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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 Environmental impact assessment for the proposed resort development at Kanbalifaru, Shaviyani Atoll, Maldives(2014-08) SandcaysThis report addresses the environmental concerns of the proposed development of a resort on Kanbaalifaru; shaviyani Atoll. The island is about 195,709 m2 in its size. Kanbaalifaru is located close to the eastern rim of Shaviyani atoll at 6° 7'26.84"N and 73°15'18.89"E. There are no other islands within the house-reef of the island. The Proponent of the proposed development is Kanbaaalifaru Development Pvt. Ltd. The Proponent proposes to develop a medium to high end resort on Kanbaalifaru with 201 rooms, having a bed capacity of 402, which comprise of 30 x Beach Villas (2 rooms each); 50 x Ocean view villa; 18 x Family Villas (2 rooms each); 30 x Water villas and 25 x Superior water villas. In addition to these, guest facilities will include an Arrival Jetty; water villa arrival point; Reception and Admin office, a Main Restaurant; Main bar, Specialty restaurant, Spa Complex, Dive Center & Medical Clinic, Shops, Beach Bar/Coffee shops and Sports area. The proposed development will conform to all current environmental legislation including the Regulation on the Protection and Conservation of the Environment in the Tourism Industry. The main negative impact of the proposed development will be the impact of deforestation due to land clearance for proposed buildings. There may also be some degree of sedimentation due to excavation to place footings of jetties and water villa structures, which is considered minor negative. The other impacts due to environmental infrastructure such as power generation, sewage and wastewater disposal and water production are considered general impacts similar to all such developmental projects. There are no specific concerns or environmental impacts related to these. These impacts are inevitable. Yet, every effort is to be made to minimize the impact and footprint of the impact. To minimize the impact of deforestation, buildings will be designed around mature trees minimizing their removal. If a mature tree were to be removed, they will be carefully uprooted and transplanted elsewhere. It is noteworthy that there are very few mature trees in Kanbaalifaru with a few mature coconut palms. The other negative impacts of the water villas include impacts on sediment transport around the north-western side and south-western side of kanbaalifaru and some minor degree of sedimentation on the reef nearby. The impact on hydrodynamics would be minimized by placing water villas as far away from live reef areas and dynamic beach areas as possible especially on the southern end where there is a dynamic sand spit. To minimize the impact on longshore sediment transport, the walkways of water villas will stand on piles with their footings buried in the seabed. Care will also be taken to minimize sedimentation on the reef when placing water villa footings and columns. Precast footings and columns will be used and excavator movements shall be minimized. Excavator is preferably moved on barge to minimize sedimentation and if high bed excavators were to be used, they shall move as far from coral reef flat areas as possible. This impact of sedimentation will be short-lived given that tidal and wind-driven currents would normally carry the sediments away from the reef at all tides and monsoons. It is vital, therefore, to monitor the condition of the reef prior to the start of works, during the works and after the works to establish the true nature of the impact. Transplanting live corals in impacted area would be a priority. There are very few live corals in development zones, which may be impacted. The other environmental impacts of the proposed development include solid waste management, water supply, sewage disposal and energy generation. Solid waste will be generated both during the constructional and operational phase of the resort. Constructional waste will be disposed of by the Contractor to Vandhoo in Raa Atoll or Thilafushi in Kaafu Atoll. During the operational phase, a waste management center established on the island will segregate waste and dispose of them in a manner prescribed in tourism regulations. It is during the construction stage that the waste is often not managed properly and waste ends up in the environment. Therefore, it is vital that waste management procedures are in place during construction phase to ensure waste is appropriately dealt with. Supervision and awareness of construction workforce is highly recommended. Desalination, sewage treatment and power generation are fuel-dependent processes and fuel efficient desalination technology, STPs and, especially, generator sets will be installed in the island. Solar water heaters have been proposed and photovoltaic system incorporated, the costs of which have already been taken into consideration. Gravity sewers will deliver the sewage with multiple pumping stations, which will be minimized by appropriate design. Treated effluent with low levels of BOD (less than 20mg/l) will be disposed to the sea at not less than 10m below MSL and 5m away from the reef edge. Therefore, the impact from sewage disposal will be almost negligible. In fact, the daily peak flows is quite small that the proposed sea outfall would provide over 500-fold dilution to the sewage effluent even if it were raw sewage, which would occur only in the unlikely event that the sewage treatment plant fails. Hence, no further mitigation measures have been considered for sewage disposal and treatment. In order to minimize the energy-intensive nature of wastewater treatment, it has been recommended to avoid wastewater treatment and to consider direct disposal to sea or ground, if possible. Although the island is located within the atoll, the reef on the east is subjected oceanic swells from the channel between Fonadhoo and Eriyadhoo, therefore, the southeastern side or the north-northeastern side of the island is considered appropriate for disposal of raw sewage. Furthermore, due to the narrow nature of the island, the groundwater is quite saline and a proper groundwater lens is not formed, therefore, sewage and wastewater (being primarily domestic in nature) may be disposed into the ground through a septic tank system. The project encompasses clean technology and alternative energy options will be investigated with specific focus on a solar energy system. This will complement the proposed diesel generator sets. In addition, solar water heaters will be installed to provide hot water to all guest units. Also, to minimize fuel and water consumption, it is proposed to install energy and water efficient technology including faucets. The costs of these would be included in the project. Environmental monitoring has also been incorporated into the project. Arrangements for monitoring during constructional and operational phase will be considered immediately upon EIA approval. Monitoring will be undertaken according to the monitoring programme recommended in this report. Recommended monitoring for the project includes the monitoring of shoreline at predetermined and bench-marked tide levels, beach profiles and drogues at locations given in the EIA report, marine water quality at the location of the intake, brine discharge, sea outfall and a control location, air and groundwater at a location close to the powerhouse and desalination plant and a control location and quality of product water at 3 specified locations including product water tank. Fuel and water production data and clean energy initiatives may also be incorporated. Annual monitoring reports have to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency over the monitoring period and shall include fuel and water consumption data and greenhouse gas emission calculations. 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 major socio-economic benefits although there would be some negative environmental impacts, it is recommended to allow the project to proceed as proposed.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 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 Blue’s 300 apartments at Hulhumalé(2014-08) Water SolutionsEIA report has been prepared to assess the environmental and social impacts of constructing 300 housing units at Hulhumalé of Kaafu Atoll. This project will be implemented by Noomadi Resort & Residences Anstalt for Maldives Police Services. The land areas identified for the housing project has no major tree and hence there will be no tree clearing as part of the project. The project is part of the Government commitment to provide affordable housing to people of the Maldives. The project aims to build 300 housing units which can accommodate 300 families of Maldives Police Service. All activities of the project will be closely monitored by site supervisors to be identified by Noomadi Resort & Residences Anstalt. This is mainly to avoid any environment and social issues. A close relationship and open communication need to be established to avoid any future disagreements and social issues during execution of the project work with the Hulhumalé community. The most significant impacts of the project will be resulting from the construction waste that would be generated as part of the project. As a mitigation measures, construction waste would be managed in accordance with the waste management guidelines issued by Environmental Protection Agency. The construction waste generated at the island would be collected and temporarily stored at designated area. The collected waste then will be transported to Thilafushi for final disposal. This report will highlight major findings and predicted impacts of the proposed housing project. The report is developed in consultation with project proponent and in accordance with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation. An environmental management plan with environmental monitoring has been developed including the most important elements that require regular checks. This monitoring component need to adhered to and would allow to assess the changes due to the implementation of the project. Although the project involves inevitable negative environmental impacts, such impacts are predicted to be not severe as to not undertake the project in accordance with the master plan. The project is justifiable in light of the socio-economic conditions and anticipated benefits resulting from the project, which seem to outweigh the negative environmental impacts.