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Environmental classification
The Project involves the
construction of 37 km of a new road and the rehabilitation of 37 km of an
existing road. Therefore, it has been screened A/0, requiring an Environmental
Impact Assessment and associated public consultation.
Information reviewed
Fier to Tepelene Section of North-South
Corridor, Environmental Impact Assessment, Final Draft Report, Scetaroute,
2004.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and associated public consultation
had been carried out in accordance with Albanian EIA law, which is harmonised
with the EU EIA Directive as well as with EBRD’s specific EIA requirements.
The Executive Summary of the EIA is available at
http://www.ebrd.com/enviro/eias/index.htm
Consideration of alternatives
The proposed route was selected
from four alternative routes after a combined evaluation of technical,
economic and environmental criteria.
Key environmental impacts and mitigation measures
The proposed
road goes through an archaeologically rich area and an accurate assessment of
the archaeological and cultural heritage needs to be undertaken before any
development work starts. This will include test excavations in advance of
construction in the known sites of Frakulla e Madhe, Ada, Varibopi and Cakran
and archaeological surveys to identify any other remains of interest.
The proposed route has moderate impact on landscape character with some local
visual impacts. Grassland or woodland planting will be distributed along the
road as screening and landscape integration. Specific Landscape Mitigation
Measures, such as plantation of noise bunds, will be established in order to
mitigate the impacts on neighbouring properties.
Hydrography and surface waters will be impacted due to extensive regarding and
realignment works along the stream in Povla ravine between Klosi and Fratari.
In addition, a number of existing watercourses will also be slightly regarded
as part of the drainage works for the proposed road. At watercourse crossings,
flat/modest gradients within culverts or bottomless culverts will be used to
allow passage by fish. During construction, discharge of silt into the water
column will be mitigated through pollution control measures, such as bunding
and siltation fences.
Potential direct and indirect impacts on habitat and biodiversity, such as
vegetation clearing, erosion of slopes on cuts and fills, damage to existing
valuable trees and woodland, have been assessed to be minor. Accidental
mortality of animals crossing the road will be mitigated with road signs
showing sites of importance for animal movements and migration. The impact on
the three Nature Reserves situated in the vicinity of the project (Nature
Reserve of Levan and two Nature Reserves of Pishe-Poro) will be negligible.
Due to relatively low forecasted traffic levels the air emissions from the
road use are likely to be negligible. During construction, dust is likely to
be generated by construction activities. No mitigation measures are proposed
with regard to the low impact of the project.
The properties along the scheme identified as having potential noise impact
will be protected, e.g. by earth bounds or window insulation. The large-scale
construction activities, including the use of a variety of engines, rock
breaking and construction traffic, may temporarily generate significant levels
of noise. The contractors will be obliged to take specific noise abatement
measures.
Socio-economic impacts are related to expropriation of land on the route of
the new road and minor resettlement. The list of parcels with exact locations,
size and owners will be defined after completion of the Final Detailed Design.
The impacts on local communities will be mitigated through re-establishing
local routes frequented by farmers, cattle, and pedestrians. Traffic Calming
devices will be implemented in order to lower the speed of the traffic while
crossing villages and town. During construction, specific measures will be
taken by the contractor to keep in function water, electricity and gas
services and irrigation systems.
The new road will also have some socio-economic benefits, such as revival of
local economy (shops, restaurants, gas stations, local products, etc) and
provision of a better connection with other areas and make it easier for
inhabitants of smaller villages to use services and facilities (schools,
clinics and sport facilities, etc.) of the neighbouring, larger towns.
Environmental management and monitoring
An Environmental
Management Plan (EMP) is being developed to define the environmental measures
and procedures to prevent, minimise and mitigate adverse impacts and to ensure
compliance with applicable environmental standards during both the
construction and operation of the road. The EMP wil define necessary
mitigation measures, environmental monitoring plan and institutional measures
to be taken during project construction and operation. The EMP will be
finalised when the detailed design of the project is completed. It may need to
be revised during the course of the project implementation. The environmental
monitoring of the key impacts identified in the EIA will ensure the efficiency
of the planned mitigation measures.
Disclosure of information and public consultation
Two public
scoping discussions to identify relevant issues to be addressed in the EIA
study were held in Fier and in Tepelene on March 22nd and March 23rd, 2004.
Communities directly affected by the project were also consulted using a
questionnaire. A number of comments were presented and taken into account in
the Draft Design and the EIA.
The draft EIA report was disclosed to public at a number of locations near the
project site and in Tirana for 120-day comment period as of 2 July 2004, in
accordance with the Bank’s requirements. The public was notified in Albanian
daily newspapers of the EIA disclosure.
Two final public consultation meetings to discuss the findings and the
mitigation plan contained in the EIA were held in Fier and Tepelene on 3 and 4
November 2004. The public expressed general support for the project. The
issues raised at the meetings will be taken into account in the preparation of
the Final Detailed Design.
The Client will organise on-going disclosure of information on the progress of
the project and its environmental impacts throughout the project
implementation on its website, in annual environmental reports and through
periodic press releases.
Supervision and reporting
The client will report to EBRD
annually on the measured environmental impacts and on the implementation of
the EMP. The Bank will evaluate the project's compliance with the applicable
environmental and social requirements during the lifetime of the project by
reviewing these reports. EBRD environmental specialist may conduct monitoring
visits to the site when and if deemed appropriate. In addition, independent
environmental monitoring audits may be carried out.
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