Part I

Draft Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ESIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page.................................................................................................................................. i
Table of Contents......................................................................................................................ii
Appendices .............................................................................................................................. iii
List of Tables............................................................................................................................ iii
List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... iv
1.0 Introduction and Background ...........................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................1
1.2 Purpose and Need for the Project ...........................................................................1
1.3 Scope of the ESIA ...................................................................................................2
1.4 Methodology for the ESIA .......................................................................................4
1.4.1 Scoping......................................................................................................5
1.4.2 Baseline Data Collection ...........................................................................7
1.4.3 Assessment of Impacts .............................................................................7
1.4.4 Environmental Mitigation and Enhancement ............................................10
1.4.5 Environmental Monitoring.........................................................................10
1.5 Organization of this Report.....................................................................................10
2.0 The Proposed Project Line and Alternatives...................................................................12
2.1 Alternative 1: Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ......................................12
2.1.1 Substations...............................................................................................13
2.1.2 Transmission Lines...................................................................................14
2.1.3 Proposed Maintenance Techniques .........................................................19
2.2 Alternative 2 – Modified Route Near Ktsia-Tabatskuri Managed Reserve
and through Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park......................................................20
2.3 Alternative 3 – Modified Route in Near Ktsia-Tabatskuri Managed Reserve
and around Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park .......................................................21
2.4 Alternative 4: No Action Alternative........................................................................21
3.0 Legal and Institutional Framework ..................................................................................24
3.1 National Legal and Regulatory framework .............................................................24
3.1.1 Administrative framework .........................................................................24
3.1.2 Environmental legal framework ................................................................25
3.1.3 Environmental permit issuance procedure ...............................................28
3.1.4 Land use and labor laws applicable to the project....................................28
3.1.5 Other relevant national strategies and plans ............................................30
3.2 International requirements......................................................................................30
3.2.1 Requirements of International Finance Institutions ..................................30
3.2.2 International conventions and agreements...............................................31
4.0 Baseline Environmental and Socioeconomic Conditions ................................................33
4.1 Environmental Baseline..........................................................................................33
4.1.1 Meteorology and Climate..........................................................................33
4.1.2 Major Landscapes and Ecosystems.........................................................37
4.1.3 Geology/geomorphology ..........................................................................46
4.1.4 Hydrology/Hydrogeology ..........................................................................51
4.1.5 Geohazards ..............................................................................................54
4.1.6 Flora and vegetation.................................................................................57
4.1.7 Fauna .......................................................................................................79
4.1.8 Environmental pollution along the line route.............................................85
4.2 Baseline Socioeconomic Conditions ......................................................................91
4.2.1 Demographics .........................................................................................92
4.2.3 Infrastructure ............................................................................................96
4.2.4 Economic conditions.................................................................................97
4.2.5 Health ......................................................................................................100
4.2.6 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................101
4.2.7 Tourism....................................................................................................103
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