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Screened B/1.
An environmental, health and safety audit of the existing municipal district heating and water facilities of the City of Nefteyugansk and an environmental analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the priority investment programme (PIP) were required by the Bank and were carried out by COWI, Russia, July 2008, according to EBRD's Environmental Policy. Based on the findings and recommendations of the environmental due diligence report, an Environmental Action Plan (EAP) has been prepared and approved by the Companies, which will report annually on its implementation.
The project will have the following environmental benefits:
(i) reduction of heat losses and increase in energy savings;
(ii) reduction of water losses, improvement of drinking water quality and of wastewater collection;
(iii) improvement of the reliability and quality of the services provided by the Companies thus reducing public health hazards.
The PIP components have been structured to meet Russian and EU environmental, health and safety standards and therefore will result in improvement of the current environmental, health and safety conditions in the district heating and water supply/wastewater collection services. The analysis of potential environmental impacts has shown that these will involve minor short-term impacts, which will be mitigated through the EAP prepared by the Consultant and agreed by the Companies. The EAP will be included in the Loan Agreement and the Companies will report annually on the implementation of the EAP as well as on the Companies’ EHS conditions. The Bank will evaluate the project's compliance with the applicable environmental and social requirements during the lifetime of the project by reviewing annual environmental reports (AERs) prepared for the project covering:
(i) ongoing performance of project-specific environmental, health and safety activities;
(ii) the status of implementation of environmental mitigation and improvement measures.
The Bank’s representatives will also conduct site supervision visits when deemed appropriate.
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