Raubex Building (Pty) Limited Kriel Extension 23 Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) October 2015 Submitted as contemplated in Regulation 23 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) For the application for Environmental Authorisation in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2014 Government Notice R983 - Listing Notice 1 of 2014 and Government Notice R984 - Listing Notice 2 of 2014 DARDLEA Reference No.: 1/3/1/16/1N-16 Draft EIR/EMPr: Raubex Building (Pty) Ltd – Proposed Kriel Extension 23 Page i Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIR) and Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) Raubex Building (Pty) Limited: Kriel Extension 23 Township development DRAFT EIR/EMPr FOR THE PROPOSED KRIEL EXENSION 23 TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT (COPY FOR REVIEW BY INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES) October 2015 RAUBEX BUILDING (PTY) LIMITED COMPILED BY GEOVICON ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LIMITED Draft EIR/EMPr: Raubex Building (Pty) Ltd – Proposed Kriel Extension 23 Page i CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Who is Developing the EIR and EMPr? .................................................................................. 4 1.1.1 Name and contact details of the EAP who prepared the EIR and EMPr .............. 4 1.1.2 Expertise of the EAP who prepared the EIR and EMPr ........................................ 4 1.2 Who will Evaluate and Approve the EIR and EMPr? .............................................................. 5 1.3 Legal Requirements.................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Purpose of the EIR/EMPr Report ............................................................................................. 6 2 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT ....................................................................................... 8 2.1 Details of the Applicant ............................................................................................................. 8 2.1.1 Name of the Applicant ............................................................................................. 8 2.1.2 Project Name ............................................................................................................ 8 2.1.3 Postal Address of Applicant ..................................................................................... 8 2.1.4 Applicant contact person ......................................................................................... 8 2.1.5 Applicant’s contact details ....................................................................................... 8 2.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY (LOCATION OF THE PROJECT) ........................... 8 2.2.1 Location .................................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2 Physical Address and Farm Name of the Kriel Extension 23 Township development .......................................................................................................... 11 2.2.3 Magisterial District & Regional Services Council .................................................. 11 2.2.4 Direction and Distance to Nearest Towns ............................................................ 11 2.2.5 Land Tenure and Use of Immediate and Adjacent Land ..................................... 11 2.2.6 Servitudes ............................................................................................................... 13 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ................................................ 15 3.1 Brief Project Overview ............................................................................................................ 15 3.2 Listed Activities and Specified Activities ................................................................................ 15 3.3 Description of the Associated Structures and Infrastructure Related to the Proposed Development ......................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Surface Infrastructure ............................................................................................ 20 4 POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT ............................................................................................ 25 RAUBEX BUILDING (PTY) LIMITED COMPILED BY GEOVICON ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LIMITED Draft EIR/EMPr: Raubex Building (Pty) Ltd – Proposed Kriel Extension 23 Page ii 4.1 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996) ..................................... 25 4.2 National Environmental Management Act ............................................................................. 25 4.3 National Environmental Management Air Quality Act........................................................... 26 4.4 The National Heritage Resources Act ................................................................................... 26 4.5 National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) (NEMBA) ............ 27 4.6 Mpumalanga Nature Conservation Act (Act 10 of 1998) ...................................................... 27 4.7 National Water Act (NWA)...................................................................................................... 27 4.8 National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act No. 59 of 2008) ............................. 28 4.9 EIA Guidelines ........................................................................................................................ 28 5 NEED AND DESIRABILITY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES ...................................................... 30 5.1 Ecological Integrity .................................................................................................................. 30 5.1.1 Consideration of ecological integrity ..................................................................... 30 5.2 Socio-Economic context of the area ...................................................................................... 36 5.2.1 IDP and other strategic plans ................................................................................ 36 5.2.2 Spatial priorities ...................................................................................................... 36 5.2.3 Spatial characteristics ............................................................................................ 37 5.2.4 Municipal Economic Development Strategy ......................................................... 38 5.2.5 Socio-economic impacts ........................................................................................ 38 5.2.6 Location of the development ................................................................................. 38 5.2.7 Risk-averse and cautious approaches applied in terms for socio-ecominc impacts ................................................................................................................... 39 5.2.8 Impacts on people’s environmental rights ............................................................ 39 5.2.9 Public participation ................................................................................................. 39 5.2.10 Intergovernmental co-ordination ........................................................................... 40 5.2.11 Environmental considerations ............................................................................... 40 6 MOTIVATION FOR THE PREFERRED DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINT......................................... 42 6.1 Consideration of Alternatives ................................................................................................. 42 6.1.1 Location Alternatives .............................................................................................. 42 6.1.2 Site Layout Alternatives ......................................................................................... 42 6.1.3 Transport of employees Alternatives .................................................................... 43 6.1.4 No Go Option ......................................................................................................... 43 6.2 Details Of The Public Participation Followed ........................................................................ 43 6.2.1 Registration of Interested and Affected parties .................................................... 44 RAUBEX BUILDING (PTY) LIMITED COMPILED BY GEOVICON ENVIRONMENTAL (PTY) LIMITED Draft EIR/EMPr: Raubex Building (Pty) Ltd – Proposed Kriel Extension 23 Page iii 6.2.2 Consultation with interested and affected parties: ................................................ 45 6.2.3 Record of Decision (ROD) ..................................................................................... 47 6.2.4 Notification of potential and registered interested and affected parties .............. 47 6.2.5 Responding to comments from the interested and affected parties.................... 48 6.3 Results Of Public Participation ..............................................................................................