ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Public Disclosure Authorized AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT “AZERROADSERVICE” OJC Azerbaijan Highway Project II-Additional Financing IBRD Loan No. 7516 AZ Public Disclosure Authorized Upgrading of Baku-Shamakhi Road Section of Baku-Shamakhi- Yevlakh Road, preparation of Environmental Assessment and Environmental Management Plan Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized November 2013 Studi e Azerbaijan Republic – Ministry of Transport Pianificazione del Territorio “AZERROADSERVICE” OJC Table of contents 0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 4 0.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS STUDIES ....................................................................................... 4 0.2 SCOPE OF THE PRESENT REPORT ............................................................................................................. 4 0.3 REPORT STRUCTURE ............................................................................................................................. 5 0.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................... 5 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 PROJECT SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 7 1.2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AREA ................................................................................................ 7 1.3 MITIGATION MEASURES , RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................... 8 2 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .................................................................... 18 2.1 EIA PROCESS .................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 LEGISLATION WITH REFERENCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT .............................................................. 19 2.2.1 Rules and Laws governing Biological aspects ....................................................................... 20 2.2.2 Rules and Laws governing Air and noise aspects .................................................................. 24 2.2.3 World Bank’s Safeguard policies ........................................................................................... 25 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................................... 28 3.1 OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................ 28 3.2 LIMITS OF THE INVESTIGATION AREA ...................................................................................................... 28 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................... 30 4.1 PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................ 30 4.1.1 Biological Environment ......................................................................................................... 30 4.1.2 Geology and topography ...................................................................................................... 34 4.1.3 Climate and Air Quality ......................................................................................................... 36 4.2 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE .................................................................................................. 36 4.3 SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT AREA ............................................................................ 37 4.4 BORROW -PITS AREA .......................................................................................................................... 38 4.4.1 Guidelines for Contractor’s extraction plans ......................................................................... 39 4.5 THE CRITICAL AREAS .......................................................................................................................... 43 4.5.1 Social, urban & safety issues ................................................................................................. 43 4.5.2 Flora, fauna and livestock issues aspects .............................................................................. 44 4.5.3 Geological aspects ................................................................................................................ 51 4.5.4 Air and Noise aspects ............................................................................................................ 53 5 ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS FORECAST ............................................................................................. 56 5.1 EFFECTS DURING CONSTRUCTION PERIOD .............................................................................................. 56 5.1.1 Biological aspects .................................................................................................................. 56 5.1.2 Geological aspects ................................................................................................................ 58 5.1.3 Air and Noise aspects ............................................................................................................ 59 5.1.4 Socio-economic impacts ........................................................................................................ 61 5.2 EFFECTS DURING OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PERIOD ........................................................................ 62 5.2.1 Biological aspects .................................................................................................................. 62 5.2.2 Geological aspects ................................................................................................................ 63 5.2.3 Socio-economic environment ................................................................................................ 64 5.2.4 Air and Noise pollution .......................................................................................................... 66 6 THE SELECTED ALIGNMENT ........................................................................................................... 75 lAzerbaijan Highway Project II -Additional Financing IBRD Loan No. 7516 AZ Upgrading of Baku-Shamakhi Road Section of Baku-Shamakhi-Yevlakh road, preparation of Environmental 1 Assessment and Environmental Management Plan Studi e Azerbaijan Republic – Ministry of Transport Pianificazione del Territorio “AZERROADSERVICE” OJC 6.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 75 6.2 DEFINITION OF THE ALIGNMENT ........................................................................................................... 79 7 RECOMMENDATIONS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ..................................................................... 84 7.1 MEASURES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION AND PROTECTION DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD .............. 84 7.1.1 Biological aspects .................................................................................................................. 84 7.1.2 Geological aspects ................................................................................................................ 92 7.1.3 Socio economic aspects ......................................................................................................... 95 7.1.4 Air and noise mitigation measures ....................................................................................... 96 7.2 MEASURES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PREVENTION AND PROTECTION DURING THE OPERATION PERIOD ................... 96 7.2.1 Biological aspects .................................................................................................................. 96 7.2.2 Geological aspects ................................................................................................................ 98 7.2.3 Socio economic aspects ......................................................................................................... 99 7.2.4 Air and noise aspects ............................................................................................................ 99 7.3 CAPITAL ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MEASURES ........................................................ 101 7.4 RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE INCORPORATED IN ROAD DESIGN ................................................................... 101 8 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ..................................................................................... 103 8.1 OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................................... 103 9 MONITORING PLAN ..................................................................................................................... 104 9.1 MEASURES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................. 104 9.1.1 Geological aspects .............................................................................................................. 104 9.1.2 Air & Noise .........................................................................................................................