GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 11669

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, Northern Water Services Board, is proposing to construct a 15m high zoned rock fill dam of capacity 257,335.25m3 and which will submerge 6.17 hectares of Samburu National Reserve, Samburu East Sub-County in Samburu County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Water resources depletion • Catchment protection by exercising the following. • Promoting an effective water resource management program. • Initiate afforestation and agro- forestry program for soil and water conservation. • Initiate community capacity building on water management, sanitation, operation and maintenance. • Ensure that environmental flow requirements are met by releasing steady and adequate flow from the dam reservoir. Dust generation • Enclosing demolition sites. • Spraying water on dusty roads. • Covering or enclosing transportation vehicles, controlling the speed of vehicles, THE KENYA GAZETTE 9th November, 2018 3964 3964 Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures and selecting transportation routes to minimize impact on dust sensitive receivers. • Covering or watering open spoil or storage sites. • Minimizing on-site storage time of construction materials. Noise generation • No construction using heavy machinery, from 22:00 to 6:00 Hrs. near settlements and boarding schools. • Non-discretionary use of noisy machinery within 50 m of settlements and boarding schools. • Good maintenance and proper operation of construction machinery to minimize noise generation. • Installation of temporary sound barriers if necessary. • Selection of transport routes for large vehicles to avoid settlements and schools. Air pollution • Construction and equipment emissions to be kept within reasonable limits by maintaining equipment to manufacturer’s specifications. • Contractors to be encouraged to use unleaded petrol and low Sulphur diesel for all vehicles and equipment. Vegetation degradation • Temporarily-used land (e.g. during surveys, pipe laying, and vehicle- maintenance areas) will return to its original use upon completion of works. • Ensure no trees are removed, but if they are, replanting of indigenous plants and trees should be done. • Ensure the required construction period and area is as small as possible so as not to interfere with the fauna breeding periods. Soil erosion • Avoid construction during heavy rains. • Planting of conservation vegetation to control erosion and sedimentation. • The drainage facilities should be cleared periodically so as to ensure water flow. • Top soils should be stock-piled separately from subsoils. After completion of work the top soils should be spread over those areas which can be restored in order to facilitate natural regeneration. • Protective structures should be used to avoid small-scale landslides where soil erosion potential is high eg. Gabions and stable slopes. Spread of malaria and communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, STD’s • Implement HIV/AIDS prophylactic treatment through appropriate health promotion through wide distribution and promotion of condom use, improve employment opportunities for affected persons and provision of family accommodation for workers. • Where possible, employ people whose families are nearby. Ensure that water supplied is accompanied by appropriate sanitation facilities. • Provide information, education and communication about safe use of drinking water. • Environmental management for vector control, use of bed nets and repellents, focal Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures insecticide and molluscicide application, covered water storage, reduced domestic storage, functional drainage. • Work to minimize or altogether eliminate mosquito breeding sites. • Provide appropriate human and solid waste disposal facilities. • Assure a continuous water supply. Water pollution • No pollutants should be allowed to drain into water courses (this includes sewage and litter). • In case of accidental spills, well- coordinated emergency and remedial measures should be put in place. • Fencing of the dam. • Educate the local population on sanitary issues such as the use of pit latrines. • Care should be taken to minimize and manage the work area to control siltation. • Regular desilting. • Increase of ground cover. Gender imbalance in employment opportunities • Give equal opportunities for both men and women for skilled and unskilled work. • Expose and involve women in construction and maintenance activities in an effort to transfer required skills to them eg. Engineers, contractors and administrators. • Involve women groups in environmental management of the works such as construction of gabions. • Enhance gender sensitivity and reduce gender discrimination in construction activities. Take keen interest in general housekeeping of the facility with regard to steel wire. • The solid waste collection point should be paved and sheltered. • Ensure compliance with the Waste Management Regulations, Legal Notice No. 121 of 2006. Sludge disposal operations • Once pit latrines are full, the wet sludge will need to be exhausted and the dried sludge can be used as a soil conditioner in agricultural farms or disposed of into controlled dumpsites in a safe manner, preventing contamination of delivery routes and landfill sites. Environmental awareness • There is a need for increased environmental awareness among all the stakeholders, improved regulation of livestock, comprehensive environmental planning and management, and creation of local partnerships for environmental projects to address the environmental problems in the area that may directly affect the status of available water. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (b) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30521, Nairobi. 9th November, 2018 THE KENYA GAZETTE (c) County Director of Environment, Samburu County. The National Environment Management Authority invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decision making process of the plan. GEOFFREY WAHUNGU, Director-General, MR/5555266 National Environment Management Authority.