ARMENIA E2061 TRANSPORT PIU Public Disclosure Authorized LIFELINE ROADS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTTAALL FFRRAAMMEEWWOORRKK for rehabilitation of selected sections of Lifeline Roads Network Public Disclosure Authorized Yerevan 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 4 WORLD BANK SAFEGUARD POLICIES ...................................................................... 5 NATIONAL LEGISLATION ............................................................................................. 6 INSTITUTIONAL SETTING ............................................................................................ 9 PROPOSED PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................... 11 ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING ................................................................................. 12 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND RISKS ............................................................................ 12 MITIGATION MEASURES ............................................................................................ 14 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION .............................................................................. 15 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLANS ............................................................... 15 2 LIST OF ACRONYMS ARD Armenian Road Directorate State Non-Commercial Organization EA Environmental Assessment EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan IDA International Development Association LLN Life Line Network LRI Project Lifeline Roads Rehabilitation Project MCA-Armenia Millennium Challenge Account - Armenia State Non-Commercial Organization MCC Millennium Challenge Corporation MNP Ministry of Nature Protection of the Republic of Armenia NGO Non Governmental Organization PIU Project Implementation Unit WB The World Bank 3 INTRODUCTION The Government of Armenia requested the World Bank assistance for reconstruction and repair of the most important sections of the country’s secondary roads network. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is already providing some financing to Armenia for the rehabilitation of the Lifeline Roads Network (LLN). Designs for the repair of the selected sections of the LLN have already been prepared using the MCC funds. The World Bank is now preparing the Lifeline Roads Improvement project, which will finance urgent civil works for the rehabilitation of roads using the existing design. The proposed Lifeline Roads Improvement Project is aimed at rehabilitation of approximately 100km of rural roads located in the 7 different regions of the country. The implementation of the civil works would commence this spring and be completed by year end 2009. The proposed project will provide an immediate economic stimulus to rural communities by providing employment as well long term benefit of an improved lifeline infrastructure. In addition to the economic benefits (access to markets for agricultural products, regional employment, etc.), there are substantial social benefits to the rural populations in improving their access to education, medical and social opportunities. Initial designs for majority of roads included in the project were developed within the framework of the grant received by Government of Armenia from the Government of the United States of America through the Millennium Challenge Corporation to support a five-year Program to reduce rural poverty through a sustainable increase in the economic performance of the agricultural sector. This Program includes two Projects: the Rural Roads Rehabilitation Project and the Irrigated Agriculture Project. The Rural Roads Rehabilitation Project has been divided into three more or less equal “packages”. While the road section included in the first package are already in construction, for the second and third packages the designs have been finalized. The Environmental Management Plans have already been developed as a part of the design work. According to the World Bank rules, project preparation calls for triggering the Bank’s relevant safeguard policies. The Bank’s OP/BP 4.01 Environmental Assessment is triggered for the LRI Project. Therefore, the proposed project is subject to environmental screening and review. Provided that the project will finance similar types of rehabilitation works in multiple locations over the country, the environmental review process would imply development of an Environmental Framework document and link-specific Environmental Management Plans (EMPs). This Environmental Framework has been prepared for the Lifeline Roads Improvement Project and provides general guidelines for applying environmentally sound practices to Lifeline road rehabilitation. Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) comprising mitigation and monitoring plans were developed for all the proposed links (for 14 links the EMPs developed under the MCA-Armenia program will be updated to ensure their compliance with WB guidelines, for the other two links new EMPs will be developed). 4 WORLD BANK SAFEGUARD POLICIES The World Bank's OP 4.01 Environmental Assessment is considered to be the umbrella policy for the Bank's environmental safeguard policies. These policies are critical for ensuring that potentially adverse environmental and social consequences are identified, minimized, and properly mitigated. These policies receive particular attention during the project preparation and approval process. The World Bank carries out screening of each proposed project to determine the appropriate extent and type of EA to be undertaken and whether or not the project may trigger other safeguard policies. The Borrower is responsible for any assessment required by the Safeguard Policies, with general advice provided by the World Bank staff. The safeguard policies and triggers for each policy are presented in the table below: Operational Policy Triggers Environmental If a project is likely to have potential (adverse) environmental Assessment (OP 4.01) risks and impacts in its area of influence. Forests Forest sector activities and other Bank sponsored interventions (OP 4.36) which have potential to impact significantly upon forested areas. Involuntary Physical relocation and land loss resulting in: (i) relocation or Resettlement loss of shelter; (ii) loss of assets or access to assets; (iii) loss of (OP 4.12) income sources or means of livelihood, whether or not the affected people must move to another location. Indigenous Peoples If there are indigenous peoples in the project area, and potential (OP 4.10) adverse impacts on indigenous peoples are anticipated, and indigenous peoples are among the intended beneficiaries. Safety of Dams If a project involves construction of a large dam (15 m or higher) (OP 4.37) or a high hazard dam; If a project is dependent upon an existing dam, or dam under construction. Pest Management If procurement of pesticides is envisaged; If the project may (OP 4.09) affect pest management in the way that harm could be done, even though the project is not envisaged to procure pesticides. This includes projects that may (i) lead to substantially increased pesticide use and subsequent increase in health and environmental risk, (ii) maintain or expand present pest management practices that are unsustainable, not based on an IPM approach, and/or pose significant health or environmental risks. Physical Cultural The policy is triggered by projects which, prima facie, entail the Resources risk of damaging cultural property (e.g. any project that includes (OP 4.11) large scale excavations, movement of earth, surface environmental changes or demolition). Natural Habitats The policy is triggered by any project with the potential to cause (OP 4.04) significant conversion (loss) or degradation of natural habitats whether directly (through construction) or indirectly (through human activities induced by the project). Projects in Disputed The policy is triggered if the proposed project will be in a Areas (OP 7.60) “disputed area”. Projects on If the project is on international waterway such as: any river, International canal, lake, or similar body of water that forms a boundary Waterways between, or any river or body of surface water that flows (OP 7.50) through, two or more states ( or any tributary or other body of surface water that is a component of this waterway); any bay, gulf, strait, or channel bounded by two or more states or, if within one state, recognized as a necessary channel of communication between the open sea and other states-and any river flowing into such waters. 5 NATIONAL LEGISLATION The 10th Article of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia (adopted in 1995 and amended in 2005) stipulates that the State is responsible for environmental protection, reproduction and wise use of natural resources. Since 1991 more than 25 codes and laws as well as numerous by-laws and regulations have been adopted to protect the environment. The list of key environmental laws regulating the field of nature protection of the RA is presented below: • Law on the Principles of Environmental Protection (1991); • Law on Ensuring Sanitary-epidemiological Security of the RA Population (1992); • Law on Atmospheric Air Protection (1994); • Law on Environmental Impact Assessment (1995); • Law on the Protection and Use of