Western Regional Road Corridor Investment Program – Road Sections

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Western Regional Road Corridor Investment Program – Road Sections nd Environmental Impact Assessment (2 Draft) Project Number: 41193 September 2013 MON: Western Regional Roads Corridor Investment Program Tranche 2 Prepared by Ministry of Roads and Transportation for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in August 2013 available on http://www.adb.org/projects/41193-019/documents. This 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. NOTE On 1 August 2013 the draft EIA for Western Regional Roads Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 and 3 was uploaded to the ADB website. Originally, Tranche 2 was planned to be financed in 2013 and Tranche 3 was to be financed in 2014. In August 2013, the project team was informed that in response to the request from the Government of Mongolia, additional funds had been allocated to finance Tranche 3 in 2013. The ADB management decided to combine Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 into a single tranche, Tranche 2. The project team revised the draft EIA (this version of the draft EIA) to reflect that the components previously under Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 will be financed and implemented under a single tranche. There is no change in the findings of the draft EIA. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 24 June 2013) Currency unit – Mongolian Tughrik (MNT) MNT1.00 = $0.0007 $1.00 = MNT1,438 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AP – Affected Person CAREC – Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation CBD – Convention on Biological Diversity CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora COMO – Community Outreach and Monitoring Officers CSC – Construction Supervision Company DOR – Department of Road Policy Implementation and Coordination EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMP – Environmental Management Plan EMS – Environmental Monitoring Specialist GHG – Greenhouse Gas GOM – Government of Mongolia GRM – Grievance Redress Mechanism HSES – Household Social Economic Survey IWRMP – Integrated Water Resource Management Plan MFF – Multitranche Financing Facility MNET – Ministry of Nature, Environment And Tourism MRT – Ministry of Roads and Transportation NO2 – Nitrogen Dioxide PCC – Public Complaints Center PIU – Project Implementation Unit PM – Particulate Matter POP – Persistent Organic Pollutants PRC – People’s Republic of China RCAG – Research Center of Astronomy and Geophysics of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences SE – Supervising Engineer SOx – Sulphur Oxides SO2 – Sulphur Dioxide SPS – ADB Safeguard Policy Statement UNCCD – UN Convention on Combating Desertification UNESCAP – UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFCCC – United National Framework Convention on Climate Change WCS – World Conservation Society WFPF – Water Financing Partnership Facility WHO – World Health Organisation WRRCIP – Western Region Regional Road Corridor Investment Program WRRDP – Western Regional Roads Development Project WWF – World Wildlife Fund WEIGHTS AND MEASURES oC – degree celsius dB – decibel km – kilometer LAeq – Equivalent Continuous Level ‘A weighting’ - ‘A’-weighting = correction by factors that weight sound to correlate with the sensitivity of the human ear to sounds at different frequencies m – meter NOTES In the report, “$” refers to US dollars; aimag - provincial country division; soum – sub-district division; bagh – sub-division of soum; and davaa – a mountain pass. 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 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 2 A. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE .................................................................................... 2 B. KEY FINDINGS ............................................................................................................ 5 C. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION ............................................ 7 D. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ......................................................................... 9 E. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... 11 II. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 12 A. BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................... 12 B. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE .................................................................................. 13 C. ADB AND DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE .............................................. 16 D. STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT ................................................................................... 17 III. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .................................... 19 A. MONGOLIA’S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ...................................................................... 19 B. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS ............................................ 20 C. ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ................................................................................... 24 D. CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY......................................................................................... 25 E. SPECIALLY PROTECTED AREAS ................................................................................. 26 F. MONGOLIA’S OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS ................................. 26 G. STRATEGIC TRANSPORT POLICY ............................................................................... 26 H. INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................................ 28 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ....................................................................... 30 A. JUSTIFICATION AND RATIONALE ................................................................................. 30 B. TRANCHE 2 PROJECT COMPONENTS AND SUBCOMPONENTS ...................................... 31 C. CLIMATE CHANGE .................................................................................................... 39 D. ASSOCIATED FACILITIES ........................................................................................... 41 V. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .............................................................. 45 A. PROJECT AREA OF INFLUENCE .................................................................................. 45 B. GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY ............................................................... 45 C. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE ................................................................................... 51 D. HYDROLOGY, SURFACE WATER QUALITY................................................................... 54 E. LAND USE ................................................................................................................ 58 F. AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................ 60 G. NOISE ..................................................................................................................... 60 H. CLIMATE CHANGE .................................................................................................... 61 I. NATURAL DISASTERS ............................................................................................... 62 J. PHYSICAL CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................ 64 K. ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................ 64 L. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 72 VI. ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 77 A. NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ......................................................................................... 77 B. LOCATION ALTERNATIVES ......................................................................................... 77 C. TECHNOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................... 82 VII. ANTICIPATED IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ................................... 84 A. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SCREENING ....................................................................... 84 B. POSITIVE IMPACT AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ..................................................... 84 C. IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECT LOCATION, PLANNING AND DESIGN ................... 86 D. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND MITIGATION MEASURES DURING CONSTRUCTION .......... 89 E. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND MITIGATION MEASURES DURING OPERATION ................. 98 F. CUMULATIVE AND INDIRECT IMPACTS....................................................................... 100 G. UNANTICIPATED IMPACTS DURING CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION.......................... 101 VIII. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ...................... 102 A. PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS DURING PROJECT PREPARATION........................................ 102 B. PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS DURING
Recommended publications
  • SIS) – 2017 Version
    Information Sheet on EAA Flyway Network Sites Information Sheet on EAA Flyway Network Sites (SIS) – 2017 version Available for download from http://www.eaaflyway.net/about/the-flyway/flyway-site-network/ Categories approved by Second Meeting of the Partners of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership in Beijing, China 13-14 November 2007 - Report (Minutes) Agenda Item 3.13 Notes for compilers: 1. The management body intending to nominate a site for inclusion in the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Site Network is requested to complete a Site Information Sheet. The Site Information Sheet will provide the basic information of the site and detail how the site meets the criteria for inclusion in the Flyway Site Network. When there is a new nomination or an SIS update, the following sections with an asterisk (*), from Questions 1-14 and Question 30, must be filled or updated at least so that it can justify the international importance of the habitat for migratory waterbirds. 2. The Site Information Sheet is based on the Ramsar Information Sheet. If the site proposed for the Flyway Site Network is an existing Ramsar site then the documentation process can be simplified. 3. Once completed, the Site Information Sheet (and accompanying map(s)) should be submitted to the Flyway Partnership Secretariat. Compilers should provide an electronic (MS Word) copy of the Information Sheet and, where possible, digital versions (e.g. shapefile) of all maps. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    [Show full text]
  • Summer School Programs 2018
    SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMS 2018 Khovd State University 1 SUMMER SCHOOL - Naadam festival in Khovd city PROGRAMS 2018 - Sightseeing around Khovd province - Farewell dinner and Certificate presentation ceremony Summer school in Mongolian language, culture and ethnography Credits: Upon successful completion of the course students will earn 4 credits. Duration: 3 weeks Tuition and fees: Summer school fees include all program related expenses: Introduction: Khovd State University, the only state-owned independent uni- tuition fee, in-city transportation, food and accommodation. versity in the western region of Mongolia, hosts Summer School in Mongolian language and culture to provide international students to work together with their The tuition fee for the course is 300 USD and it does NOT include Mongolian colleagues in experience, knowledge, and insights. - International and domestic airfare to and from Ulaanbaatar and Khovd - Students live in a Ger, Mongolian traditional accommodation in a his- torical and beautiful place of Khovd’s outskirts on the bank of Buyant - Stay in Ulaanbaatar river. - Cost associated with passport and other travel documents - From an experienced Mongolian language teacher, the students receive language training and learn more about Mongolia, no prior experience - A visa fee and visa extension fee necessary. - Costs associated with travel after the end of the season and likewise - Students can experience Mongolian culture traditions, religion and no- madic herding lifestyle, the Mongolian major summer holiday “Naad- - Personal expenses such as purchase, entertainment and sightseeing, am” (horse racing, wrestling, archery), production of milk products, insurance, premiums and etc. national song and music. Included: Accommodation, meals, in-city transportation costs during the Pro- - Students have opportunities to travel on their own throughout Mongo- gram in Khovd.
    [Show full text]
  • Technical Assistance Layout with Instructions
    Initial Environmental Examination May 2020 Mongolia: Aimag and Soum Centers Green and Resilient Regional Development Investment Program Prepared by the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (16 May 2020) Currency Unit – Tugrik (MNT) MNT 1.00 = $0.00035 $1.00 = MNT 2,792 ABBREVIATIONS ADB - Asian Development Bank ALAMGaC - Agency for Land Management and Administration, Geodesy, and Cartography - Aimag and Soum Centers Green and Resilient ASDIP Regional Development Investment Program CEMP - contractor environmental management plan DFE - disease free establishment EIA - environmental impact assessment EMP - environment management plan EMR - environmental monitoring report GOM - Government of Mongolia GRM - grievance redress mechanism IEE - initial environment examination MET - Ministry of Environment and Tourism MCUD - Ministry of Construction and Urban Development MOFALI - Ministry of Agriculture and Light Industry NFPUG - National Federation of Pasture User Groups TOSK - provincial housing authority PIU - project implementation unit TRTA - transaction technical assistance REA - rapid environmental assessment RP - resettlement plan SPS - ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) WEIGHTS AND MEASURES km - kilometer square km2 kilometer kg - kilogram ha - hectare m - meter m3 - cubic meter mg - milligram mg/l - milligrams per liter t - metric ton NOTE In this report, "$" refers to US dollars. This initial environmental examination 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. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. 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.
    [Show full text]
  • The Altai Mountains Biodiversity Conservation Strategy
    The Altai Mountains Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Safeguarding the biological diversity and natural ecological processes of the Altai Mountains landscape alongside local livelihoods and economic development Adopted by the Aimag Governments of Uvs, Khovd, Bayan Olgii and Govi Altai To be followed and championed by government, developers, non-governmental organizations and local residents 1 List of Contents 1. Overview...............................................................................................................................4 2. The place and the people.....................................................................................................13 3. Biodiversity and Ecology....................................................................................................22 4. Human impacts and threats to biodiversity.........................................................................29 5. Biodiversity conservation-related policies and programmes..............................................34 6. Objectives and Actions ........................................................................................................53 List of References ....................................................................................................................79 List of some relevant websites.................................................................................................87 Annex 1 Population, Infrastructure and Economy..................................................................89
    [Show full text]
  • Adaptation of Rural Livelihoods to Structural and Climatic Changes in Western Mongolia
    SLE 2020 SLE BERLIN Centre for Rural Development (SLE) Berlin SLE PUBLICATION SERIES - S282 Adaptation of rural livelihoods to structural and climatic changes in Western Mongolia An analysis of the development potentials of horticultural production and tourism as income sources in Khovd and Uvs Province Camilo Vargas Koch, Wiebke Beushausen, Mengina Gilli, Simon Schoening, Lukas Schreiner, Jana Zotschew Income diversification in Western Mongolia Western in Income diversification 2020 ISSN: 1433-4585 ISBN: 978-3-947621-13-2 S282 Adaptation of rural livelihoods to struc- tural and climatic changes in Western Mongolia An analysis of the development potentials of horticultural production and tourism as income sources in Khovd and Uvs Province Seminar für Ländliche Entwicklung | Centre for Rural Development SLE has been offering practice-oriented vocational education and training for fu- ture experts and managers in the field of international development cooperation since 1962. The courses range from Postgraduate Studies to Training Courses for international experts in Berlin to practice-oriented research and Consultancy for Organizations and Universities active in the field of development cooperation. Camilo Vargas Koch Teamleader, Economics (Diploma) E-Mail: [email protected] Wiebke Beushausen M.Sc. Agricultural Science E-Mail: [email protected] Mengina Gilli M.Sc. Geography E-Mail: [email protected] Simon Schoening M.A. East European Studies E-Mail: [email protected] Lukas Schreiner M.Sc. Energy and Environmental
    [Show full text]
  • Integrated Water Resource Management Plan for Khar
    INTRODUCTION LOCATION OF KHAR LAKE-KHOVD ENVIRONMENTAL STATE PROTECTED AREA NETWORK The Mongolian Law on Water was revised in 2004, RIVER BASIN Totally 2011,6 thousand hectare of the basin creating legal and regulatory framework for the establish- KHOVD BUYANT RIVER belongs to the existing Special Protected Area ment of broad based stakeholder representation through BASIN COUNCIL network. For instance, while the protected areas River Basin Council and introduction of Integrated Water Khar lake-Khovd river basin is a sub-basin of the Great Lakes’ Depres- e.g. Khukh Serkh Mountain range Strictly Protected Resource Management (IWRM). sion in Western Mongolia that belongs to the Central Asian internal basin. Khar lake-Khovd river basin is unique not only in Mongolia, but also in Area (SPA), Altai Tavan Bogd, Siilkhem Mountain range, Tsambagarav and Khar-Us lake National The Government of Mongolia pays special attention the world with its high mountains distributed by glaciers and permanent Parks (NP) and Mankhan and Devel Aral Nature to the integrated water resource management practice snow covers, deep and wide canoyns, valleys, forests, forest steppe, steppe, Reserves (NR) are entirely included in the basin, and has commenced some actions. For instance, the gobi and desert regions, a number of rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands in a part (belonging to Munkh-khairkhan soum) of territory of Mongolia was divided into 29 river basins by the western part of the country. Munkh-khairkhan NP and a part (belonging to an order of the Minister for Nature, Environment and Occupied totally 86120.8 sq. km area, the Khar lake-Khovd river basin Bukhmurun soum) of Turgen Mountain SPA and an Tourism in 2009 to introduce IWRM.
    [Show full text]
  • A Contribution to Mayfly Studies of Western Mongolia (Insecta, Ephemeroptera)
    A peer-reviewed open-access journal ZooKeys 638: 105–123A contribution (2016) to mayfly studies of Western Mongolia (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) 105 doi: 10.3897/zookeys.638.10198 RESEARCH ARTICLE http://zookeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research A contribution to mayfly studies of Western Mongolia (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) Bolortsetseg Erdenee1, Alain Maasri1,2, Jon K. Gelhaus1,3, Badamdorj Bayartogtokh4 1 Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, 3201 Arch Street, Suite 240, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA 2 Guest scientist at the Department of Ecosystem Research, Leibniz- Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 301, DE-12587 Berlin, Germany 3 Department of Entomology, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA 4 Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, National Uni- versity of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 210646, Mongolia Corresponding author: Bolortsetseg Erdenee ([email protected]) Academic editor: B. Price | Received 16 August 2016 | Accepted 25 November 2016 | Published 8 December 2016 http://zoobank.org/68524BB8-8B69-4B9E-A3F5-8592F29D2E71 Citation: Erdenee B, Maasri A, Gelhaus JK, Bayartogtokh B (2016) A contribution to mayfly studies of Western Mongolia (Insecta, Ephemeroptera). ZooKeys 638: 105–123. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.638.10198 Abstract Streams in the Mongolian Altai Mountains are mostly fed from glaciers and are extreme conditions for may- flies because of high elevation, low temperatures and low annual precipitation. Previous information about mayflies of Western Mongolia is scarce, but with this study a total of 38 species belonging to 26 genera and subgenera and 8 families of mayflies has been recorded in the Mongolian Altai region.
    [Show full text]
  • The White-Headed Yellow Wagtail Motacilla Flava Leucocephala (Przewalski, 1887): Migration, Movements, and Breeding and Wintering Ranges
    Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia - Research in Ornithology, 91 (1): 3-26, 2021 DOI: 10.4081/rio.2021.456 The White-headed yellow wagtail Motacilla flava leucocephala (Przewalski, 1887): migration, movements, and breeding and wintering ranges Flavio Ferlini¹*, Elena Alexandrovna Artemyeva², Gombobaatar Sundev³ Abstract - The subspecies leucocephala of the western yellow pianeggiante della Repubblica di Tuva (Federazione Russa). La piccola wagtail Motacilla flava is endemic to the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion (Cen- popolazione utilizza due aree disgiunte per lo svernamento: l’Africa tral Asia). The occurrence of leucocephala is associated with saline equatoriale orientale raggiunta attraverso la Great Rift Valley Flyway water bodies and solonchak habitats. Its distribution, especially outside e il subcontinente indiano raggiunto lungo un percorso che aggira ad the breeding season, is still uncertain. The aim of this work is to better ovest la grande cintura di montagne e altipiani dell’Asia centrale. define the breeding range, migratory movements, and the wintering range of this subspecies and provide guidance to distinguish white- Parole chiave: Motacila flava, sottospecie, Asia, Africa, Medio headed intraspecific hybrids from the true leucocephala subspecies. Oriente, subcontinente indiano, nidificazione, svernamento, ibridi. The reproductive range of leucocephala is concentrated near lakes and wetlands in the Great Lakes Depression (north-west Mongolia) and in the flat southern part of the Tuva Republic (Russian Federation). The small population uses two separate areas for wintering: the eastern INTRODUCTION equatorial Africa reached through the Great Rift Valley Flyway and the The wagtails first appeared in the Eastern Palearctic Indian subcontinent reached along a route that bypasses the great belt of mountains and plateaus of central Asia to the west.
    [Show full text]
  • Muskrat Ondatra Zibethicus Population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia
    Russian J. Theriol. 17(1): 32–38 © RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY, 2018 Fifty years after introduction: muskrat Ondatra zibethicus population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia Mogoltsog Otgonbaatar, Setev Shar* & Alexander P. Saveljev ABSTRACT. The first release of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in the ecosystem of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia, commenced in 1967. A total of 415 individuals were introduced into this watershed until the early 1980’s. Subsequently, the distribution of muskrats has expanded exponentially throughout the wetlands of Khar-Us Lake. For example, they are distributed along the Khovd River, the Khovd River mouth, the Dalai Lake and the islands of the Tsagaan River. These habitats are under threat of degradation due to the activities of both humans and domestic animals. The current population of mature muskrats in the Khar-Us Lake is approximately 80,000 individuals. This increased population has had numerous impacts on these ecosystems, suggesting that some measure of control must be established to ensure the population remains sustainable while the ecosystems remain intact. In situations such as this, where an invasive species is inflicting tangible damage to an ecosystem, sustainable harvesting can be necessary for the purpose of regulating their impact. The sustainable hunting of muskrats for their fur is however beneficial to the development of the local economy which in turn strengthens the management plan for the National Park of “Khar-Us Lake”. How to cite this article: Otgonbaatar M., Shar S., Saveljev A.P. 2018. Fifty years after introduction: muskrat Ondatra zibethicus population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia // Russian J.
    [Show full text]
  • Chemical Composition and Quality of Some River of Mongol Altai
    19-22 Chemical composition and quality of some river of Mongol Altai G.Erdenechimeg1, Munguntsetseg2 1School of Pharmacy, HSUM 2Faculty of Chemistry, NUM e-mail:[email protected] ABSTRACT: Main ions and guality of Hovd River and, its subrivers were studied. Keywords: Hovd River, main ions, mineralization INTRODUCTION EXPERIMENTAL he surface water of Mongolia is classified Hydrochemical studies of the water samples were into three groups according to its watershed; done using methods of O.A.Alekin (1973), T Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Continental U.U.Lurie (1971-1947) V.Leite (1975), watershed. The continental watershed involves 68 % L.P.Sokolova (1989), L.A.Reznikov (1970), of the surface area of Mongolia and 40 % of water D.Darimaa (1985), A.Munguntsetseg (2003). We capacity. The system of Khovd River is in Khyargas have taken samples from the points of Khovd river Lake Basin. The system of Khovd River involves 99 and its subrivers, and determined the location of % of surface area of Bayan-Ulgii province, 21.0 % groundwater by JPS until October, 2010. We did of surface area of Khovd province and 21.0 % of chemical composition analysis complex in Barnayl surface area of Uvs province. Khovd river is the Laboratory of water institution in Russia seventh longest and the fifth largest river in Mongolia. Its source is the top glacials of Altai Tavan Bogd Mountains and it flows to Khar-Us Lake. Several other rivers, Tsagaan, Ikh, Uigar, Sogoo, Sagsai, Khatuu, Khavchig, Shijigt, Uliastai, Shurag, Shiver, whose sources are in the glacials of Altai Tavan Bogd mountains flow to Khovd river.
    [Show full text]
  • Draft EIA: Mongolia
    Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Project Number: 41193 July 2011 Mongolia: Western Regional Road Corridor Development Program–Tranche 1 Prepared by SMEC Asia Ltd. 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 preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “Terms of Use” section of this website. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT TA No. 7449-MON: Regional Transport Development Project Western Regional Road Corridor Development Program Bagga – Ulaan – Davaa – Mankhan (103.3km) CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of July 2011) Currency Unit – Mongolian Tugrug (Tg) 100 Tg = $0.072 $100 = 137,500 Tg The exchange rate of the Tg is determined under a floating exchange rate system. In this report, the rate used is the rate prevailing at the above date. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED ADB Asian Development Bank ADT Average Daily Traffic AMa Absolute Maximum AMi Absolute Minimum о С Degrees of Celsius cm Centimeter EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental management Plan GOM Government of Mongolia GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism ha Hectare km Kilometer km/h Kilometers per hour KUNNP Khar-Us Nuur National Park m Meter MESC Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture MFF Multitranche Funding Facility mg/m3 Milligrams per cubic meter MLEIA Mongolian Law on Environmental Impact Assessments MLEP Mongolian Law on Environmental Protection MNET Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism MOF
    [Show full text]
  • Muskrat Ondatra Zibethicus Population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia
    Russian J. Theriol. 17(1): 32–38 © RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY, 2018 Fifty years after introduction: muskrat Ondatra zibethicus population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia Mogoltsog Otgonbaatar, Setev Shar* & Alexander P. Saveljev ABSTRACT. The first release of the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in the ecosystem of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia, commenced in 1967. A total of 415 individuals were introduced into this watershed until the early 1980’s. Subsequently, the distribution of muskrats has expanded exponentially throughout the wetlands of Khar-Us Lake. For example, they are distributed along the Khovd River, the Khovd River mouth, the Dalai Lake and the islands of the Tsagaan River. These habitats are under threat of degradation due to the activities of both humans and domestic animals. The current population of mature muskrats in the Khar-Us Lake is approximately 80,000 individuals. This increased population has had numerous impacts on these ecosystems, suggesting that some measure of control must be established to ensure the population remains sustainable while the ecosystems remain intact. In situations such as this, where an invasive species is inflicting tangible damage to an ecosystem, sustainable harvesting can be necessary for the purpose of regulating their impact. The sustainable hunting of muskrats for their fur is however beneficial to the development of the local economy which in turn strengthens the management plan for the National Park of “Khar-Us Lake”. How to cite this article: Otgonbaatar M., Shar S., Saveljev A.P. 2018. Fifty years after introduction: muskrat Ondatra zibethicus population of Khar-Us Lake, Western Mongolia // Russian J.
    [Show full text]