GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 11812

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, is proposing to construct Samatar–Wajir Road which is approximately 65km in length located in Wajir County in the North-Eastern part of Kenya. The start of the Project Road is at Samatar Juncton which is about 620km from Nairobi and the road ends in Wajir Town at 64 + 700km from Samatar. The road design is expected to improve the existing drainage provisions, road safety and comfort enhancement at a minimum cost. The ultimate objective of the design is to improve mobility and access. The alignment traverses few sensitive receptors adjacent to the corridor i.e. learning institutions, places of worship and health centres and is in fairly motorable state. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures. Impact Prorosed Mitigation Measures Impact on fauna natural habitat destruction and impacts on threatened species • Time spent around the sensitive bird areas especially should be minimized by adequately planning for the works and avoiding idling time. • Keep site clearance to the project footprint and avoid or minimize clearance beyond the project area. • The proponent to conduct an orientation workshop including the Contractor and relevant stakeholders. Noise and excessive vibration • Stipulated operation hours should be adhered to for all activities and actions related to construction of the project road. • Notify community members about upcoming construction activities that are likely to cause excessive noise and vibration. Dust from haulage routes, deviations and material sites • Haulage vehicles delivering earth materials shall be covered to reduce spills and windblown dust. • Carefully control works close to the listed sensitive receptors such that minimal dust is generated and whenever earthworks are being undertaken, then dust suppression should be implemented continuously. • The contractor should inform the management of sensitive institutions on the days that excess dust is likely to be generated so they can be prepared. • The same applies to works along the busy market centres. Waste management • The contractor shall prepare a solid waste management plan. • Construction workers shall be sensitized on the need for proper waste disposal. • No burying or dumping of any waste materials, vegetation, litter or refuse shall be permitted. Impact Prorosed Mitigation Measures • Provision for responsible management of any hazardous waste generated during the construction works shall be done. • Where feasible construction materials shall be recycled. Liquid waste • No grey water runoff or uncontrolled discharges from the site/working areas (including washdown areas) to adjacent watercourses and/or water bodies shall be permitted. • Water containing such pollutants as cements, concrete,lime,chemicals and fuels shall be discharged into a conservancy tank for removal from site. This particularly applies to water emanating from concrete batching plants and concrete swills. • The Contractor shall also prevent runoff loaded with sediment and other suspended materials from the site/working areas from discharging to adjacent watercourses and/or water bodies. • Potential pollutants of any kind and in any form shall be kept, stored and used in such a manner that any escape can be contained and the water table not endangered. Land use change • Identify and consult project affected persons and compensate them as per the laid down policies. • Identify and weed out potentially invasive plant/animal. Communicable diseases • HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaigns and provision of condoms for road crews and adjacent communities. • Health clinics along the roads get high priority, with special attention to danger of HIV/AIDS. Community health • Local education especially to young people and school children regarding the dangers. • Introduction of measures that intercept transmission of dust and other air pollutants likely to be generated to sensitive receptors when it cannot be entirely avoided. • Vehicles and construction machinery to be properly maintained and to comply with relevant emission standards. • Construction activities to be scheduled carefully to minimize the impact of noise from construction machinery. Night time's uses of certain noisy machines such as pile drivers to be regulated. Road safety and accident rates • To reduce accidents, appropriate road signs and road markings to be put in place to warn drivers of safety hazards especially while approaching bends, junctions,bridges, animal crossings, schools and shopping centres. • To reduce the possibility of vehicle and animals’. • Collisions, vehicle speeds shall not exceed posted speed limits and animal crossing warning signs shall be installed where appropriate. • Training of bodaboda riders on traffic regulations. • Keep surveillance on roadside markets 16th November, 2018 THE KENYA GAZETTE Impact Prorosed Mitigation Measures who encroach on the roads and interrupt visibility. Occupational patterns, economic activities and job opportunities • Maintain surveillance on unplanned settlement and encroachment on the road reserve. • Training in new skills for business or agriculture as appropriate. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (b) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30521, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Wajir County. 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 of the plan. GEOFFREY WAHUNGU, Director-General, MR/5555038 National Environment Management Authority.