1533 ES Rreport and IA the Development of the Olupale Lodge in the Iipumbu Ya Tshilongo Conservancy.Pdf
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ECC-104-208-REP-05-D ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT PLUS IMPACT ASSESSMENT OLUPALE LODGE, OSHANA REGION PREPARED FOR JUNE 2020 SCOPING REPORT OLUPALE LODGE TITLE AND APPROVAL PAGE Project Name: Development of the Olupale Lodge, Oshana Region Project Number ECC-104-208-REP-05-D Client Name: Olupale Lodge (Pty) Ltd Ministry Reference: N/A Competent Authority: MInIstry of EnvIronment, Forestry and Tourism Status of Report: Final for government submIssion Date of issue: June 2020 Review Period NA Environmental Compliance Consultancy Contact Details: We welcome any enquIries regardIng thIs document and its content: please contact: Stephan Bezuidenhout Jessica Bezuidenhout Mooney Environmental Consultant & Practitioner Environmental Consultant & Practitioner Tel: +264 81 699 7608 Tel: +264 81 699 7608 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.eccenvIronmental.com www.eccenvIronmental.com Confidentiality Environmental ComplIance Consultancy Notice: This document Is confidential. If you are not the Intended recipIent, you must not dIsclose or use the Information contained In It. If you have received this document In error, please notify us Immediately by return emaIl and delete the document and any attachments. Any personal vIews or opInIons expressed by the writer may not necessarily reflect the vIews or opInIons of Environmental ComplIance Consultancy. Please note at ECC we care out lessening our footprint on the environment, therefore all documents are printed double sided. JUNE 2020 PAGE 2 OF 86 ECC DOCUMENT CONTROL - ECC-104-208-REP-05-D SCOPING REPORT OLUPALE LODGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Olupale Lodge (Pty) Ltd proposes to undertake construction activIties for the development of Olupale Lodge in the Iipumbu Ya Tshilongo Conservancy, Oshana Region. The proposed development comprises a 40-room luxury lodge, staff housing and associated Infrastructure. The tourism potential of the area is wildlIfe-based and exposure to the culture of northern NamIbIa. The proposed development will also generate Income for the local communIty and open-up economIc opportunIties within the region. Agreements have been signed and finances are In place. The newly formed venture Is designed to further spread financial, social and envIronmental benefits that ecotourism can bring to prevIously margInalIzed communIties. The proposed project triggers lIsted activIties In terms of the EnvIronmental Management Act, No. 7 of 2007, therefore an envIronmental clearance certificate Is requIred. As part of the envIronmental clearance certIficate applIcation, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been undertaken to satisfy the requIrements of the EnvIronmental Management Act, No. 7 of 2007. This envIronmental scopIng report and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) shall be submItted to the competent authorIty as part of the applIcation for the envIronmental clearance certificate. The assessment has been carrIed out for the construction and operations of the Olupale Lodge. In addItion to the 40-room luxury lodge, the proposed development Includes entertainment areas (restaurant, swimmIng pool, spa and massage facilIties), staff housIng as well as supporting Infrastructure such as water and power supply. The sIte and extent of the lodge Infrastructure were selected to mInImIse the envIronmental footprint, mInImIse the dIstance to sources of water and electricity, and use exIsting Infrastructure as far as possible. The proposed development falls within the Savanna bIome which Is domInated by mopane shrubland vegetatIon cover. Mopane (Colophospermum mopane) and trumpet-thorn (Cataphractes alexandri) are the most abundant species In the area, although other species can be found such as purple-pod termInalIa (Terminalia prunoides), AfrIcan myrrh (Commiphora Africana), Acacia and Combretum species. The stunted growth of the mopane Is probably due to the low-nutrient soIl in combInation with the salIne groundwater. This EIA has been undertaken in terms of the requIrements of the EnvIronmental Management Act, No. 7 of 2007 and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation, 2007 (No. 30 of 2012) gazetted under the Environmental Management Act, 2007 (referred to herein as the EIA Regulations). The EIA was undertaken using a methodology developed by Environmental ComplIance Consultancy, which Is based on the International Finance Corporation (IFC) standard for Impact assessments. Through the scopIng process, a revIew of the site and surroundIng envIronment was completed by undertaking desktop revIews and verification of site data. Due to the nature and scale of the project no signIficant Impacts were Identified In this scopIng study. It was found that Impacts will change, as the construction phase transition to the operation phase. Measures to mItigate and manage potential Impacts on the envIronment, both during the construction and operational phases, are outlIned in the EMP. This study has assessed potential, lIkely and Identified Impacts. It was determIned that the lIkely effects were not deemed signIficant, based on the magnItude of change from the baselIne envIronment, the duration of potential impacts and the reversibIlIty of effects. JUNE 2020 PAGE 3 OF 86 ECC DOCUMENT CONTROL - ECC-104-208-REP-05-D SCOPING REPORT OLUPALE LODGE On this premise, it is the opinion of ECC that an environmental clearance certificate could be issued, on conditions that the management and mitigation measures specified in the EMP are implemented and adhered to. JUNE 2020 PAGE 4 OF 86 ECC DOCUMENT CONTROL - ECC-104-208-REP-05-D SCOPING REPORT OLUPALE LODGE TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT ....................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ................................................................................................. 9 1.3 THE PROPONENT OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ........................................................................................... 12 1.4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY ............................................................................................................ 12 1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................. 13 1.6 REPORT STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................................. 14 2 APPROACH TO THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................. 15 2.1 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT........................................................................... 15 2.2 THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................................................................................... 15 2.3 METHODOLOGY FOR THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................... 17 2.4 SCREENING OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ................................................................................................... 17 2.5 SCOPING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................... 17 2.6 BASELINE STUDIES ................................................................................................................................ 17 2.7 IMPACT PREDICATION AND EVALUATION .................................................................................................. 17 2.8 EIA DETERMINATION OF SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................................... 18 2.9 EIA CONSULTATION .............................................................................................................................. 22 2.9.1 Newspaper advertisements ............................................................................................................. 23 2.9.2 Non-TechnIcal Summary .................................................................................................................. 23 2.9.3 Site notices ....................................................................................................................................... 23 2.9.4 ConsultatIon feedback ..................................................................................................................... 23 2.10 LIMITATIONS, UNCERTAINTIES AND ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................... 23 3 REGULATORY FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................................... 25 3.1 NATIONAL LEGISLATION ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.2 OTHER REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS ........................................................................................................ 27 3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................... 28 3.4 PERMITS AND ECO AWARDS .................................................................................................................. 28 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................................................................................