UPGRADE OF MAIN ROAD 435, COEGA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ZONE, EASTERN CAPE FINAL SCOPING REPORT Prepared by Coastal & Environmental Services P.O. Box 934 Grahamstown 6140 For Coega Industrial Development Zone and Port Libra Chambers Oakworth Road Humerail Port Elizabeth 6001 C/O Ninham Shand/Manong & Associates Joint Venture 120 Villiers Road Walmer 6070 Port Elizabeth March 2005 Coastal & Environmental Services TABLE OF CONTENT SECTION 1: SCOPING REPORT ................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Brief project description ........................................................................................... 1 1.3 Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 2 1.4 Project methodology ................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Scope of work .......................................................................................................... 3 1.6 Study team .............................................................................................................. 4 1.7 Structure of report .................................................................................................... 4 2. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS .................................................... 5 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Scoping phase ......................................................................................................... 6 2.3 Consultation in this scoping study ............................................................................ 6 2.3.1 Authority involvement ........................................................................................... 6 2.3.2 Public involvement ............................................................................................... 7 3. RELEVANT LEGISLATION ................................................................................................. 8 4. SITE DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................... 11 4.1 Climate .................................................................................................................. 11 4.2 Geology ................................................................................................................. 11 4.3 Soils ....................................................................................................................... 12 4.4 Geohydrology ........................................................................................................ 12 4.5 Vegetation and floristics ......................................................................................... 12 4.5.1 Methodology of investigation .............................................................................. 13 4.5.2 Vegetation of the Eastern Cape ......................................................................... 13 4.5.3 Vegetation of the Coega area ............................................................................ 13 4.5.4 Mesic Succulent Thicket or Sundays River Thicket ............................................ 14 4.5.5 Species of special concern ................................................................................ 16 4.5.6 Alien Invasion .................................................................................................... 16 4.6 Fauna .................................................................................................................... 17 4.6.1 Birds .................................................................................................................. 17 4.6.2 Reptiles .............................................................................................................. 17 4.6.3 Amphibians ........................................................................................................ 17 4.6.4 Mammals ........................................................................................................... 17 4.6.5 Terrestrial invertebrates ..................................................................................... 18 4.7 Areas of archaeological and cultural significance ................................................... 18 4.8 Socio-economic environment ................................................................................. 18 5. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 19 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 19 5.2 General description ................................................................................................ 19 5.3 Alignment ............................................................................................................... 20 5.3.1 Horizontal ........................................................................................................... 20 5.3.2 Vertical ............................................................................................................... 21 5.4 Width ..................................................................................................................... 22 5.5 Link Roads ............................................................................................................. 22 5.6 Stormwater management ....................................................................................... 22 5.7 Phases of construction ........................................................................................... 23 5.8 Pedestrian/cyclist accommodation ......................................................................... 23 5.9 Street lighting ......................................................................................................... 23 5.10 Steep slopes .......................................................................................................... 24 5.11 Borrow pits ............................................................................................................. 24 5.12 River crossings ...................................................................................................... 24 Upgrading of Main Road 435, Coega: Final Scoping Report i Coastal & Environmental Services 5.12.1 Coega River ....................................................................................................... 24 5.12.2 Brak River .......................................................................................................... 26 5.13 Railway bridges ..................................................................................................... 26 5.13.1 Road-over-rail: Motherwell Commuter Line ........................................................ 26 5.13.2 Road-over-rail: Coega /Motherwell Commuter line. ............................................ 26 5.13.3 Road-over-rail: Spoornet & Future SARCC Commuter lines .............................. 27 5.13.4 Rail over Road Bridges on Link Roads ............................................................... 27 5.13.5 SARCC commuter line, Coega Loop. ................................................................. 27 5.13.6 SARCC commuter line, Motherwell Loop. .......................................................... 27 5.14 Materials balance ................................................................................................... 27 5.15 Services ................................................................................................................. 29 5.15.1 Eskom ................................................................................................................ 29 5.15.2 Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality ......................................................... 29 5.15.3 Telkom ............................................................................................................... 30 5.15.4 Eastern Cape Provincial Roads Authority ........................................................... 30 5.16 Town planning ....................................................................................................... 30 5.17 Social responsibility ............................................................................................... 30 6. IDENTIFIED ISSUES ........................................................................................................ 31 6.1 Issue 1: Natural vegetation .................................................................................... 31 6.2 Issue 2: Fauna ....................................................................................................... 34 6.3 issue 3: Loss of topsoil and soil erosion ................................................................. 35 6.4 Issue 4: Crossing the Coega and brak Rivers ........................................................ 35 6.5 Issue 5: Visual intrusion ......................................................................................... 39 6.6 Issue 6: Construction related