Sappi Saiccor Expansion: Project Vulindlela and Project Stone Final Stakeholder Engagement Report
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SAPPI SOUTHERN AFRICA LIMITED SAPPI SAICCOR EXPANSION: PROJECT VULINDLELA AND PROJECT STONE FINAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT REPORT 24 JULY 2018 PUBLIC SAPPI SAICCOR EXPANSION: PROJECT VULINDLELA AND PROJECT STONE FINAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT REPORT SAPPI SOUTHERN AFRICA LIMITED TYPE OF DOCUMENT (VERSION) PUBLIC PROJECT NO.: 41100417 DATE: JULY 2018 WSP BLOCK A, 1 ON LANGFORD LANGFORD ROAD WESTVILLE, DURBAN, 3629 SOUTH AFRICA T: +27 31 240 8800 F: +086 606 7121 WSP.COM WSP Environmental (Pty) Ltd. QUALITY MANAGEMENT ISSUE/REVISION FIRST ISSUE REVISION 1 REVISION 2 REVISION 3 Remarks Final SER Date 24 July 2018 Prepared by Mpendulo Dlamini Signature Checked by Hilary Konigkramer Signature Authorised by Hilary Konigkramer Signature Project number 41100417 Report number 01 File reference G:\000 NEW Projects\41100417 - Saiccor Project Stone Expansion\42 ES\2-REPORTS SIGNATURES PREPARED BY Mpendulo Dlamini, Consultant REVIEWED BY Hilary Konigkramer, Director Purpose and basis of preparation of this Report This Final Stakeholder Engagement Report (Report) has been prepared by WSP Environmental Proprietary Limited (WSP) on behalf and at the request of Sappi Southern Africa Limited, to provide the Client an understanding of the Relevant Documents. Unless otherwise agreed by us in writing, we do not accept responsibility or legal liability to any person other than the Client for the contents of, or any omissions from, this Report. To prepare this Report, we have reviewed only the documents and information provided to us by the Client or any third parties directed to provide information and documents to us by the Client. We have not reviewed any other documents in relation to this Report and except where otherwise indicated in the Report. PRODUCTION TEAM CLIENT Saiccor Mill General Manager Krish Naidu Saiccor Mill SHEQ Manager Craig Daniel WSP Project Assistant Mpendulo Dlamini Environmental Assessment Practitioner Hilary Konigkramer TABLE OF 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................ 1 1.1 Purpose of this Report ......................................... 1 CONTENTS 1.2 Objectives of the Stakeholder Engagement Process ................................................................. 1 2 AUTHORITY PRE-CONSULTATION ......... 2 3 STAKEHOLDER NOTIFICATION .............. 2 3.1 Advertisements ..................................................... 2 3.2 Public Notices ....................................................... 3 3.3 Written Notification ............................................... 5 3.4 Background Information Document..................... 6 3.5 Traditional Authority Notification ......................... 6 4 STAKEHOLDER DATABASE..................... 6 5 DRAFT BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT .. 6 5.1 Stakeholder Notification of Draft Report Availability ............................................................ 7 6 COMMENT AND RESPONSE REPORT ... 7 6.1 Comments on the Background Information Document .............................................................. 8 6.2 Comments on the Draft Basic Assessment Report .................................................................... 8 SAPPI SAICCOR EXPANSION: PROJECT VULINDLELA AND PROJECT STONE WSP Project No. 41100417 July 2018 SAPPI SOUTHERN AFRICA LIMITED TABLES TABLE 1: AUTHORITY PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATIONS ....................... 2 TABLE 2: ADVERTISEMENTS: INITIAL STAKEHOLDER NOTIFICATION . 3 TABLE 3: WRITTEN NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS ......................... 5 TABLE 4: COMMENT AND RESPONSES – WRITTEN NOTIFICATION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT ................................. 9 FIGURES FIGURE 1: LAYOUT ILLUSTRATING THE POSITION OF THE PROJECT NOTIFICATION POSTERS ........... 4 APPENDICES A AUTHORITY PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATIONS A-1 Letter from DWS A-2 EDTEA Meeting Minutes A-3 eThekwini Municipality Meeting Minutes B STAKEHOLDER NOTIFICATIONS B-1 Initial Advertisements B-2 Posters B-3 Written Notification B-4 Background Information Document B-5 Traditional Leaders Meetings – Attendance Registers C STAKEHOLDER DATABASE D COMMENTS RECEIVED D-1 Comments in response to the BID SAPPI SAICCOR EXPANSION: PROJECT VULINDLELA AND PROJECT STONE WSP Project No. 41100417 July 2018 SAPPI SOUTHERN AFRICA LIMITED 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT Sappi Southern Africa Limited (Sappi) is proposing to increase production at the Saiccor Mill. The proposed expansion requires the following: — Environmental Authorisation in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), as amended (NEMA) and associated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, 2014 as amended in April 2017; and — Amendment of the Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (Act 39 of 2004) (NEM:AQA). WSP has been appointed by Sappi to undertake the function of independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to facilitate the Basic Assessment (BA) process in accordance with the EIA Regulations. The stakeholder engagement process is being undertaken in accordance with the EIA Regulations in order to meet the EA and AEL application requirements. The process aims to ensure that the widest range of potential stakeholders are identified and provided with an opportunity to review the details of the proposed project and submit any issues and concerns. This stakeholder engagement report (SER) describes the stakeholder engagement process that has been undertaken as part of the BA process for the proposed Sappi Saiccor expansion. It forms an appendix to the Basic Assessment Report (BAR) and will be considered by the competent authority, the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) in its decision on whether to grant the EA for the proposed activity. 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS In order to ensure compliance with the applicable national legislation, WSP undertook the stakeholder consultation process in a diligent manner at the outset of the BA process. The NEMA requires an inclusive, transparent process of stakeholder engagement. The objectives of the stakeholder engagement process were as follows: — Ensure an open and transparent BA and consultation process; — Identify and inform stakeholders of the proposed project and associated environmental authorisation process; — Provide an opportunity for stakeholders to raise all issues, concerns and questions and ensure that these are considered in the BA process; — Ensure that stakeholders have an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution towards decision making by EDTEA, and — Compile issues, concerns and questions raised by stakeholders and responses (from the EAP and the applicant) in the form of a comments and responses table. SAPPI SAICCOR EXPANSION: PROJECT VULINDLELA AND PROJECT STONE WSP Project No. 41100417 July 2018 SAPPI SOUTHERN AFRICA LIMITED Page 1 2 AUTHORITY PRE-CONSULTATION Pre-application consultation meetings were held with the relevant authorities, namely the eThekwini Municipality, Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the EDTEA and the Tribal Authorities of the surrounding tribal areas. These meeting were held in February and April 2018 (Table 1). Table 1: Authority Pre-Application Consultations Authority Meeting date Department of Water and Sanitation 02 February 2018 and 05 February 2018 Department of Economic Development, Tourism 09 February 2018 and Environmental Affairs. eThekwini Municipality 28 February 2018 A summary of each of the authority meetings held is provided below. — DWS meeting: an overview of the proposed project was given and a discussion held on whether the project requires a Water Use Licence in terms of the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998). DWS advised that the proposed expansion project does not trigger any WUL requirements as it is proposed to occur within the existing Mill footprint on existing hardstanding areas. This was confirmed in writing by DWS on 09 February 2018 (Appendix A). — EDTEA meeting: an overview of the proposed project was given, the approach to the environmental authorisation process was presented and initial comments and guidance received from EDTEA. EDTEA confirmed acceptance of the legal framework and approach to the EIA. The minutes of the meeting, including attendance register, are attached in Appendix A. — eThekwini Municipality meeting: an overview of the proposed project was given, and the approach to the proposed Air Quality Impact Assessment discussed. The minutes of the meeting, including attendance register, are attached in Appendix A. 3 STAKEHOLDER NOTIFICATION WSP elected to notify stakeholders of Sappi’s intention to submit an Application for Environmental Authorisation and an Application for Amendment of an AEL in respect of the proposed expansion of the Saiccor Mill. The purpose of this early notification was to: — Ensure that those who have an interest in participating in the EIA process had an opportunity to register as Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs); and — Provide some information on the project in advance of the provision of the Draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR) for public comment (in the form of a Background Information Document (BID); and — Provide the opportunity for stakeholders to submit any initial comments or questions they may have in respect of the project. 3.1 ADVERTISEMENTS Newspaper advertisements were placed, in accordance with the NEMA EIA Regulations, formally announcing the intention to submit an Application for EA and an Application for Amendment of an Atmospheric Emission Licence (AEL) for