Initial Environmental Examination June 2013 Republic of Tajikistan: CAREC Corridors 3 and 5 Enhancement Project Prepared by the Ministry of Transport, Republic of Tajikistan for the Asian Development Bank. CAREC Corridors 3 & 5 Enhancement Project Initial Environmental Examination Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 8 A. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 14 A.1 Purpose of the report ....................................................................................... 14 A.2 Identification of the Project and Project Proponent ........................................... 14 A.3 The Nature, Size, Location and Importance of the Project ............................... 14 A.4 IEE Boundaries ................................................................................................ 15 A.5 Methodology Applied ....................................................................................... 15 A.6 Constraints and Limitations .............................................................................. 15 A.7 Structure of the Report ..................................................................................... 15 B. Legal, Policy and Administrative Framework ..................................................... 17 B.1 General ............................................................................................................ 17 B.2 Country Policies and Administrative Framework .............................................. 17 B.3 Legal framework for EA, environmental licensing and permitting ..................... 19 B.4 Local Environmental Statutes .......................................................................... 23 B.5 Noise, Water and Air Quality Standards ........................................................... 24 B.6 Asian Development Bank Safeguard Policies 2009 ......................................... 25 C Description of the Project ..................................................................................... 28 C.1 Type of project ................................................................................................. 28 C.2 Category of Project .......................................................................................... 29 C.3 Need for the Project ......................................................................................... 29 C.3.1 Indicative Implementation Arrangements ......................................................... 31 C.4 Locations & Size of Operations ........................................................................ 31 C.4.1 Project Locations ............................................................................................. 31 C.5 Scope of Works ............................................................................................... 31 C.5.1 Vose to Hovaling Road: Project Phases ................................................... 31 C.5.2 Vose to Hovaling Road: Major Components and Design Characteristics .. 37 C.5.3 Vose to Hovaling Road: Source of Materials............................................. 43 C.5.4 Vose to Hovaling Road: Temporary Storage Areas .................................. 44 C.5.5 Vose to Hovaling Road: Road Safety ....................................................... 45 C.5.5 Sayron to Karamik Road: Project Phases ................................................. 46 C.5.6 Sayron to Karamik Road: Source of Materials .......................................... 46 C.5.7 Sayron to Karamik Road: Temporary Storage Areas ................................ 47 C.6 Contracting and Institutional Issues ................................................................. 47 C.7 Lighting of the Road ........................................................................................ 48 C.7.1 General .................................................................................................... 48 C.7.2 Solar Street Lighting ................................................................................. 48 C.7.3 Un-electrified Village ................................................................................ 48 C.7.4 Dispersed Un-electrified Households ....................................................... 49 C.8 Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 49 C.8.1 The No Action Alternative ........................................................................ 49 C.8.2 Site Alternatives ....................................................................................... 50 C.9 Proposed schedule for implementation & Cost ................................................ 52 June 2013 2 CAREC Corridors 3 & 5 Enhancement Project Initial Environmental Examination D. Description of the Environment ......................................................................... 53 D.1 Physical Resources ......................................................................................... 53 D.1.1 Air quality & Climate ................................................................................. 53 D.1.2 Topography .............................................................................................. 56 D.1.3 Soils ....................................................................................................... 59 D.1.4 Hydrology ................................................................................................. 60 D.1.5 Geology .................................................................................................... 64 D.1.6 Natural Hazards and Disasters ................................................................. 65 D.2 Ecological Resources ...................................................................................... 67 D.2.1 Flora ......................................................................................................... 67 D.2.2 Fauna ....................................................................................................... 67 D.2.3 Aquatic biology ...................................................................................... 68 D.2.4 Forests & Protected Areas ...................................................................... 68 D.3 Economic Development ................................................................................... 68 D.3.1 Industries & Agriculture ............................................................................ 68 D.3.2 Infrastructure and Transportation facilities ................................................ 69 D.3.3 Land use .................................................................................................. 69 D.3.4 Power sources and transmission .......................................................... 69 D.4 Social and Cultural Resources ......................................................................... 70 D.4.1 Population and communities ..................................................................... 70 D.4.2 Health & Education facilities ................................................................... 71 D.4.3 Socio-economic conditions ....................................................................... 72 D.4.4 Historical and Archeological Areas of Significance ................................... 73 D.4.5 Noise & Vibration ...................................................................................... 74 E. Screening of Potential Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures ........ 75 E.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 75 E.2 Impact Phases ................................................................................................. 75 E.3 Types of Impacts ............................................................................................. 76 E.4 Mitigation Aspects ............................................................................................ 77 E.5 Physical Resources ......................................................................................... 77 E.5.1 Air quality .................................................................................................. 77 E.5.2 Topography .............................................................................................. 80 E.5.3 Soils ....................................................................................................... 82 E.5.4 Hydrology - Surface water & Flooding ..................................................... 85 E.5.5 Hydrology – Groundwater ...................................................................... 90 E.5.6 Geology .................................................................................................... 90 E.5.7 Natural Hazards ........................................................................................ 91 E.6 Ecological Resources ...................................................................................... 91 E.6.1 Flora ......................................................................................................... 91 E.6.2 Fauna ....................................................................................................... 93 E.6.3 Aquatic biology ....................................................................................... 94 E.6.4 Protected areas ....................................................................................