E2993 v8
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MARD)
CENTRAL PROJECT OFFICE (CPO)
VIETNAM MANAGING NATURAL HAZARDS PROJECT
(VN-Haz Project)
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
(EA)
Water Resources University
Consultancy & Technology Transfer Company
March - 2012
Table of Contents
List of Annexes.......................................................................................................................... ii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ........................................................................................ iii
Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... iv
Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... iv
EXECUTIVE SUMARY ........................................................................................................... 1
Chapter 1: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 5
1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 5
1.2. Objectives and Scope....................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................. 8
2.1. Project Objectives and Components ................................................................................ 8
2.2. Project Areas and Main Activities .................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 3 POLICY, LEGAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ........................ 21
2.1 World Bank’s Safeguard Policies ................................................................................... 21
2.2 National Policy, Regulations, and InstituionalFramworks ............................................. 22
CHAPTER 4. ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND ....................................................... 27
4.1. Environmental Background ........................................................................................... 28
4.2 Natural Disaster Situation and Response Capacity ........................................................ 36
CHAPTER 5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT........................................... 39
5.1 Potential Positive -Iimpacts ............................................................................................ 39
5.2 Identification of Potential Negative Impacts .................................................................. 43
5.3 Assessment of Potential Negative Impacts during Construction ................................... 48
5.4 Assessment of Environmental Impacts during Operation .............................................. 54
5.5. Analysis of alternatives ................................................................................................. 56
CHAPTER 6. PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES ...................................................... 60
6.1 Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) ....................................... 60
6.2 Mitigation measures for Phase 1 subprojects ................................................................. 67
6.3 Dam Safety Framework (DSF) ....................................................................................... 67
6.4 Implementation and Monitoring Arrangement………………………………………67
6.4.1 Responsible agencies: .................................................................................................. 67
6.4.2 Reporting arrangement................................................................................................ 67
6.4.3 Safeguard training and capacity building ................................................................... 67
6.4.4 Budget allocation......................................................................................................... 68
CHAPTER 7 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ............................................................................. 72
7.1. Objective and Methodology .......................................................................................... 72
7.2 Public Consultation Results ............................................................................................ 73
References……………………………………………………………………………………85
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
LIST OF ANNEXES
Annex 1: Subproject List and Location Maps
Annex 2: National Policies and Institutions
Annex 3: Background on Key River Basins
Annex 4: Background on Natural Disaster
Annex 5: Initial Screening for Potential Negative Impacts of Subprojects
Annex 6: Public Consultation
Annex 7: Pictures of Field Trip and Public Consultation
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 2.1. List of the activities to be implemented under Component 3 .................................. 18
Table 2.2: Classification of subprojects under Component 4 by type of works ....................... 19
Table 2.3: Number of proposed subprojects under Component 4 by the provinces ............... 19
Table 2.4: Number of proposed subprojects under Component 4 by river basins ................... 20
Table 2.5: List of the first phase subprojects (5 provinces, 5 basins) ...................................... 20
Table 2.1: Relevant WB’s Safeguard Policies.......................................................................... 21
Figure 2.1: Environmental Management Structure .................................................................. 26
Figure 4.1. River basins and Provinces related to VN-Haz Project. ........................................ 27
Figure 4.2. Locations of national parks and important nature reserves .................................... 32
Figure 4.3. Location of key socio – economic zones ................................................................ 34
Figure 4.4: Population density in the key river basins in the project area ................................ 34
Figure 4.5. Economic structure of the key river basins in the project area .............................. 35
Figure 4.6. Locations of key cultural sites ............................................................................... 36
Table 5.1. Identification of potential negative impacts ............................................................ 43
Table 5.2: Impacts due to land acquisition and relocations of first phase Component 4
subprojects (RAPs for five-first phase subprojects) ................................................................. 46
Table 5.4: Comparison between “without project” and “with project” option ........................ 57
Table 6.1: Technical Guideline for Safeguard Screening and Actions for Component 4
Subprojects ............................................................................................................................... 70
Table 7.1. Public consultation during the development of the EA and ESMF ........................ 72
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Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
ABBREVIATIONS
CAFSCP
CBDRM
CCCC
Commune Annual Flood and Storm Control Plan
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management
Commune CBDRM Coordination Committee
CCFSC
Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control
CDPM
CFSC
CPC
CPMO
CPO
CSC
CSEP
DARD
Centers for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Committee for Flood and Storm Control (at Province, District
and Commune levels)
Commune People's Committee
Central Project Management Office
Central Project Office
Construction Supervision Consultant
Contract Specific Environmental Plan
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
DMC
Disaster Management Center
DONRE
DPC
DRM
ECOP
EA
EIA
EMC
EMP
EMDP
EMP
EMPF
EPC
ESMF
ESU
GoV
M&E
MARD
MONRE
OP/BP
PCFSC
PCSR
PPMU
RAP
RPF
SA
UXO
VN-Haz
WB
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
District People's Committee
Disaster Risk Management
Environmental Code of Practices
Environmental Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Management Consultant
Environmental Management Consultant
Ethnic Minority Development Plan
Environmental Management Plan
Ethnic Minority Policy Framework
Environmental Protection Commitment
Environment and Social Management Framework
Environmental and Social Unit
Government of Vietnam
Monitoring & Evaluation
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
Operational Policy/Bank Procedures
Provincial Committee for Flood and Storm Control
Provincial Committee for Search and Rescue
Provincial Project Management Unit
Resettlement Action Plan
Resettlement Policy Framework
Social Assessment
Unexploded Ordnances
Vietnam – Managing Natural Hazards Project
World Bank
iv
EXECUTIVE SUMARY
1.
Vietnam Managing Hazards Project (VN-Haz or the Project) is one of the projects
invested by the Government of Vietnam to support the implementation of “the National
strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation to 2020”. The project is partially
funded by the World Bank's loan and will be carried out in 10 provinces in the central region,
including Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Nam,
Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, and Ninh Thuan.
2.
The development objective of the Project is to increase the resilience of the people
and economic assets to natural hazards in selected river basins of the project provinces
within the overall framework of the Vietnam’s National Disaster Prevention, Response and
Mitigation Strategy Towards 2020. To achieve this objective, a river basin approach has been
used in the Project design by focusing investments in major river basins, integrating
components activities to avoid small and scattered efforts, and applying structural and nonstructural measures to reduce the vulnerability to natural disasters. The Project activities will
be implemented through the following five components, namely Component 1: Strengthening
Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Institutions, Information Systems and Planning;
Component 2: Strengthening Weather Forecasting and Early Warning Systems; Component
3: Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM); Component 4: Priority Disaster
Risk Mitigation Investments; and Component 5: Project Management.
3.
Objective of the Environmental Assessment (EA): To be in line with the World Bank
(WB) safeguard policy (OP/BP 4.01) an EA was carried out to examine environmental issues
and impacts associated with the project based on a river basin approach. The EA presents the
policy, legal, and institutional aspects relevant to the environmental management and natural
disaster situations; assessed the potential impacts both positive and negative, including
consideration on alternative options; and proposed measures to mitigate the potential negative
impacts, including recommendation to strengthen the environmental management during the
design of the Project.
4.
National policy and institution framework: The Government has established national
policy, regulations, and institution related to environmental management and natural disaster.
Law on Environmental Protection (2005) sets out regulations requiring an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) or an Environmental Protection Commitment (EPC) for a
development project. The EIA report is developed at an early stage of the project preparation
(feasibility study).
5.
World Bank’s safeguard policy: The Project has been assigned as category “B” and
WB clearance of the mitigation measures is required. The Project triggers the following six
WB’s safeguard policies: Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01); Physical Cultural
Resources (OP/BP 4.11); Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10); Involuntary Resettlement
(OP/BP 4.12); Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37); and Projects on International Waterways
(OP/BP 7.50). It has also to comply with the policy on Public Consultation and Information
Disclosure. The Project will not affect critical natural habitats/protected areas and/or involve
forest logging/production.
6.
Environmental background: The existing environmental conditions in the Central
Region are presented including those in the context of river basins especially for Ma river
basin, Ca river basin, Thach Han river basin, Gianh river basin, Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin,
Tra Khuc-Tra Bong river basin, and Kone river basin. Most of the rivers are short and steep
causing fast water flows and accumulation of sediment at the river mouths. The Project area
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Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
lies within the tropical monsoon region, with an average temperature of 27oC. The Central
Region’s climate is divided into two major patterns, the North Central and the South Central
Coast. The air quality is generally good, except in some urban areas where levels of dust and
noise are relatively high. Across the entire area, the groundwater quality is good and can be
used for domestic water supply. However, high content of iron or manganese or salinity can
be observed in some specific areas. Surface water quality is also good, except the high content
of total suspended solids due to riverbank erosion. However, the water quality is often
degraded during and after heavy rains or storms. The soil quality of the region is generally
good. The terrestrial ecosystems of the region mainly consist of natural and plantation forests.
Freshwater ecosystems in the Project area are not unique and many National Parks and Natural
Resources Reserves of high biodiversity value have been established.
7.
Population densities of most of river basins are below the national average, except Tra
Khuc and Kone river basins. All of river basins have rural population, accounting for more than
70% of the total population. Agricultural, forest, and vacant land areas are being reduced due to
construction of transportation network, irrigation system, hydropower plants, urban areas and
factories. The infrastructure in the Project area is still poor, especially the rural road systems
which haven’t met the need for transportation and rescue in heavy rains or floods. The
regional economy is still in a difficult situation and the marine resources are being overexploited.
8.
The Central Region often experiences most of the different types of natural disasters in
Vietnam, of which the most frequent are floods, typhoons, heat waves, and droughts. Floods
and inundations in the region usually occur on a large scale, simultaneously in several
provinces, sometimes cover the entire region. Floods have been hitting the region more
frequently and more fiercely, causing human casualties, property damage, and soil and water
pollution. Storms and tropical low pressures are happening more regularly and intensely.
9.
Positive Impacts: The overall impacts of the Project will be positive. Results of the
assessment show that the Project would benefit the country and local communities, namely:
(i) Reduction of human losses and property damage by protecting approximately 900,000
people (more than 210,000 households), including people of 5 ethnic groups: Muong, Thai,
Co Tu, H’re and Cham, and nearly 50 thousand of hectares of productive land from annual
floods and droughts; (ii) Facilitation for socio-economic development and improvement in
living standards for local people in the project areas; (iii) Raising community awareness and
natural disaster risk management capacity of different levels; and (iv) Improvement in quality
of living environment. Technical assistance and financial support to be provided under
Components 1, 2, and 3 will continue to strengthen policy and institutional capacity of key
agencies at national and local levels as well as capacity of local communities to address
natural disaster issues.
10.
Negative Impacts: The negative impacts will be mainly due to civil works to be carried
out under Component 4, especially those related to: (i) Land acquisition and resettlement of
local people including ethnic minority people and gravesites and (ii) Site clearance and
construction which could temporary increase levels of dust and other air pollution, noise,
vibration, water pollution, local traffic volume, safety risk, and other impacts on local
residents and businesses. The impacts, however, will be small to moderate, localized, and
temporary considering that civil works will only be limited to rehabilitation and upgrading,
and can be mitigated through good construction management and practices with close
supervision of contractors by field/site engineers and in consultation with local authorities and
local residents. To mitigate these impacts a standard Environmental Code of Practices
(ECOP) has been developed and will be included in the bidding and contract documents for
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
the Component 4 subprojects. There are UXO risks during construction but this risk is
considered moderate and could be mitigated through an UXO examination and clearance (as
needed), prior to the commencement of civil works. There are also risks during operation if
the infrastructures are not properly designed and/or maintained adequately and/or sluices are
not properly operated. However, these risks are also considered moderate and could be
mitigated through proper design, close consultation among stakeholders, and the capacity
building activities to be carried out under Components 1, 2, and 3. Risk related to coastal
erosion could be mitigated through proper design of coastal structure and consultation with
nearby local authorities and communities. The Project will not affect any national and local
physical cultural resources, historical sites, and nature and biodiversity reserves.
11.
Potential negative impacts of Component 3 subprojects will be limited to community
infrastructure and very small works such as construction of buildings and meteorological
stations and they can be mitigated through the participatory planning process and/or the
application of good construction practices. A simple ECOP has also been developed and it
will be applied to bidding and/or construction contracts for Component 3.
12.
Environmental Safeguard Management Framework (ESMF) and other Environmental
Safeguard Documents/Instruments: Given that the subprojects will be implemented in phases
an ESMF has been prepared to ensure that the subprojects and activities to be financed under
the Project would not create adverse impacts on the local environment and local communities
and the residual and/or unavoidable impacts will be adequately mitigated in line with the
WB’s safeguard policy. The ESMF process describes criteria for safeguard screening of
subprojects, including an exclusion list, and identification of impacts; basic principles for
development of mitigation measures; requirements for WB safeguard clearance; and
implementation, supervision, monitoring, and reporting. The ESMF also provides guidelines
for preparation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for a subproject, including
actions to facilitate effective implementation of the EMP, institutional arrangement, safeguard
training and capacity building, and budget allocation and source of funds. EMPs have been
prepared for the year 1/phase 1 subprojects. For the subproject involving dam safety, a Dam
Safety Framework (DSF) has also been prepared including guidelines for preparation of a
Dam Safety Report (DSR) for large dams and a Dam Safety Inspection Report (DSIR) for
small dams. The ESMF is prepared as a stand alone document and is closely connected to
other social safeguard policy documents of the Project, namely the Ethnic Minority Policy
Framework (EMPF), the Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), and the Ethnic Minority
Development Plans (EMDPs).
13.
Implementation arrangement: The Central Project Management Office (CPMO) in the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has overall responsibility for ESMF
implementation within the Project, including training on safeguard policy frameworks and action
plans (ESMF/EMP, DSF/DSRs/DSIRs, RPF/RAPs, and EMPF/EMDPs) for the Provincial
Project Management Units (PPMUs) and other related units; selecting an external monitoring
agency; supervising and reporting on environmental and social issues. The PPMUs would be
responsible for the development and implementation of the safeguard action plans (EMPs,
DSRs/DSIRs, RAPs, EMDPs) in cooperation with the District Resettlement Committees
(DRCs) and local agencies and regularly monitor the implementation. CPMO will supervise and
monitor the implementation of safeguard measures at least twice a year and report annual
monitoring results to the World Bank.
14.
Public Consultation: In consistency with the Bank’s requirements regarding public
consultation and information disclosure, consultations were carried out during the preparation
of the EA and ESMF one in June-July 2011 and one in September 2011. Participants in these
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
consultations included farmer and fisherman households likely to be directly or indirectly
affected by the Project, local authorities; central and local state agencies, NGOs, civil society
organizations, etc. Stakeholders’ issues and concerns were taken into account in the
preparation of the safeguard documents. Most of the provinces and communities in the project
area showed enthusiasm in supporting the implementation of the Project and wished that the
Project would be carried out soon.
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Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
15.
As one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, Vietnam is highly susceptible to
typhoons, floods, seawater intrusion, landslides, drought, and forest fires. In November 2007,
the Government of Vietnam (GoV) approved a National Disaster Prevention, Response, and
Mitigation to 2020 strategy which lays out the country’s primary disaster risk management
objectives. Investment needs, covering both infrastructure and institutional capacities were
estimated. In October 2009, the Government released an Implementation Plan pertaining to
this strategy. The Plan designated the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control
(CCFSC), within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), as the focal
point for implementation. Responsible provincial and local committees are responsible for
addressing disaster risk management in an integrated manner.
16.
The World Bank (WB) has been active in supporting disaster risk management and
water resources management through the Natural Disaster Management Project (WB4), which
has been under implementation since May 2006 and planned to be completed in June 2011. It
has supported investments in disaster mitigating infrastructure (e.g. safe harbors for fishing
boats, sea dyke construction, etc.), provided support for post-disaster reconstruction in eight
provinces affected by typhoons in 2007 and 2008. It has also successfully piloted the concept
of community based disaster risk management in 30 communes, and provided technical
assistance in disaster damage assessment, disaster risk management-related budgetary
planning, and other areas. In addition, the Bank has been providing the Government with
training, technical assistance, and analytical inputs on various DRM matters under the Global
Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). The program has applied the concept
of Climate Resilient Cities in Vietnam, explored options for financial plans related to disaster
risks, raised public awareness in disaster risks, and undertaken disaster risk assessments in
selected provinces. Based on recent disaster risk management investment experience,
especially the WB4 project, MARD - on behalf of the Government - and the WB have been
developing a new project to continue providing support on national disaster risk management
namely Vietnam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz, the Project). This Project will
apply lessons learned from other projects. The Project will be implemented in 10 provinces in
the Central Coast of Vietnam, which are most likely to be affected by typhoons and floods.
Typhoons and floods in the Central Coast often occur with high frequency and severity and
cause serious damages. Provinces covered by the project will be Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha
Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Ninh
Thuan.
17.
The Central Project Office (CPO) of Water Resources Projects under MARD has been
charged with Project preparation and lists of priority activities and investments have been
proposed and feasibility studies have been carried out.
18.
To be eligible for WB funding the proposed Project must comply with the WBs
safeguard policies that are triggered for the Project, including: Environmental Assessment
(OP/BP 4.01); Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11); Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10);
Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12); Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37); Projects on
International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50); as well as the Public Consultation and Information
Disclosure. Moreover, individual EIA and/or Environmental Protection Commitment (EPC)
for each specific subproject will be prepared and submitted for GoV approval as required by
the Government’s EIA regulations.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
19.
To meet the WB safeguard requirement per OP/BP 4.01, preparation and WB approval
of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project, including the Environmental and Social
Management Framework (ESMF) and the Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) for the
first year subprojects are required. The Consultancy & Technology Transfer Company of
Hanoi Water Resources University has been contracted for the preparation of the EA, and the
ESMF. The assignment was carried out from 1 June 2011 to 10 September 2011. The main
activities included collection of project information and background data, field visits to the 10
provinces for collection of environmental data (water, sediment, etc.), field surveys, and
consultation with key agencies and authorities located in the regions, in particular the local
authorities and line departments such as the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and
Environment (DONRE) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE),
the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of MARD, and the
provincial Department of Planning and Investment (DPI) under the Ministry of Planning and
Investment (MPI). The results are provided in this report.
1.2. Objectives and Scope
20. The main purpose of the EA is to identify potential impacts of the Project to ensure that
potential negative impacts are adequately mitigated to an acceptable level and that an
opportunity to enhance the potential positive impacts is integrated in the Project design. The
following approach was used in the preparation of this EA:
Study Approaches

Desk review. Review of Project description, draft feasibility studies of the proposed
subprojects, environmental conditions (land use, etc.) of the Project area as well as the
proposed subprojects sites, WB safeguard policies and documents for previous and
existing similar projects, Government regulations applicable to the project, etc.

Conduct a preliminary assessment of potential environmental impacts of the subprojects by classifying the subprojects according to types of works, area/basin,
social/environmental risks/impacts, etc. and identify the subproject with significant
risks so that field visits and/or primary data collection could be made.

Carry out surveys and field studies to collect data on water, air, land use, sediment,
etc. Collect relevant data from related agencies and partners from central to local
levels.

Apply environmental matrixes and checklists for each type of subproject works to
facilitate the planning for minimizing the potential environmental risks and
maximizing the environmental benefits; Study existing materials and descriptions of
subprojects; Use professional knowledge and working experience in the country and
discuss with key agencies and other national consultants working on feasibility studies
and other technical aspects as well as the WB’s environmental and social specialists.

Propose an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and technical
guidelines for preparation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the
subprojects given that they will be implemented in phases. Resettlement Policy
Framework (RPF), Ethnic Minority Policy Framework (EMPF), and and Dam Safety
Framework (DSF) are also being prepared to guide the preparation of actions when
land acquisition, resettlement, ethnic minority, and dam safety are involved. These
policy frameworks are prepared in line with WB safeguard policy requirements and
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
will be translated into local language and disclosed locally and at WB’s InfoShop and
Hanoi office.

Conduct public consultation in line with the Government guidelines taken into account
WB policy and guidelines on consultation.
Structure of the Report
21.
Given that the ESMF and DSF are prepared separately, this report will therefore
briefly summarizes the key points of these frameworks while details are referred to the ESMF
and DSF. Other social safeguard documents referred in this report such as the Social
Assessment (SA), the RPF, and the EMPF are also prepared as standalone documents. In this
context the EA report is divided into -7 chapters and 7 annexes as follows:
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Project Description
Chapter 3 Policy, Legal, and Institutional Frameworks
Chapter 4 Environmental Background
Chapter 5 Environmental Impact Assessment
Chapter 6 Proposed Mitigation Measures
Chapter 7 Public Consultation
Annex 1: Subproject List and Location Maps
Annex 2: National Policies and Institutions
Annex 3: Background on Key River Basins
Annex 4: Background on Natural Disaster
Annex 5: Initial Screening of the Potential Negative Impacts of Subprojects
Annex 6: Public Consultation
Annex 7: Pictures of Field Trip and Public Consultation
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
CHAPTER 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
22.
This chapter presents the Project objectives and components including the Project areas
and proposed subprojects. Locations of the proposed subprojects are presented in Annex 1.
2.1. Project Objectives and Components
23.
The project development objective is to increase the resilience of the people and
economic assets to natural hazards in selected river basins of the project provinces within the
overall framework of the Vietnam’s National Disaster Prevention, Response and Mitigation
Strategy Towards 2020. To achieve this objective, a river basin approach has been used in the
Project design by focusing investments in major river basins, integrating components
activities to avoid small and scattered efforts, and applying structural and non-structural
measures to reduce the vulnerability to natural disasters. The Project activities will be
implemented through the following five components:
Component 1: Strengthening Disaster Risk Management Institutions, Information
Systems and Planning (US$ 7.0 million).
24.
The specific objective of Component 1 is to strengthen institutional and technical
capacities at national, provincial and local level on disaster risk management (DRM) in order
to better plan and mitigate hazard risks, thereby reducing potential loss of life, damage to
property, and economic disruption. The institutional strengthening will be in line with the
priorities outlined in the National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response and
Mitigation to 2020 its national Action Plan and draft DRM law, which serves as the
overarching document for the Government's approach to disaster management and MARD’s
Institutional Vision for 2020.
25.
The component will focus on the institutional mechanisms relevant to national,
provincial and local levels as well as regional scale for hydromet services. The DRM
institutions of 10 provinces of Central Vietnam (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh,
Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan) will be covered
with an renewed focus on a river basin approach.
26.
Component 1 will have three sub-components: (i) Strengthening DRM institutions, (ii)
Improvement of the DRM information systems, and (iii) Support for the integration of DRM
in river basin Planning.
27.
Under the first sub-component, Strengthening DRM Institutions, the project will
provide relevant support to implement the National Platform on Disaster Preparedness,
Prevention and Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change. This activity aims to facilitate
inter-ministerial coordination meetings, policy dialogue and knowledge-sharing mechanisms
between the government ministries, development partners, academic institutions, NGOs and
private sector. One of the outputs of this activity will be to develop an on-line web-based
knowledge sharing portal on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change
Adaptation (CCA) at national level. The sub-component will also review and update DRM
codes, standards and technical manuals for water resources management at river basin level.
Technical assistance will be given for a study on the feasibility of financing mechanisms for
DRM.
28.
The sub-component will support the establishment of 8 Provincial Disaster
Management Centers (PDMCs) in the project target provinces (except in Quang Ngai and Da
Nang where PDMCs already exist). This would include renovation of office facilities and
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
basic equipments. Before establishing PDMCs, a detailed study on the performance of
existing PDMCs and standing office of PCFSC will be conducted in order to propose the most
relevant PDMC model. The experience and lessons learned from the existing PDMCs and
river basin approach adopted in this project will be considered while establishing PDMCs in
eight provinces.
29.
The sub-component will strengthen DRM technical capacity of government agencies
at different levels. This will require an update of training needs assessment of national and
provincial level agencies involved in DRM work which was done by the on-going Bankfinanced NDRMP, and subsequent training would cover all aspects of DRM such as risk,
vulnerability assessments, preparedness, search and rescue, and response. The National level
Disaster Management Centre (DMC), which is mandated to offer CBDRM training to
provincial and district level staff, will be supported with technical assistance to improve
training content. Technical expertise on CBDRM will be strengthened at the provincial and
lower levels following a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach, using an experienced local
consultancy firm to conduct the trainings. The national DMC would provide supervision,
technical guidance and monitoring of these trainings.
30.
The CBDRM training curriculum will integrate on-going capacity development related
to Community Based Adaptation (CBA). This activity is closely related to component 3
(CBDRM), and ToT training would cover all 10 provinces. The ToT training will target
provincial level staff, and after the training, these staff would participate together with other
experts in providing similar trainings to selected district and commune (component 3) level
staff. It is proposed to conduct CBDRM trainings in each of the 28 districts selected under
component 3. This sub-component will also support international training on DRM and study
tours.
31.
The second sub-component, Improvement of the DRM information Systems, will
support DRM databases, spatial interpretation tools, and dam/reservoir safety information
systems. Strengthening existing DRM databases and information systems include update
and addition of indicators such as hazards, vulnerability, risks, livelihood groups, data on
damage and loss, socio-economic information and post disaster interventions. MARD’s
current information collection procedures will be improved and linked to the proposed
information systems. In addition, links will be established to existing socio-economic
database of General Statistics Office (GSO) of Vietnam. Interactivity of the databases is
expected to be enhanced by strengthening query and quality checking procedures. This
activity will help to harmonize all existing DRM databases and provide access to agencies
involved in DRM related work.
32.
A database on smaller dams/reservoirs held by MARD is currently not available at the
provincial level. There are at least three different management layers of reservoirs (provincial,
district and commune level), and lack of coordination and information exchange weakens the
reservoir operation and disaster preparedness. Improved coordination and sharing of
information can promote better management of these reservoirs and protect lives and
livelihood assets. The project will support: (i) an inventory of existing medium and small
scale reservoirs, their safety standards, operational procedures; (ii) development of a software
that can be applied at national and provincial level; (iii) development of guidelines for safety
of medium and small reservoir/dam operations in 10 provinces, and (iv) a training program on
how to use the database, software and on guidelines for safety of medium and small reservoir
operations to provincial and district staff.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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33.
The third sub-component, Support for the Integration of DRM in River Basin
Planning, will help integrate DRM into river basin management. In particular, the subcomponent would support: (a) data collection and assessment of exposure, risks and
vulnerability at the basin scale, (b) identification of vulnerable areas, and possible structural
and non-structural measures to mitigate the natural disaster risks. The sub-component will
cover all river basins in the 10 project provinces to be supported under the project, and take
place in two phases: a study phase and the preparation of the river basin plan itself.
34.
The study phase will assess the main DRM problems in the river basins (such as
environmental degradation, soil erosion, drought, landslides, sedimentation, solid waste
management, water quality, flood impacts); the climate change impacts on the major river
basins; flood mapping combining existing hazard and vulnerability maps prepared under
NDRMP project with new data sets; an institutional analysis; and an inventory of existing
plans (land use, provincial disaster management plans, agriculture, transport). The DRM
priorities and basin risk maps would then be integrated into river basin plans.
35.
At present, nine out of ten provinces have prepared Integrated DRM Plans (IDRMs)
under the Bank-funded NDRMP project. At the same time, the National Target Programme on
Climate Change requests provinces to prepare provincial plans on adaptation to climate
change. Given that there are similarities with respect to actions under DRM and CCA and that
promoting two similar plans may add complexity for the provincial authorities, there is a need
to integrate CCA into DRM action plans aiming to address short term priorities, but at the
same time with long-term perspectives. This activity will promote a joint action plan for CCA
and DRM in 10 provinces based on lessons and experiences from IDRMP exercise and
updated comprehensive vulnerability and risk analysis.
36.
Finally, the sub-component will provide training on the use of hydrological models
and GIS tools to DRM staff at provincial level and will be closely linked to component 2 of
the project. This activity will promote use of existing data on land use, vulnerabilities and risk
maps from NDRMP project combined with satellite imageries for preparation of flood maps
in eight river basins (Ma, Ca, Vu Gia-Thu Bon, Tra Khuc Tra Bong, Kone Ha Thanh, Thach
Han, Gianh, Cai Phan Rang). These flood maps will contribute to preparation of river basin
plans and joint action plans for DRM and CCA described above. Technical specialists from
the sub-Department for Water Resources and Flood and Storm Control within the provincial
DARD, MARD’s Water Resources Directorate and Faculty of Hydrology in Water Resources
University (WRU) will be trained on modeling, use of satellite maps and GIS.
Component 2: Strengthening Weather Forecasting and Early Warning Systems ($30.0
million)
37.
The objectives of component 2 are to strengthen hydrometeorological services,
weather forecasting and early warning systems for disaster preparedness at all levels and to
improve delivery of locally relevant early warning products and services. Particular emphasis
will be given to strengthening the integration of the existing and planned hydro-met
components in the country. Two sub-components will be implemented: (i) Designing and
implementing an integrated national hydromet forecasting and early warning system and endto-end applications at the regional and provincial level; and (ii) Strengthening hydromet
observation and monitoring network, computer hardware and ICT infrastructure.
38.
Sub-Component 2.1 Technical Assistance for development and implementation of an
integrated National Hydromet forecasting and EW System and end-to-end applications ($6
million): This sub-component will cover the technical assistance to design a nation-wide
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
integrated system and to provide overall guidance and implementation support. This will
include the preparation of hydrometeorological implementation plans for the national and
central region and the design of a nation-wide communication system. Priorities to be
addressed include (i) Analysing institutional frameworks, staff capacity requirements and
Preparation of Concept of Operation; (ii) providing technical advice on software, forecasting
models, instruments, computer architecture and data processing; (iii) Instrument
specifications, ensuring inter-operability of the observation networks and contract
performance monitoring; and (iv) providing support for the development and testing of a
sustainable hydromet business model. An Integrator will be hired at the beginning of the
project to develop a detailed framework and to support and monitor the implementation of the
integrated system.
39.
Technical support will be provided for the maintenance and operation of hard- and
software of weather forecasting and early warning systems according to the developed
concept of operation. The national level strengthening will ensure better integration of the
planned improvements (observation, forecasting and communication infrastructures) proposed
for three regional hydrometeorological centers (north-central, mid-central, and southern)
under sub-component 2.2. Synergies and collaboration will be sought with other proposed and
existing investment programs, including the Government-funded MONRE investment
program and donor-funded programs such as the Italian ODA program phase I & II, the
Mekong River Commission’s-HYCOS, the USAID support and the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) assistance.
40.
An overall training strategy will be developed to improve the technical capacity at
national, regional and provincial levels based on user information needs and institutional
analysis. The objectives of the training are to maintain the hard- and software, use the weather
and hydrological models and analyse model outputs (down-scaling), and prepare quality
forecast products and early warning information. The capacity development programs will
include training on weather forecasting, drought monitoring, storm surge prediction, seasonal
climate prediction and assessment of climate change impacts. Improvement of forecast
models and other software include high resolution non-hydrostatic Numerical Weather
Prediction (NWP) models, topography and land use database, ensemble multi-scale weather
forecast models for short range forecasts, hydrological and hydraulic models for flood
forecasting and flash flood warning, integration of radar data (existing) for hydraulic models
and development of techniques for quantitative precipitation estimate from radar and visual
display and analysis system.
41.
User interaction, climate data and information sharing will be strengthened by
establishing a national user forum (linked to a national platform supported under component
1). This sub-component includes study tours and on-the-job training for managers.
Strengthening of end-to-end application includes user training on interpretation of early
warning products for provincial departments, district staff and communities for better
informed decisions. Three regional hydro-met centers (north-central, mid-central and
southern) are included.
42.
Sub-Component 2.2.
Strengthening hydro-met observation and monitoring
network, computer hardware and ICT infrastructure ($20 million): This sub-component
will support the establishment of multi-hazard early warning systems, including the
installation of automated hydro-meteorological observing networks and communication
systems through provision of equipment and relevant training.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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43.
Major priorities to be addressed include: (i) Upgrading ICT infrastructure and
computer hardware at national, regional and provincial NHMS centers, (ii) modernization of
hydromet observation and monitoring infrastructure in north-central, mid-central and southern
regional centers; and (iii) improvement of technical capacity to maintain instruments,
including observation, data transfer and communication between provincial, regional and
national hydro-met centers. Installation of computer systems and forecast interpretation tools
such as GIS mapping facility to deliver rapid location-specific forecasts are included. Three
regional hydro-met centers (north-central, mid-central and southern) are included under this
sub-component1This sub-project would be implemented in the two phases: (a) Phase 1
(southern region) to complete the initiative taken by the NDRMP, and (b) Phase 2 (national
and central region).
44.
Major investments include High Performamce Computer (HPC) hardware and
operating software, service development and technical support for the national center,
upgradation of computer hardwares and operating softwares, service development and
technical support for the provincial centres; modernization and upgrading of existing
meteorological stations and automatic weather stations, upgrading to SMS automated rain
gauge networks, automatic water level and rain gauge stations, integrated discharge and
suspended sediment, water level and rainfall measuring devices and boats for discharge and
velocity measurements. This sub-component covers upgrading of communication networks to
connect provincial and regional centres with the national centre and setting up a LAN and
other communication networks in three regional centres, together with a reliable backup
system. Real time status of major and important reservoirs will be included within the LAN
communication network for development of flood forecasting services. Upgrading of
equipment and networks will be closely coordinated with ODA activities to avoid potential
duplication and overlaps.
45.
The sub-component will include support for the southern regional hydromet centre.
This support will facilitate an upgrade of meteorological instruments and an enhancement of
the hydrological monitoring along the Mekong river. The support in question will focus on the
design and establishment of an automated hydrologic network and on defining clear operating
procedures for the network. The modernization will cover automatic weather stations, river
discharge measurements devices, suspended sediment measurement, sounding depth
measurement device, automatic water level recorders and flood measurement poles; and
calibration and evaluation of flood danger/alarm levels. It will also help complete the
renovation/construction of office buildings for five provincial centres and other fire fighting
and early warning equipments. Training and capacity development activities include operation
and maintenance of automatic weather stations, maintenance of water level and rain
measurement devices and maintenance of discharge and water depth measurement
instruments.
Component 3: Community-Based Disaster Risk Management ($22.0 million)
47.
This component will build on the successful pilot experiences in community-based
disaster preparedness including safer commune planning and risk management awareness
under the current Bank-financed NDRMP project. It also introduces new design features,
including river basin approaches, cluster approaches, interactive Management Information
The priority (i) on “modernization of measurement/monitoring infrastructure and data transfer” will be excluded
for mid-central region as this has already been covered by ODA assistance to the Regional Hydro-Meteorological
Centre located in Da Nang.
1
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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System (MIS) with commune reporting by cell phone and private sector-commune
partnerships.
48.
The objective of this component is to help implement the GoV’s national CBDRM
strategy (Decision 1002/QD-TTg). As a result this component, approximately 100 communes
will be better prepared for natural disaster events.
49.
The selection of communes will be carried using a clustering approach which will
ensure that the communes selected are those benefiting from the larger scale infrastructure
investments supported under Component 4. This integration, following a river basin approach,
will maximize and better sustain the impacts from the larger scale DRM investments as well
as the commune level engagement. Under the first phase of the DRM investments, 27
communes have been identified for support (see Table 1). The identification of the remaining
communes will be conducted after project inception. The abovementioned objective will be
achieved through two sub-components: (i) Commune Institutional Strengthening and (ii)
CBDRM Investments.
Table 1. The List of Proposed Commune for Phase 1 CBDRM Activities
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Province
Thanh Hoa
District
Yen Dinh
Ha Tinh
Thieu Hoa
Tho Xuan
Cam Xuyen
Commune
Yen Thinh
Dinh Hoa
Dinh Thanh
Dinh Cong
Dinh Binh
Dinh Tuong
Yen Tam
Yen Giang
Thieu Thanh
Xuan Vinh
Cam Phuc
Cam
Long/
Thien Cam town
Cam Nhuong
Cam Thang
Duy Phu
Duy Thu
Duy Tan
Duy Hoo
Phuoc Hoa
Phuoc Hiep
Phuoc Quang
Phuoc Loc
Phuoc Thuan
Nhon An
Nhon Phong
Nhơo Hau
Nhon Khanh
Nhon Hung
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Quang Nam
Duy Xuyen
Binh Dinh
Tuy Phuoc
An Nhon
River basin
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Ma river
Rac River
Rac River
Rac River
Rac River
Thu Bon river
Thu Bon river
Thu Bon river
Thu Bon river
Kon river
Kon river
Kon river
Kon river
Ha Thanh river
Kon river
Kon river
Kon river
Ha Thanh river
Ha Thanh river
50.
Commune Institutional Strengthening ($2.0 million). This sub-component aims to
develop the capacity of participating commune-level stakeholders and agencies2 to plan and
2
Commune-level stakeholders and agencies in this document refer to not only government
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
engage in a broad range of risk reduction measures encompassing “pre-, during- and postdisaster” activities. Gender equality and integration will be ensured through these capacity
development initiatives, as too will be the focus on vulnerable groups. Main activities
include:

Strengthening of commune-level flood and storm risks management procedure. This
activity will help commune-based institutions to prepare a commune-annual flood and
storm risks management plan (CAFSCP) on yearly basis. 3 The plan will improve early
warning and support the Communal Committee for Flood and Storm Control (CFSC)
and its counterparts to understand responsibilities during pre- and post-disaster
activities.

Training for commune-based institution leaders. The project will provide training to
improve capacity of CFSC, CBDRM facilitators and other commune-level stakeholders
and agencies (see Appendix 1 for details of training).

Development of inter-communal support platforms. This activity will develop an intercommunal support platform where leaders of the CFSCs and commune-based
institutions conduct exchange visits to plan co-operation for pre- and post-disaster
activities, including joint evacuation exercises, post-disaster clean up and relief
operations.

Community Resilient Planning: Each participating commune will: (i) identify its
vulnerability through a participatory risk assessment; (ii) prepare and update communelevel annual flood and storm control plans (CAFSCP) based on the risk assessment;
and (iii) integrate the CAFSCP into commune socio-economic development plans.

Private sector-commune partnerships. This project seeks to develop enterprisecommunity collaboration for enhancing commune resilience to disasters and thereby
support the Government’s development objectives under the National CommunityBased DRM Program and the National Program of Developing New Rural Areas, both
of which highlight private sector engagement as a key requisite for successful
implementation.
51.
CBDRM Investments ($18.0 million). This sub-component will fund CBDRM
activities identified in the updated CAFSCPs. Risk reduction measures will include nonstructural and structural measures determined through the VCA and CAFSCP and driven by
the needs of the local communities, which would include representatives of most vulnerable
in the communes.
3

Non-structural measures: Activities will include evacuation drills, public
awareness raising, communications/early warning systems, provision of small
equipment such as small boats, pumps, and first aid kits. Activities will be
followed by participatory workshops to review the results and document the
lessons learned in the CAFSCP.

Structural measures: The project would support the participating communes to
construct small-scale physical structural measures in a hazard-resilient manner.
These would include multi-purpose shelters, evacuation roads, bridges, river bank
agencies, institutions, political parties and interest groups, but also other private organizations and
citizens.
This activity would build on existing manuals such as CCFSC Manual/Handbook, the “four on the
spots’ motto” and CCFSC “Emergency response and early recovery guidelines”.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
rehabilitation, retention ponds as well as reforestations and other structures
identified by the target communes. The project will also provide support to prepare
plans and designs for such prevention measures and plans for the management,
operation and maintenance of each structural measure built. The CPC would be
responsible for monitoring and reporting on the progress and quality of
construction as well as for preparing and implementing operational and
maintenance guidelines.
52.
Monitoring and Evaluation of CBDRM. As a part of the project-wide M&E
framework, the project will set up a CBDRM monitoring system that will be both
participatory and also use a web-based Management Information System (MIS) at national
and sub-national levels. The system will record the performance of each commune in close to
real time. Key performance information on the status of project implementation will be
available to authorized users at national and provincial level.
Component 4: Priority Disaster Risk Mitigation Investments ($104.7m)
53.
A river basin approach will be used to identify and prioritize major DRM investments
(subprojects) within the four selected river basins in the Central Region. The structural
measures will mitigate risks posed by storms, floods, landslides and drought, including river
and sea dykes/ embankments, safe harbors, rescue roads and bridges, and reservoirs. The
Government strategy on reservoirs for disaster management objective would mainly be
focusing on rehabilitation of selected existing dams and reservoirs to improve their safety.
The rehabilitation would involve safety measures such as lowering and/or expansion of
existing spillway or building addition spillway, additional backfill with better compaction of
the main dam and its auxiliary apparatus, termite treatment, grouting, and installation of
safety monitoring devices.
54.
Based on the Integrated DRM Plans (IDRMPs) developed under the on-going Bankfinanced NDRMP project in all 12 project provinces using hydraulic modeling technology
piloted in the three provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri and Quang Nam. These plans provide
number of priority infrastructure investments within the context of disaster risk management
and climate change adaptation for long-term benefits. These plans have been reviewed and
endorsed by MARD and the provincial authorities.
55.
Experience learned from the on-going Bank-financed NDRMP project proved that an
investment of approximately UD$ 12 million protecting 12 communes with population of
64,000 and 5,271 hectares of rice land. A dam safety investment with budget of US$ 6 million
protected 8 communes living downstream 80,960 population and about 4,500 hectares of
agricultural land. Similarly an amount of US$ 2.5 million to build a safe harbor in one of the
province in the Central Coast that helped protect about 1,500 small fishing boats to evacuate
during the typhoons season of the last and this year. This proves that priority infrastructure
investments are crucial to protect livelihood and economic assets of local people who are
living in the disaster-prone areas. This is also confirmed in the Government’s strategy on
DRM prevention and mitigation.
56.
Phase 1 Investments: These will include the high priority specified in the approved
IDRMPs, and are most advanced in term of preparation including technical engineering,
economic/financial, social safeguards aspects. A maximum of two such ‘subprojects’ would
be implemented per one province over the course of the first two years of the project
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
depending on the readiness of preparation of subprojects. Greater priority would be given to
those subprojects that incorporate a river basin approach, and have complementary
investments under other components clustered nearby. Six subprojects have been confirmed
as ready for inclusion in Phase 1 spanning in 5 provinces, including four dyke or embankment
upgrading, one bridge with connecting rescue roads, and one reservoir upgrade. These are:
(i) 42 km. of a river dyke system in a tributary of Ma river basin in Thanh Hoa province
(ii) 7 km. of river bank protection and 3 km. of rescue roads and 100 m. birdge in Ca river
basin in Nghe An (2 subprojects)
(iii)11.5 km of Phuc-Long-Nhuong Sea-dyke improvement in Ha Tinh province, prepared
by the current NDRMP project
(iv) Dam safety improvement in Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin in Quang Nam province
(v) 4 km. of River embankment erosion protection in Kon river basin in Binh Dinh
province
57.
Phase 2 Investments: These investments would include other high priority physical
investments that need further detailed preparation work after project start-up, and that together
with Phase 1 investments fall under within the cost ceilings indicated above. Provinces would
undertake detailed technical, social, environmental and economic design work over the course
of year 1 and 2 and submit these for approval by MARD and no objection by the World Bank
for execution in years 3, 4 and 5. 28 other subprojects are shortlisted for inclusion in Phase 2
including 11 dyke, embankment and weir repair, 3 roads/bridges, 2 harbors and 9 reservoir
subprojects. The harbor works would involve some dredging of sea sand, construction of
breakwater structure, buoys and anchoring system for fishing boats to hire during flood and
typhoon events. Reservoir works would be mainly on rehabilitation a stated earlier. Details of
phase 2 proposed by provinces are in Appendix 1.
Component 5: Project Management ($3.8m)
58.
The objective of this component is to deliver sound project coordination, financing
and procurement, as well as ensure timely reporting and lesson learning. This component
provides financial support for those project implementing entities in MARD and MONRE
responsible for project coordination, financial management and procurement, as well as
ensuring compliance with relevant safeguards and fiduciary policies. It would provide
incremental operating cost for implementing agencies at all levels in managing the
implementation of the project.
59.
Strengthening of both national and provincial implementation capacity of the project
will include provision of office renovation, equipment facilities and vehicles, external
monitoring on fiduciary and safeguards, internal audit and control, operating expenses and
training. The component will also support the establishment of an effective M&E system for
the project and applicable to the broader DRM sector including tracking the implementation
of the National DRM Strategy. The system will monitor the performance of the various
implementing partners at national and local level and the achievement of project deliverables
as defined in the results framework and detailed M&E design. An independent baseline and
final evaluation will be funded.
60.
The detailed design will be prepared by international technical assistance in the first
six months of project implementation. Funding is provided for an independent baseline to take
place between appraisal and project effectiveness, and final evaluation in Year 5. The
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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estimated cost includes contribution from the Government, such as personnel, office space,
and utilities both at the central and provincial level.
2.2. Project Areas and Main Activities
61.
The Project areas will cover 10
provinces in the Central Region of
Vietnam including: Thanh Hoa, Nghe
An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri,
Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai,
Binh Dinh, and Ninh Thuan. The areas
will involve four major river basins and
five small basins considered to be
Vietnam’s most disaster-prone areas.
The four major basins are (a) Ma basin
in Thanh Hoa province, (b) Ca basin in
Nghe An province, (c) Vu Gia-Thu Bon
basin in Da Nang and Quang Nam
provinces, and (d) Tra Khuc-Tra Bong
basin Quang Ngai provinces. The five
smaller basins are Giang, Nhat Le,
Thach Han, Kone and Dinh river basins
within Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Binh
Dinh and Ninh Thuan. Figure 3.1
presents the provincial boundaries.
2.2.1. Activities to be implemented under Components 1, 2, 3.
62.
Most activities to be implemented under Components 1 and 2 will be related to
technical assistance and capacity building aiming to strengthen planning and forecasting
capacity of the Government at national and provincial levels. Procurement of equipment,
renovations of offices, and construction of small hydrometeorological stations would be
involved.
63.
Activities to be implemented under Component 3 aim at implementing a CommunityBased Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) program. Activities have been proposed for 10
provinces and will include: Support for the establishment or activities of Centers for Disaster
Prevention and Mitigation (CDPMs) at provincial, district and commune levels; Providing
training and communication, awareness raising and capacity strengthening activities on
natural disaster prevention at community levels in select communes; Building and renovating
CDPMs, building disaster prevention storages and public houses, etc. List of activities under
Component 3 is shown in Table 2.1.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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Table 2.1. List of the activities to be implemented under Component 3
No
Sub C 3.1
A
1
2
3
4
B
1
2
3
4
5
6
Component / Sub-component / Activity
Capacity strengthening for CBDRM
Commune Resilient Planning
Commune risk assessment preparation
Commune annual flood and storm control plan (CAFSCP) Improvement
Integration of safety plan into Socio Economic Development Plan
Commune Resilient Planning
Commune Institution Strengthening
Facilitation skill
CBDRM, risk assessment and safety plan
Exchange visits
M&E training
Network of CFSC (community for flood and storm control)
CPC/CF follow-up training
Sub C 3.2
C
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
CBDRM Investments
CBDRM Non-structural Investment
Public evacuation drills
Information, education and communication (IEC) material development
Public awareness
School education and evacuation drills
Loud speaker system
Safe house design training
Mass organization training (first aid, evacuation support, others)
8
D
Equipment for emergency response
CBDRM structural measure investment
1
Small scale structures (Multi-purpose shelter, feeder road, pumps,…)
2.2.2. Subprojects under Component 4
64.
The subprojects proposed under Component 4 are the structural measures proposed in
the Implementation Plan of the National Disaster Prevention, Response, and Mitigation to
2020 strategy. The subprojects were selected based on the following criteria: i) in line with
the Vietnam’s Second National Strategy and Action Plan on National Disaster Management
and Management for the period 2010 – 2020; ii) under the DRM strategy/plan; iii) proved
benefits from DRM; iv) and/or not yet funded by the Government and donors. DRM
investment subprojects will be integrated into the provincial level economic and social
development and DRM plans. Of the 43 subprojects proposed by the Government 34
subprojects have been selected for consideration and the subproject list and locations are
provided in Annex 1. The proposed subprojects could be classified by type of works as
follows: (1) Upgrading river dikes and revetments; (2) Upgrading rescue roads/bridge; (3)
Upgrading dams and reservoirs; and (4) Dredging of river mouth and upgrading of fish berths.
Scope of the activities are described in Table 2.2. Table 2.3 and Table 2.4 provide the number
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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of the subprojects by provinces and river basins, while Table 2.5 provides a brief description
of the subprojects to be implemented during the first phase.
Table 2.2: Classification of subprojects under Component 4 by type of works
Type of works
No. of
Subpr
ojects
- Upgrading: Raising and widening cross-section, reinforcing dike surface
(combined with traffic way function), construction of wave-prevention walls
on the dike surface, dike slope embankments; Construction of under dyke
culverts; Construction of premises for the dike management and flood and
storm prevention and control unit on the dike, construction of pumping
stations to the river.
(1) Upgrading
river dikes and
revetments,
including roads
and bridges
14
(2) Upgrading
rescue
roads/bridge
5
(3) Upgrading
dams and
reservoirs,
including
upgrading and
widening flood
drain for An
Trạch weir
(4) Coastal
structure (river
mouth
dredging,
fishing boat
habors
Total
Main activities
- Revetment: Reinforcing river banks mainly with slope revetments (ashlars
or rock gabions aranged in reinforced concrete frames (pile up or excavate
earth to form slope design before reinforcing)); Construction of reinforced
concrete wave-prevention walls on the revetment surface; Construction of
management and operation roads combined with transport ways on top of the
revetments; Construction of drainages to the river.
Raising and widening rescue road cross-section, stabilize road surface to
facilitate rescue activities; construction of culverts accross the roads,
construction of traffic bridges combined with overflow dam.
- Raising and widening cross-section, reinforcing dam surface (combined with
traffic road function and reservoir management and operation function);
Construction of wave-prevention walls on the dam slope; Reinforcing
upstream slope, plantting grass on downstream slope; Supplementing or
repairing drainage structures, new construction or reparing/upgrading flood
drain; New construction or reparing/upgrading sluices; Construction of head
management house; New construction of management and operation roads,
reparing and upgrading irrigation canals.
12
-Replacing 12 old valvet gates by 12 flat valvet gates operating by electricity
to gain control in operation of flood drain; Widening 2 more drain sections
on two sides of the weir to increase flood drain capacity; Reinforcing
absorption yard and basin; Reparing the weir; Equiping automatic control
system.
Dredging passages to ensure safe water-line for fishing boats to enter habors
to avoid storms; Construction of flow control embankments; construction of
dyke protection for habors and surrounding; Construction of technical
infrastructure for anchorages; Construction of mooring posts.
3
34
Table 2.3: Number of proposed subprojects under Component 4 by the provinces
Province
Thanh
Hoa
Nghe
An
Ha
Tinh
Quang
Binh
Quang
Tri
Da
Nang
Quang
Nam
Quang
Ngai
Binh
Dinh
Ninh
Thuan
Total
Number of
subprojects
1
9
2
1
6
4
6
2
2
1
34
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Table 2.4: Number of proposed subprojects under Component 4 by river basins
River basins
Ma
Ca
Ha
VangRac
Number of
subprojects
1
9
2
Gianh
River
Thach
Han
Vu
GiaThu
Bon
Vu
GiaThu
Bon
Tra
KhucTra
Bong
Kone
River
Dinh
River
Total
1
6
4
6
2
2
1
34
Table 2.5: List of the first phase subprojects (5 provinces, 5 basins)
No.
Provinces
Subprojects
1
Thanh Hoa
Maintaining, upgrading and treating the key parts of the left
dyke of Cau Chay river (section from K0-K42)
2
Nghe An
Upgrading dike site of Luong Yen Khai, Thanh Chuong
3
Nghe An
Bridge combining with overflow connecting rescued roads, Nghi
Loc and Vinh city
4
Ha Tinh
Upgrading dike site Phuc Long Nhuong, Cam Xuyen district
5
Binh Dinh
Upgrading anti-erosion embankment of Kone river for safety,
An Nhon and Tuy Phuoc district
6
Quang Nam
Repairing and upgrading Thach Ban Reservoir, Duy Xuyen
district
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
CHAPTER 3 POLICY, LEGAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
65.
This Chapter briefly presents the WB safeguard policy as well as the national policy,
legal, and institutional frameworks related to natural disaster and environmental management
of which more detailed information on the latter is provided in Annex 2.
2.1 World Bank’s Safeguard Policies
66.
WB’s regulations on environmental protection are provided in the form of operational
policies (OPs), including 10 policies, of which OP 4.01 on environmental assessment is an
important environmental policy. To be referred to also is the WB Group’s Environmental
Health and Safety Guidelines. Below summarizes key objectives of WB’s policies triggered
for the Project:
Table 2.1: Relevant WB’s Safeguard Policies
Policy
OP/BP 4.01
Environmental
Assessment
Objective



OP/BP 4.11
Physical
Cultural
Resources

OP/BP 4.10
Indigenous
Peoples

OP/BP 4.12
Involuntary
Resettlement

OP/BP 4.37
Safety of Dams

OP/BP 7.50
Projects on
International
Waterways

To ensure the environmental and social soundness and sustainability of
investment projects.
To provide decision makers with information on potential environmental and
social impacts related to the project.
To enhance the transparency and participation of affected communities into the
decision making process.
The policy aims to avoid, or mitigate, adverse impacts on cultural resources
which are important as sources of valuable historical and scientific information,
as assets for economic and social development, and as integral parts of a
people's cultural identity and practices, including graves and graveyards. The
policy provide guideline to ensure that (a) Physical cultural resources are
identified and protected in the project and (b) National legislations on Physical
Cultural Resources Protection are fully complied with.
To ensure that ethnic peoples: (a) Receive full respect for their dignity, human
rights, and cultural uniqueness; (b) Do not suffer adverse effects during the
development process; (c) Receive culturally compatible social and economic
benefits; and (d) Benefit from consultation and participatory processes.
To ensure that the following policies will be applied: (a) Avoid or minimize
involuntary resettlement and impacts on economic activities, including loss of
livelihoods; (b) Provide transparent compensation procedures during
involuntary taking of land and other assets; (c) Provide sufficient investment
resources to enable the persons displaced by the project to share in project
benefits (implemented through the Resettlement Action Plan); (d) Restore and
improve the standards of living of persons affected by the project; and (e)
Provide prompt and effective compensation at full replacement cost for losses
of assets attributable directly to the project. Development of Resettlement Plan
and mitigation measures must be carried out based on consultation with affected
populations and participatory approaches.
To ensure that dam safety issues are adequately addressed, especially for high
and/or risky dams; The policy applied to new dams, existing dams, and/or dams
under construction that are related to infrastructure to be financed by WB.
To ensure that the projects neither affect the effective use and protection of
international waterways, nor the relationship between the Bank and the
borrower and between nations sharing the same waterway.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
67.
To comply with these policies, the following safeguard documents have been prepared:
–
An Environmental Assessment (EA) assessing the environmental background of the
project as a whole, including the EMPs of first year subprojects, and possible followon year subprojects. A social assessment was also carried out for the Project.
–
An Environmental and Social Safeguard Framework (ESMF) for phase 2 subprojects,
including a standard Environmental Code of Practices (ECOP) for civil works to be
carried out under Component 4 and actions related to dam safety and subprojects
related to dredging and upgrading of fishing boat harbor, and a simple ECOP to be
applied to the activities to be implemented under Components 2, 3 that are related to
civil works. The ESMF is prepared separately as a standalone document.
–
A Dam Safety Framework (DSF), outlining the policy requirements for ensuring
safety of dams to be rehabilitated and/or upgrading including a technical guideline for
preparation of Dam Safety Report (DSR) and a sample table of content. The DSF will
be applied to all the subprojects involving dams. The DSF is prepared separately as a
standalone document.
–
Ethnic Minority Policy Framework (EMPF) and Resettlement Policy Framework
(RPF) clarifying resettlement principles, organizational arrangements and designing
standards applicable to subprojects. The EMPF and RPF are prepared separately as
standalone documents. Relocation of graves will be carried out based on the principle
of replacement cost and in accordance with local cultural practices, taking into account
cultural preferences which are typical for each ethnic group as set out in the RAPs and
EMDPs.
–
During the preparation of the EA and ESMF, two consultations were conducted: one
in June-July 2011 and one in September 2011. Participants in these consultations
included farmer and fisherman households directly or indirectly affected by the
projects, local authorities, central and local state agencies, NGOs, civil society
organizations, etc. Stakeholders’ interests were taken into account in the preparation of
the safeguard documents.
2.2 National Policy, Regulations, and Institutional Frameworks
2.2.1 Policy on natural disaster
68.
Natural disaster management. On 16 July 2007, the Government approved the
“National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response and Mitigation to 2020”.
Accordingly, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is the standing agency
and to cooperate with relevant agencies to support the Government in executing state
management in the field of disaster management. The overall goal of the Strategy is to
“Mobilize all resources to effectively implement disaster prevention, response and mitigation
from now up to 2020 in order to minimize losses of human life and properties, damage of
natural resources and cultural heritages, and the degradation of environment, contributing
significantly to ensure the country sustainable development, national defense and security”.
To achieve this goal, tasks and measures are laid out as follow: (1) Consolidate the system of
laws, policies and mechanisms; (2) Consolidate organizational structure; (3) Human resources
development and social mobilization, (4) Financial resources; (5) Community awareness
raising; (6) Ensure safety for dyke, reservoir and dam systems; (7) Enhance the search and
rescue capacities; and (8) Promote international cooperation and integration.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
69.
For the Project areas, natural disaster prevention and mitigation tasks and measures in
the strategy include:
(i) North Central Region: Radically prevent floods, and take initiatives in preventing and
responding to storm, drought and storm surge, for which the following solutions must
be taken in places in the same time: making flood control plannings for river systems,
reviewing and adjusting dyke system plannings as bases for activities of dyke
construction, upgrading, protection, and management; strengthening of underdyke
structures; treatment of weak dyke foundation; and reinforcing dyke surface for rural
traffic, etc.
(ii) Central Coast and the Eastern South: the approach applied for the areas is
"Proactiveness in disaster prevention, and adaptation for development", for which
following solutions are considered as priorities: planning residential, industrial and
tourism areas; planning and constructing disaster prevention and mitigation structures,
and transportation infrastructures to ensure flood resilience and drainability; shifting
crops and animal husbandry; strengthening dykes, building reservoirs and
embankment structures, and increasing forestation; building storm shelters for boats
and ships; establishing and upgrading coastal communication stations for typhoon, sea
rise and tsunami warning.
2.2.2 Other policies
70.
There are also other policies and plans related to environmental protection,
socioeconomic development, water resources planning, and flood prevention and natural
disaster mitigation that are relevant to the Project. Key policies and plans are highlighted
below while a brief background are provided in Annex 2.

National Strategy for Natural Disaster Prevention, Response, and Mitigation to 2020

National Strategy on Environment Protection to 2010 and Direction to 2020

Planning on Socio-Economic Development of Central Coastal Line to 2020

Water resources planning of regional level and provincial level

Planning on flood prevention and natural-disaster mitigation for key river basins
2.2.3 EIA regulations
71.
The Law on Environmental Protection (2005) sets out regulations on strategic
environmental assessment, environmental impact assessment and environmental protection
commitment of development activities. Environmental impact assessment report is developed
at the same time as investment project preparation (feasibility study). Time of preparation,
submission and approval of reports are detailed in Term 2, Article 13 of Circular 26/2011/TTBTNMT. The project’s type for the environmental assessment is carried out based on the list
of project types in Annex I and Annex II of Decree 29/2011/ND-CP.
72.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Articles from 12 to 28 in Chapter 3 of
Decree 29/2011/NĐ-CP provide detailed regulations on the preparation, appraisal and
approval of an EIA report, inclduing a detailed description of technical and management
solutions to address negative impacts and environemtnal monitoring program. According to
this Decree, the subprojects under the Project that require an EIA approval are included in
Annex II of the Decree.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
73.
Environmental Protection Commitment (EPC). Article 29 to 36 in Chapter 4 of Decree
No. 29/2011/ND-CP identifies scope of the EPC requirements, including the review and
approval process and responsibilities of the project owners and agencies in charge of the EPC
preparation, description of pollution mitigation measures, environmental monitoring
programs, and committment to comply with environmental standards. EPC can be considered
a simplified EIA for investment activities that have smaller impacts. Some of the subprojects
under the Project will have to prepare EPCs for approval by the disctrict authorities.
2.2.4 Pollution control and other regulations
74.
Other related regulations include:
 Regarding construction: Law on Construction No. 16/2003/QH11 and some Decrees such
as the Decree No.12/2009/ND-CP dated 10th February 2009 on managing construction and
investment projects and Decree No. 209/2004/ND-CP dated 16th December 2004 on
managing the quality of construction projects.
 Regarding planning, land acquisition and resettlement: Law on Land No.13/2003/QH11
dated 26th November 2003; Decree No. 197/2004/ND-CP on compensation, support and
resettlement when the State acquires land; Circular No. 116/2004/TT-BTC on instruction
on executing the Decree No.197/2004/ND-CP, etc.
 Regarding disaster management: Law on Dykes No. 79/2006/QH11 dated 29 Nov 2006,
Ordinance No. 32/2001/PL-UBTVQH10 dated 04 April 2001 on the exploitation and
protection of irrigation works, Decree detailing some of the Flood Prevention and
Response Ordinance No. 08/2006/NĐ-CP dated 16 Jan 2006, etc.
 Regarding dam safety: The Decree No. 72/ND-CP dated 07/05/2007 of the Government's
dam safety management clearly provides provisions for dam construction, dam
management and state management on dam safety. The Decree distinguishes between
small and large dams. Small dams are normally less than 15 meters in height. Large dams
are 15 meters or more in height and/or create a reservoir having a capacity above 3,000,000
m3. Dam owners must have detail plans for water regulation, sluice and related works
operation, dam safety and hydrological monitoring/ inspection, dam maintenance and
protection, dam rescue, dam safety reporting, flood and inundation prevention in the
downstream. All plans must be carried out strictly. MARD is responsible for the state
management of reservoirs and dams nationwide. The Directorate of Water Resources under
MARD assists MARD to implement the function of state management on safety of
reservoirs. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for the state management of
hydroelectric dam safety. Provincial People's Committees (PPCs) are responsible for the
state management function on reservoir safety in their provinces. PPCs assign the
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement this function.
 Other related areas: Law on Forest Development and Protection No. 29/2004/QH11, Law
on Labor dated 23 June 1994, Law on Cultural Heritage No. 28/2001/QH10, Law on Water
Resources No. 8/1998/QH10.
 Vietnamese Environment Standards: National technical regulations on quality of drinking
water QCVN01:2009/BYT; National technical regulation on quality of domestic water
QCVN02:2009/BYT; National technical regulation on quality of surface water
QCVN08:2008/BTNMT; National technical regulations on quality of groundwater
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
QCVN09:2008/BTNMT; National technical regulations on quality of coastal water
QCVN10:2008/BTNMT; Air quality – Standards for ambient air quality
QCVN05:2009/BTNMT; Air quality – Maximum allowable concentration of hazardous
substances in the ambient air QCVN06:2009/BTNMT.
 Dam design standards for flood cycle: 500 to 1000 years for dam grade I; 200 years for dam
grade II; 100 years for dam grade III; 67 years for dam grade IV; and 50 years for dam grade V.
2.2.5 Institutional framework related to natural disaster
75.
MARD plays a lead role in disaster risk management (DRM) in Vietnam. The Central
Committee for Flood and Storm Control (CCFSC) is the national disaster risk management
agency responsible for formulation of all flood and typhoon related policies and mitigation
measures. The CCFSC is chaired by the Minister of MARD and comprising representatives
from the Office of Government, the Ministry of Defense, and other agencies. The Department
of Dyke Management and Flood Control (DDMFC) of the Directorate of Water Resources of
MARD serves as the secretariat.
76.
At the provincial level, the lead DRM coordination body is the Provincial Committee
for Flood and Storm Control and Search and Rescue (PCFSC) with its Secretariat in the subDepartment for Water Resources and Flood and Storm Control within the provincial DARD.
The Provincial People’s Committee (PPC) has the ultimate authority on major decisions at the
provincial level, while the equivalent People’s Committees hold responsibility at district and
commune levels in line with the overall provincial decision framework. Coordination between
provincial authorities which share the same river basins (and hydrological risks) is
underdeveloped.
77.
At commune level, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) established within
MARD in early 2010 serves as the implementing agency and focal point for the national
CBDRM program. The DMC is responsible for developing strategies, policies, plans and
guidelines related to natural disaster prevention, response and mitigation at commune level.
The DMC also manages certain databases and provides technical assistance to the Directorate
of Water Resources in the field of natural disaster prevention, response and mitigation and
climate change adaptation on a national scale.
78.
The National Hydro-Meteorological Services (NHMS), an operational unit under the
MONRE, is mandated to carry out meteorological, hydrological and environmental
observations, provide weather and hydrological forecasts, and provide other specialized
services in support of planning for disaster prevention and preparedness. It provides hydrometeorology information for making engineering designs of disaster-resistant infrastructure
and for storm early warnings to communities. At the national level, NHMS has a data center
and a hydro-meteorological forecasting center, and it has nine regional hydro-meteorological
centers and several provincial hydro-met forecasting centers. The communication on
hydrology and meteorology information at provincial and lower level is often inadequate as
are the links between the national and local level systems.
2.2.6 Institutional framework related to environmental management
79.
According to Chapter 8 of the Law on Environmental Protection, key national
agencies responsible for management of environmental protection include the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), the Ministry of Planning and Investment
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
(MPI), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Ministry of Industry
and Trade, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Health, the
Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, and other ministries, ministerial-level
agencies, and Government-attached agencies. At provincial level, the responsibilities rest with
Provincial-level People's Committees, District-level People's Committees, and Communelevel People's Committees. Key responsibilities are provided in Annex 2.
Environmental Management structure is shown in Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1: Environmental Management Structure
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
CHAPTER 4. ENVIRONMENTAL BACKGROUND
80.
Given that the river basin approach is used to identify and prioritize investment
subprojects, this chapter presents the environmental background and the natural disaster
situation of the Central Region in the context of river basins, while more detailed
information is provided in Annexes 3 and 4 and the river basin boundaries are shown in
Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.1. River basins and Provinces related to VN-Haz Project.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
4.1. Environmental Background
4.1.1. Natural features
Geographic location
81.
The Project area covers 10 provinces along the Central Coast of Vietnam (Thanh Hoa,
Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh,
and Ninh Thuan) and involves 9 river basins: Ma (Thanh Hoa province), Ca (Nghe An and
Ha Tinh provinces), Ha Vang-Rac (Ha Tinh province), Gianh-Nhat Le (Quang Binh
province), Thach Han (Quang Tri province), Vu Gia–Thu Bon (Da Nang and Quang Nam
provinces), Tra Khuc-Tra Bong (Quang Ngai province), Kone (Binh Dinh province); and
Dinh (Ninh Thuan province). The area is bordered by the East with the South China Sea, the
North with Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Son La provinces, the South with Lam Dong and Binh
Thuan provinces, and the West with the Vietnamese – Laotian border.
Topography
82.
The central coastal provinces form a strip of land between the Truong Son Mountain
Range on the West and the South China Sea, stretching from Thanh Hoa to Ninh Thuan with
a coastline of more than 1,000 kilometers (km). The Truong Son Mountain Range rises
precipitously above the coast, its spurs jutting into the sea at several places, forming a steep
typography and a thin lowland strip. The plain area is divided into three strips, the coastal
strip including sand dunes, lagoons, coves and gulfs, the middle lowland areas, and the
innermost alluvial plain. These typographic features exacerbate the impacts of natural disaster
(especially floods). Floods will cause serious consequences, especially in cases of rapid on-set
flooding (due to mountainous surface and short and steep rivers), slow withdrawal of
floodwater (due to low and depressed areas in the middle and small and scattered drainage
systems) and flash floods in the mountainous areas.
Climate
83.
The Project area lies within the tropical monsoon region, with an average temperature
of 27oC. The Central Region’s climate is divided into two major patterns, the North Central
and the South Central Coast. In the North Central area, in the winter, the monsoon winds
usually blow from the northeast, picking up considerable moisture across the sea;
consequently the whole area is influenced by cold and rainy weather, in contrast to the dry
winter in the North of Vietnam. In the summer, the winds stop bringing moisture from the sea,
while the Southwest winds blow from the opposite direction, causing hot and dry weather.
During this season, daytime temperature can rise up to 40oC while the air humidity is very
low. In the South Central Coast area, the northeast monsoon winds are often weaker therefore,
in the summer, strong southwest monsoon winds usually occur from the Gulf of Thailand
resulting in dry and hot weather for the whole area. Key characteristic of the climate in the
Central Regions are summarized as follows:

From Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri: The season of maximum rainfall is from September to
November, which makes up 80% of the total annual precipitation, therefore floods
often occur on a large scale in this period of time. The dry season begins from July to
the next August, coinciding with the hot and dry season associated with the Southwest
winds, high rate of evaporation (960 – 1,200 mm/year), sand-bearing winds affect
cultivating fields, resulting in soil degradation.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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
From Da Nang to Ninh Thuan: the rainy season begins towards the winter i.e. from
September to late December.
Ninh Thuan is the area most affected by El Nino, with a higher number of droughts
affected months than other areas. Climate change has considerably reduced the flow of
cold air over the area, and as a result, storms occur more often, and the sea level is
rising, which has led to an increase of salinity intrusion in the whole area.
Hydrographic conditions
84.
The project area comprises a number of river networks, mostly of large and medium
rivers such as Ma River in Thanh Hoa, Ca River in Nghe An, Gianh River and Nhat Le River
in Quang Binh, Thach Han River in Quang Tri, Vu Gia-Thu Bon River in Da Nang and
Quang Nam, and Tra Khuc-Tra Bong River in Quang Ngai. Most of the rivers are short and
steep causing fast water flows and accumulation of sediment at the river mouths. They are
originated within the territory of Vietnam, except Ca River system (Nghe An) originated from
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), and Ma River which originates in Vietnam flows
through Lao PDR and comes back to Vietnam again. The hydrography of the rivers in the
Central Region is largely determined by the South China Sea tides. In the area, there is a large
number of important irrigation works and canal systems serving the purposes of water supply,
irrigation and water transport for the area. The river water resources are being over-exploited
resulting in decline of quantity (currently 50% of the flow is being exploited), especially in
Ninh Thuan (79-80% of the flow is being exploited). Water scarcity in the dry season and
floods in the rainy season are often the case in the whole area.
85.
Ma River is short and steep, rapid concentration of flows. Ma River flow varies
greatly, small flow in the dry season, and floods in rainy season. Ma River has one flood peak
a year. Ca River is an international river, narrowing in the upstream, widening towards
downstream, with two flood peaks a year, and frequent double floods. Vu Gia-Thu Bon flow has
two separate seasons. The flood season often begins from half a month to a month later than
the rainy season and often not stable. For Tra Khuc-Tra Bong Rivers, slope typography
creates straight flows from the highlands to the lowlands, which can easily cause floods in the
rainy season and drought in the dry season. Flow varies in different months with a big
difference between the highest flow and lowest flow and a prolonged flood season.
Climate change
86.
Climate change is expected to alter the current runoff and rainfall regimes. MONRE
has estimated an increased mean annual temperature for Vietnam from climate model
simulations under a range of emissions scenarios. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change report produced in 2007 provides the predictions for Viet Nam, for the period 2080–
2099, assuming a “medium” emission scenario, based on the results of 21 Global Circulation
Models (GCMs).
87.
Most of the increase in average annual rainfall predicted by the GCM models is expected
to occur in the already wet months of the year, with only a minor increase over the dry season.
The result would be that the seasonal variation in river flows would increase, with a greater
variation in runoff at the seasonal scale. The frequency of dry season water shortages may also
increase, because of higher dry season evaporation rates. The higher temperatures will increase
plant water requirements, increasing the dry season crop water demands. The other change
expected is higher intensity of rainfall which will exaggerate the current issues in Vietnam
regarding natural disasters in general, and some new risk issues in particular such as dam safety.
River bank sedimentation and erosion
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
88.
River bank and coastal erosion and river sedimentation happen in most of the rivers,
resulting in a relatively high content of suspended solids in the rivers.
Air quality
89.
The air quality is generally good, except in some urban areas where levels of dust and
noise are relatively high.
Groundwater quality
90.
Across the entire area, the groundwater is of relatively good quality and can be used
for domestic water supply. However, the groundwater in some areas still contains high
content of iron or manganese or salinity.
Surface water quality
91.
Under normal conditions, the quality of surface water is quite good, except the high
content of suspended solids due to riverbank erosion. However, the water quality is often severely
degraded during and after heavy rains or storms. Floodwater can also dissolves and/or spreads
pollutants from waste dumping and treatment sites, broken sewage systems, faeces and wastes
from toilets, etc. Disease-causing pollutants and microorganisms are largely spread by rainwater
and floodwater. In the dry season, water level in rivers and lakes is lower and water flows become
diminished, causing water pollution or salinity intrusion. Water quality of Ma River is relatively
good, high suspended solids in the rainy season, deep salinity intrusion in the dry season, signs of
pollution from domestic and industrial wastewater can be observed in some areas. Water quality
of Ca River is at Grade B level appropriate for irrigation uses and has salinity intrusion in the dry
season. Vu Gia-Thu Bon Rivers have most of the parameters that are below permissible limits for
Grade A water (appropriate for domestic water supply purposes), except suspended solid and
coliform bacteria. Tra Khuc-Tra Bong water quality is relatively good. In some monitoring
locations, BOD and COD values exceed permissible limits for Grade A water.
Soil quality
92.
The soil quality of the region is generally good. However there are issues related to
dioxin contamination at Da Nang airport where dioxin content in the soil exceeds 1,000 part
per thousand (ppt) with a total contaminated area of up to 88,000 m2. At Phu Cat Airport (Quy
Nhon), the total area of dioxin-contaminated soil is about 4,000 m2 and is concentrated in the
airport area. Besides, there are areas contaminated by toxic chemicals during the war in Cam
Lo, Dong Ha, Khe Sanh and Quang Tri. Other issues include land degradation due to
destruction of watershed forests; desertification due to sand-bearing winds from Quang Binh
to Binh Thuan; saline soil; reclaiming of wild lands; encroachment of seashores; destruction
of mangrove forests for aquaculture farms and construction of salinity prevention dykes; and
soil contamination due to agricultural chemicals.
Mineral resources
93.
The area has diversified mineral resources, which make up about 60% of iron ore
reserves, 80% of tin reserves, 100% of Cronite reserves and 40% of lime reserves of the
whole country.
4.1.2. Ecological features
Terrestrial ecosystems
94.
The terrestrial ecosystems of the region are mainly characterized by the natural and
plantation forests within the Truong Son Mountain Range. In the past, due to inappropriate
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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exploitation of watershed forests, forests in some areas such as Dakrong (in Quang Tri
province) have been severely affected; natural forest area has been reduced to 60%. Forests
have been lost due to illegal logging, forest fires, Construction of hydro-electric power plants,
encroachment on coastal protective forests to fully exploit mineral resources of titanium,
clearing of forests for agriculture, etc. Marshlands, mangrove forests and coastal zones
continue to be degraded due to improper aquaculture development.
Aquatic ecosystems
95.
The freshwater ecosystems found in the project area are not unique. Despite having about
670 km of coastline, 23 river mouths, many lagoons, a broad continental shelf with plentiful
resources, abundant marine resources (with a reserve of about 620,000 tons of fish, 2,750 tons of
shrimp and 5,000 tons of squid), the marine resources of the region are being over-exploited.
National Parks and Reserves
96.
In the area, many National Parks and Natural Resources Reserves of high biodiversity
value have been established, such as: Ben En National Park (in Thanh Hoa provine), Pu Mat
National Park (in Nghe An province), Vu Quang National Park (in Ha Tinh province), Khe
Net National Reserve and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park (in Quang Binh province), Cu
Lao Cham Marine Reserve, Ba Na – Nui Chua and Son Tra National Reserves (in Da Nang),
etc. The establishment of many new reserves is being proposed at many sites such as Quy
Nhon Marine Reserve, Nui Ba reserve (Binh Dinh), Vu Gia – Thu Bon river basin reserve
with the aim to protect the migration routes of Moi fish, Chinh bong fish, etc. Location of the
National Parks and important natural habitats are identified on Map in Figure 4.2.
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Figure 4.2. Locations of national parks and important nature reserves
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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4.1.3. Socio – economic features
97.
The Central Region, with the concentration of major economic zones, possesses a lot
of advantages as a strategic location, including human resources, 17 sea ports, 15 economic
zones, 22 industrial zones, 2 export processing zones, 8 airports, 2 national highway, EastWest Economic Corridor and projects of tens of billions USD worth. However, these
potentials haven’t been effectively tapped to boost the regional economy. In general, each
province has its own advantages but lacks strategic planning, with small and scattered and
spontaneous production still being common practice. Deep-water seaports of Chan May, Da
Nang, Ky Ha and Dung Quat are not operating at full capacity. Industrial – export processing
zones lack attention and investment from national and international enterprises. In the Project
area, the establishment of Dung Quat deep-water seaport and Industrial zone has formed a key
economic zone spanning from Lien Chieu (Quang Nam - Da Nang) to Dung Quat (Quang
Ngai), shaping an economic and tourism development axis along the Coastal areas, and
connecting to a series of rising urban centers, including Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Tam Ky,
Quang Ngai, Quy Nhon and large economic zones such as Chan May – Lang Co, Chu Lai,
Dung Quat, and Nhon Hoi. In addition, Chan May deep water seaport and Industrial –
Commercial – Service zone project and Nhon Hoi deep-water seaport and Economic zone
project will lead to an expansion of the key economic region to the South to include Binh
Dinh province. Locations of key Socio – economic zones are identified on Map in Figure 4.3.
Population
98.
Vietnam has a young population age structure and high fertility, contributing to rapid
population growth in many communities, exerting pressure on local resources and the
environment. The people most directly affected by this are also the poorest who are least able
to change livelihoods or lifestyles to cope with, or combat, local environmental decline.
99.
Some impacts of strong population growth include: loss of arable agricultural land to
development with marginal land use and increasing land degradation; clearance of native forests
by farmers, loggers, and developers; increasing consumption of fossil fuels adding to climate
change effects, etc.
100. The population in Project area is approximately 20 million people (according to 2006
Statistical Yearbook). In 2005, the population density of Vietnam was 242 people per km2,
making it one of the most densely populated countries in Southeast Asia and in the world.
Population densities of some main river basins in the Project area are shown in Figure 4.4. In the
Project area, population densities of most of river basins are below the national average, except
Tra Khuc and Kone river basins. All of the river basins have a rural population more than 70% of
the total population.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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Figure 4.3. Location of key socio – economic zones
Figure 4.4: Population density in the key river basins in the project area
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Land use
101. Agricultural, forestry land and unused land areas are being reduced due to the shift of
land use to construction of transportation networks, irrigation systems, hydro power plants,
urban areas and factories.
Infrastructure
102. In the urban areas, the infrastructure is quite good. In rural areas, the infrastructure is
still poor, especially the rural road systems which haven’t met the needs for transportation and
rescue in heavy rains or floods. Smaller scale community projects at commune level are quite
small and scattered.
Economic situation and structure
103. The economy is growing at a fair rate, at 8.4%/year; while the growth rate of
agriculture, forestry and aquaculture is at 5.29%/year. However, the regional economy is still
in a difficult situation, with a high proportion of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture (37.8%),
and 80% of the population working in agriculture. Rural labors are still suffering from lack of
employment, low income and low living standards. Economic structure of the river basins is
shown in Figure 4.5.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
104. The main form of agriculture is rice cultivation and other edible crops, cultivation and
catching of aquatic products which are heavily dependent on nature variables, therefore, poor
crops and/or considerable damage often occur when there are floods and storms.
Ethnic Minority Groups (EMGs)
105. The area is home of different EMGs, including Muong (in Thanh Hoa), Thai (in
Thanh Hoa and Nghe An), Cham (in Ninh Thuan), H’re (in Quang Ngai) and Kotu (in Quang
Nam and Da Nang). EMGs are unevenly distributed from the East to the West. Kinh people
reside mainly in the coastal lowlands.
Figure 4.5. Economic structure of the key river basins in the project area
Physical Cultural and Natural Heritages
106. There are some important physical cultural and natural heritages such as Phong Nha – Ke
Bang National Park – the world heritage, and My Son temple complex, Hoi An Ancient Town.
Locations of key cultural sites are identified on map in Figure 4.6.
Community Health
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
107. Rural health services haven’t been well-equipped in the provinces covered by the
project area. Epidemics and environmental pollution often occur after floods due to a lack of
sewage systems. During and after floods or storms, floodwater spreads waste from toilets,
causing epidemics and environmental pollution. Since 2004, cattle and poultry disease
epidemics have been happening nearly every year.
Figure 4.6. Locations of key cultural sites
4.2 Natural Disaster Situation and Response Capacity
108. The Central area within the project coverage experiences most of the different types of
natural disasters in Vietnam, of which the most frequent are floods, typhoons, heat waves, etc.
Floods and inundations in the Central region usually occur on large scale, simultaneously in
several provinces, sometimes cover the entire region (such as in 1999, 2003, 2009, 2010).
Floods have been hitting the region more frequently and more fiercely, causing human
casualties, property damage, and soil and water pollution. Flash floods occur from the river
sources in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Da Nang, and Quang Ngai. Storms and tropical
low pressures are happening more regularly and intensely. Data shows that in the period of 10
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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years from 1981-19912, the number of storms hitting Central provinces made up 65% of the
total number of storms in Vietnam. Heat waves often develop in lowlands such as the coastal
plain and river valleys. In river valleys, hot weather is occurring at greater length and
intensity.
109. Annex 4 provides detailed information regarding natural disaster situation in the key
river basins including the response capacity at the provincial level.
Response capacity
Institutional arrangement:
110. To respond to natural disasters of complex and unpredictable trends, and ensure
aligned implementation of flood and storm prevention, response, search and rescue, and
disaster mitigation throughout the state administrative system, most of the provinces have set
up provincial Committee for Flood and Storm Control (PCFSC) and Committee for Search
and Rescue (PCSR). The committees are in charge of supporting Provincial People’s
Committee (PPC) in managing and coordinating with relevant units to carry out its state
administration function in this area. The PCFSC is chaired by Provincial People’s Committee
(PPC) and representatives of key agencies. The committee is responsible for providing
concrete guidance to lower levels, examining and revising all the plans related to flood and
storm control and search and response and ensuring feasibility and mobilizing human forces,
supplies and materials and equipments for the activities. In addition, the CFSC and CSR are
also established at different local departments and agencies which are all under the
management of PPC and PCSFS. Each key works such as reservoir, dike, etc. also has their
own CSFS. The Search and Rescue main forces include units such as provincial Military
headquarters, Defense headquarters, Police, Red Cross. The action plan is always divided into
3 key activities: Preparation before flood season, response to storms and floods, and postdisaster recovery activities. However, capacity of these entities remains weak due to limited
experience and financial resources.
111.
Infrastructure and equipment

Currently, key infrastructure in most provinces/river basins (especially the large
ones) includes: irrigation works, hydropower plants, reservoirs, pumping stations,
dams, river revetments, coastal revetments, anchorages for avoiding storms,
fishing boat harbors, hydrometeorological stations, weather forecast information
network. However, most of them are old, outdated, and/or incomplete.

For Thanh Hoa, there are more than 800 reservoirs and dams of different sizes in the
whole river basin, including 24 national and provincial important reservoirs, 3,000 km
of canals, 1,008 km of river and coastal revetments, 881 sluices and 181 work
protection embankments. There are 3 ship anchorages for avoiding storms (Lach Hoi,
Lach Truong and Lach Bang); 7 hydrometeorological stations; and 30 gauging
stations.

For Ca river basin, there are 1,214 reservoirs of different sizes; 810 pumping
stations; 586.6km of river, in-field and coastal embankments; 17 meteorological
stations and 11 gauging stations, of which some stations have stopped functioning.

For Ha Tinh (Ha Vang – Rac river basin), there are 32 dike systems with a total
length of 316 km most of them are small with low elevation and limited flood and
storm prevention capacity. There are 345 reservoirs/dams with the total capacity of
762 million cubic meters and 48 weirs and most of them are old.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)

For Quang Nam province and Da Nang city, there are a number of dams and
reservoirs of different sizes of which many are built in Thu Bon river basin. A
number of anchorages have also been built such as Cu Lao Cham (Quang Nam),
Hong Trieu (Quang Nam), and Tho Quang (Da Nang). There are 2 meteorological
stations: one representing for lowland areas (Da Nang station) and one
representing for the mountainous areas (Tra My station) and 18 rain gauge
stations. Along the Vu Gia – Thu Bon river system, there are 8 gauging stations,
including 2 stations measuring flow rate and water level, 2 stations measuring
water level in the midstream of Thu Bon river and Vu Gia river, and 4 stations
measuring water level in the downstream area under tidal effects.

For Quang Ngai there are 527 irrigation works (including 110 reservoirs, 324 dams
and 93 pumping stations). A number of dikes and salinity prevention works as well
as a number of reservoirs in Thu Bon river basin. A number of anchorages have
been built such as Dung Quat, Sa Ky, Tinh Hoa, Ly Son, My A, Sa Huynh ports.
There are 3 basic gauging stations, 3 specialized gauging stations, 7 rain gauge
stations, 3 meteorological stations and 94 flood level marking poles.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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CHAPTER 5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
112. This chapter presents the assessment of the potential impacts of the Project in the
context of a river basin management as well as at the subproject level. As mentioned in
Chapter 2, the proposed activities to be implemented under Components 1, 2, 3 will be limited
to technical assistance, capacity building, and small civil works such as renovation and/or
construction of offices/buildings and hydrometerolocal stations and community infrastructure.
The subprojects to be implemented under Component 4 will involve four types of works:
rehabilitation and/or upgrading of dykes and embankments; rehabilitation and/or upgrading of
dams/reservoirs; rehabilitation and/or upgrading of roads; and dredging or river mouths and/or
upgrading of ports/harbors for fishing boats. The subprojects will be selected using a river
basin approach with investments clustered together to maximize impacts. The assessment
therefore focused on the potential impacts of the Project on policies and plans related to
natural disaster, flooding, and water resources management in the context of integrated river
basin management as well as on socio-economic environment, natural environmental (air,
noise, vibration, land/soil, water, waste), and biological environment (forest, fisheries,
biodiversity, etc.).
5.1 Potential Positive Impacts
5.1.1 General benefits
113. In recent years, together with the global climate change, the weather and
hydrological phenomenon in Vietnam, and particularly in the Central region, have been
changing in increasingly complicated trends, not following traditional cycles (the rainy and
flood season can begin earlier and end later than in the past). Serious natural disasters with
unusual signs have been occurring with greater frequency and intensity. Floods and storms
occurred every year, especially in 1998, 1999, 2005, 2009 in the Central region have caused
extensive negative impacts on human lives and properties of the people and the
Government. To mitigate these impacts a number of policies, plans, and institutional
frameworks have been established (see Chapter 3 and Annex 1) and technical assistance and
financial resources have been provided by the WB and other donors to facilitate the
implementation of the policies, plans, and priority investment. Implementation of the Project
would have potential positive impacts in strengthening national, provincial, and local
capacities for natural disaster prevention, preparedness, and mitigation built on the
experience of the previous and/or the on-going projects. Specifically, the VN-Haz Project
would have the following positive impacts:
- Strengthening the capacities of national, provincial and local disaster risk
management entities to better plan and mitigate against hazard risks, thereby reducing
losses of life, damage to property, and interruptions of economic activities.
- Improving weather forecasting and early warning systems to more effectively
collect, process, and disseminate information to enable various stakeholders to
undertake more timely and effective actions to mitigate against disaster risks and
respond to weather events more generally; and
- Putting in place effective structural measures to reduce typhoon and storm risks in
high priority areas.
- Raising community awareness and natural disaster risk management capacity of
different levels.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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114. Given the design and scope of the Project as described in Chapter 2, it is concluded
that implementation of the VN-Haz Project is in line with the target of the National Strategy
for Natural Disaster Prevention, response and mitigation to 2020, the National Strategy on
Environment Protection to 2010 and Direction to 2020, the regional and provincial water
resources plans, and the flood prevention and natural disaster mitigation plans developed by
the Government (see scope of the plans in Annex 1). The key benefits are described below
while specific expression by local agencies and/or people’s committee is highlighted in boxes.
5.1.2 Reduction of human losses and property damage
115. Reducing human losses and property damage for the Central region, especially for the
communes and districts along the river basins, is one of the significant positive impacts of the
Project. Most of the storm and flood prevention and response infrastructure in the Project
provinces are relatively poor, which is one of the reasons of increased human losses and
property damage in these provinces. The subprojects will focus on addressing these
weaknesses, through activities such as upgrading and repairing existing rescue roads which
currently cannot meet the requirements in case of floods, increasing safety of reservoirs,
upgrading ship anchoring sites for avoiding storms, etc. According to the Resettlement Action
Framework (RAF) report, the Project will protect approximately 900,000 people (more than
210,000 households) from annual floods and droughts, including people of 5 ethnic groups:
Muong (in Thanh Hoa), Thai (in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An), Cham (in Ninh Thuan), H’re (in
Quang Ngai) and Kotu (in Quang Nam and Da Nang).
116. Public consultations suggested that the groups most affected by natural disaster risks
are children, women, elderly, ethnic minorities and the poor. These disadvantaged groups are
the most important beneficiaries of the Project. These groups expressed their strong wishes to
support the Government’s effort in reducing human losses and property damage due to natural
disasters because their lives are already difficult without these losses. Thus the Project has
been designed to give high priority for investment to the urgent needs for natural disaster
prevention and mitigation as well as securing the lives and properties of local communities.
The Project would also help maintain the trust of people in the Communist Party and the
Government, making them feel secured to focus on production and settling down their lives.
Anti-erosion revetment for Ve river is the wish and urgent need of local communities. The Ve
river revetment project receives a lot of support from the local communities.
- In many years, Ve river bank erosion has always been a serious problem of the province, which
has always been raised at the People’s Council meetings at different levels of Mo Duc and Tu
Nghia districts. Along Ve River there are over 20 sections suffering from erosion, of which 6 most
severely eroded sections have been included in the project of Ve river revetment.
Irrigation Agency – Quang Ngai DARD, 7/2011
- Nghia Hiep commune is one of the communes where sections of Ve river banks suffer from
serious erosion, of 5-10 m each year, especially, some sections used to suffer from 20 m erosion in
one year. The local communities expressed the wish for Ve river revetment to be built as soon as
possible to help secure their lives, lands and properties. The residents in Nghia Hiep commune
used to make a community petition to the district and commune People’s Committees, asking for
investment in Ve river bank revetment.
- The lost land area for the construction of Ve river bank revetment within the territory of Nghia
Hiep commune would be small and include only riverside agricultural land (residential lands would
be untouched); the compensation would only be required for the lost crops of the residents.
Nghia Hiep CPC – Tu Nghia district, 7/2011
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Flood risks and potential positive impacts of the subproject “Upgrading Luong Yen Khai dike
system in Thanh Chuong district” to Thanh Luong commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An
province
- This is a commune frequently affected by flood and inundation. The existing dike system now can
only be enough to prevent small floods (happening around May), while a historical flood happens
every 9-10 years, which can be as high as the roof-top of a house. During big floods, the 5 hamlets
were completely separated and could only be accessed by boats, and with 100% of agriculture land
inundated. This affected children’s learning, the life of local people, and agriculture production. From
2007 to 2010, there were human losses, mostly school children, due to floods every year.
- The commune has implemented some measures in response to natural hazards such as carrying out
communication activities to encourage the people to take initiative in preventing floods, setting up a
radio system to inform the people in lowland areas of floods and inundations, mobilizing people to
build rafts and boats, etc. However, such measures are often not effective; due to a low and sunken
typography and a small dike system, the local people are often brought into a passive position when
there is flooding.
- The beneficiaries of the project would be all of the people in these mountainous hamlets – where
floods and droughts are often the case. There would be no affected populations (according to the
commune People’s Committee, if additional land is required, the local residents were willing to
donate their lands for road and dike construction).
- The local authorities and people are willing to support the project; there was no request for
compensation because the project would improve local traffic in flooding conditions, reducing human
and property losses, protecting the crops, and the children wouldn’t need to be off school when there
are floods.
Thanh Luong CPC (23/6/2011)
5.1.3. Facilitation for socio-economic development
117. Another important positive impact of the Project is facilitating the socio-economic
development of the Central region, especially the riverside or river mouth lowland areas.
According to the Social Assessment, the Project would protect approximately 50,000 ha of
production lands from floods and droughts each year. The subproject group of upgrading
dikes, revetments, and reservoirs would help preserving the lands or increasing agricultural
area and productivity, increasing incomes and livelihoods opportunities, and help the local
production and people’s lives in the areas affected by natural disasters recover faster.
Specifically, the subproject group of upgrading dikes and revetments would help preserve the
lands and ensure better security for agricultural production by avoiding loss of agricultural
lands due to river bank erosion. Some subprojects of upgrading and reinforcing reservoirs and
dams, besides the effect of ensuring dam and reservoir safety and increasing flood drain
capacity, would also be effective in increasing irrigation capacity and irrigated area and
supplementing the groundwater for people’s domestic and production purposes. The
subproject group of upgrading rescue roads would enhance transport activities for rescue
purposes and trading between communes and districts. The subproject group of upgrading
anchoring sites would contribute to increasing the fishing productivity and also enhancing
trading between provinces. In addition, the upgrading of natural disaster prevention and
response infrastructure would possibly create a lot of jobs for local residents in the project
area. The socio-economic development, in turn, would increase the human capacity and
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
material resources for natural disaster response and post-disaster recovery of the communities.
The Project also would, at the same time, help developing the local infrastructure and creating
a better investment environment to attract investors.
5.1.4 Raising community awareness and natural disaster risk management capacity of
different levels
118. The survey and public consultation results show that some areas are still quite passive
in their flood prevention and response activities, especially at village and commune levels.
There is still lack of good awareness of natural disaster risks and communication activities on
storm and flood prevention and response haven’t received enough attention.
The current status of community awareness and natural disaster management capacity.
The communication, education and awareness raising for the communities in terms of flood and
storm prevention and response hasn’t received adequate attention, therefore, a number of officers and
local people haven’t been well aware of the disasters and their prevention, and their disaster response
skills are still limited, which has caused preventable losses of human lives and properties.
Storm and flood prevention and response 2010 report, Loc ha district, Ha Tinh province
119. Through its activities, the Project would help the people in the provinces increase their
awareness on natural disaster risks as well as community-based DRM capacity. Raising the
community awareness on natural disaster prevention and response would help the residents
and the communities change their attitudes and behaviours in their response to climate
change, especially towards the environment, including: use and protection of forest resources
(watershed and protective forests), water resources, dikes, revetments and dams; proactive
response to natural disasters, mobilization of internal forces to rescue and support each other
in disaster events and in post-disaster reconstruction, etc.
5.1.5. Improvement in quality of living environment
120. The rivers in the Central region are narrow and steep. This characteristic forms a
relatively high river flow in the flood season, which results in river bank erosion happening
more frequently. This can be easily found in river basins in the Central region such as Cau
Chay river basin (the section running through Yen Dinh district – Thanh Hoa province), Ca
river basin (the area in Anh Son district – Nghe An), Thu Bon river basin (the area in Duy
Xuyen district, Quang Nam), Kone river basin (the section running through An Nhon district
and Tuy Phuoc district), Dinh river basin (the section running through Phan Rang city – Ninh
Thuan), etc. The river bank erosion process is the result of increased content of suspended
solids in the river water and it can largely affect domestic water quality for the riverside
residents. This is also reflected in the opinions of many Environment Protection Agencies of
the Project provinces. The subproject group of upgrading river revetments would reduce the
river bank erosion process, which will help improving the river water quality especially in
terms of suspended solids parameter.
121. The Project’s activities would reduce the inundation currently occurring every year in
the Central provinces or damage to fishing boats at river mouth areas after storms. This would
be very effective in reducing the environmental degradation happening after storms and
floods, and increasing the local residents’ habitat quality.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Natural disaster risks situation and VN-Haz Project’s positive impacts to Ha Tinh province.
The natural disaster risks affecting Ha Tinh are mainly from floods and storms. Losses caused by
floods and storms are quite big every year, for example in 2007, in Huong Khe district, 29 people
were killed, 44 were injured and the property damage was about 1,001 billion VND. The historical
flood in 2010 killed 54 people and the total damage was estimated to be 6,400 billion VND. Apart
from human losses and property damage, the floods and storms also cause serious damage to the
environment.
The VN-Haz Project would support Ha Tinh in strengthening capacities of flood and storm prevention
and response, reducing human and property losses, especially loss of human health and environment
quality because after flood events, domestic water sources of the people are often contaminated,
diseases often increase (such as red eye sores, skin diseases, diarrhea, etc.), the environmental
landscape is seriously degraded (with wastes, mud, dead animals and plants, etc.), the offensive smell
is present everywhere, etc.
Source: Dike management & Flood and Storm Prevention & Response Agency, Ha Tinh province,
21/6/2011
5.2 Identification of Potential Negative Impacts
5.2.1 Type and scale of negative impacts
122. Potential negative impacts of the Project would be mainly due to land acquisition and
civil works activities to be carried out under Component 4 subprojects. Type and scale of key
impacts are identified in Table 5.1 and Sections 5.2.2 to 5.2.6 and discussed in Sections 5.3
and 5.4. Potential negative impacts of the first phase Component 4 subprojects are showed in
Table 5.3, while Annex 5 provides an initial safeguard screening for the proposed subprojects.
Section 5.5 discusses the “with project” and “without project” options.
Table 5.1. Identification of potential negative impacts
No.
1
Potential negative
impacts
Land acquisition and
resettlement of local
people including
ethnic people
2
Impacts on ethnic
minorities and/or
adversely affect
ethnic groups
3
Potential impacts on
physical cultural
resources
Scale of impacts
Explanation
Moderate,
localized, and
can be
compensated and
mitigated
It is the WB’s and Government’s policy to
avoid and/or minimize land acquisition and
resettlement. Moreover, most works will be
limited to reinforcing, upgrading, and improving
of existing structures (not for new construction)
therefore the need for land acquisition will not
be large.
In the Project area, there are 5 ethnic groups:
Muong, Thai, Co Tu, H’re and Cham.
Moderate,
localized, and
can be
compensated and
mitigated
Minor, localized,
and can be
mitigated
43
The proposed subprojects are located far from
from recognized historical, cultural, and
archeological sites, and thus will not affect
recognized physical cultural resources.
However, important and unrestored physical
culture resources could be found during
subproject construction.
Some graves may have to be relocated from the
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
6) 4 7) Potential impacts on
natural habitats
and/or forest
5
UXO risks
construction sites
The proposed subprojects are located relatively
away from these areas
No impact
Moderate and
localized, and
can be mitigated
Most areas are developed for resettlement and
production however there are areas where UXO
may exist. Although the risk is low but the
impacts can be significant if it involves the loss
of life and/or injuries.
Construction activities may cause:
- Air pollution due to dust and exhausts, noise,
vibration, gas.
- Soil and surface water pollution due to
overflow rainwater, leaked oil, domestic wastes
(solid and liquid), dredging activities
- Public health risks, social conflicts or
interference in local business, economic
activities, traffic congestion, risks of traffic
accidents, impacts on downstream water uses
during site clearance and construction.
There are 3 subprojects related to dredging of
access channels and the activities could impact
soil and water quality due to dredging and
disposal of dredged materials during
construction.
6
Environmental
quality impairment
and social issues
Moderate,
temporary,
localized, and
can be mitigated
7
Possible
contamination of soil
and water quality
from the disposal of
dredged materials
during construction
Risk related to safety
of dams and/or dykes
during operation
Moderate,
temporary,
localized, and
can be mitigated
9
Likely to cause water
use conflicts during
operation
Minor and can be
mitigated
10
Likely to create
coastal erosion
and/or water quality
nearby during
operation
Minor and can be
mitigated
8
Minor and can be
mitigated
There are potential downstream impacts inundation of new areas as a result of spillway
expansion or construction of new spillways especially need for any additional land
acquisition and warning to people who are
living in downstream. Although the risk is low
but the impacts can be significant if it involves
the loss of life and/or injuries.
Most subprojects do not involve operation of
sluice gates. Moreover the application of
community-based disaster risk management
(CBDRM) for the Project would enhance close
consultation among local communities.
There are 3 subprojects related to dredging
construction anti-wave dike and embankment.
There could be a risk on coastal erosion and/or
water quality nearby during operation
123. Phase 1 subprojects have been screened in accordance with the type and scale of key
impacts given in Table 5.1 and the results are presented in Table 5.1A below.
44
Table 5.1A: Results of Safeguard Screening for the Phase I Component 4 Subprojects
N
o.
1
2
3
Subproject name
I. Thanh Hoa
Maintain, upgrade and treat the
key parts of the left dyke of Cau
Chay river (section from K0K42), Yen Dinh district
II. Nghe An
Upgrade dyke site of Luong Yen
Khai
Bridge combining with overflow
connecting rescued roads, Nghi
Loc and Vinh city
III. Ha Tinh
Investment Items
River
basins
Potential negative
impacts per the
screening criteria
indicated in Table 5.1
Safeguard
document
prepared
GOV
require
ment
Dyke/
road
Ma River
(1), (3), (4), (5), (8)
RAP, EMP
EIA
Dyke/
road
Dyke/
road
Ca River
(1), (4), (5), (8)
RAP, EMP
EIA
Ca River
(1), (5)
RAP,EMP
EPC
Dyke/
road
Ha Vang- (1), (3), (4), (5), (8)
Rac
River
RAP, EMP
EIA
Upgrade dyke site Phuc Long
Nhuong, Cam Xuyen district
Upgrade dyke site of 11.41 km; Renew 21
drainage sluices crossing the dyke; build 12
road sites combining with dyke rescue with
the total length of 8.974 km
VII. Quang Nam
Repair, upgrade Thach Ban
reservoir, Duy Xuyen district
IX. Binh Dinh
Main dam, overflow, intake gate,
management house and road
Dam
Thu Bon (1), (4), (5), (6), (7),
River
(8)
RAP, EMP
EIA
4
5
Type of
works
Upgrade 42 km dyke site;
Renew structures on the site; build more
rescue roads
Line, widen, stabilize the surface 2.87 Km
65m bridge combining with overflow and 1
Km road and a drain sluice with B=7.5 m
6
1.2 km Thang Cong section, Nhon Phuc
Dyke/
Kone
(1), (3), (5)
RAP,EMP
EIA
commune; 1.5 km Song Ngheo section,
road
River
Nhon Hau commune; 1.8 km Tam Dan,
Nhon An commune; 1.3 km embankment in
the downstream of Ba Di bridge, Phuoc Loc
commune
*Note: (1) Involve land acquisition and/or resettlement, (2) involve ethnic minority, (3) involve PCR, (4) involve UXO risk; (5) involve civil works; (6)
involve dredging; (7) involve dam safety; (8) likely to involve land/water use conflicts; (9) involve river mouth construction.
Upgrade anti-erosion
embankment of Kone river for
safety, An Nhon and Tuy Phuoc
district
45
5.2.2 Land acquisition and resettlement
124. During the Project preparation stage, it is difficult to estimate the total numbers of
resettlement people and the areas of land acquisition because technical design has not been
prepared and some subprojects have not been identified specifically. However, the social
assessment suggested that the Project will affect three main groups of PAPs (Project Affected
Peoples), encompassing agricultural PAPs (counting for a majority, more than 80% of total
PAPs), business and service PAPs, and salary-earned PAPs that work for administrative
agencies, companies, and factories. Among these three types of PAPs, agricultural or business
PAPs will have their livelihoods and incomes affected due to partial productive land
acquisition or business postponement during the construction stage. Salary-earned PAPs will
not have their livelihoods and incomes affected.
125. Compensation will be paid to PAPs in line with the Resettlement Policy Framework
(RPF) prepared for the Project. While there may be PAHs (Project Affected Households) as a
result of the project implementation, these cases would almost certainly all involve
compensation for land acquisition rather than resettlement. For the first year subprojects, there
is land acquisition of 1,284 households and only 3 households have to resettle (Table 5.2). It
should be noted that many PAPs volunteer to dominate their land for the Project like PAPs in
Yen Dinh commune in Thanh Hoa province Thanh Luong commune in Nghe An province, Duc
Loi commune in Quang Ngai province, Phuoc Loc commune in Binh Dinh province. There
would be thousands hectares of land would be temporally acquired for construction sites. The
effects of temporary land acquisition could be reduced by restoring the landscapes to their
original condition after it has been used.
Table 5.2: Impacts due to land acquisition and relocations of first phase Component 4
subprojects (RAPs for five-first phase subprojects)
Subproject
I. Thanh Hoa
1. Maintain, upgrade and
treat the key parts of the
left dyke of Cau Chay
river (section from K0K42), Yen Dinh district
II. Nghe An
Total
affected HH
781
Permanent
land (m2)
147,337
Temporary
land (m2)
537,673
Remarks
42,000 m
dyke; 11
communes in
1 district
Small bridge
65m long and
1,020 m
access road;
2 commune,
2 districts
2,870 m
dyke; 2
communes, 1
district
No. of
grave
relocation
3
2. Bridge combining with
overflow connecting
Rescue roads, Nghi Loc
and Vinh city
5
0
200
3. Upgrade dyke site of
Luong Yen Khai
83
13,300
0
335
91,402
0
11,000 m; 4
communes, 1
district
1
7
0
20,000
1 communes,
1 district
0
III. Ha Tinh
4. Upgrade dyke site Phuc
Long
Nhuong,
Cam
Xuyen district
IV. Quang Nam
5. Repair, upgrade Thach
Ban reservoir, Duy Xuyen
46
0
0
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
district
V. Binh Dinh
6. Upgrade anti-erosion
embankment of Kone
river for safety, An Nhon
and Tuy Phuoc districts
Total
73
9,156
1,037
1,284
261,195
558,910
5,700 m; 4
communes, 2
districts
18
22
5.2.3 Potential impacts on ethnic minority groups
126. The Project will cause land acquisition of some households, including ethnic
minority households belonging to ethnic minority groups of Muong (in Thanh Hoa), Thai
(in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An), Cham (in Ninh Thuan), H’re (in Quang Ngai) and Kotu (in
Quang Nam and Da Nang). However, these impacts are marginal because selection of works
and technical solutions comply with the Project requirements, i.e. minimizing land
acquisition and assets of the local people. According to results of preliminary social surveys
of the Project provinces and the RAP for the first phase subprojects, it is estimated that
about approximately 1,284 households (with about 5,525 persons) will be affected by the
subprojects (Table 5.2), of which most of ethnic minority people are beneficiaries of the
Project. Environmental impact assessments of Phase 1 subprojects indicate that no ethnic
minority people have been identified to be affected these subprojects (Table 5.3).
5.2.4 Potential impacts on physical cultural resources
127. Physical cultural resources are defined as movable or immovable objects, sites,
structures, groups of structures, and natural features and landscapes that have archaeological,
paleontological, historical, architectural, religious, aesthetic, or other cultural significance.
Physical cultural resources may be located in urban or rural settings, and may be above or
below ground, or under water.
128. In the Project are, there are 8 physical cultural sites. However, most proposed
subprojects are located relatively far away from these areas (see location maps in Annex 5).
Only 1 subproject in Thanh Hoa province is located nearby Ba Trieu temple with a distance of
1 km. The subproject involves in repairing the weak points in the exiting dike. Consequently,
it is assumed that the impacts of the subproject on the Ba Trieu temple will be not significant.
129. It should be noted that, although the Project is assessed not to affect the recognized
physical cultural resources, important and unrestored physical cultural resources could be
found during subproject construction. Some graves may have to be removed from the
construction sites. For Phase 1 of the project, 22 individual graves of three subprojects in
Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, and Binh Dinh will have to be relocated.
130. Relocation of graves would be carried out by households whose graves are affected
(as is the normal practice in Vietnam). Rituals for relocation of graves may be different
among Kinh, and ethnic minority peoples. Affected households will receive compensation
payment to conduct the relocation on their own. Payment to the grave relocation includes
costs of excavation, relocation, reburial, purchasing land for reburial (if any), and all other
reasonable costs associated with necessary rituals by the local practice. Local ritual means
relocation of graves will be carried out in accordance with local cultural practices, taking into
account cultural preferences which are typical for each ethnic group. When graves of ethnic
minorities are affected, grave relocation rituals adopted will be documented in respective
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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Ethic Minority Development Plan (EMDPs) based on the consultation with affected ethnic
minority peoples during project implementation. Where graveyard - owned collectively by
ethnic groups, are affected, appropriate consultation with affected groups will be conducted
during social assessment under respective subproject to work out solutions acceptable to
affected ethnic minorities. Relocation of graves will be done satisfactorily to the affected
households prior to the commencement of construction
5.2.5. Potential impacts on natural habitats and/or forests
131. There are 10 nature reserves, protected areas, or protection forests in the project area.
However, all the proposed subprojects are not located nearby any protected areas, nature
reserves or protection forests. Locations of these areas are provided in Chapter 4 while more
information is provided in Annex 3.
132. The subproject “Repairing and upgrading the safety for Chan Son reservoir, Dai Loc
district, Quang Nam province” and “Upgrading to ensure the safety for 4 reservoirs: Truoc
Dong, Truong Loan, Hoc Khe, Ho Cau – Da Nang city” are located 1 km far from Ba Na –
Nui Chua National Park. Most of these reservoirs are of small scale capacity, except Ho Cau
reservoir which is a medium one. Due to small construction works, it is anticipated that
implementation of these two subprojects will not cause significant impacts on Ba Na – Nui
Chua National Park. The same situation can be anticipated for the subproject “Upgrade,
repair overflow bridges of rescued road Dong Tuy Phuoc – An Nhon – Phu Cat – Binh Dinh
province” which is 1 km far from Thi Nai swamp. As the result, it is concluded that the
Project will not cause any adverse impacts on the natural habitats and/or forest.
5.2.6. Cumulative negative impacts
133. As identified in the previous sections, the Project would have no impacts on natural
reserves, natural forests and sites with physical cultural resources. Impacts from the land
acquisition and resettlement process are moderate. Negative impacts of the project in
degrading the environment quality during the construction stage are preliminarily assessed as
not significant and can be mitigated with proper management measures.
134. The subprojects are dispersed along different river basins with different
implementation timelines. They would also involve only rehabilitation and upgrading of
existing facilities/infrastructure and there are no other major infrastructure projects planned in
the project areas during the implementation of the Project. Therefore, the cumulative negative
impacts of the Project would likely to be marginal.
5.3 Assessment of Potential Negative Impacts during Construction
135. This subsection discusses the types and natures of potential negative impacts on
natural environment and biological environment based on the four different types of
subproject works and on the information available in the feasibility study for the first phase
subprojects. Results discussed in this section suggested that the impacts during site clearance
and construction of the proposed subprojects would be limited to small to moderate, localized,
and temporally and could be mitigated through effective control of contractor performance
and the proposed mitigation measures are discussed in Chapter 6.
5.3.1. Subproject group of upgrading river dikes and revetments
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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Site clearance activities
136. During the site clearance of the subprojects of constructing and upgrading river dikes
and revetments, a number of structures adjacent to the dikes and revetments will be relocated
(3 households will be relocated in the subproject of “Upgrade dyke site Phuc Long Nhuong”,
Ha Tinh province); some areas of crops and plants located right next to the dikes will be
cleared (about 118,119 m2 of agricultural land and 418 m2 of garden land will be cleared for
the implementation of the subproject “Upgrading the left dyke of Cau Chay river, Thanh Hoa
province”; 59,488 m2 of agricultural land will be affected and 13,798 m2 of garden land will
be cleared when upgrading Luong Yen Khai dyke, Nghe An province, etc.).
137. The demolition of structures, old revetments, temporary buildings, etc. would generate
wastes, used bamboos and iron sheets and filths, mud, rocks, etc. as well as offensive odors
and wastewater. Cutting and destruction of vegetation cover (bamboo, Acacia, sugarcanes,
sandalwood, etc.) would generate solid wastes, tree trunks, branches, leaves, etc. However,
the volume of wood, tree branches and leaves cut down will be reused as domestic fuel and
construction materials by the residents. Therefore, the extent of impacts of the site clearance
activities for the subprojects of upgrading river dikes and revetments is considered not large,
but specific mitigation plans are required.
Impacts on air environment
138. The earth excavation and dike upgrading activities (over 1 million m3 of excavated
soil and earth fill for the subproject of the left dyke of Cau Chay river, Thanh Hoa province;
186,315 m3 soil for the subproject of Luong Yen Khai dyke, Nghe An province) would
generate a considerable amount of dust (according to WHO, the dust generation ratio is 0.1-1
g/m3) which would result in air quality impairment.
139. The operations of vehicles transporting soil and sand and other construction materials
and the operations of construction machines on the work sites, etc. would generate various
exhausts into the air environment. The amount of exhausts would depend on the number of
construction vehicles, machinery type and construction methods. The extent of these impacts
would cover the areas along the transport routes and upgraded and construction dikes and
revetments.
Impacts on water environment
140. The activities related to earth excavation, dike reinforcing and river revetment
construction would create impacts on the river water quality, increasing the turbidity of river
water in the construction sections, especially in the rainy season when landslides carry soil
and rocks into the big river beds.
141. Transportation of excavated soil and construction materials would scatter soil and sand
on the road surfaces. Construction material storages and construction activities at the work
sites would also generate a number of solid wastes and used oil. These wastes can be brought
with rainwater runoff into nearby aquatic areas, resulting in increased turbidity and impacts
on aquatic ecosystems.
142. Domestic wastewater, toilet seepage from worker camps would also be another source
of impacts on water environment without preliminary treatment before dumping into the
environment.
Impacts on ecosystems
143. During the upgrading of dykes and construction of river revetments, activities such as
earth excavation, dropping sand bags and ashlars into the river, etc. would contaminate the
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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river water environment and affect river bed creatures. However, this impact would exist in a
short time and thus would not create much damage to the aquatic ecosystems.
Impacts of quarries and borrow pits
144. Existing quarries will be used for supplying materials for subproject construction
activities. Since these commercial quarries are licensed by local authorities and have to
comply with the government environmental protection regulation, their impacts on the
environment are not expected to be significant.
145. Subprojects of upgrading river dikes and revetments would also involve opening of
new borrow pits for construction activities such as earth fills of river dykes and revetments.
This would create impacts on the environment including: loss of topsoil affecting productive
land, land instability from incorrect earth removal or unstable deposition of spoil, leading to
landslides or erosion events; discharge of sediments into watercourses, rice paddies,
drainages, and irrigation canals; noise and vibration; dust emissions affecting health;
disturbances or damage to physical cultural resources; damage to agricultural land and native
vegetation; visual impacts. Associated mitigation measures during construction and operation
as well as closure requirements of these quarries and borrow pits can be addressed by
applying mitigations measure included in the Environmental Codes of Practice (Annex 1,
Section V, 5.4).
Impacts on the socio-economic situation
146. The presence of subprojects of upgrading river dikes and revetments would foster local
services, increase needs for food, leading to the increase in the price of local goods.
147. Some dikes involve large amount of construction works which would require the
concentration of a large number of workers from other areas, posing threats of social conflicts
between the workers and the local residents.
Impacts on the local traffic
148. Road traffic: The transportation of construction materials would increase the traffic
level and risks of traffic accidents on the transport roads. In addition, heavy-weight vehicles
would also damage inter-village and inter-commune roads, affecting local residents’ travel.
149. Water transportation: The concentration of buoys, drafts, ships serving the
construction of dike and revetment foundations on the rivers would temporarily appropriate
some areas of surface water, reducing the width of river transport routes, blocking the
circulation of ships. However, this impact would only occur during the early construction
stage of river dikes and revetments.
5.3.2. Subproject group of rehabilitating/upgrading of dams/reservoirs
Site clearance activities
150. Subprojects of upgrading reservoirs mainly introduce structural measures to upgrade
and secure groups of head works (earth dams, flood drain weirs, sluices, etc.). The site area in
need of clearance is not large, including a small area of small forestry plants and bushes,
aquaculture farming ponds near the earth dam, and a small area of agricultural land of some
households. The site clearance activities involve mainly leveling and clearance of some small
areas of crops, the impacts come mainly from rainwater runoff, which brings with it rocks and
soil and wastes, affecting the water environment in the aquatic areas nearby and in the
reservoirs.
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
151. However, the construction stage will require some certain area for machines and
equipments gathering site and worker camps. The appropriated land area will be cleared for
construction site preparation. A small amount of exhausts will be generated from ground
leveling vehicles.
Impacts on air environment
152. During the construction stage, equipments such as land compactors, pile-driving
machines, bulldozers, heavy-weight trucks, etc. will be used. The operations of such machines
will emit an amount of exhausts into the air. The level of exhausts will differ depending on
the characteristics of different equipment and transportation and operation methods.
153. The transportation of materials for reinforcing dams is the main source of impacts on
air environment. Based on the estimated sources of materials needed, mainly soil, for dam
construction of the subprojects, a part of this amount of materials will be exploited on site,
while another part will be transported from other areas by road. Means of road transports will
carry soil and sand from material storages within 15 km of the construction sites. Therefore,
the impact scope will encompass areas along the transport routes. However, because the
reservoirs are located far away from residential areas, the impacts from dust and exhausts
generated on the local residents will be considerably reduced.
Impacts on water environment
154. Domestic and construction wastewater will be generated during the construction
process. In addition, rainwater runoff will bring down soils and rocks affecting the surface water
quality of adjacent aquatic areas. The amount of pollutants from wastewater running into the
reservoirs will not create significant impacts on the river water quality given the nature of small
remedial works and small number of workers and the large capacity of the reservoirs which will
dilute the pollutants. However, the activities of reinforcing dam feet and bodies may cause
localized impacts on the water quality of the reservoir basins close to the work sites. Loose
rocks and soil may be swept to the reservoirs, resulting in increased turbidity and concentration
of suspended solids in the water.
Impacts on ecosystems
155. The operations of machines, equipments and construction vehicles will generate noises
which may affect the activities and behaviors of the animals living near the construction sites.
Big mammals with large active regions, fast-moving, and sensitive to disturbance effects
which are located near the work sites will resettle to distant and tranquil forests high in the
mountains. Those species living near residential areas such as deers, muntjacs, wild boars,
etc., will at first move further away from the work sites, usually to desolate low mountain
areas to reside, then may go back to the forest and/or fields near the work sites for food. Small
mammals, birds, and reptiles would only move away from the flooded areas or scatter not far
away from the work sites to live. Since all subproject sites are located far from natural
habitats, this kind of impact is anticipated to be not significant.
156. Moreover, to satisfy the domestic needs of the workers, services including food
services will grow and the food services of specialties of wild animals could be inevitable.
Broader markets for these wild products and animals will encourage the local people to hunt
forest animals to meet the needs of customers. However, the construction contractors need to
carry out measures to educate the workers and raise awareness on forest protection.
Impacts on the social-economic situation
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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157. During the construction and upgrading of reservoir structures, the construction units
could block the flow to the downstream areas. This may lead to temporary water shortages for
the cultivation areas in the downstream, affecting the lives and production of the communities
in the project area.
158. During the construction stage, a number of workers may be mobilized from other
areas. This may affect daily living conditions of the local residents. A number of people from
other locations moving to the Project areas may result in an increase of prices of domestic
goods due to increased consumption of goods and necessities. In addition, social conflicts
may also occur due to differences in lifestyle and culture between the workers and local
residents. Besides, the concentration of workers may also lead to growth of businesses and
entertainment services, including social evils such as gambling, drugs, prostitutes, etc.
However, because the reservoirs to upgrade are of small scale and the number of workers
gathered will not be large, it can be concluded that the negative impacts of these subprojects
on the nearby communities would likely to be low. Meanwhile, there will be some positive
impacts such as generating high level of consumption, leading to the growth of other services
and circulation of goods in the local areas. Therefore, the lives of the local people will be
improved, which will foster the socio-economic conditions of the area.
5.3.3. Subproject group of upgrading rescue roads/bridges
Site clearance activities
159. Negative impacts during the site clearance stage of the subprojects of upgrading
rescue roads include: impacts from acquisition of agricultural land of some households (rice
and other edible crops); topographic and geomorphological survey activities can generate
some pollutants such as exhausts, waste water, solid wastes (small amount); and traffic
hindrance. These activities would also require some site clearance, removal of vegetation
cover, causing soil erosion, etc. however, these impacts will be localized and temporary.
Impacts on air environment
160. Roadbed leveling and earthwork activities or embankment activities in low-lying areas
will generate a relatively large amount of dust, which affect the air quality. This effect would
be serious during windy or dry time. Dust will arise and spread and impact on nearby
residential areas, affecting the ecosystem in the region, especially dust on the foliage affects
the photosynthesis process of plants.
161. The operation of construction equipment will also affect the quality of ambient air due
to vehicles using gasoline or diesel could produce exhaust gases from combustion such as
dust, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and hydrocarbons
(HC). These are highly toxic substances compared to earth surface dust and with high
concentration and/or long exposure may have negative impacts on the health of construction
workers and nearby residents. The process of loading and unloading of construction materials
(stone, sand, cement etc.) at storage areas could also generate dust, especially during a strong
wind condition.
162. Construction workers and residents living around the construction area and along the
construction roads could be affected by dust, emission and noise arising from road
construction activities.
Impacts on water environment
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
163. During rescue road construction phase, wastewater mainly from construction
activities, domestic wastewater from construction sites and work camps, and rainwater runoff
could be discharged into nearby water courses causing water pollution especially with respect
to lower dissolved oxygen (DO), higher level of oil/grease, turbidity, biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD), and coliform bacteria. Construction and/or upgrading of bridges may also
involve disturbance of bottom sediment and affect water quality. However, given small scale
of works and small number of workers these impacts are considered to be small and can be
mitigated.
Traffic safety and occupational safety
164. Rescue roads upgrading and construction processes will use a variety of trucks and
other vehicles. This activity will not only increases the density of traffic on the roads in
construction area but can be dangerous for road users and residents along the road due to dust,
noise and traffic accidents. The overloaded trucks/vehicles can also damage surface and/or
structure of the local roads making local transport more difficult and/or dangerous.
Occupational accidents at the construction site can occur during the construction, operation of
machinery and construction equipment if users and workers are not guided to use safety and
no labor protection equipment accordingly.
5.3.4. Subproject group of river mouth dredging and coastal infrastructure construction
Site clearance activities
165. Subprojects involving dredging, upgrading of harbors and storm shelters in the
estuary, and coastal areas, are located relatively far from populated areas, and thus the
negative impacts during site clearance are unlikely to be a major issue. Site clearance
activities include mainly clearance of trees on the alluvial soil. Potential impacts of geological
survey, topography, drilling activities may increase the level of air and water pollution,
however, the impacts would be localized, temporarily, and can be mitigated.
Impacts on air environment
166. Dredging will be carried out with pumping method. Spoils are pumped up via
pipelines and/or transported by trucks and/or other vehicles to dredging disposal sites. This
activity may scatter dust and exhaust gases into the surrounding environment. The main
sources of the exhausted gases are from dredging vehicles (NOx, CO, CO2, HC). Dredged
spoils which in dry air and wind will scatter dust into the surrounding environment.
However, the dredging sites are located away from residential areas (the distance from My
A harbor dredging site to the nearest residential area is 800m), the pollutants are highly
likely to be assimilated, thus would not cause serious impacts on the local residential areas.
These exhausted gases would affect mainly the direct workers, are localized and temporary
during the construction duration, and only require simple mitigation measures.
167. The disposal of dredged materials to leveling sites may also generate a number of gases
with offensive smell such as methane (CH4) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from decomposed
sediments and dead bodies of marine animals. However, the areas surrounding of disposal sites
are thinly populated. Therefore, dust and exhausted gases could deposit or scatter quickly to the
air and the impacts of polluted air environment on the local residents are expected to be low. In
addition, the river bed sediments are composed mainly of sand, pebbles, shells (area of Cua Sot,
Ha Tinh), etc. Therefore, generation of toxic gases such as CH4, H2S from decomposed dredged
spoils would also be low.
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Impact on water environment
168. Dredging activities could increase water pollution due to disturbance of bottom
sediments and could increased turbidity and suspended solids content in the river mouth and
coastal water environment. In addition, the transportation of dredged spoils to leveling sites
and the disposal of dredged spoils could also pose risks of sea water pollution such as spillage
of dredged spoils during transportation; wastewater from dredged materials running into the
sea during the pouring of dredged spoils onto leveling sites; breaches of leveling site
embankments causing leakages of spoils into the surrounding environment, etc.
Coastal sedimentation and erosion
169. Activities of dredging anchoring sites for avoiding storms could pose risks of coastal
erosion during the construction stage. Reasons of erosion include: (i) dredging activities will
cause areas of silts to lose, (ii) activities of boats regularly going in and out of the work sites
will create big waves; and (iii) the surface with cleared vegetation cover cannot hold the soil.
Impacts on fishing activities
170. Activities of dredging anchoring sites, transportation of dredged materials would
affect the fishing activities of local people. However, based on the survey, there are not a lot
of fishermen working in the area of My A harbor in Quang Ngai, Nhat Le river mouth in
Quang Binh, or Cua Sot area in Ha Tinh; there are mainly anchoring fishing boats.
Impacts on road and sea transport
171. One of the problems arising during the dredging activities and construction of items of
the subprojects is increasing the local traffic. There are two forms of transport, (1) road
transport serving the construction of in-land items, and (2) sea transport (mainly) serving the
transportation of construction materials (rock, sand, cement), dredged spoils, and the traveling
of dredging vessels and installation of sea traffic signs.
172. The road transport serves mainly the transportation of construction materials.
However, according to the field visit during the EA study, the current traffic level on the
access roads for the sea harbor areas is not high. Therefore, the impacts of the subprojects on
the road transport are likely to be moderate.
173. Dredging activities and construction of works on the sea will considerably affect the
traffic situation of the seaport areas. These areas, at the present, have high frequency of
fishing boats entering and existing for storm avoidance. Therefore, the increased number of
vessels serving the dredging activites and construction of wave-prevention embankments will
pose risks to safety of sea traffic. In addition, these activities will also affect anchoring sites of
the local people during the construction period.
5.3.5. Small Work under Component 3
174. The impacts due to Component 3 will be limited to small works such as construction
of buildings and/of offices and/or construction of community roads/bridges. Some minor
impacts could be expected during construction stage, mainly are (i) disturbance of natural
habitats or nearby local communities due to clearing of construction site, and (ii) noise, dust,
vibration, traffic hindrance, wastes due to construction of works.
5.4 Assessment of Environmental Impacts during Operation
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Environmental Assessment (EA)
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175. The overall impact will be positive during Project operation. However, there are some
risks related to dam safety, land/water use conflict or coastal erosion and water quality issues
in case of extreme event. Key risks are discussed below.
176. Risks due to dams/dyke/structure breach: In the Project area, there are 7 existing
large dams according to WB criteria and many small dams/dykes. All the subprojects
involving dams, dykes or reservoirs have been designed to increase the safety of those
structures. However there are risks of dams/dyke/structure breach during project operation
due to (1) poor capacity for design, construction and operation, (2) chronic lack of financial
resources, and (3) chronic lack of right attitude/culture on operation and management as well
as dam safety inspection. The risk could be seen quite low but the impacts would be
significant if it happens, especially during an extreme event.
177. Land/water use conflicts:This risk would happen if the operation of spillway
gates/sluice gates of reservoirs are inappropriate, resulting in local flooding and possible
impacts on water quality and water uses. It would also happen in case of upgrading dikes.
When the dike system at one side of the river is strengthened and blocked the water to come
in, the flood would goes over the other river side. Inundation at the other river side would be
more serious and then potential negative impacts would be raised. This case could be seen
clearly at the subproject “Upgrade dyke at the north of Dinh river – Ninh Thuan province”.
Upgrade dyke at the north of Dinh river – Ninh Thuan province” and the concerns of the local
community.
- The Dinh river dike (11.5 km) holds an important function of protecting Phan Rang city – the
economic, political and social center of Ninh Thuan province. Currently, some parts of the dike are
quite low so flood comes over the dike and causes inundation some communes of the city during flood
time. Inundation also happens at the other side of the river. When the dike is upgraded, including
widening and increasing the height, the flood could not comes over the dike anymore. Consequently,
inundated situation at the other river side would be more serious. The district and communes at the
river side raised the requests as follow:
Ninh Phuoc district:
- Technical measures for flood draining and prevention would be needed.
- An Hai, An Phuoc and Phuoc Thuan communes would be included in Component 3 of V project.
Phuoc Thuan commune:
- There should have a plan to balance/ maximize benefits and minimize damages and impacts on local
people’s lives at both banks of Dinh river, especially on the southern bank (Phuoc Thuan commune
has 18,000 people; An Hai commune has 12,000 people and 1,500 ha of agricultural land).
Ninh Thuan province, July 6th, 2011
178. Unstable lives of relocated households after the project implementation: When
relocated to new places, the relocated households will need to begin a total new life which can
be very different from what they have known. Relocated households might not adapt and
integrate into new community or new living conditions (health, education, water supply and
drain, traffic etc.) in poor resettlement areas. If resettlement programs and plans are
ineffective or inadequate, the lives of relocated people would become increasingly difficult or
poorer than before, and they would be more severely affected in case of natural disasters. For
their livelihood needs, these people could destroy the forests or reserves, violate
dike/revetment safety corridors to plant crops, collect plants and hunt animals, etc. In the end,
55
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
natural disaster risks would happen to them and other communities. This risk is however
considered to be low especially in light of the CBDRM application and scaling up.
Potential erosion and water quality issues of nearby coastal area
179. This potential impact would likely to occur only with the three proposed subprojects
of upgrading harbors/anchoring sites for avoiding storms. During the subproject operation
stage, the amount of traffic of fishing boats entering/exiting the harbors/anchoring sites
would increase, posing a threat to the water quality in the river mouth areas due to increase
in turbidity, contamination from oil leakages or wastes (liquid and solid) from ships and the
fishery service areas, etc. As a result, river mouth ecosystems would be directly affected,
which in turn would affect the coastal ecosystems. It’s worthy to notice that coastal
ecosystems (mangrove forests, corals, seaweeds) are natural structures which can prevent
coastal lands from waves and storm winds. This impact however is considered to be small
and the mitigation measures can be identified during the preparation of the subproject’s
EMPs.
5.5. Analysis of alternatives
180. The proposed subprojects to be carried out under Component 4 will be carried out
on/along the existing dykes, dams, roads, and reservoirs so that alternative analysis regarding
site selection is not an option. However, an analysis between “without project” and “with
project” was carried out by comparing the potential impacts on socioeconomic conditions,
natural conditions, and policy and institutional capacity related to natural disaster. The results
are summarized in Table 5.4 and briefly discussed below.

Implementation of the project will require land acquisition and involve ethnic
minorities while the construction activities of the Project will generate pollutants,
exhausts, construction and domestic wastes and wastewater, etc., causing soil, water,
and air pollution in and around the Project area. However, these impacts could be
mitigated and/or compensated. In addition, the decision of the project to support only
rehabilitation and/or upgrading of existing infrastructure instead of new construction,
which avoid and/or limit involuntary resettlement and environmental impacts from
opening new areas, etc.

Nonetheless, the implementation of the subprojects of upgrading dikes and
revetments, reservoirs, river mouth dredging and upgrading harbors for avoiding
storms, construction infrastructure for flood and storm prevention and control, etc.
are considered necessary to protect human, livelihoods and property of the people.
Sea dikes and river dikes protect human and fields from storms and floods. Rescue
roads will be needed in case water level rises and isolate the communities.
Reservoirs prevent floods and droughts, and at the same time reserve fresh water and
supply domestic water to the people. Health stations, schools provide basic social
services and can be flood and storm public shelters, ensuring human protection
services are provided in case of disasters. Local private houses and concrete
community houses can be used as the flood shelters for the local people in floods
and storms as well.
56
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)

Strengthening of disaster risk management institutions, information systems and
planning capacity will improve the Government capacity and its staff to forge
effective coordination and cooperation among agencies and key stakeholders as well
as improve information collection, dissemination, and reliability including maps and
other planning tools to integrate DRM into river basin planning.

Strengthening weather forecasting and early warning systems will improve weather
forecasting and early warning capacity of the agencies especially for disaster
preparedness at all levels, and thus help reducing losses of life and properties. An
integrated and modernized hydromet system will be developed while the hydromet
infrastructure and early warning systems (EWS) will be strengthened. This capacity
will also help improving effectiveness of the provincial plans on flooding and water
resources management.

Implementing the Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) will build
on the experience from the on-going pilots to scale up the CBDRM efforts to some
100 communes in the 10 target provinces. The activities will increase capacity of local
communities to better prepare for floods and storm events including natural disasters
through communal-scale investments and capacity building and using a participatory
planning and supervision approach. Attention would be provided to vulnerable groups
such as children, women, elderly and disabled people. Support would be given to pilot
public-private-community partnerships in local DRM preparedness. Implementation of
this component would be closely linked to the investments under component 4 through
a geographical clustering of interventions to ensure maximum synergies from
investments of different scales.
Table 5.4: Comparison between “without project” and “with project” option
Subject
Socioeconomic
conditions
Without Project
-Safety risks to human and
infrastructure and agriculture
production in flood season
remain high.
- No opportunity to increase
agricultural land area
-Annual investment in economic
activities in the area is limited
due to floods and storms
-Rural traffic is limited by floods
and storms, hindering rescue
activities, daily activities of local
people and socio-economic
activities.
-Rescue roads and dikes that are
not upgraded will hinder local
With Project
Remarks
-Preventing and/or reducing damages caused
by natural disasters: storms, floods, erosions;
Protecting infrastructure, offices, schools,
health stations and production in the area.
-Providing an opportunity to increase
agricultural land area due to rehabilitation
and/or upgrading of reservoirs.
+++
-Securing investment and economic
development activities which can
contributing to socio-economic growth and
create environmental landscape in the project
area.
- During floods and storm, rescue activities
would be more effective due to enhanced
dike and rescue road conditions.
- Rural traffic in the Project area will be
improved because rehabilitation and/or
upgrading works can be combined with
improving the local traffic, meeting transport
57
+
+++
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Natural
conditions
traffic
demands in the area.
-Households continue to live and
work as normal.
-Land acquisition, site clearance,
construction activities, gathering of workers,
etc. will disturb social and economic
activities of the areas; The impacts will be
compensated and/or mitigated.
-Some communities living near
river banks will lose residential
and production land due to
erosion and landslide.
-Natural disasters continue to
occur such as: dikes will be
breached, water overflowing the
dikes in flood season, revetments
will collapse or encroached in
many places; reservoirs cannot
ensure safety, etc.
-In flood season and under
impacts of climate change, etc.
there are risks of flooding due to
inability to regulate floods, dike
breaches, river bank erosion and
landslide, etc., which will cause
flood to expand on large scales.
At the same time, pollution and
diseases emerge and will be wide
spread.
-The land reserve next to dikes
and river banks can be lost due to
erosion and landside every year
in the flood season. Agricultural
land can be affected and become
impossible to grow crops on.
-Slow economic activities would
be continued as usual.
-Ensure that residential and production land
next to river banks will not suffer from soil
erosion.
-Some areas lack irrigation water
in the dry season; Groundwater
level is reducing gradually due to
over-exploitation without supply
sources.
-Traffic density is suitable with
population density and
production density in the area.
-Upgraded reservoirs will provide an
opportunity to ensure adequate supply for
agricultural irrigation for the lowlands and
increase sources for surrounding
groundwater.
-Traffic density on transport roads will
increase significantly; Transportation of
bulky materials can cause accidents on the
roads, especially in crowded roads or roads
near schools.
-Natural disaster risks will be reduced: dikes
and revetments will be stronger and safer;
Water in reservoirs will be safety retained in
flood season; sluices could be more effective
in regulating floods, etc.
-Reduce risks of flooding; Reduce sources of
pollution due to flooding; Reduce diseases
caused by floods such as cholera, fever,
typhoid, etc.; Limit the development of
harmful insects and parasites.
---
++
+++
+++
-Upgraded dikes and revetments, etc. will
contribute to stabilize land reserve, increase
utilization value of some areas within project
areas.
+++
-Enhance local economic and service
activities by using local materials and labour.
+
58
+
-
Environmental Assessment (EA)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Policy and
institutional
capacity to
be
responsive
to
natural
disaster
--The existing vegetation cover
can reduce the heat in the
summer and balance the
microclimate.
--Some subprojects involves cutting of trees
to construct roads, widen dike surface or
prepare construction site, etc. However, the
clearance area will be limited.
-No construction activities will be
implemented with existing works
and no disturbance of current
environmental conditions.
-Construction activities of the Project will
generate pollutants, exhausts, construction and
domestic wastes and wastewater, etc., causing
soil water and air pollution in and around the
project area. These impacts will be localized,
temporary, and will be mitigated.
-Supporting the implementation and/or
improvement of the national policies and plans
related to natural disaster.
-Limited implementation of the
national policies and plans due to
limited funding sources and
capacity of key agencies
-Limited technical capacity to
forecast the situation.
-Limited understanding and
cooperation of local communities
in responding to natural disasters
especially during the emergency
and/or rescue activities.
Note:
the project
-Installation of hydrologibcal stations with
associated capacity building will enhance
capacity to forecast the flood/storm events.
-Increase knowledge and capacity of local
communities on natural disaster and how to
management them including investment in
small infrastructure will strengthen capacity of
local people to be responsive to the natural
floods/storm events and natural disasters and
thus reducing damages on human life and
properties.
--
---
+++
+++
+
+++ Major potential positive impacts of the project; --- Major potential negative impacts of
59
CHAPTER 6. PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES
181. This chapter presents the proposed measures to mitigate the potential negative impacts
of the Project based on the assessment conducted in Chapter 5. Given that the subprojects and
activities will be implemented in phases, an Environmental and Social Management
Framework (ESMF) has been prepared as a standalone document in line with the WB’s
OP/BP 4.01 requirement and it will be applied to all the subprojects to be financed under the
Project. A Dam Safety Framework (DSF) has also been prepared as a standalone document in
line with OP/BP 4.37 and it will be applied to all the subprojects involve safety of dams
and/or reservoirs. The ESMF is connected to the social safeguard policy documents namely
the Ethnic Minorities Planning Framework (EMPF) and the Resettlement Policy Framework
(RPF) and their respective actions plans namely the Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) and
the Ethnic Minority Development Plans (EMDPs) for the subprojects. Sections 6.1 and 6.2
summarize main objectives and key elements of the ESMF and DSF while Section 6.3
describes the implementation and monitoring arrangement of the mitigation measures
including the need for safeguard training and budget.
6.1 Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
6.1.1 Objective and scope
182. The main objective of the ESMF is to ensure that the subprojects and activities to be
financed under the Project would not create adverse impacts on the local environment and
local communities and the residual and/or unavoidable impacts will be adequately mitigated
in line with the WB’s safeguard policy. Given that the implementation arrangement of the
activities to be implemented under Components 1, 2, 3 will be different from the subprojects
to be implemented under Component 4, the ESMF will comprise two parts: (a) the ESMF
process which will be applied only for the Component 4 subprojects including a standard
Environmental Code of Practices (ECOP) to be incorporated into the bidding and contract
documents for civil works and (b) the mitigation measures for other Project activities
involving civil works, including a simple ECOP. The ESMF process is summarized in Section
6.1.2, while the mitigation measures for other Project activities are summarized in Section
6.1.3.
6.1.2 The ESMF Process
183. The ESMF process will be applied only for the Component 4 subprojects. The process
has been designed to comprise 5 key steps: (1) Eligibility screening, (2) Technical screening
and identification of key impacts and documentation, (3) Development of mitigation measures
and public consultation, (4) Information disclosure and WB safeguard clearance, and (5)
Implementation, monitoring, and reporting. The first year Component 4 subprojects have
gone through the first three steps and specific mitigation plans (RAPs, EMDPs, and
EMPs//DSRs) have been prepared and these documents will be submitted to WB for public
disclosure and clearance. The safeguard screening, impact assessment, and preparation of
safeguard documents for all the second and follow-on year subprojects will be carried out
during the Project implementation and the safeguard documents (RAPs, EMDPs, and EMPs,
including dam safety report as needed) will be submitted for WB clearance before their
approval and implementation. Key elements of the ESMF process are highlighted as follows:
184. Safeguard screening: Figure 6.1 and Table 6.1 identifies criteria and actions to be
undertaken during the safeguard screening process. The subprojects will comply with
Government EIA regulations and those involving land acquisition/resettlement and ethnic
minority will comply with the RPF and EMPF. To avoid potential adverse potential socioenvironmental impacts on areas of critical importance such as national parks, biological
conservation areas, protected forests or areas of historical values, subprojects under the VN60
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Haz Project will be screened for their environmental eligibility. The subprojects that
potentially adversely affect areas of biological importance, conversion of site with valuable
landscape, removal of objects with historical/religious appreciation, or encroachment on
mangrove forest regardless of the size will be excluded from the Project financing.
185. The criteria for exclusion of subprojects have been developed with reference to Annex
III of Decree No.29/2011/ND-CP (listing the projects subject to appraisal by MONRE) as
detailed below:
a) Subprojects that use land of national parks, natural reserves, world heritage,
historical/cultural sites, nationally protected landscapes, biosphere conservation sites;
b) Subprojects that cause conversion of forests including mangrove forests, watershed
protection forests, waves/wind shield forests, etc;
c) Subprojects that cause sea encroachment of 20 ha or more;
d) Subprojects that cause conversion of two-crop rice field land of 20 ha or more with
high productivity;
e) Subprojects having project sites in more than one province.
186. EMP: All the subprojects will prepare an EMP for the subproject in line with the
technical guideline provided in the ESMF. The EMP will also include a standard ECOP, an
environmental monitoring program, safeguard training, and an implementation arrangement
including the required budget and funding sources. For those related to dams and reservoirs,
preparation of a Dam Safety Report (DSR) for a large dam and a Dam Safety Inspection
Report (DSIR) will be carried out and is considered a part of the EMP. For the subprojects
related to dredging near the river mouth and/or upgrading/construction of coastal
infrastructure a quick study on existing conditions along the coast with respect to erosion in
the subproject and nearby area and background conditions of the nearby ecosystem will
have to be conducted during the preparation of the EMP for the subproject so that the extent
of the potential impacts as well as the required mitigation measures could be identified.
187. Standard ECOP (Annex 1): This document is prepared as an annex to the ESMF and
it will be included in the bidding and contract documents of all the civil works to be carried
out under the subprojects. The document identifies general procedures as well as roles and
responsibilities of contractor, subproject owner, and construction supervision consultant/field
engineer. Specific actions to be carried out by contractor are identified under 2 separate
sections:

General Provisions including “the Chance Find procedure” and

Management of Construction comprising general management of construction site
and activities, management of environmental quality (air, noise/vibration, water,
wastes, etc.), management of work camp, management of stockpiles, quarries, and
borrow pits, management of dredging, and monitoring of potential impacts.
6.1.3 Mitigation measures for other Project activities
188. Simple ECOP (Annex 1): To mitigate the potential impacts of the civil works
activities to be implemented under Components 1, 2, 3, a simple ECOP has been prepared and
it will be incorporated into all the bidding and/or contract documents of all the activities
involving civil works. The simple ECOP describes roles and responsibilities, the “Chance
61
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Find” procedures, and Good Environmental and Housekeeping practices. Efforts will be made
to integrate the knowledge on environment and social safeguard into the planning process and
capacity building as appropriate.
6.2. Mitigation measures for Phase 1 subprojects
189. Five EIAs as required by the government regulations on environmental impact
assessment and six EMPs have been prepared for these subprojects and presented as separated
documents. Potential negative impacts and major mitigation measures of the first phase
Component 4 subprojects are showed in Table 5.3.
62
Table 5.3: Potential Negative Impacts of the First Phase Component 4 Sub
Components
Physical
Air,
Land,
noise, soil,
vibrat water
ion
Biological
Socio
Others
Mitigation measures
Solid
Forest Fish,
Land
Indigen Physic Liveli Local Offwaste, ,
aquatic acquis ous
al
hood, flood, site
Sludg natura life
ition,
peoples cultural comm traffic, impac
e
l
resettl
resourc unity
safety ts
habita
ement
es
distur
ts
bance
Subproject 1: Maintain, upgrade and treat the key parts of the left dyke of Cau Chay river (section from K0-K42), Yen Dinh district (Thanh Hoa) (240 bil
VND); Scope include: upgrade 42km dyke site; Repair, upgrade and renew structures on the site, including construction of sluices; build more rescue
roads
Background/Key issues: [ protect property and life of 130,000 people; protect 10,000 ha agricultural land and ensure the safety for infrastructures; build the rescue
road to boost the socio-economic development for 25 communes in Yen Dinh district] [781 affected HHs, of which 18 HHs lose more than 20% of productive land;
04 HHs have to relocate graves; 43 HHs are in vulnerable group (18 poor HHs, 20 FHHs)]; [1 million cubic meters will be excavated and dyked; dust and noise in
construction phase]
Pre-const.
L
L
L
N
L
H
N
L
M
L
L
- Land acquisition and relocation of
graves will be compensated and
Construction
M
M
M
N
L
N
N
L
M
M
M
implemented in accordance with the RAP
before the construction.
- Ensure effective implementation of
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
- Ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Subproject 2: Upgrade dyke site of Luong Yen Khai (Nghe An) (45 bil VND): Scope includes (Line, widen, stabilize the surface of 2.87km)
Background/Key issues: [protect life and property for 10,756 inhabitants and maintain production stability for 651.8 ha of agricultural land]; 83 affected HHs, of
which 80 HHs lose their agricultural land, 03 HHs lose adjacent garden to their residential land, affected land is 13,300 m 2];[ 186,314.98 m3 soil will be excavated
and dyked; dust and noise in construction phase]
Pre-const.
L
L
L
N
L
H
N
L
M
L
L
- Land acquisition will be compensated
and implemented in accordance with the
Construction
M
M
M
N
L
N
N
L
M
M
M
RAP before the construction
- Ensure effective implementation of
63
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
- Ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Subproject 3: Bridge combining with overflow connecting rescued roads, Nghi Loc and Vinh city (Nghe An) (27 bil VND);
Scope includes 65m bridge combining with overflow and 1Km road and a drain sluice with B=7.5m
Background/Key issues: [improve the economy and reduce poverty for about 13,709 people in Hung Hoa and Nghi Thai communes by increasing access ability to
the administrative centers, market centers, health care, education and social services, reducing the time and cost for agricultural products transportation];5
affected HHs , earth fill K95 7,940 m3, mud dredging 687m3, dust and noise in construction phase ].
Pre-const.
Construction
L
M
L
M
L
M
N
N
L
L
H
N
N
N
L
L
M
M
L
M
L
M
- Land acquisition will be compensated
and implemented in accordance with the
RAP before the construction.
- Ensure effective implementation of
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
- Ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Subproject 4: Upgrade dyke site Phuc Long Nhuong, Cam Xuyen district (Ha Tinh) (180 bil VND); Scope include: upgrade dyke site of 11.41 km; Renew
21 drainage culverts crossing the dyke; build 12 road sites combining with dyke rescue with a total length of 8.974 km.
Background/Key issues: [Preventing and reduction of disaster damage by storm, tropical depression, storm surges occur frequently in direct of 19,728
persons/2,471 ha of Thien Cam town, Cam Phuc, Cam Nhuong communes and indirect of 12,450 persons/1,345 ha of Cam Xuyen town and Cam Thang commune.];
[335 affected HHs, of which 125 households will lose agricultural land, 119 households will lose house-stage garden, 22 households will lose aquacultural land,
and 44 households will lose residential land]; [excavation soil 90,000 m3; dust and noise in construction phase]
Pre-const.
Construction
L
M
L
M
L
M
N
N
L
L
H
N
N
N
L
L
64
M
M
L
M
L
M
- Land acquisition and relocation of
graves will be compensated and
implemented in accordance with the RAP
before the construction.
- Ensure effective implementation of
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
- Ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Subproject 5: Repair, upgrade Thạch Ban reservoir, Duy Xuyen district (Quang Nam) (86 bil VND); Scope includes: Main dam, overflow, intake gate,
management house and road
Background/key issues:[ reduce the vulnerability due to the external factors such as drought, floods and erosion, flood control issues will be enhanced, protect more
than 10,000 people in two communes (Duy Phu, Duy Thu), protect infrastructure such as houses of citizens, clinics, post offices, markets, kindergartens, primary
schools, secondary schools, inter-village transportation system and electricity]; [7 affected HHs in Duy Thu commune would have temporary acquisition of 2 ha of
plantation forest land]; [150,000 m3 of fill-land, 1,748.05 m3 of stone, 11,271.84 m3 of sand and gravel are needed for the construction; Air, noise and water
pollution]
Pre-const.
Construction
L
M
L
M
L
M
N
N
L
L
H
N
N
N
L
L
- Land acquisition will be compensated
and implemented in accordance with the
RAP before the construction
- Ensure effective implementation of
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
-To ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Subproject 6: Upgrade anti-erosion embankment of Kone river for safety, An Nhon and Tuy Phuoc district (Binh Dinh) (47bil VND); Scope include (i) 1.2
km Thang Cong section – Nhon Phuc commune; (ii) 1.5km Song Ngheo section – Nhon Hau commune; (iii) 1.8 km Tam Dan – Tan Duong section – Nhon
An commune; (iv) 1.3 km embankment in the downstream of Ba Di bridge – Phuoc Loc commune.
Background, key issues: [Upgrading anti-flood and anti-inundation capacity for all of the dyke belong to Kone river dyke system aim to protect directly human,
infrastructure, land, house and property of 49,183 people (8,197 households) in 3 communes Nhon An, Nhon Hau, Nhon Phuc (An Nhon District) and Phuoc Loc
(Tuy Phuoc District)]; [73 affected HHs in 3 Ward PCs of Binh Dinh province, including: 16 HHs in Phuoc Loc Commune, 13 HHs in Nhon An Commune, 27 HHs
in Nhon Phuc Commune and 17 HHs in Nhon Hau Commune]; [45,092 m3 of excavation land and 66,673 m3 of fill-land; Dust, noise, water pollution]
Pre-const.
L
L
L
N
L
H
N
L
M
L
L
- Land acquisition and relocation of
graves will be compensated and
Construction
M
M
M
N
L
N
N
L
M
M
M
implemented in accordance with the RAP
65
M
M
L
M
L
M
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
before the construction.
- Ensure effective implementation of
ECOP and consultation with local
residents
Operation
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
M
L
N
- Ensure effective O&M; Build capacity
of local community with high risks
through the application of CBDRM
Note: The following criteria are used for the assessment of level of impacts: None (N) –no impact; Low (L) – Small works, minor impacts, localized, reversible,
temporary; Medium (M) –Small works in coastal/sensitive areas, medium scale works with moderate impacts of which most are reversible, reducible and
manageable, localized, temporary; High (H) –Medium scale works in coastal/sensitive area, large scale works with significant impacts (socially and/or
environmentally) of which many are irreversible and require compensation; Both M and H levels need implementation of the mitigation measures, monitoring, and
adequate institutional capacity on safeguard.
66
6.3 Dam Safety Framework (DSF)
190. For the subprojects involving dams and reservoirs, preparation of a Dam Safety Report
(DSR) will be required for a large dam and high hazard dam, while preparation of a Dam
Safety Inspection Report (DSIR) will be required for small dam. The DSF provides criteria
for determining type of dams (large or small) as well as actions to be carried out during the
subproject preparation, supervision, and monitoring. For large and high hazard dams,
involvement of a dam safety expert/panel will be necessary.
6.4 Implementation and Monitoring Arrangement
6.4.1 Responsible agencies:
191. The implementation and monitoring arrangement for the proposed mitigation
measures will basically follow the Project implementation arrangement. For the overall
project, CPMO of MARD will be responsible for supervision and monitoring of the
mitigation measures implementation including provide training and capacity building as
needed. It is anticipated that and Environment and Social Unit (ESU) will be established and
a Central Environmental Management Consultant (CEMC) will be hired to assist in
performing these tasks.
192. For Components 1, 2, 3 activities the agencies responsible for the components (i.e.
PPMUs of DARD for Components 1 and 3 and the Project Management Unit (PMU) of
MONRE for Component 2) will be responsible for (a) ensuring that the simple ECOP is
included in the bidding and contract documents and it is effectively implemented by
contractor, (b) integrating safeguard knowledge and consideration into the planning and
capacity building process, and (c) reporting the safeguard performance in the component
progress report.
193. For Component 4 subprojects, PPMUs of DARD will be responsible for
implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, especially those under the responsibility
of contractor. PPMU with assistance from the Construction Supervision Consultant (CSC)
and/or field engineers will also ensure close coordination with local authorities and
communities and take appropriate actions in responding to any complaints and/or issues
raised on the ground. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental at provincial
level (DoNRE), and the PPCs, and representative from mass organization and/or local
community are also the key parties involving in the implementation and/or monitoring of the
proposed mitigation measures.
194. The Contractors are responsible for implementing mitigation measures and the
mitigation costs will be part of the contract. The CSC is responsible for assisting PPMU in
supervision and monitoring the day-to-day implementation of mitigation measures undertaken
by the contractor and this responsibility will be part of the CSC TOR.
6.4.2 Reporting arrangement
195. The implementation progress will be included in the subproject and Project progress
reports. PPMU with assistance from the CSC will include safeguard performance at
subproject level to report to CPMO periodically. At the project level, CPMO assisted by
CEMC will prepare safeguard performance report twice per year for submission to the World
Bank describing the Project progress and compliance with the ESMF and other safeguard
requirements.
6.4.3 Safeguard training and capacity building
196. Although most of the Project provinces have been involved in the implementation of
WB safeguard under the on-going WB funded projects, knowledge and experience on WB
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safeguard requirements as well as of environment and social issues remain limited. Given
that most of the key mitigation measures are good engineering practices, the safeguard
training should focus on increasing knowledge on (a) safeguard policy and procedures to
implement the safeguard instruments (RAP/RPF, EMDP/EMPF, EMP/ESMF, DSR/DSF)
designed for the Project and subproject (b) specific training on supervision and monitoring of
contractor performance, including forms and reporting process, and (c) general knowledge on
good construction practices for reducing potential impacts on local environment and safety
aspects.
197. Given the number of the subprojects and its nature/locations, it is anticipated that at
least 4 safeguard training courses should be provided during the first 3 years of the project
implementation. The training should first focus on the knowledge, policies, and procedures
related to land acquisition and resettlement and involvement of ethnic minority and/or other
social aspect so that RAP implementation could be completed before construction start. All
key staff responsible for the activities should particapate in the training. The supervision of
contractor training should be conducted at least 1 month before the construction. The key
participants should include PPMU staff and its consultants (CSC), and representatives from
local agencies, local communities, and/or mass organizations, responsible for supervison of
contractor.
6.4.4 Budget allocation.
198. To ensure that the proposed mitigation measures will be effectively implemented,
budget will be allocated for the following activities:

Feasibility studies and safeguard documents for the second phase subprojects.

Detailed design and construction supervision including those mitigation measures
identified in the EMPs.

Environment Management Plan (EMP) and monitoring.

Social safeguard monitoring, especially for RAP and EMDP.

Land appropriation.
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Figure 6.1 – Schematic Flowchart for Safeguard Actions for Components 3 and 4 Subprojects
CPMO conduct initial screening to determine the environmental category
of subprojects (Step 1)
Pass: CPMU identifies potential negative impacts (environment
and social), mitigation measures and/or next actions–using the
checklist forms, discuss the results with local government and/or
communities –Apply criteria described in Table 5.1 (Step 2)
Small civil works
under Component 3
with small impacts
and no EIA/EPC is
required (Step 3)
Involve civil works that could generate
potential negative impacts under
Component 4: PPMU prepare
EIA/EPC as required by GoV
regulations. If the subproject involves
dam, DSF will be followed (Step 3)
PPMUs use the
ECOP for small
civil work in the
ESMF and include
them in the bidding
and contract
documents (Step 4)
PPMUs prepare EMPs in line with
ESMF, including ECOP, dam safety
report (DSR) and/or water quality
monitoring as needed; the EMPs will be
submitted for WB clearance. Public
consultation will be part of the EMP
preparation. If UXO risk exists, the
EMP will also include measures to
mitigate the risk (Step 4).
Fail:
The Project will not fund
the proposed activities
Involve ethnic
peoples:
PPMU prepare
EMDP (Step 3)
PPMUs
prepare an
EMDP in
line with the
EMPF
(Steps 4)
Involve land
acquisition, relocation,
and/or compensation:
PPMU prepare RAP
(Step 3).
PPMUs prepare
RAP in line with
RPF, including
consultation with
affected population.
Compensation must
be paid before the
civil works could
begin (Step 4)
(Steps 3 and 4)
PPMUs, assisted by Construction Supervising Consultant (CSC) and/or field engineer monitor and
supervise contractor performance and report the results periodically to CPMO; Information disclosure
should be conducted periodically (Step 5)
CPMO monitor/report safeguard implementation/performance in the project
progress report; WB will periodically review and monitor the results/reports (Step 5)
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Table 6.1: Technical Guideline for Safeguard Screening and Actions for Component 4
Subprojects
Potential negative
impacts
Required mitigation actions
(If Yes)
Requir
ed
docum
ent
Remarks
(1) Permanent or
temporary loss of land or
resources for any
families,
Identify the amount and nature of land RAP
required, owner, and/or other issues and
prepare a RAP to provide compensation
and/or assistance following the RPF.
Prior consultation
with WB, proper
documentation, and
Post review by WB
may be necessary.
(2) Likely to involve
ethnic minorities and/or
adversely affect ethnic
groups
Carry out social assessment process through EMDP
free, prior, and informed consultations and
prepare an EMDP in accordance with
guidance in the EMPF. The project will
support increasing awareness of affected
population, in respective languages of ethnic
minority groups, about the Grievance
Redress mechanisms, and building capacity
of those involved in the existing Grievance
Redress mechanism on the required tasks,
including dealing with or mediating
complaints from individual and/or ethnic
groups, recording and reporting, and
monitoring proposed resolutions.
Prior consultation
with WB, proper
documentation, and
Post review by WB
may be necessary.
(3) Likely to have
artifacts or remains
found during excavation
works, and physical
relocation of grave.
Physical relocation of graves is likely. If this RAP
is the case follows the procedure described in
the RPF and the RAP;
Preparation of
procedures to
address when local
grave is encountered
has been included in
the RPF.
A standard “Chance Find” Procedure
included in the ECOP will be incorporated in EMP
the subproject EMP.
Contractor will
apply the chance
finds procedure
(4) Likely to involve
UXO risk?
If identified at the feasibility stage, include EMP
the clause in the EMP. The procedures
would include: contact responsible agencies
and complete the clearance before
conducting construction activities. The
subproject will be required to provide a UXO
clearance certificate before undertaking site
clearance and/or construction.
PPMU will be
responsible for
contacting the
concerned agencies
and obtain clearance
to secure safety of
the project area
(5) Involve civil works
which can generate air,
Include the standard ECOP into bidding and EMP
contract documents and ensure that
PPMU will ensure
that the ECOP is
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noise, and/or water
pollution, soil erosion,
public health risks,
and/or impacts on
downstream and/or
nearby water uses during
site clearance and
construction.
(6) Involve dredging
and/or possible
contamination of soil
and water quality from
the disposal of dredged
materials during
construction
(7) Involve risk related
to safety of dams
Construction Supervising Consultant (CSC)
and/or field engineer closely monitor
performance of contractor.
included in the
contract and the
CSC responsibility
to supervise the
contractors is
included in the
TOR.
Prepare a Dredging Materials Disposal Plan EMP
(DMDP) during the preparation of the
EIA/EMP
and/or
detailed
design.
Compliance with the DMDP has been
included in the standard ECOP.
Technical guidelines
are provided in
Annex 3
Apply DSF and include the mitigation EMP
measures as part of the EMP: For a large and
/DSF
high hazard dams prepare a dam safety report
(DSR) as described in the DSF.
PPMU/CPMO will
ensure that this is
the case.
Identify local community with high risk and
provide capacity building as part of the
Component 3 implementation.
(8) Likely to cause
land/water use conflicts
due to dyke safety and/or
sluice operation
(9) Likely to create
coastal erosion nearby
during operation.
Identify areas/local community with high EMP
risks and provide capacity building as part of
the Component 3 implementation.
PPMU/CPMO will
ensure that this is
the case
Conduct a review for potential erosion in EMP
nearby area and identify areas/local
community with high risks and provide
capacity building as part of the Component 3
implementation.
PPMU/CPMO will
ensure that this is
the case
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CHAPTER 7 PUBLIC CONSULTATION
7.1. Objective and Methodology
199. The objective of public consultation is to ensure affected populations can participate in
the decision-making and implementation of the project, improve knowledge of the
communities on the project and project impacts on their life. The contribution of stakeholders
will ensure that the project will meet the communities’ demands and will bring potential
benefits to the communities.
200. During the preparation of EA and ESMF, two consultations were carried out, as
presented in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1. Public consultation during the development of the EA and ESMF
Stage
Identification of
scope of EA and
ESMF
(First Public
Consultation)
June and July, 2011
Finalization of EA
and ESMF
(Second Public
Consultation)
September, 2011
201.
Objective
Methodology
Identify key stakeholders

Organize meetings with
stakeholders such as CPC, DPC,
DARD, DONRE, NGOs (such as
Farmer Association, water user
organization (WUO),etc.), and
some affected households

Survey questionnaires

Organize meetings with
stakeholders such as CPC, DPC,
DARD, DONRE, NGOs (such as
Farmer Association, WUO), and
some affected households.
Moreover, consultation was also
carried out at the central level,
including MARD, MONRE and
MPI.

Sending EA and ESMF reports to
stakeholders and ask for
feedbacks
Introduce the project
Identify environmental background
elements
Preliminary study of project
impacts and mitigation measures
Discuss and collect feedbacks on
the contents and results of EA and
ESMF
Recommendations of local
authorities or communities to the
investment owner and project
owner during the project
implementation
Key stakeholders are identified as follow:
–
Directly affected populations: populations currently living in the subproject areas,
under direct impacts from project activities, including farmer households, ethnic
minorities living next to dikes, embankments, reservoirs, rescue roads, fishermen, etc.
–
Indirectly affected populations: some communities living in communes and districts
near subproject areas (or on the other side of the river in subprojects of upgrading river
dikes and revetments), households living downstream, fishermen of provinces and
districts adjacent to subproject areas, etc.
–
State agencies, including: MARD, MONRE, MOET, DARDs, DONREs, etc.
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–
Other organizations and individuals, including: national and regional NGOs, regional
civil society organizations.
202. Methods and techniques used in the consultation during the first meetings are
organizing meetings with stakeholders such as local authorities (CPC, DPC relevant to
subprojects), State agencies (DARDs, DONREs), NGOs (Farmer associations, WUOs, other
NGOs, etc), and some affected households. In addition, to enable the communities to raise
their voices and express their opinions and expectations, public consultation was also carried
out using a survey method. Two survey questionnaires were developed, including a survey
questionnaire on environmental background and a survey questionnaire on natural disaster
situation and consequences, which include questions about respondents’ expectations and
requests to the Project. Communities selected to carry out public consultation were directly
related to the Project, beneficiary communes and affected communes were especially taken
into account. The first public consultation was carried out in June and July, 2011 with 41
meetings in total. During the second consultation to collect feedbacks on EA and ESMF
drafts, apart from methods and techniques used in the first public consultation meeting,
another method was applied. The draft EA and ESMF reports were sent directly or via
official to key stakeholders and asked for feedbacks in writing. The second public
consultation was carried out in September, 2011 with 36 meetings in total. Details are
provided in Annex 6.
7.2 Public Consultation Results
203.
Below summarizes key opinions collected from the first meeting:
–
Most of the provinces and communities in the project area showed enthusiasm in
supporting the implementation of the project because natural disasters have an
enormous impact on these areas, causing great losses to the people and affecting the
overall development rate of many provinces, districts and communes. Therefore, this
is an urgent issue and a top priority of the Central provinces. The local communities
within the project area all wished that the project would be carried out soon.
–
The provinces would support and facilitate the project implementation as best as they
could, especially in land acquisition issues during site clearance and regarding
construction of items which have potential negative environmental and social impacts;
–
The project beneficiaries mainly include farmers, fishermen, many of which are poor
households and some of which are EMGs. Affected populations are not large, most of
them expressed support to the project, many households volunteered to donate land or
didn’t demand compensation for potentially lost crops and houses, etc.
–
The subprojects involve mainly upgrading and improving existing degraded or
unqualified works, therefore the project’s potential adverse impacts are not extensive,
which would only occur mainly during the construction stage and can be mitigated with
appropriate measures.
204. This consultation aimed to present the draft EA and ESMF. Below summarizes
opinions collected from the second meetings:
–
Most of the local authorities and communities agreed with the Project implementation,
however, they requested that the construction would be carried out as quickly as
possible, reducing delays and prolonged time of construction, ensuring environmental
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protection and the project staff perform their responsibilities and ensure quality of
work.
–
Agreed with the contents of EA and ESMF reports and environmental pollution
mitigation measures mentioned in the reports;
–
Requested that the Project owner would be committed to strictly comply with potential
negative impacts mitigation activities such as environmental monitoring and
management.
–
To mitigate potential negative impacts of the Project on local communities and
people’s lives, the Project components should be effectively implemented step by step,
avoiding mass and disorderly construction.
–
Requested that the contractors would comply with their commitment to mitigate the
potential impacts of the Project including the environmental management and
monitoring;
–
Some local authorities proposed to develop policies for punishment or even unilateral
termination of contracts with the contractors in case they don’t comply with the
commitment. Especially, the environmental monitoring systems will need to be carried
out adequately and periodically in line with the environmental protection programs.
–
The local authorities and community representatives of the communes will collaborate
in sharing and solving the problems arising during the project implementation.
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Annex 1: Standard Environmental Code of Practices (ECOP) for the Subprojects
Table of content
I. Introduction
II. Relevant World Bank’s Safeguard Policies and Government’s Regulations
III. Responsibilities
IV. General Provisions
4.1 Contract Specific Environmental Plan (CSEP)
4.2 Non-compliance and Incident Reporting Procedure
4.3 Coordination with Government Authorities and the Public
4.4 Community Relations
4.5 Mitigation Objective
4.6 Implementation of “Chance Find” Procedures
4.7. Prohibitions
V. Management of Construction
5.1 Management of Construction Sites and Activities
5.2 Management of Environmental Quality
5.3 Management of Work Camp
5.4 Management of Stockpiles, Quarries, and Borrow pits.
5.5 Management of Dredging
5.6 Monitoring of Potential Impacts
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I. Introduction
1.
Objective. This Environmental Code of Practices (ECOP) was prepared to guide the
planning and implementation of the mitigation measures to be carried out by Contractor
during construction. It sets out standard practices and procedures for managing the potential
negative impacts on local environment and local communities of all civil works to be carried
out under the Project. The ECOP will be included as a separate annex in all bidding and
contract documents and the field engineers and supervisor will be assigned the responsibility
to ensure compliance and reporting. The Contractor will be made aware of and commit to this
obligation and know that cost for implementation of the measures is part of the construction
cost.
2.
Scope and application. This ECOP will be applied to all the subprojects to be
implemented under Component 4. For the sake of clarity, “construction” in this document
includes all site preparation, demolition of structures, spoil disposal, materials and waste
removal and all related engineering and construction activities.
II. Relevant World Bank’s Safeguard Policies and Government’s Regulations
3.
World Bank’s safeguard policies. This ECOP is prepared to satisfy the WB safeguard
requirements under OP4.01 (EA) which requires planning, implementation, and monitoring of
the mitigation measures during construction.
4.
GOV’s regulations. There are a number of GoV regulations, standards, code of
practices, etc. related to environmental and safety that are relevant to construction activities
and environmental quality. In addition to the main laws and regulation outlined in the
Environmental and Social Management Framework, the ones related to environmental quality
and safety are listed below (not exhaustive) and have to be closed observed:
Water environment
-
QCVN 01:2009/BYT: National technical regulation on drinking water quality
QCVN 02:2009/BYT: National technical regulation on domestic water quality
QCVN 08:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulations on surface water quality
QCVN 09:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulations on groundwater quality
QCVN 10:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulations on quality of coastal water
QCVN 11:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulation on industrial wastewater
quality.
QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulations on quality of domestic
wastewater
QCVN 24:2008/BTNMT: Industrial wastewater – Discharge standards
TCVN 5502:2003: Supplied water – Requirements for quality
TCVN 6773:2000: Water quality – Water quality for irrigational purposes
TCVN 6774:2000: Water quality – Water quality for aquaculture protection
TCVN 7222:2002: Water quality – Water quality for concentrated domestic water
Soil environment
- QCVN 03:2008/BTNMT – National technical regulation on the allowable limits of
heavy metals in the soils;
Air environment
- QCVN 05:2008: Air quality – Standards for ambient air quality
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- QCVN 06:2008: Air quality – Maximum allowable concentration of hazardous
-
substances in the ambient air.
QCVN 07:2008: Air quality – Threat hold of hazardous substances in the air.
TCVN 6438:2001: Road vehicles – Maximum permitted emission limits of exhausted
gases
TCVN 6438:2001 - Road vehicles - Maximum permitted emission limits of exhaust.
QCVN 07:2009: National technical regulations for classification of hazardous wastes
Vibration and Noise
- QCVN 27:2010/BTNMT – National technical regulation on Vibration (replace TCVN
6962:2001 - Vibration emitted by construction works and factories - Maximum
permitted levels in the environment of public and residential areas;
- QCVN 26:2010/BTNMT – National technical regulation on Noise (replace TCVN
5948:1999
Acoustics - Noise caused by transportation means when speeding Allowable level)
- TCVN 5949:1998 Acoustics - Noise in public and residential areas - Allowable
level
Labor Health and Safety
- Decision No.3733/2002/QĐ-BYT issued by Ministry of Healthcare dated on
10/10/2002 about the application of 21 Labor health and safety standards that
concerned about microclimate, noise, vibration, Chemicals – Permitted level in the
working environment.
Moreover, regarding planning and design of infrastructure, operation and management of
the water supply systems, and water source option to serve domestic water supply systems
the following standards are used:
- Decision No.628/BXD-CSXD of the Ministry of Construction (MOC) dated 14th
-
December 1996: Vietnamese Construction Regulations and Standards;
Design standards No. 20TCN-33-85 for water supply projects;
Instructions for preparation and approval of town construction planning of MOC in
1998;
Construction standard TCXD No.66:1991 on Operation of water supply and drainage
systems - Safety requirements;
Construction standard TCXD No. 76:1979 on Procedures for technical management in
operation of water supply systems; and
Construction standard TCXD No.233:1999 on criteria used for choosing surface
water, groundwater sources to serve domestic water supply system.
III. Responsibilities
5.
The subproject owner (PPMUs) and the contractor are the key entities responsible for
implementation of this ECOP. Key responsibilities of the subproject owners and the
contractors are as follows:
(a) Subproject owner
-
General: The subproject owner (PPMUs) on behalf of the Central Project Management
Unit (CPMO) is responsible for ensuring that the ECOP is effectively implemented.
The subproject owner will assign a group of qualified staff to be responsible for
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preparation and management of environmental and social safeguard of the subproject
throughout its life, including supervision of contractors. The subproject owner is
responsible for preparing the safeguard reports and submitting to the CPMO.
-
For the contract involving dredging, the subproject owners with assistance of the
consultants will prepare a Dredge Materials Disposal Plan (DMDP) during the
preparation of an EMP or detailed design as appropriate.
-
During construction, the subproject owners will assign the Construction Supervision
Consultants (CSCs) and/or field engineer to be responsible for monitoring and
supervision of the compliance of the contractors to fulfill the agreed CSEP (see
below). Responsibilities of the CSCs would include the following: (a) monitoring the
contractors’ compliance with the environmental plan, (b) taking remedial actions in
the event of non-compliance and/or adverse impacts occur, (c) investigating
complaints, evaluating and identifying corrective measures; (d) advising to the
Contractor on environment improvement, awareness, proactive pollution prevention
measures; (f) supervising the Contractor’s activities in responding to the complaints;
(g) providing guidance and on-the-job training to field engineers on various aspects to
avoid/mitigate potential negative impacts to local environment and communities
during construction.
(b) Contractors
-
Contractors have the responsibility of carrying out contracted works through fulfilling
the agreed CESP (Contract Environmental Specification Plan as defined in General
Provisions below). In doing so, the contactors will establish and maintain contact with
the subproject owner and local residents, and keep them informed of construction
matters likely to affect them. This may include regular and frequent distribution of
newsletters and attendance at meetings at the request of the subproject owner with
representatives of local residents groups.
-
Contractors will provide information and reporting telephone “Hot Line”, staffed at all
times during working hours. Contact details should be prominently displayed at the
sites. Information on the construction progress, including the projected activities that
might require closure of traffic or may cause safety risk should be timely provided.
-
Contractors have the duty to secure appropriate permits and licenses before
undertaking the works or moving heavy equipment. It is the responsibility of the
Contractors to monitor the development and implementation of new environmental
legislation and regulation and to use the appropriate standards prevailing at the time of
awarding contracts. Contractors must comply with all prevailing legislation at the time
of construction, including any requirements under health and safety.
IV. General Provisions
4.1 Contract Specific Environmental Plan (CSEP)
6.
Contractors will be required to prepare a CSEP describing how the Contractor intends
to operate construction at works sites as well as other specific measures necessary to avoid
and/or reduce the potential negative impacts as required in the ECOP, especially those related
to management of the construction site; transportation of construction materials, especially
dredge materials; control of dust, noise, and vibration; solid and liquid waste management;
and public health. Given different scope and nature of civil works, scope and nature of the
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CSEP could be differ and all the CSEP will be reviewed and approved by the PEMC to be
assigned by the subproject owner.
4.2 Non-compliance Reporting Procedures
7.
Contractors must comply with the CSEP, and must ensure that their Sub-Contractors
(if any) also comply with it. To ensure that necessary action has been undertaken and that
steps to avoid recurrence have been implemented, the CSC/PEMC and/or Contractors must
advise the subproject owner within 24 hours of any serious incidents of non-compliance with
the CSEP that may have serious consequence. In the event of working practices being
deemed dangerous either by the subproject owners, the local authorities, or the other
concerned agencies, immediate remedial action must be taken by the Contractors. The
Contractors must keep records of any incidents and any ameliorative action taken. The
records on non-compliance that could be practically addressed (not cause serious impacts)
should be reported to the subproject owner on a monthly basis.
8.
The Contractor will be responsible for dealing with any reports forwarded by the
subproject owner, Police or other agencies by (following instruction from the subproject
owner representative as appropriate) as soon as practicable, preferably within one hour but
always within 24 hours of receipt by either the Contractor. The CSC/PEMC will monitor and
ensure that the Contractor has taken appropriate action. Where appropriate, approval remedial
actions may require an agreement from the local authorities and/or other GOV agencies.
Procedures should be put in place to ensure, as far as is reasonably practical, that necessary
actions can be undertaken to avoid recurrence and/or serious damage.
4.3 Liaising with Authorities and the Public
9.
Prior to the commencement of subproject activities and throughout the construction
duration, the Contractors will work closely with the local authorities and other agencies to
ensure full compliance with GOV regulations and will also provide adequate information on
the Project to the General Public, especially those that may cause public safety, nuisance, and
sensitive areas and the locations of storage and special handling areas.
10.
The Contractor will provide information and reporting telephone “Hot Line” staffed at
all times during working hours. Information on this facility shall be prominently displayed on
site hoardings.
4.4 Community Relations
11.
Contractors will assign a community-relation personnel, who will be focused on
engaging with the community to provide appropriate information and to be the first line of
response to resolve issues of concern. Contractors will take reasonable steps to engage with
residents of ethnic minority backgrounds and residents with disabilities (or other priority
groups as appropriate), who may be differentially affected by construction impacts.
12.
Contractors will ensure that local residents nearby the construction sites will be
informed in advance of works taking place, including the estimated duration. In the case of
work required in response to an emergency, local residents shall be advised as soon as
reasonably practicable that emergency work is taking place. Potentially affected residents will
also be notified of the ‘Hotline’ number, which will operate during working hours. The
“Hotline” will be maintained to handle enquiries regarding construction activities from the
general public as well as to act as a first point of contact and information in the case of any
emergency. All calls will be logged, together with the responses given and the callers'
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concerns action and a response provided promptly. The helpline will be widely advertised and
displayed on site signboards.
13.
The Contractor respond quickly to emergencies, complaints or other contacts made via
the ‘Hotline’ or any other recognized means and liaise closely with the emergency services,
local authority officers and other agencies (based on established contacts) who may be
involved in incidents or emergency situations.
14.
The Contractor will manage the work sites, work camps, and workers in a way that is
acceptable to local residents and will not create any social impacts due to workers. Any
construction workers, office staff, Contractor’s employees, or any other person related to the
Project found violating the “prohibitions” activities listed in Section A2 below may be subject
to disciplinary actions that can range from a simple reprimand to termination of his/her
employment depending on the seriousness of the violation.
4.5 Mitigation Objectives and Special Considerations
15.
Main objective of this ECOP is to minimize the potential negative impacts during
construction on local environment, local community, and human and environmental safety
and disturbance. The Contractor is expected to implement the activities in line with the
following approach as much as possible in close consultation with the supervision and/or field
engineers who will be assigned by PPMU to supervise the contract. Key approaches include,
but not limited, to:
-
Minimize impacts and restore damages;
Replanting trees in project areas;
Control erosion and sedimentation during construction;
Proper control of suspended solids during dredging;
Use main roads when possible;
Heavy traffic restrictions;
Control (collection, disposal) of wastes (solid and liquid);
Minimize disturbance to local population; Frequent meetings with local people and
provision of timely and adequate information to the project affected peoples
(PAPs) so that their living and production conditions could be managed;
Engage and provide labour opportunity for local population;
Application of proper safety and warning measures in the construction sites,
especially in dredging activities;
Provision of temporary crossings and bridges during construction of bridges;
Application of proper safety and warning measures;
Conduct public information campaign and outreach program, including training
and capacity building.
4.6 Implementation of “Chance Find” Procedures
16.
If Contractors discovers archeological sites, historical sites, remains and objects,
including graveyards and/or individual graves during excavation or construction, the
Contractors will carry out the following steps:
-
Stop the construction activities in the area of the chance find;
-
Delineate the discovered site or area;
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-
Secure the site to prevent any damage or loss of removable objects. In cases of
removable antiquities or sensitive remains, a night guard shall be arranged until the
responsible local authorities or the National Culture Administration take over;
-
Notify the supervisory Project Environmental Officer and Project Engineer who in
turn will notify the responsible local authorities and the Culture Department of
Province immediately (within 24 hours or less);
-
Responsible local authorities and the Culture Department of Province would be in
charge of protecting and preserving the site before deciding on subsequent
appropriate procedures. This would require a preliminary evaluation of the
findings to be performed by the archeologists of National Culture Administration.
The significance and importance of the findings should be assessed according to
the various criteria relevant to cultural heritage; those include the aesthetic,
historic, scientific or research, social and economic values;
-
Decisions on how to handle the finding shall be taken by the responsible
authorities and Culture Department of Province. This could include changes in the
layout (such as when finding an irremovable remain of cultural or archeological
importance) conservation, preservation, restoration and salvage;
-
Implementation for the authority decision concerning the management of the
finding shall be communicated in writing by relevant local authorities; and
-
Construction work could resume only after permission is given from the
responsible local authorities or Culture Department of Province concerning
safeguard of the heritage.
4.7 Prohibitions
17.
The following activities are prohibited on or near the Project sites:
-
Cutting of trees for any reason outside the approved construction area; Hunting,
fishing, wildlife capture, or plant collection; Buying of wild animals for food; Having
caged wild animals (especially birds) in camps; Poaching of any description;
Explosive and chemical fishing; Disturbance to anything with architectural or
historical value;
-
Building of fires; Use of unapproved toxic materials, including lead-based paints,
asbestos, etc.; Use of firearms (except authorized security guards); Use of alcohol by
workers in office hours; Driving in an unsafe manner in local roads;
-
Washing cars or machinery in streams or creeks; Maintenance (change of oils and
filters) of cars and equipment outside authorized areas: Creating nuisances and
disturbances in or near communities; Disposing garbage in unauthorized places;
Indiscriminate disposal of rubbish or construction wastes; Littering the site; Spillage
of potential pollutants, such as petroleum products; Collection of firewood; Urinating
or defecating outside the designated facilities; and Burning of wastes and/or cleared
vegetation.
V. Management of Construction
5.1 Management of Construction Sites
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18.
This section outlines the requirements relating to site management practices that
should be implemented during site operation. These relate to working hours, site layout and
appearance and good housekeeping as well as operations of equipment and vehicles. Monthly
inspection/meeting should be conducted to ensure that these procedures are adhered to. The
Contractor must follow a ‘good housekeeping’ policy at all times. The site should be cleared
by the Contractor on completion of the construction.
19.
The Contractor is required to minimize, as far as reasonably practicable, any adverse
environmental impact of their construction activities. All appropriate licenses and consents in
respect of site operations will be timely secured. Key measures are as follows:
(i) General requirements on construction sites. A construction site must satisfy the following
requirements
-
Site layout. The overall site layout must be designed and approved under regulations
to suit the construction location, the site’s area, natural and climate conditions in the
place of construction, facilitate the construction and ensure safety for human,
machines and equipments at the construction site and the surrounding areas affected
by construction activities.
-
Site arrangement. Supplies and materials are placed neatly according to the approved
overall plan design. Supplies, materials and obstacles are not placed on roads,
emergency exits or fire entrances. Flammable and explosive material warehouses are
not arranged near the place of construction and tents. Waste materials are removed and
discharged in prescribed places. Water drainage systems are regularly cleared to
ensure that the construction ground is always dry.
-
Signs. At the construction site there are signs according to Article 74 of the
Construction Law. At the main entrance, a plan of the overall ground of the
construction site and working regulations is displayed. Safety measures and rules are
publicized at the construction site for compliance. At dangerous places at the
construction site, such as trenches and foundation pits, there are fences, warning signs
and instructions for accident prevention. At night, signal lights are turned on.
-
Good housekeeping: The Contractor will follow a ‘good housekeeping’ policy at all
time for the workers and the surrounding environment. This will include, but not
necessarily be limited to the following: dust and noise control; waste treatment,
keeping the site clean and tidy. To sites located near residential areas, wastes must be
covered and collected and properly disposed off. Construction and waste materials
during transportation must be properly covered to ensure safety and environmental
sanitation. In case the Contractor does not comply with environmental protection
regulations, the project owner and environmental authorized state agencies will have
the power to suspend the construction operations. Persons responsible for adverse
environmental impacts during the construction will be held responsible and
compensate for any damages caused at his fault.
-
Power safety: Motive and lighting power grids at the construction site are separate and
installed with general circuit-breakers and sectioned circuit-breakers for cutting off
power in part or the whole of the construction area. Ensure power safety for workers,
construction machines and equipment at the construction site. Electric equipment are
safely insulated during the construction process. Workers are guided on power safety
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techniques and ways to give first aid to persons who get electric shock in power
accident.
-
Fire and explosion safety: the Subproject Management Unit needs to set up a
commanding board for fire and explosion prevention and fighting at the construction
site, which has its own working regulations on its specific duties and powers. Fire and
explosion prevention and fighting plans are appraised and approved under regulations.
The contractor organizes a fire and explosion prevention and fighting brigade which
has its own working regulations on its specific duties and tasks. At the construction
site, local fire fighting equipments are arranged. At fire-prone places, inflammable
signboards and fire fighting and alarm equipment are installed to promptly detect fires
and take remedies.
(ii) Requirements during construction. During construction, the following requirements must
be satisfied:
-
Working hours: Core working hours will be from 0800 to 1800 on weekdays and
0800 to 1300 on Saturday. Individual site requirements which differ from the above
will be considered on a site by site basis. Noisy operations shall not take place outside
these hours without prior approval from the subproject owner. All construction related
traffic will abide by the agreed hours of working for each site. Any exemption will
require an agreement with the Subproject owner, subproject, and/or local authorities.
-
Before starting construction, an approved design of construction measures is required,
including labor safety solutions for workers and construction machines and equipment
for each job, which has explanations about technical and use instructions.
-
During construction, the approved design as well as regulations, standards and
technical processes are complied with. Jobs dependent on the quality of previous jobs
are performed only after the previous jobs have been tested to meet quality
requirements under regulations.
-
Construction measures and safety solutions are periodically or extraordinarily
examined for modification according to practical conditions at the construction site.
-
Organizations and individuals are fully capable in the jobs they perform under
regulations. Operators of construction machines and equipment and performers of jobs
with strict labor safety requirements are trained in labor safety and possess labor safety
cards under regulations.
-
Construction machines and equipment with strict labor safety requirements are
inspected by and registered with competent agencies under regulations for operation at
the construction site. During operation, they comply with safety processes and
measures. If construction equipment is operated outside the construction site, the
investor approves safety measures for construction-affected people, machines,
equipment and works inside and outside the construction site. If due to construction
conditions, equipment have to be placed outside the construction site and while not in
operation, if they operate outside the construction site, such is permitted by authorized
agencies under local regulations.
-
Workers at the construction site are provided with medical checks-up and safety
training and adequate personal safety equipment under the labor law.
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-
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO): Although the risk is not present in the entire project area,
in some subproject areas such as in Quang Nam and Quang Tri, the Contractor will be
responsible for ensuring UXO safety of the construction site. The response process needs
to be included in emergency procedures. The emergency procedures will be prepared and
carried out if UXO risk is identified at the construction site.
(iii) Clearance and rehabilitation of construction site after completion:
-
On completion of the works the Contractor will clear away and remove all materials and
rubbish and temporary works of every kind. The site will be left clean and in a condition
to the satisfaction of the PPMU. Any potentially hazardous defects to the works will be
made good, prior to permanent reinstatement.
5.2 Management of Environmental Quality
(a) Water quality
20.
The Contractor must take all the efforts to prevent wastes (solid and liquid) discharge
into all rivers and coastal water and to protect surface and groundwater from pollution and
other adverse impacts including changes to water levels, flows and general water quality.
Discharge of engine oil and oily waste from dredgers and construction machines to the rivers
will be strictly prohibited. Engine oil, used oil, and other toxic substances and hazardous
wastes must be properly collected, stored, treated, and/or disposed off. Key measures are as
follows:
-
Used oil/engine oil: The oil container at the construction site (especially when the site
is located less than 10 meters from the waterways) must be of sufficient strength to
ensure to prevent leakage. The container must be situated within a secondary
containment system (bunded), which will prevent the release of any leaked oil. The
Contractor must make provisions to ensure that all hazardous substances including oil
drums or containers on site are properly labeled and properly stored and that no oil or
other contaminants are allowed to reach water courses or groundwater.
-
Wastewater from sites: Whenever possible, the Contractor must minimize the amounts
of wastewater that need to be discharged and find alternative means of disposal. The
Contractor will ensure that any seepage and wastewater arising from the works and
camp sites must be collected and discharged via a settlement tank. The standards for
wastewater treatment prior to discharge must be agreed in advance with the ESA.
Contaminated water or water of an uncertain quality must be discharged into sewers
by tankers or other approved means of disposal.
-
Drainage. Water drainage must be designed to avoid stagnant conditions that could
create bad smell and unsanitary condition. The Contractor must agree with the ESA in
advance, details of the methodology to be employed, prior to commencement of the
construction. Particular attention must be given to regular pest control treatment
(particularly rats and flies); removal of sludge and other debris after drainage;
reducing smell nuisance from sludge and algae by measures including deodorizing,
hosing down etc. Safety measures must also be taken to protect both the general public
and employees and to prevent fly-tipping and illegal access during the development
works.
-
Water quality monitoring: The Contractor must ensure continuous compliance with all
the above conditions under the monitoring of the Subproject Owner and/or field
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engineer, including undertaking water quality monitoring at specific sites and are in
compliance with government regulation related to wastewater management and water
quality monitoring.
(b) Dust, noise, vibration
21.
The Contractor must take all the efforts to control dust, noise, and vibration levels
from the site, as far as is reasonably practicable. Excessive noise/vibration generation
activities must be in accordance with GOV standards. For critical areas, the Contractor many
be required to conduct noise measurement in close consultation with the local residents and
establish appropriate measures to control and manage noise level. Measures for reducing dust
and other air pollution, noise, and vibration are provided as follows:
-
Inform the residents: Prior to commencement of work at any site, the Contractor will
be required to inform the local authority and residents regarding the construction plan
and potential noise and vibration that may occur from the construction activities,
including measures to reduce noise and vibration.
-
Dust control: The Contractor will ensue that no burning of waste materials on site;
adequate water supply is available on site; dry sweeping of large areas is not allowed;
Cover all trucks carrying loose or potentially dusty materials (soil, mud, etc.) to and
from construction site; Water or sprinkle the construction areas periodically, especially
at site located near residential area; avoid overloaded of trucks; routinely clean public
roads and access routes; Ensure vehicles working on site have exhausts positioned
such that the risk of re-suspension of ground dust is minimized (exhausts should
preferably point upwards), where reasonably practicable; Control driving speed on unsurfaced haul routes and work areas; Ensure bulk cement and other fine powder
materials are delivered in enclosed tankers and stored in silos with suitable emission
control systems to prevent escape of material and overfilling during delivery; Mix
large quantities of cement, grouts and other similar materials in designated areas; Store
materials with the potential to produce dust away from site boundaries where
reasonably practicable; Minimize the amount of excavated material held on site;
Sheet, seal or damp down unavoidable stockpiles of excavated material held on site,
where required; Seal or re-vegetate completed earthworks as soon as reasonably
practicable after completion.
-
Care must be undertaken during the transportation of dredge spoil to and from the
construction site; the spoil must be covered at all time. Fly-tipping will not be
permitted. Loads must only be deposited at designated sites. The Contractor will be
responsible for all the trucks delivering to, or exiting from, a worksite and will clean
up all damage that may occur to public road and other public facilities. Care should be
taken when loading or unloading vehicles or dismantling scaffolding or moving
materials to reduce impact noise. Loading or unloading bays may have to be housed in
suitable acoustic enclosures.
-
The installation of sheet piling with a diesel or air driven impact or drop hammer may
not be acceptable on some of the sites. Use of hydraulically operated or vibratory
hammers may be necessary in these circumstances to drive and extract sheet piling,
provided the soil strata are suitable for such equipment. Where practicable, rotary
drills and bursters actuated by hydraulic or electrical power should be used for
excavating hard material. Noisy plant or equipment will be sited as far away as is
practicable from noise sensitive buildings. The use of barriers, (e.g. soil mounds), site
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huts, acoustic sheds or partitions to deflect noise away from noise sensitive areas must
be employed wherever practicable.
-
The Contractor will be obliged to comply with the vibration levels established by
agreement with the ESA on a site by site basis given due attention to minimize human
exposure (1 Hz to 80 Hz) and protection of damage to nearby structures.
(d) Solid waste control and treatment
1.
Solid wastes from subproject construction activities. The subproject construction
activities will generate a big amount of escaped soil and stones, cement bags and other
surplus materials (oily wastes, miscellaneous woods, etc.). Although solid wastes
discharged in this stage are not toxic or dangerous (except for some oily wastes such as
oily cloths after cleansing machines and equipments, etc.), proper measures for waste
collection and treatment are required to avoid contaminating the environment and
affecting local landscape. The Contractor must make a commitment to collect all escaped
soil and stones and transport to designated areas or reuse them for dyke/road construction.
Bags and other solid wastes will be collected for recycling or burning or taken to
temporary dumps in the area (solid wastes disposed at these temporary dumps must be
buried or covered in a sanitary way). In addition, during subproject construction,
uncontrolled discharging of solid wastes into the environment needs to be minimized to
reduce impacts to environmental landscape, transportation and daily activities of local
residents, and the environment (water quality, soil quality and natural habitats).
2.
Domestic solid wastes. During subproject construction, the Contractor must carry out
appropriate measures for waste collection and treatment. The domestic wastes will be
collected in plastic or wooden bins with lids placed in convenient places and in worker
canteens. Periodically, at appropriate time, transport those bins to the dumping lot (the
Contractor will select a proper location for the dumping lot, at least 500 m away from
residential areas, 200 m away from work camps and surface water sources, and not in the
prevalent wind direction of the area) to dispose of the wastes, from which the local Urban
Environmental and Construction Company will be hired to carry out proper removal and
treatment. The Contractor must sign a contract with the Urban Environmental and
Construction Company to collect and treat solid wastes generated during the subproject
construction. In case the wastes cannot be transported to the dumping lot (for example,
due to lack of appropriate transport route), wastes must be buried at temporary dumps in
the project area in a sanitary way – a waste layer covered by a layer of soil, and when the
dump is filled, it is covered by a soil layer about 50 cm thick. Temporary dumps must be
located at least 500 m away from residential areas, 200 m away from work camps and
surface water sources, and not in the prevalent wind direction of the area. Upon
completion of works, cover the entire temporary dumps with soil, ensure land and
landscape restoration for the subproject area.
(d) Traffic and Transportation
22.
The Contractor will be required to use designated construction traffic routes as
directed by the local authorities and the Police. The number of truck movements, hours of
operation and any truck holding areas will be agreed in advance with the local authority and
the Police. Plans will be required for each site showing the site entrances/exits and the agreed
access roads for use to the nearest main road, and the routes to be used by truck to and from
the strategic road network.
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-
The Contractor will maintain an up to date log of all drivers that will include a written
undertaking from them to adhere to the local authority’s approved routes for
construction traffic. In the case of non-compliance, the Contractor and/or their subcontractor(s) would be in breach of contract, necessitating disciplinary action against
individual drivers.
-
The Contractor may be required to provide truck stickers uniquely identifying the
group of construction sites included in each contract, details of which shall be
submitted to the local authority for approval. For identification purposes the
Contractor will fix these in a prominent position on all trucks frequently serving the
construction site. The identification will need to be sufficiently large to be easily read
from a distance of 20 meters. Trucks waiting to enter or leave the site must switch off
their engines to avoid unnecessary engine noise and emissions. Restrictions on the
size and weight of vehicles accessing each site may be imposed depending on agreed
access routes.
-
For construction that interference with a carriageway or footway, the Contractor will
inform the local authorities, responsible agencies, and local residents before
commencing the works and proposed measures to minimize the safety risk and
inconvenience to the public. All necessary consents and licenses must be obtained in
advance. The safety of the public must be ensured. In the case of temporary footways,
reasonable access shall be provided for people in accordance with the following
requirements: (a) Any temporary footways and carriageways will be constructed to the
reasonable requirements of the local authorities and should have uniform surfaces as
much as possible; (b) Clear signing must be provided at all times for pedestrian routes
with the minimum number of changes to all temporary layouts in order to reduce
confusion. Advance warning should, if possible, indicate alternative existing
wheelchair-accessible routes; (c) After completion of the works all materials arising
from the works will be cleared from the highway leaving the same in a clean and tidy
condition to the reasonable requirements of the local authorities; and (d) The
Contractor will be responsible for any damage caused by their activities to the roads
and public facilities in the vicinity of the worksite. Any defects caused by the
Contractors must be rectified immediately if dangerous or otherwise within 24 hours.
-
Any street furniture (electrical or non electrical) cannot be removed or relocated by the
Contractor or any of its sub-contractors without written agreement from the
responsible agencies.
(d) Excavation Materials and Demolition Materials
3.
Earth excavation must be carefully handled to reduce dust and possible obstruction and
causing nuisance and health impacts to local residents. Excavation that affects public
roads (such as pipeline and bridges) must be properly planned in consultation with local
authority and informed to the residents in advance. All dredged spoils as well as
excavation materials will be reused for dike/road construction and/or land filling at or
nearby the work site. Demolition materials must be properly disposed off. The Contractor
must consult ESA on the final selection of disposal sites and methods.
(f) Protection of natural habitats
4.
During the construction stage, if mitigation measures of air, noise, water and soil
pollution, the project will create negative impacts on the growth and development of some
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animal and plant species in the area, especially aquatic species. Proposed mitigation
measure is to develop a detailed plan and speed up the construction progress. The
Contractor must observe the national and local regulations and policies related to
protected areas/species, wildlife sanctuaries. No trees in sensitive areas shall be cut
without obtaining prior agreement with the authorities. Strengthen monitoring the
contractor’s compliance with environmental protection commitments. In addition,
organize training courses to improve environmental protection awareness of the staff and
local communities.
5.3 Management of Work Camp
27.
The Contractor will consult with local authority regarding the location of the worker
camps and will provide appropriate water supply, garbage collection, toilets, mosquito net,
and other health protection measures to all workers. Fishing, wildlife hunting, and other
social disturbance to local societies are prohibited. Training of workers on safety, good
hygiene, and prohibitions activities is required. Detail measures as follow:
(i) During the preconstruction stage:
 Contractor will consult with local authority and subproject management unit regarding
the location of the worker camps
 Once work camp location is identified, the Contractor will set up temporary
accommodation for all the workers throughout the construction or maintenance period.
In terms of supply and storage of domestic water at the work camp area, the
Contractor will comply with the following requirements: (a) Provide adequate
drinking water supply for the work camps in appropriate tanks/containers. The
Contractor will identify appropriate public water source for drinking in consultation
with the local authority; (b) in case no appropriate source of water is identified, the
Contractor will take water from other sources which will be tested and treated before
supplied to the work camps; (c) All water supply and storage areas must be away from
the wastewater storage area, drainage system or other sources of contamination
according to the regulations. Water from drains or contaminated water must not be
used as domestic water at the site.
 At all construction sites, facilities for washing and necessary and appropriate tools
must be provided by the Contractor. Bathrooms must be provided separately for male
and female workers. Such facilities must ensure convenience for use and cleaning.
 Waste discharges, wastewater must be properly collected and disposed off.
 First aid/Emergency aid kit. The first/emergency aid kit must be available at the work
camp area and managed by a responsible person. This person must be trained on
emergency/first aid. Injured or seriously sick people must be taken to the nearest
hospital.
 Community relations. The Contractor will ensure that conflicts between the workers
and local population are avoided.
(ii) Construction stage:
 Work camps must be kept clean and tidy, unaffected by oil spill and construction
wastes. Any oil spilt or leaked must be cleaned immediately to avoid soil and water
contamination. Some actions to carry out are as follow: (a) avoid oil leakage into
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surface water or groundwater; (b) wastewater must not be disposed directly to natural
water areas; (c) solid waste materials are removed and discharged in prescribed places
at frequent intervals; (d) First/Emergency aid supplies and materials and cleaning tools
are regularly provided.
 PPMU will monitor the housekeeping of work camp areas and ensure these areas are
kept clean throughout the construction period.
(iii) Construction completion.
 During this stage, all work camps and facilities will be cleared away and removed
from the site. The site will be rehabilitated to ensure the operation of the works.
5.4 Management of Stockpiles, Quarries, and Borrow Pits
28.
Commercial quarries and borrow pits approved by local environmental agencies
should be used as much as possible. If non-commercial quarries and/or borrow pits are used,
in consultation with the Construction Management Consultant (CSC) and/or field engineers,
the Contractor will comply with the following requirements:

Large-scale borrow pits or stockpiles will need site-specific measures that go beyond
those required in this ECOP.

All locations to be used must be previously identified in the approved construction
specifications. Sensitive sites such as scenic spots, areas of natural habitat, areas near
sensitive receptors, or areas near water should be avoided.

An open ditch shall be built around the stockpile site to intercept wastewater.

Stockpile topsoil when first opening a borrow pit and use it later to restore the area to
near natural conditions.

If needed, disposal sites shall include a retaining wall.

If the need for new sites arises during construction, they must be pre-approved by the
responsible local authorities.

If landowners are affected by use of their areas for stockpiles or borrow pits, they must
be included in the project resettlement plan.

For any stockpile, quarry, or borrow pit sites involved in this project, but not to be
used afterwards. The contractor will prepare and implement a Contract Specific
Environmental Plan (CSEP) in compliance with the ECOP that includes management
of borrow pits and their closure plans.

If access roads are needed, they must have been considered in the environmental
assessment. The alignment for each of these roads must be clearly determined with its
impacts and mitigation measures
5.5 Management of Dredging
29.
Some of the Component 4 subprojects may involve maintenance dredging of existing
river mounts/coastal area. For these subprojects, a dredge material disposal plan (DMDP) will
be prepared by the project owner during the preparation of an EMP or detailed design stage as
appropriate. The DMDP will describe the amount of dredge materials and its potential
contamination during dredging and disposal as well as the mitigation measure to be carried
out during dredging and disposal process. The Contractor will be required to strictly follow
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the DMDP as well as to make all efforts to avoid and/or minimize potential negative impacts
on local use of land, beaches, and/or water especially impact on local fisheries. Details will be
prepared as part of the Contract Specific Environmental Plan (CSEP) given due attention to
address the following issues:

Pollution control during the transport of the dredged materials from the dredging site
to the disposal area;

Potential increase in turbidity and pollution of the water in the areas due to the
dredging and potential impacts on other nearby beneficial uses;

Potential contamination of soil and water source including groundwater nearby the
disposal area; and

Potential misuse of the contaminated dredged materials for public infrastructure and
households.
30.
The assessment of dredged materials must be based on quantitative methods based on
sampling and analysis/testing (such a toxicity characteristics leachate procedure-TCLP for
hazardousness), and the determination of the use of the dredged materials should be
conducted in light of these test results, considering the legal requirements for potential end
uses.
5.6. Monitoring of Potential Impacts
31.
The Contractor will be required to carry out the following monitoring program and a
monitoring plan will be included as part of the CSEP:
IMPACT
PARAMETERS
Air emissions
Dust level
EXAMPLE LOCATIONS
Vicinity of
clearing works
Noise
and Noise levels to meet In the vicinity of
vibration
TCVN/QCVN
sensitive receivers
generation
requirements
Erosion and
Efficiency of erosion Erosion and
sedimentation
and sediment controls sediment controls
Surface water
TSS, pH, BOD,
Upstream and downstream of
quality
salinity, coliform
dredging and/or construction
deterioration
works, especially when other
beneficial uses (aquaculture,
water supply sources, etc.)
are located.
90
FREQUENCY
In windy
conditions
In response to
complaints
After heavy rain
events
Regularly during
construction works
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
Viet Nam Managing Natural Hazards Project (VN-Haz)
REFERENCES
1. Department of natural resources and environment of Thanh Hoa province, 2010,
Report on environment status in Thanh Hoa province.
2. Department of natural resources and environment of Nghe An province, 2010, Report
on environment status in Nghe An province.
3. Department of natural resources and environment of Ha Tinh province, 2010, Report
on environment status in Ha Tinh province.
4. Department of natural resources and environment of Quang Binh province, 2010,
Report on environment status in Quang Binh province.
5. Department of natural resources and environment of Quang Tri province, 2010,
Report on environment status in Quang Tri province.
6. Department of natural resources and environment of Da Nang city, 2010, Report on
environment status in Da Nang city.
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Report on environment status in Quang Nam province.
8. Department of natural resources and environment of Quang Ngai province, 2010,
Report on environment status in Quang Ngai province.
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Report on environment status in Binh Dinh province.
10. Department of natural resources and environment of Ninh Thuan province, 2010,
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11. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Thanh Hoa province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Thanh Hoa province, 2008, 2009,2010.
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storm and flood prevention of Nghe An province, 2008, 2009,2010.
13. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Ha Tinh province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Ha Tinh province, 2008, 2009,2010.
14. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Quang Binh province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Quang Binh province, 2008, 2009,2010.
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storm and flood prevention of Quang Tri province, 2008, 2009,2010.
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and flood prevention of Da Nang city, 2008, 2009,2010.
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storm and flood prevention of Quang Nam province, 2008, 2009,2010.
18. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Quang Ngai province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Quang Ngai province, 2008, 2009,2010.
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Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
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19. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Binh Dinh province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Binh Dinh province, 2008, 2009,2010.
20. Department of Agricuture and rural Development of Ninh Thuan province, Report on
storm and flood prevention of Ninh Thuan province, 2008, 2009,2010.
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2009,2010.
22. Department of Statistic of Nghe An province, Nghe An statistic yearbook, 2008,
2009,2010.
23. Department of Statistic of Ha Tinh province, Ha Tinh statistic yearbook, 2008,
2009,2010.
24. Department of Statistic of Quang Binh province, Quang Binh statistic yearbook,
2008, 2009,2010.
25. Department of Statistic of Quang Tri province, Quang Tri statistic yearbook, 2008,
2009,2010.
26. Department of Statistic of Da Nang city, Da Nang city statistic yearbook, 2008,
2009,2010.
27. Department of Statistic of Quang Nam province, Quang Nam statistic yearbook,
2008, 2009,2010.
28. Department of Statistic of Quang Ngai province, Quang Ngai statistic yearbook,
2008, 2009,2010.
29. Department of Statistic of Binh Dinh province, Binh Dinh statistic yearbook, 2008,
2009,2010.
30. Department of Statistic of Ninh Thuan province, Ninh Thuan statistic yearbook,
2008, 2009,2010.
31. Environment Protection Law No.52/2005/QH11 dated November 29th 2005, issued
on December 12th 2005, and became full effect on July 1st 2006.
32. Decree No.29/2011/ND-CP dated April 18th 2011 of the Government guiding the the
assessment of strategic environment, environment impact assessment and
environment protection commitment.
33. Circular No.26/2011/BTNMT dated July 18th 2011 of the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment guiding the assessment of strategic environment,
environment impact assessment and environment protection commitment.
34. The World Bank in Viet Nam, 2004, World Bank environment safeguard policies
35. The World Bank in Viet Nam, 2004, World Bank social safeguard policies.
36. Final draft report of Vn-Haz first year subprojects Environmental Impact Assessments.
37. Final draft report of Vn-Haz first year subprojects Environmental Management Plans.
38. Final draft report of Vn-Haz Resettlement Action Plans.
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