EPN CONSULTANTS LIMITED Suite No. 7, Main Plaza ENVIRONMENTAL 83½ Red Hills Road Kingston 20 Jamaica, W.I. IMPACT ASSESSMENT THE PROPOSED MOUNT EDGECOMBE CEMETERY, MOUNT EDGECOMBE/BELMONT, WESTMORELAND FIRST DRAFT By: Submitted to: PARISH COUNCIL OF WESTMORELAND Great Georges Street NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND 2008 October 6 P.O Box 3 PLANNING AGENCY 10 Caledonia Avenue Savanna-la-mar Westmoreland Kingston 5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED MOUNT EDGECOMBE CEMETERYCEMETERY,, MOUNT EDGECOMBE/BELMONT, WESTMORELAND First Draft Presented to the: National Environment and Planning Agency 10 Caledonia Avenue Kingston 5 By: Prepared by: PARISH COUNCIL OF WESTMORELAND EPN CONSULTANTS LIMITED Great Georges Street Suite No. 7, Main Plaza P.O Box 3 83 ½ Red Hills Road Savanna-la-mar Kingston 20 Westmoreland Jamaica, W.I _________________________________________________________________________________________ Presented to the National Environment and Planning Agency as a partial requirement for an Environmental Permit under Sections 8, 9 & 10 of the Natural Resources Conservation Act, 1996 DEIA – Mount Edgecombe Cemetery, Westmoreland 1 EPN Consultants Limited TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................................................................V STUDY RATIONALE ...............................................................................................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................2 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................................................................................................2 1.2 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................................................................5 1.2.1 Soil Percolation Test ................................................................................................................................................................................5 1.2.2 Site Biology ..................................................................................................................................................................................................5 1.2.3 Vegetation Survey Method ...................................................................................................................................................................7 1.2.4 Noise Assessment Methods .................................................................................................................................................................7 1.2.5 Socio – Economic Impact Assessment Methods .......................................................................................................................7 CHAPTER 2 THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................................10 2.1 The Proposed Mount Edgecombe Cemetery, Westmoreland.................................................................................................10 2.1.1 Proposed Burial Process ......................................................................................................................................................................10 2.1.2 Justification for Site ................................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2 Physical Infrastructure ...............................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2.1 Roads, Transportation, Traffic .........................................................................................................................................................11 2.2.2 Potable Water .......................................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2.3 Electricity/Telephone .....................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2.4 Drainage .................................................................................................................................................................................................11 2.2.5 Waste Disposal ....................................................................................................................................................................................12 2.2.6 Spoils ........................................................................................................................................................................................................12 2.2.7 Construction Materials ....................................................................................................................................................................12 2.2.8 Landscaping .........................................................................................................................................................................................12 2.3 Alternatives to the proposed development ........................................................................................................................................13 2.3.1 Alternative 1: “No Action” ..................................................................................................................................................................13 2.4 Socio-economic Integration ...............................................................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, IMPACTS AND MITIGATION ................................................14 3.1 The Physical Environment ......................................................................................................................................................................14 3.1.1 Climate .........................................................................................................................................................................................................14 3.1.2 Geology ........................................................................................................................................................................................................16 3.1.3 Topography ...............................................................................................................................................................................................16 3.1.4 Soils ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................18 3.1.4.1 Soil percolation test ...........................................................................................................................................................................19 3.1.5 Drainage ......................................................................................................................................................................................................22 3.1.6 Hydrology ..................................................................................................................................................................................................23 3.1.7 Risk Assessment of Natural Hazards ............................................................................................................................................27 3.2 Terrestrial Biology ........................................................................................................................................................................................31 3.2.1 Vegetation Survey Results ..................................................................................................................................................................31 3.2.2 Faunal Survey Results .....................................................................................................................................................................33 3.3 Noise Level Results .....................................................................................................................................................................................35 3.4 Socio – Economic Impact Assessment ...............................................................................................................................................35 3.4.1 Summary of Areas of Social Significance .....................................................................................................................................37 3.4.2 Demographics .....................................................................................................................................................................................38