GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 10563

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, New Life Prayer Centre intends to construct university and other educational institutions which will comprise of university block (learning and training facilities), commercial centre (mall), accommodation facilities (student hostels and staff) primary school, junior and senior schools ,university hospital with 600 bed capacity, water pan with total estimated water volume 210,000m3,waste water management system(bio digester system), chapel with 500pax, dormitories, school hall, sports field, Olympic swimming pool and other associated facilities and amenities on Plot L.R. No. Kilifi/Vyambani/ 21, 150, 151, 152, 153 and 588, Mavueni Area, Kilifi County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Mitigation Measures Occupational health and safety hazards at workplace • Provide all employees with appropriate and Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing (PPE’s and C). • Warning and Safety signage will be placed at the strategic areas within the construction site. • Provide first aid services and emergency services kit at the project site. • Register the site as a workplace with the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services. • Ensure moving parts of machines and sharp surfaces are securely protected while on site. • Provision of clean and accessible sanitary facilities and water to workers. Loss of flora and fauna (biodiversity loss) • The contractor will ensure proper demarcation of the project area to be affected by the construction works; Strict control of construction vehicles to ensure that they operate only within the area to be disturbed by access routes and other works. • The proposed site will be rehabilitated through the rehabilitation plan to be developed by the proponent to try and retain the natural flora and fauna during the operation phase. This will entail progressive planting of native trees within the boundary of the facility. • Introduction of vegetation (trees, shrubs and grass) on open spaces within and around the site. Indigenous species would be preferred. Land degradation • Maximizing the re-use of excavated materials to ensure that no permanent spoil dumps are created. • Extra loads of excavated soil should be used to make good the access road to the project site. • Properly disposing off the spoil in an area identified by the experts and approved by NEMA and the county government of Kilifi. • Ensure compliance with Waste Management Regulations, 2006 in disposing the excavated soil. Impacts Mitigation Measures Noise and excessive vibrations • Provision of appropriate Personnel Protective Equipment PPEs (hearing protection ear muffs) to protect the empoyees from noise and vibrations effects. • Construct mainly during the day (8am-5pm). • Sensitize truck drivers to avoid unnecessary hooting and running of vehicle engines. • Ensure compliance with provisions of Environmental Management and Coordination (Noise and Excessive Vibrations Pollution) (Control) Regulations, 2009. • Noise suppression measures must be applied to all construction equipment such as installing portable barriers to shield construction equipment, cover engine of generators where necessary. Increased water demand • The proponent through the contractor shall ensure that water is used efficiently at the site by sensitizing construction staff to avoid irresponsible water use. • Encourage prompt maintenance of temporal water pipeline leaks within the site. Increased waste generation • Setting up waste collection and segregation area strategically within the site for collection and sorting of solid wastes before disposal. • Construction waste should be recycled or reused as much as possible to ensure that materials that would otherwise be disposed as waste are diverted for productive uses. • The Proponent shall put in place measures to ensure that construction materials requirements are carefully budgeted and to ensure that the amount of construction materials left on site after construction is kept minimal. Loss of heritage, cultural and historical values • Prevention and restoration of cultural and heritage values of the community in the proposed project site. • The site for the proposed project does not possess any cultural and heritage sites. High prevalence of infectious and communicabl e diseases • Education and sensitization of workers and the local communities on STIs including provision of condoms to the project team and the public. • The contractor has to institute HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign amongst workers for the duration of the contract. • The contractor has to ensure that staff are made aware of the risks of contracting or spreading sexually transmitted diseases. Drug and substance abuse • The project contractor and the proponent should create awareness among the site workers on the impacts of drug abuse. • The project contractor should discourage the use and abuse of drugs among the workers and the community members. • The contractor should formulate a policy that discourages entrance with drugs on site. Healthcare waste management • The hospital shall prepare, operate and maintain an Infection Control and Waste Management Plan (ICWMP) adequate for the scale and type of activities and identified hazards consistent with the National regulations on management of health care wastes. • Waste should be identified and segregated at the point of generation. • Reuse or recycling of wastes if possible. • Seal and replace waste bags and containers when they are approximately three quarters full. Full bags and containers should be replaced 3486 3486 Impacts Mitigation Measures immediately. • Identify and label waste bags and containers properly prior to removal. • Transport waste to storage areas on designated trolleys/carts, which should be cleaned and disinfected regularly. • Waste storage areas should be located within the hospital and sized to the quantities of waste generated. • Instructions on how to handle the infectious waste from treatment centres should be made available to the waste handlers. • Unless refrigerated storage is possible, storage times between generation and treatment of waste should not exceed 48 hours during cool season, 24 hours during hot season. • Train treatment plant operators on general functioning of the treatment facility. • Seek operational license of the facility from NEMA to ensure compliance with the Waste management regulations, 2006 if needed. Gender based violence and gender inequalities • The contractor will mainstream Gender Inclusivity in hiring of workers and entire Project Management as required by the Gender Policy of 2011 and Gender Rule. • The existing community structures headed by local area administration such as chiefs should be involved in local labor hire, emphasize the requirement of hiring women, youth and people with disability. • Protecting Human Risk Areas Associated with, Disadvantaged Groups, interfering with Participation Rights and interfering with Labor Rights to include promotion of rights, including gender equality and equity. • Ensure safe employment for women, including training for all staff on sex-disaggregated latrines, regular consultation with female employees and other measures to ensure physical safety and dignity of female employees. • Where an employee develops concerns or suspicions regarding acts of GBV by a fellow worker, whether in the same contracting firm or not, he or she must report such concerns in accordance with Standard Reporting Procedures. Water quality and effluent management • Create awareness among the staff/employees on water conservation mechanisms. • Monitor the quality of the domestic effluent to ascertain conformity to the standards stipulated under the Third Schedule of Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Apply for and obtain an Effluent Discharge License (EDL) from NEMA. • Comply with the provisions of the Environmental Management and Coordination (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Put roof gutters to collect rainwater from the facility roofs during the rainy season for use in cleaning and landscaping. The facility will have water pan that will be supplying water for gardening around the facility. • Depending on the service level and tasks of the health-care facility, the wastewater might contain chemicals, pharmaceuticals and contagious biological agents, and might even contain radioisotopes. Effluents from the basic treatment should not be discharged into water bodies that are used nearby to irrigate fruit or vegetable crops Impacts Mitigation Measures or to produce drinking-water or for recreational purposes. • Wastes generated from maintenance of health facility should be collected and disposed as per the management and handling guidelines of medical waste including pre-treatment, reuse and recycling. Dust emissions (air pollution • Minimizing the number of motorized vehicles on use and periodically service all the equipment and machinery and ensure they are in good working condition to minimize emissions. • Rehabilitate disturbed areas. • Wet all active construction areas as and when necessary to reduce dust, use dust screens/nets during dusty construction activities. • Dry materials should be kept dump or covered at all time. • Install gadgets to intercept the particulate matter as well as controlling gaseous emissions. • Provide appropriate PPE (dust mask) to workers and enforce on their use. • When transporting construction material, ensure vehicles are covered in order to decrease dust emissions. • No burning of solid waste materials should be permitted at project site. Fire risks and hazards • Provide firefighting equipment within the site/facility. • Firefighting equipment should be serviced regularly by fire service providers. • Develop and implement a fire and emergency response plan. • Train employees on the use of fire-fighting equipment. • Develop and implement a fire and emergency response plan. • Provide informative fire safety and warning signage within the facility. • Enforce a ‘no smoking’ rule within the facility • Conduct fire drills and fire safety audits annually Accidental spills and leakages • Temporal storage in specifically designated areas on site of all hazardous /toxic substance will be in safe containers, labelled with details of composition. • Ensure proper storage of chemicals / materials, and if possible, in secondary containers just in case of accidental puncturing. • Ensure proper handling, storage and disposal of waste oil, lubricants, oil filters and fuel from vehicles. Hazardous waste would be contained and properly disposed by licensed hazardous waste handler. • The contractor should provide appropriate PPE (mask, gowns, heavy duty gloves, eye protection and boots) to workers on site. • Contractor to have spill prevention and response procedure including all necessary equipment and that of workers are trained. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Foresty, NHIF Building, 12th Floor, Ragati Road, Upper Hill, Upper Hill, P.O. Box 30126–00200, Nairobi 11th August, 2023 THE KENYA GAZETTE (b) Director General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Kilifi County. A copy of the EIA report can be downloaded at www.nema.go.ke The National Environmental 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 for this project. Comments can also be e-mailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B, MAMO, Director-General, MR/5166626 National Environment Management Authority.