Roads Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Environmental Impact Assessment of works for upgrading EE----6060 EastEast----WestWest Highway section between Ruisi and Agara West (km 95 to km 114) (Contract Number TEWHIP/CS/QCBS-07) July, 2012 0 Environmental Impact Assessment of works for upgrading E-60 East -West Highway section between Ruisi and Agara West (km 95 to km 114) List of Acronyms EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EWH East - West Highway FS Feasibility Study HSE Health, Safety, Environment HS Health and Safety GoG Government of Georgia HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle KP Kilometre Post MCMP Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection MESD Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia NKUK Nippon Koei UK MLHSA Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs NGO Non-Governmental Organization AH Affected households AP Affected people RAP Resettlement Action Plan QC/QA Quality Control and Quality Assurance RD Roads Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia MoE Ministry of Environment Protection MRDIG Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia RBG Red Book of Georgia Protected Species RoW Right of Way SEP Stakeholder Engagement Plan TEM Trans-European Motorway ToR Terms of Reference WB The World Bank WHO World Health Organisation Environmental Impact Assessment of works for upgrading E-60 East -West Highway section between Ruisi and Agara (km 95 to km 114) Table of contents 1 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY ................................................................................ 3 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 11 3 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .................................................................. 13 3.1 Overview of Georgian environmental legislation and WB policy ...................... 13 3.2 Road construction related regulations in force in Georgia ................................. 15 3.3 Environmental Permitting procedure – national and WB regulations .............. 16 3.4 Comparison of the national legislation and WB requirements ........................... 17 3.5 Institutional Framework ........................................................................................ 18 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT........................................................................ 20 4.1 Background ..................................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Road elements and construction technology ........................................................ 21 4.2.1 Structural elements of the designed road ............................................................. 21 4.2.2 Design parameters of the road .............................................................................. 33 4.2.3 Design speed ........................................................................................................ 34 4.2.4 Horizontal and vertical alignment parameters...................................................... 34 4.2.5 Sight Distance ..................................................................................................... 34 4.2.6. Value of bend on horizontal curves ...................................................................... 35 4.2.7. Carriageway expansion ........................................................................................ 35 4.2.8 Traffic signs and sign arrangement works ................................................................ 35 4.3 Project alternatives ................................................................................................. 38 4.4 Traffic volume ......................................................................................................... 40 4.5 Road construction phase ........................................................................................ 40 4.6.1 Mobilization ......................................................................................................... 40 4.6.1.1. Water supply and waste water management ................................................... 43 4.6.1.2. Power Supply .................................................................................................. 45 4.6.2 Road construction works ...................................................................................... 45 4.6.3 Off-site works ...................................................................................................... 46 4.6.4 Support Facilities and Services ............................................................................ 51 5 BASELINE DATA ...................................................................................................... 52 5.1 Physical conditions ................................................................................................. 52 5.1.1 Climate and meteorology ..................................................................................... 52 5.1.2 Geology ................................................................................................................ 55 5.1.3 Geomorphology ................................................................................................... 55 5.1.4 Hydrology ............................................................................................................ 56 5.1.5 Hydrogeology ...................................................................................................... 58 5.1.6 Landscape and land use ........................................................................................ 59 5.1.7 Soils ..................................................................................................................... 61 5.1.8 Air quality ............................................................................................................ 64 5.1.9 Noise .................................................................................................................... 65 5.1.10 Seismic conditions and hazardous processes ................................................... 66 5.2 Biological environment ........................................................................................... 67 5.2.1 Flora ..................................................................................................................... 67 5.2.2 Fauna .................................................................................................................... 69 5.2.3 Protected areas ..................................................................................................... 73 5.3 The socioeconomic and cultural environment ...................................................... 73 5.3.1 The human environment ...................................................................................... 73 5.3.2 Historical and archaeological sites ....................................................................... 75 6 EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ........................................................ 79 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 79 6.2 Impacts on water resources ................................................................................... 80 6.2.1 Water impact assessment: road construction........................................................ 82 6.2.2 Water impact assessment: road operation ............................................................ 83 6.3 Waste management................................................................................................. 84 6.3.1 Waste: road construction ...................................................................................... 84 . C:\DOCUME~1\DepUser\Desktop\1TEWHIP AF EIA_Engl.docx Environmental Impact Assessment of works for upgrading E-60 East -West Highway section between Ruisi and Agara (km 95 to km 114) 6.3.2 Waste: road operation .......................................................................................... 86 6.4 Impacts on air quality ............................................................................................ 87 6.4.1 Air pollution impact assessment: road construction ............................................. 87 6.4.2 Air pollution impact assessment: road operation ................................................. 92 6.4.3 Impacts on climate ............................................................................................... 98 6.5 Impacts on the noise environment ....................................................................... 100 6.5.1 Noise and vibration impact assessment: road construction ................................ 100 6.5.2 Modelling of long-term noise levels: road operation ......................................... 102 6.5.3 Recommended measures for noise level reduction ............................................ 110 6.6 Impacts on flora and fauna .................................................................................. 112 6.6.1 Flora and fauna impact assessment: road construction ...................................... 118 6.6.2 Flora and fauna impact assessment: road operation ........................................... 121 6.7 Impacts on geology ............................................................................................... 123 6.7.1 Geology impact assessment: road construction.................................................