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Item Environmental management plan for the proposed sewage treatment plant in Maayaafushi Tourist Resort, Alif Alif Atoll, Maldives(2014-09) SandcaysThis EMP will identify key aspects of environmental management of the proposed Sewage Treatment Plant to be installed at Maayaafushi Tourist Resort, Alif Alif atoll with emphasis on how to manage environmental impacts and take necessary measures to minimize any impacts that may arise during the construction phase and operational phase of the project. The report will further provide a monitoring plan which can be implemented during and after completion of the proposed development works. The EMP was compiled based on qualitative and quantitative data collected from Maayaafushi during the site inspections and assessments carried out on 4th of June 2014. It has to be noted, the limitation on collecting and compiling the data on a very short period due to logistical and other issues such as unavailability of long-term base line data has made the consultants to restrict the management plan on data collected recently from the field, personal judgments and experiences gained from similar projects. Similarly, long term data on some aspects such as meteorology and climate were collected from secondary sources through previously published reports. This EMP report has been compiled in accordance with EIA Regulations 2012, which is enforced by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Maldives. It was initially believed that the proposed project would involve the installation of an outfall for the disposal of treated sewage including an emergency outfall as required by EPA. However, during the scoping meeting the Proponent identified that there would be no additional discharge pipeline but the existing pipeline would be used. Therefore, it was decided by EPA during the Scoping Meeting that this project does not require an EIA and an Environmental Management Plan would suffice. This EMP is prepared in accordance with the guidelines given in the EIA Regulations of the Maldives. The principal environmental institution that implements the EIA process in the country is the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment and Energy provides policy guidance and directions while Atoll Councils and Island Councils also provide approvals before projects are implemented.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed project to upgrade the sewerage system Chaaya Island Dhonveli, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2013-04) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an environmental impact study under the proposed sewerage system upgrading project at Chaaya Island Dhonveli. The project is proposed by Tranquility Pvt. Ltd. The project entails upgrading the sewerage system to incorporate sewage treatment. The proposed system is similar to sewerage systems in other resorts. As such a comprehensive sewerage system with gravity flow pipes that convey the wastewater from buildings to several lift stations that pump the wastewater to the sewage treatment works for tertiary treatment of the influent. The treated effluent is proposed to be used for gardening/landscaping and toilet flushing. Upon recommendation from the EIA Consultants and the EPA (during the EIA Scoping Meeting), an emergency bypass has been included in the design with a pumping station that pumps the wastewater to a location beyond the reef at about 10-15m depth. Alternatives have been identified in the project document. Of these the recommended alternative involves minimizing the number of lift stations/pump stations and to maximize the use of gravity flow pipes to the greatest possible extent. Other alternative proposed include the no project option, which is the most practicable option in terms of economic as well as environmental impacts, however, this option is not feasible due to legal requirements that a sewage treatment plant has to be incorporated in the sewerage system of any tourist resort in the Maldives, as per Tourism Regulations. The main environmental concern in the project is the number of lift stations/pump stations in the revised design, which is too many for a small island. According to the project Engineers, it is difficult to get appropriate gradients without altering the existing sewer network. However, the EIA Consultants are of the opinion that the number of lift stations can be minimized and it has been recommended to minimize the number of lift stations/pump stations to the greatest possible extent. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts identified for the proposed development were positive; these include reduced use of RO plant, reduced pollution of the groundwater and recycling of minerals such as nitrates, phosphates and sulphates. The main negative environmental impacts of the project would be temporary loss of groundwater quality during the construction phase due to dewatering and small amount of sedimentation induced from installing the emergency outfall. The latter could be regarded as insignificant due to its small magnitude and spatial constriction. The proponent is willing to undertake monitoring during and after the construction phase in addition to undertaking the mitigation measures proposed by the consultants. The main mitigation measures for this project during the construction phase is similar to other construction projects such as dust control plans, working during low- tide as much as possible and avoiding operation of loud machineries during late hours. As for the operation phase, implementation of backup systems and trained maintenance staff to service the STP and reducing the production of fatty and oily waste from the resort has been proposed. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical, administrative and to some extent environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to upgrade the existing sewerage system to incorporate a treatment plant into the existing sewerage network. However, there are alternative that may be more suitable and shall be considered with caution and after understanding the costs and discussions with relevant government authorities.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed harbour development in Velidhoo, Noonu Atoll, Maldives(2011-03) SandcaysThe proposed harbour development project in Noonu Velidhoo is of medium scale project in which the proposed project falls under rehabilitation of an existing harbour, which has been in need of extensive repair and improvement through modification and improved design. Under the proposed project, a 24 m wide entrance will be dredged (modification of an existing entrance) along with deepening of harbour basin. The existing harbour basin from quay wall will be dredged to a width of 76.2 m and a length of 289m. An additional 30m quaywall with associated harbour basin dredging will also be undertaken. The proposed concept has not been discussed with the community so far. Therefore, some of the community views that have been incorporated in this EIA report along with further formal consultations need to be given consideration in finalising the design. However, the community has been waiting for the project for quite some time and the first elected Island Council is under a lot of pressure to initiate the works. Therefore, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed while any further modifications to the proposed design can be finalized in consultation with the relevant stakeholders during the construction phase. Taking this into consideration the environmental impacts have been assessed for the worst case scenario in which the Proponent takes into consideration all demands of the community and provide the final detailed design to the EPA in due course. The recommended alternative proposed in this EIA report has been based on informal community consultations held with some key members of the community. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project has net positive impact. Given that the project has several socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Initial environmental examination (IEE) for beach nourishment at Angsana Resort and Spa, Velavaru, Dhaalu Atoll(2011-09) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed beach nourishment in Angsana Maldives Velavaru Resort and Spa, Dhaalu Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to recover eroded beach by pumping sand from already excavated areas nearshore from the nearby deep lagoon. The project encompasses sand pumping using a 6 or 8 inch sand pump mounted on a barge. The borrow sites for the proposed beach nourishment will be in the western lagoon. The beach on the eastern shoreline of Velavaru has been severely eroded currently due to lack of any shore protection measures. Previously, the beach has been maintained through regular beach nourishment by pumping sand from the deep lagoon. However, this activity has been stopped by the Tourism Ministry recently as beach nourishment is an activity that requires environmental clearance as per the EIA Regulations of the Maldives. Due to the critical nature of the on-going erosion and since a well maintained beach is one of the main elements of the tourism product of the Maldives, the Environmental Protection Agency has given the authorisation for beach nourishment works to commence after investigating the existing environment and potential impact from the works in an Initial Environmental Examination. This Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) has been carried out in order to get clearance for the nourishment of the beaches of Velavaru. Sand pumping from nearshore locations has the potential to aggravate erosion as the borrow pits can become sediment sinks over a considerable period of time. If borrow areas are too close to the shore, the impact on the island shoreline and the erosion of the nourished beaches would be quite rapid. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the borrow areas as far as possible from the beach. This IEE will locate the best possible borrow area for the beach nourishment works while also providing an alternative location. One of the potential impacts would be the possible growth hindered patch corals within the lagoon. However, there are no coral patches within the lagoon in Velavaru which may be affected by the proposed beach nourishment activity. Given that biological resources are not directly affected, aesthetic concerns are of importance in the proposed project. Therefore, in order to maintain the aesthetic value of the beach and enhance the socio-economic benefits of the proposed project, it is important that immediate beach nourishment is undertaken. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that all environmental concerns of future shore protection or beach enhancement activities are clearly established so as to minimize environmental impacts of such activities.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation of Thilafalhu, Thilafushi, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives(2011-01) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed reclamation of 167 hectares of land from Thilafalhu lagoon in Thilafushi, Malé Atoll. The project has been contracted to Heavy Load Pvt. Ltd. by the state owned company, Thilafushi Corporation mandated with the development of Thilafushi as an industrial island. The primary objective of the project is to provide space for the growth of light industrial activities, proper port facilities and the development of related institutions. The provision of space for these activities will subsequently help to minimize congestion and pollution problems in the nation’s capital, Malé. As such, the project encompasses dredging and filling of the entire shallow lagoon area in Thilafalhu comprising a 167hectares of land. The filling will be undertaken with necessary coastal protection measures to ensure that the dredged material remains intact and thus objectives are achieved. Thilafushi, due to its official status as the industrial island and due to its closeness to Malé, the capital, is the industrial hub of the Maldives. Thilafushi also has the national landfill where partially segregated waste is burned at low temperatures and the resulting debris is buried to reclaim land. Although land is scarce at Thilafushi, the potential for reclamation to meet the ever increasing demand for industrial land is quite high. The process of reclamation using garbage of all sorts is slow and only one-fifth of the existing Thilafushi has been, fortunately, reclaimed in this way. The rest has been reclaimed due to demand for land at this so-called industrial island located at 15-minutes boat ride from the national capital, where over a third of the nation’s population live and work. Despite its closeness to Malé, which is probably the most congested city in the world, very little attention has been paid (over the last several years of its operation) to the environmental impacts of the landfill at Thilafushi including the health burden due to air pollution caused by open burning of waste. Hence, there is a pressing need to plan and execute the waste management process as well as the industrial land development at Thilafushi in such a way that long term environmental impacts as well as the health burden are minimized and the project is ecologically sustainable and socially-acceptable. For this reason, the recently formed Thilafushi Corporation and Waste Corporation are working together to separate the two very important tasks of waste management and industrial land development, whereby Thilafushi Corporation is focused on industrial land development at Thilafushi while Waste Corporation is focused on waste management. Due to the lack of land for industrial activities in the Greater Malé region, Malé has been subjected to the effects of development related burdens on land such as international port facilities, warehousing, light industrial activities such as vehicle services, printing services and carpentries mixed with an ever growing demand for residential development. Use of large vehicles for the warehousing and distribution of over 70% of all goods imported to the country is increasing the congestion in Malé. While this has been a result of poor planning in the past, it has created a disproportionate demand for land in the capital, inflating land value in Malé. While this may be plausible to land owners in Malé, it is affecting the overall standard and cost of living in Malé as well as the cost of goods and services nationwide. It is also creating a vacuum in the overall development of the country, increasing the burden of disease and creating environmental, social and economic problems of unforeseen magnitude. Therefore, the proposed project will have enormous socio-economic and environmental benefits associated with it in the short to long term while there will be short term economic and environmental impacts associated with the construction or development phase. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate methodologies including data collection through a field survey, consultations, purpose-built checklists and professional judgments. The overall results indicated that the proposed project had a high net positive impact. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits as well as long term health and environmental benefits for the majority of the nation’s population, as discussed earlier, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed. Environmental monitoring recommended for the project includes the monitoring of the shorelines of the newly reclaimed area, water quality and drogue studies around Thilafushi for at least two years from the onset of the proposed project implementation. Monitoring is also expected to cover public views and grievances about the project and future use and development of the reclaimed land and the contribution it makes to the national economy. Annual monitoring reports have to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency over the monitoring period.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed rehabilitation of harbour Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maldives(2011-02) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed harbour rehabilitation in Kurendhoo, Lhaviyani Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to provide safe and adequate access to the island. As such the project encompasses maintenance dredging of existing entrance channel and basin, dredging of an additional 30m to the south with quaywall and a boat beaching area to the south. The replacement of existing quaywall and breakwater is also within the scope of the renovation works. The harbour is located on the northwest corner of the island, which is a natural sand accumulation area (thundi). As a result, the channel gets easily filled and the area behind it gets eroded. Therefore, there are location as well as design issues. Since changing the location would not be feasible now, it would be necessary to make adjustments to the design proposed for the renovation works in consultation with the community. Some senior members of the community have indicated that while the proposed extension of 30m to the south is plausible, it would be worth the while to extend a further 30m and then create the beaching area so that the existing Health Center in the area is not prone to the dust and noise from the boat repair works carried out in the boat beaching area which at present is just opposite the Health Center. The erosion on the northeast of the entrance channel is also a serious cause for concern and the community is desirous of some improvements to that area as part of the harbour renovation works. Therefore, it is also recommended to consider the possibility of placing the dredge material in this area while providing some form of coastal protection to the recreated shoreline. The proposed concept has not been discussed with the community so far. Therefore, community views that have been incorporated in this EIA report needs to be given consideration in finalising the design. However, the community has been waiting for the project for quite some time and the first elected Island Council is under a lot of pressure to initiate the works. Therefore, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed while the additional extension and coastal protection measures can be finalized in consultation with the relevant stakeholders during the construction phase. Taking this into consideration the environmental impacts have been assessed for the worst case scenario in which the Proponent takes into consideration all demands of the community and provide the final detailed design to the EPA in due course. The recommended alternative proposed in this EIA report has been based on informal community consultations held with some key members of the community including some of the nominated members of the Island Council. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project has net positive impact. Given that the project has several socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed development of a harbour Kurinbi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives(2010-08) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed harbour development in Kurinbi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to provide safe and adequate access to the island. As such the project encompasses dredging and removal beach rock/reef flat, construction of quaywall and breakwaters and the filling of dredged materials on either side of the proposed harbour. The proposed harbour is located on eastern side close to the existing access channel. The proposed harbour project falls within the Access Improvement Programme, the size of proposed harbour under the programme is 150ft x 300ft. However, the island community in the community consultation meeting proposed to increase the width of the harbour from 150 ft to at least 200 ft by extending the harbour into landward side. Extending the breakwater into seaward side may not be possible due to close proximity of outer reef edge to shoreline where high swells and strong wave action take place. There are three access channels in use by the community. The most commonly used access channel is located at southern end of the proposed harbour location. However, the harbour location has been proposed in a fresh location. In the consultation meeting held with IDC the committee suggested that it would still be better if the proposed harbour location moved towards south approximately 200 ft such a way that harbour front will be at the eastern end of main road. The existing access channel at the southern side of the proposed harbour has been decided to use for boat beaching and services. The recommended harbour location, however is to move further south to enclose the existing channel within the proposed harbour basin. In terms of impact to environmental, moving the proposed harbour location to an already damaged location would be beneficial to environment as it would minimize further damage to natural environment dredging cost. The area is already been subjected to the impacts of dredging and is in active use, further cumulative impacts to this area would be preferable to impacts on new fresh areas in their natural state. It was also identified from the environmental surveys that the percentage of dead coral (25%) in the proposed location compared to the percentage (34%) of dead corals in the location already in use is low. Also in the environmental survey conducted in these locations indicated that fish population was more live and more diverse in the proposed location compared to the existing access channel area. Kurinbi located in the middle of the atoll, unlike other islands in the region, is continuously subjected to high swells and strong wave actions in all directions. Hence there is limited space for extending the harbour towards seaward side due to swell induced wave action. Hence the size of the harbour, particularly the width has been maintained at 150 ft by MHE which apparently is the maximum possible width that can draw from the available safe space while minimizing damage to the environment. The IDC raised the issue of small size of the harbour particularly the width of the harbour during the consultation meeting held at Kurinbi office on 17 July 2010. Community suggested increasing the width by extending towards landward side. This area is regarded as the face of the island. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate methodologies including data collection through a field survey, purpose build checklists and professional judgments. The overall results indicated that the proposed project had net positive impact. Given that the project has major socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed. Environmental monitoring recommended for the project includes the monitoring of the shorelines of Kurinbi water quality and drogue studies of the coastal area for at least two years from the onset of the proposed project implementation. Monitoring is also expected to cover public views and grievances about the project and future harbour management information such as nos. of vessels that use the harbour. Annual monitoring reports have to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency over the monitoring period.Item Initial environmental evaluation for beach replenishment at Kadhdhoo Airport VIP Area, Laamu Atoll(2011-08) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed beach nourishment at the VIP Area at the southern end of Kadhdhoo Domestic Airport in L. Kadhdhoo. The area is devoid of beach due to the flow of current in the channel. In addition, there are deepened areas just next to the beach which act as a sink for sediments moving longshore. Therefore, it is proposed to place sand in these deepened areas to reduce depth so that erosion is minimized and the safety of swimmers is enhanced. The borrow sites for the proposed beach nourishment will be in the eastern side reef flat. However, the appropriateness of this location as a borrow site has not been studied so far. It is expected that an area of about 20,000m2 would have to be excavated to a depth of about 3m below MSL. This would be adequate to fill the dredged locations in the VIP area and to nourish the approximately 470m long stretch of beach to about 10m from the current high tide line. It would be necessary to sieve the sand before it is placed on the beach to match natural beach conditions preferred by clients. Without structural protection, it may not be possible to keep the beach intact after nourishment. Therefore, regular beach nourishment would be required in the absence of structural protection. Hence, it is proposed to undertake regular beach nourishment by borrowing sand from the southeastern lagoon from the same location as the proposed borrow area or by moving further south and southwest of the proposed borrow area. Since the borrow area is on the rim reefward side of the lagoon, currents are never expected to take the sediment towards the reef on this side. The reef on the western side is at quite a considerable distance that sedimentation of the reef would be unlikely. Therefore, there are no major impacts due to the proposed beach nourishment activity as anthropogenic impacts currently present in the area have greater impact. Deepening the rim reefward end of the channel may affect flow in a positive way as it is expected to dampen the currents flowing in the channel by absorbing part of the energy. Sand pumping from nearshore locations has the potential to aggravate erosion as the borrow pits can become sediment sinks over a considerable period of time. If borrow areas are too close to the shore, the impact on the island shoreline and the erosion of the nourished beaches would be quite rapid. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the borrow areas as far as possible from the beach. In the case of the proposed area, the movement of beach material into the dredged area would be minimal given that there would be a net westerly current most of the time. Yet, it is suggested to keep the borrow area at least 40m from the beach line. The other possible impact would be the hindrance to growth of patch corals within the lagoon. However, there are no significant coral patches within the lagoon which may be affected by the proposed beach nourishment activity. Given that biological resources are not directly affected, aesthetic concerns are of importance in the proposed project. Therefore, in order to maintain the aesthetic value of the beach and enhance the socio-economic benefits of the proposed project, it is important beach nourishment is undertaken in such a way that beach nourishment frequency does not exceed twice a year. The most important mitigation measure in the case of the proposed project aimed at providing closely simulated natural beach condition would be to sieve the borrow material to remove coral rubble to match natural beach conditions to the greatest possible extent. The remaining coarse material after sieving shall be placed away from the local beach areas on the western side so that they rarely get washed on to the shore. Regular monitoring of the coastal area is essential to ensure that the sediment movement patterns are clearly understood so that future mitigation measures will be more useful and meaningful. It would also help to alter beach nourishment profiles so as to minimize the frequency of beach nourishment. Long term monitoring would also help to design sustainable structural protection for long term protection. Therefore, monitoring the beaches before, during and after the initial beach nourishment is recommended. It is recommended to monitor beach profiles and currents in the channel as regularly as possible preferably every two months for the first two years. It is also recommended to undertake regular beach nourishment at no more than twice a year. Given that the project has minimal impact on the environment or ecological resources but high socio-economic benefits, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed. However, the Proponent shall be required to follow the proposed mitigation measures of placing only sieved sand on the beaches and regular monitoring of shorelines, beach profiles and currents in the channel.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed rehabilitation of harbour in Holhudhoo, Noonu Atoll, Maldives(2011-03) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed harbour rehabilitation in Holhudhoo, Noonu Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to provide safe and adequate access to the island. As such the project encompasses maintenance dredging of existing entrance channel and basin, replacement of existing quaywall and breakwater and improvement of existing boat beaching area. The harbour is located on the northern side of the island. This location is appropriate in terms of beach dynamics since beach material hardly moves to this location. It may be possible that only part of the beach on the northwest side moves towards the harbour. As a result the northwest shoreline has been severely eroded and it is the primary location identified for placing the dredge material. Since this area needs protection and also the powerhouse is in this area with possible fuelling stations for dhonis and other vehicles, it is recommended that, as an alternative, to consider moving the boat beaching area to this side as the northeastern end where the beaching area currently exists is a predominantly residential area. Therefore, zoning light industrial activities to the powerhouse area would be sensible. It has also been suggested by the community to expand the harbour towards the west after creating a T-jetty at the western end of the existing harbour. Therefore, the recommended alternative given in the report has taken these landuse zoning and community aspirations into consideration. The proposed concept involves the maintenance dredging of the existing harbour basin and provision of new quaywall and breakwater. However, the concept has not been discussed with the community so far. Therefore, community views that have been incorporated in this EIA report needs to be given consideration in finalising the design. Since, the community has been anxiously waiting for the project for quite some time, it is recommended to allow the proposed project to proceed while further modifications can be finalized in consultation with the relevant stakeholders during the construction phase. Taking this into consideration the environmental impacts have been assessed for the worst case scenario in which the Proponent takes into consideration all demands of the community and provide the final detailed design to the EPA in due course. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using appropriate matrices and the results indicated that the proposed project has net positive impact. Given that the project has several socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment proposed access channel to arrival jetty Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, South Malé Atoll, Maldives(2011-02) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed dredging of an access channel to the Arrival Jetty of Taj Exotica Resort and Spa located on Emboodhoofinolhu, South Malé Atoll. The primary objective of the project is to provide access to the island at all times. The project involves the excavation of a 30m long, 15m wide channel up to 3m from MSL on the western side between the arrival jetty and the deep lagoon to allow safe access to the island at all tides. The sand that is excavated will be used to replenish areas of the beach on the eastern and north end of the island where beach is easily eroded. The sand that will be placed on the beaches need to be sieved or graded to rid it of broken coral pieces and rubble. The remaining portion of the dredge material would be taken away in a barge and dumped somewhere offshore such as the deep lagoon or the sea. Since the process of sieving yield material that cannot be used for any purpose on the island (as per Tourism Regulations) and also the process involves access to several areas of the beach that would be in use by tourists, the process would require careful planning and supervision. Therefore, feasible alternatives such as creating a sand bank at a naturally shallow area close to the dredge location have been proposed. This is the initially proposed option, which was also discussed in the scoping meeting. However, the Ministry of Tourism has rejected the EIA report requesting the Proponent to “exclude the development of the sand bank from the EIA report and include an alternative way of disposing the dredged material”. The overall negative impacts of the project are mainly short term deterioration of marine water quality, impact on the coral patch at the end of the proposed channel and altered bathymetry in the area. In addition, the nourishment of beaches would directly and indirectly improve the quality of the tourism product that is being offered at least in the short term as no shore protection has been proposed in this project. The project also encompasses several positive impacts including employment opportunities, improved guest transfer and other ventures. Since the project takes place in a resort environment, it would be necessary to ensure that the aesthetics of the resort are not compromised. Therefore, using a sand pump would be more practicable than using an excavator. However, both methods are appropriate. In order to improve the EIA process and to assist in future projects, it would be necessary to undertake monitoring. It has been proposed to undertake monitoring of the shorelines of the island and oceanographic and hydrodynamic conditions (drogue studies) and water quality.