Environmental Assessment Report Project Number: 42383-023 April 2015 PRC: Shanxi Small Cities And Towns Development Demonstration Project – Initial Environmental Examination for Lingshi Education Facilities Improvement and Capacity Building Component Prepared by the Government of the Shanxi Province for the Asian Development Bank This Initial Environmental Examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB’s Board of Director, 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. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (As of 3 April 2015) Currency Unit – Yuan (CNY) CNY 1.00 = $ 0.16 $ 1.00 = CNY 6.20 ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AP – Affected Person LCG – Lingshi county Government COD – Chemical Oxygen Demand EA – Executing Agency EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment EMC – Environment Monitoring Center EMP – Environmental Management Plan EPB – Environmental Protection Bureau FSR – Feasibility Study Report FYP – Five-Year Plan GDP – Gross Domestic Product GRM – Grievance Redress Mechanism IA – Implementing Agency IEE – Initial Environmental Examination LIEC Loan Implementation Environmental – Consultant LIC – Loan Implementation Consultant MEP – Ministry of Environmental Protection NH 3-N – Ammonia Nitrogen NO x – Nitrogen Oxide PCC – Public compliant center O&M – Operation and Maintenance PMO – Project Management Office PPTA – Project Preparatory Technical Assistance PRC – People’s Republic of China SEIA – Summary Environmental Impact Assessment SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement I WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ‰ – pe r mill (per thousand) ha – hectare kg/d – kilogram per day km – Kilometer km2 – square kilometer m – meter m2 – square meter m3 – cubic meter m3/d – cubic meters per day m3/s – cubic meters per second mg/m3 – milligrams per cubic meter mm – m illimeter mu – unit of land area equal to 1/15 ha or 667 m2 NOTE In the report, “$” refers to US dollars. Disclaimer: 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. II Table of Contents CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS ABBREVIATIONS WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES Page (Draft Cover) 1 Table of Contents III I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 1. Introduction 10 2. Background 10 3. Rationales 10 4. Component Impact, Outcome, and Outputs 11 4. Environmental Categorization and Environmental Due Diligence 12 5. Environmental Impacts and Environmental Management Plan 12 6. Main environmental Risks and Assurances 13 7. Conclusions 13 II. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 14 1. Legislative Framework in the People’s Republic of China 14 2. International Agreements 15 3. Design codes for civil works 15 4. Assessment Categories 16 5. Scope of Assessment and Evaluation Standards for This Component 17 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPONENT 20 1. Background Of The Whole ADB Project 20 2. Justification and Rationale for the Component 20 3. Proposed Components and Subcomponents 21 4. Implementation Schedule 24 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 25 1. Physical Environment 25 2. Baseline of Environmental Quality 31 3. Ecological Resources 32 4. Socioeconomic Conditions 33 V. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 34 1. Introduction 34 2. Screening of Potential Impacts, Sensitive Receptors 34 3. Impacts of Kindergarten Building Facade Design On Jingsheng Ancient Town Protection 37 4. Potential Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures during Construction 37 5. Environmental Impact and Mitigation Measures during Operation 42 VI. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 45 1. Environmental Considerations 45 2. Alternatives Related to the Proposed Water Supply Improvement Component 45 VI. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 47 III 1. Legislative Framework for Public Consultation 47 2. Information Disclosure 47 3. Consultation 48 4. Future Public Consultation and Information Disclosure 50 VII. GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 51 1. Proposed Mechanism 51 2. Types of Grievances Expected and Eligibility Assessment 51 3. GRM Procedure and Timeframe 51 VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 54 IX. ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT 55 X. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 56 1. Environmental Impact Assessment Results 56 2. Risks and Assurances 56 3. Conclusion 57 APPEDIX: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN A-2 A. Introduction A-2 B. Summary of Potential Impact A-2 C. Mitigation Measures A-2 D. Environmental Monitoring A-11 E. Public Consultation A-13 F. Responsibilities and Authorities A-14 G. Reporting and Supervision A-17 H. Work Plan A-18 I. Procurement Plan and Cost Estimates A-18 J. Mechanisms for Feedback and Adjustment A-18 IV LIST OF TABLES Page Table II- 1: Applicable Environmental Laws of the PRC .....................................................14 Table II- 2 Applicable Environmental Guidelines ................................................................14 Table II- 3: Applicable Environmental Standards ................................................................15 Table II- 4 Key Design Codes And Technical Standards Applicable To The Project ...........16 Table II- 5: Environmental Impact Registration Forms (EIRFs) Approval Status ................16 Table II- 6 : Ambient Air Quality Grade II Standard ............................................................17 Table II- 7 Acoustic Ambient Quality Standards (Equivalent Sound Level: LAeq: dB) ........18 Table II- 8 Surface Water Ambient Quality Standards (Unit: mg/L) .....................................18 Table II- 9: Construction Site Noise Limit (Unit: Leq[dB(A)]) ...............................................18 Table II- 10: Vertical (Z) Vibration Standard Value for Various Urban Areas (Unit: Leq[dB(A)] ...................................................................................................................................19 Table III- 1 Characteristics of All Subcomponents ..............................................................21 Table III- 2: Civil works on the proposed Component .........................................................22 Table III- 3 Associated Facilities .........................................................................................23 Table III- 4 Major Equipment List of kindergarten facilities .................................................24 Table IV- 1: Annual average Air Quality in Lingshi County in 2012 and 2013 Unit: mg/m3 .32 Table IV- 2 Land Acquisition Status of All Subcomponents ...............................................32 Table V- 1: Screening of Environmental Impacts ................................................................35 Table V- 2: Sensitive Receptors within Project Area of Influence .......................................36 Table V- 3: Predictive noises of construction machinery with various distances (Unit: dB(A)) ...................................................................................................................................40 Table V- 4 : Main Emissions and Proposed Abatement Measures .....................................42 Table VI- 1 Comparisons of Technical Alternatives ............................................................45 Table VII- 1 Information Disclosure ....................................................................................47 Table A. 1: Summary of Potential Impact and Mitigation Measures .................................. A-4 Table A. 2: Environmental Monitoring Program .............................................................. A-12 Table A. 3: Public Consultation Plan .............................................................................. A-13 Table A. 4: Environmental Responsibilities .................................................................... A-14 Table A. 5: Institutional Strengthening and Training at the Component Level ................. A-16 V LIST OF FIGUR Page Figure 1 Map of Lingshi’s Location in Shanxi Province .................................................. VII Figure 2 Locations of All Involved Kindergartens In The Component .............................. VIII Figure 3 Locations of All Kindergartens Involved Civil Works In The Component ............. IX Figure IV- 1 Current Status of The 1st Kindergarten ...........................................................26 Figure IV- 2 Designed Jinjie Kindergarten ..........................................................................27 Figure IV- 3 Current Status of Jinjie Kindergarten ..............................................................27 Figure IV- 4 Designed Jiguang kindergarten ......................................................................27 Figure IV- 5 Current Status of Jiguang kindergarten ..........................................................28 Figure IV- 6 Designed Yinfang kindergarten .......................................................................28 Figure IV- 7 Current Status of Yinfang kindergarten ...........................................................29 Figure IV- 8 Designed Suxi kindergarten ............................................................................29 Figure