Initial Environment Examination Project number: 54123-001 August 2020 Kyrgyz Republic: Urban Transport Electrification Project Prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Bishkek City for the Asian Development Bank. This initial environmental examination report is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. 2 CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS As of 27th August 2020 Currency Unit – Kyrgyz Soms (KYGS) 1 KYGS = $ 0.0135 US$1.00 = 74 KYGS ACRONYMS ACM Asbestos Containing Material ADB Asian Development Bank AIP Access to Information Policy BCMO Bishkek City Mayor’s Office BEBs Battery electric buses BTD Bishkek Trolley Bus Department COVID-19 Pandemic virus CSC Construction Supervision Consultant dB Decibel EA Executing Agency EARF Environment Assessment Review Framework EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EHS Environment, Health, and Safety EIA Environment Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EV Electric Vehicle FGD Focus Group Discussions FI Financial Intermediary GHG Greenhouse Gases GRG Grievance Redressal Group GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination IFC International Finance Corporation KHM Kyrgyz Hydromet Km Kilometer KR Kyrgyz Republic LPC Local Point of Contact NGO Non-governmental Organization NOx Nitrogen oxide OVOS Russian Acronym for ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ PER Public Environmental Review PIU Project Implementation Unit PM Particulate Matter PPE Personal Protective Equipment REA Rapid Environmental Assessment SAEMR Semi-Annual Environmental Monitoring Report SAEPF State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry SER State Environmental Review SOC State of Charge SOx Sulfur oxide SPS Safeguard Policy Statement SPZ Sanitary Protection Zone SSEMP Site Specific Environmental Management Plan TBD Trolley Bus Depot WHO World Health Organization 3 Content Details S/No. Version Date Summary of Revisions made 1 1 30-06-2020 First Draft of IEE report 2 2 27-08-2020 Second Draft of IEE report 3 3 28-08-2020 Revisions based on ADB comments Table of Content I. Introduction 1 A. Project Background 1 B. Project Objective 2 C. Project Scope 2 D. Environmental Category of the Project 2 E. Methodology of IEE Study 2 F. Proponent of Project 2 G. Structure of the Report 3 H. Further Additions & Updating of IEE study 3 II. Policy and Legal Framework 5 A. General 5 B. Environmental Protection Law and Policy 5 C. Permitting Processes in Kyrgyz Republic 7 1. Permitting Process for Project 7 2. Environmental Assessment system in KR and its relationship with Project 7 D. Responsible Agencies 12 E. ADB Policies 13 1. ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS), 2009 13 2. ADB’s Access to Information Policy (AIP) 2018 14 3. ADB’s Accountability Mechanism Policy 2012 14 4. Comparison of International and Local Environmental Legislations 14 III. Description of the Project 19 A. Project Overview 19 B. Justification and Need for Project 19 C. Project Construction Schedule 19 IV. Description of Environment 22 A. General 22 B. Physical Resources 22 1. Terrain and Topography 22 2. Soil and Geological Characteristics 22 3. Climate 22 4. Seismology 25 5. Hydrology of the Project Area 26 C. Ecological Resources 26 1. Flora 26 2. Fauna 27 D. Human and Economic Development 27 1. Population 27 2. Culture 27 3. Religion 27 4. Languages Spoken 27 5. Administrative Set up 28 6. Income Levels of Population 28 7. Employment and Remuneration Levels 28 8. Transport 28 9. Industry 28 10. Archaeological and Cultural Heritage 29 11. Energy Supplies 29 12. Noise Levels 29 13. Air Quality 29 E. Climate Vulnerability of Project 30 V. Analysis of Alternatives 30 A. Overview 30 B. ‘No Project’ Option 30 C. Rationale for selection of TBD Locations for Upgradation 30 D. Alternative use of technology (Construction equipment, methodology etc.) 30 VI. Potential Environmental Impacts And Mitigation Measures 32 A. Methodology For Impact Screening 32 B. Design/Pre-Construction Phase 33 1. Impact Screening Matrix 33 2. Likely 33 C. Construction Phase 34 1. Impact Screening Matrix 34 2. Noise Levels 34 3. Air Quality 36 4. Vehicular & Equipment Emissions 37 5. Fugitive Dust Control 37 6. Occupational Health and Safety 38 7. Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste Management including Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) 39 8. Soil Contamination 41 9. Communicable diseases 41 10. Community Health and Safety 42 11. Vegetation and Wildlife Loss 42 12. Land Use and Aesthetics 43 13. Natural and Man-made Hazards 43 D. Operation Phase 43 1. Traffic Management Issues due to increased Bus Volume at TBDs 44 2. Replacement of BEB batteries 44 3. Soil Contamination from BEB Maintenance 45 4. Economic Growth 45 E. Cumulative Impacts 45 F. Indirect and Induced Impacts 46 VII. Environmental Management Plan 46 A. Environmental Management/Monitoring and Reporting 51 B. Capacity Building and Training 51 C. Environmental Management Costs 56 VIII. Public Consultation and Information Disclosure 70 A. Meaningful Consultations 71 B. Minimum topics required during consultation meetings 72 C. Details of Consultations Conducted 73 D. Future Consultations 75 E. Reporting on Consultations 75 F. Information Disclosure 75 IX. Grievance Redress Mechanism 76 A. Grievance Redress Group (GRG) 76 1. Local Level 76 2. Central Level 76 B. Grievance Resolution Process 76 3. GRG Records and Documentation 79 X. Conclusions and Recommendations 79 XI. References 81 ANNEXURES Annexure A - Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist Annexure B - Kyrgyz Guidelines Annexure C - Public Consultations Annexure D - Photographs of Project Areas Annexure E - Site Specific EMP (SSEMP) Guide & Template for Guidance to Contractor Annexure F - Semi-Annual Environmental Monitoring Report (SAEMR) LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Locations of the two TBDs in Bishkek City 4 Figure 3.1: Location of Proposed TBD No.1 20 Figure 3.2: Location of Proposed TBD No.2 21 Figure 4.1: Temperature Profiles for Bishkek City for period 2009-19. 23 Figure 4.2: Rainfall trends in Bishkek City for period 2009-19. 23 Figure 4.3: Snowfall trends in Bishkek City for period 2009-19. 24 Figure 4.4: Wind speed profiles in Bishkek City for period 2009-19. 24 Figure 4.5: Cloud Cover and Humidity profiles in Bishkek City for period 2009-19. 25 Figure 4.6: Zoning Map of Seismically Hazardous Areas in Bishkek City 26 Figure 5.1: Bus Depot Locations Initially Considered for Upgradation 31 LIST OF TABLES Table ES.1: Screening of possible Impacts during Design/Pre-construction phase vii Table ES.2: Screening of possible Impacts during Construction phase vii Table ES.3: Screening of possible Impacts during Operation Phase viii Table 2.1: Relevant Laws and Regulations on Environmental Impacts for Road Projects 8 Table 2.2: International Conventions and Agreements 10 Table 2.3: Government Bodies on Environmental Protection Relevant to Project 12 Table 2.4: Preliminary Environmental Safeguards Capacity Assessment of Project Executing Agency & Implementing Agency 13 Table 2.5: IFC Work Environment Noise limits 15 Table 2.6: Comparison of IFC noise Guidelines (dB) & Kyrgyz Noise Standards 16 Table 2.7: Building Vibration Damage Assessment Criteria 17 Table 2.8: BS 5228 Vibration Assessment Criteria for Human Perception 17 Table 2.9: Kyrgyz Surface Water quality standards 17 Table 2.10: Comparison of IFC Air Quality Guidelines & Kyrgyz Air Quality Standards* 18 Table 6.1: Screening of possible Impacts during Design/Pre-construction phase 33 Table 6.2: Screening of possible Impacts during Construction phase 34 Table 6.3: Construction Equipment Noise Ranges, dB(A) 35 Table 6.4: Control measures for Fugitive Dust emissions 37 Table 6.5: Screening of possible Impacts during Operation Phase 43 Table 7.1: Summary of Environmental Safeguard Compliance Requirements 47 Table 7.2: Pre-Construction Monitoring Requirements 53 Table 7.3: Construction Phase Monitoring Requirements 53 Table 7.4: Operation Phase Monitoring Requirements 54 Table 7.5: Capacity Development and Training Programme 56 Table 7.6: Annual Cost Estimates for ‘Pre-Construction Phase’ Environmental Monitoring 56 Table 7.7: Annual Cost Estimates for ‘Construction Phase’ Environmental Monitoring 57 Table 7.8: Estimated Costs for EMP Implementation 57 Table 7.9: ‘Pre-Construction Phase’ Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 58 Table 7.10: ‘Construction Phase’ Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 58 Table 7.11: ‘Operation Phase’ Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan 68 Table 8.1: Stakeholder Engagement Plan 70 Table 8.2:Feedback from Stakeholder Consultations 74 Table 9.1: Composition of the Local GRG 76 Table 9.2: Composition of the Central Level GRG in the Mayor’s Office 76 Table 9.3: Grievance Resolution Process 77 Table 11-1 Summary of Issues Tracking Activity for Current Period 117 i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project Overview The Urban Transport Electrification project in Bishkek city, Kyrgyz Republic, is proposed for Asian Development Bank (ADB) financing and consists of the following four interlinked outputs: Output 1: Zero-emission tailpipe bus