ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT For the Proposed Rehabilitation of Harbour Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives Proponent: Ministry of Housing and Environment Sndcys February 2011 EIA for the proposed rehabilitation of harbour in Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................... I TABLE OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................... IV TABLE OF TABLES........................................................................................................................... IV NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... V 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE EIA ......................................................................................... 1 1.3 METHODOLOGIES ............................................................................................................... 1 1.4 EIA IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................................................... 2 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................... 3 2.1 GENERAL CONTEXT OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................... 3 2.2 THE PROPONENT ................................................................................................................ 3 2.3 PROJECT LOCATION AND STUDY AREA ..................................................................................... 4 2.4 THE PROJECT ..................................................................................................................... 5 2.4.1 Brief Description of the Proposed Concept .............................................................................. 5 2.4.2 Process and Materials ............................................................................................................. 6 2.5 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................................. 6 2.6 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................ 6 2.7 PROJECT INPUTS AND OUTPUTS ............................................................................................. 7 2.8 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION ....................................................................................................... 7 3 ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................................................... 10 3.1 NO PROJECT OPTION ......................................................................................................... 10 3.2 ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES ................................................................................................. 11 3.3 ALTERNATIVE HARBOUR DESIGN ........................................................................................... 12 3.4 RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................. 12 4 THE SETTING ........................................................................................................................ 14 4.1 APPLICABLE POLICIES, LAWS AND REGULATIONS ...................................................................... 14 4.1.1 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act .................................................................... 14 4.1.2 Third National Environment Action Plan ................................................................................ 14 Proponent: Ministry of Housing and Environment Page | i Consultant: Ahmed Zahid (EIA08/2007) EIA for the proposed rehabilitation of harbour in Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll 4.1.3 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan ...................................................................... 15 4.1.4 Protected Areas and Sensitive Areas ..................................................................................... 15 4.1.5 Regulation on sand and aggregate mining ............................................................................. 15 4.1.6 Consultation and public participation laws ............................................................................ 16 4.1.7 Population Policy .................................................................................................................. 16 4.1.8 Regulation on Cutting Trees .................................................................................................. 16 4.1.9 Maritime and Port Legislation ............................................................................................... 17 4.1.10 Relevant Government Policies ............................................................................................... 17 4.2 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS, TREATIES AND PROTOCOLS ........................................................ 17 4.2.1 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) .................................................. 18 4.2.2 Marpol Convention ............................................................................................................... 18 4.3 RELEVANT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES........................................................ 19 4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT ........................................................... 20 4.4.1 EIA Decision Statement ......................................................................................................... 20 5 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................... 21 5.1 GENERAL METHODOLOGIES OF DATA COLLECTION ................................................................... 21 5.1.1 Quality of marine water ........................................................................................................ 21 5.1.2 Bathymetry and Ocean Currents ........................................................................................... 21 5.1.3 Condition of the housereef ................................................................................................... 22 5.1.4 Socio‐economic condition and public consultation ................................................................ 23 6 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................................... 24 6.1 EXISTING COASTAL AND MARINE ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................... 24 6.2 GENERAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 25 6.2.1 Wind ..................................................................................................................................... 26 6.2.2 Waves................................................................................................................................... 27 6.2.3 Tides ..................................................................................................................................... 28 6.2.4 Currents................................................................................................................................ 28 6.2.5 Natural Vulnerability of Kurendhoo ....................................................................................... 29 6.3 MARINE WATER QUALITY .................................................................................................. 32 6.4 EXISTING SOCIO‐ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................... 32 7 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS .......................................................................................... 34 7.1 SCOPING MEETING ........................................................................................................... 34 8 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ............................................................................... 35 8.1 IMPACT IDENTIFICATION ..................................................................................................... 35 Proponent: Ministry of Housing and Environment Page | ii Consultant: Ahmed Zahid (EIA08/2007) EIA for the proposed rehabilitation of harbour in Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll 8.2 IDENTIFYING MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................................................... 36 8.3 CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS ................................................................................................... 37 8.3.1 Mobilization Impacts............................................................................................................. 38 8.3.2 Machinery ............................................................................................................................ 39 8.3.3 Construction Materials .......................................................................................................... 39 8.3.4 Dredging and Reclamation ...................................................................................................