Initial Environmental Examination July 2016 Tuvalu: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project Prepared by the Ministry of Communication and Transport for the Asian Development Bank. TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE ABBREVIATIONS ADB – Asian Development Bank AP – affected persons DOE – Department of Environment EA – executing agency EIA – environmental impact assessment EMP – environmental management plan GPS – global positioning system GRM – grievance redress mechanism HIV/AIDS – Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome IA – implementing agency IEE – initial environmental examination IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature MCT – Ministry of Communication and Transport NEMS – National Environmental Strategy PDA – project design advance PEAR – preliminary environmental assessment report PIU – project implementation unit PMU – project management unit PPTA – project preparatory technical assistance PSC – project supervision consultant SPREP – South Pacific Regional Environmental Program SPS – Safeguard Policy Statement (ADB) 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. i TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE CONTENTS 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives and Scope of the IEE ..................................................................................... 1 2. Description of the Project .................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Project Rationale ............................................................................................................. 2 2.2 The Proposed Project ...................................................................................................... 3 3. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework ....................................................................... 7 3.1 Legal and Policy Framework of Tuvalu ............................................................................ 7 3.2 Environmental conventions, treaties and other instruments ............................................10 3.3 ADB Safeguard Policy Statement ...................................................................................12 4. Baseline Information ..........................................................................................................13 4.1 Physical Environment .....................................................................................................13 4.1.1 Site Description ....................................................................................................13 4.1.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ...........................................................................15 4.1.3 Climate ................................................................................................................15 4.1.4 Issues of Climate Change ....................................................................................16 4.1.5 Water Resources .................................................................................................17 4.1.6 Unexploded Ordinance ........................................................................................18 4.1.7 Items of Historical and Archaeological Significance .............................................18 4.2 Biological Environment ...................................................................................................18 4.2.1 Flora ....................................................................................................................18 4.2.2 Fauna ..................................................................................................................19 4.2.3 Rare and Endangered Species ............................................................................19 4.2.4 Protected Areas and Critical Habitat ....................................................................20 4.2.5 Coastal Resources...............................................................................................20 4.3 Socio-Economic Environment .........................................................................................22 4.3.1 Population ............................................................................................................22 4.3.2 Local Economy ....................................................................................................23 5. Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures .............................................25 5.1 Design and Pre-Construction Activities ...........................................................................25 5.2 Construction Activities ....................................................................................................26 5.3 Design and Pre-Construction Phase ...............................................................................27 5.3.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................27 5.3.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................28 5.3.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................28 5.4 Construction Phase ........................................................................................................29 5.4.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................29 5.4.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................36 5.4.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................38 5.5 Operation and Maintenance Phase ................................................................................40 ii TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE 5.5.1 Impacts on Physical Environment ........................................................................40 5.5.2 Impacts on Biological Environment ......................................................................40 5.5.3 Impacts on Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................41 6. Analysis of Alternatives ......................................................................................................42 7. Information Disclosure, Consultation and Participation.......................................................43 7.1 Consultation and Participation ........................................................................................43 7.2 Grievance Redress Mechanism ......................................................................................44 8. Environmental Management plan .......................................................................................47 8.1 Institutional Arrangements for Environmental Management ............................................47 8.2 Mitigation Plan ................................................................................................................50 8.3 Monitoring and Reporting ...............................................................................................50 9. Conclusion and Recommendation .....................................................................................64 iii TA 8923 TUV: Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project - IEE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The project . The Tuvalu Outer Island Maritime Infrastructure Project (the project) will rehabilitate and improve maritime infrastructure on the island of Nukulaelae, Nanumaga and Niutao in Tuvalu which was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in March 2015, and improve safety, efficiency and sustainability of maritime transportation between Funafuti, the capital. 2. The small workboat harbour project will involve the design and construction of a new channel and turning bay for the workboats located south of the current site which has proved to be an unsatisfactory approach for passengers and cargo. At present it passes through an existing channel through the outer reef and then uses a natural channel through the reef platform where the current is fast especially at low tide to the beach at the village. The construction of breakwaters involve using precast concrete elements, with wharf and jetty raised on piles to reduce the impact on coastal processes within the reef environment. There will be ancillary buildings for cargo near the jetty to assist in the safe movement of passengers and cargo from the land to the ship. 3. There are no docking facilities on Nukulaelae, Nanumaga or Niutao for either of the three government-owned ships or the small workboats used to transfer people and cargo from the ship to the shore. Passenger transfers between vessels are often dangerous while movement of cargo is very labour intensive and carried in manageable pieces though the water to the