Proposed Cruise Berthing Facility – EIA Consultation June 2015
The Cayman Islands Department of Environment is providing Notice to the Public regarding the availability of the Draft Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement (ES) for the proposed Grand Cayman Cruise Berthing Facility, which has been carried out utilising the approved Terms of Reference. The CIG appointed consultancy team – W.F. Baird & Associates Coastal Engineers Ltd., Smith Warner International & TEM Network Ltd – has completed the EIA and the written report of the EIA process is the Environmental Statement and the Non-Technical Summary (published below). A hard copy of the documents will be available at the following locations:

Government Admin Building, Elgin Avenue, George Town

Department of Environment, 580 North Sound Road, George Town

The public is invited to attend a presentation of the results of the EIA and to submit written comments on the draft documents, for consideration prior to finalisation.

6—7 PM: Open House Session to View Visual Display
7— 9 PM: Presentation and Q&A Session

Comments on the Draft ES, NTS and Technical Appendices must be submitted in writing: 1) at the public meeting, 2) electronically via e-mail to [email protected], 3) mailed to Department of Environment, P.O. Box 10202, Grand Cayman KY1-1002, or 4) hand delivered to Department of Environment, Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road, George Town, Grand Cayman.

The comment period will officially close on Friday 3 July 2015.

The whole document(s) can be downloaded at: http://www.doe.ky/proposed-cruise-berthing-facility-eia-consultation-june-2015/

Together the two Drafts total nearly 500 pages! And you have only 4 weeks to make any comments.

Excerpts from Non-technical Summary

4.0 PROPOSED PROJECT

4.1 Project Overview

The analysis of alternatives led to the development of an optimized concept layout for the proposed cruise berthing facility that provides a balance between functional and cost considerations, with reduced environmental impacts as compared to the OBC layout presented in the Final EIA Terms of Reference. The optimized concept layout is shown in Figure 4.1and Figure 4.2 (on the following pages), and includes the following key elements:

• Dredging of berth pockets for cruise vessels to depths of 35 ft and 36.5 ft below mean sea level (MSL) for the south and north pier berths respectively. The total dredge volume will be approximately 333,000 yd3(255,000 m3).

• Two piers with berths for four large cruise ships (two suitable for Oasis class vessels). The piers have nominal lengths of 1000 ft (305m) and a width of 60ft (18m). The pier structure will likely consist of a concrete deck supported by concrete piles with a bent spacing of approximately 30ft (9 m). There are a total of 366 piles in the conceptual design, each 3ft (1 m) in diameter with an approximate length of 120 ft (37m). It is anticipated that the piles will be driven, socketed and anchored into the seabed. Each pile bent will be made up of a cast-in-place concrete cap with pre-cast concrete deck panels spanning between bents. A cast-in-place wear surface will be constructed on top of the deck panels. The piers have an elevation in the order of 10ft (3m) above MSL.

• Mooring dolphins (three at north pier; two at south pier) are proposed at the outer end of the piers. The concept design for the dolphins assumes 10 foot diameter steel mono piles, each 140ft (43 m) long, each driven, socketed and anchored into the underlying seabed.

• Approximately 7.7 acres (3.1 ha) of new land will be created using approximately 164,000 yd3 (125,000 m3) of the dredged materials. The remainder of the dredged materials (169,000 yd 3,130,000 m3) will likely be disposed of offshore. The perimeter of the reclamation area will consist of a vertical bulkhead wall composed of continuous pipe piles, topped with a concrete cap. The top of the cap is anticipated to have an elevation of 10ft (3m) above MSL. The piles will have a length of approximately 100 ft (32 m).

• A 460ft (140m) quay wall for smaller cruise ships and Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO/RO) cargo vessels will be constructed, along with a 250 ft (76 m) extension to the north tender dock and a 310ft (95 m) extension to the south cargo dock.

• A new RO/RO ramp will be built in the centre of the reclamation area (between the piers) with a width of approximately 75ft (23m) in order to accommodate RO/RO cargo vessels.

• The old RO/RO ramp near the North Terminal will be reconstructed in order to accommodate aggregate barges.

• Basic landside improvements will consist of a hardscape promenade around the outside of the land reclamation area, a wave/flood protection wall, site grading/drainage and basic servicing. Additional landside development may follow, but was not included in the scope of this study.

• The hardscape promenade and wave/flood wall will be designed to resist severe wave overtopping and limit site flooding during storms.

• The outer portion of the land reclamation area will be sloped seawards for direct drainage of stormwater into the sea, while the remainder will slope eastward to a new stormwater drain. The drain will discharge to the sea at the northern and southern edges of the reclamation area. Catch basins will be constructed at each end of the drain to trap sediments and debris.

Two of the existing offshore vessel anchorage points nearest the project site will be removed. After construction, the port will be able to accommodate four vessels at berth and two vessels at anchorage. When more than six cruise ships arrive at Grand Cayman (at present, this occurs only 10 to 15 days per year), the additional vessels will need to remain offshore on power.

The total project footprint will be approximately 32.5 acres (13.2 ha), including 23.5 acres (9.3 ha) for dredging, 7.7 acres (3.1 ha) for the reclamation area, and 1.8 acres (0.7 ha) for the piers beyond the dredging extents.

8.2 Mitigation Measures

As noted above, the proposed project is not expected to increase wave action along the adjacent shorelines nor the risk of flooding of George Town. The conceptual design of the new land reclamation area includes a wave/flood wall to limit flooding of the project site itself due to wave overtopping during Nor’westers and hurricanes.

The effects of sediment infilling (and required maintenance dredging) can be mitigated to some degree by over-dredging of the berth area. Specifically, the berth area could be initially dredged to a depth greater than required to accommodate the cruise ships, thereby providing additional capacity to accumulate sediment before maintenance dredging is needed.

14.0 MARINE ECOLOGY

A comprehensive review and assessment of the marine ecology within George Town Harbour was undertaken in order to define baseline conditions, and to assess the potential impacts of project construction and operations on these conditions. Baseline conditions were defined through the collection, review and assimilation of relevant data collected by the DoE, review of previous studies by others, and field data collection at fourteen sampling sites (coral, algae and fish community structure). The baseline conditions in George Town Harbour are highlighted below:

• The nearshore reefs show signs of anthropogenic stress, but are in generally good condition, particularly in the Caribbean context.

• Oear water and lack of fishing pressure allow for the proliferation of healthy coral cover, including two species listed as “Critically Endangered” (Acrapora cervicornis and Acropora palmata) and four other species listed as “Threatened” (Orbicella annularis, Orbicella faveolata, Orbicella franksi and Mycetophyllia ferox).

• The reefs include both patch and spur & groove formations, with the latter creating a network of grottos and tunnels that form a complex habitat that supports a diverse assemblage of hard and soft corals, sponges and fish species.

• The nearshore reefs are ecologically significant as a habitat, and form a critical part of the marine ecosystem and the Marine Protected Area on Grand Cayman Island.

• The nearshore reefs are economically significant to the Cayman Islands, as they represent an important component of the water sports industry (snorkelling and diving) that brings cruise and overnight tourists to the Cayman Islands.

The development of the proposed project will have significant negative impacts on the marine ecology within George Town Harbour, in particular the coral reefs and associated habitat surrounding the project site. In general, these impacts are directly related to the areal extent of the project and the volume of dredging, and the operation of large cruise ships in the nearshore area. Key ecological impacts would include coral destruction, habitat fragmentation and reduced biodiversity. The anticipated impacts of project construction and operations on marine ecology are summarized in Sections 14.1and 14.2 respectively, and in Figure 14.1. In addition, the development of the proposed project would result in socio – economic impacts associated with the loss of marine ecosystem goods and services; these impacts are discussed in Section 18.

14.3 Mitigation Measures

14.3.1 Coral Relocation Program

If the project proceeds, it is recommended that a significant coral relocation program be designed and implemented. The overall objective of the coral relocation program would be to mitigate/compensate for habitat destruction caused by the project. The specific objectives, scope and cost of the coral relocation program have not been defined at this time, and require discussion with the OG and DoE. The following points provide some context regarding the possible scope and cost of a coral relocation program.

• A coral relocation program will not achieve “no net loss”, and success is not guaranteed.

• Typically, the recipient site would be selected based on providing similar characteristics (substrate, water depth, exposure to waves and currents, pH, DO, salinity, etc.). For this project, consideration should also be given to address habitat fragmentation, specifically to restore “functional connectivity” between the reefs to the north and south of the project.

• The cost of coral relocation programs undertaken for other projects in the Caribbean and elsewhere varies from US$250 to $1,800 per square meter (CI$20 to $140 per square foot). Previous court cases in the Cayman Islands, as well as guidelines included in the Florida Coral Reef Protection Act (2009) have defined a value in the order of CI$1,000 per square meter (CI$9.0 per square foot) of damaged reef .

• The proposed project footprint covers 15 acres (650,000 square feet) of coral reef, with this area being more or less evenly split between patch reefs and spur and groove formations. The spur and groove formations include significant three-dimensional features with high vertical relief and rugosity.

• It is anticipated that coral colonies within the patch reefs area would be relocated using conventional “harvesting” methologies, including the removal, transport and reattachment of individual colonies by divers.

• Regarding the larger spur formations, it is anticipated that specialized methods, including the use of marine construction equipment, would be developed to facilitate the movement of large segments of “intact” spurs, as this is likely to be more efficient/effective method, and also retains the 3D “rugosity” of the original habitat.

• Relocation of the Balboa shipwreck should be considered as part of the coral relocation program (also refer to Chapter 15).

Based on the information presented above, the estimated cost of a full coral relocation program for this project would be in excess of $CI13M. Should the project proceed, the objectives, scope and budget for the coral relocation program would require further discussion with the CIG and DoE.

15.1 Project Impacts

The anticipated impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed project on cultural heritage are summarized below:

• The Balboa shipwreck is located within the footprint of the proposed project, and will be lost unless it is relocated.

• The Cali shipwreck will not be directly impacted by the project, but may be indirectly impacted by turbidity plumes during dredging and operations, with potential degradation of the adjacent marine habitat and the quality of diving/snorkeling.

• Access to/use of Hog Sty Bay may be limited/restricted during construction.

• The risk of damage to buildings and monuments is low.

• Project operations are anticipated to result in additional income potential to buildings and monuments from guided tours; there is also the potential to expand the inventory of cultural heritage artifacts.

15.2 Mitigation Measures

Impacts related to the Balboa can be mitigated by relocating the wreck to a new site; this could result in a positive impact due to increased accessibility to this feature (i.e. if it is re-located to a site where day time dives are possible). Relocation of the Balboa should be considered as part of the coral relocation program, as discussed in Chapter 14. Mitigation measures to address turbidity plumes during construction and operations are also discussed in Chapter 14.

In addition, further communication with stakeholders and the general public on the potential impacts of the project on cultural heritage assets, and the specific mitigation measures to be taken is recommended. Finally, communications with stakeholders and the general public should be continued through the construction phase to advise of upcoming activities, and to minimize the potential for upset associated with disruption to typical activities (socio-economic issues are addressed later in this document).

16.1 Project Impacts

Construction of the proposed cruise berthing facility will result in additional congestion due to construction traffic to and from the project site. Considering the operation phase, increased cruise ship traffic anticipated in response to the development of the project is expected to result in higher pedestrian traffic and parking requirements (more tour staffing and transit), with increased congestion and pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, particularly on Harbour Drive. However, the project is not expected to have a significant impact on the volume of vehicular traffic.

18.0 SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DISTRICT IMPACT ASSESSMENT

The socio-economic impact assessment, which incorporated the business district impact assessment, included desktop research, observations and consultations with stakeholders. Data sources included census of population and housing, economic reports and tourism, energy, water supply and physical planning statistics from the CIG’s Economic and Statistical Office (ESO). Stakeholder consultations were undertaken to ascertain their awareness of the proposed project, their perceptions on the potential impacts of the project on their communities/groups, socio-economic factors, cultural/heritage, landscape and the natural environment.

The population of the Cayman Islands was estimated at 55,691at the end of 2013, with 28,423 (about 50%) residing in the George Town District. Tourism is the second largest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Cayman Islands, with monthly air and cruise visitor arrivals exceeding the local population throughout the year. In 2013, there were a total of 1.7 million visitors to the Cayman Islands (1.4 million by cruise and 345,400 by air -see figure below), spending an estimated CI $496 million; this represents approximately 14% of the GDP of the Cayman Islands ($3.7B in 2013). Approximately CI $115M of the total spending, or 23%, was associated with cruise ship passengers.

A key finding of the EIA is that the marine resources in G1H have a significant economic value. A preliminary estimate of this economic value has been developed by assessing the ecosystem goods and services provided by the marine resources within G1H, including tourism and recreation, shoreline protection, primary production and fisheries. The estimated total economic value of the goods and services provided by the marine resources in G1H is in the order of CI$19-22M/year, with this value being dominated by tourism and recreation, in particular watersports activities in G1H (snorkelling, diving, etc.). The estimate is based on a combination of direct data collection and literature-derived values, and is subject to some uncertainty due to various assumptions required to develop the estimate.

Project construction and operation will result in damage to the marine ecosystem within GTH, with associated adverse impacts on the goods and services provided by the marine ecosystem. Revenues generated by watersports businesses which rely on tourism and recreation opportunities provided by the marine resources within GTH will also be adversely affected. However, it is anticipated that these adverse impacts will be offset, to some degree, by the diversion/displacement of activities
from within GTH to other locations and/or activities/attractions in George Town and around Grand Cayman Island. It is recommended that the OBC be updated to reflect these and other socio-economic impacts identified in the EIA.

The anticipated socio-economic impacts associated with the construction and operation of the proposed cruise berthing facility are summarized below.

18.1 Project Impacts – Construction Phase

18.1.1 Positive

• Macro-economic benefits to the Cayman Islands:

o Estimated CI$150M contribution to GDP from capital expenditures related to project construction over a three year period);

o the OBC {PwC, 2013) estimated 490 FTE (full time equivalent) employment opportunities will be available during construction. The project will require administrative staff, labourers, divers, skilled tradesmen, project management, engineers, foremen and operators, amongst other positions. To the extent that local expertise is available, the labour force will benefit.

• Micro- economic benefits to the Business District:

o Increased sales and revenues for some businesses, in particular food and beverage services and accommodation from influx of workers;

o Increase employment opportunity for local residents.

18.1.2 Negative

• Intermittent disruption to both cargo and cruise operations. Potential for cumulative macro­
economic impact.

• Increased risk for marine incidents (accidents and injuries) in the harbour.

• Reduced access to the harbour for diving, snorkelling and other water-based activities, with possible displacement of some GTH businesses.

• Public health and safety risk to visitors and residents from reduced water quality.

• Estimated economic loss in the order of CI$6.5-9M/year (based on current spend rates) related to direct and indirect impacts on marine ecosystem goods and services within GTH caused by project construction, in particular due to the loss of coral reefs and associated business for local watersports operators, plus indirect impacts to employees’ incomes and purchasing power. This corresponds to an estimated economic loss in the order of CI$16- 27M over the anticipated 2.5 to 3 year period of construction. As noted above, these estimates are based on a preliminary marine resource valuation, and are subject to some uncertainty. Also, these estimates do not consider the anticipated diversion/displacement of activities from within GTH to other locations and/or activities/attractions in George Town and around Grand Cayman Island.

• Reduced revenue from goods and services in the business district if the number of visitors to the business district declines due to cumulative impacts of project construction.

• Increase in vehicular and pedestrian traffic and congestion due to movement of construction materials and equipment on and off site.

• Temporary nuisance vibrations, noise and air pollution in George Town.