6 Potential Environmental Impacts
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E1896 v5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR Public Disclosure Authorized ENERGY COMMUNITY OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE APL 5- DAM SAFETY PROJECT IN ALBANIA REHABILITATION OF VAU I DEJES HYDRO POWER PLANT Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized 1 Table of content 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................5 1.1 Purpose of the Study ............................................................5 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .....................................................6 2.1 Objectives of the Project ......................................................6 2.2 Location of the project .........................................................7 2.3 Project Components.............................................................8 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE VAU I DEJES HYDRO POWER PLANT .................. 10 3.1 Investments under the project and current state ...................... 12 3.1.1 Dam Monitoring System....................................................12 3.1.2 Dam Alarm System .........................................................13 3.1.3 Spillway gates rehabilitation .............................................14 4 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE CONDITIONS ....................................... 18 4.1 Physical environment ......................................................... 18 4.1.1 Geology.......................................................................18 4.1.2 Surface Water ...............................................................19 4.1.3 Ground Water ...............................................................20 4.1.4 Land pollution...............................................................21 4.1.5 Air Quality and Sources of Air Emission .................................21 4.1.6 Noise Emission ..............................................................21 4.1.7 Landscape....................................................................21 4.2 Meteorology ..................................................................... 21 4.2.1 Temperature ................................................................22 4.2.2 Precipitation ................................................................22 4.2.3 Wind patterns ...............................................................22 4.3 Biological Environment ....................................................... 23 4.3.1 Flora ..........................................................................23 4.3.2 Fauna .........................................................................24 4.3.3 Protected Natural Territories.............................................24 4.4 Socio Cultural Environment.................................................. 25 4.4.1 Agriculture and Livestock Activity .......................................25 4.4.2 Income, Living Standard...................................................26 2 4.4.3 Other Sources of Income ..................................................26 5 ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND SAFEGUARDS PROCEDURES .......... 26 5.1 Word Bank safeguards procedure........................................... 26 5.2 Albanian environmental legislation ........................................ 27 6 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.......................................... 29 6.1 Environmental Impacts during Construction Phase ..................... 29 6.1.1 Air pollution .................................................................30 6.1.2 Waste generation ...........................................................33 6.1.3 Noise..........................................................................36 6.1.4 Soil and water pollution ...................................................36 6.1.5 Health hazards and work safety..........................................37 6.2 Environmental Impacts during Operation Phase......................... 38 6.2.1 Waste generation ...........................................................38 7 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN .......................................... 42 8 INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY.......................................................... 51 8.1 Strengthening the institutional capacity for the project .............. 52 9 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ............................................................. 54 10 ANNEXES ............................................................................ 57 10.1 Annex 1 Schematic Drawings of the Vau I Dejes HPP................ 57 10.2 Annex 2 Summary Report on EIA......................................... 58 10.3 Annex 3 Action Plan for Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure for KESH’s Facilities ............................................. 59 10.4 Annex 4 Emergency Action Plan ......................................... 60 10.5 Annex 5 Hazardous Waste Contingency Action Plan ................. 61 10.6 Annex 6 Roles and Responsibilities of the state bodies related to Environment............................................................................. 62 Figures: Figure 1 Location of the HPP on Drin and Mat river cascades ........................ 8 Figure 2 Layout of Vau I Dejes reservoir HPP (Source: Dam Safety Survey Study) .................................................................................................11 3 Figure 3 Layout of Vau I Dejes HPP (Source: Dam Safety Survey Study) ...........12 Figure 4 Longitudinal profile of the spillway at Qyrsaq dam........................14 Figure 5 Spillway gates at Qyrsaq dam ..................................................15 Figure 6 Longitudinal profile of the tunnel spillway at Zadeja dam................15 Figure 7 Zadeja spillway tower ...........................................................16 Figure 8 Zadeja spillway gates............................................................17 Figure 9 Geological-tectonic map of Vau I Dejes site.................................19 Figure 10 Low and mean height oak tree forest on both sides of Fireze dam ....23 Figure 11 Map of the protected areas of (North) Albania ............................25 Tables: Table 1 NIOSH-recommended respiratory protection for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica................................................................30 Table 2 Environmental Mitigation Measures for the Construction Phase...........44 Table 3 Environmental Mitigation Measures for the Operation Phase ..............46 Table 4 Environmental Monitoring Plan .................................................48 Table 5 Responsibilities for environment during construction and operation.....54 4 1 INTRODUCTION Albania’s hydropower plants (HPP) in the Drin and Mat River Cascades are a precious asset for the country. They account for over 90% of domestic electricity production and supply normally more than 65% of the country’s total electricity demand. On an average year, Albania generates about 4.2 GWh of hydroelectricity. These major infrastructure facilities have been inadequately monitored and maintained for more than 15 years and may present significant risks to the country. Following the World Bank’s warning on this issue, a Dam Safety Survey for Hydropower Plants Located on the Drin and Mat River Cascades was funded by the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and completed in 2006. The survey identified a number of serious deficiencies and concluded that “the present state of the dam safety is uncertain, and a disaster … could be considered as possible … if matters are left to deteriorate further”. Both the institutional set-up and the monitoring and physical infrastructure facilities were found in need of significant improvements. Support for Albania’s hydropower dams is needed not only because of the significant safety risks involved, but also to improve their overall operation and to facilitate further integration of the country with the regional electricity system. Because of the valuable storage capacity of the dams, the country can use its hydro resources to optimize its electricity supply as it integrates in the regional market. Albania is a member of the Energy Community of South East Europe (ECSEE), and a series of planned investments will assist it to better participate in the electricity market of the region. Furthermore, addressing safety risks of the existing dams could create valuable options regarding the future operation and ownership of the hydroelectric facilities. Majority of the conclusions on the state of the equipment/dams and proposed works together with the photographs and drawings are taken, with the approval of KESH, from the Dam Safety Survey for Hydropower Plants Located on the Drin and Mat River Cascades. 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study is to carry out an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed ESCEE APL 5 Albania Project – Dam Safety to be implemented on the hydropower Drin and Mat Rivers Cascade Dams in Albania. The assessment is to be done through five individual environmental impact assessments (EIA) for each of the five dams. The purpose of the EA is to ensure that the proposed investments implemented through the Project comply with the existing environmental protection laws, regulations and standards in Albania as well as with the World Bank’s Operation Policies and Practices; and will not have a lasting adverse impact on the country’s population, the natural environment or assets of particular cultural heritage value. The EIA needs to be done for the measures to be implemented as defined chapter 2.3 of this report, and this portends that the 5 existing power