Initial Environmental Examination Document Stage: Updated Project Number: 49423-006 October 2020 BAN: Bangladesh Power System Enhancement and Efficiency Improvement Project – Additional Financing Prepared by Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board (BREB) for the Asian Development Bank. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (as of 16 October 2020) Currency unit – Bangladesh Taka (Tk) Tk1.00 = $0.012 $1.00 = Tk84.80 ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank BBS Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics BMD Bangladesh Meteorological Department DOE Department of Environment ECA Environment Conservation Act ECC environmental clearance certificate ECR environmental conservation rules EIA environmental impact assessment EMP environmental management plan FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GOB Government of Bangladesh GRC grievance redress committees IEE initial environmental examination IUCN International Union for Conservation for Nature MOEFCC Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change PBS palli bidyut samity PMU project management unit PPE personal protection equipment ROW right of way SRDI Soil Resources Development Institute WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dB(A) – A-weighted decibel ckm – circuit km ha – hectare km – kilometer kV – kilovolt kWh – kilowatt-hour LV – low voltage μg – microgram m – meter MT – metric tonnes sqm – square meter MVA - mega volt ampere NOTE (i) In this report, ‘$’ refers to US dollars unless otherwise stated. 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. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objectives of the Project ...................................................................................... 1 1.3 Project Activity ...................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Scope of Work ....................................................................................................... 2 1.5 Objectives of the IEE Study ................................................................................. 3 1.6 Project Location .................................................................................................... 3 1.7 Methodology ......................................................................................................... 5 1.8 Structure of the Report ......................................................................................... 6 2. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework ............................................................ 8 2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................ 8 2.2 Procedure for Obtaining Site/Environmental Clearance .................................... 9 2.2.1 Requirement for IEE and EIA Reports...................................................... 9 2.2.2 Procedure ...................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Organisations Related with Enforcement of Environmental Standards ......... 10 2.3.1 Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) ... 10 2.3.2 Department of Environment (DOE) ......................................................... 11 2.3.3 Forest Department ..................................................................................... 11 2.3.4 Related Other Organizations ................................................................... 11 2.4 National Policies and Legislation Relevant to Environment and Social ......... 12 2.4.1 Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended in 2010) .................. 12 2.4.2 Environment Conservation Rules (ECR), 1997 (as amended in in 2002 & 2003) ............................................................................................................. 12 2.4.3 The Environment Court Act, 2010 ........................................................... 13 2.4.4 National Environmental Policy 2018 ...................................................... 13 2.4.5 The Acquisition and Requisition of Immovable Property Act, 2017 13 2.5 Other Relevant Acts related to Environment .................................................... 15 2.5.1 The Bangladesh Wildlife Preservation Order (1973; amended to Act in 1974) ............................................................................................................... 15 2.5.2 The National Forest Policy (1994) ........................................................... 15 2.5.3 Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012 .................................... 15 2.6 Policy Related with Energy Development ......................................................... 15 2.6.1 The Electricity Act, 2018 and Electricity Rules 1937 ........................... 15 2.6.2 The Telegraph Act (1885) ......................................................................... 16 2.6.3 The Power Policy, 1995 ............................................................................ 16 2.6.4 The Energy Policy (1996 updated 2004) ................................................ 16 2.6.5 The Industrial Policy (1999) ..................................................................... 17 2.7 Other Relevant National Legal Instruments for the Project ............................. 17 2.8 Compliance with International Requirements ................................................... 22 2.8.1 Rio Declaration........................................................................................... 22 2.8.2 Convention on Biological Diversity, (1992) .......................................... 22 2.8.3 Wetlands of International Importance as Waterfowl Habitat, (1971) ...................................................................................................................... 22 2.8.4 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Montego Bay, (1982) ............ 22 2.8.5 Others (Conventions and Agreements) ................................................. 22 2.9 Compliance with IFC Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines .... 23 2.10 Compliance with ADB Safeguard Policy Statement, 2009 ............................... 23 2.11 Environmental Categorization and Standards .................................................. 24 2.11.1 Environmental Category: Bangladesh ................................................... 24 2.11.2 Environmental Category: ADB ................................................................ 24 2.12 Compliance with BREB Health Environment and Safety (HES) 25 Requirements 3. Project Description .................................................................................................... 26 3.1 Background of the Project ................................................................................. 26 3.2 Project Location .................................................................................................. 26 3.3 Project Components ........................................................................................... 29 3.4 Construction and Installation Work ................................................................... 29 3.5 Resource Requirement ....................................................................................... 31 3.5.1 Water ............................................................................................................ 31 3.5.2 Land ............................................................................................................. 31 3.5.3 Power requirement .................................................................................... 31 3.5.4 Material Requirement ................................................................................ 31 3.6 Pollution Source and Characterization ............................................................. 31 3.7 Analysis of Alternatives ..................................................................................... 32 3.8 Project Cost and Implementation Schedule ...................................................... 32 4. Description of the Environment ................................................................................ 34 4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 34 4.2 Study Area ........................................................................................................... 34 4.3 Environmental Setting of the New Substation Sites......................................... 35 4.4 Physical Environment ........................................................................................ 45 4.4.1 Meteorology ................................................................................................ 45 4.4.1.1 Temperature .......................................................................................... 47 4.4.1.2 Rainfall..................................................................................................