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Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed water supply and sewerage system in Hulhumalé Phase II, Malé City, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2016-02) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study under the proposed water supply and sewerage system project in the newly reclaimed Phase II of Hulhumalé. The project is proposed by Malé Water and Sewerage Company Ltd. The project entails establishment of a comprehensive water and sewerage system in Hulhumalé Second Phase. The proposed system is similar to the existing system in phase 1 and includes the provision of water and sewerage services to all of the proposed neighbourhoods and commercial areas including the proposed Tourism District, Yacht Marina and Knowledge Park. The project takes place in the newly reclaimed phase 2 of Hulhumalé on the north of existing phase 1. Hulhumalé is part of the nation’s capital Malé, developed as a separate island but soon to be connected by the largest bridge in the Maldives. The existing size of the island is approximately 320 hectares including the reclaimed area of Phase 2. Hulhumalé is the most planned development in the Greater Malé Region so far. The proposed water supply system incorporates desalination facility with a total capacity of 10,000 m3 per day to be installed in different phases of the project. All requested facilities will be provided with metered connections. HDPE pipes will be laid on the roads as shown. In addition, a number of alternatives to the proposed project components have been identified in this document. Some of these alternatives consider alternative means of wastewater disposal including ground disposal, alternative means of water supply and alternative outfall locations. The most preferable alternative to the proposed desalination only water scheme is integration of a rainwater harvesting component. Though this alternative has few advantages over the proposed, at this stage in development of Hulhumale’ Phase II, it would be impractical to implement it. It has also been recommended to use solar desalination technologies since the initial demand would be low and production capacity minimal. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operational phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts identified for the construction phase of the project were minor negative; these include excavation and its impact on the landscape of reclaimed land and sedimentation from installing the outfalls. However, the impacts identified for the operational phase of the project were mostly moderate to major positive; averting possible contamination and salinization of ground water and reduction of related health hazards. Disposal of sewage via a sea outfall is considered as minor negative impact while the alternative of disposing to ground has numerous major negative impacts. The provision of safe and adequate supply of potable water enhances living environment and provides economic opportunities such as tourism establishments including guest houses and city hotels. The main mitigation measures for this project during the construction phase are similar to other water and sewerage projects such as dust control plans, working during low- tide as much as possible and rigorous supervision. The design shall also ensure that dewatering is minimized. As for the operational phase trained maintenance staff to service the water and sewerage system and regular check-ups has been suggested in addition to monitoring water quality as well as reef health for potential impacts. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical, administrative, socio-economic, health and an environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed water and sewerage system development project. It is recommended to proceed the project as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed water production and distribution facility at Hanimaadhoo, Haa Dhaal Atoll, Maldives(2016-11) Zuhair, Mohamed; Abdul Fathah, Mariyam Shujaa-ath; Shareef, Mohamed1. The purpose of this EIA is to critically analyse and assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the development of the proposed water production and distribution facility at HDh. Hanimaadhoo and expose the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project; 2. Currently, rainwater is widely used in all houses as cooking water and groundwater is used for various other domestic uses. Almost all houses have a rainwater storage tank. Bottled water is now mainly used as drinking water. Nevertheless, the groundwater lens in the islands of Maldives is depleted and highly saline due to over use and polluted in some areas and not fit for use for domestic purposes. Even though rainwater is widely used, it is not a reliable source as rainwater cannot be collected during dry season. Therefore, it is understood that Hanimaadhoo is in dire need of a clean water facility; 3. In the proposed facility the water production system is designed for 15 years whereas the distribution system for 35 years; 4. Proposed project involves installation of an RO plant with a capacity of 100 tonnes per day with three independent drains. Seawater intake is proposed from two bore wells 13 m deep at a site near the desalination plant. In addition to the bore wells, the facility will also incorporate rain water collected from public roofs, hence this is an integrated water resource management facility. Project also includes laying of distribution pipeline to existing household and a fire hydrant system; 5. A full baseline of groundwater quality, seawater quality, vegetation clearance and marine environment was established. It was found that the vegetation need to be cleared from the pump station location. Marine environment study showed that living substrata and fish count at the proposed outfall location was low due to dynamic oceanographic conditions that exist on the eastern side of the island with waves, swells and heavy currents which prevents settlement of new corals. Additionally, it is a high mixing zone; 6. The construction works of new powerhouses presented in this report are not expected to adversely impact the environment if the mitigation measures mentioned in the report are followed. The most important mitigation measures are daily maintenance of machinery, following chemical handling procedures, waste segregation and storage in closed labelled containers until disposal; 7. Overall, the proposed project is expected to bring in positive outcomes. It is expected that the newly established water production and distribution facility will ensure water security to the population of Hanimaadhoo in addition to greatly reducing health impacts associated with the use of polluted water; and 8. Monitoring is essential to ensure that environmental thresholds are not exceeded and mitigation measures proposed are working. Water quality and marine environment monitoring shall be done as per to the proposed monitoring schedule.Item Environmental impact assessment : Tower C of Amin Avenue, Hulhumale’(2016-01) Zuhair, Mohamed; Shakir, IbrahimThis Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report has been prepared for the development of Tower C, which is the third block to be developed as part of the 3 mixed-use residential and commercial complexes of Amin Avenue to be developed in Hulhumale’ by Amin Construction Pvt. Ltd.. The proposed Tower C development will be undertaken in a separate 14 storey building in the land plot N2-23 in Neighborhood 2. Upon completion of Tower C, the complex will have 72 apartments. The Ground and First Floors of the complex will be developed for commercial plots, parking lots and access ways, similar to Tower A and B. This EIA is prepared as per the Terms of Reference (TOR) approved by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on 16 December 2015. It is a legal requirement under the Amended EIA Regulation to prepare and approve EIAs for commercial, economic and development projects enlisted in Schedule D. Environmental clearance is obtained through approval of the EIA and issuance of EIA Decision Statement from EPA. The Tower C of Amin Avenue will be developed in Neighborhood 2 of Hulhumale’ in the land plot N2-23, which is located at 4°12'49.14"N / 73°32'25.66"E. The total land area of N2- 23 is 19,779ft2. The plot is located on the southern side of the proposed park located in the central parts of Hulhumale’. In order to understand existing environmental conditions of the proposed Tower C plot, assessments have been undertaken including noise levels, traffic flow and volume, ecological and structural assessments, groundwater and soil assessments. As Tower C is located within the overall Amin Avenue development boundary, comparison of some of the data collected for the EIA for Towers A and B with EIA for Tower C has been undertaken. Similar to the previous assessments, the highest noise levels recorded were from the northern side of the land plot having 76dB and 78dB. However, readings for the same locations during the previous assessment showed 69dB and 67dB, hence there is an increase in the noise levels of the surrounding environment. This is primarily attributed to the ongoing construction works at Towers A and B as well as other nearby sites. The average noise levels recorded on the southern sides were also increased from 62dB (previous) to 66dB (new) and from 61dB (previous) to 68dB (new). The increased noise levels on the southern side were also attributed to the ongoing construction activities for the development of Towers A and B. Generally, the traffic volume was observed to have decreased from the previous survey. This is probably due to the time where the data was collected and the period in which the data was collected where it was school holidays, hence there is a general reduction in the traffic volume of the surrounding environment. However, volume of pickups and trucks has increased from 7 to 8 and from 5 to 6 in the recent survey. There is no vegetation found within the plot allocated for Tower C development. Hence, there are no issues with vegetation clearance as part of the proposed development. A soil pit was dug within the land plot allocated for Tower C development, which indicate that generally there are no soil layers. The soil profiles show that up to the water level, only reclaimed sand exists. As there is no vegetation found within the site, the topsoil also does not have any humus content. A groundwater analysis was carried out for the Tower C location from MWSC laboratories, which indicated that the groundwater found within the site contains average levels of nitrates having 20.5mg/l. Phosphate levels found were 0.05mg/l and sulphide levels were less than 5 miccrograms/l. The salinity level was only 0.44ppt. However, high levels of dissolved solids having 451mg/l and turbidity level of 4.52NTU was found in the groundwater. Also, high levels of faecal coliforms having 308CFU were found from the groundwater at the site. Currently some social housing units and flats are found within the vicinity of the project sites which are observed to be quite new and in good condition. No physical damages have been observed from these buildings. These buildings are found on the eastern side of the Tower C plot and the overall development area. Condition of the roads around the proposed project site is observed to be in good condition. No cracks or physical damages are observed on the roads. The environmental impacts that may be associated with the proposed project are predicted and assumed in the EIA Report. These environmental impacts are divided into construction phase and operation phase environmental impacts. Most of the construction phase environmental impacts are believed to occur from excavation, dewatering, construction activities, operation of construction machinery and vehicles and construction waste disposal. The main environmental impacts believed to occur during operation phase of the project include household waste and increased traffic within and around areas. As part of the proposed project, a number of mitigation measures have been proposed in the EIA Report including using corrugated sheets supported by iron beams as a safety measure for protecting the excavated area for foundation, dewatering will be undertaken in opens spaces in Hulhumale to reduce loss of ground water, while preparing the site ready for construction, measures such as installation of safety and dust protection nets, appropriate signage will be placed to make aware people on the development. Also, important mitigation measures that will be implemented include complete elimination of waste disposal during construction and operation stages of the development into the project boundaries as well as promotion of a greener lifestyle have identified important aspects of the proposed development. The overall environmental performance will be monitored by an environmental monitoring framework that will be implemented as part of the proposed development of Tower C of Amin Avenue. Although during construction of the project, negative environmental impacts from construction activities have been envisaged, with appropriate environmental management and mitigation measures, these impacts will be reduced to a considerable level. Also, with positive socio-economic outlook of the project and considering the overall importance of such a development in Hulhumale’ to alleviate housing stress, it is concluded that the project should go ahead as planned.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed water production and distribution facility at Milandhoo, Shaviyani Atoll, Maldives(2016-12) Zuhair, Mohamed; Abdul Fathah, Mariyam Shujaa-ath; Shareef, Mohamed1. The purpose of this EIA is to critically analyse and assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the development of the proposed water production and distribution facility at Sh. Milandhoo and expose the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project; 2. Currently, rainwater is widely used in all houses as cooking water and groundwater is used for various other domestic uses. Almost all houses have a rainwater storage tank. Bottled water is now mainly used as drinking water. Nevertheless, the groundwater lens in the islands of Maldives is depleted and highly saline due to over use and polluted in some areas and not fit for use for domestic purposes. Even though rainwater is widely used, it is not a reliable source as rainwater cannot be collected during dry season. Therefore, it is understood that residents of Milandhoo are in urgent need of a clean water facility; 3. In the proposed facility the water production system is designed for 15 years whereas the distribution system for 35 years; 4. Proposed project involves installation of an RO plant with a capacity of 65 tonnes per day with three independent drains. Seawater intake is proposed from two bore wells 30 m deep at a site near the desalination plant. In addition to the bore wells, the facility will also incorporate rain water collected from public roofs, hence this is an integrated water resource management facility. Project also includes laying of distribution pipeline to existing household and a fire hydrant system; 5. A full baseline of groundwater quality, seawater quality, vegetation clearance and marine environment was established. Marine environment study showed that living substrata and fish count at the proposed outfall location was low; 6. The construction works of new RO plant presented in this report are not expected to adversely impact the environment if the mitigation measures mentioned in the report are followed. The most important mitigation measures are daily maintenance of machinery, following chemical handling procedures, waste segregation and storage in closed labelled containers until disposal; 7. Overall, the proposed project is expected to bring in positive outcomes. It is expected that the newly established water production and distribution facility will ensure water security to the population of Milandhoo in addition to greatly reducing health impacts associated with the use of polluted water; and 8. Monitoring is essential to ensure that environmental thresholds are not exceeded and mitigation measures proposed are working. Water quality and marine environment monitoring shall be done as per the proposed monitoring schedule.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed sea cucumber aquaculture project in Boduhaikondi, Raa Atoll(2016-06) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed mariculture project for the farming of sea cucumber in the lagoon of Boduhaikondi, Raa Atoll. Sea cucumber juveniles and grouper fingerlings will be bought from local hatcheries such as the sea cucumber hatchery at Nalandhoo until the proposed hatchery has been established. Sea cucumber juveniles (over four months old) will be put in the lagoon to grow out in its natural habitat to the adult size. The sea cucumber will grow to adult size in a year. The Project is proposed by Ali Ahroosh Ibrahim, M. Meadows. Boduhaiykondi is a small island towards the middle of Raa Atoll close to Dhuvaafaru. It has been leased for agricultural/fishery purposes by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. With the potential for mariculture with a sizeable lagoon with a small deep lagoon, acting as a natural habitat for sea cucumber, the proposed aquaculture or mariculture project has been considered as a potential investment. Sea cucumber production using fingerlings from Nalandhoo will form the initial component of the proposed project. A hatchery will be later established on the island for improved productivity. Sea cucumbers will be fed with food that will be imported to some extent but locally available seagrass and other food sources will be given priority. Sea cumber will be at the right size in 9 to 10 months following which they will be harvested, processed, packed and exported. A processing facility will be established on site. In addition to staff accommodation, power house, fuel storage, water supply and sewerage, telecommunication services, jetty and channel, the following investments directly targeted at sea cucumber production will be established. Sea cage fish farm in the lagoon Sea cucumber boiling and processing facility Ice making facility Storage facility for processed sea cucumbers Environmental concerns from the proposed project include: Sedimentation of some degree during channel dredging and jetty installation. The channel being about 3m on average, it will require only the removal of rock outcrops in the channel. Therefore, impact will be small. The impact of disease transmissions on wild populations. This impact is considered to be minor negative and depends on stocking densities and feeding. Environmental controls shall be established from the very onset of the project to mitigate disease prevalence and ensure a healthy environment. The impact cages may have on wild fish populations. Although this impact is not considered to be significant, this impact has to be studied in detail during the implementation stage. The genetic or competitive effect escapees may have on wild stock. Since juveniles that are not able to escape are used and exotic species would not be imported, this impact is unlikely to occur. In the case of cage culture using locally found species, genetic pollution will not be a concern even in case of escapees and new diseases will not be introduced to the wild stock. However, an incubation of local diseases present in the wild stock may be a potential cause for concern in case of high stocking densities. Therefore, stocking densities shall be kept to an optimum at all times. The likelihood for habitat modification could occur in case of imported broodstock causing stress and related disease prevalence. However, this is a minor impact not considered to be significant. The proposed project is expected to be managed in conformity with local and international regulations and standards of relevance, especially environmental regulations and standards. Therefore, environmental impacts will be well managed, minimized and mitigated. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project had net positive impact. That is, the project has no major adverse impacts on the environment as far as current knowledge is concerned. Given that the project has moderate level of socio-economic benefits and possible environmental benefits, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed. However, due to the project being among a few of its kind in the country, it is important to consider uncertainties and continue to monitor the project impacts and undertake appropriate mitigation measures in consultation with the EPA and other relevant government agencies.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed water production and distribution facility at Hoarafushi, Haa Alif Atoll, Maldives(2016-11) Zuhair, Mohamed; Abdul Fathah, Mariyam Shujaa-ath; Shareef, Mohamed1. The purpose of this EIA is to critically analyse and assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the development of the proposed water production and distribution facility at HA. Hoarafushi and expose the solutions and preferred alternatives as well as mitigation measures to minimize any negative impacts whilst trying to derive the maximum positive impacts from the project; 2. Currently, rainwater is widely used in all houses as cooking water and groundwater is used for various other domestic uses. Almost all houses have a rainwater storage tank. Bottled water is now mainly used as drinking water. Nevertheless, the groundwater lens in the islands of Maldives is depleted and highly saline due to over use and polluted in some areas and not fit for use for domestic purposes. Even though rainwater is widely used, it is not a reliable source as rainwater cannot be collected during dry season. Therefore, it is understood that residents of Hoarafushi are in dire need of a clean water facility; 3. In the proposed facility the water production system is designed for 15 years whereas the distribution system for 35 years; 4. Proposed project involves installation of an RO plant with a capacity of 80 tonnes per day with three independent drains. Seawater intake is proposed from two bore wells 13 m deep at a site near the desalination plant. In addition to the bore wells, the facility will also incorporate rain water collected from public roofs, hence this is an integrated water resource management facility. Project also includes laying of distribution pipeline to existing household and a fire hydrant system; 5. A full baseline of groundwater quality, seawater quality, vegetation clearance and marine environment was established. Marine environment study showed that living substrata and fish count at the proposed outfall location was low; 6. The construction works of new powerhouses presented in this report are not expected to adversely impact the environment if the mitigation measures mentioned in the report are followed. The most important mitigation measures are daily maintenance of machinery, following chemical handling procedures, waste segregation and storage in closed labelled containers until disposal; 7. Overall, the proposed project is expected to bring in positive outcomes. It is expected that the newly established water production and distribution facility will ensure water security to the population of Hoarafushi in addition to greatly reducing health impacts associated with the use of polluted water; and 8. Monitoring is essential to ensure that environmental thresholds are not exceeded and mitigation measures proposed are working. Water quality and marine environment monitoring shall be done as per to the proposed monitoring schedule.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed sewerage system in Nolhivaram, Haa Alifu Atoll, Maldives(2016-06) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study under the proposed sewerage system project at HDh. Nolhivaram. The project is proposed by Ministry of Environment and Energy. The project entails establishment of a proper island-wide sewerage system with a sea outfall. The proposed project will involve installing a pipe network to collect sewage from all the households on the island and necessary pumping stations. Currently raw sewage is disposed onto the ground via house-level soak-pits; polluting groundwater greatly. The proposed outfall will pump wastewater beyond the house-reef at over 7m depth. A number of alternatives to the proposed project components have been identified in this document. Of these, the preferred alternative is to change the outfall location directly north of the island. It is also proposed to consider a treatment plant in the design, though the consultants are of the opinion, proposed system without a treatment plant but alternative outfall location is the best option. Other alternatives include considering different disposal options; ground and lagoon, which are not recommended for reasons of greater environmental pollution. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operational phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts identified for the construction phase of the project were minor negative; these include excavation and related difficulties to road uses, sedimentation from installing the outfall and temporary salinization of groundwater from dewatering to lay out the pipe network and pump stations. However, the impacts identified for the operational phase of the project were mostly moderate to major positive; improvement of groundwater quality from stopping the current sewage disposal practise and reduction of related health hazards. Disposal of sewage via a sea outfall is considered as minor negative impact while the lack of multiple lagoon outfalls will help to improve the quality of the lagoons which is a primary recreational area of the island. The main mitigation measures for this project during the construction phase are similar to other sewerage projects such as dust control plans, working during low-tide during pipe installation and rigorous supervision. In case of deterioration of groundwater quality due to potential dewatering during construction of lifting stations in residential area, measures to water plants in the area that may be affected due to dewatering shall be in place. The design shall also ensure that dewatering is minimized. As for the operational phase trained maintenance staff to service the sewerage system and regular check-ups has been suggested in addition to monitoring water quality as well as reef health for potential impacts. Increasing awareness on groundwater conservation and promoting sustainable groundwater aquifer management, especially the skimming well technology has been suggested. The Proponent is willing to undertake monitoring during and after the construction phase in addition to undertaking the mitigation measures proposed by the consultants. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical, administrative and to some extent environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed sewerage system development project. The alternative of wastewater treatment will involve greater operational costs; therefore, it is recommended to proceed the project as proposed while keeping the option open for future wastewater treatment, as and when required.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed water and sewerage system in Dhiffushi, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2016-10) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study under the proposed water and sewerage system project at K. Dhiffushi. The project is proposed by the Secretariat of Dhiffushi Council. The project entails establishment of a proper island-wide water supply and sewerage system. The proposed project will involve installing a pipe network to collect sewage and wastewater from all the households on the island and necessary pumping stations. Currently, raw sewage and wastewater is disposed to the lagoon via multiple outfalls polluting the nearshore environment while there are a few house-level soak-pits polluting groundwater. The proposed outfall will pump wastewater beyond the house-reef at over 7m depth. The proposed water supply network will be an integrated system consisting of harvested rainwater from roofs of community buildings with desalinated water which will be treated and distributed to households through the water supply network. Rainwater is the main source of potable water used in the island as each house has a 2500 litre tank. For other uses groundwater is used which is either pumped out by electric pump or rarely by manually using a handcrafted bucket (dhaani). Water intake will be by using boreholes. The boreholes will be drilled and installed according to the Borehole Drilling Guidelines administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. The brine discharge will be inside the harbour. It is important to provide adequate supply of potable water and provide appropriate wastewater disposal systems to provide safe and adequate supply of water and to minimize faecal contamination and foul smell in the groundwater, which the community is highly dependent upon. Furthermore, the small water storage facilities at household level presents water shortage issues during the dry season while contamination of the groundwater lens with wastewater effluent and salinization of the lens has become an increasingly important issue. Several alternatives to the proposed project components have been identified in this report. Some of these alternatives consider alternative means of wastewater disposal including treatment, alternative means of water supply and alternative outfall locations. Since groundwater wells are fixed with electric pumps to draw water which has been the main reason for excessive drawdown and subsequent salinization of the freshwater lens, alternatives involving sustainable groundwater use such as skimming wells have been recommended. Wastewater treatment is considered as a favourable option while it has been argued that if the effluent can be disposed of at an appropriate location, there would not be a need for treatment since there will be good mixing and flushing in such areas. It has also been recommended to use solar desalination technologies since the initial demand would be low. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operational phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts identified for the construction phase of the project were minor negative; these include excavation and related difficulties to road uses, sedimentation from installing the outfall and temporary salinization of groundwater from dewatering to lay out the pipe network and pump stations. However, the impacts identified for the operational phase of the project were mostly moderate to major positive; improvement of groundwater quality and nearshore environment from stopping the current sewage disposal practise and reduction of related health hazards. Disposal of sewage via a sea outfall is considered as minor negative impact while the lack of multiple lagoon outfalls will help to improve the quality of the lagoons which is a primary recreational area of the island. The main mitigation measures for this project during the construction phase are similar to other water supply and sewerage projects such as dust control plans, working during low-tide during pipe installation and rigorous supervision. In case of deterioration of groundwater quality due to potential dewatering during construction of lifting stations in residential area, measures to water plants in the area that may be affected due to dewatering shall be in place. The design shall also ensure that dewatering is minimized. As for the operational phase trained maintenance staff to service the sewerage system and regular check-ups have been suggested in addition to monitoring water quality as well as reef health for potential impacts. Increasing awareness on groundwater conservation and promoting sustainable groundwater aquifer management, especially the skimming well technology has been suggested. The Proponent is willing to undertake monitoring during and after the construction phase in addition to undertaking the mitigation measures proposed by the consultants. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical, administrative and to some extent environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed water supply and sewerage system development project. The alternative of wastewater treatment will involve greater operational costs; therefore, it is recommended to proceed with the project as proposed while keeping the option open for future wastewater treatment, as and when required.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed slipway project in Kudahuvadhoo, Dhaalu Atoll(2016-12) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out the proposed slipway construction in Kudahuvadhoo, Dhaalu atoll. The proponent of this project is Job Market Maldives Pvt Ltd. The main rationale for the project is to provide a safe environment for vessel mooring, repair and maintenance works at Kudahuvadhoo, while providing a source of employment and income for the island. The project involves construction of slipway on the north east side of Kudahuvadhoo island. Main components of the project include dredging and deepening of existing entrance channel and boat landing area, construction of slipway and construction of auxiliary service buildings. The development is designed based on environmental best practices suitable for slipway construction in Maldives. Kudahuvadhoo has a moderately large number of fishing and passenger vessels. At present, lack of availability of a slipway in Kudahuvadhoo and within Dhaalu atoll means that boat owners are required to use slipways in other atolls for vessel maintenance, which involves a substantial cost. Construction of a slipway in Kudahuvadhoo will reduce the cost of boat repair maintenance for Kudahuvadhoo locals and for boat owners in Dhaalu atoll in general. 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, Dredging and Reclamation regulation and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012. Dredging and reclamation approval from EPA is required before commencement of project activities. Significant impacts of this project during construction phase of the project are potential significant impacts on coastal processes, impacts on the terrestrial flora and fauna, significant impacts on marine environment due to excessive sedimentation, turbidity and direct excavation related to deepening of the existing reef entrance, and impacts on marine water quality. Positive impacts of the construction phase include improved business and employment opportunities for the public. Significant impacts during operation of the slipway include impact of intense boating activities on marine biodiversity, degradation of air quality from dust-born particles and vessel emissions, noise, adverse impacts of solid waste and waste oil on terrestrial environment and increased demand for resources especially waste management services. Socioeconomic impacts of the operation phase include improvement in employment and business opportunities, adverse impacts on health and safety of workers and general public, and potential resource use conflict due to loss of recreational beach and volleyball court. Key mitigation measures for the construction and operation stage include construction of a 15 feet tall wall along the boundary to reduce the amount of dust-borne particles, undertaking beach monitoring and beach replenishment to mitigate beach erosion, use of biodegradable cleaning and disinfecting agents for service and maintenance, preparation and use of standard operation manual for handling hazardous materials, and specifying the routes for excavator movement. Consultations were undertaken with kudahuvadhoo public, Kudahuvadhoo Island Council, Dhaalu Atoll council, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Health Protection Agency. Stakeholders consulted in Kudahuvadhoo were generally in favour of slipway construction project. The alternatives evaluated for the project were the no project option, alternative erosion mitigation plan, alternative measures for sediment containment and use of alternative material for construction of breakwater. The no project option is not viable socially as there will be significant public discontent if the project is stopped. Options proposed for erosion mitigation include doing nothing, undertaking beach replenishment and building a groyne field. It was recommended to monitor the coastal changes before considering erosion mitigation. The monitoring plan has been designed with a focus to analyse the significant impacts over time, particularly the effect on coastal processes, water quality and impacts on marine life. A management framework has been proposed and it is essential that this framework be used in the construction stage of the project. The operation stage management can fall within the overall environmental management framework. In conclusion, project mainly has beneficial socio-economic impacts.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed development of slipway in Thulusdhoo, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2016-05) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed development of slipway in Thulusdhoo, Kaafu Atoll. The project is proposed by Eagle Marine and Engineering Pvt. Ltd. The proposed project include dismantling of the existing pier jetty on the project site, dredging the slipway burrow to -4 MSL, sheet piling the slipway burrow and either side of the slipway (approximately 550ft). For coastal protection, sheet piling using piling hammer has been proposed. The project was planned at early 2015, however due to the coastal protection works of the Thulusdoo, subsequent to the dredging has caused some changes to the project. The project sites land area has been increased with the new reclamation. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Due to the strong positive economic impact and minor/negligible negative environmental impacts of the project, overall impact of the project is positive for the proposed project. The main negative environmental impact of the project is identified to be the possible movement of low levels of sediment towards the reef during dredging activities. Movement and settlement of fine sediments are expected to occur on the reef flat to a small degree. However, this would be negligible due to the small volume of excavation involved in this project and absence of high live coral cover at this location. Due to the small size of project and project setting, the environmental impacts of the project are considered to be minor negative. The impact matrices done for the project indicates a net positive impact potential for the project. Major impact of such coastal excavation projects are focussed of marine environment, which includes smothering of corals and benthic fauna from sedimentation. However, presence of a deep lagoon adjacent to the project site which would act as a sand burrow before sediment reaches to the house reef the impact of sedimentation to house reef in minimal. In addition, the fill-up rate of slipway burrow will be monitored after the construction phase. Furthermore, general best practises of works have also been recommended for the proposed project in order to prevent or minimise the negative impacts that may arise from the project. Regular environmental monitoring and reporting is an essential element of the EIA process. During the construction phase, in-situ monitoring of total suspended solids and turbidity is usually undertaken in dredging projects to ensure that water quality criteria are met and sedimentation on the reef does not occur; therefore water quality tests during construction phase was proposed for this project as well. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed development of slipway at K. Thulusdhoo.