PART F:  SECTOR GUIDELINES

 

 

In this part you will find guidance on the key activities and impacts associated with various sectors.  The sectors have been selected on the basis of the project EIAs most commonly received by the Authorities in the SADC region.[101]  The sectors covered in this Part include:

 

 

For each sector there is a list of typical activities which are commonly associated with each stage in the project life cycle:

 

 

The listed activities are merely indicative and most projects will either have additional or fewer activities depending on the circumstances.

 

Associated with each list of project activities, there is a list of the main biodiversity impacts which may occur if no mitigation is applied.  Again, these lists of potential impacts are indicative and not exhaustive.  The impacts have not been listed in any order of importance because this will differ from project to project.  However, the lists should act as a useful checklist for the compilers and reviewers of EIAs in these sectors.

 

While this Part has focussed on project-level guidance, it should be noted that national policies and trade agreements can have significant direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity, particularly those policies and trade agreements relating to: agriculture, energy, water, forestry, land tenure and resettlement.  Large scale land use changes resulting from radical shifts in policy can have widespread impacts on the ability of ecosystems to provide ‘free’ goods and services in a sustainable manner.  It is therefore imperative that policies and trade agreements should be subjected to SEA to ensure that the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on biodiversity are minimised. 

 

MINING AND QUARRYING

Open cast, open pit and underground

 

Main Exploration Activities

·          Survey and mapping

·          Establish cut lines

·          Trenching, pitting, drilling and bulk sample collection

·          Trial mining

·          Pilot plant construction and operation

·          Exploration camp

·          Servicing vehicles and equipment (fuel and lubricant

management)

·          Waste disposa

 

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 Main Impacts of Exploration on Biodiversity

·          Temporary disturbance of species at local level

·          Temporary local loss of habitat

·          Road collisions

·          Dust smothering of vegetation

·          Poaching and firewood collection by workers

·          Introduction of alien species

·          Sediment runoff

·          Opening up remote areas which could result in biodiversity impacts

 

 

Main Construction Activities*

 

·          Vegetation clearance

·          Topsoil stripping

·          Overburden removal and blasting

·          Access roads and tracks

·          Fence construction

·          Contractor’s camp, yard and workshops

·          Waste dump establishment and waste disposal

·          Bulk earthworks

·         Concrete batch plant

·         Building and plant construction

·         Installation of temporary and permanent services (water, sewage, power, telecoms, etc)

·         Laying of pipes and conveyors

·          Stormwater drainage and effluent management

·         Labour force

·         Construction traffic

Main Impacts of Construction on Biodiversity

 

·            Temporary and permanent loss of habitat

·            Road collisions with animals, birds

·            Dust smothering of vegetation along access roads

·            Sedimentation of streams, rivers and wetlands

·            Poaching and firewood collection by workforce and itinerant job seekers

·            Habitat fragmentation and loss of ecological corridors

·            Local loss of species

·            Introduction of alien spp e.g. through seeds on vehicles and equipment

·            Providing access to remote areas and indirectly putting pressure on ecological goods and services

·            Loss of access to ecological goods and services by local communities with resultant impacts on livelihoods

·            Indirect impacts on biodiversity due to resettlement of local communities to other areas

 

Main Operational Activities*

 

·          Drilling and blasting

·          Waste rock dumps

·          Ore conveyance (road, conveyor, cableway)

·          Processing plant

·          Smelter or refinery

·          Heap leach, bioreactors

·          Acid plant

·          Tailings and/or slimes disposal

·          Slag and/or process waste dumps

·          Water abstraction and use

·          Effluent disposal

·          Hazardous materials storage and disposal

·          Industrial waste disposal

·          Traffic

·         Workshops, offices, accommodation etc

Main Impacts of Mine Operations on Biodiversity

 

·          Direct loss of habitat

·          Direct loss of spp in the area

·          Road collisions with birds and animals

·          Direct and indirect loss of habitat through water pollution, dust smothering, acid rain, air pollution, reduction in river flows, soil contamination

·          Impact on vegetation due to lowering of water table resulting from groundwater abstraction

·          Effects of greenhouse gases on climate change and subsequent effects on biodiversity

·          Habitat fragmentation

·          Interruption and/or loss of migration corridors and disturbance of source-sink relationships

·          Indirect impact on food web functioning through bioaccumulation of metals, loss of diversity, lower spp resilience

·         Alien spp invasion (plants, pests, vermin, water weeds)

 

 

Main Decommissioning and Closure Activities

 

·          Presence of open pit

·          Rehabilitation of dumps

·          Removal of all structures and waste

·          Water pollution control measures

 

Main Impacts of Mine Closure on Biodiversity

 

·            Re-colonisation of disturbed areas by fauna and flora

·            Creation of new/different habitats

·            Potential for invasive spp

·            Physical traps for wildlife e.g. open pits, shafts, trenches.

 

*Note:  Activities and impacts associated with water supply, transmission lines and roads are addressed in the respective sector guidelines.

 

HYDROPOWER

Dams, pumped storage, run of river

Main Planning and Design Activities

·          Site selection

·          Choice of technology

·          Positioning of turbines (above ground, underground, in the dam wall)

·          Operational parameters (base load, peaking power)

·          Site layout and design options

 

Main Impacts of Planning and Design on Biodiversity

The following impacts on biodiversity need to be taken into consideration during the planning and design stage in order to try and avoid or minimise many of the impacts during later project stages:

 

·          the conservation status of the river

·          the presence of important downstream conservation areas

·          fish migration patterns and fisheries

·          the importance of riverine vegetation for habitat, erosion

control, ecosystem functioning and provision of goods and services

·          the flood regime and the importance of wetlands in regulating floods

·          sediment movement

·          water flow characteristics

·          water quality and the importance of wetland loss on downstream water quality

·          the impact on the country’s ability to meet international obligations with regard to biodiversity protection

 

  

 

Main Construction Activities*

 

·          Vegetation clearance

·          Topsoil stripping

·          Blasting

·          Quarrying for fill materials

·          Water diversion works and coffer dams

·          Access roads and tracks

·          Fence construction

·          Contractor’s camp, yard and workshops

·          Waste disposal

·          Bulk earthworks

·          Building and plant construction

·          Concrete batch plant

·          Installation of temporary and permanent services (water, sewage, power, telecoms)

·          Dam filling

·          Traffic

·         Labour force

Main Impacts of Construction on Biodiversity**

 

·          Temporary and permanent loss of habitat

·          Road collisions with animals, birds

·          Dust smothering of vegetation

·          Alteration of sediment dynamics in streams, rivers

·          Poaching and firewood collection by workforce and itinerant job seekers

·          Habitat fragmentation

·          Local loss of species

·          Interruption of migration routes, especially fish

·          Loss of ecological corridors

·          Introduction of aquatic alien spp.

·          Providing access to remote areas and indirectly putting pressure on ecological goods and services

·          Loss of access to ecological goods and services by local communities with resultant impacts on livelihoods

·         Indirect impacts on biodiversity due to resettlement of local communities

 

 

Main Operational Activities*

 

·          Impoundment of water

·          Controlled release of water to suit operational requirements

·          Drawdown of water level in impoundments

·          Power generation

·          Dredging/sluicing and disposal of silt

·          Hazardous materials storage and disposal

·          Industrial waste disposal

·          Workshops

·         Employee accommodation

Main Impacts of Hydropower Operations on Biodiversity

 

·            Direct loss of habitat and species (direct inundation and loss of flow upstream of tailrace)

·            Change in habitat from flowing river to an impoundment

·            Indirect loss of downstream habitat and spp through perturbation in river flows and flood regime, altered physical and chemical characteristics of water

·            Altered patterns of erosion and silt deposition downstream of the installation

·            Habitat fragmentation

·            Interruption and/or loss of migration corridors especially for fish

·            Changes in predator-prey relationships

·            Alien spp invasion (terrestrial and aquatic weeds)

 

Main Decommissioning and Closure Activities

 

·          Removal of all structures

Main Impacts of Closure on Biodiversity

 

·          Re-colonisation of disturbed areas by fauna and flora

·          Creation of new/different habitats

·         Potential for invasive species.

 

*Note:  Activities and impacts associated with quarries, water supply, transmission lines and roads are addressed in the respective sector guidelines.

 

**  See also sector guidance on water development infrastructure

 

THERMAL POWER GENERATION

Oil, coal, gas, biogas

 

Main Planning and Design Activities

·          Site selection

·          Secondary effects relating to the sourcing of energy (mines, gas wells, biodiesel plant production etc)

·          Choice of technology

·          Operational parameters (base load, peaking power)

·          Site layout and design

 

Main Impacts of Planning and Design on

Biodiversity

The following impacts on biodiversity need to be taken into consideration during the planning and design stage in order to try and avoid or minimise many of the impacts during later project stages:

·          proximity to proclaimed conservation areas;

·          proximity to, or effect on priority ecosystems identified in the country’s NBSAP;

·          impact on country’s ability to meet international obligations pertaining to biodiversity protection;

·          fatal flaws relating to permanent loss of species or habitat.

 

 

 

Main Construction Activities*

·          Vegetation clearance

·          Topsoil stripping

·          Access roads and tracks

·          Fence construction

·          Contractor’s camp, yard and workshops

·          Waste dump establishment and waste disposal

·          Bulk earthworks

·         Concrete batch plant

·         Building and plant construction

·         Installation of temporary and permanent services (water, sewage, power, telecoms, etc)

·         Laying of pipes and conveyors

·          Stormwater drainage and effluent management

·         Labour force

·         Construction traffic

Main Impacts of Construction on Biodiversity

·            Temporary and permanent loss of habitat

·            Road collisions with animals, birds

·            Dust smothering of vegetation along access roads

·            Sedimentation of streams, rivers, wetlands

·            Poaching and firewood collection by workforce and itinerant job seekers

·            Habitat fragmentation

·            Local loss of species

·            Introduction of alien spp through seed transfer from vehicles and equipment

 

Main Operational Activities*

·          Combustion of raw materials to generate heat

·          Turbines and generators

·          Cooling units

·          Exhaust stacks

·          Switchyard

·          Compressors and boilers

·          Liquid fuel storage tanks

·          Cooling water intake and outlet structures

·          Water storage facilities

·          Waste water treatment plant

·          Hazardous materials storage and disposal

·          Industrial waste disposal

·         Workshops

Main Impacts of Thermal Power Station Operations on Biodiversity

·          Direct loss of habitat and spp in the area

·          Road collisions with animals and birds

·          Impact of heated effluent discharge to receiving waters on aquatic fauna and flora

·          Indirect loss of habitat through water utilisation (for cooling), pollution, dust smothering, acid rain, air pollution (CO2, SOx, NOx), reduction in river flows, soil contamination, effects of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change etc

·          Habitat fragmentation

·          Interruption and/or loss of migration corridors and source-sink relationships

·          Indirect impact on food web functioning through bioaccumulation of metals, loss of diversity, lower spp resilience

·         Alien spp invasion into disturbed, areas

 

 

Main Decommissioning and Closure Activities

·          Removal of all structures and waste

·          Water pollution control measures

·          Rehabilitation of all waste dumps

 

 

Main Impacts of Power Station Closure on Biodiversity

·          Re-colonisation of disturbed areas by fauna and flora

·          Creation of new/different habitats

·         Potential for invasive spp

 

*Note:  Activities and impacts associated with mining, oil and gas production, water supply, transmission lines and roads are addressed in the respective sector guidelines.

 

POWER TRANSMISSION

 

Main Planning and Design Activities

·          Route selection

·          Substation site selection

 

Main Impacts of Planning and Design on

Biodiversity

The following impacts on biodiversity need to be taken into

consideration during the planning and design stage in order to try

and avoid or minimise many of the impacts during later project stages:

·          proximity to proclaimed and future conservation areas;

·          proximity to sensitive ecosystems, especially pans, dams,

rivers, lagoons, estuaries, cliffs and ridge lines where birds

congregate to roost, breed and feed;

·          proximity to, or effect on priority ecosystems identified in the

country’s NBSAP;

·          areas of high botanical importance;

·          impact on country’s ability to meet international obligations

pertaining to biodiversity protection;

·          fatal flaws relating to permanent loss of species or habitat.

 

 

Main Construction Activities

·          Vegetation clearance or trimming along the route

·          Access roads and tracks

·          Foundation excavation and concreting

·          Pylon erection

·          Line stringing and tensioning

·          Contractor’s camp, yard and workshop

·          Waste disposal

·         Labour force

Main Impacts of Construction on Biodiversity

·            Dust smothering of vegetation

·            Erosion of stream- and river banks

·            Erosion of hillsides during access road construction

·            Poaching and firewood collection by construction workforce

·            Local and temporary disturbance of species due to the presence of people, vehicles and helicopters

·            Possible introduction of alien spp through the introduction of seeds by vehicles

 

Main Operational Activities

·          Routine line inspections

·         Occasional maintenance

Main Impacts of Transmission Lines on Biodiversity

·            Bird mortalities resulting from collisions with the lines during flight

·            Bird mortalities resulting from electrocution. This occurs when bird droppings touch a live wire while the bird is perched on the pylon

·            The pylons provide good perching spots for raptors and there is often increased predation along transmission line routes, especially in arid areas with few natural perches, leading to changes in predator-prey relationships

·            Pylons provide attractive nesting sites for several species of birds

·            Indirect effects of increased access to remote areas along powerline routes and subsequent loss of spp through hunting, habitat destruction and transformation

·            Cleared servitudes or wayleaves act as corridors for invasive plant invasions

·            Ongoing erosion of access roads

·            Possible increase in veld fires

 

Main Decommissioning Activities

·          Removal of all structures and waste

 

Main Impacts of Transmission Line Decommissioning on Biodiversity

·          Re-colonisation of disturbed areas by fauna and flora

·         Potential for invasive spp
 

OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS

Main Exploration, Planning and Design Activities

·          Choice of development solutions

·          Pipeline route selection

·          Shooting seismic

 

Main Impacts of Exploration, Planning and

Design on Biodiversity

The following impacts on biodiversity need to be taken into

consideration during the exploration, planning and design stage:

·