ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A FUEL RETAIL STATION AND TRUCK DEPOT AT NGOMA, ZAMBEZI REGION COMPILED BY: ON BEHALF OF: GMAC INVERSTMENT CC NGOMA SERVICE STATION & SHOPPING MALL cc P. O. BOX 1215 P O. BOX 1770, KATIMA MULILO WINDHOEK EMAIL: [email protected] NAMIBIA Cell: 0812910649/0856949740 DOCUMENT INFORMATION TYPE PROJECT REPORT TITLE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A FUEL RETAIL STATION AND TRUCK DEPOT AT NGOMA, ZAMBEZI REGION LEAD CONSULTANT MR. S. MULELE CONSULTANT MR. G. SITENGU REPORT REVIEWER MR. E. SIMASIKU Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... 6 LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... 6 ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ i CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 PROJECT TERMS OF REFERENCE ............................................................................................ 1 1.3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 2: PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................... 3 2.1 PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES ...................................................................... 5 2.2.1 ROADS & ACCESSIBILITY ................................................................................................. 5 2.2.2 WATER SUPPLY ................................................................................................................. 5 2.2.3 POWER SUPPLY ................................................................................................................. 5 2.2.4 SEWER DRAINAGE SYSTEM ............................................................................................. 5 2.2.5 COMMUNICATION SERVICES ........................................................................................... 6 2.2.6 SAFETY AND SECURITY .................................................................................................... 6 2.3 PROPOSED PLAN ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 PROJECT DESIGN ............................................................................................................... 6 2.3.2 PROJECT ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................ 8 2.4 PROJECT IMPLICATIONS .......................................................................................................... 9 2.4.1 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS .............................................................................................. 9 2.4.2 PROJECT DESIRABILITY ................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 3: THE RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 11 3.1 CLIMATE .................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2 TOPOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 12 3.3 GEOLOGY AND SOILS ............................................................................................................... 12 3.4 HYDROLOGY ............................................................................................................................. 13 3.5 GEOHYDROLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 18 3.6 BIODIVERSITY .......................................................................................................................... 19 3.6.1 FLORA RESOURCES.............................................................................................................. 19 3.6.2 FAUNAL RESOURCES ........................................................................................................... 20 3.7 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ....................................................................................... 22 3.7.1 DEMOGRAPHICS .................................................................................................................. 22 3.7.2 LAND USES ............................................................................................................................ 23 CHAPTER 4: PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................ 25 4.1 THE GO AHEAD ALTERNATIVE ............................................................................................. 25 4.2 STATUS QUO ALTERNATIVE .................................................................................................. 25 4.3 OTHER ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................................................... 26 CHAPTER 5: LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................ 27 CHAPTER 6: PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS ................................................................................ 32 6.1 STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION ......................................................................................... 32 6.2 THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION DOCUMENT ............................................................... 32 6.3 ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY .................................................... 33 6.4 PUBLIC MEETING NOTICES ...................................................................................................... 33 6.5 POSTER NOTICES ..................................................................................................................... 33 6.6 OTHER NOTICES ...................................................................................................................... 33 6.7 PUBLIC CONCERNS AND RESPONSES ................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 7: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ASSESSMENT .................................................................. 37 7.1 IMPACT IDENTIFICATION ...................................................................................................... 37 7.2 IMPACT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 38 7.3 IMPACT ASSESSMENT PARAMETERS ................................................................................... 38 7.3.1 IMPACTS NATURE ........................................................................................................... 38 7.3.2 IMPACT PROBABILITY ...................................................................................................... 38 7.3.3 IMPACT EXTENT .............................................................................................................. 39 7.3.4 IMPACT MAGNITUDE ...................................................................................................... 39 7.4 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS ............................................................................... 41 7.5 IMPACT MITIGATION .............................................................................................................. 52 7.5.1 SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ......................................................................................................... 52 7.6 POST- MITIGATION RISK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................... 69 CHAPTER 8: ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ...................................................................... 74 8.1 DEFINITION AND PURPOSE ................................................................................................... 74 8.2 COMPOSITION OF AN EMP REPORT ..................................................................................... 74 8.3 EMP REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................................. 74 8.4 PROPOSED PROJECT EMP ...................................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER 9: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... 75 9.1 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 75 9.2 RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................................. 76 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................