ALM UNDP

Summary:

FEA, through its land department, has identified landowners and has obtained their agreement to the investigation activities for the proposed core subprojects. To ensure compliance with ADB's safeguard polices on the environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples, the TA will review FEA's existing work and the Government's procedures and, if necessary, conduct supplementary detailed field surveys for core subprojects, including access roads. The surveys will cover planned generation sites, the alignment of transmission lines and sites of substations and power stations, and any necessary access roads. The surveys will be made to identify environmental effects and to prepare a full inventory of all land and other affected assets and a socioeconomic assessment of project-affected households. All information will be gender-disaggregated. A resettlement plan conforming to ADB's policies will be prepared for core subprojects, and a resettlement framework will be drawn up to guide the preparation of subprojects under the loan. The resettlement plan will include the necessary compensation and income restoration measures; the most suitable implementation arrangements; public information, disclosure, and grievance procedures; and the cost of the compensation and income restoration measures. The Department of Energy has approved FEA's environmental assessment of one of the proposed subprojects. The TA will review this work and prepare an initial environmental examination in accordance to ADB's environment guidelines.

The environmental assessment will be prepared to

(i) ensure the environmental soundness of the concept, approach, and sites subprojects;

(ii) assess major environmental concerns and benefits; and

(iii) prepare mitigation measures and a monitoring plan. Any adverse effects identified will be incorporated into the project design.

The cost of mitigation measures and the associated environmental management and monitoring plan will be estimated, and included in the project cost estimates. The environmental assessment and the resulting environmental management plans will be aimed at preventing, reducing, or relieving adverse effects on the environment and the third parties. Field visits will be made to collect data and local interest groups will be consulted so that their views and concerns are considered in the project design.