Environmental Assessment
Volume B-3.5
Mine
Noise
Ambatovy Project
62
January 2006
environmental noise as it takes into account the natural variability of
sound.
3.5.2
Study Areas
The study area used to assess noise from the mine encompasses a 10 km by
11 km area roughly centred on the mine footprint as illustrated in Volume A,
Section 7.2. The following specific receptors within this area were selected as
the basis for conducting the impact assessment:
•
Behontsa
•
Berano
•
Sahamalotra
These were determined to be the primary village areas within the study area,
based on the results of the socioeconomic surveys.
3.5.3
Baseline Summary
3.5.3.1 Introduction
A baseline noise study was completed for the project to establish existing noise
levels at the proposed development areas as well as to provide information for
the noise impact assessment. Establishing existing noise levels was also
necessary in order to use the World Bank noise criteria.
3.5.3.2 Methods
Since Madagascar does not have established guidelines or regulations concerning
noise measurements, the study was performed to meet the requirements of the
World Bank. The World Bank requires noise be assessed at receptors that lie
outside the project boundary based on the following time periods:
•
daytime hours (7:00 AM to 10:00 PM)
•
nighttime hours (10:00 PM to 7:00 AM) (WB, 1998)
One, 24-hour survey was done at each selected monitoring location to represent
existing noise levels at community receptors around the mine. Surveys of this
type and duration provide information on daily variability in noise levels. The
sound level meter used recorded average (L
eq
) and maximum (L
max
) sound
pressure levels once per minute during the monitoring period.
