GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 2615

PURSUANT to section 59 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act, 1999, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. The proponent, Raj Kirankumar Shah proposes to establish a horticultural farm which will involve propagation of fruit trees, herbs and spices for local consumption and commercial export. The proposed project shall have the setting up horticultural plots for propagation of fruit trees, construction of an office building (ground floor, offices and storage area), senior staff quarters comprising of seven bedroom house, three bedroom house and 16No. rooms junior staff quarters, well designed drainage system, water treating plant system, solid waste handling disposing facilities, a perimeter fence, adequate parking space, guard house, other associated facilities and amenities on plot L.R. No. Kajiado/Mailua/1579 in Lumbwa, Mailua Area, Kajiado Central Sub-county, Kajiado County. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Mitigation Measures Changes in hydrology/ impended drainage • Proper installation of drainage structures. • Install cascades to break the impact of water flowing in the drains. • Ensure efficiency of drainage structures through proper design and maintenance. • Provide gratings to the drainage channels. • Regular checks on any sludge along drainage channels. • Using materials that mimic natural percolation of water. • Landscaping to ensure there are areas where water will percolate underground. • Constructing proper drains and monitoring them to ensure there are no blockages. This also includes ensuring the size of the drains can accommodate storm flows during the rainy season. Loss of soil resources/Soil erosion • Control earthworks. • Rehabilitate degraded environment to avoid siltation and wash offs. • Compact loose soils. • Ensure management of excavation activities. • Control construction activities especially during rainy conditions. • Provide soil erosion control and conservation structures where necessary. • Proper disposal of excavated loose soil. • Increase vegetation cover to contain loose soils from being eroded. Impacts Mitigation Measures • Control surface and storm water runoff. • Excavated soils should be controlled and properly disposed to avoid blocking of storm water drainage system and subsequent soil erosion. • Preserve native vegetation buffers. • Use contour farming and terraces to reduce soil erosion. • Apply organic fertilizers and practice crop rotation to maintain soil fertility. • Build small rock barriers across slopes to slow water flow and capture soil particles. Air pollution through dust and gaseous emissions • Control speed and operation of construction vehicles. • Prohibit idling of vehicles. • Water should be sprayed during the construction phase on excavated areas. • Regular maintenance of construction plant and equipment. • Proper use of PPEs. • Sprinkling of water on exposed soil surface to minimize the generation of dust. • Adequate irrigation. • Regular servicing and maintenance of farm machinery. • Turning off engines when farm machines are not in use. • Plant trees or hedges around the farm to reduce wind speed and trap dust particles. • Adopt no-till or minimum-till farming practices to avoid disturbing the soil and generating airborne particles. • Piles and heaps of soil should not be left over after land preparation is completed. • Scouting, spot spraying and integrated pest management. • Avoid open burning of organic or plastic waste. • Adopt no-till or minimum-till farming practices to avoid disturbing the soil and generating airborne particles. • Reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. Noise pollution • Sensitize drivers of construction machinery on effects of noise. • Construction activities to be restricted to daytime. • Workers in the vicinity of/ involved in high- level noise to wear respective safety and protective gear i.e. earplugs and earmuffs. • Appropriate selection of machinery / equipment. Contamination of water resources (surface and underground waters) • Adopt efficient irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation. • Ensure proper disposal of wastewater and prevent runoff into natural water bodies. • Conduct regular water quality testing to prevent contamination. • Create farm ponds or reservoirs to capture and store surface runoff for later use. THE KENYA GAZETTE 28th February, 2025 Impacts Mitigation Measures • Add organic matter, such as compost or manure, to improve soil structure and water retention capacity. • Management of water usage. Avoid unnecessary wastage especially at the car washing bay. • Recycling of water during construction phase where possible. • Use of water conservation signs at the wash rooms and install water conserving taps. • Avoid excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides to prevent water contamination. • Install sediment traps or vegetative buffers to control runoff. • Align planting schedules with rainfall patterns to maximize the use of rainfall. • Recycle water from the WWTP if it meets the required standard. Public health and OHS risks • Ensure proper solid waste disposal and collection facilities. • Provide proper sanitary facilities for construction workers. • Ensure effective wastewater/liquid effluent management. • Design of sewerage system should be as provided in the plans. • Workers should be trained on occupational health and safety and First aid administration. • Employing an EHS/OSH plan. • Provision of PPEs to all personnel working in potentially hazardous areas or with potentially hazardous equipment. • Replacing the PPEs on wear and tear. • Placing readable signs alerting people of hazardous areas such as slippery floors. • Providing fire-fighting equipment and maintaining them to ensure they are fully functional. Increased pressure on utilities • Employing water conservation techniques and only using the required amounts of water to prevent wastage. • Employing power saving techniques such as switching off equipment when not in use, using natural light whenever possible. • Using machines with power saving technologies i.e. high efficiency equipment. • Promptly detect and repair water pipes and tank leaks. • Make use of rain water to reduce over reliance on borehole water. • Regularly testing the quality of borehole water. • Ensuring the water ponds are debris free treated and fit for use. Increased traffic congestion • Placing signs around the site notifying other vehicles about the heavy traffic and to set the speed limit around the site. • Ensuring all drivers for the project comply to speed regulations. • Ensuring all vehicles used for the project are in good working condition both legally and commensurate to their intended use. Impacts Mitigation Measures • Erecting visible and clear signs to control the movement of vehicles in and out of the farm. • Making sure the proposed horticultural farm doesn’t occupy the road reserves and complying with road and land demarcation obligations. Population influx • Workers to be issued with jobs cards to monitor their movements in the site area. • Only authorized personnel should be allowed into the site. • Presence of a work registry book where workers sign in and out. • Educating the workers on proper sanitation methods. • Sensitizing the workers on HIV/AIDS. Solid waste management • Following EMCA regulations on Waste Management, Legal Notice 121. • Using waste minimization techniques such as buying in bulk. • Making available suitable facilities for the collection, segregation and safe disposal of the wastes. • Creating waste collection areas with clearly marked facilities such as color coded bins and providing equipment for handling the wastes. The bins should be coded for plastics, rubber, organics, glass, timber, metals etc. • Ensuring all wastes are dumped in their designated areas and through legally acceptable methods and that the bins are regularly cleaned and disinfected. • Ensuring bins are protected from rain and animals. • Contract a licensed waste handler for solid waste management. • Develop a waste collection and management plan for the farm. • Practice the 5Rs of waste management to reduce waste and increase sustainability. Climate change risks/impacts • Advocating for the use of other renewable sources of energy such as solar energy. • Use of clean fuels. • Landscaping the site with indigenous species of plants. • Using efficient equipment that emit little or no waste. • Replace fossil energy sources. • Carry out energy audits as required by law. • Use renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, where possible. • Optimize machinery use and upgrade to energy-efficient models. • Monitor and report energy usage to track reductions in emissions. • Minimize the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. • Incorporate agroforestry to sequester carbon. • Collect and store rainwater to reduce dependency on groundwater. 28th February, 2025 THE KENYA GAZETTE Impacts Mitigation Measures • Diversify crops and plant climate-resilient varieties. • Enroll in agricultural insurance to protect against climate-induced losses. Loss of biodiversity/ vegetation • Establish biodiversity banks. • Ensure proper demarcation of the project area to ensure minimal disturbance of flora and fauna and to avoid spillover effects on the neighboring areas. • Plant native species as windbreaks or hedgerows. • Avoid using harmful agrochemicals to protect pollinators and wildlife. • Retain or create natural vegetation buffers around the farm to provide habitats for fauna. • Use efficient irrigation systems to maintain water bodies that support aquatic life. • Monitor and manage the presence of invasive species. • Eliminate or minimize the use of pesticides harmful to pollinators. Socio-cultural impacts • Integrating Equal Opportunity Principles in Procurement and human resource policies. • Promoting social cohesion and integration among people in the area. • Allowing employees to form social groups and networks that build social capital. Cultural and social considerations • Identify and protect cultural heritage sites near the farm. • Incorporate local knowledge and practices into farm management. • Promote educational programs about horticulture for local communities. Oil pollution • All servicing and maintenance of farm machinery must be done at the designated garage. • Oil interceptors must be provided to minimize the occurrence of such accidental spills. • Proper storage of oils and fuels. • Maintain plant and equipment to avoid leaks. • Use sealed, leak-proof, and labeled containers for oil storage. • Educate workers on proper oil handling, storage, and spill prevention practices. • Train staff on how to respond to spills and manage contaminated areas. Protection of poisonous substances/ products • All poisonous chemicals to be properly stored and issued only to the people authorized to use them and only in the required quantities. • Label all poisonous chemicals to reduce the chances of ingestion. • All people manning the chemical stores must wear adequate PPEs. • All chemical stores must be always under key and lock. 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, Kajiado County. A copy of the report can be downloaded at www.nema.go.ke The National Environment Management Authority invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decision making process regarding this project. Comments can also be e-mailed to dgnema@nema.go.ke MAMO B. MAMO, Director-General, MR/6508755 National Environment Management.