The primary objectives of the Environmental Management Plan study were to:

• Develop an environmental and socio-economic overview profile of the Project Site Area including the existing status of the physio-chemical and biological systems;
• Identify potentially sensitive environmental and socio-economic cultural receptors;
• Examine the activities of the Project in order to identify those aspects most likely to have significant interactions with environmental and social receptors;
• Ensure that any potential significant adverse impacts on the natural environment and or socio-economic receptors are clearly identified;
• Develop a suitably robust EMP for the Project to ensure that any identified significant adverse impacts are, wherever practicable, avoided, minimised and or otherwise mitigated; and
• Ensure that the Project is developed in conformance with the applicable legislative requirements and good practice guidelines.

Based on the findings of the impact assessment, SLP prepared a detailed EMP to ensure that the potential significant adverse impacts to the natural environment and social receptors that could arise as a consequence of the Project activities were appropriately mitigated.

The EMP included an Environmental Monitoring Plan for the construction and operational phases of the Project in order to:

• Measure project compliance with statutory environmental quality standards;
• Provide an early indication if any of the environmental control measures or practices are failing to achieve acceptable standards; and
• Provide a basis for continuous review and improvements to the operational monitoring programme.