GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 11363

DRAFT STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SEA) STUDY REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED TATU CITY EXTENSION (MCHANA ESTATE) MASTER PLAN, KIAMBU COUNTY INVITATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS IN LIGHT of the provisions of section 57 A of the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA), Cap. 387, Regulations 42 and 43 of Environmental (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, Legal Notice No. 101 of 2003, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has received a Draft Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Study Report for the Proposed Tatu City Extension (Mchana Estate) Master Plan, Kiambu County. The SEA findings are expected to integrate the existing sectoral plans and programs to establish sustainable economic zone development mechanisms. Tatu City Limited is the Plan owner. Tatu City Extension (Mchana Estate) Master Plan will be a large new city redefining the quality and scale of urban development in Kenya, massively reducing congestion in central Nairobi and reverse traffic flows between the centre and Kiambu County. With living and working spaces, communities, schools and hospitals, Tatu City will help sustain and accelerate Africa's economic growth, meet the aspirations of Africa's burgeoning middle classes, and serve as a catalyst for further urban development. The specific objectives of the Master Plan are: (a) To develop a housing development with low, medium and high-density units targeting both middle and high-income earners. (b) To establish industrial development that includes light and heavy industries. (c) To develop educational institutions including pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, middle level college, research Centre and university. (d) To designate recreational and sports facilities and services providing various sports and recreational activities with public amenities such as green open spaces. (e). To provide commercial Centre and services with various and mixed-use developments. 0 To design infrastructure and utilities and services with reliable power supply network that includes renewable sources. (g) To establish a transportation system with a comprehensive road network system that includes transit and local roads. (h) To designate natural green open spaces, wetlands and water bodies. 29th November, 2019 THE KENYA GAZETTE 4707 The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Objectives are: (a) To enhance proper forward-thinking in planning and zonation of the upcoming towns in order to avert the risks and consequences of poorly planned cities. (b) To identify environmental and poverty-combating priorities and how these may be influenced by the proposed Masterplan. (c) To ensure that conservation of biodiversity is at the core of the Masterplan formulation and implementation. (d) To ensure that the proposed Masterplan is compatible with sustainable environmental planning and management. (e) To ensure the consideration of alternative Masterplan options, including the do-nothing option, at an early stage when an agency has greater flexibility. (f) To enhance the consistency of the Masterplan across different sectors including the Big Four Agenda (Enhancing Manufacturing, Food. Security and Nutrition, Universal Health Coverage, Affordable Housing). (g) To support decision-making and incorporate emerging environmental issues into sustainable development of the proposed city. (h) To identify environmental impacts and integrate mitigation measures during Masterplan formulation, and in the process, enhance environmental management. (i) To ensure the consideration of cumulative, indirect, or secondary impacts and other unintended consequences when planning multiple, diverse activities of the Masterplan. 0) To support time-efficient and cost-effective development planning by avoiding the need to reassess some issues and impacts at project level. (k) To inform decision makers by evaluating alternative options that meet the Masterplan's objective(s), while also being the best-practicable-environmental-option(s); (I) To integrate environmental principles into the development, appraisal, and selection of Masterplan's options e.g. selection of green technologies for the city. (m)To provide an early opportunity to check whether the Masterplan complies with county, national and international environmental policy and consequent legislative obligations; Key Environmental and Social Impacts and Mitigation Measures: Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Habitat alteration/loss • EIAs to be undertaken for all of agricultural land development activities. • Maintain the proposed green spaces as per the master plan. • Where clearance of natural vegetation is inevitable; ensure replacement with indigenous species in landscaped sections and other green spaces. • Formulation and implementation of a wildlife management plan in collaboration with KWS. • Ensure protection of the riparian environment and establishment of a riparian reserve management plan. • Formulation and implementation of a Biodiversity Management Plan. • Ensure all projects comply with the Environmental Management and Co- ordination (Conservation of Biological Diversity and Resources, and Access to Genetic Resources and Benefits Sharing) Regulations, 2006. High generation of • Adoption of an integrated solid waste solid and effluent management plan through a hierarchy of Proposed Mitigation Measures options that includes reduction at source, reuse, recycling, incineration, composting and land filling. • Implementation of a solid and effluent waste management plan. • Domestic, commercial and industrial waste to be managed separately. • Provide mechanisms to segregate wastes at source to enable recycling. • Provision of transfer stations from where waste will be disposed in designated areas. . • Connection to existing trunk sewers in Tatu City. • Pre-treatment of industrial effluent before discharge into sewers. • Undertake EIA for all development activities. • Conduct waste Audits annually and other statutory and non-statutory reports. • Compliance to Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Waste Management) Regulations, 2006 and (Water Quality) Regulations, 2Q06. • Implementation of Water Resources Management Plan. • Promote rainwater harvesting. • Promote recycling and reuse of water as much as possible. • Conservative water use in low volume fixtures in buildings. • Use of recycled and harvested storm water in cleaning and landscaping. • Incorporate water accounting systems and metering for all areas. • Ensure limited abstraction of river water. • Pre-treatment of all effluent before discharge into rivers. • Undertake a hydrogeological study in collaboration with WRA to determine the sustainable ground water abstraction levels. • Undertake EIA for all development activities. • Ensure all project comply to the Water Act, 2016 and Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Water Quality) Regulations, 2006. • Institution awareness programmes to conserve energy. • Energy conservation through installation/use of energy efficient appliances/fittings•. • Adoption of Green Energy Sources e.g. solar energy, waste to energy projects. • Use of green building designs that allow for passive heating and cooling, and maximum utilization of natural light in buildings. • Continually seek avenues for energy conservation as international best practices evolve. • Implementation of an Energy Possible Impacts waste from residential, commercial and industrial areas Increased demand on water sources/decline in ground water levels/pollution of rivers and earth dams Increased energy demand Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Management Plan. • Carry out energy audits and ensure all projects comply with the Energy Act, 2019 and its subsidiary legislations. • Undertake EIA for all development activities. Environmental pollution/landscape changes • Ensure adequate tree cover and gardens -within developed areas to provide shade and cooling effect. • Ensure adequate drainage of the site through drainage works. • Ensure vegetation cover (trees and shrubs) as buffers between land-uses. • Enforcement of pollution control measures for air, water and soil pollution sources. • Tarmacking all major roads to enhance movement in all-weather and to avoid dust generation. • Ensure a good connection between spine roads, the Thika Superhighway, Northern and Eastern bypasses. • Provision of adequate vehicular circulation space and parking areas. • Provision of pedestrian walkways along all roads within the development. • Paving all pedestrian walkways with robust, durable, and non-slippery materials. • Provision of all necessary street furniture along all roads within the development to accommodate users (including the disabled, elderly, and children) and to enhance security. • Provision of bollards in appropriate areas to prevent vehicles from encroaching into the pedestrian domains. • Provision of streetlights to provide sufficient light for both pedestrian areas and carriage ways. • Provision of trees along pedestrian walkways for shading and that require minimum maintenance; preferably indigenous for ecological and cultural advantages. • Ensure Installation and maintenance of all construction signs, signals, markings, and other devices used to regulate traffic, including posted speed limits, warnings of sharp turns, or other special road conditions. • Development and implementation of a traffic management plan and compliance to Traffic Act, 2014. • Use of renewable sources of energy. • Retention of green spaces/landscaped spaces as carbon sinks. • Adoption of green buildings technology. • Adoption of efficient transport system. • Continually seek for adoption clean energy. • Annual air quality monitoring. • Ensure compliance of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Air Quality) Regulations, 2014. Possible Impacts Proposed Mitigation Measures Socio-economic • Maximize the recruitment of locals where concerns . possible. • Develop community awareness programmes to enhance cohesion between project employees and the local community. • Consult with the public and the locals during implementation of proposed developments. • Sensitize coffee workers about the proposed mixed-use development and allow for smooth transition. • Develop and implement a Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP) for the coffee workers whose-career will be affected during implementation of the proposed Tatu City Extension (Mchana Estate) master plan. • Undertake EIA for all development activities. The full Draft Strategic Environmental Assesssment Study report for the proposed Tatu City Expansion (Mchana Estate) Master Plan, Kiambu County, is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, NHIF Building, 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, Kiambu 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. MAMO B. MAMO, Ag. Director-General, MR/044087 National Environment Management Authority.