November 11 ,2021
What was once a coconut estate is currently being developed into modern housing scheme to accommodate 700 house lots at Gorchum-Wilhelmina, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
The project, which has been developed by A&S General Con-tractors over the past two years, was recently listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the developments that do not require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Gorchum Housing Scheme Development project is situated along the new East Coast Public Road that extends east from the Mahaica Bridge to the ‘Old Road’ intersection and has an area of 177 acres. Several house lots have already been allocated to homeowners.
“The EPA’s screening concludes that there are no identifiable significant environmental impacts nor is the project deemed environmentally sensitive. Im-pacts arising from the construction and operational phases of the project are minor, localized, and acceptable, and an EMP [Environmental Management Plan] will be prepared providing measures to avoid, prevent and mitigate impacts during the construction and operation,” the EPA states in its explanation of its decision against requiring an EIA.
Nonetheless, affected persons are encouraged to lodge an appeal with the Environmental Assessment Board via email (eabguyana21@gmail.com).
So far, approximately 70% of infrastructural works has been completed, with the internal road network prepared and awaiting surface material.
The project summary posted on the EPA’s website states that while concrete culverts for the drainage system are all completed, ex-situ concrete, drainage construction is ongoing.
Potable water main pipelines, it stated were installed and water will be sourced from an underground well, for which permission was obtained from the Guyana Water Incorporated.
The layout of the proposed Housing Development caters for green spaces, residential (gated and open communities) and commercial zones for settlement.
An all-weather access road network has been prepared and the developers are waiting surface material to pave the roads. The drainage system will be controlled by culverts and mini sluices, it states.
Like with other projects, the EPA has recommended that the developers have an EMP tailored to address any impact that may arise during the project rollout and operation.
“The preparation of a pre-construction, construction and operational EMP will be required to manage environmental impacts arising from the project along with a corresponding schedule and monitoring of mitigation measures to ensure potential impacts are maintained at insig-nificant levels,” it states in its environmental impacts screening decision.
It notes that the main environmental impacts anticipated during the construction phase are minor noise nuisance and particulate matter emission. The impacts are said to be localised and short-term.
The decision points out that during the construction phase of the project, there will be some level of periodic change in traffic flow along the roadway leading to the entrance/exit of the construction zones. As a result, it recommends that a site-specific Temporary Traffic Control Plan (TTCP) be in place to address traffic and reduce accident risk during construction activities.
The TTCP will be inclusive of traffic signs, barricades, and other traffic control devices necessary for the maintenance of traffic along the road corridor.
In regards to waste generation, impacts are projected to be low to moderate and primarily during construction and short term and localized. Impacts on water quality are also expected to be low to moderate and primarily during construction and short term and localized, while river bank stabilization and revetment of drains from the project are expected to have a positive impact.
Touching on the ecological and biodiversity impacts, the decision states that the Mahaica River’s fringes situated south of the location will not be impacted. It adds that project activities will have low to minor effects on the existing ecological or biological (flora or fauna) biodiversity of the river during construction, which will be short term and measures exist to avoid, prevent and/or mitigate.
“Impacts on the environment due to subsequent increased short-lived sedimentation will have a neutral to low impact on the River fauna and flora due to the area being subjected to inter tidal turbidity and sedimentation,” it further states.
According to the EPA, the area utilised was earlier established as a coconut estate and the land is highly disturbed and contained beds and drains that are associated with the land use of farmland cultivation. Works to convert the land into a residential area comprises cutting top soil and stockpiling materials; de-watering and excavation of existing internal drainage systems; creation of access to transport and store excavated materials to designated location on site; shaping of land to required elevation; construction of concrete culverts; and preparation of internal roadways and accesses and drains.
There are no known threatened or endangered species within the area.