Social Development & Safeguards

FCDO Conducts Site Visit to Drilling Communities

On July 23, 2024, Ingrid Lavine, Senior Programme Officer from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) joined the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) team of the Renewable Energy Sector Development Project (RESDP) for a field visit to the confirmed drilling and the storage sites. The tour included Belle Plaine, Parc Estate, Saltibus and Belvedere.

Throughout the visit, the team highlighted progress made and discussed the challenges with each site. The team emphasized the importance of continued support and collaboration with international partners like the FCDO to overcome the obstacles and achieve project goals. Project Manager, Ken Aldonza, used the opportunity to thank the FCDO for its continued support for the project. Additionally, the team outlined its near-term future goals such as submission of the DCA application; conduct of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), and production of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and Abbreviated Resettlement Action Plan; identification of resettlement lands and land acquisitions for well pad development, including the road expansion in Belvedere which will contribute to the community’s development. The site visit marked a significant milestone in the collaboration between the FCDO and the RESDP and the United Kingdom’s Government commitment to sustainability and the transformative potential of renewable energy in fostering economic growth and environmental resilience. Ms. Lavine praised the team's commitment to community inclusivity and sustainable development and provided invaluable encouragement and advice to the team.

RESDP Releases Kwéyól Informational Documentary

In August, the RESDP produced and disseminated a Kwéyòl informational documentary about the project on its Facebook and Instagram pages. The documentary has also been shared with stakeholders on the project’s community WhatsApp groups and is played on a rotation basis on the National Television Network. The landmark move was aimed at catering to the needs of the project’s Kwéyól speaking stakeholders. The documentary explains the reasoning behind the project, its objectives, financing arrangement, implementation structure, conduct of the ESIA, components: geothermal drilling and technical assistance, grievance redress mechanism, consultations and its scholarship programme for females.

“A small percentage of our meeting attendees have shown a preference for us to communicate with them in Kwéyòl. We are very pleased to be able to address some of their informational needs through this Kwéyòl documentary. To ensure it reaches the right people, it will be played before and after our community meetings when we have a very captive audience and when we visit their homes during our one-on-one visits,” stated the project’s Community Liaison Officer, Windia Jaunai. Kweyol speaking stakeholders have responded positively to the initiative, with one stakeholder reflecting that “I bon. Apwésan mwen koumansé apwésé pojé-a.”

Environmental Safeguards

Water Resource Management Agency Issued Water Abstraction Licenses for RESDP

The RESDP-PIU Team has received approval to abstract water from the following sources: these include: (1) Upper Doree River – Saltibus, (ii) Belle Plaine - Soufriere, (iii) L’Ivrogne – Delcer, and (iv) Fond St. Jacques – Soufriere. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development approved four Water Abstraction Licenses for the RESDP-PIU Team. These water sources will provide a constant water supply to support the drilling activities. The water abstraction licenses were issued for a two-year period from July 4, 2024, to July 3, 2026.

PANORAMA Contracted to Implement ESIA Terms of Reference

PANORAMA Ltd. has been contracted to implement the ESIA Consultancy. The contract was signed and effective on August 5, 2024. The ESIA is one of the most essential activities of the RESDP because it identifies the positive and negative impacts caused by project implementation. This assessment is conducted through an analysis of the effects resulting from interaction between environmental and social components and the various activities of the project and its development (for example, during construction and drilling) and associated facilities. The first draft ESIA/ESMP and A-RAP will be prepared and submitted at the end of October 2024.

ESIA Implementation Ongoing

The ESIA consultancy has begun, and the firm’s team members are working in Fond St. Jacques, Belle Plaine, and Saltibus communities, conducting the following activities and tasks: (1) general socio-economic surveys and censuses of the project affected parties assets, (2) ecological assessments at Saltibus S5 and MS –1, (3) noise level and air quality assessments at all three sites, and (4) archeological survey at Saltibus S5. The Cut- Off date for determining eligibility for compensation and/or resettlement assistance is September 30, 2024. During October, the team will conduct three SAE/SH Consultations and water sampling and analysis in the four water sources for which water abstraction licenses were obtained. These include (1) Upper Doree River - Saltibus, (ii) Belle Plaine - Soufriere, (iii) L’Ivrogne - Delcer, and (iv) Fond St. Jacques - Soufriere. The first draft of the ESIA will be presented at the end of October 2024.

RESDP Undertakes Key Site Visit with ESIA Consultants

The RESDP team, alongside ESIA consultants Panorama Environmental Inc, conducted site visits to Belvedere, Belle- Plaine and La Clay- Saltibus. Panorama Environmental Inc is led by ESIA Team Lead Suzanne Heim who previously worked as a consultant under the Geothermal Resource Development Project in Saint Lucia. The consultant will review the existing ESIA report prepared for the project in 2018 and ensure that all important information is collected, reviewed, analyzed, and incorporated into the updated ESIA. These site visits are critical steps in the project's development, ensuring that environmental and social impacts are thoroughly reviewed and evaluated. The ESIA will cover the drilling communities of Saltibus, Belle Plaine and Belvedere. The assessment of Belle Plaine will cover activity within the Green Buffer Zone (GBZ) and include a specific assessment of any potential impacts on the World Heritage Property’s Outstanding Universal Value. The consultant will also review and update the existing ESMP based on new site-specific baseline data and information, new findings derived from the reviews conducted and the revised level of risks and impacts on the physical and socio-economic environments. An ESMP details measures for mitigating environmental and social risks of a project and includes mitigation measures for sexual exploitation and abuse/sexual harassment (SEA/SH).

“The site visit allows us to directly observe the areas that will be impacted and to understand the social dynamics of the communities involved,” said Suzanne. “We want to make sure that the project not only contributes to Saint Lucia's renewable energy goals but also does so in a way that respects both the environment and the people.” “This phase of the project allows the technical plans to be aligned with the best environmental and social practices,” said Dominic, the RESDP’s Social Development and Safeguards Officer (SDSO). As the ESIA process continues, the findings from this site visit will play a key role in shaping the project’s development plans.

Technical Coordination

Progress made in Piton Management Area Demarcation

Fifty percent of the boundaries of the Piton Management Area (PMA) and the GBZ have now been surveyed (mainly the natural boundaries). The Consultant Surveyor updated his Survey Report to address the latest comments submitted by the PMA Office. The updated Survey Report has now been submitted and accepted by the Project Implementation Unit of the RESDP. The Consultant Surveyor is expected to complete the work by October 2, 2024, in keeping with his existing contract.