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Highway 2000 & The Environment
 The
Highway 2000 Project (H2k) is one of the Government of
Jamaica's landmark Millennium Projects. It will link
Kingston to Montego Bay, through the Parishes of Kingston
and St. Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, St
Elizabeth, Westmoreland and St James. The Highway will also
connect Bushy Park and Ocho Rios, traversing the Parishes of
St Catherine and St Ann. The total length of the highway is
approximately 230 km, with an anticipated right-of-way of
100m.
A Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA), was requested by the Agricultural Credit Bank of
Jamaica, now the Development Bank of Jamaica, the executing
agency for the project. The SEA is an assessment of
policies, plans and programmes (Glasson et al, 1994) at the
strategic level.
It was conducted in two phases. Phase 1,
comprised a Resource Assessment in which a
multi-disciplinary, integrated approach was used to achieve
the following:
- Selection of appropriate approach and
methodological techniques
- Identification of relevant
legislation
- Overview of existing conditions along
the proposed alignment
- Investigation of specific issues
along each segment of the alignment
Phase II, Impact Analysis and Mitigation
Measures, incorporates the following aspects:
- Identification of areas of high
priority through a Sensitivity Analysis
- Investigation of various options and
alternatives for the alignment
- Identification of potential positive
and negative impacts of the project
- Recommended mitigation measures to
minimize negative impacts
- Recommendations for the project,
other than mitigation measures
Approach
and Methodology
The information gathering process was a
multi-level process and was based on the following aspects:
Physical: climate; geology and
topography; soils and minerals; water resources and
hydrology; air quality; noise; hazard vulnerability; waste
management and landscape attributes.
Biological: flora; natural
vegetation; modified vegetation; mammals; reptiles and
amphibians; birds; invertebrates; fish; endemic and
endangered species; parks and protected areas.
Social: population and social
characteristics; age structure; education; labour force;
income; quality of life; built environment; rural towns;
irrigation systems; economic development by sector; and
archaeological, historical and cultural resources.
Various techniques were used which
included the following:
- Review of existing publications and
desktop research
- Analysis of maps and satellite
imagery
- Aerial surveys
- Field reconnaissance
- Mapping exercises
- Expert Interviews
- Community meetings
- Charette Style consultations
Regulatory and Institutional
Context
The traditional permitting process in
Jamaica, has relied on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
studies. However, because of the scope and nature of the
Highway 2000 project, the process was extended to include a
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which is an
environmental assessment of plans, policies and programmes
and which sought to guide the design of the highway.
The SEA report represents the first step
in the approval process and the Natural Resources
Conservation Authority (NRCA, now National Environmental
Protection Agency (NEPA)) has been consulted with respect to
the approach and issues to be identified. The NEPA is the
organization with the mandate for ensuring sustainable
development through the protection and management of the
island's natural resources and control pollution.
The final permit will be granted following
successful submission of project level EIA's for areas
identified in the SEA and agreed by the NEPA. The Highway
2000 Project Leadership has been in continuous dialogue with
the NEPA, and the NEPA has given its written support for the
efforts that have been made to ensure that the project
satisfies all the requisite environmental requirements.
Highway 2000 will apply to the NEPA for a
permit through the Environmental Permit and License System,
which was introduced in 1997.
Over twenty-five different pieces of
national legislation or policy, relevant to this project
have been identified under the headings of permits and
licensing, natural resource management, mining and industry,
heritage resource, resettlement and land acquisition. Six
international treaties were also identified as relevant to
the project. Gaps in the existing legislation have been
identified and recommendations have been made on
requirements for the effective execution of the H2k project
in its entirety.
Summary of Legislative and
Regulatory Context
for Environmental Review.
The environmental review process is
conducted by the National Environmental Protection Agency
which is the environmental regulatory agency of the
Government of Jamaica. Established by an Act of Parliament
in 1991, the primary responsibility of the agency is to
ensure sustainable development in Jamaica through the
protection and management of Jamaica's natural resources and
the control of pollution.
To that extent the Agency under Section 10
Annex 2 of the Natural Resource Conservation Act (1991), can
require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for
projects which fall into prescribed categories. Highway 2000
falls in such a category, specifically: "construction of new
highways, arterial roads and major road improvement".
The permitting process involves
application to the NEPA through a project information form
which forms the basis for the determination and approval of
the Terms of Reference for the Environmental Assessment. The
assessment report is submitted for examination by the NEPA
which conducts the evaluation through a Technical Committee,
assessment by relevant government agencies, public
consultation and ultimately the Board of Directors.
Highway 2000 has embarked upon a Strategic
Enviromental Assessment (SEA) which has not been generally
required to date by the NEPA. The purpose of the SEA is to
guide the functional planning and optimization of the
highway alignment and, in that regard, it serves to identify
critical environmental issues attendant upon the positioning
of the highway alignment over the 290 kilometre distance,
and to influence design criteria.
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