EIA report for the ESAT dredging project

There is an increasing need for sand and gravel for building materials in Tarawa and on other atolls. However, supplies from overseas are expensive. Furthermore, the mining of local beaches contributes to coastal erosion and lacks sufficient quantities for the current and future requirements. An answer to these problems is to source supplies from the lagoon. A purpose-built vessel capable of dredging lagoon aggregates in Tarawa and further afield was available through a European Union grant. This EIA assesses the impacts such would do to the environment.