INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Public Disclosure Copy Report No.: ISDSC3349 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 14-Nov-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 30-Nov-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Haiti Project ID: P133352 Project Name: HT Center and Artibonite Regional Development (P133352) Task Team Pierre Xavier Bonneau Leader: Estimated 03-Feb-2014 Estimated 20-Mar-2014 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: LCSTR Lending Investment Project Financing Instrument: Sector(s): Rural and Inter-Urban Roads and Highways (56%), Urban Transport (12%), Central government administration (10%), Public administratio n- Transportation (8%), General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (14%) Theme(s): Rural services and infrastructure (60%), Natural disaster management (15%), Other urban development (15%), Other public sector gover nance (10%) Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Total Project Cost: 58.00 Total Bank Financing: 50.00 Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 International Development Association (IDA) 50.00 Climate Investment Funds 8.00 Total 58.00 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? B. Project Objectives Project Development Objective (PDO): The objective of the proposed Centre Artibonite Regional Development Project (CARDP) is to support the development of the Center and Artibonite Loop (CAL) region by enhancing transport connectivity and logistics, territorial planning capacity, the region’s resilience to climate change, and the country’s capacity to respond efficiently to an (eligible) emergency. Public Disclosure Copy This PDO would be achieved through: i) enhancing transport connectivity between the CAL and other regions; ii) enhancing the access of inhabitants and agricultural producers to markets by improving internal connectivity within the CAL as well as market facilities; iii) developing regional knowledge and tools to enable public and private actors in the region to better plan investments and activities; iv) improving the region’s resilience to climate change; and v) providing GoH with resources and capacity to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible emergency. C. Project Description COMPONENT 1 – Enhancing logistics and transport connectivity and strengthening road maintenance systems (US$40 million, o/w US$34 million IDA and US$6 million Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR)) This component would aim to link the CAL to economic growth poles outside the region and to improve the internal connectivity of the CAL, by increasing all-weather access to agricultural production areas, markets and services, and improving Rural Access Index (RAI). Complementing significant investments made by other donors in the primary and secondary road networks on the CAL, the project would target the protection, rehabilitation and construction of critical segments to maximize efficiency and impact. Specifically, this component would finance: • Subcomponent 1.1. Improvement of the primary and secondary road network, with a focus on all-weather access and resilience to climate change (US$25 million). This would include works and related studies for the rehabilitation of vulnerable road sections, bridges, river crossings, and critical spot interventions along the Dessalines-Saint Raphaël, the Titanyen-Saut d’Eau, and the Maissade-Hinche roads (see map). To ensure the long-term sustainability of these investments, adaptation measures to climate change (such as the reinforcement of hydraulic protection for bridges or slope’s stabilization works) would be mainstreamed into infrastructure design and maintenance. Public Disclosure Copy • Subcomponent 1.2. Improvement of the tertiary and rural road network, with a focus on all- weather access and resilience to climate change, and connection points facilitating the transit and transport of agriculture products (US$10 million). This would include works and related studies for: - Rehabilitation or upgrading of selected tertiary and rural roads and pathways, to facilitate all- weather access, especially for Intermediate Means of Transport (IMT) in isolated areas; - Construction of small logistical facilities, such as collection points for agricultural production; - Development and dissemination of infrastructure design, construction and maintenance guidelines, especially for roads and pathways dedicated to IMTs. • Subcomponent 1.3. Improvement of local road maintenance mechanisms (US$5 million). This would include: - Development of a Regional Maintenance Strategy for the CAL; - Partial funding of the maintenance of the road and infrastructure network in the CAL for the duration of the project through the Road Maintenance Fund (FER), with the involvement of MSMEs and local communities; - Rehabilitation of the local road maintenance equipment centers of Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, Energy and Communications (MTPTEC) and the National Equipment Center (CNE) in Hinche and Mirebalais, and possibly construction of a center in Saint Michel; - Trainings and development of technical guidelines for road maintenance. COMPONENT 2 – Support to inclusive economic growth and local development (US$8 million) Public Disclosure Copy This component would complement infrastructure investments under Component 1, leveraging their efficiency and development impact. This component would also serve to complement o ther donor-financed and Bank-financed projects in the agriculture, energy and business development sectors in the region. Investments under this component would go towards the rehabilitation or construction of markets. They would finance works and related studies for the following: • Rehabilitation, upgrading or construction of regional markets in Saint Michel, Saint Raphaël and possibly Mirebalais; • Rehabilitation or upgrading of selected rural markets; • Development of technical standards for market design and operation, Training and Technical Assistance to municipalities and communities to enhance management capacity of markets. COMPONENT 3 – Territorial development databases and tools, in support to building planning capacity (US$5 million, o/w US$3 million IDA and US$2 million from PPCR) This component would support the GoH, municipalities and local stakeholders to build and disseminate improved territorial knowledge of the CAL. It would support the development of methodologies and tools to inform territorial and urban planning and opportunities for public and private investment. • Subcomponent 3.1. Improved knowledge with territorial development databases and tools (US$2 million): analytical studies and guidelines, inter alia economic, social and environmental studies, spatial analyses, urban studies and plans, plans for adaptation and resilience to climate change. Public Disclosure Copy • Subcomponent 3.2. Support to the development of regional planning capacity (US$3 million): - Facilitate broader exchange of information and consultation between regional stakeholders, using existing administrative local consultation tables chaired by the local representatives of the national government, expanded to include municipalities, selected communities, and local stakeholders, such as Chambers of Commerce and associations of producers; - Support the development of (i) a regional agenda which would serve to plan and coordinate the development of the CAL, by identifying and sequencing regional and local investment needs, and (ii) a dashboard tool capturing key development indicators and investments in the region; - Support the establishment of participatory decision-making mechanisms at the local level to identify local priorities and investments, within the scope of the Components 1 and 2. COMPONENT 4 – Contingent Emergency Response Component (US$1 million) Due to the high risk of a catastrophic event in Haiti, the proposed project would include a provisional component, designed as a mechanism that would allow for rapid response in the event of an emergency. Such components, which include triggers and conditions for the use of funds, are included in most investment projects in Haiti in keeping with the recommendations of the 2011 WDR on Fragility and with the operational experience acquired in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. COMPONENT 5 – Project Management and Monitoring (US$4 million) This component would finance the activities of the implementing agency, the Unité Technique Public Disclosure Copy d’Exécution (UTE), a project implementation unit under the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MEF). This unit implements projects financed by several donors including the WB and would coordinate, evaluate, supervise and implement the project. Funding would be provided to: (i) strengthen UTE’s capacity to comply with its responsibilities under the proposed Project’s Operational Manual, including the hiring of specialized staff (such as social and environmental specialists, procurement and financial management specialists), training and operating costs; (ii) cover staffing and operating costs for governmental institutions or ministries involved providing technical support to UTE, such as CIAT, the Ministry of Public Works, Transport, Energy and Communication (MTPTEC), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARNDR); and (iii) conduct project audits and project studies, including performance reviews and impact evaluations. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The CAL is comprised of 14 communes, situated in 3 departments: Artibonite, the Center and the North. Approximately 1.2 million inhabitants live in a space of 4,643 km2. Only 23% of the population (222,000) inhabitants live in urban centers. The perimeter of this loop is 240 km long and is equidistant (24km away) from 10 urban centers. The majority of investments would take place in two defined areas termed "micro-regions" within the CAL. One of these micro-regions centers on the town of Mirebalais. The other has not yet been chosen by Government. The project would focus on basic infrastructure investments along these routes. The primary and secondary roads pre-identified for improvement already exist and would not necessitate large-scale resettlement. No land acquisition is envisioned. At the connection between the loop and RN1 in Tinanyen, investments may include limited resettlement of vendors and semi- permanent structures to improve road safety and basic services at the Titanyen market that is held Public Disclosure Copy twice a week. Adaptation measures to climate change to ensure sustainability may also necessitate minor diversion from the existing right of way into agricultural land, particularly around bridges. Tertiary roads have not been pre-identified yet but are unlikely to result in resettlement. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies The borrower's capacity for implementation of safeguard policies is relatively weak and would need to be enhanced. UTE has one environmental specialist, based in Port au Prince. However, he has a number of projects to monitor and supervise. Since there is another Bank project under preparation with the same PIU, it is likely that both projects would recruit a supervision team or firm (international, regional or local if capacity exists). This firm/team would be responsible for monitoring, capacity building, interacting with contractors and reporting environmental supervision activities to the Bank and the PIU on a monthly basis. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Nyaneba E. Nkrumah (LCSEN) Peter F. B. A. Lafere (LCSSO) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The client has agreed that road rehabilitation BP 4.01 would be financed under the project. However, the actual sections of the roads, and the length Public Disclosure Copy of these sections, would be determined during preparation. All other works detailed at this PCN stage are subject to discussion and negotiation with the client as preparation advances. The following describes the possible works under each component: Component 1: 80% of the grant ($40 million) would be used for the rehabilitation and construction of critical segments of the Artibonite road network (loop). The loop runs from Mirebalais through the towns of Thomonde, Hinche, Pignon, Saint Raphael, Saint Michel de L' Attalaye, Marchand Dessalines, Petite Riviere, La Chapelle and Saut D' Eau. There is also a small segment from Mirebalais to Boucan Carre. The project would focus on: i) constructing or improving primary and secondary road to ensure climate resilience and road connectivity in the Artibonite agricultural area. For example, the project would ensure Public Disclosure Copy that there is adequate road drainage, and would also focus particularly on sections of the road that may be more vulnerable to hurricanes and tornadoes, which produce erosion or water damage; ii) repairing or rebuilding critical infrastructure (bridges, culverts) across river networks. To date, because of the lack of or inadequacy of these infrastructures, cars have to cross rivers, sometimes fairly large, to get to the next section of road. iii) improvement of tertiary and rural road to make these more resilient and usable for the transport of agricultural produce from the region; iv) the project would also finance small facilities (sheds, buildings) as collection points for agricultural production along those routes. The environmental impact of these works would certainly be positive - road networks and transportation in general would be more climate resilient and able to withstand weather related Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 TBD Since there are several works in the watershed area, the area may include some important aquatic habitat areas. The final determination of Public Disclosure Copy whether this is triggered or not would be made in the appraisal stage ISDS. Forests OP/BP 4.36 No This is not triggered- there are no forests in the area and most of the trees along the routes are planted by communities. Pest Management OP 4.09 TBD The project would invest in the productive sector (markets) but would not finance any pesticides. However, the engagement in the sector may offer an opportunity to discuss the use of integrated pest management with the client. Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No Screening during project preparation did not BP 4.11 find that physical cultural resources would be affected by the project. The ESMF would provide guidance and procedures to deal with chance finds of physical cultural resources in accordance with OP/BP 4.11. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No There are no indigenous peoples present in the project area. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP Yes This policy is triggered as the road rehabilitation 4.12 and upgrading of rural and urban markets are likely to result in limited temporary or permanent involuntary resettlement. Land acquisition is not expected. Public Disclosure Copy Because the identification of the project subcomponents that would be financed would only be done using a participatory approach during project implementation, a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) would be prepared in accordance with OP4.12 to ensure application of the appropriate safeguard policies. The RPF would reflect the following principles: - Prior to the approval of sub-projects, the client would need to ensure that the sites, boundaries and ownerships of the relevant land plots are clearly identified and confirmed using a community-based mapping exercise that goes beyond simply checking for legal title. - In case there is resettlement, agreement on the compensation scheme and its payment or realization would be settled prior to the commencement of that particular sub-project. - In cases where there are disputed claims to eligibility to compensation or to land ownership or use, conflict resolution would be facilitated Public Disclosure Copy by the client, and though works may begin, proper compensation would be kept in escrow until the conflicts are resolved. In cases where this does happen, the client would remain in constant contact with the affected people and apply the best available dispute resolution mechanisms in the country. Given the objective to spur regional development, all upstream support that may spur downstream impacts on resettlement, as defined by the policy (e.g. through the preparation of bidding documents, etc.) would include reference to the principles of OP 4.12 in terms of, among other things, eligibility for compensation, asset valuation methodologies, and consultation and participation. Given the levels of poverty in the project area, voluntary donations of land would be avoided, but guidance would be given in the RPF to ensure that it can be regulated according to the principles of OP 4.12 on an exceptional basis. At PCN stage no decisions have been taken on Public Disclosure Copy which roads would be rehabilitated. A PCN stage, this Project was authorized to be processed using the OP 10.00, Special Circumstances, thus allowing for the preparation of Resettlement Action Plans (RAP) for the roads, where necessary, to be done during the first 6 months of project implementation in the event that the specific tracts of roads would be identified during the course of project preparation. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No No dams are envisioned under this project Projects on International No The project does not involve international Waterways OP/BP 7.50 waterways Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No The project is not in a disputed area. 7.60 III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 10-Dec-2013 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. B. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS: The ESMF and RPF will be prepared within the end of the calendar year 2013. Public Disclosure Copy IV. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Pierre Xavier Bonneau Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Glenn S. Morgan (RSA) Date: 28-Nov-2013 Coordinator: Sector Manager: Name: Aurelio Menendez (SM) Date: 30-Nov-2013 Public Disclosure Copy