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Item Environmental impact assessment for the establishment of a water bottling plant at State Electric Company Limited (STELCO)(2016-03) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed ‘Establishment of a Water Bottling Plant Project’ at State Electric Company (STELCO), Male’. The proponent of this project is State Electric Company Limited (STELCO). This project mainly involves establishing a bottling plant on STELCO’s main premise in Male’ city with a production capacity of 6000 bottles per day. A prefabricated building has been assembled on site to house the bottling plant. The project will be using the existing desalination plant at STELCO. All project activities are 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, Hygiene Regulation for Food Establishments 2014 and Waste Management Regulation 2013. The proposed site for the installation of the bottling plant is located on the main premises allocated to STELCO on the southern end of Male’. Proposed project activities do not require any major alterations to the terrestrial and marine environment. The most significant impact from this project is the increase in plastic waste. The proponent is looking into the prospects of a recycling venture for their bottles to mitigate this impact. This project will generate new jobs in Male’, which is a significant positive impact. The main alternatives assessed for the project are alternative bottling materials and alternative site for establishing the bottling plant. “No project” option has also been considered and given the economic and environmental factors the best option would be to proceed with the project. Stakeholder consultations were conducted with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA). EPA’s main concern was to get the desalination plant of STELCO registered at EPA before starting the bottling process. MFDA did not have any major concerns but advised to carryout the necessary water quality assessments. 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 operational aspects of the resort.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed construction of 25 storey building at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Male’(2016-06) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the proposed construction of a 25-storey building at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’. The proponent of this project is IGMH. The project has put forward by IGMH to expand the healthcare services in the existing hospital. Currently, IGMH with a bed of capacity of approximately 300 does not have the sufficient space and capacity to provide the best service to the growing demand. The project broadly involves the construction of a 25-storey building covering an area of 27,000 square feet. This facility will be complete with enhanced OPD services, diagnostic and laboratory services and with new medical facilities. The development is also expected to increase the bed capacity by 500. Medical tourism will also be introduced with high-end apartments targeted for the high-end market. Apartment units for doctors will also be development under this development. Upon completion, the facility will be able to cater 10,000 patients per day. The new facility will be merged with existing facility from level 1. Duration of project development is approximately 24 months. 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 are detailed drawings approval from the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure; dewatering application and approval before commencement of any dewatering activities; connections to sewer systems; water connections; power connections. Responsible institutions include Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment and Energy. Proposed location for the project is the plot located south of existing IGMH. Significant buildings in the vicinity of the project site include Dhiraagu Head Office, Thajuddeen school, existing IGMH and residential buildings. Assessments were conducted to determine baseline traffic count and noise level of project site and a visual survey of the nearby buildings were also conducted for this project. PA marine survey was conducted to determine the general status of the reef and fish species abundance and composition of reef system. There are no marine protected areas within project or impact boundary. Most significant environmental impacts of the construction phase include vibration, noise and air quality impacts. Attention has been paid to consider the impacts on sensitive buildings in thevicinity including Dhiraagu, IGMH and schools. Socioeconomic impacts of construction stage include public nuisance from noise impacts and traffic congestion. The most significant impacts once the facility becomes operational are management of health care waste and wastewater discharge. The project will mainly have socioeconomic benefits from improvements in national health care services, and increased direct and indirect job opportunities. The key mitigation measures include measures to mitigate noise and vibration impacts, stringent measures to manage dust emissions from the operation of batching plant and onsite management of health care wastes and proper measures for occupational health and safety. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. These include no project alternative, options for piling methods, alternative locations for batching plant, alternatives for building elevation and project location. Options were considered to relocate the project site away from reef and existing IGMH. The project is anticipated to bring positive socioeconomic impacts, hence no project alternative is not considered. Proposed project location has been preferred due to feasibility and practicality. Jack in Pile method is been preferred over conventional methods as it is the most environmentally sound technique for piling in dense urban environment causing the least noise and vibration impact. Options are considered to relocate batching plant, however there is no other space available for this project. Hence the best option is to move the batching plant to the sand and aggregate storage area within the project site. 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. A waste management has also been included with guidelines and strategies for medical waste minimisation and medical waste treatment and disposal methods.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed coconut palm relocation project in Maalhos, Baa Atoll(2016-01) CDE ConsultingThis Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an evaluation of the potential environmental, socio-economic and natural impacts of the proposed coconut palm relocation from Maalhos to Dhigufaru Resort of Baa Atoll. Dhigufaru is a resort under construction and is scheduled to open this year. The proponent of this project is Dhigufaru Investments Pvt Ltd, and they are in the final stages of landscaping. Maalhos Island contacted the proponent to assist in clearing the land for a futsal pitch. Given that the Dhigufaru Island is looking to rejuvenate its vegetation, the proponent has contracted construction companies specializing in tree transplantation to clear the requested land and supply coconut palms required for Dhigufaru Island landscaping. The proponent has sought permission from the island council to relocate 250 palm trees to Dhigufaru Island. The proponent considered the project given the close proximity of Maalhos and the opportunity to provide service to the community. The project is aimed for the clearance of approximately 16,500 ft2 of land for the development of a futsal pitch. Major components of the project include, site preparation and mobilization, vegetation clearance, transportation to Dhigufaru, replanting, dredging the North-western side lagoon to obtain backfilling sand and levelling the site after backfilling. The project is scheduled to be completed within five to six weeks of initiation while all components at Maalhos is to be completed within four weeks. The following Laws and Regulations of Maldives and International Conventions will be strictly adhered during the implementation of the project. The key laws and regulations of the Maldives to which the proposal is applicable are: − Environmental Protection Act, − Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2012, − Regulation on Cutting Down, Uprooting, Digging Out and Export of Trees and Palms from One Island to Another − Dredging and Reclamation regulation − Regulation on preservation of old trees − Other relevant international and national conventions ‘No project’ option is evaluated for advantages and disadvantages. Alternative project site (island) is not considered as this cannot be changed. In addition, an alternative tree felling method has been assessed. The potential significant impacts from the project on the natural environment are: − Groundwater and marine water contamination due to chemical (vehicle fluids) leak and from dredging process. − Pollution due to waste including green waste − Marine water pollution during transportation of materials and removal of waste − Impact on marine life due to dredging activities − Changes to island coastal environment due to creation of sediment sink Potential positive socioeconomic impacts are: − Paves way for further development with new recreational facilities − Dhigufaru Island could be completed and open for business at earliest creating job opportunities for locals − Guest satisfaction improved Monitoring program is based on the information requirements of the project. The key areas highlighted in the program are: − Groundwater quality and Marine water quality for indication of contamination by chemicals and/or dredging − Management of waste in particular hazardous waste and inappropriate disposal − Coastal changes and depth of the dredge area − Maintaining logs to monitor replanting quantities and targets are met. The proponent is committed to undertake the monitoring programme. The project poses some negative environmental impacts. However with proper caution and implementation of the given mitigation measures the project could offset the negative impacts and could be implemented smoothly. Overall, the project aims to reuse vegetation to rejuvenate the vegetation system in Dhigufaruvinagandu, which would be given utmost care due to their value for the resort island. These are trees that may otherwise be discarded. In conclusion, project mainly has beneficial impacts to both the locals of Baa Maalhos and the management of Dhigufaru Resort.Item Environment impact assessment for the development of 7,000 social housing units in Hulhumale’ phase II(2016-09) CDE ConsultingThe 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 7,000 social housing units in Hulhumale’ Phase II. The proponent of the project is China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited (CSCEC). The project is designed to achieve the housing development goals of the Government and under the effort to develop Hulhumale’ into a youth village. The project forms part of an umbrella effort to establish 15,000 social housing units in Hulhumale’ Phase II. These housing units will be specifically targeted for families. This project will be among the first developments in Hulhumale’ Phase II. This project is also the first high rise residential building of more than 14- storeys in the Maldives. The project involves constructing 16 buildings over 7 plots. Each building will have 25-storeys and the total area allocated for the project is 35,604 sqm. Out of the 16 buildings, 10 buildings will have 16 apartments on every floor and the remaining 6 buildings will have 20 apartments on every floor. A total of 7,000 residential units will be developed. Each building will consist of two bedroom apartments units, parking space and waste collection point in the ground floor. The target population is estimated between 21,000 to 28,000 persons at 3 to 4 persons per apartment. The target population for these flats is low to low-middle income Maldivians. Each apartment will have an area of approximately 50.53 sqm and it consists of two bedrooms, living room and kitchen, two toilets and balcony. Parking space is design to accommodate two motorbikes per apartment. The building will be complete with outdoor fire hydrant systems, two escape stairs, fire elevators and fire alarm systems. All utilities during operation will be provided by state owned services. The proposed project covers: mobilisation, construction of worker’s accommodation blocks, excavation and dewatering, foundation and concrete works, mechanical and electrical works, exterior and electrical works.. The project is estimated to take 24 months 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 are detailed drawings approval from the HDC; 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 and approval from civil aviation authority. The project will be implemented on the newly reclaimed area in Hulhumale’ Phase II located on the south eastern rim of North Male’ Atoll which has been developed as an extension of Hulhumale’ Phase I. The proposed housing development site is located towards the north eastern side in Phase II. Seven plots has been allocated for this project with a total area of 35,604 sq.m. The existing environment was assessed for the purpose of this EIA. Baseline assessments include groundwater and marine water quality assessments, soil profiling, noise measurements and marine assessment. The groundwater quality of the site was found to be good except with elevated levels of turbidity. Marine assessment showed mainly dead corals and white sand in the area. During construction stage, the project is expected to incur minimal impacts on the environment, as the area is a vacant land. Minor impacts are anticipated on groundwater and soil condition, marine water quality due to oil spillages and through disposal of residual water after dewatering. Impact on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions is anticipated to be moderate as a significant number of generators will be used. During operational stage, the proposed developments involve significant positive impacts on the socio-economic environment. These are associated with the increased supply of housing to those in need and reduce the level of congestion in Male’. This will also benefit the economically disadvantaged by providing easy access to affordable and improved housing units. The project will involve the settlement of a large number of populations, which will exert pressure on existing utility service centres, schools and hospitals. It is anticipated that the demand for parking space and traffic flow in Hulhumale’ will also increase following this development. Risk of fire and criminal activities are also anticipated negative impacts associated with this project Mitigation measures are recommended for potential significant impacts during operational and construction stage. It is recommended to design and develop the building with adequate measures for fire prevention and to ease evacuation during a fire. It is also recommended to establish a community police nearby the building to maintain peace in the area and develop a master transportation plan to cater the demand for parking space in the future. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. These include the ‘No Project’ alternative, alternative dewatering outfall locations, alternative location, alternative use of the building and alternative location for concrete batching plant. Alternatives for height of the buildings were also assessed in the report. It has been recommended to follow the proposed plan for the development. However, location of batching plant will have to be changed as per requirements by HDC. Consultations were held with all relevant stakeholders including, EPA, Housing Development Cooperation, MWSC, STELCO, Civil Aviation Authority, Waste Management Corporation, National Disaster Management Centre, MNDF Fire and Rescue Service, Transport Authority, Maldives Police Service and Ministry of Environment and Energy. The regulatory authorities asked to follow the existing regulations and guidelines in the design and construction of buildings. Attempts to consult Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure have been unsuccessful. The ministry was unable to confirm a meeting before the submission of the EIA report. In addition, a general public survey was also conducted for this EIA to seek the views of the public towards the project. In general the public was very positive towards the project but some raised concerns over corruption and unfair allocation of plots during operation. 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 10,000 annually. The main conclusion of this report is to proceed with the project but after incorporating the mitigation measures proposed in this report. Safety during construction must be a priority.Item Environment impact assessment for the development of N3-56 and N3-57 plot under the proposed 3,000 housing units project at Hulhumale’, Kaafu Atoll(2016-05) CDE ConsultingThe 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 Hulhumale’ Plot N3-56 and N-57 under the 3,000 housing unit construction project. The overall project comprises of three plots (N3-55, N3-56 and N-3-57). An EIA has already been prepared and approved for N3-55. The original EIA application had all three plots together but since the concept approval was only available for N3-55 decision was taken in the scoping meeting to submit N-56 and N-57 later. This EIA is prepared for the remaining two plots. The project is designed to achieve the housing development goals of the Government and to expand the settlement in Hulhumale’ Island. The proponent of this project is Sea Life Global Inc Private Limited who owns the right to develop the plot. The main rationales for the project are to cater for the shortage of housing in Male’ Urban Region and to relieve the congestion in Male’. The project at N3-56 and N-57 involves constructing three 13-storey buildings or towers. A total of 506 residential units are planned to for a target population between 800 to 1000 persons at 4 to 6 persons per household. The bottom three floors will be used for commercial purposes while the rest will be developed for housing. A combination of one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom, four bedroom and penthouse apartment units will be developed in each tower. In addition to the apartment units, each floor will offer auxiliary space including corridors, stairs, lifts, lobby and service stores. Commercial zone of each block has 4 retail stores, fire control room, transformer room, service stores and waste management stores. Parking is provide on the ground floor behind the commercial zone. All utilities will be provided by existing state-owned service providers. The proposed project covers: demolition and site clearance; concreting works; interior, mechanical, exterior and electrical works; finishing, and; building operations. The project is estimated to take 30 months 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 are detailed drawings approval from the HDC; 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 proposed site is located near the existing flats around the central part of Hulhumale. Plot N3-56 covers a total area of 6,631.69 sqm (~71,000 sq ft) and plot N3-57 covers a total area of 6,935.64 sqm ( ~ 74,000). There are some trees planted on both plots, which needs to be cleared for construction. All these trees will have to cut down or trees of significance were identified on the site. There are existing flats, a school and a mosque within the vicinity of the plot. There are also construction project within the vicinity including the proposed tertiary hospital in Hulhumale. The street facing east of the project site has moderate high traffic due to the presence of flats. The rest of the streets around it have moderately low traffic. The assessment shows that the proposed developments involve significant positive impacts on the socio-economic environment. These are associated with the increased supply of housing to those in need, growth of Hulhumale Island and economic benefits to the proponent. The negative impacts are moderately small as this is reclaimed land with barely minimal biodiversity. Most impacts are associated with dewatering, health and safety, noise, vibration and dust. A focus has been placed on minimising impacts on ground water due to over-extraction, contamination from accidental spills and leakages. Operational stage impacts are mainly beneficial impacts as well. Negative impacts are those associated with the increase population and related pressures on resources and utilities, traffic congestion and criminal activities, among others. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. These include the options alternative foundation methods and alternative dewatering outfall location. The proposed options were preferred over the alternatives. Consultations were held with all relevant stakeholders including Ministry of Housing, EPA, Housing Development Cooperation, MWSC, STELCO and members of the public. In general there was strong support of the project. The regulatory authorities asked to follow the existing regulations and guidelines the design and construction of buildings particularly in relation to utilities, waste management and dewatering. EPA also asked to undertake geo-technical investigations before construction. The public was very positive towards the project but some raised concerns over corruption and unfair allocation of plots during operation. 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 Rf 25,000 annually. The main conclusion of this report is to proceed with the project but after incorporating the mitigation measures proposed in this report. Safety during construction must be a priority.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed agricultural development in Maashigiri Island, Raa Atoll(2016-03) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to carry out the proposed agricultural development project in Maashigiri Island, Raa Atoll. The proponent of this project is Flower Island Pvt Ltd, Maldives. The main rationale for the project is to expand the agricultural industry in the atoll, in order to diversify local economy and increase economic and food security. The project involves two main components: (1) physical infrastructure development and; (2) agricultural activities. Key infrastructure include a jetty for island access, administrative and staff facilities, research facilities, utilities (power, water and sewerage) and roads, agricultural houses and irrigation system. Agricultural activities include establishment of a nursery, agricultural fields, forestry areas, and greenhouses. The project is estimated to take 18 working months to achieve full completion of construction works. 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 1993 and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012. Moderate levels of live coral cover was observed in the island reef system. No Turtle nesting sites were observed on the island but locals in Maduvvari did state that there were occasional sightings. Special attention will be given to avoid disturbance to potential turtle nesting sites during construction and operation. Significant adverse impacts of this project during construction phase of the project are anticipated to be the potential impact of vegetation clearing on terrestrial biodiversity, impact of sedimentation on the marine water quality and consequent marine life, and the health and safety risks to construction workers. Agricultural activities during the operational phase, particularly the use of pesticide and artificial fertilisers, can also have significant negative impacts on the environment. These include soil erosion and loss of soil fertility, and groundwater and marine water contamination. All these impacts can be minimized with proper mitigation measures recommended in the report. The main mitigation measures during construction include revegetation after construction, carrying out construction activities during low tide hours and calm weather, construction of bunds where appropriate to reduce sediment dispersal and avoid adverse sedimentation impacts, and employee training and proper supervision of all activities by qualified personnel. During the operational phase, sustainable agricultural practices, including drip irrigation, crop rotations and composting will be adopted to minimise the impacts associated with intensive agriculture. The alternatives evaluated for the project are alternative irrigation techniques, alternative outfall locations and alternative sewerage systems. The “No Project” option has also been explored and this option is not deemed preferable. The monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the coral reef environment of the island, coastal changes as well the groundwater and marine water quality as these are the key areas that may be impacted from this project in the long term. Use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers, and irrigation water will also be monitored. 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 it will provide evidence of compliance to legislation, policies, guidelines and requirements of relevant authorities. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. The most significant impacts are expected to be short-term impacts on the terrestrial environment due to vegetation clearing and marine water quality and marine biodiversity due to construction activities, as well as the potential long-term impacts of intensive agriculture on soil, groundwater and marine environment. However, mitigation measures have been proposed to minimise these impacts.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed tourist hotel development project in Ifuru Island, Raa Atoll(2014-08) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the proposed airport hotel development project in Ifuru Island, Raa Atoll. Ifuru Island was initially leased for tourism in 2011 in conjunction with the proposed airport development project in Ifuru. In addition, a resort and a marina were to be developed in Madivaafaru Island, and resort was to be developed in Muravandhoo Island. These three properties were awarded on the condition that Ifuru Island Airport be operational before the resort opens. Ifuru airport is nearing completion and is scheduled to open in late-2014. The proponent of this project is Ifuru Investments Pvt Ltd. The project is a joint venture between the Government of Maldives and Ifuru Investments to partly to ensure that the Ifuru airport is operation and partly to ensure that more beds are operational in Raa Atoll. The main rationale for the project is to develop tourism in the outer atolls of the Maldives to increase the tourism bed capacity and their contribution to the local and national economic growth. Tourism development lags behinds in Raa Atoll and this project is expected to increase the speed of development in the atoll. The objective of this project is to develop and operate a four star hotel on Ifuru Island. The project broadly involves the development and operation of a stand-alone 200 bed hotel. Although, referred to as a hotel for legal purposes, the property has the same features as a resort island in the Maldives. The proposed project covers seven main components: construction of island transport infrastructure; construction of the back-of-the-house and administrative infrastructure; construction of guest rooms; construction of guest facilities; construction of utilities – sewerage, power and water infrastructure; landscaping and; hotel operations. The project is estimated to take 24 months to complete. All project designs are 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, Decentralization Act, Tourism Act, tourism resort development regulations, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees, Dredging and Reclamation Regulation and Dewatering Regulation. Approvals have been granted for the concept by the Ministry of Tourism. Further approvals are required before construction and operations. It is a small island approximately 500 m long and 1400 m wide (at its widest point), and has a land area of approximately 51 Ha within low tide line in March 2014. The island is being developed as an airport and is in the construction stage of the project. Large areas of the vegetation have been cleared for the airport. However, the areas proposed for the hotel has not been cleared yet. The proposed runway and apron has been constructed. The other facilities such as the passenger terminal and ancillary services buildings are being constructed at the time of the survey. There is an existing harbour on the island but requires maintenance dredging. The reef condition is generally in good condition and the coastal environment is functioning well in most parts of the island. The island lacks a wide beach in the proposed hotel area and has beach rock that gets exposed seasonally. The proposed hotel area is also subject to strong SW monsoon winds and wave activity. The negative impacts from this project are typical impacts associated with resort development in Maldives. The most significant impact from this project during construction stage would be the damage to coral reef due to over water construction activities, dredging and beach replenishment, removal of limited vegetation, excavation and dewatering, changes to coastal processes due to coastal developments, degradation of the terrestrial and marine environment due to the worker activities, lost marine life due to overwater construction, dredging, replenishment and disposal of waste. Main social impacts include potential conflicts with the atoll public if equal job opportunity is not available for construction stage or operations stage of the hotel. Negative impacts during operations stage are the impacts on marine flora and fauna due to, impacts on the beach due significant erosion and accretion patterns and social impacts associated with foreign workers or general lack of opportunities. Apart from the impacts from this project on the environment, the coastal environment itself will have a major impact on the project itself. Beach will have to be created artificially in some areas to use the proposed beach villas as classified. If coastal structures are erected, it will reduce the aesthetic beauty of the island and will permanently alter the coastal processes. The project mainly has positive socio-economic benefits, including increased direct and indirect job opportunities and tourism growth. The key mitigation measures proposed for the construction stage include finding options to mitigate severe erosion on the island. A number of mitigation measures have been proposed in this assessment to mitigate the most significant impacts associated with the development, including reef clearance, worker activities, vegetation removal, marine construction, excavation works and utilities operation. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. Alternative options have been proposed mitigate erosion and preference has been given to beach replenishment. Alternative options for dredging were also considered and barge/excavator operation was preferred. Consultations were held with the island councils and public of Ugoofaaru, Dhuvaafaru and Maakurathu. This project has strong support from the island communities and all site plans have been seen by the Island Councils. There is a general dissatisfaction due to the slow pace of resort development projects in the atoll. 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 operational aspects of the hotel. The total cost of mitigation and monitoring are estimated between US$10,000 per year. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development after with the proposed alternatives and the suggested mitigation measures.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed tourist resort development project in Huruvalhi Island, Lhaviyani Atoll(2014-09) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the proposed resort development project in Huruvalhi Island, Lhaiyani Atoll. Huruvalhi Island was leased for tourism in 2014 as part of the Ministry of Tourism’s policy to lease small islands within the 10 km of an existing resort for resort development, by the owners of the existing resort. The proponent of this project is Champa Lars Pvt Ltd, which is owned by the shareholders of Kuredhoo Island Resort. The main rationale for the project is to expand tourism in the outer atolls of the Maldives to increase the tourism bed capacity and their contribution to the local and national economic growth. Tourism development lags behinds in Lhaviyani Atoll and this project is expected to increase the speed of development in the atoll. The objective of this project is to develop and operate an extension of the Kuredhoo Island Resort as a five-star resort on Huruvalhi Island Island. The project broadly involves the development and operation of a stand-alone 200 bed extension of Kuredhoo Island. The proposed project covers eight main components: construction of island transport infrastructure; erosion mitigation, construction of the back-of-the-house and administrative infrastructure; construction of guest rooms; construction of guest facilities; construction of utilities – sewerage, power and water infrastructure; landscaping and; resort operations. The project is estimated to take 24 months to complete. All project designs are 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, Decentralization Act, Tourism Act, tourism resort development regulations, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees and Dewatering Regulation. Approvals have been granted for the concept by the Ministry of Tourism. Further approvals are required before construction and operations. It is a small island approximately 440 m long and 195 m wide (at its widest point), and has a land area of approximately 8.1 Ha within low tide line in August 2014. The island is generally in natural condition but not in pristine condition. Vegetation has been heavily modified and the water quality is poor. The lagoon and reef environment is in pristine condition. There are large areas of live coral cover on the reef slopes. The island has a generally calm embayment in the reef on the northern side which has been proposed as the main jetty area. No dredging is required. The beach environment on the southern side is in poor condition with very limited dry beach and ongoing severe erosion. Severe erosion is also prevalent on the northwest corner of the island. Erosion mitigation and beach mitigation are required. The negative impacts from this project are typical impacts associated with resort development in Maldives. The most significant impact from this project during construction stage would be the damage to coral reef doe to over water construction activities, removal of limited vegetation, excavation and dewatering, changes to coastal processes due to coastal developments, degradation of the terrestrial and marine environment due to the worker activities, lost marine life due to overwater construction and disposal of waste. Main social impacts include potential conflicts with the atoll public if equal job opportunity is not available for construction stage or operations stage of the resort. Negative impacts during operations stage are the impacts on marine flora and fauna due to potentially high number of vessels using the lagoon, impacts on the beach due significant erosion and accretion patterns and social impacts associated with foreign workers or general lack of opportunities. Apart from the impacts from this project on the environment, the coastal environment itself will have a major impact on the project itself. Erosion is likely to continue and if left unprotected, it will pose challenges and economic losses for the operation of the property. Beach will have may have to be created artificially in the future to mitigate erosion. If the coastal structures are erected, it will reduce the aesthetic beauty of the island and will permanently alter the coastal processes. The project mainly has positive socio-economic benefits, including increased direct and indirect job opportunities and tourism growth. The key mitigation measures proposed for the construction stage include finding options to mitigate severe erosion on the island. A number of mitigation measures have been proposed in this assessment to mitigate the most significant impacts associated with the development, including reef clearance, worker activities, vegetation removal, marine construction, excavation works and utilities operation. Alternative options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on the project. Alternative options have been proposed mitigate erosion and preference has been given to shore protection and future consideration to undertake beach replenishment. Alternative options assessment for beach replenishment showed that more detailed assessments are required and additional approvals are recommended once more details are available. An alternative jetty has also been recommended on the south as the northern side may not be accessible year-round. Consultations were held with the island councils and some members of the public of Hinnavaru. In addition, consultations were made with the two nearest resorts (Komandoo Island Resort and Kuredhoo Island Resort) and Ministry of Tourism. This project has strong support from the island communities and all site plans have been seen by the Island Councils. There is a general dissatisfaction due to the slow pace of resort development projects in the atoll. There were also concerns raised about lack of picnic islands, but they were generally willing to sacrifice such needs in return for economic benefits. 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 operational aspects of the resort. The total cost of mitigation and monitoring are estimated between US$10,000 per year. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development after with the proposed alternatives and the suggested mitigation measures.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed tourist guest house development project in Huraa Island, Kaafu Atoll(2014-06) CDE ConsultingThe purpose of this document is to fulfil the requirements to get necessary environmental clearance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the proposed guest house development project in Huraa Island, Male’ Atoll. The proposed site is the northern end or Thundi area of the Huraa Island. The proponent acquired the right to develop the guest house after in open bidding initiated by the Huraa Island Council. The proponent of this project is Pearl Sands of Maldives Pvt Ltd, which was registered specifically to develop the guesthouse business in Huraa. The main rationale for the project is to develop guesthouse tourism in the Maldives to increase the tourism bed capacity and their contribution to the local and national economic growth. The purpose of the project from the Council’s perspective is to increase the revenue of the Council and to provide direct benefits of tourism to the community. The island currently has a number of guest houses but servicing mainly locals. The project broadly involves the development and operation of 25 room guest house. The proposed project covers four main components: construction of guest rooms; construction of guest facilities; seagrass removal, and beach replenishment, and; guesthouse operations. The project is estimated to take 12 months to complete. All project designs are 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, Decentralization Act, Tourism Act, Guesthouse regulations, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012, Waste Management Regulation, Regulation on Cutting Down and Uprooting Trees and Dewatering Regulation. Approvals have been granted for the concept by the Ministry of Tourism. Further approvals are required before construction and operations. The project is being undertaken in an inhabited island which has a heavily modified Environment. The island has undergone land reclamation, shore protection, vegetation removal and habour construction, among other modifications. The settlement occupies more than 60% of the island and settlement areas are generally devoid of continuous vegetation cover. There is a wetland environment on the island, which is considered the only such environment in the region. However, this site is not in the best of conditions, with signs of waste and reclamation around it. The proposed site has not been used for settlement but the areas have a highly modified vegetation system. Much of the project footprint comprises of coconut palms. The undergrowth in much of the area has been long removed and the palms appear to be planted by the locals. There is as Cadet Corp training camp within the vicinity of the project site. The biggest challenges from the natural environment are current erosion, lack of beach and seagrass overgrowth. The beach areas close to the proposed site are in poor condition with most areas lacking any beach and with severe erosion. There is sand pit which is a preferred picnic area for the locals. The immediate lagoon is covered with seagrass and will need to be removed to make the lagoon useable for swimming and other guest activities. The negative impacts from this project are typical impacts associated with tourism facilities development in Maldives, but with a much reduced scale. The most significant impact from this project during construction stage would be the loss of live coral colonies due to dredging and reclamation, removal of vegetation, excavation and dewatering, changes to coastal processes due to coastal developments, degradation of the terrestrial and marine environment due to the worker activities and disposal of waste. Main social impacts include potential conflicts with the public if equal job opportunity is not available for construction stage or operations stage of the property and social conflicts associated with sharing of utilities, beach areas and lagoon. The main anticipated negative impact during operations stage is the impacts on the beach due significant erosion and accretion patterns and social impacts associated with the above mentioned potential conflicts. The project mainly has positive socio-economic benefits, including increased direct and indirect job opportunities, growth of small businesses, growth in transport sector and improvement in transport to the island. Key mitigation measures for the construction stage include finding options to mitigate severe erosion on the island. A number of mitigation measures have been proposed in this assessment to mitigate the most significant impacts associated with the development, worker activities, vegetation removal, seagrass removal and beach replenishment. Alternatives options were evaluated for the activities that are identified to have significant impacts on or from the project. These include the options for erosion mitigation and seagrass removal. Alternative options have been proposed mitigate erosion and preference has been given to construct groynes on the NW corner. Alternative options assessment for seagrass removal was assessed but the currently proposed option to use excavators on sand beds was preferred. The Island Council, public and the nearest two resort islands were consulted on the project and all stakeholders have strong support to implement this project. The resorts have some reservations with some components of the project. 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 operational aspects of the guesthouse. The total cost of mitigation and monitoring are estimated between US$5,000 per year. The main conclusion of this report is to move forward with the proposed development after with the proposed alternatives and the suggested mitigation measures.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed project construction and establishment of sewerage system at N. Holhudhoo(2014-02) 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 construction and establishment of sewerage project in Holhudhoo, Noonu Atoll. The proponent of this project is Male Water and Sewerage Company Pvt. Ltd. The main rationale for the project is to facilitate improvement in the health and wellbeing and enhance the quality of services and quality of life of residents at N. Holhudhoo by establishing a proper sewerage system. This project comprises of establishing sanitation facilities in Noonu atoll Holhudhoo through design and build basis for sewerage collection network, sewerage pump stations and sea outfall pumping station and allied works. 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 and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and The Dewatering Regulation. Significant impacts during construction phase of the project are mainly construction waste disposal and installation of pipelines during construction stage. In the operation stage significant impacts are from power consumption and contribution to GHG emissions and impact of raw sewage effluent on the marine environment. Most of these impacts can be minimized with proper mitigation measures recommended in the report. The existing environment of the proposed outfall location site represents an altered environment. The dominant benthic cover in the lagoon areas close to the shore is sand, pavement and rubble. Live coral cover and fish abundance was low in the site. The main mitigation measures include carrying out construction activities during low tide hours and calm weather, to reduce sediment dispersal and avoid adverse sedimentation impacts. The work schedule and duration will also be planned to avoid disruptive weather conditions, especially for excavation and dewatering and complete construction activities in the shortest time possible. The alternatives evaluated for the project are “No project” option, alternative sewerage systems, alternative outfall location, alternative methods for installation of outfall pipeline and raw sewage effluent against treated effluent. The monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the coral reef environment of the island, coastal changes groundwater quality and marine water quality as these are the key areas that will be impacted from this project. 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. In conclusion, this project has been designed in conformance to the relevant laws and regulations of Maldives. The most significant impacts are expected to be short-term impacts on the marine water quality, coral reef and lagoon bottom habitats. However, mitigation measures have been proposed to adequately minimise these significant impacts.