t Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Rural Electrification Project Environmental and Social Public Disclosure Authorized Impact Assessment (Final) Sebzor Hydropower Plant, Tajikistan Public Disclosure Authorized AUGUST 2019 i Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Scope and organization of the ESIA ........................................................................................... 3 1.3. Organization of the ESIA ............................................................................................................ 4 2. Legal and Regulatory Framework ..................................................................................................... 4 2.1. National legal and regulatory framework ................................................................................. 4 2.1.1. Environmental and social impact assessment in Tajikistan .......................................... 5 2.1.2. Other relevant legislation on environmental and social issues .................................... 6 2.2. International obligations ......................................................................................................... 11 2.3. World Bank environmental and social standards ................................................................... 12 2.3.1. Environmental and Social Framework ........................................................................ 12 2.3.2. World Bank Operational Policy 7.5, Projects on International Waterways ............... 13 2.3.3. World Bank Group Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines ............................ 13 3. Project Description ......................................................................................................................... 21 3.1. Weir and reservoir ................................................................................................................... 23 3.2. Power Waterway (Headrace) .................................................................................................. 27 3.3. Base Camp, Material Storage Areas, Roads ............................................................................ 27 3.4. Powerhouse and substation .................................................................................................... 28 3.5. Tentative Implementation Schedule ....................................................................................... 29 3.6. Construction stage ................................................................................................................... 30 3.6.1. Construction stage (Sebzor HPP) ................................................................................ 30 3.6.2. Operation stage .......................................................................................................... 30 4. Alternatives .................................................................................................................................... 30 4.1. No-action Alternative .............................................................................................................. 31 4.2. Spatial Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 3332 4.3. Design Schemes Alternatives .................................................................................................. 34 5. ESIA Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 35 5.1. Methodology for screening and scoping process .................................................................... 35 5.2. Public participation .................................................................................................................. 35 5.3. Methodology for baseline study ............................................................................................. 35 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Sebzor Hydropower Plant, Tajikistan ii 5.4. Methodology for assessing potential environmental and social impacts ............................... 36 5.4.1. Methodology for assessing environmental impacts................................................... 37 5.4.2. Methodology for assessing social impacts ................................................................. 38 5.4.3. Environmental and social impact mitigation and enhancement................................ 39 5.4.4. Environmental and social monitoring ........................................................................ 40 6. Baseline Conditions ........................................................................................................................ 41 6.1. Environmental Baseline Conditions......................................................................................... 41 6.1.1. Climate ........................................................................................................................ 41 6.1.2. Geology and Topography............................................................................................ 46 6.1.3. Seismicity .................................................................................................................... 49 6.1.4. Geomorphological hazards ......................................................................................... 50 6.1.5. Water resources ......................................................................................................... 51 6.1.6. Ecosystems and flora .................................................................................................. 55 6.1.7. Fauna .......................................................................................................................... 61 6.1.8. Habitat ........................................................................................................................ 64 6.2. Protected Areas ....................................................................................................................... 66 6.2.1. Soils and Land Use ...................................................................................................... 66 6.2.2. Noise ........................................................................................................................... 67 6.3. Social and Economic Baseline Conditions ............................................................................... 67 6.3.1. Demography ............................................................................................................... 68 6.3.2. Disadvantaged / Vulnerable individuals or groups ..................................................... 68 6.3.3. Education and income ................................................................................................ 68 6.3.4. People affected by land acquisition ........................................................................... 68 6.3.5. Sebzor village .............................................................................................................. 69 6.4. Cultural heritage and tourism ................................................................................................. 70 7. Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts ................................................................................. 71 7.1. Potential impacts on physical environment ............................................................................ 71 7.1.1. Potential impacts on landscapes and views ............................................................... 71 7.1.2. Potential impacts on land use .................................................................................... 74 7.1.3. Potential impacts on geology, soils and geohazards .................................................. 77 7.1.4. Potential impacts on air quality .................................................................................. 81 7.1.5. Potential impacts due to noise ................................................................................... 83 7.1.6. Potential impact on water and hydrology .................................................................. 86 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Sebzor Hydropower Plant, Tajikistan iii 7.1.7. Potential impacts on climate and from climate change ......................................... 9394 7.2. Potential impacts on biological environment ..................................................................... 9697 7.2.1. Potential impacts on flora and habitats ................................................................. 9697 7.2.2. Potential impacts on fauna ................................................................................. 100101 7.3. Potential Impacts on Socioeconomic Conditions ............................................................ 104105 7.3.1. Potential impacts on community health and safety ........................................... 105106 7.3.2. Potential Impacts due to physical or economic displacement ........................... 110111 7.3.3. Potential impacts on worker health, safety and welfare ................................... 112113 7.3.4. Potential impacts on economic conditions ........................................................ 114115 7.3.5.