China - Nanning-Guangzhou Railway Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 3 of 5) : Environmental impact assessment : executive summary

Page 1 China: NanGuang Railway Project Environmental Impact Assessment Executive Summary April, 2009 E2109 v3 Page 2 2 Page 3 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................4 Background............................................................................................................................4 Project Development Objectives..........................................................................................5 Environmental Assessment Process and Legal Framework..............................................5 Project Description................................................................................................................8 2. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES .................................................................11 Without Project Scenario ...................................................................................................11 Regional Corridor Selection...............................................................................................11 Alternative Alignment for Sections....................................................................................12 3. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING......................................................................12 Physical Setting....................................................................................................................12 Sensitive Areas.....................................................................................................................13 Socioeconomic Setting.........................................................................................................15 Physical Cultural Resources...............................................................................................15 4. ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION....................................15 Crossing Sensitive Areas.....................................................................................................16 Community Impacts............................................................................................................24 Construction Impacts..........................................................................................................26 Cumulative Impacts............................................................................................................27 Induced Impacts..................................................................................................................28 5. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.............................................28 6. PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE .......................................31 Page 4 4 NanGuang Railway Project Environmental Impact Assessment Executive Summary 1. INTRODUCTION Background This document summarizes the environment impact assessment of the NanGuang Railway Project in China, highlighting the main issues and conclusions of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) of the project. According to both Chinese Environmental Assessment laws and regulations and the World Bank