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In accordance with EBRD Environmental Policy, the construction of a new road of four or more lanes, where such new road would be 10 km or more in a continuous length is classified in environmental category A. For this reason, the project requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) and public consultation in accordance with the EBRD’s Category A project requirements.
Information reviewed during the environmental appraisal
An EIA has been prepared in accordance with the relevant EU Directives, Hungarian regulations and EBRD requirements.
Consideration of alternative routes and the selection of the route
Preliminary studies on alternative routes for the M6 motorway development were prepared in 1998 and 1999. At the preliminary design phase of the project three alternatives were considered for the Szekszard-Boly section, and two alternatives for the Pecs- Boly section. In 1999, a preliminary EIA was prepared for the section of the highway between Dunaujvaros and the Hungarian border (which covers both sections in question of this assessment). As a result of public consultation and reviews by governmental authorities, a single route was selected for a detailed EIA in 2002. Separate EIA’s were prepared for the Section 4 (Szekszard - border) and for the M60 section (Boly – Pecs) of the motorway in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Further public consultations were held on the detailed EIA’s in 2003 and 2004. The environmental permits for both sections were issued in 2004. Subsequently, the design was further modified to include the construction of four tunnels near to the town of Vemend, a bridge on the section between Boly and Pecs and some other minor modifications to the route. EIAs of these modifications were conducted and the amended EIA’s for both sections were submitted in 2004. The environmental permit for the final route was issued in 2006.
Key environmental issues and mitigation
The predicted impacts are to a large extent mitigated through technical solutions contained in the project design and also through appropriate mitigation measures. In addition, a draft Environment & Social Action Plan (ESAP) has been developed so as to mitigate the identified significant adverse impacts. A Non–Technical Executive Summary of the EIA providing a description of the identified significant impacts and the planned mitigation measures is posted on the EBRD website.
The identified significant environmental, health and safety and social issues, for which mitigation measures have been developed, are as follows:
- Soil and groundwater
- Surface water
- Air quality
- Noise and vibration
- Ecology
- Landscape
- Built environment
- Waste management
- Archaeology and cultural heritage
- Health and safety
- Social and community
Disclosure of information and consultation
Under the relevant Hungarian legal regulations, public information and consultation is undertaken in the course of the planning process of motorways. Studies on several route alternatives were undertaken in 1988. In this preparative phase, the Preliminary environmental impact assessments (PEIA) for both road sections were completed in 1999. The PEIA was made publicly available through the Competent Inspectorate and no public objections were received.
The Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) for the M6 section between Szekszard and the national border was completed in November 2003, and the Inspectorate held public hearings in two settlements, Bataszek and Boly. In 2004, the DEIA on the M60 access road to Pecs was completed and submitted to the Inspectorate, who held public hearings on two occasions in Pecs, and organized a public forum.
A Draft Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (“PCDP”) has been prepared and a process for the management of grievances during construction and operation has been proposed within the ESAP.
Monitoring
A draft ESAP has been developed as part of the study in order to define the environmental and social monitoring measures and procedures that will need to be adopted during construction and operation. The ESAP defines the action required, investment needs, resources and the timetable for the completion of each action. The monitoring will be focused on the potential key impacts identified during the EIA to ensure the efficiency of the planned mitigation measures. The EBRD will evaluate the project's compliance with the applicable environmental and social requirements during the lifetime of the project by monitoring visits and reviewing annual environmental reports (AERs) prepared for the project.
There is an Environmental Impact Assesment available for this project.
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