GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 7112

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 expand approximately 14.96Km existing carriage way road into a dual carriage way road classified as A9 (formerly Meru B6) within Meru Town. The first section from Ng'onyo to Gitoro showground covering a total of 9.73Km along the A9 while the second section from Makutano- Ruiri Junction covering a total of 5.23Km along the B66 which are currently to bitumen standards in Meru County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures OSHA related • OSHA training & OSHA plan be implemented. impacts • Contractor to have in-house OSHA committee. • Recording occurrences on site including all accidents. • Use of PPE. • Use of clear signage. • Training on first aid. • Provide sanitary facilities. • Awareness on HIV/AIDS and other related diseases. • Provide housing/camps with proper facilities. Effluent from • The contractor to have a proper waste disposal works and mechanism for the waste generated by camps construction workers. • Monitor effluent quality regularly to ensure that the stipulated discharge rules and standards are not violated. Solid waste • The contractor shall develop a waste management plan. • Stockpiling spoil soils for rehabilitation and landscaping purposes. • Using waste minimization techniques such as buying in bulk. • Allocating responsibilities for waste management and identifying all sources of wastes, and ensuring wastes are handled by personnel licensed to do so. • Making available suitable facilities for the collection, segregation and safe disposal of the wastes. • Creating waste collection areas with clearly marked facilities such as colour coded bins and providing equipment for handling the wastes. The bins should be coded for plastics, rubber, organics, glass, timber, metals etc. • Ensuring all wastes are dumped in their designated areas and through legally acceptable methods and that the bins are regularly cleaned and disinfected. • Assessing and creating opportunities for Regulation, Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, Recovering, Rethinking and Renovation. • Creating adequate facilities for the storage of construction materials and chemicals and controlling access to these facilities. • Ensuring bins are protected from rain and animals. • Contractor will make provisions for responsible management of any hazardous waste generated within the project area. • The final disposal of the site waste shall be done by approved waste disposal agents. Air and noise • To keep noise level within acceptable limits, pollution construction activities shall where possible be confined to normal working hours. • Since the project area is densely populated with offices, hospitals, homes, learning institutions Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures and businesses, there will be need to notify the public as the project commences and in cases of interruptions. • Construction workers will be required to use PPE appropriately. • Equipment should be maintained regularly to reduce noise resulting from friction. • No unnecessary hooting by project vehicles across the major settlement areas. • Any complaints received by the Contractor regarding noise to be recorded and communicated to the KeNHA project engineer; as well as addressed immediately. • Sensitize workers on air pollution especially dust. • Workers shall be trained on dust minimization techniques. • As far as possible and considering the hot dry climate, water sprays shall be used on all earthworks areas and transport routes. • Adherence to a speed of a maximum of 40km/hr for all vehicle to lower the dust generation along the traverse as work progress. • To minimize further generation of dust in the already dusty environment, vehicles delivering soil materials shall be covered to reduce spills and wind-blown dust. Blockage wildlife domestic animals movement • Construction works should be undertaken preferably during business hours. • Comply with all legal and statutory requirements as contained in EMCA air quality regulations that are cited elsewhere in this report. of • Include design features (e.g. wildlife overpass and and some sections of the roads to be raised on pillars) to allow free movements between the two sides of the road around Gitooro showground to end of the proposed project for wildlife and various sections between Ngo'nyi and Gitimbine for domestic animals since the area is agricultural. • Contractor and workers be sensitized to the provisions in the new Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2012. • Have a code of conduct amongst workers expressly banning any hunting of wild game for food or trophy. Traffic movements • There is need to establish proper liaison with KWS when operating within the wildlife areas. • Manage waste in a way that presents the poisonous types from being accessed by wildlife. • Install speed calming measures when working within wildlife areas. • Install proper signage along the route to inform the construction drivers on the presence of wild animals. • Advocate for a reduction of speeds along wildlife areas during construction. • A traffic management plan should be in place. • Clearly marked diversions. • Clearly marked signage. • The contractor will be required to plan itineraries for site traffic on a daily basis. Traffic Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures management and control is mandatory throughout the project. Vegetation • Except where inevitable, no vegetation should clearing be cleared. • Where vegetation is cleared, the contractor should replant the vegetation after the project. • The clearance of the site for construction purposes shall be kept to a minimum. • The use of existing un-vegetated or disturbed areas for the Contractor's Camp, stockpiling of materials etc. shall be encouraged. • Areas to be cleared, especially borrow pits and Camp sites must be cleared in such a way that damage to adjacent areas is prevented. • Although all vegetation encroaching into the road reserve must be cleared to give room for visibility, this should be restricted to the RoW. • Trees should be trimmed rather than removed wherever possible. • To plant indigenous and native trees along the project road in all the above mentioned sites. • The use of fuel wood by construction workers should be discouraged, workers to be encouraged to use clean energy sources. • Ensure suppliers are legally compliant and environmentally sensitive. Fuel, oils, • Hazardous materials shall be stored properly hazardous and clearly labeled. substances and other waste • Areas for the storage of fuel and other flammable materials shall comply with standard fire safety regulations. • Chemicals and fuel shall be stored in storage tanks within a secure compound. • Pipe-work carrying product from the tank to facilities outside the containment shall be provided with secondary containment. • Tank equipment such as dispensing hoses, valves, meters, pumps, and gauges shall be located within the containment or provided with own containment. • Fence of the tank compound with locks or other adequate security controls at the site. • Appropriate training for the handling and use of fuels and hazardous material must be provided to the Contractor agents handling these products. This includes providing spill response and contingency plans. • Any chemical or fuel spills shall be cleaned up immediately. • The spilt liquid and clean-up material shall be removed, treated and transported to an appropriate site licensed for its disposal. Social impacts • Ensuring equal opportunities in provision of employment. • Promotion of social cohesion and integration. • Awareness of STI and& HIV/AlDs. • Corporate social responsibility and supporting communities. • Proper compensation of PAPs. • Creating awareness towards the diversity of cultures and different economic background of 16th July, 2021 THE KENYA GAZETTE 3131 Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures the people in the project staff and residents through sensitization. • Allowing the residents and businesses to form social groups and networks that build social capital. • Targeting social investment programs towards the local communities and region. Physiography and • Soil erosion measure should he put in place. geology • Maintenance of the slope gradient. • Ensure that the site is reclaimed/rehabilitated in the decommissioning phase of the project. Soils • All earth cuttings need to be at a gentle angle, wherever possible and economic, in order to allow vegetation to grow. Steep side-slopes tend to result in seeds washing away rather than having a chance to become established. • Waste oil to be collected by a NEMA licensed waste dealer. • Excavations to avoid accelerating situations of soil erosion. • Solid waste to be handled well by a licensed NEMA waste handler or better still the contractor should work together with the county to ensure that the waste is disposed-off appropriately and to the appropriate place. 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. (e) County Directors of Environment, Meru County. 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, PTG 2712/20-21 National Environment Management Authority.