Environmental Site Assessment Services for the Construction of Health and Education Facilities (CHEF) Program in Afghanistan

The program aimed to construct Provincial Teacher Training Centers (PTTC), Midwife Training Centers (MTC), and Hospitals in various provinces. Nine facilities were identified for construction or completion, with an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) produced on October 21, 2008. Tetra Tech was awarded a contract to perform an Environmental Site Assessment based on the impacts and mitigation measures listed in the CHEF Program IEE provided by USAID. The assessment aimed to evaluate the environmental mitigation plan and identify any additional impacts not included in the existing plan. The IOM environmental mitigation plan addressed all environmental impacts of the work, but a few additional impacts within defined categories were recognized. The CHEF construction sites visited were found to be well-run compared to local standards, with minimal problems that can be easily rectified. The general problems associated with most sites included initial and interval chemical and biological sampling of onsite wells, aquifer capacity and water treatment, waste disposal at approved locations, material importing from approved sources, secondary containment for hazardous materials, lack of spill kits, lack of use of native landscaping, UXO clearance to appropriate depths, and lack of documentation in project files. Initial well sampling for chemical and biological concerns was completed at most sites, but ongoing interval sampling has not been conducted at any site. Three sites have insufficient or undocumented well capacity, and the use of chlorine to disinfect water at untested wells may be used without documentation or plans. There is a lack of approved locations for waste disposal and material importing, and most sites have hired local private businesses for disposal of wastewater, solid waste, and hazardous waste without segregation of waste streams. Hazardous waste spills are not properly planned for, and hazardous waste spill kits are not present. There is no secondary containment for fuel storage and usage, and materials imported for use during construction have not been from approved facilities. Native landscaping has not been documented for use within the final design or used at the completed Khost site. All sites received UXO clearance from UN MACCA prior to construction, but septic tanks, holding tanks, and some building footings installed during construction exceeded this depth. The nine CHEF sites consist of PTTC, MTC, and Hospital facilities. The PTTC sites have a total building area of 4,772 m2, with academy buildings, dormitories, kitchen and dining areas, guard houses, generator rooms, water wells, water towers, and boundary security walls. The MTC sites have a total building area of 1,440 m2, with academy buildings, dormitories, guard houses, generator rooms, water wells, water towers, and boundary security walls. The 100-Bed Hospital site at Gardez has a total building area of 9,735 m2, with emergency areas, outpatient wards, inpatient wards, delivery theatres, surgery theatres, services and mechanical facilities, administration facilities, guard houses, water wells, water towers, generator rooms, and boundary security walls. The 20-Bed Hospital site at Khair Kot has a total building area of 2,080 m2, with male and female wards, delivery theatres, surgery theatres, services and mechanical facilities, administration facilities, guard houses, water wells, water towers, generator rooms, and boundary security walls. The CHEF program aims to provide health and education facilities to the people of Afghanistan, with the construction of these facilities expected to improve the quality of life for the beneficiaries.