Basic Assessment Report - Transnet

Transnet LimitedProposed RO Plant: Port of SaldanhaFinal Basic Assessment Report9 Findings and Recommendations9.1 Principal Findings and Key Decision-Making FactorsA number of specialist impact assessment studies have been completed and thissection is largely based on the findings of these assessments. The specialist reportsinclude:• Groundwater Resources Impact Assessment;• Heritage Impact Assessment;• Marine Impact Assessment; and• Botanical Assessment.These specialist reports are availably in Appendix G.The proposed development of a RO Plant at the Iron Ore Handling Facility at the Portof Saldanha will entail the so-called triple bottom line costs (i.e. social, environmentaland economic costs). The challenge for the decision-maker (DEAT, in consultationwith other relevant Departments) is to take a decision which is sustainable in the longterm and which will probably entail tradeoffs between social, environmental andeconomic costs and impacts. The BA process has taken the principles of NEMA intoconsideration, and these principles have informed the proposed RO Plant location andlayout. These principles include (among others) that development must be socially,environmentally and economically sustainable, pollution must be avoided orminimised and remedied, and negative impacts must be minimised.It will be useful to reduce the decision factors presented in this report to the keypoints which DEAT should consider. These points – social, environmental andeconomic – constitute the principal findings of the Basic Assessment, assuming thatthe recommended mitigation measures will be effectively implemented, and are asfollows:• Transnet Limited are proposing to construct, and install, an RO Plant (andassociated infrastructure) at the Iron Ore Handling Facility at the Port ofSaldanha;• Transnet are legally required to suppress iron ore dust generated at the IronOre Handling Facility, in terms of conditions of approval of the previousexpansion of the facility (Phase 1B);• Additional water supply is required to meet immediate dust suppressionrequirements at the Iron Ore Handling Facility. In addition, the proposedupgrade of the Port to increased export of iron ore will require additionalwater for dust suppression;50Prepared by the PDNA/SRK Joint Venture