Environmental Assessment
Volume C-3.3
Slurry Pipeline
Climate and Air Quality
Ambatovy Project
34
January 2006
Impact Analysis
Effects on air quality will occur primarily during construction, including clearing,
grading and pipe-laying. The highest emissions are expected to occur during
pipe-laying due to the number of trucks and heavy equipment to be used.
Pipe-laying will also occur for the longest period in any area along the pipeline
route, as it is the slowest activity.
Emissions of SO
2
, NO
X
and particulate matter from construction equipment are
expected. These emissions may be sustained at any point along the pipeline for a
period of several days up to a week, based on an estimated 700 m daily
progression along the route.
Emissions from vehicles travelling on access roads will also occur; however,
these emissions are expected to be minimal and short-term. A discussion of
traffic on access roads is presented in Volume C, Section 5.5.
The impact on air quality during the operation phase of the pipeline is expected
to be insignificant since there will only be occasional emissions from
maintenance vehicles along the pipeline route.
Monitoring
Since the impact on air quality from construction and operation activities of the
pipeline will be negligible over the long-term, air emission monitoring will not
be conducted.
3.3.5
Conclusions
The main factors that may affect air quality are vehicle exhaust and dust
emissions during the construction of the pipeline. The effect on air quality is
expected to be insignificant because the emissions will be localized, and only
occur temporarily at any location along the route (i.e., one week or less).
During operation of the pipeline, the only source of air emissions will be from an
occasional maintenance vehicle; therefore the impact on air quality during the
operation phase is expected to be negligible.
