Of the Proposed Equiano Nigeria Submarine Cable Project in Lagos State, Nigeria
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA1) OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA (DRAFT REPORT) SUBMITTED TO THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT OCTOBER 2020 1 It is noted that the Nigerian legislation refers to EIA and not ESIA. However, if references are made to the FMEnv procedure, acronym EIA is used while the acronym ESIA is used if references are made to the proposed project’s broader approach. ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT DRAFT ESIA REPORT OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA PREPARED BY BLUEDOT ASSOCIATES LTD / ENVIRONMENTAL ACCORD LTD ON BEHALF OF WIOCC NIGERIA LIMITED / ALCATEL SUBMARINE NETWORKS WIOCC/ASN ii ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page i Table of Contents iii List of Tables viii List of Figures x List of Plates xii Lists of Acronyms and Abbreviations xiii List of ESIA Preparers xviii Executive Summary xix Acknowledgement xxxii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Information 1-2 1.2 Project Proponent 1-4 1.3 Objectives of the ESIA Study 1-5 1.4 Scope of the ESIA 1-5 1.5 ESIA Terms of Reference 1-6 1.6 ESIA Process 1-6 1.7 Legal and Administrative Framework 1-8 1.7.1 National Policy, Guidelines and Regulations 1-8 1.7.2 State Laws on Environmental Protection 1-15 1.7.3 Local Government Laws on Environmental Protection 1-17 1.7.4 International Conventions, Guidelines and Standards 1-17 1.8 Report Structure 1-25 CHAPTER TWO: PROJECT JUSTIFICATION 2.1 Need for the Project 2-2 2.2 Project Benefits 2-2 2.3 Value of the Project 2-3 2.4 Envisaged Sustainability 2-3 2.4.1 Technical Sustainability 2-3 2.4.2 Environmental Sustainability 2-4 2.4.3 Economic Sustainability 2-5 2.4.4 Social Sustainability 2-5 2.5 Project Alternatives 2-5 2.5.1 Technology Alternatives 2-6 2.5.2 Route Alternatives 2-6 2.5.3 Landing Site Alternatives 2-7 2.6 Project Development Options 2-9 WIOCC/ASN iii ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT 2.6.1 No Project Option 2-9 2.6.2 Delayed Option 2-9 2.6.3 Go-ahead Option 2-9 CHAPTER THREE: PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3.1 Project Location 3-2 3.1.1 Cable Route 3-2 3.1.2 Landing Site 3-2 3.1.3 BMH Location 3-5 3.2 Telecommunication Cable Components 3-6 3.2.1 Marine System Components 3-7 3.2.2 Associated Terrestrial System Components 3-12 3.3 Project Activities for Marine System Components 3-13 3.3.1 Planning and Pre-Installation 3-13 3.3.2 Cable Installation 3-16 3.3.3 Operation Phase 3-24 3.3.4 Cable Deactivation / Decommissioning 3-25 3.4 Personnel Requirements 3-25 3.5 Waste Generation and Management 3-25 3.6 Project Schedule 3-27 CHAPTER FOUR: DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 4.1 Introduction 4-2 4.2 Study Area Boundaries and Areas of Influence 4-2 4.2.1 Marine Biodiversity 4-3 4.2.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity 4-5 4.2.3 Marine Water and Sediment Quality 4-6 4.2.4 Air Quality and Noise 4-7 4.2.5 Socio-economic 4-8 4.3 Baseline Data Gathering Approach 4-9 4.3.1 Secondary Data 4-9 4.3.2 Consultation 4-9 4.3.3 Field Survey 4-9 4.4 Physical Environment 4-10 4.4.1 Climate 4-10 4.4.2 Air Quality and Noise 4-13 4.4.3 Hydrogeology and Soils 4-16 4.4.4 Oceanography 4-18 4.4.5 Coastal Geomorphology 4-19 4.4.6 Bathymetry and Seabed Type 4-20 4.4.7 Marine Water and Sediment Quality 4-24 WIOCC/ASN iv ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT 4.5 Biological Environment 4-28 4.5.1 Legally Protected and Internationally Recognized Area 4-28 4.5.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity 4-28 4.5.3 Marine Biodiversity 4-30 4.6 Socio-economic Environment and Health 4-62 4.6.1 Stakeholder Engagement 4-62 4.6.2 Socio-economic characteristics of the Marine Environment 4-73 4.6.3 Socio-economic characteristics of the Terrestrial Environment 4-78 CHAPTER FIVE: POTENTIAL AND ASSOCIATED IMPACTS 5.1 Introduction 5-2 5.1.1 Overview of the Impact Assessment Process 5-3 5.1.2 Impact Prediction Methodology 5-5 5.2 Impact Assessment Methodology for Planned Events 5-6 5.2.1 Impact Identification and Characterization 5-6 5.2.2 Determining Impact Magnitude 5-15 5.2.3 Determining Receptor Sensitivity 5-19 5.2.4 Assessing Impact Significance 5-21 5.3 Assessing Significance of Risks for Accidental/Unplanned Events 5-22 5.3.1 Probability 5-22 5.3.2 Consequence 5-23 5.4 Impact Evaluation and Description (under Planned Events) 5-23 5.4.1 Intertidal and Subtidal Geomorphology 5-26 5.4.2 Marine Water and Sediment/Soil Quality 5-29 5.4.3 Marine Biodiversity 5-34 5.4.4 Terrestrial Biodiversity 5-54 5.4.5 Climate, Air Quality and Noise 5-55 5.4.6 Socio-economic Environment 5-58 5.4.7 Waste Generation 5-64 5.5 Impact Evaluation and Description (under Unplanned Events) 5-66 5.5.1 Accidental Release of Solid Wastes 5-66 5.5.2 Dropped Objects 5-67 5.5.3 Ship strikes 5-67 5.5.4 Hydrocarbon, Chemicals and Other Liquid Waste 5-68 5.5.5 Damaged Fuel Tank Associated with Vessel Collision 5-69 5.6 Associated Impacts 5-70 5.6.1 Construction Phase 5-70 5.6.2 Operation Phase 5-72 WIOCC/ASN v ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT 5.7 Cumulative Impacts 5-73 5.7.1 Introduction 5-73 5.7.2 Increase in GHG emissions 5-74 5.7.3 Increase in noise generation 5-74 5.7.4 Disturbance to Benthic communities 5-74 5.7.5 Deterioration of Marine Water Quality 5-75 5.7.6 Impact on Fisheries 5-75 CHAPTER SIX: MITIGATION MEASURES 6.1 Introduction 6-2 6.2 Mitigation Hierarchy (MH) 6-2 6.3 Mitigation Measures (Planned Events) 6-3 6.3.1 Intertidal and Subtidal Geomorphology 6-3 6.3.2 Water and Sediment/Soil Quality 6-4 6.3.3 Marine Biodiversity 6-6 6.3.4 Terrestrial Biodiversity 6-14 6.3.5 Climate 6-15 6.3.6 Air Quality 6-15 6.3.7 Ambient Noise and Vibration 6-16 6.3.8 Fishing and Fisheries 6-16 6.3.9 Offshore Oil and Gas Concessions 6-17 6.3.10 Landscape and Aesthetics 6-17 6.3.11 Recreation 6-18 6.3.12 Marine Navigation 6-18 6.3.13 Terrestrial Traffic 6-19 6.3.14 Occupational Health & Safety 6-19 6.3.15 Community Health and Safety 6-20 6.3.16 Waste Generation 6-20 6.4 Residual Impacts (Planned Events) 6-21 6.5 Mitigation Measures for the Identified Project Risks and Hazards Due to Unplanned Events 6-28 6.5.1 Accidental Release of Solid Wastes 6-28 6.5.2 Dropped Objects 6-28 6.5.3 Ship Strikes 6-28 6.5.4 Hydrocarbon, Chemicals and Other Liquid Waste 6-29 6.5.5 Damaged Fuel Tank Associated with Vessel Collision 6-30 6.6 Residual Impacts for the Identified Project Risks and Hazards Due to Unplanned Events 6-30 CHAPTER SEVEN: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 7.1 Introduction 7-2 WIOCC/ASN vi ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT 7.2 Objectives of the ESMP 7-2 7.3 Environmental and Social Management Organisation 7-3 7.3.1 Roles and Responsibilities 7-3 7.3.2 Awareness, Training, and Capacity Building 7-4 7.3.3 Communication 7-4 7.3.4 Documentation 7-5 7.3.5 Operational Control Procedures 7-5 7.3.6 Emergency Preparedness and Response 7-5 7.3.7 Managing Changes to Project Activities 7-5 7.4 Environmental and Social Management Measures 7-6 7.4.1 Planned Events 7-6 7.4.2 Unplanned Events 7-44 CHAPTER EIGHT: REMEDIATION PLAN AFTER DECOMMISSIONING / CLOSURE 8.1 Need for Decommissioning Assessment 8-2 CHAPTER NINE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION 9.1 Conclusions 9-2 9.2 Recommendations 9-3 REFERENCES APPENDICES WIOCC/ASN vii ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Cable Types to be used for the proposed Project 3-8 Table 3.2: Approximate Duration of Marine Cable Installation Activities 3-27 Table 4.1: Sources of Impacts and AoIs for Marine Biodiversity 4-5 Table 4.2: Sources of Impacts and AoIs for Marine Water and Sediment Quality 4-7 Table 4.3: Sources of Impacts and AoIs for Air Emissions and Noise 4-7 Table 4.4: Sources of Impacts and AoIs for Socio-economic 4-8 Table 4.5: Ambient Air Quality Standards 4-14 Table 4.6: Noise Exposure Limits for Nigeria 4-15 Table 4.7: World Bank Noise Level Guidelines 4-15 Table 4.8: Summary of seabed and sediment features of the cable route to BU GNQ 4-22 Table 4.9: Parameters and Default Trigger Values of Physical and Chemical Stressors for Slightly Disturbed Ecosystems 4-25 Table 4.10: Canadian Interim Marine Sediment Quality Guidelines 4-27 Table 4.11: Selected Recommended Sediment Quality Guidelines by ANZECC 4-27 Table 4.12: Dominant plant species observed in the immediate surroundings of the cable landing site, including areas dune vegetation areas 4-30 Table 4.13: List of confirmed and potentially present cetacean species in Nigeria 4-49 Table 4.14: Dive profiles of marine mammals possibly present in Nigerian waters 4-54 Table 4.15: Marine fishes and shellfish recorded in Nigerian Waters 4-56 Table 4.16: Summary of the process and stages of consultation for the ESIA 4-63 Table 4.17: Initial Scoping Consultation Findings 4-66 Table 4.18: Key Socioeconomic indicators for Nigeria 4-82 Table 4.19: Key traditional festivals in Ikate-Elegushi community and the celebration period 4-85 Table 5.1: Summary of Project Activities Included in the Assessment 5-8 Table 5.2: Resource/Receptors and Impacts Indicators Considered in the AoI 5-8 WIOCC/ASN viii ESIA OF THE PROPOSED EQUIANO NIGERIA SUBMARINE CABLE PROJECT IN LAGOS, NIGERIA DRAFT REPORT Table 5.3: Impacts Scoped out of the Impact Assessment 5-10 Table 5.4: Activity-Receptor Interaction