Background

In March 2010, land extending north from Port-au-Prince was declared public utility. Since then, the site has rapidly become a new settlement with over 160,000 people relocating to the area. This process of urbanization has taken place outside of any formalized urban development planning, scaled technical assistance or joint decision making with authorities. The evolution of this site has been mostly organic, led by the community, and financed through speculative land transactions, remittances, savings and redirected subsidies. The new settlement, which spreads over 1,100 hectare, is known collectively as “Canaan”, “Jerusalem” and “ONAville”.

The Haitian Government, institutional donors and non-governmental organizations working in Haiti have recognized that there is a window of opportunity for the emerging city of Canaan, including Jerusalem, Canaan, ONAville that should not be missed to ensure these private sector investments support resilient developmental gains.

Habitat for Humanity Haiti and its partners Mercy Corps and Internews is now implementing the VIL-KA-BEL project which objective is to help the families of Canaan upgrade their current homes, build safer new homes, have access to better economic opportunities and to implement community infrastructures.

The US Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended in Section 117, requires that the impact of USAID’s activities on the environment be taken into account and that USAID include environmental sustainability as a central consideration in designing and carrying out its development programs. This mandate is codified in the Federal Regulations (22 CFR 216) and in USAID’s Automated Directives System Parts 201.5.10g and 204 (http://usaid.gov/policy/ADS/200/), which in part require that the potential environment impact of USAID-financed activities are identified prior to a final decision to proceed and that appropriate environmental safeguards are adopted for all activities.

Habitat for Humanity Haiti recognizes that addressing environment impact and sustainability issues is an absolute requirement in the planning and implementation of VIL-KA-BEL project and activities. Therefore, Habitat for Humanity seeks an Environmental Compliance Specialist (ECS) to design an Environmental Mitigation & Monitoring Plan (EMMP) in accordance with USAID regulations, to ensure that all planned activities conform to the scope of environmental issues approved by the United States Government.

Objective of the EMMP

In close collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Associate Director of Programs the ECS will be responsible for the preparation of the EMMP. The EMMP objective is to assess the potential environmental impact of the VIL-KA-BEL projects and to develop environmental safety strategy that will allow and ensure safe implementation of the projects without impacting negatively on the environment, in conformity to the USA Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, Section 117.

Scope of the EMMP

The preparer of the EMMP will undertake the following principal tasks:

1. Assist Habitat for Humanity Haiti in identifying potential environmental impact of the VIL-KA-BEL project activities prior to taking final decisions to implement in the field;
2. Provide Habitat for Humanity Haiti and implementing partners with the necessary guidelines to ensure that all field activities to be carried out conform to the US Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, Section 117;
3. Provide guidelines to Habitat for Humanity Haiti and project implementing partners on the procedures to follow in project implementation, monitoring & evaluation and mitigation with special reference to the Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and the Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (EMMP);
4. Use inputs from the assessment to develop an appropriate environmental safeguard strategies for adoption in all activities, which require environmental protection interventions.

Specific Tasks for the EMPR:

1. Carry out an environmental assessment study targeting proposed activities of
Habitat for Humanity and its partners to be implemented under the VIL-KA-BEL project;
2. Develop a detailed environmental safety action Plan in conformity with the USAID requirements.

Deliverables
o Detailed methodology and work plan submission (electronically) to the Habitat for Humanity Associate Director of Programs for approval;
o EMMP preliminary draft submission (electronically) to the Habitat for Humanity Associate Director of Programs for review;
o EMMP final draft revision and submission (electronically) to the Habitat for Humanity Associate Director of Programs by taking into account Habitat for Humanity comments.

Reporting

The ECS will report to the the Habitat for Humanity Associate Director of Programs.

Qualifications

o Previous experience in preparing an EMPR that covers the legal, technical, and social aspects of program design and impact;
o Knowledge of USAID Environmental Procedures;
o Previous experience in urban settlement context preferred; work in Haiti a must;
o Developed assessment skills (e.g. data collection, context analysis);
o Ability to work quickly and under a tight deadline;
o Ability to work independently;
o Knowledge of Haitian environmental law is an advantage;
o Strong communication skills;
o Fluency in English and French, Creole is an advantage

mprevilon@habitat.org / GLaroche@habitat.org

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