Environmental Assessment Report Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 41122 August 2009 Georgia: Subregional Road Corridors Development Program Prepared by Engconsult Ltd., Canada for Asian Development Bank. The 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 The views expressed herein are those of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s preliminary in nature. members, Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 7 August 2009) Currency Unit – lari (GEL) GEL1.00 = $0.5967 $1.00 = GEL1.6753 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AADT – annual average daily traffic BOD – biological oxygen demand CH4 – methane CO – carbon monoxide COD – chemical oxygen demand CSC – construction supervision consultant CSCES – construction supervision environmental specialist DDC – detailed design consultant DO – dissolved oxygen EE – ecological expert EEC – ecological expert conclusion EHSM – environment, health, and safety manager EIA – environmental impact assessment EIP – environmental impact permit EIRR – economic internal rate of return EMP – environmental management plan ESMU – environmental and social management unit FAO – Food and Agriculture Association FHWA – Federal Highway Administration GHG – greenhouse gas GOG – Government of Georgia IPCC – intergovernmental panel on climate change KIMS – Institute of Raw Materials of Caucasus KNR – Kobuleti Nature Reserve KNP – Kolkheti National Park MRDI – Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure MM – man-month MFF – multitranche financing facility MOEPNR – Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources N2O – nitrous oxide NGO – nongovernment organization NMVOC – Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection NO2 – nitrogen dioxide NOx – nitrogen oxide OC – organic carbon OM – operations manual The views expressedPb herein –are thoselead of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s PM – particulate matter members, BoardPMU of Directors,– Management,project management or staff, and unitmay be preliminary in nature. RAMSAR – Ramsar Convention on Wetlands RD – Roads Department RoW – right-of-way SEIA – summary environmental impact assessment SO2 – sulfur dioxide STD – sexually transmitted disease TA – technical assistance TN – total nitrogen TP – polyphosphate TNM – traffic noise model TPH – total petroleum hydrocarbon TSP – total suspended particles NOTE In this report, “$” refers to US dollars. 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 ofThe any views territory expressed or area. herein are those of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s members, Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................1 A. Project Background...........................................................................................................1 1. Purpose of this Environmental Assessment.................................................................. 1 2. Project Components...................................................................................................... 2 3. Stage of Project Preparation ......................................................................................... 2 4. Extent of EIA Study ....................................................................................................... 2 B. Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework.........................................................................2 1. Government Environmental Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines in Georgia................. 2 (f) ADB Environmental Requirements.............................................................................. 12 (g) Environmental Screening of the Proposed Project Road ............................................ 14 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .................................................................................... 14 A. Overview .........................................................................................................................14 B. Type of Project ................................................................................................................14 C. Need for Project ..............................................................................................................15 D. Location...........................................................................................................................15 E. Size or Magnitude of Operation ......................................................................................16 F. Traffic Volume .................................................................................................................17 G. Proposed Schedule for Implementation ..........................................................................18 H. Detail of the Project.........................................................................................................18 I. General Environmental Profile of the Project Roads.......................................................19 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 21 A. Physical Resources.........................................................................................................21 1. Surface Water Resources ........................................................................................... 27 2. Quarries and Borrow Pits ............................................................................................ 29 3. Groundwater Resources............................................................................................. 30 B. Ecological Resources......................................................................................................30 1. Ispani Mire................................................................................................................... 30 2. Flora ............................................................................................................................ 33 3. Fauna .......................................................................................................................... 35 4. Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Biology ............................................................................ 37 5. Other Protected Areas Near the Project Areas ........................................................... 37 C. Environmental Quality.....................................................................................................40 1. Water Quality...............................................................................................................40 2. Noise Quality................................................................................................................. 2 3. Air Quality...................................................................................................................... 7 4. Soil Quality.................................................................................................................... 9 D. Economic Development in Project Area..........................................................................11 1. Industries and Infrastructure........................................................................................ 11 2. Transportation ............................................................................................................. 12 3. Landuse....................................................................................................................... 13 4. Mineral Resources...................................................................................................... 13 5. Tourism ....................................................................................................................... 14 E. Social and Cultural Resources........................................................................................15 1. Population and Communities ...................................................................................... 15 The views2. Socioeconomicexpressed herein Conditions.......................................................................................... are those of the consultant and do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s 15 members,3. LandBoard Acquisitionof Directors, and Management, Resettlement............................................................................. or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. 16 4. Cultural Resources and Archaeological Sites ............................................................. 16 IV. ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................. 17 A. Overview .........................................................................................................................17 B. ‘Without Project’ Alternative ............................................................................................17 C. Alternate Alignments.......................................................................................................17