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49370-002: National Power Grid Strengthening Project Initial Environmental Examination Final Report Project No.: 49370-002 October 2020 Turkmenistan: National Power Grid Strengthening Project Volume 1 Prepared by the Ministry of Energy, Government of Turkmenistan for the Asian Development Bank. The Initial Environmental Examination 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. 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. 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project Initial Environmental Examination Report , May 2018 updated September 2020 ii 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project Initial Environmental Examination Project No: 49370-002 May 2018 UPDATED October 2020 Turkmenistan: National Power Grid Strengthening Project Prepared by the Ministry of Energy, Government of Turkmenistan for the Asian Development Bank. The Initial Environmental Examination 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. 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. Initial Environmental Examination Report , May 2018 updated September 2020 iii 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project Initial Environmental Examination Report , May 2018 updated September 2020 iv 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank AP Affected Person CR Critically Endangered CSO Civil Society Organization EHS Environment, Health and Safety EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EN Endangered GDP Gross domestic product GIS Geographical Information System GRC Grievance Redress Committee GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GT Government of Turkmenistan IA Implementing Agency IBA Important Bird Area IBAT Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool IEE Initial Environmental Examination IFC International Finance Corporation IFRS International Financial Reporting Standards IR Involuntary Resettlement IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature JFPR Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction Km Kilometre kV Kilovolt KWh Kilowatt-hour LC Least Concern MG Miligram MOA Ministry of Agriculture MOE Ministry of Energy MNP Ministry of Nature Protection MOC Ministry of Culture MOG Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources MMA Ministry of Municipal Affairs MPH Ministry of Public Health and Medical Industry MWE Ministry of Water Economy MW Megawatt NGO Non-Governmental Organization OHSP Operational Health and Safety Plan OM Operations Manual ADB OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration PIC Project Implementation Consultant Initial Environmental Examination Report , May 2018 updated September 2020 v 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project PIU Project Implementation Unit PMU Project Management Unit REA Rapid Environmental Assessment RoW Right of Way SCADA Supervisory control and data acquisition SCEPLR State Committee of Environment Protection and Land Resources SEE State Environmental Expertise SPS Safeguard Policy Statement ADB TSP Total Suspended Particles UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe VU Vulnerable WHO World Health Organization In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a 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. Initial Environmental Examination Report , May 2018 updated September 2020 vi 49370-002: TKM TKM Power Sector Development Project Table of Content 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.1. Rationale .................................................................................................................... 5 1.2. Nature, Size and Location of The Project .................................................................... 6 1.3. Purpose, Scope, Methodology, Content and limitation of IEE study ............................ 6 2. Description of the Project .................................................................................................. 10 2.1. Rationale .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Project Components ................................................................................................. 11 2.3. Project Scope: Supply Component Under ADB and Government Funding: ............... 12 2.4. Key Design Specification based on Environmental Considerations: .......................... 12 2.5. Transmission Line Alignment with overview of route conditions ( Phase I) ................ 13 2.6. Transmission Line Alignment with overview of route conditions ( Phase II) ............... 14 2.7. Location of Substations with Overview of Site conditions .......................................... 15 2.8. Transfer Oil Management Practise ............................................................................ 15 2.9. Sources of material supply and mode of transportation, storage and installation for both the phases. ................................................................................................................... 15 2.10. Construction Practice requirement as per Turkmenenergo ....................................... 16 2.11. Implementation Schedule and Cost of Project ........................................................... 16 3. Legal and Administrative Framework ................................................................................ 23 3.1. Turkman Environmental Legislation and International Standards .............................. 23 3.1.1. Environmental Legislation and its applicability....................................................... 23 3.1.2. The Environmental Assessment and Approval Process ........................................ 24 3.1.3. National and International Environmental Standards ............................................. 25 3.1.4. National Institutional Framework ........................................................................... 25 3.1.5. International Convention and Protocols ................................................................. 26 3.2. ADB Safeguard Requirements as Per SPS 2009 and Project Categorization ........... 27 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 28 4.1. Background (Study Area, Methodology, References, etc.) ........................................ 28 4.2. Site Description and Its Environmental Salient Features ........................................... 28 4.3. Physical Environment ............................................................................................... 36 4.3.1. Topography ........................................................................................................... 36 4.3.2. Geography of Turkmenistan .................................................................................. 37 4.3.3. Drainage and Land Use pattern ............................................................................ 38 4.3.4. Geology & Soil ...................................................................................................... 42 4.3.5. Seismicity .............................................................................................................. 42 4.3.6. Natural Disasters .................................................................................................. 43 4.4. Climate ..................................................................................................................... 44 4.5. Water Environment ................................................................................................... 45 4.6. Air Environment ........................................................................................................ 46 4.7. Biological Environment ............................................................................................. 48 4.8. Forest and other wooded lands ................................................................................. 49 4.9. Protected Areas of Turkmenistan .............................................................................. 50 4.10. Flora ......................................................................................................................... 51 4.11. Avi Fauna (Birds) and Important Bird Areas of Turkmenistan .................................... 52 4.12. Other Fauna.............................................................................................................. 56 4.12.1. Mammals .............................................................................................................. 57 4.12.2. Reptiles ................................................................................................................
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