China - Inner Mongolia Highway Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 2 of 4) : Summary of environmental assessment and action plan (revised)

E531 V. 2 Inner Mongolia Highway Project, People's Republic of China SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Department of Communications Hohhot, China January, 2002 FILE C OPY  Inner Mongolia Highway Project, People's Republic of Clhina SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND ACTION PLAN Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Department of Communications Hohhot. China January, 2002  PREFACE Inner Mongolia Highway Project Contains two parts: Laoyemiao-Jinmg Highway, the Highway Network Improvement Project (HNIP) in the poverty areas. Laoyemiao-lining Highway covers a whole length of 91.28km. The total cost amounts to 1.779 billion RMB ywan. The HNIP project contains 5 sections lasting a total length of 340.4 kn, with an investment of 505million RMB yuan. The geological locations of all the above projects are shown in Figure 2-la and Figure 2-lb.  ABBREVIATIONS: IMCD: Inner Mongolia Communications Departnent IMEAB: Inner Mongolia Expressway Administrative Bureau IMEPB: Inner Mongolia Environmental Protection Bureau IMITDI: Inner Mongolia Transport and Traffic Design Institute IMICRA: Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology IMHB: Inner Mongolia Highway Bureau WLCS: Wulancabu League Environmental Monitoring Station EIA: environmental impact assessment EMP: environmental monitoring plan EP: environmental protection TOR: Terms of Reference for Laoyemiao-Jining Highway EPO: environmental protection office SEPA: State Environmental Protection Agency MOC: Ministry of Communications EMS: environmental Monitoring Station WB: The World Bank POM: Project Management Office of Inner Mongolia Highway Project Financial by the World Bank  CONTENTS A. BACKGROUND. .1 B. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .--.. ----------.-------.---.....3 C. BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL DESCRIPTION .15 D.POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MIGIGATION MEASURES. .*- 23 E. ALTERNATIVES ..................................... 35 F. INVESTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTION-.-------------------------42 G. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING .42 a. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING .42 b. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. .43 c. ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING ......................................-.-.-.-.-.. 45 H. PUBLIC CONSULATION .-------------------..-----..----......45 I. CONCLUSION .......................................... 49 Annex 1-1. Environmentally Sensitive Issues and Mitigation Measures for L-J Highway ................................ 54 Annex 2 Environment Standards in EIA .62 Annex 3 Schemes Against Soil Erosion of Laoyemiao-Jining Highway .64 Annex 4 Estimated Cost on Environmental Protection . 68 Annex 5 Environmental Monitoring Plan .-..--.. -.... -70  A. BACKGROUND 1. The Inner Mongolia Highway Project contains the following two parts: (1) Laoyemiao-Jining highway is main route (see Fig2-la(l), for more detail see Fig2-la(2)); (2) The llighway Network Improvement Program in the poverty area of Inner Mongolia Higliway Project (HNIP): of 5 roads(See Fig2-i b). The EIS of Laoyemiao-Jining Highway was compiled by Xi'an Highway University. In January 1999, the unit compiled the TOR of EIA for the project. In June 1999, the SEPA gave a reply on the review of the TOR. In December 1999, and it worked out the first edition of the EIS. In June 2000, the Environmental Protection Office of the MOC held a preview meeting on the EIS in Beijing. Based on the new edition of the "Project Feasibility Study Report of Laoyemiao-Jining Highway" of February 2001, a new EIS was completed in September, 2001. (edition for review & approval ). In October 2001, the second edition was finished (revision). In January 2002, this edition (third) was finished according to the World Bank comments (Dec. 5, 2001). The EIA work for the HNIP Road, is held by Inner Mongolia Environimental Science Institute. Theyvve drawn out the EIA report in August 2001, and second edition in October. 2001(Revision). 2.The process of environmental review involve from various institutions in Inner Mongolia Region, including IMEPB, Ulanqab League El Monitoring Station, Meteorology Division of Inner Mongolia. The affected groups and NGOs along the highway, and the people subject to resettlement and land acquisition in particular, have been consulted. 3.The policy and administrative requirements for environmental assessment of development projects in China were followed during preparation and evaluation of EIA, as well as the World Banks OP/BP/GP4.01 on the Environmental Assessment (In Annex 2). The major regulations to follow are as follows: Law of Environmental Protection, People's Republic of China (PRC) December, 1989; Law of Atmospheric Pollution Control, PRC; Law of Water Pollution Control, PRC Regulations for Noise Pollution Control, PRC Law of Soil Conservation, PRC Management Guidelines on Environmental Protection of Construction project, issued by the State Council, No.253 (98); Measures for Environmental Protection Management of Highway Construction Projects, issued by Ministry of Communications (MOC) No 17,(90); Technical Specifications for Soil Conservation Plan in Development Construction Projects, issued by Water Conservancy Ministry, May, 1998, (SL204-98); Regulations for EIA for Highway Construction Projects, issued by MOC, January, 1996, (JTJO05-96); Technical Guidelines for EIA, issued by the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), (HJ/T2.1-2. 3-93); (HJIT2. 4-95 Acoustic Environment); (HJ/T19-1997 Non-Pollution Ecology Impacts); The World Bank Operational Manual: OP/BPIGP4.01: Environmental Assessment. 4. The Scope and Criteria for EIA are presented as below: (I) Assessment Scope The assessment of social environment covers within 200 m on either side of the proposed highway, with certain extension in sensitive areas. The ecological environment covers within 300 m on either side, the surface water environment within 1000 m downstream of bridge. And ambient noise and air are within 200m on either side. (2) The following standards are applied as the criteria for the EIA: * For environmental impact assessment of acoustics, Environmental Noise Standards in Urban Areas GB3096-93 is adopted. For schools and hospitals on the main road, Class-one is adopted; for  villages and residential areas Class-four. * For the EIA of ambient air, class-two standards in GB 3095-1996 are adopted. For emission of air pollutants, Class-two Standards in GB116290-1996 are adopted; * For water environment, Class-three standards are adopted in Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water GHZB 1-1999. * For emission of domestic sewage, Class-three Sewage Emission Standards GB8978-1996 are adopted. 5. Class of Assessment (I)Laoyemiao-Jining Highway: The total length of the alignment is 91.28 km. Considering the project features and the pertinent environmental condition, the class of assessment has been identified as Category A. Therefore, the project need to made EIA and EAP. (2) HNIP Roads: All projects are no new road construction and no land acquisition under this program, along the proposed alignment, no natural and cultural protected sites are observed. While several environmentally sensitive sites such as school and hospitals are located along the alignments, environimental impacts at those sites temporaiv during the construction period. And . their environmental conditions (noise, dust. etc.) are expected to be improved after the completion of this program, Therefore, all five projects under this program are classes as Categorv 1. which needs Initial Environment Examination (lEE) and EAP. 6. Based on the project features and construction cycle and prediction of traffic volume, the EIA prediction phases are determined as follows: (I) For Laoyemiao-Jining Highway Highway construction phase (2002-2004) Initial Stage of operation (2005) Short-tern of operation phase (2005-2010) Mid-terrn of operation (2015) Long-term of operation (2025) (2) For HNIP roads All of the 5 components are schieduled to be commenced in 2002, and completed and put into operation before 2004, i.e. a construction period of 2-3 years 2  B. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT 1. Laoyemiao-Jining Highway 7. The proposed Laoyemiao to Jining Highway is a completely new alignment. It lies in the mid-western part of Inner Mongolia being one section connecting Hohhot and Jining as major cities in Inner Mongolia. It passes through Xinghe County and the City of Jinning. For the geographical location of the alignment, refer to Fig.2-1 a . Fig. 2-1 b The starting point of the recommended option is at Laoyemiao on the border between Inner Mongolia and Hebei Province. It heads from east for west to the destination ( Sanhaonandi of Jining ). The total length of Laoyemiao to Jining Highway is 91.28 km. The width of subgrade is 26 m. The construction period is three years (2002-2004). It lies in the mid-western part of Inner Mongolia being one section connecting Hohhot and Jining as major cities in Inner Mongolia It passes through Xinghe County and the City of Jining. For its geographical location, see Figure 2-1 The following structures will be built on the Laoyemiao-Jining Highway: 8 large bridges of total length of 1387.02 m, 30 medium or small bridges of 1049.38 m long, 9 grade separations, 2 interchanges, 78 passageways and 145 culverts. Besides, service stations and 2 toll gates will be set up; 7491 mu of land will be acquired. rable B-I (a) is the summary of the Laoyemniao-Jininig Highway TableB-1(a) Summary of La yemiao-Jining Highway isting Road New Construction Standard Total Length Subgrade Surface Subgrade Surface Traffic Type of Type of Cost (kmi) Grade Width width Grade Width width Volume Surface Surface (in (n)(i) n) 5979 1.779 Express 91 II (2000 12.5 9.0 Asphalt 26 24 Asphalt billion way year) (RMB) The proposed project is proposed to start in 2002, completed in 2004 and put into operation in 2005 The estimated total cost of the proposed highway is 1.7793749 billion yuan RMB. 100 million U.S. dollars ( 828.00 million yuan in terms of RMB) are proposed to borrow from the World Bank; 728 million yuan RMB will be appropriated from the MOC; 233.73 million yuan RMB will be raised by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 3  Figure2la of the P Geographical Location of the Proposed Highway / <,*a /7 ,,,., ' t,], M'' H longj iang Laoyemiao-Jining Secti3on |Jining-Hohhot Section IA tAi.. j0, i . 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