China - Ningbo Water Management (GEF) Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 3 of 3)

*i CHINA-GEF NINGBO WATER AND ENVRIONMENT PROJ ECT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (EMP) El 302 Volume 3 April, 2006  * -- TABLE OF CONTENT April 2006 Draft Final Aide Memoire .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. A. Introduction .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. B. NWEP Supervision .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 1. Background .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 2. Objectives .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Task 4. Operations of the Wetland Center ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 6. Local Services and Facilities to be provided by Client and Consultant ................ Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 2: Adaptable Management Cycle .Error! Bookmark not defined. 1. Background .Error! Bookmark not defined. 2. Objectives .Error! Bookmark not defined. 6. Local Services and Facilities to be provided by Client and Consultant ................ Error! Bookmark not defilned. 1. Objectives of EMP ..3 C. 1.1 Project Backgound .3 D. 1.2 Objectives of EMP .3 2. Environmental Management and Supervision Plan . . 4 E. 2.1 Environmental Management Organizations .4 F. 2.3 Contractual Obligations .4 G. 2.4 Environmental Management and Supervision .6 3. IMPACTS and Mitigation Measures ..8 4. Monitoring Plan ..13 H. 4.1 Monitoring during Construction Stage - Compliance Monitoring . 13 I. 4.2 Monitoring during Operation Stage - Impact Monitoring .13 5. Training Plan ..16 6. Budget Estimate . . . 16 2  1. Objectives of EMP A. 1.1 Project Background East Asia's rapid economic growth has been accompanied by significant environmental degradation. Land-based pollution of the region's coasts, estuaries and rivers is one of its most severe environmental problems and is degrading the region's large marine ecosystems. To help littoral states address this problem, the GEF and World Bank have agreed to establish a Pollution Reduction Investment Fund for the Large Marine Ecosystems of East Asia (the Fund), the objective of which is to scale-up investment in land-based pollution reduction the region's coastal areas and major river basins. The Fund will finance activities related to World Bank pollution reduction investment projects that are in innovative and can be replicated in other areas. The Ningbo Water and Environment Project (NWEP) is the first World Bank project in China proposed for GEF co-financing from the Fund. The NWEP was approved by the World Bank Board in March 2005 and has three components: i) Ningbo City Water Supply; ii) Cixi City Wastewater; and iii) Institutional Development. The proposed China-GEF Ningbo Water and Environment Project (hereafter called "the GEF project.") is an environmental enhancement to the Cixi component of NWEP. The GEF project includes the following three components: Component 1 - Constructed Wetland: The GEF project will finance two "constructed wetlands" for the two WWTPs respectively in Cixi city (the 100,000 m3/d plant in the north, and the 50,000 m3/d plant in the east) to provide tertiary treatment for the WWTP effluent. Component 2 -Wetland Center: This Component 2 will finance: i) the construction of an environmental education and research center within a designated wetland protection area of some 42 km2 close to the new Shanghai-Ningbo Bridge; and ii) ecological enhancement and restoration of the core lots within the designated 42 km2 wetland. Component 3 -Management Assistance and Design Support: The GEF project will finance the following three activities under component 3: i) ecological engineering consultancy of the constructed wetland, the environmental center and IMBW; ii) management assistance contract for the Wetland Center; and iii) training, workshops and miscellaneous activities. B. 1.2 Objectives of EMP The GEF project is an environmental enhancement intervention to restore the natural ecological system along coastal wetland of Cixi city, improve water quality of canal system and costal marine environment, and promote public awareness of environmental protection. However, the implementation of the GEF project will also have environmental impact during its construction and operation stages, though these impacts are supposed to be minimal. The role of EMP is to outline the necessary mitigation measures, institutional arrangement and monitoring plan to be taken during the project implementation, to avoid, minimize or otherwise compensate the adverse impact to acceptable level. 3  2. Environmental Management and Supervision Plan C. 2.1 Environmental Management Organizations The Project Management Office for the GEF project will be the existing NWEP PMO which is part of the Ningbo Municipal Development and Reform Commission. There will be two implementing agencies. The Cixi Municipal Sewerage Company (CMSC) will be responsible for Component 1: Constructed Wetland. The Cixi Construction Bureau is responsible for Component 2: Cixi Wetland Center, and Component 3: Management and Design Support, through the Cixi Wetland Center Project Management Office. The Cixi PMO will contract with an NGOs/Universitiy Consortium to assist in the development and start-up operations of the Wetland Center. The Cixi PMO and the CMSC will be responsible for environmental management activities during the construction stage, and the Consortium will be responsible for monitoring during the operational period. D. 2.3 Contractual Obligations The EMP is part of the Legal Agreement reached between the World Bank and the borrower, thus is a legally binding document during the project implementation. Implementation of environmental mitigation measures developed in this EMP will rest with the contractors, therefore, EMP will be incorporated into the Technical Specifications of the bidding documents and further into the contracts, which ensures that implementation of EMP is a contractual obligation of the contractors. 4  Ninebo tacer and En% ironnienl Leading Group SEPA NWE P PCN\O C ity Ningbo GEF Project LeadinL, G C'ixi Citr Ninebo C-GEF ProXecc * Exper (roup Zhe iang EPB {s~~~~~~~~~~~~~Epr Group . _ C'ixi onstruclion Bureau NingboEP Super% i-sion Super% isioni Engilneer .Engineer I, F r, l\\eland C'enter C'ix Draina2e > t ' > ~~~~~ ~~PNIO Cornpan\ .t C'onlraeor for C'ontraccor for C'ixi EPB Education Center consmrucred and natural "erland land . .an - -'Co---utoitae, -, -. Construcion Stage --- - ' Operation Stage Figure 2 Environmental Management Structure of the GEF Project  E. 2.4 Environmental Management and Supervision Table 1 Environmental Management and Supervision Phase Implementing Responsibilities Supervision Agency Responsibiities Agency Wetland To identify environmental impacts, and SEPA, Zhejiang EPB, Nibgo To ensure project feasibility; International; necessary mitigation and monitoring EPB and Cixi EPB To ensure all major environmental concerns Feasibility measures, as well as budget estimate. are adequately addressed, and proper Feasibilty EA and EMP South China NWEP PMO, Cixi mitigation measures be developed. Study Environmental Construction Bureau Science Academy World Bank To conduct environmental design for NWEP PMO, Cixi To ensure proper design of the environmental measures Construction Bureau environmental mitigation measures; developed in EMP; To secure fund resources for EMP Desig Preliminary World Bank implementation; Design /Detailed Design To prepare budget estimate for EMP To incorporate environmental measures implementation to secure funding from into Technical Specifications and project budget. Contracts. Cixi To implement the RAP properly. Cixi City Government, To supervise the proper implementation of Construction NWEP PMO; RAP; Bureau, Land acquisition Andong/Zhouxi World Bank To ensure project affected people are Construction and resettlement ang Township adequately compensated and their living Governments standard does not decrease. Contractors To implement environmental SEPA, Zhejiang EPB, To ensure the compliance of contractors mitigation measures developed in EMP Ningbo EPB, Cixi EPB construction activities with EMP Various and included in Technical requirements; environmental Specifications/Contracts; NWEP PMO To organize environmental training for project measures proponent staff and contractors; World Bank To issue final acceptance from environmental perspective for commissioning/operation.  Supervision To conduct field observation on the NWEP PMO To follow up the contractual obligations of engineers implementation of environmental Cixi Construction Bureau supervision engineers for environmental measures by contractors; supervision; Construction To report environmental compliance of To organize environmental training for supervision contractors to Cixi Construction supervision engineers Bureau/PMO; To instruct and train contractors on environmental protection measures. North and East To maintain proper operation of SEPA, Zhejiang EPB, Nigbo To ensure compliance of effluent water quality WWTPs constructed wetlands to ensure EPB, Cixi EPB from WWTPs and constructed wetlands; standard compliance effluent; To supervise the induced environmental To maintain the value of the impacts from future development activities, Routine constructed wetlands as proper habitats e.g. land planning, increase of tourism. environmental of wildlife and aesthetics views. management NGO To maintain proper operation of the Operation Consortium Education Center and Research Center, as well as associated natural wetland North and East To conduct environmental monitoring SEPA, Zhejiang EPB, Nigbo To follow up the monitoring results and WWTPs; plan as defined in Section 4 of this EPB, Cixi EPB provide further guidance on mitigatory EMP; actions. To provide report to NWEP PMO, Cixi Environmental NGO EPB, and the World Bank. monitoring Consortium/or qualified monitoring institute  4 - 3. IMPACTS and Mitigation Measures The GEF project's objectives are to reduce land-based pollution along the Cixi coast and the East China Sea, promote the replication of innovative low cost wastewater treatment techniques, and encourage costal zone conservation. The net environmental impacts of this project are obviously positive. However, some adverse impacts may result from projects implementation, including those directly related to construction activities and those induced impacts during operation. To address these adverse impacts, a series of mitigation measures are developed in this EMP and summarized in the following Table 2.  Table 2 Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures Environmental Concerns Potential Impact Proposed Mitigalion Mleasures Comments Design Stage Proper design principle for the The building design might be less The conceptual design of the Environmental The conceptual design of the Environmental Center/Research environmental friendly; Center has suggested that international green Environmental Center is Center building principles be followed to minimize the benefited from an Incompatible with natural land view; consumption of energy, water and non- international study tour recyclable materials, minimize waste generation organized during project Improper design of vehicle access roads and discharge, and maximum the use of recycled preparation. and parking lots may result in disturbance materials and renewable energy. to the natural habitats. A visitor vehicle access road will be built using the existing road east boundary of Plot Al, and the parking lot will be strategically built in southeast forest corner of Plot Al of the natural wetland area to avoid vehicle access into the natural wetland area. Minor land-use modifications will be made in the designated natural wetland area to enhance its ecological function. In particular, Plot Al of the natural wetland area will have diverse resting habitats (such as hills, deep and shallow ponds) for different types of migratory waterfowl. Existing crab farms in areas outside of the seawalls, namely Plots A3 and A5, will be leveled to restore to natural condition, and thus to provide undisturbed feeding areas for waterfowls. Land adequacy for constructed There might be not enough wetland area Cixi city government has allocated 60 ha (plus wetland as tertiary treatment for reserved for the proposed constructed 26 ha) newly reclaimed wetland for North the WWTPs wetland, hence the treatment capacity WWTP, and 13.4 ha for the East WWTP. may not be fully guaranteed. Technical design of the Improper design of the constructed A combination of vegetated submerged gravel constructed wetland wetland may not achieve adequate bed and free surface water wetland process will treatment for the effluent be adopted, based on recommendations from international consultant, to ensure adequate treatment of effluent.  I~~~~~~~ Landscape of constructed Rigid engineering design may result in Ecological and aesthetical values have been wetland constructed wetland with good incorporated into the design of the constructed engineering function but less ecological wetlands. Various islands and slopes have been and aesthetic value proposed for the constructed wetland to attract different types of migratory and indigenous waterfowl. Social impact Restoration of coastal wetland will result A Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) has been in impact on livelihood for those who are prepared in accordance with Bank's OP 4.12. performing aquiculture activities on Plots A3 and A5 and mudflat outside of the tenth sea dyke and west to the bridge. Construction Stage General construction Construction activities, if not well Setting up of a strong organization for works Strong capacity of NWEP management managed, will create adverse environmental management/supervision and PMO and Cixi govemment environmental impact and social nuisance monitoring; has been demonstrated during even though the construction project is an the NWEP implementation environmental enhancement activity. Preparation of detailed environmental and GEF project preparation. specifications for contractors, to be part of the bidding documentation. The management and supervision structure is Contractor environmental obligations are part of shown Figure 2. the contract documentation. Impacts on water quality Construction wastewater and domestic Wastewater will be discharged after proper sewage during construction will be treatment (sedimentation and oil separation) discharged into the environment and may when the standards are respected. result in impact on canal river and marine water quality. Strict contractor environmental specifications regarding the handling, storage or disposal of Pollution hazard may also result from hazardous products and of waste produced on heavy operating machinery, from storage the construction sites will be required. of potential pollutants, such as petrol or engine oils, from concrete production, Management measures at work site for from drainage of earth stock piles, from prevention of pollution or accidental spill will be inappropriate disposal of implemented. used oils and locally generated waste (labor camps). Impacts on wildlife Construction activities may result in Education of wildlife protection will be provided disturbance on wildlife in the wetland to labors prior to construction commencement; Construction activities will be properly scheduled to avoid the season when migratory .__ __ ___ __ __ ___ _ _ _birds stop over in Cixi wetland;  Night construction will be restricted to minimize noise and light disturbance to wildlife. Impacts of dust Construction activities, e.g. earth works, Water spraying on construction sites and access material transportation, etc. may cause road will be conducted in dry weather to dust pollution; suppress the dust pollution; Bulk material storage site and transportation trucks will be properly covered; Trucks leaving construction sites will be wheel- washed to reduce dust pollution on the access road and urban area. Impacts of construction noise Heavy machinery operation will create High noise machinery will not be allowed. noise impact on wildlife and local nearby community Construction equipment and vehicles will be properly maintained. Public health If inappropriately managed, labor camps Awareness training of all workers on health may become the site of epidemic burst issues; out among workers and spread to surrounding population. Strict obligations imposed to the contractor for the Particular attention is required for new organization and the management of labor force risk such as bide flu and SARS. and camps; Periodical health check will be provided to the labors. On-site safety Occupational health and accident issues Safety training will be provided to labors; may result in serious wounds or death of workers. Safety procedures in case of accident will be established, and minimum first aid will be made available on all sites. Enforcement to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) will be fully implemented. Social disturbance If inappropriately managed, workforce Consultation with local communities shall be may create relational problems with conducted prior to construction commencement; surrounding residents; Necessary safety measures will be implemented, Construction activities may create e.g. safety signs, proper traffic management, potential off-site safety issue for public fencing of construction sites etc. Cultural relics Chance-find of cultural relics may result National regulations for chance-find will be  in damage of valuable cultural property strictly followed, i.e. construction will be stopped, and relevant authorities will be informed. No construction will be started before approval from relevant cultural property authorities. Operation Stage Impact of tourists to natural Intensive tourists visit may result in Only guided tour will be allowed within Al. The study estimates that wetland and Education Center disturbance to the wildlife, and over Fishing, crab farming, shellfish collection annual visitors will amount to loaded pollution for the nature wetland; activities will be prohibited. 250,000 person visits. Operation of education center/research The wetland study suggests that maximum Monitoring plan has been center will have impact on the water allowed number of visitors should be no more developed in Section 4. quality and wildlife habitats due to eco- 3,000 per day; tourism. Monitoring for water quality, wildlife and visitors will be conducted. Impact on water quality from Effluent from constructed wetland will Both WWTPs and constructed wetlands will be Environmental impact from constructed wetland have impact on water quality of the carefully operated and maintained to ensure effluent discharge has been nearby canals standard compliance discharge. addressed during EA preparation for NWEP. Compliance monitoring of effluents will be performed by operators. Monitoring plan has been developed in Section 4. Impact of noise Pumping stations may create noise impact Proper design and noise-silencing equipment on the constructed wetlands as natural will be adopted. habitats. Induced development Along with Hangzhou Bay Bridge and Cixi government will develop a broad-based aesthetics of the natural wetland, value of wetland management plan as part of the GEF the area will be substantially increased, project to address this issue. and a rapid development is foreseen. Future wetland reclamation Cixi will definitely continue the wetland Cixi Govermnent has committed that wetland reclamation in the future, which may conservation will be a major factor to be undermine the established natural wetland considered in the future reclamation planning.  4. Monitoring Plan F. 4.1 Monitoring during Construction Stage - Compliance Monitoring The objectives of monitoring at this stage are to carry out regular review on the actual implementation of environmental obligations by the Contractors, to ensure compliance of Contractor activities with environmental requirement of EMP as well as national regulation/standards. Compliance monitoring will be carried out by Supervision Engineers, as well as periodically by environmental staff from Cixi Construction Bureau and NWEP PMO. Records of such monitoring shall be kept in file and incorporated into the Semi-Annual Environmental Report to be sent to Cixi Construction Bureau, NWEP PMO and World Bank. G. 4.2 Monitoring during Operation Stage - Impact Monitoring 4.2.1 Monitoring for the Constructed Wetland Monitoring during operation stage will be carried out by the operators for the two WWTPs respectively, following relevant technical guidelines of China. These include: A. Receiving water body monitoring: (1) Monitoring parameters: * DO, Temperature & pH * BOD & COD * TSS & turbidity * Nitrate+nitrite, ammonia & TN (via Keljahl-N) * Soluble orthophosphate & TP * Total coliform bacteria (2) Baseline * Before the operation of the WWTP and the constructed wetland (3) Monitoring frequency * Four times a year (4) Monitoring sites * Discharge point * 1.5km upstream and * 1.5 km downstream B. Constructed wetland monitoring Treatment process: vertical gravel bed, alum (aluminum sulfide) dripping, free surface wetland, horizontal gravel bed (filter), UV disinfection. (1) Monitoring parameters * Inflow & outflow volumes (inflow from WWTP records or inflow weirs; outflow from weirs at end of each treatment cell). * DO, Temperature and pH * BOD & COD * Dissolved oxygen * TSS & turbidity 13  * Nitrate+nitrite, ammonia & TN (via Keljahl-N) * Soluble orthophosphate & TP * Total coliform bacteria * Bird count (numbers & species where possible) (2) Monitoring frequency * four times a year spring, summer, fall, winter (3) Monitoring sites for each of the four parallel treatment trains * After the WWTP but prior to discharge into the wetland * Following the vertical gravel wetland * Following the free surface wetland * Following the horizontal bed wetland * Following the UV disinfection section (only for coliform bacteria and turbidity) 4.2.2 Natural wetland monitoring A. Pollution monitoring (1) Monitoring parameters * DO, Temperature & pH * BOD * Turbidity * Nitrate+nitrite, ammonia & TN (via Keljahl-N) * Soluble orthophosphate & TP * Total coliform bacteria (2) Monitoring frequency * Four times per year (spring, summer, fall, winter) (3) Monitoring sites * Inflow and outflow of Visitor center treatment wetland * Inflow & outflow of the main canal water prior to inflow to main large ponds and at outflow at terminus of large pond series * (an additional research project would be to track nitrate, ammonia, and turbidity at the exit of each of the approximately 5 ponds in series). B. Wildlife monitoring (1) Monitoring parameters * Bird abundance and species * Mammal abundance and species * Amphibian & reptile abundance and species * Abundance and diversity of benthic infauna (tidal marine wetlands & mudflats only) * Abundance and diversity of marsh vegetation (at selected sites only) * Key insect species not found in benthos (eg, large flying insects such as dragonflies and damselflies, and butterflies. (2) Monitoring frequency * Before and after project construction, four times per year (birds only). * Before and after project construction, one time per year in summer for all other wildlife groups and marsh vegation. (3) Monitoring sites * Fixed sites chosen to be representative after initial inspection. Include four sites Al (Visitor Center wetlands, two of the large ponds that are to be drawn down monthly, and one seasonal wetland), one site each for A3 and one at A5. 14  * Matching sites for A3 but in continually exploited areas the other side of the new bridge (4) Suggested methodologies (some modifications of these suggestions are acceptable depending on actual field conditions as they evolve) * Vegetation & benthos. Quadrats of appropriate size to collected sufficient specimens. Vegetation by wet &/or dry weight after harvesting (above ground parts only). Benthos by 0.5 mm (or other suitable size) sieving, sorting and identification to species or genera (depending on availability of identification keys) and enumeration of each group/genera/species. * Mammals, reptiles and amphibians by direct observation at suitable habitats. * Key large flying insects by direct observation and/or netting. C. Visitor use monitoring (1) Monitoring parameters * Number of visitors to each site (visitor center, research center, bird blinds, boat or bus trips) * Visitor breakdown by kind (general tourist, expert birdwatcher, casual visitor, children or adults, native or foreign visitor) * Visitor feedbacks (2) Monitoring frequency * Number of visitors to each site: daily * Visitor breakdown: high and low seasons (3) Monitoring methods: * Number of visitors to each site: ticket sale record * Visitor breakdown and visitor feedbacks: Design and implement a voluntary user survey questionnaire on basic information of the visitors, why the visitors chose the site, and their impressions and suggestions for improvement. 4.2.3 Data analysis for pollution monitoring Calculate differences in mean values for each physical, chemical and biological component between the various sites within the wetland (e.g. before and after first vertical gravel bed) for each season. Reason is to plot the changes in treatment as the waste moves through the treatment trains. Improvements in operation of the total wetlands system can be made based on this information. Calculate differences (if any) between the four (or five) parallel treatment trains. Reason is to determine if one train works better than the others and also to find the variance between replicates. Improvements in operation can be based on these findings. Determine changes over seasons for pollutants in the receiving water canals prior to and following the discharge of wastewater. Reason is to determine how much improvement is made in the local area. This can then be used to determine any likely improvement in the Hanzhou Bay local shoreline waters. 15  5. Training Plan Environmental capacity building is important for environmental management staff in NWEP PMO and Cixi Construction Bureau during construction and Cixi Drainage Company during operation. A detailed training plan has been developed and implemented under NWEP, for which NWEP PMO, Cixi Construction Bureau and Cixi Drainage Company are all fully covered. It is also important that contractors shall be provided with environmental training prior to/and during construction stage. These may include: Table 3 Training Program for Contractors General Environmental * Introduction to environmental impacts related to construction activities Awareness and the need to protect the environment * Areas/issues of particular environmental sensitivity in or in the vicinity of the construction area * Description of obligations/responsibilities of individual workers in terms of general environmental protection * Roles and responsibilities construction supervisors, and lines of reporting in relation to environmental issues * Waste management practices in camps and on construction sites * Pollution control measures on construction sites * Cultural property issues * Issues in relation to resettlement communities * Penalties for violation of rules and regulations Health and Safety * Introduction to health and safety issues in construction camps and on construction sites including main areas of risk to workers and others * Education on basic hygiene practices to minimize risk of certain diseases, e.g. SARs, bird flu, and other typical tropical diseases * HIV/AIDS awareness, including information on methods of transmission and protection measures * Prohibition of drugs * Prohibition of alcohol on construction sites * Procedures for seeking medical assistance in emergency or non- emergency situations * Health & Safety awareness including basic procedures for: - Traffic and road safety - Electricity hazards - Explosives hazards - Fire and fire protection - Hazardous materials management * Use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and processes for obtaining relevant PPE * Penalties for violation of rules and regulations 6. Budget Estimate The Environmental Management monitoring costs during the construction phase will be borne by the Cixi PMO and the CMSC. The operational monitoring program described above will be funded by the Wetland Center Management Assistance consultants (i.e. the Consortium). The Consortium's contract cost will cover the estimated monitoring costs which are tentatively estimated at around US$50,000. 16