Road Network Sustainability Project (Hulbuk-Temurmalik-Kangurt Section)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Initial Environmental Examination January 2021 TAJ: Road Network Sustainability Project (Hulbuk-Temurmalik-Kangurt Section) Prepared by Project Implementation Unit for Roads Rehabilitation under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in September 2020 available on https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/taj-54005- 001-iee. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (AS OF 1 JANUARY 2021) CURRENCY UNIT – SOMONI (TJS) TJS1.00 = $0.0884955752 $1.00 = TJS11.300000 ABBREVIATIONS AADT - Annual Average Daily Traffic ADB - Asian Development Bank Aids - Acquired immune deficiency syndrome CAC - Center for Analytical Control CAREC - Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation CEP - Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan CSC - construction supervision consultant EHS - Environment, Health and Safety EHS Guidelines - the World Bank Group’s Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines EIA - Environmental Impact Assessment EMoP - Environmental Monitoring Plan EMP - Environmental Management Plan ESE-PIURR - Environmental Safeguards Expert of PIURR EU - European Union GoT - Government of Tajikistan GPS - Global Positioning System GRC - Grievance Redress Committee GRM - grievance redress mechanism HIV - Human Immune Deficiency Virus IBA - Important Bird Area IBAT - Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool IEE - Initial Environmental Examination LARP - Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan MAC - Maximum Allowable Concentrations MoT - the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan OHS - occupational health and safety PCR - Project Completion Report PIURR - Project Implementation Unit for Road Rehabilitation (of MoT) PPE - personal protective equipment REA - rapid environmental assessment RoW - Right-of-Way SAEMR - Semi-annual environmental monitoring report SEE - State Ecological Expertise RAMS - road asset management system SPS - Safeguard Policy Statement SSEMP - Site Specific Environmental Management Plan STD - Sexually Transmitted Disease ToR - Terms of Reference WHO - World Health Organization This initial environmental examination report 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. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1 I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 A. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE REPORT .............................................1 B. STUDY AREA AND PROJECT AREA OF INFLUENCE ..........................................................1 C. PURPOSE OF THE INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION ...........................................3 1. Project Proponent and Main Institutional Responsibilities ........................................................................ 5 2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................................. 6 II. Legal, Policy and Administrative Framework ..................................................... 7 A. GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES ..................7 1. Legislation ................................................................................................................................................. 7 2. Environmental Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 9 3. Administrative Basis ...............................................................................................................................10 4. Public Participation .................................................................................................................................10 5. Environmental Permits and Licenses .....................................................................................................11 6. Occupational Health and Safety Legislation ...........................................................................................12 7. State Environmental Program 2009-2019 ..............................................................................................12 8. Environmental Standards .......................................................................................................................13 B. INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS .......................................................................... 23 C. ADB SAFEGUARDS POLICY STATEMENT (SPS, 2009)..................................................... 23 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................... 24 A. OVERVIEW 24 B. TYPE AND CATEGORY OF PROJECT ................................................................................ 26 C. NEED FOR PROJECT 27 D. LOCATION 28 E. SIZE OR MAGNITUDE OF OPERATION .............................................................................. 28 F. TRAFFIC VOLUME 29 G. PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................. 30 H. BRIDGES AND CULVERTS ................................................................................................. 30 I. QUANTITIES 30 J. BORROW AREAS 31 IV. ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................... 33 V. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT............................................................. 34 A. PHYSICAL RESOURCES IN PROJECT AREA .................................................................... 34 1. Geology 34 3. Seismicity ................................................................................................................................................36 4. Geomorphology and Natural Hazards ....................................................................................................37 5. Soils 38 6. Climate 40 ii 7. Climate Change ......................................................................................................................................42 8. Surface Water Resources.......................................................................................................................42 9. Ground Water .........................................................................................................................................44 B. ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES IN THE PROJECT AREA ....................................................... 45 1. Flora and vegetation ...............................................................................................................................46 2. Fauna 48 3. Protected Areas and Biodiversity ...........................................................................................................50 4. Land use 53 C. SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 54 1. Profile of the Project Area .......................................................................................................................55 2. Results of Socio-economic Assessment ................................................................................................57 3. Cultural and Historical Sites ...................................................................................................................58 VI. ALIGNMENT SHEETS .......................................................................................... 59 VII. BASELINE MEASUREMENTS ............................................................................. 59 A. AIR QUALITY AND NOISE LEVEL ....................................................................................... 59 B. WATER QUALITY MEASUREMENTS .................................................................................. 60 VIII. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES . 61 A. PRE-CONSTRUCTION (DESIGN PHASE) ........................................................................... 63 1. Road alignment within ecologically sensitive areas ...............................................................................63 2. Road alignment traversing cattle crossings ............................................................................................65 3. Project road traversing towns and villages .............................................................................................65 4. Bridge/Culvert Rehabilitation ..................................................................................................................66 B. CONSTRUCTION PHASE .................................................................................................... 66 1. Impacts due to site clearance activities ..................................................................................................66 2. Break up of old pavement layers and asphalt ........................................................................................67 3. Impacts due to Earthworks .....................................................................................................................68