U.S. gets nod to build road in Aceh

JAKARTA: Acting governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Azwar Abu Bakar has approved the U.S. government environmental feasibility study for the Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road reconstruction project.

The study is the first environmental impact report approved by the Indonesian government for tsunami reconstruction, the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta said in a media statement on Friday. The project is being undertaken by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

"A key part of our strategy is to ensure that rebuilding the road minimizes the adverse environmental impacts, while at the same time meets our goal to build Aceh back better," said USAID deputy director Robert Cunnane, during the signing of the report approval in Desa Deah Glumpang in Banda Aceh, in celebration of Flora and Fauna Day.

The report identifies the environmental and social impacts of the project and outlines plans to mitigate potential adverse impacts, such as changes to the landscape and ecosystem, erosion and dust created by construction.

The 240-kilometer Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road will pass through one city and three regencies: Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya and Aceh Barat. The road, which is part of a broader development partnership between the U.S. and Indonesia, aims at restoring communication, mobility, livelihood and economic growth for the communities along the Aceh west coast, the hardest hit by the Dec. 24 tsunami. -- JP