Desert Star addresses environmental issues

THE Environmental Impact Assessment and preparations for a Management Plan for Phase 1 of the proposed Desert Star South Studios and Motion Picture Resort have been completed.

LM Environmental Consulting was appointed by Desert Star Studios Namibia to undertake an Environmental Assessment (EA) including Scoping, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the preparation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for Phase 1 of the proposed Desert Star Studios and Resort. The aims and objectives of a full EIA and the development of an EMP of the Desert Star Development are to assess all the potential positive and negative short- and long-term environmental impacts at the Local, Regional, National and International level, covering the construction and operational phases and to develop appropriate mitigation measures that will enhance the positive aspects and limit the potential negative impacts identified or anticipated.

The Desert Star South Project is located in the south-easternmost corner of Namibia. Phase 1 of the Project will be located on Farm Komsberg as well as a Portion of the Farm Stolzenfels and cover an area of 182ha. The site is bordered by the Orange River to the south and the closest town, Ariamsvlei, is approximately 35 km to the north of the proposed development.

The Messiah

The Project will be developed in three phases over a 10-year period. Phase 1 includes the creation of a unique international motion picture destination while Phase 2 will be the development and expansion of the resort and tourist attractions and Phase 3 the development of a support city and related infrastructure as well as renewable energy components. During Phase 1, the Desert Star Resort and 112 residential units as well as a golf course will be developed. Semi-permanent film sets will be constructed for the planned filming of ‘The Messiah’ during June this year. The Messiah has a production schedule of six months, of which two months will be spent on location at the Desert Star Sout Project site.

According to the Draft Report, vehicular access to the project site will be provided from District Road D202. The existing access road will be upgraded in order to meet the requirements of Phase 1 of the proposed project. Initially, bulk electricity will be supplied by NamPower from the Rock Substation on Farm Jericho. Farms Komsberg and Stolzenfels have been granted permits by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to extract 22 million cu.m of water over a five-year period (2007 to 2012) from the Orange River for irrigation purposes.

Desert Star Studios Namibia intends to apply for a permit from the Department to extract sufficient water from the Orange River for domestic requirements, including the irrigation of the golf course. The water will be treated in suitably designed Water Treatment Plants.

A waterborne sewerage system will be provided and sewerage effluent will gravitate or be pumped to sewerage treatment plant(s). It is proposed that the final effluent, after disinfection, be utilised for irrigation purposes. Furthermore an Integrated Waste Management approach will be followed, i.e. several waste control and disposal methods of commercial and industrial waste streams will be employed in order to minimise the environmental impact of the waste.

Farm Komsberg currently disposes of its solid waste by means of burning and burying disposables, and by transporting recyclable material to a recycling plant at Karasburg. It is proposed that the waste from the various components of the proposed project be treated in a similar manner during the initial phases. The development of a waste disposal site in the basin is envisaged and approval will be obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Wild and plant-life affected

Meanwhile, mitigation measures for the potential long- and shortterm negative impacts of the construction and operational phases of the proposed development will be provided in the form of an EMP. Stakeholders, including the public, will be offered the opportunity to participate throughout the EA process, and during the construction and operational phases. Potential sources of air pollution, such as airborne particulate matter or dust, will mainly be associated with the construction phase.

The ground cover will be cleared with graders and scrapers and roads to the site will also be graded resulting in excess dust generation. As the construction operations will be transitory in nature, it will only give rise to fugitive dust emissions for a number of months.

The species most likely to be adversely affected by the proposed Desert Star Project are a variety of reptiles and mammals specifically associated with the proposed development area, as well as the potential effect that such a development may have on the birdlife in the area. The Orange River area is in places heavily infested with the alien invasive Prosopis and further development and/or soil disturbances may exacerbate this infestation, except if a concerted effort is made to eradicate this species.

Farm Komsberg, the site of the proposed project, is currently under-utilised with no livestock and only a small vineyard of approximately 15ha. The size of Phases 1A–C of the proposed development is approximately 182ha, although the final town and developments may expand to 23,838ha. There would be no negative impact on the national economy by removing Farm Komsberg from the agricultural sector.

The Draft Report is available at www.desertstarstudios.com for public review and all interested and affected parties are invited to submit comments until 25 March.

click to enlarge Desert Star Chief Executive Officer, Rudolf Markgraaff