o Mitigation measures are required to be identified. Soil

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1 Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Sil Pllutin f sil due t handling, use and strage f hazardus substances during cnstructin and peratin. The lss f available tp sil. Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Land Capability Key variables that determine the land capability f the study area such as sil fertility reduced and disturbed due t the ptential activities related t the ash dam. The lss f viable agricultural land. Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Avifauna The greatest predicted Impact f Ash dams n avifauna are the destructin f habitat and disturbance f birds during cnstructin. During the cnstructin phase, habitat destructin and alteratin inevitably takes place. Habitat destructin is anticipated t be the mst significant impact in this study area. Hwever, this can be minimized and mitigated shuld the smallest alternative be chsen. Similarly, the abve mentined cnstructin and maintenance activities impact n bird thrugh disturbance, particularly during bird breeding activities. Disturbance f birds is anticipated t be f lwer significance than habitat destructin. Leachate frm fly ash dams can cntain heavy metals (Theism and Marley, 1979) which culd result in cntaminatin f surrunding water surces, used by water birds in the study area. Crrect placing f the new dam, away frm wetlands, dams and water bdies, will help t mitigate this impact. In additin t the expansin f the ash dams the prject will als include the expansin f the relevant infrastructure assciated with the ashing system, such as pipelines, strm water trenches, seepage water cllectin systems, pump statins, seepage dams etc, and may als invlve the relcatin f certain infrastructure (e.g. pwer lines) depending n which alternative is chsen. The impacts f such assciated infrastructure n avifauna are predicted t be minimal, s lng as the infrastructure is within the prpsed ash dam ftprint. Infrastructure utside f the prpsed ftprint (i.e. utside f the 5 prpsed alternatives), will be assessed in the EIA phase f the prject, upn determinatin f the preferred site. Bidiversity Ten impacts were identified that are f relevance t any develpment in a natural envirnment. Impacts were placed in three categries, namely: Direct impacts: Destructin f threatened and prtected flra species; xvi

2 Direct impacts n threatened fauna species; Destructin f sensitive/ pristine habitat types; Direct impacts n cmmn fauna species; Indirect Impacts: Flristic species changes subsequent t develpment; Faunal interactins with structures, servitudes and persnnel; Impacts n surrunding habitat/ species; Cumulative Impacts: Impacts n SA s cnservatin bligatins & targets (VEGMAP vegetatin types); Increase in lcal and reginal fragmentatin/ islatin f habitat; and Increase in envirnmental degradatin. Other, mre subtle impacts n bilgical cmpnents, such as changes in lcal, reginal and glbal climate, effects f nise pllutin n fauna species, increase in acid rain and grund water deteriratin are impacts that cannt be quantified t an acceptable level f certainty and is mstly subjective in nature as either little literature is available n the tpic r cntradictry infrmatin exist. Surface Water Cntaminatin f surface water frm seepage and run ff. Lss f aquatic bidiversity. Lss f runff int the catchment. The detailed aquatic eclgical impact assessment will quantify the significance f pssible impacts assciated with the preferred site. Grundwater Cntaminatin f grund water due t hydrcarbn spillage and seepage int grundwater reserves, affecting grundwater quality. Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Further cnstructin f infrastructure and cmpactin f the area will further cntribute t reduced water infiltratin rates t replenish grundwater aquifers. Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Nise Change in ambient nise levels during bth cnstructin and peratin. Air Quality Increase in dust generating activities during cnstructin and peratin including exceedances f PM10 cncentratins and exceedances f dustfall rates. Mitigatin measures may be required t be identified if required. Sci-Ecnmic Impacts Ash Dam: Visual impacts f preferred site xvii

3 Disturbance f cultural r histrical sites Ecnmic benefits thrugh emplyment Cntinued generatin f Electricity ver the lng term at Hendrina Pwer Statin Health risks frm elevated PM10 cncentratins and dust fall rates Lss f grundwater resurce t lcal users (in terms f ptential grundwater cntaminatin) Inflw f temprary wrkers. Mitigatin measures are required t be identified. Ptential Impacts assciated with relcating the Pwerlines at Alternative E Visual impact f the new pwer line rutes and prpsed twer structures; Lss f land capability if relcated ver agricultural land and the lss f available tp sil; Lss f aquatic habitat and cntaminatin f surface water ecsystems due t sedimentatin; Lss f bidiversity and habitats; Ptential grundwater cntaminatin due t chemical spillage during cnstructin; Cllisins and electrcutins f birds; Disruptin f land use and lss f ecnmic ptential; and Increase in health risk t neighburing residents due t EMF. The abve mentined impacts will be investigated in mre detail during the EIA phase f the prject. 7 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based n the desktp studies undertaken t date n envirnmental fatal flaws (excluding thse listed by the DEA Minimum Requirements fr Waste Landfill) have been identified that wuld prhibit the prject frm cntinuing at this stage f the prcess. Hwever, a number f ptentially significant envirnmental impacts have been identified as requiring sme mre in-depth investigatin and the identificatin f detailed mitigatin measures. Therefre, a detailed Envirnmental Impact Assessment is required t be undertaken in rder t prvide an assessment f these ptential impacts and recmmend apprpriate mitigatin measures, where required. The recmmendatin f this reprt is that detailed specialist studies are undertaken n the preferred site (Alternative E) and the n-g alternative. In additin t this the specialist will als be required t assist in the identificatin f alternative crridrs fr the re-ruting f the pwerlines that traverse Alterative E as well as t investigate and assess the ptential impacts assciated with the relcatin f the pwerlines. xviii

4 Eskm Hldings Limited Envirnmental Impact Assessment fr the Prpsed Expansin f Ash Dispsal Facilities at Hendrina Pwer Statin, Mpumalanga Prvince Draft Scping Reprt TABLE OF CONTENTS Item Descriptin Page N. Dcument Descriptin Executive Summary 1. INTRODUCTION Need and Justificatin Prject Backgrund Summary f EIA Prcess EIA Prcess Applicatin Prcess Scping Phase EIA r Assessment Phase Way Frward DETAILS OF ROLE PLAYERS Intrductin Details f Appicant Details f Independent Envirnmental Assessment 2-1 Practitiner 2.4 Details f Cmpetent / Relevant Authrity Details f Cmmenting Authrities PROJECT DESCRIPTION Intrductin Lcatin f the prpsed Site fr Expansin Detailed Descriptin f the Prject PROJECT ALTERNATIVES Intrductin The N-g Alterantive Ash Dispsal Methd Lcatin Alternatives Screening Analysis and Methdlgy Final Screening Results Cnclusin 4-21 xix

5 5. LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT Intrductin Legal Review Waste Management Water Cnsumptin and Dispsal EIA Activities EIA PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY Intrductin Authrity Cnsultatin Cnsultatin with Authrities Cnsultatin with ther Relevant Authrities Envirnmental Scping Study Overview f the Public Participatin Prcess Public Review f the Draft Envirnmental Scping Reprt Final Envirnmental Scping Reprt Cnclusin DESCRIPTION OF BASELINE ENVIRONMENT Intrductin Study Area in Reginal Cntext Lcality Study Area Descriptin f the Baseline Envirnment Tpgraphy Climate Gelgy Land Cver and Land Use Natural Vegetatin Animal Life Macr Habitats Avifauna Surface Water Grund Water Site f Archaelgical, Histrical and Cultural Interest Visual Impacts Scial Envirnment POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND SITE SELECTION Intrductin Alternative Site Selectin Alternative Site Ranking Criteria Alternative Site Discussin Final Alternative Site Ranking Minimum Requirements fr Waste Dispsal by Landfill: Fatal 8-22 Flaws Final Discussin Summary f Significant Impacts identified during Scping 8-26 xx