Environmental assessment studies including any form of Environmental Screening, Initial Environmental Assessment (IEE), and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are parts of Bridge Project Cycles similar to that of Road Project Cycles. It has to be considered right from project conceptualization to feasibility study, detail engineering design, implementation, project handing-over and post construction of a bridge project refer ▬► ESMF Chapter 2 Fig. 2.1

Environmental assessments assesses the project related potential impacts and identify degree of such impacts and designs mitigation measures to be implemented during project implementation with systematic supervision by compliance monitoring and reporting and equally correcting as and when required by the project management. Thereby in overall EA finds ways to reduce or compensate any long term environmental damages by any bridge projects refer ▬► DoR Policy Document: Environmental Assessment in the Road Sector of Nepal 2000,

 

Legal criteria for selecting an IEE or EIA in the Road and Bridge Projects

• EA is exempted for construction of Minor (≤25m span) or Medium (length ≤ 50m) Bridges
• IEE is necessary for construction of Major Bridges (length ≥ 50m)
• IEE is necessary for Project with investment cost of Rs. 50million to 250million
• EIA is necessary for Project with investment cost of over Rs. 250million
• BIMP criteria:
  • Exclude any bridge construction in environmentally sensitive areas such as Government listed :national parks and conservation areas.

Refer ▬►ESMF Table 2.3 ▬►Program Appraisal Document BIMP 2012

In all forms of EA, the following are possible key environmental concerns, whose degrees of impact are to be assessed carefully to develop mitigation measures:

• Construction impacts associated with dredging, foundation works, or river bank reinforcements which affects aquatic biodiversity;

• Occupational health and safety of the construction workforce during construction phase;

• Community health and safety related to traffic accidents during the operation phase;

• Waste management, from the construction activities as well as from the labor-camps; and

• Pressures on the surrounding environment(extraction of sand and gravel, pressure on local forests) in some of the bridge locations.

Refer ▬►Program Appraisal Document BIMP 2012

 

Environmental issues that are be taken consideration during road construction works:

1. Quarries
2. Barrow pits
3. Spoil and construction waste disposal
4. Work camp location & operation
5. Labor camp location& operation
6. Earthworks/slope stabilization
7. Use of bitumen
8. Stockpiling of materials
9. Explosive, combustible and toxic materials management
10. Setting up and operation of stone crushing plants
11. Water management
12. Air &noise pollution

Above issues are equally valid for any bridge maintenance and construction works. Mitigation measures for above 12 issues are also provided in detail in the guidelines refer ▬►Environmental Management Guidelines GESU/DoR 1999

 

The Scenario:

Three-Year Rolling Program for MTEF (in Flow Chart shown above) consists of two types of bridges (a) bridges whose designs and environmental and social safeguard aspects have been assessed and (b) bridges which have been separated to be procured through design and build option. In both cases there are two types of environmental considerations one for minor and medium bridges and another for major bridges.