Ukf E- 265 fuz VOL. 1 THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA MINISTRY OF WORKS,HOUSING AND COMMUNICATIONS ROAD SECTOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT (RSISTAP) REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE FEASIBIUTYSTUDY AND DETAILED ENGINEERING DESIGN OF BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Vol.. 6 FEASIBILITY STUDY FINAL REPORT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOILMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE EIA STUDY I 1.3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS ASSESSMENT 1 1.4 METHODOLOGY 2 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 3 2.1 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 3 2.2 CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES 4 2.3 RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IN ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT 4 2.4 SUMMARY OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND GUIDELINES 5 2.5 WORLD BANK REQUIREMENTS 6 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 8 3.1 THE PROJECT ROAD 8 3.2 DETAILS OF ROAD WORKS . 8 4.0 CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE PROJECT AREA - 9 4.1 INTRODUCTION 9 4.2 TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND SOILS 9 4.3 CLIMATE AND DRAINAGE 9 4.4 LAND USE AND LAND COVER 9 4.5 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 9 4.5.1 Settlement and housing 10 4.5.2 Energy 10 4.5.3 Transport and communication 11 4.5.4 Health 11 4.5.5 Education and literacy I 1 4.5.6 Local Economy 12 5.0 EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INCLUDING RESETTLEMENT ISSUES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT kSSESSMENT r USU3XB~AHO~ ROAD UGRADING PROJEC PAGE 5.1 INTRODUCTION 13 5.2 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 13 5.3 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT 15 5.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT 16 5.5 OTHER COMMUNITY EFFECTS 18 5.6 RESETTLEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT 20 5.7 A SUMMARY OF POSITIVE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH UPGRADING BKH ROAD 20 6.0 PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 23 6.1 INTRODUCTION 23 6.2 CONSTRUCTION PHASE 23 6.3 OPERATIONAL PHASE 23 6.4 MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS 24 6.5 MITIGATION PLAN FOR OPERATION PHASE IM- PACTS 25 7.0 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 26 7.1 INTRODUCTION 26 7.2 ALTERNATIVES 26 7.2.1 The "no action" alternative 26 7.2.2 Route alternative 26 7.3 CHOICE OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNICS 26 7.4 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 27 8.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF MITIGATION MEASURES AND COSTS 28 8.1 INTRODUCTION 28 8.2 MONITORING TEAM COMPOSITION 28 8.3 SCOPE OF WORK 29 8.4 COST OF MITIGATION AND MONITORING 29 8.4.1 Major areas of expenditure 29 8.4.2 Land take and loss of crops and other property 29 8.4.3 Road safety education and awareness 29 8.4.4 Compensatory tree planting 30 8.4.5 Other costs 30 8.4.6 Monitoring Costs 30 8.4.7 Summary of Costs 31 rtlsJ(fl'4fVNT \I T\TP s T v CF"9SMFNT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 1.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1.1 INTRODUCTION Plans are underway to upgrade the existing Busunju - Kiboga - Hoima (BKH) road from its current status to that of bitumen standard by the Ministry of Works Housing and Communication (MoWHC). According to the Engineering plans, the proposed improvements to this road will closely follow the existing alignment with only a few cases where the new road course may be some metres away from the old one to maintain the required horizontal and vertical aligrunent. Integral to this proposed project is environmental impact assessment (EIA) through which beneficial and detrimental environmental consequences arising from the upgraded road are identified. This identification is done with the main aim of recommending appropriate actions for mitigation of any adverse impacts on the physical biological and human environment. The main oojective of this EIA, therefore, is to bring into focus both the possible negative and positive impacts on the environment at an early stage in the planning process of the proposed project. 1.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE EIA STUDY EIA has become generally accepted world-wide as an essential procedure in initiating development projects and implementation of policies. In recognition of this, the National Environment Statute (NES), 1995 gives a list of alvprojects which require EIA before they are implemented. Listed under transportation in the Third Schedule of this statute, all major roads and all roads in scenic, wooded or mountainous areas are subject to EIA. BKH is a major road passing through three districts and connecting Uganda to the Democratic Republic of Zaire. It also traverses a vast stretch of woodland, crosses a number of rivers and wetlands. It is, therefore, imperative that an EIA is conducted on BKH road in consideration of the proposed improvements by MoWHC. 1.3 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THIS ASSESSMENT This study is intended to present an assessment of the reasonably foreseeable effects on the environment of upgrading BKH road. Its function is to provide an opportunity at this stage, to integrate environmentally sound practices into initial project design. This is because all projects to improve roads can have effects on the environment and respective communities. The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) which is the principle national agency for co-ordinating monitoring and supervising all activities in the field of environmnent only provides general guidelines on EIA level because the EIA process is still a new concept in Uganda. For this reason, the EIA study team will work closely with MoWlHC and/or other organisations delegated by the ministry to develop and agree on thc details of assessment for BKH road. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECr 1.4 METHODOLOGY Generally, a number of methods will be applied either singly or in combination in order to adequately address all issues in the scope of this study. In summary, these methods include: * review of a number of existing appropriate literature on BKH road projects, MoWHC policies and environmental management; * expert consultations through which relevant persons in MoWHC, USAID, NEMA and others will be contacted to solicit their views and comments on BKH road project and the environment, and * field visits to conduct on-the-spot assessment, discussions with local communities and district officials with the ultirnate aim of including all views and information in the whole EIA exercise. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 2.1 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Due to political upheavals that characterised the post independence period until 1986, no new policy or legislative instruments were put in place to promote sustainable development in Uganda. Specifically, environmental management issues had been relegated to the background on the pretext that Uganda is well endowed with abundant natural resources. For example, it was not until 1987 that a ministry in charge of environment protection was established. From then, a number of developments have taken place in the bid by the Governrment of Uganda (GoU) to use and manage environmental resources on a sustainable basis. One such development has been the National Environment Action Plan (NEAP) which was embarked upon in 1990 with assistance from United States Agency for International Development (USAID). NEAP was given the mandate to recommend policy and legislative actions, institutional strengthening guidelines and potential investments with the main objective of putting in place a sustainable national development strategy. For instance, with NEAP's guidance the then Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) formulated a National Environment Management Policy. Strategies of this policy are intended to provide and assist decision makers and resource users in determiining priorities in the national context and also at the sectoral, private sector and individual levels. One of the strategies to assist in implementing this policy was the establishment of NEMA. NEMA is now the principal national agency to supervise and co-ordinate the management of the environment in Uganda. This was achieved through NES of 1995. The post-1986 era in Uganda has been associated with more development programs and an average economic growth rate of over 6% per year. This trend necessitated directing national development efforts to ensure that plans aimed at improving the standard and quality of life take due consideration of environmental concerns. First. it was the Ministry of Environrnent Protection in 1987, then the Directorate ot Environment Protection in 1993 and now, it is NEMA in charge. NEMA is under the general supervision of the Minister of Lands, Water and Environment (until May 1998 it was the Ministry of Natural Resources) who is also a member of the committee which provides and co-ordinates environmental policy guidelines. NEMA is headed by an Executive Director who is also an ex-officio member of the board that oversees the implementation and successful operations of the policy and functions of the Authority. NEMA is made up of four divisions one of which is the Information and Monitonng Division (IMD) whose primary purpose is to ensure adequate surveillance and control of the environment and any related areas of interest to it. Part of IvMD's mandate is to see that environmental regulations such as EIA are complied v, ith. environmental standards are set; and an environmental monitoring system is put in place. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 13USUNJU-KlBOGA-HOlMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 2.2 CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES At the national level, NEMA works with lead agencies. According to NES, a lead agency is "any ministry, department, parastatal agency, local government system or public officer in which or whom any law vests function of control or management of any segment of the environment." In each sectoral agency, there is supposed to be an environment desk known as an Environrnent Liaison Unit (ELU) to act as a contact point for NEMA. As with the districts, day-to-day activities of running ELUs are not the responsibility of NEMA but respective lead agencies. In line with the national programme on decentralisation, NES provides for the transfer of environmental management responsibilities to districts, municipalities and rural communities at the grass roots. Based on the guidelines that had been provided during the NEAP process, NES gives a framework in which to manage the env!ronment at districts and lower levels so as to be in line with the overall decentralisation process which is one of the current priority government policies. In summary, this was done to create an environrmental management system that integrates and fortifies links among all levels in the districts, public sector and NGOs. Environment related activities in districts are facilitated by District Environment Officers (DEOs) who are direct employees of respective districts. Among other duties, DEOs are supposed to liaise with NEMA on all matters relating to the environment in their areas of jurisdiction. 2.3 RESPONSIBILITIES AND PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IN ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT According to the Environment Statute, NEMA in consultation with lead agencies is responsible for establishment of quality standards for air, water. effluent, noxious smells, soil, noise and any other standards deemed necessary. However, due to the short time NEMA has existed, most of these are still in draft form including soil standards which have just been released. The whole NEMA establishment is in place but still has a lot to accomplish because environmental management and planning in Uganda is relatively a nev, phenomenon. The Environment Policy, Statute and management authority (NEMA) are all new and so is the decentralisation process. NEMA is expected to impro'. e environment management practices in the country without taking over the duties ot lead agencies. Initially, some practical problems emerged in the institutional and legal framework For instance, the Ministry of Local Government had to amend the Local Government Statute of 1993 in order to accommodate DEOs who were originally not direct employees of districts. They were, however, provided for by NI.s although NEMA does not have the mandate and means to deploy permanent stal anywhere outside its Kampala headquarters. On the other hand, MNR which is Ehc parent ministry of NEMA does not have any structure to take on >,, h responsibilities because all environmental issues are supposed to be handled ENVIRONMENTAL IMIPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-IBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT NEMA. Recent pronouncements by the Prime Minister which reflect the government position on the same issue have eased the tasks. Some districts up to today do not have DEOs and by the time of this study, Kiboga and Mubende Districts did not have a substantive DEOs either, although plans are underway to recruit them. This means that all other structures established to manage use of the environment at various local levels are also missing. Hoima district, however, has one but is not well facilitated to carry out all their expected duties. ELUs in sectoral agencies are faced with operations-related constraints such as financial and logistics. For example there are no details at the sectoral level with regard to EIA procedures in most institutions with exception of the MoWHC which has began the process. However, the details are not yet out and MoWHC is of the view that these details will be available for use mid next year. 2.4 SUMMARY OF RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND GUIDELINES In order to ensure that the post-1986 environmental organisation and policies succeed in Uganda, a number of legislative instruments and guidelines are being implemented. An outline of relevant ones to this study and/or project is given below. (i) The 1995 Constitution Among other things addressed by the new Constitution, land related issues were given high priority. Article 237 vests all the land in the country to the people, while Article 26 prohibits forceful seizure of individual property including land by any authority public or private without adequate compensation. This has instilled a sense of security of tenure in most Ugandans especially those who have been squatting on public or other lands Because what is stated in these Articles cannot be described as "land reform actions," a Land Bill was provided for by the same Constitution in '.hich issues pertaining to land tenure and land use would be dealt with in detail X Land Act, 1998 is now in place and provides for all issues related to land in Uganda One of the national objectives and directive principles of state policy ,s promote sustainable development for the present and future generations ' ensure this, Article 245 empowers Parliament to provide for measulvt intended to protect and preserve the environment from abuse, pollution is degradation among others. (ii) The national environmental assessment guidelines NEMA has finalised development of the National EIA Guidelines, cop'c' which are available and provide a brief summary of their requirements i; I - guidelines are now in force because they have the required legal back;-. Parliarnent. Developers and any other interested and/or concemed pari ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-JKIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT required by law to undertake EIA studies after consulting respective lead agencies and NEMA. There are a number of stages one goes through before one is allowed to proceed with the proposed development. (iii) The national environmental audit guidelines Unlike with EIA, environmental audit guidelines are not ready yet because they were not given prioritv. Their preparation is going on but it might not be possible for them to be available for use in a year's time from now. (iv) Environmental quality standards According to NES, NEMA in consultation with respective lead agencies is responsible for establishment of quality standards for air, water, effluent, noxious smells, soil, noise and vibration and radiation. NEMA is also supposed to establish such criteria and procedures as they consider necessary for the determination of the standards for buildings and other structures; industrial products; materials used in industry, agriculture and for domestic uses; solid waste disposal; and such other matters and activities that may affect the environment. However, due to the relatively short time NEMA has existed, none of these standards have been fully developed to be ready for use. Recently in June 1998 an advert was placed in the mass media by NEMA informing the public of the Authority's intention to start applying some of the standards being developed. In addition, comments were invited from all the interested parties and more especially, the lead agencies before these standards are confirrned. By inference, therefore, it is probable that environmental quality standards for air, water, effluent, noise and soil in Uganda will be available before the end of this year. (v) Others Other policies, laws and guidelines which are highly relevant to this projoxt include but are not limited to: * The Local Government Statute, 1993 and the 1997 Local Government .Xt. * The Water Statute, 1995; The National Environment Management Policy, 1994; The Wetlands Policy, 1995; The National Envirornment Statute, 1995; and * The Uganda Wildlife Authority Statute, 1996. 2.5 WORLD BANK REQUIREMENTS Under the World Bank's Operational Directive 4.01 (World Bank), 1991, El.A flexible procedure depending on the nature of the project and is to be cond.^ during project preparation, closely linked to the feasibility study. EIA must ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 1USUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT project-specific and other environmental impacts in the area of influence of a project. EIAs also include the country's own environmental study and action plans, and overall policy framework, national legislation and institutional capabilities. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOTMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3.1 TTHE PROJECT ROAD For ease of description of the various items involved in this study, it may be convenient to divide the project road in two major sections which are Busunju Kiboga (67 krn) and Kiboga - Hoima (79 kin). The project road is linked to Kampala by tarmac which ends at Busunju. It traverses three districts of Mubende, Kiboga and Hoima and it also leads to eastem Congo through Butiaba on the westem shores of L. Albert. From Busunju to Kiboga the road is gravel with ditch to ditch of 10 m and a 5 m wide track carriageway. The Kiboga to Hoima sections is also gravel with ditch to ditch distance of 8 m and 4 m wide track carriageway. This road generally narrows at river crossings and has a total width ot about 6.5 m inclusive of the shoulders which are overgrown with vegetation. In Hoima town, there is a stretch of 1.6 km of tarmac road which is completely worn out on the sides and the centre. 3.2 DETAILS OF ROAD WORKS The upgraded road will more or less follow the existing alignment in order to minimize fresh disruptions to the environment with the exception of some minor realignments at the appropriate sections especially as the road approaches Hoima. Other characteristics of this road include: * clearing and grubbing; * paved shoulders 1.5 metres; * bituminous surfacing (chip and spray); * 6 metre carriage way all through; * surface drainage enhancement and bridge works. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT r USUNWU-KBOGA-H0IMA ROAD IJPGRADING PROJECT 4.0 CURRENT STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT INTHEPROJECT AREA 4.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter describes the baseline conditions in the study area and provides summarized informnation on the physical, biological and socio-economic environment. The purpose of this chapter is to facilitate the evaluation of impacts assessed in the next chapter and the description puts more emphasis on resources likely to be affected by the proposed project activities. 4.2 TOPOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY AND SOILS The area traversed by the project road between Busunju and Kiboga is typically hilly with the first 50 km up to Lwamata characterised by a series of ridges oriented in west - east direction. Road elevations in this section vary from 1050 m to 1200 m. From Lwamata to Kiboga, the highlands are restricted to the south and the road runs through a flat plain on the northern side at a general elevation of 1150 m. From Kiboga to Hoima topography remains flat except for minor depressions on swamps and river crossings. Average elevation along this section varies from 1000 m to 1150 m. There are two major geological formations crossed by this road. Between Busunju and Kiboga, solid geology is the Buganda - Toro system comprising of rocks such as schists, shales, phylites and basal quartzites. Folding is quite prominent between Lwamata and Katera with many steep sided ridges occurring here and there. From Kiboga to Hoima, the major part of the road alignment is underlain by Basement Complex comprising of biotite gneisses, granite gneisses, amphibolites and quartzites. The dominant soil type all through the road alignment from Busunju to Hoima is ferralitic consisting of mainly sandy clay looms with dominant colour red. There are also pockets of sandy looms which also fall under the ferralitic type of soils. 4.3 CLIMATE AND DRAlNAGE The project area receives ample rainfall (average 1000 mm per annum) with temperature ranging between 22°C and 26°C. Busunju area receives an annual average rainfall of 1180 mm while Kiboga and Hoima receive 1357 mm and 768 mm respectively. Most of the precipitation takes place in two wet seasons namely March - May and September - November of each year. The area is poorly drained with numerous seasonal and permanent wetlands including major rivers such as Kafu and Hoima. There are about 25 streams between Busunju and Hoima along this road. 4.4 LAND USE AND LAND COVER The project area has got a variety of land uses and vegetation cover. The .ircj between Busunju and Kiboga is intensively cultivated unlike between Kiboga .1nd ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 0OsSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT Hoima. The latter has got rich vegetation cover dominated by woodland. A number of forest reserves are close to this road and at one point, it crosses one (Kikonda FR). The others are Bwezigo-Gunga, Luwunga, Taata, Kandanda- Ngobya and Mukihani. The total area under forests in Kiboga district is estimated at 31.000 hectares while Hoima has 58,300 hectares of which 34,000 hectares is natural forest. The types of forest species in Hoima district are mahogany and other hardwoods and the volume of current exploitation is 12,000m3 of wood per year. 4.5 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS The total area of the three districts is 16,220km2 with a combined population of one million according to the 1991 population census. The population density for Mubende, Kiboga and Hoima at that time was 84, 37 and 56 /km2 respectively when that of Uganda was OS /km2. The average household size is 5 persons. Table 4.1 Population numbers and Density by District: 1969, 1980 and 1991 District Population in 'OOOs Area (kmZ) Population Density (km2) 1969 1980 1991 Land 1969 1980 1991 Mubende 255 372 501 6308 43 62 84 Kiboga 76 139 142 4004 20 36 37 Hoima 113 142 198 5908 32 40 56 Uganda 9,535 12,636 16,672 197,096 84 64 85 Source: The 1991 Population and Housing Census - National Summary In all the districts, there are more men than women and the average sex ratio (males per 100 females) in 1991 was 103, 105 and 101 for Mubende, Kiboga and Hoima respectively. 4.5.1 Settlement and housing The population in the study area is mainly rural with clustered settlements in .i linear arrangement especially on hillsides. Most of these settlements lack cIean water and have very poor sanitary provisions. Up to 92% of the entire populatin in the study area live in grass thatched huts made from mud and wattle. Settlements are not planned including some in major centres such as Lwarnma. Kiboga and Hoima. This has had a negative effect on the provision of sx .ii services and improved environment management e.g. sanitation. Although ,-rc settlements have access to safe water sources such as boreholes, majorits r, collect water for domestic use from the nearby shallow wells or swamps. 4.5.2 Energy Majority of the households in the study area use woodfuel for cooking. Panr this reason but also being predominantly in a rural setting, wood fuel is the source of household energy, That is the reason why charcoal bumrir'. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 0 USUNJUKIClBOGA-HOI~ ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT firewood sales are the main activities along this road. Acacia and Combretum tree species are the most preferred for they produce food quality charcoal and if this road is upgraded, more charcoal may have to be produced for sale, thus affecting the existing land cover. 4.5.3 Transport and communication Road is by far the most important mode of transport in the study area where the gravel BKH road is the main trunk road fed by a number of feeder roads. These feeder roads are usually in poor state and not always motorable particularly during rainy seasons. There are other gravel trunk roads such as Hoima - Fort Portal and Hoima - Masindi. Hoima district has an estimated total of 1000 km of roads while Kiboga has about 530 km. 4.5.4 Health In respect with health services, there are two hospitals, 33 health units, 5 health centres, 6 maternity units, 33 dispensaries and aid posts in both Kiboga and Hoima districts. There is a total of 303 beds in the two districts with 9 medical doctors, 110 nurses, 18 health assistants, 62 nursing aids, 16 medical assistants and 11 paramedicals. The most common human diseases are malaria, anaemia, intestinal worms, diarrhea, respiratory infections skin diseases and eye and ear infections. The major constraints facing the health sector are shortage of qualified staff inadequate funding and low level of community awareness. 4.5.5 Education and literacy Literacy levels in the three districts are still low but is even lower in females and rural areas. In Kiboga for example, 55% of all the population aged 10 years and above can read and write of which only 24% are females. Males who have not had formal education in both Mubende and Hoima districts constitute 19% respectively which implies that in both districts about 81% of the illiterate people are females. There are 218 government aided schools with a total of 55,807 students in both Kiboga and Hoima districts out of which there are 28,796 boys and the rest girls. There are 2,350 qualified teachers and only 36% are females. Before the Universal Primary Education Programme, the student - teacher ratio was about 24 while the number of students per classroom was about 40. The situation mut have changed by now. The major problems in promoting education and increasing literacy levels include inadequate qualified teachers, lack of facilities such as classrooms and fumiturc. poverty and early marriages. The rate of school drop-outs is higher for girls than boys. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT eusUNJU-KBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRDING PROIECT 4.5.6 Local Economy Households are predominantly active in growing food and cash crops, and therefore, obtain their main source of livelihood from subsistence farming. Most of the agricultural activities are based on the produce of crops and livestock keeping. The production of timber is also lucrative and recently oil exploration along the shores of L. Albert has been instituted. Women also contribute significantly in the production process even though they have limited or even no control over the means of production. A total of 22 different types of crops are grown in the project districts and include beans, maize, coffee, tobacco, cotton, tea, sweet potatoes, matoke, ground nuts, unions, sorghum, finger millet, sugar cane etc. A number of fruits especially pineapples, passion fruits and ginger are common in Kiboga while tea is mostly in Hoima district. By 1995, there were a total of about 96,000 heads of cattle, 27,000 sheep, and 39,000 goats. Within the same period, the total milk production in both districts was estimated at 370,000 litres per day of which 300,000 litres was consumed locally per day. Comrnon animal diseases in the said districts are tick - bome diseases, trypanosomiasis, helminthiasis and heart water. The diseases are not properly controlled or treated due to the scarcity of drugs and vaccines which pushes up the price making it unaffordable to most rural farmers. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT LuSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 5.0 EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS INCLUDING RESETTLEMENT ISSUES 5.1 INTRODUCTION This section of the report identifies and evaluates the possible impacts of BKH road improvements. The impacts are categorized according to their effects on either the physical, biological or socio-economic environment. Some of the impacts likely to be caused by improving this road are not significant while others which could be, will be less severe if measures suggested in Chapter 6 are taken.. 5.2 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT * land take Some land will permanently be lost to road widening and other related improvements. Such land will mainly involve open grassland, cultivated or fallow land. As pointed out earlier, the improved road will follow the existing course wherever possible with a few exceptions for keeping both the horizontal and vertical alignment. For the Kiboga - Hoima section this road will not pass through many homes because the area is sparsely populated unlike the Busunju - Kiboga section where a number of villages/centres are near the road. Temporary land take will occur when land is used for borrow pits, quarries, contractor's camps and other working areas and accesses to them. Land will also be required for road diversions during the constructipn process. * effects of gravel extraction and hard-core requirements for grading and bridge construction respectively Gravel, rock and embankment fill material will be required during road construction. Borrow pits and quarries will have a variety of impacts. These include land take, access road requirements, dust and noise while operational. effects of blasting, haul road traffic, generation of sediment with possible resultant downstream damage, safety of quarry faces, health hazards due to ponding water, and visual impact. * effects of spoil generated during road widening and gravel extraction Enormous amount of spoil is expected during construction especially in the swamps and other areas with a lot of soft materials. This is likely to bie ot significant environmental importance as far as the dumping of this spoil i, concemed because its disposal may render some land (where it is disposcd ineffective in the long term. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT eUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT increased rates of soil erosion during construction and operational phases During construction, any forn of excavation presents a risk of soil erosion. This is likely to occur in or/and around borrow pits, steep slopes, along drainage channels and water runoff. This, however, may not be significant because the area traversed by the road still have ample vegetation cover. For the most part of the road, however, slope destabilisation, erosion and sedimentation are considered significant potential impacts. pollution of land, surface or ground water from accidental spillages during construction and operation During the construction phase, there is a possibility of contaminating land, surface or underground water. Predominant among these are the inevitable loose soil and gravel that will lie on and adjacent to the road, and the lime that will be used for the stabilisation of the base over some lengths of road. There is also the possibility of fuel and oil spillage from construction vehicles, of bitumen spillage, and of debris from the construction or repair of drainage structure. After construction, when the improved roads are in operation, there is always a danger of watercourse pollution from general fuel or oil spillages caused by road accidents. An accident of a similar nature recently occurred on Bushenyi - Kasese road where furnace oil was spilled in a wetland near a settlement. effects of construction camps for the contractor and workers Though covering relatively a small area, a contractor's camp, can if not controlled, cause significant environmental damage for a considerable long time. The major causes are pollution due to all forms of waste, increased fuelwood consumption, erosion and drainage, spillage of all sorts of oils and fuel, land take, dust, noise, construction of traffic routes to collect matenrals. poaching if sited in game protected areas, local inflationary pressure due to increased commodity demand, social rifts and rivalry caused by cash-rich camp men, insecurity, prostitution encouragement and increased incidence of sexu.al Ik transmitted diseases. It is not clear at this stage how many camps will be set up by the contractor. rm of what size or if there would be need for any at all. However, considering the probable location of camps in relation to forest reserves and the importamc which is attached to land and its resources, possible impacts of camp(s) art considered quite significant. construction traffic and road detours Since most sections of the road are currently in reasonable condition, the x x traffic that will be generated by the construction process will not be sign!t'i .i; except very locally close to borrow areas. Some parts of the road are, hov-. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 53VSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT very lightly trafficked now and the increase in traffic will be significant. With the traffic, will come increased noise and dust nuisance, as well as possibly increased safety hazards. Without proper control, construction traffic may destroy crops and cause other problems while travelling off road to borrow areas, and on detours to avoid the actual construction works, * effects of maintenance of the upgraded road during the operational phase If the road is to be upgraded to bitumen standard, its routine maintenance will have negligible environmental impacts: indeed far less than the equivalent maintenance work required for gravel surfaced roads. For instance, there will be no need for borrow pits for gravel, with associated impacts, and there will be no grading operations with resulting dust and noise pollution. Control of roadside vegetation will be by manual labour using siashers and hoes as anywhere else in Uganda. Only stone quarries for chippings are likely to be maintained. * changes in landscape and landcover as a result of increased land clearance for agricultural purposes by households in order to produce more for sale With the improved road operational, it is more likely that there will be an increase in population and consequently pressure on land and other resources such as forestry and wildlife. Closely associated with these phenomena is accelerated land clearance for settlement, growing of maize and other crops such as beans and cassava for sale. Ultimately, there will be more crop fields than vegetated areas and possibly more buildings than today which in effect. will have changed the current state of landscape and landcover. 5.3 BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT * disruption to local hydrology, drainage patterns, flows and volumes of sub-surface water as a result of regravelling, grading and bridgeworks During the exercise, the normal flow direction, velocity and volume of mot-' watercourses or streams will more likely be disrupted by various prn!C.. activities. As a result, there may be frequent flooding, enhanced soil ernsin and water quality deterioration. Laying of few or inappropriate culv-erts -r ignoring drainage facilities while grading and regravelling * , < impoundment of water upstream which may alter immediate m.,r ecosystems of the localities. Currently, the project road crosses drainage lines on culverts or bridges therefore, means that the improved roads will not have significant effect n - cross drainage as long as any replacement structures are designed standard principles, and are not smaller than those existing. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT changes in water qualitv downstream of the watercourses or streams as a result of earthworks and gravel extraction Although the current quality of water in all streams and rivers is not known, it is likely to be affected by this project especially if soil erosion and consequent water siltation associated with road improvements are not adequately addressed. By the time ditches and culverts are established or borrow areas restored, heavy rains have often already exposed soil and produced floods. That is one of the reasons why developing borrow pits near watercourses is always discouraged. * effects on fish resources on Lake Albert as a consequence of improved accessibility Lake Albert waters are important fishing zoines for the project area especially Hoima and part of the eastern Congo. The upgrading of the road will increase fish traffic through Kiboga and probably lead to overfishing in these waters. Many fish processing plants in Kampala and Jinja or their agents will open up buying centres along the lake shores as alternatives to L. Victoria which may attract more people to fishing. In the end as competition increases and probably fish catches reduce, fishermen may resort to unorthodox fishing methods such as poisoning which is rampant nowadays. l* oss of trees and other vegetation/land cover as a result of land take requirements of the project including spoil disposal Loss of trees and vegetation along the road is one of the consequences likely to be associated with this project. During the widening process and preparation of access to borrow pit areas some trees, hedges atd other land cover such as grass and shrubs will be lost. Specifically, the Kiboga - Hoima section which at one point goes through a forest reserve will be more affected than any other place because there are a lot of big trees close to the road. Compared to the socio-economic benefits that will accrue to improved accessibility, the effect of the loss will be insignificant as long as the compensatory tree planting recommended in the mitigation section is carried out. 5.4 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT * effects of increased traffic Improvement of this road will encourage more traffic and possibly higher vehicular speed in the hitherto quiet niral areas because it will be a regionaJ trunk road. A major part of the traffic will be long-distance haulage trucks it and from eastern Congo. Road safety will, too, be affected by increased traffic speed due to bcr horizontal alignment. Speeding vehicles will be a menace to school childr r ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT and old people who cross this road very often and/or people who live nearby. Pedestrians, cyclists, livestock and its owners will face increased risks of getting knocked by fast moving vehicles than today. * improved accessibility Improving this road will greatly improve access to hitherto remote and lesser developed parts of the project region. More petty traders will join in the race to provide required services such sale of basic household items, and smallholder farmers will have access to markets. It is expected that more "dukas" and stalls will develop along this road and development centres by the youth especially. Basic comnmodities such as paraffin, washing soap and salt will be readily available in nearby places unlike before. Petty trade and other related business would be more likely to boom after harvest. * impacts on tourism From various points of views expressed by tourist operators, upgrading of BKH road will provide an alternative access to Murchson Falls and Kibale National Parks and to L. Albert or other areas generally. This will again increase chances of the project areas getting some income from tourists. * impacts on agriculture and land use Apart from the direct physical impact of land or crops being taken or destroyed, the short to mediurn term impact of improved roads will be positive. It will be far easier and cheaper for excess produce to be exported from the region and within the region, and the farmer will be able to get higher prices. It will be worthwhile for farmers to invest in non traditional agriculture cash crops that were previously unsaleable. Prices paid for farmers' produce are also expected to improve since neA buying centres may be established in the villages. As a result, farmers k III benefit from competition and save time normally spent on ferrying produce tO markets which are currently very far. The time saved could then be used n other activities to further improve household incomes. * effects of energy requirements on fuelwood demand Woodfuel is the main source of energy in Uganda and more especially in ririi areas. For example, consumption of fuelwood is estimated at an average o I to 1.0 dry tonnes per year per capita. Fuelwood consumption is therefore IIk c to increase if the roads are upgraded. The main reason being that morc nxc trading centres are likely to develop along these roads which may attract pc' ir- from within and outside the project area. Since electric power from UEII ,: will not be immediately availed, the increased population in the centre' usJ outside the area served by this road will use woodfuel for most of their Cr . requirements. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT B3USUNJU KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT The end result will be that the now well vegetated areas along the proposed road will be targeted for charcoal production. Bitumen for surface dressing will likely be heated by wood and the construction camps will depend on wood or charcoal for their cooking. Existing plots of wood on private land and some forest reserves may be depleted. The potential impact is considered to be moderate but of long-term significance. effects on quality of housing, land value, land tenure and general local economy performance Once accessibility to these areas is ensured, more settlements will be attracted closer to the road thereby increasing the population and pressure on land. There will likely be increased household incomes and employment opportunities; and potential acceleration of cultural change due to newcomers from various places -Within and outside the district. As a result, the general quality of housing in the project area is iikeiy to improve because of increased incomes and availability of building materials, value of land will go up and a class of landless families may emerge as the more affluent of society buy land from them. The project area is potentially a high agricultural productive region which will benefit from the upgraded road. Tea, Tobacco and other agricultural products could easily be brought to Kampala and Jinja while manufactured goods from those towns will be easily delivered to the project area. Transport and vehicle maintenance costs will reduce because of improved road surface and less time taken on road. Because of reductions in vehicle operating costs created by improved roads, the price of goods into the region from elsewhere in the country should reduce as should the cost of passenger transport. The likely resulting improvement of feeder roads will spread this effect into areas some distance from the study roads. * Landscape and visual effects There will be some local changes in topography at all borrow areas, quarries. camp sites and along the new road as a result of construction works. In case there are large amounts of spoil which will need to be disposed of, landscape around recipient areas is likely to change. It is recommended that all these sites be restored carefully following laid down procedures stipulated in Chapter 6. 5.5 OTHER COMMUNITY EFFECTS * effects on feeder roads rehabilitation programme in the district The improvement of these roads is likely to add more responsibility to Io.M1 governments in the project area and, therefore, affect the overall feeder road' rehabilitation programme in the district. This is because of the rc.>ul.Lri increase in vehicular traffic on the feeder roads arising from improved Is E Il ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT road. Feeder roads are norrnally the responsibility of district administrations while access roads are generally looked after by respective local communities through combined voluntary efforts. The funds retained from taxes at sub, county and village levels according to the decentralization process should be of great help in this case. * reduction in transport costs and improved access to markets The project area is potentially a high agricultural productive part of the country. which will benefit from the opened up access roads. Maize, beans, cassava and other agricultural products will easily be marketed while basic essential commodities will be abundant thereby reducing the prices at which they were forrnerly offered. Transport costs will generally go down because of improved road surface and less time taken on the road. * changes in the socio-economic status as a consequence of improved accessibility Changes to socio-economic status, social relations, household incomes and other related aspects as a consequence of improved physical mobility and market information flow, access to health care services, education, agricultural inputs and manufactured goods. Closely associated to these changes will also be: possibilities for better access to appropriate technology especially for post-harvest loss reduction; improved access to extension agents especially in health, agriculture, environmental sanitation, water and many others; and potential access to micro-finance institutions and NGOs active in rural areas development. * public perception of the project It is understood through informal consultations with local representatives that the project is in general supported by the local communities. The project is viewed as theirs and it is considered long overdue. * disruption of social order There may be disruption to commnunities especially schools during the construction period due to noise, dust, and traffic generation. But considenng the fact that the project area has a very rich vegetation cover, the magnitudc and effect of noise and dust generated during the construction phase will ,e insignificant. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT n r BUUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOINA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT * effects on current developments and structural plans of Kiboga and Hoima Urban Councils as a result of upgrading BKH road It was found out during the field survey that urban authorities in Kiboga and Hoima were worried of the possibility of the new road not taking into consideration of their existing town plans. There is need for close contacts between these urban councils and those planing the improvements on BKH road. It is highly recommended that such plans are considered during the designing and construction phases in order not to alienate the people the project is supposed to benefit. Other impacts include: * creation of local employment during construction and operation. * encouragement of additional developments such as shops, market stalls, bicycle repair shades, clinics, etc. due to the availability of better access roads. * attraction of more people to settle in these otherwise less populated areas which were originally shunned for lack of minimum social amenities. 5.6 RESETTLEMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT Resettlement impact assessment (RIA) is part of the general EIA process but is usually emphasized because it directly addresses potential adverse impacts that would affect people's livelihood and cause irreversible damage to both physical and biological environment in the project area. Repair of roads such as this one and other related infrastructure is most ofthen assessed for its potential direct environmental effects on human settlements but fortunately, upgrading of BKH road will not have such effects. There iN possibility that some few households along the road may be affected due to oi-I realignment especially between Busunju and Kiboga and some few areas aik'r Kiboga - Hoima section. In such cases, adequate compensation -, i1 i appropriate and more especially if it is done through established structures > ,! as local councils and land boards. In most cases, the affected families ±.nr. households prefer not to be resettled but to be given the freedom to look for -, I- c to relocate after adequate compensation. This is because the affected tamrn usually do not want to separated from their relatives and more often end up I- -. absorbed within the area. 5.7 A SUMMARY OF POSITIVE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED \' 11 i UPGRADING BKH ROAD There will be many positive impacts associated with upgrading BKH ro-J4 will include: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT njJriBUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT * reduced demand of materials for road maintenance especially gravel thereby eliminating the need for borrow pits and their associated environmental problems. * the project will bring improved accessibility to the productive agricultural areas, health facilities, educational institutions, administrative and trading centres and other service facilities in the project area. * it will even benefit districts outside the project area particularly Nebbi, Arua and Fort Portal. It will also connect Uganda to Eastern Congo. * It is anticipated that the volume and quality of motorized transport will increase/improve which will reduce prohibitive transport costs. * an upgraded road and the expectea increased availaDiiity of motorized transport for both passengers and goods will give the rural households better opportunities to engage in a market economy. * the improved incomes will give more opportunities for children to extend school with subsequent reduction in drop out rates, which will also lead to a reduction in fertility rates. * investors have been reluctant to put their money in small scale industries in the project area due to poor communication. With the improved road it is expected that more investment will be attracted to this area which will contribute to an over all improvement of the standard of living. In addition, spatial distribution of the population density will decrease as settlements and villages develop more along the improved road. • qualitative services will also develop with improved infrastructure. * with improve accessibility in the project districts, there will be more interruption between people in the area and the rest of-Uganda which wi likely stimulate additional development. * increased economic activities will most likely lead to strengthened taxation base for local administrations which will support the on going decentralization process. * urbanization is expected to increase as a result of the new road. Many shop-s will built and small trading centres such as Lwamata will become to'.ns This will make it easy for rural people to get basic services/commodities .i affordable prices. * farmers will be able to sell off their produce and in so doing, will earn ni. rW money which will be used to buy day to day commodities in their homes ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SUNJU-KIBOGAGHOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT there will be better job opportunities for people especially with the upcoming of new ventures. Diary farmers will be able to sell of their milk and livestock quite easily. * The new road will be used as an alternative route by tourists who intend to go to Murchison Falls and Kibale National Parks, Lake Aibert and other areas of touristic attraction in the region. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 6.0 PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 6.1 INTRODUCTION Undesirable environmental impacts in the proposed upgrading of BKH are not regarded significant and most of them can be prevented by changes in the project design or implementing mitigatory measures recommended below. Impacts are addressed under the construction and operational phases with responsibility for each action clearly stated. 6.2 CONSTRUCTION PHASE The mitigation plan addresses the negative impacts likely to be generated by the construction works. They are detailed in full in section 6.4 but the principal mIt:gat^r- mesure s include the fblloving: * provision of adequate safety procedures and supervision of works, including the provision of appropriate training for the workforce in handling emergency cases; * minimization of the amount of land taken by road works and adequate mitigation of the effects on the owner, or user of the land that has to be taken; * advance warning of works to be given to farmers and compensation payable for loss of crops or other property e.g. buildings, trees, etc. * ensure that severance of accessibility at road junctions/crossings and access routes is minimized by giving provisional crossing points; - ensure that contractors complete all reinstatement work to a high standard before approval is given; and * employment of local workforce to reduce the need for -workers camps and give job opportunities to the locals. 6.3 OPERATIONAL PHASE Under this phase, the principal mitigatory measures include: * restriction of use of land in the road reserve by local communities to avold future litigations; * increase community awareness about the dangers of the highway; * promotion of tree planting to compensate for the loss during construction. aind * routine maintenance should be prompt and roadside vegetation should be ,.I by manual labour as opposed to use of herbicides. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT X¶ BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 6.4 MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS Negative Impacts Mitigatory Measures Responsibility Land take * compensate affected families on current land - MoWHC prices Loss of crops and other * adequate and timely compensation - MoWHC property * advance warning to the affected families - Contractor Soil erosidn on road cuts and * plant grass on slopes fills * provide adequate drainage - Contractor * avoid steep gradients dipping to the road Loss of vegetation due to * clear only the required area road works and borrow areas * proper siting of borrow areas - Contractor * compensatory tree planting BorTow pits sid quarics * reinstate.-nent after works creation . avoid siting them in residential areas especially near schools - Contractor * avoid creation of huge borrow pits and near the road * minimize access routes Construction camps . avoid them by employing local residents * locate them far from local settlements * full reinstatement after works * provide adequate supply of energy and safe - Contractor water in camps * provide adequate sanitation and medical services Disruption to local hydrology * provide adequate drainage and drainage pattems as a * appropriate size of culverts and - Contractor result of earthworks embankments Disruption of access roads. * all works that cause severance should be tracks and temporary carried out very fast severance * advance warning of the affected - Contractor * provide temporary access points Waste/spoil generation and a dispose waste in borrow pits disposal * landscaping if not in borrow pits * avoid disposal in agriculturally potential - Contractor areas Soil and water contamination * provide infiltration ditches to capture silt due to accidental oil spillages and pollutants - Contractor * train workforce in safety measures Noise and dust from . proper choice of equipment quarriesiborrow pits and road * creation of screen barriers around quarry - Contractor works sites Construction traffic and its * use parallel bypass roads effects a enforce speed limits * train drivers and give them close supervision - Contractor * construction traffic should be in good condition mechanicaliv. Loss of scenic view and * keep most sites off the road archaeological sites * no sites of significant historical or - Contractor archaeological importance ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT EUJUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 6.5 MITIGATION PLAN FOR OPERATION PhASE IMPACTS Negative Impacts Mitigatory Measures Responsibility Effects of maintenance * there will be no need for borrow pits and quarries in the short term - MOWHC * road side vegetation should be kept down by slashing and not herbicides Road safety and road * sensitize local communities especially accidents mothers and children * install appropriate road signs - MoWHC * use of rumble strips andlor humps when in settled areas Contractor * provide paved shoulders for pedestrians and cyclists Increased use/demand for * provide support to local tree planting - LECs wood fuel e.g. charcoa! programrnms - Forest Departments * extend some support energy saving - District Land Boards initiatives e.g. cook stoves ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT X B U USUNNTU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 7.0 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 7.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter identifies and describes the alternatives which will be examined at the design stage. The concept of altematives is aimed at ensuring that the best among all possible options in all aspects (environmental, economic, etc.) is selected. In this case, alternatives include route options, construction techniques and phasing, operation and maintenance procedures. The altemative of not carrying out the proposed improvements to BKH road is discussed in order to demonstrate environrmental conditions without the project 7.2 ALTERNATIVES 7.2.1 The 'no action' alternative The road improvement project will be implemented in areas which are bv all standards less developed, with households whose incomes are low and delivery of social services is poor. This state of affairs prevails in spite of the fact that the region has got a high agricultural productivity potential. Households have continued to live off the natural resource base despite their high population growth rates which has now caused resource base degradation. Deforestation, declining land productivity, high rates of soil erosion and food insecurity are some of the indicators of natural resource degradation that are evident in the project area. A major cause of this situation is poor accessibility especially bad roads. Without an improved road, the standard of living in households in the project area will continue to deteriorate which in turn will lead to further degradation of the natural resource base upon which they depend. Also, current government efforts to reduce poverty among the population may be futile in the long run if accessibility to this area remains difficult. The current trend will change positively if BKH road is upgraded and brings with it all the advantages outlined- in Chapter 5. 7.2.2 Route alternatives Throughout the length of this route, no major alternative roads are envisaged Only minor realignments of a few sharp curves will be incorporate in order to improve on the sight distances. It would not make a lot of environmental sense to consider alternative routes for an existing road because alternatives would cause more damage by opening up new areas, displacing homes and disrupting social order. Keeping as close to the existing alignment as possible on this road v oulI be the best option since negative impacts associated with upgrading an existing road are usually minimal and solvable. 7.3 CHOICE OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNICS BKH road is a primary road which connects the national road system and : ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT 5 usUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT regional capitals, main centres of population and production centres. For these reasons, two altemative pavement structures have been considered as shown below. i. Lime improved gravel base on natural gravel sub-base with double seal surface dressing. Shoulders to be of the same construction as sub-base and base layers sealed with single surface treatment. ii. Lime improved gravel base on lime improved sub-base with double seal surface dressing. Shoulders to be an extension of sub-base and base layers and sealed with single surface treatment. Type one pavement is seen as the most economic under low traffic conditions but is sustainable only in the short term, will require high level maintenance and monitoring. Early pavement rehabilitation or strengthening would also be necessary. Type two structure is superior but seems to be a bit more expensive initially and should probably be adopted. 7.4 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE The contract for the construction works should be let out as single contract in order to minimize administrative constraints and costs. It is likely that local workforce will be used for the works, with the import of skilled labour where necessarv. This will reduce the requirement for work camps and also provide the badly needed local employment. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 8.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF MITIGATION MEASURES AND COSTS 8.1 INTRODUCTION Mitigation measures recommended in the previous chapter need to be implemented in order to minimize the effects of potential adverse environmental impacts. Although responsibility was also assigned, there is need to have an independent third party to monitor the actual implementation of these measures as the project progresses. This group should also try to identify other adverse impacts which may not have been thought of during this study. At the same time, implementation of these measures and their monitoring imply that there must be some financial costs incurred in due course. Such costs have been estimated and provided. 8.2 MONITORING TEAM COMPOSITION The suggested monitoring team for implementation of mitigation measures is recommended to constitute between 4 and 8 people under the general guidance of NEMA. These people should come from district land boards, MoWHC, environment offices at the districts, respective members of LECs and any other stakeholders who are interested. Working closely with the resident engineer and local communities, the monitoring team will conduct periodic visits between pre-construction phase and just before the hand over. After the road construction, all the indirect impacts will solely be the responsibility of line departments and agencies. The local communities should be encouraged to take part in the management of their environrment because, ultimately they are the losers. 8.3 SCOPE OF WORK A number of activities will need to be closely monitored and these include: a) the compensation of all losses; b) control on the contractor; c) state of borrow pits, quarries, spoil disposal and waste management (liquid and solid); d) community relations; e) sources of energy; and f) road accidents due to construction traffic. The MoWHC will supervise the construction works to ensure that all the appropriate measures (designs, environmental, etc.) have been taken care ot according to the contract documents. The monitoring team will always repor to} MoWHC after every visit in order to ease coordination. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ¶ BUSUN.U-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 8.4 COSTS OF MITIGATION AND MONITORING As a matter of principle, costs of environmental mitigation and monitoring are just as much part of the construction process as constructing the road to the correct levels and providing scour protection for the bridges. Revegetating slopes, preventing pollution of water courses, giving compensation for land used or taken, rehabilitating borrow pits, locating and operating camps in a reasonable manner, effective disposal of spoil/wastes, and the like cannot be separated from construction works and should be part of them. In addition, most of the recommended measures are simply good engineering practice which should not be looked as 'environmental' and therefore, unnecessary costs which should be dropped or ignored. 8.4.1 Major areas of expenditure Following are the main areas where costs for mitigation and monitoring will be incurred: a) disposal of spoil especially clay from wetland areas; b) reinstatement of borrow pits, quarries and contractor's camps; c) revegetation of earthwork slopes and compensatory tree planting; d) road safety measures for speed control and accident reduction; e) road safety education and community awareness raising; f) logistics for the monitoring team; and g) compensation for loss of crops and other property plus land take. .8.4.2 Land take and loss of crops and other property Compensation should be in accordance with the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the Land Act, 1998. Reigning market values should be used in all cases and no land owner should be paid to restore his/her own land. Overall, land taken permanently and loss of property including crops will not hN so much because there are not many settlements close to the project road. An estimated cost of US$ 200,000 could be ample. Advance waming to farrnsr' and/or the affected families would greatly reduce this cost. As with temporary land take, the number of borrow pits and quarries is not 'ci known but a figure of US$ 120,000.00 would be considered. 8.4.3 Road safety education and awareness This will include a number of activities shown below with cost in US$ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT Item Cost in US $ One Month technical assistance (of Nema) 20,000 Local experts to run courses for two months 15,000 Subsistence allowance and transport costs 40,000 Equipment for training 18,000 Contingency 10% 10,000 Total for Road Safety Education 103,000 8.4.4 Compensatory tree planting To compensate for all the trees and vegetation that will have been lost during the road works, a number of trees should be planted in the road reserve and other designated areas by the local governments. Appropriate tree species should include Gravilea robusta, Terminalia superba, Casuarina equistifolia, Maesopsis eminii, Markhemia lutae and Mangifera indica among others. The implementation work should be done with members of LECs assisted by the respective Forest Departments. Estimated costs for tree planting are as shown below assuming a success rate of at least 70%. Items Cost in USS 200,000 seedlings at US$ 0.1 for 3 years (All equipment included 60,000 3 supervising agencies in respective districts for 4 months a year for 3 years at $ 300 per month 10,800 Transportation costs 12,000 Contingency 15% 12,420 Total for tree planting 95,220 8.4.5 Other costs Estimated cost for other mitigating measure are listed here below. a) Disposal of spoil US$ 320.04)) b) Revegetation of earthwork slopes US$ 50 , ut) c) Reinstatement of the borrow pits and quarries US$ 50.04Q ^ d) Reinstatement of the Contractor camp. US$ 10 , ,4J e) Road safety measures such as parking, stopping signs - road signs - guardrails US$ 800Q'.(' 8.4.6 Monitoring Costs A maximum of 8 people are considered for the monitoring team for a total 'i man days each for the whole period of road works. At an average cost of USS per man day (including allowances and transportation, per person a total ot I 64,000 will be needed. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT BUSUNJU-KIBOGA-HOIMA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT 8.4.7 Summary of Costs Item US$ Land take including property loss 320,000 Tree planting 96,000 Monitoring 64,000 Road safety education 103,000 Reinstatement of borrow areas/pits 50,000 * Reinstatement of Contractor's camps 10,000 . Disposal of spoil 320,000 * Revegetation of earthwork slopes 50,000 * Road safety measures 800,000 * Total 1,813,000 * Estimated cost already included in estimated unit rates of B.o.Q. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT