Initial Environmental Examination May 2015 ARM: Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program –Tranche 2 Construction of Road Links of the Yerevan Western Ring Road Road Link for Davitashen-Ashtarak highway Prepared by the Yerevan Municipality for the Asian Development Bank. 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 of this 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. REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD LINKS OF THE YEREVAN WESTERN RING ROAD Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program Tranche 2 Road link Davitashen-Ashtarak highway Initial Environmental Examination Date Rev Drafted by Checked by Approved by Document Code P. 26 /05/2015 V2 Local experts R. Thadani Bourguignon Consultant Funding Agency Implementing Agency Asian Development Bank VERSION HISTORY Version Date Modifications V1 11 /05/2015 Fi rst issue V2 26/05/2015 As per ADB comments Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program Final issue V2 Tranche 2 INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION Road link Davitashen - Ashtarak Highway ABBREVIATIONS ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AM Accountability Mechanism AP Affected Person BOD Biochemical oxygen Demand EA Executing Agency EARF Environmental Assessment and Review Framework EBRD European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan ERT Emergency Response Team HSE Health, Safety & Environment IA Implementing Agency IEE Initial Environmental Examination IFI International Financial Institution IMF International Monetary Fund IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LARP Land Acquisition and Resettlement Plan MFF Multi-tranche Financing Facility MNP Ministry of Nature Protection MOC Ministry of Culture MOE Ministry of Economy MENR Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. MPC Maximum Permissible Concentration NGOs Non-government organizations NO Nitrogen oxide NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide NPE Nature Protection Expertise PIU Project Implementing Unit PPTA Project Preparatory Technical Assistance RA Republic of Armenia RAMSAR Ramsar Convention on Wetlands REA Rapid Environmental Assessment (checklist) SEI State Environmental Inspectorate SEMP Site-Specific Environmental Management Plan SNCO State Non-commercial Organization SO2 Sulfur Dioxide SPS Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) SUDIP Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program TOR Terms of Reference UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization USD United States of America Dollar YMPIU Yerevan Municipality Project Implementation Unit YM Yerevan Municipality WEIGHTS AND MEASURES dBA Decibel (A-weighted) km Ki lometer(s) 2 km Square kilometer(s) l Liter m Meter(s) 3 mg/m Milligra m(s) per cubic meter Page 3 of 61 Sustainable Urban Development Investment Program Final issue V2 Tranche 2 INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION Road link Davitashen - Ashtarak Highway TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................. 6 A.1. Project Background ............................................................................................................................. 6 A.2. Screening and Classification ............................................................................................................... 6 A.3. Compliance and Fulfillment of the SPS Policy & RA Law on EIA ....................................................... 7 A.4. Grievance Redress Mechanism .......................................................................................................... 8 A.5. Report, Methodology and Scope of the Study ..................................................................................... 8 A.6. Tasks and Accomplishments .............................................................................................................. 9 B. POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................... 11 B.1. ADB Environmental Assessment Requirements ............................................................................... 11 B.2. Armenian Laws Governing Environmental Management and Assessment...................................... 11 B.3. Armenia’s Participation in International Environmental Conventions and Protocols ........................ 14 B.4. Administrative Framework................................................................................................................. 16 C. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................................................ 20 C.1. Type of Project .................................................................................................................................. 20 C.2. Location of the Project ...................................................................................................................... 20 C.3. Description of the Works ................................................................................................................... 23 C.4. Magnitude of Operation .................................................................................................................... 25 D. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT (BASELINE DATA) ............................................................................... 26 D.1. Physical Resources ........................................................................................................................... 26 D.2. Ecological Resources ........................................................................................................................ 30 D.3. Social and Cultural Resources .......................................................................................................... 31 D.4. Economic Development .................................................................................................................... 32 E. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................ 33 E.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 33 E.2. Positive impacts ................................................................................................................................ 33 E.1. Negative impacts and mitigation measures during construction phase............................................ 34 E.2. Construction impacts ........................................................................................................................ 38 E.3. Negative impacts and mitigation measures during operation phase ................................................ 40 E.4. Cumulative Environmental Effects ..................................................................................................... 41 F. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................................................................. 42 G. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION...... 42 G.1. Information Disclosure ....................................................................................................................... 43 G.2. Consultation and Participation .......................................................................................................... 43 H. ACCOUNTABILITY & GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM .............................................................................. 45 H.1. ADB’s Accountability Mechanism ..................................................................................................... 45 H.2. Grievance Redress Mechanism ........................................................................................................ 45 I. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ............................................................................................................... 49 I.1. Environmental work plans prepared (maps, drawings, etc.). Mitigation ........................................... 49 I.2. Monitoring ......................................................................................................................................... 54 I.3. Implementation arrangement ............................................................................................................ 55 I.4. Costs and sources of funding ........................................................................................................... 57 I.5. Reporting ........................................................................................................................................... 58 J. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................... 60 J.1. Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................