Table of Contents / Rural Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
2010
GovernMent of Liberia
Environmental & Social Management Framework
Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
Draft FinalReport
September 2010
1Environmental & Social Management Framework
Table of Contents / Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
2010
Submitted To / World Bank
Document Type / Environmental & Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Version / Final Report
UPI Number / 00369412
PO Number / 0007752686
Prepared By / Wassim Hamdan
+231-4-700060
P.O. Box 1584
1000 Monrovia 10, Liberia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1INTRODUCTION
1.1The Environmental and Social Management Framework Report
2DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT
2.1General Description and Location
2.2Meteorological Setting
2.2.1Precipitation
2.2.2Temperature and Sunshine
2.2.3Wind
2.2.4Relative Humidity
2.3Geological Setting
2.3.1Stratigraphy
2.4Soil
2.5Hydrology
2.6Vegetation
2.7Lakes
2.8Biodiversity
2.8.1Fauna and Flora
2.9Energy & Electricity Resources
2.10Socio-Economics
2.10.1Demographics
2.10.2Household Characteristics
2.10.3Land Use Pattern
2.10.4Economics
2.10.5Health Care Delivery
2.10.6Infrastructure
3LEGISLATIVE & INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
3.1Legislative Framework
3.2Institutional Framework
4WORLD BANK’S SAFEGUARD POLICIES
5PROJECT DESCRIPTION
6POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
6.1General Construction and/or Rehabilitation Activities
6.1.1Air Emissions
6.1.2Noise
6.1.3Solid Waste
6.1.4Water Quality
6.1.5Soil
6.1.6Flora and Fauna
6.1.7Traffic
6.1.8Health and Safety
6.1.9Socio-Economics
6.1.10Physical Cultural Resources
6.2Operation of Micro-Hydropower Station
6.2.1Air Emissions and Noise
6.2.2Water Quality
6.2.3Soil
6.2.4Fauna and Flora
6.2.5Health and Safety
6.2.6Socio-Economics
6.2.7Physical Cultural Resources
6.3Operation of Thermal Power Generation Plant
6.3.1Air Emissions
6.3.2Noise
6.3.3Solid Waste
6.3.4Water Consumption
6.3.5Water Quality
6.3.6Aquatic Fauna and Flora
6.3.7Forests
6.3.8Vegetation and Crops
6.3.9Health and Safety
6.3.10Socio-Economics
6.3.11Visual Intrusion
6.4Power Transmission and Distribution
6.4.1Land Resources
6.4.2Noise
6.4.3Fauna and Flora
6.4.4Health and Safety
6.4.5Aircraft Safety
6.4.6Socio-Economics
6.5Operation of Fuel Oil Storage Terminals
6.5.1Air Quality
6.5.2Solid Waste
6.5.3Water Quality
6.5.4Spills and Leakages
6.5.5Occupational Health and Safety
6.5.6Community Health and Safety
6.6Installation and Operation of Off-Grid-Solar Power Generation Systems
6.7Summary of Impacts
7ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MITIGATION MEASURES
7.1General Construction and/or Rehabilitation Activities
7.1.1Air Emissions
7.1.2Noise
7.1.3Solid Waste
7.1.4Surface Water Quality
7.1.5Soil and Groundwater
7.1.6Flora and Fauna
7.1.7Traffic
7.1.8Health and Safety
7.1.9Socio-Economics
7.1.10Landscape and Visual Impacts
7.1.11Physical Cultural Resources
7.2Operation of a Micro-Hydropower Station
7.2.1Air Emissions and Noise
7.2.2Water Quality
7.2.3Soil
7.2.4Fauna and Flora
7.2.5Visual Intrusion
7.2.6Health and Safety
7.2.7Socio-Economics
7.2.8Physical Cultural Resources
7.3Operation of a Fossil-Fuel and Biomass Fired Power Plant
7.3.1Air Emissions
7.3.2Noise
7.3.3Solid Waste
7.3.4Water Consumption
7.3.5Water Quality
7.3.6Aquatic Fauna and Flora
7.3.7Forests, Vegetation, and Crops
7.3.8Health and Safety
7.3.9Socio-Economics
7.3.10Visual Intrusion
7.4Power Transmission and Distribution
7.4.1Land Resources
7.4.2Noise
7.4.3Fauna and Flora
7.4.4Health and Safety
7.4.5Traffic
7.4.6Socio-Economics
7.5Operation of Fuel Oil Storage Terminals
7.5.1Air Quality
7.5.2Solid Waste
7.5.3Water Quality
7.5.4Spills and Leakages
7.5.5Occupational Health and Safety
7.5.6Community Health and Safety
7.6Installation and Operation of Off-Grid-Solar Power Generation Systems
7.7Summary of Mitigation Measures
8MONITORING
9INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT & FRAMEWORK
9.1Institutional Strengthening & Capacity Building
9.2Budgeting Future Safeguards Measures
10PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
References
Annex A: Precipitation Graphs
Annex B: EIA Flow Chart
Annex C: Summary of the World Bank’s Safeguard Policies
Annex D: Example of environmental contract clauses
ANNEX E. Screening Checklist Guide
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 21: Liberia bordered by Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Figure 22: Geological overview of Liberia.
Figure 23: Soil type distribution in Liberia.
Figure 24: Vegetation cover in Liberia.
Figure 25: Protected areas, nature reserves, and protected areas of Liberia (modified from Conservation International, Liberia Forest Re-assessment, 2004).
Figure 26: Damaged LEC facilities; fuel storage problems in Free Port of Monrovia: leaking oil storage tanks posing threats to groundwater.
Figure 61: Typical run-of-river micro-hydropower project (damaged and abandoned) managed by the community in Yandohun, Liberia (Courtesy of World Bank Mission, 2009).
LIST OF TABLES
Table 21: Average monthly rainfall data for various stations (Liberia Hydrological Service, 1981).
Table 22: Major Rivers in Liberia. (Liberia Hydrological Services, 1988)
Table 23: Relevant Energy Sector Indicators.
Table 24: Population Distribution and Sex Ratio (LISGIS, 2008).
Table 31: Categories of Legislations in Liberia.
Table 32: International Environmental Conventions Signed/Ratified by the Government of Liberia.
Table 33: Relevant Environmental Legislations.
Table 41: Summary of Bank Safeguard Policies Triggered By Projects Activities and Their Requirement.
Table 61: Noise levels during rehabilitation and construction works.
Table 62: Carbon dioxide emissions and production costs for selected thermal power generation fuels
Table 63: Summary of positive and negative impacts of alternative activities for power generation in Liberia
Table 71. No approach zones for high voltage power lines
Table 72: Summary of proposed mitigation measures for general construction and/or rehabilitation activities.
Table 73: Summary of proposed mitigation measures for the construction and operation of a micro-hydropower station.
Table 74: Summary of proposed mitigation measures for general construction and/or rehabilitation activities.
Table 75: Summary of proposed mitigation measures for the operation of fuel oil storage terminals.
Table 81: Summary of monitoring activities during general construction and/or rehabilitation activities
Table 82: Summary of monitoring activities during operation of a micro-hydropower station
Table 83: Summary of monitoring activities during operation of a fossil-fuel and biomass-fired power plant
Table 84: Summary of monitoring activities for power transmission and distribution activities
Table 85: Summary of monitoring activities for the operation of fuel oil storage terminals
Table 86: Summary of monitoring activities for the operation of fuel oil storage terminals
Table 91: Governmental organizations involved in energy-related activities in Liberia.
Table 92: Screening of World Bank projects
Table 93: Estimated budget for the two-year training program
Table 101: Examples of effective public participation techniques.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
1Environmental & Social Management Framework
Executive Summary / Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
2010
BOD / Biochemical Oxygen Demand
°C / Degrees centigrade
CO / Carbon Monoxide
CO2 / Carbon Dioxide
COD / Chemical Oxygen Demand
dB / Decibel
DO / Dissolved Oxygen
E. Coli / Escherichia coli
EA / Environmental Assessment
EIA / Environmental Impact Assessment
EPA / Environment Protection Agency
EMP / Environmental Management Plan
EPML / Environmental Protection and Management Law
ESIA / Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
ESMF / Environmental & Social Management Framework
EU / European Union
°F / Degrees Fahrenheit
FDA / Forestry Development Authority
GOL / Government of Liberia
HC / Hydrocarbon
Ha / Hectares
Km / Kilometer
KVA / Kilovolt Ampere
LEC / Liberia Electricity Corporation
LESEP / Liberia Electricity Sector Enhancement Project
LISGIS / Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services
m / Meter
mm / Millimeter
NAAQS / National Ambient Air Quality Standards
NEP / National Energy Policy
NH4-N / Ammonia Nitrogen
NOx / Nitrogen Oxides
OPIC / Overseas Private Investment Corporation
OSHA / Occupation Safety and Health Administration
P / Phosphorous
PCBs / Polychlorinated biphenyls
PM / Particulate Matter
PPE / Personal Protective Equipment
POP / Persistent Organic Pollutants
PRS / Poverty Reduction Strategy
RPF / Resettlement Policy Framework
RREA / Rural and Renewable Energy Agency
SO2 / Sulphur Dioxide
SS / Suspended Solids
STW / Specialized Training Workshops
SW / Solid Waste
TDS / Total Dissolve Solids
TSP / Total Suspended Particles
TN / Total Nitrogen
TSS / Total Suspended Solids
UNDP / United Nations Development Programme
UNEP / United Nations Environmental Programme
USAID / United States Agency for International Development
USEPA / United States Environmental Protection Agency
VOC / Volatile Organic Compound
WB / World Bank
WHO / World Health Organization
1
Environmental & Social Management Framework
Executive Summary / Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
2010
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) seeks to institute a consistent and effective environmental and social screening process for application in the energy and electricity distribution in Liberia funded projects at local and national levels. This ESMF is prepared to address potential environment and social impacts and provide mitigation measures for activities within the context of “Catalyzing New and Renewable Energy in Rural Liberia” and “Liberia Electricity Sector Enhancement Project (LESEP)” and any other energy sector programs or projects prepared by the World Bank. These activities include:
- Expansion of off-grid solar power;
- Expansion of or rehabilitation of transmission lines;
- Rehabilitation of new substations;
- PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyl) issues rising from old facilities to be rehabilitated;
- Rehabilitation of the HFO off-loading facility and HFO pipeline;
- Construction or rehabilitation of fuel tanks;
- Construction and rehabilitation of the distribution networks;
- Rehabilitation of micro-hydropower stations;
- Construction of micro-hydropower stations; ; and
- Any other energy sector projects in urban or rural Liberia to be financed by the World Bank.
This document also presents a detailed and comprehensive environmental and social baseline data which will provide the environmental and social management process with key baseline information when identifying adverse impacts. The information contains data on Liberia's bio-physical environmental features such as its ecosystems, geology, hydrology in terms of ground and surface water resources, major and sensitive wetlands, flora and fauna. On social baselines the report discusses the main features of Liberia's demographics, public health features and poverty.
A number of legislations, policies and instruments available to support environmental management and the environmental impact assessment process in Liberia are reviewed in Section 3. The Environmental Protection and Management Law and other sectoral sections in other legislations are the key instruments that cover environmental management in all the sectors of development. The Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines prescribe the process, procedures and practices for conducting an EIA and preparing the EIA reports. In addition to these instruments, there are sector specific policies and legislations that prescribe the conduct for managing the environment.
The EPA is the principle authority in Liberia for the management of the environment and coordinates, monitors, supervises and consult with relevant stakeholders on all activities in the protection of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources. In addition to being responsible for the provision of guidelines for the preparation of Environment Assessments and Audits, and the evaluation of environmental permits, the EPA is mandated to set environmental quality and ensure compliance for pollution control.
The main functions of the EPA are:
1.Co-ordinate, integrate, harmonize and monitor the implementation of environmental policy and decisions of the Policy Council by the Line Ministries,
2.Propose environmental policies and strategies to the Policy Council and ensure the integration of environmental concerns in overall national planning;
3.Collect, analyze and prepare basic scientific data and other information pertaining to pollution, degradation and on environmental quality, resource use and other environmental protection and conservation matters and undertake research and prepare and disseminate every two years a report on the state of the environment in Liberia;
4.Encourage the use of appropriate environmentally sound technologies and renewable sources of energy and natural resources;
5.Establish environmental criteria, guidelines, specifications and standards for production processes and the sustainable use of natural resources for the health and welfare of the present generation, and in order to prevent environmental degradation for the welfare of the future generations.
Section 4 presents a thorough review of the World Banks Safeguards Policies. The triggered policies are:
- OP 4.01 Environmental Assessment
- OP 4.04 Natural Habitats
- OP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resources
- OP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement
- OP 4.37 Safety of Dams
- OP 7.50 Projects on International Waters
Table 41 and Annex C present summaries of the requirements to comply with these polices.
It should be noted that each individual sub-project to be conducted under the energy and electricity sector in Liberia must be registered and subjected to environmentalscreening and environmental assessment conducted professionally by expertsand reviewed by mandated institution.
Impact Assessment
This chapter identifies the potential environmental and social impacts that may arise from several alternative activities applicable in the Liberian context for the purpose of electricity generation. The activities fall under two main categories, namely those intended to catalyze new renewable off-grid energy in the rural areas, and those providing practical and continuously reliable solutions for supplying grid power to the capital Monrovia.
The reform of the electricity sector in Liberia will start with a phase of rehabilitation and construction intended to repair the massive damage inflicted by the civil war to the existing power supply structures, and to expand the existing facilities and auxiliary infrastructure based on the most viable alternative in the rural and urban contexts, respectively. Renewable energy sources applicable in the rural context include solar power and micro-hydropower generation with two valid sub-alternatives for each, namely solar thermal generation and photovoltaic cells for the former and small reservoirs and run-of-river schemes for the latter. Possible alternatives for thermal power supply in the capital Monrovia include variable choices of fuel type, namely fuel oil (heavy fuel oil and diesel), natural gas, coal and biomass (wood chips). Impacts of auxiliary facilities including electric power transmission and distribution lines, sub-stations, and fuel supply storage terminals are also examined. The significance of impacts on each parameter is the result of the different assessed factor and is summarized inTable 63.
Environmental & Social Management Plan
The potential environmental impacts that may be associated with the implementation of several power supply alternatives for the purpose of electricity generation can be minimized by careful site/ right of way selection, planning and staging of construction activities, adopting proper management practices during operation and relying on effective environmental monitoring and training to support management decisions. This chapter plan proposes several potential impact-mitigation or control measures that should earn the proposed projects more acceptability, by reducing or eliminating to the extent possible many of the impacts that have been discussed in Section 6. Mitigation measures are intended to reduce the effect of potentially significant impacts on the environment. Thus, they are highly dependent on the significance of the predicted impact, the nature of the impact (permanent vs. temporary), or the phase of the project (construction vs. operation). Table 72, Table 73, Table 74, and Table 75present summaries of proposed mitigation measures for general construction and/or rehabilitation activities, the construction and operation of a micro-hydropower station, power transmission and distribution activities, and the operation of fuel oil storage terminals, respectively.
Monitoring
Impact and compliance monitoring should be practiced during the construction and operation phases of the proposed project. Table 81 - Table 86 present typical parameters that should be monitored along with monitoring means, frequency, and phase. The EPA, or an independent consultant hired by the EPA, will be responsible for the implementation of the monitoring. It should be stressed that the developed monitoring plan should be updated to reflect the specificities of each project (scale, location, etc.) and should also incorporate an estimate of the total monitoring costs involved.
Institutional Arrangement & Framework
In order for the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) to be effectively implemented, the presence of proper environmental management at the national level is helpful. Although environmental regulations have been evolving in the country, the main problem remains that of monitoring and enforcement, which is in turn related to the country’s institutional and technical capacity for environmental management. There are many organizations involved in energy-related and activities at the national level. However, the main institutions with key responsibilities for environmental and social management are the EPA, the MLME, the RREA, and the LEC. The role of the MLME is the general coordination among development partners and oversight of the various proposed energy projects, ensuring they comply with the components of the recently developed National Energy Policy (NEP) and supportive legislation, which calls for universal and sustainable access to affordable and reliable energy supplies in order to foster the economic, political, and social development of Liberia.
The RREA, which has a massive role to play, bringing up the decentralized power systems and off-grid electric systems while meeting the demands of energy using sources like biomass, solar photovoltaic cells (PV) and wind power, in addition to the hydro power, will have an environmental and social management unit. This unit will be responsible for screening of the project to identify the nature and magnitude of its environmental and social impacts and determine accordingly the category to which it belongs (A, B, or C).
The LEC also has a significant role to play, as it is responsible for extending the Monrovia network to serve Monrovia and environs, as well as building up the capacity of the utility to operate and maintain the grid effectively. The LEC will also, as an implementing agency of Bank energy projects, be responsible for upholding environmental and social safeguards.
Institutional Strengthening & Capacity Building
The objective of the training program is to ensure appropriate environmental awareness, knowledge and skills for the implementation of environmental management plans as well as environmental and process monitoring. In an effort to strengthen institutional capacity and environmental awareness, training sessions will be opened for individuals from the EPA, MLME, RREA, LEC, and other concerned ministries and governmental authorities. Appraisal will be conducted following a training session for feedback towards improving the training program.
1Environmental & Social Management Framework
Introduction / Energy & Electricity Distribution in Liberia
2010
1INTRODUCTION
Liberia has recently been making significant effort, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other relevant stakeholders, towards sustainable development, and has placed more attention to environmental matters and the need to reduce the burden on the environment. The relatively young Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been able in the last few years to considerably improve its capabilities in protecting the environment from the various sources of pollution. Even though at the time of writing this report, it is still considered poorly financed and barely equipped with the appropriate human and technical resources, the EPA is seriously working on setting new environmental standards, building its staff capacity and informational database, and providing the framework to prevent future pollution to widespread in Liberia.