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

9.3 SOILS AND GEOLOGY
The implementation of the Project will result in the removal of vegetation and
soil of a 102 ha area during the construction phase, changes in drainage
regime (including increased runoff due to compaction) and increased erosion
potential offsite and increased runoff and siltation of any run during
construction, operation and decommissioning. There is also the potential for
contamination due to diesel storage onsite.
When considered with construction of the NIPP to the east of the site and in
the context of current clearing for slash and burn agriculture and with the
implementation of mitigation measures, the cumulative impacts on soils and
geology over the three phases of the Project is considered to be minor.
9.4 WATER RESOURCES
There is potential contamination due to borehole construction, accidental
spills and increased run-off, sedimentation of surface water bodies (closest is
800 m from the site and Ikpoba River Dam, 4 km from the site) and
groundwater resources. There is also potential contamination from waste
water run-off and possible overuse of to water requirements during operation.
The cumulative impacts are related to these impacts occurring in addition to
similar impacts from the neighbouring Ihvobor NIPP plant. Since these sites
are located adjacent to one another, the impacts are likely to be felt in similar
off site areas, the cumulative potential impacts of contamination and siltation
are therefore likely to be minor with the implementation of mitigation
measures. The sensitivity of the aquifer for water availability is considered to
be low and as such the cumulative impact is assessed to be negligible.
9.5 BIODIVERSITY
The Project site consists of secondary forests, abandoned and functional
subsistence and commercial farmland and plantations. Although the Project
site is not considered an area of high biodiversity status, some faunal and
floral species of ecological significance were identified and further
development such as this Project, contributes to the of conversion from
natural/semi-natural to agricultural land and habitat fragmentation within
the area. The Project represents clearance of 102 ha in an area where a
similarly sized area was cleared for the adjacent NIPP project. Although the
impacts are considered of high significance, with the implementation of
mitigation measures (Chapter 9) the cumulative impacts on biodiversity are
therefore considered to be moderate.