China - Guigang Multi-Purpose Navigation Project : environmental action plan and environmental monitoring plan (Vol. 10 of 12)

-~~l k Lja CHINA INLAND WATERWAYS PROJECT (LN. 39106-CHA) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SUMMARY PART A  SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT of the GUIGANG MULTI-PURPOSE NAVIGATION PROJECT GUANGXI, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA Prepared Under the Supervision of the Guangxi Communications Department and Compiled in English by Environomics Consultants Co. Ltd. Beijing February 1994 Revised April 1994 Final Revision to Include Socio-Economic Data: May 1994  TABLE OF CONTENTS A. INTRODUCTION 1 A. I Regulatory Framework 1 A.2 EIA Report Preparation 1 B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2 B. 1 Objectives 2 B.2 Description 2 (i) Infrastructure 3 (ii) Population and Output 7 C. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT 7 C. 1 Natural Environment 7 (i) Meteorology 7 (ii) Terrain and Geology 7 (iii) Surface and Groundwater 7 (iv) Flora and Fauna 8 C.2 Socio-economic Setting 8 (i) Local Economy 8 (ii) Population and Indigenous Peoples 8 (iii) Cultural and Historical Properties 9 (iv) Public Health 9 D. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 9 D. 1 Location Issues 9 (i) Inundation Management and Prevention 9 (ii) Socio-economic Impacts 10 a. Agricultural Development Program 10 b. Aquaculture and Forestry 11 c. Employment and Training 11 (iii) Flora and Fauna 15 (iv) Impact on Cultural and Historical Properties 16 (v) Coal Handling Terminals 16 a. Principal Environmental Impacts 17 b. Dust Prevention 17 c. Wastewater Treatment 17  D.2 Construction Issues 17 (i) Noise (ii) Soil Erosion and Dust 17 (iii) Atmospheric Pollution 18 (iv) Surface Water Pollution 18 (v) Economic Impacts of Construction 19 (vi) Public Health 19 (vii) Dredging and Widening of the Channel 20 E. PROJECT ALTERNATIVES 20 F. INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PROGRAM 21 F. I Institutional Arrangements 21 F.2 Environmental Monitoring 21 F.3 Environmental Capacity Building and Training 24 G. ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN BUDGET 25 I. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND COMPENSATION 27 J. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 30 KEY ELEMENTS OF THE EAP/EMP FOR THE GUIGANG MULTIPURPOSE NAVIGATION PROJECT 32 LIST OF DOCUMENTS 37  A. INTRODUCTION The original Chinese EIA for the Guigang Multi-Purpose Navigation Project (GMPN) was prepared by the Guangxi Electric Industry Design Institute (GEIDI) between 1990 and 1991 as part of the Feasibility and Preliminary Design Report. The EIA was reviewed and conditionally approved by the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) in December 1991. A supplemental report was produced in early 1992 to meet the additional NEPA conditions, thus meeting all the Chinese EIA requirements. The Guangxi Communications Department (GCD) engaged the services of Environomics in mid-1993 to assist in the preparation of the project English language EIA report for submission to the World Bank. The Environomics scope of work included review of the Chinese EIA documents, compilation and re-assessment of available background data and information, and drafting of the English EIA report. Due to time and resource constraints, the English EIA is based only on data collected during the original EIA and Feasibility Study. Environomics has attempted to validate available information with the original field data when feasible, and has sought clarification and amplification of material from GEIDI to meet as closely as possible Bank EIA requirements. In addition to the main EIA report, Environomics has prepared an Environmental Action Plan (EAP) and an Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) under the direction of the Guangxi Communications Department. The latter two documents provide a rational program and schedule for mitigating and monitoring potential project environmental impacts within the technical and resource constraints of the project proponents. A full socio-economic impact study was completed by the Guangxi Electric Industry Design Institute and included in the original feasibility study for the project. It contains information and statistics on socio-economic impacts and implementation of economic reallocation measures. A.1. Regulatory Framework In August 1987, Guangxi Autonomous Region Construction Committee submitted Document No. 85 to the Ministry of Communications proposing the GMPN project. The Ministry approved the location for the project and authorized the expedited completion of the preliminary project design. In January 1990, Guangxi Communications Department Document No. 008 assigned the responsibility for performing the EIA to GEIDI which completed the report in 1991. A.2. EIA Report Preparation The Chinese EIA was prepared with reference to the following regulations and standards: a. Environmental Protection of Law of P.R.C. b. Water Pollution Prevention Law of P.R.C. c. Fishing Law of P.R.C. d. Water Law of P.R.C. 1  e. Surface Water Environmental Quality Standard. f. Air-Environmental Quality Standard. g. Urban Environmental Noise Standard. h. EIA Standard of Hydropower from Ministry of Electricity and Hydrology. The English language EIA was prepared to meet as closely as possible the requirements of the World Bank "Environmental Assessment Source Book". B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION B.1. Objectives The primary objective of the proposed GMPN project is to improve the navigability of the Yujiang river between the Xijin dam and Guigang city. The project will ensure a minimum navigable water depth during dry seasons, thus guaranteeing an uninterrupted flow of shipping and the reclassification of the river to a 3rd Class waterway accessible to 1000 ton barges. The upgrading will make the Yujiang river the backbone of the Xijiang river system transportation strategy and thus facilitate economic development in Guangxi and the adjacent provinces. Additional benefits of the proposed GMPN project include hydropower generation and increased availability of irrigation water. Guigang city and to a lesser extent the upstream Hengxian county are currently constrained in their development due to a shortage of electric power. The project will have the capacity to generate 120 MW of hydro- electric power to supplement area supplies. A minimum capacity of approximately 36 MW A is guaranteed during the dry season which amounts to an average 590 GW.h annual power h generation. It is also anticipated that several thousand hectares of medium productivity land / will be brought under cultivation following project completion due to the increased availability of high quality irrigation water. 7 'l': B.2. Description The proposed GMPN project is an integral part of the Guangxi Autonomous Region's economic development strategy which includes improvement of its railway, highway and waterway transportation infrastructure. Guangxi is located in central south western China and is bordered by Vietnam to the south; and Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces to the south east, east, north and west respectively. By virtue of its location, Guangxi is a transit route for goods and commerce within south western China, and an important link for the region's international trade. The Guangxi road and rail network is currently poorly developed and lacks the capacity to efficiently transport goods to potential markets. Traditionally, waterways have been a major mode of transportation in Guangxi and are currently used for shipment of bulk commodities and raw materials between the interior and coastal areas. The proposed GMPN project is designed to increase the transportation capacity of the Yujiang river which flows approximately west to east in southern Guangxi and is a major transportation route for the entire region. 2  The Yujiang river is part of the Xijiang river system which drains an approximate area of 90,800 km2 and discharges into the Pearl river delta in the east. The river system is a major route for the transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods from as far inland as Sichuan, and thus occupies a vital position in the economy of the region. The improvement of this waterway, combined with other proposed infrastructure projects shall provide the transportation network required to meet the anticipated demands of increasing trade between Guangxi, adjacent provinces, Vietnam and the ports of Hong Kong and Macau. The proposed GMPN project consists of a low head concrete impoundment and lock system planned for the mid to lower reaches of the Yujiang river, approximately six kilometers upstream of Guigang City (Figure la). The area is in the historic flood plain of the meandering Yujiang river, characterized by flat topography with occasional limestone outcrops, and deep, fertile fluvial soils. The project site is located in a straight length of the river which follows a wide turn and continues along the same course through Guigang city. (Figure lb) The Yujiang river is approximately 400 meters wide at this location and is confined within an eroded channel by unstable earth banks which are marked with drainage gullies and show evidence of erosion and slumping. The Yujiang river is presently regulated by the low head concrete Xijin dam, approximately 104 kilometers upstream of the project site, and at 110 kilometers downstream by the Guiping dam. The dams were constructed in the 1960's and the 1980's respectively to enhance the navigability of the river, provide hydro-power and to improve irrigation and fisheries. The river is currently designated a 6th Class waterway (Table 1), navigable for 100 ton barges. While there is capacity for larger barge traffic during the wet season, the river flow between Xijin dam and the proposed project site is reduced significantly during the dry season, exposing some 22 shallow and rocky areas which hinder navigation and increase the hazard to shipping. (i) Infrastructure The land transportation system in the project area consists of a network of dirt and gravel roads interlacing the countryside and connecting with paved two lane Class II or Class III highways. National Road 209 located on the northern plane of the Yujiang river is the major trunk road in the project vicinity. This road which is poorly maintained and very congested carries the bulk of the highway passenger and goods traffic in the region. The railway system in the Yujiang river area is relatively undeveloped; its main function is for hauling bulk materials to small loading facilities along the river which transfer the materials to barges for transportation to downstream locations. The Xijin dam is the major source of electric power for Hengxian County. Several low-head dams along the tributaries of the Yujiang river also provide power to isolated communities or commercial operations. Guigang City receives its power from the regional electricity grid which is networked to both thermal and hydro-power plants. Currently, the Yujiang river area is constrained in its development due to a lack of electricity. This is particularly true of Guigang City, which suffers from acute power shortages, requiring major industries to generate electricity on site. 3  f A 0 " C - i n g 0Gj rVNll, Hengxian Counly * .' Xijin Resrvon Henxi Hlengxian County a Baihe ~~~~~~~~~~~Guigang City C CHIN'A t LEGEND |- GUIGANG MULTI-PURPOSE NAVIGATION PROJECT - Figure I a XI ETNANt I -d R.d ENVIRO.N dICS GMPN PROJECT SITE  - Figure lb M- V/ -14~~~~~~~~~~~~~- '4 ~ ~ ~ p THE GEEA AOT / A\ . 1AVGAIN POJC  TABLE 1 STANDARD SCALE OF WATERWAY NAVIGATION Effective Scale of Navigation Navigable Clear Height of Crowsing River Structure (mn) Fleet Scale (m) Wavigable Pis Scale (m) Lock (m) Ship Model & (ength'Width W & Caliged R Natural & Camli River Restrict_d Chwnne Lane Barge Scale (Length' Draft) River Channel Cuoiaturc ClassTonnage Width' Radius - (t) Designing Draft Depth Single Double Depth Width OLngth Width Threshold Net Net Upper- Side Net Net Upper. Side Lane lane (Lk) (BK) Depth Height Width bottom Height Height width bottom Height width width (1k) (Hm) (Bih) width (b) (h) (IHm) (B1t) width (b) (h) (1)350'64.8*3.5 - 120 1050 24 160 120 7.0 245 (2)27148.6'3.S 10( 190 810 125 95 7.0 1 3000 75'16.203.5 (327524.. 7 3 o 300Q 7-16.28 (3)2O67