GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 14064

PURSUANT to section 59 of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, 1999, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. THE KENYA GAZETTE 25th October, 2024 The proponent, Kenya Sugar Factory Limited proposes to construct a factory building, install equipment and machinery for sugar cane processing with a capacity of 1250 tonnes of cane per day (TCD) using state-of-the- art-technology, which will comprise of workshops, administrative offices, weighbridge house, cane yard, mill house, powerhouse, sugar house, effluent treatment and recycling plant , molasses tank, agricultural offices, bagasse silos, fuel station, other associated amenities and facilities on plot L.R. Transmara/Moita/761 in Lolgorian Ward, Transmara Sub-county, Narok County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Impacts Mitigation Measures Noise and vibration pollution • Switching off machines while not in use. • Proper servicing of machines. • Regular servicing of working machines. Traffic disruption • Transport of construction materials should be scheduled for off-peak traffic hours. • Appropriate traffic warning signs, informing road users of a construction site entrance ahead and instructing them to reduce speed, should be placed along the main road in the vicinity of the entrance to the site during the construction period. • Flagmen should be employed to control traffic and assist construction vehicles as they enter and exit the project site. • Issue notices/advisories of pending traffic inconveniences and solicit tolerance by local residents before the commencement of construction works. • Assign traffic regulators to places during periods of chronic or potential traffic congestions. • Encourage transport vehicle owner to insure their vehicles on regular basis. • Discourage parking near the entrance or exit routes. Soil erosion • Stage site clearance works so as to minimize the area of exposed soil at any given time. • Re-cover exposed soils with grass and other ground cover as soon as possible. • Temporarily bund exposed soil and redirect flows from heavy runoff areas that threaten to erode or result in substantial turbid surface runoff to adjacent drainage waters. • Monitor areas of exposed soil during periods of heavy rainfall throughout the construction phase of the project to ensure that any incidents of erosion are quickly controlled. • Leveling of the project site to reduce run- off velocity and increase infiltration of storm water into the soil, therefore avoid compaction where possible. Occupation health and safety of workers • Provide workers with reflective garments. • Regular maintenance and safeguarding of working machines. • Train workers on manual handling techniques. • Deploy an expert to lead first aid administration. • Provision of adequate safety equipment and enforce on their usage. Impacts Impacts Mitigation Measures • Discourage trespass. • Erect signage on the ongoing activities. • Provide workers with personal protective equipment. • Provide implement safe systems and programs. Solid waste generation • Reduce wastes from the point of generation by purchasing high standard and recommended materials. • Instruct workers to avoid damage of working materials. • Contract NEMA registered garbage collector to collect waste on regular basis. • Embrace the 3R’s concept (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). Biodiversity loss • Once the project is completed, any bare land will be re-vegetated with indigenous grass, shrubs and trees. • Landscaping will be done to reduce any negative impacts. • Only specified areas of construction will have vegetation cleared. • protecting the existing individual trees as much as possible. Cane spillage • The proponent in partnership with Agriculture and Food Authority, Kenya Roads Board, KENHA, KURA, KERRA and the County Government of Narok will ensure the improvement of the road infrastructure within the cane growing area in order to reduce the level of cane spillage along the roads. • Sensitization of sugarcane loaders so as to allow for proper sugarcane loading avoiding protruding cane which inconvenience other road users. • The company should also institute measures of collecting all the spilled cane on the feeder roads. Increased water use • A Sustainable Water Management System Plan should be developed in collaboration with WRA to minimize impact to natural systems by managing water use, avoiding over-abstraction from the groundwater aquifers, and minimizing impacts to other water users. • Factory water use should be carefully monitored through the use of flow meters and timely identification and control of nay leakages. • The factory will be operated at optimum capacity and with minimum stoppages because raw water consumption per ton of cane crushed increases when crushing lower than the optimum capacity and when hot water production is suspended during halts in operations (cleaning, restocking, and breakdowns). Liquid waste generation • Wherever possible, containment of water collected from areas with potential contaminants will be ensured. Such waste water should be reused. • Oil interceptors and sediment traps should be installed and maintained to ensure any discharge to the environment carries a low sediment load. 25th October, 2024 THE KENYA GAZETTE Impacts Impacts Mitigation Measures • Storm water management canals and dams should be maintained and kept clean in order to ensure that the capacity of such systems is not compromised during the life of the operations. • Sensitization of the clients who buy molasses of the environmental effects of the product so as to prevent spillage of the same. • Apply for effluent discharge license from NEMA on time. • Install a water meter to measure the amount of water waste water released from the factory on daily basis; • Carry out an analysis of the composition of the effluent through a NEMA registered laboratory; • Continuously monitor the discharge as per the regulations. Solid waste generation/by- products (bagasse, filter cake, boiler ash) • Clearly designate and construct an appropriate waste collection facility or provide covered refuse skips; (Designate Filter cake and boiler ash dumping and composting sites). • Provide NEMA licensed waste transport vehicles. • Maintain a proper waste tracking document. • Bagasse to be used as a source of fuel in the boilers in addition to being used to future plans of cogeneration. • Ensure adequate fire warning, response and management systems are installed. • Ensure prescribed regular medical examination of workers exposed to bagasse. Air pollution • Sprinkle water to harness dust level. • Provide workers with dust masks. • Monitor stack emissions regularly. • Have Fugitive Emissions Control Plan. • Install appropriate Electrostatic precipitator (ESP) as an effective emissions control technology. • Ensure the emissions are within permissible limits in line with Air Quality Regulations, 2014. • Apply for Emission license and undertake quarterly analysis to ensure compliance with the emission standards. • Do regular air quality monitoring (AQM) in the prescribed intervals. Fire outbreak • The proponent will encourage green cane harvesting to avoid the negative Environmental impacts associated with can harvesting through burning. • Install and regularly maintain firefighting equipment. • Clearly labeling fire exit routes. • Constitute a firefighting team. • Staff to be made clearly aware of fire hazards. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change 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, Narok County. A copy of the EIA 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 e-mailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/6539546 National Environment Management Authority.