GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 7110

PURSUANT to Regulation 21 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. The proponent, Kenya National Highways Authority, proposes to reconstruct and rehabilitate the existing Kisumu—Chemelil—Muhoroni (C674) Road to bitumen standards and other feeder roads which transverses across Kisumu, Kericho and Nandi Counties. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures Physical and • Slope gradient maintenance and controlled topographic borrow pits and quarry excavation to avoid aspects vertical phases. • Erosion control measures in excavated borrow pits areas and working sites along the road. • Site reclamation during decommissioning phase of the project. Air pollution due to • Sprinkling of water on dry and dusty dust generation surfaces regularly including the access and air emissions roads. • Use of waste water to sprinkle at the construction site to reduce excessive dust. • Adherence to personal protective clothing such as dust masks. • Enforce onsite speed limit regulations. • Provision of bottle and can recycling and trash disposal receptacles at parking lots to avoid littering along the road. • Grinding of removed, old road surface material and re-use in paving, or stockpiling the reclaim for road bed or other uses. Old, removed asphalt may contain tar and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and may require management as a hazardous waste. • Develop and implement a Construction Waste Management Plan before start of the project. • Construction of drainage structures at the river courses at appropriate positions • Regular maintenance of plumbing system to avoid spillage of waste water. • Discharge partially treated sewage into septic tanks • Timing of the construction of proposed bridges to coincide with dry periods when water levels in the rivers are low to avoid possible water pollution. • Cement mixing trucks should be washed at designated areas only • Stone pitching and side drains to cover meaningful lengths along the prone protection areas. • Provide grassed water ways along the access roads Surface water quality Soil erosion • Ensure machines and vehicles are properly and regularly maintained. • Erection of speed calming measures near public institutions such as schools, hospitals and town centers. • Construct of breaks on roadside drainage channel • The contractor will source building materials such as gravel, sand, ballast and hard core at the project locality. Noise pollution and vibrations Waste management (solid and liquid) • Sensitize drivers of construction vehicles and machinery operators to switch o_ engines or machinery that are not being used. • Ensure that all vehicles and construction machinery are kept in good condition all the time to avoid excessive noise generation. • Ensure that all workers wear ear muffs and other personal protective gear/equipment when working in noisy sections. • Ensure machines are switched off when not in use. • Undertake loud noise and vibration level activities during on peak hours during the day (i.e. between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm). • Maximizing the rate of recycling of road resurfacing waste either in the aggregate (e.g. reclaimed asphalt pavement or reclaimed concrete material) or as a base; • Incorporating recyclable materials to reduce the volume and cost of new asphalt and concrete mixes. • Consultation should be held with the community members and their representatives on the best sites to source materials and rehabilitation measures should be agreed. Loss of vegetation • Siting roads and support facilities to avoid cover and critical terrestrial habitat by utilizing biodiversity existing transport corridors. • Minimize clearing and disruption of riparian vegetation. • Provide adequate protection against scour and erosion and consider the onset of the rainy season with respect to construction schedules. • Minimize removal of indigenous plant species and replant indigenous plant species in disturbed areas. • Explore opportunities for habitat enhancement. Road Safety • Avoid long traffic diversion roads. • Water diversions to ensure dust is minimized hence easier visibility for drivers. • Contracting of an ordinary waste and hazardous waste handler to collect and appropriately dispose wastes from camp • Ensure Installation and maintenance of all construction signs, signals, markings, and 16th July, 2021 THE KENYA GAZETTE 3127 Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures other devices used to regulate traffic, including posted speed limits, warnings of sharp turns, or other special road conditions. • Advance information on communication systems will be an advantage to users. • Make Traffic circulation changes as per the Traffic Act Cap. 403. Land resources • The explosives should not be kept on the sites; instead, they should be delivered to the site and when necessary from special storehouses managed by the contractor, • There should be adequate landscaping, backfilling and draining of the depressed areas to prevent breeding grounds for disease vectors, this should be ascertained by KeNHA or NEMA County directors. • There should be adequate re-use of the excavated waste materials • The materials should be sourced from borrow sites and quarries after ESIA/EIAs and rehabilitation plans are prepared and approved by NEMA. Occupational health • Development of a transportation and safety management plan for road construction that includes measures to ensure work zone safety. • Establishment of work zones to separate workers on foot from traffic and equipment by routing of traffic to alternative roads. • Use protective barriers to shield workers from traffic vehicles, regulation of traffic flow by warning lights, design of the work space to eliminate or decrease blind spots, and ensure reduction of maximum vehicle speeds in work zones. • Training of workers in safety issues related to their activities. • Ensure safe practices for work at night and in other low-visibility conditions, including use of high-visibility safety apparel and proper illumination for the work space. • Barricade the area around which elevated work is taking place to prevent unauthorized access. • Use of the correct asphalt product for each specific application and ensuring application at the correct temperature to reduce the fuming of bitumen during normal handling. • Training on correct PPE use and provision of adequate PPEs. Increased generation • Use of storm water management practices of storm water that slow peak runoff flow, reduce sediment load and increase infiltration. • Regular inspection and maintenance of permanent erosion and runoff control features. • Use of vegetated swales, filter strips, terracing, check dams, detention ponds or basins, infiltration trenches and infiltration basins. • Repair works to be carried out in dry weather to prevent runoff of asphalt or cement materials. Loss of human and • Install speed calming measures next to animal life due to public institutions, towns and settlement Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures accidents • Provide road signage all along the road • Conduct road safety sensitization programs. • Carry out Risk Assessment to identify risk areas and provide appropriate prevention measures. Dust emission • Spray demolished piles of earth with water. • Avoid pouring dust materials from elevated areas to ground. • Cover all trucks hauling soil, sand and other loose materials. • Provide dust screens where necessary. Site degradation • Implement an appropriate re-vegetation programme to restore the site to its original status. • Consider use indigenous plant species in revegetation. Demolition waste • Use of an integrated solid waste management system i.e. through a hierarchy of options: • All buildings, machinery, equipment, and others that will not be used for other purposes must be removed and recycled/reused as far as possible. • All foundations must be removed and recycled, reused or disposed of at a licensed disposal site. • Where recycling/reuse of the machinery, equipment, implements, structures, partitions and other demolition waste is not possible, the materials should be taken to a licensed waste disposal site. • Donate reusable demolition waste to charitable organizations, individuals and institutions. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30126-00100, Nairobi. (b) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839-00200, Nairobi. (c) County Directors of Environment, Kisumu, Kericho and Nandi Counties. A copy of the report can be downloaded at www.nema.go.ke The National Environment Management Authority invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decision making process regarding this project. Comments can also be emailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/ 1791799 National Environment Management Authority.