Environmental Assessment Report Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Document Stage: Draft Sub-project Number: 42145 August 2010 Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 Prepared by Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) of Armenia for Asian Development Bank The environmental impact assessment 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. Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 – Environmental Impact Assessment Report ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AARM ADB Armenian Resident Mission CO2 carbon dioxide EA executing agency EARF environmental assessment and review framework EIA environmental impact assessment EMP environmental management and monitoring plan IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LARP Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan MFF multi-tranche financing facility MNP Ministry of Nature Protection MOC Ministry of Culture MOH Ministry of Health MOTC Ministry of Transport and Communication NGO nongovernment organization NO2 nitrogen dioxide NO nitrogen oxide MPC maximum permissible concentration NPE Nature Protection Expertise NSS National Statistical Service PAHs polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PMU Project Management Unit PPTA Project Preparatory Technical Assistance RA Republic of Armenia RAMSAR Ramsar Convention on Wetlands REA Rapid Environmental Assessment (checklist) SEI State Environmental Inspectorate SNCO State Non-commercial Organization SO2 sulfur dioxide SPS Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) TOR terms of reference UNECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dBA decibel (A-weighted) km kilometer(s) km2 square kilometer(s) m meter(s) mg/m3 milligram(s) per cubic meter µg/m3 microgram(s) per cubic meter GLOSSARY baird castle (e.g., Zakari) marz province marzpet provincial governor tuff volcanic rock NOTE In this report, “$” refers to US dollars Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 – Environmental Impact Assessment Report CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………. 4 II. POLICY, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ………………………………..… 5 A. Asian Development Bank Policy on Environment Protection ………………………..… 5 1. ADB Environmental Protection Requirements…………………………………..… 5 2. Specific Procedures for MFF Sub-projects………………………………………… 6 B. National Institutional Framework……………………………………………….……..……7 C. Armenian Laws Governing Environmental Management and Assessment…………... 7 D. Responsibilities and Authorities…………………………………………………….….… 11 E. Armenia’s Participation in International Environmental Conventions and Protocols.. 12 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT …………………………………………………..……… 14 A. Type of Project………………………………………………………………………….…. 14 B. Magnitude of Operation ……………………………………………………………….…. 14 C. Project Description………………………………………………………….…….….…… 15 D. Economic Development & Social and Cultural Resources………………….…….….. 16 1. Economic Development………………………………………………………….….16 2. Social and Cultural Resources……………………………………………..……… 16 IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT (BASELINE DATA) ……………………………..18 A. Geographical Location and Relief……………………………………………………..… 18 B. Geology and Seismology………………………………… …………………………..….. 18 C. Climate, Air Quality, and Noise………. ………………………….………………..……. 19 1. Climate……………………………………………………………………………….. 19 2. Air Quality………………………………………………………………….………... 19 3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions…………………………………………………….….20 4. Noise…………………………………………………………………………….….…21 D. Hydrology and Water Quality………………………………………………….…………..24 1. Hydrology……………………………………………………………….….…….….. 24 2. Water Quality ………………………………………………………….…..…..…... 26 3. Soils, Erosion, and Land Contamination………………………………………… 28 E. Biodiversity…………………………………………………………………………..…….. 29 1. Flora………………………………………………………………………………...... 29 2. Fauna……………………………………………………………………….……..…. 32 F. Environmental Protected Areas and Nature Monuments………..………………….… 32 G. Environmental Hot Spots……………………………………………………………….… 32 H. Archaeology & Historical, Natural, and Cultural Monuments……………………….… 34 V. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, IMPACTS ON PCR, AND MITIGATION MEASURES….. 45 A. Impacts Due to Location………………………….…………………………………..…. 48 B. Impacts Related to Design………………………………………………………………. 48 C. Impacts During Construction…….…….………………………………………………... 49 D. Impacts Related to Operations……………………………………………………..…… 52 E. Cumulative Environmental Effects……………………………………………………… 52 Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 – Environmental Impact Assessment Report VI. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PRE-DESIGN …………………………………………………….. 53 VII. INFORMATION DISCLOSURES, CONSULTATION, AND PARTICIPATION ………….…62 A Stakeholder Meetings ……………………………………………………………………. 62 B. Information Disclosure……………………………………………………………..……… 63 C. Public Consultations……………………………………………………………….……... 64 VIII. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AND REDRESS MECHANISM………………………………..72 IX. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ………………………………………………..… 75 X. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………..….. 76 A. Conclusions ……………………………………………………………………………..… 76 B. Recommendations ……………………………………………………………...………… 76 XI. REFERENCES……………………………………………………………….…………..….…… 77 ANNEXES 1 Rapid Environmental Assessment Checklist 2 Wetland Specialist’s report 3 Ornithology report 4 Botany report 5 Zoology report 6 Archaeology report 7 Noise monitoring data 8 Air quality test results 9 Water quality test results (project sampling and Armecomonitoring data) 10 1st Public Consultation (advertisements, attendance lists and sheets, handout) 11 2nd Public Consultation (advertisements, attendance lists and sheets, handout) 12 Proposed Re-alignments (Presentation to PMU) 13 EMP (management plan and monitoring plan) ATTACHMENTS One CD that contains this report, its annexes, and a detailed archaeological survey of the entire 88.4 km route in 9 separate files. Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 – Environmental Impact Assessment Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Project The Government of Armenia is implementing the North-South Road Corridor Program in order to upgrade the transportation links with its neighbors Iran and Georgia to international standards. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is assisting the Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC) with a multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) to undertake the North-South Road Corridor MFF Investment Program. The project consists of upgrading about 88 km 2-lane road from Ashtarak to Gyumri to a 4-lane divided highway. For budgetary reasons, the project will be split into Tranche 2 (about 40 km from Ashtarak to Talin) and Tranche 3 (about 44 km from Talin to Gyumri). Most of the alignment parallels the existing road but some is separated by as much as 330 m. The pre-design alignment crosses one important wetland and 15 gorges, 7 of which contain streams. According to ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009), constructing a highway on new alignment usually classifies the project as environment category “A”, which requires that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is posted on the ADB website for at least 120 days prior to Board Consideration. This project is environment category “A”. EA and IA The Ministry of Transport and Communication (MOTC) is the Executing Agency (EA). For its Implementing Agency (IA), the EA has decided to combine the customary PMU and PIU (Program Preparatory and Management Unit and Project Implementation Unit) into one PMU, a Project Management Unit, headed by a very experienced director. At the time of EIA report preparation, the PMU consisted of the director, an assistant, and two unit heads (technical and safeguards) and recruitment for the remainder of the 23- person PMU was underway. On 9 July, PMU staff indicated that the total number in the unit was 17, including a person in charge of public relations, but without environmental and archaeological specialists in the PMU's safeguard unit. The governing council has given its non-objection for posting the EIA on ADB's website by letter of 2 August 2010. The EIA Because of time constraints and the EA’s and PMU’s relative inexperience with ADB’s safeguard requirements, an EIA team funded by ADB was fielded on 4 May 2010. The team consisted of one international ADB staff consultant (environmental engineer) and nine national specialists (environmentalist, botanist, zoologist, ornithologist, wetland expert, archaeologist, GIS expert, and two GIS surveyors). The investigations, mapping, and report were substantially completed in 70 calendar days, with another 22 days added for internal review and revisions. The report was translated into Armenian and the non-objection to post the report on the ADB website was received from the MOTC. The EIA covers both tranches. 1/3 Armenia: North-South Road Corridor Investment Program Tranches 2 & 3 – Environmental Impact Assessment Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ecology This EIA has determined that except for one important wetland, which requires special protection measures, the impact on the environment – sparse flora and fauna - is relatively benign and can be mitigated through routine design changes and construction measures that are summarized in the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMP). There are, however, areas in which endangered and critically endangered Red Book species have been found.