Environmental assessment framework for regional power projects in Nile Basin countries : executive summary

The Regional Power Trade Project (RPTP) for Africa aims to establish the institutional means to coordinate the development of regional power trade and markets among the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) countries. Negative impacts of the project include: degradation of ambient air quality, increase of ambient noise, contamination of surface and underground water, disturbance of water runoff and drainage, change in surface water flow causing indirect impacts on water uses and fish habitat, increased sedimentation in waterways, wastewater discharge in the environment, soil erosion, encroachment in ecologically sensitive areas, loss of vegetation and forest products, damages to trees, disturbance of wildlife, fragmentation and degradation of wildlife habitat productive lands and natural resources and, income sources, and change in land ownership rights and uses along access roads and rights-of-way, which can lead to social conflicts. Mitigation measures include: 1) near residential areas, avoid noisy works after regular working hours; 2) maintain the vehicles and machinery in good condition in order to minimize gas, noise and dust emissions; 3) use appropriate means to avoid dust dispersion during construction; 4) maintain vehicles, machinery and equipment in good condition in order to avoid leaks and discharge of hazardous materials; 5) take all precautions during the refueling of vehicles, machinery and pumps, and forbid the refueling near water bodies; 6) ensure a safe management of hazardous materials; 7) avoid crossing permanent waterways; 8) stabilize the soil in order to reduce potential erosion; 9) establish a protection perimeter around ecologically sensitive areas such as water bodies, wildlife habitat, drinking water sources, slopes prone to erosion and wetlands; 10) protect the trees from machinery and carry out the operations in such a way as to prevent the trees to fall outside of the logging areas; 11) plan works outside of the reproduction period of wildlife present in the project area; 12) take into account the various land uses while designing the project in order to minimize the loss of land, particularly productive land; and 13) explore all alternatives to avert or minimize resettlements.