Tracking ID: LAC-IEE-18-12
Environmental Analysis: Initial Environmental Examination
Project/Activity Data
Project/ Activity Name: / Haiti Community-Driven Development (CDD) IEEImplementation Start/End: / 2018-2020
Funding Account(s):
Funding Amount: / $7.5 million
Solicitation/Contract/Award Number:
Implementing Partner(s): / Organization of American States (OAS)
Tracking ID/link: / LAC-IEE-18-12
Tracking ID/link of Related IEE (if any):
Tracking ID/link of Related Analyses:
Organizational/Administrative Data
Lead Bureau: / LACOther Bureau(s):
Operating Unit: / USAID/Haiti
Geographic Location(s) Covered: / Haiti
Prepared by: / CADMUS Group (GEMS), and Gabriel Joseph, Project A/COR
Date Prepared: / May 12, 2017
Environmental Compliance Review Data
Analysis Type: / Environmental Analysis - IEEEnvironmental Determination(s): / Negative Determination with Conditions
Additional Analyses/Reporting Required / EMMP
Analysis Expiration Date: / FY 2020
THRESHOLD DECISION MEMO AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Purpose and scope
The purpose of this IEE is to provide environmental review recommendations pursuant to 22 CFR 216 (Regulation 216) for the USAID/Haiti Mission’s new two-year, $7.5 million “Community-Driven Development” (CDD) activity. The activity intends to support community development projects; develop a joint effort between local authorities and civil society to identify community development and investment priorities that will ultimately spur jobs; improve service delivery; and better meet the needs of the local population. This goal of this activity is to support longer-term local governance and capacity development in Haiti.
This document reviews the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts of all interventions under the CDD activity in Haiti. The IEE also sets out activity-level implementation, monitoring, and reporting procedures intended to assure: (1) conditions in this IEE are translated into specific mitigation measures and actions; (2) systematic compliance with this IEE during program implementation. These procedures are a general condition of approval for the IEE, and their implementation is mandatory.
Project/Activity Summary
This activity will be implemented by the Organization of American States (OAS), a Public International Organization (PIO).
The CDD activity will enable local communities to carry out components of the community development plans in previously identified communes and selected new pilot communes in the south.
●Objective 1: Increase citizen participation in local government planning and decision making on CDD plans
●Anticipated Result 1.1: Previously proposed CDD plans are reviewed and refined through local government and civil society interactions
●Anticipated Result 1.2: New community development priorities are identified through participatory process.
●Anticipated Result 1.3: Community awareness and sustainability plans around community development plan implementation are developed
●Anticipated Result 1.4: CDD committees and commune-level Citizen Consultative Councils are strengthened/created
●Anticipated Result 1.5: Memoranda of understanding between the local government, civil society actors, and USAID are signed and implemented
●Objective 2: Support improved access to clean water and sanitation
●Anticipated Result 2.1:Household access to safe water services and sanitation facilities is improved
●Anticipated Result 2.2: Transition of water-borne diseases is reduced
●Anticipated Result 2.3: A sustainable plan for water resources and sanitation management is developed
●Anticipated Result 2.4: Municipal sanitation is improved
●Anticipated Result 2.5: Sanitation facilities in institutional settings are increased
●Objective 3: Support improved public service delivery through other CDD plans
●Anticipated Result 3.1: Solid waste management and recycling services are developed/improved
●Anticipated Result 3.2: Community organizations are able to manage financial resources and seek new resources in a transparent manner.
●Anticipated Result 3.3: Competitive small grants for CDD plans are received
●Anticipated Result 3.4: New community plans are developed through local government coalition
●Objective 4: Increased access to educational services
●Anticipated Result 4.1: Children and especially girls have better outcomes at school
●Anticipated Result 4.2: Education services are provided in a way consistent to WASH standards
●Anticipated Result 4.3: Community coordination committees for WASH in schools are established
●Anticipated Result 4.4: Gender inequality in education due to water collection is prevented
The illustrative activities are presented in the Environmental Thresholds Decisions table below.
environmental threshold Decisions
The following table summarizes the environmental threshold decisions applicable to the specific project/activity and Illustrative Intervention. Upon approval of this document, the threshold decisions are issued as presented in the table below.
Table 1 – Environmental Threshold Decisions
Projects/Activities and Illustrative Interventions / Categorical Exclusion / Negative Determination / Positive Determination / DeferralProject/Activity 1 / Increase citizen participation in local government planning and decision making on CDD plans
Illustrative Intervention 1.1 / Facilitate local government and civil society interactions to review previously proposed CDD plans or identify new community development priorities through a participatory process; / §216.2(c)(2)(iii); (v); (xiv);(xv)
Illustrative Intervention 1.2 / Assist communities to prioritize the proposed CDD plans in regard to the primary focus areas, technical feasibility, and engagement of other donors/entities; / §216.2(c)(2) (xiv)
Illustrative Intervention 1.3 / Seek and build community awareness and support for the CDD plan implementation, design and sustainability plans / §216.2(c)(2)(i); (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 1.4 / Strengthen or create CDD committees and commune level Citizen Consultative Councils (CCC). / §216.2(c)(2)(iii); (vi)
Illustrative Intervention 1.5 / Define outreach strategy, sustainability, and evaluation tools / §216.2(c)(2)(iii); (xiv); (xv)
Illustrative Intervention 1.6 / Define and sign memoranda of understanding between the local government (municipalities and the Comitéd'Approvisionnementen Eau Potable et d'Assainissementthe CAEPA from DINEPA), civil society actors, and USAID, as appropriate / §216.2(c)(2)(v); (xiv)
Project/Activity 2 / Support improved access to clean water and sanitation
Illustrative Intervention 2.1 / Provide technical assistance to improve household access to safe water services and sanitation facilities / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.2 / Design and implement infrastructure improvements such as piped water system rehabilitation and extension in rural areas; water catchment and protection of sources installed; or water point construction and/or rehabilitation. / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.3 / Educate communities on the know-how/techniques to reduce transmission of waterborne diseases / §216.2(c) (2)(i); (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 2.4 / Develop financing strategies for both system expansion and operations and maintenance consistent with decentralization / §216.2(c)(2)(i)
Illustrative Intervention 2.5 / Train communities on management practices and oversight of public and private sector service providers / §216.2(c) (2)(i); (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 2.6 / Establish a coalition of government, donors, civil society and development sectors for sustainable water resources management / §216.2(c)(2)(i)
Illustrative Intervention 2.7 / Provide technical assistance to improve municipal sanitation / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.8 / Develop local ordinances and regulations to stop open defecation and/or establish latrine building codes / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.9 / Increase sanitation facilities in institutional settings such as schools, health facilities, markets, and transportation hubs / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.10 / Support development and availability of a range of low cost, appropriate sanitation options by building the capacity of construction suppliers or masons to design, produce, and market them. Identify barriers in supply chains for sanitation products and services / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.11 / Create demand for sanitation in rural and urban settings using approaches such as community-based total sanitation (CLTS, a participatory methodology for mobilizing communities to eliminate open defecation), commercial marketing, and regulation. / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 2.12 / Pilot and scale up promising approaches and business models for toilets/latrines and fecal sludge management. Develop or strengthen financing mechanisms to support improved access to sanitation without subsidies (or with targeted subsidies for vulnerable populations). / w/Conditions
Project/Activity 3 / Support improved public service delivery through other CDD plans
Illustrative Intervention 3.1 / Identify equitable and representative community organizations, including local governments, with existing development plans that are ready for implementation. / §216.2(c)(iii)
Illustrative Intervention 3.2 / Support communities in priority areas with no existing plan to develop a community plan in conjunction with local authorities and local branches of relevant Ministries. / §216.2(c)(xiv)
Illustrative Intervention 3.3 / Improvement and/or development of solid waste collection and recycling services in the communes / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 3.4 / Installation of solid waste management and compost sites / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 3.5 / Contribute to post-hurricane clean-up operations / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 3.6 / Support the establishment of nurseries that can provide high quality seedlings of native species where appropriate, and other measures to reduce erosion / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 3.7 / Develop the capacity of community organizations to manage financial resources, seek new resources, and maintain an equitable and transparent management of funds. / §216.2(c)(2) (i); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 3.8 / Ensure community cost-sharing or in-kind contributions for labor, maintenance, materials and development of sustainability plans / §216.2(c)(2) (i); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 3.9 / Offer competitive small grants for CDD plans / w/Conditions
Project/Activity 4 / Increased access to educational services
Illustrative Intervention 4.1 / Establish coordination committees of schools, parents, and teachers in target areas / §216.2(c)(2) (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 4.2 / Provide technical assistance and vouchers for school repair materials (e.g. tin for roofs, special nails, wood, straps to attach rafters to supporting walls); / w/Conditions
Illustrative Intervention 4.3 / Ensure community cost-sharing or in-kind contributions for labor, maintenance, materials and development of sustainability plans / §216.2(c)(2) (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 4.4 / Coordinate with MENFP on access to curriculum, teaching materials, text books, and school supplies / §216.2(c)(2) (iii); (v)
Illustrative Intervention 4.5 / Provide hygiene sessions to school teachers / §216.2(c)(2)(i), (iii); (v)
Climate Risk Management Summary
Most Climate risks are categorized as low for project activities listed earlier. In order to address the risk, we are proposing to engage citizen organizations with local governments in activities related to disaster risk reduction and climate change, and improve civil societies’ and locals understanding of the potential impacts of climate change, and how they can prepare for those impacts. See CRM Table.
IMPLEMENTATION
In accordance with 22 CFR 216 and Agency policy, the conditions and requirements of this document become mandatory upon approval. This includes the General Implementation and Monitoring Requirements appearing in Section 6 of the Environmental Analysis, and any other relevant conditions and requirements in this document.
USAID Approval of Environmental Analysis: INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION
PROJECT/ACTIVITY NAME: __USAID/Haiti Community-Driven DevelopmentActivity
Approval: / ______Jene Thomas, Mission Director / ______
Date
Clearance: / ______
Abdel Abellard, Mission Environmental Officer / ______
Date
Clearance: / ______
Robert Clausen, Regional Environmental Advisor / ______
Date
Clearance:
Clearance: / ______
Gerard Fontain, Acting DG Office Chief
______
Jonathan Cone, Resident Legal Officer / ______
Date
______
Date
Clearance: / ______
Brandy Witthoft, PCPS Office Chief / ______
Date
Concurrence: / ______
Diana E. Shannon, Bureau Environmental Officer / ______
Date
1.0BACKGROUND AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION
1.1.Purpose and Scope of IEE
The purpose of this IEE is to provide environmental review recommendations pursuant to 22 CFR 216 (Regulation 216) for the USAID/Haiti Mission’s new two-year, $7.5 million “Community-Driven Development” (CDD) activity. The activity intends to support community development projects; develop a joint effort between local authorities and civil society to identify community development and investment priorities that will ultimately spur jobs; improve service delivery; and better meet the needs of the local population. The goal of this activity is to support longer-term local governance and capacity development in Haiti.
This document reviews the reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts of all interventions under the CDD activity in Haiti. The IEE also sets out activity-level implementation, monitoring, and reporting procedures intended to assure: (1) conditions in this IEE are translated into specific mitigation measures and actions; and (2) systematic compliance with this IEE during program implementation. These procedures are a general condition of approval for the IEE, and their implementation is mandatory.
1.2.Project Overview
Haiti has been on the path to transition to democracy since the end of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986. Legal provisions in the 1987 constitution and the 2011[1] amended constitution specifically prescribe the autonomy of all sub-levels of government in the Republic of Haiti, from departments to communes to commune subsections. Despite the constitution’s recognition that decentralization is a fundamental element of governance, “deconcentration” - whereby authority is transferred to lower central government authorities or to other local authorities who are still upwardly accountable to the central government - exists. Furthermore, the various periods of deep instability in Haiti in the last 25 years have exacerbated the challenges in governance at the national and subnational level, disabling the ability of local governments to provide basic services to the population.
Although many local governments have been proactive in tax collection (some with the support of USAID)[2], thereby increasing tax revenues throughout the country, funding is transferred back to the Central Bank. While the Central Bank should account for this money and then return it to its community of origin for public use, this does not always occur. Local governments must instead rely on relatively small allowances provided by the central government for payment of staff salaries, infrastructure development, and provision of basic services, further undermining decentralization.
Since 2014, USAID/Haiti’s LOKAL+[3] has implemented a participatory process for designing financing plans for CDD. This is a joint effort between local authorities and civil society to identify community development and investment priorities that will ultimately spur jobs, improve service delivery and better meet the needs of the local population. These CDD plans not only to reflect the concerns of the population, but also the desire of the local governments to fulfill their constitutional mandates, provide services, and engage in sustainable development with the communities they serve. Community-driven development plans have been developed for all nine of the following communes in which LOKAL+ is operating: Carrefour, Delmas, Cap Haitien, Caracol, Limonade, Ouanaminthe, Kenscoff, Acul-du-Nord and Saint-Marc. This effort also may support other community development, disaster response, recovery, and resilience activities in new municipalities which have not previously participated in USAID LOKAL+ programming, including municipalities in the south affected by Hurricane Matthew, by using an expedited community planning approach emphasizing local ownership.
A number of cross-cutting priorities are evident in the review of the CDD plans from the nine LOKAL+ communes, including 1) access to proper water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities; 2) provision of adequate educational facilities; and 3) provision of adequate economic activities to mitigate ongoing environmental degradation, especially to the forest ecosystem. By investing in CDD plans, USAID will improve WASH and strengthen educational facilities.
To ensure sustainability of investments, the implementer will undertake recurrent cost analyses that estimate the short term and long term operation costs and estimated sources of revenue for each project. This activity will not only provide a foundation for long-term development in the communities supported by LOKAL+ and other hurricane-affected areas, but will also highlight the benefits of citizen engagement in local governance, thereby contributing to key policy priorities of the USG.
a. Relationship to U.S Foreign Policy and Development Priorities in Haiti
This planned activity contributes to the “Post-Earthquake USG Haiti Strategy – Toward Renewal and Economic Opportunity” (extended to September 2018), under pillar (A) infrastructure and energy, pillar (B) food and economic security, pillar (C) health and other basic services, and pillar (D) governance and rule of law. Under pillar (D): Governance and Rule of Law, the CDD Activitywill contribute to the achievement of Intermediate Result (IR) 4: More Responsive Governance and Improved Rule of Law, specifically to sub-IR 4.1: Strengthened representative, effective and transparent governance. The proposed activity will also partially contribute to the pillar (A) objective of improved infrastructure that supports community and commercial development.
The CDD Activitywill also support the achievement of USAID’s Water and Development Strategy 2013-2018 (The Water Strategy) with Strategic Objective 1 (SO1): Improve health outcomes through the provision of sustainable safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, and the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act (2014), which makes access to safe water and sanitation a specific policy objective of U.S. foreign assistance. This includes IR 1.1: Increase first time access to, and improve the quality of sustainable water supply services and IR 1.2: Increase first time sustainable access to improved sanitation services.
b.Relationship to Government of Haiti’s Priorities:
In addition to supporting the USG strategy and foreign policy objectives in Haiti, the CDD Activityis aligned with the Government of Haiti (GOH)’s Strategic Development Plan (PSDH) key objectives of improving governance capacity. It will also contribute to Haiti’s National Water and Sanitation Strategy. The proposed activity will work closely with local governments, LOKAL+ and its field offices (where possible), and civil society to support implementation of jointly-developed CDD plans.
1.3.Description of Defined or Anticipated Projects/Activities and Illustrative Interventions
Table 2: Defined or Illustrative Projects/Activities and Sub-Projects/ActivitiesProject/Activity 1 — Increase citizen participation in local government planning and decision making on CDD plans
1.1 Facilitate local government and civil society interactions to review previously proposed CDD plans or identify new community development priorities through a participatory process;
1.2 Assist communities to prioritize the proposed CDD plans in regard to the primary focus areas, technical feasibility, and engagement of other donors/entities;
1.3 Seek and build community awareness and support for the CDD plan implementation, design and sustainability plans
1.4 Strengthen or create CDD committees and commune level Citizen Consultative Councils (CCC).
1.5 Define outreach strategy, sustainability, and evaluation tools
1.6 Define and sign memoranda of understanding between the local government (municipalities and the Comitéd'Approvisionnementen Eau Potable et d'Assainissement), civil society actors, and USAID, as appropriate
Project/Activity 2— Support improved access to clean water and sanitation
2.1 Provide technical assistance to improve household access to safe water services and sanitation facilities
2.2 Design and implement infrastructure improvements such as piped water system rehabilitation and extension in rural areas; water catchment and protection of sources installed; or water point construction and/or rehabilitation
2.3 Educate communities on the know-how/techniques to reduce transmission of waterborne diseases
2.4 Develop financing strategies for both system expansion and operations and maintenance consistent with decentralization
2.5 Train communities on management practices and oversight of public and private sector service providers
2.6 Establish a coalition of government, donors, civil society and development sectors for sustainable water resources management
2.7Provide technical assistance to improve municipal sanitation;
2.8 Develop local ordinances and regulations to stop open defecation and/or establish latrine building codes
2.9 Increase sanitation facilities in institutional settings such as schools, health facilities, markets, and transportation hubs
2.10 Support development and availability of a range of low cost, appropriate sanitation options by building the capacity of construction suppliers or masons to design, produce, and market them. Identify barriers in supply chains for sanitation products and services
2.11 Create demand for sanitation in rural and urban settings using approaches such as community-based total sanitation (CLTS) (a participatory methodology for mobilizing communities to eliminate open defecation), commercial marketing, and regulation.
2.12 Pilot and scale up promising approaches and business models for toilets/latrines and fecal sludge management. Develop or strengthen financing mechanisms to support improved access to sanitation without subsidies (or with targeted subsidies for vulnerable populations).
Project/Activity 3— Support improved public service delivery through implementation of other CDD plans
3.1 Identify equitable and representative community organizations, including local governments, with existing development plans that are ready for implementation.
3.2 Support communities in priority areas with no existing plan to develop a community plan in conjunction with local authorities and local branches of relevant Ministries.
3.3 Improvement and/or development of solid waste collection and recycling services in the communes;
3.4 Installation of solid waste management and compost sites
3.5 Contribute to post-hurricane clean-up operations
3.6 Support the establishment of nurseries that can provide high quality seedlings of native species where appropriate, and other measures to reduce erosion
3.7 Develop the capacity of community organizations to manage financial resources, seek new resources, and maintain an equitable and transparent management of funds.
3.8 Ensure community cost-sharing or in-kind contributions for labor, maintenance, materials and development of sustainability plans
3.9 Offer competitive small grants for CDD plans
Project/Activity 4— Increased access to educational services
4.1 Establish coordination committees of schools, parents, and teachers in target areas
4.2 Provide technical assistance and vouchers for school repair materials (e.g. tin for roofs, special nails, wood, straps to attach rafters to supporting walls);
4.3 Ensure community cost-sharing or in-kind contributions for labor, maintenance, materials and development of sustainability plans
4.4 Coordinate with MENFP on access to curriculum, teaching materials, text books, and school supplies
4.5 Provide hygiene sessions to school teachers