Environmental Assessment and Report

Transport Network Development Investment Program
(RRP AFG 44482-02)
Environmental Assessment and Report
Initial Environmental Examination
Project Number: 44482-02
June 2011
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan:
Transport Network Development Investment
Program (Kabul-Jalalabad Road: Bagramy–Sapary)
Prepared by Ministry of Public Works, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, for the Asian
Development Bank (ADB).
The Initial Environmental Examination 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. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS
(as of 31 May 2011)
Currency Unit – Afghani (AF)
AF1.00 = $.0215
$1.00 = AF 46.40
ABBREVIATIONS
CH4
ADB -Asian Development Bank
AP -Affected People
CALINE -California Line Source Model
-Methane
CO -Carbon Monoxide
CRTN -Calculation of Road Traffic Noise
CSC -Construction Supervision Consultant
DPR -Detailed Project Report
EC -Elemental Carbon
EHSMU -Environment, Health, and Safety Management Unit
EIA -Environmental Impact Assessment
EMP -Environmental Management Plan
ESMU -Environmental and Social Management Unit
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
-GOA Government of Afghanistan
HIV/AIDS -Human Immuno Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno
Deficiency Syndrome
-GHG greenhouse gas
-HC hydrocarbon
N2O
NO2
NOX
SO2
IEE -initial environmental evaluation
IPCC -Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
LPG -liquefied petroleum gas
MM -man month
MPW -Ministry of Public Works
-Nitrous Oxide
NEPA -National Environment Protection Agency
NGO -Non-governmental Agency
NILU -Norwegian Institute of Air Research
NMVOC -Non-methane Volatile Organic compounds
-Nitrogen Dioxide
-Nitrogen Oxide
OC -Organic Carbon
PM -Particulate Matter
PMU -Project Management Unit
ROW -right-of-way
-Sulfur Dioxide
STD -Sexually Transmitted Disease
TSP -Total Suspended Particles
UNHCR -UN High Commissioner for Refugees
UNMAC -UN Mine Action Center
USAID -United States Agency for International Development
USEPA -US Environmental Protection Agency
USGS -US Geological Survey
UXO -Unexploded Ordnance
WHO -World Health Organization UNITS °Χ cm -Centimeter
-degree Celsius
-square meter
-microgram per cubic meter
dB -A’ decibel ha -Hectares hr -Hour kg -Kilogram km -Kilometer m-Meter m2 mg/L -milligram per liter
μμ/γ3 ppm -parts per million
NOTE
In this report, "$" refers to US dollars.
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
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................9
A. Background.....................................................................................................................10
B. Environmental Clearance Requirements ........................................................................10
1. Government Environmental Laws, Regulations and Guidelines .................................10
2. ADB Environmental Requirements..............................................................................11
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT....................................................................................11
A. Overview .........................................................................................................................11
B. Type of Project................................................................................................................11
C. Need for Project ..............................................................................................................12
D. Location...........................................................................................................................12
E. Size or Magnitude of Operation ......................................................................................12
F. Traffic Volume.................................................................................................................13
G. Proposed Schedule for Implementation..........................................................................14
H. Detail of the Project.........................................................................................................14
I. General Environmental Profile of the Project Roads.......................................................16
3. Totu – Surkhrod Junction ............................................................................................18
1. Bagramy –Sapary........................................................................................................16
2. Sapary – Totu.............................................................................................................17
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT ..........................................................................21
A. Physical Resources in Project Area................................................................................21
1. Topography .................................................................................................................21
2. Climate ........................................................................................................................21
3. Soil and Geological Characteristics.............................................................................23
4. Water Resources.........................................................................................................25
5. Groundwater Resources .............................................................................................27
6. Water Quality...............................................................................................................28
7. Natural Hazards ..........................................................................................................28
8. Quarries and Borrow Pits ............................................................................................30
9. Air and Noise Quality...................................................................................................32
B. Ecological Resources in Project Area.............................................................................34
1. Flora and Fauna..........................................................................................................34
2. Fisheries......................................................................................................................35
3. Protected Areas...........................................................................................................36
4. Land Use.....................................................................................................................37
C. Socioeconomic Resources in Project Area.....................................................................38
1. Population ...................................................................................................................38
3. Agriculture...................................................................................................................44
4. Industries and Minerals ...............................................................................................46
5. Road Safety.................................................................................................................49
6. Tourism .......................................................................................................................50
IV. screening environmental impacts and mitigation measures ........................................51
D. Physical Environment........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
1. Soils and Materials........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2. Slope Stability Problems .............................................................................................53
3. Climate ..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
4. Water.............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. Air Quality......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
16. Noise and Vibration.......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
7. Rock Blasting ..............................................................................................................60
8. Demining .....................................................................................................................60
9. Quarry sites.................................................................................................................61
A. Ecological Environment...................................................................................................61
1. Flora............................................................................................................................61
2. Fauna..........................................................................................................................62
3. Fish, Fisheries, and Aquatic Biology ...........................................................................62
B. Socioeconomic Environment...........................................................................................63
1. Compensation Plan.....................................................................................................63
2. Construction Camps....................................................................................................63
3. Community Impacts.....................................................................................................64
4. Health, Safety and Hygiene.........................................................................................65
5. Culturally and Religiously Sensitive Locations............................................................65
6. Proper Construction Practices.....................................................................................66
7. Road Safety Measures................................................................................................66
8. Transport of Hazardous and Toxic Materials ..............................................................66
9. Tourism .......................................................................................................................67
10. Roadside Service Stations ..........................................................................................67
11. Accessibility and Regional Cooperation......................................................................67
V. INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN..........68
C. Institutional Framework...................................................................................................68
D. Environmental Monitoring Program.................................................................................69
E. Environmental and Social Management Training ...........................................................71
VI. Stakeholder Consultation and Information Disclosure..................................................72
A. Stakeholder Consultations ..............................................................................................72
B. Consultation Process and Documentation......................................................................72
C. Information Disclosure ....................................................................................................75
VII. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................79
VIII. CONCLUSION.....................................................................................................................80
List of Tables
Table 1: Details of Project Components .............................................................................13
Table 2: Forecasted Traffic..................................................................................................14
Table 3: Details of Existing Bridges in Project Areas...........................................................15
Table 4: Details of Proposed New Bridges in Project Areas................................................15
Table 5: Discharge data of Kabul River .............................................................................25
Table 6: Locations of Quarries and Borrow Pits ..................................................................30
Table 7: Summary of NILU Air Quality Data in Kabul. .........................................................32
Table 8: Proposed Ambient Air Quality Standards of Afghanistan ......................................34
Table 9: Wildlife status in the Project Region ......................................................................35
Table 10: Fish Families in the Project Areas .......................................................................36
Table 11: Land Cover Classification in the Project Watersheds..........................................38
Table 12: Population of the Project Effected Districts (in thousands)..................................40
Table 13: Villages located along the Project Road ..............................................................42
Table 14: Information on the Educational System of the Six Districts within the Project Area43
Table 15: Details of Hospitals and Clinics in the Project Districts........................................44
Table 16: Wheat Production and Cattle Population in the Project Provinces ......................44
Table 17: Agricultural Information in the Project Districts ....................................................45
2Table 18: Details of the Industries in Project Influence Areas .............................................48
Table 19: Bills of Quantities During Construction ................................................................52
Table 20: Slope Stability Measures .......................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 21: Predicted Annual Emissions along the Project ......Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 22: PM, NO2, and CO Concentrations for 2027 ..........Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 23: Estimated Annual Emission of GHG’s along the Project ..... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 24 Locations Affected by Noise and Vibration .............Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 25: Predicted Noise Levels along the Project (dBA)..................................................60
Table 26: Summary of Land Acquisition and Resettlement Impacts ..................................63
Table 27: Location of Construction Camps along the Project..............................................64
Table 28 : Road Safety Measures .......................................................................................66
Table 29: Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Cost of the Project. .............................70
Table 30: Public Consultations and Focused Group Discussions .......................................73
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Location Map of the Project..................................................................................13
Figure 2: Elevation Profile of Project....................................................................................21
Figure 3: Climatic Data of the Project ..................................................................................23
Figure 4: Geological Map of the Project Area......................................................................25
Figure 5: Watershed Map of the Project ..............................................................................26
Figure 6: Hydrogeological Cross-section of the Kabul Basin...............................................27
Figure 7: Seismic Hazard Map of Afghanistan.......................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 8: Natural Disaster Occurred in 2007 in Afghanistan..Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 9: Locations of Sensitive Environment in Project Area.............................................31
Figure 10: Riparian Vegetation in Afghanistan ....................................................................35
Figure 11: Protected Areas in Afghanistan ..........................................................................37
Figure 12: Land Use Map of the Project ..............................................................................40
Figure 13: Settlements Along the Project ............................................................................41
Figure 14: Agricultural Map of the Project............................................................................46
ANNEXURES
Annex 1 Environmental Management Plan
Annex 2 Terms of Reference for Consulting Services for Strengthening Capabilities in
Environmental and Social Management Training
Annex 3 Original Signed Sheets of Participants Who Attended Public Consultations
Annex 4 Translated List of Participants Who Attended Public Consultations
Annex 5 Guidelines for Campsite Management
Annex 6 Guidelines for Plant Site Management
3EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. The objective of the project is to provide transport facilities to hinterlands of Kabul and Nangarhar provinces in order to improve the region’s economy and welfare. The Initial
Environmental Examination (IEE) was prepared for the Project in accordance with the ADB’s
Safeguards Policy Statement, 2009. The IEE was prepared based on detailed field investigations, review of proposed civil works, stakeholder consultations, and detailed review and analysis of available spatial database for all environmental parameters in project areas such as terrain, soils, geology, rivers, forests, protected areas, land use and population. The IEE was prepared with the active cooperation of the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA) of Afghanistan.
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Description of the Project
2. The Project will reconstruct and improve 152.15 kilometers (km) road to a two-lane major road connecting Bagramy and Surkhrod through Tizin, Hisarak, and Gandamak areas of Kabul and Nangarhar provinces.
3. The Project will be implemented in 3 packages – the Package 1 covers Km 0–50
(Bagramy to Saprary), this IEE covers that section.
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Description of the Environment
4. Topography: The Project is located in different offshoots of Spinghar (or Sefid Koh) range, which lies immediately south of Jalalabad and forms a mountain frontier with Pakistan.
The elevation in the Project ranges from 600m to 2,890m. Nearly 30% of the Project road passes through mountainous terrain, 32% passing through rolling to mountainous terrain, 27% passing through rolling terrain and 11% through flat terrain.
5. Climate: The Project areas have mainly dry, continental climate with four distinct seasons, winter from December to February, spring from March to April, summer from May to
September and autumn from October to November. The mean monthly temperatures in Kabul vary from -1.9oC (in January) to 25.1oC (in July); while in Jalalabad, it varies from 8.4oC (in
January) to 32.9oC in July. The average annual precipitation at Bagramy and Jalalabad are
316mm and 170mm, respectively. The areas where elevations are more than 2,000 meters (m), snow fall occurs during winter.
6. Soils: Soils in the project area primarily consist of sediments eroded from the mountains and comprise alternating layers of gravels, sands, silts and clays. Adjacent to the mountains, the sediments are dominated by coarse deposits such as gravels and pebbles, deposited by the runoff water from the mountains. Further away from the mountains, the deposits would be expected to become increasingly dominated by finer sediments such as fine sands/silts.
7. Geology: The dominant rocks along the Project road are sedimentary and volcanic rocks. The rocks are limestone and marls, sandstones, volcanics and greenschists.
8. Water Resources: The Project area is located in Kabul watershed. The major rivers located in the Project area are Kogdara River, Gandamak River, and Hashem Khel River.
Further, the Kabul watershed drains numerous torrents between Kabul and Nangarhar provinces. The most important of these torrents is the Surkh Ab, taking its source from Azra and Hisarak districts and joining the Kabul River below the Darunta dam in Surkhrod District. River flows generally depend on the magnitude of annual rain and snow falls. When snow begins to melt in late winter and spring, the rivers rise. Hence these rivers have a peak flow at the end of the winter and in spring, and a minimum flow in summer and autumn. 9. Groundwater occurs primarily in the weathered, fracture and fissured zones of the rocky aquifers. The water table in the weathered zone is normally within 10m while in fractured zones, the water strata encounters between depths 30 to 90m. In valley and river basin areas, the groundwater flow is through saturated alluvium and other basin fill sediments. The water table in these aquifers generally follows the topography and flows towards the direction of surface water discharge.
10. Water Quality: In some areas of the Kabul River Basin, groundwater quality is excellent, showing no signs of problematic water constituents. However, there are some areas that have high concentrations of nitrate, boron, and dissolved solids and could be harmful to humans and crops. In lower reaches of river valleys, groundwater is frequently saline or brackish and not usable for either drinking or irrigation purposes. In a groundwater quality survey of 1,400 wells conducted in 1996, it was reported that 45 percent of wells exceeded US Environmental
Protection Agency Standard for E. Coli and 10.8 percent exceeded nitrate standard.
11. Natural Hazards: The earthquake intensity map of Afghanistan suggests that eastern and north eastern parts of Afghanistan have a high seismic hazard probability. The Project passes through earthquake intensity zones of ‘Degree VII and VIII’ on Modified Mercalli Scale, which indicates that there is a 20% probability that this intensity will exceed in 50 years.
12. Quarries and Borrow Pits: The quarries and borrow pits required for construction activities are located in all the project areas. The stones, subbase material and embankment material are located respectively - at Km 13, 20 and 38 for Package 1; at Km 63, 85 and 70 for
Package 2; and at Km 110, 131 and 120 for Package 3.
13. Air and Noise Quality: There is no continuous air quality monitoring in the Project influenced areas. Air quality in Kabul is measured by Norwegian Institute of Air Research (NILU) at four stations during 2004 and the results suggested that the air quality in Kabul is polluted by various sources like vehicular traffic, windblown dust, brick kilns and fuel consumption by industrial, commercial and residential sources. The average PM10 (24-hr average) concentration is 198 μg/m3 at Station 1 and 328 μg/m3 at Station 2. The 7 day average maximum NO2 and SO2 concentrations are 87 μg/m3 and 46 μg/m3. All the metal concentrations are found to be within the limits of WHO guidelines except for cadmium.
14. Flora and Fauna: The natural vegetation in the subprojects mainly consists of grasses and trees that dry out in summer and some sparse shrubs. Overgrazing combined with an increasing population and corresponding demands for fuel wood in recent decades have resulted in extensive decline in these woodlands. In cultivated districts the major trees seen are mulberry, willow, poplar, ash and occasionally the plane. Vineyards and orchards grow near the towns. The Project road belongs to the “Baluchistan xeric woodlands” eco-region. There are 547 wildlife fauna recorded from this eco-region, 25 of them are endemic to this region. Among these 25 species, Calomyscus baluchi (Baluchi Mouse-like Hamster) and Calomyscus hotsoni
(Hotson's Mouse-like Hamster) are threatened to be extinct. There is no wildlife found around the project alignment
14. Fish, Fisheries and Aquatic Biology: Fishing in rivers and streams at the project sites are found to be very limited, and information on the number of fisherman, fish species captures, yields and total catch does not exist. It is observed that fish does not contribute much to the economy of the country and therefore not much attention is paid on aquatic resources. No fish species in Afghanistan are classified into endangered status. The NEPA of Afghanistan, in consultation with relevant ministries is planning to prepare a national biodiversity strategy and action plan by 2008. The most commonly available fish in Afghanistan is trout. No marine protected areas, mangroves and coral reefs are located near the Project area.
215. Landuse: The Project passes mostly through range land and mountainous terrain.
Various land use types along the Project road are: built up -4%; semi built up – 10%; agricultural
– 37%; and barren land – 49%.
16. Protected Areas: There is no protected area within the Project road. However, the nearest protected area is Kole Hashmat Khan Lake (a waterfowl sanctuary) located 10 km far from Bagramy, the starting point of the Project.
17. Population: The Project road passes through Bagramy and Khakijabbar districts of Kabul province, Hisarak, Sherzad, Kogiyani, and Surkhrod districts of Nangarhar province. The major settlements located along the Project are Bagramy, Buthkak, Hisarak, Gadamak, Memla,
Fateabad, Sultanpur and Surkhrod.. The total population of the Project area is 362,400.
Population in these districts varies from 12,000 to 113,100. Male and female ratio is 51:49.
18. Economic Resources: Major sources of economy along the project area are agriculture and animal husbandry. Major food crops cultivated along the road corridor are wheat, rice, barley, pulses and vegetables. Fruit trees are grown within the project areas. Mulberry, oranges, and dates are among the dominant ones. Main livestock are cows, goats, and sheep.
19. Road Safety: Road safety is a major issue at the last 23 km of the Project road as the shoulder width is very limited and the available Right of Way varies from only 15 to 20m.
Shops, schools and houses are located very close to the road thus creating a traffic and safety hazard. Also, some sections in the mountainous areas have very narrow pathways; the pedestrians and the motorists all use the same lane.
20. Tourism: The Project road has a significant tourism potential due to its rich cultural, historical heritage and picturesque views. The major tourist attraction in the Project area is
Memla gardens (also known as Nimla Bagh), a collection of gardens located in the village of Memla, Khogyani District. It is recognized to be the living legacy of centuries of refined and dedicated horticulture by Mughal emperors. The layout of this garden is a re-creation of Eden
(‘chahar bagh’ in Persian) with four quadrants and four rivers. The traces of the gardens remain as cypresses and formal arrangement of flowerbeds and fountains. These gardens/nurseries were also used to grow orchard fruits. Another significant tourist attraction is the Moi Buharak
Mosque located in the village of Sawati at Km150.06 near Surkhrod. The mosque secures the Hair of the Prophet Mohammad (pbh). There is another historical religious place located in
Sultanpur, a Hindu holy place near a spring, where the Hindus used to undergo mass marriages. Buddhism sculptures are also said to be found in the Sherzad district. It was reported that illegal excavations were done here few years back to dig various artefacts which include Buddhist icons, coins, jewellery and dishes.
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Screening Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures
21. Anticipated environmental impacts of the Project, on the basis of the IEE study, are broadly classified into three categories during preconstruction, construction and operation;
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Preconstruction
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Pedestrian and high speed traffic
Land acquisition issues for new right-of-way (ROW) areas
Compensation issues for other fixed assets from acquired ROW land areas
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Construction
Increased soil erosion, landslides and/or siltation from cut and fill operations, including increased risks to downstream rivers and coastal resources
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Clearing of right of way, removal of vegetation (trees and shrubs) and disposal of spoils
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Extraction and transport of construction material from existing quarry sites
Temporary use of land immediately adjacent to the road for siting of contractor’s yard, asphalt plant and construction camps
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Reduced air quality and visibility (Air quality impacts and/or noise pollution from construction activities, quarry sites, material storage sites, temporary diversion roads, excavations, vehicle and equipment use, concrete and asphalt plants)
Water pollution (Water and soil pollution) at bridge rehabilitation sites from improper handling of and disposal of wastes and materials
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Drainage from construction camps, material stockpiles, excavations and quarry activities
Interruption to smooth traffic flow, increased traffic congestion and public safety problems
Social conflicts due to project activities
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Operation
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Increased traffic volume and related air, noise and public safety concerns
Possible spills from transport of hazardous cargo
22. While perceived benefits from the project includes
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Reduced soil erosion and landslides due to slope stabilization measures
Improved access in the Project area and resulting economic development
23. Usually implementation of civil works do not have major or long-term impacts but there can be localized, short-term impacts that will be addressed in the detailed designs and through application of site specific environmental management plans. These construction related impacts can be mitigated by (i) the contractors’ work practices, especially those related to the storage of construction materials and cleanliness of the work sites; (ii) cooperation by the local authorities with the contractor in terms of traffic management and use of public space and utilities; (iii) project management’s strict enforcement of the correct construction practices and standards; and (iv) the incorporation of the mitigation measures identified in the IEE. An environmental management and monitoring plan is prepared to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of the Project along with the cost estimates.