proposed irrigation scheme on farm uris 481 using …€¦ · environmental compliance consultancy...

SCOPING A SCOPING PROCESS IS A SHORTER PROCESS THAN A ‘FULL’ EIA BUT APPLIES THE SAME PRINCIPALS AND ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY.

INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT PROCESS

WHY IS AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT PROCESS IMPORTANT?

NAMIBIAN LAW AND

INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE CALL FOR THE PROFESSIONALS CARRYING OUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS TO BE INDEPENDENT (I.E. HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE PROJECT PROPONENT OR INTEREST IN THE PROJECT’S OUTCOME) TO ENSURE PROCESS INTEGRITY.

APPLICANT: FARM URIS 481

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

PRACTITIONER: ENVIRONMENTAL

COMPLIANCE CONSULTANCY

COMPETENT AUTHORITY:

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND FORESTRY

CLIENT:FARMURIS481 ECC-80-162-BID-06-A

BACKGROUNDINFORMATIONDOCUMENT

PROPOSED IRRIGATION SCHEME ON FARM URIS 481 USING EXCESS WATER PRODUCED FROM TSCHUDI COPPER MINE,

OSHIKOTO REGION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT – AUGUST 2018

PURPOSEOFTHISDOCUMENT

ThepurposeofthisBackgroundInformationDocument(BID) istoprovide InterestedandAffectedParties(I&APS)withabackgroundoftheproposedirrigationprojectforFarmUris481.

Furthermore, it’s aim is to invite I&APS to register in the Environmental ImpactAssessment(EIA)Scopingprocess.Throughregistering,I&APswillbekeptinformedabouttheproposedprojectandwillbeofferedtheopportunitytosubmitcommentspertainingto the project, allowing for their input to be considered in the assessment anddevelopmentprocesses.

ThisBIDincludesthefollowing:

- ProposedProject:Whatisproposedandwhere;- Whytheprojectisdeemednecessary,andwhatbenefitsoradverseimpactsare

anticipated;- Whatalternativestotheprojecthavebeenconsidered;- HowtheEIAprocessworks;- Thepublicparticipationandhowtobecomeinvolved;and- Thenextstepsandwayforward.

FarmUris481neighbourstheTschudiCopperMine,bothlocatedtothewestofTsumeb.Alodgeislocatedonthefarmwhichcatersfortouristsandminevisitors.Thefarmhascattleandgameand is game fenced. The farmowners togetherwith theowners of theMinehaveidentifiedanopportunitytoutiliseexcesswaterfromoperationsatTschudiMineforanirrigationproject.Approximately500hectaresoflandshallbecleared,andplantsand/orfreshproduceshallbegrownforcommercialpurposes.

Thisproposedactivity triggers theEnvironmentalManagementActof2007 (ActNo.7of2007)duetoitmeetingthethresholdsofthefollowingListedActivity:

WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTS (8.7) Irrigation schemes for agriculture excludingdomesticirrigation

FOREST ACTIVITY (4) The clearance of forest areas, deforestation, afforestation, timberharvesting or any other relatedactivity that requires authorization in termof the ForestAct,2001(ActNo.12of2001)oranyotherlaw.

Environmental Compliance Consultancy (ECC) has been engaged by Three MusketeersInvestments (Pty) Ltd the owners of Farm Uris 481 to undertake an independentenvironmentalassessmentincompliancewithNamibianlawintermsoftheEnvironmentalManagementActof2007andassociatedRegulations.

An application for Environmental Clearance will be submitted to the Ministry ofAgriculture,Water and Forestry (MAWF) and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism(MET).AnEIAScopingReportandEnvironmentalManagementPlan(EMP)willbepartofthesubmissiontoadequatelyassesstheprojectanddetermineifenvironmentalclearanceshouldbeissued.

PROPOSEDPROJECT

FARM!URISPROPOSEDIRRIGATIONPROJECT

SITELOCATION

Todeveloptheproposedirrigationandagriculturescheme,thefollowingactivitiesareenvisaged:

- ConstructionofawaterpipelineconnectedtotheMine’sdewateringpipeline;- Vegetationclearingoftheareathatistobeusedfortheirrigationscheme–thisshallbedeterminedbythe

volumesofwateravailablefromthemineandtypeofagriculturetobegrown.AgriculturalareashallberestrictedtowithintheboundariesofFarmUris481;

- Potentialconstructionofsmallaccesstracks;- Groundpreparationincludingminorearthworksandlevelling;and- Constructionofagricultureinfrastructuree.g.fences,irrigationsystem,storageandpreparationareas.

Duringoperations,activitiessuchastheuseoffarmmachineryandequipment,theuseoffertilisersandotherchemicals,andgenerationandmanagementofvegetationwastearelikelytooccur.

The potential environmental and social impacts are anticipated to be of minor significance, and adverse (whatadverseimpacts?)impactsthatmayoccurshallbecontainedtotheFarmsite.Impactsmayinclude:

- Generationofjobs,benefitingthelocalcommunity;- Sustainablealternativeuseofawastewatersource;- Contributetolocalproduceandsupportthelocalandregionaleconomy;- Somevegetationclearanceandminorpotentialdisruptiontofloraandfaunaonthesite;- Potentialtounearth,damageordestroyundiscoveredheritageremains;and- IncreasedwasteontheFarmsitefromagricultureactivities.

ECCwillprepareascopingreportthatpresentstheassessmentfindingsaswellasstakeholderandI&APconcerns.AnEMP shall also be developed for theproposedproject setting out auditablemanagement actions for FarmUris toensure careful and sustainablemanagementmeasures are applied to their activities in respect of the surroundingenvironmentandcommunity.

SCOPEOFASSESSMENT


FarmUrisintendstoutiliseexcesscleanwastewatergeneratedfromtheTschudiMineoperationfortheirrigationofanagriculturepurposestogrowplantsand/orfreshproduce.Throughoptimisingthisresourceadditionalincomecanbeinjectedintothelocalarea,resultinginvariousbenefits.

NEEDFORTHEPROPOSEDPROJECT

Best practice environmental assessment methodology calls for consideration of different alternatives to a projectbeingdeveloped.Alternativesthataretobereviewedincludethe‘donothing’scenarioandtheuseofmunicipalitywater for the irrigation scheme. Technological and operational alternatives shall also be reviewed to ensure thecreationandoperationoftheschemeisoptimisedandadviseimpactsavoided.

WHATALTERNATIVESAREBEINGCONSIDERED?

TheEIAprocessthatshallbefollowedisinaccordancewithEnvironmentalManagementAct2007.ECCshallconductthe environmental application process and manage the public participation process. Following the EIA processflowchart below, this project is currently at the Scoping phase and the public participation process is beingconducted.

ECCwillperformthefollowing:

• Identify key stakeholders, authorities andmunicipalities, environmental groups and interested or affectedmembersofthepublic,hereafterreferredtoasI&APs;

• CompileaBIDfortheproposeddevelopment(thisdocument);• Advertisetheenvironmentalapplicationintwonationalnewspapers;• Placeon-sitenoticesatconspicuousplacesat/neartheproposeddevelopmentboundary;• Ifrequiredhostapublicmeetingtoencouragestakeholderparticipationandengagement,andprovidedetails

ofissuesidentifiedbytheenvironmentalpractitioner,stakeholdersandI&APs;• Record all comments of I&APs and present such comments, aswell as responses provided by ECC, in the

CommentsandResponsesReportwhichwillbeincludedintheScopingReportthatshallbesubmittedtotheMAWFandtheMET;and

• CirculatetheI&APcommentstotheprojectteam.

THEEIAPROCESS


MOVING FORWARD…

EnvironmentalComplianceConsultancyContactDetails

Wewelcomeanyenquiriesregardingthisdocumentanditscontent,pleasecontact:

StephanBezuidenhoutEnvironmentalConsultant&PractitionerTel:+264812627872Email:[email protected]&PractitionerTel:+264816531214Email:[email protected]

At ECC we make sure all information is easilyaccessibletothepublic,followoursocialmediapagestobekeptuptodate.

www.eccenvironmental.com

https://www.facebook.com/environmentalECC/?ref=br_rs

https://twitter.com/ECCEnvironment

http://eccenvironmental.com/projects/

+264812627872OR

+264816531214

CONTACTUS

PUBLICPARTICIPATION&HOWTOGETINVOLVED

Public Participation is an important part of the EIA process; it allows the public and other stakeholders to raiseconcernsorprovidevaluable localenvironmentalknowledge thatcanbenefit theassessment, inadditionit canaidthedesignevolutionprocess.

The commenting period for the project documentation for all I&APswill be 14 days from notification (newspaperadverts).TheDraftScopingReportandEMPwillbemadeavailabletoallrelevantstakeholdersandI&APsforfurthercomment,beforethefinalsubmissiontotheMMEandtheMET.

I&APsareencouragedtoregisterinthisScopingProcessusingourwebsite. http://eccenvironmental.com/project/uris-irrigation-scheme/Commentsmustbesubmittedinwritingandcanbeemailedtothefollowingaddress: [email protected]

Tel:+264816267278or+264816531214

PleasenotetheEIAreviewperiodwillbe14daysfromthedatethatI&APhavebeennotified.

proposed irrigation scheme on farm uris 481 using …€¦ · environmental compliance consultancy...

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