INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION January 2020 VIE: Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Subproject: Rehabilitation and Upgrading Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac Prepared by Ha Giang Department of Planning and Investment for Ha Giang Provincial People’s Committee and the Asian Development Bank. Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Initial Environmental Examination of Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency unit: Vietnam Dong (VND) and US dollar ($) Exchange Rate (April 2017): $1 = VND 22.350 ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank CPC Commune People’s Committee CSC Construction Supervision Consultant CBR California Bearing Ratio DOT Department of Transportation DARD Department of Agriculture and Rural Development DONRE Department of Natural Resources and Environment EMP Environmental Management Plan ESO Environmental Safeguards Officer ESS Environmental Safeguards Specialist GDP Gross Regional Domestic Product GRDP Gross Domestic Product IEE Initial Environmental Examination LEP Law on Environmental Protection MPI Ministry of Planning and Investment MPN Most Probable Number of viable cells of a pathogen - a measure of water quality PMU Project Management Unit Project Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth Project in Northeast Provinces PPC Provincial People Committee PPE Personal Protective Equipment QCVN National Technical Regulation SPS Safeguard Policy Statement Upgrading and Renovating of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Subproject Meo Vac, Ha Giang Province TCVN National Technical Standard ii Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Initial Environmental Examination of Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac UXO Unexploded ordnance Weights and measures km2 –Square kilometer m3 - Cubic meter Note The sign of $ is referred to as the dollar (US Dollar) in this report 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 on ADB’s 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. iii Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Initial Environmental Examination of Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac CONTENTS Page ABBREVIATIONS II I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 A. SUBPROJECT DESCRIPTION 7 B. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 9 C. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 10 D. CONCLUSION 11 II. BACKGROUND 12 A. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT 12 III. LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK 13 A. ADB SPS REQUIREMENTS 13 B. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN VIETNAM 13 IV. SUBPROJECT DESCRIPTION 16 A. LOCATION AND SCOPE OF SUBPROJECT 16 B. SUBPROJECT SCOPE 18 C. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBPROJECT AREA 23 D. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT 24 E. LAND USE STATUS IN SUBPROJECT AREA 24 F. LAND ACQUISITION 26 V. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 30 A. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 30 B. BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT 31 C. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 32 D. KEY ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES 35 E. LEGALLY PROTECTED AREA 36 VI. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 38 A. POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE 39 B. POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE 40 C. POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE OPERATION PHASE 50 VII. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION 52 A. PUBLIC CONSULTATION PREPARATION 52 B. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION DURING PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS 52 C. RESULTS OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION 52 VIII. GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM 54 A. PURPOSES OF GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM (GRM) 54 B. GRIEVANCE REDRESS PROCESS 54 C. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS 55 D. ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION 59 4 Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Initial Environmental Examination of Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac AVOID AIR POLLUTION, TRAFFIC OBSTACLES AND CONTAMINATION 63 E. ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERVISION 72 F. REPORTING 82 G. CAPACITY BUILDING 84 IX. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 86 X. APPENDIX 87 A. APPENDIX 1: PHOTOS OF THE SUBPROJECT ROAD AND THE VICINITY 87 B. APPENDIX 2: SOURCE OF REFERENCES 88 C. APPENDIX 3: ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION MEASURES INCLUDED IN THE BIDDING DOCUMENTS 89 D. APPENDIX 4: NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATIONS OF VIETNAM 93 E. APPENDIX 5: PUBLIC CONSULTATION – MINUTES OF MEETING AND LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 101 F. APPENDIX 6: MINUTES OF DETERMINATION ON WASTE DISPOSAL LOCATIONS 120 G. APPENDIX 7: THE AGREEMENT ON THE SUBPROJECT IMPLEMENTATION OF VIETNAM UNESCO 125 H. APPENDIX 8: THE MINING PERMIT 128 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Cross-section scale of branch section ................................................................. 7 Figure 2: Map of the subproject road 176 ........................................................................ 17 Figure 3: Representative cross sections adjusted to reduce slopes and widen bends to ensure traffic safety .......................................................................................................... 19 Figure 4: The road map of material quarries ..................................................................... 21 Figure 5: The road map of disposal site ........................................................................... 23 Figure 6: Location of the route on Dong Van Rock Plateau area and protected areas ...... 37 Figure 7: The route passing through the rocky area ........................................................ 47 Figure 8: EMP Implementation Organization Chart .......................................................... 58 Figure 9: Expected locations for air environmental monitoring during the implementation process ............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 10: Expected locations for surface water environmental monitoring during the implementation process ................................................................................................... 80 Figure 11: Expected locations for domestic wastewater environmental monitoring at worker camps during the implementation process ....................................................................... 81 5 Basic Infrastructure for Inclusive Growth in the Northeastern Provinces Sector Project Initial Environmental Examination of Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Provincial Road in Yen Minh – Mau Due – Meo Vac LIST OF TABLES Table 1: The current status of culverts across the road ...................................................... 8 Table 2: Road Subproject Summary ................................................................................. 17 Table 3: The technical parameters of the curve in the PR176 .......................................... 18 Table 4: Statistics of longitudinal design results ............................................................... 18 Table 5: The location of the material quarries of the Yen Minh-Mau Due-Meo Vac route 20 Table 7: Characteristics of potential disposal sites ........................................................... 21 Table 8: Land Use in subproject district, 2017 (hectares) ................................................. 25 Table 9: Estimated budget of the subproject .................................................................... 26 Table 10: Land use in the subproject districts in 2016 ...................................................... 32 Table 11: Ethnic composition and gender characteristics of the survey ............................ 32 Table 12: Economic conditions disaggregated by ethnic and gender ............................... 33 Table 13: Main agricultural products in the subproject communes in 2016 ....................... 33 Table 14:The number of schools in the subproject area in 2017 ....................................... 34 Table 15: Impacts on land of households and organizations ............................................ 39 Table 16: The extent of damage to houses and buildings ................................................. 39 Table 17: Sensitive points along the route ........................................................................ 45 Bảng 18: Vị trí đào đá mở rộng tuyến ............................................................................... 47 Table 19: Main issues and information from local authorities ............................................ 53 Table 20: Main environmental concerns from public consultation ..................................... 53 Table 21: Stakeholders and responsibilities for the EMP implementation ......................... 55 Table 22: Detailed Environmental Mitigation Plan ............................................................ 60 Table 21: Environmental Monitoring Compliance ............................................................. 73 Table 22: Environmental Performance Monitoring