EMP Guide
EMP Guide
EMP Guide
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
CSIR
Division of Water Environment and Forestry Technology
DATE:
May 2002
Executive Summary
These guidelines for standardised Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) have been
developed as part of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestrys (DWAF) initiative to
ensure that Integrated Environmental Management principles are implemented within the
Departments functions. The purpose of this initiative is to ensure compliance with
environmental legislation and to promote sustainable environmental practice.
DWAF: Water Resource Management propose to standardise the EMPs that will be required
by the new Integrated Environmental Management Regulations which are currently being
developed by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. The EMPs will be
produced by DWAF project managers in certain cases (in-house projects), or the contractors
and their environmental consultants in other cases. Guidelines on what DWAF require in the
EMPs will enable the efficient
production of these
plans. By standardising the EMPs, review and information finding within the plans will be
made easier and the efficient monitoring of EMP implementation will be facilitated. These
guidelines are therefore, applicable to all DWAF staff, specifically those involved in Water
Resource Management, who:
develop terms of reference for projects;
approve project proposals from consultants;
commission contracts with consultants; and
monitor project implementation;
In addition, these guidelines are designed to assist those parties involved in the project
implementation and operational phases of DWAF Water Resource Management funded
projects. Relevant parties include the:
project planning team;
consulting engineers;
contractors and sub-contractors;
environmental consultants and sub-consultants and
affected parties.
The guidelines begin by providing basic background information on Integrated Environmental
Management in DWAF as well as the current and expected legislation requiring the
implementation of EMPs. Then information on generic guidelines for the development of an
EMP, as required by DWAF, is provided. This chapter provides a brief explanation of each of
the sections that should be included in the contents of an EMP and is the crux of the
guideline document. Finally, a brief description is provided of the most common generic
impacts with regard to Water Resource Management projects and activities and the required
generic mitigation measures.
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Glossary
To assist with the understanding of this guideline, commonly used terms relevant to
Environmental Management Plans and to DWAF projects are described.
Approved Professional Person
. Also referred to as the project manager in this document.
Auditing
A systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of how well the environmental
management plan is performing with the aim of helping to safeguard the environment by:
facilitating management control of which would include meeting regulatory requirements.
Authority
National, regional or local authority, that has a decision-making role or interest in the
development.
Compensation
Trade-offs between different parties affected by the proposed development to the mutual
satisfaction of all concerned parties.
Contractor
Individual and/or company responsible for the construction activities, the related activities
and the implementation of the environmental management plan. In the case where DWAF is
the Contractor, the Resident Engineer will be addressed as the Contractor. Otherwise, the
Contractor is a private contractor qualified to Tender for DWAF projects.
Contractors representative
Person on the site representing the Contractor who is knowledgeable in environmental
issues and is responsible for the implementation of the findings of the environmental plan.
ii
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
iii
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Environmental Risk
The probability of a prescribed undesirable effect. Risks result from the existence of a hazard
and uncertainty about its expression (Suter, 1993).
Environmental Target
Detailed requirement against which performance may be assessed, quantified where
practicable, arising from an environmental objective and that needs to be met in order to
achieve the associated objective. A target against which performance can be assessed.
Interested and Affected Party (I&AP)
Individuals or groups concerned with, or affected by, an activity and its consequences. These
include the authorities, local communities, investors, work force, customers and consumers,
environmental interest groups and the general public (DEAT, 1998).
Mitigation
Measures designed to avoid, reduce or remedy adverse impacts (DEAT, 1998).
Monitoring
The repetitive and continued observation, measurement and evaluation of environmental
criteria to follow changes over a period of time and to assess the efficiency of control
measures (DEAT, 1998).
Preventative Action
A predetermined action to address potential problems before they develop into situations
which would be contrary to the requirements of the EMP. Preventative action is most often
determined from the results of monitoring and audits during management review.
Project Appraisal
The collection and evaluation of detailed information concerning a proposed project, usually
to assess risk associated with it.
Pollution
The residue of human activity which adversely affects the next user or environmental
resource.
Significant impact
An impact that has crossed the threshold of significance.
Site specific investigation
An assessment or evaluation of the impact of the proposed development on the immediate
environment.
Acknowledgements
These guidelines were produced with input from a number of Department of Water Affairs
and Forestry staff members, both within the national office and provincial offices.
Representatives from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism also provided
comments on the document. All those who participated in the mini-workshops and the
stakeholder workshop or provided comment on draft versions of the guidelines are thanked
for their contribution.
iv
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ I
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................. II
GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................. II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.....................................................................................................IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................................................V
TABLE 4.1: GENERIC BIOPHYSICAL IMPACTS AND ASSOCIAT ED GENERIC
MITIGATION MEASURES. ......................................................................................................VI
TABLE 4.2: GENERIC SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND ASSOCIATED GENERIC
MITIGATION MEASURES. ......................................................................................................VI
1.
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.5.1
1.5.2
1.5.3
1.5.4
1.6
2.
3.
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
3.3.5
SUMMARY OF THE POSITIVE IMPACTS ..................................................................19
3.3.6
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIONS REQUIRED TO ENHANCE THE POSITIVE IMPACTS19
3.3.7
COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENT MEASURES ..................................................................19
3.3.8
COST ESTIMATES OF MITIGATION MEASURES ......................................................20
3.3.9
DESCRIPTION OF THE MONITORING PROGRAMME................................................21
3.3.10 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS : ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ........................22
3.3.11 TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS............................................23
3.3.12 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED ...........................................23
3.3.13 IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE ...............................................................................24
3.3.14 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED ...............................24
3.3.15 DOCUMENTATION, RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES ................25
3.4
AUDITING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.....26
3.5
TRANSLATION OF EMP REQUIREMENTS INTO TENDER DOCUMENTS FOR SUBCONSULTANTS ..........................................................................................................27
3.6
CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN SHOULD BE
REVISED....................................................................................................................28
3.7
CONSIDERATION OF DEPARTMENTAL DOCUMENTATION DURING THE DEVELOPMENT
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.....................29
4.
4.1
5.
Table 3.1:
Table 4.1:
Table 4.2:
vi
1.
Introduction
1.1
In 1989 the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) formulated the departmental
procedures for applying the IEM process. Since then DWAF has endeavoured to apply
elements of Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) to the Departments development
projects. These procedures were amended to ensure compliance with the National IEM
Guideline Series of 1992.
Recent South African environmental legislative developments (refer to Chapter 3 of the
Environmental Management Framework (DWAF,2002a)) have necessitated the updating
and alignment of DWAFs 1995 IEM procedures with international trends and the current
national environmental assessment and management requirements.
The need for integrated and overarching Departmental IEM procedures is strengthened by
the overlapping environmental considerations of several Departmental policies, guidelines
and regulations.
DWAF has proactively addressed these needs by initiating a five-phase project entitled
Revision of the Integrated Environmental Management and Development of an
Environmental Management Framework within DWAF. The first phase of this project
includes developing these guidelines for standardised EMPs for use by the Departments
Water Resource Management Branch. The remaining phases will focus on implementation,
application and capacity building.
In addition to the fact that not all DWAF projects have, or implement, an EMP, there is
currently no standard format for EMPs. However, a generic EMP has recently been
developed for DWAF Northern Province Regional Office (DWAF 2001). This document
describes how generally occurring negative environmental impacts will be managed,
rehabilitated and monitored and positive impacts maximised.
1.2
This guideline document has been developed as part of DWAFs initiative to ensure that IEM
principles are implemented within the Departments functions, in order to ensure compliance
with environmental legislation and to promote sustainable environmental practice.
DWAF: Water Resource Management propose to standardise the EMPs that will be required
by the new IEM Regulations. The EMPs will be produced by DWAF project managers in
certain cases (in-house projects), or the contractors and their environmental consultants in
other cases. Guidelines on what DWAF require in the EMPs will enable the efficient
production of these EMPs. By standardising the EMPs, review and information finding within
the plans will be made easier and the efficient monitoring of EMP implementation will be
facilitated.
1.3
Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) are important tools that bridge the gap between
the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the implementation of the
project, particularly with regard to implementing the mitigation measures recommended in
the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and then monitoring, auditing and taking corrective
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
actions during their implementation. An EMP is typically drawn up after an EIA or SEA and is
implemented during the construction phase and in some cases, such as in the mining
industry, throughout the project lifecycle up to and including decommissioning. An EMP
allocates responsibility, resources and deadlines to each of the actions. An EMP must detail
actions to ensure compliance with regulatory bodies and that environmental performance is
verified through information on impacts as they occur.
An EMP must:
define the various measures to be taken during the life of a project (pre-construction,
construction, operation and decommissioning) in order to enhance positive and minimise
adverse environmental effects and meet the performance specifications;
allocate responsibilities.
EMP implementation is a cyclical process that converts mitigation measures into actions and
through cyclical monitoring, auditing, review and corrective action, ensures conformance with
stated EMP aims and objectives.
An EMP must respond to unforeseen events and changes in project implementation that
were not considered in the EIA. Through monitoring and auditing, feedback for continual
improvement in environmental performance must be provided and corrective action taken to
ensure that the EMP remains effective.
The objectives of an EMP should include (Hill, 2000):
ensuring that there is sufficient allocation of resources so that the scale of EIA followup activities is consistent with the significance of project impacts;
Environmental management, in terms of the current IEM guidelines, EIA regulations and
environmental legislation, generally operates in the following manner and sequence:
1)
The EIA, a regulatory requirement for specified activities, takes place during the
project planning and design phases and strives to identify potential project impacts for
which appropriate impact mitigation measures are devised.
2)
The EMP, although not a requirement enforced by DEAT, may be requested by the
authorities as a condition of the Record of Decision, in support of the EIA and is
commonly carried out during the project construction phase. The EMP may
sometimes continue into the operational phase depending on the nature of the
project. The EMP strives to convert the mitigation measures into actions for
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
3)
These three tools (EIA, EMP and EMS) essentially compliment each other in a variety of
ways and overlap with regards to many of their principles, objectives and requirements. The
associations between the three tools may be described as the EIA predicting potential
impacts, the EMP managing the impacts and the EMS providing an overarching framework
for managing the EIA and EMP and which requires the EIA and EMP for its implementation.
The critical link in terms of developing an EMP is the information that precedes it, or feeds
into it. The key source of this information is the Environmental Assessment (EA), which has
to date usually been the EIA, and it is therefore essential that the EA is undertaken to a
sufficiently detailed level, ensuring that relevant, accurate and appropriate information on
impacts and mitigation is fed through to the EMP. It is important to note that an EA may not
necessarily have been completed for a project or activity requiring an EMP. This does not
alter the importance of the need for information essential to the EMP.
The EMP is compiled during the fifth phase of the project life cycle (Detailed Design phase)
according to Figure 1 (Figure 3 in the Department Environmental Management Framework
(EMF) (DWAF, 2002a)). The EMP is implemented in the sixth and seventh phases,
monitoring and auditing occurring during the seventh phase according to the EMP. During
the next, and last, phase of the project life cycle the EMP requirements for decommissioning,
rehabilitation and monitoring are implemented. Figure 1 of the EMF indicates where the
EMP, as an Environmental Assessment and Management Tool, fits within the overall
framework.
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
EA
LEGEND
PROJECT LIFECYCLE
PROJECT IDENTIFICATION
SCREENING
PROJECT TYPE & LEGISLATION
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY
APPROPRIATE EA TOOL
EMP requirements
for decomm.,
rehab. &
monitoring
implemented
8
EMS
ENGINEERING PHASES
IEM
PROJECT APPROVAL
RECORD OF DECISION
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
CONCEPTION TO
PLANNING &
DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION TO
DECOMMISSIONING &
REHABILITATION
DETAILED DESIGN,
ENGINEERING, TENDER,
CONTRACTOR SELECTION &
APPOINTMENT
APPRAISAL & CHANGES
DETAILED DESIGN OF EMP
INCORPORATION OF SM&RS
IMPLEMENTATION
CONSTRUCTION &
COMMISSIONING
EMP TRAINING & CAPACITY
BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
EMP IMPLEMENTATION
EMP compiled
EMP finalised
5
EMP implementation
6
OPERATION & MAINTENANCE
EXPANSION & MODIFICATION
OPERATIONAL PHASE
EMP IMPLEMENTATION
MONITORING,
AUDITING & REVIEW
Figure 1:
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
1.5
1.5.1
Prior to the South African EIA Regulations (Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism, 1998), EIAs were undertaken on a voluntary basis by certain large projects that
were typically the focus of considerable public concern and controversy.
Integrated Environmental Management Procedure Guideline documents were produced by
the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) in 1992. These guidelines
emphasised cradle-to-grave environmental management, particularly impact management.
However, the 1997 EIA Regulations focus on the role of EIA in decision-making (compulsory
EIAs for specified activities), and do not consider project implementation. This may be due
to the fact that the regulations were promulgated under Section 21 of the Environmental
Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989), which predates the 1992 IEM guidelines (Hill, 2000).
Given the current focus of EIA ending at the project approval phase, there is a clear need for
both the EIA regulations and the environmental legislation to be aligned with South African
IEM principles and requirements for sustainable development.
Subsequent to the EIA Regulations, the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of
1998) (NEMA) has been promulgated. Currently, NEMA makes only limited reference to EIA
follow-up, and therefore EMP requirements, in the chapter on IEM (Chapter 5). However, the
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) is in the process of updating
NEMA and developing new IEM Regulations. According to preliminary discussions with
DEAT, it is envisaged that these Regulations will require the development of EMPs for all
projects. This is discussed further in section 1.5.4 below.
Currently, Section 24(1) of NEMA imposes the obligation that proponents of all
developments, projects and activities that may impact on the environment, undertake an
assessment of environmental & social impacts. Section 3(a) states that the required
assessment must take place in accordance with procedures complying with subsection 24
(7), which requires an:
(c)
and:
(f)
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
While this Section is currently not enforced by DEAT, DWAF should take this requirement
into account and apply it for all their projects and activities. DEAT is, however, currently
revising Chapter 5 of NEMA, while also drafting national IEM Regulations to assist
compliance. It is envisaged that these Regulations will require that EMPs be developed for
all development projects. Figure 2 provides a flow diagram of the process expected to be
required in the new IEM Regulations (pers. comm, P Lazarus). Once these Regulations
have been promulgated, all projects that are approved will either be approved subject to
implementation of (i) a mini-EMP; or (ii) a comprehensive EMP, for projects in more sensitive
areas or with more substantial significant negative impacts. Therefore, all DWAF projects
that are proposed for environmentally sensitive areas will require a comprehensive EMP.
Incorporating EMPs as a follow-on part of the EA process, will help to ensure that
environmental objectives and targets are met and maintained. In particular, the EMP will
strengthen the current process by addressing schedules, resources (manpower, financial
and equipment), responsibilities, methods and procedures for post EIA decision
implementation (Pero, 2001).
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Activities within
environmentally sensitive
environments
New activities
Application
Screening Report
Environmental Authority Review
No or little
impact
ROD
Further investigation
necessary
No go
ROD
Public
participation
Public
participation
Environmental
Authorisation
Refusal of
Environmental
Authorisation
Appeal
Appeal
Environmental Assessment
Report with mini environment
management plan (EMP)
Public
participation
Public participation
Environmental Authority
Review
ROD
ROD
ROD
Environmental Authorisation in
accordance with mini EMP
Refusal of Environmental
Authorisation
Appeal
Appeal
Public
participation
Compliance reports
Environmental
Authority review
Environmental Management
Plan
Ongoing
Environmental Authority Review
ROD
ROD
Environmental Authorisation in
accordance with EMP
Refusal of Environmental
Authorisation
Appeal
Appeal
Compliance reports
Ongoing
Environmental
Authority review
Figure 2:
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
1.5.3
The following NEMA principles should guide (i) any actions by DWAF that may significantly
affect the environment; (ii) decisions concerning the protection of the environment; and of
particular relevance: (iii) development of environmental management plans.
Sec. 2 (2) Environmental management must place people and their needs at the forefront
of its concern, and serve their physical, psychological, developmental, cultural and
social interests equitably.
(3)
(4)(a) Sustainable development requires the consideration of all relevant factors including
the following:
(i)
disturbance of ecosystems and loss of biological diversity are avoided, or,
where they cannot be altogether avoided, are minimised and remedied;
(ii)
pollution and degradation of the environment are avoided, or, where they
cannot be altogether avoided, are minimised and remedied;
(iii)
disturbance of landscapes and sites that constitute the nation's cultural
heritage is avoided, or where it cannot be altogether avoided, is minimised
and remedied;
(iv)
waste is avoided, or where it cannot be altogether avoided, minimised and reused or recycled where possible and otherwise disposed of in a responsible
manner;
(v)
use and exploitation of non-renewable natural resources is responsible and
equitable, and takes into account the consequences of the depletion of the
resource;
(vi)
development, use and exploitation of renewable resources and the
ecosystems of which they are part do not exceed the level beyond which their
integrity is jeopardised;
(vii)
risk-averse and cautious approach is applied, which takes into account the
limits of current knowledge about the consequences of decisions and actions;
and
(viii)
negative impacts on the environment and on people's environmental rights be
anticipated and prevented, and where they cannot be altogether prevented,
are minimised and remedied.
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
(f)
(g)
Decisions must take into account the interests, needs and values of all interested and
affected parties, and this includes recognising all forms of knowledge, including
traditional and ordinary knowledge.
(h)
(i)
(j)
The right of workers to refuse work that is harmful to human health or the
environment and to be informed of dangers must be respected and protected.
(k)
(l)
(m)
(n)
(o)
The environment is held in public trust for the people, the beneficial use of
environmental resources must serve the public interest and the environment must be
protected as the people's common heritage.
(p)
(q)
The vital role of women and youth in environmental management and development
must be recognised and their full participation therein must be promoted.
(r)
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Activities currently listed in the Section 21 of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 (Act
73 of 1989) which will probably have a detrimental effect on the environment, require an EIA.
Those listed activities which DWAF might be involved in include:
land use and transformation, such as construction of dams;
water use and disposal, such as water resource and service management;
transportation, such as bulk transport of water (pipelines);
chemical treatment, such as purification works; and
waste disposal and sanitation, as at all construction sites.
In the revised NEMA Chapter five and the IEM Regulations, it is expected that activities
which will require an EA are those that will take place in sensitive environments, or that may
have a substantial detrimental effect on the environment, and therefore require
environmental authorisation by the Minister, MEC or municipality. The list of activities
requiring a mandatory EA, will change at all three levels of government. It will be important
for DWAF, operating across these three levels of government, to keep abreast of the new
listings. All other activities, also referred to as unlisted activities, are regulated by section 25
of NEMA, which provides a framework in terms of which of these unlisted activities require an
EA.
1.5.5
The National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998), which is administered by DWAF, and to which is
bound by its provisions, has three main principles: equity in access to water; optimal
beneficial use of water; and sustainability. These three principles must be taken into account
when conducting the impact assessment of an EA for a project and particularly when
developing and EMP. Therefore, it is clear that not only biophysical, but also social and
economic sectors of the environment must be considered, and negative impacts on these
sectors mitigated in the EMP.
1.6
This document has been written according to the CSIR/DWAF agreed Terms of Reference
(ToR) detailed in CSIR Environmenteks revised proposal Revision of the Integrated
Environmental Management Procedures and Development of an Environmental
Management Framework within the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry submitted to
the DWAF on 8 August 2001 and approved by the DWAF on 5 September 2001. The ToR
require the CSIR to provide the DWAF Directorate: Social and Ecological Services (SES)
10
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
with guidelines for standardised EMPs for all DWAF projects, with the emphasis on the
projects and activities undertaken by the Water Resource Management Branch of DWAF.
11
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
2.
Users guide
2.1
An EMP can take any number of formats, include information for certain sections to varying
degrees and present the requirements in different ways. While the format needs to suit the
circumstances of the project for which the EMP is developed and the requirements that it is
designed to meet, the format of EMPs produced for DWAF projects should, to a large extent,
be standardised. This will facilitate the review of the EMP and information finding within the
plan as well as facilitate the monitoring of the implementation of the required mitigation
measures.
These guidelines serve as a management tool to assist DWAF staff, at a strategic level, to
assess EMPs that are submitted for review and approval. They will also assist the project
managers, and others involved in developing the EMPs, to understand what DWAFs
minimum requirements are for EMPs in terms of their environmental management policy as
well as the requirements by law.
2.2
These guidelines are applicable to all DWAF staff, specifically those in the Water Resource
Management branch, who:
develop Terms of Reference for projects;
approve project proposals from consultants;
commission contracts with consultants; and
monitor project implementation.
In addition, these guidelines are designed to assist those parties involved in the project
implementation and operational phases of DWAF Water Resource Management funded
projects. Relevant parties include the:
project planning team;
consulting engineers;
contractors and sub-contractors;
environmental consultants and sub-consultants; and
affected parties.
2.3
This guideline document has been structured in a manner to assist the reader to understand
the background to EMPs and the basis for, developing guidelines for standardised EMPs,
through to understanding what components are required in an EMP.
Chapter One provides an introduction to the EMP guideline project. It includes background
information on Integrated Environmental Management in DWAF as well as the current and
expected legislation requiring the implementation of EMPs. This chapter also explains the
link between this document and the Environmental Management Framework (EMF)
document (DWAF, 2002a), which has been developed to inform and guide DWAF Water
Resources Management Branch with strategic IEM decision-making. A brief explanation of
the activities which will require an EA as expected to be required by the revised Chapter five
of NEMA and the new IEM Regulations.
12
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Chapter Two (this chapter) contains document user information to aid effective and efficient
use of the guideline document.
Chapter Three provides generic guidelines for the development of an EMP. It provides a
brief explanation of each of the sections that should be included in the contents of an EMP.
Chapter Four describes the generic impacts with regard to Water Resource Management
projects and activities and the required generic mitigation measures. This chapter also
provides the links to the Register of Environmental Laws Applicable to DWAF (DWAF,
2002c) and to the Environmental Site Management and Rehabilitation Specifications for
DWAF construction sites (ESM&RS) (DWAF, 2002b).
2.4
Chapter One should be read by those requiring an introduction and background to IEM
within DWAF and to EMPs. In addition, readers should consult Chapter 1 if they require a
brief explanation on:
the link between EIAs, EMPs and EMS;
how the EMP fits within the EMF; or
which stage of the project life cycle the EMP is applicable.
Chapter Three is the crux of the document since it provides the guidelines for developing an
EMP as required by DWAF. Readers who require information on the required structure of an
EMP and an explanation of the information required in each section, as well as reasons why
it is required, must consult this chapter.
Readers requiring preliminary information on the probable impacts of the project or activity
and the most probable associated mitigation measure to implement, need to consult Chapter
Four. This chapter also provides a guide as to where in the Register of Environmental
Laws Applicable to DWAF (DWAF, 2002c), a reader may find information on actions
required by DWAF in order to comply with the requirements.
DWAF staff requiring information on the legal requirements of their projects in terms of the
environment must consult the Register of Environmental Laws Applicable to
DWAF(DWAF, 2002c). This register is divided into three sections: Section 1 deals with the
laws other than those administered by DWAF, which may have an influence on activities
undertaken by DWAF in the execution of their statutory mandate, the focus being the
identification of all the issues that are regulated by these laws. Section 2 contains
environmental laws that are not administered by DWAF, but which, by the nature of some of
the Departments activities, could influence such activities. Section 3 comprises brief
discussions of international conventions, common law and legislative developments that may
influence DWAF in the execution of its statutory mandate.
Contractors tendering for DWAF projects must also consult the Environmental Site
Management and Rehabilitation Specifications for DWAF construction sites (ESM&RS)
which were developed in collaboration with this guideline document and which are referred to
in Chapter Four. These ESM&RS and their supporting documentation is available from
DWAF.
13
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
3.
Generic guidelines
3.1
The person legally responsible for any consequences related to the environmental management
associated with the project, will, in theory, have the responsibility for the development of the EMP.
While the title of this person differs between projects according to standard DWAF terminology (such
as an Approved Professional Person (APP) for dam construction projects and XYY for other
projects), this document, for ease of reading, will refer to the overall project responsible person as the
project manager.
The project manager may however, not have the capacity (time or qualification), to prepare an EMP.
In such a case, the EMP will need to be prepared by another person within DWAF (in the case of inhouse projects and activities) or the contractors company, or may need to be sub-contracted to an
external party.
Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs), particularly the affected parties, must be given the opportunity
to provide input and to comment on the EMP developed for a project with which they are associated
and by which they may be affected.
They are important contributors to the development,
implementation and eventual success of the plan. Further information on the public participation
process is provided in section 3.3.12.
3.2
3.2.1
The initial step in developing an EMP is to review all available information. The type of
information available will be dependent on the nature of the project and its associated
environmental impacts. Information on the following aspects should be reviewed:
nature of the proposed project or activity : For example, if it is a production facility, the raw
materials, the process emissions and effluents and final products involved must be
understood. It is also important to understand the type of project or activity, and its
process, if any. For example, whether it is a new project or an existing activity that is to be
modified. Other factors which must be considered include the extent of the construction
phase; the life expectancy of the project and whether closure and rehabilitation be
considered; and what the type of services will be required for the project such as access
roads, power lines and water pipes;
nature of the receiving environment: The following must be understood:
o
whether the project will take place within a sensitive, undisturbed
environment;
o
whether there are sensitive water systems in the vicinity of the project;
o
whether there are sensitive landscapes or habitats that would be disturbed;
o
whether any threatened species may be affected;
o
what the extent of existing ambient air pollution is; and
o
what the size of the development is; and
perceptions of the interested and affected parties (I&APs): It is important to develop an
understanding of the perceptions of the I&APs regarding the proposed project, whether
14
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
they are positive, neutral or opposed. It must be determined whether they have been
consulted during the environmental assessment phase and whether their concerns and
issues been addressed.
It is vital to review the environmental assessment that was undertaken with respect to the
proposed project, and to determine whether the potential impacts have been adequately
identified and appropriate mitigation measures prescribed. This is particularly significant as
the mitigation measures form the basis of the EMP. While the EIA reports will provide the
principle source of information, certain projects may have no associated EIA, such as
existing projects and activities. When an EIA has not been conducted, the required
information can be obtained from other reliable sources, which include:
permit conditions;
loan agreements;
nature and size of potential impacts that would result from the project;
nature of the environment in which the project will take place, (pristine, disturbed
or modified); and
Central to an EMP are the mitigation measures that are necessary to reduce identified
impacts. The basic requirement for the development of an EMP is therefore well thought out,
described and costed mitigation measures. Therefore, the purpose of this step is to
15
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
determine whether impacts have been adequately identified (either through an EIA, audit,
site visit or other means) and whether the associated mitigation measures are sufficiently
detailed, such that they will reduce the impact to acceptable levels and provide the
necessary detail to enable satisfactory development of the EMP. The requirements of
adequate mitigation measures are discussed further in section 3.3.3.
3.2.4
There is a wide range of projects and activities for which EMPs are required, and each one
must be tailored to the specific needs of each project or activity and its unique
circumstances. The level and depth of information and resources contained in the EMP must
reflect the level of project-related environmental risk, whilst at the same time remain practical
and achievable. As discussed in section 3.2.2, environmental risk is synonymous with the
degree of sensitivity of a project.
The EMP must document the actions, procedures and measures required to mitigate and
manage environmental risk at all stages of the project. It is thus not a static document but
one that will change and evolve over the life of the project, taking into account not only
changes to the project itself, but also the implications of changing external factors such as
legislation, policy and public and social accountability. Therefore, all EMPs should change
over time, especially those relating to long term projects or activities. Section 3.6 lists the
conditions under which the EMP should be revised.
The initial EMP will be drawn up based on the information from the EA (such as in the EIR),
with the result that it will focus largely on the implementation of mitigation measures.
Subsequent versions of the EMP will be strongly influenced by the results of the performance
assessment, review processes and changes to the project.
For the successful development and implementation of an EMP, the following important
factors must be taken into account:
16
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
a monitoring programme.
Comprehensive EMPs, ie as expected according to the new IEM Regulations: those for
projects with a high environmental sensitivity, or for projects and activities required by law to
implement a comprehensive EMP, must include the following:
a monitoring programme;
implementation schedule;
In order to place the EMP in context a brief summary should be given of the proposed
development and its associated operational processes involved in both the construction and
operational phases. Since not even those intimately involved with the proposed development
17
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
are always aware of the various sectors of the environment that will be impacted upon, a
brief description of the affected environment should also be provided. The environment in
this context includes the bio-physical, economic and social components. The above
information would be obtained from the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Scoping
Report.
3.3.2
The predicted negative impacts for which mitigation is required should be identified and
briefly summarised. Cross-referencing to the EIR from the EIA study is recommended, such
that additional information can be readily found.
This information would be obtained from the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Scoping
Report, specifically from the report impact tables.
3.3.3
Feasible and cost-effective measures to reduce the severity of potentially significant negative
impacts on the various sectors of the environment, including social, economic and biophysical sectors, must be detailed. Each mitigation measure should be described with
reference to the impact to which it relates, and an indication given as to the conditions under
which is applies (continuously or only in the event of contingencies). The time (such as the
season or time of day) and location of the application of the mitigation measure must be
stipulated in the EMP.
Mitigation measures are aimed at eliminating, offsetting, or reducing adverse environmental
impacts and could have a range of objectives, such as:
Regardless of the objective of a mitigation measure it is important that they are adequately
defined. To determine whether the mitigation measures are adequate they need to satisfy the
following key requirements:
18
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Performance specifications
The probable performance of the mitigation measures should be assessed and performance
specifications must be specified. Performance specifications are the level to which the
environmental condition must remain or to which it must be improved. A comprehensive list
of environmental performance specifications for construction sites is provided in the
Environmental Site Management and Rehabilitation Specifications for DWAF construction
sites.
3.3.5
Often the positive impacts that would occur as a result of an activity or project, are not fully
elaborated upon in the EIR nor in the EMP. These impacts should be listed and described in
a similar manner to the negative impacts. The implications and significance of these impacts
should also be described and evaluated.
3.3.6
The measures required to enhance the positive impacts should be emphasised and detailed
in the EMP. Any possible secondary negative impacts which may occur as a result of these
measures should also be described and their significance carefully evaluated.
3.3.7
An EMP should not only consider mitigation of negative impacts and enhancement of
positive impacts but also consider where further enhancement of affected communities could
be included in the project. These considerations should take place during the project
planning phase and be implemented as part of the EMP. Including such measures in an EMP
would be in alignment with the principle of Equity as required by the National Water Act and
should take the requirements of the Expropriation Act (Act 63 of 1975) into account
Possibilities for such contributions to community upliftment include:
training the local community in skills required for the project, either during the
construction or the operational phase of the project. The advantages of such training
would be enhanced if participants could receive certification for their training for
possible use in obtaining work after the employment on the project is completed;
certain facilities built for use by the project workers could be made available for use
by the community when not in use by the project workers, for example for activities
such as night school;
19
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
the project proponent could contribute to, facilitate, community activities, for example
through sponsoring local sports clubs or school functions;
training community members in business or financial skills to be able to continue
successful operations once the project has been completed or decommissioned.
This would compensate for the temporary nature of the employment offered by many
projects which have a finite life span;
provision of infrastructure or facilities, other than that directly required for the project.
Some of these measures would require that a percentage (for example 1% of the total
project budget) is made available for their implementation. The amount to be made available
should be suggested during the EA phase of the project and would need to be agreed upon
by the project proponent (DWAF) and would depend on available funds.
Investigation of possible measures to implement and determination of the most suitable
measures will require extensive liaison with team project members, funders/project
proponent, DWAF project team members and affected parties (such as the Local
Municipality). This responsibility would be that of a DWAF staff member in the SES subdirectorate: Social Services.
3.3.8
In order for DWAF to understand the implications of the mitigation and enhancement
measures, cost estimates should be specified for both the initial investment and recurring
expenses for implementing the mitigation and enhancement measures contained in the EMP.
The costs of initial and recurring expenses for implementing an EMP should also be included
in the overall project costs. The costs for implementing the measures to contribute towards
local community upliftment should also be included. For certain projects or activities, the
budget should include environmental management contingency funds, which would be
available for the implementation of remedial actions when mitigation measures are not
sufficiently effective or when unanticipated impacts occur.
Recurring expenses include all costs (administrative, design and consultancy, operational
and maintenance costs) associated with meeting specific project criteria.
Where practical, decisions regarding the most appropriate mitigation measures to implement,
should be justified by an economic evaluation of the potential environmental impacts. This
evaluation should:
determine the appropriate level of mitigation where there is scope for a trade-off
between environmental quality and the costs and benefits of achieving it; and
20
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
the costs associated with compliance with the Regulations or the authority may alter the cost
structure (specifically for government departments).
3.3.9
baseline measuring. This must occur prior to the start of the project or activity in
order to determine the level and status of the environmental parameters prior to
any impacts associated with the project or activity;
indicators to be measured;
mitigation objectives;
thresholds
sampling locations;
definition of thresholds that will signal the need for corrective action;
details of how results will be analysed to determine whether corrective actions are
necessary; and
reporting procedures.
A monitoring strategy must be based on the type of information required for determining
whether objectives and targets are being met. Not all projects or activities, and not all
impacts of any one project, need to be monitored. Monitoring will be necessary and
appropriate, if:
21
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
there are residual negative impacts that could not be avoided through changes to
project design or reduced through the implementation of other mitigation
measures;
secondary negative impacts arise as a result of the mitigation measures;
there is significant public concern or controversy about an impact;
potential impacts are complex and poorly understood, or if there is disagreement
between the specialists;
the outcome of the recommended mitigation measure(s) is uncertain; or
changes in environmental parameters can be realistically detected.
22
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
23
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
be developed for a project, but no EIA has been done, affected parties need to contribute to
the development of the EMP. The issues of concern and suggestions for enhanced benefits
need to be obtained during the initial stages of drafting the EMP. This will ensure that the
EMP addresses those aspects of the operation that could be a source of social risk.
Once the EMP has been drafted, the process of providing information (in non-technical
language) in regard to the contents of the EMP, and obtaining comment on the draft, needs
to be repeated. Stakeholders should verify that their issues of concern have been
considered in the document, and have opportunity to ask questions on the proposed
mitigation and management measures. It is also advisable to submit the draft EMP to
DWAF, in the case of sub-contracted projects, and other relevant authorities (such as the
provincial DEAT department) for their review and comment before finalisation of the
document.
Once the project or activity has begun, the affected public should be provided with
information on the progress with the implementation of the mitigation and monitoring
measures. This could be provided in newsletters, on on-site notice boards, or at public
meetings.
A source of social risk is to discontinue the involvement of stakeholders subsequent to the
public participation process for the EMP. Relationships forged between DWAF and
stakeholders during the initial processes need to be maintained, although not always at the
same level of intensity. Affected Parties need to feel and understand that their safety, health
and environment are not being compromised. They should be kept informed (for example via
newsletters and notices) so that no uncertainty exists, for example during the period between
the EA being complete and site establishment.
3.3.13 Implementation schedule
The timing, frequency and duration of mitigation measures should be specified in an
implementation schedule. This schedule should show the links with the overall project
implementation plan. Where the implementation of mitigation measures is tied to the project
legal agreement, these linkages should be outlined. For example, where successful
implementation of a mitigation measure is a condition for payment by DWAF. This schedule
should form part of a contract and be measurable with the contractor being subject to
penalties for late implementation.
3.3.14 Environmental awareness process to be followed
In addition to training, general environmental awareness must be fostered among the
projects workforce to encourage the implementation of environmentally sound practices
throughout its duration.
Environmental awareness and training is an important aspect of the implementation of the
EMP. The onus is on the different parties involved in the various stages of the life cycle of the
project to be environmentally conscious. Hence, it is suggested that all members of the
project team are familiar with the findings of the site-specific EA report and the EMP. For
instance, the contractor is responsible for the lack of environmental knowledge of his/her
crewmembers. The contractor could forward internal environmental awareness and training
procedures to the project manager and environmental officer for comment prior to the
commencement of the project. Likewise, the above is applicable to the planning, design,
operations and maintenance, and decommissioning teams. Environmental awareness
ensures that environmental accidents are minimized and environmental compliance
maximized.
24
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
training records;
auditing reports.
Responsibilities must be assigned to relevant personnel for ensuring that the EMP
documentation system is maintained and that document control is ensured through access
by, and distribution to, identified personnel.
Document control is important for the effective functioning of an EMP. A document handling
system must be established to ensure adequate control of updating and availability of all
documents required for the effective functioning of the EMP. This procedure applies to the
EMP as well as procedures and policies relating to the EMP, which must be controlled (i.e.
identified, registered and changes recorded).
The Environmental Officer is responsible for ensuring that the registration and updating of all
relevant EMP documentation is carried out. It is the responsibility of the Project Manager to
ensure that all personnel are performing according to the requirements of this procedure and
to initiate the revision of controlled documents, when required by changes in process,
operating procedures, legislation, specifications, audit findings or any other circumstances,
by informing the Environmental Officer of the changes. A controlled document is official only
if the issue/revision has been approved. The Environmental Officer and Project Manager are
responsible for ensuring that the latest versions of documents are used to conduct tasks
which may impact on the project environment.
The EMP and procedure documents must be controlled and only distributed according to a
distribution list compiled by the Environmental Officer. Documents should be numbered and
controlled according to the distribution list. These documents shall be marked controlled
copy. Holders of controlled documents shall sign the distribution list when they receive a
new or revised document and must destroy the old version. Whole documents should not be
reprinted and older versions destroyed when only a few pages are affected by the revision.
Documents must be revised as required by changing circumstances. Any user of a controlled
document can initiate a proposed change to a document by submitting a memo to the
responsible person for further attention. The responsible person will present the change
proposal to the Environmental Officer or Project Manager for authorisation. Once authorised,
the document will be officially changed and distributed. All changes must be recorded on the
official document change control sheet attached to each document. Obsolete documents will
be removed and destroyed except for those retained for legal and knowledge-preservation
purposes, in which case the document must be marked, obsolete/retained. After an incident
that impacted negatively on the environment or caused an injury, procedures will be revised
as required if it is found that the existing procedures are inadequate.
Distribution lists and document change control sheets must be kept for all documents.
Records must be kept for at least five years.
Reporting procedures for conveying information from the monitoring activities must be
developed in order to ensure that management is able to take rapid corrective action should
25
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
certain thresholds be exceeded. Reporting procedures and format should be the same for all
DWAF projects and activities.
3.4
ensure that the auditors are competent, in that they must be able to undertake the
audit objectively and competently. Audits may be undertaken by internal or
external parties, although certain I&AP requirements may define a need for
external auditors; and
26
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Table 3.1:
Audit schedule
The audit team shall review all evidence of their audit findings to decide on
non-compliance. Audit findings of non-compliance must be documented
and supported by evidence in the Audit Findings Report.
The non-compliance findings will be communicated to the Environmental
Officer and his/her representatives during an audit feedback meeting.
The Environmental Officer, or person responsible for corrective action, will
sign the audit findings report sheet to indicate acceptance and
commitment to the required corrective action.
Once the corrective action has been implemented, the area/system will be
re-audited by the same person who recorded the non-compliance (where
possible, to ensure uniformity). The Environmental Officer will co-ordinate
this audit.
Once the corrective action has been successfully implemented, the
verification sections of the audit findings sheet must be completed and
signed off.
Records
3.5
Stipulating the requirement for an EMP may ensure its satisfactory development, but does
not guarantee its implementation. It is therefore important to ensure that the actions specified
by the EMP are enforced through the EMP being given some form of legal standing. This can
be achieved through incorporating the EMP as an addendum to the tender documents for a
particular project and specifying under the special conditions of contract for the tender that
27
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
the requirements of the EMP apply and must be met. This will ensure that obligations are
clearly communicated to contractors and that submitted tenders have taken into account, and
budgeted for, the environmental requirements specified in the EMP. The successful tender
ultimately becomes the signed contract, thereby ensuring that the included EMP has legal
bearing.
DWAF could use environmental criteria in tender documents as a basis for selecting subcontractors. Construction contracts should include specifications on environmental
performance and bills of quantities for mitigation measures and monitoring, including
personnel, equipment and analyses (Hill, 2000). Contractors should also be obliged to follow
appropriate environmental, health and safety standards to reduce associated risk during
construction and operation of a project. The ESM & RS (DWAF, 2002b) must be included in
contracts with contractors.
In cases where the EMP cannot, for whatever reason, be included in the tender document,
the EMP requirements should be included as a change or variation order to the contract.
Similarly, any alterations to the EMP should also be included as a change or variation order
to the contract.
3.6
The initial EMP will be drawn up based on the information in the EIR, with the result that it
will focus largely on the implementation of mitigation measures. Subsequent versions of the
EMP will be strongly influenced by the results of the performance assessment and review
processes.
EMPs should be dynamic, flexible and subject to periodic review (Hill, 2000). The extent to
which EMPs should be reviewed will vary depending on the project or activity. Where the
major negative impacts are associated with the construction phase, the EMP may require no,
or limited, revision. For projects where the major environmental impacts are associated with
the operational phase, the EMP may require regular review and subsequent revision. In part,
this is linked to the influence of changes in legislation, such as the current revision of NEMA
and the development of the new IEM Regulations.
Conditions under which the EMP will require revision include:
changes in legislation;
28
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
iii)
iv)
v)
o changing legislation;
o changing expectations and requirements of affected parties;
o changes in activities;
o lessons learnt from incidents; and
o changes to environmental standards
Verify the effectiveness of corrective action;
Determine the root cause(s) of deficiencies; and
Develop a plan to address root causes.
Any document for implementation by, or on behalf of, DWAF cannot be developed or
implemented in isolation of other relevant departmental documentation. If this occurs, conflict
or contradicting actions may arise. Examples of such DWAF documentation which must be
taken into account when implementing an EMP for dam construction and maintenance
include the Sustainable Utilization Plan and the Zoning Plan. Both these plans address the
management of the water surface and adjoining area.
29
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
4.
4.1
Introduction
This chapter provides a brief description of the most common generic impacts resulting from
most of the DWAF Water Resource Management projects and activities and a description of
the associated generic mitigation measures. Both the impacts on the biophysical (Table 4.1 )
and the social (Table 4.2) aspects of the environment are provided. In these tables, the link
to the Environmental Laws Applicable to DWAF (DWAF, 2002c) and to the Environmental
Site Management and Rehabilitation Specifications for DWAF construction sites (ESM&RS),
are also provided. These lists of impacts and mitigation measures are not exhaustive but are
provided as a guide to assist those involved in developing, or reviewing, an EMP, to
understand which issues should be addressed as a minimum requirement.
30
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Table 4.1:
Generic biophysical impacts and associated generic mitigation measures. (The link to the ESM&RS refers to Table 2.2,
which deals with General Environmental Works. Readers should also refer the specific table(s) in the ESM&RS of particular
relevance to the activity to be undertaken.)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
Soil:
Loss of topsoil (the
essential substrate for
plant growth and hence
rehabilitation);
Erosion;
Compaction and crusting;
Changes in soil properties
(eg acidification and
salinisation);
Chemical contamination;
Invasion of exotic biota.
Pre-construction;
Construction;
Operation
F2 - F5;
H3;
H8;
H 10
Site establishment;
Access roads;
Combat erosion;
Vegetation clearance;
Topsoil;
Erosion control;
Slope protection;
Storage;
Pollution prevention;
Topsoil obtained from sites with different soil types must not be
mixed.
31
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
watercourses.
i)
j)
32
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
B5
B6;
C2;
C3;
D1;
D2;
D4;
D8;
D9;
D10;
F7;
F8;
H3;
H8;
Site establishment;
Vegetation clearance;
Erosion control;
Water quality
monitoring;
Offices & other
structures;
Storage;
Pollution prevention;
Water:
Altered hydrology ;
Contamination of water
resources;
Sedimentation;
Salinisation;
Eutrophication of rivers or
impoundments
Ground water
contamination;
Surface water pollution;
Barriers to migration of
fish, aquatic vertebrates
Construction;
Operation;
33
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
H10
Plastic
i)
All fuel, chemical, oil, etc spills must be confined to areas where
the drainage of water can be controlled. Use appropriate
structures and methods to confine spillages such as the
construction of berms and pans, or through the application of
surface treatments that neutralise the toxic effects prior to the
entry into a water course
j)
34
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
35
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
F1 F9;
H3;
H8;
H10
Site establishment;
Access roads;
Vegetation clearance;
Planting;
Fencing & gates;
Destumping;
Landscape
rehabilitation;
Flora:
Loss of individuals of rare
or endangered species;
Damage to the integrity of
the ecosystem functioning;
Heavier utilization of
medicinal and /or
protected plants;
Invasion of alien
vegetation.
Construction
a) All suitable and rare flora and seeds must be rescued and
removed from the site. They must be stored at a suitable
location/nursery, for future use in rehabilitation.
b) Protected plants must be tagged, and they must not be cut or
damaged in any way. Likewise, alien vegetation will also be
tagged during the site-specific investigation, however such
vegetation must be destroyed by the Contractor (see (e) below).
c) The felling and/or cutting of trees and clearing of bush must be
minimised.
d) Bush must only be cleared to provide essential access for
construction purposes or as directed by the contractors
representative.
e) Where alien invasive plants occur they must be uprooted, cut
and/or chemically treated. (Use only approved chemicals). The
contractors representative must only appoint a registered weed
control officer to chemically treat any invader species. Care
must be taken to avoid the spread of seeds of alien vegetation.
f)
36
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
j)
37
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
j)
38
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
F1 F9;
H3;
H8;
H10
Site establishment;
Protection of fauna;
Construction
Operation
39
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
A1 A6;
H3;
H8;
H10
Access roads;
Dust control;
Fire control
Air:
Dust;
Construction;
Operation
40
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
j)
41
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
E1;
H3;
H8:
H10
Noise control;
Blasting
Noise
Construction
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
The relevant by-laws and regulations (as highlighted in the sitespecific investigations) must be adhered to. Noise control is
42
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
B1;
B2;
F2;
F3;
F4;
H3;
H8;
H10
Access roads;
Combat erosion;
Vegetation clearance;
Slope protection;
Shaping and trimming;
Aesthetics;
Offices & other
structures;
Blasting;
Landscape
rehabilitation;
Aesthetics:
Reduced sense of place and
hence tourism potential of the
affected area;
Reduced visual integrity
Construction;
Operation
f)
g)
43
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
g)
Use shade cloth for areas that are exposed to the public,
particularly near busy roads.
h)
i)
j)
Cut and fill areas, river and stream crossings and other soil
stabilisation works must be constructed to blend in with the
natural environment. Natural rocks from the environment must,
as far as possible be used for such stabilisation works provided,
the removal of such rocks does not constitute an offence or
results in a negative impact on the environment. Such activities
should not cause major river diversions or alter the banks of the
river, in which case a license will be required.
k)
l)
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
44
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
reflection.
n)
o)
p)
q)
r)
s)
t)
The entire works area and all construction sites must be swept
of all pieces of wire, metal, wood or other material foreign to the
45
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
G1
G2;
H10
Site establishment;
Fencing & gates;
natural environment.
u)
v)
Construction
46
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
47
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Table 4.2:
Generic socio-economic impacts and associated generic mitigation measures. (The link to the ESM&RS refers to Table 2.2,
which deals with General Environmental Works. Readers should also refer the specific table(s) in the ESM&RS of particular
relevance to the activity to be undertaken.)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
Relocation of homesteads or
communities (applicable to
larger projects such as dams
construction)
Planning;
Construction
G1;
G2;
H1;
H2;
H3;
H7;
H8
Site establishment
48
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
Construction;
Operation
G1;
G2
Site establishment
b)
c)
Damage to crops
compensated for.
H2;
H3;
H7;
H8
Disturbance of graves
Planning and
Construction
or
other
food
resources
must
be
c)
d)
e)
f)
H2;
H3;
H7;
H8
Site establishment;
49
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
Expectations regarding
employment opportunities will
abound and will need
monitoring
Preconstruction;
Construction;
Operation
a)
G1;
G2;
H9
Site establishment
b)
c)
Information on
disseminated.
d)
G1;
G2
Site establishment
C2;
C3;
C4;
C5;
H110;
H11;
H12
Accidents;
the
proposed
project
must
be
widely
Construction;
Operation
50
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
f)
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
j)
Construction;
Operation
Ssite establishment
51
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
Impact
Project phase
Mitigation measures
Planning;
Construction;
Operation
a)
b)
d)
e)
f)
Construction
Legal register,
Section 1, reference
(sub-section) number
Section to refer to in
ESM&RS (Table 2.2)
for applicable
Performance
specifications
Site establishment
Services installation;
Informal traders:
Planning;
Construction
Site establishment
52
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
5.
References
Davy, A. 1999. Environmental Management Plans. The World Bank Update report number
25.
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South Africa. April 1998. EIA Regulations.
Implementation of Sections 21, 22 and 26 of the Environment Conservation Act.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Generic Public Participation Guidelines.
September 2001.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Consolidated Environmental Implementation and
Management Plan. 14 December 2001. Government gazette 22929. Government Printer,
Pretoria.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 2002a. Environmental Management Framework.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. 2002b. Environmental Site Management and
Rehabilitation Specifications for DWAF construction sites.
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 2002c. Register of Environmental Laws Applicable
to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry as at 31 December 2001. Report to DWAF.
Hill R.C., Bowen P.A., and Soboil J.H. 1997. The role of environmental management
systems in construction. Australian Institute of Building Papers 8: 27-39.
Hill, R.C. 2000. Integrated Environmental Management Systems in the implementation of
projects. South African Journal of Science 96: 50-54.
Pero, L.V. 2001. Discussion Document: Towards Practice Guidelines for the Effective
Incorporation of EMSs and EMPs as Part of EIAs. CSIR Report ENV-P-I 2000-061.
Republic of South Africa 1998. National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998).
Government Gazette 401 (19519). Government Printer, Pretoria.
Suter. G.W. (Ed). 1993. Ecological Risk Assessment. Lewis Publishers, Michigan.
Swaziland Environmental Authority. June 1999. Environmental Audit, Assessment and
Review Guideline.
53
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
DWAF personnel;
environmental officer;
site engineer;
general public
DWAF must appoint a project manager (the APP or
) to represent the Department
and must ensure that the scope of work of the project manager includes environmental
supervision. The EA must give direct feedback to the project manager regarding all
environmental matters. All decisions regarding environmental procedures and protocol must
be approved by the project manager, who also has the authority to stop any construction
activity in contravention of the document.
DWAF is responsible for the maintenance, update and review of the EMP.
1.
The person or organisation that will implement the project or activity is the Implementing
Agent. When the activity is an in-house DWAF activity or project, the implementing agent
would be DWAF itself, for example the Directorate: Social and Environmental Services.
When the project is contracted out by DWAF, the implementing agent would be the
contractor.
1.1
Implementing Agent
The implementing agent is responsible for the implementation of the EMP, however, the
liability associated with non-compliance rests with DWAF. Hence, the Department must
ensure that environmental compliance is clearly defined in the Terms of Reference for the
contractor. A permanent environmental advisor should be employed by DWAF or the
contractor for the duration of the project. The environmental advisor should be well versed
in environmental studies. The contractor is answerable to the environmental advisor for noncompliance with the requirements stated in the EMP.
1.2
Project manager
DWAF must appoint a project manager to represent the Department and must ensure that
the scope of work of the project manager includes environmental supervision. The
implementing agent is answerable to the project manager for all environmental issues
associated with the project and the environmental advisor must give direct feedback to the
project manager regarding all environmental matters. All decisions regarding environmental
procedures and protocol must be approved by the project manager, who also has the
authority to stop any construction activity in contravention of the document.
1.3
Environmental Advisor / (ECO?)
The environmental advisor will liaise between the Department and the contractor, consulting
engineer, independent environmental consultant, operations and maintenance manager,
commissioning manager and decommissioning manager, on all environmental concerns.
DWAF is responsible for the maintenance, update and review of the EMP. All modifications
to the EMP must be communicated to the relevant parties through the environmental advisor.
54
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
The environmental advisor will compile a monitoring and auditing plan to ensure that the
environmental management measures are implemented and are effective. The aim of such
plan is to develop a cost effective environmental performance monitoring procedure. The
environmental advisor is also responsible for monitoring the performance of the contractors
representative; issuing of site instructions to the contractor for non-listed activities; and
assisting in the resolution of conflicts.
2.
Contractors Representative
The contractor should appoint a contractors representative, who is responsible for the on-site
implementation of the EMP. The contractors representative can be the site agent; site
engineer; a dedicated environmental officer; or an independent consultant. The contractor
must ensure that the contractors representative is suitably qualified to perform the necessary
tasks and is appointed at a level such that she/he can interact effectively with other site
contractors, labourers, the environmental advisor and the public. As such the contractors
representative must:
know the background of the project, and monitor the implementation of the EMP;
ensure that all complaints and concerns from the public and other Interested and
Affected Parties (I&APs) are resolved and addressed immediately;
conduct regular site audits during the construction phase and subsequent phases.
ensure that the development site is cleared and rehabilitation by the contractor
according to the specifications as set out in this document.
3.
Consulting Engineer
For many of the DWAF projects a consulting engineer may be appointed. The consulting
engineer is involved with the planning and design phase of the project and must ensure that
the requirements of the EMP are enforced during these phases. The consulting engineer
must also ensure constant consultation with the independent environmental consultant and
environmental advisor.
4.
ensuring complete compliance with the EIA regulations for listed activities;
giving site instructions to the contractor, when it is stated in the record of decision
that the contractor must be monitored, and
55
Draft guidelines for standardised EMP for DWAF projects (May 2002)
5.
The operations and maintenance manager and/or his/her representative is responsible for
the on-site implementation of the EMP during the operational phase of the project and are
answerable to the environmental advisor for non-compliance. The operations and
maintenance manager has the same degree of responsibilities in terms of this EMP as the
contractor and the contractors representative.
56