Environmental Audit Report: Environmental Compliance Monitoring of Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station

The facility is undergoing repair and rehabilitation work, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the USAID Energy Policy Program. Advanced Engineering Associates International, Inc. (AEAI) is providing monitoring and implementation support to USAID for the project, and Hagler Bailly Pakistan has been contracted to undertake environmental compliance monitoring of the project. The environmental audit was conducted on April 18, 2012, and the results are documented in this report. The audit team visited the plant and inspected the storage of equipment and sites where the project activities are undertaken. The team also reviewed the existing site conditions and occupational health and safety (OHS) practices. During the audit visit, no activities were taking place at the MTPS. The audit identified several issues related to environmental compliance, including the lack of evidence that vehicles used for transportation of project equipment were compliant with national environmental quality standards (NEQS). The contractor was asked to provide noise and emission testing results of the vehicles used for transportation. Additionally, the audit team found that the MTPS had not formulated an environmental team to implement the Environmental Management and Monitoring Program (EMMP), and training for OHS had not been scheduled. The audit team made 10 observations and shared them with the plant management. Most of the proposed corrective actions were agreed to be completed within one to two days, while some identified issues had target dates agreed upon. The observations and agreed corrective actions are presented in the Register of Audit Observations. The Register of Audit Observations lists the issues identified during the audit, including the lack of evidence that vehicles used for transportation of project equipment were compliant with NEQS, the lack of an environmental team to implement EMMP, and the lack of training for OHS. The proposed corrective actions include asking the contractor to provide noise and emission testing results of the vehicles used for transportation, designating an environmental team at each unit, and scheduling training for OHS. The audit team also observed that impellers were stored at a non-designated area in the passage way, and that packing material waste from storage areas was thrown at different places. The proposed corrective actions include storing new equipment in properly demarcated and identified areas, removing packaging waste from storage areas as soon as the equipment is removed, and demarcating and labeling the storage area for equipment. The audit team also found that the storage area for equipment was not demarcated and labeled, and that packing material waste records were not maintained and the location was not known. The proposed corrective actions include demarcating the storage area, preparing an inventory of all waste including packing material waste, and identifying the quantity and disposal mechanism for each type of waste. The audit team also observed that waste was not segregated in the waste storage area, and that the waste storage area was not properly maintained. The proposed corrective actions include storing all waste separately in the store yard, not storing waste within the passage way, and ensuring that the waste storage area is properly maintained. Overall, the audit identified several issues related to environmental compliance, and the proposed corrective actions are aimed at addressing these issues and ensuring that the project is implemented in accordance with the EMMP.