- 2.Environmental and Social Safeguards Vision at TRANSCO CLSG
Within the framework of the implementation of the interconnection project Côte d’Ivoire-Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, our objective ofthe environmental and social safeguards is to prevent and minimize in the best ways possible the environmental and social impacts of the project on people located in the corridor of the high voltage 225 kV line of about 1,349 km and the environments of the 4 countries alike.
We envisage to apply social safeguards standards-based on the institutional and regulatory principles of the CLSG countries and the international best practices as laid out by our donors namely the World Bank, EIB, AfDB and KFW.
TRANSCO CLSG, through its environmental and social safeguard policy, commits:
- to operate on the basis of an open communication with all stakeholders and persons affected by the project (PAPs) in order to build a positive and lasting relationships with them while involving them in all stages of the project.
- to work in transparency, respect of the customs, beliefs,values and patrimony of the different communities located across the line.
- to ensure that all those affected by the project receive fair and equitable compensation for all damages.
- to mitigate the negative impact of the project on the environment and to provide a sustainable development.
- to ensure that all contractors involved in the construction of the line work in accordance to our objective of the environmental and social aspects, in respect of the environment and population of the CLSG countries.
Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures and Monitoring
Project Activity | Potential Impacts | Location | Proposed Mitigation | Net Effects | Monitoring |
Line route survey & Design stage | Impact on potential sensitive ecological and inhabited area | Entire RoW | Adequate selection of RoW by avoiding these areas with detailed line route survey during the design stage | Negligible | Monitoring and Identifying the potential sensitive ecological or inhabited areas located along the RoW |
During the entire project | Loss of crops | Almost entire RoW & access tracks | Prompt, fair compensation payment | Negligible | During construction & operation |
During the entire project | Loss of structures | Certain parts of line route | Prompt, fair compensation payment for resettlement | Removal from historical/ancestral roots | Monitoring during construction & operation to ensure all RAPs are adequately and fairly catered for |
During the entire project | Loss of land | Entire RoW & access tracks | Prompt, fair compensation payment | Removal from historical/ancestral roots | Monitoring during construction & operation to ensure all PAPs are adequately and fairly catered for |
Construction | Noise impacts | Communities and settlements close to RoW | Avoidance (as much as possible) of work at night | Minor disturbance during daytime | Ambient noise levels shall be measured once every week in communities close to RoW |
Construction | Air quality | Communities and settlements close to RoW | Spray the exposed soil surfaces of the tower corridor track as and when needed | Negligible | Monitoring – none |
Construction | Potential soil erosion | Entire RoW & access tracks | Limit land clearance to minimum area required and early revegetation | Negligible | Monitor land clearance |
Construction & operation | Public safety
1. Open excavations 2. Potential electrocution 3. Potential collapse of towers 4. Others |
Entire RoW & access tracks | Tower base excavations in or near settlements or farms will be clearly marked and made inaccessible to the public. All towers will be clearly marked with a red inscription on white background – “DANGER – 225,000 Volts” to warn off trespassers, etc. | Negligible | Routine inspections of towers during operational phase |
Construction & operation | Flora and Fauna | Entire RoW & access tracks | Limit clearance of vegetation | Negligible | Monitored carefully to ensure that the minimum area requirements are not exceeded |
Construction & operation | Occupational safety and health | Entire RoW & access tracks | Provision of personal protective equipment at construction.
All work to be done according to Safety Rules and Regulations of SPC as well as the World Bank Group EHS Guidelines of 2007 (General and Electric transmission and Distribution), NPA Safety Rules (Electrical and Me chanical) |
Negligible | Availability and use of protective equipment |
Construction | Impacts on cultural and historical/archaeological sites/items | Cultural/historical/archaeological chance finds | Chance finds to be reported to appropriate authorities as a part of the contractor’s contract | Negligible | Areas of chance finds will be monitored and secured in order to be handed over to Museums and Monuments Board. |
Construction | Public health-
STDs/HIV AIDS |
Mainly settlements along RoW | Education of workers to avoid casual sex
Supply sufficient quantities of good quality free condoms to workers |
Potential single mothers, transmission of STDs/AIDS | Keep close contact with communities during construction to detect incidences of STDs/AIDS |
Construction | Traffic impacts | Relevant roads indicated in report | Use of traffic wardens to control traffic at road crossings
Development of Traffic Control Plan |
Negligible | Presence of traffic wardens at all times during construction.
Review the contractor’s Traffic Control Plan |
Construction | Water pollution | Rivers indicated in the report | Minimize erosion and manage excavated materials, wastewater from excavations and accidental spillage of oil, fuel and paints | Negligible | Streams close to the site(s) of construction tobe sampled and analyzed weekly.
During the maintenance phase monitoring will be carried out twice yearly. |
Construction | Work camp management | Work camp sites | Establish far away from water bodies and settlements
Provision of mobile toilet, clinic, doctor and ambulance at work camp sites |
Negligible | Distance from each work camp site to nearest water body and settlement.
Availability of mobile toilet, clinic, doctor and ambulance; |
Construction & operation | Solid Waste generation | Entire RoW & access tracks | Trees, tree stumps and wooden containers not to be given out to the local communities as fuel wood .
Usable trees and wood from the RoW clearing should be given out to the local communities. Metal wastes to be collected and disposed of appropriately and/or recycled in consultation with relevant government agencies |
Negligible | Collection and disposal of solid waste to be monitored |
Operation | Effects of rust treatment and painting of towers | Tower locations | Spilt paint to be quickly mopped up with rags and/or sawdust. The used sawdust and rags will be disposed of at appropriate public waste dumping sites. | Negligible | No monitoring |
Operation | Micro shock from a spark discharge | RoW | Minimized by multiple earthlings | Negligible | Monitor earthing cables |
Operation | Fire hazards | RoW | Public education on hazards of bush burning | Negligible | Routine patrols to discourage bush burning |
Construction & operation | Employment generation and incomes | Settlements along RoW | Encourage contractors to engage local labour | Standard of living improved | None |