GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 3106

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT (SESA) REPORT FOR THE KENGEN ENERGY (INDUSTRIAL) PARK MASTER PLAN, OLKARIA, NAIVASHA SUB-COUNTY, NAKURU COUNTY INVITATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IN LIGHT of the provisions of section 57 A of the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA), 1999, Regulation 42 and 43 of Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations Legal Notice No. 101 of 2003, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has received a draft Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) report for the KENGEN Energy (Industrial) Park Master Plan, Olkaria, Naivasha Sub-County, Nakuru County. The SEA findings are expected to integrate the existing sectoral plans and programs to establish sustainable development mechanisms. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KENGEN) Plc the Plan owner, intends to leverage on KenGen geothermal power production at Olkaria to develop an industrial zone i.e an Energy (Industrial) Park in Olkaria Geothermal Hub in Naivasha Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya. The proposed site covers 1,824 ha and is entirely located within KenGen land. The proposed masterplan is scheduled to be implemented in four (4) phases of 5 years each with the initial phase anticipated to kick on in the year 2025. The Energy Park is anticipated to have industries including Fertilizers; Iron and Steel; Plastics and Packaging; Fabricated Metal products; Pulp and Paper; Wood and Wood Products; Textiles and Apparel (Steam Intensive Industry); Food and Beverages (Steam Intensive Industry); Textiles and Apparel (Light Industry); Food and Beverages (Steam Intensive Industry); Warehousing and Logistics; and Supporting Light Industry. A summary of the proposed environmental management and monitoring plan for the KENGEN Energy (Industrial) Park Master Plan is highlighted below. Impact Mitigation Measures Biodiversity and natural conservation • Engagement of an ecologist in ensuring efficient management of wildlife in the masterplan area. • Wildlife crossings to be provided in wildlife migration corridors and dispersal areas. • Provision of a perimeter wall within the Energy Park to restrict entry by wildlife. • Liaison with KWS to facilitate fencing of national Parks neighbouring KEP-Longonot and KEP-Suswa Roads that are proposed. • Provision of wildlife crossings in wildlife migration corridors and dispersal areas. • Designation of areas in the Energy Park to serve as grazing lands for the local community members in a coordinated manner. • Liaison with KWS and WRTI to facilitate fencing of the Hell’s Gate National providing wildlife crossing to facilitate wildlife dispersal. • Compliance to Hell’s Gate-Mt. Longonot National Parks Ecosystem Management Plan, 2017-2027. • Collaboration with KWS in installation of security measures to monitor poaching. • Engagement of KWS rangers in managing and monitoring traffic in the area which will ensure efficient management of poaching. • Preparation and implementation of biodiversity management plan. Impact Mitigation Measures • Control of flora species to be introduced in the Energy Park. • Documentation of species loss in the implementation of the industrial park. • Respective industries and infrastructure developments to ensure a full census on flora coverage in their respective sites. • Approval application from KFS/KWS for all the vegetation/trees to be planted in recovery of lost flora. • Employment of a competent biodiversity expert in ensuring full implementation and monitoring of the biodiversity plan. • Equipment to be used in all construction activities be decontaminated e.g. washing equipment to remove soil potentially carrying Alien Invasive Species (AIPS) propagules before brought on site. • Usage of top surface of the soil from borrow pit when excavating gravels for road construction as well as industrial development to be avoided in order to avoid transporting AIPS propagules to new areas. • Aftermath proliferation of AIPS should be controlled by regularly reducing their population and recruitment since AIPS appears later after soil disturbance. • Fisheries department at the county and County Government level as well as KMFRI should collaborate in management of fish resources in Lake Naivasha. • Preparation of a water quantity monitoring and management plan to regulate water usage in the Energy Park. • Drilling of boreholes to serve as alternative sources of water for use in the Energy Park. • Preparation of policy on rain water harvesting system in the Energy Park. • Employment of competent persons in ensuring full implementation of water quantity management and monitoring plan. Environmental and landform changes • Preparation of land utilization and management plan. • Ensure that landscaping is done immediately the affected areas are completed. • Ensure that infrastructure provided in the masterplan area are compatible with the existing landscapes. • Ensure that the soils disturbed are immediately stabilized based on the high erosion potential of the area soils. • Ensure revegetation in areas affected as this will encourage runoff infiltration and reduce the speed of runoff. • Ensure development is maintained in areas with a slope of less than 150. • Ensure that water detention ponds are integrated in the Energy Park. • Employment of a competent team of experts in land and landscape management and monitoring. Pollution • Preparation and implementation of air quality monitoring plan. • All industrial and infrastructure development ensures that baseline air quality assessment is undertaken. 10th March, 2023 THE KENYA GAZETTE Impact Mitigation Measures • All industries in the Energy Park to undertake air dispersion modelling. • Development of all industrial development should be done upon compliance with all air quality requirements in the country especially Air Quality Regulations, 2014. • Employment of competent persons in ensuring full implementation of air quality management and monitoring plan. • Formulation of a noise and vibration monitoring and management plan that will be implemented by a competent expert. • Works within settlement areas as well as in wildlife habitats should be carried out during the day. • The respective industries should undertake noise dispersion model for their facility. • Development of all industrial development should be done upon compliance with all noise and vibration requirements in the country especially EMCA Noise and Excessive Vibration Pollution) (Control) Regulations, 2009. • Preparation of a water quality monitoring and management plan. • All industrial and infrastructure development proponents ensure that chemicals with a potential to lead to surface and ground water pollution are efficiently managed. • Preparation of an emergency response plan in managing accidental chemical spillage. Waste management • Formulation of a waste monitoring and management plan. • Respective industries and infrastructure development proponents should compel that contractor to ensure proper planning in ensuring minimal solid waste generation from construction activities. • All contractors should have a system in place to track waste. • All waste generated in the construction works should be reused or recycled where possible. • Designation of a place where all construction waste is held for a day ready for disposal at designated sites. Contractors to be subjected to monthly audits in ensuring compliance with waste management and spill management plans. • All developments in the energy park to be subjected to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with baseline soil analysis to be undertaken and annual Environmental Auditing (EA) as prescribed in the law. Social issues • Preparation of a social development plan in management of social issues in the area. • Establishment of sensitization programmes covering gender mainstreaming, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases campaigns, among other moral subjects. • Initiate CSR programmes amongst the Maasai community in focusing on investment in cultural centres in place and establishment of more cultural centres in promoting and enhancing Maasai community cultural practices. Impact Mitigation Measures • Ensure that as many women are given employment opportunities in the Energy Park. • Employment of a team of competent socio development experts enables effective management and monitoring of social development issues. • Formulations of a dispute redress committee. • Formulation of a schedule for having public forums in ensuring continuous communication between the Energy Park implementation team and the neighbouring community. • Quarterly meetings with the host community. Occupational safety and health • Formulation of an occupational, safety and health management and monitoring plan. • Preparation of a traffic management plan to ensure effective traffic movement. • Implementation of OSHA, 2007 and its rules. • Employment of a team of competent persons responsible for implementation of the occupational, safety and health management and monitoring plan. • Formulations of a dispute redress committee. 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, Nakuru 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/4247625 National Environment Management.