Digital Terrestrial Television Infrastructure Rollout Site-specific Environmental Management Plan - Omega -
2 1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: OMEGA 1.1 RATIONALE FOR THE SITE Omega is situated in the Caprivi corridor in the north eastern part of Namibia. This corridor is a very popular tourist route stretching from Katima Mulilo towards Rundu and the rest of Namibia. Omega is a small settlement with a history closely related to the South African and Angolan bush war. The town still has the infrastructure used during this time which includes an airfield with related infrastructure. Nowadays there are only a few people residing in the little town with a school and some small scale commercial activities taking place. The rational for this site would be positive due to the fact that the area is well known for its tourist activities due to the Caprivi Highway. 1.2 SITE DESCRIPTION A possible site is located approximately 2 km south of the town next to the Caprivi highway. Figure 1: Locality map of the proposed site for the construction of an NBC mast. A site assessment form was developed prior to the assessment of Omega and was completed during the site visit based on the visual observations and technical information available. contains the completed assessment form for the proposed site:
3 Table 1: Site Description ACTIVITY INFORMATION Proposed site 1 Position of the site Latitude 18 2'24.57"S Longitude 22 12'3.11"E 2 Footprint of mast Proposed height of mast 120m Diameter of stay wires Describe how the stay wires will be anchored to the ground (e.g. concrete, rock foundation). 3 Land ownership To whom does the land on which the proposed site is located, belong? (e.g. Private land, state land, town lands, etc.) 42mm Concrete blocks which are fenced The first option is to use the existing structures but needs to be upgraded and lengthened. 4 Description of the site General locality, surrounding landscape, etc. 5 Project outputs Define any nuisances or negative impacts that could result from the project during the construction and operation (e.g. vibration, noise, radiation, dust). The biggest concern associated with this site is the radiation emitted from the structure. 6 Access to site Existing Road (Yes/No) Yes New Road (Yes/No) No Distance of new road 0 Grading of new road (paved, unpaved, tar or gravel, etc.) Slope where new road will be situated Best position for new road (photo nr) Gravel Flat Existing Access 7 Civil Aviation Distance to the nearest airport In Town about 2km north west from the new site is an airstrip
4 8 Waste generation Distance to nearest dump site In Omega 9 Energy provision Distance to nearest power line No power exists and will make use of solar power Required structures (e.g. substations, steel structures) Length of the required power line Is the power line more than 2 km? If yes, then the assessment of the proposed location for the power line should be included in the assessment of the site for the mast. 1 Landscape Describe the surrounding landscaped, e.g. Ridgeline, plateau, side slope of hill/mountain, closed valley, open valley, plain, undulating plain/low hills, dune, sea-front, etc. How accessible is the site by vehicle? 2 Soil and Geology Unstable rocky slopes/ steep slopes with loose soil/ rocky with limited soil Describe soil (e.g. clay, sand, etc.) Identify areas where erosion is likely (Photo nrs). 3 Habitat Natural veld in good condition, natural veld with scattered aliens, natural veld with heavy alien infestation, build-up area, bare soil. a Vegetation Describe the natural vegetation on the site (e.g. dwarfshrubland) b Birds Is the area likely to be sensitive for birds (i.t.o. Cliffs, Ridges, possible flight paths, trees, water sources)? Normal structures associated with the tower. None No Flat plains Very accessible Kalahari basin with sandy soils Sand Erosion is unlikely The existing site does not have vegetation Clear area No
5 c Reptiles Is the area likely to be sensitive for reptiles (e.g. rocky outcrops)? d Archaeology Take a picture facing towards the proposed site (photo nr). e Surface water Are there any surface water sources located close to the proposed site (e.g. Rivers, Pans, dams, farms dams, oshanas, etc). Estimate the distance from the site. Are there any signs of a wetland located close to the proposed site (e.g. mottled soil, grass with plumes, reeds, twotone vegetation, standing water, birdlife). Estimate the distance from the site. Unlikely Sites of importance is unlikely No No 4 Visual Take 360 picture from the site (Picture nrs). Particularly the four major directions (i.e. N, E, S, W). Consider the aesthetic value of the area (Is it located in a scenic area, what are the lines of sight, are there tourism activities in the area?). Identify possible sensitive receptors (e.g. neighbours, road users, tourism ventures etc.) If a new road will be constructed to the site, what will the visual impact be? (e.g. will it be highly visible or will it be out of sight for the largest group of sensitive receptors). Current site hosts the existing tower, the new tower will be constructed about 50m north - east of the existing one Road users will see the tall structure and the ancillary structures None Consider the following: * The potential location of a development on landform features within the landscape will influence the visual absorption capacity. For example, structures will be difficult to hide on a ridgeline compared to a deeply incised Structures are visible due to the close proximity to the road
6 valley. * Developments on lower slopes will be potentially easier to hide than those on upper slopes. * The visibility of a location of a structure is also influenced by the location height relative to the heights of surrounding topographic features. For example, if a location is lower than the majority of the immediately surrounding landscape it will be less visible and intrusive than a location which is generally higher than the immediate surrounds. * A potential tower location will be easier to hide in a very rugged/diverse landscape and more difficult to do so if the landscape is more homogenous, such as a plain. 10 Social context Describe the surrounding community and land uses (e.g. urban, sub-urban, grazing livestock, grazing game, crops (type), tourism activities, mining, industrial etc.). How far is the nearest inhabited area from the centre point of the mast? (i.t.o. the radiation). Give a short description of the populated area. What type of settlement is it? Flat plains Flat plains Flat plains The site is situated in a rural area. Omega 3 town lands are situated to the north of the site and are sparsely populated. Omega3 is situated less than 2 km north of the existing site. 1.3 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION No public participation was done during or before this site visit. It will be conducted before commencement with the construction activities.
7 1.4 ASSESSMENT OF SITE SUITABILITY The proposed site is not suitable for the construction of a NBC tower. Radiation exposure to residents of Omega will be high and the risks associated with such exposure automatically disqualify the site as a potential location. An airstrip located 2km north-west of the site poses an additional problem. Any structure constructed within 8km from an aerodrome requires approval for its construction from the Directorate of Civil Aviation. The site is furthermore situated close to the road. This means that the visual impact upon road users would be high due to both the ancillary equipment as well as the tower being visible. Another concern is that it would be unsafe to have a 120m tower in such close proximity to a road, should the integrity of the mast become compromised and fall over. Although the site is insufficient, a suitable position in proximity to the original site might exist within the adjacent area. Specific criteria (based on specialist recommendations) are listed below that aids in determining an optimal area within which a suitable site may be located (Table 2): Table 2: Criteria for determining a sufficient site ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA SITE S ADHERENCE TO THE CRITERIA Distance to nearest populated area Biodiversity Civil Aviation Visual Impacts No mast should be erected within a 3km radius of an inhabited area to minimize the effect of radiation. The construction of a mast in close vicinity to an outcrop should be avoided. There is a strong correlation between outcrops and areas of biodiversity significance. Any mast to be erected within an 8km radius from an aerodrome, airfield, airstrip or airport needs clearance from the Directorate of Civil Aviation in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization The visibility of the mast should be kept as low as possible. The perspective of all sensitive receptors, including the road user and the nearest residents to the site, should A 3km radius buffer zone around the town of Omega. No mast erected within this buffer zone. A 500m radius buffer zone around all significant outcrops. No mast erected within this buffer zone. An 8km buffer zone has been created around the aerodrome, airfield, airstrip or airport. A buffer zone of 800m to either side of all major roads to limit the visual impact for road users. Located at least 3km outside of town.
8 ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA SITE S ADHERENCE TO THE CRITERIA Infrastructure Archaeology Birds be taken into account. Avoid or minimize the construction of infrastructure e.g. roads or power lines. If new infrastructure is to be built, its length should be kept to a minimum. This part of the northern Kalahari sandveld is not considered to be archaeologically significant. There are 4 species in the Omega region that are affected by, or affect power lines and guy ropes. All 4 of these species are red data listed bird species being affected and include 1 endangered species, the Bateleur. Obscure the view of the buildings of the mast by utilizing the surrounding topography (e.g. behind mountains with only the tip of the mast visible). New roads and a power line might be needed for the Omega site. New infrastructure should be located close to the already existing infrastructure. No significant archaeological sites present. As per site mitigation measures described in EMP. By mapping the buffer zones set out above different areas can be shown according to their adherence to the criteria. These areas range from being suitable for the construction of the mast to inadequate areas (i.e. no-go areas). All sites existing within the suitable area adhere to the entire set of criteria and are automatically considered sufficient for the construction of a mast. There would be no significant environmental impact caused by the construction or operation of sites located in this area. Figure 2 below shows these different areas identified for the Omega site.
9 Figure 2: Map of sensitivities for the Omega site 1.5 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS Should the mast be constructed within the Suitable area, environmental impacts will be minimal. However, residual impacts associated with construction and operation activities will still need to be mitigated and monitored in order to ensure that the negative effects are avoided or minimized while optimizing the positive ones. The following table (Table 3) summarises the identified impacts at the site: Table 3: Impact Assessment ENVIRONMENTAL POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PROJECT ON KEY IMPACT DEGREE OF SENSITIVITY ISSUES ADDRESSED IN: CONSTRUCTION PHASE GEOLOGY SOILS AND The movement of vehicles will impact on this aspect. Soil compaction Low Sandy soils and existing access TOPOGRAPHY No topographical high or low points will be Visual impact Low Should it be
10 ENVIRONMENTAL POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PROJECT ON KEY IMPACT DEGREE OF SENSITIVITY ISSUES ADDRESSED IN: affected. constructed within the suitable zone. WATER QUALITY Construction vehicles, domestic and construction waste generated on site. Water pollution Low flat area with no rivers or other water features FLORA Clearing and grubbing during construction. Destruction natural vegetation of Medium Area has been impacted on by residence Site specific EMP Encroachment of alien invasive species. The establishment and spreading of alien invasives Low small footprint FAUNA Movement of construction vehicles. Destroy habitat for reptiles and small mammals. Low Lots of activity Illegal poaching. Killing of fauna for usage by contractors. Low Occurrence of these species on the site. Disturbance to nests and habitats Low sensitivity Loss biodiversity of Low sensitivity Bird collisions to guy ropes of mast Medium sensitivity Site specific EMP AIR QUALITY Movement of vehicles during construction Dust generated. Low short hauling ARCHAEOLOGICAL / CULTURAL There are no graves or other archaeological sites present on the site. None SOCIO-ECONOMIC Spreading of HIV/AIDS by contractors. Increased HIV/AIDS Medium close to town OPERATIONAL PHASE
11 ENVIRONMENTAL POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PROJECT ON KEY IMPACT DEGREE OF SENSITIVITY ISSUES ADDRESSED IN: FAUNA The stay wires and the mast might pose a threat to birds Loss of birds due to collisions Medium Human activity is dominant in the area SOCIO-ECONOMIC Radiation emitted by the mast. Radiation impact Low the mast will be located at least 3km outside of Omega. Civil aviation Less than 8km from airstrip Low sensitivity if constructed in the suitable zone. Waste generated should there be personnel on site Waste generated Low not expected that personnel will reside at this site Construction and operation of the mast. Visual and aesthetic deterioration of the surrounding area Medium is visible from the town and Trans Caprivi Highway Positive impact due to the educational value of the project Social improvement due to NBC radio broadcasts Medium Omega town is situated in close proximity Impacts that can sufficiently be addressed through the implementation of a are indicated as such and addressed in the without further investigation. Key issues (those impacts that do not necessarily require specialist inputs but require detailed attention), on the other hand, are indicated and specific management measures are prescribed in the site specific EMP. The overall sensitivity of the sufficient area can thus be rated as MEDIUM as indicated in the table below.
Implication Description 12 Table 4: Sensitivity ratings of the preferred Alternative and the associated implications. LOW MEDIUM HIGH The site is not sensitive at all. No additional specialist studies are required. The site is moderately sensitive and although specialist inputs are not required, it requires specific management measures. X The site has sensitive elements that need to be further investigated by a specialist. Sites that have a "high" sensitivity rating should only be used as the preferred alternative once all other options have been eliminated. is sufficient An additional Appendix is required to the document that contains site specific mitigation measures. Specialist investigations are required. 1.6 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Omega is a small town that can benefit from the proposed services associated with the NBC mast. The proposed site is however not viable since it was found that the proposed position was insufficient because stay wires could not be fitted within the area. The site also poses major radiation exposure risks to the residents of Omega. A suitable zone has been indicated on a map that adheres to the specific criteria recommended by the specialists. Should the site be constructed within this area, the environmental impact will be minimal. Although a full EIA is not necessary, specific mitigation measures will need to be adopted to address residual impacts expected during construction and operation of the mast. Such mitigation measures are recommended in the site specific EMP.