GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 776

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 the dualling of the Eldoret International Airport (C39)— Eldoret Town—Eldoret University Road Project starting at the Kapsaret Dam Bridge, about 500m from the Eldoret International Airport, then traverses through Eldoret Town following the existing C39 (Eldoret— Kisumu Road), then proceeds to follow the existing C51/C48 (Kitale— • Machine operators/truck drivers to be sensitized on safe driving to avoid unnecessary braking or hooting. • Conducting baseline survey before commencement of works and biannual monitoring. • Unnecessary bush clearing will be avoided. • Compensatory tree planting will be done. • Biological Stabilization of road embankments using natives species. • Adoption of waste management hierarchy. • Enforcement of EMCA 38 (Waste Management) Regulations, 2006. • Conducting baseline survey before commencement of works and biannual. • Establishing spillage containment unit. • Using biodegradable absorbers to absorb spillages at workshop/garage. • Avoidance of abstracting water from community fresh water resources. 3 1 st January, 2020 THE KENYA GAZETTE 693 Cherangani Road) corridor from Eldoret Town to the Eldoret University Campus. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Waste and effluents Proposed Mitigation Measures • Use of wet crushing technology. • Watering of diversions /detour spots during dry weather. • The contractor shall procure fuel efficient machines/trucks. • Air Quality Assessments shall be done. • All fossil fuel powered machines or equipment shall undergo routine maintenance/servicing. • Wetting of road fill aggregate at borrow pits before loading. • Using biodegradable absorbers. • Water quality monitoring. • Establishing vegetation to act as buffer strips and slope stabilizer. • Construction of septic tanks and be maintained by licensed waste water exhauster. • Channeling of grey water into soak pits. • Controlling the use, spillage or leakage of nutrient enriched substances. • Contractor shall avoid abstracting water from community abstraction points. • Avoiding any change to natural drainage characteristics of surface water resources. • Sustainable storm water management practices. • Establishing pillage/leakage containment units . • Waste management plan shall be prepared and implemented. • Effective implementation of waste management hierarchy. • Enhanced environmental, health and safety quality monitoring. Proposed Mitigation Measures • Confining the movement of heavy construction machines. • Drivers/operators will be sensitized on sustainable machine operations. • Proper installation of drainage structures. • Stabilization of slopes or road embankments. • Planting grass/vegetation cover along the corridor to act as sediment/siltation traps. • Soil quality monitoring. • Establishing spillage /leakage receptors or containment facilities. • Contractor shall prepare Spills Prevention and Response Plan. • Compliance with explosives permit/license conditions. • Minimum 3day prior notice of impending explosive operations. • Procuring machines/trucks that meet internationally recognized noise emission standards. • Machine operators /truck drivers will be sensitized on safe healthy driving habits. • Stipulated hours of operations shall be strictly observed. • No blasting operations shall be allowed near homes, learning institution and hospitals. • All the material sites shall be located in less agriculturally productive lands. • Develop a rehabilitation/reinstatement plan for the borrow pits. • All access routes to material sites should be planned ahead of construction. • Contracts with the landowners should be signed before excavation begins. • Incidental ground contamination shall be remediated as per the contaminant characterization. Impacts Air pollution Water quality demand Impacts Soil pollution Noise and excessive vibration Change in land use Loss of biodiversity • The excavated wastes(spoils) shall be preserved for rehabilitation of material sites. • Construction workers shall be sensitized on sustainable waste handling. • Poor waste management practices shall not be condoned. • No waste (grey) water runoff or uncontrolled discharges into nearby water resources. • Trucks and construction vehicles be serviced off site. • Offset tree planting to compensate exotic trees. • The contractor shall confine the construction works within the permitted construction corridor. • The contractor shall enforce Environmental Awareness Programs on workers. • Biological stabilization of road embankments. • Collaborative conservation of native plant and animal species. • Gravel pits must be landscaped then reinstated or backfilled with overburden. Occupational • Providing suitable, adequate and effective health and Personal Protective Equipment(PPEs). safety • Carrying rouiine medical tests for all workers. • Undertaking annual health and safety audits. • Erection of road safety signage. • Deployment of traffic marshalls along the project corridor. Land conflicts • Contractor shall establish community liaison office. • The contractor shall work with the local leaders to establish a community grievance mechanism. Gender inequality • Developing clear reporting mechanisms for sexual and gender based violence victims. • All workers will sign code of conduct to enforce good ethical standards. • Enforcement of Kenya's two thirds gender rule. Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures HIV/AIDS • Trainings and awareness campaigns to prevent spread of STIs. • Safe sex strategies such as use of condoms. • Establish wellness centers including VCT and ARV centers at strategic locations. • Auditing /Evaluation the impacts of the HIV/AIDs prevention and awareness strategies. Child abuse • Implementation and enforcement of laws protecting rights and safety of children. • All construction workers to sign code of conduct integrated with child protection components. • No engagement of persons below the age of 18 to undertake any form of project related activity. Loss of cultural • Sensitization of communities on appropriate heritage interactions with immigrants. Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures • Buying fuel efficient machines/trucks. Construction • Obtain appropriate authorization and licenses material sourcing for the use of the borrow pits and quarries before commencing activities. • Carry out inspection of each of the sites' soil stability before excavation. • All borrow pit sites shall be clearly indicated on a plan and approved by the engineer. • Borrow pits and quarries to be located more than 100 metres from watercourses to minimize storm water runoff into watercourse and mitigate potential conflicts. Soils • Confining project operations such as earthworks, excavations and bush clearing to avoid exposing adjacent soils to agents of soil erosion. • Proper installation of drainage structures to channel storm water to the nearest natural catchments. Noise and excessive vibrations • Stabilizing road embankments and progressive re-vegetation of developed sections and areas cleared unintentionally. • Heavy machines/truck movements that may cause soil compaction will be restricted within permitted working corridor. • Drivers/operators will be sensitized on sustainable machine operations such as keeping off vegetation within project corridor and access roads to material sites. • Procuring machines/trucks that meet internationally recognized noise emission standards. 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 67839-4)0200, Nairobi. (b) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30126-00100, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Uasin Gishu 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/0426106 National Environment Management Authority.