GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 583

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 Highway Authority proposes to construct a 32km Class B road, that’s intended to connect Kitui and Makueni counties. The road is an important link of a road intended to connect Wote–Makindu (B60) with Kibwezi–Kitui (A7) Road. Wikililye–Kavisuni section of the road lies within Kitui County and it is gravel road classified as Road B61. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Physical and topographic aspects • Slope gradient maintenance and controlled borrow pits and quarry excavation to avoid 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 dust generation and air emissions • Sprinkling of water on dry and dusty surfaces regularly including the access 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. • Ensure machines and vehicles are properly and regularly maintained. • Erection of speed calming measures near public institutions such as schools, hospitals and town centers. Noise pollution and vibrations • Sensitize drivers of construction vehicles and machinery operators to switch off 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 off peak hours during the day (i.e. between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m.) Waste management (solid and liquid) • 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. • Contracting of an ordinary waste and hazardous waste handler to collect and appropriately dispose wastes from camp sites. • Collecting road litter or illegally dumped waste and managing it according to the recommendations in the General EHS Guidelines. • 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. 20th January, 2023 THE KENYA GAZETTE Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures • Develop and implement a Construction Waste Management Plan before start of the project. Surface water quality • 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. Soil erosion • Provide grassed water ways along the access roads. • Construct breaks on roadside drainage channel. • The contractor will source building materials such as gravel, sand, ballast and hard core at the project locality. • 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 cover and biodiversity • Siting roads and support facilities to avoid critical terrestrial habitat by utilizing 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. • Ensure Installation and maintenance of all construction signs, signals, markings, and 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. Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures • The materials should be sourced from borrow sites and quarries after ESIA/EIAs and rehabilitation plans are prepared and approved by NEMA. Occupational health and safety • Development of a transportation management plan for road construction that includes measures to ensure work zone safety. • Establishment of work zones to separate workers on foot from trafic and equipment by routing of trafic to alternative roads. • Use protective barriers to shield workers from trafic vehicles, regulation of trafic 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. Material sites and material haulage • Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to be undertaken prior to extraction of materials from identified sites and approved by NEMA. • Operations of the materials sites to be guided by respective management plans established and approved under the ESIA. • Material extractions and delivery should only be done during the day. • If borrow pits and quarries are operated, they be fenced. • Proper handling and management of liquid effluent and used waste oil to forestall incidence of surface water bodies. • Any abstraction of water from the existing river systems or from boreholes should be undertaken after acquisition of the prerequisite license prerequisite licenses. • Rehabilitation of materials sites to take place upon exhaustion (Contractors will provide appropriate rehabilitation plans for each material site). Noise pollution and excessive vibrations • Enforcement of Trafic Act regulations to ensure that all vehicles using the road are in good condition all the time to avoid excessive noise generation. • Install speed control measures in town areas and near public institutions. • Install no hooting signs in sensitive areas such as near schools etc. Increased generation of storm water • Use of storm water management practices 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 202 202 Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures basins, infiltration trenches and infiltration basins. • Repair works to be carried out in dry weather to prevent runoff asphalt or cement materials. Loss of human and animal life due to accidents • Install speed calming measures next to public institutions, towns and settlement • Provide road signages all along the road. • Conduct road safety sensitization programmes. • Carry out Risk Assessment to identify risk areas and provide appropriate prevention measures. Road safety • Installation and maintenance of speed control and trafic calming devices at pedestrian crossing areas. • Installation and maintenance of all signs, signals, markings, and other devices used to regulate traffic, specifically those relate to Pedestrian facilities. • Installation and maintenance of all signs, signals, markings, and other devices used to regulate traffic, including posted speed Limits, warnings of sharp turns, or other special road conditions. • Prepare an emergency preparedness and response plan in coordination with the local community and local emergency responders. • Comply with OSHA 2007 requirements, they include; • Carrying out Safety Audits. • Implementing DOSHS improvement orders. • Carrying out EHS Risk Assessments. • Involve all the relevant stakeholders during the audit so as to incorporate suggested EHS measures into the report. 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, 12th Floor, Ragati Road, Upper Hill, P.O. Box 30126–00100, Nairobi. (b) Director–General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Kitui 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, MR/3883499 National Environment Management.