Environmental Impact Assessment February 2019 Republic of the Philippines: Malolos-Clark Railway Project (Solis to Blumentritt Section of North South Railway Project) Addendum to Volume 4 - Noise and Vibration Analysis Prepared by the Department of Transportation for the Asian Development Bank. This environmental impact assessment 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. Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) Operational Noise Impact Assessment (Solis to Blumentritt Section of North South Railway Project) 1. INTRODUCTION 1. This report presents findings of the additional noise assessment carried out due to operation of Solis to Blumentritt section of the North South Railway Project (NRSP). This section of the NSRP is proposed to be implemented as a part of Malolos-Clark Railway Project being funded jointly by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is the Executing Agency of the Project. 2. Two previous assessments were conducted under the project to determine the risks from noise impacts due to the operation of the railway project. The first assessment was conducted from January to May 2018 as part of the Feasibility Study and concluded that a 2-m noise barrier would be adequate to meet the Japanese Noise Standards. However, the study was not considered robust and detailed enough ADB’s Safeguards Division to demonstrate that the anticipated impacts on identified sensitive receptors along the railway alignment would be compliant with ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009). As a result another study was commissioned in October 2018 to determine attributable noise impacts from the project. This study, however, recommended noise protection barriers taller than 5 meters. These may be able to attenuate noise to acceptable levels (i.e. no increase of 3 dB(A) above baseline as a result of the project), but the protection measures introduced other risks and challenges including redesign of the platforms to carry the additional loads, as well as risk of damage from high wind shear during extreme typhoon events. The proposed mitigation measures were also considered intrusive and affecting the urban landscape. As a result, ADB requested the conduct of an additional, more comprehensive noise impact assessment based a on internationally accepted methodology. 3. Since the Solis to Blumentritt section of the NRSP will be implemented as part of the MCRP, this assessment was limited to the operational noise assessment for Solis to Blumentritt section only. The detailed noise and vibration assessment for the entire NSRP is planned to be carried out during processing of the NSRP loan. The study, presented in this Annexure, was initiated in November 2018, and completed in February 2019. This Annexure is provided as an Addendum to Volume 4 of the NSRP EIA. 4. The study focuses only on Solis to Blumentritt section of NSRP and built on the two previous assessments and took advantage of updated information from the feasibility study and preliminary engineering designs. The impact prediction and assessment were also improved using modeled baseline noise to address some of the limitations resulting from limited available baseline data. Other enhancements as compared with the two previous assessments include: • Use of rail elevations based on engineering drawings; • More customized train noise using electric multiple unit reference noise levels for propulsion and wheel-rail region and actual train lengths; and 3 Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) • Assessment focusing on demonstrating the project’s compliance with the World Bankg Group’s Environment, Health and Safety Guideline (2007) requirement of no net increase in ambient noise levels of more than 3dB(A) at nearest sensitive sites as a result of the project (applicable to areas with ambient noise levels exceeding the relevant noise standard at pre-project stage). 5. As this study built on the past two assessments, limitations of these studies were also partly carried over, the most important one being the limited number of sampling points (01) along the Solis-Blumentritt railway alignment to establish the ambient noise levels without the project (baseline). Additional noise measurements were undertaken by the JICA team but results were not available when this assessment was conducted. In the absence of such additional baseline data, it was agreed to model ambient noise baseline based on Traffic Noise Model 2.5 of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). While not ideal, the impact assessment team concluded that the approach was acceptable to establish the baseline on which the noise impact model could be build. The model will be re-run once additional baseline and DED are available to confirm the findings of this study, or to identify additional mitigation measures, as needed. 2. DESCRIPTION OF SOLIS - BLUMENTRITT SECTION 6. The Solis to Blumentritt Station of MCRP will extend the NSCR railway line from a junction point between Solis Station and Tutuban Station to a newly constructed station in Blumentritt, Santa Cruz, Manila City. This section comprise of around 1.1 km elevated double track alignment. Blumentritt Station will become an important transfer station for passengers, who will be able to change trains and continue their journey with Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1, which runs North- South through Manila City and connects as well to LRT Line 2 and Line 3. The Solis Station to Blumentritt Station, is part of the North South Railway Project and it is proposed to implement this section as part of MCRP. The projects will promote and ensure sustainable development of Metro Manila, Greater Capital Region (GCR), and the Philippines. 7. The Solis to Blumentritt section of NSRP starts at 1+300 km near Solis Station and end at 2+405 km just after Blumentritt station, covering a total length of 1.105 km. Following Figures (Figure 1, 2, and 3) showing alignment and plan profile of the Solis-Blumentritt section. 4 Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) Figure 1: Track Alignment of Solis-Blumentritt Section (Part-1) 5 Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) Figure 2: Track Alignment of Solis-Blumentritt Section (Part-2) 6 Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) Figure 3: Track Alignment of Solis-Blumentritt Section (Part-3) 3. NOISE ASSESSMENT 3.1 National Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines 3.1.1 Ambient Noise Standards 8. Presidential Decree (PD) 984 the Pollution Control Law (1976) defined pollution while PD 1152 the Philippine Environmental Code (1977) section 5 required the establishment of community noise standards and Section 6 for standards for noise-producing equipment. In 1978, the implementing rules and regulations of PD 984 and sections 74 to 79 provided the national noise standards. In 1980, the government amended the noise regulation: • No one will be allowed to emit noise levels greater than the ambient noise standards or a level that could cause adverse effect to the public; • The ambient noise level limit may be increased by 5dB(A) in areas directly fronting or facing a four-lane road, or by 10 dB(A) on wider roads; and • Redefined Classes B, C, and D areas as zoned or used as commercial, light industrial, and heavy industrial. 7 Environmental Impact Statement Report (EISR) – Addendum to Volume IV THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT (NSRP) Table 1: Environmental Quality Standards for Noise in General Areas (NPCC 1980) Category Maximum Allowable Noise (dBA) by time periods Daytime (9:00AM- Morning/Evening (5:00AM- Nighttime (10:00PM- 6:00PM) 9:00AM/ 6:00PM-10:00PM) 6:00AM) AA 50 45 40 A 55 50 45 B 65 60 55 C 70 65 60 D 75 70 65 • Class AA- a section of contiguous area which requires quietness, such as areas within 100 meters from school site, nursery schools, and special house for the aged • Class A- a section of contiguous area which is primarily used for residential area • Class B-a section of contiguous area which is primarily a commercial area • Class C – a section of contiguous area reserved as light industrial area • Class D – a section which is primarily reserved for heavy industrial area 3.1.2 Occupational Noise Standards 9. The succeeding Table presents the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment’s prescribed noise limits at averaging times of 0.25-8 hours, provided peak levels will not exceed 140 dB(A). Table 2: Permissible Noise Level, Department of Labor and Employment Duration per day, hours Sound levels, slow response 8 90 6 92 4 95 3 97 2 100 1.5 102 1 105 0.5 110 0.25 115 3.1.3 Noise as Nuisance 10. Several laws require the control of noise as public nuisance as follows: • Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act 386 (1949), Art. 682; “Every building or piece of land is subject to the easement which prohibits the proprietor or possessor from committing nuisance through noise, jarring, offensive odor, smoke, heat, dust, water, glare and other causes.” • The Local Government Code, RA 7160 (1991) empowered barangay officials to “enforce laws and regulations relating to pollution control and protection of the environment” and “promote the general welfare of the barangay” through ordinances, zoning restrictions and local licensing requirements.