PRIORITIZED ROAD INVESTMENT AND
MANAGEMENT ENHANCEMENTS (PRIME)PROJECTAnd
STRATEGIC CLIMATE-ORIENTED ROAD
ENHANCMENTS (SCORE)
Federated States of Micronesia
BASELINE RESOURCE REPORT

Prepared forWith Funding from

November 2021

Federated States of Micronesia PRIME-SCORE Project
Baseline Resource Report

CONTENTS
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.1

ESA Overview .................................................................................................................... 1

1.2

Project Background and Rationale...................................................................................... 1

1.3

This Report ........................................................................................................................ 2

Federated States of Micronesia .......................................................................................5
2.1

Physical Environment ......................................................................................................... 5

2.2

Biological Resources .........................................................................................................10

2.3

Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................................................15

Kosrae ............................................................................................................................. 36
3.1

Physical Environment ........................................................................................................36

3.2

Biological Environment ......................................................................................................39

3.3

Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................................................47

3.4

Primary Data Collection .....................................................................................................55

Pohnpei ........................................................................................................................... 58
4.1

Physical Environment ........................................................................................................58

4.2

Ecology .............................................................................................................................62

4.3

Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................................................68

4.4

Primary Data Collection .....................................................................................................74

Chuuk .............................................................................................................................. 77
5.1

Physical Environment ........................................................................................................77

5.2

Ecology .............................................................................................................................79

5.3

Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................................................80

5.4

Primary Data Collection .....................................................................................................85

Yap .................................................................................................................................. 88
6.1

Physical Environment ........................................................................................................88

6.2

Ecology .............................................................................................................................90

6.3

Socio-Economic Environment ............................................................................................98

6.4

Primary Data Collection ................................................................................................... 102

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Baseline Resource Report

7.

References .................................................................................................................... 105

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Baseline Resource Report

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1-1: Project Area of Influence (AOI) delineations and conditions ......................................... 3
Table 2-1: Projected changes in annual mean sea level rise for FSM (from ABM & CSIRO 2014) . 7
Table 2-2: General vegetation types of FSM high islands (in Ha) (from FSM 2001)......................11
Table 2-3: Approximate numbers of native and introduced species of plants in States of the FSM(from Fosberg et. al., 1979, 1982, 1987). .....................................................................................11
Table 2-4: Top invasive weed species within the FSM.................................................................12
Table 2-5: Categories of birds recorded from the four states of the FSM (after Engbring et al. 1990)...................................................................................................................................................13
Table 2-6: Cetacean Species likely passing through the FSM waters (from Miller, 2009). ............14
Table 2-7: Key mangrove species in FSM (from Stemmermann & Proby, 1978). .........................15
Table 2-8: Number and size of areas of biodiversity significance (ABS) by type and State (adaptedfrom TNC 2019) ..........................................................................................................................16
Table 2-9: FSM land ownership (Doran 2004) .............................................................................20
Table 2-10: Distribution of households by household head characteristics (FSM 2014)................21
Table 2-11: Household income by state 2013/14 (FSM 2014)......................................................22
Table 2-12: Household expenditure by State 2013/14 .................................................................23
Table 2-13: Occupational status of households 2013/14 .............................................................23
Table 2-14: Total wage and salary income by industry 2013/14 ...................................................24
Table 2-15: National Projected population based on 2010 Census and HIES survey (for 2010/2021)...................................................................................................................................................25
Table 2-16: Demographic information for FSM (source 2010 census). .........................................26
Table 2-17: Major water systems in FSM (from SPREP 2019). ....................................................32
Table 2-18: Production Capability of Operational Wells. ..............................................................32
Table 2-19: Overview of waste management infrastructure in FSM .............................................33
Table 2-20: Noise data for the Pohnpei Port Development Project (from ADB 2013) ....................33
Table 2-21: Human response guidelines for vibration effects (from British Standard BS 5228-2:2009)...................................................................................................................................................34
Table 2-22: Relevant WHO air quality guideline concentrations for key parameters .....................35
Table 3-1: Key climate statistics for Kosrae including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) ............36
Table 3-2: Types of plant communities in Kosrae ........................................................................39
Table 3-3: Threatened or near threated flora species of Kosrae (Falanruw 2002 & IUCN 2018) ...41
Table 3-4: Endemic plant species specific to Kosrae (Costion & Lorence 2012)...........................41

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Table 3-5: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Kosrae (Birdlife International 2018, IUCN 2018)...................................................................................................................................................42
Table 3-6: Threatened mammals of Kosrae (IUCN 2018) ............................................................42
Table 3-7: Restricted-range and threatened reptiles of Kosrae (IUCN 2018) ................................42
Table 3-8: Threatened fishes of Kosrae (IUCN 2018) ..................................................................43
Table 3-9: Protected areas of Kosrae .........................................................................................46
Table 3-10: Demographic information for FSM (source 2010 census) ..........................................49
Table 3-11: Heritage sites listed on the US National Register of Historic Places ..........................52
Table 4-1: Key climate statistics for Pohnpei including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) ..........58
Table 5-1: Key climate statistics for Chuuk including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) .............77
Table 6-1: Key climate statistics for Chuuk including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) .............88
Table 6-2: General vegetation / habitat types on Yap ..................................................................91
Table 6-3: Approximate number (and % of total) of native and introduced flora species in Yap. ...92
Table 6-4: Threatened or near threated flora species of Yap. ......................................................93
Table 6-5: Endemic plant species of Yap. ...................................................................................93
Table 6-6: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Yap (BirdLife International, 2018, IUCN, 2018).
...................................................................................................................................................94
Table 6-7: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Yap (cont.) ...................................................94
Table 6-8: Threatened mammals of Yap (IUCN, 2018). ................................................................96
Table 6-9: Restricted-range and threatened reptiles of Yap (IUCN, 2018). ..................................96
Table 6-10: Threatened fishes of Yap (Pippard 2012). ................................................................96
Table 6-11: Heritage sites listed on the US National Register of Historic Places (USG 2018)..... 101
Table A-1: Identification of information outlined in the Gap Analysis .......................................... 112

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2-1: Location of FSM States: Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap ........................................ 5
Figure 2-2: Historical & simulated mean annual surface air temperature – FSM West (from ABM &CSIRO 2014) ............................................................................................................................... 7
Figure 2-3: Epicentres of earthquakes in the west Pacific Islands region (Rong et. al. 2012) ........ 8
Figure 2-4:

Peak horizontal ground acceleration calculated for FSM (Note: 1g is equal to theacceleration of gravity) (Rong et. al. 2012). ................................................................................... 9
Figure 2-5: Map of FSM Ecoregions (TNC 2003).........................................................................10
Figure 2-6: Household expenditure 2013/14................................................................................22

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Figure 2-7: Typical noise levels and sources (Source: http://800nonoise.com/tutorials/generator-setnoise-solutions/) ..........................................................................................................................34
Figure 3-1: Distribution of highly erodible soils (from Takesy 2014) .............................................37
Figure 3-2: Digital Elevation Model with Important Watersheds of Kosrae (from FSM 2010) ........37
Figure 3-3: Key locations and types of coastal change likely to be experienced (left) and where
coastal inundation issues are expected to increase (right) on Kosrae ...........................................38
Figure 3-4: Location of key terrestrial habitat classes in Kosrae ..................................................40
Figure 3-5: Location of key terrestrial habitat classes in Kosrae (from Weeks 2019) ....................44
Figure 3-6: Existing and proposed protected areas (from TNC 2019) ..........................................46
Figure 3-7: Areas of Biological Significance in Kosrae (from TNC 2019) ......................................46
Figure 3-8: Incidence of targeted invasive species in Kosrae (U.S. FS and the FSM (2010) .........47
Figure 3-9: Urban areas in Kosrae ..............................................................................................50
Figure 3-10: Locations of moorings in Kosrae indicating key dive sites ........................................51
Figure 3-11: Locations of historic sites in Kosrae ........................................................................52
Figure 3-12: Quarry site locations in Kosrae ...............................................................................53
Figure 3-13: Images showing infrastructure at Puk quarry ...........................................................53
Figure 3-14: Location of existing seawalls in Kosrae ...................................................................54
Figure 3-15: Images showing (a-f) PRIME (g-h) SCORE key assets located in close proximity to theroads on Kosrae. .........................................................................................................................56
Figure 3-16: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors – Kosrae ........57
Figure 4-1: The distribution of the key soil types in Pohnpei ........................................................59
Figure 4-2: The distribution of the general water resources in Pohnpei ........................................60
Figure 4-3: The distribution of water courses in Pohnpei .............................................................60
Figure 4-4: Areas of flood risk in Pohnpei ...................................................................................61
Figure 4-5: Erosion hazard areas in Pohnpei ..............................................................................62
Figure 4-6: Distribution of vegetation types in Pohnpei ................................................................63
Figure 4-7: Key marine ecological features in Pohnpei ................................................................64
Figure 4-8: Distribution of seagrass beds in Pohnpei...................................................................65
Figure 4-9: Distribution of reef zones in Pohnpei .........................................................................66
Figure 4-10: Pohnpei existing and proposed protected areas (from Weeks, 2015) .......................67
Figure 4-11: Pohnpei existing and proposed protected areas (from Weeks 2015) ........................67
Figure 4-12: Areas of Biodiversity Significance in Pohnpei ..........................................................68
Figure 4-13: Location of bridges and causeways in Pohnpei .......................................................71

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Figure 4-14: Location of wastewater assets in Pohnpei ...............................................................72
Figure 4-15: Location of sewer lines in Pohnpei ..........................................................................72
Figure 4-16: Location of potable water lines in Pohnpei ..............................................................73
Figure 4-17: Map showing coastal coral ‘quarries’ .......................................................................74
Figure 4-18: Images of quarry sites on Pohnpei ..........................................................................74
Figure 4-19: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors - Pohnpei .......75
Figure 4-20: Images showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets located in close
proximity to the roads on Pohnpei. ...............................................................................................76
Figure 5-1: Coastal stability areas in Chuuk ................................................................................79
Figure 5-2: Chuuk conservation areas (FSM 2010) .....................................................................80
Figure 5-3: Extent of CPUC Water Supply Network (from IEE, 2020)...........................................83
Figure 5-4: Schematic Layout of Sewerage System (from IEE, 2020) ..........................................84
Figure 5-5: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors - Chuuk ...........86
Figure 5-6: Images of Chuuk showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets identified
during the road corridor on Chuuk assessment. ...........................................................................87
Figure 6-1: Soil types (left) and watersheds & wetlands (right) of Yap (IEE, 2019) .......................89
Figure 6-2: Vegetation map of Yap Islands (FSM 2010) ..............................................................92
Figure 6-3: Areas of native forest including mangroves (in blue) and terrestrial forests including
disturbed forests (left) and areas of relatively intact native forest (right) (from FSM, 2010). ..........92
Figure 6-4: Protected areas in Yap Island (Weeks, 2016) ............................................................97
Figure 6-5: Areas of biodiversity significance in Yap (TNC, 2002) ...............................................98
Figure 6-6: Disused quarry site in Yap. .....................................................................................102
Figure 6-7: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors – Yap............. 103
Figure 6-8: Images showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets located in close
proximity to the roads on Yap. ................................................................................................... 104

APPENDICES
Appendix A

Gap Analysis Table

Appendix B

Detailed Asset Maps

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ABBREVIATIONSABS

Areas of Biodiversity Significance

AOI

Area of Interest

CEDAW

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

CIU

Central Implementation Unit - DOFAcm

CentimetresCOM

College of Micronesia

DHSA

Department of Health and Social Affairs

DOFA

Department of Finance and Administration

DoTC&I

Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure

EEZ

Exclusive Economic ZoneENSO

El Nino Southern Oscillation

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

E&S

Environmental and Social

ESA

Environmental and Social Assessment

ESF

Environmental and Social Framework – World Bank

ESMF

Environmental and Social Management Framework

ESS

Environmental and Social Standards – World Bank

EWS

Economic Social Wealth

FSM

Federated States of Micronesia

GBV

Gender Based ViolenceGDP

Gross Domestic Product

GIS

Geographic Information Systems

GoFSM

Government of FSM

haHectares

HIES

Household Income and Expenditure Survey

HT

Human Trafficking

IHE

Institute of Higher Education

KIRMA

Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority

Km

Kilometers

MDG

Millennium Development Goal

NCD

Non-Communicable Disease

NDOE

National Department of EducationNGO

Non-Government Organisation

NRCS

Natural Resources Conservation Services

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ODA

Overseas Development Assistance

PMA

Protected Managed Areas

PRIME

Prioritized Road Investment and Management Enhancement Project

SCORE

Strategic Climate-Oriented Road Enhancement Project

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal

SEA

Sexual Exploitation and AbuseSH

Sexual Harassment

SOP

Standard Operational Procedures

US

United States of America

USDA

United States of America Department of Agriculture

UXO

Unexploded Ordnance

VET

Vocational Education and Training

WB

World BankWHOWorld Health Organisation

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1.

Introduction

1.1

Environment and Social Assessment Overview
The Government of Federated States of Micronesia (GoFSM) has applied for financing
from the World Bank (WB) for the Prioritised Road Investment and Management
Enhancement (PRIME) and Strategic Climate-Oriented Road Enhancements (SCORE)
Projects to improve the climate resilience of FSM’s road network,
Part of the PRIME and SCORE Projects includes the assessment of environmental andsocial risks including:(i)

Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA);(ii) Preparation of environmental and social instruments in accordance with the WB
Environmental and Social Framework (ESF);(iii) Support stakeholder consultation activities; and(iv) Provision of technical environmental and social advice as required to the GoFSM as
part of project preparation.
The GoFSM through the Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure(DoTC&I) with assistance from the FSM Department of Financial Administration (DoFA)
Central Implementation Unit’s (CIU) safeguard team and external consultants has
undertaken the preparation of the instruments required for WB appraisal including
development of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF)
incorporating both PRIME and SCORE Projects. In addition, an environmental baseline
report was prepared as part of the PRIME project as a supporting document to the PRIME
ESMF.
The PRIME ESMF including the baseline assessment report project preparation wasundertaken in 2020 and appraised by the bank in early 2021, whilst SCORE project
preparations were undertaken in late 2021 to be submitted to the WB for appraisal andsubsequent disclosure in early 2022. As both projects are associated with primary andsecondary strategically important road network in the FSM which are intrinsically linked, it
was jointly agreed by the GoFSM and the WB to combine the projects safeguard
instruments and as such a combined PRIME and SCORE ESMF and baseline
environmental report have been developed. The rationale supporting this conclusion
centered around the benefits in time and costs of a single set of instruments for bothprojects decreasing the work requirements and related costs for DoTC&I, CIU andstakeholders to manage the projects respective components separately. This document(herein) has been updated to reflect both PRIME and SCORE project baseline
environmental data and as such the combined bassline report supersedes the original
PRIME only baseline report.

1.2

Project Background and Rationale
The Prioritized Road Investment and Management Enhancements (PRIME) and Strategic
Climate-Oriented Road Enhancements (SCORE) Projects will provide funds for technicalassistance and institutional strengthening to improve the management of the road networkin relation to potential climate change impacts for the FSM. PRIME will focus on the priority
road networks whilst SCORE will focus on strategic priority secondary roads in each state.
In addition, the Projects will fund the feasibility, design and construction of physical works

P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report1Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
Baseline Resource Reporton priority primary and secondary road assets to improve resilience to climate-related
hazards or events.
FSM faces significant challenges related to its small size, remoteness, geographicaldispersion, environmental fragility and sensitivity to external shocks. Climate projections
predict elevations in air temperature, frequency of days of extreme, increased rainfall andrising sea levels. Sea level rise combined with natural year-to-year changes will accentuate
the impact of storm surges and coastal flooding.
FSM’s transport network is of critical importance to the country’s economy and economic
development through supporting trade and promoting commercial activity by facilitating the
movement of goods and services, and providing safe and efficient access to social services
including schools and health facilities. Critical climate resilient road, bridge and/or
drainage improvement works to be implemented urgently to maintain a basic level of landtransport connectivity in each state will be identified as part of the Projects. The extent ofthese works for both projects are described and shown in the projects ESMF.
While some initial road works have been identified as requiring urgent works (refer
Component 2 of each project), the design of the required works has not yet been
undertaken and the full extent of impacts are not yet known. The additional works that will
form the PRIME and SCORE Projects will be identified as part of the Vulnerability
Assessment (VA) and Climate Resilient Road Strategy (CRRS) studies funded under the
PRIME project. As part of these studies a multi-criteria assessment will be undertaken toprioritize the urgency of works and works that will be funded by the projects. Environmental
and social risk screening will be part of the multi-criteria analysis
In general, there is only one primary, circumferential route on each of the four main FSM
Island states. In addition, most of the population in FSM lives close to the coast, and criticalinfrastructure including roads, schools, places of employment, port facilities, tourist
facilities, power plants and airports, are located primarily in the coastal zone.

1.3

This Report

1.3.1

Background
This combined PRIME-SCORE Baseline Resource Report presents a compilation of theecological resource (terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitat) and socio-economic
information and data available for the FSM States acquired from primary and secondary
sources. Locally based sub-consultants in each State have been used to collect primarysource information though field survey under the direction of the CIU environmental teamwith assistance from external international environmental and social specialist.
Initially, an analysis of available information was undertaken1 where gaps in information
were identified to focus the baseline data collection phase of the PRIME Project. This
information was used for both projects to develop this report. Appendix A identifies where
gaps in this baseline data still remain.
This baseline resources information will be used to assist with screening proposed
activities to be funded under the PRIME and SCORE Projects in terms of Environmental
and Social (E&S) risk management.

1 Gap Analysis Report. Prioritized Road Investment and Management Enhancements (PRIME) Project (P172225).

Federated States of Micronesia. August 2020.
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1.3.2

Project Area of Influence
The initial description of both Project’s Area of Influence (AOI) is based on the definition
provided in the Guidance Note to ESS1, to which the Project is to comply. Specifically, this
Guidance note states that:“….Where the project involves specifically identified physical elements, aspects, andfacilities that are likely to generate impacts, the collection and analysis of environmental
and social baseline information and data, at an appropriate level of detail for the project,
are essential to define the project’s area of influence and describe relevant physical,
biological, ecological, socioeconomic, health, and labor conditions, including any changes
anticipated to occur in the foreseeable future (including projected variability in climatic andenvironmental conditions due to potentially significant climate change or that would require
adaptation measures that could occur over the life of the project), along with current andproposed development activities within the general project area but not directly connectedto the project to be financed…..”
The area considered for assessment of baseline conditions (the Project “Area of Influence”
or “AOI”) consists of the:Road corridor adjacent to the ‘PRIME and SCORE Roads’ (and works where it is abridge, causeway, etc) and immediate adjacent environment either side of the roadalignment;Road users as well as communities, sensitive receptors and sites of cultural/heritage
significance connected to and adjacent to the PRIME and SCORE roads;

Any temporary structures (such as bridges, causeway replacement structure, etc);

Receiving environment downstream (and upstream when considering fish passage)
if the works are a bridge (or causeway) or works are related to drainage, culverts
etc;Contractors yards, lay down or stockpile areas and any other works related facilities;and

Quarry locations and immediate surrounds.

Table 1-1 outlines the guidelines that have been followed to determine the AOI for the
PRIME and SCORE Projects which is based on a precautionary approach. All PRIME and
SCORE project data was obtained by desktop study and field survey conducted between
July and October 2020 and October 2021, respectively.
Table 1-1: Project Area of Influence (AOI) delineations and conditions

Environment

Project AOILocal villages / communities

Adjacent to PRIME and SCORE Road alignments and works locations.
Connected to and by the PRIME and SCORE road network.

Road users (motorists, cyclists,
pedestrians and other modes oftransport).

Users of the road that may have access or transportation restrictions fromthe works if they are not adequately managed.
Users that will benefit from improved infrastructure.

Important species and ecologicalhabitat.

Sensitive ecological areas in close proximity to the PRIME and SCORE
road alignments and works locations potentially receiving runoff during
construction / operation.

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Environment
Streams & inshore(adjacent to coastline).

Project AOI
watersAssuming a precautionary approach, an area directly adjacent to the
PRIME and SCORE road alignments and works locations potentially
receiving stormwater runoff during construction / operation.

The AOI extent considered in the project combined ESMF is broader than the area in which
possible physical works/interventions will occur as Component 2 works for both PRIME
and SCORE projects will only be undertaken along small discrete section of the ‘primaryand secondary roads’ identified a part of the PRIME and SCORE Roads’. However, allroad users that rely on the road networks for work, education, markets, community andsocial connectivity will potentially be affected by, and benefit from both Projects
The broader AOI has been applied for the E&S baseline, impact and risk assessment in
the projects ESMF in order to ensure the process captures anticipated impacts.
Any site-specific environmental and social assessment to be prepared, if required, are todefine the AOI specifically for those works, based on the works footprint including all
ancillary components and potential impacts on environmental, economic and social
resources.

1.3.3

Methodology & Limitations
The following methodology was adopted to compile of baseline information provided in thisReport:Primary data collection including in country consultations with relevant
Government Departments/Agencies and NGOs, andSecondary data collection including internet searches of information repositories
and data requisition from relevant Government Departments / Agencies

All data was obtained by desktop study and field survey conducted between July andOctober 2020 (PRIME project) and October – November 2021 (SCORE project). Every
endeavour has been made to identify and refer to the most recent data available. However,some of the data is old and may be out of date.

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Baseline Resource Report2.

Federated States of Micronesia

2.1

Physical Environment

2.1.1

Location & Geography
FSM is located near the equator about 4,000 km southwest of the Hawaiian Islands in theWestern Pacific Ocean and within the Caroline Islands group. The largest nation in theMicronesian sub-region, FSM is made up of four semi-autonomous states (Kosrae,
Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap) (see Figure 2-1) located between Marshall Islands to the east,
Palau and the Philippines to the west and Guam north.

Figure 2-1: Location of FSM States: Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap
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FSM is made up of 607 islands scattered over an area of about 2.6 million km2, including
its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in the western Pacific Ocean. The total land area of
FSM is 704.6 km2, with 7,192 km2 of lagoon area. The islands vary from small islets, which
are inundated at high tide, to atolls and large volcanic islands with land area of more than
80 km2. Approximately 65 (approx. 10%) of the islands are inhabited.

2.1.2

ClimateGeneral
FSM has a tropical climate that varies with seasonality of rainfall influenced by the two
distinct ecoregions (see Section 2.2 for more detail). The climate is tropical marine withdaily temperatures ranging from about 24 to 29°C with little average variation throughout
the year (Wortel et al. 2003). Annual rainfall ranges from 304 cm for drier islands like Yap
to over 1,016 cm per year in the high mountains of Pohnpei and Kosrae. Humidity
averages over 80 per cent. Northeast trade winds prevail from about November to May
when conditions may be drier on western islands of the FSM.
The region is affected by storms and typhoons, which are generally more severe in thewestern islands and by periods of drought and excessive rainfall associated with the “ElNino” (ENSO) phenomena. In recent times, the droughts of 1982-1983 and 1997-1998
were especially severe.
The West Pacific Monsoon affects the western states of Chuuk and especially Yap morethan the eastern states of Pohnpei and Kosrae. It tends to be farther east during El Niño,
bringing higher rainfall, and in a more western position during La Niña, resulting in lessrainfall.
Climate Change
Long- term average rainfall in FSM is projected by almost all models to increase with agreater increase projected in May to October than in November to April rainfall (ABM &CSIRO 2013). However, annual variability is still the same or larger than the projectedchange even in the highest emission scenario in 2090. Between 1979 and 2006 mean
rainfall has increased in the western states of FSM but models do not project this willcontinue at this rate into the future. This indicates that the recent increase may be caused
partly by natural variability and not due to global warming.
Extreme temperatures for the western FSM states are projected to increase by 0.8 Degrees
Celsius (0C) by 2030 under the very high emissions scenario, and the frequency andintensity of extreme rainfall events are projected to increase by about 14 mm by 2030 in
the very high emissions scenario (Figure 2-2) (ABM & CSIRO 2014).
Satellite data indicates that sea level has risen in FSM by over 10 mm annually since 1993,
which is above the global average of 2.8- 3.6 mm per year. This higher rate of sea level
rise may be related to natural fluctuations that take place on a yearly or decadal basis
caused by phenomena such as the El Niño –Southern Oscillation. By 2030, under a very
high carbon dioxide emissions scenario, this rise in sea level is projected to be in the rangeof 41 – 90 cm (Table 2-1). Values represent the 90% of the range of model results andare relative to the period 1986-2005. The sea level rise combined with natural yearlychanges will accentuate the impact of storm surges and coastal flooding.

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Figure 2-2: Historical & simulated mean annual surface air temperature – FSM West (from ABM &CSIRO 2014)
Table 2-1: Projected changes in annual mean sea level rise for FSM (from ABM & CSIRO 2014)

2.1.3

Topography
The Islands of Kosrae, Yap, Chuuk and Pohnpei are known as ‘high’ islands, which are of
volcanic origin. Geologically, Kosrae in the east is the youngest island, and the islands
gradually become older as they move toward the western end of the Caroline island chain(USDA SCS 1982).
These islands range from islets barely above sea level – the majority of the islands - to thehigh islands – of which Pohnpei, which reaches 791 m above mean sea level (Nahnalaud),
and then Kosrae (Mt. Finkol at 635 m) and Chuuk (Mt. Uinipot on Tol Island at 443 m)
follow, in order (TNC 2002).
The unique forests of the high islands are known to protect watersheds and prevent
erosion.

2.1.4

Hydrogeology
Approximately 60% of water resources in FSM exist as surface water in the form of small,intermittent streams that drain catchment areas of limited aerial extent (Johnston 2011).

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The remaining 40% exist as groundwater in small, dispersed zones of sedimentarydeposits, weathered volcanic and schists.
Kosrae and Pohnpei have perennial stream flow and serve as invaluable, nearly infinite
resource as most of the water that does not run-off is absorbed through the soils and rockand sits as underground fresh water lenses in basalt caves created by earlier lava flows
and geologic formations.

2.1.5

Seismology & Earthquakes
Most of the islands in FSM are situated in a relatively quiet seismic area (e.g., Pohnpei islocated in a seismic Zone 1 as classified by the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands
Design Criteria 1970). The exception is Yap, which is situated close to the Pacific “ring offire” (Figure 2-3). These tectonic plate boundaries are extremely active seismic zones
capable of generating large earthquakes and, in some cases, major tsunamis that can
travel great distances.
While significantly damaging earthquakes have not been observed in recent times, FSM is
subject to large tsunamis, as evident by the large tsunami run-ups of 1837, 1849 and 1899,
which caused death and destruction in the Caroline Islands. Pohnpei island has not been
affected the serious damage by earthquake since 1971.

Figure 2-3: Epicentres of earthquakes in the west Pacific Islands region (Rong et. al. 2012)

Yap has a 40% chance in the next 50 years of experiencing, at least once, light to moderatelevels of ground movement (see Figure 2-4).
Moderate levels of ground movement are expected to cause minor damage to wellengineered buildings. Much lower levels of shaking are expected in the other main islandsof FSM. In terms of expected annual Economic-Social Wealth (EWS) loss risk due toearthquakes, FSM sits in the second lowest zone.

2.1.6

Oceanographic characteristics
Tides are semi-diurnal (2 tides a day) throughout the FSM with a strong diurnal inequality
and a maximum tidal variation of just over 1.5 m (meso-tidal) (Wolanski & Furukawa 2007).
Small seasonal and daily tidal fluctuations have been recorded related to sea conditions
associated with prevailing weather patterns.

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Storm systems impact tidal height and can cause increased coastal erosion whencoinciding with high water levels.

Figure 2-4: Peak horizontal ground acceleration calculated for FSM (Note: 1g is equal to theacceleration of gravity) (Rong et. al. 2012).

2.1.7

Unexploded Ordinance (UXO)
FSM has a significant World War II history. Although the risk of encountering a Unexploded
Ordinance (UXO) is considered low (significant programs have been undertaken to identify
and removed UXO through the FSM), due diligence and careful consideration will beneeded during Project works to ensure that the presence of UXO WW II munitions are
identified within the projects AOI and safety removed.

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2.2

Biological Resources

2.2.1

Biodiversity
The FSM consists of two ecoregions (see Figure 2-5) (Wortel et. al. 2003). The Yaptropical dry forest ecoregion is characterized by a monsoon-like climate with rainy seasonsfollowed by periods of drought. The dominant vegetation types are mixed broadleaf forest,
swamp, mangrove, savanna, and agroforests (Falanruw et. al.,1987). Vegetation maps
from 1976 aerial photos indicate that wild forests cover about 40% of the land area of Yap(including mixed broadleaf forest, swamp, and mangrove) (Falanruw et. al 1987).
Agroforests (tree gardens) cover another 26% of the land area, and about 22% of thevegetation is savanna.

Figure 2-5: Map of FSM Ecoregions (TNC 2003)

The other three States share the Caroline’s tropical moist forest ecoregion characterized
by heavy rainfall. Mixed broadleaf forests comprise the dominant vegetation type on thehigh volcanic islands. Historically, broadleaf forests almost completely covered these highislands, but people have since cleared or disturbed much of the lowland vegetation.
The islands of FSM are characterised by 12 terrestrial biomes including: atoll forest, littoral
beach strand, mangrove forest, swamp forest, freshwater marsh, riparian forest, freshwater
rivers and streams, grassland, secondary (agro) forest, primary forest, rain forest, andcrest (dwarf or montane cloud) forest. The country’s marine biomes include: mangrove
forest, estuaries, sea grass beds, lagoons, coral reefs and open ocean.
The biodiversity contained within these biomes is characterized by a high rate of endemism
and large numbers of species.

2.2.2

Terrestrial Flora
Vegetation Types
Table 2-2 presents a summary of general vegetation types found across the high islandsof FSM. Habitat sensitive to development disturbance as a proportion of total area ranges
from:

Mangrove - 7% (Chuuk) to 15.6% (Pohnpei)

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Baseline Resource ReportSwamp forest – 0% (Chuuk) to 0.8% (Kosrae)Upland forest – 16.2% (Chuuk) to 35.4% (Pohnpei)Marsh – 0% (Kosrae) to 5.6% (Chuuk)

Table 2-2: General vegetation types of FSM high islands (in Ha) (from FSM 2001)

Plant Species
Over 1,239 species of ferns and flowering plants have been described in the FSM.
Approximately 782 species are native, including about 145 species of ferns, 267 species
of monocots and 370 species of dicots (Falanruw, 2002). Table 2-3 presents approximate
numbers of native and introduced plant species by State.
Table 2-3: Approximate numbers of native and introduced species of plants in States of the FSM(from Fosberg et. al., 1979, 1982, 1987).

Over 457 species of plants, including many food plants have been introduced to the FSM
with the percentage of introduced plants varying between states (Zirkus, 2001). Some ofthese introduced species have become invasive pests that have spread out of control. The
spread of invasive species is a continual threat due to increased movement of people andmachinery between the islands. Table 2-4 presents a list of the key invasive weed species
in FSM (FSM, 2002).
A total of 364 vascular plant species that are considered endemic to Micronesia; most ofthem are restricted to the Caroline Islands (FSM and Palau) (Costion & Lorence, 2012).

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2.2.3

Terrestrial Fauna
FSM terrestrial ecosystems support unique avian, mammalian, reptilian and other species,
including:

119 species of birds (including 31 resident seabirds, 33 migratory shorebirds, 19
migratory land or wetland birds and five vagrant species). Several species oflizards have been introduced but thus far there has been no confirmed
introductions of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) which has decimated bird
populations in Guam. Table 2-5 presents numbers of by category for each State(Engbring et. al., 1990).



25 mammals (including six endemic species or subspecies of bats);

Over 27 species of reptiles (skinks, geckos, snakes) and amphibians (most of themnative with at least four endemic) (Falanruw, 2002); and

40 species of freshwater fish have been recorded in FSM (Pippard, 2012).

Introduced mammals include three species of rats, a mouse, deer, pigs, dogs, cats, andfrom time to time goats, rabbits and cattle, all of which can have damaging impacts on
native biodiversity. There is one introduced amphibian cane toad Bufo marinus (FSM
2002).
Table 2-4: Top invasive weed species within the FSM

Common Name

Scientific Name

Pohnpei Chuuk Kosrae Yap

Ivy Gourd

Coccina grandis

NWS

Siam weed

Chromolaena odorata

WS

WS

Pagoda flower

Clerodendrum paniculatum

WS

NWS

Fire cracker

Clerodendrum quadriloculare

WS

WS

Honolulu rose

Clerodendrum chinense

NWS

NWS

Crepe ginger

Costus speciosus

WS

Merremia

Merremia peltata

NWS

Giant Sensitive plant

Mimosa diplotricha

WS

False kava

Piper auritum

NWS

African tulip-tree

Spathodea campanulata

WS

NWS

NWS NWS

Wedelia

Wedelia trilobata

WS

WS

WS

WS

WS

WS

WS

WS

WS
WS

Notes: WS – widespread, NWS – not widespread

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WS

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Several species of lizards have been introduced but thus far, there have been no confirmed
introductions of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) which has decimated bird andreptile populations on nearby Guam.

2.2.4

Freshwater Flora & Fauna
There is a paucity of data available on the abundance and distribution of freshwater flora and faunain FSM.

The FSM ecoregion is noted for its four endemic gobies - Sicyopterus eudentatus,

Sicyopterus lividus, and Stiphodon caeruleus located on Pohnpei and Kosrae, and Sicyopus
nigriradiatusis only found on Pohnpei2.

Of these, Stiphodon caeruleus is the most abundant.

Sicyopterus eudentatus is listed as ‘Endangered’ according the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2020).

Freshwater fish endemism is high within the FSM, however number of species is generally
low, especially above the first major waterfall where most euryhaline species are unable toinhabit (Parenti & Maciolek, 1993). This is thought to be largely due to the limited foodbase consisting of few algae and aquatic insect species, hence the diversity of food types
plays a significant role in the construction of an aquatic community. In Pohnpei, Sicydiine
gobies, freshwater eels (Anguillid species), and shrimps are typically the dominant life
forms above the first waterfall in stream systems investigated3. Anguillid eels, Gobiid fishes
and shrimps are native to Kosraean streams (unpublished interviews) but there are no
published reports regarding the riverine/stream biota.
Table 2-5: Categories of birds recorded from the four states of the FSM (after Engbring et al. 1990)

2.2.5

Marine Flora & Fauna
FSM coastline is about 3,300 nautical miles with an estimated 14,517 km2 of reefs andwide range of different habitat types. Areas of mangrove and seagrass beds, consistingof a number of species and considered important sensitive habitat, are found throughout
FSM. The national reefs are home to more than 1,000 species of fish, more than 350
species of hard coral and 1,200 species of mollusc (FSM, 2002).
Cetaceans
The EEZ of FSM has resident and transient or migratory populations of cetaceans (whales
and dolphins). A total of 9 species have been observed in FSM (seeTable 2-6) (Miller 2009). Of these species, blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is
considered ‘Endangered’ (i.e., likely to become extinct) and sperm whale (Physeter
macrocephalus) is considered ‘Vulnerable’ (i.e., is likely to become endangered unless thecircumstances threatening its survival and reproduction improve) based on the IUCN Red
List.
2 https://www.feow.org/ecoregions/details/829
3 http://www.comfsm.fm/~brianl/research.html

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For the remaining cetaceans, they are either of ‘least concern’ or there is insufficient
information to make an assessment on status.
Table 2-6: Cetacean Species likely passing through the FSM waters (from Miller, 2009).

SpeciesCommon Name

CategorIUCNyCategory

Physeter macrocephalus

Sperm whale

C2

Vu

Lagenodlphis hosei

Fraser’s dolphin

C1

Lc

Tursiops sp

Bottlenose dolphin

C2

Lc

Ziphius cavirostrisCuviers beaked whaleU

Lc

Stenella attenuate
Peponcephala electra

Pantropical spotted dolphin
Melon-headed whale

U
C1

Lc
Dd

Stenella coeruleoalba

Striped dolphin

C1

Dd

Stenella longirostris

Spinner dolphin

C1

Dd

Globicephala electra

Short-finned pilot whale

C1

Dd

Mesoplodon gingkodens

Gingko-toothed

C1

Dd

Orcinus orca

h l
Orca

U

Dd

Balaenoptera edeni

Bryde’s-like whale

C1

Dd

beakedNotes: C = confirmed. U = Unconfirmed. 1 refers to a relatively recent field (or specimen
record) confirmation of the given species within the EEZ of a nation. 2 refers to a potential
Class 1 record that is either dated, or may be marginally outside of a given EEZ. En =Endangered. Vu = Vulnerable. Lc = of least concern. Dd = Data deficient.
Marine turtles
The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) are themost commonly observed in the wider FSM waters, with the olive ridley turtle Lepidochelys
olivacea and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) being less common (Edwards
2002).
An assessment of the conservation status of these species based on the IUCN Red List(version 3.1) indicates:Hawksbill turtle is ‘Critically Endangered’ (i.e., facing a very high risk of extinction).

Green turtle is considered ‘Endangered’; and,

Olive ridley, leatherback and loggerhead turtles are considered ‘Vulnerable’.

Seagrass
Tsuda et al. (1977) reported seven sea grass species in Yap, later confirmed by Tsuda &Kamura (1990), including Cymodocea serrulata, C. rotundata, Enhalus acoroides,
Thallasia emprichii, Halophila minor, H. ovalis and Syringodium isoetifolium. In Pohnpei,
Tsuda et al. (1977) reported two species of seagrass and McDermid & Edward (1999)
reported a third species of sea grass Cymodosia rotundata at Nah Pali, Pohnpei. The
abundance and distribution of seagrass in Pohnpei was last updated in 2005

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Baseline Resource Report(www.seagrasswatch.org). In Kosrae and Chuuk a total of 3 and 4 species respectively
were identified in investigations undertaken in 2004 (www.seagrasswatch.org).
Mangroves
The three most common mangrove species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Sonneratia alba andRhizophora apiculata are present on Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei (Allen et al 2001) and Chuuk(Stemmermann & Proby 1978). A total of seven (Kosrae and Pohnpei) and eleven (Yap)other mangrove species are present but are generally much less common (Allen et. al.,2001). Table 2-7 presents the distribution of the most common species by FSM State.
Table 2-7: Key mangrove species in FSM (from Stemmermann & Proby, 1978).

Species

Pohnpei

KosraeYap

Chuuk

Bruguiera gymnorrhiza









Lumnitzera littorea









Sonneratia alba









Rhizophora mucronata









Rhizophora apiculata







Avicennia alba







Ceriops tagal

2.2.6





Conservation Areas
Each State has a network of currently and proposed terrestrial and marine protected areas.
In addition, 130 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have also been identified in FSM(Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.) (TNC, 2019). The location of these areas
in each State is described in detail in the following sections.
In summary, the combined sites encompass 291,753 hectares (ha) or 19% of the FSM's
entire terrestrial and inshore area (including reefs and lagoon areas). Because the landarea of FSM is very small, 50% of the ABS (64 sites) and a majority of the total area (61%or 178,191 ha) are coastal marine sites connecting terrestrial and coastal targets.
Marine-only sites, largely lagoons and coral reefs, comprise the second largest area at
28% (82,620 ha) of the total ABS area. Terrestrial sites, mainly upland native forests,
make up just 8% (22,636 ha) of total ABS area, but total 23 sites. This reflects the relatively
limited extent of natural terrestrial systems on small Pacific islands compared with themuch larger marine systems surrounding them. Coastal freshwater areas, primarily
coastal freshwater marshes, total just 3% (38,133 ha) of the total ABS area.

2.3

Socio-Economic Environment

2.3.1

EconomyOverview FSM GDP
The National Government, for the fourth consecutive year, showed a significant fiscal
surplus of $35.8 million FSM’s gross domestic product (GDP) was US$1.13b, or US$3,500
per capita, in 2015. In that year there as a trade balance deficit of US$314 million, with
exports at US$20.6 million (-17.8% annualized) and imports at $162 million (+15.8% since2010) (OEC 2017). National government revenue was at its highest level ever at $166.1
million in FY2017 when both domestic revenue and external grants reached record levels.

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Public Law 18-107 in FY2015 amended the tax collection allocation to the States from 50
percent to 70 percent of net taxes collected for import taxes, income tax, and gross revenue
tax.
The impact of this tax policy change sees a $4.8 million decline in tax revenue for the
National Government from FY2016 onwards. This revenue has not been passed directly
to the States but by law is invested in the FSM Trust Fund on their behalf. It is estimatedthat $40 million will be invested in the Trust Fund on behalf of the States by 2023.
Table 2-8: Number and size of areas of biodiversity significance (ABS) by type and State (adaptedfrom TNC 2019)

Species# of ABS sites

Area (Ha)

Yap

3

651.9

Chuuk

9

1,328.1

Pohnpei

912,833.3

Kosrae24,835.0

Total Terrestrial

23

22,648.3

Yap

649,471.1

Chuuk

10

20,683.3

Pohnpei

512,480.5

Kosrae1

54.5

Total Marine

22

82,689.4

Yap

21

24,007.4

Chuuk

20

77,089.9

Pohnpei

18

75,695.3

Kosrae5

1,466.1

Total Coastal Marine

64

17,8358

Yap

2

31.8

Chuuk

11

936.7

Pohnpei

35,283.1

Kosrae4

1,904.9

Total Coastal Freshwater20

8,156.4

OVERALL TOTAL

130

29,1752.8

TERRESTRIAL SITESMARINE ONLY SITES

COASTAL MARINE SITES

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FSM Strategic Development Plan- 2004-2023
The FSM’s Strategic Development Plan (SDP) 2004 – 2023 provides a road map for socialand economic development in FSM for the period 2004 – 2023. The SDP four main
objectives include maintaining economic assistance at levels that support macroeconomic
stability, improved enabling environment for economic growth - to be achieved through the
FSM commitment to economic reform and the provision of an enabling environment tosupport open, outward - oriented and private sector led development and the use of theannual Compact grant to support the provision of basic services in education and health(FSM 2003).
Compact of Free Association and Challenges from 2023
In 1986, the FSM entered into a Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the UnitedStates of America (US), which provides for US economic assistance (including eligibility
for certain US federal programs) and other benefits in exchange for US defence and certain
other operating rights in the FSM. The US and FSM negotiated a second (amended)
Compact agreement in 2002–2003 that runs for a 20-year period to 2023, during which the
US is providing roughly $2.1 billion to FSM (FSM Statistics Division, 2018). The amended
Compact's financial terms were renegotiated with the aim of encouraging sustainable
development. Under this agreement the United States will provide almost $100 million in direct
assistance every year until 2023, which includes the systematic reallocation of a portion of
the direct aid to a jointly managed Trust Fund (GSO, 2017). The Compact Trust Fund’s total
net position value increased 21.0 percent to $565.0 million in FY2017 from $466.9 million in
FY2016. The increase was primarily due to interest, dividend, and realized and unrealized
gains from investment of $69.3 million (OEC 2018) and contribution from the US governmentof $29.5 million (FSM, 2018).
About 60% of the Compact Funds supports the Government’s administrative costs with therest infrastructure projects and economic development. The public sector drives the cash
economy and supports the service oriented private sector. FSM’s gross domestic product(GDP) was US$1.13 billion, or US$3,500 per capita, in 2015 (OEC, 2017). FSM faces arange of economic challenges as it approaches 2023, when financial assistance under theamended compact expires. The immediate challenge is to facilitate and sustain strong
private sector growth through the use of its own land and marine resources. It also needs
to create an enabling environment conducive to private sector development that cancomplement Compact Trust Fund resources and sustain FSM financially beyond 2023.
Earnings from Export
There has been increased revenue from exports with the last five reported years indicating
the exports of Micronesia have changed by $88m from $41m in 2013 to $129m in 2018. The
main exports of Micronesia are non-filleted frozen fish, fish fillets, aluminium plating andplating and the main destinations are Thailand, China, Japan, Philippines and Mexico. The
fishing industry is highly important with foreign commercial fishing fleets paying over
$16.985m annually for the right to operate in FSM territorial waters. These licensing fees
account for 28% of the national government revenue and in addition, export of marine
products, mainly to Japan, account for nearly 85% of export revenues.
Fishing license fees broke the $70 million level for the first time with a payment in the
September quarter of $7 million for outstanding fees for 2015 and 2016 (FSM, 2018) andthe medium-term outlook for fishing fees is a steady $65 million per year (GSN, 2018). The
services sector, also a main contributor to GDP, stood at 65%. Manufacturing, as a value
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Baseline Resource Reportadding activity, was responsible for only 0.45% of the country’s economy (Global Edge, 2017).
Yet, while the value of tuna harvested within the country's EEZ every year is about US$200
million, the vast majority is fished by foreign vessels and the FSM earns only US$20 million
annually from the sale of licensing fees.
Tourism Potential
The tourism industry is another area of potential for FSM, particularly scuba diving, surfing
and eco-tourism. Visitors numbered 24,125 in 2016, which represented a decrease of 20%
on the previous year (Knoema, 2015). Tourism development is, however, constrained bylimited airline links and a lack of infrastructure. Some pre-historical cultural attractions of
Nan Madol and Lelu ruins are special attractions for tourism in Pohnpei and Kosrae
respectively. There is a need to preserve these sites for income generation throughtourism (PITA, 2019).
Tourism will not develop without the involvement of local villages and community members
who are the major landowners in the FSM. The tourism industry is another area of potential
for FSM, particularly scuba diving, surfing and eco-tourism. Some 21,000 tourists visit theislands each year. Tourism development is, however, constrained by limited airline links
and a lack of infrastructure. Some pre-historical cultural attractions of Nan Madol and Lelu
ruins are special attractions for tourism in Pohnpei and Kosrae respectively. There is aneed to preserve these sites for income generation through tourism (PITA, 2019). The
complex landownership system makes access to land difficult and risky. Both formal andinformal institutions fall short in coping with the modern land market. These compounding
issues have led to underutilized and unproductive lands, hampering the growth of the tourism
industry (ADB, 2015).
On-going support to the States of FSM
The National Government, through Congress, continues to support the States throughrevenue sharing initiatives, increasing from $9.4m in FY2012 to $47.7m in FY2017.
FY2017 includes infrastructure allocations to the States of $15.4m and public projects of$11.0m which are a mix of infrastructure, economic and social projects (Ibid, 2018).
Economic activity for the four states consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing,and government which employ two-thirds of the adult working. The potential for tourism islimited by isolation, lack of adequate facilities and limited internal air and watertransportation.
Governance Structure
The Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap governments have exclusive power to deal withlands and leases and over the regulation of foreign investment, distribution of federal tax
revenue and access to the US Compact of Free Association (Compact) grants. The FSM
government is complex with three branches of government and four constitutional stateswith specific authority and differing legislations. The states have greater autonomy inmanaging their political and economic affairs. Natural resources, budgetary policies, andeconomic development are also managed by each state. However, national policies giverecognition to individual states policies and priorities.
Each state government holds equal power in national affairs through electoral
representation in the FSM National Congress. Most national political power was delegated to
the four states by the FSM constitution including regulation of foreign investment andrestrictions on leases. This meant that investors had to navigate between five different setsof regulations and licenses. U.S. citizens were able to live and work in the FSM indefinitely
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without visas under the Compact but cannot own property on most FSM State islands (Ibid,
2018).
Most States have an existing effective traditional system of governance which complements
the newer systems of government and are also supported by non-government agencies(Raynor and Kostika, 2003). In most FSM states, traditional management of land, waters andall natural resources, is through the traditional leadership system4. Although patterns andrules of land ownership are changing within the FSM, complex traditional systems of land
tenure still predominate. For instance, in the state of Yap land ownership has traditionallyinvolved multiple rights of use and one piece of land might belong to one person but be subject
to the consent of another, be lived on by a third, and harvested by a fourth party. This complex
system of land control has resulted in considerable diversity in management while preventing
widespread changes to large pieces of land (Falanruw, 1985).
Customary Law and Tradition
Customary law and tradition have a lot of influence on access to and use of land, as declaredin the FSM National Code, in matters where recognized customary law is deemed relevant by
the courts, the customary law “shall the full force and effect of law so far as [it does notconflict with the TT laws of the or the laws of the U.S. in effect in the Trust Territory].” Indeed,even where parties before a court have not asserted that any principle of custom or tradition
applies, courts have an affirmative obligation of their own to consider custom and tradition.
The Constitution of the FSM includes a “Judicial Guidance Clause,” requiring that decisionsof the Court be “consistent” with the customs and traditions of the indigenous people of the
FSM. FSM citizens treat land as their most significant asset. The government states that“leasing of private lands in particular can be time consuming, due to fractional ownership anduncertain boundaries and titles. Many parcels of land are held by families or clans that may
have different factions, all of whom assert interest in the land (ADB, 2015).
Land Tenure Arrangements
Land is part of family trusts that pass down land use rights, surface and subsurface, fromgeneration to generation within the extended matrilineal family system. Clans hold many
parcels, leading to fractional ownership and uncertain boundaries and titles. By
Constitution, only citizens can own land. Domestic corporations that have non-citizen
shareholders may not own land (FSM, 2015).
While individual states have separate and distinct land tenure arrangements, there are somebroad commonalities that persist throughout state land tenure systems. The FSM Constitution
forbids land ownership to foreigners, as well as to domestic corporations that have non-FSM
citizens among their shareholders (Edward, 2002).
Group and communal ownership of land is prevalent throughout the FSM. There aredifferences, however, concerning rights of land transfer within the FSM. In Chuuk, Kosrae andYap, land can be transferred by law to all FSM citizens. In Pohnpei, however, it can only betransferred to persons from that island (Pohnpei State, 1997). Traditional and cultural
institutions have a strong presence in Micronesian life. The keystone of Micronesian societyis the extended family, which is collectively responsible for maintaining the family welfare—particularly as it relates to customary family land. Traditionally, land ownership in the FSM
was limited to inheritance within a family or clan. As a result, many land parcels in the FSM
4

Traditional leadership and impact on land ownership at State level will be explained in detail under discussions on land under eachstate.

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are subject to the communal use and alienation rights of extended families, clans andcommunities (EMAPT, 1996). Private landholders—influenced to varying degrees bycustomary land tenure systems, occupy most lands. The government describes
landownership in the FSM as “one of smallholdings. Most property is held as family trusts,
and land use rights are passed down from generation to generation within the extended familysystem. Subsurface property rights are synonymous with surface rights. There are no state
owned subsurface mineral or water rights in any of the States (ADB, 2015). Landownershipis limited by the Constitution to citizens.
The government describes landownership in the FSM as one of smallholdings (ADB, 2015
& FSM DOTC&I, 2015). Most property is held as family trusts and land use rights are
passed down from generation to generation within the extended family system. With the
exception of Yap and a few atolls in Pohnpei State where patrilineal affiliations govern
inheritance of land rights, matri-lineages traditionally controlled estates in Micronesia(Ryan & Les, 2018). Clans tend to hold many parcels, leading to fractional ownership anduncertain boundaries and titles. In FSM subsurface property rights are synonymous withsurface rights such that there are no state-owned subsurface mineral or water rights in anyof the states. FSM citizens treat land as their most significant asset and leasing of private
lands can be time-consuming due to fractional ownership and uncertain boundaries andtitles.
Landownership is limited by the Constitution to citizens. Even domestic corporations thathave noncitizen shareholders may not own land. However, noncitizen individuals andcorporations may lease either public or private lands. Although it is illegal to sell lands in
Pohnpei there are many recorded cases of ‘gifts’ of land with widely known but unrecorded
concurrent payments.
In FSM the majority of land is privately owned (68%) with only 32% considered to be public
land (Table 2-9). The amount of public land varies considerably between states, with only
2% of Yap state public land and the rest privately owned.
Table 2-9: FSM land ownership (Doran 2004)

Livelihoods and income
The majority of the population live in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainousinterior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population live in urban areas. Most
people live a rural lifestyle largely dependent on their gardens and fishing for daily foodrequirements, although imported food is an increasing part of the diet. People are attracted
to urban center’s for incomes directly or indirectly derived from offshore transfers in theform of grants from the United States (US) and other donors.
FSM is at an early stage of the process of urbanization with about 22% of its population
living in the urban areas (urban areas include Colonia in Yap, Weno in Chuuk, Kolonia in
Pohnpei and Lelu in Kosrae), a slight increase from the level estimated in 2000 (FSM
DOS, 2010). According to the 2010 FSM Census, 22,924 out of the total population of
102,843 live in the various defined urban areas across the four states compared to 79,919

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Baseline Resource Reportin rural areas or 77% of the total population (Knoema, 2015). Visitors numbered 24,125 in2016, which represented a decrease of 20% on the previous year.
Like many households in the Pacific, agricultural and livestock raising activities are almost
universal among FSM households (95% and 82% respectively; 95% and 86% in Yap). In
addition, fishing activities accounted for 71% of all households (88% in Yap). These
activities were carried out for own household or family use and consumption purposes.
About 10 percent of households reported to be engaged in these activities for sale ormarketing for cash. These activities were common throughout all four states, particularly
the outer island households reported heavy involvement in these activities for family use
and consumption.
In FSM, according to a household income and expenditure surveys in 2013/14, heads ofhouseholds are primarily male (80%), with 53% of heads aged 40 – 59 years old (Table
2-10). The annual average income in FSM was estimated to be USD 16,950. However,
20% of the households earned less than US$ 2,600 and approximately 37% of household
heads earned less than USD 5,000; with the majority of household heads earning between
USD 5,000 –29,000. Households headed by males earn on average 9% more than female
headed households (total net income excluding imputed rents) and 11% more based on
cash income.
Table 2-10: Distribution of households by household head characteristics (FSM 2014)

Headed households who are involved in paid work earn on average 36% more than theretired and obviously much higher than the one who work for free (might be home
production for consumption or volunteers). Households in FSM are dependent on cash
income as over 63% of their total income is cash with additional income (or its equivalent)
gains from a range of other sources (i.e. home production, gifts, imputed rents and in-kind)(

Table 2-11). The less cash dependent households are the one whose heads work for free(not for cash) as they are involved in subsistence activities for own consumption.
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Table 2-11: Household income by state 2013/14 (FSM 2014)

Notes: Cash: wage and salary income, business income, and sales of home production (agriculture, handicraft,livestock and/or fisheries). Home production: value of home production that the household produces themselves
and then consumes. Gifts: all goods given receive are treated as income. Imputed rents: represent the valueof a house for owner if they were to receive rent. Income in-kind: any income received by the household which
was not in the form of cash

While approximate 55% of households report cash income from a current wage and salaryjob (55.5%) the most common source of income for households in FSM was the home
production (mainly agriculture items) with 76% of the households involved in some form ofsubsistence activity. A large proportion of households also receive remittances i.e. cashfrom outside of FSM (41.6%).
Most household expenditure/disbursements are associated with consumption expenditure(94.1%) which represents items that the household consume itself. This analysis includes
cash/in-kind purchases as well as home production consumed and gifts given away outside
the household. Non-consumption expenditure accounts for only 4.9%, followed by only asmall amount on investment/savings (1.0%).
The majority of consumption expenditure is associated with “housing” (37.3%), especially
imputed rents (Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference., Table 2-12). Food and nonalcoholic beverages is the next most significant group (36.6%). Transport and Alcohol andtobacco (including sakau and betel nuts) account for 7.0% and 5.5% of the total household
consumption expenditure respectively, with eight other divisions registering contributions
lower than 3%. Only a small amount is spent on education and health due to government
assistance in this area.
Figure 2-6: Household expenditure 2013/14

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Notes: Cash purchases represent any purchases made by the household for goods or services for which apayment was made by the household. The payment can be made in the form of a cash payment or payment inkind. Home production: covers the value of items which were home produced by the household and thenconsumed by that household. Imputed rents: represent the value of the house for owner and people who live intheir main house for free (rent free)

Table 2-12: Household expenditure by State 2013/14

Employment
The working age population at the 2919 census, defined as people aged 15 years andolder, of 66,146 people represents an increase of 2,310 people (3.6%) since the 2000
census (FSM 2010, Census). The actual labor force comprised 37,919 people (22,076
males, 15,843 females) representing a national labor force participation rate of 57.3% (66%for males, 48% females). Of this group, 31,789 people consider themselves employed
while 6,130 are unemployed equating to an unemployment rate of 16.2% for FSM (15%males, 17% females).
Only 40% of households were employed in paid work, resulting in an average annual
income between USD 18 – 20,000. For household where the head had no paid work, wasretired, had home duties or other (60%) the average income was less than USD 13,624(Table 2-13).
Table 2-13: Occupational status of households 2013/14

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For those that are employed and working for salaries and wages, over half are involved in
education (24.6%), public administration and defence (18.6%), wholesale/retail trade andmotor vehicle repair (9.7%) and health and social work (9.1%) (Error! Not a valid
bookmark self-reference.). Very few earn a wage or salary in the fishing (1.8%) or
agriculture (0.6%) sectors, as income from these sectors is generated from subsistence
activities.
Transport
Priority infrastructure development projects in the ten sectors at National and State levelplus project management costs, institutional projects and infrastructure maintenancerepresent a total investment of $1,082 million over the 10-year Plan period. For the firsttime a project specifically targeted at cross-sector climate change adaptation is included.
This project in Yap will be followed in the future by similar projects identified through the
Joint National/State Action Plan processes that are now coming on-line across the FSM(FSM 2018).
FSM has 388 km of roads, 184 km sealed and 204 km unsealed (FSM DOTC&I, 2015).
The majority of these roads are on the four main State islands. Few of the outer islands
have any roads and islanders rely on small walking tracks to get between villages. Noneof the States have widely available public transportation options except for taxis, andschool bus service on each of the main State islands. Road and pedestrian facilities arelargely the responsibility of state departments for infrastructure/public works.
The islands of Yap, Pohnpei, and Chuuk all contain major international ports which
welcome cruise and trading ships from around the world. Port development andmanagement is the responsibility of independent authorities in Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap
that retain revenue generated from operations and have responsibility for operating costs
and making investments. In Chuuk the port is the responsibility of the Department ofTransportation and Public Works.
Table 2-14: Total wage and salary income by industry 2013/14

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There are four major airports in FSM, with an international airport located in each state. In
addition there are nine smaller airports located on outer islands, two in Yap state, three in
Chuuk state and four in Pohnpei state. Airport development and management is the
responsibility of independent authorities in Kosrae and Pohnpei that retain revenue
generated from operations and have responsibility for operating costs and making
investments. In Chuuk and Yap the airport is the responsibility of the Department ofTransportation and Public Works.
According to the 2010 census, approximately 44% of Yapese household have a car, 6% abus or truck and 2% a motorbike. In Yap, 13% of households own a boat with a motor,
while 16% have a canoe or boat without a motor. Very few households in the Outer Islands(5) own a car, reflecting the lack of roads on the islands, however, they own the majorityof canoes or boats without motors in Yap (76%).

2.3.2

Demographics
The last Census were data is available for FSM was in 2010, a census was undertaken in
2020, but data is yet to be published. FSM’s 2010 census record (DOS, 2012) had a total
population of 102,843 comprising 52,193 males and 50,650 females (P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report25Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Table 2-16).

Current estimated population for FSM in 2020 is 105,503. World Bank
estimate for 2019 population was 104,936 (World Bank 2016). The National Projected
population based on 2010 Census and HIES survey is provided in Table 2-15.

Table 2-15: National Projected population based on 2010 Census and HIES survey (for 2010/2021)

2021 Year

2020 Year
National& States

Males

Females

Total

Males

Females

Total

National
FSM

53,11051,540104,650

53,20253630

104,832

Pohnpei

18164

18,13836,832

18726

18170

36896

Chuuk

25,271

24,23749,509

25315

24280

49,585

Kosrae

3411

3321

6732

3417

3327

6744

Yap

5734

5843

11577

5744

5853

11597

Long-range population projections suggest a continuation of little or no population growth
for the foreseeable future. Projections to 2030 suggest no population growth from 2010
and less than 10% total growth to 2050. The level of urbanization in FSM remains relatively
low at 22.9% of the total population (2020) (FSM, 2018).
The average household size in FSM declined from 6.7 persons in 2000 to 6.1 persons in2010 (

Table 2-16). Similarly, average family size declined from 7.0 in 2000 to 4.4 in 2010 indicatinga preference for smaller families by couples. This also reflects the decline in fertility as
well, as young people delaying first marriage.

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Table 2-16: Demographic information for FSM (source 2010 census).

2.3.3

Education
FSM runs an American style education system with free public education from age 6through age 15 or completion of the 8th grade. High School attendance is not assured. All
States administer high school entrance tests to 8th graders. Instruction is strictly a
responsibility of the States with the National Government providing support and assistance.
Funding for education is primarily provided through State Compact funds with some local
revenue. The FSM is eligible for selected US Federal Education Programs that contributea significant amount to the overall education budget. The FSM’s only Institute of Higher
Education (IHE) is the College of Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) located in Pohnpei (FSM,2015) with satellite facilities in the each state.

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The national education agency is the FSM Department of Education (NDOE). Each state
has its own education agency operating public schools. The curriculum in this eight-year
program includes subjects such as science, mathematics, language arts, social studies
and physical education. Public elementary and secondary schools are free for all
Micronesian students. There are five secondary schools (one per island) as well as several
private secondary schools. In FSM, the CPM provides accredited post-secondary
education from six campuses spread across all States.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) schools offer pathways to provide for the qualified
workforce needed across all sectors of the FSM economy. Equal access to affordable, highquality VET schools is a target of FSM’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with anemphasis on substantially increasing the number of youths and adults with the relevant
skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship by 2030 (FSM, 2020). FSM has
allocated $205.8M over a decade (2016-2025) toward the construction of new schools andschool facilities throughout the islands, the single largest investment in the nation behindroads and pedestrian facilities (FSM, 2020). This will be a collaborative effort between therespective Departments of Public Works and the Departments of Education5. In terms ofbilateral aid to FSM the education sector receives the most assistance, with more than 35%
of all Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) going to educational opportunities, activities
and infrastructure (FSM, 2020).

2.3.4

Public health
Health is a key SDG priority for FSM, highlighted by the fact that this sector has one of thehighest government expenditures (21%) as a percentage of national GDP (FSM, 2020). The
World Health Organization (WHO) working with partners supports the Government inpursuing its national strategic priorities which include universal health coverage
antimicrobial resistance by building resilient and sustainable health systems, build corecapacities for proactive preparedness in health emergencies and natural disasters and,build capacity for Non Communicable Disease (NCD) prevention and control (WHO, 2018).
The Department of Health Services in each state provides medical and public healthservices through a hospital, community health centers and dispensaries (WHO, 2018).
Compared to other countries in the Western Pacific Region, the FSM has relatively highcoverage of health essential services (WHO, 2018). Each state system is autonomous.
Health services are highly subsidized by the state governments, except in private clinics.
The National Department of Health and Social Affairs (DHSA) oversees health programs,
including health planning, donor coordination, and technical and training assistance. It isalso responsible for public health programs funded by the US Department of Health andHuman Services.
In total, there are six private health clinics in the country and one private hospital. Accessto hospital services remains an issue, particularly for outer-islands residents due totransportation difficulties between islands. Furthermore, non-communicable diseases(NCDs) such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers are major health problems.
NCDs remain a vast and pervasive issue for the FSM, accounting for more than 70% of
deaths (FSM, 2020).

5 There are Boards of Education in each State and the COM has a Board to manage its affairs. Sector coordinationis undertaken through the FSM Association of Chief State School Officers comprised of the Secretary of Education,
State Directors of Education and the COM President.

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The overconsumption of imported packaged food, lack of physical activity and use of
tobacco products are contributing to the high prevalence of NCDs and obesity in the
country. Intentional (violence) injury and suicide are other issues, whose contributing
factors are likely to be the burden of cultural and economic dislocation, particularly among
young adult males. Alcohol use often leads to violent incidents. Tuberculosis (TB) also
has a high prevalence, as does leprosy, the latter being among the highest in the Pacific.
COVID 19 Response
The implications of COVID-19 will impact the 4 states many ways, particularly noting publichealth, education, violence against women and children, mental health, psychosocial
distress self-sufficiency and the economy. In FSM, response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
people’s safety and security was the priority. The President declared a public healthemergency and the government established a COVID-19 taskforce and a response
framework with a budget of $2.1M, and an economic stimulus package of approximately$15M to provide subsidies to businesses and to support workers in the tourism, retail andfisheries sectors. The health pandemic only added to the range of challenges faced by
FSM including climate change, social and economic inequalities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to shore up social protection systems
and wider policies and initiatives to deliver public goods and services, particularly to thepoorest and most vulnerable in the Federation (FSM Government, 2020).

2.3.5

Gender & Poverty
Ensuring that women are part of decision making at all levels, and protecting young girls,
has been a sustained focus over the past decade in FSM. The development, endorsement
and implementation of the National Gender Policy in 2018 has led to significant progressin government and civil society to address family protection issues.
The FSM National Gender Policy (FSM, 2017) aims to ensure that all women, men, girls
and boys in FSM states are respected and can reach their potential. The policy focuseson six goals: elimination of gender-based violence; better women’s representation indecision-making; improved education outcomes; addressing barriers faced by women in
the workforce; better healthcare and choices over fertility; and mainstreaming genderacross government targets lifting the status of women to enable them to equally participate
in the political, economic and social affairs of the country.
The National Gender Policy has five main goals and these include the better representationof women in decision making, elimination of violence against women, equitable education
outcomes, addressing barriers women face in the workforce and access to better healthcare. The FSM National Youth Policy (2017-2023) also addresses young people’s issues
and this also specifically includes young women. The Policy seeks to ensure opportunities
to all youth to be active, responsible and self-reliant members of the community throughthe development of their full potential.
Poverty
Poverty and hardship exist in FSM and low-income households mostly spend their resources
on food especially in Yap and Chuuk. As welfare levels rise, food share falls in all States.
With more than 90% of families having access to land for farming, combined with strong
cultural norms of sharing, hunger is rare in the nation. Malnutrition is likely the greater issue.
The last FSM national basic needs poverty assessment was based on the Household Income
and Expenditure Survey (HIES), the most recent of which was completed in 2013/14.

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Although considerable progress has been made, the incidence of hardship in the FSM is stillhigh.
The 2013/14 HIES indicates 31.4 % of the FSM population live below the national basic
needs poverty line with a slight increase from 2005 to 2013 (UNICEF, 2017). Poverty
levels are not uniform in the states. Children are also more likely to be vulnerable topoverty: nine per cent of children aged 0–14 years were living less than 10 per cent above
the basic needs poverty line compared with 4.8 per cent of the total population (Ibid, 2017).
Poverty levels are not uniform in the states. The poverty incidence is higher or more severein Pohnpei and Chuuk than in Yap and Kosrae. This remains a challenge for FSM with aclear need to initiate projects and programs to both lift the capacity of government
agencies, civil society organizations and the business community to implement projects
successfully (FSM. 2020).
Data suggest that poverty particularly affects children and female-headed households andthat poverty rates are significantly lower in Yap than in the other three states (UNDP, 2014).
While female-headed households constituted 20% of the household population in FSM,
they constituted 39% of the total number of households in the lower three expendituredeciles (ADB, 2017).
Gender Considerations
Although there are no specific discriminatory provisions in FSM law, there is no proactive
approach ensuring that women are able to exercise their de facto legal rights. A
comprehensive review carried out shortly after FSM ratified Committee on the Eliminationof Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) found that with respect to 113 internationallyrecognized indicators of legal compliance, FSM was fully compliant on 27% partiallycompliant on 16 % and out of compliance on 57% of these indicators.
The concluding observation of the UN on the CEDAW discussions with FSM in 2017
identified many gaps in laws relating to gender based violence in all the 4 States (FSM,
2017). In 2018, the FSM National Gender Policy had been endorsed and this will help
progress gender work both at the national and state levels. The Gender Policy builds on
the National Strategic Development Plan 2017-2023 which had identified the importanceof inclusion of women as partners in development in FSM.
Gender relations in FSM are shaped by cultural norms and practices that vary greatly
across the four states. Women rarely become traditional leaders and tend to defer to men
in community affairs. In 2017 there was only one woman each in the Pohnpei and Chuuklegislature and the FSM Congress has introduced a bill (CB 20-116) that would purportedly
guarantee representation of women in the FSM Congress.

Micronesian societies, with the exception of Yap and a few atolls in Pohnpei, emphasize
matrilineal descent where identities, titles, rights and acquisition to property are traced
through female hereditary lines. Women’s rights to land ownership and their access toresources have, however, changed under the various colonial authorities that havegoverned FSM, with most decision making related to land ownership and land use being
retained by male members of the family (SPC, 2012).
FSM has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the Pacific region, with all fourstates reporting high teenage pregnancy rates. In the FSM, maternal deaths are declining
but are widely under-reported, and skilled birth attendants are in short supply in both states.
Authorities recognize maternal mortality is still a problem in FSM (FSM, 2017).
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In the FSM gender parity in education this had been achieved at all levels, however, thereis the issue of low economic participation of women. Better access to education does nottranslated into increased participation by women in the formal sector. This is likely due todeeply entrenched beliefs in the traditional role of women, where their role is at home (Ibid,
2018).
In 2017 (Gender Policy baseline year), no women had been elected to the National
government and there were only two female senators - one each in Pohnpei and Chuuklegislatures. Presence of women in higher positions in management and government isalso rare. Gender norms that curtail women’s opportunities to speak out and participate indecision-making are still strong (WBG, 2017).

Culture and Traditions
Culture and traditions are revered in FSM and are constitutionally protected in the nationaland state constitutions. Article V, Section 2 provides: the traditions of the people of theFederated States of Micronesia may be protected by statute. If challenged as violative of
Article IV, protection of Micronesian tradition shall be considered a compelling social
purpose warranting such governmental action. This provision is mirrored in Article II,
Section 2 of the Kosrae Constitution; Article V, Section 2 of the Pohnpei Constitution;
Article IV, Section 1 of the Chuuk Constitution, and Article III, Section 2 of the Yap
Constitution.
Each FSM state exhibits its own distinct culture and tradition, but there are also common
cultural and economic bonds that are centuries old. For example, cultural similarities areevidenced in the importance of the traditional extended family and clan systems found oneach island. Although united as a country, the people are actually a heterogeneous
mixture, with different customs and traditions bound together by recent history andcommon aspirations (SPREP, 2018). Cultural diversity is typified by the existence of eight
major indigenous languages, and the people continue to maintain strong traditions, folklore
and legends (FSM, 2019).
Traditional gender norms, the patriarchal society and marriage practices such as early andforced marriage perpetuate Gender Based Violence (GBV). Customary practices such as
mediation and reconciliation disadvantage survivors of GBV prioritising community
harmony over the harm caused to them and their needs and rights (FSM, 2020).
Gender- Based Violence (GBV)The legal rights of women are protected under the FSM National Constitution and theconstitutions of the four states, all of which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex.
There is no national legislation criminalising sexual assault, however, each state has
identical legislation criminalising both sexual assault with penetration and sexualintercourse with girls under the age of 13.
State women’s councils have been active in a range of women’s rights areas including theelimination of violence against women and children. State women’s councils haverotationally hosted National Women’s Conferences, which result in an outcomes documentof resolutions to government on a range of actions to progress the situation for women.

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Gender based violence is relatively low in FSM. In 2016 it was estimated that 33% of
women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from their intimate partner (ADB,
2016) and stakeholders reported that Domestic Violence Law of 2017 is not being
implemented. Victim protection facilities are non-existent (in some states there arereported designated safe houses however they are not equipped for habitation) andprotection processes are unclear. Also commonly reported during consultations was age
consent issues as age of consent regulations are not enforced. The consent age has been
recently lifted to 16; however, Human Trafficking (HT) law defines a child as any person
below the age of eighteen (ESIA, 2019).
In many parts of FSM, GBV towards women is normalised and socially and culturally
accepted. While there is no data specific on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) andworkplace Sexual Harassment (SH) 65.2% of women agreed with at least one
circumstance when a man has the right to leave his wife (FSM, 2020).
As part of efforts to strengthen national prevalence data across the Pacific region, Family
Health and Safety Surveys have recently been conducted in most Pacific Island Countries
and Territories (PICTs) including FSM. These national surveys provide insight and confirm
the experience of women in FSM who have been working to address GBV, highlightingthat rates of intimate partner violence and non-intimate partner violence against womenare high. The national survey also confirms attitudes held by men and women that supportand excuse GBV towards women. There remains a gap in national prevalence data onother forms of GBV including workplace SH, SH towards women in public places, SEA,
forced prostitution and human trafficking for the purpose of SEA (FSM, 2020).
Surveys indicate one in five women in Pohnpei and one in four women in Yap haveexperienced violence at the hands of a loved one and these are below the National
average. The prevalence rate of ‘ever partnered’6 women in Chuuk is above the national
average at one in two and in Kosrae is higher again at close to three women in five (FSM,2018). The FSM government increased its capacity to generate sex-disaggregated data
and to use gender statistics to guide national policy and decision-making, evaluation andlearning and human rights reporting. This resulted from support from SPC’s Progressing
Gender Equality in the Pacific (PGEP) project (PWO, 2020).
The FSM Maritime Project (ESIA, 2019), consisting of maintenance and upgrades toexisting infrastructure at primary ports across the four States, concluded that it is unlikelythat there will be significant environmental and social impacts. However, influx of foreign
workforce during the implementation phase and the increase in visiting fishing fleets during
post-implementation, have a potential to cause harm or harassment to host communities
including incidents of human trafficking.
There has been very little data collected on the levels of violence against women across
FSM, since 2014 (UNFPA, 2014) and increasing reports of domestic violence cases andgender-based violence is widely considered to be one of the primary human rights issues
facing the FSM. Incest and child abuse both exist in FSM but are believed to be underreported due to cultural sensitivities. The government has acknowledged the need forreliable data on the nature and incidence of domestic violence against women.
Human Trafficking (HT)6 Women who have ever been married, ever lived with a man or are currently with a regular male sexual partner.

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The FSM is a source country for women subjected to trafficking with women from FSM
trafficked to Guam and mainland USA.
FSM has a national policy on human trafficking supported by anti-trafficking legislation at
the national level and in all states. Two states have approved state-level action plans to
implement the FSM National Action Plan and the government created an anti-trafficking
coordinator position to oversee government anti-trafficking work (PWO, 2020).
However, the FSM Government does not fully meet US Government minimum standards
for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so demonstrating
overall increasing efforts resulting in Tier 2 status (USSD, 2029). As reported humantraffickers are known to exploit domestic and foreign victims in FSM and from FSM abroad.
Although the government established an anti-human trafficking division within the
Department of Justice minimum standards in several key areas have not been met suchas comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for proactive victim
identification and referral to protection services.
Women’s groups in all four states have lobbied extensively over the years for legislationthat protects women from domestic violence and marital rape. In their concluding
observations to the FSM government, the CEDAW Committee raised concerns about thediscriminatory provisions particularly in relation to sexual offenses against women in the
penal codes and conditions of employment in the labour laws in FSM.

2.3.6

Sites of Archaeological & Historical Value
A total of 26 of the buildings, sites, districts, and objects in FSM have been listed on the
US National Register of Historic Places.

2.3.7

Infrastructure
Potable water
Piped water systems in FSM consist of two basic types. Systems, which use streams
consist of a small intake across the stream, a raw water main to the treatment plant (forthose systems which incorporate treatment) and a transmission and distribution network(SPREP, 2019). Water treatment is by rapid filtration followed by chlorination. Only 5
systems out of about 70 identified have treatment facilities, and most systems supply
untreated water. Table 2-17: Major water systems in the FSM (from SPREP, 2019)
identifies key water systems in FSM.
Groundwater systems usually consist of a production borehole fitted with a submersible
pump and a transmission and distribution network. A chlorine injection procedure issometime incorporated into the system at the wellhead. A total of about 90 boreholes arepresent in the main islands. Table 2-18 identifies the key wells and production capacities.
Underground formations are not conducive to the development of high yielding wells.
However, the hydrogeology is considered suitable for multiple, low to medium yielding
wells and the quality of ground water is mostly excellent.
Table 2-17: Major water systems in FSM (from SPREP 2019).

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Table 2-18: Production Capability of Operational Wells.

Sewerage Systems
There are five sewerage systems in FSM, which serve Kolonia town in Pohnpei, Weno
Island in Chuuk, Colonia town in Yap, Lelu town in Kosrae and the Tofol administrative
area in Kosrae. Table 2-19 presents an overview of waste management infrastructure.
Table 2-19: Overview of waste management infrastructure in FSM

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Solid Waste Management

There are limited solid waste collection facilities in each of the principal islands of eachstate and dumpsites are located in the main centres of Pohnpei, Yap and Chuuk and ineach municipality of Kosrae (Johnston, 2011). This report identified none of these facilities
approaches what could be considered an acceptable landfill. In each state the government
has plans to develop a new landfill site but has been constrained by land availability andfunding availability. The situation is most critical in Chuuk where the current dumpsite isneither secure nor environmentally acceptable (DOTC&I, 2004).

2.3.8

Noise & Vibration
There is limited noise and vibration monitoring data available for the FSM states. Noise
data was collected for the Pohnpei Port Development Project and is outlined in Table 2-20:
Noise data for the Pohnpei Port Development Project (from ADB 2013).
Table 2-20: Noise data for the Pohnpei Port Development Project (from ADB 2013)

Sampling Location

Noise Level (dBA)
Day

Night

Kolonia Town area (urban)

48.2

34.7

Min. Temperature

54.7

45.8

Figure 2-7 presents typical noise levels and sources. Both locations are typical of ‘quiet’ to‘moderately loud’ noise environments.

Figure 2-7: Typical noise levels and sources (Source: http://800nonoise.com/tutorials/generator-setnoise-solutions/)

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The British Standard BS 5228-2:2009 outlines human response guidelines for vibration
effects (Table 2-21). Any vibration generated from Project activities would need to becompliant with these (or similar) guidelines.
Table 2-21: Human response guidelines for vibration effects (from British Standard BS 5228-2:2009)

Vibration level (mm/s)
0.14Vibration might be just perceptible in the most sensitive situations formost vibration frequencies associated with construction. At lower
frequencies, people are less sensitive to vibration.

0.3

Vibration might be just perceptible in residential environments.

1.0
10

2.3.9

Effect

It is likely that vibration of this level in residential environments willcause complaint.
Vibration is likely to be intolerable for any more than a very brief
exposure to this level.

Air Quality
There is a paucity of air quality monitoring data for FSM states. Table 2-22 presents World
Health Organisation air quality guideline (WHO, AQG) concentrations for a range of key
parameters which will be required to be met in relation to the current Project.
Table 2-22: Relevant WHO air quality guideline concentrations for key parameters

Parameter
PM10
PM2.5
SO2
NO2

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Averaging period

Air quality criterion

24 hour

50 μg/m3

Annual20 μg/m3

24 hour

25 μg/m3

Annual

10 μg/m3

10 min500 μg/m3

24-hour

20 μg/m3

1-hour200 μg/m3

24-hour

400 μg/m3

Annual40 μg/m336

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3.

Kosrae3.1

Physical Environment

3.1.1

ClimateTable 3-1 presents key climate data for Kosrae (from https://en.climate-data.org/). The
key point to note is the abundant rainfall Kosrae receives annually (542 cm).
Table 3-1: Key climate statistics for Kosrae including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm)Parameter

3.1.2

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Avg. Temperature

27.5

27.5

27.4

27.2

27.4

27.4

27.2

27.5

27.4

27.5

27.5

27.5

Min. Temperature

24.8

24.8

24.7

24.5

24.6

24.5

24.2

24.3

24.2

24.3

24.4

24.7

Max. Temperature

30.2

30.2

30.1

30

30.2

30.3

30.3

30.7

30.7

30.8

30.6

30.3

Rainfall (mm)

399

485

500

583

491

453

446

415

383

344

414

510

Topography, Geology, Soils & Hydrology
Kosrae has a total area of approximately 112 km2. The steep mountainous interior, which
has four peaks ranging in height from 465-620 m above MSL, is covered with lush tropicalrainforest. Around much of the island there are continuous mangrove swamp forests andseaward coastal strands. The island is surrounded by a broad shallow carbonate platformmuch of which is covered by freshwater swamps, mangrove forests and low coral land andbeach strand (US Army Engineers, 1989).
Kosrae is a volcanic high island with relatively flat and narrow coastal plains extending
from the foothills to the shore. Soils are typically brownish red in color, mostly fine granularclay depending on the bedrock and can be deep in places. The parent rock is mostly
Olivine or Benhaline basalt, and in places is porous and slaggy. Carbonates compose themajority of reef environments which include fringing reefs, lagoon floor, barrier reef, anddeep passes. Figure 3-1 presents the distribution of highly erodible soils based on soil
type and slope. The yellow and olive brown areas are considered to be the most highly
erodible (Takesy, 2014).
Figure 3-2 presents the location of key watersheds and rivers in Kosrae. The mostsignificant rivers on Kosrae are the Finkol, Innem, and Okat. A number of other smaller
perennial and intermittent streams and springs also occur around the base of the volcanic
part of the island.

3.1.3

Groundwater
Groundwater is currently not an important water source on Kosrae as relatively little water
seeps through the soil and into cracks and pores in the volcanic rocks . In some parts ofthe coastal fringe, wells tap a shallow layer or lens of freshwater underlain by saltwater.
However, these wells only rarely provide drinking water because their water quality is poor.
There are a number natural springs that are highly respected as sources of water of
excellent quality and has substantial groundwater resources (FSM/UN 1995, Jenson &Heitz, 2004).

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Figure 3-1: Distribution of highly erodible soils (from Takesy 2014)

Figure 3-2: Digital Elevation Model with Important Watersheds of Kosrae (from FSM 2010)

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3.1.4

Coastal Hazards
An investigation of the impacts of coastal change and inundation in Kosrae has been
undertaken previously (Ramsay & Douglas, 2000). A number of areas were identified
where coastal change-related impacts are likely to be most significant either due to ongoing
movement of the shoreline and/or the proximity of key infrastructure to the shoreline (seeFigure 3-3) including:Lelu - Large changes have occurred in the shoreline position at Finfokoa over thelast half century and continued changes in shoreline position are expected.
Continued retreat of the coastline along the central section at Pukushruk will likely
increase the exposure of the road to damage over time. Similarly the proximity of
the road to the shoreline at Putukte suggests it will be susceptible to damage during
periods of large waves and high tides.



Malem – The length of road exposed at Pal and Mosral will continue to increase(to the south) with damage from erosion and wave over washing. At Mosral if theconcrete outlet continues to deteriorate reducing its effectiveness as a “groyne”
the coastline to the north of the Mosral River could retreat more rapidly. A patternof ongoing slow shoreline retreat is likely along much of the Malem coast
particularly at Yeseng, Kuplu and from Yewak to Tenwak. At Yewak/Pilyuul, where
the Pilyuul River would have originally discharged before being deflected north,
there is a risk that ongoing retreat will increasingly expose the road to damage.



Utwe - The Impuspusa coastline is relatively stable but experiences episodic storm
damage which, over time, may increase the potential for damage to the road where
it is located close to the shore.

Tafunsak – The position of the shoreline at Finfoko and Wiya is relatively stable
but the proximity of the road to the shore means it is susceptible to storm-related
damage. At the western end of the seawall at Tafunsak downdrift erosion isundermining the road.

Figure 3-3: Key locations and types of coastal change likely to be experienced (left) and where coastal
inundation issues are expected to increase (right) on Kosrae

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3.2

Biological Environment

3.2.1

Terrestrial Ecology - Flora
The vegetation of Kosrae (Falanruw, 2002) is dominated by the following (see Table 3-2:
Types of plant communities in Kosrae):

Cloud forest, which is considered unique given the number of endemic species
present.

Native upland forest characterised by Campnosperma species.

Palm trees, a component of forests which occur in dense stands especially in areas
where the primary forest has been disturbed.

Freshwater marsh and riverine systems with grasses, sedges and herbs growing
in standing water most of the year and generally located in areas slightly above
sea level and are often just inland of mangroves.



Swamp forests occur where soils are inundated with fresh or slightly saline water.
They are most commonly found just inland of mangroves, above tidal influence but
lower in elevation than the surrounding terrain.

Mangrove forests.

There are over 322 plant species in Kosrae of which 250 species are native, many of which
are endemic to one or more islands in the FSM.
Table 3-2: Types of plant communities in Kosrae

Community Type
Mangrove Forest
Swamp Forest
Upland Forest
Agroforest *Secondary vegetation
Other non-forest
Total Area

Area (ha)
1,562
345
5,090
2,538
1,272
263
11,186

Notes: * includes coconut plantations.

Figure 3-4 presents a map showing the distribution of key terrestrial habitat classes (fromWeeks 2019).
Three IUCN listed threatened (one ‘Endangered’ and two ‘Vulnerable’) and one nearthreatened (NT) flora species are present in Kosrae (Table 3-3). Of these species, one
species (NT) is not endemic to Kosrae, but instead a cultivar from the islands of Pohnpei
and Chuuk (Ivory nut palm Metroxylon amicarum). Two of the threatened species arelowland forest tree species (thorrot Intsia bijuga and lach Pterocarpus indicus) with
Pericopsis mooniana from coastal forest and Cycas micronesica from closed forest. The
other threatened species is the hornwort Dendroceros japonicas. The endemic tree
species Terminalia carolinensis (ka), also found in Pohnpei, is protected in Kosrae.

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Figure 3-4: Location of key terrestrial habitat classes in Kosrae

Rare, regionally significant or protected flora species
In addition to IUCN listed species, Kosrae supports 18 endemic plant species (Costion &Lorence, 2012) (see Table 3-4) with a further 20 found only in the Eastern Carolines(Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk) and one species only found in Kosrae, Pohnpei and Palau.
In addition, 19 endemic species are found across the Caroline Islands (FSM and Palau)
including Kosrae.

3.2.2

Terrestrial Ecology - Fauna
Rare, regionally significant or protected species
Kosrae has six endemic bird species (Table 3-5):


Two species are now extinct as they were last recorded in the 1800s: Kosrae Starling
Aplonis corvine and Kosrae Crake, Zapornia monasa; andThe other four endemic species are considered to be relatively common in theirrestricted range and are considered of ‘Least Concern’: Caroline Reed-warbler
Acrocephalus syrinx, Caroline Swiftlet Aerodramus inquietus, Kosrae Fruit-dove
Ptilinopus hernsheimi and Kosrae White-eye Zosterops cinereus.

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Table 3-3: Threatened or near threated flora species of Kosrae (Falanruw 2002 & IUCN 2018)

Table 3-4: Endemic plant species specific to Kosrae (Costion & Lorence 2012).

In addition, there are two additional restricted-range bird species including the ‘CriticallyEndangered’ migratory species Beck's petrel Pseudobulweria becki and the MicronesianImperial-pigeon Ducula oceanica which is considered ‘Near Threatened’. Kosrae may also
be visited by 19 IUCN listed migratory bird species including two species considered‘Endangered’, six ‘Vulnerable’ and 11 ‘Near Threatened’ species.
Other rare, regionally significant or protected fauna species include:

Two endemic species of bats of the genus Pteropus occur in Kosrae state; theKosrae flying fox Pteropus ualanus – ‘Vulnerable’) and Kosrae fruit bat (Pteropus
mariannus ualans –‘Endangered’) both of which are endemic (Table 3-6).
Three threatened reptiles are known to occur in Kosrae: two migratory marine turtle
species that nest on beaches and the Micronesia saw tailed gecko (Perochirus

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Baseline Resource Reportateles) which is endemic to the Marianas Islands and FSM and listed as ‘Vulnerable’(Table 3-7).
Two ‘Endangered’ freshwater fish species that may occur in Kosrae including theJapanese eel Anguilla japonica previously recorded as a vagrant in FSM andSicyopterus eudentatus a large, herbivorous riverine goby which is endemic to
Kosrae and Pohnpei (Table 3-8).

Table 3-5: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Kosrae (Birdlife International 2018, IUCN 2018)

Table 3-6: Threatened mammals of Kosrae (IUCN 2018)

Table 3-7: Restricted-range and threatened reptiles of Kosrae (IUCN 2018)

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Table 3-8: Threatened fishes of Kosrae (IUCN 2018)

3.2.3

Coastal Marine Ecology
Kosrae is surrounded by a broad shallow carbonate platform much of which is covered by
freshwater swamps, mangrove forest and low coral land and beach strand. The carbonate
platform is of recent reef origin and extends between 1 – 5 km out from the islands volcanic
shoreline boundary. Three lagoons or embayments bisect the reef platform, the largest ofwhich is Lelu Harbor off the east coast. The floor of the harbour is deep, mostly in excess
of 20-30m and is blanketed by fine silts and muds. Figure 3-5 presents a map showing the
distribution of key marine habitat classes in Kosrae (from Weeks, 2019).
Mangrove Forests
Mangroves are a significant coastal habitat and play an important role in coastal biologicaldiversity, erosion control and are a natural barrier of protection for the islands such as
Kosrae (Falanruw, 2002). They also play an important role in trapping sedimentmoderating the effects of excessive storm runoff on the surrounding reef system.
Mangrove and lowland swamp forest occupy relatively large areas between the basaltic
uplands and seaward beach strands. There is 1,562 ha of mangrove forest in Kosrae
which represents 14% of the total land area (Cole et. al., 1999). Eleven mangrove tree
species, including one hybrid, are present on the island of which Sonneratia alba,
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Rhizophora apiculata are the most common (Allen et. al.,2001.)P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report44Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Figure 3-5: Location of key terrestrial habitat classes in Kosrae (from Weeks 2019)

Mangrove forest is most extensive along the south and north west coasts, and in Lelu
Harbour, while lowland swamp forest occurs mainly along the southeast coast. Much of
the forest occurs behind a protective coastal strand. The most widespread anthropogenic
disturbance is harvesting of trees for fuelwood and poles which is done selectively andgenerally creates small, dispersed gaps. Other forms of anthropogenic disturbance, suchas modifications of coastal landforms, alterations of freshwater inflows, road construction
and conversion to residential or agricultural uses are still relatively minor but have led tosome irreversible losses (Allen et. al., 2001).
The swamp forests have been modified in some areas over time by development foragroforestry, cutting of timber and clearance for house construction.
Seagrass
Sea grass beds are present on fringing reef flats primarily along the north and west coasts.
Like mangroves, seagrass acts as a trap for terrigenous sediments and provide important
habitat for a range of invertebrate and fish species. Four species have been identified;Cymodea rotundata, Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hamprichii and Holdule uninervis (seewww.seagrasswatch.org).
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, causeway construction on the reef flat between Kosrae
and Lelu islands is considered to have adversely affected Lelu Harbour. The causeway
blocked water circulation and fish runs into inner Lelu Harbour leading to a decline inseagrass and fish catches. The environmental effects of construction activity are possibly
still impacting nearshore areas with shore erosion, reduced water flow and restoration still
occurring at Lelu Harbour.
Reef Systems
The inner reef systems which extend beyond the mangrove fringe and terrigenous
sediments are dominated by calcareous sand and rubble deposits which support seagrass
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Baseline Resource Reportbeds (Edwards, 2002). The middle to seaward portion is frequently covered by coral
rubble, shingle tracts etc. On windward reefs (north and east facing), the outer edge of thereef platform is covered by a solid reef pavement grading to sloping spur-and-groove
formation in the surf zone where robust corals and coralline algae are abundant. Steep
reef slopes and terraces with abundant coral growth and high diversity extend beyond thespur and groove formation. On leeward facing reefs this formation is less developed orabsent altogether and a coral-rich reef slope descends abruptly beyond the outer edge ofthe reef flat.
Soft Bottom Benthic Communities
Rudimentary embayments bisect the reef platform at several places including Lelu Harbour
which measures 3km long by 2km wide. The floor is in excess of 20-30m deep and coveredin fine muds and silts. These softer sediments are likely to be dominated by a range of
infaunal and epifaunal invertebrates.
The deeper reef slopes of the Harbour are dominated by talus slopes of coral rubble withlive coral more conspicuous on the steep mid-level and upper portions of the walls.
Threatened & Protected Species
Several species of giant clam are under threat in FSM due to the high levels of exploitation.
One species, Tridacna gigas has been extirpated in FSM. Other species, such as
Hipoppus hipoppus are also being depleted and like the T. gigas, they are being cultured
for restocking of reef flats.
As described in Section 3.3, the green turtle Chelonia mydas and the hawksbill turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata, are ‘threatened’ and ‘critically endangered’ respectively.
However, these species are known to be harvested throughout FSM.

3.2.4

Conservation Areas
Kosrae has 8 Protected Managed Areas (PMA) and 12 Areas of Biological Significance(ABS) (Figure 3-7) including two terrestrial, one marine, five coastal marine and two coastal
freshwater ecosystems, totalling 8,261 ha (Conservation Areas
Each State has a network of currently and proposed terrestrial and marine protected areas.
In addition, 130 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have also been identified in FSM(Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.) (TNC, 2019). The location of these areas
in each State is described in detail in the following sections.
In summary, the combined sites encompass 291,753 hectares (ha) or 19% of the FSM's
entire terrestrial and inshore area (including reefs and lagoon areas). Because the landarea of FSM is very small, 50% of the ABS (64 sites) and a majority of the total area (61%or 178,191 ha) are coastal marine sites connecting terrestrial and coastal targets.
Marine-only sites, largely lagoons and coral reefs, comprise the second largest area at
28% (82,620 ha) of the total ABS area. Terrestrial sites, mainly upland native forests,
make up just 8% (22,636 ha) of total ABS area, but total 23 sites. This reflects the relatively
limited extent of natural terrestrial systems on small Pacific islands compared with themuch larger marine systems surrounding them. Coastal freshwater areas, primarily
coastal freshwater marshes, total just 3% (38,133 ha) of the total ABS area.

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3.3

Socio-Economic Environment

3.3.1

EconomyOverview FSM GDP
The National Government, for the fourth consecutive year, showed a significant fiscal
surplus of $35.8 million FSM’s gross domestic product (GDP) was US$1.13b, or US$3,500
per capita, in 2015. In that year there as a trade balance deficit of US$314 million, with
exports at US$20.6 million (-17.8% annualized) and imports at $162 million (+15.8% since2010) (OEC 2017). National government revenue was at its highest level ever at $166.1
million in FY2017 when both domestic revenue and external grants reached record levels.
Public Law 18-107 in FY2015 amended the tax collection allocation to the States from 50
percent to 70 percent of net taxes collected for import taxes, income tax, and gross revenue
tax.
The impact of this tax policy change sees a $4.8 million decline in tax revenue for the
National Government from FY2016 onwards. This revenue has not been passed directly
to the States but by law is invested in the FSM Trust Fund on their behalf. It is estimatedthat $40 million will be invested in the Trust Fund on behalf of the States by 2023.
Table 2-8). Three officially protected terrestrial areas include:Yela Ka Forest is a conservation area of ka trees (Terminalia carolinensis) in the
Yela Valley. A conservation easement, the first achieved outside the Americas,
protects 78 acres of the 1,400 acre valley (Figure 13).

Olum Watershed Protected Area is an ABS site (310.3 ha) with native upland forestthat includes cultural and historical sites. The area is managed by Kosrae Island
Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) in partnership with landowners.



Mahkontowe Conservation Area was enacted into Kosrae State Law 11-156 on June
7, 2018. This area refers to a 15 km2 area which hosts a variety of significant cultural,archaeological, and natural aspects (Figure 11).

Table 3-9 identifies informally and formally protected areas.

Figure 3-6: Existing and proposed protected areas (from TNC 2019)

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Figure 3-7: Areas of Biological Significance in Kosrae (from TNC 2019)
Table 3-9: Protected areas of Kosrae

3.3.2

Rivers & Watersheds
Figure 3-2 presents the distribution of key watersheds and rivers in Kosrae (FSM 2010).

3.3.3

Invasive Species
Figure 3-8 presents the known locations of Kosrae’s priority action invasive species which
include the starburst bush Clerodendrum quadriloculare, bitter vine Mikania micrantha andcastor bean plant (Tangan tangan) Ricinus communis (FSM 2010). Other, more dispersive
species have not been mapped.

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Figure 3-8: Incidence of targeted invasive species in Kosrae (U.S. FS and the FSM (2010)

3.4

Socio-Economic Environment

3.4.1

EconomyThe major economic sectors of Kosrae are marine resources, tourism, and agriculture.
Subsistence farming and fishing remains very important to most families. The public sector
greatly depends upon the economic assistance of the United States through the Compact
of Free Association.
The public sector plays a central role in the economy, the national and state-levelgovernments employ over half of the country’s workers and government services andpublic enterprises account for 38% of GDP. In 2013 the Kosrae Strategic Development
Plan: 2014 – 2023 (KSDP) was finalized, recognizing the needs and aspirations of theKosrae community and stakeholders in Kosrae. The KSDP takes a 10 year view of Kosrae
and its place in Federated States of Micronesia. Kosrae’s GDP growth has declined by
0.7% per annum since the beginning of the Amended Compact. A major issue is the sizeof the public sector in the economy, accounting for 40 percent of GDP activity. These
factors suggest the Kosrae economy is in a highly volatile state as it approaches 2023 andhas no significant financial reserves to fall back on.
Kosrae’s GDP in 2015 was estimated at USD$14.6 million (or USD$1,963 per person).
Major economic sectors in the State of Kosrae are marine resources, tourism, agriculture
and small scale businesses. The combined output from these sectors contributed to an
estimated USD$1.6 million, or 10% of the state products. The State Government owns
and operates all infrastructure facilities, health facilities, and most education services,
small enterprises, and an extensive commercial activity in the fishery.
The subsistence economy is based on small-scale horticulture and fishing. These two
activities are not mutually exclusive as most farmers are also fishermen. Some havelivestock for food production. This traditional subsistence economy is still vital for the

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Kosraean’s. Remittances from family overseas also supplement the household income
especially those with subsistence production and or no employment.

3.4.2

Land Tenure and Access
In Kosrae, land rights may be legally sold to FSM citizen. The FSM Constitution forbids
the ownership of land by foreigners but they are permitted to lease land. Multiple
ownership of land still exists throughout the FSM, requiring the consensus of families, clans
and traditional leaders for leases and development. This can present a constraint todevelopment depending on the ability to achieve consensus.
The Kosrae Constitution took effect on January 11, 1984. The Kosrae Constitution
contains a provision where stated rights may be superseded where “when a tradition
protected by statute provides the contrary.” The Constitution also stipulates that court
decisions “shall be consistent with this Constitution, State traditions and customs, and thesocial and geographical configuration of the State.” The emphasis on protection of naturalland resources is a unique feature of the Constitution. This emphasis has made it possible
for Kosrae to enact an island-wide land use program supported by law.
Article XI, § 5 deals with the issue of eminent domain and compensation for land
appropriated by the government and authorizes the State Government to “acquire interests
in private land for public purpose without the consent of the interested parties.” Such anacquisition may occur upon “upon payment of fair compensation and the State
Government’s showing that the land and the interest are highly suited to their intended
use, that it has made a good faith effort to gain the consent of the interested parties, andthat it has made every reasonable effort to avoid substantial hardship to the interested
parties in consideration of their personal circumstances.
Article XI, § 6 designates rivers and streams as public property, and authorizes the State
Government to regulate their use in the public interest.
Article XI, § 7 limits ownership of land to a specified class of individuals and states that
only a person who is a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia and Kosraean bydescent including by adoption or a corporation which is wholly owned by such persons,
may acquire title to land in the State. Acquisition of title by persons whose status as
Kosraean by descent is based solely on adoption shall be within limits set by law.
Acquisition or utilization of interests in real property may be restricted or regulated by law.
Article XI, § 8 states that “[n]o certificate of title shall be issued to the State Government
for land consisting of the road and adjacent areas except where the State has actual title.”
A certificate of title previously issued to the State for such land is voidable upon applicationby the landowner holding title provided that any prior use agreement between the State
Government and the private landowner shall be reinstated according to its terms until
modified.”

3.4.3

Demographics
Kosrae has a total population of 6,616 consisting of 3,352 is males (50.6%) and 3,264(49.4%) female (FSM 2010 census) (Table 3-10). With an average annual growth rate of-0.40%, the greatest rate of change of all the FSM states, this is a reflection declining
economy resulting in population movement interstate (Pohnpei) or to other countries.
Table 3-10: Demographic information for FSM (source 2010 census)

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In addition, a number of other key points regarding the demographics of Kosrae:With a population of 6,616, Kosrae is the smallest state by population in FSM andhas the lowest population density of all the FSM states (156 persons/square mile/400
persons/km2).



The distribution of Kosrae’s population varies considerably between rural (4,456
people) and urban (2,160) areas with the population in both rural and urban areas
declining growing at an average annual rate of -1.34% and -1.82% respectively.

The greatest population in Kosrae is located in Lelu municipality (22.7%) followed
by Tafunsak (32.0%), Malem (20.4%) and Utwe (13.9%)52. Figure 3-9 shows thelocation of urban areas on Kosrae and municipal boundaries.



The average household size (5.7) is slightly smaller than the national average, as is
the average family size (4.2).

The official language is Kosraean with English used in government discourse with
90.1% of the population speaking English and 90.7% speaks Kosraean.



The median age in Kosrae was 21.5 years.



There are 1,143 households in Kosrae. Of these: 1,1079 households (94%) source
power from a public utility; 990 (87%) have access to drinking water via public orcommunity water supply or household tank; 1119 (98%) are connected to a sewer
or have a septic tank; 872 (76%) have access to a car, bus/truck or motorbike; 490(43%) have access to a mobile phone; and 246 (22%) have access to a computer,with 156 (14%) having access to the internet.

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Figure 3-9: Urban areas in Kosrae

3.4.4

Education
Education in the FSM is compulsory for children aged 6 to 13 (elementary school). The
national education agency is the FSM Department of Education. Each state has its own
education agency operating public schools. The curriculum in this eight-year program
includes subjects such as science, mathematics, language arts, social studies and physicaleducation. Public elementary and secondary schools are free for all Micronesian students.
There are five secondary schools (one per island) as well as several private secondary
schools. In FSM, the College of Micronesia provides accredited post-secondary educationfrom six campuses spread across all States.
According to the 2010 census, in Kosrae, 101% of 6-13-year olds go to elementary school(indicating students repeating years), 93% of 14-17 year olds attended high school and
25% of 18-24 year olds attend college. The 2010 FSM census also showed that 85%
percent of Kosraean’s aged 25 years and over had completed elementary education; 55%
had completed high school, and 39% had attended college or other higher-level education
institute with approximately 16% graduating. A further 2% were recorded as never having
attended school.

3.4.5

Fisheries – Related Industries
Commercial & Artisanal Fisheries
There are no large-scale inshore commercial fishing operations in Kosrae. Small scalecommercial game fishing charters catering for tourists is allowed. Much of the local smallscale fishers capture fish principally for household consumption and secondarily as anadditional income stream.

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Dive Industry
In 1997 a series of mooring buoys were installed around the Kosrae coast in anticipationof increased diving and fishing pressure on the surrounding reefs (see Figure 3-10). Thesesites are used by local dive operators as part of a small dive tourism industry, with a subset
used for regular monitoring of the health of coral reef by KIRMA.

Figure 3-10: Locations of moorings in Kosrae indicating key dive sites

3.4.6

Sites of Archaeological & Historical Value
Figure 3-11 presents the locations of historical sites in Kosrae. Several heritage sites havebeen identified in Kosrae that are identified in the US National Register of Historic Places(Table 3-11).

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Figure 3-11: Locations of historic sites in Kosrae
Table 3-11: Heritage sites listed on the US National Register of Historic Places

3.4.7

Infrastructure
Piped water systems from rivers serve 7 areas in Kosrae, a total population of 6,633 (seeTable 2-17). The Lelu sewerage system provides small bore sewers which receive effluent
from household septic tanks. Collected sewage is delivered to a pumping station. The Tofol
sewerage system collects sewage from Government buildings and provides oxidation
ponds treatment which has a capacity of 15,000 gallons (56,000 litres) a day.
Quarries
Kosrae has 20 permitted privately-owned quarry sites (see Figure 3-12). Only Quarry #16
at Tenwak (locally-known as Puk Quarry) has a rock crushing machine and a sorter (seeFigure 3-13). The current quarry output is approximately 40m3 / day with 80% being 1”
crushed gravel. DOTC&I have stated aggregates (for asphalt) used in past road paving

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quality fill materials as base course. This needs to be confirmed however.

Figure 3-12: Quarry site locations in Kosrae

Figure 3-13: Images showing infrastructure at Puk quarry

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Solid Waste Management

The solid waste facilities in Kosrae consist of five dumpsites and an aluminium cancompaction and storage facility (FSM DOTC&I, 2004). The dumpsites include:Lelu Municipality dumpsite which is the largest of the five and occupies a hillside
opposite the Kosrae Utilities Authority (KUA) power plant. This is the only site tohave a public collection service. A dump truck is employed for roadside collectionof trash along the circumferential road, two times per week.

The Tafunsak Municipality dumpsite, a small area located east of the airport andcommercial port.



The Malem Municipality dumpsite, a small area located south of the Lelu causewayalong the circumferential road.



Very small dumpsites located at Utwe and Walung village.

In all cases the dumpsites are located near residential and/or administrative areas andnone are fenced or any evidence of an organised operation. No state government body is
specifically charged with responsibility for solid waste management, but this role is taken
on by default by the Department of Public Works.
Further investigation is required to determine whether the solid waste facility has the ability
to dispose of any waste roading material generated from the PRIME and SCORE Projects.
Seawalls

A number of seawalls have been created in response to ongoing coastal erosion issues.
The location of existing seawalls is shown in Figure 3-14.

Figure 3-14: Location of existing seawalls in Kosrae

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3.5

Primary Data Collection
A range of assets located in the road corridor along the islands primary (PRIME) andsecondary (SCORE) road network have been identified based on fieldwork undertaken. A
map showing the location of these assets (which includes as private fences/walls andgardens, fruit trees, buildings, bridges/culverts, etc.) and other key resources are provided
in Figure 3-16. Appendix B presents further detail on this map. Error! Reference source
not found. presents examples of these assets. This information has been used to identify
E&S sensitivities for the ESMF.

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Figure 3-15: Images showing (a-f) PRIME (g-h) SCORE key assets located in close proximity to theroads on Kosrae.

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Figure 3-16: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors – Kosrae

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4.

Pohnpei

4.1

Physical Environment

4.1.1

ClimateTable 3-1 presents key climate data for Pohnpei (from https://en.climate-data.org/). The
key point to note is the abundant rainfall Pohnpei receives annually (480 cm).
Table 4-1: Key climate statistics for Pohnpei including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm)Parameter

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Avg. Temperature

27.2

27.3

27.3

27.3

27.4

27.3

27

27

27

27.1

27.2

27.3

Min. Temperature

24.2

24.3

24.3

24.1

24

23.7

23.1

22.9

22.9

23

23.3

24

Max. Temperature

30.2

30.3

30.4

30.6

30.8

30.9

31

31.2

31.2

31.2

31.1

30.6

Rainfall (mm)

329

262

341

443

478

427

453

442

413

426

403

390

4.1.2

Topography, Geology, & Soils Hydrology
Pohnpei consists of a main island surrounded by an inner coral reef, 23 small basaltic islets,
a number of inshore deposit islet, and an outer encircling barrier reef with about 15 low coral
islets. Pohnpei itself is a high volcanic island with a mountainous interior and peaks as highas 798 m above sea level, is about 21km in diameter and 112km in circumference. Including
lagoon islands, the total land area of Pohnpei is approximately 340km2.
The distribution of various soil types across Pohnpei has been described by U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in
1982. The five key soil types present are as follows:

Nansepsep/Sonahnpll/lnkosr - Very deep, well drained to poorly drained, level togently sloping soils; on bottom lands and alluvial fans.

Nanlak - Very deep, poorly drained, level and nearly level soils; in coastal tidal
marshes.



Umpump/Rakled - Moderately deep and very deep, moderately well drained andsomewhat poorly drained, level to moderately steep soils; on old lava flows,
terraces, and benches.



Dolekel/Fomseng - Shallow and moderately deep, well drained, moderately steep
to extremely steep soils; on uplands.



Tolonler/Dolen - Very deep, well drained, strongly sloping to extremely steep soils;
on uplands.

Figure 4-1 presents a map prepared by the Island Research and Education Initiative (iREi)
showing the distribution of the key soil types.

4.1.3

Hydrology
Groundwater
Groundwater development on Pohnpei has been limited mainly to areas in the northern partof the island in and around the town of Kolonia and Palikir (Spengler et, al., 1992). Wells
in the Kolonia area exploit local unconformities between flow units of the late-stage
volcanics and the unconformity between these volcanics and the underlying shield-building

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Baseline Resource Reportlavas. More productive wells located in the Palikir area exploit relatively unweatheredshield-building lavas.

Figure 4-1: The distribution of the key soil types in Pohnpei

Groundwater development in the northern half of the island is hindered by low permeability
basement rock and lack of an extensive, low permeability capping layer to impede themovement of basal groundwater into the lagoon. More favorable conditions for thedevelopment of basal groundwater are thought to exist in the southern half of the island dueto the presence of relatively thick deposits of low-permeability ash near the coast, althoughgroundwater has not yet been developed in this location.
Figure 4-2 presents a map prepared by (iREi) showing distribution of general water
resources.

Surface Water
The general distribution of freshwater resources on Pohnpei is shown in Figure _ based ondata provided by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1944 (USGS, 1944) and complied by iREi.
The key point to note is that the majority of the island, primarily in the interior, has numerous
streams and springs with a few locations where water is taken from shallow wells (orstreams) for consumption. The majority of water for consumption located primarily on the
coastal fringes is through collected rainfall. Figure 4-3 presents maps showing location of
surface watercourses based on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps
(2001) and reinterpreted by iREi.

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Figure 4-2: The distribution of the general water resources in Pohnpei

Figure 4-3: The distribution of water courses in Pohnpei
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4.1.4

Hazards
Flooding
Figure 4-4 presents a map showing various levels of flooding hazard for Pohnpei preparedby iREi and is based data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for local soil type, drainage, and otherparameters. The key point to note is that the majority of the low-lying coastal margin isconsidered at risk of flooding.

Figure 4-4: Areas of flood risk in Pohnpei

ErosionFigure 4-5 presents a map showing various levels of erosion hazard for Pohnpei preparedby iREi and is based data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for local soil type, slope and other parameters.
The key point to note is that the majority of ‘very high’ to ‘high’ potential erosion hazard
areas are located in the stepper areas poorer quality soils of the interior occasional
extending towards the coastal margin.

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Figure 4-5: Erosion hazard areas in Pohnpei

4.2

Ecology

4.2.1

Terrestrial Ecology – Flora
Vegetation Types
Table 2-2 presents a summary of general vegetation types found in Pohnpei. Key habitat
sensitive to development disturbance as a proportion of total area ranges includes
mangrove (15.6%), swamp forest (0.6%), upland forest (35.4%) and marsh (0.4%) (fromFSM 2001).

Plant Species
A total of 729 species of ferns and flowering plants have been described in Pohnpei.
Approximately 438 species are native, including about 106 species of ferns, 138 monocot
species and 194 dicot species (Falanruw, 2002) (Table 2-3).
A total of 291 species of plants have been introduced to Pohnpei (Zirkus, 2001). Some ofthese introduced species have become invasive pests (Table 2-4) and, of the top 11
invasive weed species in FSM, all are present in Pohnpei including the widespread GiantP177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report64Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Sensitive plant Mimosa diplotricha, African tulip-tree Spathodea campanulata and Wedelia
trilobata (FSM, 2002).
Figure 4-6 presents a map showing the distribution of various vegetation types acrossPohnpei. The data set was developed from 2005 QuickBird satellite imagery by Digital
Globe through land cover classification carried out by U.S. Forest Service (2007).

Figure 4-6: Distribution of vegetation types in Pohnpei

4.2.2

Terrestrial Ecology – Fauna
A range of avian, mammalian, reptilian species are present including 73 species of bird(including 20 native species, 19 resident and non-resident seabirds, 20 migratory
shorebirds, and 3 introduced bird species) (Table 2-5). A number of mammals (includingbats), reptiles (skinks, geckos, snakes), amphibians and freshwater fish are also likely tobe present.
The Pohnpei Island skink (Emoia ponapea) is the only reptile endemic to Pohnpei, and it
is widely distributed in low-land and upland forest (Buden, 2000).

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4.2.3

Coastal Marine Ecology
Coastal Habitat
A number of significant marine ecological features are located around Pohnpei (fromWeeks, 2015). Figure 4-7 identifies these key features.

Figure 4-7: Key marine ecological features in Pohnpei

Mangroves
The three most common mangrove species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Sonneratia alba andRhizophora apiculata are present on Pohnpei (Allen et. al., 2001). A total of seven othermangrove species are present but are generally much less common. Table 2-7 presents

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the distribution of the most common species by FSM State. Figure 4-7 presents a map
showing the distribution of mangroves around Pohnpei.

Seagrass
Approximately 4,403.6 ha of predominately intertidal and shallow (<3m) subtidal seagrassmeadows are present the waters around Pohnpei Island (and Atoll) consisting of three key
species (Cymodocea rotundata, Thalassia hemprichii, and Enhalus acaroides) of varying
levels of coverage (continuous, aggregated, and isolated) (McKenzie & Rasheed, 2006).
Figure 4-8 presents a map showing the distribution of seagrass areas around Pohnpei.

Figure 4-8: Distribution of seagrass beds in Pohnpei

Reef Zonation
The distribution of various reef zones around Pohnpei has been mapped using datacollected by the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project (IMaRS-USF & IRD 2005). Reefzones describe the locations and ecological conditions of different parts of the reef withrespect to the reef system as a whole. The key reef type in close proximity to the coast is
described as “reticulated fringing reef defined as a network of linear or polygonal reef
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reef zones.

Figure 4-9: Distribution of reef zones in Pohnpei

Fauna
Two species of sea turtles (Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata) are known tooccur regularly in surrounding waters (Buden, 2000)

4.2.4

Conservation Areas
Figure 4-10 presents a map showing existing designated (12 areas) and proposed (12areas) protected areas in Pohnpei.

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Figure 4-10: Pohnpei existing and proposed protected areas (from Weeks, 2015)

In addition, 35 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have been identified for Pohnpei
including terrestrial (9), marine (5), coastal marine (18) and coastal freshwater sites (3)(Conservation Areas
Each State has a network of currently and proposed terrestrial and marine protected areas.
In addition, 130 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have also been identified in FSM(Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.) (TNC, 2019). The location of these areas
in each State is described in detail in the following sections.
In summary, the combined sites encompass 291,753 hectares (ha) or 19% of the FSM's
entire terrestrial and inshore area (including reefs and lagoon areas). Because the landarea of FSM is very small, 50% of the ABS (64 sites) and a majority of the total area (61%or 178,191 ha) are coastal marine sites connecting terrestrial and coastal targets.
Marine-only sites, largely lagoons and coral reefs, comprise the second largest area at
28% (82,620 ha) of the total ABS area. Terrestrial sites, mainly upland native forests,
make up just 8% (22,636 ha) of total ABS area, but total 23 sites. This reflects the relatively
limited extent of natural terrestrial systems on small Pacific islands compared with themuch larger marine systems surrounding them. Coastal freshwater areas, primarily
coastal freshwater marshes, total just 3% (38,133 ha) of the total ABS area.

4.3

Socio-Economic Environment

4.3.1

EconomyOverview FSM GDP

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The National Government, for the fourth consecutive year, showed a significant fiscal
surplus of $35.8 million FSM’s gross domestic product (GDP) was US$1.13b, or US$3,500
per capita, in 2015. In that year there as a trade balance deficit of US$314 million, with
exports at US$20.6 million (-17.8% annualized) and imports at $162 million (+15.8% since2010) (OEC 2017). National government revenue was at its highest level ever at $166.1
million in FY2017 when both domestic revenue and external grants reached record levels.
Public Law 18-107 in FY2015 amended the tax collection allocation to the States from 50
percent to 70 percent of net taxes collected for import taxes, income tax, and gross revenue
tax.
The impact of this tax policy change sees a $4.8 million decline in tax revenue for the
National Government from FY2016 onwards. This revenue has not been passed directly
to the States but by law is invested in the FSM Trust Fund on their behalf. It is estimatedthat $40 million will be invested in the Trust Fund on behalf of the States by 2023.
Table 2-8). The location of Pohnpei ABSs are shown in Figure 4-11 and Figure 4-12.

Figure 4-11: Pohnpei existing and proposed protected areas (from Weeks 2015)

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Figure 4-12: Areas of Biodiversity Significance in Pohnpei

4.4

Socio-Economic Environment

4.4.1

EconomyEconomic activity consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing and government,
which employs two-thirds of the adult working population and receives funding largely 58% in 2013 – from Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the US. The
potential for tourism is limited by isolation, lack of adequate facilities, and limited internal
air and water transportation. Pohnpei (and Yap) have been the fastest growing with GDP
growth averaging 2% per annum in the FY1987-FY2003 period (FSM Strategic
Development Plan, 2003). In the early period FY1987-FY1995 of the Compact growth wasstrong in Pohnpei which experienced rates of growth of 5.4. The private sector expanded
vigorously in both states attaining nearly 9.0% and public sector activity in Pohnpei
expanded by 2.3%.

4.4.2

Land Tenure & Access
Ownership of land and aquatic areas varies between States. In Pohnpei, land is bothprivately and State owned, while aquatic areas are managed by the State as public trusts.
With the establishment of a system of chieftainship, all land in a given chiefdom
theoretically came under the jurisdiction of the paramount chief. Individuals occupied small
farmsteads as tenants. State's Legislature amended its laws in September 2018 primarily
due to land issues and traditional land owner disputes.

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The Constitution requires the Government of Pohnpei to protect the customs and traditions ofPohnpei and allows statutes to be enacted to uphold custom. However, in the event that astatute is challenged as being in violation of other Constitutional rights “it shall be upheld upon
the Pohnpei Supreme Court’s determination that the statute has reasonably protected an
existing, regularly practiced custom or tradition.”

Article XII, § 1 states that “no lease of land, except from the Government or as provided in
Section 4 of this Article, may exceed twenty-five years.” The right for option to renew andother protections shall be provided by statute
Article XII, § 2. limits ownership of land to a specified class of individuals. The Section statesthat “the acquisition of permanent interest in real property shall be restricted to Ponapean
citizens”.
Article XII, § 3 prohibits any agreement that “grants the user of land the unilateral authority
to continue use for an indefinite term.”
Article XII, § 5 prohibits the sale of land “except as authorized by statue.

4.4.3

Demographics
Geographical isolation and poorly developed infrastructure are major impediments to
FSM’s long-term growth. Over the years, agriculture’s socio-cultural role as a safety net
for the disadvantaged has greatly diminished. Inequality of income and the incidence offamilies with incomes below the poverty line are among the highest in the Pacific region.
Poverty is a concern and FSM has, in general, made only limited progress towards
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

4.4.4

Gender, GBV and Human Trafficking
The Gender Development Office has progressed implementation of the Pohnpei Domestic
Issues Act 2017 and helped to establish the Pohnpei Domestic Violence Act Taskforce. In
2018, the Taskforce committed to implementing the protection order sections in the Act
with the Adviser supporting the Pohnpei State Women’s Interest Officer to submit arecommendation to the Governor – a significant step. The Pohnpei Police Domestic
Violence Unit was formed following training provided by the Department of Health andSocial Affairs Family Protection Adviser.
Each of Micronesia’s four states has its own laws criminalizing trafficking offenses
however, Pohnpei did not explicitly prohibit adult sex trafficking. Cases prosecuted at thestate level may be heard subsequently at the national level, under national anti-trafficking
law, depending on which court hears a case. In Pohnpei discourse on trafficking has
mainly related to the resident fishing fleet. Incidences of prostitution (employment in barsand ‘houses’) and sexual exploitation (of underage women/girls) have been recorded in
the past, however, there is a need to distinguish between the two. General opinion is thatthe sex-related activities are prevalent, however, this is something that is not reported andnot discussed (ESIA, 2017).
Findings from the report assessing gaps in EVAW services (FSM, 2018) are being used tobetter assist women and children to access services relating to domestic violence including
work progressing the reopening of the Pohnpei safe house.

4.4.5

Education
The FSM is eligible for selected US Federal Education Programs that contribute asignificant amount to the overall education budget. FSM’s only Institute of Higher

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Education (IHE) is the College of Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) located in Pohnpei. The
FSM Education system is composed of the State and National education. The FSM
National education provides coordination for development of standards and assessment,
reports on the status of education, provides technical assistance, coordinates externalfunding aid for education, and is responsible to provide support for the post-secondary
development of the Nation. Instruction is the responsibility of the State Departments of
Education (FSM, 2015).

4.4.6

Health
FSM health services are provided at the state level. Health services provide cost-free
primary care for pregnant women and infants including basic and routine high-risk
antenatal care, delivery, postnatal care, postpartum family planning counselling andcontraceptives; and preventive and primary care for children and children with special
needs.
The National Health Progress Report (2008–2011) covers annual monitoring of 14 national
health indicators on health status, availability of essential drugs, health care utilization,
quality assurance and functionality of biomedical equipment (UNICEF, 2013). Information
available suggest that FSM generally, and Pohnpei State individually, have made some
progress in addressing violence against women and children but generally lack quality
essential services to eliminate violence against women and girls. This is especially thecase for women and children with disabilities, those living in rural and remote areas andthose made vulnerable by other circumstances e.g., poverty. Pohnpei State now has a
Domestic Violence Act and an implementation plan is being drafted.

4.4.7

Fisheries and other industries
The mainstays of the FSM economy and in Pohnpei are subsistence farming and fishing.
There is limited tourism due to lack of access and facilities, although it has increased inrecent years with the opening of a number of small hotels. Geographic isolation and poorly
developed infrastructure are major impediments to FSM’s economic growth and poverty isamong the highest in the Pacific region. FSM has, in general, made only limited progress
towards achieving the MDG by 2015.

4.4.8

Cultural Values
The traditional culture of Pohnpei, which involves strong land and resource management
components, is very much alive today and is still in large a strong influence on Pohnpeians'
lifestyle. The traditional system still exists within activities observed throughout the year.
Despite Pohnpei being the melting pot of the FSM, where people of various races and fromislands throughout FSM reside, the Pohnpei culture is very much practiced and respectedby the island residents.

4.4.9

Infrastructure
A total of 29 bridges and causeways have been identified around Pohnpei. The locationof these key infrastructural assets is shown in Figure 4-13.

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Figure 4-13: Location of bridges and causeways in Pohnpei

Piped water systems from Nanpil River and wells serve populations of 2,500 in Kolonia
and Palikir (seeP177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report74Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Table 2-16). The Kolonia Central Sewerage System, which consists of about 12 miles ofsewers, a total of 7 lift stations and a package sewage treatment plant with a capacity of
about a 0.8 million gallons a day. The system has about 1,200 connections. Treatedsewage is discharged into the Sokehs harbor through a 12-inch diameter pipeline. The
location of the key wastewater network assets are shown in Figure 4-14 and Figure 4-15
and the potable water network is shown in Figure 4-16.

Figure 4-14: Location of wastewater assets in Pohnpei

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Figure 4-15: Location of sewer lines in Pohnpei

Figure 4-16: Location of potable water lines in Pohnpei

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Pohnpei has 45 coral sand dredge sites (33 inactive and 12 active) and two rock quarries(Figure 4-17). They all have permits from Pohnpei Environmental Protection Agent (EPA)
and are mainly for road maintenance and construction. One of the hard rock quarries islocated at Ipwal Sokes and is owned and operated by a company called APSCO (SOPAC
2005) (Figure 4-18).

Figure 4-17: Map showing coastal coral ‘quarries’

Figure 4-18: Images of quarry sites on Pohnpei
Solid Waste Management

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The only solid waste facility on Pohnpei is the dumpsite on Dekethik Island on the eastside of the causeway at its northern end (Johnston, 2011). The facility has an operations
shed, a battery recovery shed, and separated areas for aluminium can compaction andstorage and fuel drum sludge product extraction and storage. The larger portion of the area
is used for trash intended for disposal, without recovery efforts. A private company,
Pohnpei Waste Management Services (PWMS) provides most trash collection services,
although the Kolonia Municipal Government provides collection services for about half theresidents and commercial establishments in the town. Further investigation is required todetermine whether the solid waste facility has the ability to dispose of any waste roadingmaterial generated from the PRIME and SCORE Projects.

4.5

Primary Data Collection
A range of assets located in the road corridor along the primary roads have been identified
based on fieldwork undertaken during the PRIME assessment. In addition secondary roadthat leads to the island which houses the UNESCO cultural and heritage site of Nan Madolwas included. A map showing the location of these assets (which includes as private
fences/walls and gardens, fruit trees, buildings, bridges/culverts, etc.) and other key
resources are provided in Figure 4-19. Appendix B presents further detail on this map.
Error! Reference source not found. presents examples of these assets. This information
has been used to identify E&S sensitivities for the ESMF.

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Figure 4-19: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors - Pohnpei

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Figure 4-20: Images showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets located in close
proximity to the roads on Pohnpei.

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5.

Chuuk

5.1

Physical Environment

5.1.1

ClimateTable 5-1Table 4-1: Key climate statistics for Pohnpei including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm)presents key climate data for Chuuk (from https://en.climate-data.org/). The key point tonote is the abundant rainfall Chuuk receives annually (352 cm).
Table 5-1: Key climate statistics for Chuuk including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm)Parameter
Avg. Temperature

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

27.4

27.3

27.4

27.6

27.6

27.6

27.4

27.2

27.4

27.4

27.5

27.6

Min. Temperature

24.9

24.8

24.8

24.9

24.7

24.6

24.2

24

24.1

24.2

24.5

24.9

Max. Temperature

29.9

29.9

30.1

30.4

30.6

30.6

30.6

30.5

30.7

30.7

30.6

30.3

Rainfall (mm)

228

163

229

295

353

302

361

349

310

355

284

297

5.1.2

Topography, Geology, Soils & Hydrology
Chuuk State comprises a main atoll at Chuuk Lagoon, plus four outer island atoll groups:
the Mortlocks (with 11 inhabited atolls or islets) and Oksorod (comprising three groups);
Pattiw (having 4 inhabited atolls/ islets); Namonuito (5 inhabited atolls/ islets); and the Halls(4 inhabited atolls/islets). Total land area for all of Chuuk State is 49km2.
The islands of Chuuk Lagoon are surrounded by a roughly circular barrier reef about 64
km in diameter. There are 19 high volcanic islands within the lagoon, and numerous lowlying coral islets or motu along the barrier reef. Weno (also known as Moen), the mostpopulous of the islands, is the center of government and commerce.
Weno island is of volcanic origin consisting of olivine-basalt with minor andesite, with steep
rugged uplands surrounded by coastal lowlands. The highest point on Weno, Mt. Tonoken,
is a distinctive peak that rises some 369 m (about 1,000 feet) above sea level.
In terms of soil types, the five key map units can be grouped into two general landscapesfor broad interpretative purposes (Laird, 1980).
1.

2.

Coastal mangrove swamps. Located on coastal strands and bottom lands andcomprise 27% of this survey area and include:

Chla Insak Variant. Shallow and very deep, very poorly drained, level andnearly level soils in coastal mangrove swamps along the shoreline of manyislands which are flooded daily with seawater at high tide. Slope is 0 to 2%.



Dublon-Typlc Troporthents (urban land). Very deep, somewhat poorly
drained, level and nearly level soils, and urban land on coastal strands along
the shoreline of many islands. Slope is 0 to 2%. Elevation is sea level to 2m.



Ngerungor. Very deep, very poorly drained, level and nearly level soils onbottom lands on the coastal plains of some islands making up about 6% of
the survey area. Slope is 0 to 1%.

Soils on uplands. The soils in this group are nearly level to extremely steep andcomprise about 73% of this survey area. Elevation is 6 to 300m. The soils in thisP177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report81Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
Baseline Resource Reportgroup are shallow, moderately deep, and very deep and are well drained. They
formed in residuum and colluvium derived dominantly from basic igneous rock andinclude:

Tolonler-Dolen. Very deep, well drained, sloping to extremely steep soils; onuplands. This map unit is in the interior of all islands in the survey area. Slopeis 6 to 75%. The vegetation on this unit is mainly mixed forest. Elevation is
6 to 300m. This unit makes up about 65% of the survey area. It is about
60% Tolonier soils and 25% Dolen soils.

Rocke outcrop Wahrekdam (variant Wahrekdam). Rock outcrop, and shallow
and moderately deep, well drained, nearly level to moderately sloping soils;
on uplands. This map unit is in the interior of many islands in the survey
area. It is mainly on ridgetops. Slope is 2 to 8%. The vegetation on this unit
is mainly mixed forest. Elevation is 10 to 300m. This unit makes up about
8% of the survey area.

Chuuk is drained by a number of streams most of them short with small drainage areas.
The compacted volcanic material results in a shallow (unconfined) ground water lens.
Household water use within Weno is derived from either captured rainwater (typicallythrough a roof-gutter system that feeds a large storage tank) or groundwater. Raincatchment water is preferred for most domestic purposes such as drinking and cooking,whereas groundwater, typically accessed through hand-dug wells lined with concrete orrocks, is used for bathing and washing clothes.

5.1.3

Coastal Erosion Hazards
Figure 5-1 presents an image showing areas of concern in relation to coastal stability in
Chuuk based on ArcGIS data provided by Chuuk Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Key areas considered to be of high coastal instability are primarily located along thenorthern (including Pou Bay) and south –eastern coastlines.

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Figure 5-1: Coastal stability areas in Chuuk

5.2

Ecology

5.2.1

Terrestrial Ecology - Flora
Vegetation Types
Table 2-2 presents a summary of general vegetation types found in Chuuk. Key habitat
sensitive to development disturbance as a proportion of total area ranges includes
mangrove (7%), upland forest (16.2%) and marsh (5.6%) (from FSM, 2001).

Plant Species
A total of 470 species of ferns and flowering plants have been described in Chuuk.
Approximately 298 species are native including about 45 species of ferns, 95 monocot
species and 158 dicot species (Falanruw, 2002) (Table 2-3).
A total of 172 species of plants have been introduced to Chuuk (Zirkus, 2001). Some ofthese introduced species have become invasive pests (Table 2-4) and, of the key 11
invasive weed species in FSM, 8 are present in Chuuk including the widespread Siam weed
Chromolaena odorata, Merremia peltata and Wedelia trilobata (FSM, 2002).

5.2.2

Terrestrial Ecology - Fauna
A range of avian, mammalian, reptilian species are present in Chuuk including 73 speciesof bird (including 17 native species, 21 resident and non-resident seabirds, 33 migratory
shorebirds, and 2 introduced bird species) (Table 2-5). A number of mammals (includingbats), reptiles (skinks, geckos, snakes), amphibians and freshwater fish are also likely to bepresent.

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5.2.3

Coastal Marine Ecology
Recently collected data describing coastal marine habitats around Chuuk is currently being
processed by Chuuk EPA and wasn’t available at the time of wiring of this report. A review
of existing information indicates that a total of 4 species were identified in a 2004 survey(see www.seagrasswatch.org).

5.2.4

Conservation Areas
Figure 5-2 presents designated protected / managed areas in Chuuk.

Figure 5-2: Chuuk conservation areas (FSM 2010)

A total of 50 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have been identified for Chuuk
including terrestrial (9), marine (10), coastal marine (20) and coastal freshwater sites (11)(Conservation Areas
Each State has a network of currently and proposed terrestrial and marine protected areas.
In addition, 130 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) have also been identified in FSM(Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.) (TNC, 2019). The location of these areas
in each State is described in detail in the following sections.
In summary, the combined sites encompass 291,753 hectares (ha) or 19% of the FSM's
entire terrestrial and inshore area (including reefs and lagoon areas). Because the landarea of FSM is very small, 50% of the ABS (64 sites) and a majority of the total area (61%or 178,191 ha) are coastal marine sites connecting terrestrial and coastal targets.
Marine-only sites, largely lagoons and coral reefs, comprise the second largest area at
28% (82,620 ha) of the total ABS area. Terrestrial sites, mainly upland native forests,
make up just 8% (22,636 ha) of total ABS area, but total 23 sites. This reflects the relatively
limited extent of natural terrestrial systems on small Pacific islands compared with themuch larger marine systems surrounding them. Coastal freshwater areas, primarily
coastal freshwater marshes, total just 3% (38,133 ha) of the total ABS area.

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5.3

Socio-Economic Environment

5.3.1

EconomyOverview FSM GDP
The National Government, for the fourth consecutive year, showed a significant fiscal
surplus of $35.8 million FSM’s gross domestic product (GDP) was US$1.13b, or US$3,500
per capita, in 2015. In that year there as a trade balance deficit of US$314 million, with
exports at US$20.6 million (-17.8% annualized) and imports at $162 million (+15.8% since2010) (OEC 2017). National government revenue was at its highest level ever at $166.1
million in FY2017 when both domestic revenue and external grants reached record levels.
Public Law 18-107 in FY2015 amended the tax collection allocation to the States from 50
percent to 70 percent of net taxes collected for import taxes, income tax, and gross revenue
tax.
The impact of this tax policy change sees a $4.8 million decline in tax revenue for the
National Government from FY2016 onwards. This revenue has not been passed directly
to the States but by law is invested in the FSM Trust Fund on their behalf. It is estimatedthat $40 million will be invested in the Trust Fund on behalf of the States by 2023.
Table 2-8). The key ABS sites on Weno are Pou Bay and the North Weno Marine ABS as

shown in Figure 5-2.

5.4

Socio-Economic Environment

5.4.1

EconomyIn 2003 Chuuk’s GDP was $83 million (Arnold, 2016). Chuuk then experienced a recession
for the next 5 years following inception of COFA II. By 2008, Chuuk’s GDP was $67 million
the lowest since the 1980s due to a decline in public sector spending and private sector
activities. After 2008, Chuuk State saw a rise in GDP due to the improvement of the sectors
grants allocations. Chuuk State had adopted and implemented the Long Term Fiscal
Framework requirements which allowed full utilization of funding sources from Compact II.
By 2010, Chuuk had experienced 3% GDP growth and there was an increase in spending
from both public and private sectors. Chuuk’s economy grew at 1% and it experienced an
expansion in the public sector by 4.4% and numbers of hours worked by civil servants
increased.
In subsequent years Chuuk has experienced very little growth. Analysts have forecasted
the decrease in compact funding ($1.7 million) will hinder government spending with little
private sector growth.

5.4.2

Land Tenure & Access
In Chuuk, most land and aquatic areas are privately owned and acquired throughinheritance, gift or, recently, by purchase. In early times, land was controlled by matrilineal
descent groups or clans that resided in specific locales.
Chuuk State has taken action by passing leasehold mortgage law but has not yet
promulgated regulations to implement the law. The extent to which land can be leveraged
and mortgaged is important for increasing productive activity and incomes. Land assetsthat become locked outside the modern market economy cannot be leverage or redeployedfor production. The overall effect is that many landowners are asset rich and income poor.

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Article IV, § 4 provides recognition for traditional rights over reefs, tidelands, and othersubmerged lands, including their water columns, and successors rights thereto. It also
authorizes the State legislature to regulate their “reasonable use.” This Section strengthens
customary land use practices in marine areas and is unusual in that it does not reference
dry land areas. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article give authority to Chuukese custom andtradition as well as to the traditional leadership.
There are a number of provisions of the Chuuk State Constitution that indirectly affect land
tenure. Most of these references bolster customary land tenure practices. In various ways,
these references also influence the land tenure on Chuuk by limiting land use activities
identified as environmentally harmful.

Article IV, §§ 1–2 strongly supports traditional and customary rights to the extent that eventhe bill of rights (Article III) may be compromised for the protection of Chuukese custom andtradition where a compelling social purpose is evidenced.
Article VII, § 14 supports the traditional culture of Chuuk requiring court decisions to beconsistent with the Constitution, local traditions and customs, and the social and geographicalconfiguration of the State.

5.4.3

Governance
Chuuk State is the only state in the FSM that has a bicameral legislature (House of Senate& Representative). There are 10 Senate members, two of whom represent a region - five
regions all together. The House of Representatives aka ‘House’ has 28 members. They areelected by their respective districts. There are 13 districts with number of representatives
depends on population size. All together there are 28 members.
Chuuk State has 40 municipalities with their own municipal government. Each municipality
has an elected mayor act as the executive side. Legislative side is with the municipal
council. Each habitable island in Chuuk has a Traditional Leader known as “Soupun andor Makal’ who comes from a clan that rules the island. These Soupun and or Makal areequivalent to Chief of an island. Chuuk State has a council of traditional leaders composedof 42 active members. This council is a strong hold of customs and traditions therefore are
the decision makers of such matters

5.4.4

Demographics
Chuuk State, population 53,106, also includes several additional sparsely populated outerisland groups, including the Mortlock Islands to the southeast, the Hall Islands (Pafeng) to
the north, Namonuito Atoll to the northwest, and the Pattiw Region to west The populationof Chuuk State is (approx. 47% of FSM’s total population. The main population centre of
Chuuk State is the Chuuk Lagoon which has a population of 36,158 and includes FSM’slargest city, Weno which has 12,000 people (2010, Census). Chuuk has a population
density of 993 per square mile (383 per square kilometre), which is the highest density
compared to other states. Chuuk also has a younger population on average than the other
FSM states.
The Pattiw Region is of particular interest in that it contains some of the most traditionalislands in the Pacific which are culturally related to the outer islands of Yap. Most of theroads and transportation systems are poor or in disrepair. Potholes in the coastal road of
the business district of Chuuk are often filled with either saltwater at high tide or runoff thatcannot drain due to the low elevation. Drinking water is un-potable (FSM, 2017). A largepart of Chuuk State still rely heavily on subsistence base living. Food grown on land andP177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report86Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
Baseline Resource Reportin the ocean are still big part of their source of food. Kon, a pounded breadfruit able to beeaten for a week long is a popular source of starch for many Chuukese.

5.4.5

Gender, GBV and Trafficking
The Chuuk Women’s Council is the only non-government organisation in FSM providing
GBV counselling services. Findings from the report assessing gaps in EVAW services(FSM, 2018) are being used to better assist women and children to access services relating
to domestic violence. This includes the launch of the Chuuk Women’s Council GBV
counselling service.
Each of Micronesia’s four states have its own laws that criminalize trafficking offenses
however Chuuk State did not explicitly prohibit adult sex trafficking. Cases prosecuted at
the state level may also be heard at the national level, under national anti-trafficking law,depending on which court hears a case. Each of the four states’ anti-trafficking task forces
are comprised of members of state and national law enforcement, the legal community,
medical and mental health professionals, immigration officials, and women’s
empowerment and faith-based groups; only Chuuk (and Pohnpei’s) task force were active
during the reporting period.

5.4.6

Education
State governments in FSM have responsibility for education, with the majority of funds
coming from Compact of Free Association sources. All children in FSM are required by law
to attend school through to eighth grade, and many continue to college after graduating highschool. As a result, FSM has a high literacy rate. All students learn English as it is theofficial language of FSM. The National Infrastructure Development Plan earmarked
USD$135.4 million for education infrastructure spending across the 20 years between 2004
and 2023.
The Plan describes issues relating to education infrastructure including poor maintenance(including failure of water and power supplies); a number of schools in a highly deteriorated
state; a shortage of supplies includes furniture, equipment, books and tools; a lack ofdiverse facilities (such as music rooms, auditoriums, vocational training facilities);
inadequately qualified teachers; inappropriate school curricula; and a lack of vocational
training. Grants and US education programs are used to support many FSM students toattend the College of Micronesia (COM), the University of Guam and US colleges.

5.4.7

HealthThe primary health challenges affecting FSM include obesity induced illness and increasing
substance abuse amongst youth. FSM has been declared as a Public Health Emergency
for Non-Communicable Diseases (70% of all deaths are due to NCDs). Most of the divisionsof the Chuuk Department of Health share some common challenges. The Chuuk State
Department of Health Services (CSDHS) 6 divisions: Hospital & Management, Nursing,
Dispensary, Public Health, Dentistry and Environmental Health and Sanitation (Chuuk
Strategic Development Plan).

5.4.8

Infrastructure
Water Supply
The Chuuk Public Utility Corporation (CPUC) operates the public water supply on Weno
Island, serving 378 residential customers (around 19% of total households) and 101

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Baseline Resource Reportcommercial and government customers (IEE, 2020). Figure 5-3 presents a map showing
the water supply network.
Sewerage Network
The Weno sewerage network, the only centralized sewer system in Chuuk is located on
the north and north-western side of Weno Island and was commissioned in 1973. Figure
5-4 presents a schematic of the sewerage network.

Figure 5-3: Extent of CPUC Water Supply Network (from IEE, 2020)

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Figure 5-4: Schematic Layout of Sewerage System (from IEE, 2020)

The sewerage network is operated by CPUC with 384 residential households and 106
commercial and government customers. Sewage is treated at the Weno wastewater
treatment plant (WWTP) which is located next to the Weno airport.
Beyond the sewerage network service area, septic tanks and pit toilets are widely used,particularly among poor communities. Septic tank and pit toilets discharge sewage
randomly into shallow aquifers and contaminate Weno’s groundwater sources.
QuarryThere are three basalt quarries located on Weno, Chuuk, two of which have not been in
operation since the 90s. One of the sites has equipment and is still in operation but output
is extremely limited.
There is also a basalt Quarry on Tonoas, Chuuk. Equipment and site are ready but notyet operational. Output Capacity is still unknown.
There are also three coral sand quarries on Weno, Chuuk. All sites are operational but
capacity is limited. Equipment consists of excavators, loaders and dump trucks only.
It is considered that none of these sites could be considered to be used for any major
project unless the Contractor is able to take over operations.
Solid Waste Management
Solid waste facilities on Weno consist of the Fanipat dumpsite located on the southwest
coast (Johnston 2011). The Department of Public Works has the responsibility of solid
waste management. There are also several unofficial dumpsites along Weno roads. Trashcollection is scheduled three times a week, but is reportedly not reliably operated.

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Further investigation is required to determine whether the solid waste facility has the ability
to dispose of any waste roading material generated from the PRIME and SCORE Projects.

5.5

Primary Data Collection
A range of assets located in the road corridor along the PRIME and SCORE Roads havebeen identified based on fieldwork undertaken. A map showing the location of these assets(which includes as private fences/walls and gardens, fruit trees, buildings, bridges/culverts,etc.) and other key resources are provided in Figure 5-5. Appendix B presents further
detail on this map. Error! Reference source not found. presents examples of theseassets. This information has been used to identify E&S sensitivities for the ESMF.

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Figure 5-5: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors - Chuuk

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Figure 5-6: Images of Chuuk showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets identified
during the road corridor on Chuuk assessment.

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6.

Yap

6.1

Physical Environment

6.1.1

Climatepresents key climate data for Yap (from https://en.climate-data.org/). The key point to noteis the abundant rainfall Yap receives annually (282 cm).
Table 6-1: Key climate statistics for Chuuk including temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm)Parameter
Avg. Temperature

26.8

Min. Temperature

23.6

Max. Temperature30

Rainfall (mm)

201

6.1.2

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

26.9

27.1

27.5

27.5

27.4

27

27.1

27.3

27.3

27.2

27

23.7

23.8

24.1

24.1

23.9

23.6

23.7

23.8

23.7

23.8

23.8

30.1

30.5

31

31

30.9

30.5

30.6

30.8

30.9

30.7

30.3

146

146

149

232

313

360

371

330

319

238

24

Geology, Topography, Soils & Hydrology
The Yap Islands comprise an island arc system on the eastern convergent margin ofPhilippine Plate. They are composed of continental crust and consist of two distinct
sequences: ancient weathered volcanic rock and weathered metamorphic schists,
accompanied by coral sand and mangrove mud. The islands are surrounded by a broad
fringing barrier reef. Yap itself has a low undulating topography with a maximum elevationof 178m at Mount Taabiywol in Fanif municipality.
There are four main soil types on the Yap Islands (FSM, 2010) that have been derived fromthe basement rocks (Figure 6-1) as follows:

Yap – ‘Very deep, well drained, level to moderately steep soils; on dissected volcanic
plateaus’ This soil type is present throughout the islands of Yap and Gagil-Tamilwhere it has been derived from volcanic rock. The surface soils are loamy andsubsoils consist of clay.

Gagil - ‘Very deep, well drained, nearly level to steep soils; on hills and plateau’.
This soil type is restricted to the islands of Gagil-Tamil and Yap. On Gagil-Tamil it
is present throughout the island whereas it is confined to a small area on southern
Yap. Gagil soil occurs on rounded hills that are actively eroding in drainage lines onrounded hills and on plateau. Similar to Yap soils this soil type is derived fromvolcanic rock. The surface soils are loamy and subsoils are clay.

Rumung-Weloy – ‘Shallow and moderately deep, well drained, nearly level to very
steep soils; on hills and mountains’. This soil type occurs on the hills and mountainsof the islands of Yap and Rumung. These soils are shallow and well drained and areformed from the underlying schist. The surface is gravelly (from the presence of ironcoated schist gravel) and loamy and the subsoil is very gravelly and clayey. Weloy
soils also occur on hills and mountains and are similar to Rumung soils in that they
are derived from the underlying schist but differ in that they are deeper but are still
gravelly and loamy.

Gitam – ‘Moderately deep, somewhat poorly drained, level to strongly sloping soils;
on top slopes and upland plains’. This soil type is present on the islands of Yap,

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Maap, Gagil-Tamil and Rumung. These moderately deep soils have formed from theunderlying schist. The surface is covered with gravel. The surface layer is gravelly
and loamy over clayey subsoils.
Areas of depositional soils are also present including beach deposits fringing the islands
and alluvium, mangrove peats, freshwater swamp and marsh deposits. The sandy beachdeposits which occur adjacent to coastal beaches have formed from wind and water
deposited coral sand.
Alluvium derived soils occur in valley bottoms and floodplains and are comprised ofweathered and eroded material from volcanic rock and schist which has formed soils
ranging from loams with gravels to clays. Freshwater marshes and swamps have formedon low lying poorly drained areas of alluvium. Most agricultural activity is undertaken on
the alluvium soils in valley bottoms and floodplains.
Mangrove peats which have formed in the intertidal zone adjacent to the shoreline arepresent on Yap, Maap and Gagil-Tamil. The mangrove peats are saline, very deep andpoorly drained and are predominantly derived from mangrove roots and litter.

Figure 6-1: Soil types (left) and watersheds & wetlands (right) of Yap (IEE, 2019)

6.1.3

Hydrology
Surface water
The primary freshwater source on Yap proper is surface water (Figure 6-1). There are no
perennial streams on Yap where most streams will be dry during part of the dry season,
ranging from a few days to several months. The streams go dry because they have small
drainage areas and the water retention of the soil and rock of their watershed is low.
Mukong Stream and Tomil-Gagil streams are a few of the streams that do not dry up during
periods of low rainfall. A large water reservoir on Yap proper was constructed to capture
surface water in the stream drainage to the ocean.

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The geological formation of Gagil-Tamil allows greater percolation of water to groundwater,and subsequent release to streams during long periods of dry weather. In addition, thedrainage area of Mukong Stream is much larger than any stream on Yap proper.

Groundwater
A proportion of the surface water percolates into the soils recharging groundwater which
eventually escapes as small springs or seeps directly into the ocean. However, given the
bedrock on Yap is metamorphic and volcanic, it yields little groundwater for use.

6.2

Ecology

6.2.1

Terrestrial Flora
Vegetation / Habitat Types
Figure 6-2 presents a vegetation map for Yap andTable 6-2 estimated coverage of key vegetation / habitat types. The major land class/habitat

types are:

Non-forest (28%) including grasslands, marshes, savanna grasslands, cropland,degraded sites and areas developed for urban use.



Agroforest (26%) which includes areas under cultivation for food crops, fruit, wood,and other products. The dominant species on these managed lands include
coconut palm, breadfruit, betel nut, papaya, banana, cassava, two species of taro,
and a variety of medicinal and ornamental species (Mueller-Dombois & Fosberg,
1998).



Secondary vegetation (6%) such as vines, shrubs, and small trees on recently
disturbed areas.

The vegetation of Yap has been greatly modified; other than mangroves, little native forest
remains (Figure 6-3). Several factors have contributed to disturbance to the native
vegetation including pressure on natural resources to produce food, Japanese agricultural
practices, droughts, and repeated burning. A combination of these factors are thought tohave contributed to the destruction of the native vegetation and the development or
expansion of savanna areas of degraded soils (Falanruw et. al., 1987).
Nothing is known of the original vegetation of the area and very little is known about thecharacter of the vegetation prior to European contact (Zirkus, 2001). Yap is thought tohave been mostly covered with broadleaf deciduous forests in the past.
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Table 6-2: General vegetation / habitat types on Yap

Plant Species
Table 6-3 presents approximate numbers of native and introduced flora species in Yap. Of
the 1,239 species of ferns and flowering plants found in FSM, approximately 618 occur in
Yap including 376 native species (45 ferns, 144 monocots, and 187 dicots). Of the 457
species of plants introduced to FSM, a total of 242 species are found in Yap.

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Figure 6-2: Vegetation map of Yap Islands (FSM 2010)
Table 6-3: Approximate number (and % of total) of native and introduced flora species in Yap.

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Figure 6-3: Areas of native forest including mangroves (in blue) and terrestrial forests including
disturbed forests (left) and areas of relatively intact native forest (right) (from FSM, 2010).

Rare, regionally significant or protected flora species.
There are four threated (one ‘Endangered’ and three ‘Vulnerable’) and one “NearThreatened’ (NT) floral species in Yap (seeTable 6-4) (IUCN, 2018). Of these species, one species (NT) is not endemic to Yap but
instead a cultivar from the islands of Pohnpei and Chuuk (the Ivory nut palm Metroxylon
amicarum).
All of the threatened species are trees with two (thorrot Intsia bijuga and lach Pterocarpus
indicus) found in lowland forest, one (Pericopsis mooniana) from coastal forest and one(faltir Cycas micronesica) from closed forest.
Of the 364 vascular plant species considered endemic to Micronesia (Costion & Lorence2012). Yap has nine endemic plant species, another two also found in either Chuuk orPohnpei, with a further 16 endemic species found across the Western Carolines (Palau,
Yap) (see Table 6-5). In addition, 17 endemic species are found across the Carolines,
including Yap and there is a boxlike shrub, Myrtella bennigseniana, also endemic to thesavanna environments of Yap and Guam (Zirkus, 2001 & USFS, 2010).

6.2.2

Terrestrial Fauna
Rare, regionally significant or protected fauna species
Yap contains four endemic bird species: the Yap cicadabird (Coracina tenuirostris nesiotis)
which may be elevated to a separate species and is considered to be ‘Endangered’, andthree ‘Near Threatened’ species, the Yap monarch (Monarcha godeffroyi) and two whiteeyes (Yap Olive White-eye Zosterops oleagineus) and Yap Plain White-eye Zosterops
hypolais) (P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report98Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Table 6-6) (IUCN, 2018).
Table 6-4: Threatened or near threated flora species of Yap.

Table 6-5: Endemic plant species of Yap.

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Other birds endemic to FSM are also present in Yap including the Caroline Reed-warbler,
Acrocephalus syrinx and the Caroline Swiftlet Aerodramus inquietus.
Table 6-6: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Yap (BirdLife International, 2018, IUCN, 2018).

Table 6-7: Restricted-range and threatened birds of Yap (cont.)

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In addition, there are four additional, restricted-range bird species including the ‘CriticallyEndangered’ migratory species, Beck's petrel Pseudobulweria becki, White-throatedground-dove Alopecoenas xanthonurus (‘Near Threatened’), the Micronesian starling
Aplonis opaca and Micronesian myzomela rubratra, both of which are of ‘Least Concern’.
Yap may also be visited by 21 IUCN listed migratory bird species including one ‘CriticallyEndangered’ species, two ‘Endangered’, six ‘Vulnerable’ and 12 ‘Near Threatened’
species.
A major threat to native bird species is loss of habitat, due to human-set fires during thedry season. In addition all endemic and native bird species on the Yap Islands are at risk
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Baseline Resource Reportfrom introduced predators, the most notorious being the brown tree snake Boiga irregularis,
which is responsible for many extinctions on Guam. At present the snake is not known in
Yap. The tree sparrow Passer montanus, which was introduced in late 1970s from Eurasia,
may also pose a threat as it is known to carry exotic diseases.
Two endemic species of flying foxes of the genus Pteropus occur in Yap state; the Yap
flying fox Pteropus pelewensis ssp. Yapensis (‘Vulnerable’) which is endemic to the four
adjacent small main islands of Yap, and Marianas flying fox Pteropus mariannus(‘Endangered’) which is endemic to the northern Mariana Islands, Guam and Ulithi. The
sub species, Ulithi fruit bat Pteropus mariannus ulthiensis is endemic to Ulithi Island (Table 6-8).
Three threatened reptiles are known to occur in Yap: two migratory marine turtle species
that nest on beaches and the Micronesia saw tailed gecko Perochirus ateles which isendemic to the Marianas Islands and FSM are ‘Vulnerable’ (Table 6-9). In addition, there
is one restricted range species thought to occur on Ulithi Atoll, in Yap State, the Giant
Micronesian gecko Perochirus scutellatus.
Table 6-8: Threatened mammals of Yap (IUCN, 2018).

Table 6-9: Restricted-range and threatened reptiles of Yap (IUCN, 2018).

There is one threatened freshwater fish species that may occur in Yap, the Japanese eel(Anguilla japonica; ‘Endangered’) which has previously been recorded as a vagrant in FSM(Table 6-10). No threatened invertebrate species listed on the IUCN Red List are known
to occur in Yap.
Table 6-10: Threatened fishes of Yap (Pippard 2012).

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6.2.3

Conservation Areas
There are 8 protected marine areas in Yap (Figure 6-4). There are currently no legally
protected terrestrial areas and all land is privately owned. The use of natural resources
has been regulated by customary management but, as populations grow, this is becoming
more problematic.
Of the 130 Areas of Biodiversity Significance (ABS) identified in FSM, a total of 32 arelocated in Yap State (YSESC, 2018) including five terrestrial, six marine and 21 coastal
marine ecosystems. Figure 6-5 shows areas of biological significance in Yap (identified in2002) and known areas of importance i.e. dive, cultural heritage or fruit bat/flying fox sites.

Figure 6-4: Protected areas in Yap Island (Weeks, 2016)

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Figure 6-5: Areas of biodiversity significance in Yap (TNC, 2002)

6.3

Socio-Economic Environment

6.3.1

EconomyThe FSM economy, and the Yap State economy, is firmly dependent on funding from the US,
which provides about 75% of revenue. With one of the most productive tuna fishing grounds
in the world, the ocean is clearly the FSM's most important natural resource.
On smaller islands and atolls, subsistence or artisanal fishing is often the principal livelihood.
But overharvesting, lack of regulation and poor environmental practices, are threatening
inshore and near-shore fishing resources.
The Yap state economy achieved the highest rate of economic growth of the FSM states
during the original Compact period. Growth of the private sector was the most impressive,
achieving an annual average of 5.8% during the 17 years. While the state underwent a
public sector contraction similar to the other states after the second step-down, the private
sector managed to remain buoyant and assisted the state in maintaining positive GDP
growth during the period.
The state achieved the best outcome in the PSRP reform program meeting its ERP targets
and achieving the cost-savings anticipated. These policies have been maintained throughthe end of the original Compact period, and the state has avoided the temptation to utilize
the bump-up funds to temporarily inflate public expenditures. The main weakness in thestate’s performance is a failure to transform investment in public enterprises, which havefailed to produce a profit in all but one fiscal period since commencement of operations in
the early 1990s.
Economic performance during the last 4 years of the Compact were disappointing reflecting
the inability of the private sector to sustain growth, prudential fiscal policies, and poor
results of the state owned tuna purse seine fishing company (FSM, 2003).

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6.3.2

Land Tenure & Access
Almost all land and aquatic areas are owned or managed by individual estates and usage
is subject to traditional control (FSM, 2010). With respect to land tenure, the Yap State
Constitution recognizes the authority of traditions and custom, establishment of the Councilsof Traditional Leaders,61 prohibits ownership of land by non-FSM citizens and provides forthe possibility of 50-year leases involving foreign interest if approved by the State Legislature.

Article II, § 11 deals with the issue of eminent domain and compensation for land appropriatedby the government. The Section authorizes the legislature to “provide by general law for thetaking of private property for a public purpose.” The Section requires that such a general law“provide for just compensation, good faith negotiations for lease or purchase and consultation
with appropriate local government prior to the taking, and the manner of taking.”
Article XIII, § 3. This Section requires the title to land to be “acquired only in a mannerconsistent with traditions and customs.”
Article XIII, § 5 provides recognition for “traditional rights and ownership of natural resources
and areas within the marine space of the State, within and beyond 12 miles from island
baselines.” The Section also states that “[n]o action maybe taken to impair these traditionalrights and ownership, except the State Government may provide for the conservation andprotection of natural resources within the marine space of the State within 12 miles from island
baselines.”
Article XIV, § 8 identifies a citizen of the FSM domiciled in Yap as a citizen of Yap State. This
provision also allows for land ownership in Yap by citizens of the FSM. Traditional leadershipis thus accorded a powerful means by which to influence governance in matters of custom.
Thus tradition and customs heavily still influence land access, ownership and use.

6.3.3

Demographics
In 2009 the population was 11,780. Yap is comprised of two regions: Yap Islands (or Yap
Proper) and the Outer Islands. On Yap Island, the population (7,731) is about twice that of
the outer islands (4,006), however the population density is greatest in the Outer Islands(572 people/sq mile) compared with Yap Islands (189). The distribution of Yap’s population
varies considerably between rural (10,537 people) and urban (840) areas, with the
population in rural growing at an average annual rate of 0.52% and declining in urban areas(-3.84%). The greatest population in Yap Islands is located in Rull municipality (2,100)
followed by Tomil (1,231) and Weloy (1,030). Tomil recorded the greatest average annual
growth rate since 2000 (1.85%), followed by Gagil (1.62%). By comparison, Rull only
recorded a 0.39% growth rate and Weloy -1.50%.
In Yap state the average household size (4.9) is smaller than the national average, as is
the average family size (3.7).
In 2010, the median age in FSM was 21.5 years, compared to 25 years in Yap State and26.4 in the Yap Islands. There are 2,311 households in Yap State with 1,680 households
in Yap Islands. Of the Yap Islands households:(i)

1,330 households (79%) source power from a public utility.

(ii)

1533 (91%) have access to drinking water via public or community water supply orhousehold tank.

(iii)

862 (51%) are connected to a sewer or have a septic tank.

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6.3.4

(iv)

1179 (70%) have access to a car, bus/truck or motorbike.

(v)

1290 (77%) have access to a mobile phone.

(vi)

301 (18%) have access to a computer, with 179 (11%) having access to the internet.

Gender, GBV and Human Trafficking
In a survey conducted in 2017 on gender and human trafficking, stakeholders in Yap weremainly concerned with the age consent issues and awareness of internet risks for young
people (for their own communities); and with migrant smuggling (of foreigners into Guam).
Communities on the outer islands observed suspect behaviour at land and sea but with nounderstanding of the potential significance of reporting such behavior or of the reporting
process. The episode of a migrant ship landing on Yap shores a few years ago pointed at
the lack of preparedness to deal with such incidents, both in terms of institutional(procedural) preparedness as well as general awareness and logistics (ESIA, 2017).

6.3.5

Education
According to the 2010 census in Yap state 102% of 6-13 year olds go to elementary school(indicating students repeating years), 95% of 14- 17 year olds attend high school and 22%
of 18-24 year olds attend college. In addition, 79% of Yapese aged 25 years and over had
completed elementary education; 59% had completed high school level and 30% had
attended college or other higher level education institute with approximately 16%
graduating. A further 7% were recorded as never having attended school.

6.3.6

Physical & cultural resources
Yap is known as the most traditional island group in the FSM, maintaining many cultural
practices and heritage sites. There are three key types of traditional material culture andthe associated cultural practices associated with Yap including: Stone fish weirs (aech):Traditional canoes: and stone money. Other items of tangible cultural heritage include
traditional stone platforms or foundations, men’s and community meeting houses, stone
paths, traditional trails and historic sites, and WWII relics.
A number of the buildings, sites, districts, and objects in FSM have been listed on the US
National Register of Historic Places. There are currently 26 listed sites located FSM withfive listed in Yap (P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report106Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Table 6-11).

Table 6-11: Heritage sites listed on the US National Register of Historic Places (USG 2018).

World Heritage nomination
The Yapese Disk Money Regional Sites World Heritage nomination involves two countries,
Palau and FSM. The World Heritage nomination consists of two sites in Yap namely
Mangyol Stone Money Bank and O'Keefe Island. The Mangyol site (located in Makiy
village, Gagil municipality) has been selected as it represents the most traditional stonemoney bank and it is the only site in Yap that has intersecting pathways and dancing
grounds. In addition, two sites have also been included in Palau namely Uet el Daob ma
Uet el Beluu and Chelechol ra Orrak in a Rock Island in Airai State was where the oval /round disk money were quarried by the Yapese before they were transported back to Yap.

6.3.7

Infrastructure
Piped water systems from Gitam Reservoir and wells serve the population of 3,150 inColonia (seeP177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report107Federated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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Table 2-16). The sewerage system in Colonia, with about 700 connections provides
primary treatment with a capacity of 1,290 m3 per day.

QuarryA disused quarry site (see Figure 6-6) is located on the northern side of the western endof the existing Airport runway in Kanif.

Figure 6-6: Disused quarry site in Yap.

Solid Waste Management
The only solid waste management facility is the Fitkabeetinaem landfill located adjacent to
the YSPSC power plant west of Colonia (Johnston, 2011). Waste is regularly collectedonce or twice a week from a wide area by Department of Public Works and Transportation
for delivery to the landfill for compaction. It is estimated that about 60% of the waste
generated in Yap is being collected.

6.4

Primary Data Collection
A range of assets located in the road corridor along the primary roads have been identified
based on fieldwork undertaken during the PRIME road assessment. A map showing thelocation of these assets (which includes as private fences/walls and gardens, fruit trees,buildings, bridges/culverts, etc.) and other key resources are provided in Figure 6-7.

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Appendix B presents further detail on this map. Error! Reference source not found.
presents examples of these assets. This information has been used to identify E&S
sensitivities for the ESMF.

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Figure 6-7: Assets within road corridor and location of sensitive social receptors – Yap.

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Figure 6-8: Images showing examples of PRIME (a-f) and SCORE (g-h) assets located in close
proximity to the roads on Yap.

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7.

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document

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Appendix A

Gap Analysis Table

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Table A-1: Identification of information outlined in the Gap Analysis undertaken during the PRIME road assessment.
Information Type

KosraePohnpei

Chuuk

Yap

Comment

Protected/Biological Significance areas









Sourced from secondary data / reports, EPA, KIRMA

Coastal erosion data / information









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Watercourses / Streams









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Watersheds / Catchments









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Sensitive ecological communities (adjacent to PRIME
roads or works)









Identify during field survey (where possible). Confirmed from secondary
data / reports

Riparian vegetation









Data unable to be source.

Freshwater ecology (flora & fauna)









Apart from some freshwater fish info for FSM, detailed data unable to besourcedLandfill location EPA permits (or other relevant licenses),construction details (lined), etc









Identified during field survey / consultation or sourced from secondary data /reports. EPA / KIRMA permits still to be provided

Aggregate sources – Quarry (incl. EPA permits or otherrelevant licenses)









Identified during field survey / consultation or sourced from secondary data /reports. EPA / KIRMA permits still to be provided

Aggregate sources – Dredging (incl. EPA permits or otherrelevant licenses)

-





-

Identified during field survey / consultation or sourced from secondary data /reports. EPA / KIRMA permits still to be provided

Sources of potential land contamination (e.g.
contaminated sites, storage of hazardous substances etc)

-

-

-

-

Data not available.

Groundwater resource info









Information sourced from secondary data / reports.

Air quality / Noise / Vibration Data

-

-

-

-

Data not identified/available. Field measurements to be taken prior toconstruction

Environmental

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Information Type

KosraePohnpei

Chuuk

Yap

Comment

Contour Data (10 m resolution)









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Natural Hazard Data (e.g. flood prone / low lying areas,
landslides)









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Climate Change Projections









Information for FSM available but not individual States

Land Tenure / Ownership









Extent of road easement information is known in vicinity of urgent works.
These documents can be acquired once scope of works known.

Key Project Stakeholders









Identified during discussions with DoTC&I.

Land / assets encroaching on Road Reserve









A range of encroachments identified

Land Use









Sourced from secondary data / reports

Public utilities (e.g. power, telecom, water) near urgent
works









A range of utilities identified during field survey

Sensitive communities and receptors (e.g. schools, healthfacilities etc)









Sourced from secondary data

Traffic Data



-

-

-

Lelu causeway data only. Any additional traffic data to be sourced prior to
preparation of site-specific ESMP (if required)

Cultural heritage sites (e.g. cemeteries, graves sites)









Identified during field survey / consultation or sourced from secondary data /reports.

OHS (Local examples of OHS practice in project situation)









Not able to be obtained.

Labor grievance (Local examples of Labor Grievance
practice in project situation)









Not able to be obtained.

SocialDesign & Engineering

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Information Type

KosraePohnpei

Chuuk

Yap

Comment

Primary Road Network









Extent determined through consultation with DoTC&I

Bridges / Causeways / Crossings









Identified during field survey. Sourced from secondary data / reports

Current Coastal Protection Areas









Identified during field survey. Source from secondary data / reports

Priority Project design









DoTC&I to provide once available

Construction material requirements









DoTC&I to provide once available

VA & CRRS Studies









DoTC&I to provide once available

Notes:  = Information / data identified / obtained.  = no information / data available. – No information / data obtained.

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Appendix B

Detailed Asset Maps

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FSM PRIME Road Assets Kosrae State – Map 1

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FSM PRIME & SCORE Road Assets Kosrae State – Map 2P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Kosrae State – Map 3P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 1

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FSM PRIME Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 2P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME & SCORE Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 3P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 4P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 5P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Pohnpei State – Map 6P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Chuuk State – Map 1

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FSM PRIME & SCORE Road Assets Chuuk State – Map 2P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Chuuk State – Map 3P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline ReportFederated States of Micronesia PRIME - SCORE Project
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FSM PRIME Road Assets Yap State – Map 1

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FSM PRIME Road Assets Yap State – Map 2P177073 PRIME-SCORE ESMF App A Baseline Report