PNADK708

United States Agency For The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
International Development Ministry of Education
Jordan Schools Construction

& Rehabilitation Program
Environmental Assessment Report

Aqaba Schools
November 2007
This Publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for
International Development. It was prepared by CDM International Inc. in
Association with Engicon.
USAID Contract No.: 278-C-00-06-00326-00

CDM PROJECT NO.: 3029-53947
Disclaimer
The author's views expressed in this publication do not necessarily
reflect the views of the United States Agency for International
Development or the United States Government.
Environmental Impact Assessment for
Construction of 28 New Schools in Jordan Environmental Assessment Report / Aqaba
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables .............................................................................................................iii
List of Figures ............................................................................................................v
Acronyms and Abbreviations ..................................................................................vi
Executive Summary .................................................................................................vii
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................1
1.1 Objective and Scope of Work .......................................................................1
1.2 Environmental Assessment Requirements...................................................2
1.2.1 Scoping Process...................................................................................2
1.2.2 EA Methodology ...................................................................................3
1.3 Content of the Report ...................................................................................3
2. Project Description ............................................................................................5

2.1 Purpose of the Project..................................................................................5
2.2 8th Area Secondary Boys School..................................................................6
2.2.1 Project Components .............................................................................6
2.2.2 Project Location....................................................................................7
th
2.3 10 Area Secondary Girls School ................................................................9
2.3.1 Project Components .............................................................................9
2.3.2 Project Location..................................................................................10
2.4 Al Karameh Secondary GIrls School ..........................................................12
2.4.1 Project Components ...........................................................................12
2.4.2 Project Location..................................................................................13
3. Environmental Laws & Regulations ...............................................................14

3.1 Regulation for Protection of the Environment in ASEZ (No. 21 for 2001) ..14
3.2 Environment Protection Law (No. 52 for 2006) ..........................................14
3.2.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Bylaw for 2005 ...........................15
3.2.2 Air Protection Bylaw for 2005 (No. 28 for 2005) .................................15
3.2.3 Solid Waste Management Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005)............................15
3.2.4 Soil Protection Bylaw (No. 25 for 2005)..............................................16
3.3 Public Health Law (No. 54 for 2002)...........................................................16
3.4 Law for Protection of Cultural Heritage & Sites (No. 5 for 2005) ................16
3.5 Water Authority Law (No. 19 for 1988) .......................................................16
3.6 Education Law (No. 93 for 1994)................................................................16
3.7 Instructions and Codes...............................................................................17
3.7.1 Instructions for Noise Prevention for 2007 .........................................17
3.7.2 Jordanian Building Codes...................................................................17
4. Environmental Setting .....................................................................................20

4.1 Biophysical Environment ............................................................................20
4.1.1 Location and Climate..........................................................................20
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4.1.2 Geomorphology and Geology.............................................................22

4.1.3 Land Use ............................................................................................23
4.1.4 Archaeological Findings .....................................................................23
4.1.5 Biodiversity System ............................................................................24
4.1.6 Prevalent or Adaptive Vegetation .......................................................26
4.2 Socioeconomic Context..............................................................................27
4.2.1 Population and Major Economic Activities..........................................27
4.2.2 Quality of Life and Cultural Issues......................................................29
4.2.3 Prevalent Architectural Images...........................................................30
4.2.4 Health and Other Community Services ..............................................31
4.2.5 Educational Services ..........................................................................33
4.2.6 Transportation ....................................................................................35
4.2.7 Water and Electricity Supply...............................................................37
5. Environmental Impacts....................................................................................39
5.1 Assessment of Overall Impacts ..................................................................39
5.2 Expected Environmental Impacts ...............................................................39
5.2.1 Construction Impacts..........................................................................39
5.2.2 Socio-economic Issues.......................................................................41
5.2.3 Public Health and Safety Issues.........................................................43
6. Environmental Management Plan...................................................................48
Appendix A: List of Preparers ................................................................................56
Appendix B: Bibliography of References Used ....................................................57
Appendix C: List of Attendees to Scoping Session .............................................59
Appendix D: Correspondence ................................................................................61
Appendix E: Regulation for Protection of the Environment in ASEZ (No. 21 for

2001) ..........................................................................................................................62
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1: Significant Issues Identified in the Scoping Session ...................................2
Table 3.1: Maximum Allowable Noise Levels.............................................................17
Table 3.2: Permissible Levels of Worker Exposure to Noise .....................................19
Table 4.1: Amount of Annual Rainfall in Aqaba City (2000 – 2005)...........................21
Table 4.2: Climatic Information for Selected Months in Aqaba City (2005)................21
Table 4.3: Types of Mammals in the governorate of Aqaba ......................................24
Table 4.4: Distribution of Cultural Agencies in Aqaba Governorate, 2005.................30
Table 4.5: Notifiable Disease in Aqaba Health Directorate and in Jordan, 2006 .......31
Table 4.6: MOH Centers and Clinics in Aqaba, 2005 ...............................................32
Table 4.7: Employees of the MOH by profession in Aqaba Directorate.....................32
Table 4.8: Number and Type of Cooperatives in the Governorate of Aqaba, 2005 ...33
Table 4.9: Number and Type of Charitable Societies in the Governorate of Aqaba,
2005 ...................................................................................................................33
Table 4.10: Number of Students by Sex and Supervising Authority in Aqaba
Directorate, 2006/2007.......................................................................................34
Table 4.11: Summary of the Number of Students at MOE Schools in Two Different
Educational Levels by Sex, Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007 ...............................34
Table 4.12: Number of Administrators, Technicians and Teachers at MOE Schools by
Sex in Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007 ................................................................34
Table 4.13: Number of MOE Schools by Sex and Stage, Aqaba Directorate,
2006/2007 ..........................................................................................................35
Table 4.14: Number of MOE School Buildings by Ownership and Attendance System,
Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007 ...........................................................................35
Table 4.15: Number of MOE Schools and Students by Administrative Divisions and
Sex, Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007 ...................................................................35
Table 4.16: Length of Road Networks by Type of Road, 2005 ..................................36
Table 4.17: Number of Licenced Vehicles by Type of Vehicle and Ownership in the
Governorate of Aqaba, 2005..............................................................................36
Table 4.18: Number of Road Accidents, Type of Accident and Number of Casualities
in the Governorate of Aqaba, 2005 ....................................................................36
Table 4.19: Water Supply for Domestic and Municipal Purposes in Aqaba
Governorate, 2001 – 2005 .................................................................................37
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Table 4.20: Average Quantity of Domestic Wastewater Flowing from Aqaba to the
WWTP, 1994 - 2005...........................................................................................37
Table 4.21: Rural Electrification for the Areas of Aqaba, Ma’an, and Shobak, 2005 .38
Table 6.1: Proposed Mitigation Measures during Design ..........................................48
Table 6.2: Proposed Measures during Construction..................................................52
Table 6.3: Proposed Mitigation Measures during Operation......................................54
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1: Location of the Proposed Schools in Aqaba City.......................................5
Figure 2.2: Plan of Proposed 8th Area Secondary Boys School...................................7
Figure 2.3: Close-up of Proposed 8th Area School Site ...............................................8
Figure 2.4: Land Area of Proposed 8th Area Secondary Boys School .........................8
Figure 2.5: 8th Area School Location on a Main Road in a Residential Area ...............9
Figure 2.6: Plan of Proposed 10th Area Secondary Girls School ...............................10
Figure 2.7: Close-up of Proposed 10th Area School Site ...........................................11
Figure 2.8: Land Plot of Proposed 10th Area Secondary School for Females............11
Figure 2.9: School Location in a Residential Area .....................................................12
Figure 2.10: Plan of Proposed Al Karameh Secondary Girls School .........................13
Figure 2.11: Completed Housing Facilities in Al Karameh Area ................................13
Figure 4.1: Site Location of the 8th Area Secondary Male School..............................20
Figure 4.2: Site Location of the 10th Area Secondary Male School............................21
Figure 4.3: Biogeographical Map ...............................................................................22
Figure 4.4: Population Aged Less than 14 and Unemployment Rates in Aqaba and
Jordan, 2006 ......................................................................................................28
Figure 4.5: Type of Economic Activity in Aqaba Governorate....................................29
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ASEZ Aqaba Special Economic Zone
ASEZA Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority
CMC Construction Management Consultant
EA Environmen tal Assessment
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
EMP Environmental Management Plan
IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature
MOE Ministry of Education
MOEnv Ministry of Environment
MOH Ministry of Health
USAID United States Agency for International Development
WAJ Water Authority of Jordan
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ES.1 Introduction
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of Jordan with the cooperation of the United States
Agency for I nternational Development (USAID) i s currently implementin g the Jordan
Schools Co nstruction and Rehabilitation Program. For the Aqaba region, th is
program includes the immediate construction of 3 new schools and renovation of 1 3
others. CDM International is the Project Manager and Engicon is providing consult ing
services for the environmental assessment (EA) for this project.
This report deals with the construction of the three new schools:
• The 8th Area Secondary School for Males, which will have 22 classro oms, serve
792 (or 1,044) students, and recruit around 60 staff members.
• The 10th Area Secondary School for Girls, which will have 28 classroo ms, serve
1,008 (or 1,188) students, and recruit around 60 staff members.
• Al Karameh Secondary School for Girls, which will have 2 8 classrooms, serve
1,008 (or 1,188) students, and recruit around 60 staff members.
The EA was prepared to fulfill the re quirements of the applicable USAID regulations,
the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) environmental regulation, and
the Jordanian EIA Byl aw. The process of pr eparing this EA involve d holding a
Scoping Session during which the issues to be analyzed in the EA were identifie d
and discussed. Following this, a Scoping State ment was prepared, which describe d
the signif icant environmental issues that would be analyzed further in t he EA. The
issues are summarized below:
Construction Issues Socioeconomic Issues Public Health & Safety Issues

Occupational health & safety Interaction between students/ classes Communicable disease prevention
Workers sanitation Student psyche inside the classroom Sanitary facilities
Traffic Monitoring of student behavior Indoor and outdoor safety issues
Noise Employment and economic Injury from car accidents
development
Dust pollution Land Use Protection from intruders
Waste generation Traffic during operation Safety in workshops
Employment opportunities Travel time to and from school Provisions for physically
challenged students
Earthquake protection
Chalk dust
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ES.2 Project Description

The project under study consists of the construction of the 3 schools with a fast-track
schedule to be located in the city of Aqaba. The aim for building the 3 facilities is to
solve the overcrowding problem in surrounding schools.
The 8 th Are a Secondary Boys Sch ool will be designated as Seconda ry Bo ys, for
grades 4 th to 12 th. The area of the land where the school will be built is 15,396 m 2
.
2 2
The built up area will be 3,045 m while the gross built up area will be 4,567 m such
that each student is allocated 5.77 m2.
The 10 th Area Secondary Girls School will be d esignated as Secondary Female, for
grades 1 to 12. The are a of the land where the school will be built is 8, 350 m 2. The
built up area will be 3,906 m 2 while the gross bui lt up area will be 5,859 m2 such that
each student is allocated 5.81 m2.
Al Karameh Secondary Girls School will be d esignated a s Secondar y Female, for

grades 1 to 12. The are a of the land where the school will be built is 9, 000 m 2. The
built up area will be 3,516 m 2 while the gross built up area will be 5,274 m 2such that
each student is allocated 5.23 m2.
ES.3 Environmental Laws & Regulations

The following are the environmental laws and regulations relevant to the construction
of the proposed schools:
• Aqaba Special Econo mic Zone Environment Protection Regulation (No. 21 for
2001): It states that all projects in this zone are subject to an Envi ronmental
Impact Assessment an d provides instruction s f or solid waste dispo sal, including
waste resulting from construction activities.
• Air Protectio n Bylaw (No. 28 for 2005): It sets the conditio n that all closed and
semi-closed public sp aces in Jo rdan should have suf ficient ventilation i n
accordance with the Jordanian Building Code.
• Solid Waste Manage ment Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005): It states that any part y
performing an activity that will result in solid waste should abide by specified
instructions.
• Soil Protect ion Bylaw (No. 25 for 2005): It states th at the Ministries of
Environment and Agriculture should study the si tes of devel opment projects and
their impact on land and natural resources.
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• The Public Health Law (No. 54 for 2002): It states that any person infected with a
contagious disease should be isolat ed in order to prevent a disease outbreak. It
also gives mandate to the Ministry of Health to monitor sewerage networks and
internal installations and to ensure that public health is not jeopardized.
• Law for Protection of C ultural Herit age & Sites (No. 5 for 2005): Dest ruction or
damage of any heritage site is strictly forbidden.
• Water Authority Law (No. 19 for 1988): It gives mandate to the Water Authority of
Jordan to connect the public to th e water an d sewer net works, and maintain,
operate, and manage these networks.
• Education L aw (No. 93 for 1994): It specifie s that the Ministry of Education is

responsible for providing school buildings suita ble for educational purposes and
to distribute them throughout the country in accordance with Jordan's educational
policy. The Ministry is a lso responsible for supervising all educational institution s
in the country to ensure that they are abiding by the legislation.
• Instructions for Noise Prevention for 2003: These instructions sp ecify the
maximum allowable level of noise for the different types of areas, both during the
daytime and at night.
• Jordanian Building Codes: Many of the building codes for Jordan address
environmental, health, a nd safety issues and are relevant to the school building.
They are as follows:
− Jordanian Code No. 3: Loads and Forces (Section 4: Earthquake Actions)
− Jordanian Code No. 15: Fire Protection
− Jordanian Code No. 16: Natural Ventilation
− Jordanian Code No. 17: Natural Lighting
− Jordanian Code No. 18: Water Supply for Buildings
− Jordanian Code No. 19: Wastewater for Buildings
− Jordanian Code No. 20: Beautification of the City
− Jordanian Code No. 21: Solid Waste
− Jordanian Code No. 22: Public Safety during Construction
− Jordanian Code No. 23: Electrical Installation
− Jordanian Code No. 27: Fire Alarm Systems
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− Jordanian Code No. 32: Building Requirements for the Physically Challenged
ES.4 Environmental Setting

The project location is in the city of Aqaba, which is situate d on the Re d Sea in the
southern tip of Jordan. The 3 scho ols will be constructed in the middle of residenti al
areas, surrounded by main and secondary roads.
Biophysical Environment
Aqaba city is charact erized by very hot and dusty we ather in su mmer and a
temperate winter. The area is qu ite dry such that the win d direction is northerly to
north-westerly.
Aqaba is considered part of the Sudanian penet ration region with mostly alluvial wit h
granite and saline soil.
At the junction where th e Gulf of Aqaba meets the Red Sea spreadin g center, the
tectonic plate boundary continues as a transform fault zone with a mo vement that i s
considered active until today, but it is periodic rather than continuous.
The neighboring areas to the proposed school sites are mainly residential or housin g
units that are still under constructi on. Services already exist within the proposed lan d
plot and are easily acce ssible by main and secondary roads, except fo r al Karameh
site, where the entire re sidential area is still und er construction. The land parcels fo r
the three schools are flat with no vegetation and covered with sand and rock y
cobbles.
Archeological sites in Aqaba city date back to 4000 BC, due to its strategic location at
the junction for trading between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Regarding the project sites,
the Department of Antiquities ha s conducted field visits to the proposed site area s
and conclud ed that ther e are no kn own sites o f archeolog ical value (a ccording to
letter no. 13.14.5823 dated 20 June 2007).
The Gulf of Aqaba extends for about 180 km from the Jord anian shore in the north to
the sills o f the Strait of Tiran in th e south. It is the on ly marine fish resource o f
Jordan. The Gulf of Aqaba hosts about 110 species of sof t corals, 120 species o f
hard corals, and over 1000 specie s of fish. A f ew of the countless ma rine creatures
living in the waters of Aqaba are corals, coral fish, reptiles, and mammals.
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Vegetation in Aqaba is characterize d by having a tropical tree element, in addition to

shrubs and annual herbs. In the Sudanian region, vegetation is usually attributed to
the shallow water table.
The most common animal species in Aqaba and the surroun ding areas are the Cairo
Spiny Mous e, the Golden Spiny Mouse, the W agner Gerbil, the Baluchistan Gerbil,
the Egyptian Gerbil, the Bushy-tailed Jird, the Said Jird, and the Fat Sa nd Rat. Most
of these animals are classified as endangered.
Socioeconomic Context
Aqaba is Jordan's only outlet to the sea and is considered a transport hub to the Gulf
Countries. Moreover, Aqaba is considered a s one of Jordan's primary indust rial
centers. In addition, p lans are cu rrently underway to in crease the city's tourist
facilities, especially around the area south of the city center.
Aqaba is a t hriving coastal city with one of the lowest poverty rates in t he Kingdom.
The residen ts have access to all t he basic inf rastructure needs in cluding water,
sanitation, and electricity.
By the end of 2007, the population of Aqaba is expected to be around 88,771, the
vast majority of which is urban. The population growth rate in Aqaba Governorate is
the highest in the country.
In the gove rnorate, the population is young with those aged less t han 14 yea rs
consisting o f 42.1% of t he total pop ulation. The unemployment rate is e stimated at
13.8, with a major difference between males and females.
The main economic sector in Aqaba is the “Tran sportation, Storage and
Communication” sector , followed by “Public Administration and Defense” an d
“Wholesale and Retail Trade”. The percentage of those w orking in th e “Hotels &
Restaurants” and “Fishing” is generally less than expected for a coastal city.
As for archit ectural images, ASEZA is str iving to present Aqaba as a city reflecting
traditional Islamic foundations, a state-of-the-art business center, and respect for the
unique environment of the waters and mountains of the area.
In terms of health, the most common notifia ble disea ses in Aqaba are diarrh ea,
mumps, animal bites, brucellosis, amebic dysentery, and measles. Other health
issues of concern include Leishmaniasis, head lice, and animal bites.
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Regarding health services, the Ministry of Health operates 10 health centers and 9
village centers in the Aqaba Health Directorate. In additio n, there are a total of 347
health workers, 37 of which are general practitioners while only 2 are specialists.
For the scholastic year 2006/2007, the Go vernorate of Aqaba regist ered 32,672
students, of which 17,1 01 were fe males and 15,571 were males. Th e Governorate
houses 109 schools with 18 schools for girls, 30 schools for boys and 61 co-ed.
In the kinde rgarten level, the number of stude nts is ba lanced between males and
females. However, more females are registered at the primary level. T he number of
female employees at MOE schools is double that of the number of male employees.
Out of the 5 9 MOE schools in Aqaba, only 13 are rented. In addition, there are only
two-shift systems, applied in the owned schools and not the rented ones.
Aqaba is distinguishe d with the variety of transportation means it h as access to. I n

addition to t he road net work, railwa ys, and waterways are two major facilit ies u sed
for transporting either pe rsons or goods and materials. The n umber of accidents that
usually occur in the governorate is somehow significant. However, only 5.2% of these
are car/pedestrian collisions.
The utiliza tion of water per capit a in the Aqaba is much higher t han in oth er
governorates of Jord an. This is at tributed to t he fact that Aqaba has the highe st
temperature rates in the country and has a lon g summer s eason. Water is supplie d
continuously to Aqaba city from the Disi Aquifer in the south.
Regarding electricity, data show that 99% of the population of rural areas in Aqaba is
connected to the electricity network.
ES.5 Environmental Impacts

Construction of a scho ol in a resid ential area is generally not asso ciated with any
major environmental concerns. As the project does not require any rehabilitation
works, the main issues relate to nuisances re sulting from constructio n activities,
which are temporary and can be significantly mitigated through proper planning and
best management practices. During operation, the most prominent concerns are
those relating to indoo r safety issues, which can be add ressed thro ugh a goo d
design and effective supervision by the school staff.
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Therefore, the succe ss of the project will hi ghly depend on adherence to the
environmental management plan and public h ealth law th at strives to address most
of the issues discussed.
Construction issues related to the project were identified as follows:
• Occupational Safety and Health: Worker exposure to dust, high noise levels, and
other potential hazards associated with the use of heavy construction machinery.
• Workers’ Sanitation: Importance of provision of sanitary facilities.
• Traffic: Congestion due to movement of vehicles in and out of the site.
• Noise: Resulting from operating con struction equipment and disturbing r esidents
in the neigh borhood. Can be mitigated by adhering to the Noise Instruct ions and
will only be temporary.
• Dust Pollution: Impact on surround ing areas or even beyon d with the worst case
expected during summer.
• Waste Gen eration: Imp act on surrounding areas if not disposed of properly and
regularly.
• Employment Opportunities: Considered positive but expect ed to be minimal as

male foreign workers are usually assigned for construction works.
Identified socio-economic issues include
• Interaction between Students: Not preferred t o mix students of differ ent ages
during recesses and within the school building in general.
• Student Psyche: Major factors inclu de color of walls, lightin g, temperature, and
dust.
• Monitoring Student Behavior: The location of the supervising staff’s offices should
overlook the students’ main activity areas and hallways.
• Employment and Econ omic Devel opment: Around 60 jobs create d during
operation of each school, many of which will benefit women.
• Land Use: Changes ar e attributed to reduct ion of value as a re sult of noise

generated by school operation and increase in value to do improved services and
access to the land.
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• Traffic: Traff ic co ngestion generated during p icking up a nd dropping off hours,

requiring proper entrances and exits as well as parking spaces.
• Travel Time : Reduction in travel time to the s chool leadin g to decreased effor t
and money expended for transportation.
Identified public health and safety issues include:
• Communicable Disease Prevention : Most common diseases include measles,

hepatitis A, the flu, lice, and chicken pox. I mportant measures include good
housekeeping practices and availability of a medical examination room.
• Sanitary Faciliti es: Odo rs emitted from the facil ities as well as general sanitary
concerns. It is preferred that:
− School toile ts are to b e located on the southern side of the school at a

distance from the classrooms.
− Ventilation is provided.
− Oriental toilets are provided.
− There are no openings in the ground or on the walls.
• Indoor and Outdoor Safety Issues: The risk of accidents and injuries requires that
various preventive mea sures are t aken. These include: Stair railing s, no shar p
corners, sa fety precautions for the gas conta iners, protect ion on wind ows, anti -
slip tile s, fir e escapes and fire alarm and fire fi ghting systems, shaded areas in
the courtyard, and flood mitigation measures.
• Injury from Car Accidents: No exits should be designed on the main ro ad. Also,
safety signs, speed bumps, and zebra crossings are needed.
• Protection from Intruders: A high fence around the school, a guardhouse near the
entrance, and surveillance cameras are essential.
• Safety in Workshops and Laboratories: Handling sharp tools, heavy material, and
electric wires requires careful super vision. Among other measures, fir st aid kits
and an alarm system are needed. Chemicals should be stored and disposed of in
a safe manner.
• Provisions for Students with Special Needs: Stu dents with special need s should
be made to feel welcome in every part of the school that their fellow students
have acces s to. Ram ps, spec ial d esks, an d other prov isions for the optical ly
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challenged and hearing impaired need to be ava ilable at the school, in addition to
special sanitary facilities for the physically challenged.
• Earthquake Protection Measures.
• Dust chalk: Although it is non-toxic, inhalat ion of dust chalk by stud ents with
respiratory problems should be a voided by locating th em away from the
blackboard.
ES.6 Environmental Management Plan

In order to ensure that the schools are designed, constructed, and operated in a safe
and environmentally sound manner, an envir onmental management plan (EMP) wa s
developed, designating responsibilities for the various ent ities involved in the pro ject
implementation. The E MP adheres to Jordania n codes an d regulation s and tackle s
the following issues:
• Health and safety
• Workers’ sanitation
• Traffic disruption
• Noise
• Dust and air pollution
• Water demand
• Soil and water pollution
• Water stagnation
• Waste generation
• Employment opportunities during construction
• Archaeological Resources
• Interaction between students/classes
• Student psyche inside the classroom
• Monitoring of student behavior
• Employment and Economic development
• Traffic during operation
• Communicable disease prevention
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• Sanitary facilities
• Indoor and outdoor safety issues
• Injury from car accidents
• Protection from intruders
• Safety in workshops for males and females
• Provisions for physically challenged students
• Earthquake protection
• Flood protection
• Utilization of water for landscaping
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of Jordan with the cooperation of the United States
Agency for I nternational Development (USAID) i s currently implementin g the Jordan
Schools Co nstruction and Rehabilitation Program. For the Aqaba region, th is
program includes the immediate construction of 3 new schools and renovation of 1 3
others. CDM International is the Project Manager and Engicon is providing consult ing
services on environmental issues for this project.
This report deals with the construction of the three new schools:
• The 8th Area Secondar y School for Males: The School will have 22 classrooms
from Grade 4 – Grade 12 and is expected to serve 792 students with the
traditional curriculum and 1,044 if a rotation curriculum is applied.
• The 10th A rea Secon dary School for Fema les: The school will have 28
classrooms from Grade 1 – Grade 1 2 (with 2 classrooms for kindergarten ) and is
expected to serve 1,008 students with the traditional curriculum and 1,188 if a
rotation curriculum is applied.
• Al Karameh Secondary School for Females: The school will have 28 classrooms
from Grade 1 – Grade 12 (with 2 classrooms for kindergarten ) and is expected to
serve 1,008 students with the traditional curr iculum and 1,188 if a rotation
curriculum is applied.
Around 60 staff memb ers, educati onal, and administrative, will be recruited when
each school starts operating.
In accordance with national laws, including Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority's
(ASEZA) Environmenta l Regulation and the Jordanian Bylaw for Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA), and USAID environ mental regulations Title 22 CFR Part
216, an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed project was prepared. It is
important to note that in accordance with ASEZA regulations, environmenta l
clearance for the Aqaba schools will be issued by ASEZA.
1.1 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

In accordance with section 216.6(a) of the CFR, “the purpose of the EA is to provide
the Agency and host country decision-makers with a full discussion of significan t
environmental effects of a proposed action. It includes alternatives which would avoid
or minimize adverse eff ects or enh ance the qu ality of the environment so that t he
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expected benefits of d evelopment objecti ves can be weighed again st any adverse
impacts upon the human environme nt or any ir reversible or irretrievable commitment
of resources.”
1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

The EA was prepared to fulfill the ap plicable USAID regulations, the req uirements of
the ASEZA environmental regulation, and the Jordanian EIA Bylaw. The process of
preparing this EA involved holding a Scoping S ession during which the issues to be
analyzed in the EA were identified and discussed by the public and private sectors,
NGOs, and stakeholders (Table 1.1).
Table 1.1: Significant Issues Identified in the Scoping Session

Construction Issues Socioeconomic Issues Public Health & Safety Issues
Occupational health & safety Interaction between students/ classes Communicable disease prevention
Workers sanitation Student psyche inside the classroom Sanitary facilities
Traffic Monitoring of student behavior Indoor and outdoor safety issues
Noise Employment and economic Injury from car accidents
development
Dust pollution Land Use Protection from intruders
Waste generation Traffic during operation Safety in workshops
Employment opportunities Travel time to and from school Provisions for physically
challenged students
Earthquake protection
Following th is, a Scopin g Statement was prepared, which d escribed th e significant

environmental issues that would be analyzed further in the EA.
1.2.1 Scoping Process

The scoping process for ms the basis for developing the EA and helps to delineate
the significant and non-significant environmental issues associated with the proposed
project. It in cludes developing a Pre -Scoping Brief, which de scribes the project and
presents a preliminary identificat ion of the environmental issues. On February 28 ,
2007, a Scoping Session was held to review the findings of the Pre-Scoping Brief
and to ide ntify and discuss environmental issues, a ssociated with the proje ct.
Participants in the Scoping Sessio n included r epresentatives of government, public
and private institutio ns who have e xpertise or interest in th e project’s e nvironmental
issues. The results of the scop ing process were inco rporated int o a Scopin g
Statement, which prese nted a description of th e project’s significant e nvironmental
issues, as well as the methodology for evaluating them in the EA. The Scoping
Statement was approved by the USAID ANE Environme ntal Bureau Officer on 29
June 2007.
1.2.2 EA Methodology
Information for the EA was g athered through site visits, consultations with
government and non-g overnmental agencies, interviews with consulta nts, visits to
agency archives, and online rese arch. Origin al fieldwork and/or sampling were not
included in this study.
1.3 CONTENT OF THE REPORT

The EA’s proposed con tent was presented in t he Scoping Statement a nd followed
the guidelin es set forth in USAID Handbook 3, Appendix 2D, Part 216.6(c), the
ASEZA reg ulations and Jordan's EI A Bylaw. T he content was further developed in
this report as follows:
Executive Summary : This section summarizes the r eport’s con clusions an d

recommendations.
1. Introduction: This sect ion outlines the EA’s objectives, sco pe of work, and EA
requirements.
2. Project Description: This section describes the project, its location, and its main
components.
3. Environmental Law s & Regula tions: This section in cludes the applicable
institutional and regulatory framework in Jordan, including related standards, laws
and regulations, in addition to US regulations for foreign country assistance.
4. Environmental Setting: This se ction provides a brie f descript ion of the

environment in the proje ct area, which will be af fected by the proposed project. It
is divided into 2 subsections: the Biophysical Environment and the
Socioeconomic Context.
5. Environmental Impacts: This section includes the environmental impa cts of the
proposed action. Most of this sect ion concentr ates on the significance of short-
term and long-term effects of th e proposed project, as well as direct and indirect
effects.
6. Environmental Manag ement Plan: This section outlines the steps n eeded in
order to ensure design, construction, and operat ion of the project in accordance
with the recommendations of the EA. It will also delineate responsibilities for each
measure.
The report also includes the following appendices:
• List of Prep arers: The names and qualificatio ns of the p eople respo nsible for
preparing the EA.
• Bibliography of references used.
• List of meetings held and names of attendees.
• Relevant technical data not included in the main report.
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project under stu dy consist s o f the constr uction of 3 schools wit h a fast-tra ck
schedule to be located in the city of Aqaba. The schools will be distributed as shown
in Figure 1.1 below and described in the sections that follow. The location “66 8 Area”
refers to the 8 th Region School, the location “65 10 Area” refers to the 10 th Regio n
School while Al Karameh refers to Al Karameh Comprehensive School.
Figure 2.1: Location of the Proposed Schools in Aqaba City
2.1 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The aim for building the 8th Area Secondary Boys School is to solve the overcrowding
problem in surrounding schools, such as Faisal 1 st Basic Boys School, Abdullah Bin
Qays School, and Al-Hussein Bin Ali Secondary School. The avera ge number of
students pe r class in th ese schools currently reaches 44. Moreover, t he propose d
location for building this new school is due to the lack of public schools in the 8 th and
the 3 rd Residential Areas, where th e nearest school, which is Faisal II Basic Boys
School, is 2 km away from students’ homes.
th
The purpose for selecting the 10 Area for constructing t he school is to solve the
overcrowding problem in the surrounding schoo ls, including the 8 th Area Secondary
Girls School, Khadeejah Bent Khwailed Secondary School, and Sawari

Comprehensive School. The averag e number of students per class in these schools
reaches 45. The current challenge faced by th e area’s residents is tha t the nearest
school to th e students’ homes is 2 km away, which is the 8th Area Secondary Girls
School.
Al Karameh Area is an ongoing housing project aimed at resettling around 6,160

inhabitants who will be transferred from the North Shallala area. The North Shallala is
a quarter in Aqaba cha racterized by a high po verty rate. It is expected that around
one third of the populati on transferred (1,920) will be child ren who wo uld require at
least 2 scho ols in that a rea. One school is curr ently being built temporarily for girls
while a second awaits commencement. This will be the proposed Al Karameh School
under discussion.
TH
2.2 8 AREA SECONDARY BOYS SCHOOL
2.2.1 Project Components

th
The school will be de signated as Secondary Boys, for grades 4 to 1 2th, with a
proposed number of 22 classes. The area of the land where the school will be built i s
15,396 m 2. As for the built up area, it will be 3,045 squ are meters distributed as
follows:
• Administrative spaces (such as lo bby, reception, offices, storage rooms, staff

kitchenette, and restrooms): 400 sq. m
• Education Spaces (such as classrooms, lockers, off ice, resour ce area,

laboratories, and workshop): 2000 sq. m
• Education support spaces (such as gymn asium/hall, public restrooms,

multipurpose hall, physical educatio n office and storage, storage for ta bles and
chairs, canteen, and library): 440 sq. m
• Services spaces (such as student restrooms, mechanical/electrica l room, and

janitor’s closet): 125 sq. m
The gross built up area (total built up area including structure and circulation) is 4,567
such that the area per student is 5.77 sq. m/student. As for the outdoor services, they
occupy a total area of 2,147 square meters. Thi s includes t he guard room, security
station, water reservoir, open courts, play field area, green area, and car parking lots.
Figure 2.2 on the following page shows the proposed plan of the proposed school.
Figure 2.2: Plan of Proposed 8th Area Secondary Boys School
2.2.2 Project Location

The 8 th Area Secondar y Boys School will be situated on a main road 500 m away
from a police station. T he locatio n is in a quiet residentia l area where many of the
houses are currently under construction. The land parcel is flat with n o vegetation
and is covered with sand and rocky cobbles (Figures 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5).
Figure 2.3: Close-up of Proposed 8th Area School Site
Figure 2.4: Land Area of Proposed 8th Area Secondary Boys School
Figure 2.5: 8th Area School Location on a Main Road in a Residential Area
TH
2.3 10 AREA SECONDARY GIRLS SCHOOL

The school will be designated as Secondary Girls, for grades 1 to 12, with a
proposed number of 28 classes, 2 of which are for kindergarten. The area of the land
where the school will be built is 8,350 m 2. As for the built up area, it will be 3,906 m 2
distributed as follows:


laboratories, and workshop): 2,536 sq. m


such that the area per student is 5.81 sq. m/student. As for the outdoor services, they
occupy a total area of 2,673 square meters. Thi s includes t he guard room, security
station, water reservoir, open courts, play field area, green area, and car parking lots.
Figure 2.6 on the following page shows the proposed plan of the proposed school.
Figure 2.6: Plan of Proposed 10th Area Secondary Girls School

The proposed land plot for the ne w school is located in a residentia l area and is
surrounded by secondary roads but no main roads. The plot is flat with no vegetation
and covered with sand and rocky cobbles (Figures 2.7, 2.8, and 2.9).
Figure 2.7: Close-up of Proposed 10th Area School Site
Figure 2.8: Land Plot of Proposed 10th Area Secondary School for Females
Figure 2.9: School Location in a Residential Area
2.4 AL KARAMEH SECONDARY GIRLS SCHOOL

The schoo l will be de signated for Secondary Girls, for grades 1 t o 12, with a
proposed number of 28 classes, 2 of which are for kindergarten. The area of the land
where the school will be built is 9,000 m 2. As for the built up area, it will be 3,516 m 2
distributed as follows:


laboratories, and workshop): 2,536 sq. m


such that th e area per student is 5 .231 sq. m/student. As for the outdoor services,
they occupy a total area of 2,529 square meters. This in cludes the guard room,
security stat ion, water r eservoir, open courts, p lay field are a, green ar ea, and car
parking lots. Figure 2.10 on the following pag e shows the proposed plan of the
proposed school.
Figure 2.10: Plan of Proposed Al Karameh Secondary Girls School

The school will be bui lt on a 9-d unum site l ocated at the heart of Al Kara meh
residential area (Figure 2.11). The terrain in the area is flat with no vegetation cover.
Figure 2.11: Completed Housing Facilities in Al Karameh Area
3. ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS & REGULATIONS

This section aims to ide ntify and describe the a pplicable institutional and regulatory
framework in Jordan, including related standards, laws and regulations, in addition to
USAID regulations for foreign country assistance.
3.1 REGULATION FOR PROTECTION OF THE

ENVIRONMENT IN ASEZ (NO. 21 FOR 2001)
Issued in 2 001, the Aq aba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) Environment Protection
Regulation (full text in Appendix E) aims to ensure that all projects in this zone are
subject to an Environ mental Impact Assessment (Article 9). The assessment and it s
process should be approved by ASEZA. According to Article 8, the objective of the
EIA is to “id entify, examine and define the impa cts of a Project on the Environment,
its effects o n, and how it is affect ed by the economic and social a spects”. Th e
process should also pr opose means to reduce the adverse impacts and shall be
undertaken during the planning, design, execution, and operation phases of a
project.
In Article 39 of the regulation, thr owing, treating, or incinerating solid waste is

prohibited except in d esignated p laces away from resid ential area s and water
channels. As for Article 46, it states that persons engaging in construction activities
resulting in wastes or soils are re sponsible for their stora ge, safe tra nsport, and
unloading in specified locations.
Another imp ortant requirement in th e regulation is that “all closed and semi-closed
places sho uld fulf ill sufficient ventilations means in pr oportionate with the size,
capacity and type of activity of such place” (Article 51).
3.2 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION LAW (NO. 52 FOR 2006)

In 2006, the Jordanian Law for Protection of the Environment was decr eed. Article 5
of this law states that th e Ministry of Environme nt (MOEnv) ‘shall in cooperation and
coordination with the authorities concerned with environment affairs at the local, Arab
and internat ional level, assume the preservation of the en vironment e lements and
components from cont amination’. Based on t his law, the following bylaws an d
instructions were issued.
3.2.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Bylaw for 2005

The EIA Bylaw was issued to ensure that the anticipated impacts any developme nt
project may have on the social, e conomic, and natural environment in Jordan a re
identified. I ts aim is to limit the se im pacts in order to achieve sustain able
development in the country. The bylaw ap plies to all industrial, agricultura l,
commercial, constructio n, residential, and tourism projects but is replaced by the
ASEZ Environment Regulation for projects located in Aqaba.
3.2.2 Air Protection Bylaw for 2005 (No. 28 for 2005)

The aim of the Air Prot ection Bylaw is to prot ect public h ealth and the environment
from pollution resulting from human activities by controlling air pollutants emitted from
stationary a nd mobile sources. Article 11 of the Air Pro tection Byla w sets the
condition th at all closed and sem i-closed pu blic spaces should ha ve sufficien t
ventilation in accordan ce with the Jordanian Building Code. The ventila tion provided
should also be in line with the type of activity to be performed in that space.
3.2.3 Solid Waste Management Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005)

The Solid Waste Man agement Bylaw aims to establish a solid waste manage ment
system that would protect the environment and public healt h. It also strives to benefit
from material found in or resulting from this waste in an environmentally safe manner.
Article 5 specifies that any party performing an activity that will result in solid waste
should abide by the following:
• Provide qualified staff to manage the waste and measures to protect the safety of
the workers.
• Provide the necessary vehicles, containers, and equipment to manage the waste.
• Monitor the solid waste collection a nd determine their path and transport to the
designated dumping sites.
• Place containers in appropriate locat ions, maintaining them, and replacing those
that can no longer be utilized.
• Take prope r precaution s to prevent mixing of hazardous and domestic so lid

waste.
• Prohibit the burning and open dumping of waste.
3.2.4 Soil Protection Bylaw (No. 25 for 2005)

The appli cability of th is bylaw is in Article 3- E, which st ates that th e MOEn v, in
coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, is r esponsible f or studying the sites of
development projects and their impact on land and natural resources. Environmental
considerations should be taken into account when developing these projects.
3.3 PUBLIC HEALTH LAW (NO. 54 FOR 2002)

The Ministry of Health is the entity responsible f or applying the Public Health Law in
Jordan. In it s Article 21, the law sta tes that any person infe cted with a contagious
disease sh ould be isolated in order to prevent a disease outbreak. Regarding
wastewater, Article 53 g ives mandate to the Ministry of Health to monito r sewerage
networks and internal installations and to ensure that public health is not jeopardized.
3.4 LAW FOR PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE &

SITES (NO. 5 FOR 2005)
Issued by the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, the Law for Protection of Cultural
Heritage & Sites aims to conserve, protect, and maintain Jordanian h eritage sites.
According t o Article 11 of the law, destruction or damage of any heritage site is
strictly forbidden.
3.5 WATER AUTHORITY LAW (NO. 19 FOR 1988)

The Water Authority Law and its a mendments established the Water Authority of
Jordan (WAJ) as an autonomous agency responsible for all water and wastewat er
issues in the country. WAJ's mandate includes connecting the public to the water and
sewer networks, as well as maintaining, operating, and managing these networks.
3.6 EDUCATION LAW (NO. 93 FOR 1994)

The Education Law and its amendments specify that the Ministry of Education is
responsible for providing school b uildings suitable for educational purp oses and to
distribute th em throughout the co untry in accordance w ith Jordan's educationa l
policy. The Ministry is also respon sible for supe rvising all e ducational institutions in
the country to ensure that they are abiding by the legislation.
3.7 INSTRUCTIONS AND CODES

In addition to laws and bylaws, there are sever al instructions and codes that set the
limits and specifications for various elements such as noise, occupational safety, and
provisions for the physi cally challenged. The sections that follow describe those that
are applicable to the project.
3.7.1 Instructions for Noise Prevention for 2007

These instr uctions add ress ambient noise and were issued by th e Ministry of
Environment in 2007. A rticle 6 of t he instru ctions spe cifies t he maximu m allowable
level of noise for the different types of areas, both during the daytime and at night.
According t o the Instruction for Controlling and Preven ting Noise, Conducting
construction works that use noisy e quipment like mixers and shakers a nd any other
similar equipment between 8 pm a nd 6 am except for the cases approved b y the
Ministry is prohibited.
Article 6 states that “it shall not be allowed in any case to exceed the maximu m limit
for the equivalent sound level” in accordance with Table 3.1.
Table 3.1: Maximum Allowable Noise Levels

Maximum limit for equivalent sound level (decibel A)
Area
Day Night
Residential areas in cities 60 50
Residential areas in suburbs 55 45
Residential areas in villages 50 40
Residential areas that have some

workshops or simple vocations or business
65 55
and commercial and administrative areas
and downtown
Industrial areas (heavy industrial) 75 65
Tuition, worshipping and treatment places

45 35
and hospitals
3.7.2 Jordanian Building Codes

In 1993, the Govern ment of Jordan issued the Building Code Law (No. 7 for 1993),
which led to the creation of the Jordan Building Code Commission. The Commission,
lead by the Ministry of Public Works & Housing , was desig nated the re sponsibility of
preparing building codes for the country.
Since then, the Commission has published 32 building cod es regarding the design
and construction of buildings in Jordan. For any building design to obtain clearance in
Jordan, it has to be approved by the Jordanian E ngineers’ Association, Civil Defence
Directorate, and the Earthquake Commission. These agencies ensure that the design
abides by t hese code s, many of whic h address environmental, healt h, and safe ty
issues and are relevant to the school building. They are as follows:
• Jordanian Code No. 3: Loads and Forces (Section 4: Earthquake Actions)
• Jordanian Code No. 15: Fire Protection
• Jordanian Code No. 16: Natural Ventilation
• Jordanian Code No. 17: Natural Lighting
• Jordanian Code No. 18: Water Supply for Buildings
• Jordanian Code No. 19: Wastewater for Buildings
• Jordanian Code No. 20: Beautification of the City
• Jordanian Code No. 21: Solid Waste
• Jordanian Code No. 22: Public Safety during Construction
• Jordanian Code No. 23: Electrical Installation
• Jordanian Code No. 27: Fire Alarm Systems
• Jordanian Code No. 32: Building Requirements for the Physically Challenged
The sections that follow describe two of these codes.
3.7.2.1 Jordanian Code No. 22: Public Safety during Construction

The Code of Public Saf ety during Constructio n describe s the require d measures to
be taken in order to safeguard the work environment during construct ion works. This
includes sanitation, toi let facilit ies, drinking wat er, medical services, pr otection from
fires, light ing, ventilation, noise, g ases, electr ical wiring, openings and edges,
transporting workers, solid waste collection an d disposal, and insect s and harmful
animals. For example, noise levels and exposure periods permitted for workers are
set forth under this code (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: Permissible Levels of Worker Exposure to Noise

Exposure Period
Sound Level (dB)
(Hour/day)
90 8
92 6
95 4
97 3
100 2
102 1.5
105 1
110 0.5
115 0.25
3.7.2.2 Jordanian Code No. 32: Construction Requirements for the

Physically Challenged
The code sets forth the requirements for any building in order to accommoda te
persons wit h physical d isabilities. The code pro vides desig n parameters for various
elements including the following:
• Dimensions for spaces with different purposes.
• Slopes.
• Non-slip floors.
• Positions of doors, direction of opening, and handles.
• Dimensions of food areas.
• Materials to be used for carpeting, tiles, and walls.
• Window dimensions and locations.
• Toilet facilities.
• Water coolers.
• Requirements for stairs.
• Main entrances on same level as sidewalks.
4. ENVIRONMENT AL SETTING
This section provides a description of the env ironment in t he project area, which will
be affected by construct ion and ope ration of th e proposed school. T he amount of
data and an alyses included in this section is in keeping with the relative significan ce
of the impact. The pur pose of this section is t o provide a general overview of the
biophysical and socio-e conomic co nditions of t he project a rea, namely Aqaba city.
Background information will be summarized or referenced.
4.1 BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
4.1.1 Location and Climate

th
The Go vernorate of Aq aba is the location of the 8 Area Secondary Male School,
which will be situated on a main road 500 m away fro m a police station. The location
is in a quiet residential area where man y of the houses are cu rrently unde r
construction.
Figure 4.1: Site Location of the 8th Area Secondary Male School
The 10 th Area Secondary Female School is also located in a quiet residential area in
the center of the city of Aqaba (Figure 4.2). As for location of Al Karameh School, it is
in a proposed residential area currently under construction at the northeastern part of
the city of Aqaba.
Figure 4.2: Site Location of the 10th Area Secondary Male School
Aqaba city is charact erized by very hot a nd dusty weather in summer, with
temperatures reaching up to 46°C and a temperate winter with low temperatures
reaching ar ound 5°C. The mean annual temperature is estimated at around 25 °C.
Between 20 01 and 200 5, the amou nt of rainfall in Aqaba ranged between 7.8 and
21.9 mm (Table 4.1).
Table 4.1: Amount of Annual Rainfall in Aqaba City (2000 – 2005)

Year A mount (mm)
2000/2001 26.5
2001/2002 9.2
2002/2003 11
2003/2004 Not Available
2004/2005 6
Source: DOS Statistical Year Book, 2005
The wind direction in the area is northerly to no rth-westerly1. In summary, Table 4.2
shows climatic information for Aqaba city for the year 2005.
Table 4.2: Climatic Information for Selected Months in Aqaba City (2005)
Parameter January April July October
Mean Maximum Temperature (°C) 21.3 31.7 40.3 31.9
Mean Minimum Temperature (°C) 9.5 18.7 26.3 20.0
1
Jordan Meteorological Department Website (www.jmd.gov.jo)
Parameter January April July October

Total Monthly Rainfall (mm) 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0
Mean Relative Humidity (%) 52.4 33.9 37.0 45.7
Prevailing Wind Direction (degree) 354 345 330 351
Mean Wind Speed (Knots) 3.0 9.7 10.1 9.4
Source: Jordan Meteorological Department Website (www.jmd.gov.jo)
4.1.2 Geomor phology and Geology

Of the main four biogeo graphic regions in Jordan, Aqaba is considere d part of th e
Sudanian p enetration r egion (Figur e 4.3). The types of soil in Aqab a are mostly
alluvial with granite an d saline so il, mostly sandy or sa ndy hammada. Granite
fragments and some saline soils re sult from co rrosive effects. Sand originates from
the archaic igneous rocks of the mountain ranges that are adjacent to Aqaba town
(granites, porphory, dolomites, etc.) then it accumulates in dunes or as sandy plains2.
Figure 4.3: Biogeographical Map
2
General Corporation for Environment Protection, Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity and
Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy, 2000, United Nations Environment Programme
At the junction where th e Gulf of Aqaba meets the Red Sea spreadin g center, the
tectonic plate boundary continues as a transform fault zone. This transform fault zone
is known as the Gulf of Aqaba – Dead Sea rift, and it extends from the Red Sea rift to
the Zagros-Taurus Mountains in Turkey. The continental mass splits int o the Arabian
and African plates as a result of the Gulf of Aqaba – Dea d Sea rift which extends
along with that of the Red Sea. This strike-slip faulting has caused an extensive uplift
that was experienced in areas adjacent to the rift. This movement of t he strike-slip
faulting is believed to be active until today, but it is periodic rather than continuous3.
Regarding the propose d land parcels, they ar e all con sidered flat an d covered with
sand and rocky cobbles.
4.1.3 Land Use

For the 8 th and 10 th Secondary Schools, the neighboring ar eas to t he proposed sites
are mainly residential or housing units that a re still und er construct ion. Services
already exist within the proposed la nd plots an d are easily accessible by main and
secondary roads.
As for the Karameh Sch ool site, the entire area is currently under constr uction with a
plan to make it a resid ential area. It is theref ore expected that the school will b e
situated, same as the other two schools, b etween residential hou ses and b e
accessible by main and secondary roads.
4.1.4 Archaeological Findings

Archeological site s in Aqaba date the city ba ck to 4000 BC, due to its strategic
location at junction for trading between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The world’s oldest known church is probably located in Aqaba, dating back to the late
third centur y. The chur ch had been unearthed by several archeologists and is no w
back-filled with earth for protection. The church is located ea st of Istiklal Street in the
center of the city4.
In the 12 th century, the Crusaders had occupied an area of Aqaba where they built a
fortress called Helim. T he fort rema ins well-preserved until this day. It was rebuilt in
the 14th century under the Mamluks and has been changed several times since then.
The Hashemite Coat of Arms is found above th e main doorway. It was placed during
3
General Corporation for Environmental Protection, Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity, 1998.
4
Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities Website (www.mota.gov.jo)
the Great Arab Revolt of the First World War, when the Turks were driven out o f
Aqaba5.
Regarding the project sites, the Department of Antiquities ha s conducted a fie ld visit
to the area and concluded that there are no known sit es of arche ological value
(Appendix D).
4.1.5 Biodiversity System

The Gulf of Aqaba extends for about 180 km from the Jord anian shore in the north to
the sills o f the Strait of Tiran in t he south. The Gulf of Aqaba is characterized by it s
great depth in proportion to its widt h. It has an average depth of about 800 m, which
reaches to more than 1 800 m in its deepest regions, while its width averages abo ut
20 km, reaching a maximum width of 26 km6.
It is the only marine fish resource of Jordan and is unique because of its clear waters,
low algae productivity, and colourful biological diversity inhabiting the coral reefs. The
Gulf of Aqaba hosts ab out 110 species of soft corals, 120 species of hard corals and
over 1000 species of fish. A few of the countless marine creatures living in the waters
of Aqaba are corals, coral fish, reptiles, and mammals.
The distribution of mammals in the city of Aqaba and the n earby areas is shown in
Table 4.3 below in their scientific name.
Table 4.3: Types of Mammals in the governorate of Aqaba

Type of Mammal Common Name Location Status*
Desert Hedgehog Endangered,
Paraechinus aethiopicus Wadi Araba, Wadi Rum
Ethiopian Hedgehog None
Arabian Horseshoe
Rhinolophus clivosus Wadi Rum None
Bat
Eptesicus bottae Botta's Serotine Bat Wadi Rum None
Hemprich's Long-
Otonycteris hemprichi Wadi Rum None
eared Bat
Bodenheimer's
Pipistrellus bodenheimeri Wadi rum None
Pipistrelle
European Free-tailed
Tadarida teniotis Wadi Rum Endangered
Bat
Golden Jackal, Asiatic
Canis aureus Wadi Rum Endangered
Jackal
Canis lupus Wolf Wadi Rum Endangered
5
King Hussein Website (www.kinghussein.gov.jo)
6
General Corporation for Environmental Protection, Jordan Country Study on Biological Diversity, 1998.
Type of Mammal Common Name Location Status*

Vulpes cana Blanford's Fox Wadi Rum None
Vulpes vulpes Red Fox Wadi Araba Endangered
Felis margarita Sand Cat Wadi Rum Endangered
Procavia capensis Common Rock Hyrax Wadi Rum None
Wild Goat, Nubian
Capra ibex nubiana Wadi Araba, Wadi Rum Endangered
Ibex
Cape Hare, Arabian Endangered,

Lepus Capensis Wadi Araba, Wadi Rum
Hare None
Indian Crested
Hystrix indica Wadi Araba Endangered
Porcupine
Allactaga euphratica Five-toad Jerboa Wadi Araba None
Southwest Asian
Eliomys melanurus Wadi Rum None
Garden Dormouse
Acomys cahirinus Cairo Spiny Mouse Aqaba, Wadi Rum Endangered
Acomys russatus Golden Spiny Mouse Aqaba, Wadi Rum Endangered
Gerbillus dasyurus Wagner's Gerbil Aqaba None
Gerbillus cheesmani Cheesman's Gerbil Wadi Rum None
Aqaba, Wadi Araba,
Gerbillus nanus Baluchistan Gerbil Endangered
Wadi Rum
Gerbillus henleyi Pygmy Gerbil Wadi Rum Endangered
Aqaba, Wadi Araba,
Gerbillus gerbillus Egyptian Gerbil Endangered
Wadi Rum
Sekeetamys calurus Bushy-tailed Jird Aqaba Endangered
Meriones libycus Libyan Jird Wadi Araba Endangered
Sundevall's Jird, Sand
Meriones crassus Aqaba Non e
Jird, Silk jird
Psammomys obesus Fat Sand Rat Aqaba, Wadi Rum Endangered
Source: Zuheir S. Amr, "Mammals of Jordan", 2000, United Nations Environment Programme and *The
2006 IUCN Red List of Endangered Species Website (www.iucnredlist.org)
Regarding the mammals that exist specifically in Aqaba, a brief description of each is
presented hereunder.
The Cairo Spiny Mous e is a noctu rnal mammal associate d with rocky terrains an d
steppe-desert habitats and is endangered. It is considered a social animal with large
colonies an d can be fo und along t he Jordan Rift Valley f rom the Dead Sea until
Aqaba.
The Golden Spiny Mouse is a rocky terrain inhabita nt and is classified a s

endangered. It is most common among rocky a reas along Wadi Araba and in some
mesic habit ats. It cou ld be either n octurnal or active in th e morning hours and lat e
afternoon.
The Wagner Gerbil is f ound in a wide range of habitats that include basalt desert s,
silt dunes and cultivated areas. It is a very common species in the Jordanian desert.
The Baluchistan Gerbil is similar to the Wag ner Gerbil with some differences in
appearances. This spe cies is also a desert inhabitant that prefers hammada and
habitats with loose soil texture and is classified as endangered.
The Egyptian Gerbil is a medium-s ized gerbil. This kind of species inhabits sand
dunes and is classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) as endangered7. It prefers salt flats and sandy areas.
The Bushy-t ailed Jird prefers to live in arid regions around mountain slopes. It is a
good climber and is nocturnal. It is classified as endangered.
The Sand Jird is one of the most common jirds inhabiting the dry and arid habitats of
Jordan. Sand areas and hammada are the areas mostly preferred by this kind of
species.
The Fat Sand Rat is a large rodent. An important characteristic of the Fat Sand Rat is
that it is co nsidered an important reservoir for human Lei shmaniasis, which is an
endemic disease in the region (refer to section 4.2.5) and is associate d with areas
inhabaited by this anima l, including Aqaba city. Moreover, t his species was found to
share burrows with the Grey hamster and is considered endangered.
Regarding domesticate d animals, it was recor ded in 200 5 that Aqab a has 10,2 30
sheep, 27,140 goats and only 10 cows8.
4.1.6 Prevalent or Adaptive Vegetation

Vegetation in Aqaba is characterized by having tropical tree element such as
Ziziphus spina-christi, in addition to shrubs and annual herbs. Some of the main floral
species in Aqaba are: Acacia sp ecies, Bala nites aegyp tiaca, Calot ropis procer a,
Maerua crassifolia, Salvadora persica, Ziziphu s spina- christae, Haloxylon persicu m,
and Ochradenus baccatus9.
In the Suda nian region, vegetation is usu ally at tributed to t he shallow water table
since it has a low altitude.
7
The 2006 IUCN Red List of Endangered Species Website (www.iucnredlist.org)
8
DOS, Statistical Yearbook 2005
9
General Corporation for Environment Protection (2000), Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy, United
Nations Environment Programme
The sites of the proposed project h ave no veg etation cover. Only scattered bushe s
were observed in the 8th and 10th Area sites.
4.2 SOCIOECONOMI C CONTEXT

Aqaba is Jordan's only outlet to the sea and is considered a transport hub to the Gulf
Countries. Aqaba's sea and airport both comprise focal points for deve lopment an d
are also tw o major regional and in ternational logistic cent ers. Moreover, Aqaba is
considered as one of Jordan's primary industria l centers, e specially with the several
heavy industries that are planned for the south of the city, the desert that is locate d
northeast of the city, t he light ma nufacturing, and the p rocessing p lants for the
northeast section near the airport.
In addition to the 1,10 0 hotel roo ms that Aq aba offers, plans are underway to
increase the city's tourist facilities. Major development plans for tourism in Aqaba are
being prepared, in particular for the area that is south of the center of the city. Plans
to enhance the tourism and products in nearby Petra and Wadi Rum are also of great
concern to Jordan. The sectio ns that follow describe the socio-economic
characteristics of Aqaba city and governorate (when data on the city is not available).
4.2.1 Population and Major Economic Activities

In 2004, th e city of Aq aba had a population of approximately 80,790 inhabitant s,
45,294 of w hich were m ale and 35 ,496 female comprising around 14,749 families 10.
The urban population was 80,059 while the rural population was only 731. By the end
of 2007, the population of Aqaba is expected to increase to around 88,771, of which
49,768 would be male a nd 39,002 female making up about 16,206 families. These
estimates were based on a mean annual growth rate of 3.19% for Aqaba
Governorate, the highest in the country.
Regarding Aqaba governorate, its population constitutes about 2.1% of the total
population of the Kingdo m of Jordan. The population is you ng with those aged less
than 14 yea rs consisting of 42.1% of the total population. In Jordan, this rate is less
at 36.8%. As for the un employment rate, it is estimated at 1 3.8. This is slightly lower
than the overall unemployment rate in the country, which is approximately 14 (Figure
4.4). There is a major difference in u nemployment rates between males and females
10
DOS, Population and Housing Census of 2004
in Aqaba, such that the male u nemployment rate is 12.8 while the femal e
unemployment rate is 22.311.
Figure 4.4: Population Aged Less than 14 and Unemployment Rates in Aqaba
and Jordan, 2006
45
40
35
30
25
Percent
20
15
10
0
Aqaba Jordan Aqaba Jordan
Population Aged Less than 14 Unem ploym ent Rate
The main economic sector in Aqaba is the “Tran sportation, Storage and
Communication” sector, with a participation o f 31.1% from the working populatio n,
followed by “Public Administration a nd Defence” at 16.9% and “Wholesale and Retail
Trade” at 11.1% (Figure 4.5). The business of H otels and Restaurants make up only
2.9% of Aq aba’s working population, while the Fishing Industry is virtually no n-
existent. For a coastal city, these findings are considered quite surprising.
11
DOS, Employment and Unemployment Survey of 2006
Figure 4.5: Type of Economic Activity in Aqaba Governorate
35
30
25
Percent
20
15
10
Elecrtricity, Gas &
Mining & Quarrying

& Communications
Wholesale & Retail

Transport, Storage
Education
Construction
Others
Administration &
restuarants
Manufacturing
Hotels &
Water Supply
Defence
Public
Trade
Source: Department of Statistics (DOS), Employment and Unemployment Survey of 2006
4.2.2 Quality of Life and Cultural Issues

Aqaba is a thriving coastal city with one of the lowest poverty rates in the Kingdom
(7.7 according to the World Bank’s Poverty Assessment of 2004). The residents have
access to all the basic in frastructure needs including water, sanitation, a nd electricity
(Refer to section 4.2.7).
Despite its location o n the coast, Aqaba’s population does not e xhibit typical
characteristics of a coastal popu lation. The pe ople of Aqa ba are extr emely friendly
and welcoming; however, they are considered relatively conservative. For exampl e,
local women do enjoy considerable freedom c ompared with many other countries in
the region. They are entitled to a fu ll education and have th e right to vote and often
play significant roles in their communities. However, arranged marriages and dowries
are still quite common.
Recently, the city of Aq aba has experienced a developme nt and construction boo m.
It is now qu ite common for resident s of other g overnorates, especia lly Amman, as
well as fore igners to re locate to th e city for lu ring job op portunities. If this tren d
persists, it may lead to a significant change in t he traditional lifestyle and make up of
the population of Aqaba.
As indicator s of cu ltural activitie s, the followin g Table 4.4 shows the number of
cultural agencies registered in the governorate of Aqaba.
Table 4.4: Distribution of Cultural Agencies in Aqaba Governorate, 2005

Type of Agency Number
Printing Press 5
Bookshops 14
Publishing Agencies 0
Advertisement Agencies 8
Cinemas 2
Source: DOS Statistical Yearbook, 2005
The numbers show th at the sect or is st ill limited with only 2 cine mas and no
publishing agencies. The governorate has 14 bookshops and 5 printing presses.
4.2.3 Prevalent Architectural Images

In 2001, ASEZA issued design guidelines with the purpose of providing building
regulations that will “co ordinate an d control th e planning and design of all new o r
modified residential, commercial, tourism, and industrial developme nt within the
ASEZ, in order to enhance the identity, charact er, quality, and attraction of Aqaba… ”
The guidelines also pr ovided a Master Plan f or the zone that would introduce an
image of th e city reflecting traditio nal Islamic f oundations, state-of-the -art business
center, and respect for t he unique e nvironment of the waters and mountains of th e
area12.
According t o these guidelines, the old town of Aqaba sho uld look like a traditiona l
village and use the following motifs:
• The scale and shape of new buildings to be low and simple like existing buildings.
• Use of natural materials and colo rs that reflect the natural materials of the
adjacent mountains and desert.
As for the facades and structure:
• Existing facades are to be covered with hand-troweled stucco and / or stone.
• Stucco walls are to be painted varying shade s of earthtone colors, with changes
in color where building forms change.
• Maximum building height is two stories. Roofs must be flat.
• Use of simple details.
12
ASEZA (2001), ASEZA Design Guidelines 2001
4.2.4 Health and Other Community Services

The most common noti fiable dise ases in Aqa ba are diarrhea, such t hat, in 200 6,
around 3,529 cases were reported. Other illnesses in clude mu mps, animal bites,
brucellosis, amebic dysentery, and measles (Table 4.5).
Table 4.5: Notifiable Disease in Aqaba Health Directorate and in Jordan, 2006
Number of Cases Total Number of % of Cases in
Disease
in Aqaba Cases in Jordan Aqaba to Total
Diarrhea 3,529 133,200 2.6
Pulmonary Tuberculosis 1 174 0.6
Brucellosis 8 217 3.7
Typhoid / Paratyphoid 0 21 0
Hepatitis A 0 482 0
Meningococcal Meningitis 0 17 0
Non-Meningococcal Meningitis 0 580 0
Measles 5 29 17.2
Animal Bite 12 2,529 0.5
Mumps 26 636 4.1
Amebic Dysentery 6 466 1.3
Source: Ministry of Health Website (www.moh.gov.jo)
Noting that the popu lation of Aqa ba is 2.1% that of Jo rdan, the p ercentage o f
diarrhea cases compared with the total cases in the country is not significant ly
disproportionate. This is not true of measles, however, wi th a percent age of 17.2 %
compared to the national cases.
Concerning other common diseases in Aqaba, 181 cases of Leish maniasis ha ve

13
been reported in Jordan in 2006 . Leishmaniasis is an endemic skin disease that is
transmitted by the bite of a sand fly. It is widely distribute d in arid an d semi-arid
regions and has been r eported by some of the scoping session participants to be of
concern.
Head lice are another health problem that students are exposed to at school. Lice are
wingless in sects havin g mouthparts that are adapted f or sucking body fluid s.
Deposited eggs of lice usually glue to hair shafts, hatch within 7 to 10 days, and start
to feed immediately on blood. Although lice are not considered dangerous and do not
spread disease, they are highly contagious and can become a major nuisance for the
infected child.
13
Source: Ministry of Health Website (www.moh.gov.jo) – Note: Data at Directorate or Governorate level
were not available.
The only four poisonou s scorpion species in Jordan are Leiurus quinquestriatus,
Androctonus crassicauda, Androctonus bicolor and Buthotus judaicus, the first two of
which are t he most to xic. All sco rpions are venomous, and their v enom glands
produce a variety of to xins. Mammalian cells are affected by the venom composition,
reflecting a wide range of sympto ms such as p alpitation, abdominal pain, dizzin ess,
imbalance in the white blood cells, pinch in breathing, and heart inflammation.
Scorpions form a real threat to children inside a school building. It must be noted that
scorpions a re nocturnal ; they often slip into b edding or cracks, and u nder logs o r
stones. Moreover, fissu res and cra cks around the doors of the prop osed schoo l
building it self could pro vide easy access f or scorpions. It is important to state that
scorpion stings are g enerally att ributable to carele ssness or ne gligence. F or
example, if the toilets were located several meters away from the school building and
are not being monitored, this may provide a habitat for the scorpion.
Regarding health services, the Ministry of Healt h (MOH) op erates 10 health center s
and 9 village centers in the Aqaba Health Directorate (Table 4.6). There is only on e
tuberculosis center, which is ju stifiable consid ering the low rate of incid ence in the
area.
Table 4.6: MOH Centers and Clinics in Aqaba, 2005

Type of Facility Number
Health Centers 10
Village Centers 9
Maternal & Child Health Centers 8
Dental Clinics 10
Tuberculosis bacilli Centers 1
There are a total of 347 health workers in Aqaba. Of these, 37 are gener al
practitioners while only 2 are specia lists. It is also worth men tioning that there are no
MOH veterinaries working in Aqaba (Table 4.7).
Table 4.7: Employees of the MOH by profession in Aqaba Directorate

Profession of Employees Number
Specialist 2
General 37
Resident 0
Veterinary 0
Dentist 18
Profession of Employees Number

Pharmacist 8
Nurse 21
Midwife 15
Others 246
Total 347
Concerning community services, Aqaba contai ns several cooperatives for differe nt

fields, in ad dition to charitable societies that address a variety of nee ds. Tables 4.8
and 4.9 show the distribution o f both coo peratives and charitie s in Aqab a
Governorate.
Table 4.8: Number and Type of Cooperatives in the Governorate of Aqaba, 2005
Type of Cooperative Number
Agriculture 10
Housing 9
Multi-purpose 18
Mutual Benefit 0
Women 2
Others 8
Total 47
Table 4.9: Number and Type of Charitable Societies in the Governorate of

Aqaba, 2005
Type of Charitable Society Number
Specialized 3
Multi-purpose 21
Total 24
Women Associations (included above) 4
4.2.5 Educational Services

For the scholastic year 2006/2007, the Go vernorate of Aqaba regist ered 32,672
students, of which 17,1 01 were fe males and 15,571 were males. Th e Governorate
houses 109 schools with 18 schools for girls, 30 schools for boys and 61 co-ed14. Co-
ed is define d as a school for g irls and boys bet ween the 1 st and 3 rd grades and girls
only between the 4th and 12th grades.
14
Ministry of Education, Aqaba Education Directorate, General Education Situation for 2006/2007
The Ministry of Educat ion recorded the following data conce rning the governorate of
Aqaba as it is for the scholastic year 2006/200 7. Tables 4. 10 through 4.14 below
summarize the current academic situation in Aqaba.
Table 4.10: Number of Students by Sex and Supervising Authority in Aqaba

Directorate, 2006/2007
Number of Students Number of Schools
Supervising Authority
Male Fe male Total Male Fe male Mixed Total
Ministry of Education 9,846 12,619 22,465 17 17 25 59
Private 2,987 4325 7,312 2 0 37 39
Total 12,833 16,94 4 29,77 7 19 17 62 98
The two supervising authorities con sidered in T able 4.10 above are th e Ministry o f
Education and the Private Education and Kindergarten. In both cases, there are more
female stud ents than males. In A qaba direct orate, a tot al of 29,77 7 students are
distributed in 98 schools.
Table 4.11: Summary of the Number of Students at MOE Schools in Two

Different Educational Levels by Sex, Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007
Stage
Sex
Kindergarten Primary
Male 101 8,475
Female 105 10,814
Total 206 19,289
According to Table 4.11, the number of students in the kindergarten level is balanced
between males and females. However, a difference of 2,339 students ap pears at the
primary level in favor of females.
Table 4.12: Number of Administrators, Technicians and Teachers at MOE

Schools by Sex in Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007
Sex
Positions Male Female Total
Administrators 54 104 158

Technicians 14 48 62
Teachers 420 829 1,249
Total 488 981 1,469
Table 4.12 shows that the number of female e mployees at MOE schools is double
that of the number of male employees. This is a typical trend in all of Jordan whether
in private or public schools as th e educ ation sector is generally dominated b y
women.
Table 4.13: Number of MOE Schools by Sex and Stage, Aqaba Directorate,
2006/2007
Stage
Sex
Primary Se condary Total
Male 9 8 17
Female 8 10 18
Co-ed 19 5 24
Total 36 23 59
The only imbalance tha t is clear in Table 4.13 above is that the number of mixe d
schools for the second ary stage is much smal ler than the schools for the primary
level. This is due to the fact that above that level, co-ed schools be come for girls
only.
Table 4.14: Number of MOE School Buildings by Ownership and Attendance

System, Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007
Owned Re nted
Sex Total
One Shift Two Shifts One Shift Two Shifts
Male 19 020 21
Female 25 2 11 0 38
Total 44 2 13 0 59
Out of the 59 MOE sch ools, only 1 3 are rented . In addition , there are only two-shift
systems, applied in the owned schools and not the rented ones (Table 4.14).
Table 4.15: Number of MOE Schools and Students by Administrative Divisions

and Sex, Aqaba Directorate, 2006/2007
Schools Stude nts
Administrative Unit
Male Female Mixed Total Male Female Total
Aqaba District 12 6 12 30 8,595 9,126 17,721
Wadi Araba 2 2 5 9 411 775 1,186
Quwera 3 9 8 20 839 2,719 3,558
Total 17 17 25 59 9,845 12,620 22,465
It is evident in Table 4. 15 that having 22,465 students distr ibuted over a total of 59
schools would lead to crowding as it becomes quite serious in some cases.
4.2.6 Transportation
Aqaba is distinguishe d with the variety of transportation means it h as access to. I n
addition to the road network, railways, airport, and waterwa ys are two major facilities
used for transporting either persons or goods and materials.
Details of the roads network in Aqaba governorate are shown in Table 4.16 below.
Table 4.16: Length of Road Networks by Type of Road, 2005

Type of Road Length (Km)
Rural 89
Secondary 92
Highways 342
Total 523
The number of vehicles distributed in the governorate of Aqaba is sho wn in Table

4.17 below. There are currently 6,348 ve hicles curr ently registered in the
governorate, 4,653 of which are private while 1,695 ar e public. Others includ e
motorcycles, agricultural vehicles, construction vehicles and special use vehicles.
Table 4.17: Number of Licenced Vehicles by Type of Vehicle and Ownership in

the Governorate of Aqaba, 2005
Vans and
Type Saloons Buses Tankers Tra ilers Other Total
Trucks
Private 2,536 42 1,331 8 46 690 4,653
Public 638 4 140 54 859 0 1,695
Total 3,174 46 1,471 62 905 690 6,348
Source: DOS Statistical Yearbook, 2005. Note: Public vehicles mean commercial vehicles.
The number of accident s that usually occur in the governorate of Aqaba is somehow
significant, such that 1, 876 acciden ts were registered in 20 05. Howeve r, of these,
only 98 (5.2%) were car/pedestrian collisions. The rate of fatalities in these accidents
is 7.6%, as 44 deaths occurred out of 577 casualties, ar ound 0.55% of the total
population in the governorate. Table 4.18 belo w summariz es the type of vehicular
accidents and the number of causalities in Aqaba.
Table 4.18: Number of Road Accidents, Type of Accident and Number of

Casualities in the Governorate of Aqaba, 2005
Type of Accident Number
Turnover 105
Car collision 1,673
Collision with pedestrians 98
Total 1,876
Casualities Nu mber
Injured 533
Dead 44
Total 577
As for the railway network, Aqaba Railway Corporation is responsible f or monitoring

the networks' function ing. The railw ay’s main purpose is to transport p hosphate and
other goods to Aqaba harbor for export.
4.2.7 Water and Electricity Supply

The quantity of water th at had been supplied for household and municipal purposes,
in the governorate of Aq aba has been relatively constant for the past 5 years (Table
2.19).
Table 4.19: Water Supply for Domestic and Municipal Purposes in Aqaba
Governorate, 2001 – 2005
Year Water Supply (million m3)
2001 15
2002 14.7
2003 15
2004 15
2005 15
Source: DOS Statistical Yearbook 2005
The utilization of water per capita in the governorate of Aqaba was 3 93.3 Liters/day
in 2005. This rate is much higher than other governorates in Jordan, all of which
consume less than 200 Liters/day. This is attributed to the fact that Aqaba has the
highest temperature rates in the country and has a long summer season. In addition,
the population of Aqaba receives water on a co ntinuous basis from the Disi aquifer,
which is con sidered a reliable drinking water so urce for t he area. As for wastewater,
the amount that flows to the treatment plants in Aqaba is shown in Table 4.20.
Table 4.20: Average Quantity of Domestic Wastewater Flowing from Aqaba to

the WWTP, 1994 - 2005
Year Average Quantity (m3)
1994 5,488
1995 6,014
1996 6,666
1997 7,341
1998 8,219
1999 8,774
2000 8,804
2001 9,310
2002 9,329.3
2003 10,33 2.1
3
Year Average Quantity (m )
2004 10,33 2.1
2005 7,041
Source: Water Authority of Jordan, Annual Report for 2005
Regarding electricity, the available data record ed include s not only the governorate
of Aqaba b ut also Ma'an and Sho bak. Theref ore, Table 4.21 below includes the
electrification details fo r all of the previously mentioned areas together. The data
show that 99% of the population of these a reas is con nected to t he electr icity
network.
Table 4.21: Rural Electrification for the Areas of Aqaba, Ma’an, and Shobak,
2005
Number of Electrified Villages % Villages and Population
Total Number of Villages
and Population Electrified
Villages Popula tion Villages Population Villages Population
92 105,0 00 92 104,000 100 99
Source: National Electric Power Company, Annual Report for 2005
5. ENVIRONMENT AL IMPACTS
This sect ion includes the reasonable anticipate d environmental impact s associate d
with construction and operation of the proposed scho ol. Most of the sectio n
concentrates on the significant short-term and long-term identified possible effects as
a result of the scoping session, as well as direct an d indirect effects. Other
considerations will include possib le conflicts bet ween the proposed proj ect and any
other land-use plans policie s, energy requirements, conservation measures, and
socio-economic impacts.
5.1 ASSESSMENT OF OVERALL IMPACTS

Construction of a scho ol in a resid ential area is generally not asso ciated with any
major environmental concerns. As the 3 scho ols will not require any rehabilitat ion
works, the main issues relate to nuisances re sulting from constructio n activities,
which are temporary and can be significantly mitigated through proper planning and
best management practices. During operation, the most prominent concerns are
those relating to indoo r safety issues, which can be add ressed thro ugh a goo d
design and effective supervision by the school staff.
Therefore, the succe ss of the project will hi ghly depend on adherence to the
environmental management plan that strives to address most of the issue s
discussed.
5.2 EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
5.2.1 Construction Impacts

The environmental impacts during the constr uction pha se of a proje ct are usually
negative with conditions that can be mitigated. Fortunately, most of these impacts are
temporary and can be mitigated by taking the necessary precautions.
5.2.1.1 Occupational Safety and Health

Safety and health risks are expected durin g the construction per iod. This is
particularly true in relation to the construction workers who will be presen t at the site.
Workers will be exposed to dust, high noise le vels, sun exposure (sun stroke) and
dehydration during summer months, and other potential hazards associated with th e
use of heavy construction machinery.
5.2.1.2 Workers’ Sanitation

Workers’ sanitation on site poses a serious impact on the neighborhood. Provision of
sanitary faci lities onsite will be mad e available as it is considered cr itical to avoid
these healt h hazards on the surr ounding residents. Hirin g foreign workers witho ut
assuring th eir health clearance may also expose the lo cal community beyond the
project’s ne ighborhood to infectio us disease s. The con struction co ntractor and
construction management consultant (CMC) will ensure compliance that site workers
have the necessary health certificates.
5.2.1.3 Traffic
The negative impact resulting from construction activities is mainly due to move ment
of vehicles in and out of the site. Th erefore, normal traffic movement may be slightly
disrupted.
5.2.1.4 Noise
Noise pollution is a negative impact that will surel y result from operating construction
equipment such as cran es, trucks, drilling, etc. The major negative impact that cou ld
result is the noise gene rated during night hours or midday. This impact will disturb
residents in the neighborhood. However, this impact can be mitigated by adhering t o
the Noise Instructions and will only be temporary.
5.2.1.5 Dust Pollution

Excavation and constru ction-related activities will generate dust that will have a
negative impact on surrounding areas or even beyond. Moreover trucks transport ing
construction material will cause d ust pollutio n to streets they woul d be passi ng
through unless they are properly covered, and while t ransporting construct ion
residues to dumping sites, which is when f lying dust is expected to take p lace.
However, the worst case of dust pollution would be during summer, when khamasin
wind occurs.
5.2.1.6 Waste Generation

Waste gen erated from construct ion ac tivities will have a negative impact on
surrounding areas if not disposed of properly and regularly. In addition, the process
of transport ing all con struction de bris may also dist urb neighboring areas and
constitute a nuisance to residents around the site and is not aesthetically accepted.
5.2.1.7 Employ ment Opportunities

A positive impact would arise reg arding em ployment opp ortunities fo r the lo cal
community upon proceeding with t he project. However, th is is true d uring operatio n
more than during construction, since foreign workers ar e usually a ssigned for
construction works. Mor eover, families of worke rs would pr edominately benefit from
work generated during construction.
5.2.2 Socio-economic Issues

Building a school can pr oduce many socioecono mic benefits for the residents of the
area where it will be lo cated. These could rang e from job creation to d ecreasing the
daily transport time to another school situated further away. The planned schools are
also unl ike any traditio nal schoo ls in the area, for their facilities wil l be open t o
community use for d ifferent purposes such as the gym, library, computer labs, an d
multipurpose halls.
5.2.2.1 Interaction between Students

Due to the wide age ra nge in the 3 schools, it is not preferred to mi x students of
different ages during recesses and within the school buildings in general. Students of
different ag es interact ing together may result in chaos an d increase t he chance of
conflict, making it difficult for teachers and supervisors to control them.
5.2.2.2 Student Psyche

An important impact to be considered is the student's psyche inside t he classroom.
Major factors affecting t his impact are the color of walls, lighting, temperature, and
dust.
Regarding the color inside the classrooms, research has suggested the following:
• Children are generally in tune wit h natural colors and t hose with h uman skin
tones. On the other hand, primary c olors can sometimes be harsh and should be
used sparingly.
• The view th at red leads to aggression and green calms has been found to be a
myth. In fact, it has bee n shown th at colors ha ve a place f or all stude nts when
used with care.
• The use of neutral colors such a s gray, beige, white, or off white are not
recommended as they do not stimulate the student.
• The use of more saturated accent colors in some areas ma y help in providing a
varied, stimulus-rich learning environment15.
Lighting is a lso an issue of concern, bearing in mind that Aqaba is a v ery hot city in
summer, which will limit the utilization of the sunlight during the season, since
windows would need shutters. One recommendation co uld be to use a larg e
percentage of ceiling and wall surfaces wit h a higher Light Reflectance Value.
Another cou ld be to pla nt deciduou s trees outside the classroom window. The tre e
would block the harsh summer sun and allow the winter sun.
Moreover, d ust is an issue that must be mitigated especially when Khamasin wind
occurs. This can also be done by planting trees outside the classroom windows.
5.2.2.3 Monitoring Student Behavior

Students need continuo us monitoring and spe cial supervisory measu res. Ensurin g
these measures will li mit the pro blems that may result from students fighting or
arguing with each other. Therefore, the location of the super vising staff’s offices will
have a large impact on this matter. If the off ices overlook t he students’ main activit y
areas and hallways, this could serve to reduce the chance of trouble significantly.
5.2.2.4 Employment and Economic Development

A major positive impact of implementing the school in the 8 th, 10 th, a nd Karame h
areas is th e creation of job opp ortunities f or the loca l community. Around 6 0
employees from different fields would be required to work at each school, such as the
director, te achers, se cretaries, ad ministrators, accountant s, janitors, guards, etc.
However, as males receive the majority of work opportunities during construction, it is
foreseen that females would probably benefit more from o peration jobs especially for
the post of teachers.
5.2.2.5 Land Use

The impact of the scho ol building s on land use in the surrounding areas could be
both positive and negative. The negative impact is attributed to the high level of noise
generally associate d with a school facility. This may reduce the value of the
surrounding land. However, the schools may also improve services and access to the
area thereby reviving it, offsetting the drop in land value.
15
Fielding, R. Learning, Lighting and Color: Lighting Design for Schools and Universities in the 21st
Century published in the International Association of Lighting Designers (www.pldplus.com)
5.2.2.6 Traffic
Traffic resulting during operation is considered to be a poten tial negative impact that
needs to be addressed. During picking up and dropping off hours, traffic congest ion
may become a burden on the re sidents that are close t o the scho ol. Therefor e,
providing proper entran ces and exits to the sch ool as well as parking spaces is an
important component of the school design.
5.2.2.7 Travel Time

Reduction in travel time to the sch ool is considered a sig nificant po sitive impact of
the new sch ool, on condition that t he enrolled students ar e resident s of the nearb y
areas. Not only will travel time be minimized as a result, but also effort and mone y
especially for children who will be able to walk to the school and not require
transportation thus reducing a family's bill in car fuel cost.
5.2.2.8 Noise
Throughout the scholastic year, noise resulting from the school may be a disturbance
to the residents in the surrounding areas. This will be mai nly felt during the arrival
and departure times an d the recesses between classes. Mitigating this impact could
prove to be highly difficult as stud ents are interacting with each other outdoors.
Fortunately, the noise will only be heard during short periods throughout the day an d
after schools empty in the afternoon, there will be no noise from the facility.
5.2.3 Public Health and Safety Issues

An essentia l requirement for building any school is to pr ovide a safe and health y
environment for the students, teachers, and a ll workers at t he school. The following
sections ad dress pubic health and safety issue s asso ciated with the p roposed ne w
school.
5.2.3.1 Communicable Disease Prevention

Communicable disease can be easily spread among students as they spend much of
their time in contact wit h each oth er. The most common diseases at schools ar e
measles, hepatitis A, the flu, lice, and chicken pox. There are several ways to reduce
the risk of e pidemics at the school. The most important is the general cleanliness of
the building, most importantly the sanitary fa cilities. Anothe r is the ava ilability of a
medical examination room, where a student suspected with a dis ease can be
quarantined until a physician can examine him.
5.2.3.2 Sanitary Facilities

The characteristics and location of sanitary facilities has a significant impact on the
hygiene and ultimately the health of students. F or example, odors emitted from the
facilities can be an intolerable nuisance on the students. It is therefore preferable that
the school t oilets be lo cated on the southern side of the school (as the wind i s
northerly) and be at a distance from the classr ooms. Ventilation is a n ecessity in all
toilets.
Another issue is that oriental toilets were proposed by the attendees of the scopin g
session wh o preferred their use instead of r egular ones due to the difficulty in
cleaning and maintaining the latter. The sanitary facilitie s should be posi tioned in an
area where they can be constantly monitored. In addition, the structure of the fa cility
should not have any o penings in t he ground or on the walls in order to avoid a ny
venomous animals such as scorpions or snakes to h ide th ere. The tile s should be
non-slip while the type of paint easily maintain ed and cleaned. Corners where dirt
can accumulate should be avoided.
5.2.3.3 Indoor and Outdoor Safety Issues

Whenever a large number of childre n assemble in one pla ce, the risk o f accident s
and injuries increases. One important c ause on a schoo l premise is the stairs.
Another is sunstroke, du e to Aqaba’s extremel y hot climate. In addition, tripping and
falling are also quite common.
Therefore, the following measures a re essential to ensure a safe environment for the
students:
• Stairs should have a railing and be accessible to handicapped and special needs
students. It is preferable to have two sets of stairs at each end of the hallway.
• There should be several entrances/exits for the school.
• Material coating for the walls and desks sho uld be harmless, with no sharp
edges.
• Ensure that there are no sharp corners that students may be exposed to.
• There should be safety precautions for the gas containers stored and used in the
school.
• The locatio n, height, and type of electricity sockets sho uld take int o account
safety of the students and employees at the school.
• Protection on windows needs to be installed.
• Avoid placing coolers along the hallway.
• Use anti-slip tiles on the floor.
• Drainage system for each storey to ensure dry floors, as well as tiltin g of the
floors to ensure proper drainage.
• Install fire escapes, e mergency exits, as well as fire alarm and fir e fighting
systems. Emergency exits signs should be d istributed ap propriately t hroughout
the building.
• Kindergartens should be located on the ground floor.
• Provide shaded areas in the courtyard.
• Flood mitigation measures should be taken into consideration when designing the
school.
5.2.3.4 Injury from Car Accidents

As the 8 th Area School is going b e located on a main street, the risk of car accidents
is a major concern for t he students, especially for those wh o walk home. Therefore ,
within the d esign, there should be no exits on the main road near the school. Th e
same should apply to the Karameh School if it were located on a main road. The 10th
School will be located on secondary roads only. However, the issue of traffic safety is
as important for this school as the others.
Traffic awareness is vital in all 3 cases. A parking lot for cars and buses should be
designated on the pre mises. This will allow students to reach their transportatio n
vehicle without venturing out into the street. In addition, it is recommended tha t
school safety signs be placed out side each school. Minimum speed bumps and
zebra crossings should also be add ed. If possib le, a pedest rian bridge may also be
helpful.
5.2.3.5 Protection from Intruders

Intruders to the sch ool premise ar e always a possib ility and a thre at. The onl y
feasible wa ys to preve nt these intr uders is to build a high fence around the scho ol
and provide a guardhouse near the entrance. If possibl e, installing surveillance
cameras may also serve to improve control of the entrances and exits.
5.2.3.6 Safety in Workshops and Laboratories

In general, laboratories and workshop areas pr esent more specific health and saf ety
concerns th an the othe r school fa cilities, espe cially in the prevocational worksho p.
For example, the workshop at the 8th Area Secondary Boys School will contain areas
for carpentry, metals, a nd electronic and mechanical work. This will en tail exposure
of the stud ents to sh arp tools, heavy material, ele ctric wires, et c. The girls’
th
workshops at the 10 and Karameh Schools will be equipp ed to host activities su ch
as home economics an d sewing. T his may include sharp t ools, ele ctric applian ces,
etc.
All of these are hazardous if not h andled properly and under careful supervision.
Therefore, the following precautions should be taken during the design phase:
• All labs sh ould be lo cated in the ground flo or, and pro vided with an exit to
outside, or it will be located n ear entrances and escape route s for easy
evacuation in case of emergency.
• Be located as near to first aid as possible or to the medical examination room.
• Include sin ks for students for clean up an d flush in case of exposure to

chemicals.
• Poster to demonstrate the meaning of warning signs.
• Be equipped with exhaust fans, smoke detectors, and fire alarms.
• Should have a heavy-duty entrance door for security and safety.
• The floor finish should be of non-slip material.
• The storage area should have good ventilation to mitigate odors and f umes, and
be equipped with fume hood to handle odors and fumes.
• The gas cylinders close t should be vented and located exterior of the building for
safety.
• Have secure and safe storage closets for materials and tools.
In addition, chemicals in laboratories shou ld b e stored and dispo sed of in a safe

manner. There should be Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) regarding a ll
chemicals f ound in the laboratorie s accessi ble to all stu dents. An alarm system
should be installed in case of a leak or an accidental fire.
5.2.3.7 Provisions for Students with Special Needs

Children with special n eeds requir e not only special ized facilities tha t would ma ke
their schoo l stress-free; they should also fee l that they are the same as all othe r
students. It is therefore highly unadvisable that they be designated specific lo cations.
Students who are phys ically challe nged shoul d be made to feel welcome in e very
part of the school that their fellow students ha ve access to. Ramps, s pecial desks,
and other provisions for the optically challenged and hearing impaired need to be
available at the schools, in addition to handicap ped toilets with wide d oors and side
railings.
5.2.3.8 Earthquake Protection Measures

It is known that Aqaba i s a seismically active a rea, which raises the possibility of the
risk posed o n the proposed school. Although this impact is unpredictable, it must b e
taken into consideration when designing the structure of the building.
5.2.3.9 Chalk Dust

Chalk dust is a natural by-product of writing with a piece o f chalk on a blackboard.
Made mainly from calcium carbonate, this dust is non-toxic and is ventilated outsid e
or settles to the ground. However, some of it is inhaled by the teachers and students,
and usually gets trapped in the mucus laye rs of the throats and upper lungs.
Although it is not consid ered harmful, it may trigger a reaction in people with chronic
breathing problems such as asthma.
In order to minimize this problem, teachers are encouraged to move s tudents who
suffer from respiratory problems away fro m t he blackbo ard area. In addition, t he
board, trays, and erasers filled with chalk dust should be regularly cleaned.
6. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

In order to ensure tha t the schoo ls are d esigned, const ructed, and operated in a safe a nd environmentally sound manner, a n
environmental management plan (EMP) was developed. The followin g Tables 6. 1, 6.2, and 6.3 presen t this EMP for the design,
construction, and operation phases of the project separately. The tables also show the roles and responsibilities of the various relevant
agencies.
Table 6.1: Proposed Mitigation Measures during Design
Environmental Impact / Roles and Responsibilities

Proposed Measures
Issue
Implementing Monit oring
Construction Issues
Health and safety Include in bidding documents that the contractor should prepare a Health & Safety Plan that Design USAID / MOE
includes the relevant measures described in Jordanian Code No. 22 for Public Safety during Consultant
Construction:
• Proper signage in accordance with Section 1
• Provision of fire fighting measures in accordance with Section 2/5
• Provide temporary electrical connections in accordance with Section 2/12
• All openings and edges should be provided with guard rails and toe boards in accordance with
Section 2/13
• Proper storage of materials in accordance with Section 3/3
• Safety measures during demolition works in accordance with Section 4/7
• Safety measures according to type of equipment in accordance with Section 5
• Personal safety during work in accordance with Section 6
• Provide medical services in accordance with Section 2/4 of the Code which includes medical
examination for all workers, first aid kit and personnel, and keeping logs of all medical records
In addition, also include:
• Appointing an accident prevention officer at the site (Item 34 of the FIDIC 1987)
• Training for all construction staff on Health & Safety Plan
• Fencing around the construction site at all times

Proposed Measures
Issue
Workers’ sanitation Include in bidding documents that the contractor should provide: Design USAID / MOE
• One sanitary facility (1 toilet with shower, 1 washing basin, 1 urinal) per 25 workers in Consultant
accordance with Section 2/2 of Code No. 22
• Sanitary facilities to be covered, easily accessible, ventilated, well lit, maintained, and
sanitized
• Safe drinking water in accordance with Jordanian specifications distributed by pipes that are
at least 2 meters away from any contaminated water source in accordance with Section 2/3 of
Code No. 22
Traffic disruption Include in bidding documents that the contractor should: Design USAID / MOE
• Limit the use of vehicles to the site and avoid unnecessary trips Consultant
• Set up a time schedule for transporting material with the purpose of avoiding traffic congestion
Noise Include in bidding documents that the contractor should: Design USAID / MOE
• Abide by the time and noise limits specified in the Instructions for Controlling and Preventing Consultant
Noise for 2003
• Abide by noise limits for workers set out in Section 2/9 of Code No. 22, including providing
workers with protection equipment whenever necessary
Dust and air pollution Include in bidding documents that the contractor should: Design USAID / MOE
• Provide ventilation in accordance with Section 2/8 of Code No. 22 Consultant
• Abide by safety measures during painting works in accordance with Section 4/9 of Code No.
22 (4/9/2 for Lead-based paint, 4/9/3 for unsaturated polyesters, 4/9/4 for spray painting, and
4/9/5 for airless spray paints)
• Avoid use of lead-based paint
• Water the ground when extremely windy
• Mix material in an enclosed space
• Cover material when transporting in accordance with 3/2 of Code No. 22
• Prohibit open burning
Waste generation Include in bidding documents that the contractor should: Design USAID / MOE
• Prepare a waste management plan Consultant
• Dispose of solid and liquid waste regularly and in accordance with the Solid Waste
Management Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005) and Jordanian Code No. 21 for Solid Waste
Water demand Include in bidding documents that the contractor should commit to minimizing the use of water Design USAID / MOE
during construction works Consultant

Proposed Measures
Issue
Soil and water pollution Include in bidding documents that the contractor should: Design USAID / MOE
• Minimize soil exposure time during construction Consultant
• Minimize the use of chemicals such as lubricants, solvents, and petroleum products
Water stagnation Include in bidding documents that the contractor should ensure that the construction site is well Design USAID / MOE
kept and avoid water spillage Consultant
Archeological resources Include in bidding documents that should there be any suspected archeological findings during Design USAID / MOE
construction, the Supervision Consultant of Antiquities should be immediately informed (Item 27.1 Consultant
of FIDIC 1987)
Socio-economic Issues
Interaction between students / Design separate facilities for different age groups Design USAID / MOE
classes Consultant
Student psyche inside • Select stimulating colors for the classroom walls Design USAID / MOE /
classroom • Provide ventilation in the classroom design (such as fans) by utilizing the Jordanian Code No. Consultant JEA
16 for Natural Ventilation and Jordanian Code No. 30 for Mechanical Ventilation giving
preference to natural ventilation whenever possible taking into consideration that windows
should be wide enough to allow sunlight to enter but not enough to allow too much heat during
the summer
• Include air conditioning wherever possible
• Provide natural lighting whenever possible in accordance with Jordanian Code No. 17
• Design trees outside classroom windows whenever possible
Monitor student behavior Design supervising staff offices to overlook students’ main activity areas Design USAID / MOE
Consultant
Traffic during operation Design proper entrances, exists, and parking areas to avoid traffic congestion during picking up Design USAID / MOE
and dropping off hours Consultant
Public Health & Safety Issues
Communicable disease • Include a medical examination room in the school design Design USAID / MOE
prevention Consultant

Proposed Measures
Issue
Sanitary facilities • Provide 1 toilet facility for every 40 students, in accordance with Ministry of Education Design USAID / MOE /
requirements Consultant JEA
• Provide ventilation in toilets in accordance with the Jordanian Code No. 16 for Natural
Ventilation and Jordanian Code No. 30 for Mechanical Ventilation
• Provide Eastern toilets which are more easily cleaned and maintained except for
Kindergartens
• Adhere to the Jordanian Code No. 19 for Building Sanitation
Indoor and outdoor safety • Provide naturally shaded areas in the courtyard Design USAID / MOE /
• Design railings along the stairs and edges Consultant JEA / Civil
• Whenever applicable prepare the designs for alarm system, fire protection system, and Defence
emergency exits using:
o Civil Defence conditions for stand alone extensions which does not apply in this school.
o Jordanian Code No. 15 for Fire Protection
o Jordanian Code No. 27 for Fire Alarm Systems
o US National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 72 National Fire Alarm Code 2007 Edition and
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2006 Edition as guidelines
Injury from car accidents • Avoid designing entrances/exits on main roads Design USAID / MOE
Consultant
• Install proper signage wherever possible ASEZA ASEZA

• Provide speed bumps and zebra crossings if possible
Safety in workshops and • All electrical installations in the workshop should be designed in accordance with Section 3 on Design USAID / MOE /
laboratories Protection for Safety of the Jordanian Code No. 24 for Electrical Installations if applicable to Consultant Civil Defence
school scope of work.
• All labs should be located in the ground floor, and provided with an exit to outside, or it will be
located near entrances and escape routes for easy evacuation in case of emergency.
• Be located as near to first aid as possible or to the medical examination room.
• Include sinks for students for clean up and flush in case of exposure to chemicals.
• Poster to demonstrate the meaning of warning signs.
• Be equipped with exhaust fans, smoke detectors, and fire alarms.
• Should have a heavy-duty entrance door for security and safety.
• The floor finish should be of non-slip material.
• The storage area should have good ventilation to mitigate odors and fumes, and be equipped
with fume hood to handle odors and fumes.
• The gas cylinders closet should be vented and located exterior of the building for safety.
• Have secure and safe storage closets for materials and tools.

Proposed Measures
Issue
Protection from intruders • Provide fencing for the school Design USAID / MOE
• Design a guardhouse at the school entrance Consultant
• Provide surveillance cameras at school entrance
Provisions for physically • Design the facilities in accordance with the Jordanian Code No. 32 for Construction Design USAID / MOE
challenged students Requirements for the Physically Challenged Consultant
• Provide an elevator-designated place for future MOE consideration
Earthquake protection Design the facilities in accordance with the Jordanian Code No. 3 for Loads and Forces (Section Design USAID / MOE /
4 on Earthquakes) Consultant JEA /
Earthquake
Commission
Flood protection Design protection measures for local flooding for a 10-year return period of rain falling on the site Design USAID / MOE /
and access roads Consultant JEA
Utilization of water for Select trees that are indigenous to the area and do not require large amounts of water for Design USAID / MOE
landscaping irrigation Consultant
Table 6.2: Proposed Measures during Construction

Proposed Measures
Issue

Proposed Measures
Issue
Health and safety Prepare and abide by a Health & Safety Plan that includes the relevant measures described in Contractor Superv ision
Jordanian Code No. 22 for Public Safety during Construction: Consultant /
• Proper signage in accordance with Section 1 USAID / MOE
• Provision of fire fighting measures in accordance with Section 2/5
• Provide temporary electrical connections in accordance with Section 2/12
• All openings and edges should be provided with guard rails and toe boards in accordance with
Section 2/13
• Proper storage of materials in accordance with Section 3/3
• Safety measures during demolition works in accordance with Section 4/7
• Safety measures according to type of equipment in accordance with Section 5
• Personal safety during work in accordance with Section 6
• Provide medical services in accordance with Section 2/4 of the Code which includes medical
examination for all workers, first aid kit and personnel, and keeping logs of all medical records
In addition:
• Appoint accident prevention officer at the site (Item 34 of the FIDIC 1987)
• Train all construction staff on Health & Safety Plan
• Provide fencing around the construction site at all times
Workers’ sanitation Provide on site: Contractor Superv ision

• One sanitary facility (1 toilet with shower, 1 washing basin, 1 urinal) per 25 workers in Consultant /
accordance with Section 2/2 of Code No. 22 USAID / MOE
• Sanitary facilities to be covered, easily accessible, ventilated, well lit, maintained, and
sanitized
• Safe drinking water in accordance with Jordanian specifications distributed by pipes that are
at least 2 meters away from any contaminated water source in accordance with Section 2/3 of
Code No. 22
Traffic disruption • Limit the use of vehicles to the site and avoid unnecessary trips Contractor Superv ision
• Set up and abide by a time schedule for transporting material with the purpose of avoiding Consultant /
traffic congestion USAID / MOE
Noise • Abide by the time and noise limits specified in the Instructions for Controlling and Preventing Contractor Superv ision
Noise for 2003 Consultant /
• Abide by noise limits for workers set out in Section 2/9 of Code No. 22, including providing USAID / MOE
workers with protection equipment whenever necessary

Proposed Measures
Issue
Dust and air pollution • Provide ventilation in accordance with Section 2/8 of Code No. 22 Contractor Superv ision
• Abide by safety measures during painting works in accordance with Section 4/9 of Code No. Consultant /
22 (4/9/2 for Lead-based paint, 4/9/3 for unsaturated polyesters, 4/9/4 for spray painting, and USAID / MOE
4/9/5 for airless spray paints)
• Avoid use of lead-based paint
• Water the ground when extremely windy
• Mix material in an enclosed space
• Cover material when transporting in accordance with 3/2 of Code No. 22
• Prohibit open burning
Water demand Commit to minimizing the use of water during construction works Contractor Supervision
Consultant /
USAID / MOE
Soil and water pollution • Minimize soil exposure time during construction Contractor Superv ision
• Minimize the use of chemicals such as lubricants, solvents, and petroleum products Consultant /
USAID / MOE
Water stagnation Ensure that the construction site is well kept and avoid water spillage Contractor Supervision
Consultant /
USAID / MOE
Waste generation • Prepare a waste management plan Contractor Superv ision

• Dispose of solid and liquid waste regularly and in accordance with the Solid Waste Consultant /
Management Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005) and Jordanian Code No. 21 for Solid Waste USAID / MOE
Archeological resources Any suspected archeological findings during construction, Supervision Consultant, Client and the Contractor / Supervision
Aqaba Department of Antiquities should be immediately informed (Item 27.1 in the FIDIC 1987) Supervision Consultant /
Consultant USAID / MOE
Employment opportunities Give priority to hiring local staff Contractor Superv ision
Consultant /
USAID / MOE
Table 6.3: Proposed Mitigation Measures during Operation

Proposed Measures
Issue

Proposed Measures
Issue
Student psyche inside Involved the students in the decoration of their classrooms School MOE
classroom Management
Employment opportunities Give priority to hiring local staff School MOE

Management
Sanitary facilities • Ensure that sanitary facilities are frequently cleaned and regularly monitored School MOE
Management
• Monitor sewer connection and ensure adherence to standards WAJ MOH
Supply of potable water Ensure supply of potable water in accordance with Jordanian Standards WAJ MOH
Indoor and outdoor safety Provide constant monitoring of student activities School MOE
Management
Injury from car accidents • Install proper signage wherever possible ASEZA ASEZA
• Provide speed bumps and zebra crossings if possible
Protection from intruders Hire a guard to ensure that no strangers enter the school premise School MOE
Management
Safety in workshops and • Provide constant monitoring of student activities in the workshops and laboratories School MOE
laboratories • Students should wear gloves and have access to a first aid kit Management
Earthquake protection Train teachers on emergency evaluation and perform regular drills for the entire school School MOE
Management
Chalk dust • Teachers to seat students with respiratory problems away from blackboard School MOE
• Regular cleaning of board, trays, and erasers Management
Community use of school Monitor use of school facilities by the local community Local Community MOE
facilities Development
(ASEZA)
APPENDIX A: LIST OF PREPARERS
Name Position/Area of Specialty
Lama Bashour Team Leader, EIA Specialist, Engicon
Issa Abu Taha Environmental Specialist, Engicon
Nancy Haddadin Environmental Engineer, Engicon
Curriculum Vitae
Proposed Position Team Leader / EIA Expert
Name of Firm Engicon
Name of Staff Lama Bashour
Profession Environmental and Public Health Specialist
Date of Birth
Years with Firm 7 Nationality Lebanese
Membership in Professional Societies -
Key Qualifications
Ms Lama Bashour has be en with Engicon as an envir onmental specialist since 2000. Her respo nsibilities
included the p reparation of Environmental Impact Asse ssment reports for several pr ojects. Exampl es of
these pro jects inclu de the Ma ’an, Mafraq a nd Jera sh W astewater T reatment Plants an d Effluent Reus e
and the Storag e S ystems Pro ject, which incl uded stud ying possi ble loc ations for dams alo ng the Jord an
Valley. Mor e recentl y, she h as worked as a Projec t Co ordinator an d Environmental Specia list on the
Municipal Infra structure an d Service D elivery Assessm ent Project, as well as the C omprehensive B asic
Survey for Priorit y Areas of JICA Assistance, in which s he prepared th e s tudy on Env ironment. She was
also resp onsible for preparati on of the Volume on W ater and Envir onment for Jordan’s Ministr y of Water
and Irrig ation’s Nation al W ater Master Plan (GT Z-funded), which inv olved revie wing, anal ysing an d
recommending improveme nts to the cu rrent environm ental issues as the y relate to the water sector in
Jordan. Ms B ashour’s e ducational background i ncludes a Masters Degree in Envir onmental Law an d
Conservation from the Universit y of Kent in t he UK and a Bache lor of Sciences in Public an d
Environmental Health from the American University of Beirut.
Education
2000 LLM (Masters in La w) with Merit in Environme ntal La w and Cons ervation,
University of Kent, UK
1997 B Sc in Public and Environmental Health, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Other Training
Dec 16 – 20, 2006 Advanced T raining W orkshop for Env ironmental Asse ssment Practi tioners,
organized b y the W orld Bank, MET AP, Tunis In ternational C entre for
Environmental Technologies, UNEP
Employment Record
Dec 2000 – Present Engicon, Amman, Jordan
Oct 1998 – Sept 1999 American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Experience Record
Dec 2000 – Present Engicon, Amman, Jordan
Environmental and Public Health Specialist. Worked on the following projects:
Environmental Assessment of Nuqul Group PM4 Tissue Paper Mill Project,

Jordan. The work required performing an environmental assessment study for a
paper mill factory to be implemented for Nuqul Group in Eastern Urainbeh, Al-
Jeeza, Amman. The EA was to be in line w ith European and W orld Bank
standards as well as abide by Jordanian legislations. T he European Commission
Reference Document on Best Available Techniques (BAT) in the Pulp and Paper
Industry was utilized as a guideline for ensuring that the proposed technology was
environmentally-friendly. The task activities were as follows:
1. Review of existing literature and available documentation on the project area.
2. Site visits to the project area.
3. Identification of the project alternatives.
4. Preliminary list of anticipated environmental impacts.
5. Consultation with relevant stakeholders.
6. Evaluation of significant environmental impacts.
Lama_Bashour 1/4
7. Establishing mitigation measures.
8. Preparing an environmental monitoring and management plan.
Design of Salt/Wadi Shuaib Road and Road Connecting Wadi Shuaib to Salt
Entrance. Responsible for the env ironmental assessm ent of the thre e proj ect
components as follows:
1. Upgrading of the e xisting Salt/Wadi Shuaib Road with a to tal length 23 k m into
a 4-lane divided highway in order to sustain the existing traffic volumes.
2. Design of a 10-km 4-lan e divide d hi ghway from Salt/W adi Shua ib Ro ad to
Salt/Suwaileh Road.
3. Preparation of a reconn aissance study to connect Salt/Suwaileh Road with Salt
Ring Road.
The tasks comprised of th e e xamination of regul atory frame work, a scopi ng
process, a nalysis of the environmental im pacts, proposa l o f mitigatio n me asures
and preparation of an environmental monitoring and management plan.
Municipal I nfrastructure a nd Se rvice D elivery Assessment. Project

Coordinator an d Environm ental Speci alist. The stud y is part of the W orld Bank
Regional and Municipal Development Project and was conducted for the Ministry
of Plann ing & Internation al Cooperation, in coop eration with the Mi nistry of
Municipal Affairs and Cities & Villages Development Bank. It includes the following
three main components:
1. Preparation of an inform ative frame work of the need for infrastructure and
services that may be found in the Jordanian municipalities;
2. Development of a method ology c apable o f leadi ng to th e ide ntification of a
priority list of actions, takin g into acco unt the social, envir onmental, and
economic-financial characteristics of the territories involved;
3. Definition of a priority p ackage of in vestments in infrastructure an d servic es,
characterized by the re quirement of feasibi lity, from both the techn ical-design
standpoint and that of economic-financial and environmental compatibility
The project was finance d b y th e Internati onal Bank for Reconstructio n an d
Development a nd was impl emented in jo int venture with C. Lotti & Associati an d
Ecoter of Italy.
In Mar 200 5 – June 2 005, worked as a sh ort-term consul tant for the Food a nd
Agriculture O rganization i n Rome , Ita ly on the Forestry Outlook Study for
West and Ce ntral Asia. The task requir ed was the pr eparation of a Thematic
Report on Lan d Use Dyna mics and Policy and Institutional Changes i n the W est
Asia region, which comprises the countri es of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran,
Iraq, Jorda n, Kuwait, Leb anon, Oman, Qa tar, Saudi Ara bia, S yria, T urkey, U AE
and Yemen. The resulting report provides an overview of the key developments in
land use, po licy, l egal a nd institut ional chang es with the obj ective of
understanding the trends that ma y have direct and indirect impacts on forests and
forestry in the region.
Comprehensive Ba sic Su rvey fo r Prio rity Areas o f JIC A Assistance. Deputy

Project Coor dinator and T eam Leader for t he sector of Enviro nment, Health an d
Labour a nd Employment. T he purpose of this proj ect was to perform a
comprehensive surve y th at w ill a id Ja pan Internation al Coop eration Agen cy
(JICA) in d etermining th e sec tors that ar e in most ne ed of assistanc e i n J ordan.
The project required surveying the present situation in 23 sectors (divided into two
groups: A and B), as well as the inst itutional and le gal backgro und u nder which
these sectors are managed.
National W ater Mast er Pla n: W ater an d En vironment. As part of th e GT Z-

funded project for the Ministr y of W ater and Irrigation, Team Leader for pre paring
the vol ume re lating to th e e nvironmental p lanning frame work for water sector
planning i n Jorda n. T he volum e was di vided into the follo wing ch apters, i n
accordance with the UN Guidelin es for t he Preparation of Natio nal Water Master
Plans:
1. Institutional and Legal Issues (including water quality monitoring)
2. Environmental Impact Assessment for the Water Sector
3. Environmental Protection an d W ater Developm ent Proje cts (such as
non-conventional water resource devel opment, groun dwater
development and water storage and conveyance systems)
4. Recommendations (regar ding lega l and institutiona l improvem ents,
Lama_Bashour 2/4
environmental plan ning, natio nal enviro nmental ass essment
requirements, environmental monitoring and sustainable development)
Responsible fo r the preparati on of Envi ronmental Impact Assessment reports for

the following projects:
Wastewater Co llection, T reatment a nd Efflue nt Re use from Jerash and

Sukhna. Environmental Specialist for the pr eparation of a technical and economic
feasibility study , environmental assessm ent, final design and tender documents
for the:
Wastewater collection, tr eatment and effluent reuse from the municipalities of
Sakib, Ray mon, Al-Kitta, Nahla and Gazza refugee camps and the adjacent
area
W astewater collection, pumping station and transmission pipeline of Sukhna
town and Sukhna refugee camp
Responsibilities inclu de p erforming a Sco ping Process, whereby a Scoping
Session was conducted re garding the p ossible environmental im pacts of the
project. F ollowing that was the prep aration of a Scopi ng Statement and a n
Environmental Assessment Report.
Karak Wa ter Los s Re duction Progra mme. Feasib ility stud y on water los s
reduction in the govern orate of Karak. The study i ncludes an ac tualisation of the
existing water net work, d evelopment of a computer mo del for th e h ydraulic
network ana lysis, updating and e xtension of govern orate deve lopment an d
population pr ojection, deve lopment of zoning s ystem, water loss ana lysis,
feasibility inv estigation for reha bilitation o f all water n etworks, av ailability of
additional res ources a nd water bal ance, socio-ec onomic and e nvironmental
assessment studies and preliminary designs for rehabilitation works.
Storage Pond at Deir Alla. The Project is located near the town of Deir Alla, east
of the e xisting King Ab dallah Can al (KAC ) and a ims to divert the Z ai W ater
Treatment Plant (WTP) requirement of KAC water for preliminary treatment before
pumping it to Z ai via the e xisting Inta ke Pumpi ng Station (PS) and transmissi on
system. In addition, a 500,000 cubic meter storage pond is designed as a reser ve
when the KAC water q uality deteriorates to levels that ca nnot be h andled b y Zai
WTP. A preliminary environmental assessment report was prepared.
Zarqa / Bal’ama / Irbid Ro ad. Conducte d an environm ental assessme nt report

for the study for upgrading and redesign of Zarqa/Balama/Irbid Road into a 4-lane
divided highway with total length of 42 km fr om Al-Hashimiyah Bridge to Nuaimeh
Bridge. The task comprised of the examination of regulatory framework, a scoping
process and analysis of the environmental impacts.
Al Quds Junction-Zara Mai n Intersection. The project inclu ded the de sign of a
4-lane hi ghway with service roads o n bot h sides, to re place the e xisting roa d
connecting Ra ma inters ection throu gh Quds intersection, with S weimeh /Zara
road, and designing Wadi Mukhaires Bridge. The task comprised of conducting an
environmental impact assessment, including examination of regulatory framework,
a scoping process and analysis of the environmental impacts.
Ma’an Wastewater Treatment Plant and Effluent Reuse. The project comprises
of the reha bilitation an d upgrading of a n existi ng wastewater treatm ent pla nt
3
(capacity 15 90 m /day) a nd effluent reus e for the ci ty of Ma’a n. Respo nsibilities
include perfor ming a Scoping Process, w hereby a Scoping Session was
conducted regarding the pos sible environmental impacts of the project. F ollowing
that was the preparati on of a Scopi ng Statement and an Enviro nmental
Assessment Report.
Al Shamiyeh Village Infrastructure Project. The project entailed the provision of

infrastructure services for the Sham iyeh Villa ge in th e South n ear Aqaba .
Responsibilities inclu ded pr eparation of an envir onmental assessme nt analysing
the poss ible a dverse environmental a nd social imp acts of this pr oject. W ork
included conducting a survey whereby a sample of the residents of the village was
taken for and interviewed.
Mafraq W astewater T reatment Plan t an d Reu se Application. The proj ect,
Lama_Bashour 3/4
funded b y US AID, entaile d the reh abilitation of the existing Mafraq wastewater
treatment pl ant and pro posal of a schem e for effluent reuse. T he ne w plant’s
design ca pacity is 6,500 CM/ day. Res ponsibilities i ncluded org anizing a Scopi ng
Session, in ac cordance with USAID requ irements, perfor ming sev eral fi eld trips ,
and pre paring a Pre-scopi ng Brief, a Sc oping Statement and an Env ironmental
Assessment report.
Storage Systems Project. Technical, economic and financial feasibility study and
preliminary design of the Storage Systems Project, which required the selection of
the most suita ble d am site(s) on the Jo rdan River. Resp onsibilities incl uded site
visits to the f our potential sites, coll ection of rel evant informati on f rom the
available liter ature an d e xperts, and preparation of docume nts for the
environmental impact assessment report.
Oct 1998 – Sept 1999 American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Research Assi stant. Con ducted res earch a s well as l aboratory work on th e
Leishmania parasite. Responsibilities included site v isits to the north of Lebanon,
where Leis hmania is h ypoendemic, lab oratory experiments an d assi sting i n
preparation of research papers and publications.
Language Ability Speak ing Reading Writing

Arabic Excellent Exce llent Excellent
English Excellent Exce llent Excellent
French Good Good Good
Lama_Bashour 4/4
Curriculum Vitae
Proposed Position Environmental Specialist
Name of Staff Issa Abu Taha
Profession Geologist / Environmental Specialist
Date of Birth
Years with Firm 16 Nationality Jordanian
Membership in Professional Societies • Jordanian Geologists’ Association
Key Qualifications
Issa Abu T aha has 28 years of experi ence i n geo logical, g eotechnical an d envir onmental investi gations.
His expertise extends from va rious large projects covering roads, bridges, tunnels and dams, multi-storey
buildings, water and wastewater treatment plants, hous ing complexes an d retaini ng walls. Some of th e
projects he h as partici pated in incl ude the Stor age Systems Proj ect, Rehabi litation of W astewater
Treatment Plant in Ma’ an, Commun ity Inf rastructure Pr ogramme, Re gional S olid W aste Mana gement
Study and the Rama Intersection / Quds Intersection Road.
Education
1978 B Sc in Applied Geology, Damascus University, Syria
Employment Record
1991 – Present Engicon, Amman, Jordan
1985 – 1991 Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Testing Co. - Amman, Jordan
1984 – 1985 Rukun Al-Handassa and Nippon Koei Consulting Eng. - Amman, Jordan
1983 – 1984 Ali Saker Co. - Amman, Jordan
1979 – 1983 Natural Resources Authority of Jordan (NRA) - Amman, Jordan
Experience Record
1991 – Present Engicon, Amman, Jordan.
Senior Geologist / Geotechnical E ngineer / Environmental Specialist responsible

for the geological hydrogeological, geotechnical and environmental studies.
Environmental Studies
• EIA for Nuqul Paper Mill Project in East Urainbeh, Jordan
• Northern Region Solid W aste Management Study , Ekeder . Feasibility and
environmental impact assessment study for the identificat ion and evaluation
of a range of investments to impl ement a comprehensive solid waste
management system for the northern region of the country and a framew ork
for the capacity building of a solid waste management unit at GCEP (now
Ministry of Environment).
• EIA for Rama Intersection/Quds Intersection Highway
• EIA for Zarqa/Bal’ama/ Irbid Highway
• EIA for Rehab ilitation an d Upgra ding of Ma’a n W astewater Treatment and
Reuse Project
• EIA for Al Shamiyeh Village Infrastructure Project
• EIA for Mafraq Wastewater Treatment Plant and Reuse Application
• EIA for Communit y I nfrastructure Program me Project (EIA for four refugee
camps and two squatter areas)
• EIA for Storage S ystems Project (project area, three prop osed dam sites a nd
water storag e pon d) at the a rea bet ween Yarmouk Riv er in the north and
Wadi Raji b at the south. The EIA was car ried out for th e project area in
addition three proposed dams.
• EIA for Mujib and Southern Ghors Irrigation Project
• EIA for Adasiya Deir Alla Pipeline Project
Issa_AbuTaha 1/8
EIA for Water Availability Study of Rehab and Aqaba Combined Cy cle Pow er
Stations
Dams and Ponds
Study and Design of Itwed Dam, Saudi Arabia.

Study and des ign of th e spi llway for It wed Dam in th e A ssir regi on thr ough
proposing possible alternatives for the site and shape of the spillway in order to
achieve a drainage of 27 20 m2/second, tak ing i nto co nsideration the d esign
characteristics of the 39-m high dam.
Study of the low area before the spillway which may become a small pond and
propose alternative solutions.
Study of the geological conditions of the spillway area
Study and assess the design of the dam on the left embankment.
Deir A lla Stora ge Pond. The project aims to divert the Z ai W ater T reatment
Plant requirement of KAC w ater for pre liminary treatment. T he project required
the preparation of concept ual and detailed designs, tender documents and bill of
quantities, as well as a preliminary environmental impact assessment.
King A bdullah Ca nal Stora ge Pond. Feasibility study, detailed design and
preparation of tender doc uments for the KAC Storage Pond. The project
3
comprises the design of 500,000 m capacity storage pond and intake/outlet
structures at KAC.
Equalization Pond for the Efflue nt Wa ter from Ce ntral Irbid & Wadi Arab
Treatment Plan t. T he project includes the det ailed design and preparation of
tender documents for det ailed design of 25,000m 3 equalization pond and the
associated electro-mechanical w orks. The project aims of reuse of effluent water
for irrigation by irrigating the effluent water in to the existing 1350 mm irrigation
pipe.
Storage Sy stems Project. Geological and hy drogeologic study of the project

area along the Jordan River and its side wadis between Yarmouk River and w adi
Rajib in the south. Selection of potential sites, deta iled geological study of three
proposed dams (Yabis, Kufranja and Rajib) and storage pond (750,000 CM),
preparation of topographic and geot echnical tender documents and
specifications, supervision of the work and preparation of evaluation geotechnical
report.
Dams a nd Ponds in Ka rak and Tafileh Governorates. Geologic study for 15

potential dam sites to select 10 sites (capacity 20- 50.000 m3) and evaluate its
geological conditions and estimate the geotechnical parameters. T he w orks
included a hy drologic study , detail ed design and preparat ion of tender
documents.
Storage Dams in Al-Karak Governorate. Geological studies, selection of

potential dam sites, detailed geology fo r two dam sites (Karak and Meddein),
preparation of tender docum ents and technical specific ations for geotechnical
investigation, supervision of the w orks, evaluation of the geotechnical results,
including a seismisity study, and preparation of the final geotechnical report.
Raising Kafrein Dam. Supervision of geotechnical investigation for the project.
Water, Wastewater and Infrastructure Projects
South Amman Wastewater Netw orks & T reatment Plan t. Feasibility study ,
environmental impact assessment design and preparation of tender documents
of the w astewater collection, treatment and effluent reus e for the communities of
south Amman. The project includes the design of 600km of wastewater collection
networks and three treatment. Plants.
Technical and Feasibility Study and Final Design of the Upgrading and
Expansion of Water Facilit ies in Central Gov ernorates (Zarqa, Madaba and
Balqa). Feasibility study and preliminary design of water supply system upgrade
and expansion for Z arqa, Madaba and Balqa Governorates as w ell as the
Issa_AbuTaha 2/8
detailed design and preparati on of tender documents in selected areas of the
three Governorates.
Feasibility Study of the Brackish Water Resources in North-West Corner of

Jordan. The purpose of the study is to conduct a full hydrogeological study of the
brackish w ater resources in the alluvial aquifers and to develop better
understanding deeper aquifer sy stems in the project area. T he study shall
determine the availability of the brackish groundw ater in the alluvial aquifers and
possible utilisation from the deeper aquife r zones in terms of quantity and quality
according to the criteria of safe yields
Managing Scarce W ater Reso urces in th e Mid dle East Reg ion. The Project
aimed to transfer 50 MCM drinking w ater to the Amman City in the scope of this
project. The system for transferring 50 MC M drinking water from the desalination
plant to the Amman City will be based on t he existing regional w ater distribution
system and on the new proposed facilities.
Design o f th e W astewater Co llection, Investment and Efflue nt Re use from

Jerash an d Su khna. Preparation of a technical and economic feasibility study ,
environmental assessment, final design and tender documents for the two-part
project which included: W astewater collect ion, treatment and e ffluent reuse from
the municipalities of Sakib, Ray mon, Al-Kitta, Nahla and Gazza refugee camps
and the adjacent areas in Jerash Governorate, North of Jor dan. The population to
be served is around 84,000. T he projec t components included a w astewater
collection system, pumping st ation, treatment plant with a capacity of 10,000
3
m /day, sludge digestion and treatment and e ffluent reuse and distribution. And
wastewater collection, pum ping station and transmission pipeline of Sukhna tow n
and Sukhna refugee camp, with a population of around 12,000.
Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Wastew ater Treatment Plant and Effluent

Reuse for the City of Ma’an. Upgrading and expansion of the existing w aste
stabilization ponds treatment plant in the city of Ma’an. The project comprises the
preparation of feasibility study, environmental assessm ent and detailed design of
a new modified extended aeration (UCT) treatment plant on t he design capacity
of 7000 m3/day and effluent reuse scheme.
Rehabilitation of the Roy al Pal aces Water Sy stem Al-Hummar Area. Follow
up on geotechnical investigations for the detailed design, pr eparation of tender
documents and construction supervision for t he rehabilitation of the water system
in the Roy al Palaces comprising the design of 11 km of w ater mains, tw o
3
pumping stations and 1000 m reservoir.
Khaw / A l-Batrawi Wa ter Supply Line & A l-Batrawi Pumping Sta tion.
Preparation of the detailed design for the:
3
Construction for an underground c oncrete storage tank of 4000 m in
Batrawi.
Supply, installation and operation for a new pumping station at Al-Batraw i
storage tank to serve the high areas.
Chlorination system.
All related electromechanical works.
Supply and installation of Ductile pipes 700 mm diameter with a total of 9 km
length, extending from Khaw Pumping Station to Al-Batrawi.
Rehabilitation of (18) km Extension Irrigation Project. Feasibility study,

preliminary design, detailed design and preparation of tender documents for the
rehabilitation of irrigati on netw ork serving 80000 dunum s, rehabilitation of 6
existing pumping stations, design of (9 ) new intakes at King Abdullah Canal,
design of (3) new pumping stains and 8 km of 900 mm conveyance pipelines.
Investment of the Zarqa Military Camp Existing Site. The main ob jective of
the study was to prepare a master plan that fulfils the necessary requirements for
the different classes of the residents of the city of Zarqa and its areas.
Caradoor We lls Wa ter Supply Project. Design and supervision of the

construction of w ater conveyance, DI pipeline (600mm diameter) from Caradoor
wells (10 No.) to Khaw pumping station. The purpose of the project is to convey
Issa_AbuTaha 3/8
potable w ater from the w ells located in Mafraq governorate to the cities of
Amman and Z arqa. T he project comprises preparation of w ells sites, installation
of submersible pumps, about 30km of pi pelines, electrical control panels and 250
KVA pow er transformers. T he w orks also include rehabilitation of Hallabat
pumping station and installation of 2 Nos. centrifugal surface pumps.
Mafraq Wastewater Treatment Plant and Reuse Application. Rehabilitation of

the existing Mafraq w astewater treatm ent plant and proposal of a scheme for
effluent reuse. The new plant’s design capacity is 6,500 CM/day. The project also
includes an environmental assessment of the effect of plant construction and
operation on the groundw ater aquifers and the surrounding environment. The
project comprises feasibility study , design and preparati on of DB tender
documents and construction supervision.
Rehabilitation of Greater Amman Water Supply System in Hashimi, Marka &

Sahab. Design and construction supervision of the rehabilitation of the w ater
supply netw ork for an area of Amman with a population of 220,000, including
primary distribution and house connections, in addition to rehabilitation of the
existing pumping stations and reservoirs as required. T he basic objective of the
rehabilitation is to reduce the unaccounted for w ater (UFW ) to 15% by reducing
the pressure in the netw ork. T his is achi eved by dividing the sy stem into district
zones with pressure between 2.5-5 bars.
Ekeder W WTP Pro ject. Design and construction supervision of w aste

stabilization ponds treatment plant. T he tr eatment plant is designed to receive
3
septage disposal quantities of 4000 m /day. The new ponds are located on a plot
acquired by WAJ (about 403 dunums) near the existing Al Ekeder disposal areas.
The study included an environmental im pact assessment and effluent reuse
scheme.
Water Quality Mode l (Tra nsport Mode l) in the A zraq Ba sin. Geological and
hydrogeological evaluation of the w ater qualit y variation in the different parts of
the Azraq and participation in modeling procedure.
Rehabilitation of Tal A l-Thahab Weir. Design and supervision of construction

for the rehabilitation w orks to improve measurements, cont rol and the phy sical
quality of the w ater diverted from the Z arqa River into tw o carrier pipelines. T he
work included training Wadi Zarqa carriers and installing automatic trash racks, in
addition to constructing a new desilting bas in and installing four fine screens at
the end of the desilting basin to prevent algae from entering the sy stem. T he
work also comprised motorising existi ng gates and constructi on of an operator’s
building, in addition to connection to Dirar Control Centre.
Mujib a nd Southe rn Ghors Irriga tion Proje ct. Design of a diversion w eir
downstream of Wala and Hidan conjunction to divert approximately 35 MCM/year
through a tunnel. T he project also included the design of tw o conveyors, one to
the North, to transfer 15 MCM/year to the touristic area near Suw eimeh (30 km
long) and one to the South, to transfer the remaining quantity of w ater for the
Arab Potash Co. and for irrigation areas (70 km). T he work entailed preparation
of final design and tender documents.
Water Conveyance System fro m A dasiya Deir A lla-Zai Pro ject. Feasibility
study and preliminary design of the Adasiy a/Deir Alla Pipeline. T he sy stem was
designed to convey 90 MCM/y ear from Ya rmouk River north of Jordan to Deir
Alla-Zai pumping sy stem 65 Km to the S outh. The project included the design of
the conveyor system, road and w adi crossing structures, a pumping station, tw o
header tanks at Adasiy a w ith a capacit y of 2500 CM each and a reservoir at
Mukheiba w ith a capacity of 2500 CM to divert w ater to Adasiy a. T he work
entailed topographic survey of the route, geotechnical in vestigation, designs and
tender documents and the environmental impact assessment study.
Building Projects
Design of the Ministry of Fina nce a nd its De partments Comple x.

Geotechnical Specialist. The project is to be located in Khalda / Amman, Jordan
on a land area of 47,000 square meters. The Project includes the design and
Issa_AbuTaha 4/8
preparation of tender documents for the Ministry of F inance complex, w hich is
2
comprised of 6 buildings with a total area of 115,000 m .
Design of Schools for the Educ ation Re form for the Know ledge Ec onomy
Project in Z arqa an d Ru sseifeh. Detailed design, pr eparation of tender
documents and bill of quantitie s of 8 schools w ith an area of 4000 square metres
per school. The schools are located in various areas in Zarqa and Russeifeh.
Engicon Ne w Offic e Bui lding, Amman. Architectural D esign for Ne w Engicon

Office Building in Jabal Al Weibdeh / Amm an, with a built up area of 3500 sq. m
and comprising 6 storeys, in addition to office back up during construction phase.
Civil Works for the 400kv Samra Substation. Geotechnical Expert. Design and
preparation of construction draw ings for all service buildings (Administration
Offices Building and Guard House), sub-stru cture of GIS building w ith Control
and Protection Annex and all external civil w orks w hich include boundary w alls,
cables trenches and ducts, foundation pads for plant and substation equipment,
for generator, gantries and open terminal equi pment, security fencing and gate,
external lighting, rain water drainage (intake and outlet structures, open channels,
soak away pits and manholes), underground w ater reservoir, access road to site
and its connection with the main existi ng highway and all roads and paved areas
within the site. W orks also included sub-soil investigations, electrical resistivity of
the soil in accordance w ith approved British Standards and preparation of
detailed bills of quantities for all ci vil works as per NEPCO technical
specifications.
Highway Projects
Tasks included geological studies, selecti on of best routes, supervision of

geotechnical works and evaluation of subs urface and geotechnical investigations,
including stability . Also involved in the supervision of the construction phase in
which the tasks included geotechnical consultation.
Design of Salt/Wadi Shuaib Road and Road Connecting Wadi Shuaib to Salt
Entrance. The project consists of three components as follows:
1. Upgrading of the existing Salt/Wadi Shuaib Road with a total length 23 km into
a 4-lane divided highway.
2. Design of a 1 0-km 4-l ane di vided hi ghway from Salt/W adi Sh uaib R oad t o
Salt/Suwaileh Road. Work includes drainage design and preparing final design
drawings and tender documents.
3. Preparation of a reconnaissance study to connect Salt/Suwaileh Road with Salt
Ring Road.
Study and Design of Safout Underpass.

• Designing an underpass below Amman – Jerash highway connecting West
Safout to the eastern part.
• Designing roads to connect the underpass with local existing roads.
• Preparation of tender documents and bills of quantities.
• Follow up all related w orks such as structural design, hy drology, quantity
survey drafting etc.
Study and Evaluation of the Amman Zarqa Highway. The project is composed
of three stages for study ing and improv ing the congested Amman-Zarqa highway
with a total length of 25 km, starting fr om Al Nash intersection to the Z arqa
Tunnel. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the existing conditions of the road
in terms of traffic capacity , existing intersections, existi ng pavement and street
lighting, as well as to ev aluate the existing hy draulic structure. The second stage
includes proposing improvements to increas e the capacity of the highway and to
improve the existing geometric element s to be Limited Access Road and to
improve the existing intersection. T he third stage requires the preparation of
detailed design, tender documents and bill of quantities.
Zarqa/Bal’ama/ Irbid Road. Study for upgrading and redesign of

Zarqa/Balama/Irbid Road into a 4-lane divi ded highway with total length of 42 km
from Al-Hashimiyah Bridge to Nuaimeh Br idge. The work included survey works,
traffic study , hy drology and hy draulic des ign, intersections and bridges designs,
route and profiles designs in addition to designs of concrete structures and
Issa_AbuTaha 5/8
culverts and preparation of bills of quantities and tender documents.
Al-Safi Back Road. The project consisted of two parts:

Design of 4-lane divided highway with total length of 6 km to provid e primary
link bet ween A qaba/Entrance High way a nd Existi ng Aqa ba-Safi Road. T he
work inc luded surve y works, traffic study a nd d esign of t wo trum pet
infrastructure and channels bridges crossing.
Design of wadi diversion channels for protection Aqaba city from the flood of
Wadi El-Yutum parallel to new highway crossing the existing Aqaba-Safi road
and discharges the flood water into outlet basin.
Upgrading o f Aqaba Back Ro ad. Redesign and upgrading the existing Aqaba-
Back Road into 4-lane divided highw ay w ith total length 11 km. The work
included survey w orks geometric design c hecking the hy draulic structures and
preparation of tender documents and detailed drawings.
Karak Qatrana (supervision). The project consists of co nstruction of a 9-km, 4-

lane divid ed hi ghway b etween Al Karak-Al Qatraneh Ro ad to Karak In dustrial
City. Sup ervision of the constructio n ac tivities, which includ e 4.7 MCM
earthworks an d 1 MCM embankme nt, bitumino us pavem ent la yers, ba ses and
culverts, in addition to Al-Daba Wadi Bridge and the embankment over Al-Thania
box culverts.
Rama Inte rsection/Quds I ntersection Roa d. Geologica l stud y of the road,

supervision of the geotechnical works (sub contract), evaluation of the results and
determining the geotechnical parameters needed for the design, in addition to the
environmental impact assessment study in the tasks r elated to geology and
hydrogeology. The project co nsisted of the design 4-l ane hig hway with servic e
roads on b oth sides, to repla ce the existi ng road conn ecting Rama inter section
through Quds intersection, with S weimeh /Z ara road, and d esigning W adi
Mukhaires Bri dge. T he work includ ed surv ey works, Geolog y an d ge otechnical
study, h ydrology and hydraulic des ign, g eometric and i ntersection des ign an d
preparation of tender documents and bill of quantities.
Aqaba En trance Ro ad-Wadi Yu tum In tersection. Supervision o n the Aqab a

entrance road – W adi Yutum intersection with total length of 9 kilometre s, this
road is co nsidered the c ontinuation of the main ro ad that connects Aq aba Port
with all Kingdom Governor ates and the surrounding co untries. The work included
earthworks, constructio n of paveme nt la yers (si nce th e a xle-loads are hi gh,
cement treated base course h as been used), flood protectio n works, storm water
drainage, construction of interchange and a concrete bridge.
Sahab Ro ad an d A mman Ou ter Ring Road Intersection. This intersection is

considered one of the dangerous intersections in Easter Amman area, w here it
connects Zarqa, Amman and the industrial ci ty in Sahab. And since it is located
near Amman Customs area, most of t he trucks and trailers pass through this
intersection. A traffic study has been prepared to cover all traffic coming in and
out of this intersection, and according to it several alternatives have been done to
separate the traffic manoeuvres taking into consideration the obstructions, land
use and acquisition of land which will affect considerably the construction value of
the project.
Irbid-North Shuna Highway Section III. Updating the design of a 12-km, 2-lane
highway, which was designed by JCE in 1991, to a 4-lane divided highw ay. T he
work included detailed survey and geotechni cal investigation, geometric design,
drainage structures, tw o interchanges and preparation of tender documents and
detailed drawings.
Jarash-Ajloun Road. Preliminary design of a 4-lan e, 17-km highway connecting

Jerash to Ajl un. The project i ncluded site investigation, traffic studies, pa vement
design, design of at least one interchange and design of drainage structures.
Private Consultancy Assignments (1991 – 2001)
Providing C onsultancy S ervices in the field of ge ological, geo physical,

hydrogeological an d Geotec hnical inv estigations for different proj ects su ch as
dams, roads, l andslides an d buil dings, in a ddition to Envir onmental Asse ssment
Issa_AbuTaha 6/8
studies.
• Gypsum quarry at Mujib area (Envir onmental Impact Assessment), study

submitted to the General Corporation for Environment Protection.
• Al-Salt Sewerage Treatment Plant Extension Project, (Geology and instability
problems), Study for Arab Center for Geotechnical Studies
• Geological and Geotechnical studies of Al-Khanasiri Dam Site, a study for
Rukun Al Handaseh, submitted to Ministry of Agriculture).
• Geological investigation of proposed dams at Wadi Araba (Wadi Rahma, Abu
Barqa and Wadi Mousa) a study for Consolidated Consultants.
• Iraq El-Amir W astewater T reatment Plant (Geology , hydrogeology and
instability problems), a study w ith Jo rdan University and Remal Consulting
Engineering
• Zarqa River Convey ance, a study for Consolidated Consultants and Harza
(Geology and ground water regime)
• Geophysical survey “Resistivity In vestigation of Disi-Amman Pipeline
corrosion Prohibition Project”. This survey was carried out in cooperation with
Dr. Z. Al-Isaa. University of Jordan.
• Shortest connection betw een the Shidiyya mine and the existing line
(Geologic Study), for Consolidated Consultants.
• Geophysical investigation for several private projects
• Geophysical investigation for tw o lands lides locations along Amman-Jerash
Road (a study with Arab Center for Geotechnical Studies)
• Geological evaluation of Al-Rabw a lands lide, a study w ith International
Center submitted to Greater Amman Municipality.
• Kaolinitic Clay Exploration – Batn El Ghoul Project, Public Mining Co.
(Economic geologic study).
• Economic ge ological stud y o f iron an d he avy min eral de posits at Perp ra,
Somaliland, a study for Delta Metal Co.-UAE.
1985 – 1991 Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Testing Co. - Amman, Jordan
As Seni or En gineering Ge ologist – Pr ojects Manag er i n char ge of Project

management, field drilli ng and sampli ng operation, in-situ testing, loggi ng,
laboratory testing and geological, hydrogeological and geotechnical analysis on a
variety of projects.
Duties included arranging and organizing geotechnical data in the field and in the
office, as well as conduct ing seism ic and electrical resistivit y o peration,
installation of geotechnical instrumentation and grouting operations. In addition to
the management and e xecution of anch ored - micro piled retain ing systems. The
following is a list of projects involved in:
1. Dam s
• Flood Water Potential Study in the Hammad Basin of Jordan (Phases 1&2)
• Geotechnical Investigation of Abu Hifna and Northern Dam Sites
• Geotechnical Investigation of the Karameh Dam Project (Final Stage)
• Reconnaissance Investig ation of five prop osed d am site s in Muji b Ba sin
(Nukheila, Mujib, Wala, Rumeil and Suteida Sites)
2. Ro ads
• Investigation of cut & fill sections along Irbid - North Shuna Road (6 km)
• Investigating T haghrat Asfour to Je rash Ro ad Brid ges, C ulverts, cuts and
tunnels
• Investigation Wadi Seer to Iraq El Amir Bridges
• Reconnaissance inv estigation stud y of th e S weimeh to Hammamat M a'in
Road (6 km)
• Investigating a pre-stressed bridge at Sweimeh - Ghor El Safi Alignment
• Reconnaissance investi gation of W adi Seer to Iraq El Amir Alig nment (3
km)
• Reconnaissance investigation of Deir-Alla to Subaihi Road (5 km)
• Reconnaissance investigation of Algnayeh to Al-Sukhneh Alignment (6 km)
• Reconnaissance investigation of Berain to Al-Mastaba Alignment (6 km)
3. La ndslides
• Site investigation for Na'ur – Dead Sea Road, (Landslide No. 4) - Stage I
• Soil investigation for Na'ur – Dead Sea Road (Landslide No.4) - Stage II
Issa_AbuTaha 7/8
4. Multi-Storey Buildings, Hangers and Housing Projects
Around 1 000 s ites inc luding different t ypes of bui ldings, fa ctories a nd plants,
of which are Al-Batra wi H ousing in Z arqa, Alia Township Housi ng in Jiza,
Mafraq Development Scheme and UDD Housing in Russifa
5. Supporti ng Projects
Where piling, doweling and anchoring were carried out to support unstab le old
buildings, unstable overturned retaining works of which are the following:
• Wadi Seer Police Station Building and Retaining Wall
• Madaba Police Station Building
• The National Orthodox School Retaining Wall
• Shmeisani Building
6. Grouting, s upervising a nd performing gro uting operations for the

following:
• Biomedical Instruments T echnicians Training Institute Building at Al-
Hussein Medical City, Amman
• Dikes (1) & (2) in the Arab Potash Co. to prevent seepage
• The Hussein Sport City – Amman
1984 – 1985 Rukun Al-Handassa and Nippon Koei Consulting Eng. - Amman, Jordan
Supervised a n extens ive ge otechnical inv estigation for Mujib an d T annur Dam
Sites (Geotechnical investigation for Mujib and Southern Ghors Irrigation Project -
Stage II)
1983 – 1984 Ali Saker Co. - Amman, Jordan
Asphalt pla nt mana ger/Material En gineer involved in m anagement an d quality

control for construction material.
1979 – 1983 Natural Resources Authority of Jordan (NRA) - Amman, Jordan
Geologist inv olved in surface geo logical stud ies (geomorp holigically
stratigraphical and structural), determination of raw materials deposits, laboratory
testing (sed imentology), sup ervising dr illing and c ore s ampling, lo gging an d
correlation of subsurfac e materials, photo-geologic studi es, prep aration of
geological mapping and preparation of final r eports. The work was performed for
the following projects:
• Quartz sandstone of South Jordan
• Clay Deposits of Batn El-Ghoul, South Jordan
• Oil Shale between Hasa and Jurf Eddarawish area
• Geological survey of middle and South Jordan
During his work at NRA, h e particip ated in a two mo nth trainin g course in
edementology in the BGR-Hannover, Germany.

Issa_AbuTaha 8/8
Curriculum Vitae
Proposed Position Environmental Engineer
Name of Staff Nancy Haitham Haddaden
Profession Environmental Engineer
Date of Birth
Years with Firm 1 Nationality Jordanian
Membership in Professional Societies • Jordanian Engineers Association
Education
2007 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Water Resources and Environmental
Engineering Division), Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST) Irbid /
Jordan
Other Training
• Project Management Awareness Seminar: Project Management Enabler – METHOD
• Training e xperience: Jor dan River F oundation, Comm unity Em powerment Program. 25 Jun e 2 006 ti ll
24 August 2006
• Course in Environmental Impact Assessment at Consulting Engineering Center
• Course in AutoCAD at Engineering Training Center
• Big Minds: Series of workshops covering communication skills, creative thinking, problem-solving skills
and leadership skills.
• Course in Stress Management
Employment Record
19 Feb 2007 - Present Engicon, Amman, Jordan
Environmental Assessment for Cons truction a nd Re novation of Schools in

Jordan. The progr am aims to provid e b y 2 008 up to 28 ne w sc hools in a ll
governorates of Jord an with a pproximately 24 classr ooms each, immediately
benefiting a bout 18,2 00 st udents. T he pro gram will also renov ate ar ound 100
existing scho ols throug hout t he co untry. In accordance with USAID an d national
regulations, an envir onmental assessme nt was con ducted for al l thes e act ivities.
The task activi ties was as foll ows: Implementing all re quired site visits, prepar ing
for scoping sessions, writing Scoping Statement (SS), EA and reports
Feasibility Study , EI A, Preliminary and Final Design of the Amman Ring

Road, Ph ases 2 & 3, Jo rdan. Feasibility stu dy, environmental impact
assessment and preliminary and final design for the western and northern legs of
the Amman Ring Road (Phases 2 & 3), with a total length of about 80 km.
Tasks included providing assistance to t he partners of Engicon, coordinating
meetings, site visits and helping in writing parts of the EA study
Design of Jordan National Financial Centre (JNFCP). The project is located on

a plot 14000 sq. m adjacent to the existing Jordan Securities Commission Building
2
in Arja n area, Amman, Jordan. T he total built up ar ea is about 7 3000 m .
Engicon’s s ervices inc luded geotechnical, surveying, traffic and environmental
studies, architectural, i nterior desi gn, l andscaping, stru ctural, civi l, el ectrical,
mechanical, in strumentations and acoustic design, in ad dition to pre paration of
specifications, BOQ and c onstruction te nder packa ges. T ask inc ludes preparing
TOR, and base-line report and EA
Upgrade o f Mafraq W astewater T reatment Plan t. The main objective of the

project is t o pr epare a fin al design f or the up grading of Mafraq tre atment p lant
based on the concept of low cost/ low technology prepared by another consultant.
The project also included updating the environmental assessment, preparation of
bidding doc uments, cond ucting a h ost cou ntry com petitive proc ess to select a
construction contractor an d supervise t he construction work as an o ptional task.
3
The new treatment plant will have a capacity of 6550 m /day and a reuse system.
Participated in the scoping session.
Nancy Haddaden 1/2

Jul. 2007 - Aug. 2007 Energie Baden Württemberg / EnBw, Stuttgart-Germany: Intern
Joined the team on the ir daily service operations, visited water pumping stations,
main pumping stations, emergency pumping stations, wastewater treatment plant
of Stuttgart, and p ipe s ystem constr uction sites. Attende d sessi ons abou t
electrical and mechanical equipments, re gular water s ample e xperiments in the
laboratory, a nd an overview of the master pla n of the c ompany reg arding th e
distribution of water for Stuttgart.
Sept. 2006 – Feb 2007 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Jordan: Intern
Translated an d edite d film co ntent from displaced p ersons locatio ns in Southern
Iraq for prod uction of UNH CR Iraq Oper ation vis ibility material; e dited an d
reviewed Situation Report contributions for Protection and Programme Units.
American Chamber of Commerce, Jordan: Volunteer business developer
Substitute English teacher for children between 2 and 3 years old
Others
Projects carried out at University as an undergraduate
• Graduation Project: Environmental Assessment of the Impacts of Red Sea Dead Sea Canal Project on
the Socio-Economic and Archaeological Environments (95%)
• Aquatic Chemistry Project: Effect of the Red Dead Canal on the Comp osition of the Dea d Sea W ater
(95%)
• Water Resources Project: Climate Change (90%)
• Environmental Engineering Project: Environmental Health / Carcinogens (80%)
• Transportation Engineering Project: Developing Salt City (90%)
Computer Skills Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Power Point), Prokon, SMADA , LINDO
MINEQL+, AutoCAD

French Good Good Good
Nancy Haddaden 1/2

APPENDIX B: BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCES

USED
1. Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, ASEZA Design Guidelines 2001
2. Department of Statistics, Employment and Unemployment Survey of 2006
3. Department of Statistics, Population and Housing Census of 2004
4. Department of Statistics, Statistical Yearbook, 2005
5. Fielding, R. Learning, Lighting an d Color: Lighting Design for Sch ools an d

st
Universities in the 21 Century published in the Intern ational Association of
Lighting Designers (www.pldplus.com)
6. General Co rporation fo r Environment Protection, Jordan Country Study o n

Biological D iversity and Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy, 2 000, United Nations
Environment Programme
7. General Co rporation fo r Environment Protection, Jordan Country Study o n

Biological Diversity, 1998
8. Government of Jordan, Air Protection Bylaw for 2005 (No. 28 for 2005)
9. Government of Jordan, Education Law (No. 93 for 1994)
10. Government of Jordan, Environment Protection Law (No. 52 for 2006)
11. Government of Jordan, Environmental Impact Assessment Bylaw for 2005
12. Government of Jordan, Instructions for Noise Prevention for 2003
13. Government of Jordan, Jordanian Building Codes
14. Government of Jordan, Law for Pro tection of Cultural and Heritage Sites (No. 5
for 2002)
15. Government of Jordan, Public Health Law (No. 54 for 2002)
16. Government of Jordan, Regulation for Protection of the Environment in ASEZ

(No. 21 for 2001)
17. Government of Jordan, Soil Protection Bylaw (No. 25 for 2005)
18. Government of Jordan, Solid Waste Management Bylaw (No. 27 for 2005)
19. Government of Jordan, Water Authority Law (No. 19 for 1988)
20. Jordan Meteorological Department Website (www.jmd.gov.jo)
21. King Hussein Website (www.kinghussein.gov.jo)
22. Ministry of Education, Aqaba Education Direct orate, General Educatio n Situation
for 2006/2007
23. Ministry of Health Website (www.moh.gov.jo)
24. Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities Website (www.mota.gov.jo)
25. National Electric Power Company, Annual Report for 2005
26. The 2006 IUCN Red List of Endangered Species Website (www.iucnredlist.org)
27. Water Authority of Jordan, Annual Report for 2005
28. Zuheir S. Amr, "Ma mmals of Jo rdan", 200 0, United Nations En vironment
Programme
APPENDIX C: LIST OF ATTENDEES TO SCOPING

SESSION
Agency/Organization Name
Al Balqa' University / Aqaba College Nedal Al Oran
Al Qweira Secondary Female School Sara Njadat
Al Qweira Secondary Female School Tagreed Al Hweiti
Aqaba Education Director Talal Mohamad Al Bdoor
Aqaba Health Director Dr. Ibrahim Al Ma'ya'
ASEZA Eng. Omar Al- Rousan
ASEZA Dr. Saleem Al Mughrabi
ASEZA Eng. Khawla Fakhouri
ASEZA Eng. Iman Al-Khouz
ASEZA Eng. Osama Hayajneh
ASEZA Shireen Abu Al Ez
ASEZA / Local Community Development Karima Al Thabet
ASEZA/Planning Engineer Eng. Samah Abdel Khaleq
Civil Defence Mohamad Ameen Al Nawaiseh
Civil Defence Engineer Faisal Al Shamayleh
Consolidated Consultants (CC) Ruba Al Khouri
Consolidated Consultants (CC) Omar Amawi
Education Support Progarmme Gabi Foead Hallaq
Fatimah Al Zahra' School Manal Ibrahim Mohamad Al Jaber
General Federation of Jordanian Najat Sameeh Al Hlawi

Women/Aqaba Branch
Headmistress/Fatima Al Zahra' School Subhiyeh Mohammad Saeed Al Kabariti
Headmistress/Princess Bassma School Najah Abdel Fattah Ismail
Headmistress/Secondary Eighth School Kholoud Mahmod Al Esali
Jordan Environment Society Ghazi Al Amareen
Jordan Environment Society/Aqaba Baker Mohamad Obeidat
Jordan Society for the Prevention of Roads Mohamd Saleem Abu Mousa
Accidents
Jordan TV Bassem Abu Hamad
Jordan TV/Local News Ali Hussien
Jordan TV/Local News Qassem Al Sayyed
Agency/Organization Name
Jordan TV/Local News Yousef Mashaqbeh
Ministry of Education Eng. Rula Nawaf Jaradat
Ministry of Education Eng. Maysoun Ahmad Al Hiyari
Ministry of Education Eng. Jasser Atyeh
Ministry of Education Monther Al Qaraen
Ministry of Education/Engineering Studies Eng. Iman Arabiyat

Manager
Ministry of Tourism & Antiqities Ruba Saleem Al Qsous
Parent/Princess Bassma School Alia Hussien Salman Al Qwiedat
Parent/Secondary Eighth School Sa'ed Zawaeideh
School Health Supervisor/Aqaba Health Dr. Hussein Abdel Kareem Al Dmeissi

Directorate
Secondary Ayla School Jehad Khader Abu Ajamyeh
Secondary Ayla School Ismaeel Kamel Al Sheikh Theeb
Secondary Ayla School for Boys Ziad Musbah Al Farran
Shrouq Project Habeeb Ghazaleh
Teacher/Secondary Eighth School for Girls Fatima Abdel Kareem Al Rawashdeh
That Al Sawari School Najwa Ahmad Mohamad Harzallah
USAID Dr. Amal Hijzzi
USAID Dav id Bruns
USAID Dr. Issam Omar
APPENDIX D: CORRESPONDENCE
Attached are ASEZA’s comments on the Environmental Assessment Report for 3
proposed new schools in Aqaba. These schools are the Eighth Secondary Boys’
School, the Tenth Secondary Girls’ School and Al-Karamah Secondary Girls School.
The issues mentioned in the letter and our response to each issue follow. For clarity,
the issues are stated in bold type.
1. All Projects within the Aqaba Special Economic Zone shall be subject to the
provision of the regulation for the protection of Environment in ASEZ,
Regulation no. 21 – 2001. Accordingly, it should be stated clearly that the
environmental clearance shall be issued by ASZA Authority.
Reg. 21 for the year 2001of ASEZA for the protection of Environment has been
attached in the revised EA - Clearance of ASEZA shall be obtained by MoE.
2. The CV of the technical expertise conducting the Environmental Impact

Assessment EIA study should be included in the modified report that's needs
to be submitted to ASEZA for approval.
Acknowledged and done.
3. Assess all aspects related to the laboratories including but not restricted to
chemical handling, storing and disposal, safety, firefighting, etc…
Acknowledged and incorporated in the revised EA.

Attached are the Ministry of Environment’s comments on the Environmental
Assessment Report for 3 proposed new schools in Aqaba. These schools are the
Eighth Secondary Boys’ School, the Tenth Secondary Girls’ School and Al-Karamah
Secondary Girls School.
The issues mentioned in the letter and our response to each issue follow. For clarity,
the issues are stated in bold type.
1. An Arabic summary of the report is to be provided
All our produced reports and deliverables shall be in English per our contract with
USAID.
2. The noise impact on students from surroundings and the noise impacts
generated by schools on the neighbors during the operation phase.
Noise is an important issue in the design of schools. The proposed designs address
noise within the learning environment in some key ways. First, the sound
transmission between classrooms will be largely abated because of the qualities of
the typical wall assembly. Walls will typical rise to the underside of the slab
above, and are of solid construction. The next typical source of objectionable
noise within the classroom is mechanical equipment. Again, the system selection
process took into consideration acoustical issues. The results should provide a
classroom environment with good speech intelligibility; we have adhered to the
Jordanian Noise Prevention Instructions 2007.
3. The recent version of Instructions for Noise Prevention has been issued in
2007.
Acknowledged.
4. The impact of chalk dust inside classrooms is to be noticed and mitigated.
This issue was discussed with the Ministry of Education in the planning phase.
The ministry has expressed a preference for chalk on chalkboards over markers on
marker boards due to the unbudgeted operational cost of the markers as a
consumable supply. In light of this fact, frequent cleaning of chalk dust will be
important to avoid its build-up in the classroom.
APPENDIX E: REGULATION FOR PROTECTION OF

THE ENVIRONMENT IN ASEZ (NO. 21 FOR 2001)

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United States Agency For The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

International Development Ministry of Education

Jordan Schools Construction

Environmental Assessment Report

USAID Contract No.: 278-C-00-06-00326-00

List of Figures ............................................................................................................v

Acronyms and Abbreviations ..................................................................................vi

Executive Summary .................................................................................................vii

2. Project Description ............................................................................................5

3. Environmental Laws & Regulations ...............................................................14

4. Environmental Setting .....................................................................................20

4.1.2 Geomorphology and Geology.............................................................22

6. Environmental Management Plan...................................................................48

Appendix A: List of Preparers ................................................................................56

Appendix B: Bibliography of References Used ....................................................57

Appendix C: List of Attendees to Scoping Session .............................................59

Appendix D: Correspondence ................................................................................61

Appendix E: Regulation for Protection of the Environment in ASEZ (No. 21 for

Prepared by Engicon iii

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ASEZA Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority

CMC Construction Management Consultant

EA Environmen tal Assessment

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EMP Environmental Management Plan

IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature

MOE Ministry of Education

MOEnv Ministry of Environment

MOH Ministry of Health

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WAJ Water Authority of Jordan

Construction Issues Socioeconomic Issues Public Health & Safety Issues

Prepared by Engicon vii

ES.2 Project Description

Al Karameh Secondary Girls School will be d esignated a s Secondar y Female, for

ES.3 Environmental Laws & Regulations

Prepared by Engicon viii

• Education L aw (No. 93 for 1994): It specifie s that the Ministry of Education is

− Jordanian Code No. 3: Loads and Forces (Section 4: Earthquake Actions)

− Jordanian Code No. 15: Fire Protection

− Jordanian Code No. 16: Natural Ventilation

− Jordanian Code No. 17: Natural Lighting

− Jordanian Code No. 18: Water Supply for Buildings

− Jordanian Code No. 19: Wastewater for Buildings

− Jordanian Code No. 20: Beautification of the City

− Jordanian Code No. 21: Solid Waste

− Jordanian Code No. 22: Public Safety during Construction

− Jordanian Code No. 23: Electrical Installation

− Jordanian Code No. 27: Fire Alarm Systems

ES.4 Environmental Setting

Vegetation in Aqaba is characterize d by having a tropical tree element, in addition to

Aqaba is distinguishe d with the variety of transportation means it h as access to. I n

ES.5 Environmental Impacts

Prepared by Engicon xii

Construction issues related to the project were identified as follows:

• Workers’ Sanitation: Importance of provision of sanitary facilities.

• Traffic: Congestion due to movement of vehicles in and out of the site.

• Employment Opportunities: Considered positive but expect ed to be minimal as