Public Disclosure Authorized SCOTT WILSON AZERBAIJAN MOTORWAY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT Regional Environmental Review April 2009 (revised June 2009) Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Prepared for: Azerbaijan Republic Ministry of Transport Public Disclosure Authorized AzerRoadService Version/ Prepared By Dated Reviewed By Dated Approved Dated Revision By Draft 01 N Venema 22/02/09 T Romanenko 23/02/09 L Porteus 24/02/09 Draft 02 E Policarpo 17/03/09 N Venema 17/03/09 L Porteus 19/03/09 T Romanenko 18/03/09 Final Draft T Romanenko 24/03/09 L Porteus 24/03/09 L Porteus 24/03/09 Final T Romanenko 20/04/09 L Porteus 20/04/09 L Porteus 20/04/09 N Venema AZERBAIJAN MOTORWAY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: Regional Environment Review CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................. III LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................. V LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................... V 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION .................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PURPOSE OF THE REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW .......................................................................... 5 2 PROJECT CONTEXT AND DESCRIPTION INCLUDING ALTERNATIVES .................................... 6 2.1 REGIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................... 6 2.1.1 General Environmental and Socio-Cultural Context ......................................................................... 6 2.1.2 Socio-Economic Development ............................................................................................................ 7 2.1.3 Transport Sector ................................................................................................................................. 9 2.1.4 Traffic Safety .................................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 PROPOSED OVERALL PROJECT ............................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1 Project Objectives............................................................................................................................. 11 2.2.2 Justification for the Project .............................................................................................................. 12 2.2.3 Project Scope .................................................................................................................................... 12 2.2.4 Description of Works ........................................................................................................................ 13 2.2.5 Comparison of Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 18 2.2.6 Potential Construction Materials Sources in Baku-Shamakhi-Yevlakh and Mingachevir Domain .. 19 2.3 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS ...................................................................................................... 20 3 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ............................................................. 21 3.1 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION .......................................................................................... 21 3.1.1 National EIA Policy, Legal and Regulatory Framework .................................................................. 21 3.2 NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS ON LAND ACQUISITION AND RESETTLEMENT ............................. 26 3.2.1 Compensation Valuation Methods in Azerbaijan ............................................................................. 27 3.2.2 Entitlements ...................................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.3 Gap analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 29 3.3 LEGISLATION RELATING TO THE STATUS AND CONTROL OF THE ROAD RESERVES ............................... 30 3.4 OTHER NATIONAL ROAD SECTOR LAWS AND REGULATIONS ................................................................ 31 3.5 LEGISLATION ON MATTERS RELATED TO REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE ................. 33 3.6 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................ 34 3.6.1 Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 34 3.6.2 Land Acquisition and Resettlement................................................................................................... 35 3.7 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS ............................................................................................................ 36 3.8 WORLD BANK SAFEGUARD POLICIES .................................................................................................... 38 3.9 ROLE OF RER, EA&MF AND RPF IN ENSURING COMPLIANCE .............................................................. 41 4 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE – BAKU-SHAMAKHI ....................................................................... 42 4.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 42 4.2 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................................... 42 4.2.1 Geology, Topography and Soils ....................................................................................................... 42 4.2.2 Climate and Air ................................................................................................................................ 44 4.2.3 Surface and Groundwater................................................................................................................. 44 4.2.4 Noise ................................................................................................................................................. 45 4.2.5 Natural Hazards ............................................................................................................................... 45 67 4.3 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................... 46 4.3.1 Flora ................................................................................................................................................. 46 4.3.2 Fauna ................................................................................................................................................ 48 4.3.3 Protected Areas and Other Significant Natural Sites ....................................................................... 51 4.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 53 4.4.1 General Information ......................................................................................................................... 53 4.4.2 Community Structure ........................................................................................................................ 54 4.4.3 Land Use and Sources of Income ..................................................................................................... 55 4.4.4 Land Ownership ............................................................................................................................... 56 Scott Wilson i April 2009 AZERBAIJAN MOTORWAY IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: Regional Environment Review 4.4.5 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................................. 57 5 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE BAKU-TO-SHAMAKHI ROAD ................................ 58 5.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 58 5.2 PHYSICAL AND ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT......................................................................................... 60 5.2.1 ‘Without Project’ scenario ............................................................................................................... 60 5.2.2 Widening scenario ............................................................................................................................ 61 5.2.3 Impact Mitigation ............................................................................................................................. 61 5.3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 64 5.3.1 ‘Without Project’ scenario ............................................................................................................... 64 5.3.2 Widening