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

Along with the reduced scale of exposure from the construction phase,
negative health negative impacts during operation are considered to be minor
prior to mitigation and the positive impacts are also cautiously assumed to be
minor.
7.15.3 Impact Description and Significance: Decommissioning
Impact Description
Project impacts to health during the construction and operation phases will be
related to the presence of direct and associated workforce and their potential
interactions with communities, as well as safety risks associated with Project
activities, such as road use and heavy vehicle transport. There is also concern
about the potential for environmental impacts from the Project to contaminate
local agricultural production or water sources that are used for household
cooking, drinking, as well as irrigation.
Decommissioning will result in the removal of health and safety risks
associated with the Project. However, any manifestations of health impacts
having arisen from the construction or operation phases, such as STI
transmissions, injuries or deaths from traffic accidents, or pollution of
groundwater, will remain in effect after Project closure. Therefore, while
decommissioning will not result in any new impacts to health, closure of the
Project could remove any treatment or support for victims of health impacts
manifested during Project construction or operation.
Impact Significance
The extent of this impact is the same as during operation, affecting the local
and regional levels, and the duration of impacts remains long term or
permanent. The probability of impacts is based on the residual probability of
serious health impacts occurring. Assuming effective implementation of
recommended mitigation measures in construction and operation phases, this
is considered to be unlikely. The overall impact magnitude is assessed to be
low-moderate.
The sensitivity of affected communities to health impacts remains an issue –
without significant development, the capacity of health care services will
remain weak and unable to accommodate significant health issues left behind
by the Project. This means that affected populations are unlikely to receive the
care or treatment that they require following Project decommissioning and an
overall high sensitivity.
Negative impacts to health associated with Project closure are cautiously
considered to be moderate prior to mitigation.
AZURA EDO IPP
7-77
DRAFT EIA REPORT