FIRST ADDENDUM TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF OCEANSIDE CHANNEL DREDGING PROJECT IN MEEDHOO ISLAND, ADDU CITY July 2016 Prepared for Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure Maldives Consultant CDE Consulting, Maldives ެގުމުޑނެކ ްއެރެނ ްށަރަޓްއުފ ިއަގ ު ޅ ަފ ެގޫދީމ .ސ ްނުޢޫރްޝަމ ެގްޓޯޕިރ ާރުކްނާޔަބ ުރަވްނިމ ެނާރުކުރަސައ ްށަޓްއެވާމިތ ްޓޯޕިރ ްމަޑްނެޑެއ ަމަތަރުފ 2016 ިއަލުޖ :ުރާޔިދެއ ެގުޢޫރްޝަމ ރަޗްކރަޓްސާރްފްނިއ ްޑްނެއ ގްނިސުއަހ ްފޮއ ީރްޓްސިނިމ :ްޓްނަޓްލަސްނޮކ ޭ އ .ި އ ައ .ީއ ެގުޢޫރްޝަމ ްޑެޓިމިލ ްޓެވިއަރްޕ ީއ.ީޑ.ީސ First addendum to the EIA of Proposed Channel Dredging Project in Meedhoo Island, Addu City Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iv List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi Lead Consultant’s Declaration ...................................................................................................... vii Proponent’s Declaration............................................................................................................... viii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... ix 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose of the EIA Addendum ........................................................................................ 1 1.2 Project Scope .................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Background and rationale for the proposed changes ....................................................... 2 1.4 Aim and objectives ........................................................................................................... 2 1.5 Consultants, Contractors and Government Institutions.................................................... 3 1.6 Scope and Terms of Reference of EIA addendum ........................................................... 3 1.7 Summary of Assessment Methodology............................................................................ 4 1.7.1 General Approach ........................................................................................................ 4 1.7.2 The Study Area.............................................................................................................. 4 1.7.3 Field Observations ....................................................................................................... 4 1.7.4 Desk Study Review ........................................................................................................ 5 1.7.5 Key Stakeholder Consultation ...................................................................................... 6 1.7.6 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 6 1.7.7 Report Format .............................................................................................................. 6 1.8 Study Team Members ...................................................................................................... 6 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Project Location ............................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Outline of proposed changes and site plan ....................................................................... 7 2.3 Detailed Project Outline and Work Methodology.......................................................... 13 2.3.1 Justification of the method .......................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Method statement ........................................................................................................ 13 2.4 Schedule and Life Span .................................................................................................. 16 2.5 Waste Management, Logistics and Safety Measures ..................................................... 16 2.6 Summary of Additional Project Inputs and Outputs ...................................................... 16 Prepared by: CDE Consulting Page|i First addendum to the EIA of Proposed Channel Dredging Project in Meedhoo Island, Addu City 3 POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK .............................................................................. 17 4 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................................. 18 4.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................... 18 4.1.1 Water quality assessment............................................................................................ 18 4.1.2 Bathymetry .................................................................................................................. 19 4.1.3 Noise levels ................................................................................................................. 19 4.2 Biological Environment ................................................................................................. 20 4.2.1 Marine Protected Areas and Environmentally Sensitive Sites ................................... 20 4.2.2 Photo Quadrat Survey and Fish Census..................................................................... 20 4.3 Work Completed ............................................................................................................ 24 5 IMPACTS IDENTIFICATION ............................................................................................. 25 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 25 5.2 Nature of Potential Impacts on Key Components .......................................................... 25 5.3 Identification of Significant Impacts .............................................................................. 25 6 SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................... 31 6.1 Impacts on the Natural Environment ............................................................................. 31 6.1.1 Vibration ..................................................................................................................... 31 6.1.2 Noise ........................................................................................................................... 35 6.1.3 Geology ....................................................................................................................... 36 6.1.4 Marine Biodiversity .................................................................................................... 36 6.1.5 Marine Water Quality ................................................................................................. 37 6.2 Impacts on the Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................... 38 6.2.1 Health Risks to Workers and Local Community ......................................................... 38 6.2.2 Impacts on Social Stability of Island and Atoll Community ....................................... 39 6.2.3 Impacts on Other Resource Users .............................................................................. 39 6.2.4 Beneficial impacts on local economy and transportation .......................................... 40 6.3 Suggested Mitigation Measures for Adverse Impacts.................................................... 41 7 ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................. 45 7.1 “No-project” Alternative ................................................................................................ 45 7.2 Alternative hard substrate dislodging methods .............................................................. 47 8 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN ................................................................... 48 9 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN ...................................................................... 51 9.1 Monitoring Report .......................................................................................................... 52 9.2 Commitment for Monitoring .......................................................................................... 52 Prepared by: CDE Consulting Page|ii First addendum to the EIA of Proposed Channel Dredging Project in Meedhoo Island, Addu City 10 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS ................................................................................ 53 10.1 Addu City Council ......................................................................................................... 53 10.2 Hulhumeedhoo Public and District Office ....................................................................