E2126 Public Disclosure Authorized AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT ROAD TRANSPORT SERVICE DEPARTMENT Public Disclosure Authorized AZERBAIJAN HIGHWAY II PROJECT REHABILITATION OF 600 KM OF MAGISTRAL ROADS HAJIGABUL-HORADIZ ROAD REHABILITATION Public Disclosure Authorized ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT February 2009 Public Disclosure Authorized Kocks Consult GmbH Stegemannstrasse Koblenz, Germany ii iii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...............................................................1 1 INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................8 1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY ........................................8 1.2 METHODOLOGY AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY ..............................................................8 1.3 THE STUDY AREA ............................................................................................................9 2 POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK..................................12 2.1 WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES..................................12 2.2 GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES ...........12 3 ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .......................................................................18 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................19 4.1 OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT......................................................................................19 4.2 PROPOSED REHABILITATION SCHEME.......................................................................19 4.3 POTENTIAL BORROW AREAS .......................................................................................20 4.4 TRAFFIC FORECAST......................................................................................................21 4.5 PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION........................................................21 4.6 LIFE SPAN OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT...................................................................21 5 ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECT AREA .................21 5.1 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................21 5.2 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT.........................................................................................27 5.3 HUMAN AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES ENVIRONMENT.............................................30 6 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ..........................34 6.1 CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS AND MITIGATION..............................................................34 6.2 IMPACTS AND MITIGATION DURING OPERATION.......................................................46 6.3 ‘WITHOUT PROJECT’ SCENARIO ..................................................................................48 7 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN..........................................................49 7.1 ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING PROGRAM .................................49 7.2 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND REPORTING .................................................50 7.3 COST ESTIMATE ............................................................................................................51 7.4 IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE .....................................................................................52 7.5 INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING...............................................................................53 8 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE ..........55 8.1 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS................................................................................55 8.2 INFORMATION DISCLOSURE ........................................................................................55 iv List of Figure Figure 1: Project location for Hajigabul-Horadiz Road (M6)...................................................... 11 Figure 2: Rehabilitation Scheme for Hajigabul-Horadiz Road (M6)........................................... 20 Figure 3: Geology for Hajibabul-Horadiz Road......................................................................... 23 Figure 4: Project location for Hajigabul-Horadiz Road (M6)...................................................... 25 Figure 5: Map of Environmental and Some Social Features for Hajigabul-Horadiz Road (M6) . 33 List of Tables Table 1: Relevant Laws and Regulation on Environmental Protection and Road Rehabilitation15 Table 2: International Agreements and Conventions................................................................ 17 Table 3: Hydrologic Information for the Major Rivers in Hajibabul-Horadiz (M6)....................... 26 Table 4: Hydrologic Information for the Major Lakes in Hajibabul-Horadiz (M6) ....................... 27 Table 5: Administrative Hierarchy and Population along Hajigabul-Horadiz Road .................... 30 Table 6: Percent of Households with Access to Utilities (%) in the Project Economic Regions. 30 Table 7: Agricultural Lands in the Study Region....................................................................... 31 Table 8: Maximum Allowable Noise Levels .............................................................................. 38 Table 9: Responsibilities for Implementing the Environmental Management Plan .................... 51 Table 10: Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Cost for Hajigabul-Horadiz (M6) ............... 52 Table 11: Implementation Schedule......................................................................................... 52 List of Annexes Annex A. Mitigation measures during Design, Construction, and Operation Annex B. Environmental Monitoring Plan Annex C. Results of Public Consultation and List of Participants – Shirvan District v Abbreviations CSC - construction supervision consultant EA - environmental assessment EA&MF - Environmental Assessment and Management Framework EIA - environmental impact assessment EHS - Environment, health and safety EMP - environmental management plan EP - environmental protection ESS - Ecology and Safety Sector HIV/AIDS - human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome IBA - Important Bird Areas IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources LACMA - Law on Administrative Control on Municipality Activity MDG - Millenium Development Goal MENR - Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources MOH - Ministry of Health MOT - Ministry of Transport NGO - non government organization OP - operational policy PIU - project implementation unit RER - Regional Environmental Review ROW - right-of- way RPF - Resettlement Policy Framework ARS - Road Transport Service Department SFF - State Forest Fund STD - sexually transmitted disease UNDP - United Nations Development Programme WB - World Bank Units of Measurement °C - degree Celsius km - kilometer km/h - km per hour km 2 - square kilometer m - meter m3 - cubic meter mm - millimeter Rehabilitation of 600 kms of Magistral Roads of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Hajigabul-Horadiz, M6) Enviromental Assessment Draft Final Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Introduction / Project Scope The (M6) Hajigabul-Horadiz Road is one of the five roads programmed for rehabilitation under the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) “Rehabilitation of 600 kms of Magistral Roads”. The consultancy scope consists of preparation of Preliminary and Detailed Engineering Design, Tender Documents and Environmental Assessment / Resettlement Reports for the said project roads. As the identified roads are individual project components, this Environmental Assessment (EA) report specifically has been prepared for the proposed rehabilitation of the M6: Hajigabul- Horadiz Road. This road segment stretches around 175 kms generally southwesterly from the flat plains in Hajigabul and Shirvan area, through Bharamtapa, to Horadiz, and which will be upgraded to Category II roads. The project proponent is the Road Transport Service Department (ARS) of the Ministry of Transport (MOT). To facilitate implementation and to ensure that sub-projects included in the “Rehabilitation of 600 kms of Magistral Roads” Project will comply with Azerbaijan’s legislation, procedures and policies, international conventions and WB safeguard policies, especially concerning environment, resettlement and land acquisition. A Regional Environmental Review (RER), Environmental Assessment and Management Framework (EA&MF) and Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) have been prepared for the Highway II Project under WB financing. These documents served as guides for the conduct of the EA study and provided the framework for the elaboration of the various impact mitigation measures and provisions for environmental management during project implementation. The objective of this EA is to address the environmental impacts and management issues associated with the proposed road rehabilitation. The EA Report, which includes an environmental management plan, addresses the needs of applicable laws and regulations of the Government of Azerbaijan including the provisions of the World Bank on the following: (1) Operational Policy on Environmental Assessment (OP 4.01, January 1999); (2) Operational Policy Note on Management of Cultural Property in Bank Financed Projects (OPN 11.03, August 1999); (3) Operational Policy on Natural Habitats (OP 4.04); and (4) The Disclosure Handbook (December 2002). The preparation of this