Are You suprised ? - Kenya Law Reports

2774THE KENYA GAZETTE 17th May, 2013areas/equipment/systems having minimumenergy consumption.Buy and install energy efficient equipmentand use fluorescent bulbs instead ofincandescent bulbs.Implement a programme for energy savingin the building’s design.Other mitigation measures are outlinedwithin this report.The full report of the proposed project is available for inspectionduring working hours at:(a) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road,P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi.(b) Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and MineralResources, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30521,Nairobi.(c) County Director of Environment, Machakos County.The National Environment Management Authority invitesmembers of the public to submit oral or written comments withinthirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to theDirector-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decisionmaking process of the plan.MR/1933381GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 6717B. M. LANGWEN,for Director-General,National Environment Management Authority.THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANDCO-ORDINATION ACT(No. 8 of 1999)THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITYENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORTFOR THE PROPOSED THWAKE WATER SUPPLY ANDSANITATION PROJECTINVITATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTSPURSUANT to Regulation 21 of the Environmental Managementand Coordination (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003,the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) hasreceived an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for theabove proposed project.The Proponent (Tanathi Water Services Board) is proposing awater supply to supply water to the semi-arid greater Makueni andKitui. The project shall involve construction of a an embankment damacross River Thwake to impound runoff water.The dam wall will measure 84 metres high and its key componentswill include river diversion and intake works, embankment andspillway. It will cover an area of about 2,900ha spanning from the damaxis to 2-3km wide and a throwback of about 9km upstream, mainlyon Thwake river basin. The catchment is estimated at about10,276km 2 of about 35% arable and 65% semi-arable land. dam hasbeen designed for full reservoir storage of 825mcm with live storageof 594mcm. The reservoir will cover an area of 2,933ha at full storage.The embankments will require about 18.4Mm³ of earth fill materials.The crest of the main dam will be 1,600m long.The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigationmeasures:EnvironmentalImpactsMitigation MeasuresHydrology Replace vegetation cover on the buffer area andadjoining area upon project completion toreduce sediment transport.Provide sediment traps and/or embankmentsupstream to prevent excessive silt loading intothe dam.To reduce sediments downstream during theconstruction phase, papyrus etc should beSedimentTransportplanted downstream river banks to trap the silts.During the construction phase of the dam, riverwater will be diverted to allow the constructionworks, to support the river line life at least 30%of the river base flows should be allowed so asnot to harm the existing ecosystem.Diversion of the main stream should be withinthe Riverine corridor.Provide collaborated watering points for thedisrupted communities and animals.Provide flow transmission channel of adequatecapacity to carry highest flows from theproposed Thwake dam.The dam will impound and store flood flowwater that would otherwise create floodingdownstream.The reservoir if operated optimum it willincrease potential maximum power output to thenational grid and hence create more powerreliability. Encourage sustainable land use in theimmediate riparian areas.Ensure a minimum of 30m vegetated bufferzone around the dam.Encourage application of natural manure onfarms to compensate for lost silt.Consider silt release valve.Water Quality Provide temporary silt barriers to protect waterquality in the proposed dam.The exact locations for all pit latrines, therefore,will be established to enable smooth relocation.Maintain construction equipment at the highestworking conditions. Undertake equipment servicing only atapproved locations.Ensure high sanitation and hygiene at theconstruction camps at all times.Pit latrines will be decommissioned and theearth scooped for safe disposal at pre-agreedsites. Identify specific point sources of waterpollution (cattle pens, market centers, agrochemicaluse points, etc.) for isolation andmanagement.Institute a broad water quality monitoringsystem to focus on the catchment sources,incoming flows, entire dam and waterdownstream of the dam location.All identifiable graves falling within areas to beinundated will require decommissioning andrelocating to prevent contamination of water.The exercise will be undertaken in fullobservance of traditional rites as well as thewishes of the affected families.Proliferation of aquatic macro-fauna could beencouraged along the periphery of the dam toensure natural aeration of the water.Allow for buffer zone around the dam andlimited proliferation of planktons for enhancedaeration.All vegetation materials (live and dead) at thedam site shall be cleared and removed beforethe area is excavated and inundated.Control soil erosion from the catchments andthe immediate agricultural land (consideradditional sand traps and supporting farmers onsustainable land use practices.Provide silt release system for downstreamproductivity (This will be effective through