TRANSMISSION GRID STRENGTHENING PROJECT CONSTRUCTION OF AKHALTSIKHE - BATUMI 220KV POWER TRANSMISSION LINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Volume 1 - Main Text Revision V15 28th of March, 2014 DG Consulting Ltd Address: 10, Mirza Gelovani Street, 0160, Tbilisi, Georgia; Reg No 205 280 998; Tel: +995 322 380 313; +995 599 500 778;e‐mail: [email protected]; [email protected] 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng_V15 Page 2 of 345 Signatures chapter Prepared by: DG Consulting Ltd Prepared for: AGL- Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC Revision Table chapter Revised Part of Revision # Reason of Revision Document 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - Elaboration of missing sections _V03 - QC/QA procedure of DG Consulting - Comments of AGL 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - Comments of AGL, WB and _V04 GSE 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - QC/QA procedure of DG _V05/V06 Consulting 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - Comments of AGL, WB and _V07 GSE 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - QC/QA procedure of DG _V08/V09 Consulting 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Section 5 – ESIA WB comments _V10 Methodology Section 7 – Sensitive Receptors and Potential Impacts Section 8 – Impact Mitigation 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Entire document - QC/QA procedure of DG _V11 Consulting 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Section 10 - Public The section elaborated on ALG _V12 Consultation Activities request 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng Signatures chapter ALG comments _V13 Revision Table Chapter 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng The cover page has been ALG comments _V14 changed DG Consulting Ltd 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng_V15 Page 3 of 345 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 9 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 21 1.1 Project Background ............................................................................................................................ 21 1.2 Development and Structure of the ESIA Report ................................................................................ 21 2. Legal and Policy framework ..................................................................................................... 24 2.1 Georgian Legislation .......................................................................................................................... 24 2.2 World Bank and IFC Policy Requirements and Guidelines ................................................................. 28 2.3 EU Regulations and International Conventions ................................................................................. 30 2.4 Technical and Environmental Standards and Regulations ................................................................. 31 2.5 The Gaps between Georgian legislation and WB requirements ........................................................ 33 3. Project Description .................................................................................................................. 34 3.1 Need for the Project .......................................................................................................................... 34 3.2 General Project Description ............................................................................................................... 34 3.3 Location and RoW .............................................................................................................................. 35 3.4 Associated transmission lines and connections ................................................................................. 37 3.5 Technical Standards and Norms applied ........................................................................................... 37 3.6 Project Components .......................................................................................................................... 37 3.6.2 Transmission Towers .................................................................................................................................... 38 3.7 Project Activities ................................................................................................................................ 45 4. Analysis of Project Alternatives ............................................................................................... 52 4.1 No‐action Alternative ........................................................................................................................ 52 4.2 System Alternatives ........................................................................................................................... 52 4.3 Design Alternatives ............................................................................................................................ 52 4.4 Route Alternatives ............................................................................................................................. 53 4.5 Tower Location Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 59 5. ESIA Methodology ................................................................................................................... 60 5.1 Methodology for screening and scoping process .............................................................................. 60 5.2 Public Participation ............................................................................................................................ 60 5.3 Methodology for baseline study ........................................................................................................ 61 5.4 Impact identification .......................................................................................................................... 64 5.5 Methodology for impact rating ......................................................................................................... 65 6. Physical and Natural environment ‐ Baseline Conditions .......................................................... 67 6.1 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................................ 67 6.1.1 Climate and Meteorological Conditions ........................................................................................... 67 6.1.2 Landscapes and Land Use ................................................................................................................. 71 6.1.3 Geology and Geohazards .................................................................................................................. 78 6.1.4 Soil cover .......................................................................................................................................... 91 6.2 Biological Environment ...................................................................................................................... 93 6.2.1 Protected areas and areas of special environmental importance .................................................... 93 6.2.2 Flora .................................................................................................................................................. 96 6.2.3 Fauna .............................................................................................................................................. 151 6.2.4 Protected Animal Species in Project Corridor ................................................................................ 169 6.2.5 Summary of Wildlife Sensitivities ................................................................................................... 173 6.3 Socio‐Economic Environment .......................................................................................................... 178 DG Consulting Ltd 41166_ABOHL_ESIA_Vol1_Eng_V15 Page 4 of 345 6.3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 178 6.3.2 General Overview of Project Region .............................................................................................. 178 6.3.3 Demography ................................................................................................................................... 181 6.3.4 Economics ....................................................................................................................................... 184 6.3.5 Agriculture and land availability ..................................................................................................... 187 6.3.6 Industry and Non‐Agricultural sector ............................................................................................. 189 6.3.7 Labour Force and Employment ...................................................................................................... 190 6.3.8 Structure of Incomes and Expenses of Population ......................................................................... 191 6.3.9 Socio‐Economic Profile of Project Corridor .................................................................................... 193 6.3.10 Demography ................................................................................................................................... 196 6.3.11 Education .......................................................................................................................................