ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED JAMAICA PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY WIND ENERGY PROJECT AT HERMITAGE, ST. ELIZABETH, JAMAICA December 2009 Environmental Impact Assessment – JPS 3 MW Wind Farm, Hermitage St. Elizabeth Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 5 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................... 17 1.1 Background and Project Rationale................................................................................ 17 2.0 Project Description............................................................................................................ 21 2.1 Project Design Elements............................................................................................... 24 2.2 Transportation and Road Widening.............................................................................. 33 2.3 Access Road Construction ............................................................................................ 37 2.4 Land clearing for Wind Turbines.................................................................................. 41 2.5 The Project Team.......................................................................................................... 42 2.6 Decommissioning ......................................................................................................... 43 3.0 Regulatory Framework ..................................................................................................... 44 3.1 Applicable Policies ....................................................................................................... 44 3.2 Applicable Legislation.................................................................................................. 45 4.0 Description of the Environment........................................................................................ 50 4.1 Physical Baseline .......................................................................................................... 50 4.1.1 General Climate .................................................................................................... 50 4.1.2 Climate at Proposed Sites ..................................................................................... 51 4.1.3 Ambient Air Quality ............................................................................................. 52 4.1.4 Ambient Noise Quality ......................................................................................... 52 4.1.5 Regional and Site Topography.............................................................................. 59 4.1.6 Site Geology.......................................................................................................... 59 4.1.7 Soil ........................................................................................................................ 62 4.1.8 Hydrostratigraphy ................................................................................................. 63 4.2 Biological Baseline ....................................................................................................... 66 4.3 Socio-Economic Baseline ............................................................................................. 74 4.3.1 Demographics ....................................................................................................... 74 4.3.2 Housing................................................................................................................. 75 4.3.3 Settlement Patterns................................................................................................ 75 4.3.4 Land Use ............................................................................................................... 76 4.3.5 Economic Activities.............................................................................................. 76 4.3.6 Utilities.................................................................................................................. 77 4.3.7 Infrastructure......................................................................................................... 79 4.3.8 Community members’ perception of Project........................................................ 81 4.3.9 General Profile of Respondents ............................................................................ 81 4.3.10 Assessment of Impacts: Community Perspective................................................. 87 5.0 Identification of Impacts................................................................................................... 91 6.0 Significant Impacts ......................................................................................................... 110 6.1 Positive Impacts.......................................................................................................... 129 6.2 Summary of Significant Impacts ................................................................................ 135 7.0 Mitigation Measures ....................................................................................................... 138 8.0 Analysis of Alternatives.................................................................................................. 140 8.1 Alternative Projects..................................................................................................... 140 8.2 Siting Options ............................................................................................................. 140 8.3 Wind Turbine Design.................................................................................................. 141 9.0 Emergency Preparedness and Response ......................................................................... 144 1 Prepared by Environmental & Engineering Managers Ltd. – December 2009 Environmental Impact Assessment – JPS 3 MW Wind Farm, Hermitage St. Elizabeth 10.0 Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Management and Monitoring Plan................ 146 Appendices Appendix 1: Terms of Reference for EIA................................................................................... 153 Appendix 2: Gantt Cart showing Project Schedule .................................................................... 160 Appendix 3: Avifauna Assessment Methodology ...................................................................... 161 Appendix 4: Social Impact Assessment Survey Instrument....................................................... 162 Appendix 5: Measuring Noise Level .......................................................................................... 167 Appendix 6: Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority Obstacle Evaluation Results ............................ 168 Appendix 7: Environmental Noise.............................................................................................. 172 Appendix 8: WindPRO Modelling Specifics.............................................................................. 173 Appendix 9: Contractor’s Health and Safety Plan...................................................................... 174 Figures Figure 1 – Spot Oil Price: West Texas Intermediate January 2008 - September 2009 ................ 19 Figure 2 - Location of Proposed Wind Turbine Sites at Hermitage ............................................. 21 Figure 3 - Hermitage, St. Elizabeth .............................................................................................. 22 Figure 4 - Proposed Wind Turbine Sites and Surrounding Areas of Geographic Importance ..... 23 Figure 5 - Wind Turbine Structure................................................................................................ 26 Figure 6 - Wind Turbine Components.......................................................................................... 26 Figure 7 - Annual averages and data recovery of wind speed at Norman Manley International Airport (1977 – 2008) ........................................................................................................... 29 Figure 8 - Concurrent time period and considered wind speed prediction horizon, monthly averages................................................................................................................................. 29 Figure 9 – Norman Manley Int. Airport vs. Munro met Mast & Norman Manley Int. Airport vs. Wigton Production................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 10 - Proposed Layout of Wind Farm................................................................................. 33 Figure 11 - Mandeville Roundabout............................................................................................. 34 Figure 12 - Location Map for corners to be widened ................................................................... 35 Figure 13 - Corner to be widened near Munro Prep ..................................................................... 36 Figure 14 - Corner at Corby District............................................................................................. 36 Figure 15 - Access Road Plan....................................................................................................... 38 Figure 16 - Access Road Detail - 1............................................................................................... 39 Figure 17 - Access Road Detail -2...............................................................................................