4.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

## INTRODUCTION

Agency Procedures (22 CFR 216) state that the section of the EA
addressed to the (potentially) Affected Environment "*shall succinctly
describe the environment of the area(s) to be affected or created by the
alternatives under consideration. The descriptions shall be no longer
than necessary to understand the effects of the alternatives. Data and
analysis in the Environmental Assessment shall be commensurate with the
significance of the impact with less important material summarized,
consolidated or simply referenced.*"

In order to describe the existing conditions in the areas potentially
affected, the following introductory material presents:

-   Definition of the Project Area;

-   Identification of the relevant environmental criteria for EA
    purposes;

The remainder of the Section presents the details of the potentially
affected environment under four headings structured according to the
relevant environmental criteria as will be detailed below.

## Definition of the Project Area. The potentially Affected Environment for a given project (generally referred to as the Project Area) is defined by the nature of the proposed action and the sensitivity and circumstances of the environment in which it will occur. Both the nature of the project and the sensitivity of the environment must be considered. An environmentally benign project in one location might be detrimental in another. 

The potential for both direct and indirect impacts must be considered in
the definition of the Project Area. Potential [direct]{.underline}
impacts of a road project such as the proposed rehabilitation of the
Kabul-Kandahar Road will be largely confined to the Project's
construction limits and immediately adjacent environs. The conceptual
limits of the Project Area must be expanded, however, to include the
potential impacts of network improvements and other [indirect and
cumulative]{.underline} impacts in accordance with the circumstances of
the particular environmental characteristic under discussion. A change
in drainage patterns, for example, could have an impact on the
conditions within the rehabilitation area and the watercourses directly
affected, but may also impact hydrological conditions down stream to a
degree that can only be determined by circumstances. The increased
runoff due to highway development and the additional development that it
attracts (referred to as an "induced impact") often warrants
investigations in a considerably larger area than the construction
limits and the immediately adjacent area. In the case of the
Kabul-Kandahar Road Rehabilitation Project indirect and cumulative
impacts, particularly socio-economic impacts, are likely to occur in all
provinces through which road passes. Many of these impacts will be
beneficial. Improvements to the roadway networks generally will, for
example, present a potential for significant economic and social impacts
along all network connections.

Accordingly, the Project Area for the purpose of the EA is defined as
the area immediately adjacent to the 482-kilometer Kabul-Kandahar Road.
The scope of the examination has been expanded to ensure that
environmental impacts such as the example of potential down-stream
hydrological impacts are taken into account.

**Identification of the Relevant Environmental Criteria.** The scope and
significance of environmental issues for the Kabul-Kandahar Road
Rehabilitation Project were addressed by a Scoping Process leading to
the preparation of a Scoping Statement submitted to and approved by
USAID in November 2002. Steps in the Scoping Process included review of
the definition of environmental issues as established by the applicable
regulations and other considerations. The review provided the framework
for the identification and presentation of the relevant environmental
criteria as follows.

Paragraph 216.1 (c) (10) of the Agency Environmental Procedures states
that the "*term environment, as used in these procedures with respect to
effects occurring outside the United States, means the natural and
physical environment".* Accordingly, the initial sections of the
description of the potentially affected environment presents:

-   **Physical Resources (Item 4.1)**. Physical resources are generally
    defined to include topographic, soil, geological and related
    attributes. Sub-headings in this section are:

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```
-   Topography (Item 4.1.1)

-   Soils (Item 4.1.2)

-   Seismic & Geological Conditions (Item 4.1.3)

-   Hydrology (Item 4.1.4)

-   Climate and Air Quality (Item 4.1.5)

-   Mines and Unexploded Ordnance (Item 4.1.6).

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```
-   **Natural/Biological Resources (Item 4.2)**. Natural/biological
    aspects of the potentially affected environment are discussed under
    the sub-headings of:

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```
-   Flora (Plant Species) (Item 4.2.2)

-   Fauna (Wildlife) (Item 4.2.1) and

-   Protected Areas (Item 4.2.3).

In addition to these requirements, Paragraph 216.6 of the Procedures
states that "... *Environmental Assessment(s) should include discussions
of ..... possible conflicts between the proposed action and land use
plans policies and controls for the areas concerned; energy requirements
and conservation potential of variouColeman SiteƒÔ222\
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*Ä*

*ÄÁà\
4ì4ÁFIGURE 7 © Site View: Withlacoochee SiteƒÔ444\
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*situation thus presented is deemed impractical for FBOP purposes. The
situation*

*is compounded by the intervening commitments further separating the
properties*

*as discussed below.ÀÀ*Â6X

7

7ÂAs indicated by Figure 9, much of the area to the east of the Turnpike
is

-   not **available and is committed to other uses. The area indicat**ed
    by Figure

> 9 devoted spray irrigation in conjunction with the Leesburg wastewater
>
> treatment facility is committed to that use.Æ(#
>
> ÆÀÀÂ7X
>
> 8
>
> 8ÂAreas to the south of CR 470, contrary to earlier indications, are
>
> committed to other purposes and not available (Source: Dick Williams,
>
> Assistant City Manager, City of Leesburg). Even if th**e** area were

available, its suitability is questionable due to potential wetland and

-   other consid**erations.Æ(#**

**ÆÀÀÂ8X**

**9**

**9ÂThe available area to the north of C**R 470 comprises only 320
acres, much

-   of it wetlands and of insufficient area for FBOP purposes. The area
    south

-   of CR 470 has, therefore, been excluded from further consideration
    in the

-   site investigations. Æ(#

> ÆDetails of the three remaining areas warranting consideration are
> discussed under

their respective headings. Findings in regard to the three areas are
presented

on the ba**sis of siti**ng criteria derived from general requirements of
a 1,900 unit

correctional facility and ar**e based on previous f Su**m**ter County.
Both** have recently instituted water conservation measures due

to below normal rainfall for the past two (2) years and the granting of

additional permits to draw groundwater for new farms and
subdivisions.The primary water supply source is the Upper Floridian
Aquifer, an important

source of water for most of Florida, as described in the preceeding
discussion

of subsurface hydrology. Groundwater recharge is generally high, ranging
from

10 to greater than 20 inches per year in the upland areas to less
than[^1]2 inches

per year along the coast. A hydrologist with SWIFTMUD classified the
area under

review as water rich even with the newly instituted water use
restrictions.Water supply systems at each site would be regulated by the
Florida State Health

Department and the respective water management district.None of the
proposed sites presently have a public water supply system. The

existing households in the area operate private wells with minimal
treatment.The water supply situation presented for the sites in question
is as follows: -Â9X9

9ÂÃ

ÃOkahumpka West SiteÄ

Ä\--The City of Leesburg proposes to provide potable water

to the Okahumpka West Site. The City presently owns and operates nine
(9)

groundwater wells with a permitted capacity of 21 million gallons per
day

(MGD). The average consumption rate is 3.5 MGD with a normal peak

consumption rate of 5.6 MGD and an abnormal consumption rate of 9.0 MGD.

They presently have a 10\" water main located south of Leesburg and have

plans in the next five years to extend a 12\" water main to the
Okahumpka

area to serve a 9**0**0-home development in the Highland Lakes area. To
extend

the services to the proposed site would require an additional 3.5 miles

of 12\" water main, possibly another water well near the site and a
storage

facility on site. Officials with the City of Leesburg indicated the
water

supply system could be extende[^2] to the site with the cost to the FBOP
to

be negotiable. They also report no substantial jurisdictional problem
due

to the fact that portions of the site are within neighboring Sumter
County.

It is advisable, however, for the FBOP to obtain a statement of
intention

and to clear those intentions with all concerned agencies, including

particularly the St. Johns Water Management District and SWIFTMUD.

Competition for alternative suppliers of water, particularly Sumter
County,Ô111111\
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is a possibility and could become a significant issue of which the FBOP

should be aware.Æ(#

Æ -Â11X11

11ÂÃ

ÃColeman SiteÄ

Ä\--The City of Wildwood proposes to prov[^3]de the potable water

to the Coleman Site. The City presently owns and operates four (4)

groundwater wells with two (2) wells in reserve at this time. The two

wells th[^4]t operate daily have a permitted capacity of 1,368,000
gallons

per day wi**th a peak** consumption rate of between 600,000 and 700,000
gallons

per day. They anticipate activating one of the reserve wells during the

first quarter of 1990 which will bring the permitted capacity up to

approximately 2.0 MGD. There are no water mains in the southern part of

the City with sufficient capacity to serve the proposed site. A new 10\"

or 12\" water main would need to be extended approximately 3.5 miles
from

the new 500,000 gallon elevated water storage tank located on Huey
Street

to the proposed site and the final reserve well activated. This reserve

well is in need of an iron removal system. The FBOP will also need an

on-site water storage facility for fire protection. Officials with the

City of Wildwood indicated the water supply system could be extended to

the site with the cost to the FBOP to be negotiable.Æ(#

Æ -Â13X13

13ÂÃ

ÃWithlacoochee SiteÄ

Ä\--This site is located adjacent to the Sumter

Correctional Institute (SCI) facility which operates it own water supply

syste**^m^**[^5] In **conversations with the Superintendent of Wat**er
and Wastes, he

indicated that they have two (2) groundwater wells with a permitted

capacity of 720,000 gallons per day (gpd) with an average consumption
rate

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in the area is high in iron and hardness and the SCI operates a 500,000

gpd Permutit water treatment plant where they use aeration, chlorination

-   lime softening, and rapid sand filtration to achieve water quality.
    The

-   existing water supply and treatment system at the SCI is
    insufficient to

serve the needs of the FBOP. Two (2) on-site water wells would have to

-   be installed along with a water treatment plant to provide potable
    water

-   to the proposed site. The approximate cost of this on-site system is
    \$1.5

million. Æ(#

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ÃWastewater Collection, Treatment and DisposalÄ

ÄThe proposed correctional facility will require wast[^7]water
collection, treatment

-   and disposal. With a maximum dai**ly wa**ter requirement of 720,000
    gallons, t**he**

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-   **ma**ximum daily sewage generation is projected at approximately
    **600,00**0 gallons.

The average daily flow is estimated at 450,000 gallons. The organic
waste load

is a highly concentrated waste of approximately 480 ¬ \*-500 mg/l as
compared to

a norm of 200 mg/l. Suspended solids are also high (400 mg/l)*.Ð3434 34
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considered during evaluation of available services and facilities
include:Á41¤41€

41ÁÁ4141Ø ­41Á -Á41!410

\'42ÁType of available system(s);Á42¤42€

42ÁÁ4242Ø ­42Á -Á42!420

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FBOP needs; and,Æà.0

ÆÁ45¤45€

45ÁÁ4545Ø ­45Á -Á45!450

\'46ÁCost to FBOP of needed improvements (if known).The possibility of
extension of existing municipal wastewater services exists in the
vicinity of the Okahumpka

-   West Site. The Withlacoochee Site is adjacent to the State of
    Florida Sumter Correctional Institute which

operates its own wastewater treatment facility. No municipal services
exist in the immediate vicinity of the

Coleman Site. Other existing users in the vicinity of all three proposed
sites rely on private percolation

-   fields. The nearby community of Wildwood, however, reports that it
    is prepared to extend and expand its service

to the FCC in the event that the Coleman Site is selected for
development (see letter Appendix D). Details

of the individual situations are as follows: -Â46Ð46€

46ÂÃ

ÃOkahumpka West SiteÄ

Ä\--The City of Leesburg proposes to provide wastewater services to the
Okahumpka West

Site. The City presently owns and operates a 3.5 MGD extended aeration
sewage treatment plant with an

average daily flow of 2.3 MGD **and a peak flow of** 3.5 MGD. The
effluent is sent to a site located at

the intersection of the Florida Turnpike and SR 470 for spray irrigation
disposal. The City currently

owns 935 acres of which 320 acres are being used for spray irrigation.
They have contacted officials

of Sumter County looking for additional land to expand their spray
irrigation operations. The existing

wastewater system is not capable of supplying the needs of the FCC. The
City is presently studyin[^8] the

feasibility of constructing a new wastewater treatment plant on the west
side of the City with an

approximate initial capacity of 2.0 MGD and the capability to expand to
4.0 MGD. This wo**uld allow them**

**to downgrade the** existing treatment plant by approximately one-third
and reroute some of the existing

flows to the new plant. They have estimated the cost of this facility
and all ancillary components to

be \$13.0 million.Æà.€

ÆÂ48Ð¤48€

48ÂTo provide service to the site would require an on-site pump station
and a force main that would extend

to the new treatment plant. Officials with the City of Leesburg
indicated that these services could

be provided with the cost to the FBOP to be negotiable. The possibility
exists that the FBOP may be

required to pay an impact fee or development cost, but at this time
these are also negotiable.Æà.€

ÆÔ484848\
\`;48484848484848484848ÔŒ -Â48Ð48€

48ÂÃ

ÃColeman SiteÄ

Ä\--The City of Wildwood proposes to provide the wastewater services to
the Coleman Site.

The City presently owns and operates a recently expanded wastewater
treatme**n**t **plant designed to handle**

**an average** flow of 990,000 gallons per day. The City is currently
handling an average daily flow of

440,000 gallons per day. The treatment facility provides preliminary
treatment, secondary treatment,

nitrification and denitrification, chlorination, and a one day
holdi[^9]g **pond. Sludges are stabilized**

**by a**e**robic digestion** and are disposed of by means of land
application on nearby farmland and/or dewatered

by means of sludge drying beds. They use a natural wetlands method of
effluent disposal with over 500

acres of land secured under a perpetual lease. Officials with the City
of Wildwood indicated that the

treatment plant has the capability to be doubled in size using the
existing plumbing at a relatively

low [^10]dditional cost.Æà.€

ÆÂ50Ð¤50€

50ÂTo provide service to the site would require an on-site pump station
and force main that would extend

3.5 miles to the existing treatment[^11]plant that would have to be
expanded. The City is looking at the

possibility of including the Town of Coleman in any future expansion
plans. Officials with the City

of Wildwood indicated that these services could be provided with the
cost to be negotiable. The

possibility exists that the FBOP may be required to pay some of the
development costs, but at this time

these are also negotiable.Æà.€

Æ -Â50Ð50€

50ÂÃ

ÃWithlacoochee SiteÄ

Ä\--The Sumter Correctional Institute (SCI) operates its own wastewater
treatment plant.

In conversa[^12]ions with the Superintendent of Water and Wastes, he
indicated that the plant is a complete

mix activated sludge process with chlorinated effluent transported to a
5 day [^13]olishing pond. The

effluent is then spray irri52Ì\$/52ÁLOUIS BERGER & ASSOCIATES,
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ÄA.Â82X

83

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ÃCONCLUSIONSÄ

> ÄÆ(#ÆBased on the Site Investigations for the proposed FCC sites in
> Lake and Sumter
>
> Counties, the following conclusions can be drawn:ÀÀÂ85X\
> 85
>
> ¤85ÂÃ
>
> ÃOf the three sites under consideration, Okahumpka West would provide
> the

best siting of the proposed facilityÄ

**Ä.Æ(#**

**ÆÀÀÂ87X\
87**

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**ÃThe Coleman Site is ill**©**suited t**o development as an FCCÄ

Ä for a variety of

reasons, particularly in light of the viable alternatives. The site is

split by railroad tracks into two parcels, neither of[^16]which would

accommodate an FCC and neither of which could be expanded in a way to
make

-   them usable. The area to the north of **the** railroad tracks is
    constrained

by a road on the north, the Town of Coleman on the east and Interstate
75

on the west. The area to the south of the tracks is bounded on the east

by roads, on the west by the tracks and on the south by Shady Grove and

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-   ÃRay\'s utility conclusion**sÄ**

**Ä:**Ã

-   ÃOkahumpka Wes**t SiteÄ**

**Ä** -Â99X

100

¤100ÂNo potable water services or wastewater services presently exist
near the

site. The City of Leesburg has proposed to furnish these services at a

-   cost of \$400,000 for water. It is rec**ommend**ed that the cost of
    providing

these services be discuss**ed in the** ongoing negotiation**s with the
City. Æ(#**

**Æ -Â100X**

**101**

> **¤101ÂAdequate electr**ic power and telecommunication services can be
> provided to
>
> the site at little or no cost to the FBOP. It is recommended that the
> FBOPÔ101101101\
> Ø\'101101101101101101101101101Ô\
> obtain a statement of intention from SECO and the City of Leesburg
>
> concerning the electric power service. If a territorial agreement is

-   formed between the two, a copy should be supplied t**o the FBOP**.
    The burden

of paying for electrical improvements for the City of Leesburg should be

-   discussed in any **ongoin**g negotiations wit**h the City**.Æ(#

Æ -Â101X

102

¤102ÂAdequate natural gas service could be provided to the site by the
City of

Leesburg depending on the required load. It is recommended that the cost

-   of providing these services b**e disc**us**sed i**n the ongoing
    negotiatiÿWPC‑102102 102102102102102102ûÿ1022102â 102102

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\` ¸

-   hÀ§pÈ x‑Ð
    (#€%Ø\'ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ**ÿÿÿÿÿÿ**ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ**104104104104104104104104104104**104104104104104104104104104104104104X°

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-   hÀ§pÈ x‑Ð
    (#€%Ø\'ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105Ì105ÐŠûÿ1052105105105105105105105105105µ105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105105#\|105d105105105105105Various
    appendices acco**mpany the report** to provide additional
    information or

documentation where warranted. An appendix entitled \"Alternatives Which
Warrant

-   Documented Consideration\" gener**ally accom**panies site
    investigations. The

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other considerations
mandate the

documented consideration of all reasonable alternatives to a proposed
action

-   such as that addressed by this report. The site
    inves**tigati**on**s, th**erefore,

generally list the apparent alternative sites and summarize data in
regard to

-   the potential alternatives. In this instance, however, **all
    identi**fied

alternatives are addressed by the body of the investigation report or
the

preceeding report previously referenced. The data will provide the basis
for

f**ull docume**ntation of alternatives which would be required when and
if the FBOP

elects to proceed with the proposed action. action

such as that addressed by this report. The site investigations,
therefore,

generally list thpear the least topographically suited to the

type of development under consideration due to the uncharacteristic
knoll in the

center of the area and numerous depressions and mash areas. The site is
quite

large, however, and structures could be fitted within the topography if
this

disadvntage were offset by other considerations. Site 1 is of a more
consistentÔ105105105\
Ø\'105105105105105105105105105Ô\
topography character. Although also pitted by a number of depressions
and marsh

areas, the site is extremely large and sufficieons with

the City.Æ(#

Æ -Â105X

106

¤106ÂAdequate facilities should be available for solid waste disposal in
1991

when the private waste-to-energy plant is completed in Okahumpka.Æ(#

ÆÃ

ÃColeman SiteÄ

Ä -Â108X

109

¤109ÂNo potable water servic**es or wastewater services** presently
exist near the

site. The City of Wildwood has proposed to furnish these services at a

high capital cost. It is recommended that the cost of providing these

services be discussed in the ongoing negotiations with the City and
Sumter

County.Æ(#

Æ -Â109X

110

¤110ÂAdequate electric power and telecommunication services can be
provided to

the site at no cost to the FBOP.Æ(#

Æ -Â110X

111

¤111ÂNo natural gas service is presently available in the area. It is

recommended that the FBOP investigate the use of propane should this
site

be chosen.Æ(#

Æ -Â111X

112

¤112ÂAdequate facilities are available for solid waste disposal.Æ(#

ÆÃ

ÃWithlacoochee SiteÄ

Ä -Â114X

115

¤115ÂNo potable water services or wastewater services presently exist
near the

site thagated over 3 to 5 acres of land next to the plant site. T*he
tr*eatment plant

has a design flow of 210,000 gallons per day (gpd) with an average daily
flow of 150,000 gpd and a peak

flow of 209,000 gpd.Æà.€

ÆÂ115Ð¤115€

115ÂThe existing wastewater services at the SCI are insufficient to
serve the needs of the FBOP. Expansion

of these facilities would be extremely expensive and impractical. The
FBOP would need to provide an

on-site wastewater treatment plant capable of handling the flows
generated by the FCC and also a spray

irrigation system to discharge the effluent. The approximate cost of
this on-site system is \$2.0

million.Æà.€

ÆÁ115¤115€

115Á8.Á115115Ø ­115ÁÃ

ÃSolid WasteÄ

ÄSolid waste disposal requirements and procedures are routinely
evaluated as part of site evaluations to

determine potential issues such as limited life spans of existing
landfill operations, exposure to hazardous

materials, impacts of groundwater contamination, etc., as
appropriate.The solid waste situation presented at each of the three
sites under study is as follows: -Â117Ð117€

117ÂÃ

ÃOkahumpka West SiteÄ

Ä\--The proposed site located in both Lake County and Sumter County
could afford the

FBOP the use of either the Lake County Landfill located in Astatula or
the Sumter County Landfill located

one mile southeast of I-75 on SR 470. Lake County has been informed by
the Florida Department of

Environmental Regulations (DER) that the County must take corrective
action on the existing landfill

and must move the refuse disposal operation to a new site. Contamination
from the landfill has been

detected moving downward and away from the site and the Florida Aquifer
lies approximately 250 feet below

the ground surface with no confining layers of materials between the
bottom of the landfill and the

aquifer. New sites are presently being investigated and th*e Boar*d of
Commissioners has contracted to

provide the necessary solid waste t*o support a p*rivate waste-to-energy
plant now being constructed in

t*he Oka*humpka area. This facility should be operationn takeover
elections were held for the community representatives at the district
level. In connection with current rehabilitation efforts, districts
(*shuras*) have been formed and representatives from the *shuras*
combine to form an informal council which meets regularly at the
municipal level.

**4.3.2 Energy Considerations**

The World Bank reports that the vast majority of the Afghan population
relies on traditional household fuels (wood, bushes, crop residues and
animal waste) for its energy needs. There are reports of
over-exploitation of forestry resources and non-sustainable production
and use of fuel wood leading to deforestation and severe environmental
degradation in many areas.[^17]

Afghanistan's energy situation is reported as follows:

-   [Electrical Supply & Demand.]{.underline} The year 2000 electrical
    capacity was estimated as 375 million kWh, most of which (64
    percent) was supplied by hydro facilities and the remainder (36
    percent) by fossil fuel plants. Demand exceeded supply and the
    country imported 105 million kWh.[^18] Only about four percent of
    the population is reported to have access to electricity - mainly in
    the urban areas. [^19] In Kabul about half of the consumers are
    provided with electricity on alternate days.

-   [Energy Resources.]{.underline} The Soviets estimated Afghanistan\'s
    proven and probable natural gas reserves at up to five trillion
    cubic feet (Tcf) in the 1970s. At its peak in the late 1970s,
    Afghanistan supplied 70-90 percent of its natural gas output to the
    Soviet Union\'s natural gas grid via a link through Uzbekistan.
    Besides oil and natural gas, Afghanistan is estimated to have 73
    million tons of coal reserves, most of which is located in the
    region between Herat and Badashkan in the northern part of the
    country. Although Afghanistan produced over 100,000 short tons of
    coal annually as late as the early 1990s, as of 1999, the country
    was producing only around 1,000 short tons.[^20] The World Bank
    reports that two producing gas fields are continuing to produce in
    the north. The current gas production is about 550,000 cubic meters
    per day, which is one-fourth of the production in the 1980s. Seventy
    percent of current production is reported to be used in a fertilizer
    factory and power plane. Transmission and distribution pipelines
    have corroded and about 30 percent of the gas is lost due to
    leakage. The existing coalmines are hardly operable.[^21] No gas
    pipelines are known to exist in the Project Area.

-   [Petroleum Products]{.underline}. Afghanistan has significant oil
    and gas resources. Petroleum products such as diesel, gasoline, and
    jet fuel are imported, mainly from Pakistan and Turkmenistan. A
    small storage and distribution facility are reported to exist in
    Jalalabad on the highway between Kabul and Peshawar, Pakistan.
    Turkmenistan is also reported to have a petroleum product storage
    and distribution facility at Tagtabazar near the Afghan border,
    which supplies northwestern Afghanistan.[^22] World Bank reports
    indicate that local officials envision the development of the
    country's considerable hydrocarbon potential to supply the needs of
    the domestic market, to export and to generate revenue.[^23]

**4.3.3 Use of Natural/Depletable Resources**

Rehabilitation of the Kabul-Kandahar Road will require the use of
certain natural resources and will facilitate the transport of others
for use elsewhere. The most economically significant of the available
resources in Afghanistan are identified as natural gas, petroleum, coal,
copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt,
precious and semiprecious stones.[^24] The country is also well supplied
with rock, sand and other quarried construction materials as required
for the proposed road rehabilitation. (Natural gas, coal and other
energy-related resources are discussed under the heading of Energy &
Conservation as part of **Item 4.3.2** above.) The World Bank notes that
ineffective legislation and weak public sector institutions limit the
ability of the central government to exert control over mineral
resources and to mobilize investments for their development.
Semi-precious gem stones and industrial minerals are being inefficiently
mined, but detailed information is not available.[^25]

Within the Project Area, published sources indicate areas of mineral
resources established by drilling along most of the Project Area
including iron ore, chromium, gold, limestone, marbles, sand and gravel.
[^26]

**4.3.4 Urban Quality/Design of the Built Environment**

The Project passes through three significant urban areas which may be
briefly described as follows:

-   **Kabul**, capital of the country and Kabul Province, is on the
    Kabul River at an elevation of about 1,800 meters above msl (about
    5,900 feet), making it one of the highest capital cities in the
    World. The city houses a population of approximately one million
    people and is the nation\'s chief economic and cultural center. It
    has long been of strategic importance because of its proximity to
    the Khyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kabul rose to
    prominence in 1504, when it was made the capital of the Mogul Empire
    by the conqueror Babur. Delhi replaced it as the imperial capital in
    1526, but Kabul remained an important Mogul center until it was
    captured, in 1738, by the Persian ruler Nadir Shah. In 1747 Kabul
    became part of an independent Afghan state, and in the 1770s it
    replaced Kandahar as the capital of Afghanistan. It was a focus of
    British, Persian, and Russian rivalry for control of the Khyber Pass
    in the 19th century, when it was twice occupied (1839-1842 and
    1879-1880) by British troops. The city grew as an industrial center
    after 1940.

> Kabul was occupied by troops of the Union of Soviet Socialist
> Republics (USSR) in 1979; the USSR withdrew from Afghanistan on 15
> February 1989. Over 50,000 people lost their lives during the
> Mujahideen infightings on the streets of Kabul in 1992-1996 period.
> The city was under the control of the Taliban government from 1996 to
> 2001. The Northern Alliance took over the city as the Taliban withdrew
> from Kabul and retreated southwards. No data is currently in hand
> indicating the city's growth trends, but the diminishing arable land
> for urban use has been noted as an issue.

-   **Ghazni** (approximately 134 kilometers south of Kabul) lies beside
    the Ghazni River on a high plateau (elevation of 2,225 meters above
    msl) on the Lora River. It is Afghanistan\'s only remaining walled
    town and is dominated by a 45-meter high citadel built in the 13th
    century. It is the capital of Ghazni province with a population of
    35,900 and a market center for sheep, wool, camelhair cloth, corn,
    and fruit. The famed Afghan sheepskin coats are made in the city.
    Ghazni\'s major fortress was taken by the British in 1839 and 1842
    during the Afghan Wars and it became a strategic military target
    during the Russian-Afghan War. Ghazni is now a significant
    commercial and industrial center, dealing mainly in livestock, furs,
    silk, and agricultural products. No data is currently in hand
    indicating the city's growth trends, but the diminishing arable land
    for urban use has been noted as an issue.

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-   **Kandahar** had an estimated 1990 population of 237,500 persons. It
    is considered the birthplace and first capital of modern
    Afghanistan, founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747, and is today the
    second largest city of Afghanistan. The city is located on a broad,
    irrigated plain and is a commercial center for a fruit-growing and
    sheep-raising region. Industries housed in and around the city
    include fruit-processing plants and textile mills. Trade in hides,
    tobacco, textiles, and carpets are also important are also important
    to the economic life of the city. No data is currently in hand
    indicating the city's growth trends, but the diminishing arable land
    for urban use has been noted as an issue.

The World Bank reports that due to the war conditions, urban
infrastructure failed to match the increasing demands and deteriorated
due to a lack of maintenance and war-related destruction. Public
buildings are reported to have been looted of tools and equipment.
Approximately 25 percent of urban housing was reported as seriously
damaged or destroyed as of May 2002 and approximately 40 percent of
housing units are reported to be located in unplanned areas.[^27] Urban
management capacity has been severely undermined. Urban water supply and
sanitation, solid waste management and storm water drainage facilities
are in need of urgent repair. Access to adequate and safe water and
sanitation facilities is limited, although in some areas NGOs and
communities have improved conditions. Currently an estimated 23 percent
of the population has access to safe water, although this masks the wide
differences among the provinces and districts. Coverage is poor. Less
than 20 percent of Kabul's population has access to piped water and many
provincial and secondary towns have no networked services. Many urban
families lack access to safe sanitation. Water borne diseases are a
major cause of the prevailing high infant and mortality rates. The World
Bank reports that in 1997, sanitation coverage was estimated to be 23
percent the urban population (versus eight percent of the rural
population).[^28]

It is anticipated that the municipalities will assume major
responsibility for reconstruction of the urban environment in close
collaboration with residents. Investments in private facilities such as
houses are likely to be the responsibility of families and NGOs rather
than government programs. Public infrastructure (urban roads,
sanitation, public parks, etc.) will be the responsibility of
municipalities and carried out through local contractors or labor-based
contracts. Flexible urban planning to facilitate appropriate development
of housing and municipal services is noted as a priority need.[^29]

**4.3.5 Historic and Cultural Resources**

Historic and cultural resources include monuments, structures, works of
art, the sites of outstanding universal value from historical,
aesthetic, scientific ethnological and/or anthropological points of
view, including unrecorded graveyards and burial sites. Afghanistan is
rich in historic and cultural resources. The responsibility for
preservation, maintenance and assessment of historical and cultural
monuments in Afghanistan rests with the Archaeological Committee under
the Ministry of Information and Culture (MOIC).

Within the Project Area, the most significant aboveground cultural
resources are located within the urban areas. None are known to be
susceptible to impacts as a result of the Proposed Action, but there is
not known to be an available inventory of such resources and situation
is not well documented. The Ghazni area is noted as an area with a high
potential for archaeological resources and the possibility for
archaeological resources exists in other provinces as well.

**4.3.6 Reuse and Conservation Opportunities**

Portions of the existing roadway will require stripping to the sub-base
and reconstruction of the roadway. The stripped material may provide an
opportunity for recycling in the reconstruction process.

**4.4 ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS**

**NOTED FOR CONSIDERATION**

**4.4.1 Socio-Economic Considerations**

Economic considerations in Afghanistan have been overshadowed by
political and military upheavals during two decades of war. Gross
domestic product fell substantially because of the loss of labor and
capital and the disruption of trade and transport. Severe drought added
to the nation\'s difficulties in 1998-2001. The majority of the
population continues to suffer from insufficient food, clothing,
housing, and medical care, problems exacerbated by military operations
and political uncertainties. Inflation remains a serious problem.
Following the US-led coalition war that led to the defeat of the Taliban
in November 2001 and the formulation of the Afghan Interim Authority
(AIA) resulting from the December 2001 Bonn Agreement, international
efforts to rebuild Afghanistan were addressed at the Tokyo Donors
Conference for Afghan Reconstruction in January 2002 resulting in the
creation of a trust fund to be administered by the World Bank. Priority
areas for reconstruction include the construction of education, health,
and sanitation facilities, enhancement of administrative capacity, the
development of the agricultural sector, and the rebuilding of road,
energy, and telecommunication links.

As of 1990, approximately 80 percent of Afghanistan's 10 million-person
labor force was employed in agriculture, ten percent in the service
sector and ten percent in industry. Industries are generally small-scale
production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, and cement;
hand-woven carpets; natural gas, coal, and copper.[^30] No economic data
is known to be available for the four provinces through which
Kabul-Kandahar road passes. It is notable, however, that it passes
through the country's two largest urban centers.

**4.4.2 Public Health**

Access to adequate and safe water and sanitation facilities is limited.
It is estimated that 23 percent of the population has access to safe
water. Many provincial and secondary towns have no networked services.
Water borne diseases are a major cause of the prevailing high infant and
mortality rates. Approximately 85,000 children under the age of five die
annually from diarrheal diseases. As noted above, few residential or
public buildings in Afghan cities have sewerage facilities and those
that do discharge their wastewater directly into rivers without
treatment. The World Bank reports that in 1997, sanitation coverage was
estimated to be 23 percent of the urban population (versus eight percent
of the rural population).[^31]

Although public health facilities and services in Afghanistan suffered
due to civil unrest and severe economic problems, the Kabul-Kandahar
Road provides one of the main access routes to such health care
facilities as are available for the population within the potentially
affected area. In addition to the lack of access to safe water and the
lack of sanitary waste disposal practices in the Project Area, poor air
quality due to factors directly attributable to the condition of the
Project Road constitute a significant public health issue.

**4.4.3 Safety**

Safety issues related to civil unrest and crime are major concerns in
the Project Area as they are in the rest of the country. In terms of
traffic safety, traffic volumes are light and current road conditions
largely preclude excessive speeds. Non-motorized traffic (NMT) is
encountered in some areas, most frequently in the agricultural areas,
but is also relatively light at present.

**4.4.4 Gender & Disabled Persons Issues**

The terms of reference for REFS specifically note that "*all projects
will take into consideration gender issues and accessibility for
disabled persons*".[^32]

It has been noted that the last twenty years of social upheaval have
greatly affected the overall gender situation in Afghanistan, resulting
in very restrictive policies vis-à-vis women's participation in public
life, access to education, other services and employment opportunities.
Women and girls were effectively excluded from any participation in
public life during the Taliban regime. With the replacement of the
Taliban regime, women have regained the right to education, employment
opportunities and services, but the prevailing social norms are still
very conservative and restrictive regarding women's participation in the
national development effort. There are huge differences between Kabul
and the much smaller secondary cities and the rural areas. There are
also considerable regional differences with the more restrictive and
conservative south and southeastern parts of the country, and the
western and northern areas. There are also reported to be great
differences between returning refugees and those who remained in the
country.[^33] No legislation in regard to discrimination against, or
incentives for, the employment of the disabled is known to be in place
in Afghanistan.

**4.4.5 Noise**

Ambient noise levels in the Project Area are relatively low, even in the
more urbanized areas. Field investigations did not reveal the presence
of "sensitive receptors", i.e., recipients of sound for whom exposures
to excessive sound levels are detrimental - hospitals, for example -- in
proximity to the Project Road.

**4.4.6 Other Infrastructure Systems**

The formal infrastructure sector in Afghanistan is largely owned and
operated through centralized ministries with some operational and
production functions delegated to government enterprises. The reach of
formal services, however, is very limited. In the urban water supply and
sanitation sectors there is reported to be substantial private
participation in service deliveries mainly through communities, NGOs and
UN agencies. In rural areas NGOs and communities have been and are
likely to remain the core providers of infrastructure services.

[Water Supply Systems]{.underline}. Piped water supply systems exist
only in urban areas and are in need of urgent repair. Coverage is poor.
Less than 20 percent of Kabul's population has access to piped water and
many provincial and secondary towns have no networked services.[^34] No
piped water supply systems are known to be within the potential direct
impact area.

[Wastewater Collection Systems.]{.underline} Virtually no rural areas
and few residential or public buildings in Afghan cities have networked
wastewater collection sewerage facilities and those that do discharge
their wastewater directly into rivers without treatment. The World Bank
reports that in 1997, sanitation coverage was estimated to be 23 percent
of the urban population (versus eight percent of the rural
population).[^35] No piped wastewater collection systems are known to be
within the potential direct impact area.

[Electrical Systems]{.underline}. Above ground electrical connections
are evident within settlement areas. No underground systems are known to
exist within the potential impact area.

[Irrigation Systems]{.underline}. Portions of the Project Area are
irrigated. Such systems appear to be highly localized and accommodated
by the Project Road's existing (albeit ill maintained) drainage
structures.

**END NOTES -- SECTION 4.0**

[^1]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995.

[^2]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page VII.

[^3]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page 20.

[^4]: ^?^ Asian Development Bank, Afghanistan Country Strategy Paper.

[^5]: ^?^ Afghanistan Civil Infrastructure Assessment, Final Report to
    USAID/Afghanistan, 20 August 2002, page 274.

[^6]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    pages 9-11.

[^7]: ^?^ Original estimate supplied by the Afghanistan Civil
    Infrastructure Assessment, Final Report to USAID/Afghanistan, 20
    August 2002. Revised estimate by Jim Myers, Kabul 16 November 2002.

[^8]: ^?^ Lonely Planet

[^9]: ^?^ REFS Contract, page C-8.

[^10]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page VII.

[^11]: ^?^ Lonely Planet

[^12]: ^?^ Asian Development Bank, Afghanistan Country Strategy Paper.

[^13]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page 12.

[^14]: ^?^ National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page VII.

[^15]: ^?^ World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, Annex V, Attachment 1, page 46 with additional information
    supplied by Koen Tooner, UN Environmental Project (Telephone: 070n
    276-431), Kabul, interviewed 18 November 2002.

[^16]: ^?^ CIA Profile

[^17]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 8, page 2.

[^18]: CIA Profile

[^19]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 8, page 2.

[^20]: EIA.DOE.Gov Web Site

[^21]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 9, page 2.

[^22]: EIA.DOE.Gov Web Site

[^23]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 19, page 4.

[^24]: CIA Profile

[^25]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 9, page 2.

[^26]: National Atlas of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,
    Organization for Surveying and Cartography and GEOKART Poland, 1995,
    page 15.

[^27]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 7, page 2.

[^28]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 7, page 2.

[^29]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 16, page 4.

[^30]: CIA Profile

[^31]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 7, page 2.

[^32]: REFS Contract, Section C, Item B, page C-2.

[^33]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 79, page 15.

[^34]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 7, page 2.

[^35]: World Bank, Technical Annex for a Proposed Grant... to
    Afghanistan for an Emergency Infrastructure Reconstruction Project,
    May 2002, paragraph 7, page 2.