016
2 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1230 (2) Adjara Region
Surface water - W02 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.52 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.0269 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0066 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0002 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0011 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0016 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0033 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0024 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0041 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0068 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0002 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0189 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0130 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0058 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0483 0.5 16 Selenium - Se <0.00006 0.01
3 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1231 (3) Adjara Region
Surface water - W03 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.69 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.0323 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0115 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0003 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0011 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0014 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0008 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0030 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0044 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0024 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0002 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0226 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0075 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0055 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0109 0.5 16 Selenium - Se <0.0006 0.01
4 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1232 (4) Adjara Region
Surface water - W04 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.61 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.0974 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0062 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0001 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0024 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0001 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0037 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0016 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0031 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0026 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0001 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0694 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0005 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0041 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0028 0.5 16 Selenium - Se 0.0009 0.01
5 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1233 (5) Adjara Region
Surface water - W05 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.41 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.0137 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0100 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0003 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0017 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0015 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0023 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0046 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0095 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0016 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0003 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0057 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0041 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0009 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0004 0.5 16 Selenium - Se <0.0003 0.01
6 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1234 (6) Adjara Region
Surface water - W06 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.64 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.1054 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0090 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0002 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0025 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0005 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0039 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0032 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0047 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0031 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0002 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0758 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0073 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0044 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0035 0.5 16 Selenium - Se 0.0069 0.01
7 / 9
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.gov.ge QMA 6
#1235 (1) Adjara Region
Surface water - W01 BPG
# Measured Unit Results MPS Methods Parameters pH 7.68 6.5-8.5 ISO 10523:2010 1 2 Iron - Fe 0.0881 0.3 3 Zinc - Zn 0.0082 1.0 4 Cadmium - Cd 0.0002 0.001 5 Cupper - Cu 0.0006 1.0 6 Nickel-Ni 0.0002 0.1 7 Arsenic - As 0.0018 0.05 8 Lead - Pb 0.0050 0.03
9 Chrome - Cr mg/l 0.0055 0.5 ISO 11885:2007 10 Manganese-Mn 0.0047 0.1 11 Mercury <0.0003 0.0005 12 Aluminum - Al 0.0477 0.5 13 Antimony - Sb 0.0004 0.05 14 Barium - Ba 0.0201 0.1 15 Boron - B 0.0064 0.5 16 Selenium - Se <0.0006 0.01
8 / 9
~-
The National Environmental Agency The Department of the Environmental Pollution Monitoring
The Atmospheric air, water and soil Analyses laboratory www.nea.!!ov.!!e QMA 6
Note: Testresults may be disputed within 14days from the date of receiptof theProtocol.
Executors:
G .Kuchava J ' 5"7 ~J ..I
S.Khmiadashvili6 ..~ ~
M.Chigitashvilid.~~
Headof laboratory: i Elina Bakradze
;11 9/9 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 4: CONSULTATION ATTENDANCE LIST
See following pages.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 4 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 4-1 22 - 10 - 2016 11 - 30 am Makhinjauri X 22 - 10 - 2016 02 - 30 pm Kapreshumi
X 23 - 10 - 2016 11 : 30 am Makhlivauri
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 5: BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT (ENGLISH-GEORGIAN)
See following pages.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 5 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 5-1 Background Information Document on baTumis SemovliTi gzis proeqtis the Environmental Impact Assessment of garemoze zemoqmedebis Sefasebis Batumi Bypass Construction Project angariSis mokle mimoxilva
The 121-kilometer (km) Senaki-Poti-Sarpi Road 121 kilometriani arsebuli senaki- (S-2) along the Western coast of Georgia is a key foTi-sarfi (s-2) saavtomobilo gza highway and international transit route in warmoadgens ZiriTad Georgia. It is connected to the major Black Sea avtomagistrals da saerTaSoriso ports of Georgia and a number of holiday resorts. satranzito derefans saqarTveloSi. The road runs through heavily built up tourist avtomagistrali akavSirebs and residential areas including the coastal town saqarTvelos ZiriTad sazRvao of Batumi. To ease the pressure on the roads portebsa da sakurorto zonebs da within the town, the Government of Georgia gadis mWidrod dasaxlebul intends to construct a bypass to Batumi on S-2 punqtebSi, maT Soris q. baTumSi. (the “Project”). The Project will be financed by qalaqSi sacobebis gansatvirTad the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the saqarTvelos mTavrobas dagegmili Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). aqvs aaSenos baTumis SemovliTi gza. proeqti dafinansdeba aziis The Roads Department, Ministry of Regional ganviTarebis bankis (agb) da aziis Development and Infrastructure of Georgia (RD) is executing the Project. The RD has hired the infrastruqturis sainvesticio services of the Hagler Bailly Pakistan(Private) bankis (ais) mier. proeqti Limited to update the environmental impact gnaxorcieldeba saqarTvelos assessment (EIA) of the proposed Project regionaluri ganviTarebis da prepared earlier. infrastruqturis saministros sagzao departamentis mier. As part of the EIA process, consultations are sagzao departamentma garemoze undertaken with the stakeholders of the Project zemoqmedebis Sefasebis angariSis to seek input on the planned project activities to gansaaxleblad daiqirava increase positive project outcomes and avoid or saerTaSoriso kompania “HaglerBailly effectively mitigate negative Project impacts. Pakistan”. This document has been prepared for informed garemoze zemoqmedebis Sefasebis consultations with the stakeholders. angariSi iTvaliswinebs The consultations are an on-going activity and dainteresebul mxareebTan will continue throughout the life of the Project. Sexvedaras, proeqtis aRweras, The information provided in this document is dagegmili RonisZiebebis mimoxilvas subject to changes as further information on proeqtis dadebiTi zemoqmedebis some aspects of the Project becomes available or gasazrdelad da uaryyofiTi the Project is modified as a result of the EIA mxareebis asacileblad an process. Sesarbileblad. proeqtis mimoxilva The total length of the proposed road is about 13 momzadebulia dainteresebul km. Key features of the Bypass include mxareebTan konsultaciebis construction of 5 tunnels, 15 bridges and 4 gasamrTad. interchange. The alignment of the road is shown konsultaciebi warmoadgens in the attached map. grZelvadian process da gaimarTeba periodulad, proeqtis The EIA will cover all aspects of the potential ganxorcielebisas. mimoxilvaSi impacts of the Project including, but not limited warmodgenili proeqtis detalebi to, noise, vibration, air quality, water quality, SesaZlebelia Seicvalos garemoze ecology, and socioeconomic impacts during zemoqmedebis Sefasebis angariSis construction and operation of the Project moTxovnebis Sesabamisad.
HaglerBaillyPakistan Background Information Document Z6BD1HUP: 05/10/16 1 saproeqto monakveTis sigrZea 13 km. da moicavs 5 gvirabs, 15 xids da 4 gzagamtars. SemovliTi gzis ganlageba naCvenebia TandarTul rukaze. gzS-s angariSi moicavs yvela potenciur zemoqmedebas, gamowveuls proeqtis ganxorcielebisas, maT Soris: xmauri, vibracia, atmosferuli haeris da wylis resursebis dabinZureba, ekologia da socio- ekonomikuri zemoqmedeba.
For more information on the EIA contact
For Project Proponents: For EIA Consultants: Gia Sophadze Hidayat Hasan, Head of Environmental Division of Environmental Hagler Bailly Pakistan and Resettlement Department, Road Department, Block 1, Commercial Area, Street 21 Ministry of Regional Development and F8/2 Islamabad Infrastructure, Georgia Tel: +995 599 00 16 76, +92 51 285 7200-07 Tel. (995)599939209 Fax: +92 51 285 7208-09 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
HaglerBaillyPakistan Background Information Document Z6BD1HUP: 05/10/16 2 Exhibit 1: Layout of the Project
HaglerBaillyPakistan Background Information Document Z6BD1HUP: 05/10/16 3 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 6: PUBLIC CONSULTATION LOG
See following pages.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 6 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 6-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Directorate of Environmental Resources Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Oct 11, 2016 Time: 11:00 Meeting Venue: Directorate Environmental Resources, Batumi Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Jamal Nakashitza (JN), Deputy N/A Director, Directorate Environmental Resources Conducted by: Hidayat Hasan (HH) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian, English Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, PT briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities, and shared the project location map and information on the development. At the end of the information session, PT invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 During and post construction activities he has no JN responsibility to monitor construction activities. 2 Monitoring is responsibility of monitoring unit which is JN under the central Ministry of Environment. 3 Their responsibility includes, among others, approval of JN documents submitted by companies as per legislative requirements. 4 Presented a book on Adjara climate change strategy to JN assist with the EIA preparation.
Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Batumi Shota Rustaveli University, Biodiversity Department Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Oct 11, 2016 Time: 13:00 Meeting Venue: Directorate Environmental Resources, Batumi Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: David (DA), Head of Biodiversity N/A Department Conducted by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian, English Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, PT briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities, and shared the project location map and information on the development. At the end of the information session, PT invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 During the 1990s a study had been conducted along the DA right of way and no naturally occurring highly protected species were found. Some were found but they have been planted by land owners. 2 The individual who was involved in this study was called DA to double check the above information. 3 Also confirmed that there were no critical habitats for DA birds or animals in the Study Area.
Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Batumi Botanical Garden Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Oct 10, 2016 Time: 11:00 Meeting Venue: Batumi Botanical Garden Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Tamaz Darchidze (TD), Director, N/A Batumi Botanical Garden Conducted by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian, English Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, PT briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities. At the end of the information session, PT invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 He was not aware of any studies that have been TD conducted along the RoW to be able to advise on the possible impacts of the Project.
Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Institutional Consultation Workshop Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Oct 13, 2016 Time: 14:00 Meeting Venue: Era Palace, Batumi Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Merab Kidzinidze (MK), Head of Mayor N/A Administration, Batumi City Hall Paata Dumbadze (PT), Director of N/A Batumi public transport Nugzar Papunidze (NP), N/A Batumi MoE representative Gia Sophadze (GS), RD N/A environmentalist Zviad Khalvashi (ZK), Khelvachauri N/A Municipality Conducted by: Hidayat Hasan (HH), Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian, English Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, HH briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation. At the end of the information session, HH invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action. The Background Information Document was also distributed to all participants.
No. Issues, Concerns and By Response Provided Suggestions 1 Is the design of the bypass already MK We have final draft version of design, but approved and is it final version? it could be changed according EIA`s requirements Gonio and Kviarti the final segment is not confirmed 2 How will construction of bypass PD This survey are included in EIA with reduce traffic in Batumi? perspective of 20 years
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and By Response Provided Suggestions 3 There are a lot of unknown NP Before commencement of any excavation underground oil pipelines in Ajara. activities the Contractor will conduct During implementation of survey of construction corridor using construction activities pipelines metal detector could be damaged and oil will pollute soil and water?
4 How useful will be modeling of GS Vibration modeling cannot show exactly, noise and vibration in case of which houses will be affected during conflict between PIU and owners of construction and exploitation phases of the houses, damaged during Project. Modeling of vibration will indicate construction of bypass? What will houses, which definitely will be affected show noise modeling and gray zone – houses, which are located in potentially risk area. Before commencement of construction activities, preconstruction survey of all houses, located in the risk zone should be conducted. Noise modeling will show, at which houses, located near RoW, noise level during construction and exploitation of bypass exceeds permissible level. Based on modeling results such houses will be included in RAP, or noise protective walls will be installed between the RoW and houses 5 What is the width of construction ZK In general width of the Row is 50m, but corridor and will it be same on all based on the results of modeling it could sections of the bypass? be increased in some sections
6 what is the deadline for the Project PD Approximately 3 -4 years after commencement. 7 Do you have baseline information NP We have measured air quality (CO, NOx, regarding air, soil and water quality SO2 and PM) along the RoW and at the in the RoW and in Batumi? existing Batumi bypass, also 6 samples of water and 6 of soil have been collected and passed to the environmental agency for complex testing. Testing results will be included in EIA report.
8 weather stations in Batumi, will MK Thanked him for this share link for data 9 compare current quality of air in NP Yes the EIA will contain this information. Batumi will what is project to be after Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: World Wildlife Fund Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Nov 23-25, 2016 Meeting Venue: Email Correspondence Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Nugzar Zazanashvili (NZ), [email protected] Conservation Director, WWF- Caucasus [email protected] Ana Tsintsadze, Regional Partnership and Communications Manager WWF- Caucasus Conducted by: Hassan Bukhari (HB) Reviewed by: Hidayat Hasan Language: English Preamble: WWF was emailed the background information document and the ecological baseline and was briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation. WWF was invited to share their views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 At this stage it is quite difficult to assess the document NZ This is a scoping (or its part) from our side according to attached consultation. WWF will
information. be provided with the complete document at the time of the public disclosure and comments. 2 It would be good if document includes rough estimates of NZ wood volume (or number of woody plants) of Georgian Red List species that will be cut. 3 Most of the threats are listed. From our viewpoint, this NZ This is the baseline sub-chapter needs some more elaboration to underline chapter, the impact better (more sharply) the impacts (or no impacts) that assessment chapter could bring this particular infrastructural project has further information on these impacts. 4 Planned road is located too close to the vulnerable NZ The Kobuleti Bypass is Kobuleti wetlands' PAs: in this context, will be good to beyond the scope of have some more information about possible impact (or this assessment. no impact) at the ecosystem level.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 5 The baseline says that The Study Area does not contain NZ Noted and corrected. areas of globally significant concentrations or numbers of individuals of congregatory species. Sites important for congregatory species are located outside the Study Area." We think this is not correct or fully correct - here is located quite well-known IBA that is well known exactly because of "concentrations or numbers of individuals 6 It seems, figure/map for protected areas is outdated: NZ Noted and corrected. Machakhela National Park is indicated as planned one, but it was established in 2012 on the Georgian side; on the Turkish side there is Jamili Biosphere Reserve that should be either indicated or removed from the map. It seems also that shapes of some mapped protected areas are not exact, particularly - for again Machakhela and Kintrishi PAs; we suggest to check this with Agency of Protected Areas. Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Batumi Raptor Count (BRC) and SABUKO Consultation: Scoping Consultation Date: Oct 21 - Nov 10, 2016 Meeting Venue: Email Correspondence Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Folkert de boer (FB), Chairman of the folkert.deboer@batumiraptorcoun Board, BRC t.org Alexander Rukhaia (AR), Director of [email protected] SABUKO Conducted by: Hassan Bukhari Reviewed by: Hidayat Hasan Language: English Preamble: The stakeholders were emailed the background information document and was briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation. They were invited to share their views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 The attached information is too insufficient to make any FB This is a scoping judgement on this for the moment consultation. They will be provided with the complete document at the time of the public disclosure and comments. 2 For migrants the impact is not very obvious and road FB Noted. construction is usually not impacting at all if not roosting habitats are destroyed. And there are no roosting habitats for raptors nor passerines along this part of the road to our knowledge. 3 The largest impact by the construction is the habitat loss FB Noted. The impact of for breeding birds. There could be a potential future impact the southern portion if the road is finally constructed on sites that come further will be assessed in a south. Not sure whether the potential impact on the delta second assessment. increases by growing infrastructure such as this road construction. This would turn more into political outlooks. 4 Is there any additional infrastructure to be built alongside FB Noted. No other the road such as power lines for example? Good insulation infrastructural to avoid electrocution would be advisable. developments are part of this Project
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 5 It would also be good to contact Alexander Abuladze and FB Noted. Tbilisi University, as they did a lot of research in Batumi. Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Makhinjauri and surrounding communities Consultation: Feedback Consultation Date: Oct 22, 2016 Time: 11:00 Meeting Venue: Makhinjauri, Khelvachauri District Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Attendance list attached at the end of the appendix Conducted by: Hidayat Hasan (HH), Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, HH briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities. At the end of the information session, HH invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action. The Background Information Document was also distributed to all participants.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 M. Gurgenidze thinks, that noise level Medea Modeling of air emissions and and air emissions will disturb her in Gurgenidze noise level is part of EIA. exploitation phase of the Project Relevant mitigation measures will be considered in EIA; people, who’s houses are located in red (most affected) zone will be resettled if mitigation measures will not reduce negative impacts 2 2 M. Gurgenidze wanted to sell 400 m Medea This issue should be discussed land plot, located in close proximity to Gurgenidze with resettlement team the bypass. After construction of the road price of the land will be reduced. Who will compensate losses 3 What will be noise and vibration levels in Tamar EIA report will be submitted to the houses; what is the depth of piles Nakashidze MoE and published on 30 of November. All necessary data will be provided in the report
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 4 Part of the land plot is located in the Amiran This issue should be discussed RoW. Will the RD buy the remaining Gogiberidze with resettlement team part of the land plot 5 Distance between house and the portal Haidar RD/the Contractor will conduct of the tunnel is 9 m. Mr. Chijavadze Chijavadze preconstruction survey of all thinks, that his house will be damaged in houses, located in risk zone; in result of increased vibration case of increasing of cracks in the walls, houses will be repaired/purchased by the RD 6 Family cemetery is located directly in the Merab This issue should be discussed RoW. Mr. Chijavadze wants to replace Chijavadze with resettlement team; the cemetery to the empty land plot, located Consultant will recommend RD near his house to comply with the request of Mr. Chijavadze 7 The house is located in 10 meters from Khatuna Director of Batumi RD promised the RoW. Is it possible to live in the Khibaia to purchase the house immediate vicinity from the road
Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Kapreshumi and surrounding communities Consultation: Feedback Consultation Date: Oct 22, 2016 Time: 14:30 Meeting Venue: Kapreshumi, Khelvachauri District Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Attendance list attached at the end of the appendix Conducted by: Hidayat Hasan (HH), Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, HH briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities. At the end of the information session, HH invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action. The Background Information Document was also distributed to all participants.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 His house is located in 32 meters from Emer Modeling of noise and air RoW. Air emission and noise will be Dolidze emissions will show affected increased after construction of bypass areas. Relevant mitigation measures will be implemented 2 Bypass cut access road. After Emer RD will provide access to all land construction of bypass Mr. Dolidze will Dolidze plots or purchase them not have access to the house 3 Was modeling of noise and vibration Nodar Our company is responsible for included in EIA for Kobuleti bypass? Lortkipanidz Batumi bypass EIA and did not e work for Kobuleti project 4 Who will be responsible for Hasan RD/the Contractor will conduct assessment of condition of houses, Gogoberidze preconstruction survey of all located near RoW? houses, located in risk zone; in case of increasing of cracks in the walls, houses will be repaired/purchased by the RD
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 5 What will be noise level in the houses Khava Modeling of air emissions and after construction of bypass? Tebidze noise level is part of EIA. Relevant mitigation measures will be considered in EIA; people, who’s houses are located in red (most affected) zone will be resettled if mitigation measures will not reduce negative impacts 6 House is located in 50 m from bypass. Jemal Modeling of vibration level is part Can vibration damage his house? Vanadze of EIA. Relevant mitigation measures will be considered in EIA; people, who’s houses are located in red (most affected) zone will be resettled if mitigation measures will not reduce negative impacts
Additional Comments: No additional comments.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Consultation Log for Batumi Bypass Project Record of the Consultation Meeting
Stakeholder/s: Makhlivauri and surrounding communities Consultation: Feedback Consultation Date: Oct 23, 2016 Time: 11:30 Meeting Venue: Makhlivauri, Khelvachauri District Attended by and Name Contact Number contact details: Attendance list attached at the end of the appendix Conducted by: Hidayat Hasan (HH), Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Recorded by: Paata Tchankotadze (PT) Reviewed by: Hassan Bukhari Language: Georgian Preamble: The meeting started with the introduction of the participants and the HBP representative. After the introduction, HH briefed the objective of the stakeholder consultation and gave a description of the EIA study and related activities. At the end of the information session, HH invited the participant to share his views, concerns, and suggestions related to the development activities, which have been documented below. The participants were assured that their concerns would be communicated to the Project proponent for their consideration and action. The Background Information Document was also distributed to all participants.
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 1 Roads between villages will be cut by Ioseb RD will provide alternative access bypass. Will RD provide alternative Tsulukidze to all villages and houses access 2 What kind of measures will be Ioseb Modeling of vibration level is part implemented for houses, affected by Tsulukidze of EIA. Relevant mitigation vibration? measures will be considered in EIA; people, who’s houses are located in red (most affected) zone will be resettled if mitigation measures will not reduce negative impacts 3 How RD assess prices of trees? Ioseb Medgar Tchelidze: resettlement Tsulukidze team use data of Statistic Department
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
No. Issues, Concerns and Suggestions By Response Provided 4 Old houses, located near RoW could Murman RD/the Contractor will conduct be damaged during construction and Avjishvili preconstruction survey of all operation phases of the project. How houses, located in risk zone; in RD will compensate looses? case of increasing of cracks in the walls, houses will be repaired/purchased by the RD 5 Will existing Makhvilauri internal road Roman No be blocked? Varshanidze
Additional Comments: The consultation team was thanked for providing the community with useful information.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 7: ASSESSMENT OF BLASTING INDUCED VIBRATION
See following pages.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 7 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 7-1 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Table of Content
1. Introduction ...... 1
2. Evaluation Criteria...... 1 2.1 British Standard BS 7385-2:1993 ...... 1 2.2 German Standard DIN 4150-3:1999 ...... 2 2.3 US Federal Transit Administration ...... 2 2.4 Criteria Used for this Project ...... 2
3. The Proposed Tunnels ...... 3
4. Predicting the Vibration Levels ...... 12 4.1 Prediction Model ...... 12 4.2 Composite Rock Property ...... 13 4.3 Maximum Instantaneous Charge Weight ...... 13 4.4 Results of Modeling ...... 15 4.5 Sensitivity Analysis ...... 17
5. Impacts on Houses ...... 17
6. Mitigation and Monitoring Plan ...... 24 6.1 Overall Approach ...... 24 6.2 Mitigation Plan ...... 25 6.3 Vibration Monitoring ...... 25
7. Conclusions...... 25
8. Bibliography ...... 26
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Table of Content D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 ii EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Tables
Table 1: BS 7385-2:1993 Guideline Values for Evaluating Damage to Buildings ...... 1 Table 2: DIN 4150-3:1999 Guideline Values for Evaluating Damage to Buildings ...... 2 Table 3: FTA Construction Vibration Damage Criteria...... 2 Table 4: Criteria for Evaluation of Damage due to Blasting Induced Vibration ...... 2 Table 5: List of Tunnels ...... 3 Table 6: Typical Tunnel Dimensions ...... 3 Table 7: Soil Types in the Study Area ...... 6 Table 8: Estimated Excavation Quantities for Tunnels (100 m3) ...... 6 Table 9: Composite Rock Property Calculation ...... 13 Table 10: Powder Factor for Different Hardness of Rocks ...... 13 Table 11: Instantaneous Charge Weight Calculation ...... 15 Table 12: Calculated PPV as Function of Distance from Blast Site ...... 16 Table 13: Sensitivity Analysis ...... 17 Table 14: Houses in Risk Zones ...... 18
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Tables D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 iii EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figures
Figure 1: Location of Tunnels ...... 4 Figure 2: Typical Tunnel Cross Section ...... 5 Figure 3: A Tunnel with Similar Design ...... 5 Figure 4: Depth of Tunnel 1 ...... 7 Figure 5: Depth of Tunnel 2 ...... 8 Figure 6: Depth of Tunnel 3 ...... 9 Figure 7: Depth of Tunnel 4 ...... 10 Figure 8: Depth of Tunnel 5 ...... 11 Figure 9: Drilling and Blasting Method ...... 14 Figure 10: Typical Borehole Pattern ...... 15 Figure 11: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 1 ...... 19 Figure 12: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 2 ...... 20 Figure 13: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 3 ...... 21 Figure 14: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 4 ...... 22 Figure 15: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 5 ...... 23
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Figures D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 iv EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Acronyms
ADB Asian Development Bank BS British Standard EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan LARP Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan PPV Peak Particle Velocity RD Roads Department RQD Rock quality designation SC Supervision Consultant UCS Uniaxial compressive strength
Units Hz Hertz ips inch per second kg Kilogram km kilometer kN/m3 kilo Newton per cubic meter m Meter m/s2 Meter per second square m2 Square meter m3 Cubic meter mm/s millimeters per second MPa Mega Pascal
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Acronyms D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 v EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
1. Introduction
1. The energy released from explosives is used to break rock for the construction of the tunnels. Blasting results in release of energy in four forms: a) ground vibration; b) airborne shockwaves; c) flying debris and rocks; and d) sound waves. All forms have potential to affect humans and structures. The subject of this paper is the assessment of potential damage to structures from ground vibration caused by blasting. It does not cover other potential impacts associated with vibration. 2. Ground vibrations travel away from a blast site as waves. As they travel through the ground, a disturbance is created in the ground material, as well as the structures on the ground, and the particles are displaced from their normal position. Normally, the displacement is small and oscillatory, i.e., to and fro about the mean position and as the vibration energy dies out the particles return to their normal position. However, if the magnitude of vibration is high or the displacement is rapid, the particle arrangement may be permanently changed. If that happens on a surface structure, it is classified as a damage. 3. The common unit of measuring ground vibrations is peak particle velocity (PPV)— how fast the particles move from the mean position. It is reported in millimeters per second (mm/s) in the metric system and inches per second (ips) in the imperial system of measurement.
2. Evaluation Criteria
4. This section surveys the various standards and guidelines for evaluating ground vibration induced damage to structures.
2.1 British Standard BS 7385-2:1993 5. The BS 7385-2:1993 (Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings—Part 2: Guide to damage levels from ground borne vibration)1 gives guidance on the levels of vibration above which building structures could be damaged. The guideline values are shown in Table 1.
Table 1: BS 7385-2:1993 Guideline Values for Evaluating Damage to Buildings
Type of Building Peak Component particle Velocity in Frequency Range of Predominant Pulse 4 Hz to 15 Hz 15 HZ and Above Reinforced or framed structures Industrial and 50 mm/s at 4 Hz and above heavy commercial buildings Unreinforced or light Framed structures 15 mm/s at 4 Hz 20 mm/s at 15 Hz Residential or light commercial type buildings increasing to 20 mm/s Increasing to 50 mm/s at at 15 Hz 40 Hz and above
1 British Standard BS 7385-2:1993, Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings—Part 2: Guide to damage levels from ground borne vibration. http://www.persona.uk.com/ashton/Core_docs/New/D40.pdf
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 1 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
2.2 German Standard DIN 4150-3:1999 6. The German Standard DIN 4150-3:1999 (Structural vibration Part 3: Effects of vibration on structures)2 provides guideline vibration levels which, “when complied with, will not result in damage that will have an adverse effect on the structure’s serviceability.” For residential buildings, the standard considers serviceability to have been reduced if cracks form in plastered surfaces of walls; existing cracks in the building become enlarged; and partitions become detached from load bearing walls or floors. These effects are deemed ‘minor damage’ in DIN 4150-3.The guideline values are shown in Table 2.
Table 2: DIN 4150-3:1999 Guideline Values for Evaluating Damage to Buildings
Type of Structures Vibration Thresholds for Structural Damage, PPV (mm/s) Short-Term Long-Term At Foundation Uppermost Floor Uppermost Floor 0 to 10 Hz 10 to 50 Hz 50 to 100 Hz All Frequencies All Frequencies Commercial /industrial 20 20 to 40 40 to 50 40 10 Residential 5 5 to 15 15 to 20 15 5 Sensitive/Historic 3 3 to 8 8 to 10 8 2.5
2.3 US Federal Transit Administration 7. The United States Federal Transit Administration manual Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment3 adopts the criteria shown in Table 3.
Table 3: FTA Construction Vibration Damage Criteria
Building Category PPV (mm/s) I. Reinforced-concrete, steel or timber (no plaster) 12.7 II. Engineered concrete and masonry (no plaster) 7.6 III. Non-engineered timber and masonry buildings 5.1 IV. Buildings extremely susceptible to vibration damage 3.0
2.4 Criteria Used for this Project 8. The buildings that are likely to be affected by this Project predominantly fall in the residential category. Further these buildings are generally old, often in poor condition, and structurally not very sound. Therefore the evaluation criteria considered for this analysis is as shown in Table 4. These are primarily based on BS 7385-2:1993 and DIN 4150-3.
Table 4: Criteria for Evaluation of Damage due to Blasting Induced Vibration
No Damage Likely PPV < 5 mm/s Cosmetic damage risk PPV 5 to 15 mm/s Structural damage risk PPV > 15 mm/s
2 Reported in Newmarket Viaduct Designation: Vibration & Excavation Assessment, 2014. http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/district/updates/t377/pm377app6vibrationexcavationassess.pdf 3 Office of Planning and Environment, Federal Transit Administration. Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment. 2006
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 2 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
3. The Proposed Tunnels
9. The Project road, bypassing the city of Batumi from East, is entirely located in Khelvachauri District (see Figure 1 for the alignment and location of tunnels and bridges). The design alignment goes through the villages of Makhinjauri, Gantiadi, Kapreshumi, Salibauri, Peria, and Makhvilauri. Passing through the above villages, the design alignment crosses complex landscape of multiple ravines, streams, rivers, hills and hillsides. The Project road alignment starts north of Makhinjauri. It swings of to the left from the existing highway by means of an interchange at the end of the newly constructed Chakvi Tunnel. This point is taken as 0 kilometer (km) of the chainage4. The total length of the Project road is approximately 13.2 km. 10. Five tunnels are planned along the Project alignment as listed in Table 5. The total length of tunnels along the alignment is 3,808 m. Emergency shafts will be installed in Tunnels 2, 3 and 4. Due to short lengths, no shaft will be required in the Tunnels 1 and 5. Tunnel design is based on the principles of New Austrian Tunneling Method. Tunnels are to be excavated through very weak weathered soil layer which consists of lean, brown- reddish clay, crushed stone and eluvial tuff-breccia. Typical dimension of the tunnels is shown in Table 6; typical cross-section is shown in in Figure 2; whereas Figure 3 shows an image of an already constructed nearby tunnel of similar design.
Table 5: List of Tunnels
Tunnel Length Chainage Start End Tunnel 1 542 m 938 m 1,480 m Tunnel 2 807 m 2,215 m 3,022 m Tunnel 3 805 m 5,994 m 6,799 m Tunnel 4 1,067 m 7,663 m 8,730 m Tunnel 5 587 m 9,520 m 10,107 m
Table 6: Typical Tunnel Dimensions
Parameters Value Width of traffic lanes (2 lanes) 3.75 m each Width of sidewalk (2 sidewalks) 0.75 m each Total width of tunnel 10.76 m Height clearance of tunnel 5.0 m Pavement type Cement concrete
4 For linear infrastructure such as a road, chainage refers to linear measured from one end of the road along the center line of the road. It is a useful way to indicate the location of features on and in the vicinity of the road.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 3 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 1: Location of Tunnels
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 4 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 2: Typical Tunnel Cross Section
Figure 3: A Tunnel with Similar Design
11. Based on the geological assessment, five types of rock/soil are anticipated in the tunnels (Table 7). The anticipated subsurface conditions and the strength of soil layers create varying conditions that shall be taken into consideration for the design and construction of tunnels.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 5 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Table 7: Soil Types in the Study Area
Category Description 4 Lean Clay, brownish-reddish, firm, with crushed stone inclusions 13 Lean clay, brownish-reddish, with inclusions, eluvial tuffbreccia 14 Highly weathered tuffbreccia 15 Tuffbreccia of medium weathered and fractured andesite-basalt content 16 Tuffbreccia of slightly weathered andesite-basalt content
12. Tunnels will be excavated using two methods: a) excavators of 0.5 cubic meter (m3) capacity, excavators and jackhammers and b) drilling and blasting. The first method will be used for Category II-III5 soils and for Category V soils near the tunnel mouth. The second method will be used for Category V rock away from the tunnel mouth. With reference to Soils Types (Table 7), Soil Type 4, 13 and 14 fall in Categories II and III whereas Soil Type 15 and 16 fall in Category V. A breakdown of estimated excavation volume by tunnel and method is provided in Table 8. These are estimated volumes based on available information. The actual volume is likely to differ from these estimated. In addition to the main tunnel, about 118 m3 of soil and rock will be removed near mouth of the tunnel. Table 8: Estimated Excavation Quantities for Tunnels (100 m3)
Tunnel Total Excavation by method 1 2 3 4 5 Excavation of soil layer of category II-III by 632 226 568 365 363 2,154 0.5 m3 capacity, excavators and jackhammers Excavation of soil layer of Category V by 555 301 543 176 1,574 drilling and blasting Total excavation of main tunnel 632 781 869 908 539 3,728
13. The linear cross-sections of the tunnels and the type of soils is shown in Figure 4 to Figure 8.
5 Here rock categories are defined with respect to the volume that they will take after removal. Category II is defined as fragmented rock but the muck pile is “frozen”; Category III as fragmented rock pile with mucking difficulties; Category V is Fragmented rock. https://books.google.com.pk/books?id=8NHKBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=Blasting+Category+ V+Rocks&source=bl&ots=_APKZS89cx&sig=DkeqfS2s5OHHnrSaMy6WcoQutHU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0a hUKEwiE9uOTqfDQAhXJPBoKHTuuDlUQ6AEIHTAB#v=onepage&q=Blasting%20Category%20V%20R ocks&f=false
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 6 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
For soil categorization see Table 7 Figure 4: Depth of Tunnel 1
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 7 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
For soil categorization see Table 7 Figure 5: Depth of Tunnel 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 8 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
For soil categorization see Table 7 Figure 6: Depth of Tunnel 3
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 9 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
For soil categorization see Table 7 Figure 7: Depth of Tunnel 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 10 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
For soil categorization see Table 7 Figure 8: Depth of Tunnel 5
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 11 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
4. Predicting the Vibration Levels
4.1 Prediction Model 14. Prediction of vibration levels at a location away from the blasting site is a complex function of blasting parameters and rocks through which the waves propagate. A number of site specific experimental formulae have been developed to predict and control blasting effects. All of these formulae have the same form:
Equation 1 −� � ���where:= � PPV = peak particle velocity (mm/s); k = site constant R = distance to the point of concern (m); Q = maximum instantaneous charge weight; b = rock properties constant; and n = constant that depends on the geometry of the explosive. 15. Zhou et al (2000) have identified 8 different formulae from various studies. Similarly, Kumar et al (2016) have listed 23 different formulae. 16. The constant n is generally taken as ½ in most of the studies. The predicted value of PPV critically depends on the empirical constants, k and b. These are considered site specific and are normally determined by blast experiments. In the absence of experimental data, as is the case with this Project, empirical models can be used to evaluate these constants. Because of wide variation in site condition—charge per delay, vibration frequency, rock characteristics (type, unit weight, layering, slope of layers), blast hole conditions, presence of water, propagation of surface and body waves in the ground, and method of initiation—the site-specific empirical equations, if used at other sites are likely to have large errors. 17. Kumar et al (2016), have studied the effects of important engineering properties of rock and have developed an empirical model that relates the unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and rock quality designation (RQD) with the PPV. The present study uses the Kumar model for predicting the vibration levels. 18. According to Kumar’s model,
Equation 2 .64 �� −1. 6 / ���where:= � PPV = peak particle velocity (mm/s);
fc = UCS of rock R = distance to the point of concern (m); Q = maximum instantaneous charge weight (kg); = unit weight (kN/m3).
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 12 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
The value of fc is proposed as follows: 2 For RQD less than or equal to 75 fc = 0.59476 RQD + 0.00893 RQD 2 For RQD Greater than 75 fc = –7.91562 RQD + 0.12152 RQD
4.2 Composite Rock Property 19. The vibration from blasting will propagate through the rocks in the surrounding hills. Geological information on the rocks is not available. However, given that the rocks in the five tunnels are of similar nature, it is reasonable to assume that similar rocks will be present in the surrounding areas also. For the purpose of calculating the PPV of the vibration, a composite rock property has been the developed. Five different types of rocks have been identified in the Project Area as shown in Figures 4 to 8. Using the cross- sectional area of the rocks in these figures, the proportion of each type of rock has been calculated. All properties are then calculated by taking weighted average of the individual rock type. The result is shown in Table 9. Table 9: Composite Rock Property Calculation
Rock Category Rock Category Rock Category Composite 4, 3, and 14 15 16 Volume fraction (%) 67 9 24 100 RQD (%) 10 68 91 34.7
fc (MPa) 6.84 81.74 286.0 31.3 (kN/m3) 26 27 27 26.3
20. RQD has been obtained from the geotechnical engineering report6 whereas for the density of predominant rocks, andesite and basalt has been used. Both have a density of about 2.7 g/cm3. To obtain, unit weight it has been multiplied by the value of g, the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2).
4.3 Maximum Instantaneous Charge Weight 21. The mass of explosives required to break a unit volume of rocks, called the powder factor, depends on the strength of rocks and the type of explosives. The recommended typical powder factor for different types of rocks are given in Table 10.7 Table 10: Powder Factor for Different Hardness of Rocks
Rock Type Powder Factor (kg/m3)
Hard 0.7 – 0.8 Medium 0.4 – 0.5 Soft 0.25 – 0.35 Very Soft 0.15 – 0.25
6 Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Road Department. Bidding Documents for Construction of Batumi Bypass Road Section Km. 1 +000~km. 13+325. Volume 3.2 Supplementary Information Geotechnical Engineering Report, Material Sources. October 2016. ‐ 7 Dyno Nobel. Blasting and Explosives Quick Reference Guide. 2010.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 13 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
22. As basalt and andesite are both categorized as hard rocks,8 for this analysis the mean value for hard rock as shown in Table 10 is taken. 23. In the standard drilling and blasting tunneling method, the sequence of activities in one cycle is shown in Figure 9.9 After one cycle, a slice of the rock is removed. The thickness of the slice depends on the depth of borehole. The total volume of rock removed in one cycle is equal to the cross-sectional area of the tunnel multiplied by the depth of the borehole. Once the volume is known the total quantity charge to be used in one cycle can be calculated by using the powder factor. 24. The total quantity of charge is different from that of the maximum instantaneous charge. One blast cycle may include a number of boreholes. A typical pattern is shown in Figure 10.10 The detonation of the explosive starts from the center and after brief delays, lasting not more a fraction of a second, progresses outward in concentric circle. The quantity of charge in each delay is the instantaneous charge. The number of boreholes blasted, and hence quantity of instantaneous charge, increases as the blast progresses radially. It may be noted that the charge in the perimeter holes is typically less than those in the holes in the center to prevent damage to the walls. Thus the maximum instantaneous charge is not when the outer most ring of boreholes is detonated.11
Figure 9: Drilling and Blasting Method
8 Hard Rock Miner’s Handbook Edition 5. Jack de la Verne, Stantec Consulting, 2014. 9 Rock Excavation Handbook. Sandvik Tamrock Corp. 1999 10 Dyno Nobel. Blasting and Explosives Quick Reference Guide. 2010. 11 Personal communication with road construction engineer
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 14 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 10: Typical Borehole Pattern
25. Based on the above considerations, the maximum instantaneous charge weight is calculated as shown in Table 11. Table 11: Instantaneous Charge Weight Calculation
Parameter Value Explanation Tunnel cross-section (m2) 92 Calculated from drawings Borehole depth (m) 5 Assumed, based on personal communication with road construction engineer Rock removed in one blast cycle (m3) 460 Rock type Hard Powder factor (kg/m3) 0.75 See Table 10. Total charge weight (kg) 345 Maximum instantaneous charge weight (kg) 50 Estimated from typical borehole pattern and personal communication with road construction engineer
4.4 Results of Modeling 26. Using the rock parameters and instantaneous charge weight calculated above, the PPV at intervals of 10 m from the blasting site is calculated. The results are shown in Table 12.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 15 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Table 12: Calculated PPV as Function of Distance from Blast Site
Distance from Blast Site (m) PPV (mm/s) 10 208.9 20 75.8 30 41.9 40 27.5 50 19.8 60 15.2 70 12.1 80 10.0 90 8.4 100 7.2 110 6.3 120 5.5 130 4.9 140 4.4 150 4.0 160 3.6 170 3.3 180 3.0 190 2.8 200 2.6
27. The results indicate that for the given configuration, the applicable criteria of no damage (5 m/s) will be met at a distance of 130 from the blasting site. Further the PPV will exceed the threshold for structural damage at a distance of 60 m from the blasting site. 28. The above results are based on certain key assumptions and understanding. These are: The accuracy and representativeness of information in the Feasibility Study. This includes the rock type, rock type distribution, and RQD; The tunnel composition of rock type is representative of the entire area to allow developing property of composite rock; The assumptions about borehole depth (5 m), total rock blasted in one cycle (460 m3), powder factor (0.75) and maximum instantaneous charge (50 kg) are reasonable. 29. It is emphasized that these are assumptions and shall not be considered as binding. They are based on available information and have been selected as indicative of typical conditions that are likely to be encountered in the actual tunneling. In selection of
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 16 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
the numbers, a reasonable level of conservative approach has been taken. Therefore, chances are that the actual level of PPV will be less than the level shown in Table 12. 30. It is, therefore, believed that during the blasting for tunnels it shall be possible to meet the evaluation criteria (Section 2.4) which shall be considered binding on Construction Contractor.
4.5 Sensitivity Analysis 31. A sensitivity analysis was undertaken to ascertain the variation in distance at which the threshold values are exceeded. For this, the calculations were repeated for possible extremes values of the rock and blasting parameters, and the resulting change in the distance to threshold values was calculated. The results are shown are Table 13. This indicates that if Q is increased to 70 kg, the structural damage risk will increase to 72 m. Similarly, if RQD is increased to 55% or the unit weight is decreased to 24, the structural damage risk will increase to 80 and 64 m, respectively. 32. To investigate the impact of simultaneous variation in the three parameters, random variation about the mean values of the three parameters (±40% in Q, ±50% in RQD, ±10% in ) was generated. The calculated distance to structural damage risk was calculated to be 59 ± 13 m, and to the cosmetic damage risk was calculated to be 126 ± 28 m. Table 13: Sensitivity Analysis
Condition Distance to Threshold (m) Q (kg) RQD (%) (kN/m3) PPV > 15 m/s PPV < 5 m/s 50 35 26 60 130 30 35 26 47 101 70 35 26 72 154 50 15 26 38 82 50 55 26 80 172 50 35 24 64 137 50 35 28 58 123
5. Impacts on Houses
33. Figure 12 through Figure 16 show the tunnels and the risk zones around the tunnels. It may be noted that: The boundaries of risk zones are drawn without taking into consideration the variation in elevation of the terrain. The actual boundaries are likely to be closer to the tunnels. Based on the current information, no blasting is anticipated for Tunnel 1. However, recognizing that the actual distribution of rocks may differ from that shown in Figures 4 to 8, it is possible that some hard rock may be encountered during drilling and necessity of blasting may arise. Therefore, Tunnel 1 is also include in the Risk Area maps.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 17 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
To prevent damage from fly rocks and air blast, restriction is imposed on blasting in the first 50 m from the tunnel portal. Emergency tunnels and shafts will be constructed in Tunnels 2, 3, and 4 (2 tunnels). The risk zones boundaries also take into considerations, the location of the surface opening of the emergency tunnels and shafts. 34. Based on this analysis, the number of houses that are at risk in each of the five tunnels are shown in Table 14. Table 14: Houses in Risk Zones
Tunnel Structural Damage Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone Risk Zone
1 11 15
2 20 17
3 3 9
4 25 30
5 5 9
Total 64 80
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 18 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 11: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 1
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 19 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 12: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 2
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 20 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 13: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 3
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 21 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 14: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 4
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 22 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
Figure 15: Blasting Induced Vibration Risk Zones for Tunnel 5
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 23 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
6. Mitigation and Monitoring Plan
6.1 Overall Approach 35. The PPV is predicted using a semi-empirical model which is the best alternate in the absence of measured field data. Although, there is reasonable confidence in the predicted value, but the norm is to measure field data to assess vibration levels. It is therefore proposed that the tunneling shall start from a tunnel with sparse population in the surrounding (for example, Tunnel 3). In the initial stages, the blasting induced vibration shall be measured as a function of maximum instantaneous charge and distance from the blasting site. This data shall be then used to refine the damage risk zones on the basis of the adopted criteria. 36. Early during the construction phase, the construction contractor shall develop a detailed tunnel blasting plan as part of the overall construction schedule. The plan shall specify, to a reasonable level of accuracy, the schedule for boring of each tunnel. 37. Using, the refined damage risk map and the tunnel boring schedule, the Supervision Consultant in consultation with the Roads Department and the Construction Contractor, shall identify the houses that will be affected and the impact duration and schedule. 38. For the houses that will fall in the Structural Damage Risk Zone, a temporary relocation plan will be developed. An amendment to the Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan (LARP) will be commissioned for this purpose. Before start of blasting, all residents of houses in the Structural Damage Risk Zone will be relocated as per the LARP. 39. A survey will be undertaken in both zones, to determine the pre-blasting conditions of the buildings. The survey will be commissioned by the Supervision Consultant and will identify and record any existing damage to the structures. The survey will cover the following aspects: a. Overall condition of the structures, both exterior and interior. b. Documentation of defects observed in the structure using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. c. Documentation of pre-existing cracks using digital imagery along with notes, measurements and sketches. 40. The survey will be accompanied with consultations with the affected household to explain the extent and reason for the survey, and the process for reporting any grievances regarding vibration impacts. The households should be provided with materials that summarize the grievance redress process. 41. Following completion of the blasting, the survey will be repeated in the Structural Damage Risk Zone to determine the condition of the buildings and verify that they are safe for re-occupation. If the buildings are safe, the residents will be allowed to return to their houses following any necessary damage repairs. If the buildings are damaged beyond repair, compensation will be paid to the owners as per the LARP. 42. If there are any claims or reports of damage in the Cosmetic Damage Risk Zone, the affected house will be surveyed against the pre-Project survey and repairs will be undertaken as appropriate.
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 24 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
6.2 Mitigation Plan 43. Following are key mitigation measures for the management of blasting: No blasting will be carried out within 100 m of the portal of the tunnel. Blasting will be scheduled during the day only. Local communities will be informed of blasting timetable in advance and will be provided adequate notice of when blasts are required outside of the planned schedule. A Blasting Management Plan will be developed by the Construction Contractor. The Plan will be reviewed and approved by the Supervision Contractor before the initiation of the blasting work. Throughout the blasting activity, vibration sensors will be installed at strategic location to monitor the impact of blasting and to ensure that the vibration levels are within the adopted criteria. The monitoring plan will be part of the Blasting Management Plan. 44. Unlike other construction activities, it is recognized that the impact of blasting on the community can be significant or can be perceived as significant by the community. It is therefore vital that regular and meaningful contact with the community shall be maintained and their grievance shall be attended to in a timely manner. In this regard: A meaningful community engagement plan will be developed. The plan will cover identify the affected community; the key contact persons; frequency of engagement; the information to be shared; the responsibilities to manage the plan; and the notice period to be giving to the community for various blasting related generating activities. The Grievance Redress Mechanism will be used to record, investigate, and respond to any complaints. Investigation of the complaints will be undertaken by the Supervision Consultant.
6.3 Vibration Monitoring 45. Vibration Monitoring Plan will include monitoring of vibration levels and frequency around the blasting sites. The objectives of the monitoring will be to: Ensure that vibration levels in the communities are within the adopted criteria levels; Maintain record of vibration to settle any potential conflicts; and Monitor changes in the vibration levels due to possible changes in the rock formation and take appropriate corrective actions. 46. Vibration data will be documented, reviewed, and preserved. It will be regularly shared with the RD, ADB, ministry of Environment and the community as part of the monthly progress report.
7. Conclusions
47. The most recent and refined model for predicting the blasting induced vibration has been used in this assessment. The model takes into account the properties of rocks
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 25 EIA of Batumi Bypass Construction Project: Assessment of Blasting Induced Vibration
found in the project area. Nevertheless, it is recognized that the model is semi-empirical and has limitation. An appropriate management approach and mitigation plan is therefore proposed for managing the potential adverse impacts of blasting on the communities and structures.
8. Bibliography
Effective Blast Design and Optimization. Frank J. Lucca, Terra Dinamica L.L.C. 2003 Handbook for the Transportation, and Use of Explosives. National Park Service, 1999 Construction Planning, Equipment and Methods Sixth Edition. McGraw Hill The Construction Vibration Damage Guide for Homeowners. John M. Zeigler, 2013 Assessing Vibration: a Technical Guideline. Department of Environment and Conservation, New South Wales. February 2006 Blast Management Plan. BHP Billiton, Document Reference: MAC-ENC-MTP-015 Rock Blasting and Overbreak Control. National Highway Institute, US. Department of Transportation, 1991. Publication No. FHWA-HI-92-001 The Blaster’s Guide: Blast Design Formulas. Austin Powder Company, 2002. Hard Rock Miner’s Handbook Edition 5. Jack de la Verne, Stantec Consulting, 2014. Technical Manual for Design and Construction of Road Tunnels–Civil Elements. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, December 2009. Publication No. FHWA-NHI-10-034 Kumar et al. Determination of Blast-induced Ground Vibration Equations for Rocks using Mechanical and Geological Properties. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Volume 8, Issue 3, June 2016 Pages 341-349. Drilling and Blasting as a Tunnel Excavation Method, Özgür SATICI, January 2000 Tunnels and Underground Structures. Zhao, Shirlaw and Krishnan, 2000. ISBN 90 5809 171 6 Blasting and Explosives Quick Reference Guide. Dyno Nobel, 2010. Rock Excavation Handbook. Sandvik Tamrock Corp. 1999 Guide to Evaluation of Human Exposure to Vibration in Buildings: Part 2 Blast-induced vibration. British Standard 6472-2:2008 Evaluation and Measurement for Vibration in Buildings. British Standard 7385-2:1993 T.T. Ozan, H.E.K Allen, Resource Requirements for Tunnel Excavations: A Generalized Computer Model. Office of Planning and Environment, Federal Transit Administration. Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment. 2006 California Department of Transportation. Caltrans Maintenance Blasting Manual. 2013
Hagler Bailly Pakistan D7B02BPG: 01/13/17 26 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 8: INDEX OF STRUCTURES WITHIN BLASTING INDUCED VIBRATION RISK ZONES
1. Structures that lie within blasting induced vibration risk zone are listed in this Appendix. See Section 8.7 of the main report for details.
Table 8-1: Tunnel 1
No Structural Damage Risk No Cosmetic Damage Risk X Y X Y 1 725249.2 4618054 12 725219.6 4618222 2 725276.3 4618017 13 725236.8 4618190 3 725311.9 4617958 14 725227.4 4618174 4 725252.9 4617828 15 725211.6 4618193 5 725251.7 4617900 16 725308.3 4617889 6 725217.4 4617910 17 725137.3 4617923 7 725202.7 4617933 18 725182.3 4618046 8 725168.5 4617946 19 725237.8 4617708 9 725209.9 4618082 20 725068.6 4617725 10 725169.3 4617719 21 725044.4 4617721 11 725126.3 4617732 22 725016.2 4617664 23 725016.9 4617622 24 724982.6 4617595 25 724996.4 4617561 26 725224.1 4617675
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 8 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 8-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-1: Tunnel 1
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-2: Tunnel 2
No Structural Damage Risk No Cosmetic Damage Risk X Y X Y 27 724442.3 4616518 47 724820 4617024 28 724402.8 4616538 48 724821.5 4616991 29 724482.6 4616601 49 724532 4616514 30 724444.7 4616682 50 724351.2 4616542 31 724445.1 4616722 51 724431.9 4616715 32 724470.3 4616700 52 724587.2 4616955 33 724444.5 4616737 53 724567.6 4616952 34 724448.4 4616761 54 724700.7 4617066 35 724426.9 4616758 55 724702.8 4617077 36 724547.8 4616814 56 724705.4 4617087 37 724566.1 4616814 57 724689.1 4617092 38 724577.4 4616813 58 724631 4616637 39 724610.4 4616852 59 724572.2 4616500 40 724639.6 4616864 60 724538.2 4616999 41 724624.6 4616886 61 724529.9 4616943 42 724580.1 4616889 62 724497.6 4616319 43 724680.3 4617050 63 724291.1 4616479 44 724356.4 4616334 45 724372.9 4616343 46 724392.1 4616450
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-2: Tunnel 2
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-3: Tunnel 3
No Structural Damage Risk No Cosmetic Damage Risk X Y X Y 64 723888.7 4613069 67 723921.4 4613342 65 723610.5 4612929 68 723511 4612668 66 723767.7 4613050 69 723537.6 4612660 70 723517.7 4612646 71 723424.8 4612807 72 723805.2 4612926 73 723896.7 4613016 74 723777.9 4613227 75 723861.1 4613329
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-3: Tunnel 3
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-4: Tunnel 4
No Structural Damage Risk No Cosmetic Damage Risk X Y X Y 76 722923.6 4612222 101 722916.6 4612165 77 722736.6 4612162 102 722899.7 4612326 78 722692 4612099 103 722909.5 4612340 79 722683.7 4612133 104 722896.3 4612364 80 722689.1 4612147 105 722765.2 4612294 81 722725.7 4612208 106 722796.4 4612312 82 722664.8 4612228 107 722640 4612227 83 722641.8 4612144 108 722470.7 4612144 84 722626.5 4612153 109 722358.6 4612115 85 722562.2 4612174 110 722378.4 4611917 86 722568.3 4612080 111 722081.2 4611883 87 722458.3 4612010 112 722068.3 4611880 88 722464.5 4611997 113 722330.1 4611889 89 722415.4 4612008 114 721987.7 4611766 90 722336.5 4611946 115 722002.2 4611808 91 722213 4611945 116 722089.8 4611658 92 722203.8 4611922 117 722044.6 4611871 93 722172 4611931 118 722155.5 4611702 94 722100.3 4611919 119 722764 4612090 95 722148.3 4611850 120 722709.9 4612069 96 722159.4 4611863 121 722416.7 4611918 97 722209.5 4611805 122 722448.9 4611934 98 722265.3 4611865 123 722328.5 4611859 99 722025.7 4611627 124 722736.8 4612107 100 722560.9 4612198 125 722194.9 4611709 126 722421.4 4611870 127 722466.6 4611903 128 722665.6 4612021 129 722527.2 4612241 130 722652.6 4612298
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-4: Tunnel 4
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Table 8-5: Tunnel 5
No Structural Damage Risk No Cosmetic Damage Risk X Y X Y 131 721662 4610644 136 721628.4 4610342 132 721731.7 4610482 137 721618.8 4610696 133 721685.6 4610852 138 721644.8 4611031 134 721752.2 4610867 139 721622.4 4611012 135 721758.2 4610776 140 721776.6 4610696 141 721782.6 4610713 142 721796.7 4610821 143 721819.8 4610531 144 721833 4610743
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Figure 8-5: Tunnel 5
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Appendix 9: ANNEXURES TO GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM
Form for the Grievance (for APs)
Name, Last name Contact Information Mail: Please indicate the postal address: Please indicate the ______preferable means of ______communication (Mail, Telephone: ______Telephone, E-mail) E-mail:______The language desirable Georgian for the communication English Russian Describe the What is the complaint about? What is the claim? When it happened, grievance/claim: what is the problem result?
Date of Negotiation: Resolution of Negotiation:
In your opinion how this claim should be resolved?
Signature: ______Date: ______
Hagler Bailly Pakistan Appendix 9 R7V08BPG: 01/13/17 9-1 Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Annex 2: Form for the Protocol 1 – Action Plan We, the claimant ------and the (name of entity) ------IA for the project ------financed by ADB, agree hereby on following actions aimed on mitigation of imacts claimed in a grievance submitted to IA on (date).
# Agreed Responsible Agreed Date Status of implementation Actions entity (fully/partially/no)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Claimant: Name, passport #, contact details Date: ______Signature: ______
IA/PIU: Name, Official address, name of representative signing Action Plan Date: ______Signature: ______
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Form for the Protocol 2 – Grievance Closure Act We, the claimant ------and the (name of entity) ------IA for the project ------financed by ADB, agree hereby that all actions specified in the Action Plan have been implemented to the satisfaction of all parties and the claimant has no more claims or grievances in relation with the IA. The claim is closed.
Claimant: Name, passport #, contact details Date: ______Signature: ______
IA: Name, Official address, name of representative signing Action Plan Date: ______Signature: ______
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
ToR for the members of GRM Representative of IA/PIU in GRCE (Contact Person) After a complaint is received by the Contact Person (CC) from any established entry points, the CC will: (i) screen the complaint for eligibility and, if found eligible, register it in the complaints log; (ii) contact the complainant(s), ascertain the facts/gather missing details, and draft a note with his/her understanding of the complaint; (iii) define the list of members of the GRCE or specialists to be engaged in the grievance resolution process (step 1) or arrange meeting with entire GRCE (step 2). Arrange and lead the meetings with the AP and ensure that minutes of the meeting are prepared and shared with all relevant parties; (iv) ensure the administrative and organizational support for GRG members; (v) develop and agree the Action Plan for the grievance resolution in consultation with the claimant AP and engaged members of GRCE (vi) develop Protocol of Agreement after the implementation of the Action Plan and sign the protocol as a counterpart of the AP; (vii) Assist the claimant AP to prepare a grievance submittal package for the GRCN, in case if the grievance resolution process at the GRCE level fails, and to deliver it to GRCN. (viii) Communicate with the GRCN: pass to GRCN grievance log records and brief notes on closure of the issue, in case of success. In case of failure of grievance resolution at the stage 1, pass the explanatory note with the supplementary grievance package prepared together with the AP to GRCN for the stage 2 process.
Representatives of the APs
At least one representative of the APs from the affected community should participate in the GRCE meetings. The specific tasks of the AP representative(s) includes: (i) participate in all grievance redress meetings; (ii) provide relevant information related to the submitted complaints; (iii) provide other GRCE members as relevant with a position note to be reflected in the final meeting report. Consultant (Construction Supervision or Design and Supervision Consultant) Once a complaint if lodged with the GRM, the Consultant is to undertake the following tasks: (i) Register the grievance in a grievance log for his entry point. Direct the complaint to the Contact Person (representative of IA) (ii) participate in all grievance meetings, provide expert opinions and participate in the investigation, as necessary; (iii) provide other GRCE members as relevant with a position note to be reflected in the final meeting report.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Independent party (Office of Ombudsman of CSO)
After the registration of the complaint with the GRM, the copy of the complaint should be sent to the Independent Party (Office of Ombudsman or designated CSO) on the same day. The Independent Party is tasked with the following responsibilities: (i) monitor complaint handling process, ensure that review process is transparent, objective and complies with the policy principles set for by the SPS 2009. (ii) provide recommendations and intervene in the complaint handling process if the process is viewed as biased or breaching the policy principles laid out in the SPS 2009; (iii) advise the complainant(s) on their rights and entitlements, as necessary; (iv) participate in all GRCE meetings and site visits; (v) prepare a position memo at the end of the meeting(s) and forward it to the members of the GRCE. Technical Expert(s) In case the case proves to be complex and requires a technical expertise for the GRCE/GRCN to be able to judge the substantive merit of the complaint, the CC or chairman of the GRCN engages a qualified technical expert from the authorized state agency or certified private entities. The technical expert is specifically expected to: (i) conduct a due diligence, relevant tests or an investigation; (ii) prepare a short report based on the results of the examination completed; (iii) recommend if further or additional legal opinion or expertise is needed to judge on the substance of the case.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Batumi Bypass Construction Project
Information to be reflected in the Grievance Log
The Grievance log could be developed as an Excel sheet or in other format. Information to be reflected in the log is as folows:
Information about Complainant
Name Passport number Official address Contact details Status (AP; community member; NGO; lawyer; etc.)
Information about Complaint
Registration date Entry Point Format of the grievance: letter, phone call, email, verbal complaint, suggestion box, other Type of raised issue (environmental; Involuntary Resettlement; other Summary description of the claim List of attached documents
Grievance Review and Resolution
Implemented actions aimed on the grievance review and study (site visits; meetings; studies by experts etc.) Development of the Action Plan (yes/no). In case of “yes” – reference to the document/file Implementation of the Action Plan (yes/no). In case of “yes” – reference to the document/file Grievance Closure (yes/no). In case of “yes” – reference to the document/file
Sample of the Grievance Log
Log Date/ Location Complainant/ Details of Investigation/ Resolution Ref/ No Date of Contact Complaint Mitigation Status1 Action
1 Open or Closed (if closed include date)