N2 WILD COAST TOLL

ROAD PROJECT

Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report

Feedback Sessions

Agenda

Welcome, Introduction & Apologies Conduct of the meeting Purpose of this meeting Overview of the EIA process Summary of EIA Report findings and

recommendations The Way Forward Discussion Session

Present a brief project overview

Provide a brief overview of the EIA and public participation process followed for this project

Present a summary of the findings and recommendations of the draft EIA Report per road section

Receive comments and feedback

Provide details regarding the Way Forward

Purpose of Today’s Meeting

Construction of a new toll road between East London and Durban - approximately 550 km

Utilise existing road sections (80%) and construct new road sections (20%)

Connect major centres

• East London, Umtata, Port St Johns, Lusikisiki, Port Edward, Port Shepstone and Durban

Overview of the Project

Existing Road Sections

• Rehabilitation and upgrade of road sections

• Widening or realignment of poor road sections

• Construction & upgrade of intersections & interchanges

• Resealing and resurfacing of road

• Replacement of safety features

• Provision & maintenance of fencing along the length of the road

Overview of the Project Proposed Project activities

Existing Road Sections (cont.)

• Provision/construction of pedestrian walkways

• Provision/construction of over- or underpasses

• Construction of toll plazas

New Road Sections

• New road construction within an 80 m road reserve

• Construction of a toll plaza near Mtentu River

Overview of the ProjectProposed Project activities (cont.)

7 mainline toll plazas planned:

• Ngobozi Plaza

• Candu Plaza

• Tutor Ndamase Plaza

• Mtentu Plaza

• Oribi Plaza

• Park Rynie Plaza

• Isipingo Plaza

Overview of the ProjectProposed toll plazas

Issue of Tolling

Issue of tolling to be addressed by the NRA in Intent-to-Toll process

NRA are required to publish their intent to toll the route and provide the public with a period to comment on the proposal.

This process is still to be undertaken for this project

Overview of the EIA Process

Phase 1: Environmental Scoping Study (ESS) - completed in April 2002

Phase 2: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

• Draft EIA Report

• Public Review Period

– Public Feedback Meetings

• Final EIA Report submitted to DEATWe are here

Aim of EIA

Assess technically feasible route alternatives within the greenfields corridor

Evaluate site-specific alternatives

Nominate and assess a preferred alignment

Identify possible mitigation measures

Provide input into the EMP, which will provide specific management actions

Public Participation Process

In compliance with the EIA Regulations Identify and consult with Interested and

Affected Parties Promote understanding of the project Vehicle for data gathering for consideration in

specialist studies Provide information for informed decision-

making

Environmental Impact Assessment Route Sections

Proposed route divided into 7 route sections to facilitate assessment:• Gonubie Interchange to Ngobozi

• Ngobozi to Umtata

• Umtata to Ndwalane

• Ndwalane to Ntafufu

• Ntafufu to Magwa Intersection

• Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna

• Mtamvuna to Isipingo Interchange

Environmental Impact Assessment Potential Impacts

Proposed activities which result in impacts include:• Rehabilitation and upgrade of existing road sections

• Construction of new road (greenfields sections)

EIA considers initial construction works, which is undertaken in first 3-5 years

This construction will be required to be in compliance with the project EMP

Environmental Impact Assessment Specialist Studies

Ecological assessment (Coastal and Environmental Services)• Flora and vegetation

• Fauna

• Aquatic Systems

• Agricultural Potential

Social Impact Assessment (IWR Environmental)

Environmental Impact Assessment Specialist Studies (cont.)

Tourism Impact Assessment (Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein Hospitality & Leisure Consulting)

Air Quality Assessment (CSIR Environmentek) Visual Impact Assessment (Strategic

Environmental Focus & Henry Holland)

Environmental Impact Assessment Specialist Studies (cont.)

Noise Impact Assessment (Jongens Keet & Associates)

Archaeological and Heritage Assessment (Albany Museum)

Planning and Development Assessment (Pravin Amar Development Planners & Bohlweki Environmental)

Environmental Impact Assessment Assessment criteria

Temporal scale Spatial scale Severity/beneficial scale Significance Risk or likelihood Degree of confidence

Gonubie Interchange to Ndwalane

Utilises the existing N2 & R61 Construction activities within the existing road

reserve, except at site-specific locations Issues of significance include:

• Resettlement of homesteads within road reserve

• Restriction of access to new road through fencing & closure of illegal access points

• Invasion of alien plant species

• Impacts associated with proposed toll plazas

Gonubie Interchange to Ndwalane (cont.)

Positive impacts include:• Improved road safety conditions

• Enhancement of eco-tourism & conservation potential

• Creation of employment opportunities

• Expansion of transportation infrastructure

Majority of potential impacts (biophysical and social) of LOW significance and can be minimised through mitigation

Gonubie Interchange to Ndwalane Recommendations

Compile an EMP including site-specific mitigation measures to minimise impacts, including:• Resettlement programme for affected homesteads

• Provision of local access, where required

• Appropriate mitigation of impacts associated with the toll plazas

• Management measures for the eradication and control of alien plant species

Ndwalane to Ntafufu

New road construction within a greenfields corridor

Issues of significance include:• Resettlement of affected homesteads within proposed

road reserve (e.g. Mampube)

• Division of communities

• Restriction of access between villages, grazing land, resources, schools, etc

• Loss of productive land

Ndwalane to Ntafufu (cont.)

Issues of significance (cont.):• Invasion of alien plant species

• Threats to animal movement and to biodiversity as a result of animal mortalities and disturbance

• Impacts on Mzimvubu River as a result of bridge construction (vertical supports in channel)

• Visual impacts associated with bridge structure

• Elevated noise levels associated with road traffic

• Impacts on archaeological sites, or graves

Ndwalane to Ntafufu (cont.)

Positive impacts include:• Creation of employment opportunities

• Expansion of transportation network & improvement of access to the area

• Enhancement of eco-tourism and conservation potential

Majority of potential impacts (biophysical and social) of LOW significance and can be minimised through mitigation

Ndwalane to Ntafufu Recommendations

Compile an EMP including site-specific mitigation measures to minimise impacts, including:• Resettlement programme for affected homesteads

• Provision of local access, where required

• Appropriate design of Mzimvubu River bridge

• Mitigation of impacts associated with road traffic noise

• Management measures for the eradication and control of alien plant species

Ntafufu to Magwa Intersection

Utilises the existing R61 and concrete road Construction activities within the existing road

reserve, except at site-specific locations Issues of significance include:

• Resettlement of homesteads within road reserve

• Restriction of access to new road through fencing & closure of illegal access points

• Invasion of alien plant species

• Elevated levels of road traffic noise

Ntafufu to Magwa Intersection (cont.)

Positive impacts include:• Creation of employment opportunities

• Expansion of transportation network & improvement of access to the area

• Enhancement of eco-tourism and conservation potential

Majority of potential impacts (biophysical and social) of LOW significance and can be minimised through mitigation

Ntafufu to Magwa Intersection Recommendations

Compile an EMP including site-specific mitigation measures to minimise impacts, including:• Resettlement programme for affected homesteads

• Provision of local access, where required

• Appropriate mitigation of impacts associated with elevated road traffic noise

• Management measures for the eradication and control of alien plant species

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna

New road construction within a greenfields corridor

Issues of significance include:• Resettlement of affected homesteads within proposed

road reserve

• Division of communities (e.g. village of Matheko)

• Restriction of access between villages, grazing land, resources, schools, etc

• Loss of productive land

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna (cont.)

Issues of significance cont.:• Invasion of alien plant species

• Loss of floral species richness and species of special concern, and alteration of plant communities

• Localised impacts on riparian vegetation and forests within river gorge due to bridge construction

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna (cont.)

Issues of significance cont.:• Threats to animal movement and to biodiversity as

a result of animal mortalities and disturbance

• Visual impact associated with bridge structures

• Noise impacts associated with road traffic

• Impacts on archaeological sites & graves

• Impacts associated with Mtentu Toll Plaza

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna (cont.) Majority of potential impacts (biophysical and

social) of LOW significance Noise impacts potentially of HIGH significance Many biophysical impacts of MODERATE

significance Impacts on floral species and communities

potentially of HIGH to VERY HIGH significance Majority of impacts can be minimised through

mitigation

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna Recommendations

Compile an EMP including site-specific mitigation measures to minimise impacts, including:• Resettlement programme for affected homesteads

• Provision of local access, where required

• Mitigation of impacts associated with Mtentu Toll Plaza

Magwa Intersection to Mtamvuna Recommendations (cont.)

EMP cont.:• Mitigation of impacts associated with road traffic

noise

• Appropriate design to minimise impacts on flora & vegetation

• Management measures for the eradication and control of alien plant species

Mtamvuna to Isipingo Interchange

Utilises existing N2 Construction activities within the existing road

reserve, except at site-specific locations Issues of significance include:

• Restriction of access to new road through fencing & consolidation of access points

• Compatibility with other planned developments• Impacts associated with the construction of the Park

Rynie and Isipingo toll plazas

Mtamvuna to Isipingo Interchange (cont.)

Issues of significance (cont.):• Socio-economic impacts associated with tolling of

route (assessed by the socio-economic assessment undertaken by the NRA)

• Invasion of alien plant species

Positive impacts include:• Improved road user safety

• Creation of employment opportunities

• Expansion of transportation infrastructure

Mtamvuna to Isipingo Interchange (cont.)

Majority of potential impacts (biophysical and social) of LOW significance

Noise impacts potentially of HIGH significance Impacts can be minimised through mitigation

Mtamvuna to Isipingo Interchange Recommendations

Compile an EMP including site-specific mitigation measures to minimise impacts, including:• Management measures for the eradication and control

of alien plant species

• Provision of local access, where required

• Mitigation of impacts associated with road traffic noise

• Mitigation of impacts associated with Park Rynie and Isipingo toll plazas

Overall Conclusions

All potentially negative environmental impacts can be mitigated to reduce their severity and significance to acceptable levels

Use of the nominated preferred alignment is key in this reduction of impacts

An EMP to specify mitigation actions A number of potentially positive impacts identified

which will result in benefits to local communities and the region

Overall Recommendations

Role of the EMP is seen as vital to the implementation of the various mitigation measures recommended by the specialist studies

EMP required for design, construction and operation phases of the proposed project to stipulate site-specific management actions

Overall Recommendations (cont.)

Specialist input is required to be used as part of the design & operation phases, e.g.• Specialist botanist to survey the final route

• Specialist ecologist to survey final locations for bridge crossings

• Specialist archaeologist to survey final route

• Noise specialist to provide input for specific sections

On-going communication & consultation with communities

Way Forward

Public review of draft EIA Report• Until 15 November 2002• Feedback public and focus group meetings• Comments received to be incorporated into final EIA

Report Final EIA Report will be submitted to DEAT for

review & decision-making Issuing of an authorisation for this project will allow

final design of the road to be undertaken