FINAL ENGINEERING REPORT 09/2009 M3 SECTION: COMRAT SOUTH TO CIUMAI APPENDIX: VOLUME 5 EUROPEAN UNION REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND EXTENSION OF THE ROAD M3 CHISINAU – GIURGIULESTI/ROMANIAN BORDER Europe Aid/125919/C/SER/MD Koblenz, Germany Chisinau, Moldova Road M3 Chisinau — Giurgiulesti/ Romanian Border Extension and Rehabilitation Project Final Engineering Report: Comrat South to Ciumai VOLUME 5 A 5.1 Environmental Assessment Report Joint Venture Kocks Consult GmbH, Koblenz – Universinj SRL, Chisinau ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT 01/2009 EUROPEAN UNION REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND EXTENSION OF THE ROAD M3 CHISINAU – GIURGIULESTI/ROMANIAN BORDER Europe Aid/125919/C/SER/MD Koblenz, Germany Chisinau, Moldova Kocks Consult GmbH • Stegemannstr. 32-38 • D-56068 Koblenz • Tel.: +49 261 1302-0 Fax: +49 261 1302-400 • E-Mail: [email protected] • Internet: www.kocks-ing.de Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. Table of Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY v 2. INTRODUCTION 1 2.1 Project Background 1 2.2 Objective and Scope of the Environmental Assessment 6 2.3 Approach and Methodology 7 3. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 9 3.1 National Environmental Policy 9 3.2 National Environmental Legislation and Institutional Framework 9 3.3 IFI-Environmental Policies 13 3.4 Land Acquisition and Resettlement Policy 17 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT 18 4.1 Introduction 18 4.2 Corridor Description 18 4.3 General Project Layout 20 4.4 Alignment Options 22 4.5 Economic and Social Need for the Project 28 4.6 Existing Traffic Volumes and Forecasts 28 4.7 Traffic Forecasts 29 4.8 On-site Works 31 4.9 Off-site Works 32 4.10 Construction 33 4.11 Implementation Schedule and Staffing 33 4.12 Lifespan of the Project 33 5. PUBLIC CONSULTATION 34 5.1 Introduction 34 5.2 Scoping Meetings 34 6. ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE 35 6.1 Introduction 35 6.2 Characterization of the Physical and Natural Environment 35 6.3 Protected Areas 51 6.4 Existing Environmental Pollution 63 6.5 Cultural Heritage 66 6.6 Borrow Pits and Quarries 66 6.7 Road Safety 67 Page i C:\Documents and Settings\User\Мои документы \Мои документы \88245\!01m3project\11Reports\Final_Feasiblity Study\Appendix\EIA_Draft_Report new1JM.doc Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. 7. SOCIOECONOMIC BASELINE 68 8. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 69 8.1 Introduction 69 8.2 Impacts and Mitigation Measures referring to the Planning and Design Phase of the Project 70 8.3 Impacts and Mitigation Measures referring to the Construction Phase of the Project 71 8.4 Impacts and Mitigation measures referring to Operation Phase 79 9. SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND THEIR MITIGATION 82 10. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 82 10.1 The Do-Nothing-Option 87 11. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 88 12. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE 89 12.1 Methods and Process 89 12.2 Scoping Meetings 90 12.3 Stakeholders Issues and Concerns 90 12.4 Project Appreciation 91 Page ii C:\Documents and Settings\User\Мои документы \Мои документы \88245\!01m3project\11Reports\Final_Feasiblity Study\Appendix\EIA_Draft_Report new1JM.doc Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. Tables Tab. 1: Existing and Proposed M 3 Segment Classification 21 Tab. 2: Geometrical Design Standard SNIP Categories 21 Tab. 3: Planned M3 Extensions and Bypasses – M3 Extension and Cimislia bypass 23 Tab. 4: Planned M3 Extensions and Bypasses – Ciucur Minjir & Comrat Bypass 24 Tab. 5: Planned M3 Extensions and Bypasses – Chirsova & Congaz 25 Tab. 6: Planned M3 Extensions and Bypasses – Svetlii & Burlaceni 26 Tab. 7: Planned M3 Extensions and Bypasses – Vulcanesti & Giurgiule şti bypass 27 Tab. 8: AREAS OF GEOLOGICAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE 55 Tab. 9: FORESTS 55 Tab. 10: MEDICINE PLANTS 56 Tab. 11: LANDSCAPE RESERVES (Geographical landscapes) 56 Tab. 12: PROTECTED RESOURCES 56 Tab. 13: REPREZENTATIVE AREAS WITH STEPPE VEGETATION 57 Tab. 14: FOREST PROTECTION BELTS 57 Figures Fig. 1: M3 Corridor Overview 2 Fig. 2: Study Corridor Traffic Distribution 29 Fig. 3: 2011 Traffic Forecast (AADT) 30 Fig. 4: 2030 Traffic Forecast (AADT) 31 Fig. 5: Natural Zones and Landscape Regions of Moldova 36 Fig. 6: Soil Degradation 40 Fig. 7: Groundwater Pollution 43 Fig. 8: Landslide area at km 35 within the M3 extension alternative 46 Fig. 9: Steppe and River Meadow Vegetation in the Republic of Moldova 48 Fig. 10: Zoogeographical division and bird migration routes in Moldova 51 Fig. 11: Republic of Moldova Ecological Network 58 Fig. 12: Walnut Tree ( Juglans regia ) rows on section Balabanu (R38) to Ciumai 60 Fig. 13: Occurrence of Rare Animal Species in the Study Corridor 61 Fig. 14: Occurrence of Rare Species of Animals in the Study Corridor 62 Fig. 15: Filtering Role of Vegetation 64 Fig. 16: River Water Quality 65 Fig. 17: Micauti Limestone quarry 67 Page iii C:\Documents and Settings\User\Мои документы \Мои документы \88245\!01m3project\11Reports\Final_Feasiblity Study\Appendix\EIA_Draft_Report new1JM.doc Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. Fig. 18: Stork nest on road side pole close to the village of Ciumai. 78 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Public Consultation Material and Documentation A-1 Appendix 2 References A-30 Appendix 3 EMP Template, Possible Mitigation Measures for Sub-Projects A-31 Appendix 4 Rivers within Study Area A-64 ACRONYMS AADT Average annual daily traffic asl above sea level BR Biosphere Reserve CAP Conservation Action Plan CBD Convention of Biological Diversity CITES Convention on Int.I Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna CMS Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals E east/eastern EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EIS Environmental Impact Study FRG Federal Republic of Germany FS Feasibility Study FSU Former Soviet Union IFI International Funding Institution IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Wildlife MCA Millennium Challenge Account MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation MENR Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources MCTD Ministry of Construction and Technical Development (formerly MTRI) NGO Non Government Organization NP National Park NR Nature Reserve NSPAF p.a. per annum RAP Resettlement Action Plan PA Protected Areas p.a. Per annum S south/southern SEE State Ecological Expertise SRA State Road Administration t tons TEN Rrans-European Network TfCA Trans-Frontier Conservation Area TRACECA Transport Corridor Europe Central Asia ToR Terms of Reference W west/western Page iv C:\Documents and Settings\User\Мои документы \Мои документы \88245\!01m3project\11Reports\Final_Feasiblity Study\Appendix\EIA_Draft_Report new1JM.doc Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. WB World Bank WWF World Wildlife Fund for Nature Page v C:\Documents and Settings\User\Мои документы \Мои документы \88245\!01m3project\11Reports\Final_Feasiblity Study\Appendix\EIA_Draft_Report new1JM.doc Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti / Romanian Border Environmental Impact Study Joint Venture KOCKS – Universinj s.r.l. 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Government of the Republic of Moldova (GRM) is undertaking road improvement projects with the assistance of various international donors. One such project is the EU sponsored Feasibility Study for the Rehabilitation and Extension of the Road M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti/Romanian Border which seeks to improve several sections of the M3 road south of Chisinau to Giurgiulesti. On behalf of the GRM, the project is administered by the Ministry of Construction and Territorial Development and the State Road Administration (SRA). The overall objective of the project is to support the modernization of Moldova's transport infrastructure in order to improve access to regional and international markets. The specific objective is to provide a bankable technical, financial, environmental and institutional feasibility study for the rehabilitation and extension of the M3 road Chisinau-Giurgiulesti/Romanian Border – 216 km. An Environmental Impact Assessment has been completed in order to meet the required deliverables. Two main issues in the ToR determine the conduct of the M3 FS and subsequently the conduct of this Environmental Assessment (EA): First, no particular donor/lender has been identified for the needed improvements on M3. This means that the procedures and guidelines from the various IFI need to be taken into consideration to the extent possible. While the general guidelines of each of the institutions are similar in approach detailed analysis might vary. Therefore a generalized approach was applied to satisfy overarching require- ments. Secondly, individual roadway segments are currently being evaluated in regards to their economic feasibility, based primarily of current and future traffic volumes and estimated cost of the needed improvements. This iterative process will iden-