Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Tambo Springs Inland Port DOCUMENT CONTROL: P.O Box 912 Heidelberg, 1438 Tel: 016 349 6412 Fax: 086 553 8827 Document Title and Ref. no: Report Title and Doc. EIA Report EIAR TSIP03/12 Ref. no: Mix Use Development – Tambo Springs Inland Port Client: Inframax Holdings (Pty) Ltd Authorised/Prepared by: Liselle van Niekerk Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) Revision Status: Rev. No. Status Date Writer Reviewer 0 Draft 9 March 2012 LvN WvN 1 Rev 1 20 March 2012 LvN WvN Fn Final 18 June 2012 LvN WvN Documents Distribution: (Rev 1) Re. No. No Copies Type Recipient Name Company/Position/Location 1 1 Electronic Tumi Mohulatsi Project Manager 1 3 Hard copies EO GDARD June 2012 i Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Proposed Mix Use Development Tambo Springs Inland Port Environmental Assessment Practitioner: As per the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act: NEMA, 1998 (Act No.107 of 1998), (NEMA) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 (Government Notice No’s R544, 545 and 546 of 2010), the following information is pertinent with regards to the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) that has been appointed for the Scoping and Environmental assessments for the establishment of a residential township on the remaining extent of Portion 37 of the Farm Tamboekiesfontein 173 IR, Germiston, Gauteng. Contact Details of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner: Cell: 083 733 6605 Fax: 086 553 8827 P.O Box 912 Heidelberg 1438 Qualifications and Relevant Expertise: • M Sc Environmental Management (RAU) • B Art. et Scientae (Town and Regional Planning) (PU for CHE) • Registration as Member of IAIA – in process • Relevant Expertise – see attached company profile June 2012 ii Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Proposed Mix Use Development Tambo Springs Inland Port TABLE OF CONTENTS manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, business and retail, an intermodal yard, E EXECUTIVE SUMMARY which will include a rail siding, storage facilities, bonded logistics and other such E1 INTRODUCTION uses associated with an inland port, logistics Inframax Holdings (Pty) Ltd instructed W & L hub and rail terminal. More specifically the Consultants cc, independent consultants, land composition will be as follow: to proceed with the appropriate Proposed Land Use Area Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Hectare Process for the proposed development of Industrial/Warehousing 114.1479 Intermodal yard 32.0171 mixed income housing situated on the Logistics 176.4498 remaining extent of Portion 37 of the Farm Non Developable land 14.4376 Tamboekiesfontein, 173 IR, Germiston. Roads 59 Trucking Intermodal yard 42.8174 Wetland Area/Open Space 111.1059 E2 GENRAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION Servitude Power Line 28.0157 The site is located within service delivery area Servitude Rail 47.5307 of Germiston and falls under the jurisdiction of TOTAL 626.669 the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. The site is zoned ‘Undetermined’ and it is the The development will take place over a intension of the applicant to develop an period of 8 years will be in extent of inland port on the site. The site is located ±627.485ha for the Inframax Landholding within the jurisdiction of Ekurhuleni site. The proposed development forms part Metropolitan Municipality, Germiston Service of a master plan for the larger area where Center. More specifically the site is located the Inframax Landholding site is seen as west of the N3, directly east and adjacent to phase 1 of the larger development. The Magagula Heights. The residential area of land distribution across the total Zonkizizwe is located north west of the site developable area is as follow: with Katlehong South directly north of the site. The proposed township will consist of, (1) the upgrading of the engineering infrastructure to accommodate the proposed development, (2) The development will comprise of erven zoned “Special” to Phase 1 (Inframax Land Holding) will be accommodate the following land uses (a) developed in two stages: June 2012 iii Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Proposed Mix Use Development Tambo Springs Inland Port • Stage 1: year 1 to year 5 - this stage will environmental impact assessment and a site include the development of the truck visit. The following key issues were identified: and Intermodal yard and expected TEU’s for container terminal, i.e. 1, Contamination of ground and surface 000,000TEU’s and the expected pallets, water; i.e. 4, 500,000 pallets. The estimated Increased surface water runoff; development size is 406,754.10m² Impacts on air quality; • Stage 2: year 6 – year 8 – this stage will Increased erosion; consist of the Development of industrial / Floral destruction; warehousing. The estimated Faunal displacement and destruction; development size is 737,879.86m². Impact on the sensitive wetland system; Economic and Social Impact on existing The total development is planned on a 1000 communities located on a portion of the hectare site and projected on a 15 year site and within the larger area; timeframe (to completion). This report only Impact on sites of Heritage Value assessed the activities to be developed on Visual intrusion; the Inframax Land Holding that constitutes Increase in Traffic Volume; phase 1 of the total development. Increase in ambient noise levels; Crime, Safety & Security risks; and The proposed activities and infrastructure Noise pollution will be developed and constructed in terms Each issue was assessed and mitigatory of the land use controls formulated measures proposed to such an extent that specifically for the project. The sensitive impacts were minimised or negated. nature of portions of the site was taken into consideration from the inception of the E4 IMPACT EVALUATION project and the layout plan takes into account the sensitive areas identified within Each issued identified was evaluated in the various ecological studies undertaken. terms of the most important parameters applicable to environmental management. E3 KEY ISSUES These include the: nature, extent, duration, intensity, probability and significance of the Risks and Key issues were identified and potential impact on the environment. addressed in consultation with Interested and Affected Parties, through an internal Potential Negative Impacts include: process based on similar developments, an June 2012 iv Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Proposed Mix Use Development Tambo Springs Inland Port Contamination of ground and surface 200m buffer for red listed avifauna, the water may result due to the deposition red listed plant and its 200m buffer as of contaminants during the construction well as a large portion of the natural phase and the possibility of sewerage grassland must be conserved in an open leaks, diesel/oil spills during the space system. The area to be conserved operational phase. Mitigation measures is depicted in the overall sensitivity map proposed reduce the significance to above that includes sensitive areas for “low”. African Grass owls, African Marsh Increased surface water runoff and Harriers, Harlequin snakes, wetland erosion as a result of vegetation reliant mammals and the red listed plant clearance and the disturbance of soil species. during the construction phase. The implementation of mitigation measures Conclusion: When the layout plan is reduces the significance rating to overlain with the environmental “medium to low”. sensitivity map, it is clear that most of the wetland and surrounding buffer areas However potential increase in surface were excluded from the proposed runoff during operation phase due to development. The grassland area to be the lack of vegetation and the presence conserved is however small, but should of hard open spaces is considered to be be seen together with the open space “high”. The implementation of areas on the layout map for the mitigation measures reduces the neighbouring site to the east. Therefore significance rating to “medium”. the significance rating is “medium”. Impacts on air quality are related to a Visual intrusion & Aesthetic impacts as a direct increase in vehicular and rail result of construction activities, would activity in the area. The significance impact mostly on the adjacent rating is “medium”. residential areas and agricultural Floral destruction and Faunal holdings. The implementation of displacement and destruction . mitigation measures reduces the Specialist studies conducted indicated significance rating to “low” during the that: construction phase. During the operational phase the buildings will A large section of the site is sensitive. It is adhere to all design criteria and recommended that the wetland and its June 2012 v Environmental Impact Assessment Report: Proposed Mix Use Development Tambo Springs Inland Port therefore the significance rating for the retained as it is still used or the graves operational phase is viewed as “low”. could be relocated with permission from SAHRA. (3) The old farm stead should be Noise impact from construction vehicles mapped and formally documented by and construction activities. Mitigation a Heritage Architect. Permission for measures including a restriction of the demolish to be obtained from SHARA. times within which construction activities The significance rating for cemetery nr 1 may take place will reduce the and the farmstead for the construction significance to “low”. phase is viewed as “high” as it falls within Traffic impacts as a result of construction the area to be