ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE RBMP FOR AKHURYAN RBD OF ARMENIA, INCLUDING EIA AND EXPERT EXAMINATION COMPLETION REPORT Prepared by: “Geoinfo” LLC September 9, 2016 List of acronyms BMO Basin Management Organization CWME Country Water Management Expert EIA Environmental Impact Analysis EPIRB Environmental Protection of International River Basins EU European Union IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management KFW German Reconstruction Credit Bank LLC Limited Liability Company MES Ministry of Emergency Situations MNP Ministry of Nature Protection NGO Non-Governmental Organization RBD River Basin District RBMP River Basin Management Plan ROA Republic of Armenia SNCO Sate Non-Commercial Organization WRMA Water Resources Management Agency 2 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THE FORMAL ADOPTION OF THE RBMP FOR AKHURYAN RBD OF ARMENIA, INCLUDING EIA AND EXPERT EXAMINATION This report is prepared according to the requirements of the contracts signed between Hulla & Co Human Dynamics KG and “Geoinfo” LLC on May 30, 2016. The overall objective of the contract was to provide additional support to the formal adoption of the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD of Armenia, including environmental impact assessment and expert examination. The report includes the following 2 deliverables as envisaged in the contract: Deliverable 1: Proceedings of two public hearing meetings: (i) on preliminary assessment of the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD; and (ii) on strategic assessment/environmental impact assessment of the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD; Deliverable 2: Preliminary environmental impact assessment report and primary impact assessment report for RBMP of Akhuryan RBD. The procedures of environmental impact assessment and expert examination of the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD of Armenia and corresponding public hearings are regulated by the Republic of Armenia law “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expert Examination” (2014) and Government of Armenia Resolution “On Procedures of Public Notification and Public Discussions” (2015). According to Article 15 of the law the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD shall undergo environmental impact assessment and expert examination prior to formal adoption. The assessment and expert examination shall be carried out in two phases: (1) initial phase, during which application for preliminary assessment shall be reviewed; and (2) primary phase, during which the main assessment report shall pass expert examination. To start the process, pursuant to the requirements of the Contract with Hulla & Co Human Dynamics KG, preliminary environmental impact assessment of the RBMP for Akhuryan RBD was prepared by the “Geoinfo” LLC, and together with an application submitted to the authorized entity. Following that, the first public hearing was organized on the preliminary assessment on June 17, 2016 in Akhuryan community of Shirak Marz of Armenia. Pursuant to the requirement of the legislation, 7 days in advance of the intended public hearing data corresponding announcement was posted in the daily newspaper “Hayastani Hanrapeturyun” (Republic of Armenia). The public hearing was video recorded and corresponding written protocol of discussions were prepared. Annex 1 provides Minutes of the first public hearing. All the materials and documents were properly included in the application package, submitted to the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO on June 28, 2016. After submission of the preliminary assessment application by “Geoinfo” LLC to the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” State Non-Commercial Organization (SNCO) of the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, the initial phase of expert examination was carried out. In the initial phase of assessment: (i) completeness of the submitted preliminary assessment application was checked; and (ii) the scope of potential environmental impact of the RBMP for 3 Akhuryan RBD was determined, content and terms of the assessment report were established, list of the participants of the process were prepared, and, terms of reference for preparation of consolidated impact assessment report were prepared and submitted by the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO to the “Geoinfo” LLC. The second public hearing on strategic assessment/environmental impact assessment of the RBMP for the Akhuryan RBD was organized in the primary assessment phase on July 21, 2016 in Armavir city of Armavir Marz of Armenia. As required by the Law, 7 days before the public hearing, public notification was posted in “Hayastani Hanrapetutyun” (Republic of Armenia) daily newspaper. During the second public hearing a comprehensive and complete information on RBMP for Akhuryan RBD was presented, including environmental impact assessment, and responses to all questions raised by the participants of the hearing were provided. The protocol of discussions of public hearing, as well as video recording of all discussions was prepared by “Geoinfo” LLC. Annex 2 provides Minutes of the second public hearing. Despite the fact that according to the Contract “Geoinfo” LLC was responsible for organization of the above-mentioned two public hearings, taking into consideration the request of the Ministry of Nature Protection, “Geoinfo” LLC agreed and organized the third public hearing on August 18, 2016 in Gyumri city of Shirak Marz of Armenia. Parallel to this, pursuant to the requirements of the Contract, “Geoinfo” LLC prepared a corresponding report on environmental impact assessment and present to the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO. The report was published in the official website of Shirak Regional Administration (http://shirak.mtad.am/Q/) 7 days before organization of the third public hearing. Also, public notification in the “Hayastani Hanrapetutyun” (Republic of Armenia) daily newspaper was made 7 working days before the third public hearing. Based on the discussions of the public hearing corresponding protocol was developed. Annex 3 provides Minutes of the third public hearing. In total, 88 participants attended the 3 public hearings, organized by “Geoinfo” in different cities and communities of the Akhuryan RBD of Armenia. The Preliminary environmental impact assessment report was prepared by “Geoinfo” LLC and submitted to “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO on June 28, 2016. Pursuant to the requirements of the legislation, the report was prepared in Armenian language, and consisted of 5 tables, 4 maps and 4 diagrams. It included sections on the approach and methodology, water resources of the Akhuryan RBD, water use, pressure-impact analysis and significant issues, supply- demand analysis and the program of measures. Afterwards, within 30 days, as required by the Armenian legislation, the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO conducted screening and review of the report, and provided positive conclusion. Based on that, Terms of Reference was developed, and officially provided to “Geoinfo” LLC on July 29, 2016, for preparation of the primary EIA report, as the last step required from the initiator of the EIA process. “Geoinfo” LLC officially submitted the Primary impact assessment report for RBMP of Akhuryan RBD to the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” on August 20, 2016. The report consists of 23 pages, and includes 14 tables, 4 maps and 2 diagrams. The structure of the primary EIA report corresponded to the requirements of the Terms of Reference, developed by the “Environmental Impact Expertise Centre” SNCO, and included the following: 4 • The objective and approach; • List of the 6 urban and 235 rural target communities in the RBD; • Natural conditions, including geography, climate, vegetation, geology, landslides, mudflows, floods; • Population and demography; • Water resources in the RBD; • Hydrological characteristics, including rivers, lakes, water balance; • Groundwater resources; • Overall volume of water resources and usable water resources; • Water use; • Pressure-impact analysis and significant water management issues; • Impacts; • Perspective water supply and demand assessment; • Program of measures, including addressing urban wastewater, livestock breeding, industry, fish-farming, hydromorphological alterations; • Economic analysis and definition of priority measures; • Financial assessment of proposed measures; • Public participation, including summary table of all proposals made in the 3 public hearing meetings organized pursuant to the requirements of the Republic of Armenia law “On Environmental Impact Assessment and Expert Examination”. 5 Annex 1: Minutes of the First Public Hearing on Preliminary Assessment The first public hearing on preliminary assessment of the draft RBMP for Akhuryan RBD was held in the building of Akhuryan Municipality of Shirak Marz of Armenia, on June 17, 2016. The meeting was attended by 23 participants, including the representatives of “Tzayg” TV of Gyumri. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Vahan Davtyan, Head of the Water Resources Management Agency of the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia. In his opening speech Mr. Davtyan described the process of development of draft RBMP for Akhuryan RBD with the support of the EU EPIRB project. He explained that the core of the RBMP is the program of measures, which aims to achieve good ecological status for the surface and groundwater bodies of the RBD, based on the comprehensive pressure-impact analysis. He also mentioned about the data gaps identified in the course of development of the draft RBMP, as well as the field surveys to cover the data gaps. Afterwards, EPIRB Project CWME for Armenia Mr. Vahagn Tonoyan