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Item Environmental impact assessment report for Hulhumale’ swimming area and land based facilities development project(2010-03) Land and Marine Environment Resources group Pvt LtdThe non technical summary outlines the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed development of swimming track and associated land based facilities. The proponent of the project is Housing Development Corporation Plc. The proposed project involves development of a swimming track and associated land based facilities at the eastern side of Hulhumale. The swimming tracks will be 20m by 25m. The total length of both tracks is 50m. The plate form and access jetty will be constructed using floats. Land based area includes, restaurants, kitchens, food outlets, toilets, changing facilities and park (including a small children’s park) A scoping meeting to discuss the development proposal and determine the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the EIA report was held between the Client (Housing Development Corporation Plc), LaMer Group Pvt Ltd as the EIA Consultant, Ministry of Housing, Transport and Environment (water and sanitation section of EPA) and representatives from Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as the Regulator on 23rd November 2009. Data collection or field was carried out during January 2010 for assessment of existing environment. Since the scope of work of the proposed project is small, existing environment data was limited to reef health, general wave, tide condition and seawater quality assessment. The water quality assessment done at the proposed swimming track area revealed alarming levels of Enterococci levels which was probably due to high number of users and disregard to general hygienic values (showering before entry to water). Also it has to be noted that an outfall pipe is location near the swimming track area and this may have some level of leakage (although close inspection showed none. Alternatives are given for location of swimming track area, since contamination of seawater is major social impact. Assessing alternatives the location identified by HDC Plc during consultation with HDC seems to be a better candidate as a location for swimming track. Mitigation measures are discussed for the construction and operational stage of the swimming track area only.Item Initial environmental examination : for the proposed installation meteorological mast in Gaafaru island, North Kaafu atoll(2010-07) Aleem, AbdulThe purpose of this Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) report is to fulfil the requirements of the Environment Protection and Preservation Act to undertake an assessment of effects on the natural and human environment of the proposed installation of a meterological mast in the island of Gaafaru. The project involves construction of a meteorological mast commonly called “Met Mast” as the first phase of a much larger project, Development and operation of a wind park on the reef of Gaafaru. The development and operation of the Wind Park is a priority for the Government of the Maldives in order to meet the “Carbon Neutral Maldives 2020” strategic goals. In order for this wind park to be feasible, adequate data has to be collected. This proposed project is therefore the first phase of the project which involves installation of an 80 meter tall mast in the island of Gaafaru. The project is proposed in an area of the island where presently there is only boat building activities and the area being open pose no threat to any terrestrial tree species. The project does not involve cutting of any trees to erect the mast and hence is not considered to be environmentally damaging. The mast will be placed on concrete footings which will be buried at a depth of 5 feet and hence ensure that a firm support is provided. A total of seven footings will be constructed and this itself does not pose any environmental threats. The positive impacts or benefits of the project are enormous. These include, the collection of long term regional weather data that is not presently available in Maldives, promotion of renewable energy and increasing the awareness of renewable energy among the public, and lastly but not least, indirect social benefits from the project that results in increased visitors to the island by the project personnel. If data collected in this phase is adequate and feasible, the wind farm project in Gaafaru will take place and hence will bring enormous economic benefits to the island and the country. There are very few environmental impacts and they are also considered to be negligible or very minor. The project is therefore not considered to be of any threat to the environment, but has more social and economic benefits.Item Environmental impact assessment : for the development of a 14 Storey Building at H. Filigasdhoshuge, Malé, Maldives(2010-06) Jameel, AhmedMr. Ali Shareef is proposing to build a 14 storey hotel at H. Filigasdhoshuge. This Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been prepared in order to meet the requirements of Clause 5 of the Environmental Protection and Preservation Act of the Maldives to assess the impacts of proposed development at H. Filigasdhoshuge, Male’. The report has looked at the justifications for undertaking the proposed project components. Alternatives to proposed components or activities in terms of location, design and environmental considerations were suggested. A mitigation plan and monitoring programme before, during and after the works has also been proposed. The project component that has the greatest potential for environmental impact is the foundation component. The foundation type has been considered taking into consideration the noise and vibration impact from the deep pile foundation construction of project which was undertaken in the vicinity to the proposed site at Holiday Inn. The proposed project has proposed a raft foundation where piling technology has been chosen as a mechanism for shoring for the foundation construction process. A geotechnical investigation of the proposed project site was undertaken by the ELS – Amin International Pvt Ltd of Maldives in September 2008. The geotechnical investigation included the borehole investigation and Standard Penetration Tests. The geotechnical investigation revealed that the estimated settlement under the foundation would be less than 50mm which is acceptable for the type of foundation chosen for the building. Since the settlement under the foundation is small and a setback of 1 m has been provided between the plot boundary and the foundation, the ground settlement beyond the limits of the boundary would be too small to induce any significant damage to the neighbouring structures. A survey of the existing structural damage was carried out for all buildings that were located within a radius of 20m from the proposed building. The proposed project is expected to increase the housing units and commercial floor area available in Malé. It is inevitable that there would be some negative environmental impacts, especially when excavation is undertaken. Nevertheless, these negative impacts are not so severe to the extent that the project should not be allowed to take place. As a result, a comprehensive monitoring component has been suggested which takes in to consideration the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component will be adhered and will allow the assessment of long term changes, despite the limited nature of the impact. The most important consideration is the socioeconomic impacts that have been assessed mainly as positive in nature. Not only are they positive, but most importantly would they remain positive for a long term. Therefore, it appears justified from a technical and from an environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project in light of the existing socio‐economic developments.Item Initial environmental examination for a coral frame project(2010-07) Systems Engineering and Marine ConsultingThe potential environmental impacts of the development of a coral propagation project on the island of H.A. Manafaru are assessed. Manafaru is leased to Beach House Maldives and is operated by the Waldorf Astoria collection of the Hilton group. The assessment exposes 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. Manafaru has very little coral cover after being degraded by the 1998 bleaching event. As it is important to be proactive in reef restoration, the resort management wishes to enhance the value of the island by propagating corals using the coral frame technique. The frames will be installed near the water villas and sparsely on the house reef. Coral fragments will be attached by a marine biologist and will develop into full colonies within a few years. Coral fragments from the house reef will provide a small number of fragments and will heal rapidly. Preference will be given to damaged colonies. 136 frames of 1m2 will be initially deployed, and after the first batch, the existing frames will provide fragments for transplantation. The project will start as soon as approval is granted, and as this is a long term project, it could span several years before completion. The island of Manafaru is located inside the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, and is subject to high winds and warming waters, which may be a cause of low coral survival. As the island is located in the middle of the atoll, the waves reaching its shores are diffraction of swells, and wind waves. As the energy encountered are of second magnitude, and the reef does not form a proper crest, the waves reach the island with less obstruction than most areas. Sand displacement depends on the predominant influence during different monsoons, forming a bulging beach rather than a sand tip.Item Environment impact assessment for the proposed swimming pool construction and beach replenishment project in Irufushi Beach and Spa Resort, Noonu Atoll(2013-12) 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 swimming pools construction and beach replenishment project in Irufushi Beach and Spa, N. Atoll. The proponent of this project is Sun Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd. The main rationale for the project is to enhance and upgrade the tourism operations at Irufushi Beach and Spa Resort by building 45 swimming pools attached to existing 45 Beach Villas and to replenish the beach to provide a better product for the visiting guests. Moreover, Irufushi Island has ongoing seasonal erosion which requires to be mitigated. The project involves upgrading and expanding the resort operations by construction of 45 swimming pools attached to existing 45 Beach Villas on the Northern side of the resort and ongoing beach replenishment for the next two years (on a need basis) on Irufushi Island for mitigating seasonal erosion. Two areas have been proposed for replenishment totalling a maximum of 11,100 cbm. Replenishment height is 1.5 m and will be sloped as a beach at 1:7 scales. Replenishment width is 10 m from the registered shoreline. Five areas have been proposed for borrow areas totalling a maximum volume of 20900 cbm. The dredge depth will be a maximum of 1.0 m from the existing depths. In exceptional circumstances depths may be increased to 1.5 m. The borrow area distance from the registered shoreline is 50 m. The borrow area had no visible live corals. The area mainly consists of rubble and mussy sand. All project activities will be in conformance to the laws and regulations of the Maldives, and relevant international conventions that Maldives is party to. The key laws and regulations applicable to this project are: Environmental Protection and Preservation Act, Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation 2012 and the Tourism Act. Significant impact associated with the components of the project; beach replenishment and swimming pool construction involves sedimentation on the marine water quality and consequent impact on marine life, direct loss of marine life within the project footprint, impact on the islands groundwater, impact on the flora at the project site and the health and safety of construction workers and swimming pool users. All these impacts can be minimized with proper mitigation measures recommended in the report. The main mitigation measures include carrying out sand pumping and construction activities during low tide hours and calm weather, and proper supervision of all activities by qualified personnel. The work schedule and duration will also be planned to avoid disruptive weather conditions and complete construction activities in the shortest time possible. And continuous monitoring for the diagnosis of further problems. The alternatives evaluated for the project are dredging methods as the project involves dredging the lagoon for materials required for beach replenishment. The use of sand pump is the preferred option for beach replenishment work, since it is the most common, practical and cost-effective method. The “No Project” option has also been explored for both beach replenishment and construction of swimming pools nonetheless, this option is not deemed preferable, given the current condition of the beach and the status of the resort. Monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the coral reef environment of the island, coastal changes and depth variations of harbour area as well the 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.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed 14 storey building construction in G. Hudhukoka, Male’(2013-12) Musthafa, AmirThis report is based on the proposed 14 storey building construction at the residence, G. Hudhukoka in the capital city, Male’. The owners of the land have appointed Zonal Construction Pvt. Ltd. to undertake the construction works and project management including overseeing the EIA process. An Environmental Impact Assessment was necessary for the works outlined in this report as they fall under ‘Jadhuvalu R’ of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2012 of the Maldives. In addition to meeting the regulatory requirements, the report would further assist the proponent and important stakeholders to make decisions based on favourable environmental conditions with the main focus on sustainability. The project also adheres to several other rules and regulations in the Maldives and has obtained permit from the Male’ city council for the project to proceed. The area the project is proposed to be undertaken is a heavily built area in the heart of Male’. There is no natural terrestrial environment at site, with virtually no vegetation to be seen. The existing environment therefore was focussed on the regional climate of Male’, and the traffic distribution, and noise pollution in the area. As could be seen from the data, this area could possibly be the busiest and most populated shopping area in Male’ at any given time. Due to the congested nature of the area, the existing condition of buildings nearby was important to be investigated. It was found that most of the buildings in the area were quite old and prone to vibration impacts. However, serious structural defects were at a minimum. The overall environmental impacts of the project have been assessed using frameworks found on literature. Since the development is undertaken in a heavily built area, the results indicate that the proposed project has neutral impact. However, there are some significant impacts on the environment during the construction phase of the project and these needs to be mitigated to avoid any significant damage to the environment. Significance of the impacts and mitigation measures has been provided based on previous similar projects undertaken in the Maldivian environment and based on literature. The main cause for concern regarding this project is the impact it will have on neighbours residing in this area. As such, several short-term impacts are envisaged including air pollution, noise pollution, aesthetic impacts, and safety concerns. The major longer-term impact is the effect the construction may have on neighbouring structures. These impacts can however be easily mitigated to minimise and/or completely nullify them. The first mitigation measure proposed includes creating awareness among the construction staff and neighbours regarding the scope of the project. Other measures include taking protective measures to ensure people residing and utilising the vicinity will not have to endure the impacts during the construction stage. Foundation protection measures are recommended to prevent impact on neighbouring structures, and also dewatering procedure needs to be undertaken with care, details of which are given in the report. Alternatives, including the no project option and alternatives for some project components are also discussed. Regarding project design, a few alternatives are recommended such as changing the design of balcony railings for safety reasons, provide a green area at the terrace, while the pros and cons of making a parking area, or a mini mall in the building is also discussed. An environmental monitoring program is provided at the end of the report, which provides details on the parameters to monitor on site, and the frequency in which it needs to be done. Estimated costs for the monitoring works are given. Implementation of the program is essential for the sustainable development of the project. In conclusion, it is discussed the impact such major housing projects have for the increasing population density in Male’, and how it can be prevented at a policy level. However, taking this project as a standalone development project in an already heavily built area, it can be concluded that no significant long-term impacts are predicted. Therefore, it is recommended that the project go ahead as proposed with few minor changes.Item Environmental impact assessment for fish processing and packing facility at Fish World Maldives Pvt Ltd, Maalhos, Alifu Alifu Atoll(2013-12) Adam, M. ShihamThe development project of Fish World Maldives Pvt Ltd is a fish processing and packing facility. Located in the west central of Maldives in Maalhos, Alifu Alifu Atoll, the proposal is to process, pack and produce variety fish products targeting local markets, including fresh fish requirements of tourist resorts. Essentially the project is conceived on the observation that the amount of resources allocated by the resorts on sourcing fresh fish to feed their guests and staff is not worthwhile their effort. The quality of the fish is poor and wastage is substantial. Simply because fishing is a different enterprise far from their core tourism business; they would rather have this activity outsourced to professionals. 2. Observations by the proponent have shown that requirements of fresh fish on a resort are substantial. For instance, for a resort with 700 staff (not uncommon in high-end 7+ start resorts in the Maldives) would require about 150 − 200 kg fresh fish per night. This result is not surprising since a survey in 2006 have shown that reef fish consumption in resorts stands around 1.29 kg per tourist night. 3. The proponent’s requests to authorities on recognition of the facility on par with facilities producing for export to EU-territories have met with confusion. The current regulation requirement of Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) and Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture requirements on issuing ‘Certificate of (EU) Compliance’ and ‘License for Producing Fish and Fishery Products’ (for export) respectively is only for fish processing facilities targeting only for export. MFDA regulation requires the HACCP plan and factory floor layout is pre-approved before construction begins. Approaching Island Council on the issue decided that outlet falls under the category of facilities selling food and food products and therefore have issued ‘Operating License for Food Establishments’ during August 2013. Fortunately MFDA has now approved the layout for the ice-plant and factory floor layout. 4. The location proponent has chosen to build the facility is the area on the west of the Maalhos harbour. The area was reclaimed of dredged material excavated from the harbour basin some years ago. The Island Council have drawn up a land use plan for commercial leasing. Plots of 1,200 sq feet have been marked and 14 such plots have been identified in the area. Of these 4 plots on the western most sections have been leased to the Fish World Maldives Pvt Ltd. In addition they have acquired a large warehouse just three blocks south of their facility in the same area. 5. The proponent is proposing to produce a variety of products; fresh gill and gutted, fresh head and gutted, fresh loins and fillets targeted for resorts. There are also future plans to produce smoked and dried fish for sale in retail outlets on Malé. In addition the proponent plans to have a fishmeal plant with a capacity of 10-15 MT / day which will essentially leave nothing to throw away from the processing activities. The fish meal is intended for sale as component for producing poultry feed or as making aquaculture feed. 6. The Island Council is not able to provide the utility services and so production of water and electricity will take place on site. Initially the plan it to produce 10 MT of fresh water a day supplemented by rainwater harvests. Source water extraction for RO plant is from a bore-hole drilled on site. The borehole will be done by professional and following the guidelines provided by EPA. The depth of the borehole is around 25-30 m well below the fresh water lens in the area. Water will be stored at site on large plastic tanks. Two sound proof gensets of 125kVA each is installed. Maldives Energy Authority’s Regulation will be followed including registration of the power generation system 7. Ice will be produced at site for sale and distribution to the fishermen along with the ice-boxes. The plan is to educate fishermen on post-harvest handline and improving quality similar to the approach adopted in the successful large yellowfin handline fishery. There are also plans to have reefer vessels with ice to collect fish from atolls away from the central Maldives. For smoked and dried fish processing requirements steaming, smoking and drying chambers are fitted. The former is being ordered off the shelf, but the latter two is being custom-fabricated locally. 8. The purchase of fish will entirely be from local fishermen. Fortunately the area is popular for reef fishing; islands of Maalhos, Himendhoo, Mathiveri, Bodufulahodoo and Ukulhas are all popular reef fishing islands. Maalhos Island is strategically located in the atoll, the channel in the north and south (Maalhohu uthuru Kandu and Himendhoo Kandu) are popular crossing by the fishermen into the ocean and from the ocean side. In this sense the facility is well placed for the fishermen on their route to home ports after fishing. The area used to be popular for shark fishing and many are looking for additional work and so the news of establishing the processing factory is welcomed by the fishermen. 9. Waste from the facility will be minimal. Fish waste (from cutting and cleaning) will be used to produce fish meal. Blood water from the factory floor, grey water from toilets and brine (reject water from RO plant) will be collected in a tank underground and pumped into the western side outside the reef. Release of sewage will be minimal as there are no accommodation facilities on factory block. Lube oil and waste oil will be collected in plastic container and disposed appropriately. Any solid waste other than fish cutting will be disposed at the island waste processing facility. 10. Impact prediction exercise was undertaken in qualitative manner or a pre-defined generic template that included all the possible areas of impact from a related development projects. For the impacts that were positive or negative, scores of impact significance were assigned (negligible, moderate, major, beneficial, none). Only few negative environmental impacts were identified. These include moderate negative impacts from odour, potential over-exploitation of fisheries resources in the event of poor or lack of fisheries management from the authorities, potential damage to vegetation from collecting wood (if the plan for processed products starts), burning of significant amount fossil fuel for production of water and electricity and increased transport traffic and potential oil and other forms of pollution of the Maalhos harbour. All were found to be reversible impacts and appropriate mitigation measures are proposed for each. 11. Significant positive impacts were potential to create additional jobs and sustaining livelihoods of fishermen badly needed following the complete ban of shark fishing, better utilization of fish waste and improved opportunities for resources management by the authorities through monitoring control and surveillance and the large positive socioeconomics impact to Maalhos island creating multiplier effects for improving and expanding economic base of the island community. 12. The unique, innovative and a special aspect of the project is its link with the tourism. The project creates market space (for fishermen) and improved efficiency and health and safety of fishery products. Most importantly it adds value to the catch supporting government’s over-arching objective of sustainable utilization of the fishery resources. 13. The island council members are in agreement with this development project and they are happy to endorse the work of the Fish World Maldives Pvt Ltd. An environmental monitoring programme involving monitoring the water quality of the harbour area is proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation at Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll, Maldives(2013-07) SandcaysThis report discusses the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed reclamation of 100,000 sq. ft. of land on the northern side of the island between the two existing harbour areas in Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll. The borrow area has been identified to be the old access channel. The project is proposed by Nilandhoo Island Council and the EIA is undertaken by Sandcays as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility Programme. The total volume of sand required will be approximately 28,000m3. The existing old access channel would be the primary borrow area, which is approximately 30m wide and 320m long. The average depth of the area is about 3m and dredging the channel up to 6m would result in about 29,000m3 of sand which would be sufficient enough for the proposed reclamation work. The reclaimed area will also be protected by grout bags. Around 100 mature trees, mostly coconut palms will be transplanted from location of the proposed housing project. These plants are scheduled for removal in the near future and only those plants that are removed under the housing project will be transplanted in the proposed reclamation area. The project is targeted at improving the environmental health conditions of the people of Nilandhoo by improved landuse planning. Nilandhoo is predominantly fishing village where fish is cooked and dried for sale in the local and potential international markets. There is daily, continuous processing (cooking, smoking and drying) just next to the residential area, which has resulted in several complaints from people who are not involved in the fish processing industry. The main complaint had been that of unpleasant smell. Therefore, the Council has decided to move this industrial process a little further from the residential area in order to address this issue as well as to provide additional opportunities for those who seek land for the same or similar activities. Environmental impacts were assessed for both the construction and operation phase of the project. Most of the environmental impacts of the project have been identified as positive resulting mainly from improved environmental health, increased economic activities, direct and indirect employment opportunities, increase in related business ventures, and so on. The main negative environmental impact of the project is identified to be the possible movement of low levels of sediment towards the reef. The movement and settlement of fine sediments are expected to occur on the reef flat, which is mainly dead. There may be some sediment movement on to the reef slope and edge. This would be negligible due to the small volume of dredge material and undertaking of mitigation measures such as bunding the reclamation area prior to filling. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the project are considered to be of minor negative. The impact matrices done for the project indicates a net positive impact. During the construction phase, it is vital to undertake daily in-situ monitoring of total suspended solids and turbidity to ensure that water quality criteria are met and sedimentation on the reef does not occur. In addition, monitoring of shoreline changes, water quality and drogues shall be undertaken for about a year. It is recommended to incorporate these into an island-wide monitoring programme, which is not within the scope of this EIA report. In conclusion, it appears justified from a technical and environmental point of view, to carry out the proposed project to reclaim a small area of land on the northern side of the island.Item First Addendum : environmental impact assessment for the proposed reclamation of runway extension Gan International Airport Addu City, Maldives(2013-06) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed dredging of access channel for the purpose of land reclamation to extend the existing runway on Gan, Addu City. This report shall be read in conjunction with the EIA report for the Proposed Reclamation of Runway Extension at Gan International Airport. This report examines expected environmental and social impacts of the newly proposed method for an access channel and potential mitigation measures. The existing airport in Gan was recently open for international flights and needed to increase length of the runway to accommodate potential larger flights was imminent. Hence, reclamation of necessary land using a cutter-suction dredger was proposed. However, due to the existing reef and shallow lagoon, an access channel for the dredger needs to be made. The initial proposal to make the access channel on the southern side of the island was not possible due to hard substrate and strong waves. An alternative access channel from north-east side of the island through the lagoon on southern side of the island was proposed by the contractor. It shall be noted that the shorter access channel from the western rim reef that was proposed in the EIA report was proposed based on the recommendations of the Contractor(s) and with the assumption that the works would be started as planned during the calm days in Feb 2013. The proposed access channel dredging is not envisaged to have major significant negative constructional impacts; however, there will be minor to moderate potential environmental impacts from the operations including loss of marine biota, habited and harm to coral from sedimentation. A number of mitigation measures such as use of sedimentation screens, relocation of larger colonies of live corals were identified by the consultants. Monitoring program outlined in the EIA report was found to be sufficient and additional environmental monitoring was not found to be necessary except for water quality at the proposed dredge and fill areas. Given that the project does not have major negative environmental impacts and is unavoidable to start construction of the project, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.Item Environmental impact assessment for the proposed harbour reconstruction project in Maamendhoo, Gaafu Alifu Atoll(2013-02) 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 harbour development project in Maamendhoo, Gaafu Alifu Atoll. The proponent of this project is Ministry of Housing & Infrastructure. The main rationale for the project is to improve the access facilities of Maamendhoo Island to facilitate improvement in the social and economic condition of the island. The existing harbour in the island is in urgent need of repair and maintenance. Maamendhoo harbour is used by large fishing vessels, safari boats and cargo vessels, and the of the fishing and transport sectors of the island requires expansion of the harbour facilities for access and anchorage. The project involves new and maintenance dredging of an area of 22,230 m2 to a depth of -3.0 m MSL, extension of the existing breakwater and construction of quay wall and revetments. A total area of 5,625 m2 will be reclaimed to +1.5 m (MSL) and protected using revetments. The existing harbour will be expanded by about 400 ft in length. 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. Significant impacts of this project during construction phase of the project are the potential impact of sedimentation on the marine water quality and consequent impact on marine life, direct loss of marine life within the project footprint and the health and safety risks to construction workers. All these impacts can be minimized with proper mitigation measures recommended in the report The main mitigation measures include carrying out construction activities during low tide hours and calm weather, deployment of silt screen or construction of bunds on the northern side and where appropriate to reduce sediment dispersal and avoid adverse sedimentation impacts, relocation of live coral recruits to locations with similar conditions, and proper supervision of all activities by qualified personnel. The work schedule and duration will also be planned to avoid disruptive weather conditions and complete construction activities in the shortest time possible. The alternatives evaluated for the project are dredging methods, sediment control methods, dredge waste disposal sites, alternative entrance channel and alternative harbour layout. The “No Project” option has also been explored and this option is not deemed preferable, given the current condition of the harbour and the need for expansion. The monitoring plan is designed to assess any changes to the coral reef environment of the island, coastal changes and depth variations of harbour area as well the 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.