Environmental and Social Data Sheet
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Environmental and Social Data Sheet Overview Project Name: WINDKRAFT SIMONSFELD WIND POWER Project Number: 2013-0333 Country: Austria Project Description: Construction and operation of 3 onshore wind farms for a total capacity of 51 MW located in the Austrian Federal State of Lower Austria. EIA required: yes An EIA is pursued for 2 out of the 3 wind farms. 1 Project included in Carbon Footprint Exercise : yes details for projects included are provided in section: “EIB Carbon Footprint Exercise” Summary of Environmental and Social Assessment, including key issues and overall conclusion and recommendation The wind farms are all located in lower Austria on land that is in intense agricultural use, characterised by relatively low levels of biodiversity on the ground. The federal state of Lower Austria has developed a land use plan for the usage of wind power based on the strategic environmental assessment including extensive consultation process with experts of spatial planning, landscape and nature conservation, ornithology and tourism. As a result, all new wind farms are only possible in specifically allocated, disclosed, and accepted zones.. Due to their technical characteristics, wind farms fall under Annex II of the EIA Directive. 2011/92/EU. Therefore, they can be subject to a full EIA on a case by case decision by the competent authority (the government at federal state level). Rannersdorf II (RA II) and Kreuzstetten IV (KR IV) were subject to a full EIA, whereas Simonsfeld II (SI II), due to its smaller size, went through simplified EIA procedure. As part of the environmental authorisation procedures, the projects have been subject to an extensive environmental evaluation process (also including their grid connection), with public consultation and appropriate assessment (AA), in line with the relevant EU directives. Following rounds of public consultation and expert panel advice, the environmental permits for all three schemes were approved in September 2013 (RA II and SI II), March 2014 (KR IV) respectively. The permit for KR IV is however still not in full legal force. Disbursement for this project will be dependent on the receiving satisfactory evidence in this respect. The EIA report includes the assessment of impacts on flora and fauna – notably avifauna, noise, humans, as well as cumulative impacts. With adequate precautionary and mitigation measures the negative projects impacts are considered to be minor and acceptable. Based on comprehensive biodiversity studies, the AA confirm that none of the schemes will have a significant negative impact on any protected bird or bat species or on an area forming part of the EU Natura 2000 network. The authorisation process for new Natura 2000 sites in Austria is currently under way and nearly completed. According to the available information the project schemes are not within any of the proposed new Natura 2000 sites. 1 Only projects that meet the scope of the Pilot Exercise, as defined in the EIB draft Carbon Footprint Methodologies, are included, provided estimated emissions exceed the methodology thresholds: above 100,000 tons CO2e/year absolute (gross) or 20,000 tons CO2e/year relative (net) – both increases and savings. Environmental and Social Assessment Environmental Assessment The three wind farms’ project specifics are described below. The appropriate assessment to relevant Natura 2000 sites has been conducted within the scope of the EIA. An independent qualified bird expert was closely involved in the project-specific ornithological impact assessments. The expert provided an understanding of the bird issues in the project region and confirmed the projects' soundness from an ornithological point of view. All three wind farms are located within zones dedicated to wind development of the Lower Austria wind development plan. They have completed their re-zoning process for spatial development prior to the environmental authorisation. This process is based on a preliminary environmental assessment and includes consultation with neighbouring municipalities and the wider public. Number of Unitary capacity Hub height Projected capacity Scheme turbines (MW) (MW) RA II 6 3.17 143 m 19.02 SI II 3 3.17 143 m 9.5 KR II 7 3.17 143 m and 123 m 22.2 for one turbine Total 16 50.72 Wind farm Rannersdorf II (RA II): The wind farm is located in the municipalities of Großkrut, Hauskrichen and Wilfersdorf, Lower Austria. The wind turbines are located outside protected nature areas, with the closest site some 4.5 km away. The project received its environmental permit in September 2013. The environmental authorisation process was based a detailed environmental impact study including an Appropriate Assessment. The EIS assessed potential impacts on human beings (in particular noise and flicker), species and habitats with a focus on birds and bats, soil and agriculture, water, forests, hunting, landscape, air and climate, and cultural habitat. The scope of the project was changed during the approval process on the basis of its potential impact on birds and in particular the great grey shrikes. One turbine was removed from the project design. In addition, the permit was issued with a comprehensive list of mitigation measures, including limitations on construction activity during the breeding season, the use of an ornithological supervisor during construction and permanent monitoring of birds and bats during the life of the project. Targeted compensation areas are also to be established covering 18 hectares. Wind farm Simonsfeld II (SI II): The wind farm is located close to the RA II wind farm in the municipality of Ernstbrunn. The wind turbines are located outside protected nature areas, with the closest site some 4.5 km away. The environmental permit was granted in September 2013. Although the EIA procedure has been simplified in terms of shorter public consultation by electronic media only, it was based on a detailed environmental impact study including an Appropriate Assessment. The EIS assessed potential impacts on human beings (in particular noise and flicker), species and habitats with a focus on birds and bats, soil and agriculture, water, forests, hunting, landscape, air and climate, and cultural habitat.. The scope of the project was changed during the approval process, so the project was reduced by 1 turbine. Similarly to the RA II project, targeted compensation areas have to be established covering 2 hectares. Wind farm Kreuzstetten IV (KR IV): The wind farm KR IV is located in the municipalities of Großrußbach, Kreuzstetten and Ladendorf, Lower Austria. The wind turbines are located outside protected nature areas, with the closest site some 3 km away. The environmental permit was granted in March 2014 but the legal environmental approval procedure for the project KR IV has not been completed yet due to complaints filed by 2 individuals during the statutory notice period. These complaints have been forwarded from the government of Lower Austria to the Federal Administrative Court for adjudication. The objections were regarding visual impacts, human health, loss of value of the land, potential impacts on the biodiversity and interference with TV and radio transmission systems. These appeals were initially evaluated by the competent authority and their experts but did not lead to the identification of any gaps in the EIS nor in any change to the project scope or layout. Similarly to the RA II and SI II projects, targeted compensation areas have to be established covering 7 hectares in total. EIB Carbon Footprint Exercise The direct CO2 equivalent emissions of the 3 wind farms under this investment programme are negligible. In accordance with the Bank’s Carbon Footprint methodology it is calculated that the total relative effect of the four wind farms is a net reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions by 71 kt CO2e/yr. This calculation assumes that 75% of generated electricity substitute power generation in existing fossil fuel based power plants whilst 25% substitute power generation in new gas-fired combined cycle power plants. For the annual accounting purposes of the EIB Carbon Footprint, the project emissions will be prorated according to the EIB lending amount signed in that year, as a proportion of project cost. Public Consultation and Stakeholder Engagement, where required In Austria, an EIA based authorisation process for wind farms comprises the following public consultations: A first public consultation takes place for each scheme during re-zoning. This process is managed by the municipality where the project is predominantly located and based on a consultation of directly affected and neighbouring municipalities, the public, and the competent authority on federal state level. An additional public consultation is part of the EIA based environmental approval process. Project descriptions and EIS incl. AA are published for six weeks. During this period every eligible party can launch an appeal. Appeals are publicly discussed with experts during a subsequent hearing. Results of this process feed into the reasoned opinion of the competent authority. PJ/ECSO 28.05.14 J/ECSO 28.05.14 .