Environmental Assessment Report Summary Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 40665 July 2008 People’s Republic of China: Songhua River Basin Water Pollution Control and Management Project Prepared by the Heilongjiang and Jilin provincial governments for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) The summary environmental impact assessment 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. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 3 July 2008) Currency Unit – Yuan (CNY) CNY1.00 = $0.1456 $1.00 = CNY6.8666 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank BOD – biological oxygen demand COD – chemical oxygen demand EA – executing agency EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan EMU – environmental management unit EPB – environmental protection bureau ESC – environmental supervision company FYP – five-year plan HEPB – Heilongjiang Environmental Protection Bureau HPG – Heilongjiang provincial government HPMO – Heilongjiang project management office IA – implementing agency IEM – independent environmental monitor JEPB – Jilin Environmental Protection Bureau JPG – Jilin provincial government JPMO – Jilin project management office MEMC – municipal environmental monitoring center MEPB – municipal environmental protection bureau NH3-N – ammonia nitrogen PLG – project leading group PMO – project management office PPMS – project performance management system PPTA – project preparatory technical assistance PRC – People’s Republic of China SEIA – summary environmental impact assessment SEPA – State Environmental Protection Administration SO2 – sulfur dioxide SRB – Songhua River Basin SRBPCMP – Songhua River Basin Pollution Prevention and Control Master Plan (2006–2010) SS – suspended solids SWM – solid waste management TP – total phosphor TSP – total suspended particulates WWTP – wastewater treatment plant WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ‰ – per mill (per thousand) ha – hectare km – kilometer km2 – square kilometer m – meter m2 – square meter m3 – cubic meter m3/a – cubic meters per annum m3/d – cubic meters per day mg/l – milligrams per liter mg/m3 – milligrams per cubic meter mm – millimeter m/s – meters per second mu – unit of land area equal to 1/15 ha or 667 m2 t/a – tons per annum t/d – tons per day NOTE In the report, “$” refers to US dollars. CONTENTS Page MAPS I. INTRODUCTION 1 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 1 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 8 A. Physical Environment 8 B. Ecological Resources 10 C. Water Quality and Pollution 11 D. Socioeconomic Conditions 12 IV. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 14 A. With- and Without-Project Scenarios 14 B. Project Alternatives 15 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND MITIGATION MEASURES 17 A. Sector Impact 17 B. Potential Impact and Mitigation Measures during the Design Phase 18 C. Potential Impact and Mitigation Measures during Construction 19 D. Potential Impact and Mitigation Measures during Operations 21 E. Positive Impact and Environmental Benefits 24 F. Land Acquisition and Resettlement 25 VI. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 25 A. Environmental Protection Investments 25 B. Environmental Benefits 26 VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 26 A. Objectives 26 B. Mitigation Measures 26 C. Implementing Organization and Responsibilities 26 D. Inspection, Monitoring, and Reporting Arrangements 27 E. Feedback and Adjustment Mechanism 28 VIII. PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS AND DISCLOSURE 28 A. Public Consultations Completed So Far 28 B. Future Public Participation Plan 28 IX. CONCLUSION 29 A. Benefits 29 B. Project Risks and Mitigation 29 C. Overall Conclusion 30 D. Follow-up Monitoring and Environmental Management Requirements 30 APPENDIXES 1. Environmental Management Plan (Heilongjiang Component) 2. Environmental Management Plan (Jilin Component) I. INTRODUCTION 1. This summary environmental impact assessment (SEIA) was prepared for the proposed Songhua River Basin Water Pollution Control and Management Project in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), under a project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).1 Covering Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province, which account for 85% of the Songhua River Basin (SRB), the Project comprises two components with 28 subprojects. The Heilongjiang component has 13 subprojects in water supply and wastewater treatment, and the Jilin component has 15 subprojects in wastewater treatment, solid waste management (SWM), and river improvement. Map 1 shows the location of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces in the PRC. Map 2 is a topographic map of the SRB. The locations of the subprojects under the Heilongjiang component are shown in Map 3, and those under the Jilin component are presented in Map 4. 2. The Project is classified as category A by ADB for the purpose of environmental assessment. This SEIA is based on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports in the Chinese language that have been prepared by certified EIA institutes in compliance with the relevant laws, regulations, and guidelines of the PRC. The review and approval authority for the EIA reports, including the environmental management plans (EMPs), is the provincial environmental protection bureau. The PPTA consultants have provided advice to the EIA institutes and the implementing agencies (IAs) in upgrading the domestic EIA reports to fully meet the PRC’s Environmental Impact Assessment Law (2003)2 and relevant regulations, and ADB’s policy requirements as stipulated in its Environment Policy (2002) and Environmental Assessment Guidelines (2003). 3. The SEIA consists of three documents. The main report contains nine chapters covering: (i) the background of the Project, (ii) a description of the Project, (iii) a description of the environmental setting, (iv) an analysis of alternatives, (v) a summary of the anticipated environmental impact and proposed mitigation measures, (vi) an economic assessment, (vii) the environmental management plan, (viii) the results of information disclosure activities and public consultations, and (ix) conclusions. An EMP has been prepared for each of the two components. The EMPs contain detailed discussions of potential impact and mitigation measures, environmental monitoring and inspection, public consultations, implementation responsibilities, reporting and supervision, institutional strengthening and training, environmental protection investment, and mechanism for feedback and adjustment. 4. The Executing Agencies (EAs) for the Project, the Heilongjiang provincial government (HPG) and the Jilin provincial government (JPG), were fully consulted during the preparation of the EIA reports and the SEIA. They were advised that the SEIA is a document prepared for the HPG and JPG for submission to ADB. The HPG and the JPG will therefore be responsible for implementing the public consultation program, the environmental monitoring program, and the EMP in their respective provinces. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 5. Demand for urban infrastructure in the PRC is rising with increasing urbanization, and more than half the population is expected to live in cities by 2030. The Government’s 1 ADB. 2007. Technical Assistance to the People’s Republic of China for the Songhua River Basin Water Pollution Control and Management Project (for $1.3 million, approved on 28 September). Manila. 2 PRC. 2003. PRC Environmental Impact Assessment Law. Beijing. 2 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP) 2006–2010 focuses on continued urbanization and the development of large, medium, and small cities and towns. Rapid urbanization in the PRC has taken a severe toll on the environment, and has also challenged the capacity of local governments to promote good governance, effective planning and management, sustainable financing, and timely delivery of public services. While significant progress has been made in building urban infrastructure over the past two decades, the infrastructure tends to be concentrated in the more highly developed eastern and southern coastal plains. The expansion and upgrading of public services has not kept pace with rapid industrial growth. The rural migration to urban centers now taking place in the inland regions, in response to government policies to promote economic development and job creation in these areas, is putting further strain on urban infrastructure and services. 6. Cities in the north and west and around the SRB are experiencing widespread pollution from the discharge of untreated wastewater and improper management of solid waste. Shortages of safe drinking water are also common, particularly in the northern part of the PRC. The Government has classified more than 108 cities as having serious water problems and 60 as being critically short of water. Municipal wastewater is a major contributor to the pollution of the PRC’s rivers and lakes, with the most severe pollution impact in the northern region of the PRC. Only about 40% of urban wastewater in the PRC is treated, and the rest is discharged untreated into rivers and lakes. Cities and towns in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces must overcome widespread environmental degradation while meeting increasing demand for public services, to ensure that their economic development is sustainable. 7. The SRB is the third-largest river basin in the PRC after the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. It has an area of 557,000 square kilometers (km2) and a population of 62 million. Major cities such as Changchun and Harbin and the PRC’s largest oil fields are located in the SRB. Agriculture is well