ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PROPOSED SINDILA MINI HYDROPOWER STATION IN BUNYAMWERA PARISH, SINDILA SUB-COUNTY, BUNDIBUGYO DISTRICT UPDATED Original ESIA Report Prepared by: OPEP Consults Prepared for: Butama Hydro-Electricity Company Limited Plot 41, Nakasero Road P. O. Box 9566 Kampala, Uganda Following Gap Analysis against IFC PS, ESIA Report updated by: Atacama Consulting Plot 23, Gloucester Avenue, Kyambogo P.O. Box 12130 Kampala, Uganda VOLUME 1: MAIN REPORT September 2014 i TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................ IV FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................................... VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... VII 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROJECT LOCATION ....................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 THE PROJECT ................................................................................................................................. 2 1.4 PROJECT JUSTIFICATION ................................................................................................................ 2 1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE SINDILA MHP ........................................................ 3 1.5.1. NEED FOR EIA ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.5.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ESIA .............................................................................................................. 3 1.5.3. THE EIA PROCESS ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.5.4. ESIA REPORT ................................................................................................................................ 5 1.5.5. SCOPE OF THIS ESIA ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.5.6. APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 6 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 10 2.1. PROJECT LOCATION ..................................................................................................................... 10 2.2. ACQUISITION OF PERMITS/ APPROVALS ......................................................................................... 13 2.3. PROJECT COMPONENTS ............................................................................................................... 14 2.4. CONSTRUCTION CAMPS ................................................................................................................... 20 2.4.1. TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION (WORKER’S) CAMP ........................................................................... 20 2.4.2. TEMPORARY OFFICE ..................................................................................................................... 21 2.4.3. EMPLOYER’S PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION IN THE MAIN CAMP AREA ............................................ 22 2.4.4. WORKSHOP/STORES INCORPORATED IN THE POWERHOUSE ........................................................... 23 2.4.5. VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT STORAGE AND PARKING YARD ...................................................................... 24 2.4.6. STONE/ MURRAM QUARRIES, BURROW PITS AND SAND MINING AREAS ............................................. 25 2.5. WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 25 2.5.1. TRAINING FOR POWERHOUSE PERSONNEL..................................................................................... 26 2.5.2. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/MACHINERY .............................................................................................. 26 2.5.3. CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE .......................................................................................................... 27 2.5.4. SOURCES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT ............................................................ 27 2.5.5. WASTES AND SPOILS HANDLING FACILITIES ................................................................................... 28 2.5.6. SAFETY AND HEALTH .................................................................................................................... 28 2.6. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ................................................................................................... 29 2.6.1. OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE STRUCTURE ............................................................................... 30 2.6.2. ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM ................................................................................................................. 30 2.6.3. TRAINING FOR POWERHOUSE PERSONNEL..................................................................................... 31 2.7. DECOMMISSIONING ....................................................................................................................... 31 3. POLICY, LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................. 33 3.1. RELEVANT NATIONAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES ........................................................... 33 3.2. RELEVANT LOCAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES ................................................................. 33 3.3. RELEVANT NATIONAL LEGISLATION ................................................................................... 33 3.4. INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND AGREEMENTS ....................................................... 34 3.5. INTERNATIONAL POLICIES .................................................................................................... 34 Butama Hydro Electricity Company Ltd i Atacama Consulting 4. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ............................................................................. 50 4.1. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................... 50 4.1.1. CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY ............................................................................................................ 50 4.1.2. NOISE .......................................................................................................................................... 52 4.1.3. HYDROLOGY ................................................................................................................................ 55 4.1.4. GEOLOGY, GEOMORPHOLOGY AND SOILS ..................................................................................... 60 4.2. BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................. 67 4.2.1. VEGETATION ................................................................................................................................ 67 4.2.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF MOUNT RWENZORI NATIONAL PARK .................................................................. 69 4.2.3. FAUNA ......................................................................................................................................... 71 4.3. BASELINE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 80 5. ANALYSIS OF PROJECT ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................ 99 5.1. FUNDAMENTAL ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................................... 99 5.2. INCREMENTAL ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................................... 101 5.3. NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE ........................................................................................................... 105 6. PROJECT IMPACT IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT ................................................... 106 6.1. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 106 6.1.1. IMPACT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................. 106 6.1.2. IMPACT SEVERITY FOR PLANNED PROJECT ACTIVITIES.................................................................. 106 6.1.3. IMPACTS OF UNPLANNED EVENTS (OR CONTINGENCIES) ............................................................... 106 6.1.4. MITIGATION AND RESIDUAL SIGNIFICANCE ................................................................................... 107 6.2. POSITIVE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED SINDILA MHP .................................................................. 107 6.2.1. INCREASED REVENUE TO THE GOVERNMENT ............................................................................... 107 6.2.2. ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY ............................................................................................