INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE

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1 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 09/14/2006 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: AC Basic Project Data Country: Argentina Project ID: P Project Name: AR Santa Fe Road Infrastructure Task Team Leader: Tomas S. Serebrisky Estimated Appraisal Date: September 18, Estimated Board Date: November 14, Managing Unit: LCSFT Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Roads and highways (100%) Theme: Infrastructure services for private sector development (P);Administrative and civil service reform (S);Debt management and fiscal sustainability (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) [ ] No [ ] 2. Project Objectives The overall purpose of the project is to improve transport conditions along a strategic road corridor that links the Province of Santa Fe with regional and international markets. Adding capacity to National Road 19, a key component of a major bi-oceanic corridor that links the PSF and the Center Region with Chile and Brazil will reduce logistics costs, facilitate access to major regional consumption and export markets and foster the effective economic integration of the Center Region provinces. The project also aims at providing institutional support to the Province of Santa Fe to achieve the following specific objectives: (a) improve road safety by implementing pilot interventions capable of providing valuable qualitative and quantitative information to the comprehensive road safety action plan elaborated by the Province of Santa Fe in 2005; (b) identify transport infrastructure and trade facilitation constraints by setting up a system to measure logistics costs in the Province of Santa Fe; (c) reinforce the Province?s planning capacity to foster economic growth; (d) strengthen the provincial capacity to assess and manage of environmental and social impacts of large civil works; and (e) create provincial capacity to monitor and evaluate large infrastructure projects

2 3. Project Description Component 1? Upgrading of National Road 19 (Estimated cost, including contingencies, US$166.6 million of which US$ million would be financed by the Bank Loan). This component entails the widening of National Road 19 in the Province of Santa Fe, converting it into a four lane road, with two lanes in each direction. A total of 135 km will be constructed, linking the towns of Santo Tom? in Santa Fe with National Road 158 in the Province of C?rdoba. This project will only finance the construction of National Road 19 in the Province of Santa Fe (130 km) while the remaining 5 km in the Province of Cordoba will be financed by the DNV. The existing carriage way will be used for West-East traffic flow while the new lanes will carry East-West traffic. A by-pass to the city of San Francisco will be constructed to provide a fast and adequate link between National Road 19 and National Road 158, two segments of the bi-oceanic corridor that in Argentina connect the gateways of Paso de los Libres in the frontier with Brazil and Paso Cristo Redentor in the frontier with Chile. Component 2: Institutional Strengthening (Estimated cost US$5.2 million, all Bankfinanced). This component will consist of four subcomponents: Sub Component 2.1- Road Safety Sub Component 2.2: Systemic measurement of logistics costs in the PSF Sub Component 2.3: Strengthening the planning capacity of the PSF to elaborate a new strategic development Sub Component 2.4: Strengthening DPV?s capacity to enhance environmental and social management Sub Component 2.5:Design a capacity building program to incorporate monitoring and evaluation analysis in infrastructure projects 4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis The new road infrastructure will be located alongside the existing alignment requiring only the expansion of the right of way and acquisition of additional land. Most of the impacts identified will be easily managed through sound engineering design and construction practices. The area of the project is heavily developed with extensive and intensive cattle ranching and high- value crops such as soy and corn. There are no natural habitats or critical natural habitats along the existing or future right of way. However, there still remain some patches of native vegetation, especially in river and creek crossings that still harbor some native species albeit without any significant biodiversity value. There is no evidence of paleontological or archeological resources along the corridor. However, two distinct historic sites are located in the future corridor. There are no indigenous peoples in the area of influence of the project. The project will include three major by-passes, two around rural communities and a major one in the city of San Francisco/Frontera. These by-passes will intersect an important network of rural and local roads which an important traffic of local goods and machinery, especially during harvest time. The restoration of such networks and the construction of safe crossing points will be part of the project design. Duplicating the right of way could exacerbate road safety hot-spots along the corridor.

3 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Mr Juan D. Quintero (EASEN) Mr Fernando J. Brunstein (LCSFE) Ms Elena Correa (LCSEO) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered No Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) Forests (OP/BP 4.36) Pest Management (OP 4.09) Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The project has been assigned a Category B according to OP Most impacts will be circumscribed to the right of way and no significant, region-wide or precedent-setting impacts are envisioned. Most of the current and future traffic consists of long-distance, international trucks and very little incremental local traffic is expected. No major land use changes are expected in the region. The existing two-lane road was built over 7 decades ago. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: No major changes in land use are expected. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. Right-of-Way alignment was subject to localized analysis to minimize resettlement. 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. Based on in-situ screening exercises, a comprehensive and detailed Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) has been prepared in accordance with Bank policy.. The ESMP evaluates the existing conditions, identifies the potential environmental and social issues of concern and proposes adequate mitigation measures for each negative impact identified; as well measures for enhancing each identified positive impact. The ESMP includes a comprehensive set of programs that will address all major

4 environmental and social issues identified along the right of way (ROW). Most of the programs will be included as part of the engineering design and construction documents. - Land acquisition and Resettlement Plan: This plan was prepare for acquisition of hectares required for the expansion of the road. These hectares are located in 210 properties along of the road, which will be partial affected. Only 20 houses (6 with business), 6 businesses and one school will be physically displaced. Given that most of these properties will be affected partially, 18 of the 26 houses and business will be relocated into the same property. This situation is also likely in 5 additional cases. The Plan is comprised by the following programs: (i) Information and communication, (ii) land acquisition and compensation, (iii) effectiveness of former expropriations, (iv) assistance for socioeconomic restoration, (v) assistance for partial affected properties, (vi) relocation of school General San Martin, and (vii) grievance mechanisms. - Landscaping and Re-vegetation Program: this major environmental enhancement program will include reforestation and re-vegetation of ROWs including separators, with native species, restoration and augmentation of existing native-forest patches, and the construction of rest and recreation areas along the ROW. - Community Road Safety: complementing the engineering road safety design (bus stops, special crossings), this program will implement road safety education in communities along the ROW. - Restoration of Rural Road Network: includes the construction of special crossings, returns, and feeder roads to allow connectivity of the existing rural road network - Improvement in Urban Segment of Santo Tome: potentially perhaps the most challenging segment of the project, this heavily urbanized segment will be subject to a special urban restoration program including specific designs for boulevards, bicycle paths, parking spaces and traffic management measures. - Urban Restoration in By-passed Towns: road segments that will be abandoned because of the construction of by-passes will be reconstructed as urban boulevards, with special archways at the entrance points, reforestation, illumination, and special signs that will direct traffic to use businesses and facilities in those towns. - Environmental Management of Construction : In order to adequately control impacts during construction, a rigorous environmental set of good environmental practices will be applied in the project. These specifications are based on the existing Environmental Specifications for Road Construction designed by the Federal Road Agency (DNV) under road programs financed by the Bank. In addition to these specifications site specific guidelines and restrictions have also been incorporated such as prohibitions for construction camp and asphalt location in or near sensitive watercourses, demarcation of trees and patches of vegetation that need to be protected during construction, special traffic restrictions during harvest time, etc. Chance finding procedures for archaeological and paleontological artifacts are part of these specifications. All critical points along the ROW (either environmentally or socially) have been identified and applicable preventive and corrective actions were produced. Compliance of environmental specifications during construction will be part of the engineering supervision and will be monitored by the Environmental unit of the Provincial Road Agency.

5 The above programs will be complemented by" Institutional Strengthening in Provincial Road Agency: the environmental management capacity of the existing Environmental unit if the Provincial Road Agency will be improved in order to increase monitoring and supervision of this project. Social Communication Program: a social communication and public participation program will be implemented during project construction, and Project Information Centers will be installed in key locations. All programs included in the RESMP have been designed to great detail, including associated costs, responsibilities and schedule. Project bidding documents will include all specifications regarding these programs. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. B. Disclosure Requirements Date Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other: Date of receipt by the Bank 08/28/2006 Date of "in-country" disclosure 08/31/2006 Date of submission to InfoShop 09/11/2006 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors Resettlement Action Plan/Framework/Policy Process: Date of receipt by the Bank 08/28/2006 Date of "in-country" disclosure 08/31/2006 Date of submission to InfoShop 09/11/2006 * If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting) OP/BP/GP Environment Assessment Does the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) report? If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Manager (SM) review and approve the EA report?

6 Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated in the credit/loan? OP/BP Physical Cultural Resources Does the EA include adequate measures related to cultural property? Does the credit/loan incorporate mechanisms to mitigate the potential adverse impacts on cultural property? OP/BP Involuntary Resettlement Has a resettlement plan/abbreviated plan/policy framework/process framework (as appropriate) been prepared? If yes, then did the Regional unit responsible for safeguards or Sector Manager review the plan? The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank s Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? N/A D. Approvals Signed and submitted by: Name Date Task Team Leader: Mr Tomas S. Serebrisky Environmental Specialist: Mr Juan D. Quintero Social Development Specialist Ms Elena Correa Additional Environmental and/or Social Development Specialist(s): Approved by: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Comments: Sector Manager: Comments: Mr Jose Luis Irigoyen