Biannual Environmental Monitoring Report
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Environmental Monitoring Report Bi-Annual Report January to June 2015 Loans 2561/2729-ARM Armenia: North–South Road Corridor Investment Program–Tranches 1 and 2 Prepared by the “Organization for Implementation of North–South Road Corridor Investment Program” State Non-Commercial Organization (PIU) based on the monthly Environmental Monitoring Reports of the Project Management Consultant (PMC). This environmental monitoring 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. Table of Contents Part I Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 6 1. Construction Activities and Project Progress During Reporting Period ............................................ 7 1.1 Section 1 Ashtarak-Talin M1 road from Km29+600 to Km 71+500 (41.9 km): ......................... 7 1.2 Section 2 Yerevan-Ararat M2 Road from Km9+312 to Km47+400: ......................................... 8 1.3 Section 3 Yerevan-Ashtarak M1 Road from Km18+370 to Km29+773: ................................... 8 2. Environmental Safeguards Staffing................................................................................................ 8 2.1 PIU External Impact and Resettlement Component ................................................................ 9 2.2 The PMC Environmental Safeguards Unit .............................................................................. 9 2.3 The Contractor’s Environmental Unit .................................................................................... 10 Part II Environmental Management ........................................................................................................ 11 3. Environmental Safeguards Program ............................................................................................ 11 3.1 Compliance with National Safeguards .................................................................................. 11 3.2 Compliance with ADB Safeguards ........................................................................................ 11 3.3 Contractor’s Compliance with the EMP ................................................................................. 11 3.4 Evaluation and Approvals of the Sites for Quarries, Borrow Pits, Excavated Material Dumping, Topsoil Stockpiling and Concrete Batching Plants .......................................................... 12 3.5 ADB Audit Mission ................................................................................................................ 12 3.6 Trainings and awareness raising orientation ......................................................................... 14 3.7 Archaeological Works Program ............................................................................................ 14 3.8 Grievance redress mechanism and Consultations ................................................................ 15 3.9 Communication .................................................................................................................... 17 Part III Environmental Monitoring .................................................................................................... 18 4. Monitoring .................................................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Monitoring of the Compliance with EMP in Section 1. ........................................................... 18 4.2 Monitoring of the Compliance with EMPs in Section 2 and Section 3. ................................... 18 4.3 Instrumented Measurements and Monitoring of Environmental Parameters of Air Quality, Noise and Vibration, Water Quality. ................................................................................................ 19 4.4 PPMS Indicators .................................................................................................................. 19 4.5 Non-compliance Notices ....................................................................................................... 19 5. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................ 20 6. Action plan for the reporting period from July to December 2015: ................................................ 21 A N N E X E S ANNEX A. The Status of Topsoil Stockpiling and Excavated Material Dump Sites in Section 1 ANNEX B Summary Table on Status of Archaeological Excavations ANNEX C Non-Conformances Detected During Monitoring Visits in Reporting Period List of Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank CEMP Contractor’s Environmental Management Plan EMP Environmental Management Plan EIA Environmental Impact Assessment IEE Initial Environmental Examination IES International Environmental Specialist NES National Environmental Specialist PMC Project Management Consultant organization PIU Project Implementation Unit MNP Ministry of Nature Protection MoTC Ministry of Transport and Communications MoC Ministry of Culture SMP Site Management Plan TMP Traffic Management Plan EMR Environmental Monitoring Report Part I Introduction This Bi-annual Environmental Monitoring Report covers the time period between January and June of 2015. The Report was prepared with close cooperation with Project Management and Supervision Consultant (PMC), which is the joint venture of French “Safege” and Spanish “Eptisa” companies for T1 and T2. 1. The RA has selected the Bavra-Yerevan-Agarak route as the north-south road corridor to be rehabilitated, reconstructed and expanded and has appointed the “North-South road Corridor Investment Program PIU” SNCO (“NSRP” PIU SNCO) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) to co-ordinate the work. The Program is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under a multi-tranche funding facility (MFF). 2. The MFF is designed to rehabilitate and upgrade national north-south roads to form a new, upgraded and expanded North-South highway. The main objective is to widen the existing 2-lane roads (often in poor condition) to become 4-lane divided roads along existing alignments wherever possible or to construct new alternate 2-lane roads where a single 4-lane road would not be feasible. 3. Tranche 1 Project is to improve two road sections of the North-South Corridor, namely, the M-1 section of road north from Yerevan to Ashtarak from km 18+370 to km 29+773 (Section 3 in the contract with Contractor) and the M-2 section of road south from Yerevan to Ararat from km 9+312 to km 47+400 (Section 2 in the contract with Contractor). 4. The Tranche 2 Project starts at km 29+600 in Ashtarak and end at km 71+500 close to Talin (Section 1 in the contract with Contractor). Two bypasses will be constructed in Agarak starting at km 29+934 to km 32+600, and in Ujan from km 36+600 to km 40+300. The Project will also have a new road alignment (8.95 kilometres) at Katnagbyur starting from km 59+950 to km 68+900 that will be located on the left side of the existing highway to join the existing alignment in Talin. Figure 1. Tranche1 and Tranche2 of North-South Road Corridor 1. Construction Activities and Project Progress During Reporting Period The construction works in Section 2 and Section 3 were temporarily stopped from January 01 to March 31, 2015, and in Section1 from January 01 to April 301, 2015. Only some works were carried out on Mughni bridge time to time during January 2015 in Section 3. 1.1 Section 1 Ashtarak-Talin M1 road from Km29+600 to Km 71+500 (41.9 km): Construction works were implemented by “Corsan Corviam Construction” S.A. Armenian Branch and its subcontractors “Dental Import” LLC, “Mirada” LLC, and “Nivecotrans” LLC. The following construction activities were implemented in section PK 55+275 – PK65+157 in the reporting period: construction of access ramps, construction on agricultural passes and underpasses, excavation works. All excavated materials were used for construction purposes. During the reporting period no any excavated material was removed to the dumping sites. Safety/ security measures: the construction works through this period include installation of concrete blocks and installation/shifting traffic regulating sings and signals. 1.2 Section 2 Yerevan-Ararat M2 Road from Km9+312 to Km47+400: Construction works were implemented by “Corsan Corviam Construction” S.A. Armenian Branch. The following construction activities were implemented in section PK 9+312 to PK 28+900 in the reporting period: embankment of median of the road, base preparation work, filling of joints, construction of shoulders, underground drainage, outflows and precast drainage, installation of guardrails. Material for base was transported from “AAB Project” LLC approved quarry, material for base was transported from Aramus approved quarry and material for shoulder was transported from “Shen Concern” LLC approved quarry. Safety/ security measures: the construction works through this period include installation of concrete blocks, and traffic regulating signs and signals. 1.3 Section 3 Yerevan-Ashtarak M1 Road from Km18+370 to Km29+773: