A MARINE & SHORELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR PROPOSED NATIONAL WORKS AGENCY SHORELINE STABILIZATION WORKS – PALISADOES, KINGSTON. May 2007 AUTHORS: PETER WILSON-KELLY MPhil. RICHARD KELLY MSc. With Technical Annexes From: DR. JOSÉ LUIS JUANES, DR. RAFAEL PÉREZ, M.SC. MIGUEL IZQUIERDO, ENG. VLADIMIR CABALLERO. and A MARINE AND SHORELINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR PROPOSED NATIONAL WORKS AGENCY SHORELINE STABILIZATION WORKS – PALISADOES, KINGSTON. AUTHORS: PETER WILSON-KELLY MPhil. RICHARD KELLY MSc. With technical contributions from: DR. JOSÉ LUIS JUANES, DR. RAFAEL PÉREZ, M.SC. MIGUEL IZQUIERDO, ENG. VLADIMIR CABALLERO. And MAY 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction: The National Works Agency (NWA) was tasked with the responsibility of designing a method of restoring the stability of the Palisadoes Tombolo, after the area was impacted by the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The NWA, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and the Environment, and with the technical input of the Government of Cuba, prepared a report that proposed methods for the re-stabilization of the tombolo. The technical report, summarized that: 1. Approximately 5 kilometers of the Palisadoes Tombolo was currently at risk of being breached in the event of another Hurricane. 2. A section of the tombolo, approximately 1.5 kilometers in length was in urgent need of stabilization and, within this zone; approximately 300 meters of shoreline would not survive even a minor storm. The report recommended the following: 1. That an elevated roadway be built on the north side of the existing one, increasing its level to about 2.0 meters. The beach, dune and the existing roadway would act as protection for the new roadway. 2 2. Boulder revetments were to be used at the current location of the Makepeace - Wood groynes to create further protection for the tombolo at this point, since this represents the narrowest section of the tombolo. 3. Approximately 1,100,000 cubic meters of sediments existing within 300 meters of the Tombolo’s seaward shoreline were to be pumped onto shore to be used to re-nourish and recreate the eroded dunes currently at the site The Cuban technical document anticipated that the process of dredging, conducted as a 24 hours a day work regime, would take an estimated 125 days to complete. The works, however, would be conducted in phases with the initiation of revetment construction works at the Makepeace – Woods groyne-field being the first steps taken at re-stabilization. An Environmental Impact Assessment was commissioned to evaluate the impact of the proposed re-stabilization works. This study focussed on the following components: • The current spatial distribution and status of any sensitive benthic lifeforms (coral, seagrasses etc) within the project area • The current spatial distribution and status of free-moving (fish) fauna within the project area. 3 • The current spatial distribution of important environmental resources existing within the area from which sediments will be accessed (hereafter known as the “borrow area”). • The current spatial distribution and status of dune vegetation landward of the Tombolo shoreline • The establishment of ambient total suspended solids conditions experienced between the Palisadoes shoreline and the Borrow area. • The establishment of expected sedimentation conditions during and after the dredging works. • The determination of the extent to which turbidity and suspended solids will move within and outside of the project area. • Current fishing practices in the area, inclusive of approximate numbers of users, their origins, seasonality in fishing practices and estimates of catch. • The confirmation of the proposed impacts associated with the project. • The generation of mitigations for defined impacts. • The generation of a monitoring plan to show adherence to mitigations that will ultimately be agreed to by NEPA. 4 Study Area: The study area for this development was defined as the geographical area bordered by: 1. The Palisadoes roadway to the north, 2. Plumb Point to the west, 3. The residential community of Caribbean Terrace to the east 4. The seaward limit of reef resources within the Plumb Point to Harbour Head reference points (also encompassing the proposed sediment access area -hereafter regarded as “borrow area”) to the south. Additionally, a marine benthic site was chosen, which would provide information on impacts outside of the geographical scope of the study area. This site was the NEPA/University of the West Indies (UWI) CPACC monitoring site, located near to South East Cay, Port Royal. This site was chosen due to the fact that this reef system would, theoretically, be within the path of any turbidity disturbances emanating from dredging works at the borrow area IF such disturbances migrated that far. Foreseeable Negative Impacts: The foreseeable negative impacts resulting from the implementation of the proposed works have been summarized below: 5 1. Sediment plume modelling conducted as a part of the EIA pointed to the potential for sedimentation impacts in excess of limits that could be tolerated by adjoining coral reefs at sediment discharge areas along the shoreline. 2. At a minimum, Beach and Dune vegetation currently existing at the re-stabilization site will be impacted by burial. This will mean that a significant percentage of the existing area of vegetation remaining after the onset of Hurricane Ivan will be lost. 3. The fisheries impact of greatest concern would be the negative impacts that could occur due to the exposure of prime nursery or adult fish habitats (such as the adjoining near-shore coral reefs) for fish near to sedimentation from dredge spoil deposition sites at the shoreline. 4. Construction works on shore would curtail any availability of that location for recreational activities during the period of construction. 6 Anticipated Positive Impacts: The foreseeable positive impacts resulting from the implementation of the proposed works have been summarized below: 1. The proposed works will not only result in the re-stabilization of the area (reducing economic risks and social upheavals in the event of a breach of the Tombolo) but will also create a new substrate for the re-growth of dune vegetation at the site. 2. It is unlikely that there will be any negative impacts emanating from the accessing of sediments from the borrow area. 3. it is unlikely that both the deep reefs located immediately south of the proposed restoration area and reef systems located in the vicinity of the Port Royal / Palisadoes reef systems, will be affected by the dredging and spoil disposal works proposed. 4. it is unlikely that both the deep reef fisheries located immediately south of the proposed restoration area and those fisheries located in the vicinity of the Port Royal / Palisadoes reef systems, will be affected by the dredging and spoil disposal works proposed 5. The new dunes will contribute to an increase in the aesthetics and marketability of the area for recreation and sports. 7 6. Reefs in the vicinity of the work areas may be able to tolerate sedimentation disturbances. This would be possible particularly if the periods of exposure to dredge spoil loading is finite. Proposed Mitigations: The following list of mitigations is proposed to minimize any negative impacts that may emanate from the conducting of proposed re- stabilization works: Sedimentation Mitigations: • Sedimentation ponds should be used to facilitate settling of sediments out of pumped dredge water, thus reducing the total suspended solid load to be returned to the marine environment once water is decanted. • Dredge pumping rates should be maintained that will facilitate adequate retention time in the ponds, thus facilitating rates of settling that could result in discharges achieving prescribed water quality standards. • Silt curtains should be deployed at dredge spoil disposal areas to contain sediment movement at the shoreline. • Strict attention be paid to the prevention and immediate mitigation of leaks that may occur from the floating pipeline deployed between the dredge and the shoreline. 8 Fisheries Mitigations: • The implementation of the sedimentation control mitigations outlined above will be the primary mechanism for avoiding negative impacts on fishing areas immediately adjoining shoreline construction sites. • The fishing public should be kept informed as to the operation plans for the dredge and the times at which it will be operation within defined locations. This will ensure that fishers have enough information to avoid being within the vicinity of the dredge, its floating pipeline and the shorelines at which re- stabilization works will be conducted. • Since popular fishing seasons for both Mutton and Lane Snappers are well known (December – January and August to October respectively), dredge timings should be planned to avoid these periods. • The fishers should be consulted and informed about the project in detail before start-up to garner their understanding and support. This might involve multiple meetings with the fishers. 9 • A Fishers Compensation Mechanism be designed and implemented to deal with any claims for damages that can be properly substantiated. Such a mechanism could be based on a compensation mechanism promulgated through the Fisheries Division for seismic surveys recently conducted on the Pedro Banks (see Appendix 4). Dune Vegetation Mitigations: A landscaping and dune re-vegetation plan should be developed by the Department of