Authorities of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) on October 18, 2019 had a stakeholder review for an Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report for the construction of a 1200mm diameter Raw Water Transmission Pipeline from Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant to White Plain Water Treatment Plant in Harrisburg.
Kawusu Toure, EPA Assistant ESIA Manager, told citizens of Harrisburg and representatives of line government ministries and agencies that the meeting was intended to review an ESIA prepared by LEG Consultant, an independent environmental evaluator for DENYS NV, the foreign firm contracted to construct the pipeline.
Also speaking, John Jallah, EPA Manager for Compliance and Enforcement said that the EPA cannot issue Environmental Permit in the absence of an ESIA report and a stakeholder review intended to get citizens’ opinions on projects in their communities.
Paul Kennedy, Director for Environmental and Social Performance at Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Liberia, lauded the EPA for the dialogue and said that the construction of Raw Water Transmission Pipeline from Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and White Plain Water Treatment Plant is intended to supply safe drinking water to Monrovia.
Barely a week after the stakeholder review on November 1 2019, the Millennium Challenge Account Liberia and the Government of Liberia Friday broke ground for the construction of a US$18 million raw water pipeline between Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and White Plain Water Treatment Plant.