E2008 V3 China Public Disclosure Authorized Guiyang-Gangzhou Railway Project Environmental Impact Assessment Executive Summary October, 2008 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Guiyang-Guangzhou Railway Project Environmental Impact Assessment Executive Summary INTRODUCTION Background This document summarizes the environment impact assessment of the Guiyang-Guangzhou Railway Project in China, highlighting the main issues and conclusions of the environment impact assessment and environment management plan of the project. According to both Chinese Environmental Assessment laws and regulations and the World Bank’s Operational Policy 4.01 Environmental Assessment, the proposed project is Category A for environmental assessment purposes, due to the scale and significance of potential environmental and social impacts and the sensitivity of the project areas. Therefore, a full environmental assessment report was required. The Ministry of Railways (MOR) retained China Railway Second Survey and Design Institute (SSDI) and China Railway Fourth Survey and Design Institute (FSDI) for EA preparation. Both institutes hold Class A environmental impact assessment accreditation from the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). SSDI is responsible for the section Guiyang to Hezhou section (K0+000-K597+650), and FSDI is responsible for the section Hezhou to Guangzhou section (K567+200-K823+513). Accordingly, two separate EIA reports were prepared following relevant provisions specified in Chinese EA laws/regulations and technical guidelines, as well as World Bank safeguard policies. A Consolidated EA and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) 1 in English were prepared by SSDI to synthesize the two separate EIA reports. This Executive Summary is based on these reports, as well as feasibility studies carried out for the project, and karstic cave assessment and cultural resources surveys. The EA reports and EMP were submitted to the World Bank for review and they conform fully to Bank policy guidelines regarding environmental and social issues. All above reports have been made available in China and in the Public Information Center (INFOSHOP) of the World Bank. The Chinese EA reports were approved by Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) on May 14, 2008. As designed, the project (i) incorporated effective analysis of alternatives and engineering measures (76% of the line as tunnels and bridges) to maximize project benefits and eliminate significant grade impacts that would have occurred; (ii) will not adversely affect or convert critical natural habitats; (ii) will not adversely affect resources of high cultural value; (iii) will not negatively affect ethnic minorities but rather provide opportunities for their own development; (iv) will have minimized the need for resettlement and will provide adequate and just compensation and income restoration for affected peoples; and (v) includes a framework for addressing environmental and social issues during construction and operation of the project. Project Objectives The Guiyang-Guangzhou Railway Line (GRL) will be an important interregional railway corridor, passing through three provinces (Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong). The line is part of the MOR’s network 1 New Guiyang-Guangzhou Railway Line Project, Environmental Impact Report, Environmental Management Program; China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Go., Ltd., GHPZ JZ No.3210, China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co., Ltd., GHPZ JZ No.2605, June 2008. expansion plan. This line will provide a short and direct linkage of the relatively less-developed provinces of northwestern China with the Pearl River Delta region, one of the most developed areas in China. It will access Sichuan Province, Chongqing and northwest China via the Sichuan-Guizhou Railway Line and Lanzhou-Chongqing Railway Line to the north; link to Yunnan Province via the Guiyang-Kunming Railway Line in the west; stretch to Pearl River Delta, the developed areas of Hong Kong and Macao, as well as the Economic Zone in Fujian and Taiwan, via the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Passenger Dedicated Railway Line and the Coastal Express Rail Link in the south; and reach the coastal areas of Guangxi and Hainan via the Hengyang-Nanning Railway Line and Litang-Zhanjiang Railway Line. It will be a high standard inter-regional trunk railway line for both passenger and freight transportation, with passenger transportation as a priority. Environmental Assessment Process and Legal Framework A full Environmental Assessment (EA) was carried out following terms of reference agreed with the World Bank. The terms of reference were discussed in public meetings. The project triggered the following World Bank policies: Environmental Assessment; Natural Habitats; Indigenous Peoples; Involuntary Resettlement; and Physical Cultural Resources. Compliance with these policies, and the World Bank’s disclosure of information policy, is summarized in Table 1. The project is also in full compliance with environmental policies and regulations in China, summarized in Table 2. Table 1 - Compliance World Bank Safeguards Policies Safeguard Policies Actions Environmental Assessment - Category A project. Full EIA and EMP have been prepared. (OP/BP 4.01) Natural Habitats - Alignment alternatives to avoid natural habitats (OP/BP 4.04) - Adequate assessment of impacted protected areas and mitigation measures incorporated in EMP Physical Cultural - Archeological survey conducted along alignment Resources - Alignment alternatives to avoid cultural relics sites (OP/BP 4.11) - Chance procedures developed in EMP Involuntary Resettlement - Resettlement Action Plan has been prepared (OP/BP 4.12) Indigenous Peoples - Social Assessment has been conducted (OP/BP 4.10) - Ethnic Minority Indigenous Plan has been developed Consultation - A combination of opinion surveys and public meetings were held in the township government, village committee and affected villagers’ homes during preparation of the EIA and Resettlement Action Plan and Ethnic Minority Plan Project Description When completed, the GRL will comprise a new 857 km double track railway line from Guiyang in the Guizhou Province, passing through the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and ending in the City of Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province in South China. The total investment is expected to be near RMB 80 million Yuan (US$ 11.8 billion), including a World Bank loan of US$ 300 million. The construction period is expected to be six years, starting in late 2008 and expected commissioning by early 2015The location, alignment and main technical characteristics of the railway line are presented in Figure 1. The GRL will have 35 stations, including 5 main passenger stations, 15 intermediate stations and 15 by-pass stations. Eight stations expand existing stations, and 27 stations will be newly built. Table 2 - Compliance with Chinese Regulations China Laws and Regulations Project Compliance Environmental Protection Law EIA is prepared according to relevant laws/regulations and technical guidelines Mitigation measures are developed in EMP and incorporated into project design, and are to be implemented and supervised during construction Final acceptance inspection will be carried out before commissioning. Environmental Impact Assessment Full EIA report is prepared, and approved by Ministry of Environmental Protection Law A dedicated Water and Soil Conservation Plan is developed and approved by water resources authorities Notice on Strengthening EIA EIA and EMP are prepared in compliance with World Bank OP4.01. Management for Construction Projects Funded by Loans from International Financial Institutions Environmental Protection Mitigation measures are developed in EMP and incorporated into project design, and Management Regulations for are to be implemented and supervised during construction. Transport Project Final acceptance inspection will be carried out by MEP before commissioning. Solid Waste Pollution Prevention A Water and Soil Conservation Plan is developed, and incorporated into EMP and and Control Law contracts for implementation All waste spoils will be reused or properly disposed of in preselected and approved disposal sites with re-vegetation plan Water Pollution Prevention and Mitigation measures are built into EMP Control Law The alignment is carefully chosen to avoid drinking water resource protection areas Forestry Law The alignment is designed with tunnel-bridge-tunnel scheme to minimize occupation of forestry land Legal procedures will be followed for land acquisition and compensation for restoration Wildlife Protection Law Alignment is carefully chosen to avoid protected natural habitats Tunnel-bridge-tunnel scheme is adopted to minimize segmentation impact Potential impact is thoroughly addressed in EIA, and necessary mitigation measures developed in EMP Wild Plants Protection Regulations Alignment is carefully chosen to avoid protected natural reserves Protected wild plants are identified and protection measures developed Nature Reserve Protection Alignment is carefully chosen to avoid protected natural reserves Regulations For un-avoidable reserves, alignment is arranged in Experimental Zone using tunnel scheme to minimize impact Other necessary measures are developed in EMP Scenic Area Management Alignment is carefully chosen to avoid scenic areas as much as possible Regulations For un-avoidable scenic areas, alignment is arranged to avoid main scenic spots Greening plan and special design of