Environmental Assessment
Volume C-1
Slurry Pipeline
Alternatives Considered
Ambatovy Project
6
January 2006
To further refine route options, a meeting was held on June 3, 2004 with
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) conservation organizations and
government representatives (Volume A, Section 6). Options were considered for
various routes both north and south of Mantadia National Park. During the
meeting it was mutually determined that traversing the park, or even passing the
pipeline along the park border or within a buffer zone to the north of the park,
would not be an acceptable plan. This decision was reached because, aside from
the park itself, the Vohitra River and other zones of biological importance lie to
the north, forming an important biological corridor. Routes C-1, C-2, D-1 and
D-2, consisting of various combinations of traversing areas north of Mantadia
National Park or areas within the Torotorofotsy Wetlands (all within the potential
Site de Conversation), were therefore ruled out due to these critical biological
issues.
Results of baseline studies presented at the June 3 meeting indicated that the
routes north of the Mantadia National Park are, as expected, biologically rich,
with stands of primary and near-primary forests (although selective logging is
occurring in these areas). The topography was confirmed to be quite rough.
Previous preliminary conclusions regarding problems with routes B, C and D
were confirmed. Topography also appears to be challenging for the “E” options
south of Mantadia National Park that involve detouring off of the railway route.
The corridor currently maintaining the link between forests south of Mantadia
National Park and the private reserve south of the Sahatandra River appears to be
functional. Nevertheless, a proposed pipeline route between Mantadia National
Park and the railroad, or a combination of this route with part of the railroad
route, was generally thought of as the best alternative, as it reduces social
impacts and can be built more easily compared to the full railway route, and also
results in a minimum level of environmental impact relative to most other
alternatives.
During the June 3 meeting, it was concluded that although it is not without
impacts, a route to the south of Mantadia National Park was likely going to be the
best option. Three southern routes seemed to be options: along the railway as
originally planned (E-1), completely avoiding the railway by routing the pipeline
through private lands south of the park (E-2), or, as suggested by a participant at
the June 3 meeting, a combination of the private-land route (E-3) with a short 5
to 10 km stretch along the track north of Vohimana private reserve through the
most sensitive forest. A final option (F) proposed at the meeting was a route
bypassing Torotorofotsy by following a road south from the mine and continuing
along RN2 to Andasibe, where it would rejoin the rail route. In each case, once
east of the planned protected corridor, the route would then run directly to the
coast along a direct routing (Figure 1-1).
