GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 3267

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, proposes to construct a 217 km road from Baragoi Centre to North Horr Centre across Samburu and Marsabit Counties. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures Noise pollution and • Sensitize drivers of construction vehicles excessive vibrations and machinery operators to switch off engines or machinery that are not being used. • Ensure that all vehicles and construction machinery are kept in good condition all the time. • Ensure that all workers wear ear muffs and other personal protective gear/equipment when working in noisy sections. • Undertake loud noise and vibration level activities between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Air Pollution due to • Sprinkling of water on dry and dusty dust generation and surfaces regularly including the access air emissions roads and construction site. • Adherence to personal protective clothing such as dust masks. • Enforce onsite speed limit regulations. Solid waste generation • Maximizing the rate of recycling of road resurfacing waste either in the aggregate or as a base. • Incorporating recyclable materials to reduce the volume and cost of new asphalt Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures and concrete mixes. • Contracting of a licensed waste and hazardous waste handler to collect and appropriately dispose wastes from camp sites and road litter. • Managing sediment and sludge removed from storm drainage systems maintenance activities as a hazardous or non-hazardous waste based on an assessment of its characteristics. • Management of all removed paint materials suspected or confirmed of containing lead as a hazardous waste. • Grinding of removed, old road surface material and re-use in paving, or stockpiling the reclaim for road bed. Construct communal septic tank linked to a constructed wetland system. Promote recycling of wastewater in construction activities. • Ensure wastewater is channeled and treated in sewerage plants or disposed in septic tanks. • Ensure regular maintenance of plumbing system to avoid spillage of wastewater. • Discharge of partially treated sewage into septic tanks. Modification of • Control excessive abstraction of water hydrology of ASALs from rivers, laggas and Lake Turkana. • Avoid complete blockage of river channels during construction of bridges and culverts. • Re-open all blocked river channels after construction of bridges. • Quarries and pits for extraction of road construction materials to be used as water harvesting sites. • Surface runoff should be channelled in areas with gentle slopes to avoid erosion of the road sides. • Construct over passes and bridges in areas occupied by rivers and wetlands. Loss of vegetation • Siting roads and support facilities to cover, wildlife and avoid critical terrestrial habitat by biodiversity utilizing existing transport corridors. • Design and construct wildlife access to avoid or minimize habitat fragmentation. • Minimize clearing and disruption of riparian vegetation. • Minimize removal of indigenous plant species and replant indigenous plant species in disturbed areas. • Explore opportunities for habitat enhancement Spread of STD, HIV • Develop a comprehensive STDS, HIV and AIDS and AiDs control programme. • Control of prostitution in main towns situated along the proposed road in collaboration with the Police and County Governments. • Provision of STDs, HIV and AIDS prevention measures to workers. Discharge of • Wastewater, sewage and degradation of water quality • 9th April, 2021 THE KENYA GAZE11E 1611 Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures • Creation of awareness of STDs, HIV/AIDS in workers camps. Interference of existing • Compensate for the relocation of other development infrastructural public utilities already infrastructure existing along the proposed road corridor such as power lines, water. • Undertake an integrated system of planning for infrastructure development along the corridor for future developments. • Ensure effective stakeholder participation in the design of the road. Cultural changes • Provide community awareness programmes. • Develop programmes to enhance cohesion between project employees and the local community. • Comply with defined national or local cultural heritage regulations and provisions of World Bank Physical Cultural Resources. • Consult with the affected Communities to identify cultural heritage of importance, and to incorporate into the client's decision-making process the views of the affected Communities on such cultural heritage. Gender discrimination • Apply gender Kenya constitutional requirements throughout the project. • Apply all guidelines under the National Gender and Equality Commission Act, 2011. • Undertake gender mainstreaming at project design, implementation/ construction, operation and decommissioning stages. • Incorporate best practices in gender mainstreaming from project partners. Occupational health • Development of a transportation and safety management plan for road construction that includes measures to ensure work zone safety. • Use protective barriers to shield workers from traffic vehicles, regulation of traffic flow by warning lights, design of the work space to eliminate or decrease blind spots, and ensure reduction of maximum vehicle speeds in work zones. • Training of workers in safety issues related to their activities and proper use of PPEs. • Elevating platforms should be maintained and operated according to established safety procedures including use of fall protection measures (e.g. railings). • Maintenance of work vehicles and machinery to minimize air emissions. Degradation of borrow • All borrow/quarry areas will be refilled, and quarry areas re-vegetated and landscaped. In case it is not done, then such areas will be cordoned with barbed wire fence, with warning signs or be harnessed to form water pans or earth dams for the local community and wildlife. • Prior investigation /assessments on the drainage and other environmental aspects Possible Impacts Mitigation Measures should be conducted according to the specifications of the authorities. • Borrow pits and quarries should be located far from the settlements on degraded and barren areas, riverbeds, and wastelands selected through community consultation. • Ensure maximum use of existing quarries, already in operations. Sexual • Conduct awareness and educational exploitation/child programmes to workers and minors on the abuse issue of sexual exploitation and child abuse. • Provide hotlines for the reporting of such cases. • Ensure that stem action is taken for offenders found to have committed sexual exploitation. • Employ adults (18 and over) provided with a national identity card. Gender based violence • Financial management training should be conducted to the PAPs and the employees. • Have separate latrines for different genders. • Provide a communication line to report such cases. Risk of spread of • Reduce open gaps in road reserves by invasive species planting appropriate tree species suitable for highway or road side tree planting. • Monitor composition of species regenerating along road reserves and take prompt actions in case of emergence of invasive species. Loss of human and • Provide a side road parallel to the animal life due to proposed tarmacked road for use by locals increased road during transportation of livestock. accidents • Maintain pedestrian and livestock crossing points with foot bridges key areas like near the villages and towns. • Maintain parking areas and bus stops for trucks. • Conduct road safety sensitization programmes. • Carry out Risk Assessment to identify risk areas and provide appropriate prevention measures. 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, Marsabit and Samburu Counties. 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. MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/1943716 National Environment Management Authority.