ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT For Land reclamation in Huraa Island, North Male’ Atoll, Maldives Photo: Google Earth Proposed by: Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Prepared by: Hassan Shah (EIA P02/2007), Ahmed Jameel, Abdul Aleem, Mohamed Umaru, Nashfa Nashidh, Fazeel Ahmed For Water Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Maldives September 2018 BLANK PAGE For Land reclamation in Huraa Island, North Male’ Atoll, Maldives 1 Table of contents FOR LAND RECLAMATION IN HURAA ISLAND, NORTH MALE’ ATOLL, MALDIVES 1 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................... 3 2 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES...................................................................... 8 3 DECLARATION OF THE CONSULTANTS ...................................................... 9 4 PROPONENTS COMMITMENT ....................................................................... 11 5 NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY........................................................................ 17 6 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 20 6.1 Structure of the EIA .................................................................................................... 20 6.2 Aims and Objectives of the EIA ................................................................................. 20 6.3 EIA Implementation.................................................................................................... 20 6.4 Rational for the formulation of alternatives ................................................................ 21 6.5 Coordination with other stakeholders ......................................................................... 21 6.6 Terms of Reference ..................................................................................................... 21 7 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................ 22 7.1 Responsible Institutions .............................................................................................. 22 7.1.1 Ministry of environment and Energy ..................................................................................................... 22 7.1.2 Environmental Protection Agency ......................................................................................................... 22 7.1.3 Ministry of Tourism .............................................................................................................................. 22 7.1.4 Local Government Authority ................................................................................................................. 22 7.1.5 City councils, Atoll councils and Island councils .................................................................................. 22 7.1.6 Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure ................................................................................................. 22 7.2 Relevant national laws, policies and regulations ........................................................ 23 7.2.1 Environmental Protection and Preservation Act .................................................................................... 23 7.2.2 Protected Areas and Sensitive Areas ..................................................................................................... 23 7.2.3 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 ............................................................................ 24 7.2.4 1.2.5 First Addendum to Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 .................................... 24 7.2.5 Second Addendum to Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 ......................................... 24 7.2.6 Third Addendum to Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 ............................................ 24 7.2.7 Fourth Addendum to Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 .......................................... 25 7.2.8 Decentralization Act .............................................................................................................................. 25 7.2.9 Maldivian Land Act ............................................................................................................................... 25 7.2.10 General Laws Act – 4/68(Public property) ....................................................................................... 26 7.2.11 National Energy Policy ..................................................................................................................... 26 7.2.12 Carbon Neutral by 2020 .................................................................................................................... 26 7.2.13 Third National Environment Action Plan (NEAP III) ...................................................................... 26 7.2.14 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan ............................................................................... 26 7.2.15 Waste Management Policy 2015 (Saafu Raajje) .............................................................................. 27 7.2.16 Strategic National Action Plan.......................................................................................................... 27 7.2.17 Regulation for the management of protected areas and natural reserves (2018/R-78) ..................... 27 7.2.18 Waste management Regulations ....................................................................................................... 28 7.2.19 Guidelines for Domestic Wastewater Disposal................................................................................. 28 7.2.20 Regulation on sand and aggregate mining for building construction ................................................ 28 Prepared by Water Solutions Pvt.Ltd, Sep 2018 Page 3 For Land reclamation in Huraa Island, North Male’ Atoll, Maldives 7.2.21 Regulation for cutting down, uprooting and export of trees ............................................................. 28 7.2.22 First amendment to the regulation for cutting down, uprooting and export of trees ......................... 29 7.2.23 Dredging and Reclamation regulation (2013/R-15) .......................................................................... 29 7.2.23.1 First Amendment to the Dredging and Reclamation Regulation. ................................................ 31 7.2.24 Built Environment Regulation .......................................................................................................... 31 7.2.25 Environmental Liabilities Regulation (2011/R-9) ............................................................................ 32 7.3 International Conventions ........................................................................................... 32 7.3.1 Convention on Biological Diversity ...................................................................................................... 32 8 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................. 33 8.1 Introduction to the project ........................................................................................... 33 8.2 Project Proponent ........................................................................................................ 33 8.3 Institutional arrangements for managing the project .................................................. 33 8.4 Project Location and Study Area ................................................................................ 33 8.5 Need and Justification to undertake the project .......................................................... 35 8.6 Project duration and boundary .................................................................................... 36 8.7 Brief overview of the project components .................................................................. 36 8.7.1 Borrow Materials for reclamation ......................................................................................................... 37 8.7.2 Dredging methods to borrow reclamation materials .............................................................................. 37 8.7.2.1 Transportation of fill material to reclamation site ........................................................................ 38 8.7.2.2 Creation of bund wall around fill area ......................................................................................... 38 8.7.3 Coastal Protection of the Reclaimed Land ............................................................................................ 38 8.7.4 Proposed area for the reclamation ......................................................................................................... 39 8.7.5 Layout of the reclamation area and drainage patterns ........................................................................... 39 8.7.6 Concept plan for the project .................................................................................................................. 40 8.7.7 Location and size of sand borrow areas ................................................................................................. 40 8.7.8 Details of the sand bunding proposed .................................................................................................... 40 8.7.9 Quantity, quality and characteristics of fill material .............................................................................. 41 8.7.10 Method and equipment’s used for dredging, including description and operational control ............ 42 8.7.11 Duration of dredging