Major Change of Batumi Bypass Road Project (GEO 50064) MEMORANDUM ON SAFEGUARDS CLASSIFICATION Brief Project Description L3520-GEO: Batumi Bypass Road Project The initial scope of the project involved only the construction of Batumi Bypass. Upon request of the Government, a new scope under the existing project is proposed, consisting of the Poti–Grigoleti–Kobuleti Bypass and the Bakurtsikhe–Tsnori Road Section, to be funded under the loan savings. A. Batumi Bypass 1. The Project road, bypassing the city of Batumi from the East, is entirely located in Khelvachauri District (see Figure 1 for the alignment and location of tunnels and bridges). The design alignment goes through the villages of Makhinjauri, Gantiadi, Kapreshumi, Salibauri, Peria, and Makhvilauri. Passing through the above villages, the design alignment crosses complex landscape of multiple ravines, streams, rivers, hills and hillsides. Thirteen kilometer of road, five tunnels, 15 bridges and four interchanges are planned along the Project alignment. Commencement date of the contract is 2017 and the expected time to complete the construction works is 2020. 2. The Project passes through a rolling and hilly terrain with elevations ranging from 20 to 197 m on the alignment. Nearly two-third of the Study Area is covered with vegetation whereas the remaining is anthropogenic in nature. B. Poti–Grigoleti–Kobuleti Bypass 3. The Poti–Grigoleti-Kobuleti bypass section is part of the E-60 and E-70 highways and the larger East-West road corridor in Georgia, which is an integral part of one of the six key CAREC corridors (Corridor 2) providing the shortest transit link to connect Central Asia with Europe and East Asia. The Project is located along the Black Sea coastal area within the Sanegrelo–Zemo Svaneti Region and on the border between Khobi Municipality and the Poti administrative center (Figure 2). 4. The 2.5 km road Project consists of a 2-lane (one lane in each direction) multi-span bridge over the Rioni River and its connection with the existing highway on both sides of the river. The starting point is located on the E-60 highway to Senaki at the right riverbank of Rioni River in the northern outskirts of the city of Poti. The new section of highway will pass next to a residential area (Patara Poti Village) using the same alignment and parallel to the existing railway bridge over the river. A small section (approximately 1 km) of an existing secondary road, which runs to the Kulevi Oil Terminal from Patara Poti and parallel to the river, will also be upgraded with a modified alignment to accommodate the new bridge and road approaches. 5. There are two protected sites in the vicinity of the Project: Kolkheti National Park and the Wetlands of Central Kolkheti Ramsar Site. These two sites cover the same geographic area and have the same IUCN Management Category (II). This area is also being proposed as an Area of Special Conservation Interest (or “Emerald Site”) by the national government under the Bern Convention. The internationally recognized Kolkheti Important Bird Area (also de facto a Key Biodiversity Area) also occurs within the Project area. The closest distance between the protected area and the new alignment is around 200m. An amendment bill to the Georgian Law on the “Establishment and Management of the Kolkheti Protected Areas” has been developed which extends the area of Kolkheti National Park and creates a new protected area called the Rioni Managed Reserve in Samtredia Municipality. The extent of the proposed expansion is unknown at this time. 6. One of the primary concerns for the Project is the presence of the sturgeon species in Rioni River, which are considered among the most threatened group of animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In order to protect biodiversity and support Major Change of Batumi Bypass Road Project (GEO 50064) sustainable management of living natural resources in the Project area and beyond, various alternatives (e.g., detention basins, incorporated storage within the superstructure, and tanks and vaults) were considered to protect water quality in the Rioni River during construction and operation of the Project. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been prepared to assess potential impacts of the Project, especially on the identified sensitive receptors of the Project. A Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) has also been developed to demonstrate Project compliance with ADB biodiversity safeguards (ADB SPS 2009). C. Bakurtsikhe–Tsnori Road Section 7. The Bakurtsikhe–Tsnori road section is expected to be designed and built in Alazani lowland along the new alignment bypassing the settled areas along the existing road (Figure 3). The new road section will branch from the Bakurtsikhe–Gurjaani bypass road, which is presently under construction, at approximately km 1.8. The road continues north-east crossing an irrigation canal and then turning right to run parallel to the canal in a south-easterly direction before connection with the S-5 Tbilisi–Lagodedekhi. The length of the new road is approximately 16 km, starting at km 0+600 and ending at km 16+809. The road is located within Gurjaani Municipality (Bakurtsikhe) and Sighnaghi Municipality (Tsnori). The Project area is sparsely populated, highly agricultural, characterized as heavily anthropogenically modified. 8. To provide adequate access to the villages being bypassed, a diamond interchange is planned. The secondary road where the new interchange will connect will be rehabilitated/paved. The length of the secondary road is approximately 1,100 m and the paved carriageway width will be 6 m with 0.50 m gravel shoulder on both sides. While final designs of the secondary road still need to be developed by the design build Contractor, the upgraded road will stay within the exiting right-of-way (ROW). The secondary road currently connects the village of Vakiri to a service road running parallel to the agriculture channel and the proposed road. The secondary road is now being utilized by local residents and farmers and the numbers of vehicles is very low. Since the secondary road will be the only connection along the new road between Bakurtsikhe and Tsnori, the number of users is expected to increase. D. Overall Project Impacts and Proposed Categorization 9. The proposed road project is expected to have significant environmental impacts, specifically during construction phase. During construction, potential impacts will include soil erosion, generation of fugitive dust and air emissions, generation of noise and vibration, water quality degradation and loss of natural habitat and impacts to aquatic ecology and fauna, road access restrictions and traffic disturbance, land and water contamination due to accidental release of hazardous substances; and increased human health and safety hazards. 10. During operation, while the project will improve access of the community to education, social, health, and community services, impacts may be expected due to increased noise levels, air pollution, and potential induced impacts. 11. For Environment, Batumi Bypass and Poti–Grigoleti–Kobuleti Bypass are considered as Category A, while Bakurtsikhe–Tsinori Road is considered as Category B. The overall project, due to its scale and likely impacts is proposed as environment category A. Environmental impact assessments (EIA) have been prepared for both Batumi Bypass and Poti–Grigoleti Kobuleti Bypass, while an Initial Environmental Examination will be prepared for Bakurtsikhe–Tsinori Road. 12. For Involuntary Resettlement (IR), Batumi Bypass and Bakurtsikhe–Tsinori Road sections involve significant land acquisition and resettlement and are considered as Category A, while Poti–Grigoleti– Kobuleti Bypass is considered as Category B. The overall project is categorized as A for IR. All sections are considered Category C for indigenous people (IP). Figure 1: Batumi Bypass Road Figure 2. Poti-Grigoleti-Kobuleti Bypass Figure 3. Bakurtshikhe-Tsinori Road Section ENVIRONMENT CATEGORIZATION Date: 13 June 2019 A. Instructions (i) The project team completes and submits the form to the Environment and Safeguards Division (RSES) for endorsement by RSES Director, and for , approval by the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). OM F1/OP on Safeguard .. Revrew Procedures (paras. 4-7) provides the requirements on enwonment i I categonzaUon. (ii) The classification of a project is a continuing process.lfthere is a change in the project components or/and site that may result in category change, ihe Sector Division submits a new form and requests for recategorization, and endorsement by RSES Director and by the CCO. The old form is attached for reference. (iii) In addition, the prolect team may propose in the comments section that the project is highly complex and sensitive (HCS), for approval by the CCO. HCS projects are a subset of category A prolects that ADB deems to be highly risky or contentious or involve serious and multidimensional and generally interrelated potential social and/or enwonmental impacts. B. Project Data Country/Project No./Project Title : L3520- GEO: Batumi Bypass Road Project (Poti Bridge) Department/ Division : CWTC Processing Stage Modality : Project Loan (Scope Change) [ x ] Project Loan [ ] Program Loan [ ] Financial Intermediary [ ] General Corporate Finance [ [ ] Sector Loan [ ] MFF [ ] EmergencyAssistance [ ] Grant [ [ ] Other financing modalities: C. Environment Category (please tick one category based on the set of criteria in (paras. 6- 7)) [ [ X ] New [ ] Recategorization - Previous Category [ ] [ XC ategory A j € Category B ---:,--- € Category C :, € Category Fl D. Basis for Categorization/ Recategorization (please. attach supporting documents): [x ] REA Checklist [ x ] Project and/or Site Description [ ] Other: E. Comments Project Team Comments SDES Comments The proposed Project component comprises of a 2.5 km road secUon (Lot 2, Stage 1) in Poti- Grigoleti. The road pro3ect will be a 2-lane (one lane in each direcUon) mulU- span bridge of 500 m over the Rioni River and its connection (aprox 1 km access road each side) with the existing highway on both sides of the river.