ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) FOR SHOBAK 45 MW WIND POWER PROJECT IN MA’AN Final ESIA 31 August 2017 REV - 2 Project Developer: ESIA Practitioner: Shobak Wind Power Project – Final ESIA Document title: ESIA for Shobak Wind Power Project Status Final Date 31 August 2017 Client Shobak Wind Power Company REVISION RECORD Rev. Created By Internal Review By Date Submission Reviewed Date No. Status By REV 0 ECO Consult ECO Consult 24 Jul 2017 Draft Alcazar 3 Aug 2017 Energy REV 1 ECO Consult ECO Consult 14 Aug2017 Draft EBRD 21 Aug 2017 REV 2 ECO Consult ECO Consult 31 Aug 2017 Final Shobak Wind Power Project – Final ESIA CONTACTS ECO Consult Physical Address: ECO Consult Jude Centre, 4th floor, Building #1 Salem Hindawi Street Shmeisani Amman Jordan Mailing Address: ECO Consult PO Box 941400 Amman 11194 Jordan Tel: +962 6 569 9769 Fax: + 962 6 569 7264 Email: [email protected] Contact Persons: Laith El-Moghrabi [email protected] Ibrahim Masri [email protected] PAGE | II Shobak Wind Power Project – Final ESIA TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. vi List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. ix Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... xiii Executive Summary in Arabic ....................................................................................................................xv Executive Summary In English ..................................................................................................................xvi 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 17 1.1 Project Background ......................................................................................................................... 17 1.2 Project Location and Setting ........................................................................................................... 17 1.3 The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report .................................................. 18 1.4 Document Structure ........................................................................................................................ 19 1.5 Project Proponent and Key Contributors ........................................................................................ 20 2. Project Description ............................................................................................................................ 21 2.1 Administrative Setup of Project Location ....................................................................................... 21 2.2 Project Location .............................................................................................................................. 21 2.3 Outline of Wind Turbine Technology .............................................................................................. 23 2.4 Project Components ........................................................................................................................ 23 2.5 Footprint of the Project Components ............................................................................................. 26 2.6 Overview of Project Phases ............................................................................................................. 26 2.7 Workforce and Training .................................................................................................................. 28 2.8 Resource Use Efficiency .................................................................................................................. 28 3. Project Alternatives .......................................................................................................................... 30 3.1 Site Selection Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 30 3.2 Design Alternatives ......................................................................................................................... 31 3.3 Technology Alternatives .................................................................................................................. 32 3.4 No Project Alternative ..................................................................................................................... 33 4. Regulatory and Policy Framework..................................................................................................... 35 4.1 Jordanian Environmental Clearance Process .................................................................................. 35 4.2 Summary of Jordanian Environmental and Social Regulatory Context .......................................... 37 4.3 International Agreements ............................................................................................................... 38 4.4 Requirements for Project Financing ................................................................................................ 40 5. ESIA Approach and Methodology ...................................................................................................... 44 5.1 Screening, Scoping & Assessment ................................................................................................... 44 5.2 Analysis of Alternatives ................................................................................................................... 44 5.3 Stakeholder Engagement ................................................................................................................ 45 5.4 Delineation of Study Boundaries and Scope of Assessment ........................................................... 45 5.5 Environment & Social Baseline Conditions ..................................................................................... 47 5.6 Impact Assessment Methodology ................................................................................................... 47 PAGE | III Shobak Wind Power Project – Final ESIA 5.7 Assessment of Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................ 50 5.8 Development of an Environmental and Social Management (ESMP) Plan ..................................... 50 6. Stakeholder Consultation and Engagement ...................................................................................... 51 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 51 6.2 Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 51 6.3 Requirements and Policy Requirements for Stakeholder Engagement .......................................... 51 6.4 Stakeholder Identification and Analysis .......................................................................................... 53 6.5 Stakeholder Consultation and Engagement To-Date .................................................................... 57 6.6 Future Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation ...................................................................... 63 7. Overview of Strategic Environmental and Economical Impacts ........................................................ 65 7.1 Master Strategy of Energy Sector in Jordan .................................................................................... 65 7.2 Energy Security ................................................................................................................................ 66 7.3 Economic Benefits ........................................................................................................................... 66 7.4 Environmental Benefits ................................................................................................................... 67 8. Landscape and Visual ........................................................................................................................ 68 8.1 Assessment of Baseline Conditions ................................................................................................. 68 8.2 Assessment of Potential Impacts .................................................................................................... 74 9. Land Use ......................................................................................................................................... 103 9.1 Assessment of Baseline Conditions ............................................................................................... 103 9.2 Assessment of Potential Impacts .................................................................................................. 110 10. Geology and Hydrology (Soil & Groundwater) ................................................................................ 114 10.1 Assessment of Baseline Conditions ............................................................................................... 114 10.2