Aberdeen FEIR
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS REVISED FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE (DEA Ref: 12/12/20/2211) MARCH 2016 Prepared for: Eskom Holdings SOC Limited Megawatt Park, Maxwell Drive, Sandton, Johannesburg Prepared by: Unit 10, Building 2, 5 Woodlands Drive Office Park Cnr Woodlands Drive & Western Service Road, Woodmead, Gauteng P.O. Box 148, Sunninghill, 2157 Telephone: +27 (0)11 656 3237 Facsimile: +27 (0)86 684 0547 Email : [email protected] PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Revised Final EIA Report March 2016 PROJECT DETAILS DEA Reference No. : 12/12/20/2211 Title : Environmental Impact Assessment Process Revised Final Environmental Assessment Report: Proposed Aberdeen 200MW Wind Energy Facility Near Aberdeen, Eastern Cape Province Authors : Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd Sheila Muniongo and Jo-Anne Thomas Sub-consultants : Simon Todd of Simon Todd Consulting Lourens Leeuwner of EWT Kate MacEwan of Inkululeko Wildlife Services Lourens du Plessis of MetroGIS Celeste Booth of the Department of Archaeology, Albany Museum Tony Barbour of Environmental Consulting and Research Iain Paton & Theodore Robertson of Outeniqua Geotechnical Services cc Morne de Jager of M2 Environmental Connections CC John Almond of Natura Viva cc Project Developer : Eskom Holdings SOC (State Owned Company) Limited Report Status : Revised Final Environmental Impact Assessment Report for DEA Review When used as a reference this report should be cited as: Savannah Environmental (2016) Revised Final Environmental Management Impact Assessment: Proposed Aberdeen 200MW Wind Energy Facility near Aberdeen, Eastern Cape Province. COPYRIGHT RESERVED This technical report has been produced by Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd for Eskom Holdings SOC (State Owned Company) Limited. No part of the report may be copied, reproduced or used in any manner without written permission from Eskom Holdings SOC (State Owned Company) Limited or Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd. Project Details Page i PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Revised Final EIA Report March 2016 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT Eskom Holdings SOC Limited is currently undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process to determine the environmental feasibility of a proposed wind farm on a site west of Aberdeen, in the Eastern Cape Province. Eskom Holdings SOC Limited has appointed Savannah Environmental, as independent environmental consultants, to undertake the EIA. The EIA process is being undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA; Act No. 107 of 1998). The Scoping Phase of the EIA process identified potential issues associated with the proposed project, and defined the extent of the studies required within the EIA Phase. The EIA Phase addresses those identified potential environmental impacts and benefits associated with all phases of the project including design, construction and operation, and recommends appropriate mitigation measures for potentially significant environmental impacts. The EIA report aims to provide the environmental authorities with sufficient information to make an informed decision regarding the proposed project. The release of a draft EIA Report provides stakeholders with an opportunity to verify that the issues they have raised to date have been captured and adequately considered within the study. The Revised Final EIA Report will incorporate all issues and responses prior to submission to the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), the decision-making authority for the project. Purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report Page ii PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Revised Final EIA Report March 2016 PUBLIC REVIEW OF THE REVISED FINAL EIA REPORT An EIA Report was released for public review in February 2015. This EIA Report considered 100 wind turbines. Through the EIA process, the number of turbines proposed was reduced to 82 turbines based on the various specialist studies recommendations to avoid higher sensitive areas within the project site. Eskom has reconsidered the layout in order to maximise the capacity of the project and ensure financial and technical feasibility. This revised layout includes a further 18 wind turbines on lower sensitivity areas. Specialist inputs on this revised layout have been included within this revised FEIR (refer to Chapter 10) and as an addendum to the specialist reports (Appendix D – L). Following the review of the draft EIAr, a final EIA report was submitted to DEA in August 2015. The DEA has however requested additional information. This mainly relates to the layout plan in relation to environmental sensitivity on site. An addendum report to this amended FEIAr has been drafted by the EAP in order to address the DEA comments (refer to Appendix O). Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) were notified in terms of Regulation 56(2) and 56(3)(g) of the EIA Regulations of June 2010, of the availability of the Amended EIA Report. This Amended Final EIA Report was released for a 30-day review period from 1 February – 2 March 2016. Registered I&APs were informed via letter that this amended Final EIA Report was available for comment, and that copies of the report could be requested from Savannah Environmental or downloaded from the website: www.savannahSA.com. The amended Final EIA report was placed at the following locations: » Aberdeen Library- Andries Pretorius Street, Aberdeen » Horse Shoe Library- Parsonage Street, Graaff Reinet, 6280 Invitation to comment on the Revised Final EIA Report Page iii PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Revised Final EIA Report March 2016 EIA INFORMATION LIST – DEA & LEGAL REQUIREMENTS As outlined in the Acceptance of the scoping report dated November 2012, Savannah Environmental has compiled a table (refer to Table 1 below) which outline the requirements and where in the final EIR the requirements have been addressed for ease of reference. TABLE 1: INFORMATION REQUESTED BY DEA No. Information Provided / Reference 1.1 Please ensure that comments from all relevant stakeholders All comments received during are submitted to the Department with the Final the comment period will be Environmental. Impact Report (EIR), This includes but is not included in the Final EIA report limited to the: Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, South African Heritage Resources Agency, and the local municipality, 1.2 Proof of correspondence with the various stakeholders must Proof of correspondence with be included in the, Final EIR Should you be unable to obtain stakeholder will be included in comments, proof should be submitted to the Department of the Final EIA report the attempts that were made to obtain comments 1.3 In addition. the following amendment and additional a) An amended application information are required for the EIR: as per section 5.1 will has a) The activities as applied for in the application form is been submitted to the not specific to the development activities as in the Department project description please amend the application form b) Refer to Appendix N (A3 such that activities applied for directly translate to the Maps) project activities. c) Further consultation will b) The total footprint 'of the proposed development should be undertake with DWA to be indicated, Exact locations of the wind turbines and determine the need for a associated infrastructure should be mapped at an WULA appropriate scale d) Both bird and bat pre- c) Should a Wafer Use License be required, proof of construction monitoring application for a license needs to be submitted, programme has been d) The impacts of the proposed facility on avifauna and undertaken for the project bats must be assessed in the EIA phase, – refer to Appendix E & F e) The EIR should include information on the following: e) Refer to section 10.4 & Environmental Costs vs, benefits of the wind farm; 2.4 Economic: viability of the facility to the surrounding f) Refer to section 2.1 area and how the local community will benefit g) An amended application f) Information of services required on site i.e. sewage, as per section 5.1 will be refuse removal water and electricity, who will supply submitted to the these services and has an agreement and confirmation Department with all of capacity been obtained? relevant Listed Activity g) An amended application form must be submitted with the EIR to reflect the listed activities applied for, specific attention should be paid to item 23 of GN R544, which has been excluded in the FSR, 1.4 Please ensure that the Final EIA Report includes at least one Refer to Appendix M legible A3 regional map of the area and the site layout map to illustrate the PV positions and associated infrastructure. EIA information list – DEA & legal requirements Page iv PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Revised Final EIA Report March 2016 No. Information Provided / Reference The maps must be of acceptable quality and as a minimum, have the following attributes: » Maps are relatable to one another; » Cardinal points; » Co-ordinates; » Legible legends; » Indicate alternatives; » Latest land Cover; » Vegetation