Environmental Assessment Report
Summary Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 42010 February 2010
People’s Republic of China: Guangxi Southwestern Cities Development Project
Prepared by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Government for the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
This summary 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.
CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of 24 February 2010)
Currency Unit – yuan (CNY) CNY1.00 = $0.1465 $1.00 = CNY6.8277
ABBREVIATIONS
ADB – Asian Development Bank COD – chemical oxygen demand dB(A) – A-weighted decibel EIA – environmental impact assessment EIRR – economic internal rate of return EMC – environmental management company and/or consultant EMP – environmental management plan EMS – environmental monitoring station EMU – environmental management unit EPB – environmental protection bureau GDP – gross domestic product GEPD – Guangxi Environmental Protection Department GPMO – GZAR Project Management Office GZAR – Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region GZARG – Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government IEM – independent environmental monitor MEP – Ministry of Environmental Protection NO2 – nitrogen dioxide PIC – project implementing company PLG – project leading group PM10 – particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers PMO – project management office POC – project operating company PPMS – project performance management system PRC – People’s Republic of China SEIA – summary environmental impact assessment SO2 – sulphur dioxide TA – technical assistance TSS – total suspended solids
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
ha – hectare km – kilometer m – meter m/s – meters/second m2 – square meter m3 – cubic meter mg/m3 – milligrams per cubic meter mu – unit of land area equal to 1/15 ha or 667 m2
NOTE
In the report, “$” refers to US dollars.
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.
CONTENTS
Page MAP I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 1 III. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT 3 A. Physical Environment 3 B. Environmental Quality 5 C. Socioeconomic Development 6 IV. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 8 A. Environmental Considerations 8 B. With-Project and Without-Project Scenarios 8 C. Alternative Designs 9 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 10 A. Incremental Environmental and Social Benefits 10 B. Design Considerations 11 C. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Road Networks and Related Infrastructure 11 D. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Longwang Bridge 15 E. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Coastal Protection and Upgrading Component 16 F. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Shuikou Lake Environmental Improvement Component 18 G. Land Acquisition and Resettlement 20 H. Cultural Relics 20 VI. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 20 A. Environmental Protection Investments 20 B. Environmental Benefits 20 C. Economic Internal Rate of Return for Environmental Management 21 VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 21 A. Objectives 21 B. Mitigation Measures 21 C. Organizational Structure for Environmental Management 21 D. Inspection, Monitoring, and Reporting 22 E. Mechanism for Feedback and Adjustment 23 VIII. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS 23 A. Information Disclosure and Public Consultations to Date 23 B. Consultation Results 23 C. Future Information Disclosure and Public Consultation Program 24 IX. CONCLUSION 24 A. Project Benefits 24 B. Environmental Safeguard Assurances 25 C. Overall Conclusion 25
APPENDIXES
1. Environmental Management Plan 2. Project Sites
106 o 00'E 111o 00'E
GUANGXI SOUTHWESTERN CITIES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT H U N A N IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
26 o 00'N G U I Z H O U 26 o 00'N
Guilin
Hechi Yishan Lipu Liuzhou Guijiang River
Baise Y U N N A N G U A N G X I Xunjiang R. Wuzhou
Litang Xijiang River N Guiyang Nanning G U A N G D O N G 0 25 50 75 100 125 Fusui Yulin Chongzuo Kilometers
Project City Ping Xiang Provincial Capital Minning Qinzhou Fangchenggang City/Town o Dongxing o 22 00'N National Road 22 00'N Provincial Road VIET NAM Beihai Railway River Provincial Boundary International Boundary S o u t h C h i n a S e a Boundaries are not necessarily authoritative. 10-0561d HR G u l f o f T o n k i n
106 o 00'E 111o 00'E
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The purpose of this report is to summarize the results of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the Guangxi Southwestern Cities Development Project. It is prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Environment Policy (2002) and Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2003)1 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the basis of domestic EIA reports that meet the requirements of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) EIA Law (2003)2 and associated regulations.
2. The domestic EIA reports have been prepared by qualified local institutes using methodologies and standards consistent with relevant guidelines established by the PRC Ministry of Environmental Protection. The approval authority for the domestic EIAs is the respective city environmental protection bureau (EPB). The project preparatory technical assistance (TA) consultants assisted in the finalization of the EIA reports, particularly in preparing the environmental management plans (EMPs).
3. Soil erosion prevention plans have also been prepared for the project components in accordance with the PRC Law on Soil Erosion Prevention Control (1991). The soil erosion prevention plans have been reviewed and approved by the respective city water resources bureau.
4. Domestic feasibility studies and resettlement plans have also been prepared under the guidance of the TA consultants. The findings of these studies have been incorporated into the summary environmental impact assessment (SEIA).
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
5. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR) is located in the southwestern PRC, and is one of 12 less-developed provinces and autonomous regions targeted by the PRC government’s strategy of promoting development in the western part of the country. GZAR occupies a central position in one subnational and two subregional economic cooperation areas, namely, the Pan-Pearl River Delta Economic Cooperation Area, the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Area.
6. The GZAR Eleventh Five-Year Urbanization Development Plan (2007) supports the consolidation of key development corridors within the Beibu Gulf economic zone. These include the following key corridors: Nanning–Fangchenggang, Nanning–Qinzhou, Nanning–Beihai, Nanning–Chongzuo (which leads to the PRC–Viet Nam border) and Nanning–Baise.
7. The Guangxi Southwestern Cities Development Project is intended to improve living conditions in the three border cities of Fangchenggang, Chongzuo, and Baise in the GZAR, and enhance their ability to promote and benefit from regional cooperation. The proposed project comprises six components in the three cities: (i) Fangchenggang urban road network and related municipal infrastructure, (ii) Fangchenggang coastal protection and upgrading, (iii) Chongzuo urban road network and related municipal infrastructure, (iv) Chongzuo Shuikou Lake environmental improvement, (v) Baise urban road network and related municipal infrastructure, and (vi) Baise Longwang bridge. There is also a capacity-building component that is designed to strengthen the institutional capacity of the project implementation companies (PICs) and
1 ADB. 2003. Environmental Assessment Guidelines. Manila. 2 PRC. 2003. EIA Law of the People’s Republic of China. Beijing: People’s Congress. 2 relevant agencies to promote comprehensive transport planning and manage project implementation and the environment.
8. The location of three project cities is shown in the Map. The sites and alignments of the project components are provided in Appendix 2 (Figure A2.1 through Figure A2.3). Narrative descriptions of the components are provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Descriptions of Components
Component Description of Output A. Fangchenggang City 1. Urban road network (i) Urban roads constricted (27.61 km) and related municipal (ii) Anfujiang bridge constructed (205 m in length) infrastructure (iii) Related municipal infrastructures constructed, including traffic signals, culverts, drainage, lighting, and landscaping
2. Coastal protection and (i) Coastal dike constructed (9.15 km) upgrading (ii) Public education mangrove park constructed (2.5 ha) (iii) Related auxiliary facilities constructed
B. Chongzuo City 1. Urban road network (i) Urban roads constructed (14.1 km) and related municipal (ii) Related municipal infrastructures constructed, including traffic signals, infrastructure culverts, drainage, lighting, and landscaping
2. Shuikou Lake (i) Lake surface cleared (78 ha) environmental (ii) Coffer weirs removed (7.85 km) improvement (iii) Lake bank rehabilitated (2.62 km) (iv) Pedestrian path constructed (1.57 km) (v) Dredging carried out (vi) Lakeside point and non-point pollution sources controlled
C. Baise City 1. Urban road network (i) Urban roads constructed (3.69 km) and related (ii) Related municipal infrastructures constructed, including traffic infrastructure signals, culverts, drainage, lighting, and landscaping
2. Longwang bridge (i) Bridge constructed (563 m in length) (ii) Related municipal infrastructures constructed, including traffic signals, culverts, drainage, lighting, and landscaping ha = hectare, km = kilometer, m = meter. Source: ADB. Preparing the Guangxi Southwestern Cities Development Project. Manila (draft final report).
9. The project is estimated to cost a total of approximately $293.41 million, of which $150 million will be financed by a loan from ADB and the rest from city government budgets and domestic commercial loans. The project will be implemented over 5 years, between 2011 and 2015.
10. The government of GZAR has designated the GZAR Development and Reform Commission as the executing agency. The city government will serve as the implementing agency for the project components in each respective city. The Fangchenggang City Port District Urban Construction Investment Company Limited will be the PIC for the two components in Fangchenggang City. The Chongzuo City Urban Construction Investment Company Limited
3 will be the PIC for the two components in Chongzuo City. The Baise City Development Investment Company Limited will be the PIC for the two components in Baise City. The PICs are state-owned enterprises under the respective city and district governments.
III. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT
A. Physical Environment
1. Overview of Guangxi
11. Guangxi is a mountainous region. The Nanling Mountains are on the northeast border, with the Yuecheng Mountains and Haiyang Mountains making up the shorter branching ridges. The Dayao Mountains and Daming Mountains are closer to the center of the region. The Duyao Mountains and Fenghuang Mountains are located to the north, while the Yunkai Mountains are on the southeast border. The highest point is the 2,141 meters (m) Mount Mao'er, located in the Yuecheng Mountains. Valleys have been cut through the mountains by a number of rivers, most of which form tributary basins of the Xijiang River. Guangxi has a short coastline on the Gulf of Tonkin, and important seaports include Beihai, Qinzhou, and Fangchenggang. Guangxi has a subtropical climate. Summers are generally long and hot. Average annual temperature is 17°C to 23°C, while average annual precipitation is 1,250 millimeters (mm) to 1,750 mm. Guangxi has a rich and diverse ecosystem, in part because of its subtropical climate and topography, and supports over 6,000 plant species and a variety of wild animals.
2. Fangchenggang
a. Location
12. Fangchenggang is a coastal city in southern Guangxi. In the south it borders the Beibu Gulf; in the east Qinzhou City; in the west Viet Nam; and in the north Nanning Municipality. The city has a coastline of 584 kilometers (km) and a border (with Viet Nam) of 212 km. It is located 153 km from Nanning, the capital city of GZAR, 60 km from Qinzhou City, and 160 km from Beihai City. The project area is located in the Port (Guangkou) District.
b. Topography
13. Fangchenggang is characterized by coast, plains and hills. Weathering of the limestone has resulted in a karst (limestone) topography, which has impacted the prevailing geo- morphological processes and hydrology. Silurian sandstones, shale, and siltstones are also widely distributed in the area. The port and approach channel are sheltered on three sides: by the mainland to the north and hilly peninsulas to the west and south.
c. Climate
14. Fangchenggang has a subtropical climate, with the highest monthly temperature on record of 28°C and the lowest monthly temperature on record of 2.8°C, which is characterized by an early spring, hot summer, and drizzly autumn and winter. The area is also subject to typhoons, with an average of one typhoon per year. The average annual temperature is about 17°C, with a high of 30°C, and a low of 1°C. The mean average rainfall is 2,350 mm, of which 85% occurs between May and September; the average annual relative humidity is 81%. The wind is predominantly from the north in winter, the south during the summer months, and
4 variable in spring and autumn. The annual average wind speed is about 5 meters per second (m/s), and reaches a maximum of about 18 m/s.
d. Flora and Fauna
15. Fangchenggang's forests contain more than 500 families of plants, 25 species of mammals, and many species of insects, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. The natural vegetation is tropical monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest. Fangchenggang has 15 mangrove species in its 1,553 hectares (ha) of mangrove forests; 1,131 ha of mangrove forest are under national protection in the Beilun River Estuary National Nature Reserve, which is located about 20 km from the proposed project area. The mangrove forests provide a variety of ecological services, and help to reduce the impact of natural disasters, purify water, protect endangered mangrove species, and increase the ecological security of local communities, who engage in pearl farming and near-shore fishing. Extensive stands of mangrove, covering an area of approximately 21 ha, can be found in the Fangcheng Port area and Anbujiang River estuaries where the proposed road network and coastal protection and upgrading components are located.
3. Chongzuo
a. Location
16. Chongzuo is located in southwestern Guangxi Province. It borders Nanning in the east, Baise in the north, Fangchenggang in the south and Viet Nam in the west. Chongzuo’s comparative advantages include its long international border lines and railways, close proximity to the provincial capital of Nanning and to the Pan-Pearl River Delta, and being part of the China-ASEAN Free trade Area.
b. Topography
17. Chongzuo is composed of a lightly undulating plain with isolated limestone outcrops. Chongzuo has a total of 14 rivers. The Zuojiang River, which is the largest river, is a tributary of the Youjiang River, which is part of the Xijiang water system in the Pearl River Basin. The Zuojiang River flows from the southwest to the northeast and divides urban Chongzuo into two cities: Chengnan (to the south) and Chengbei (to the north).
c. Climate
18. Chongzuo is located in a subtropical climatic zone, with a subtropical monsoon climate characterized by high temperatures throughout the year. The annual average temperature is 20.8°C to 22.4°C. The rainfall ranges from 1,170 mm to 1,414 mm per year, and is concentrated between April and September (82% of annual precipitation occurs during this period). The typhoon season is May to December; flooding may occur during this period, and has resulted in crop damage in riverine areas, closure of low-lying roads, and damage to bridges and culverts.
d. Flora and Fauna
19. Biodiversity is high in Chongzuo, with more than 4,000 species of plants and more than 450 species of animals. There are more than 30 species of rare and protected animals, including white headed and Indo-Chinese black langurs, crested striped hornbills, pangolins, and clouded leopards. About one fourth of the PRC’s wild animal species can be found in
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Chongzuo. Many fish species are important as a food source for communities located along the river systems.
4. Baise
a. Location
20. Baise is located in western Guangxi, bordering Guizhou in the north, Yunnan in the west and Nanning in the east, and Viet Nam in the south. The 11 counties under the jurisdiction of Baise are Pingguo, Tiandong, Tianyang, Tianlin, Debao, Jingxi, Napo, Lingyun, Leye, Longlin, and Xilin, with 10 of these classified as state-level poor counties.
b. Topography
21. Baise is characterized by mountainous karst, with most of the territory located 90 m to 200 m above sea level. The Youjiang River Valley is made up of low hills, karst hills, mountains and alluvial terrain; soil types include clay and sandy clay, while the bedrock is mainly mudstone, conglomerate, shale, and sandstone.
c. Climate
22. Baise has a subtropical wet climate, with long hot summers and mild winters. Temperatures range from an extreme low of 1°C to a high in summer of 42.5°C, with an annual average of about 18°C. Annual average precipitation is 1,200 mm to 1,400 mm, most (73%– 77%) of which falls in April–September.
d. Flora and Fauna
23. Large mammals can be found in the mountains that border both sides of the Youjiang River. The average forest cover in the project area is 35.8%; in the upper mountain area, coverage can reach 70%–80%. There are no natural reserves or other protected area in the project region. Freshwater fishery resources in the rivers and creeks include carp, grass fish, and chub. Two of the fish species are on the national protection list (salamander and mountain terrapin) and one on the provincial protection list. However, the field studies have shown that these protected species are not in the rivers directly affected by the project.
B. Environmental Quality
1. Fangchenggang
24. In 2007 the environmental quality in Fangchenggang was rated good to excellent;3 all ambient air, water and noise parameters and noise levels met the national ambient environmental standards. Specially, air quality met the requirements of class II of the national air quality standards: the annual average concentration of total suspended particulate matter 3 smaller than 10 micrometers (PM10) was 0.061 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m ), as 3 compared to the class II threshold of 0.10 mg/m ; the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was 0.018 3 3 3 mg/m , vs. the threshold of 0.04 mg/m ; and the level of sulphur dioxide (SO2) was 0.017 mg/m vs. the threshold of 0.06 mg/m3. The average urban noise level was 49.6 A-weighted decibels
3 Fangchenggang Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. 2007. State of the Environment Report. Fangchenggang City.
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(dB[A]). Water quality parameters in the monitored river sections met all applicable national surface water quality standards with the exception of standards for dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and oil, which were exceeded during the low-flow season.
2. Chongzuo
25. In 2007 the environmental quality in Chongzuo was rated excellent with respect to ambient air quality and good with regard to noise and surface water quality.4 Specially, air quality met the requirements of class II of the national air quality standards; the annual average 3 3 concentration of PM10 was 0.067 mg/m , as compared to the class II threshold of 0.10 mg/m ; 3 3 3 NO2 was 0.015 mg/m , vs. a threshold of 0.04 mg/m and SO2 was 0.011 mg/m , vs. the threshold of 0.06 mg/m3. The average urban noise level was 52.6 dB(A). For the monitored river sections, the water quality parameters met the applicable national surface water quality standards, with the exception of standards for dissolved oxygen, COD, and oil, which were exceeded during the low-flow season.
3. Baise
26. In 2007 the environmental quality in Fangchenggang was also rated as good to excellent.5 All national ambient air and noise environmental quality standards were met, and most surface water bodies also met the corresponding standards. Specially, air quality met the requirements of class II of the national air quality standards: the annual average concentration of total suspended particulates was 0.20 mg/m3 (meeting the class II threshold of 0.20 mg/m3); 3 3 the NO2 level was 0.03 mg/m , below the threshold of 0.04 mg/m ; and the SO2 level of 0.06 mg/m3 was also equal to the threshold of 0.06 mg/m3. The average urban noise level was 48.6 dB(A). For the monitored river sections, the water quality parameters met the applicable national surface water quality standards, except for the dissolved oxygen, COD, and oil standards, which were exceeded during the low-flow season.
C. Socioeconomic Development
1. Fangchenggang
27. Fangchenggang Municipality administers two urban districts, namely Gangkou (Port) District and Fangcheng District, one county (Shangsi County), and one county-level city (Dongxing City). Fangchenggang is home to 20 minority ethnic groups in addition to the Han— including the Zhuang, Yao, Jing, Dong, Miao, Mulao, Maonan, Hui, Shui, Gelao, Man, Korean, Tibetan, Li, Dai, and Uygur groups—which collectively account for almost half (48%) of the population. The primary industries are food and agricultural product processing, iron and steel, metallurgy, petrochemicals, energy, building materials, electronic products, pharmaceuticals and ports. In 2008, the gross domestic product (GDP) totalled CNY21.2 billion, an increase of 20.1% over 2007. The rate of municipality’s GDP growth was 7.4 percentage points higher than that of the GZAR, and 4.6 percentage points higher than the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Economic Area. The total industrial output value amounted to CNY32.8 billion (an increase of 43.9% over 2007), including CNY13.0 billion from the agricultural processing industry and CNY3.0 billion from the iron and steel industry. The industrial sector contributed more than 45.7% of the economic growth. Export value grew to more than $2.2 billion, an increase of 50.3% over 2007. Urban per capita disposable income grew by 18.1% to CNY14,364, while rural per capita net
4 Chongzuo Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, 2007.State of the Environment Report. Chongzuo City. 5 Baise Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, 2007.State of the Environment Report. Baise City.
7 income increased by 18.0% to CNY4,474. The urban unemployment rate stood at 2.9% or 0.3% lower than in 2007. The rural population that was living in poverty was reduced from 172,900 at the end of 2000 to 125,600 by the end of 2008. Increased public spending produced improvements in public health, education, social safety, low-income housing, water supply, wastewater treatment, solid waste management and ecological conservation.
2. Chongzuo
28. Chongzuo Municipality administers the Jiangzhou District, Pingxiang City (a county-level city) and six counties, including Fusui, Daxin, Tiandeng, Ningming and Longzhou. It has a total population of 2.33 million, which is comprised mainly (88.6%) of ethnic minorities, mainly the Zhuang. The border is 533 km long, making it the longest border of Guangxi cities, and has 11 various types of border port. Chongzuo Municipality is the PRC’s biggest manganese producer and the world's biggest producer of bentonite. Other industries include export infrastructure, paper, forest products such as timber and turpentine, building materials, pharmaceuticals, and electronics manufacturing. Forestry and agriculture are significant to Chongzuo’s economy. Oranges, rice, beans, corn, cassava, cinnamon, bananas, vegetables, durian, pineapples, longan, and tea are all major crops, but sugarcane is the dominant agricultural crop in Chongzuo. Farm-raised animals include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, ducks, chickens, geese, and bees. Chinese medicinal herbs are picked from the wild and also grown. Important mineral resources include manganese, gold, ferberite, coal, barite, bentonite, uranium, and vanadium. In 2008, GDP totalled CNY26.5 billion, an increase of 11.8% over 2007. Fiscal revenues amounted to CNY3.2 billion, an increase of 19% over 2007. The export value reached $1.60 billion, an increase of 72.6% over 2007. The primary industries include sugar, magnesium and building materials. Urban per capita disposable income reached CNY12,752, an increase of 15.0% over 2007; the rural per capita net income reached CNY3,754, an increase of 14.1% over 2007. The urban unemployment rate was brought below 5%. Between 2002 and 2008, a total of CNY705 million was spent on rural development and poverty reduction programs, and by the end of 2008, the population living in poverty was reduced to 585,500, from 736,800 in 2002. These programs were supplemented by social and livelihood improvement programs that addressed public health, education, social safety net, skills training, low-income housing and environmental improvement as well as rural water supply, roads, and communication.
3. Baise
29. Baise Municipality administers one urban district (Youjiang) and 11 counties (Pinguo, Tiandong, Tianyang, Tianlin, Debao, Jingxi, Napo, Lingyun, Leye, Longlin, and Xilin). It is extremely rich in mineral resources, with 57 kinds of minerals; these include bauxite, with 780 million tons of proven reserves, accounting for more than one-third of the reserves in the PRC, and more than 1 billion tons of long-term reserves. There are also more than 820 million tons of coal reserves, a preliminary 100 million tons of proven oil reserves, 3,000 million cubic meters (m3) of natural gas reserves and 3,000 MW of hydropower potential. The levels of reserves of antimony, copper, oil, coal, gold, crystal and more than 10 other types of mineral resources are the highest in Guangxi. Baise also has rich tourism resources, including red (revolutionary) tourism, and valleys, forests and other resources with four national AAAA scenic areas,6 and is a new and emerging tourist city, second only to Guilin and Beihai in Guangxi (Baise was awarded Outstanding Tourist City of China in 2007). In 2008, the GDP totalled CNY41.6 billion, an increase of 13.4% over 2007. The total industrial output value amounted to CNY46.4 billion,
6 Chinese scenic areas are classified into 5 classes from A (lowest) to AAAAA (highest), based on 44 environmental quality, scenic and/or historical value and service quality indicators.
8 an increase of 29.6% over 2007. The industrial value added totalled CNY18.9 billion, an increase of 22.3% over 2007, including CNY7.0 billion from non-ferrous metal metallurgy and related industries (an increase of 47.0% over 2007), CNY2.1 billion from power and power supply industries (an increase of 14.4% over 2007) and CNY1.1 billion from the agricultural and food processing industries (an increase of 43.8% over 2007). The industrial sector contributed 72.8% of the economic growth. The urban per capita disposable income reached CNY13,169 (an increase of 15.5% over 2007); the rural per capita net income was CNY2,820, an increase of 14.5% over 2007. At the end of 2001, Baise had a total rural poverty population of 1.39 million; by the end of 2008, this figure was reduced to 0.71 million. The poverty incidence rate declined from 10% in 2000 to 6% by 2007. The poverty reduction effort has been supplemented by a series of development programs, including, among others, programs that focussed on (i) rural water supply; (ii) household-based biogas; (iii) “village accessibility” (all villages are connected by paved roads); and (iv) “village connectivity” (all villages are connected to power supply, telephone, radio, and television).
IV. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES
A. Environmental Considerations
30. During development of the project, various alternatives were proposed and screened against technical, economic, social, energy efficiency and environmental criteria. The primary objective with respect to the environmental criteria was to identify and recommend those alternatives with the least adverse environmental impacts and maximum environmental benefits. The following key environmental factors were used in comparing the alternatives: (i) the amount of earthwork (related to vegetation disturbance, soil erosion, etc.); (ii) land occupation, particularly occupation of basic farmland and woodland; (iii) emission reduction; (iv) minimization of community disturbance; and (v) resettlement.
B. With-Project and Without-Project Scenarios
1. Urban Road Networks and Related Municipal Infrastructure
31. Not undertaking the project (the without-project scenario) would result in a shortage of urban infrastructure in the three cities compared to the with-project scenario. In addition, environmental quality may continue to deteriorate, while the impact of the lack of infrastructure will gradually increase as a result of pressures associated with a growing population, urbanization, and economic development. The without-project-scenario will reduce the competitiveness of the cities and their attractiveness to outside investment, and inhibit further improvement of the standard of living of the inhabitants. The resulting infrastructure bottlenecks will constrain the full participation of the border cities in subnational and subregional cooperation programs, thereby preventing the cities from deriving the maximum benefits from the programs, and interfering with full realization of the programs.
2. Coastal Protection and Upgrading
32. At present, no dikes exist in the project area, and frequent flooding occurs. Without the new coastal dike, the coastal region of Yuzhouping in Fangchenggang City would continue to experience flooding, resulting in the loss of life and properties. The dikes will provide protection from 50-year floods (of a height expected once every 50 years), compared with the current complete absence of protection. Under the without-project scenario, the mangrove forest in the project area would continue to deteriorate from land-based liquid and solid waste pollution. The
9 proposed intervention, coupled with the establishment of sewerage networks and wastewater treatment facilities, will protect the mangrove forest habitat and ecosystems. With coastal parks and a 2.5-ha mangrove protection education square with a public information booth, the component will also provide the opportunity for public recreation, and enhance public knowledge of the importance of mangroves and action on mangrove protection.
3. Shuikou Lake Environmental Improvement
33. The water quality of the lake presently meets the Class III of the National Surface Water Quality Standards (GB 3838-2002). However, under the without-project scenario, water pollution in the lake is expected to increase due to wastewater discharge from factories, lakeside human settlements and aquaculture undertaken in the lake. With the project, the pollution sources will be reduced; and the water quality in the lake will be upgraded and maintained at Class II of the National Surface Water Quality Standards (GB 3838-2002).
C. Alternative Designs
1. Urban Road Networks and Related Municipal Infrastructures
34. Consideration was given to the alignments of roads to ensure they would improve connectivity to new and existing transportation networks. The alignments were assessed against the following design criteria:
(i) connectivity to the national expressway network in Guangxi; (ii) easy access to and from other roads in the region; (iii) facilitation of the operation of the overall road networks of the city; (iv) projected future regional traffic distribution; (v) easy access without going through downtown areas in order to avoid traffic jams; (vi) minimizing civil works and avoiding sections with unfavourable geological conditions or difficult engineering works such as deep cuts or high fills; (vii) minimizing construction costs; (viii) minimizing environmental impact along the routes; (ix) minimizing land acquisition and resettlement; (x) reducing hauling distance for construction materials; (xi) minimizing disturbing existing roads and utilities; and (xii) incorporating the views of local people in selecting the location of proposed interchanges and the arrangement of pedestrian bridges and underpasses, and in designing the revegetation plan.
2. Coastal Protection and Upgrading
35. The most important environmental consideration for the project design is to ensure adequate protection of the coastal mangrove forest. The dikes have been carefully designed to protect the wetland and mangrove forest ecosystems and minimize any potential impact from construction activities and operations. Another important design feature is the incorporation of climate resilience by enlarging the zone between the coastline and the dike to buffer sea-level rise. The buffer zone will be used as a coastal park for local residents. In addition, public education facilities will be established in the coastal park to raise awareness about mangrove protection. Lastly, biological measures with trees and grasses for bank reinforcement have been adopted.
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3. Shuikou Lake Environmental Improvement
36. Lake rehabilitation will be achieved through the control of lakeside and in-lake pollution sources and the establishment and enhancement of artificial wetlands. The wetlands will purify water and serve as fish and bird habitat. The use of biological measures with trees and grasses for lakeshore protection will be maximized.
37. Two options have been considered for the sediment dredging and transportation at Shuikou Lake: (i) pumping out the water and then excavating the sediment, and (ii) excavating with dredging machines. The first option would simplify dredging and transportation operations, but damage and reduce aquatic and wetland ecological system functions. The second option would result in the need for the disposal of a large volume of dredged sediment with high water content. Furthermore, the generation of leachate at the dewatering site could potentially cause secondary pollution. The advantages of mechanical dredging would include a reduction in the construction period due to the use of multiple dredging sites. To protect the lake’s wetland ecological functions and maximize cost effectiveness, mechanical dredging is recommended.
38. The dredged sediment, if disposed of improperly, would constitute a pollution risk. The original plan was to truck it to and dispose of it at the municipal landfill. This option would cause adverse impacts along the trucking routes, as well as on and around the disposal site. An alternative plan has been adopted that calls for reusing the dredged sediment as fertilizer for urban landscaping.
V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES
A. Incremental Environmental and Social Benefits
39. The project is expected to generate multiple incremental environmental and social benefits. The incremental environmental benefits from the road networks and related infrastructure components include improvement in vehicular energy efficiency and reduced air emissions from improved road conditions and increased vehicle speed. The coastal protection and upgrading component will prevent further degradation of coastal wetlands and mangrove forests and create beautiful coastal areas for public recreation and environmental education. The Shuikou Lake environmental improvement component will reduce pollution and improve water quality (from Class III to Class II of the National Surface Water Quality Standards, GB 3838-2002).
40. The primary social benefits include improved road networks and related infrastructure for urban development, increased connectivity for promotion of regional cooperation, increased traffic safety and an improved standard of living for local residents. The project will also serve to improve infrastructure services in the three project cities, which will help to attract outside investment and promote economic growth and industrial development. Economic benefits will include higher transportation efficiency from and to local and outside markets. More tangible and immediate benefits will be the increased employment opportunities directly related to construction and operation. Most of the unskilled labor during project implementation (estimated at more than 120,360 person-months) will be sourced from local communities. Indirect employment from related services will generate additional local income during the construction period. During the operational stage, an estimated 1,220 permanent jobs related to road maintenance will be created, with additional indirect employment in the region resulting from increased tourism and economic expansion.
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B. Design Considerations
41. The project will not affect important historical and cultural sites or rare and endangered species. Construction areas, road routes and coastal dike routes are not located in forests and grasslands of ecological significance, natural reserves, or scenic areas. The following considerations have been and will continue to be incorporated in the preparation of the EIA and feasibility study reports and the ensuing preliminary design phase:
(i) All the project sites are carefully selected to avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts on the environment and surrounding communities. (ii) All facilities are located and designed to minimize resettlement impacts. (iii) The technical design and scheduling of construction activities for the components will ensure compliance with government regulations and international best practices with respect to safety, sanitation, and environmental protection. (iv) The Fangchenggang coastal protection and upgrading component will be designed to provide maximum protection of the mangrove forest ecosystems. (v) The Shuikou Lake environmental improvement component will be designed to restore and maintain the lake’s aquatic ecological functions. (vi) All components have undergone the EIA process under the laws and regulations of the PRC. The EIA documents were prepared by qualified EIA institutes, reviewed by expert panels, and approved by the GZAR Environmental Protection Department or the respective municipal EPBs. (vii) Appropriate environmental mitigation and monitoring measures are included in the EMPs. The proposed environmental mitigation measures will form part of the design documents for the components, and be included in the contracts for procurement of goods and services. All contractors and subcontractors will be required to comply with the EMPs. (viii) The environmental monitoring program has also been incorporated into the overall project design to ensure that environmental impacts are closely monitored and the construction and operating activities are closely supervised against the approved EMPs.
C. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Road Networks and Related Infrastructure
1. Environmental Baseline
42. The areas serviced by the road networks are classified as mixed commercial, commercial–residential, logistics, and recreational, for which class II of the Ambient Noise Standards for Urban Areas (GB3096-93) apply. The environmental noise baseline monitoring was carried out along the proposed road alignments. The monitoring results, along with regulatory thresholds, are shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Baseline Noise (dB(A), A-weighted decibels) Monitoring Location Day Standard % of Night Standard % of Violation Violation Fangchenggang urban 37.8-65.8 ≤ 60 3.2 39.4-60.5 ≤ 50 4.1 road alignment Chongzuo urban road 49.3-63.4 ≤ 60 3.1 44.9-61.6 ≤ 50 9.4 alignment
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Monitoring Location Day Standard % of Night Standard % of Violation Violation Baise urban road 43.2-71.6 ≤ 60 5.2 43.2-64.2 ≤ 50 6.6 alignment Sources: Domestic environmental impact assessment reports.
43. Air quality baseline monitoring was carried out for the proposed three urban road alignments. The present air quality meets the applicable standards (Table 3).
Table 3: Baseline Air Quality
NO2 CO PM10 Monitoring Concentration % of Concentration % of Concentration % of Location (mg/m3) Violation (mg/m3) Violation (mg/m3) Violation Regulatory ≤ 0.15 (hourly ≤ 10.0 ≤ 0.15 (daily threshold average) (hourly average) average) Fangchenggang 0.002-0.019 0.0 0.25-1.32 0.0 0.023-0.069 0.0 urban road alignment Chongzuo 0.005-0.050 0.0 0.30-1.26 0.0 0.011-0.193 0.9 urban road alignment Baise urban 0.021-0.028 0.0 0.70-1.20 0.0 0.097-0.141 0.0 road alignment 3 CO = carbon monoxide, mg/m = milligram per cubic meter, NO2 = nitrogen dioxide, PM10 = particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers. Sources: Domestic environmental impact assessment reports.
2. Construction Phase
44. Anticipated sources of air pollution from construction activities in all component sites include (i) dust generated from earth excavation, loading, hauling, and unloading; (ii) dust generated by the movement of vehicles and heavy machinery on unpaved access and haul roads; (iii) dust from aggregate preparation, concrete-mixing, and haulage activities; (iv) odour from asphalt melting, mixing, and spreading; and (v) exhaust and noise from vehicles and equipment. To limit dust generation during construction, water trucks will be used to wet the construction roads, according to a daily schedule and taking into consideration weather conditions. When construction takes places during dry and windy days, water will be sprayed on earth piles and exposed surfaces to suppress dust. Aggregate preparation and storage areas and concrete-mixing plants will be located more than 300 m from the nearest residential area, downwind (according to the prevailing wind), while asphalt plants will be located more than 500 m downwind. Dust suppression equipment will be installed in concrete-batching plants. Proper maintenance of vehicles and diesel equipment, and avoidance of unnecessary running of vehicle and equipment engines, will reduce emissions and noise. No vehicle that emits black smoke will be allowed to operate onsite. Ambient air quality will be measured quarterly during construction at the sensitive sites where baseline monitoring was carried out during the EIA. Additional monitoring will be undertaken when necessary (e.g., if complaints are made by local communities). Local EPBs will undertake compliance monitoring during the construction period. Fines will be imposed and the cost of remedial action charged to the contractor if failure to implement the air pollution measures contained in the EMP is confirmed.
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45. A significant increase in noise is expected during construction, due to various construction and transport activities. Construction activities will involve bulldozers, graders, stabilizers, concrete-mixing plants, drills, stone-crushing and screening plants, rollers, and other heavy machinery. While noise levels may be severe, they will be temporary and localized. It is estimated that noise intensity from these activities will be in the range of 85–100 dB(A). In such cases, they will still meet the PRC standard up to 40 m away from the sources during the day and 200 m away from the sources at night. In addition, large amounts of borrow and waste materials will frequently be transported to and from the construction sites during the approximately 12-hour to 13-hour workday; this will occur throughout the 300-day construction season, over a 3-year period. As a result, villages that have haul roads passing through or adjacent to them will frequently experience noise at approximately 70 dB(A) to 80 dB(A). Activities with intensive noise levels will impact the residents and may also cause injury to construction workers operating the equipment. Therefore, the following mitigation measures are essential in order for construction activities to meet the PRC construction site noise limits and to protect sensitive receptors:
(i) The first priority will be to use equipment that generates low levels of noise, and all machinery will be properly maintained to minimize noise. Noise reduction devices or methods will be applied where piling equipment is operating within 500 m of sensitive sites such as schools. (ii) Concrete-mixing plants and similar activities will be located at least 1 km away from sensitive areas such as residences, schools, and hospitals. (iii) To reduce noise at night, the operation of machinery generating high levels of noise, such as piling, will be restricted to between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. in accordance with PRC regulations. The movement of heavy vehicles along urban and village roads will also be restricted to between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (iv) If schools are located nearby, the construction unit will reach an agreement with the schools regarding heavy machinery work to avoid any unnecessary disturbances. If there are construction activities that must be undertaken day and night, the construction unit will reach an agreement with nearby residents and may compensate the most severely affected residents. (v) Construction sites near sensitive areas will be monitored (regularly and irregularly) by local environmental authorities or a contracted environmental monitoring agency. If noise standards are exceeded, equipment and construction conditions will be checked, and mitigation measures will be implemented to rectify the situation. (vi) A unit for dealing with complaints from nearby residents will be set up to facilitate communication with residents and to solve any conflicts between the construction unit and residents. (vii) Suitable measures will be taken to protect workers operating heavy equipment according to the worker health protection law of the PRC.
3. Operational Phase
46. The principal air quality impacts during operation will come from emissions of vehicles on the road networks. According to the PRC regulations on vehicular emissions, all vehicles must now pass the Euro-III equivalent test as part of the annual vehicle safety and environmental protection inspection. Random spot checks are conducted in the three cities, and non-compliance will result in a fine and a deadline for repairs to meet the emissions standard.
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47. The concentrations of air pollutants were predicted for distances of 10 m, 20 m, 30 m, 40 m, 50 m, 60 m, 80 m, and 100 m from the road center using the Gausian dispersion model. Under no-wind (worst-case scenario) and regular wind conditions, the concentrations of NO2, CO, and PM10 will meet the applicable standards.
48. During the operational period, noise will be generated by passing vehicles. Traffic noise forecasts for both sides of the expressway have been carried out based on traffic volumes predicted in the EIA studies. A total of 35 noise-sensitive locations have been identified by the EIA studies, including nine along the Fangchenggang urban road network, seven along the Chongzuo urban road network, and 19 along the Baise urban road network (Table 4). The following noise attenuation measures specified in Design Specification for Highway Environmental Protection7 will be examined and implemented as needed:
(i) Noise barriers or noise insulation windows will be constructed where noise levels are predicted to exceed the PRC standards by more than 3 dB(A). (ii) Low-noise pavement will be used when possible. Use of asphalt concrete road payment will be encouraged to reduce roadside noise levels. (iii) Ambient noise monitoring will be mandated to determine whether mitigation measures will be required for locations where noise levels are predicted to exceed the standards by less than 3 dB(A) or where standards are expected to be exceeded by more than 3 dB(A) in the medium and long term. Monitoring will be conducted twice annually, for 2 days on each occasion. Mitigation measures will be implemented if infringement of the PRC standards is observed. (iv) Trees and shrubs will be planted as soon as possible after construction in any construction zone and within the 50 m-wide right-of-way.
Table 4: Noise-Sensitive Locations
Fangchenggang Urban Road Chongzuo Urban Baise Urban Road Item Network Road Network Network School 2 0 5 Village 3 5 6 Residential quarter 1 1 6 Office block 3 1 2 A. B.
Total No. of Sensitive Locations 9 7 19
No. of sensitive locations that meet the 5 0 7 applicable standard No. of locations with maximum 3 3 1 exceeding value<5 dB(A) No. of locations with maximum 1 4 11 exceeding value>5 dB(A) Sources: Domestic feasibility study reports.
7 Ministry of Communication. 1992. Design Specification for Highway Environmental Protection. Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
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D. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Longwang Bridge
1. Environmental Baseline
49. Environmental baseline noise monitoring and surface water baseline monitoring were carried out within the component area. The monitoring results are shown in Tables 5 and 6. The present acoustic environmental quality and surface water quality can meet the applicable standards.
Table 5: Baseline Acoustic Environmental Quality for Longwang Bridge
Monitoring % of Night- % of Location Day-Time Standard Violation Time Standard Violation Dawan Village 51.0 ≤ 55 0.0 44.1 ≤ 45 0.0 49.6 ≤ 55 0.0 44.2 ≤ 45 0.0 East Bank 47.5 ≤ 55 0.0 44.8 ≤ 45 0.0 50.3 ≤ 55 0.0 44.9 ≤ 45 0.0 Sources: Domestic environmental impact assessment reports.
Table 6: Baseline Surface Water Quality at Longwang Bridge
Monitoring COD NH3-N BOD DO Petroleum Location pH (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) Regulatory threshold 6.0-9.0 ≤ 20 ≤ 1.0 ≤ 4 ≥ 5 ≤ 0.05 Upstream 100 m 7.7-8.0 1.8-2.6 0.09-0.12 0.022- 7.10-7.28 0.01-0.02 0.028 Downstream 500 m 7.9-8.0 1.5-2.4 0.05-0.10 0.018- 7.12-7.35 0.01-0.02 0.023 BOD = biological oxygen demand, COD = chemical oxygen demand, DO = dissolved oxygen, m = meter, mg/l = milligram per liter, NH3-N = ammonia nitrogen. Sources: Domestic environmental impact assessment reports.
2. Construction Phase
50. During bridge construction, disturbance of the benthic environment and an increase in total suspended solids (TSS) in the river are expected, primarily from building the bridge foundations. The cutting wastes, including drilling wastes, will be transmitted to shore and used as landscaping materials. Increased TSS may disturb fish populations, but the impact is expected to cease soon after construction ends. Environmental management provisions will be included in the construction contracts with regard to the storage of construction materials and the collection and safe disposal of construction wastes. Water quality in the Youjiang River will be monitored during construction for TSS, COD, and oils and grease, and corrective actions will be taken if abnormalities are discovered.
3. Operational Phase
51. The operation of the bridge is not expected to generate any significant environmental impact. There is however a risk of traffic accidents involving vehicles carrying toxic or hazardous substances. Warning signs to drivers and emergency numbers will be posted along the bridge. The Regulation on Road Transport of Hazardous Materials (2005), issued by the PRC Ministry of Communications, provides for enterprise registration and permitting, driver licensing and route designation. The effective enforcement of the regulation will minimize the occurrence of accidental spills of hazardous substances. There is an environmental emergency response plan
16 for Baise and a special unit in the city’s EPB. Spillage must be immediately reported to the environmental emergency unit in the environmental protection bureau, and relevant instructions followed. The project will promote compliance through awareness building and education for relevant transport enterprises and drivers, thus further reducing the risk of accidental spills.
E. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Coastal Protection and Upgrading Component
1. Environmental Baseline
52. The mangrove forest along the proposed coastal dike alignment is located in the Dongwan (East Bay) tidal area. The direct distance to the Beilun Estuary provincial-level mangrove nature reserve is about 20 km. The mangrove forest in the Dongwan tidal area covers an area of 210 ha. The dominant species in Dongwan include: Bruguirra gymnorrhiza, Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum and Avicennia marina, similar to the Beilun Estuary provincial-level nature reserve. The mangrove forest in Dongwan has been naturally separated by the tidal stream into more than 10 patches and distributed from south to north. Among these patches, five are situated near the Yuzhouping coastal area where the proposed coastal protection and upgrading component is located.
53. The environmental function of the Dongwan tidal area is classified as industrial, shoreline landscape and tourism, and class III of the Marine Water Quality Standards (GB 3097- 1997) is applicable. Coastal water quality baseline monitoring was carried out within the Dongwan tidal area. The monitoring results and the related standard limits for sea water are shown in Table 7. The present marine water quality meets the applicable standards.
Table 7: Baseline Marine Water Quality
Inorganic Active SS COD Nitrogen Phosphate Petroleum Item pH (%) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) Regulatory 6.8-8.8 Increase ≤ ≤ 4 ≤ 0.40 ≤ 0.030 ≤ 0.30 threshold 100% # 1 7.5-7.65 14-16 1.5-1.7 0.165-0.180 0.022-0.028 0.03-0.04 # 2 7.77-7.92 11-13 1.5-1.8 0.133-0.142 0.018-0.023 0.03-0.04 # 3 7.82-7.85 13-17 1.8-2.2 0.185-0.197 0.021-0.026 0.02-0.04 COD = chemical oxygen demand, mg/l = milligram per liter, pH = a unit of acidity, SS = suspended solids. Note: (1) monitoring site: public education square, (2) monitoring site: Anfujiang Bridge, and (3) monitoring site: Anfujiang River estuaries. Source: Domestic environmental impact assessment reports.
54. The baseline monitoring for acoustic environmental quality and air quality was carried out within and nearby the project area. The results showed that the acoustic and air environmental quality can meet the applicable standards.
2. Construction Phase
55. The layout of the proposed 9.15 km-long coastal protection dike and associated infrastructure––including drainage systems, public parks and the 2.5 ha public education square––will not occupy the mangrove forest wetland. The proposed dike and square will be constructed in the buffer zone. A proposed bridge across the Anfujiang River is designed to allow the passage of fresh water, along with sedimentary nutrients, to the mangrove ecosystem
17 in the tidal wetlands. A field survey indicates that the closest distance between the dike and the border of the mangrove forest will be approximately 100 m.
56. The results of the EIA study for the Beilun mangrove forest have been used as an analogue for this study to identify the adverse effects and to formulate mitigation measures. The major adverse affects are predicted to include: (i) pollution from leakage of oil and grease into the mangrove forest that would damage the mangrove leaves and further harm mangrove respiration; (ii) soil erosion and inappropriate disposal of construction wastes in the mangrove wetlands along the dike alignment, resulting in subsequent degradation or even death of mangrove trees; and (iii) noise pollution that may disturb the wild birds.
57. The following measures have been proposed to mitigate the impact from construction activities: (i) the machines and equipment will be required to be maintained in good condition to prevent the leakage of oils and lubricants, (ii) the machines and equipment will be located as far as possible from the mangrove forest wetlands, (iii) coffer weirs and settlement ponds with oil separators will be established to contain accidental release of oils and lubricants, and (iv) construction wastes will be collected and transported to the municipal landfill. Where the proposed alignment passes through an area that is prone to soil erosion, a drainage system will be constructed to minimize erosion of deposited materials. Slope protection works and grass and tree planting in the right-of-way in each erosion-prone section will be undertaken. Temporary construction camps will be set up farther inland. Rock crushing, concrete mixing and asphalt hot-mixing workshops and storage yards will be located at least 300 m from the border of the mangrove forest wetlands to minimize noise and water pollution.
3. Operational Phase
58. During operation of the project components, possible sources of soil erosion include neglected maintenance of the soil erosion control structures in erosion-prone areas, or the failure to maintain landscaping along the coastal dike alignment. To minimize these impacts, regular inspections will be undertaken to ensure that the drainage structures and re-vegetated areas are maintained in accordance with the requirements of the soil erosion prevention plan. Maintenance of dike slopes, cuts, and embankments—through stabilizing and replanting, if necessary—will be carried out regularly during dike operation. Maintenance of such areas will be budgeted as part of the regular flood control infrastructure maintenance programs. The local water resource bureau, ocean administrative bureau and environmental monitoring station will undertake regular monitoring of erosion prevention and control measures during the operational phase.
59. During the operating period, solid wastes and wastewater will be generated by the people who visit the mangrove protection education square as well as any auxiliary facilities. About 1,000 visitors per day are projected. About one ton of garbage per day will be generated. Garbage bins will be placed in the square, collected daily and sent to the municipal landfill. Wastewater will be directed to the municipal sewerage network and then to the municipal wastewater treatment plant.
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F. Potential Adverse Impact and Mitigation Measures for Shuikou Lake Environmental Improvement Component
1. Environmental Baseline
60. Shuikou Lake is situated in the eastern suburb of Chongzuo City. The land uses surrounding the lake are characterized by forests and small farm plots. Existing beneficial uses of the lake include (i) the lake’s scenic and ecological attributes, and (ii) for aquaculture and domestic water supplies. The major sources of point pollution impacting the lake include residential sewage from the lakeside villages and industrial wastewater from a starch factory and cement factory.8 The non-point pollution sources include in-lake aquaculture, poultry raising and runoff from the forested land, farm plots and villages. There are no known sources of toxic substances discharged. The environmental function of the Shuikou Lake is classified as common domestic water use, aquaculture, swimming and tourism, for which class III of the National Surface Water Standards (GB 3838-2002) is applicable. In addition, the lake serves an ecological function of replenishing groundwater aquifers and maintaining the local microclimate.
61. Surface water baseline monitoring was carried out for Shuikou Lake. The monitoring results and related standard limited value are shown in Table 8. The present surface water quality meets the applicable standards.
Table 8: Baseline Water Quality at Shuikou Lake
Parameter Measurements Standard % of Violation pH 7.41-7.52 6-9 0 DO (mg/l) 6.1-6.2 ≥ 5 0 Permanganate index 1.7-2.1 ≤ 6 0 Fluoride (mg/l) 0.10-0.11 ≤ 1.0 0 COD (mg/l) 5.0-6.0 ≤ 20 0 NH3-N (mg/l) 0.098-0.107 ≤ 1.0 0 TP (mg/l) 0.02-0.03 ≤ 0.2 0 BOD (mg/l) 2-2 ≤ 4 0 Sulfide (mg/l) 0.005-0.005 ≤ 0.02 0 Petroleum (mg/l) 0.01-0.01 ≤ 0.05 0 Volatile phenol (mg/l) 0.002-0.002 ≤ 0.005 0 BOD = biological oxygen demand, COD = chemical oxygen demand, DO = dissolved oxygen, mg/l = milligram per liter, NH3-N = ammonia nitrogen, pH = a unit of acidity, TP = total phosphorus. Sources: Domestic environmental impact assessment studies.
62. Air quality baseline monitoring was carried out within the project area. The air quality 3 monitoring results are: SO2 concentration in the range of 0.005-0.017 mg/m ; NO2 3 3 concentrations of 0-0.012 mg/m ; and PM10 concentrations of 0.017-0.103 mg/m . These meet the class II National Ambient Air Quality Standards (GB3095-1996).
2. Construction Phase
63. The dredging will cover 78 ha of lake area. The dredged depth ranges from 20 centimeters (cm) to 30 cm. It is estimated that the dredging will generate approximately 195,000 m3 of sediment. Given a water content of 95%, the sediment after drying is estimated to have a volume of 9,750 m3. The dredging activities are expected to last for 60 weeks. The dredging
8 The two factories will be relocated to the industrial parks located in the northern part of the city within the next 2 years.
19 activity will result in noise being generated. The amount of noise perceived by the nearest sensitive receptors depends on the amount of noise emitted by the dredging machinery and the gradual attenuation of the original noise level by factors such as the distance from the source. Given that the nearest village is more than 1 km from the construction site, the impact of noise from the dredging activities is considered to be negligible.
64. The dredged sediment will be used for urban landscaping purposes. Prior to the start of dredging, sediment samples will be tested at six monitoring points that will be evenly distributed in the dredged area. Sediment samples should be evaluated for their physical, chemical, biological and engineering properties to help in determining whether the dredged sediment will be reused or disposed of. A tiered approach to testing is typically used, in which the physical properties are first assessed, followed by the chemical properties, and then the biological properties. Testing of physical properties will include: (i) grain size analysis and percent solids (dry matter) for cohesiveness, settling velocity and re-suspension potential, or potential for contaminant accumulation; (ii) density or specific gravity as this indicates consolidation of placed material, volume in situ and after deposit; and (iii) organic matter (as total organic carbon) as this indicates potential accumulation of organic associated contaminants. Testing of chemical properties will include determination of the following trace metals in all cases: cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc, along with organic and/or organo- metallic compounds. Since there are no known significant sources (point or diffuse) of contamination or historic inputs, polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tri-butyl tin compounds and arsenic will not be tested. Depending on local sources of contamination (point or non-point and/or diffuse sources) or historic inputs, other chemical parameters may be analyzed. It has been confirmed with the Chongzuo Urban Sanitation Bureau that in case the dredged sediment is not suitable for urban landscaping purposes, the dredged sediments will be disposed of in landfills with adequate capacity, entailing, among others, adequate discharge loading rate.
65. It is important to select excavation and dredging methods to minimize suspension of sediments, minimize disturbance of the lake ecosystem, and maintain the density of the dredged sediment, especially if contaminated areas are found. If some areas are found through sampling to be uncontaminated, then the volume of dredged sediment slated for disposal in a landfill (if this option is chosen) may be minimized, allowing for reuse of the "clean" sediment. Depending on the depth of the sediment and environmental concerns such as the need to minimize sediment suspension, common dredging methods will be evaluated and the most suitable method(s) will be adopted.
66. The dredging activities will disturb the sediment. This is expected to lead to a short-term increase in concentrations of suspended solids (SS) in the lake, especially immediately around the dredging spots. The contractor will be required to have sound environmental management programs that address proper maintenance of dredging machinery, solid waste collection and disposal and wastewater handling. Water quality in Shuikou Lake will be monitored during construction for SS, COD, and oils and grease to confirm the result of the impact assessment and effectiveness of mitigation measures adopted. If the monitoring reveals any significant impact, new mitigation measures will be formulated and implemented.
67. The process of dredging, sediment dewatering, and transportation could increase risk of foul odour, which could affect residents along the transportation routes. The dredging activities will be located at the open lake surface, and there is adequate distance between the dredged areas and adjacent human communities to minimize any adverse effects. The dewatered
20 sediment will be transported, in covered and sealed trucks, to a drying and processing site located in an open field, at a safe distance from human settlements.
3. Operational Phase
68. The operation of the project facilities is not expected to generate any major impacts. A key mitigation measure is to properly maintain all vegetation cover, and inspect all lakeshore stabilization sites. If signs of failure are discovered, a repair program will implemented immediately.
69. As environmental quality improves, the number of visitors will increase. The risk of solid waste pollution will be minimized through the use of signs warning against littering in the area, provision of garbage bins, and timely garbage collection. The public toilets in lakeside public areas will be fitted with underground septic tanks to capture the small quantities of liquid waste they generate. Effluent from the septic tanks will be transmitted to the biological “islands” in the center of the lake for further purification. The impact on water quality is anticipated to be minor.
G. Land Acquisition and Resettlement
70. The implementation of the project components will require permanent acquisition of 4,550 mu (303.3 ha) of land, and temporary acquisition of 586 mu (39.1 ha) of land. A total of 2,113 people in 508 households will be relocated. Land acquisition and resettlement impacts have been identified, and resettlement plans prepared in accordance with the PRC laws and regulations and ADB’s Involuntary Resettlement Policy (1995). The resettlement plans provide a socioeconomic profile of affected persons and scope of impacts, and they address issues related to compensation entitlement, the legal framework, public consultations, grievance procedures, environmental protection, rehabilitation measures, and budget and implementation milestones. Resettlement requirements have been carefully considered and incorporated into the project design.
H. Cultural Relics
71. No cultural relics have been identified within the direct impact areas of the proposed project.
VI. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
A. Environmental Protection Investments
72. The total investment costs for the whole project are estimated to be $271.26 million, including $150 million from ADB. The total incremental environmental investment is estimated at CNY17,230,000 (or $2,533,820), which will cover the cost of: (i) preparing the EIAs, (ii) implementing the EMPs, (iii) sampling and testing of dredged sediment from Chongzuo Lake, (iv) site mitigation and inspection, (v) environmental management training, and (vi) environmental supervision and monitoring. Environmental costs have been included in the project costs.
B. Environmental Benefits
73. Environmental benefits or forgone environmental losses resulting from the implementation of the EMP are anticipated to include: (i) reduced soil erosion, (ii) reduced air pollution, (iii) reduced water pollution, (iv) reduced noise pollution, (v) reduced impact on
21 mangrove forests, (vi) reduced impact on aquatic species, (vii) reduced coastal flooding, and (viii) associated health and social health benefits. The economic benefits of the environmental benefits or forgone environmental costs are estimated at $3,804,700. More detail about the environmental benefit estimation can be found in the economic analysis section of the draft final report.9
C. Economic Internal Rate of Return for Environmental Management
74. The economic internal rate of return (EIRR) is calculated for each component and for the entire project. The economic analysis used two approaches: (i) land value approach, and (ii) economic growth approach. The land value approach yielded an EIRR of 18.4% for the project as a whole, and the economic growth approach an EIRR of 33.3% for the project as a whole. The EIRRs are higher than the 12% economic opportunity cost of capital, under various sensitivity analyses, including an increase in costs and decrease in benefits, and a delay in implementation. The economic rationale for the project is therefore solid. The input data and assumptions were reviewed by the TA consultants and found to be appropriate. The EIRR calculation takes into account only the main benefits of different components but includes all project-related costs. If non-quantifiable environmental benefits could be added, the EIRR would increase considerably.
VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
A. Objectives
75. The objective of establishing an EMP is to propose appropriate mitigation measures and to recommend establishment of institutions or mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance with environmental regulations and implementation of the proposed mitigation measures. Such institutions and mechanisms will seek to ensure continuous improvement of environmental protection activities during preconstruction, construction, and operation in order to prevent, reduce, or mitigate adverse impacts. The EMP draws on the individual EIA reports and on the TA discussions and agreements with the relevant government agencies.
76. The EMP for the project is presented in Appendix 1. The EMP will be reviewed and updated after the detailed design is prepared in order to ensure consistency with the final detailed design.
B. Mitigation Measures
77. The EMP contains measures to mitigate the potential environmental impacts. The responsibility for implementing and supervising these measures is assigned to different agencies. Details of the mitigation measures can be found in Appendix 1.
C. Organizational Structure for Environmental Management
78. The GZAR Project Management Office (GPMO) will be responsible for setting up the environmental management system, consisting of inspection, monitoring, reporting, and initiating corrective actions or measures. In the design stage, GPMO and PICs will pass the EMP to the design institutes to incorporate mitigation measures into the detailed designs. The EMP will be updated at the end of the detailed design phase, and then passed to the
9 ADB. Preparing the Guangxi Border Cities Development Project. Manila (draft final report).
22 construction contractors. To ensure that the contractors comply with the EMP’s provisions, the GPMO and PICs will prepare and provide the following specification clauses for incorporation into the bidding procedures: (i) a list of environmental management requirements to be budgeted by the bidders in their proposals; (ii) environmental clauses for contractual terms and conditions; and (iii) full EIAs and SEIA. GPMO and city PMOs will each nominate dedicated, trained, and qualified environment specialists or establish environmental management units to undertake environmental management activities and ensure effective EMP implementation, and environmental supervision companies contracted by the PICs will be responsible for inspection, monitoring, and evaluating implementation of mitigation measures.
79. Environmental training will be essential for PICs and contractors to implement the EMP. GPMO will be responsible for organizing training programs, which will cover: (i) environmental laws, regulations, and policies; (ii) implementation of mitigation measures; (iii) environmental technologies and procurement; (iv) operation and maintenance of environmental facilities; (v) environmental monitoring and supervision; and (vi) documentation and reporting.
D. Inspection, Monitoring, and Reporting
80. The GPMO will recruit one or more environmental management companies and/or consultants (EMCs) to conduct internal environmental monitoring and inspections, to advise the PICs, and to supervise the contractors to ensure that environmental mitigation measures are properly implemented. Inspections or audits will mainly cover construction activities, but these will also review the affected environment. The inspections or audit activities will generally be conducted weekly during the construction period. Inspections or audit activities and observations will be well documented, and the contractors and ADB will be informed of the outcomes.
81. Compliance monitoring will be carried out by the environmental monitoring station in each city. The environmental monitoring station will conduct regular and random environmental monitoring activities before, during, and after construction, as well as in the event of emergencies.
82. Quarterly inspection and monitoring reports will be prepared by the EMCs and submitted to GPMO and the Guangxi Environmental Protection Department (GEPD) during construction. The results of the environmental inspection and monitoring activities will be used to assess: (i) the extent and severity of actual environmental impacts against the predicted impacts, (ii) performance or effectiveness of the environmental protection measures or compliance with pertinent rules and regulations, (iii) trends in impacts, (iv) overall effectiveness of the project EMPs, and (v) the need for additional mitigation measures.
83. To help ADB monitor the proper and timely implementation of the EMP and adherence to agreed environmental covenants, GPMO will submit to ADB semiannual reports based on the monitoring and audits. Moreover, within 3 months after completion of each component, or no later than 1 year with permission of the city EPB, environmental acceptance monitoring and audit reports for each completed component will be: (i) prepared by a licensed environmental monitoring institute in accordance with the PRC Regulation on Project Completion Environmental Audit (Ministry of Environmental Protection, 2001); (ii) reviewed for approval by environmental authorities prior to the official commencement of operation of an individual component; and (iii) reported to ADB. The environmental acceptance reports for component completion will indicate the timing, extent, and effectiveness of completed mitigation and
23 maintenance, and address the need for additional mitigation measures and monitoring during operations.
E. Mechanism for Feedback and Adjustment
84. Based on the inspection and monitoring reports, environmental authorities will decide whether: (i) further mitigation measures are required as corrective action, or (ii) improvement is required to environmental management practices. If the monitoring and inspection activities reveal substantial deviation from the EMP or changes to any components that could cause substantial adverse environmental impacts or a significant increase in the number of affected people, the GPMO should consult with the GEPD and ADB immediately and form an EIA team to conduct additional environmental assessment and, if necessary, further public consultation. The revised EIA reports should be submitted to environmental authorities for review and approval and to ADB.
VIII. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
A. Information Disclosure and Public Consultations to Date
85. Several rounds of public consultations with various groups of stakeholders were conducted during the course of EIA and SEIA preparation. The consultations included: (i) a public opinion survey, (ii) an expert panel review, (iii) questionnaire surveys, (iv) visits to communities and households in the project areas, and (v) a wider stakeholder meeting attended by representatives of the affected public and other stakeholders concerned. Those affected by land acquisition and resettlement were consulted throughout the process of resettlement planning and social and poverty impact studies, using a variety of public consultation techniques including questionnaire surveys, community meetings, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household visits that were carried out by local design institutes, the TA consultants, and ADB missions.
86. During the preparation of domestic EIA reports, 600 questionnaires were distributed to people living in the project areas. The EIA institutes conducted informal interviews with local residents, totalling more than 60 for each component. The TA consultants conducted consultations with relevant government agencies, particularly those responsible for macroeconomic planning, environmental protection, soil erosion control, marine resource management, land resource management, and urban construction and planning of the three border cities. Information about the project, the anticipated environmental impacts, and proposed mitigation measures were disseminated through a variety of formats, including overhead presentations, prefaces in the questionnaires, and the internet. Wider stakeholder meetings were held in May, June, and September 2009, drawing over 300 participants from key municipal government agencies of the three project cities, district government agencies, and local communities. Summaries of the domestic EIA reports were also disclosed on the internet. The purpose of these wider stakeholder consultations was to present the preliminary findings of the EIA process to the general public, and solicit their comments and suggestions for reviewing the potential impacts and mitigation measures, and refining the EMP.
B. Consultation Results
87. The consultations revealed that 98%–100% of those members of the public who were consulted support the project, with the rest unsure. The expected benefits include promotion of sustained urban development, protection of people from the threat of flooding, better access to
24 urban transportation infrastructure, better prospects for regional cooperation, better prospects for outside investment, and better prospects for socioeconomic development. The anticipated negative impacts include possible noise pollution, air pollution from vehicles, and land acquisition and resettlement. Members of the public made several suggestions for mitigating the potential adverse environmental and social impacts: (i) construction activities close to residential areas should stop between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am, (ii) heavy construction equipment located in close proximity to schools and residential areas should be fitted with noise suppression apparatus, (iii) dust-generating construction vehicles should be covered and dusty construction areas sprayed with water, (iv) green sound barriers should be planted along the proposed roads, and (v) affected people should be properly compensated in accordance with the PRC land compensation policies. Most of these suggestions have been incorporated in the EIA reports and SEIA. Concerns that are beyond the scope of the EIA, such as a resettlement plan and protection of existing infrastructure during construction, have been conveyed to relevant authorities.
88. All of the consulted relevant government agencies of the three project cities expressed strong support for the project and willingness to undertake their corresponding responsibilities with respect to the proposed environmental administration for each component.
C. Future Information Disclosure and Public Consultation Program
89. Information disclosure and public consultations to safeguard the environment and local communities from undue impacts will continue throughout construction and into the operational phase. During construction, consultations will be undertaken regularly in the form of formal questionnaire surveys and informal interviews by the on-site environmental engineers of the construction contractors, the EMCs, and the independent environmental monitor of the local residents living in the project areas, especially those around the construction sites. The consultations will focus on public complaints about community annoyances from construction activities, such as construction noise and dust, as well as public concerns about the environment and resettlement. Immediate adjustments will be undertaken to address any public complaints and concerns.
90. During the first 3 years of operation, the EMC will continue its regular public consultation program. Thereafter, public complaints and concerns will be channelled through the city EPB hotlines.
IX. CONCLUSION
A. Project Benefits
91. The current infrastructure services of the border cities are inadequate to meet the requirements of the cities’ potential strategic roles in subregional and subnational programs. This is particularly true for urban road networks and urban environmental protection facilities. These infrastructure bottlenecks constrain the full participation of these border cities in the subnational and subregional cooperation programs, and prevent them from deriving the maximum benefits from these programs. In this context, the loan project is intended to improve living conditions in the three border cities in GZAR and enhance the ability of these cities to promote and benefit from regional cooperation. More specifically, the direct benefits of the project include: (i) improved urban road networks and related municipal infrastructure and improved capacity for transportation planning, (ii) reduced risk of loss of life and property and improved conditions for industrial investment, and (iii) improved urban environmental quality.
25
B. Environmental Safeguard Assurances
92. An EMP with a detailed environmental monitoring program and institutional strengthening and training program was developed as part of the SEIA, on the basis of the domestic EIAs. The EMP proposes appropriate mitigation measures through the duration of the project cycle, and establishes mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance with environmental regulations and implementation of the proposed mitigation measures. It seeks to ensure that environmental protection activities continuously improve. This mechanism is carefully designed to fit into the PRC’s existing environmental management system.
93. The main project risk relates to the low institutional capacity of the PICs, including their lack of experience in working with international financing institutions, limited awareness of ADB requirements, and lack of environmental management staff. The following measures are proposed to mitigate these risks: (i) specific assurances from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government (GZARG) to implement the mitigation measures in the EMPs; (ii) capacity building for PICs, including staffing and training; (iii) appointment of project implementation and monitoring consultants, including environmental management companies and an independent environmental monitor; (iv) clear definition of roles and responsibilities for EMP implementation, performance monitoring, and mechanisms for feedback and adjustment; (v) environmental inspection and supervision by city EPBs and GEPD; and (vi) project reviews and monitoring by ADB.
94. Assurances and covenants related to the environmental aspects of the project are required as follows:
(i) The GZARG will ensure the PICs and project operating companies build, operate, maintain, and monitor the project facilities in strict conformity with: (a) all applicable laws and regulations, including national and local regulations and standards for environmental protection, health, labour, and occupational safety; and (b) ADB’s Environment Policy (2002); and the environmental mitigation and monitoring measures detailed in the approved EIAs and EMPs, and the EMP in the SEIA. (ii) The GPMO will ensure that the capacity-building program described in the EMP is provided properly and on time to the PICs and the contractors. (iii) The GZARG will ensure that the PICs will provide quarterly environmental monitoring reports to the GPMO, which will prepare and submit to ADB, until loan closure, semiannual environmental reports in a format acceptable to ADB.
C. Overall Conclusion
95. The project will generate significant socioeconomic benefits by promoting sustainable urban development and regional cooperation. The overall findings of the domestic EIAs and the SEIA are that negative impacts on air, water, and acoustic environment are expected, especially during construction. In general, these impacts will be temporary and localized. The proposed mitigation measures are detailed in the domestic EIA reports, and described conceptually in the SEIA. These measures will be updated in the detailed EMPs during the design stage and continuously refined during construction. The EMPs will be implemented by the PICs and contractors; monitored and supervised by professional environmental management agencies and city environmental monitoring stations; and regularly reported to the GPMO, city EPBs, and ADB.
26
96. Any adverse environmental impacts associated with the project will be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to an acceptable level if the EMP proposed under the EIAs and SEIA is effectively implemented, particularly through the mechanism for the continued refinement and effective implementation of the environmental mitigation measures.
Appendix 1 27
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
A. Objectives
1. The objective of establishing an environmental management plan (EMP) is to propose appropriate mitigation measures and recommend establishment of institutions or mechanisms to monitor and ensure (i) compliance with environmental regulations, and (ii) implementation of the proposed mitigation measures. Such institutions and mechanisms are intended to ensure continuous improvement of environmental protection activities during project preparation, construction, and operation in order to prevent, reduce, or eliminate adverse impacts.
2. The following are addressed or included in the EMP: (i) objectives, (ii) a summary of impacts and mitigation measures, (iii) environmental monitoring and inspection, (iv) public consultations, (v) responsibilities and authorities for implementation, (vi) institutional strengthening and training, (vii) reporting and supervision, (viii) a work plan, (ix) cost estimates, and (x) a mechanism for feedback and adjustment. The EMP will be reviewed and updated at the end of the detailed design phase in order to be consistent with the final detailed design.
B. Summary of Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures
3. Potential environmental issues and impacts during the pre-construction, construction and operational phases, as identified by the individual environmental impact assessments (EIAs), as well as corresponding mitigation measures designed to minimize these impacts, are summarized in Table A1.1. The mitigation measures will be incorporated in the tendering documents (where appropriate), construction contracts and operational management plans, and will be undertaken by contractors and the project implementing companies (PICs), under the supervision of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR) Project Management Office (GPMO), the city environmental protection bureau (EPB), and the Guangxi Environmental Protection Department (GEPD) when necessary. The effectiveness of these measures will be evaluated based on the results of the environmental monitoring to determine whether they should be continued or improvements should be made. Improvements will need to be confirmed through stipulated environmental management procedures.
4. Resettlement plans have been prepared to ensure that the affected persons will be made better off, or at minimum not worse off, as a result of the project. Details of the required actions are given in the individual resettlement plans for the individual components.
Table A1.1: Summary of Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency A. Pre-Construction 1. EIA and Site and The recommended sites and Design GPMO, feasibility study alignment routes for the individual institutes and EPBs stage selections components were selected from EIA institutes, various alternatives to minimize PICs adverse impacts on the environment and land resources.
28 Appendix 1
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency Engineering Engineering and technological Design GPMO, and alternatives were evaluated based institutes, EIA EPBs technological on predefined environmental and institutes, alternatives economic criteria. PICs
Sector The project designed and strategy suggested a new urban development strategy that feeds into the update of city urban master plans with the goal of safe and sustainable urban development, with full access to environmental amenities.
Public Several rounds of broad public EIA institutes, GPMO, consultations consultations have been TA EPBs conducted on environmental consultants, issues, poverty, and resettlement PICs during the course of feasibility studies and EIA and SEIA preparations.
2. Design stage EMP updates Mitigation measures defined in Design GPMO, each individual EMP will be institutes, EPBs reviewed, updated, and PICs incorporated into the detailed design to minimize adverse environmental impacts.
3. Biding and Bidding Environmental provisions as cited PICs, EMCs GPMO, construction documents in the EMP of the SEIA will be contracted by EPBs preparation and included in the Requests for PICs contractors’ Proposals. qualifications An environmental section will be included in the TOR for bidders.
Environmental clauses for contractors in reference to the implementation of the EMP and monitoring plan will be included in the construction and supply contracts.
Environmental Contractors will be required to Contractors PICs, operation and prepare an environmental GPMO, supervision operation and supervision EPBs manual manual, for approval by the PIC.
Complaint A complaint and information office Contractors, GPMO, and will be established or a PICs EPBs information responsible person appointed office or before construction begins.
Appendix 1 29
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency appointed person Office staff will be well trained to handle conflicts with residents resulting from environmental impacts.
Environmental Environment specialists and/or GPMO GPLG protection officials from GEPD will be invited training to provide training to relevant persons (and especially construction engineers and managers) on implementation and supervision of environmental mitigation measures.
Taking of land A resettlement office comprising PICs GPMO and property local government officials will be established to manage the resettlement process.
Information dissemination and community consultation programs will be conducted in accordance with the PRC Land Administration Law and ADB's Involuntary Resettlement Policy (1995).
All resettlement activities will be reasonably completed before construction starts on any component.
Engagement Prior to starting construction, an GPMO GPLG of EMC environmental management company will be engaged.
Engagement Prior to starting construction, an GPMO GPLG, ADB of IEM IEM (as part of the loan implementation consultancy) will be engaged through QCBS.
B. Construction Phase 1. Soil erosion Excavation Excavation activities will not be Contractors PICs, OEE, undertaken on days with IEM, rainstorms. GPMO, WRB Topsoil will be striped and stockpiled and retaining walls built where necessary before dumping.
Temporary detention ponds or containment to control silt runoff
30 Appendix 1
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency will be provided.
Intercepting ditches and chutes will be constructed to prevent outside runoff from entering disposal sites, and to divert runoff from sites to existing drainage or ponds.
Transport and All soils will be used as onsite Contractors PICs, OEE, disposal of refill and landscaping materials. IEM, soils GPMO, Settling ponds will be built in WRB construction sites. Soils in settling ponds will be cleared for use as refill materials.
Soil loss from Straw or cloth will be laid at the Contractors PICs, OEE, construction entry and exist of each IEM, vehicles construction site. GPMO, WRB The tires of construction vehicles will be regularly cleaned of soil.
Exposed Re-vegetation with trees and Contractors PICs, OEE, surfaces grass will be undertaken as soon IEM, as refill and land levelling is GPMO, complete. WRB
2. Water quality Siltation in Siltation in water bodies will be Contractors PICs, OEE, water bodies minimized through effective IEM, implementation of recommended GPMO, mitigation measures. WRB
Wastewater All construction camps are located Contractors PICs, OEE, from in the urban area, and therefore IEM, construction wastewater from construction GPMO, camps camps will be diverted to PEB municipal sewers.
Unauthorized dumping of wastewater will be prohibited.
Handling of A construction materials handling Contractors PICs, OEE, chemicals protocol (e.g., storage away from IEM, watercourses and provision of GPMO, retention areas to contain EPBs accidental spills of such toxic, hazardous, and harmful construction materials such as caustic and acidic substances, oil and petroleum products, and asphalt materials) will be prepared
Appendix 1 31
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency and applied to prevent soil and surface and ground water pollution.
Workers (and especially painters) will be trained on safe and diligent handling of chemicals to avoid accidental spills, and on emergency response should a spill occur.
A prevention and emergency response plan will be developed and implemented.
Increased Dredging methods will be Contractors PIC, OEE, suspended evaluated and the most suitable IEM, solids from method(s) will be adopted. GPMO, dredging at EPB Shuikou Lake
Solid wastes Dumping of construction solid Contractors PICs, OEE, waste and garbage into water IEM, bodies will be prohibited. GPMO, EPBs Household Prior to demolition, houses will be Contractors PICs, OEE, chemicals searched and cleared of IEM, household chemicals and any GPMO, other toxic substances; these will EPBs be sent to the municipal toxic wastes depository for safe disposal.
3. Air quality Dust from Vehicles delivering granular Contractors PICs, OEE, material and/or fine materials to the sites IEM, delivery and must be covered. GPMO, construction EPBs vehicles
Dust from Materials storage sites must be Contractors PICs, OEE, construction 300 m from residential areas and IEM, sites covered or sprayed with water. GPMO, EPBs Extra care will be taken during dry days with strong winds, by more frequent spraying of water and covering of dust sources.
Water will be sprayed on construction sites twice per day.
Upon completion of civil works, all construction sites will be required
32 Appendix 1
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency to be re-vegetated with trees and grass.
Dust from All roads and pavement used by Contractors PICs, OEE, construction contractors’ or suppliers’ vehicles IEM, roads will be kept clean and clear of all GPMO, dust, mud, or extraneous EPBs materials dropped by these vehicles. Such cleaning will be undertaken on a regular basis.
Water will be sprayed on access roads twice per day.
Emissions Vehicle emissions will comply with Contractors PICs, OEE, from vehicles GB18352-2005, GB17691-2005, IEM, and GB 11340-2005, GB3847-2005, GPMO, equipment and GB18285-2005. EPBs
Equipment and machinery emissions must comply with GB16297-1996.
A regular inspection and certification system will be initiated.
4. Noise Noise from Noise from equipment and Contractors PICs, OEE, equipment machinery will comply with IEM, and vehicles GB12523-1990. GPMO, EPBs An adequate route must be provided to keep large trucks away from residential areas.
At construction sites within 500 m of the nearest habitation, noisy construction work will stop between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Demolition House demolition at construction Contractors PICs, OEE, sites will be required to stop IEM, between 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. GPMO, EPBs Community Interviews with residents living Contractors PICs, OEE, complaints adjacent to construction sites will IEM, about noise be conducted on a weekly basis GPMO, to identify community complaints EPBs about noise, and seek suggestions from community members to reduce noise-related annoyance.
Appendix 1 33
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency Community suggestions will be used to adjust the work hours of noise-generating machinery.
5. Solid waste Domestic Multi-compartment collection bins Contractors PICs, OEE, waste from will be provided to facilitate reuse, IEM, construction recycling and composting of solid GPMO, camps waste. EPBs
Waste will be stored away from water bodies and will be regularly collected by the city sanitation bureau and hauled to the municipal sanitary landfill.
Dredged Dredged sediment will be Contractors PICs, OEE, sediment at processed in a manner not IEM, Shuikou Lake causing nuisance and used for GPMO, urban landscaping. The dredged EPBs sediments will be contained in geotubes that will be placed in a storage site lined with geo-textile membrane to prevent leakage into ground water. The storage site will be thoroughly cleaned after the sediments are used up.
Construction Professional demolition Contractors PICs, OEE, solid wastes companies will be contracted to IEM, carry out housing demolition. GPMO, Reusable and recyclable EPBs materials (such as bricks, windows and doors, and steel bars) will be collected for reuse and recycle. The remaining construction wastes will be transported to the municipal landfill.
6. Impact on flora Vegetation Existing vegetation will be Contractors PICs, OEE, preserved where no construction IEM, activity is planned; where activity GPMO, is planned for a later date EPBs vegetation will be temporarily preserved.
Disposal and borrow sites will be rehabilitated into grassland, woodland, or farmland after closing.
7. Social and Resettlement All affected persons will be PICs, City GPLG, cultural compensated and resettled in a Resettlement CITY PLG,
34 Appendix 1
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency considerations timely and adequate manner, in Office GPMO accordance with the resettlement plans.
Traffic jam or Interim roads will be built where Contractors, OEE, IEM, block needed. PICs GPMO, City Traffic Transport routes will be selected Bureau to reduce disturbance to regular traffic.
Traffic will be diverted at peak traffic hours, and areas reinstated to their original condition on completion of construction.
Cultural Cultural heritage sites will be Contractors, OEE, IEM, heritage preserved where identified. In PICs GPMO, city accordance with PRC regulations, and/or no person shall destroy, damage, provincial deface, conceal, or otherwise cultural interfere with a relic. heritage bureau If an important site is unearthed, work should be stopped immediately and the matter promptly referred to the county, municipal, provincial, or state- level agencies for evaluation and a decision regarding appropriate actions.
C. Operational Phase 1. Soil erosion Rehabilitated Regular inspections will be POCs IEM, sites undertaken to ensure proper GPMO, maintenance of drainage WRB, EPBs structures and re-vegetated areas in accordance with the requirements of the soil erosion prevention plan.
Maintenance of road slopes, cuts and embankments—such as watering, fertilizing, pest control and re-planting—will be carried out regularly during road operation.
Maintenance will be budgeted as part of regular infrastructure maintenance programs.
Appendix 1 35
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency Regular monitoring of erosion prevention and control measures will be undertaken by WRB and EPBs.
2. Water quality Wastewater Wastewater from management POCs IEM, from offices will be directly discharged GPMO, management to municipal sewers that will go to EPBs office the municipal WWTP.
In cases where a connection with a municipal sewer is not possible, a septic tank or an onsite wastewater treatment facility will be installed for treating wastewater before it is discharged into receiving water bodies.
3. Air quality Vehicles for All vehicles must pass the Euro-III Road network City traffic road network equivalent test as part of the POCs bureau, annual vehicle safety and EPBs, environmental protection GPMO, IEM inspection.
Random spot checks will be conducted and noncompliance will result in a fine and a deadline for repairs to meet vehicular emissions standards.
4. Noise Noise from Nearby residential Road network EPBs, road network neighbourhoods will be monitored POCs, GPMO, IEM for annoyance associated with developers noise from the road network.
Future urban development will be planned to abide by the noise- safe distances. In cases where complying with the minimum setback distance is not possible, mitigation measures—such as sound barriers, soundproof windows, sound-breaking tree lines and traffic controls—will be adopted.
5. Solid wastes Garbage from Garbage bins and containers will Road network EPBs, operation of be placed along the road network. POCs GPMO, IEM road network Road cleaning will be undertaken on a regular basis.
36 Appendix 1
Potential Project Impact Factor/ Impacts Implementing Supervising Stage and/or Issues Mitigation Measures Company Agency 6. Flora Vegetation All vegetation cover will be POCs EPBs, properly maintained. GPMO, IEM
All slope stabilization sites will be inspected regularly.
If signs of failure are discovered, repair will be initiated immediately.
7. Environmental Transport of Transport of hazardous, toxic, and Road IEM, risks chemicals dangerous goods will be Network GPMO, prohibited on the project roads POCs EPBs which are inner city roads.
An emergency environmental number will be posted on roadsides.
Awareness-building and educational activities will be carried out to promote compliance with relevant regulations regarding the road transport of hazardous substances.
Insufficient Training for environmental POCs EPBs, environmental management will be conducted. GPMO, IEM management capacity
ADB = Asian Development Bank, EIA = environmental impact assessment, EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EMP = environmental management plan, EPB = environmental protection bureau at the city level, GB = Guo Biao (National Standards), GEPD = Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, GPLG = Guangxi Project Leading Group, GPMO = Guangxi Project Management Office, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), m = meter, OEE = onsite environmental engineer, PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company, PRC = People’s Republic of China, QCBS = quality- and cost-based selection, SEIA = summary environmental impact assessment, TA = technical assistance, TOR = terms of reference, WRB = water resources bureau at the city level, WWTP = wastewater treatment plant. Sources: Domestic EIA reports, and consultations with city EPBs.
C. Environmental Monitoring and Inspection
5. An environmental monitoring program is presented in Table A1.2. This program considers the scope of monitoring, environmental media, monitoring parameters, the time and frequency of monitoring, and implementing and supervising agencies. The monitoring will follow the methodology provided in the national standard methods for monitoring pollutants. Other associated standards are national environmental quality standards and pollutant discharge and emission standards.
6. Internal monitoring and inspection. During construction, PICs, with supervision from GPMO, will recruit environmental supervision companies (EMCs) to conduct internal environmental monitoring and inspections to ensure that environmental mitigation measures are
Appendix 1 37 properly implemented. Inspections or audits will mainly cover construction activities, but these will also review the affected environment. The inspections or audit activities will be conducted weekly. Monitoring results will be well-documented, and the contractors and PICs will be informed of the outcomes. During the operational period, PICs and/or project operating companies (POCs) will be responsible for internal monitoring and reporting to GPMO, the EPBs, and GEPD.
7. Compliance monitoring and inspection. The environmental monitoring station (EMS) at the city level will be responsible for undertaking regular and random compliance monitoring and inspection before, during, and after construction, as well as in the event of emergencies. If abnormalities are found, the EPBs will impose a fine and issue a notice of rectification with a specific deadline.
8. Environmental acceptance monitoring and audit. Within 3 months after completion of each component, or no later than 1 year after completion with permission from the responsible environmental authorities, environmental acceptance monitoring and audit reports will be (i) prepared by a qualified environmental institute in accordance with the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) Guidelines on Project Completion Environmental Audit (2001); (ii) reviewed for approval by environmental authorities that have approved to the same individual EIA, and (iii) submitted to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
9. Independent environmental monitoring. An independent consulting firm will be engaged through international competitive bidding to advise on and supervise loan implementation. The consulting firm will include environmental safeguard specialists to conduct independent environmental monitoring. The results of the environmental monitoring will form part of the semiannual progress report that will be submitted to ADB and the GZAR Development and Reform Commission.
10. Environmental monitoring, including environmental benefits monitoring, will be incorporated into the project performance management system (PPMS). The GPMO, with assistance from the PICs and POCs, will be responsible for analyzing and consolidating the data through their management information system. The PPMS will be designed to allow adequate flexibility to adopt remedial actions regarding project design, schedules, activities, and development impacts. At the beginning of the project, the GPMO, the PICs, and the consultants will develop comprehensive PPMS procedures to systematically generate data on project component inputs and outputs and agree on environmental and related social economic indicators to be used to measure project impacts. The GPMO, the PICs, and the POC will refine the PPMS framework, confirm achievable goals, firm up monitoring and recording arrangements, and establish systems and procedures no later than 6 months after loan effectiveness.
11. The monitoring results will be used to evaluate: (i) the extent and severity of environmental impacts compared with the predicted impacts, (ii) performance of the environmental protection measures or compliance with related rules and regulations, (iii) impact trends, and (iv) the overall effectiveness of the EMPs. The effectiveness of the mitigation measures and monitoring plans will be evaluated through a feedback reporting system. The measures required by the EMPs will be modified if necessary. The GPMO and EPBs have a critical role to play in providing feedback and enabling adjustment, as shown in Figure A1.
38 Appendix 1
12. The environmental monitoring program is included in Table A1.2. The cost estimates for the environmental monitoring program are shown in Table A1.7. Before implementing the monitoring plan, the responsible agencies will provide more accurate estimates of the costs and present a further detailed breakdown of the cost estimates. During project implementation, the costs will be adjusted based on actual requirements.
Table A1.2: Environmental Monitoring Program
Time and Implementing Supervising Item Parameters Location Frequency Agency Agency A. Construction (Internal Monitoring)
1. Surface pH, NH3-N, For each 3 samples each EMSs, OEE GPMO, IEM, water TN, TP, BOD, component, a time, at beginning GEPD COD, oils minimum of 2 of construction and locations on the quarterly thereafter river upstream and downstream of the construction site
2. Air TSP, PM10 2 monitoring 3 samples at each EMSs, OEE GPMO, IEM, locations for location each time, EPBs each semiannually construction site
3. Noise Leq (dB(A)) 1 location at the Twice (during both EMSs, OEE GPMO, IEM, border with day and night each EPBs settlements time) monthly within 200 m of during peak construction site construction, quarterly otherwise
4. Soil and Removal of All sites Visual inspection OEE GPMO, vegetation vegetation weekly WRB, IEM and exposed surface
5. Dredged Dredging Shuikou Lake Sediment sampling OEE GPMO, IEM sediment and testing will be conducted at 6 evenly distributed monitoring points once prior to commencement of dredging. Testing parameters will include: grain size, % solids, density or specific gravity, total organic carbon, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Zn and organic and
Appendix 1 39
Time and Implementing Supervising Item Parameters Location Frequency Agency Agency organo-metallic compounds.
Visual inspection and measurement, weekly
B. Project Completion Environmental Audit 1. Air quality TSP 2 locations for Once upon Licensed EPBs each completion, 3 environmental component samples per day institute for 3 consecutive days at each location
2. Noise Leq (dB(A)) Minimum of 4 2 samples for 1 Licensed EPBs locations for day at each environmental each location institute component at boundary and sensitive receptors
3. Soil and Re- All component Visual inspection Licensed EPBs vegetation vegetation, sites environmental landscaping Institute
4. Dredged Reuse of Shuikou Lake Visual inspection Licensed EPBs, sediment sediment for environmental GPMO, IEM urban Institute landscaping
C. Operation (Compliance Monitoring)
1. Air quality TSP, PM10 1 location for Semiannually, 3 EMC EPBs, each samples per day GPMO, IEM component 2. Noise Leq (dB(A)) 4 locations for Bimonthly, 2 EMC EPBs, each samples each time GPMO, IEM component (2 samples during around the day and 2 at boundary and night each time) sensitive receptors
3. Soil and Vegetation, All sites Visual inspections, EMC EPBs, vegetation landscaping once a year GPMO, IEM
4. Dredged Reuse of Shuikou Lake Visual inspections, EMC EPBs, sediment sediment for monthly until GPMO, IEM urban sediment is fully landscaping used
40 Appendix 1
Time and Implementing Supervising Item Parameters Location Frequency Agency Agency 6. Flooding Flood level Coastal area in Monthly during WRB WRB, IEM monitoring Fangchenggang flood season
BOD = biochemical oxygen demand, Cd = cadmium, COD = chemical oxygen demand, Cr = chromium, Cu = copper, dB(A) = A-weighted decibel, EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EMS = environmental monitoring station at the city level, EPB = environmental protection bureau at the city level, GEPD = GZAR Environmental Protection Department, GPMO = GZAR Project Management Office, Hg = mercury, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), Leq = equivalent continuous noise level, m = meter, NH3-N = ammonia nitrogen, Ni = nickel, OEE = onsite environmental engineer, Pb = lead, pH = measure of acidity and alkalinity, PM10 = particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers, TN = total nitrogen, TP = total phosphor, TSP = total suspended particulates, WRB = water resources bureau at the city level, Zn = zinc. Sources: Domestic EIAs, and consultations with GPMO, EPBs, PICs, and local EPBs.
D. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure
1. During Project Preparation
13. Various public consultations were conducted in the course of the preparation of the feasibility study reports and EIAs. During the feasibility study reports, the respective municipal governments were consulted to assist in site and process selections. During EIAs and project preparatory technical assistance, public consultations with various groups of stakeholders were conducted. The main focus of public consultations was to assess the environmental impacts of the proposed components on nearby residents and mitigation measures, as well as resettlement issues. These activities were carried out in accordance with MEP Interim Guidelines on Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (2006), and the ADB requirements. Details of the information disclosure and consultation activities are described in Section A, Chapter VIII.
2. During Project Implementation
14. Future plans for public involvement during the design, construction, and operational phases were developed during project preparation. These plans include public participation in (i) monitoring impacts and mitigation measures during the construction and operational stages, (ii) evaluating environmental and economic benefits and social impacts, and (iii) interviewing the public after the project is completed. They include several types of consultations, e.g., site visits, workshops, investigation of specific issues, interviews, and public hearings (Table A1.3).
15. Public participation plans are part of the project implementation and management plan. The PICs are responsible for public participation during project implementation. The PICs will also establish an environmental management unit for supervising implementation, continuing public consultation, monitoring progress, and responding to grievances. The staff at the offices will be well trained to handle crisis situations or conflicts with residents due to distress from environmental impacts. Costs for public participation activities during project construction are included in the project funding. The costs are estimated as CNY3,000 for each expert workshop, CNY20,000 for each public investigation on a particular issue, CNY10,000 for each resettlement survey, CNY5,000 for each public workshop, and CNY6,000 for each press conference. Costs for public participation activities during operation will be covered by the PIC. In addition, the established feedback mechanisms (Figure A1) will ensure timely feedback and measures to address any concerns raised by the project-affected communities.
Appendix 1 41
Table A1.3: Public Consultation Program
Organizer Approach/Times Subjects Participants A. Project Preparation GPMO, PICs, EIA public opinion surveys: once Priority, design, GPMO, PICs, design institutes, for each component environmental benefits design institutes, EIA institutes, and impacts, social EIA institutes, resettlement plan Expert panel review: once for benefits and impacts, EPBs, other institutes, EPBs each component mitigation measures, provincial and attitudes toward project municipal Socioeconomic and AP surveys component, and government suggestions stakeholders, Public consultation meeting and community questionnaire: once for overall representatives project
Site visits: multiple times
B. Construction GPMO, PICs, Public consultation and site visits: Adjusting mitigation Residents within EMC, IEM at least once per year measures if necessary, construction construction impacts, area comments and suggestions
For dredging at Shuikou Lake, Collecting public Lakeside residents lakeside residents will be comments and consulted through community suggestions and visits on a monthly basis adjusting mitigation measures accordingly
Expert workshop or press Comments and Experts from conference: at least once suggestions on mitigation various sectors, measures, public media opinions; adjusting mitigation measures accordingly
Public information session: at Adjusting mitigation Representatives of least once per year measures if necessary, residents and construction impacts, social sectors comments and suggestions
Survey on resettlement: as Comments and People affected by required per resettlement plans suggestions land acquisition and resettlement C. Test Operation GPMO, PICs, Questionnaire survey: at least Comments and Local residents POCs, EMC, IEM once during test operation suggestions on and social sectors, operational impacts, EPBs Site visits: multiple, depending on public suggestions on results of project completion corrective actions environmental audit
42 Appendix 1
Organizer Approach/Times Subjects Participants D. Operation GPMO, POCs, Public opinion survey: once per Effects of mitigation Residents IEM year in the first 5 years of measures, impacts of adjacent to plant operation operation, comments, and suggestions for corrective actions
Site visits: once every 6 months Plant operational Plant managers by IEM and GPMO performance, informal and workers, local interviews with local residents adjacent residents to plant
Public workshop: as needed Public comments and Representatives of based on public opinion survey suggestions on corrective residents and and public complaints received measures social sectors
Expert workshop or press Expert comments and Experts from conference: as needed based on suggestions on corrective residents, social public consultation and workshop measures sectors, media
AP = affected person, EIA = environmental impact assessment, EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EPB = environmental protection bureau, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), GPMO = GZAR Project Management Office, PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company. Sources: Domestic EIA reports, and consultations with GPMO, GEPD, EPBs, and PICs.
E. Responsibilities and Authorities for Implementation
16. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government (GZARG) is the executing agency and has established a project leading group (PLG) headed by the vice governor of the Autonomous Region, and a project management office (PMO) or GPMO. The GPMO is co- located in the GZAR Development and Reform Commission (GDRC), and is headed by the director general of GDRC. GPMO draws its members from GDRC, GZAR Finance Department, GEPD, and GZAR Land Resources Bureau. Delegated by the GZARG, the GPMO will have overall responsibility for supervising the implementation of mitigation measures and reporting to ADB.
17. The GPMO, PICs, POCs, and contractors will each nominate dedicated, trained, and qualified environmental specialists to undertake environmental management activities and ensure effective EMP implementation. The independent environmental monitor (IEM) (as part of the loan implementation consultancy engaged through international competitive bidding) will assist the GZARG, GPMO, PICs, and POCs in preparing semiannual EMP progress reports and carrying out training programs. Table A1.4 shows the environmental responsibilities in different phases of the project.
Table A1.4: Environmental Responsibility Matrix
Phase Agencies Environmental Responsibilities Preparation Design institutes Review and select alternatives (technological, design, siting, etc.)
EIA institutes Prepare EIAs and EMPs for components, including public
Appendix 1 43
Phase Agencies Environmental Responsibilities consultations
GEPB Review and approve EIAs, including the EMPs, for the road network
TA consultant Prepare SEIA, including public consultations
GPMO Coordinate and supervise EIA, SEIA, and public consultations
Project city Review and endorse SEIA, including the EMP, for posting government on ADB’s website
Design Design institutes Update the EMPs in cooperation with EIA institutes, and incorporate mitigation measures in engineering detail designs, bid documents and contracts for civil works
GPMO, PICs Review and approve environmental measures
Tendering and GPMO, PICs, IEM Incorporate EMP clauses in the SEIA into RFPs and contracting contracts
Construction PICs Ensure implementation of mitigation measures, and public consultations
Contractors Implement mitigation measures as contained in the EMP of the SEIA, conduct sediment sampling and test samples as prescribed in the EMP of the SEIA. Identify the most appropriate dredging method to minimize suspension of sediments
GPMO, EPBs Advise and supervise implementation of mitigation measures
EMC contracted by Conduct internal monitoring and inspection, and public PICs consultations
IEM Conduct independent monitoring (including public consultations), and prepare periodic monitoring reports to ADB and GZARG
EMSs Conduct compliance monitoring
Test operation PICs, EMC Training and awareness building as cited in the EMP of the SEIA
Conduct project completion environmental audit, including sampling and lab tests, and prepare project completion environmental audit report
EPBs Review and approve project completion environmental audit report, and order corrective actions if necessary
44 Appendix 1
Phase Agencies Environmental Responsibilities EMC, IEM Participate in environmental audit and prepare progress reports to ADB and EA
Operation POCs Ensure proper operation of component facilities according to design standards, and implementation of mitigation measures and public consultations
EMC contracted by Conduct internal environmental monitoring and POCs inspection, supervise implementation of EMPs, and conduct public consultations
IEM Conduct independent monitoring (including public consultations), and prepare periodic monitoring reports to ADB and GZARG
EMSs on behalf of the Conduct regular and unannounced environmental EPBs compliance monitoring and inspection
ADB = Asian Development Bank, EA = executing agency, EIA = environmental impact assessment, EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EMP = environmental management plan, EPB = environmental protection bureau, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), EMS = environmental monitoring station at the city level, GEPD = Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, GPMO = Guangxi Project Management Office, PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company, RFP = request for proposal, SEIA = summary environmental impact assessment, TA = technical assistance. Sources: Domestic EIA reports, and consultations with GPMO, GEPD, EPBs, and PICs.
18. The PICs and POCs will be largely responsible for environmental management and implementation of mitigation measures. They will ensure that the EMPs are carried out and will engage design institutes and professional consultants to help with environmental management at the preparation, design, construction, and operational phases. The PICs and POCs will be responsible for arranging environmental monitoring reviews and responding to any adverse impacts beyond those foreseen in the EIAs. The PICs and POCs will also attend to EPB and ADB requests for mitigation measures.
19. Construction contractors will be responsible for implementing mitigation measures during construction, while the PICs will be responsible for implementing such measures during operation.
20. In accordance with the EMPs, each PIC and POC will set up an environmental monitoring unit (EMU) that will generally require two employees. The EMUs will be responsible for: (i) implementing the EMPs and developing further implementation details; (ii) supervising contractors’ implementation of mitigation measures during construction; (iii) implementing training programs for contractors; (iv) incorporating environmental management, monitoring, and mitigation measures into construction and operation management plans; (v) developing and implementing internal routine environmental monitoring; and (vi) reporting to GPMO and responsible agencies on EMP performance. The EMUs will be supported and supervised by the EMC, IEM, and the EPBs.
21. The EPBs at the city level, delegated by GEPD, will ensure the compliance with the PRC and local environmental regulations through regular and random environmental compliance monitoring and inspection during construction and operation. The EMS at the city level will
Appendix 1 45 conduct the actual environmental compliance monitoring and inspection. On the basis of the environmental compliance monitoring and inspection, the EPBs will impose fines and order corrective actions, if necessary.
22. The city governments will provide the PICs and POCs with financial and management authority to operate the project facilities. The PICs and POCs will be strengthened by environmental management training provided under the project, as summarized in Table A1.5. They will incorporate environmental management activities into construction management plans.
F. Institutional Strengthening and Training
23. An assessment undertaken during the project preparatory technical assistance indicates that GPMO has adequate technical and institutional capacity for project implementation. However, the PICs and POCs have weak capacity in environmental management and monitoring. For proper implementation of the EMPs, it is necessary to strengthen the capacity of the PICs and POCs. The proposed training is shown in Table A1.5.
24. It is considered that the three-tier implementation arrangement—PLG, PMO, and PICs and POCs—provides a reasonable framework for project management and control. The definition of roles, responsibilities and relationships between the PLG, PMO, PICs and POCs, and other relevant agencies (e.g., GEPD, EPBs) is adequate to ensure the effective implementation of the project.
25. Environmental specialists in the GPMO, PICs and POCs, and contractors will receive training in environmental management, environmental monitoring and supervision, mitigation planning, emergency response, environmental policymaking, and other environmental management techniques. Funding for this training will be included in the project budget and in the operation and maintenance budget in the operational phase.
Table A1.5: Institutional Strengthening and Training
Target Agencies/ Activity Attendees Contents Timing Strengthening Institutional GPMO, PICs, Defining institutional arrangements for During project strengthening POCs, GEPD, environmental management, monitoring, and preparation EPBs supervision
Defining positions and responsibilities
Appointing and recruiting personnel
EMC Recruiting and contracting EMC for internal Prior to project environmental management consultancy and implementation monitoring
IEM Recruiting and contracting an IEM for the overall Prior to project project, through international competitive implementation bidding, for the environmental management consultancy and independent external monitoring
46 Appendix 1
Target Agencies/ Activity Attendees Contents Timing Environmental PICs, POCs, EMC Developing environmental management clauses During project management and incorporating them into construction and preparation clauses and operational contracts protocols Developing and refining environmental monitoring protocols
Developing environmental emergency response procedures
Training Environmental GPMO, PICs, Environmental laws and regulations Prior to project laws, POCs, contractors implementation regulations, Environmental policies and plans and policies Basic environmental management
Environmental emergency response
EMP GPMO, EMC, Responsibility and duties for project Prior to and during implementation PICs, POCs, construction, management and environmental project contractors protection implementation
Environmental protection tasks in project construction
Key environmental protection measures during construction
EMP improvement and corrective actions
Environmental PICs, POCs, Monitoring and inspection methods, data Prior to and during monitoring, EMC, contractors collection and processing, interpretation of project inspection, data, reporting system implementation and reporting Environmental reporting requirements
Awareness Road network Awareness building and educational activities building POCs will be carried out to promote compliance with relevant regulations regarding the road transport of toxic and hazardous substances
EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EMP = environmental management plan, EPB = environmental protection bureau at the city level, GEPD = Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, GPMO = Guangxi Project Management Office, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company. Sources: Domestic EIAs, and consultations with GPMO, GEPD, EPBs, and PICs.
G. Reporting and Supervision
26. Internal monitoring reports. During the construction period, results from the internal monitoring by EMC contracted by the PICs, POCs and/or GPMO will be reflected in the weekly construction reports. The reports will summarize: (i) environmental issues during construction; (ii)
Appendix 1 47 mitigation measures taken, if any; and (iii) consequences of the impacts on the environment and/or surrounding communities.
27. The contractors will be trained to take immediate actions to remedy unexpected adverse impacts or ineffective or inefficient mitigation measures, as required by the EMPs. The PICs will also respond to these reports in order to ensure that contractors have taken appropriate and timely action. Additional measures may be taken, if needed, to ensure that all issues raised by the reports are appropriately addressed.
28. Results from the detailed internal environmental monitoring program and mitigation actions for the construction phase will be submitted monthly to the PICs and/or POCs, quarterly to GPMO, and bi-annually to GEPD and the EPBs. GEPD and the EPBs may request that further environmental mitigation actions be taken, as they deem necessary, and may determine further mitigation measures for different stages, if necessary.
29. Compliance monitoring reports. The municipal environmental monitoring stations, authorized by GEPD and the municipal EPBs, will be responsible for environmental compliance monitoring and inspection according to the PRC environmental regulations during construction and operation. The compliance monitoring reports will include: (i) project background, (ii) construction and operation activities, (iii) environmental conditions, (iv) the location and result of measurement or sampling during auditing, (v) analytical results, (vi) interpretation and implication of the monitoring results, (vii) determination of the compliance status with regard to applicable regulations and standards, and (viii) recommendations for improvement. These reports will be submitted to GEPD and the EPBs by the EMSs, with a copy to the GPMO.
30. Project completion environmental audit reports. The project completion environmental audit report for the completion of each component will be prepared in accordance with the MEP Ministerial Guideline on Project Completion Environmental Audit (2001) within 3 months after completion. The report will focus on project compliance with environmental performance regulations when the component is put into operation. The report will be sent to environmental authorities for their review and approval. If the project component is not in compliance, the project will be asked to be improved to the requirements before operation officially commencement of the operation.
31. Independent environmental monitoring reports. The GZARG is responsible for monitoring and assessing overall project activities under the project design and monitoring framework, and will be accountable to ADB for ensuring effective implementation of the EMPs. The GPMO will be assisted by the IEM, as part of the loan implementation consultancy recruited through international competitive bidding, to fulfil its environmental supervision, monitoring and reporting obligations to ADB. The environmental monitoring reports will be submitted to ADB and GPMO on a semiannual basis. The reports will emphasize: (i) progress made in implementing the EMPs, (ii) implementation of mitigation measures, (iii) environmental compliance, (iv) institutional strengthening and training, (v) public consultations, and (vi) problems experienced and resultant corrective actions. ADB may request that further environmental mitigation actions be taken, as it deems necessary, and may determine further mitigation measures for different stages, if necessary.
32. The environmental reporting plan is presented in Table A1.6.
48 Appendix 1
Table A1.6: Environmental Reporting Plan
Reports From To Frequency Construction Phase Internal Internal monitoring report Contractors EMC, PICs, Monthly monitoring POCs Internal monitoring report EMC GPMO, PICs, Quarterly POCs, IEM Compliance Compliance monitoring EMSs GEPD, EPBs As per the PRC monitoring report regulation
External External monitoring report IEM ADB, GPMO, Semiannual monitoring PICs, POCs
Test Operation Project Project completion EMSs GEPD, EPBs, Once within 3 months of completion environmental audit report GPMO project completion environmental audit
Operational Phase Internal Internal monitoring report EMC GPMO, PICs, Quarterly for the first 3 monitoring POCs, IEM years of operation
Compliance Compliance monitoring EMSs GEPD, EPBs As per the PRC monitoring report regulation
External External monitoring report IEM ADB, GPMO, Semiannual for the first 3 monitoring PICs, POCs years of operation
ADB = Asian Development Bank, EMC = environmental management company and/or consultant, EMS = environmental monitoring station at the city level, EPB = environmental protection bureau at the city level, GEPD = Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, GPMO = Guangxi Project Management Office, IEM = independent environmental monitor (as part of the implementation consultancy), PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company, PRC = People’s Republic of China. Sources: Domestic EIAs, and consultations with GPMO, GEPD, EPBs, and PICs.
H. Work Plan
33. Before construction begins, the GPMO and the PICs will develop detailed responsibilities and requirements for contractors and will provide detailed cost estimates of mitigation measures and environmental monitoring in the construction contracts. The GPMO and the PICs will also detail the responsibilities of their environmental management offices and prepare their work schedules.
34. Before the operational phase begins, the PICs and POCs will develop detailed work plans for environmental management and monitoring during operations, based on the EMP. These work plans will be submitted to the EPBs and GEPD, to help them supervise implementation.
Appendix 1 49
I. Cost Estimates for Environmental Management
35. The PICs, with help from the GPMO, will develop detailed plans for procurement of equipment and materials and civil works to use in implementing mitigation measures and monitoring plans. These plans will be incorporated into project contracts. Procurement will be also be made environmentally responsive through incorporation of environmental considerations.
36. Cost estimates for mitigation measures, environmental monitoring, public consultations, and capacity building are summarized in Table A1.7. The compliance monitoring costs will be borne by the PICs and POCs as part of their implementation functions. Internal monitoring costs will be borne by the contractors and PICs and POCs. Independent monitoring costs will be from the loan implementation consultancy budget. Before implementing a monitoring plan, responsible agencies will present a more detailed breakdown of the estimated budget. During project implementation, the budgets will be adjusted based on actual requirements. Contractors will bear the costs of all mitigation measures during construction, which will be included in the tender and contract documents. The PICs will bear the costs related to mitigation measures during operation. Costs related to environmental supervision during construction and operation will be borne by the PICs and POCs. Costs for capacity building will be borne by the project as a whole. During the operational phase, the training costs will be included in the operation and maintenance budget.
Table A1.7: Cost Estimates for the Environmental Management Plan (CNY’000)
Item Incremental Investment Environmental mitigation 10,320 Dredged sediment quality monitoring for Chongzuo Lake 30 Internal environmental monitoring 2,580 Public consultations 860 EIA and environmental management consultancy 1200 Independent environmental monitoring 1,720 Environmental management training 520
Total 17,230 EIA = environmental impact assessment. Sources: Domestic feasibility study reports; domestic EIAs; and consultations with Guangxi PMO, Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, municipal environmental protection bureaus and Project Implementing Companies.
J. Mechanism for Feedback and Adjustment
37. Based on the inspection and monitoring reports, environmental authorities will decide whether: (i) further mitigation measures are required as corrective action, or (ii) some improvement is required to environmental management practices. If it is found during inspection that there has been substantial deviation from the EMPs, or any changes have been made to the project or any of its components that may cause substantial adverse environmental impacts or increase the number of affected people, the GPMO should consult with environmental authorities and ADB immediately and form an environmental assessment team to conduct additional environmental assessment and, if necessary, further public consultation. The revised EIA reports (including EMPs) should be submitted to the environmental authorities for approval, and to ADB. The revised EMPs will be given to the contractor(s) and PICs and POCs for implementation.
50 Appendix 1
Figure A1: Mechanism for Feedback and Adjustment
GPLG ADB
EPB/GEPD GPMO
Consultants (DIs/EMCs) PIC/POC
IEM
EMS Contractors (During Construction)
Implementation of Mitigation Measures, Monitoring Program and Public Consultation Plan
Reporting Supervision
Documentation of EMP Implementation and Performance/Information Flow
Action
ADB = Asian Development Bank, DI = design institute, EMC = environmental management company/consultant, EMP = environmental management plan, EPB = environmental protection bureau at the city level, EMS = environmental monitoring station at the city level, GEPD = Guangxi Environmental Protection Department, GPLG = Guangxi Project Leading Group, GPMO = Guangxi Project Management Office, IEM = independent environmental monitor, PIC = project implementing company, POC = project operating company. Sources: Feasibility study reports; domestic EIAs; and consultations with GPMO, GEPD, EPBs, and PICs.
Figure A2.1: Project Sites in Fangchenggang
Mangrove Forest Roads Proposed for ADB Lending Support Coastal Dyke Proposed for ADB Lending Support Railway Station
Gongche Township
Railway Station
Xiwan Bay
N Dongwan Bay
10-0561a HR Qisha Township Figure A2.2: Project Sites in Chongzuo
Road Proposed for ADB Lending Support
Shuikou Lake Environmental Improvement Proposed for ADB Lending Support
Industrial Park
Zuojian River
I n d u s t r i a l P a r k
N
Old Town Urban Center Ring Road Exressway
Zuojian River
New Shuikou Lake Town Center
Nanning--Friendship Gate (Vietnamese Border) Expressway
10-0561b HR Figure A2.3: Project Sites in Baise
Railway Station
Ring Road
Baise City River
Youjiang
N Ring Road
Longwang Bridge
Youjiang River
Ring Road South Proposed for ADB Lending Support Longwang Bridge Proposed for ADB Lending Support 10-0561c HR