ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE OPERATION OF AN EXISTING GUEST HOUSE, ON DR KUAIMA RIRUAKO DRIVE, WINDHOEK DISTRICT, KHOMAS REGION, NAMIBIA.
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE
OPERATION OF AN EXISTING GUEST HOUSE, ON
DR KUAIMA RIRUAKO DRIVE, WINDHOEK
DISTRICT, KHOMAS REGION, NAMIBIA.
Prepared For
TRAVELERS REST GUESTHOUSE CC
P.O. Box 24694
Windhoek, NAMIBIA
REPORT NO. REC/2020-006
Revised Version, June 2020
TABLE OF CONTENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... iii
Project Overview ........................................................................................................................................... iii
Need for the Project ...................................................................................................................................... iii
Project Description ........................................................................................................................................ iv
Need for an Environmental Impact Assessment ......................................................................................... iv
Approach to the EIA Process ........................................................................................................................ iv
Overall Recommendation ............................................................................................................................. iv
1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 KEEPING EMPS UP TO DATE .............................................................................................................. 4
2 ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND POLICIES ..................................................................................... 5
3 SUMMARY OF IDENTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ................................................................ 6
4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MANAGEMENT PLAN ......................................................................... 6
4.1 OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE EMP......................................................................................................... 6
4.2 STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION ................................................................................ 7
4.3 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION....................................... 8
APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Appendix 1: Consent Letter from City of Windhoek .................................................................................... 9
Appendix 2: Proof of Sewer and Refuse Collection ..................................................................................... 9
Appendix 3: Fitness Certificate .................................................................................................................... 11
Appendix 4: Proposed Parking Area Layout............................................................................................... 12
Appendix 5: Registration with Namibia Tourism Board ............................................................................ 13
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 ii | P a g e
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project Overview
The proponent (Mrs. Hilda Nubahe Bone) and co-owner of Travelers Rest Guesthouse intends to
obtain an environmental clearance certificate for their current tourism operations at ERF 3246
along the Dr Kuaima Riruako Drive, Windhoek West. Travellers Rest Guesthouse business
activities mainly entails the provision of Accommodation (which is the core activity on ERF 3246)
and other complementary tourism services which includes Safari Tours, Trophy hunting, Shuttle
services and Hospitality Training.
While their operations stimulate diversification in the national economic and development
activities, consequently creating employment opportunities and trickling benefits to the larger
Namibian population, it poses the risks of unprecedented negative environmental impacts.
Potential impacts may vary in terms of scale (locality), magnitude and duration e.g. minor
negative impacts in the form of traffic and noise pollution especially during the peak tourism
season and during the busiest hours of the day as the Guesthouse is situated along an important
road.
To ensure that development activities are undertaken in an economic, social and environmental
sound / sustainable manner, the Namibian Constitution and Environmental Management Act No.
7 of 2007 provides for an environmental assessment process. The purpose of the environmental
assessment and therefore this report are to ensure compliance of the proposed operations with
the environmental legislation in respect to managing potential impacts associated with Mrs. Hilda
Nubahe Bone’s Travelers Rest Guesthouse operations:
Identifying potential socio-economic and environmental impacts
Proposing management measures to avoid, prevent and of mitigate these
Compile an Environmental Management for compliance monitoring and reporting on the
implementation of the Environmental Clearance Certificate conditions
Need for the Project
The proposed activity responds to Namibia’s strategic vision 2030 and the NDP5 of creating a
conducive environment within which its citizens prospers and contribute to the national
development goals by creating employment opportunities. Overall, this activity contribute to the
nation’s efforts of elevating poverty amongst its citizens.
Critically, going ahead with the proposed activity creates potential for the following marginal net
benefits:
Contribution Taxes and Royalty
Creates the most needed employment opportunities
Transfer of Knowledge and skill onto the young generation
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 iii | P a g e
Project Description The proponent (Mrs. Hilda Nubahe Bone) has been operation Travelers Rest Guesthouse since 2010 as a tourism establishment whose activities mainly entails the provision of Accommodation and other complementary tourism services which includes Safari Tours, Trophy hunting, Shuttle services and Hospitality Training. The Travelers Rest Guesthouse is situated on ERF 3246 along the Dr. Kuaima Riruako Drive (previously Bach Street) in the Windhoek Blocks Township, Khomas Region. The area occupied by the entire facility is 905 m² and house a number of facilities including a parking area, reception / office block, 10 room with a total occupancy of maximum 25 guests, a swimming pool and a mini bar Need for an Environmental Impact Assessment While increased economic activities can stimulate demographic changes and alter social, economic and environmental practices in many ways. Adverse environmental and socio- economic impacts have become a major area of concern for the business community, their customers, and other key stakeholders. As a result, companies seek to manage these impacts as part of their ethical and sustainable business conduct. Similarly, identifying, avoiding, mitigating and managing impacts, is a necessary condition for Mrs. Bone to undertake her operation in compliance with the environmental legislative requirements in Namibia. Therefore, Mrs. Bone appointed Red Dune Environmental Consultants to conduct an environmental assessment and facilitate the process of obtaining and Environmental Clearance Certificate. Approach to the EIA Process The assessment process consisted of a site visit to the project location and consultation of with the proponent and relevant authorities (City of Windhoek). A comprehensive environmental management plan (EMP) was compiled and constitute the application for an Environmental Clearance Certificate submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (Office of Environmental Commissioner). Overall Recommendation Based on the findings of the assessment, which all recommend that the proposed project can proceed and should be authorized by the DEA, the proposed project is considered to have an overall low negative environmental impact and an overall moderate positive socio-economic impact (with the implementation of respective mitigation and enhancement measures). Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 iv | P a g e
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The Travelers Rest Guesthouse is situated on ERF 3246 along the Dr. Kuaima Riruako Drive
(previously Bach Street) in the Windhoek Blocks Township, Khomas Region. The area occupied
by the entire facility is 905 m² and house a number of facilities including a parking area, reception
/ office block, 10 room with a total occupancy of maximum 25 guests, a swimming pool and a mini
bar (|Table 1).
Travelers Rest Guesthouse (referred to as the guest house herein) has been in operation since
2013, and is situated about 1 km from TransNamib Museum at the following GPS coordinates are
-22.561520°, 17.064678°.
Table 1: Description and illustration of key supporting infrastructure
Description of facility Visual Illustration
The swimming pool is situated on the
roof of one of the blocks, and only
available for use by the guests.
Maintaining that it remains clean and
hygienic, meant that a well trained staff
is employed.
This serves well within the Namibian
government’s call for job creation by its
own citizens
An important member of the staff
complement is Security guard hired to
ensure tthe safety of the guests.
Hence, the guesthouse also hosts a
small security office right at the
entrance of the facility.
The Accommodation facilities consist of
ten (10) rooms i.e. 3 family bedrooms
with double decker beds and a standard
bed, while the other seven rooms
contains standard double beds.
Most rooms has an en-suite toilet and
shower facility which are connected to
the municipal sewer system.
For in-house entertainment, each room
is equipped with a television set with
access to various tv-channels.
Additionally, the facility host an in-house
mini-bar and dining space allocated
strictly for use by guests staying at the
guesthouse. Guest are served with
breakfast only.
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 1|Page
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 2|Page
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 3|Page
The layout on Page 7 depicts the proposed modification on the parking area, which triggers the
need for environmental clearance. Although, the guesthouse activities may be listed activity – the
only component of Mrs Bone’s operations that is undertaken on ERF 3246 is the provision of
accommodation which present relatively very minimum impacts. These potential impacts are
limited to main domestic waste and noise generation, as well as traffic flow impacts. These can
be easily mitigated with the implementation of measures identified in this Environmental
Management Plan.
In accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations No.
30 of 2012 gazetted under the Environmental Management Act, (EMA), 2007, (Act No. 7 of 2007),
the Tourism activities (construction of resorts, lodges, hotels or other tourism and hospitality
facilities) undertaken by Travelers Rest Guesthouse cc is a Listed Activity and may not be
undertaken without an Environmental Clearance Certificate (see Table 2).
Table 2: List of activities identified in the EIA Regulations which apply to tourism activities in Namibia
EMA 2007 Legislation Description of activity Relevance to Travelers Rest Guesthouse
Activity 6 (Tourism The construction of resorts, As the guest house predates the EMA
Facilities) lodges, hotels or other tourism and and as advised by MET those facilities
hospitality facilities built prior to the EMA must obtain and
environmental clearance by submitting
an EMP
This Environmental Management Plan (EMP) documents the management and mitigation plans
(MMPs) designed to meet legal requirements and avoid or minimize the impacts associated with
the implementation of Travelers Rest Guesthouse tourism activities.
1.2 KEEPING EMPS UP TO DATE
It is the intention that this EMP should be seen as a “living document” which will be amended
during the operation, as the activities might change or new ones be introduced.
Should a listed activity(s) as defined in the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations:
Environmental Management Act, 2007 (Government Gazette No. 4878) be triggered (as a result
of future modifications/changes at the guesthouse), this EMP will be updated as a result of
another EIA process as stipulated in the regulations.
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 4|Page
2 ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND POLICIES
This section draws information from the legal sources in Namibia. The Republic of Namibia has
five tiers of law and a number of policies relevant to agricultural activities and these include:
The Constitution.
Statutory law.
Common law.
Customary law.
International law.
Key acts and policies currently in force include:
Namibia’s Environmental Assessment (EIA) Policy for Sustainable Development and
Environmental Conservation (1995);
Environmental Management Act (No. 7 of 2007);
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (Government Notice No. 30 of 2012);
Namibia Agriculture Policy of 2015;
Namibia Vision 2030.
As the main source of legislation, the Namibian constitution makes provision for the creation
and enforcement of applicable legislation. In this context and in accordance with its
constitution, Namibia has passed numerous laws intended to protect the natural environment
and to mitigate adverse environmentalimpacts.
Namibia’s policies provide the framework to the applicable legislation. Whilst policies do not
often carry the same legal recognition as official statutes, policies can be and are used in
providing support to legal interpretation when deciding cases. Further, the following (table 1)
permits will be required in order for the proponent to be compliant with the law:
Table 1: List of all the applicable permits/authorizations required by Travelers Rest Guesthouse
Aspect Permits/Certificates/Authorizations Regulator
Environmental clearance for
MET
Infrastructure and Operations
Tourism Activities
Certificate of Registration as Namibia Tourism
Accommodation Establishment Board
Municipality of
Water & Energy Supply Municipal Billing Receipts
Windhoek
Municipality of
Fitness Certificate
Windhoek
Public Health
Municipality of
Sewer & Refuse Collection
Windhoek
Forest permit-Tree harvesting - Municipality of
Zonation
Protected trees Windhoek
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 5|Page
3 SUMMARY OF IDENTIFIED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
As part of the environmental assessment processes for the Travelers Rest Guesthouse’s
activities, environmental aspects and potential environmental impacts associated with their
activities and facilities were identified. These are limited only to the operational,
decommissioning, and closure phases of the Travelers Rest Guesthouse facilities / activities
summarized in section 1 of this EMP. Table 3 provides a description of the environmental
aspects that are associated with Travelers Rest Guesthouse operations and how they impact
the biophysical and human environments, respectively.
Table 3: Summary of potential cumulative impacts associated with the proposed project
Section Potential impact Significance of the impact
(the ratings are
Unmitigated Mitigated
Domestic Litter and other wastes M L
Waste Sewer Discharge M L
Generation Kitchen waste M L
Socio- Noise Pollution or Nuisance L L
Economic Employment Creation L +H
Health and Safety (Fire accidents) H L
Traffic flow Access to Facility (turning into facility) H L
Impacts Outside Parking – (in front of the yard) M L
4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT MANAGEMENT PLAN
4.1 OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF THE EMP
The following overall environmental objectives have been set for the Travelers Rest
Guesthouse operations:
To comply with national legislation and standards for the protection of the environment.
To limit potential impacts on biodiversity through the minimization of the
footprint (as far as practically possible) and the conservation of residual
habitat within the area operation.
To keep the neighbours informed of ad-hoc operational or maintenance
activities through the implementation of a communication plan and or
constructive dialogue.
To ensure the legal and appropriate management and disposal of the domestic
and hazardous waste, following the relevant municipal rules and procedure.
To develop, implement and manage monitoring systems to ensure good
environmental performance in respect of the following: traffic flow impacts,
noise pollution and waste generation.
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 6|PageThe Management and Mitigation Plans (MMPs), listed in the table below, are applicable to all the
relevant activities and facilities of the Travelers Rest Guesthouse. (The MMPs follow in the
subsequent sections).
4.2 STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION
It is important that channels of communication are maintained over the life of the project for
surrounding property owner, the general public members, as well as the local authorities, table
4 shows the stakeholders communication Management and Mitigation Plan.
Table 4: Actions relating to stakeholder communication
Issue Management commitment Phase
Maintain and update the Travelers Rest Guesthouse
stakeholder register, including stakeholders’ needs and
expectations. Ensure that all relevant stakeholder groups are All
Understanding who the included.
stakeholders are A neighbours and Interested & Affected Parties database
would include government, employees, service providers,
contractors, customers, the investment sector, civil society All
organizations, suppliers and the media.
Ensure that marginalized and vulnerable groups are also
considered in the stakeholder communication process. All
Record partnerships as well as their roles, responsibilities,
capacity and contribution to development. All
Liaising with interested and Devise and implement a stakeholder communication and
affected parties at all engagement strategy. All
phases of operation
Responsibility Travelers Rest Guesthouse Representative
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 7|Page4.3 POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION
RESPONSIBI
ASPECT POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT/MITIGATION MEASURES MONITORING
LITY
Implement the waste management
hierarchy across site: Avoid, reuse, Daily
recycle, then disposal through municipal observations
collection
Waste storage facilities (wheelie bins)
should be properly maintained
Waste storage areas shall always be kept
clean and tidy
Sewage to be discharged as per
municipal regulations and only through
the central system – the proponent must
ensure upto date payment for services Proponent,
Waste
Pollution rendered by City of Windhoek in regard Weekly and -
management
to refuse collection inspections Employees
Waste shall be removed only by
municipal collector and per their
regulations – the proponent must ensure
upto date payment for services rendered
by City of Windhoek in regard to refuse
collection
It is unlikely that hazardous material and
wastes will be produced, however in the
event that they do, they shall be
managed in a safe and responsible
manner to prevent pollution
Disturbance to Noise restrictions must be in place once Daily
Noise Proponent,
neighbours the lodge becomes operational. observations
Maximize local employment and local
Job creation, business opportunities to promote and
Social and skill improve the local economy. N/A N/A
transfer - Enhance the use of local Labour and
local skills as far as reasonably possible.
- All the chemicals should be kept locked
Spill of in a separate room
chemicals all product descriptions should be
made available for all the cleaning Proponent,
Housekeepin Daily
materials used and
g, & Laundry observations
- A list of specifications for the Employees
Chemicals used available, and
- All chemicals must be disposed of
appropriately
Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 8|PageAPPENDICES Appendix 1: Consent Letter from City of Windhoek Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 9|Page
Appendix 2: Proof of Sewer and Refuse Collection Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 10 | P a g e
Appendix 3: Fitness Certificate Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 11 | P a g e
Appendix 4: Proposed Parking Area Layout Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 12 | P a g e
Appendix 5: Registration with Namibia Tourism Board Draft EMP Report for Travelers Rest Guesthouse RDC, June 2020 13 | P a g e
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