SFG2352 Public Disclosure Authorized ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SEISMIC REFLECTION SURVEY AND WELL DRILLING, UMKHANYAKUDE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY, NORTHERN KZN Public Disclosure Authorized Client: SANEDI–SACCCS Consultant: G.A. Botha (PhD, Pr.Sci.Nat) in association with specialist consultants; Brousse-James and Associates, WetRest, Jeffares & Green, S. Allan Council for Geoscience, P.O. Box 900, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 Council for Geoscience report: 2016-0009 June, 2016 Copyright © Council for Geoscience, 2016 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Project description ................................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Location and regional context ....................................................................................................... 5 2.2 2D seismic reflection survey and well drilling; project description and technical aspects ............ 7 2.2.1 Seismic survey (vibroseis) process ....................................................................................... 7 2.2.2 Well drilling ............................................................................................................................ 9 2.2.3 Data integration, subsurface analysis and reservoir modeling ........................................... 10 3 South African policy framework FOR CCS ........................................................................................ 11 3.1 South Africa’s government commitment to CCS......................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Cabinet endorsement of CCS plan ..................................................................................... 12 3.1.2 CCS Roadmap to be implemented by SANEDI-SACCCS .................................................. 14 3.1.3 Progress towards implementing the CCS Roadmap .......................................................... 16 4 Legal and administrative framework ................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Environmental and Social Risk Assessment (ESIA) process ..................................................... 18 4.1.1 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) ....................................................... 19 4.1.2 OP 4.04 – Natural habitats (The World Bank, 2013b) ........................................................ 21 4.1.3 OP 4.11 – Physical Cultural Resources (The World Bank, 2013c) ..................................... 22 4.2 Environmental authorization in the context of South African legislation ..................................... 23 4.2.1 Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (MPRDA)............................... 23 4.2.2 National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 (as amended) ........................... 24 National Environmental Management Laws Second Amendment Act, 2013 .................................... 24 National Environmental Management Act (107/1998; Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014............................................................................................................................... 24 4.2.3 National Water Act (Act No 36 of 1998) .............................................................................. 25 4.2.4 National Forest Act, 1998 (Act No 84 of 1998) ................................................................... 27 4.2.5 World Heritage Convention Act, 1999 (Act No, 49 of 1999) ............................................... 27 4.2.6 National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 ..................................... 27 4.2.7 Provincial legislation ............................................................................................................ 28 4.2.8 International conventions and agreements ......................................................................... 32 4.3 Permission to conduct seismic survey and well drilling .............................................................. 34 4.3.1 Ministerial discretionary powers .......................................................................................... 35 4.3.2 Geoscience Amendment Act, 2010 (Act 16 of 2010) ......................................................... 35 4.3.3 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................... 36 5 Project alternatives ............................................................................................................................. 37 5.1 “No Go” alternative ...................................................................................................................... 37 i 5.2 Evaluation of CCS context alternatives ....................................................................................... 37 5.2.1 SANEDI-SACCCS rationale for locating Pilot CO2 Storage Project Onshore .................... 38 5.3 Alternatives considered in the onshore Zululand Basin context ................................................. 40 6 BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT ....................................................................................... 41 6.1 Legal framework of the environmental investigations ................................................................. 41 6.2 Study area location, infrastructure and EMF/SEMP context ....................................................... 42 6.2.1 Umkhanyakude District Municipality; EMF, EMZ and SEMP .............................................. 43 6.2.2 Environmental aspects associated with location ................................................................ 45 6.3 Geological and geophysical baseline data .................................................................................. 46 6.3.1 Basin suitability for CO2 storage ......................................................................................... 46 6.3.2 Environmental aspects associated with the geological successions .................................. 49 6.4 Terrain morphology ..................................................................................................................... 49 6.4.1 Environmental aspects associated with the terrain morphology ......................................... 50 6.5 Soil and landtypes ....................................................................................................................... 50 6.5.1 Environmental aspects associated with soil associations ................................................... 51 6.6 Groundwater................................................................................................................................ 52 6.6.1 Regional groundwater aquifer characterisation .................................................................. 54 6.6.2 Groundwater monitoring ...................................................................................................... 56 6.6.3 Environmental aspects associated with groundwater ......................................................... 56 6.7 Surface water environments and wetlands ................................................................................. 57 6.7.1 Environmental aspects associated with surface water drainage systems .......................... 61 6.8 Biodiversity .................................................................................................................................. 61 6.8.1 Vegetation communities ...................................................................................................... 62 6.8.2 Wetland vegetation types .................................................................................................... 65 6.8.3 Environmental aspects associated with biodiversity ........................................................... 65 6.9 Noise, vibration and air quality .................................................................................................... 65 6.9.1 Environmental aspects associated with noise and vibration ............................................... 66 6.10 Archaeological and cultural significance ................................................................................. 66 6.10.1 Environmental aspects associated cultural heritage ....................................................... 66 6.11 Socio-economic framework ..................................................................................................... 67 6.12 Stakeholder engagement ........................................................................................................ 70 6.12.1 Public participation process (PPP) .................................................................................. 70 6.12.2 Environmental aspects to be addressed by public participation ..................................... 72 7 Environmental management plan ....................................................................................................... 76 7.1 Environmental Awareness and Responsibilities ......................................................................... 76 7.1.1 Environmental Control Officer (ECO) .................................................................................