Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant Environmental Impact ... - IFC

7.4.6 Impact Description and Significance: Summary
Table 7.17 provides a summary of the noise impacts associated with the
construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed power plant.
Table 7.15
Summary of Impact Significance Pre-mitigation
Phase
Construction
Operation
Decommissioning
Impact
Noise from construction activities including
site clearance, vehicles and plant, civil works
and equipment use
Noise from power plant operations
(including turbines and ancillary facilities)
Noise from decommissioning activities such
as vehicles, decommissioning and equipment
use
Significance (premitigation)
Negligible, negative
Insignificant, negative
Insignificant, negative
7.5 SOILS AND GEOLOGY
The soil within Edo State and on the Project site is reported to be chiefly
ferrosols on loose sandy sediments. Ferrosol soils are typically found to have
deep internal drainage and high porosity and samples demonstrated this high
porosity and a fine grained texture.
Ferrasols are also characterised by low water and cation retention. They are
indicated to have good physical properties but unfavourable chemical
properties for cultivation and are not noted to demonstrate high soil fertility
properties (Richards et al, 2009). It is however reported that ferrosol soils
normally support shifting cultivation, and in tropical areas cocoa and rubber
plantations, all of which is present on the site.
The soils across the Study Area were not found to have a high organic content
or soil fertility and no evidence of heavy metal or hydrocarbon pollution was
identified. Heterotrophic bacteria, heterotrophic fungi and coliform were
identified with levels varying across the site. Ferrosols are not considered to
be a highly fertile soil type.
7.5.1 Impact Description and Significance: Construction
Impact Description
The construction of the plant will take up to 24 months, and will include
approximately two months of earthworks and site clearance, the preparation
of footings for the plant, heavy earthworks and the construction and
installation of the superstructures.
Site clearing and construction activities will result in the removal of the
vegetation and topsoil present at the 102 ha site. Site clearance activities will
AZURA EDO IPP
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DRAFT EIA REPORT