Environmental Impact Assessment April 2019 Draft GEO: Batumi Bypass Road Project Poti-Grigoleti-Kobuleti Bypass: Poti-Grigoleti Road Section (Lot 2, Stage 1) Part 1 (Main Report) Prepared by the Roads Department of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia 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. Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................... I LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................VIII LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................X ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................................XII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 1 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 2. PROJECT BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 1 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ...................................................................................................... 2 4. ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................................. 4 5. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................................. 5 6. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ............................................ 8 7. IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................................................................ 13 8. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................... 14 A. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 16 A.1 - OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 16 A.2 - PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE EIA REPORT ................................................................................. 17 A.3 - CATEGORY OF THE PROJECT ....................................................................................................... 17 A.4 - METHODOLOGY AND DEFINED SPATIAL UNIT OF ANALYSIS ADOPTED FOR THE EIA ....................... 18 A.4.1 - Feasibility Studies, Detailed Design, and National EIA ................................................................... 18 A.4.2 - Methodology of ADB EIA Analysis................................................................................................... 18 A.4.3 - Defined Spatial Unit of Analysis ...................................................................................................... 19 A.5 - STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ....................................................................................................... 20 B. POLICY, LEGAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................................ 21 B.1 - OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 21 B.2 - ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION OF GEORGIA ................................................................................ 21 B.3 - ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS OF GEORGIA ................................................... 30 B.3.1 - Air Quality Standards ....................................................................................................................... 30 B.3.2 - Surface Water Quality Standards .................................................................................................... 30 B.3.3 - Groundwater Quality Standards ..................................................................................................... 32 B.3.4 - Noise Standards ............................................................................................................................... 32 B.3.5 - Vibration Standards ......................................................................................................................... 34 B.3.6 - Fish Impact Thresholds .................................................................................................................... 35 B.3.7 - Soil Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 36 B.4 - NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PROJECT ............................................ 36 B.5 - ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING PROCEDURE – NATIONAL REGULATIONS ........................................ 37 B.6 - LICENSES, PERMITS, AND APPROVALS ........................................................................................ 40 B.7 - CONSTRUCTION PERMITS ............................................................................................................ 42 I B.8 - STATE FOREST FUND .................................................................................................................. 43 B.9 - INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS RELEVANT TO THE PROJECT RATIFIED BY GEORGIA ...................... 43 B.10 - ADB SAFEGUARDS POLICY ...................................................................................................... 45 B.11 - COMPARISON OF ADB AND NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS .............................................................. 48 B.12 - INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................... 50 C. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ............................................................................................. 52 C.1 - OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 52 C.2 - SECTION LAYOUT ....................................................................................................................... 52 C.3 - ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING .......................................................................................................... 58 C.4 - DESIGN PARAMETERS AND GEOMETRIC STANDARDS ................................................................... 62 C.5 - BRIDGE ...................................................................................................................................... 64 C.5.1 - Superstructure Design ...................................................................................................................... 64 C.5.2 - Abutments and Piers ........................................................................................................................ 66 C.5.3 - Bridge Runoff and Spill Containment Chamber .............................................................................. 68 C.6 - INTERCHANGES ........................................................................................................................... 69 C.7 - PAVEMENT ................................................................................................................................. 72 C.8 - SOURCE OF MATERIALS .............................................................................................................. 73 C.8.1 - Borrow Material ............................................................................................................................... 73 C.8.2 - Concrete Batching and Asphalt ....................................................................................................... 74 C.8.3 - Technical and Potable water ........................................................................................................... 75 C.9 - CAMPS AND STORAGE AREAS ..................................................................................................... 75 C.9.1 - Construction Camps ......................................................................................................................... 75 C.9.2 - Storage Areas ................................................................................................................................... 76 C.10 - MOBILIZATION AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS ........................................................................... 76 C.10.1 - Mobilization ................................................................................................................................... 76 C.10.2 - Construction Stage ........................................................................................................................