Initial Environmental Examination Project No.: 47358-002 Document status: Draft final Date: June 2019 Samoa: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report Prepared by Samoa Ports Authority 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. In preparing any country programme 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. SAM: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IV I. INTRODUCTION 1 A. Background to the Project 1 B. Objectives of Environmental Assessment 3 II. POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK 4 A. Country Safeguards System 4 B. International Treaties and Agreements 9 C. ADB Safeguard Policy Statement 9 III. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 10 A. Current Port Layout 10 B. Project Scope 11 IV. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT (BASELINE DATA) 22 A. Physical Resources 22 B. Biological Resources 28 C. Socio-economic Conditions and Cultural Resources 49 V. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 59 A. Overview 59 B. Audit of Existing Facilities 59 C. Pre-Construction Impacts 61 D. Construction Impacts on the Physical Environment 65 E. Construction Impacts on the Biological Environment 69 F. Construction Impacts on the Socio-economic Environment 71 G. Operation Impacts 76 VI. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND CONSULTATION 77 VII. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 79 A. Introduction 79 B. Implementation Arrangements for Environmental Management 79 C. Grievance Redress Mechanism 83 D. Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Matrix 85 E. Monitoring and Reporting 86 VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 96 BIBLIOGRAPHY 98 Page/i SAM: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report ANNEXES Annex 1: International Agreements, Conventions and Treaties 99 Annex 2: Monthly Wind Rose 2012 100 Annex 3: Audit of Existing Facilities and Operations of Apia Port 101 Annex 4: Results of Stakeholder Consultations 108 Page/ii SAM: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report ABBREVIATIONS ACM - asbestos containing materials ADB - Asian Development Bank CEAR - comprehensive environmental assessment report (under CSS) CEMP - construction environmental management plan COEP - Codes of Environmental Practice (2007) CCP - communications and consultation plan (for the project) CSC - construction supervision consultant CSD - Corporate Services Division (of SPA) CSS - country safeguards system DEC - Division of Environment and Conservation (MNRE) EHSG - Environmental Health & Safety Guidelines (of World Bank Group) EMO Environmental management officer (in PMU) EMP - environmental management plan ENSO - El Nino Southern Oscillation FAD - fish aggregation device GPS - global positioning system GRM - grievance redress mechanism HSP - health and safety plan (part of CEMP) IES - international environment specialist (in CSC) IUCN - International Union for the Conservation of Nature KBA - key biodiversity area MAF - Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries MFR Ministry for Revenue MMP - materials management plan (part of CEMP) MNRE - Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment MOF - Ministry of Finance MPA - marine protected area MWTI - Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure NSS - national safeguards specialist (in the CSC) PEAR - preliminary environmental assessment report (under CSS) PPE - personal protective equipment PSC - Project Steering Committee PUMA - Planning and Urban Management Agency (MNRE) QMP - quarry management plan SPA - Samoa Ports Authority SPREP - South Pacific Regional Environment Program SPS - Safeguard Policy Statement 2009 (of ADB) SSC - Samoa Shipping Corporation TOR - Terms of Reference UNDP - United Nations Development Program WBG - World Bank Group Page/iii SAM: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Background. In 2015 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) assisted the Government of Samoa (the government) prepare a port development masterplan study which assessed various options to improve Apia Port capacity and operation to meet forecast port demand to 2035. The option recommended in the study, and endorsed by the government, consisted of the following components: (i) extension of the existing breakwater by at least 100m;(ii) enlargement of the turning basin; and (iii) reconfiguration of the port area to enhance port operations capacity. 2. The ADB is continuing its support to the government through technical assistance and a project design advance to prepare the Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port project (the project) as per the government endorsed masterplan option. The project also includes a capacity development component to develop a Green Port initiative and procurement of a replacement tugboat. 3. Project description. The project involves the following components: • Reconstruction of the existing breakwater to be higher and wider; • Relocation of the two gas-ship mooring buoys to the western side of the harbour; • New navigation aids, as necessary, for the breakwater reconstruction; • Heavy duty pavement, drainage and electrical services across the existing unpaved areas, of approximately 10,200m2; • New yard lighting across the entire container yard, with adequate coverage and intensity for night-time container yard operations; • Modification of Shed 2 to provide for container devanning under cover; • Construction of an equipment repair and service workshop; • Construction of a container examination facility adjacent to the Customs Building; • Supply of an X-ray scanner and construction of a building to house the scanner; • Procurement of a tugboat; and • Project management support and capacity development (including the Green Port initiative). 4. Implementation arrangements. The overall executing agency for the project is the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the implementing agency is Samoa Ports Authority (SPA), the implementing agency for the x-ray machine and customs examination facility component is the Ministry for Revenue (MFR). A project management unit (PMU) will be established by SPA to deliver the Project, the PMU will include from members from MFR and be supported by a construction supervision consultant (CSC). The PMU will include an environmental management officer (EMO). The CSC will include an experienced environmental specialist to assist SPA in establishing and implementing an environmental management system during project construction and to support several of the elements of the Green Port initiative. During the project design advance, the initial environmental examination prepared during the master plan development stage has been updated based on detailed design. Page/iv SAM: Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port Preliminary Environmental Assessment Report 5. This preliminary environmental assessment report (PEAR) will be submitted as part of the necessary documentation to obtain development consent from the Planning and Urban Management Agency (PUMA) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE). 6. The CSC will support SPA to meet all its obligations with respect to the development consent, updated EMP and the approved construction EMP (CEMP). The CSC and the consultants developing the Green Port initiative will provide capacity building and training to SPA and PMU staff in general environmental management of port operations and basic training in good international industry practice for environmental management and health and safety. It is envisaged that the PMU’s EMO will be integrated into SPA following completion of the construction stage. The EMO will be responsible for implementing relevant components of the Green Port initiative. 7. Policy, legal and administrative framework. The project will comply with requirements of the Planning and Urban Management Act 2004 and Planning and Urban Management (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2007 which require that for all developments a development consent must be obtained from PUMA. The development consent application shall be in accordance with the EIA Regulations 2007 and for the project will include this preliminary environmental assessment report (PEAR). There are also requirements under Samoa Codes of Environmental Practice that apply to the project. The project will also comply with the requirements of ADB Safeguard Policy Statement 2009 (SPS) which amongst other things requires compliance with the World Bank Group’s Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSG). The development consent (and other permits) must be obtained before any works commence. 8. Safeguards. The project is determined as category B for environment in accordance with the SPS because the potential adverse environmental impacts are site-specific, few if any of them are irreversible, and mitigation measures can be designed readily to ensure potential impacts are avoided or minimised to acceptable levels. An initial environmental examination was carried out in 2017 and has been updated as this PEAR in