Updated Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) document for updated Batumi Coastal Protection Project
Coastal improvement is one of the priorities among other infrastructural projects, which will facilitate the future development of the Batumi City and region.
The main objective of the proposed project is to protect the Batumi coast against erosion. The coastline southwest of Batumi is affected by erosion over a length of about 5 km.
The Environmental Category of the proposed project for Batumi coastal protection is B (ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement, 2009), which refers to projects not having significant irreversible or permanent negative environmental impacts during or after construction. For this category of Projects ADB requires the preparation of Initial Environmental Examination (IEE).
On October 16, 2014 the contract between MDF and Technital, regarding the “Consulting services for- Batumi Coastal Improvement project”, was signed. The Contract Agreement for Civil works, with Struijk Group as Construction Contractor, was signed on 15 November 2016.
In the past two years the situation has changed sharply and with intensity that has been completely different form the experience of the last 15 years. Sufficient magnitude erosion has been occurred during 2015-2017 years on Batumi beach, which needed to perform the additional works (back filling of the boulevard) asked by local government Municipality (Batumi) with MDF confirmation, and changes of the stone sizes from 50 mm to 7000 mm because small stones sizes would not provide the beach stabilization considering of all these circumstances it was required the design changes. The modifications of the water depth and of the slope of the coastline just after the breakwater in north direction have been very important and were extended for approximately 2 km. The modification has been so important that the original sections could not be done any more and that the new solution should include also the reconstruction of the boulevard.
The MDF asked Engineer (Technital) to revise the original design in order not only to restore the protective function of the revetment but also to incorporate the actual embankment as integral part of the design. For this reason the design revision, have taken into account the revetment, nourishment and boulevard.
The Engineer (Technital) has proposed a final solution. The urgent works to restore the boulevard have been implemented. On 6th of December 2017 the amendment has been signed between Technital and MDF with the approval of the “Adaptation design for Batumi coastal protection”.
Accordingly, IEE was updated also in accordance to updated Project Design, as it is considered under the ADB’s Safeguards Policy requirements and regulations (SPS 2009).
