Public Consultation Process 1
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Addendum #2 Public Consultation Process 1. Introduction In the finalisation and subsequent reviews of Scoping and EIA stages consultation n of the stakeholders is an important component of the ‘review and approval process.’ Georgian national legislation, European regulation on public consultation, EBRD’s Public Information Policy Requirements and international conventions are discussed in EIA main text, p.14.1. Public consultation and disclosure plan is given in EIA document, annex#3. 2. Short Description of Implemented Public Meetings and door to door consultations For the moment following activities have been implemented related with the public consultation process: • On 22/23. 09.2008 - The first round of public hearings related with the scoping document in Batumi and Kobuleti were organized. The aim of the public hearings was the presentation of the project ‘Adjara Waste Management Project. Scoping Document’ and ‘Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP)’ at the early stage of the project development and receiving comments. The meetings were attended by the local population, NGOs and representatives of the local authority (in all 50 people); • On 14.09.2008 – Door to door meetings were organized with the local population living in the vicinity of the Chakvi new landfill. They have received brief information about the project and upcoming public hearings; • On 22/23.01.2009 –public hearings of the first draft of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Batumi, Kobuleti and Chakvi were organized. The aim of the public hearings was the presentation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and ‘Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP)’ at the early stage of the project development and receiving comments. The meetings were attended by the local population, NGOs and representatives of the local authority (in all 85 people); • On 23-24.11.2008 - Before the Public Consultations of the first draft of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) PR and Communications expert (SWECO International) and 1 environmental experts of the Project team conducted door-to-door meetings with Chakvi local population. In particular, they have met with 5-6 households living in 100-150 m. radius of Chakvi new landfill site and with the representatives of the villages – “Chais Ubani” and “Micro-rayon 7”. During the meetings they have received hard copies of Executive Summaries of EIA and get information about the time and place of upcoming EIA Public Hearings; • Consultations with local population have been continued after the PH Meetings of the first draft of EIA. On 13th of March, 2009 door-to-door meetings have been conducted with Chakvi local populations. They have received informational buklets consisting of information about the project goals and objectives as well as their rights and interests. Mentioned social requirements first of all refers to the issues of “Involentary Ressetlement” and also to other negative social impact related with the project implementation. 3. Further plans for Public Meetings and door to door consultations • After the disclosure of final draft of EIA within 45 days (in May, 2009) the second round of public hearings will be conducted in Batumi, Kobuleti and Chakvi; • In March, April and May, 2009 door to door meetings are planned with the population of the villages of “Chais Ubani” and “Micro-rayon 7” as well as with the people and households who have land plots within the sanitary protection zone (500 m.) of the new landfill site. 2 4.Protocols of the Meetings Protocol Public Hearings September 22‐23, 2008 Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Drafted on September 25, 2008 Keti Dgebuadze PR Consultant, SWECO International AB 3 Public hearings in Batumi and Kobuleti September 22-23, 2008 Brief description: The Directorate of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara and SWECO International within the frames of the project ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Autonomous Republic of Ajara’ have organized the first round of public hearings in Batumi and Kobuleti, which were attended by the local population, NGOs and representatives of the local authority. The aim of the public hearings was the presentation of the project ‘Adjara Waste Management Project. Scoping Document’ and ‘Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP)’ at the early stage of the project development and receiving comments. This allows timely and full consideration of the opinions and comments around the project expressed by the interested parties. According to the operational guidelines of the European financial institutions, the requirements of public hearings and comments made by the stakeholders are an important component at an early stage of planning the EIA component of the projects. Engagement of the public in the early stage of the project helps to develop better projects, their better promotion and joint management. A 120-day-long cycle of the EIA documentation review is preceded by a public review of Scoping document. The Scoping is the document drafted in line with the requirements of the EBRD, whose aim it is to identify the range of urgent issues to be considered within the limits of the EIA and determine the content of the future EIA. The aim of the project ‘Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Autonomous Republic of Ajara’ is the construction of a new sanitary landfill in settlement Chakvi, closure the landfills in Batumi and Kobuleti noncompliant with the effective standards, reorganization of the entire waste collection system and improvement of the material-technical base of the company responsible for municipal solid waste management. The meeting was attended by: Irakli Goradze (Government of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara), Irakli Chavchanidze, Head of the Directorate of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ajara, Nodar Kontselidze (Directorate of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ajara), Laszlo Iritz (SWECO International AB), Tamuna Dolidze, Office Manager of SWECO International in Batumi, David Pirtskhalaishvili (Environmental Protection Inspection of Ajara), Ivane Cheishvili (Batumi Municipality), Irakli Kaviladze, Environmental expert of SWECO International, Medgar Chelidze, Environmental expert of SWECO International, Keti Dgebuadze, Public Relations and Communication Expert. 4 The meeting was also attended by: superiors of the regions, officials, representatives of NGOs, media representatives and population of local villages/towns. Presentations: The meeting was opened by Irakli Chavchanidze, Head of the Directorate of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ajara, who greeted the attendees and thanked them for their interest in the meeting and participation in the public hearings. As he said, this will significantly help consider the public opinion in the future. He welcomed the public to get actively involved in the dialogue. The first part of the presentation was hosted by Keti Dgebuadze, SWESCO International PR Consultant, who informed the public about the institutions financing the project and about SWECO International undertaking the project feasibility study, as well as about the EBRD policy of social and environmental safeguards and procedures and Georgian legislation in connection to the public awareness and consultations of the parties concerned. The PR Consultant provided a detailed revision of the Plan of public consultations and public review, which was developed in line with the EBRD Scoping procedures and which deals with the information disclosure process, communication channels interesting to every party, procedures of public comments and appeals during the public hearings planned during the Scoping, as well as in the process of drafting an EIA report. The Consultant presented the time schedule of the public consultations and form for submitting a public grievance and comments. The second part of the presentation was hosted by Environmental Experts. Irakli Kaviladze and Medgar Chelidze have presented the Scoping report. In particular, Mr Kaviladze informed the participants about the aims of the project, problems of the waste management in Ajara, conditions of noncompliant landfills in Batumi and in Kobuleti and necessity to build a new sanitary landfill. The expert described the landfill site selection process (methodology, preliminary studies etc.) and conclusions provided by the Temporary State Commission of the Government of Adjara AR and by TACIS project. Mr. Chelidze briefly presented the present works and preliminary data about the natural conditions and social surroundings of the proposed new landfill site in Chakvi. The additional information to be obtained, scale and type of expected environmental impacts, strategy of possible mitigating measures, as well as content of the future EIA were also discussed. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session. The questions and comments of different participating parties were replied by the relevant experts of the project: Kaviladze I., Chelidze M., Iritz L. The questions and answers are given in Tables 1 and 2. Table # 1 5 Place of event: Office of ‘Sandasupatveba’ Ltd. (the company responsible for municipal solid waste management), Batumi. Date and time of event: September 22, 2008, 11:00 a.m. Participants: 1. Irakli Goradze – Government of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara 2. Irakli Chavchanidze, Head of the Directorate of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ajara 3. Nodar Kontselidze, Directorate of Environmental