Devoll Hydropower Project Engineering Services - Development Phase ESIA Final Report Executive Summary Executive Summary Page ES-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ES1.1 Background and Purpose .......................................................................................................... 4 ES1.1.1 Devoll Hydropower .................................................................................................................. 4 ES1.1.2 EIA/ESIA Requirements, Environmental Declaration and Report User Guide ....................... 5 ES1.2 Environmental Legislation and Policy ...................................................................................... 8 ES1.3 Basin Development Alternatives in Context of Concession Agreement .................................. 8 ES1.3.1 Concession Agreement ............................................................................................................. 8 ES1.3.2 Initial Analysis of Alternatives ................................................................................................. 9 ES1.3.3 Selected Alternatives in Feasibility Studies and Revised Impacts ......................................... 11 ES1.4 Description of Project ............................................................................................................. 13 ES1.4.1 Upper Basin Development - HPP Moglicë ............................................................................. 13 ES1.4.2 Middle Basin Development - HPP Kokël ............................................................................... 13 Kokël Dam and Reservoir ...................................................................................................... 13 HPP Kokël .............................................................................................................................. 13 ES1.4.3 Lower Basin Development - HPP Banja ................................................................................ 13 Design Concept ....................................................................................................................... 13 ES1.4.4 Roads ...................................................................................................................................... 16 ES1.4.5 Transmission Lines ................................................................................................................. 16 ES1.5 Baseline Conditions within the Concession Area ................................................................... 17 ES1.5.1 Physical Baseline .................................................................................................................... 17 ES1.5.2 Biological Baseline ................................................................................................................. 19 Fish and Aquatic Ecosystems ................................................................................................. 19 Terrestrial Fauna ..................................................................................................................... 20 Flora ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Nature Protection .................................................................................................................... 21 ES1.6 Social Baseline ....................................................................................................................... 22 ES1.6.1 Approach ................................................................................................................................ 22 ES1.6.2 National Context - Demographic Profile ................................................................................ 23 ES1.6.3 Lower Devoll - Banja Dam..................................................................................................... 23 Lower Devoll - Direct Project Affected Area ......................................................................... 24 ES1.6.4 Middle Devoll - Kokël Dam ................................................................................................... 25 ES1.6.5 Upper Devoll - Moglicë Dam ................................................................................................. 27 ES1.6.6 Transmission Line .................................................................................................................. 28 ES1.7 Impact Predictions .................................................................................................................. 29 ES1.7.1 Methodologies for Impact Assessment ................................................................................... 29 ES1.7.2 Physical and Biological Impacts ............................................................................................. 30 ES1.7.3 Summary Matrices of Physical and Biological Impacts ......................................................... 30 ES1.7.4 Environmental Impacts along Transmission Line .................................................................. 33 ES1.7.5 Social Impacts ......................................................................................................................... 33 ES1.7.6 Summary of Most Significant Perceived Social Impacts (Negative and Positive) ................. 35 Negative Impacts .................................................................................................................... 35 Positive Impacts ...................................................................................................................... 36 ES1.7.7 Social Impacts along TL - Summarised .................................................................................. 37 ES1.7.8 Impact on Cultural Heritage Sites ........................................................................................... 39 ES1.7.9 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................................ 39 ES1.7.10 Quantified Key Impacts of Physical and Social Nature ......................................................... 40 ES1.8 Mitigation and Compensation................................................................................................. 43 ES1.8.1 Biophysical Elements ............................................................................................................. 43 ES1.8.2 Minimum Flow Release at Dams ........................................................................................... 43 ES1.8.3 Impacts without and with Mitigation ...................................................................................... 44 September 2011 ESIA Final Report Executive Summary Page ES-2 ES1.8.4 Priority Mitigation Actions ..................................................................................................... 47 ES1.8.5 Social Elements ...................................................................................................................... 49 Impacts on Population/Socio-Demographic Baseline Characteristics .................................... 49 ES1.8.6 Mitigation of impacts on Cultural Heritage Sites ................................................................... 52 ES1.9 Environmental and Social Management & Monitoring .......................................................... 52 ES1.9.1 Framework ESMP .................................................................................................................. 52 ES1.9.2 Key Parties .............................................................................................................................. 53 ES1.9.3 Monitoring .............................................................................................................................. 53 ES1.9.4 Biophysical Sub-Plans ............................................................................................................ 53 ES1.9.5 Social Management Planning ................................................................................................. 54 ES1.9.6 Social Development Strategy (SDS)/Community Investment ................................................ 54 ES1.10 Conclusions and Recommendations ....................................................................................... 56 ES1.10.1 General Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 56 ES1.10.2 Main Benefits ......................................................................................................................... 56 ES1.10.3 Potential Conflicts .................................................................................................................. 56 ES1.10.4 Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 57 Specific Mitigation and Compensation Measures .................................................................. 57 Organisation............................................................................................................................ 58 ES1.10.5 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................... 58 ESMP and RAP ...................................................................................................................... 58 Summary of the Public Hearing Reports on the Draft ESIA .................................................