EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report Table of Contents Non-Technical Summary .......................................................................................................... i Introduction i The Joint Environmental Report ii Project Need iv Overall Project Description iv Alternatives vii Location and Routeing Alternatives viii JER Appraisal of the Proposed Interconnector x 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Proposed Interconnector 1 1.2 Guidance and Legislation on Transboundary Projects 2 1.3 This Report 5 2. Project Description and Purpose ............................................................................... 10 2.1 Project Need 10 2.2 Overall Project Description 10 3. Alternatives .................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 Introduction 15 3.2 Technological Alternatives 16 3.3 Location and Routeing Alternatives 17 4. Population – Socio-Economic .................................................................................... 20 4.1 Introduction 20 4.2 Methodology 20 4.3 The Receiving Environment 21 4.4 Mitigation Measures 22 4.5 Residual Impacts 23 4.6 Transboundary Effects 24 4.7 Conclusions 24 5. Population – Tourism .................................................................................................. 25 5.1 Introduction 25 5.2 Methodology 25 5.3 The Receiving Environment 26 EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report 5.4 Mitigation Measures 28 5.5 Residual Impacts 28 5.6 Transboundary Effects 29 5.7 Conclusions 29 6. Population – Land Use ................................................................................................ 30 6.1 Introduction 30 6.2 Methodology 30 6.3 The Receiving Environment 34 6.4 Mitigation Measures 36 6.5 Residual Impacts 37 6.6 Transboundary Effects 39 6.7 Conclusions 39 7. Material Assets............................................................................................................. 41 7.1 Introduction 41 7.2 Methodology 41 7.3 The Receiving Environment 42 7.4 Mitigation Measures 43 7.5 Residual Impacts 45 7.6 Transboundary Effects 46 7.7 Conclusions 47 8. EMF ............................................................................................................................... 48 8.1 Introduction 48 8.2 Methodology 55 8.3 The Receiving Environment 61 8.4 Mitigation Measures 62 8.5 Residual Impacts 63 8.6 Transboundary Effects 70 8.7 Conclusions 71 9. Traffic ............................................................................................................................ 73 9.1 Introduction 73 9.2 Methodology 73 9.3 The Receiving Environment 76 9.4 Mitigation Measures 81 9.5 Residual Impacts during Construction Phase 83 EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report 9.6 Residual Impacts during Operational Phase 89 9.7 Transboundary Effects 89 9.8 Conclusions 90 10. Noise ............................................................................................................................. 92 10.1 Introduction 92 10.2 Methodology 92 10.3 The Receiving Environment 94 10.4 Mitigation Measures 94 10.5 Residual Impacts 96 10.6 Transboundary Effects 97 10.7 Conclusions 98 11. Ecology (Flora and Fauna) .......................................................................................... 99 11.1 Introduction 99 11.2 Methodology 99 11.3 The Receiving Environment 105 11.4 Mitigation Measures 116 11.5 Residual Impacts 117 11.6 Transboundary Effects 121 11.7 Conclusions 121 12. Soils, Geology and Hydrogeology ........................................................................... 123 12.1 Introduction 123 12.2 Methodology 123 12.3 The Receiving Environment 126 12.4 Mitigation Measures 132 12.5 Residual Impacts 137 12.6 Transboundary Effects 139 12.7 Conclusions 139 13. Water ........................................................................................................................... 141 13.1 Introduction 141 13.2 Methodology 141 13.3 The Receiving Environment 143 13.4 Mitigation Measures 148 13.5 Residual Impacts 153 13.6 Transboundary Effects 154 EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report 13.7 Conclusions 154 14. Air and Climatic Factors ........................................................................................... 156 14.1 Introduction 156 14.2 Methodology 156 14.3 The Receiving Environment 157 14.4 Mitigation Measures 158 14.5 Residual Impacts 159 14.6 Transboundary Effects 160 14.7 Conclusions 161 15. Cultural Heritage ........................................................................................................ 162 15.1 Introduction 162 15.2 Methodology 162 15.3 The Receiving Environment 165 15.4 Mitigation Measures 171 15.5 Residual Impacts 172 15.6 Transboundary Effects 179 15.7 Conclusions 179 16. Landscape .................................................................................................................. 181 16.1 Introduction 181 16.2 Methodology 181 16.3 Baseline Conditions 193 16.4 Mitigation 206 16.5 Residual Landscape Impacts 210 16.6 Transboundary Effects 228 16.7 Conclusions 228 17. Cumulative Impacts & Interactions .......................................................................... 230 17.1 Introduction 230 17.2 Cumulative Impacts 230 17.3 Interactions of Impacts 236 17.4 Conclusions 237 18. Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 238 18.1 Population – Socio-economics 238 18.2 Population – Tourism 238 18.3 Population – Land Use 238 EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report 18.4 Material Assets 239 18.5 EMF 240 18.6 Traffic 242 18.7 Noise 243 18.8 Ecology (Flora and Fauna) 244 18.9 Soils, Geology and Hydrogeology 245 18.10 Water 246 18.11 Air and Climatic Factors 246 18.12 Cultural Heritage 247 18.13 Landscape 247 18.14 Cumulative Impacts and Interactions 248 Appendix A: Comparison of JER Structure to Consolidated ES and EIS ...................... 250 Appendix B: Confirmed Planning Applications Included in Cumulative Assessment . 252 Appendix C: Tyrone - Cavan Interconnector Consolidated ES (2013) ........................... 259 Appendix D: Tyrone - Cavan Interconnector Consolidated ES Addendum (2015) ....... 260 NB In response to the submitted Draft Application File (December 2014), which included a Draft JER, An Bord Pleanála (by letter dated 16th December 2014) has requested that the ―consolidated Environmental Statement lodged in conjunction with planning applications for that section of the proposed development in Northern Ireland be provided and accompany the JER as an Appendix‖. EirGrid and SONI have therefore included the Consolidated ES as Appendix C and Consolidated ES Addendum as Appendix D of this JER. The JER is being submitted to the planning authorities in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. In circumstances in which the Consolidated ES and Consolidated ES Addendum has already been submitted to Planning NI, the Consolidated ES and Addendum have not been appended to the version of the JER submitted to Planning NI as to do so would be unnecessary duplication of reports previously submitted and consulted upon in Northern Ireland. Figures Overall Scheme Location Plan Drawing Number 60032220/JER/0 Scheme Location Plan (Sheets 1 – 4) Drawing Number 60032220/JER/1-4 Turleenan Substation Layout Drawing Number 60032220/JER/5 Woodland Substation Layout Drawing Number 60032220/JER/6 EirGrid and SONI Joint Environmental Report Non-Technical Summary Introduction 1. EirGrid and System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) (the respective applicants) are jointly planning a major cross-border electricity development between the existing high- voltage transmission networks of Ireland1 and Northern Ireland. The proposed interconnector is a 138 km 400 kV overhead line between a planned substation2 in Turleenan, County Tyrone and the existing 400 kV substation in Woodland, County Meath. It is described in greater detail in paragraph 22 of the Joint Environmental Report (―JER‖) which this Non-Technical Summary (NTS) summarises. 2. The proposed interconnector will provide a second electricity interconnector between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and is planned to be constructed within the counties of Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan, Cavan and Meath. The existing interconnector is a 275 kV overhead line and connects the existing Tandragee and Louth substations. 3. As the proposed interconnector is being developed in Ireland and Northern Ireland, separate planning applications have been submitted in each jurisdiction for the EirGrid section of the proposed interconnector (the EirGrid Proposal) and SONI's section of the proposed interconnector (the SONI Proposal). The applications are accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Statement (ES)3 respectively, prepared in accordance with European Union (EU) and national requirements for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). 4. EirGrid and SONI and their consultants have closely coordinated their activities to ensure an integrated approach has been undertaken to the design of the proposed interconnector and to the appraisal of its environmental impacts (EIA), including transboundary4 and cumulative effects5. 5. This is the NTS of the JER for the proposed interconnector. 1 Often referred to as ‗Republic of Ireland‘. 2 Substations act as connection points for overhead lines to allow them to connect to the electricity

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