$20 Million Allocated to Environmental Monitoring Project

Some $20.28 million has been allocated to the Northern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (Environmental Monitoring), in the 2007/08 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.
The objectives are to establish an environmental monitoring unit for highway construction projects, which will monitor the Northern Highway Improvement Project for the duration of its construction phase; to monitor and enforce the mitigation measures as set out in the environmental assessment report for the entire project and the recommendations stated in the ‘Certification of No Objection’ issued by the Authority.
It also aims to select and refer the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) staff for training in Environmental Monitoring and Management under the Northern Highway Improvement Project, in order to adequately equip technically, all the NEPA branches that will be involved in the monitoring of road projects.
Anticipated targets for the fiscal year 2007/08 include road construction and monitoring of segments 1,11a and 111; biodiversity/ecosystem impact assessment survey for Coral Spring; management plan for Coral Spring Protected Area; and the revision of the operations and procedures manual. Achievements up to March 2007 include preparation for the four-year work plan and budget; monthly monitoring of reports; and the development of operations and procedures manual (draft).
The project is funded by the Government, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).