PROPOSED ELECTRIC FENCING OF MAASAI MAU FOREST- NAROK COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORT Prepared and submitted by: DECEMBER, 2019 December, 2019 CERTIFICATION Proponent: Kenya Water Towers Agency Assignment: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED ELECTRIC FENCING OF MAASAI MAU FOREST - NAROK COUNTY Name and Address of Firm of Experts: P. O. Box 9882 - 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Tel. 254 020 2248762 Registration No. of Firm of Experts: 0181 Signed: ____________________________ Date: _____________________ Isaiah B. Kegora Lead EIA/EA Expert (NEMA Reg. No 1893) For: Norken (I) Ltd Name and Address of Proponent: Kenya Water Towers Agency NHIF Building, 15th Floor, P.O. BOX 42903 - 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Signed: ____________________________ Date: _____________________ For KWTA------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ESIA Study for the Proposed Electric Fencing of Maasai Mau Forest 2 December, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATION ................................................................................................................................. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................... 3 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... 8 List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................... 9 List of Plates ........................................................................................................................................ 10 ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................................................... 12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 14 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 23 1.1 Project background ............................................................................................................ 23 1.2 Project Justification ............................................................................................................ 23 1.3 Scope and Objectives of the ESIA Study ......................................................................... 23 1.4 The ESIA Process ................................................................................................................ 24 1.5 ESIA Study Methodology ................................................................................................. 25 1.6 Study Team ......................................................................................................................... 26 1.7 Structure of This Report .................................................................................................... 27 2 : PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................... 28 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 28 2.2 Project Location .................................................................................................................. 28 2.3 Project Components ........................................................................................................... 29 Design .......................................................................................................................... 29 Construction Materials .............................................................................................. 31 Construction Phase .................................................................................................... 33 Operation and Maintenance Phase .......................................................................... 34 Decommissioning Phase ........................................................................................... 35 2.4 Project Alternatives ............................................................................................................ 35 3 : LEGAL, POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................... 46 3.1 POLICY PROVISIONS ...................................................................................................... 46 Vision 2030 .................................................................................................................. 46 Session Paper No.10 of 2014 on the National Environment Policy, 2014 ........... 46 3.2 RELEVANT NATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK ....................................................... 47 Constitution of Kenya, 2010 ...................................................................................... 47 ESIA Study for the Proposed Electric Fencing of Maasai Mau Forest 3 December, 2019 Environmental Management and Coordination Act, 1999 (and the amendments of 2015) 48 Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit regulations, 2003 and the 2016 amendments ............................................................................................................................... 49 EMCA (Conservation of Biological Diversity and Resources, Access to Genetic Resource and Benefits Sharing) Regulation, 2006 ................................................................. 50 EMCA (Waste Management) Regulations 2006 ..................................................... 51 Noise and Excessive Vibration Regulations ........................................................... 51 The Wildlife Coordination and Management Act, 2013 ....................................... 52 Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2007 ............................................................. 53 Employment Act, 2007 .............................................................................................. 53 Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA) ............................................................................ 54 The Energy Act, 2019 ................................................................................................. 55 The Energy (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) Regulations, 2012 ............................... 55 The Public Health Act (Cap. 242) ............................................................................. 55 The Forest Management and Conservation Act, 2016 .......................................... 56 Environment and Land Court Act, 2011 ................................................................. 57 The Physical Planning Act, 1999 .............................................................................. 58 The Land Titles Act Cap 282 ..................................................................................... 58 The Penal Code, Cap 63............................................................................................. 59 The Water Act,2016 .................................................................................................... 59 4 BASELINE INFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS . 60 4.1 Setting the Project Limits and Area of Influence ........................................................... 60 Area of Environmental Influence............................................................................. 60 Area of Social Influence ............................................................................................. 63 4.2 Physical Environment ....................................................................................................... 64 Topography ................................................................................................................. 64 Climate ......................................................................................................................... 64 Geology and soils ....................................................................................................... 64 Hydrology ................................................................................................................... 65 Air Quality .................................................................................................................. 65 Water Quality ............................................................................................................. 65 4.3 Ecological Baseline ............................................................................................................. 65 Ecological Survey Approach .................................................................................... 65 ESIA Study for the Proposed Electric Fencing of Maasai Mau Forest 4 December, 2019 Sampling Framework ................................................................................................ 66 Field Study .................................................................................................................. 67 Water quality parameters: ........................................................................................ 71 Soil Variable Analysis ................................................................................................ 72 Local accounts of species ........................................................................................... 73 Biodiversity field survey ..........................................................................................