Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AC2521 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 03/13/2007 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: China Project ID: P099112 Project Name: Anhui Highway Rehabilitation and Improvement Project Task Team Leader: Aurelio Menendez Estimated Appraisal Date: May 15, 2007 Estimated Board Date: March 25, 2008 Managing Unit: EASTE Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Roads and highways (100%) Theme: Trade facilitation and market access (P);Rural services and infrastructure (S);Other public sector governance (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 200.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: Borrower 225.30 225.30 B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN] The project aims to increase the effective use of the road infrastructure in the Anhui Province, improving the flows of passenger and freight traffic in an efficient and safe manner, to support the social and economic development of Anhui. This objective seeks to contribute to the higher goals of (a) improving living conditions across the province (particularly in the areas where poverty rates are higher) by enhancing the transport accessibility to economic opportunities and social services, and (b) stimulating higher economic growth in the Anhui Province by reducing transport costs within the province and between Anhui and, particularly, the neighboring provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, to the East of Anhui. The focus on the road mode is justified given the heavy predominance of the road mode relatively to other modes, which implies that road transport costs constitute most of the transport- related costs and a key barrier for a more harmonious integration of the cities, counties, and towns in Anhui. As an essential interconnecting infrastructure, the national and provincial highway network in Anhui Province has an important implication to establish a multi-level and high-efficiency transport system in such a province. Page 2 C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN] Building upon the tasks accomplished under previous World Bank projects, and within the context of strengthening the current overall framework for the management and upkeep of road assets in the Anhui Province, the project will include the following components: * Improvement or upgrading of about 320 km of seven key provincial and national roads located on the Central-Eastern and Southeastern areas of the Province. These improvements or upgrades would include in some cases the duplication of existing road following the same alignment with specific bypasses in built-up areas (in order to minimize resettlement actions) or with short segments of new alignments if necessary to avoid hard topographical conditions. In two cases (roads S311 and S322), this component would include the construction of a limited number of kilometers to increase the transport capacity of the existing corridor or complete missing segments. The final definition of the scope of these two cases is subject to complementary analysis to be undertaken during project preparation and taking into account the following considerations: in-depth alternative analysis, achievement of positive economic rates of return, and, consequently, scope and extent of new construction that reflect adequately environmental, social, and economic factors. The implementation of this component will be supervised by experienced firms (either local or foreign) with a technical expertise acceptable to the Bank. * Support to the provincial rehabilitation and maintenance program from 2007-2010 under the Eleventh Five-Year Program. The Bank contribution will help finance eligible investments under the rehabilitation component of the program. A list of 18 segments to be rehabilitated, for about 890 km, has been pre-identified. The maintenance program will be financed entirely with local funds, but the results indicators of the project will include specific target and its overall implementation will be reviewed by the Bank. This component includes the pertinent supervision activities of the rehabilitation works. * A pilot on maintenance by contract. Under this component, APCD will implement maintenance by contract approaches in two highway sections of the provincial highway network. The final design of this component will be supported by a technical assistance, as further described below, that will help APCD with additional knowledge and analytical elements for exploring the alternative maintenance mechanisms as well as for the preparation and implementation of the selected contractual schemes. * The institutional strengthening component would include: - a study on technological options for the recycling of pavement materials when a pavement needs to be rehabilitated; - the technical assistance for the pilot on maintenance by contract to provide the knowledge and analytical elements for exploring alternative mechanisms for contracting of maintenance activities as well as for the preparation, implementation, supervision, and assessment of the preferred contractual scheme under the pilot; - preparation of standardized environmental specifications; - support to the AHAB in strengthening the current Chinese Pavement Management System (CPMS); Page 3 - the analysis of socio-economic impacts of the roads interventions under the project, towards establishing a enhanced knowledge base of the impacts of road investments on the livelihoods of the population living along the area of influence of those roads, through the incorporation of specific surveys and data collection at the time of undertaking the resettlement completion reports; and - a training program building upon those activities previously carried out under the Second Anhui Highway Project, for staff not only of APCD but also of city and county highway bureaus, and focusing chiefly on: road maintenance and asset management, road safety, project management, environmental protection and design and construction of scenic/ecological routes, highway planning and design, and highway information systems management. A formal evaluation of the training will be carried out with the application of the methodology to be agreed upon during project preparation. Two other technical assistance activities have been identified for possible inclusion under the project, namely: (a) actions for enhancing the road condition information base and analytical tools; (b) follow-up actions for enhancing road safety institutional capacities, including the planning for the allocation of resources and the undertaking of road safety audits; and (c) the preparation of provincial environmental guidelines for road design, construction and rehabilitation. The final scope and financing arrangements for these two other activities will depend on the analysis to be undertaken during the preparation missions. D. Project location (if known) The project investments will take place in a series of pre-identified road segments on the national and provincial highway network within the Anhui project. The selected road segments are located to the East, North, and South of the Province. E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN] The proposed project will be the third World Bank financed transport project in the Anhui Province and under the responsibility of the Anhui Provincial Communications Department (APCD). For the previous two Bank projects, APCD has shown strong commitment on implementation of safeguards and maintained good track records. It has developed in-house capacity to implement, supervise and monitor Environmental Management Plans and Resettlement Action Plans. For EA preparation, APCD has retained the Shanghai Ship and Shipping Design Institute, which is quite familiar with Bank's safeguards policies through EA preparation for previous Bank projects including Anhui Highway II, Hubei Xiao-Xiang Expressway, and Hubei Shi-man Expressway. APCD has also engaged East China Survey And Design Institute to assist in the resettlement planning. This institute has a long history of engagement with World Bank operations and has accumulated much experience and expertise dealing with resettlement issues. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Mr Juan D. Quintero (EASRE) Mr Chaohua Zhang (EASSO) Mr Peishen Wang (EASRE) Page 4 II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X This policy is triggered due to the environmental impacts related to road construction activities and potential environmental concerns during operation stage. Building upon the procedures and policies followed under previous World Bank-financed projects, the APCD has agreed to develop i) full EIA for three sub-projects under the improvement component (those on the two class I highways, and one the provincial highway S322), and ii) simplified EIAs for the other four sections under the road improvement component and for all the road sections under the rehabilitation component. Terms of Reference for EIAs and simplified EIAs were based on detailed screening of rights-of-way (ROWs) and the preparation of environmental alignment sheets. Standardized environmental specifications for construction management will be prepared and included in all bidding documents and contracts. As for the road rehabilitation component, the interventions under this program will take place within the right-of-way of existing roads, the safeguards policies under Chinese laws will likely comply with Bank requirements, and will require the preparation of simplified EIAs or environmental checklists. The three subprojects that require full EIA include substantial construction of new roads segments. One in particular, the S322, will traverse a mountainous area of high scenic value with tourism potential and with important remnants of native vegetation and fauna. After screening by the Bank team together the provincial government it was concluded that this subproject by itself would be more appropriately be categorized as A for environmental purposes. Therefore, the entire project is proposed as A Category according to OP 4.01. For all other sub-projects, most impacts will be circumscribed to existing right of ways and no significant, region-wide, or precedent-setting impacts are envisioned for any of the components. Most of the impacts will likely be easily managed through sound engineering design and construction practices. Based on the individual full and simplified EAs, an Integrated Environmental Assessment report in English will be prepared for the entire road program under guidelines and table of contents agreed with the Bank. All environmental management of construction activities will be included in a comprehensive set of technical environmental specifications that will be included in all bidding documents and contracts. Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X The S322 subproject involves the construction of a new road segment that cuts across an area of high scenic value and remnants of natural vegetation and local fauna. Detailed investigation and screening will be conducted during next step EA preparation to confirm whether this policy is triggered. Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X This aspect will be included in screening criteria. Chance finding procedures will be included in standardized environmental specifications for management of construction. Page 5 Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) will be prepared for the Highway Improvement Component. For the Highway Rehabilitation Component, no resettlement is expected, but this assumption will be further confirmed by reviewing the draft technical designs. Nonetheless, a resettlement policy framework will be developed for the rehabilitation component. Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS would be prepared: N/A B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage ISDS: 04/25/2007 C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing 1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS. APCD has engaged East China Survey And Design Institute to carry out the resettlement planning with Anhui Highway Design Institute and local governments. One resettlement action plan has been completed. The Bank review has found it of high quality. The other RAPs are under preparation. IV. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Task Team Leader: Mr Aurelio Menendez 01/29/2007 Approved by: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Mr Glenn S. Morgan 02/14/2007 Comments: Sector Manager: Ms Junhui Wu 03/13/2007 Comments: 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons. Page 6