Initial Environmental Examination May 2019 Lao PDR: Second Greater Mekong Sub-Region Corridor Towns Development Project Prepared by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for the Asian Development Bank. This is an updated version of the draft originally posted in August 2015 available on https://www.adb.org/projects/46443-003/main#project-documents. This initial environmental examination is a document of the borrower. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of ADB's Board of Directors, Management, or staff, and may be preliminary in nature. Your attention is directed to the “terms of use” section on ADB’s website. In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. Lao People’s Democratic Republic Peace Independence Democracy Unity Prosperity Ministry of Public Works and Transport Department of Housing and Urban Department of Public Works and Transport, Bokeo Province Second Greater Mekong Sub-Region Corridor Towns Development Project ADB Loan Nos. 3315/8296-LAO INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION LUANG NAMTHA MARCH 2019 0 ADB Loan no. 3315/8296 – LAO: Second Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (CTDP) / IEE Report CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of Feb 2019) Currency Unit – Kip K K1.00 = $ 0.00012 USD $1.00 = K8,000 ABBREVIATIONS DAF Department of Agriculture, Forestry, And Fisheries DBST Double Bituminous Surface Treatment DEWAT Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems DONRE Department of Natural Resources and Environment EA Executing Agency ECC Environmental Compliance Certificate EHSO Environment Health and Safety Officer EIA Environment Impact Assessment EMP Environment Management Plan ESIA Environment And Social Impact Assessment FSM Faecal Sludge Management GMS Greater Mekong Subregion GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism IA Implementing Agency IBA Important Bird and Biodiversity Area IEE Initial Environmental Examination IUCN International Union For Conservation Of Nature Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic MAF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry And Fisheries MONRE Ministry of Natural Resources And Environment MPWT Ministry of Public Works And Transport MRC Mekong River Commission NPA National Protected Area O&M Operation And Maintenance PCU Project Coordination Unit PIU Project Implementation Unit PMIS Project Management Implementation Support Consultant PPE Personal Protective Equipment PPTA Project Preparatory Technical Assistance Consultant SLEDP Strategic Local Economic Development Plans TSS Total Suspended Solids UDAA Urban Development Authority Administration UXO Unexploded Ordnance WEIGHTS AND MEASURES oC – degree Celsius km – kilometer m – meter NOTE: In this report, “$” refers to US dollars unless otherwise stated. 2 ADB Loan no. 3315/8296 – LAO: Second Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (CTDP) / IEE Report TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 5 A. THE PROJECT INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE ................................................... 5 B. THE SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS IEE ....................................................... 5 C. PROJECT SUMMARY ....................................................................................... 5 D. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ....................................................................................... 6 E. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................. 9 II. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 9 A. PROJECT BACKGROUND .................................................................................. 9 B. THE SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS IEE ..................................................... 10 C. ENVIRONMENTAL CATEGORIZATION ............................................................... 11 D. PROJECT AREA OF INFLUENCE ...................................................................... 12 E. STRUCTURE OF THIS IEE REPORT ................................................................. 12 III. POLICY, LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ......................................... 13 A. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, STRATEGIES, AND POLICIES ...................... 13 B. NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT TYPES ....................................................... 16 C. URBAN ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT ............................................................ 16 D. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE & DIRECTIVES ............ 17 E. ADB SAFEGUARD POLICY ............................................................................. 18 IV. DESCRIPTION OF SUBPROJECTS ...................................................................... 18 A. LNT A1 – ROADS AND DRAINAGE .................................................................. 18 B. LNT A2 – NAM THA RIVER BRIDGE ................................................................ 24 C. LNT A3 - URBAN RECREATION FACILITIES...................................................... 26 D. LNT A4 – WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ......................................................... 28 E. LNT B1 - SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT .......................................................... 30 V. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .............................................................. 38 A. SUBPROJECT’S AREA .................................................................................... 38 B. GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY ................................................... 43 C. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATE ........................................................................ 43 D. HYDROLOGY, WATER RESOURCES AND QUALITY ............................................ 44 E. CLIMATE CHANGE ......................................................................................... 46 F. NATURAL DISASTERS .................................................................................... 47 G. ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES ............................................................................. 49 H. PHYSICAL CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................. 51 VI. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ....................................................... 52 AND MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................................................ 52 A. PROJECT AREA OF INFLUENCE ...................................................................... 52 B. POSITIVE IMPACT AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ......................................... 52 C. IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECT LOCATION ............................................ 53 3 ADB Loan no. 3315/8296 – LAO: Second Greater Mekong Subregion Corridor Towns Development Project (CTDP) / IEE Report D. MITIGATION MEASURES AND ACTIONS DURING PRE-CONSTRUCTION ............... 57 E. IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES AND ACTIONS DURING CONSTRUCTION .. 59 F. IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES DURING OPERATION ............................. 66 G. INDUCED AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS .............................................................. 68 H. CLIMATE CHANGE ......................................................................................... 69 VII. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................ 69 A. WITH AND WITHOUT PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ................................................ 69 B. CONSIDERED SUB-PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ................................................... 70 VIII. PUBLIC CONSULTATION ..................................................................................... 70 A. APPROACH ................................................................................................... 70 B. IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS ............................................................... 70 C. DISCUSSION GUIDE....................................................................................... 71 D. SUMMARY OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION ............................................................ 72 E. FUTURE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROGRAMME ............................................... 73 IX. PUBLIC GRIEVANCE MECHANISM AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE ....................... 73 A. RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS .......................................................................... 73 B. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE .................................................................................... 77 X. CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 77 A. MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ................................................................. 77 B. OVERALL CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 80 ANNEX 1 – PUBLIC CONSULTATION ATTENDEES ....................................................... 81 ANNEX 2 – ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE ........................................ 84 ANNEX 3 - ECOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORT .................................................................. 82 ANNEX 4 – BASELINE WATER QUALITY MONITORING .............................................. 137 APPENDIX 1 - ...................................................................................................................... 2 ENVIRONMENTALMANAGEMENT PLAN