SURINAME Public Disclosure Authorized Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project Preliminary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) with an Public Disclosure Authorized Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized November 2018 Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..................................................................................... i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... iii Background ................................................................................................................................................ iii Project Description ..................................................................................................................................... iv Analysis of Alternatives ............................................................................................................................... v Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Framework .................................................................................................... v Applicable World Bank Safeguard Policies .................................................................................................. vi ESIA Process, Consultation, and Review Process ....................................................................................... vii Environmental and Social Baseline Information and Data ........................................................................ viii Project Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................. ix Land and Tenure and Use of Public Land ..................................................................................................... x Assessment of Environmental and Social Impacts and Risks ....................................................................... xi Environmental and Social Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................... xi Environmental and Social Management Plan ............................................................................................. xi Stakeholder Engagement and Communication .......................................................................................... xii Implementation Arrangements for the ESMP ............................................................................................ xii ESIA Consultation and Disclosure .............................................................................................................. xii 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Description ......................................................................................................................... 3 2 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................................... 7 3 LEGAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ........................................................ 7 3.1 Environmental Institutional Framework ......................................................................................... 8 3.1.1 Key International Environmental Accords and Corresponding National Policies and Programs .... 8 3.1.2 Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Permitting .............................................. 10 3.1.3 Solid, Biological, Medical, and Hazardous Waste and Wastewater Management ........................ 10 3.2 Applicable World Bank Safeguard Policies .................................................................................... 11 3.3 ESIA Process, Consultation, and Review Process ........................................................................... 12 4 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE INFORMATION AND DATA ......................... 13 4.1 Environmental Overview .............................................................................................................. 13 ESIA/ESMP Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project 4.1.1 Geology ......................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1.2 Soils ............................................................................................................................................... 14 4.1.3 Surface and Groundwater Hydrology ............................................................................................ 15 4.2 Existing Infrastructure .................................................................................................................. 18 4.2.1 Project Area of Influence ............................................................................................................... 18 4.2.2 Roads and Transportation ............................................................................................................. 26 4.2.3 Power Lines and Telecommunication ........................................................................................... 26 4.3 Sediment and Water Quality ........................................................................................................ 27 4.3.1 Sediment Quality ........................................................................................................................... 27 4.3.2 Water Quality ................................................................................................................................ 28 4.4 Canal Aquatic Biology ................................................................................................................... 29 4.5 Project Stakeholders ..................................................................................................................... 31 4.6 Government Organizations ........................................................................................................... 31 4.7 Businesses .................................................................................................................................... 32 4.8 Residents ...................................................................................................................................... 33 4.9 Use of the Canal ............................................................................................................................ 37 4.9.1 Businesses ..................................................................................................................................... 37 4.9.2 Use of the Canal 2018 ................................................................................................................... 39 4.9.3 Residents’ Use of the canal ........................................................................................................... 40 4.9.4 Livelihood Activities in and along the Saramacca Canal ................................................................ 41 4.9.5 Farmers.......................................................................................................................................... 42 5 LAND AND TENURE AND USE OF PUBLIC LAND .......................................................... 45 5.1 Land Tenure Titles in the Area of Interest ..................................................................................... 45 5.1.1 Residential areas south of the Canal ............................................................................................. 45 5.1.2 Residential Areas North of the Canal ............................................................................................ 46 5.1.3 Industrial Area between the Suriname River and the Coesewijne Bridge .................................... 46 5.1.4 Rural areas ..................................................................................................................................... 46 5.2 Public Maintenance Strip and Drainage Canals ............................................................................. 46 6 IDENTIFICATION OF VULNERABLE GROUPS ................................................................ 48 7 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS AND RISKS ....................... 58 7.1 Approach for Impact and Risk Assessment ................................................................................... 58 8 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................... 63 ESIA/ESMP Saramacca Canal System Rehabilitation Project 8.1 Air Quality .................................................................................................................................... 63 8.2 Noise ............................................................................................................................................ 63 8.3 Surface Water ............................................................................................................................... 64 8.4 Waste ........................................................................................................................................... 65 8.5 Worker Health and Safety ............................................................................................................ 66 8.6 Community Health