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Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed construction of Island Waste Management Centre at Maabaidhoo, Laamu Atoll(2017-10) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency to construct the Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC) in Maabaidhoo, Laamu Atoll. The proponent of this project is United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The contractor for this project is Uni Maldives Private Limited. The main rationale for the project is to establish a sustainable waste management system in the island so that the waste is disposed and managed properly. The project is intended at constructing an island level waste management centre, with a compost ground and machineries and equipment to collect and to manage the waste. This project forms part of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECReD), a United Nations joint programme which seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. The proposed project involves the construction of the waste management centre. The IWMC will have a compost pit, waste segregation lots, equipment room, toilet, rainwater tank. This will be implemented as part of this project. The proposed IWMC will measure 89ft by 83ft and will be built at southern tip of the island. The proposed centre will be developed to manage the waste generated in the island and to ensure proper and sustainable disposal of waste. The waste management centre will also composting tools, compacting machineries to manage the waste. A truck of 1.5 tonnes and bins will be provided for waste collection. The duration of the construction of IWMC will take approximately 3 months. Once constructed, it will be handed over to the council for operation. The island community previously disposed waste at different locations of the island and the waste is not segregated. Following the efforts during the mangrove conservation project, all waste is now disposed to the location designated to build the IWMC under this project. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and Waste Management Regulations and Maldivian Land Act and Decentralisation Act. The existing condition of the island and the proposed IWMC was assessed for this report. Assessments conducted include groundwater quality assessments, and terrestrial assessments. Baseline noise levels were also recorded at the site. The assessment shows that during construction stage of IWMC, main impacts will be increased noise level, air quality degradation, loss terrestrial flora and fauna. The proposed location is a vegetated area where already most of the vegetation has been cleared. However, prior to construction few of the pioneer species will need to be cleared. Other impacts during construction stage possible contamination of groundwater and soil due to leakage of chemical and oil. During operational stage, the most significant impacts on the groundwater, greenhouse gas emission and on biodiversity. If the IWMC is poorly constructed including composting pit, likelihood leachate leaking into the ground is high and this may have irreversible impacts on groundwater quality. During operational stage, the IWMC may be receiving waste that cannot be managed at the site if unsupervised, this may result in open burning waste that result in the emission of toxic gases and chemicals which will degrade the air quality and cause GHG emission. Accumulation and mismanagement of waste also has the tendency to impact the biodiversity in the island whereby certain species are replaced by crows and rats, which will feed on waste stockpiles. The proposed is an aesthetically pleasing site and the visual amenity of the area will also be disrupted. Since the proposed site used to be a wetland, before it was reclaimed from waste, risk of flooding the area during swell tides or torrential rain is high. This may significantly impact the operation of the IWMC. Proper mitigation measures must be taken to reduce the risk of flooding. Overall this is an environmental improvement project.. Through composting and selling recyclable materials the project will also open up business opportunities for the island. In addition, irresponsible dumping and littering around the island may be stopped following the implementation of IWMC and waste management plan. The alternative options were evaluated for the no project option and alternative locations for IWMC. The “No Project” option is deemed infeasible, given the current condition of waste management and disposal in the island. Alternative locations for IWMC were also considered, however as there are no other apt locations in the island, it is proposed to go ahead with the proposed location, with stringent measures to mitigate flooding in the area. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical of the island, ground water quality as these are the key areas that will be impacted from this project. Monitoring costs is estimated at MVR 25,000 – 35,000 per annum. The management plan for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Stakeholder consultations were held with Maabaidhoo Island council, Maabaidhoo public, Laamu Atoll Council, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Authority. Both Maabaidhoo Island Council and public are in favour of this project. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. Operational stage impacts are mainly on climate change, groundwater contamination and on biodiversity. Overall, the project will have positive impacts to the island community under supervised and effective management of the IWMC. . The EIA recommends to go ahead with the project and to develop the IWMC and to follow the mitigation measures to avoid significant impacts. Stringent mitigation measures must be taken to reduce the risk of flooding at the proposed location. It is strongly recommended to develop and implement an environmental management plan to maximise the benefits of IWMC and ensure sustainability of operations.Item Environmental management plan for the proposed development of Island Waste Management Center in TH. Vandhoo(2017-09) Zuhair, Ahmed HassaanThe proposed development of Island Waste Management Center (IWMC) in Th Vandhoo is funded by the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) of the Government of Maldives. The aim of this project is to alleviate current waste management problems endured by the island community and thereby improve the overall environmental and public health condition of the island. The proposed IWMC will be developed in a 500 square meters’ area located in the South East side of the island. This site is at a considerable distance away from the residential population and vegetation line and meets the land allocation criteria of both Maldives Land and Survey Authority (MLSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At present, no major vegetation exists in the site except some scrubs. However, according to the information provided by the Island Council, 7 mature coconut palms and 3 mature trees (Alexandrian laurel) were previously present at the site. The Island Council has been undertaking land clearance works since 2015, as the site has been identified by the council to develop IWMC in 2015. An EPA declared environmentally sensitive mangrove area exists in the north western side of the island. However, this area is 400 meters away from the proposed IWMC and therefore, no negative impacts to this area are envisaged to occur as a result of the project. The project will provide basic infrastructure necessary to manage waste at island level and ensure composting is undertaken in the island. After completion of civil works, the IWMC will be operated by the Island Council in accordance to the Island Waste Management Plan. Training on composting for island level staffs and machinery such as, shredders, wood chippers and bottle crushers will be provided to facilitate adequate functioning of the IWMC. Waste that is not manageable at the island level will be stored and regularly transferred to a regional waste management facility (RWMF). All civil works of the project are expected to be completed within 6 months. Environmental impacts of the project were evaluated using the Rapid Impact Assessment Method (RIAM). Majority of the impacts envisaged for the project are highly positive. The project is expected to bring numerous economic benefits to the island community, in additional to the perceivable environmental and public health related benefits. The only permanent negative impact likely to occur as a result of the project is related to the removal of vegetation. However, the amount of vegetation clearance involved is minimal and therefore, if the mitigation measures proposed in this management plan are adhered, almost all the negative impacts can be brought to an acceptable level. The monitoring program proposed in the EMP will ensure the implementation of the mitigation measures and assist in the identification of unforeseen impacts throughout the project. Overall, the project is expected to provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits for the local community.Item Environmental impact assessment : for the proposed development of 6-storey operations building for Male' Water and Sewerage Company, Male'', Maldives(2018-01) CDE ConsultantThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the proposed development of the operations building of Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) Private Limited, Male’. The proponent of this project is MWSC. The proposed project covers: mobilisation, excavation and dewatering, foundation and concrete works, masonry, mechanical and electrical works, exterior and electrical work, monitoring and evaluation, interior works and demobilisation. The project is estimated to take 2 years to complete. The proposed designs and plans are also generally in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives. Additional approvals are required for the following before commencement of project activities. They include; dewatering application and approval before commencement of any dewatering activities; connections to sewer systems; water connections; power connections and approvals to use the building for housing. The project will be implemented on Nikagas Hingun. There is one construction site in the same block as the proposed site. The proposed land area is a vacant but is occupied by vehicles and stored pipes. These will need to be cleared prior to commencing the construction work. The existing environment was assessed as part of this EIA. As such, groundwater condition in the project site, noise measurements, air quality assessment around the project site and a traffic study was conducted. In addition a visual observation of the nearby buildings was carried out. Noise assessment showed that the noise level around the area beyond the recommended levels by OECD limits for residential areas and as per traffic study most number of vehicles are observed during the daytime. The negative impacts from this project are typical impacts associated with building in Male’. The most significant impact from this project during construction stage would be those associated with traffic and parking, dewatering and potential damage to neighbouring buildings during excavation. The contractor will pay compensations for any damage to the nearby buildings during the construction stage. Groundwater quality and soil condition may also be impacted through accidental leakage and spillage of oil and chemicals. In addition, given there is a mosque with a mortuary and government offices in close proximity of the project site. During concreting works it is anticipated that noise and air quality around the area will be negatively impacted. Given there is another construction site in the same block as the proposed site, the cumulative impacts from this project will be an issue. There will also be additional burden on waste management and utilities. The project mainly has positive socio-economic benefits as it will enhance the operations and services of MWSC and improve staff recreation. During operational stage, one of the key factors to study is the health and safety of the occupants of the building and demand on utility providers for power, water, sewerage and waste management. In addition, it is expected that demand for parking space and impact on traffic flow will be negatively impacted during the operational stage of the building as no additional parking is provided in the building. The key mitigation measures for the construction stage include use of proper shoring methods, dewatering only when required, minimising traffic disruption by limiting working hours to evenings and weekends, consulting with Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Maldives Traffic Police regarding traffic flow and road closure and informing stakeholder prior to road closure by the proponent and a complaint and issues registry must be maintained. To mitigate the impacts to air quality, it is recommended to keep the construction area damp at all times. It is recommended to fence the site with solid panels to minimise the impact of noise to nearby buildings, businesses. It is also recommended to monitor all occupational areas to ensure noise levels do not exceed WHO standards. To avoid impacts on health and safety during operational stage, the building must be designed for fire and safety with hose reel system, dry raiser system, sprinklers, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors installed. All the occupants must be trained at least once a year. Alternative options were evaluated with “No Project” alternative and for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. These include options for foundation methods. The currently proposed options are preferred. Consultations were held with STELCO and Ministry of housing nearby institutions for this EIA. Multiple stakeholders recommended to mitigate dust and noise pollution. In addition, the Maldives National University and Ministry of Islamic Affairs also requested getting informed prior to road closure. Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and STELCO also advised on getting all the permits and approvals prior to the elevant construction phase. Billabong further expressed concerns on moving large vehicles and construction materials and expressed concern on the safety of students due to falling objects, air pollution, and increasing number of foreign labourers. The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for this project is designed to produce a framework for anticipated impacts, including practicable and achievable performance requirements and systems for monitoring, reporting and implementing corrective actions. In addition, provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the physical environment as well as human environment. The total cost of mitigation and monitoring are estimated between USD 3,000.–5,000 annually. The main conclusion of this report is to proceed with the project but after incorporating the mitigation measures proposed in this report. Safety of the adjacent buildings and occupational health and safety must be a priority. Care must also be taken to minimise the impacts on the nearby offices and businesses, work must be completed in the shortest time frame possible.