SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR BOULDERS WIND FARM WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE NOVEMBER 2018 Prepared for EOH COASTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES By Tony Barbour and Schalk van der Merwe Tony Barbour ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING AND RESEARCH 10 Firs Avenue, Claremont, 7708, South Africa (Tel) 27-21-797 1361 - (Fax) 27-21-797 1361- (Cell) 082 600 8266 (E-Mail) [email protected] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION AND LOCATION Tony Barbour was appointed by Savannah Environmental to undertake a specialist Social Impact Assessment (SIA) as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the establishment of a proposed Boulders Wind Farm (WF) and associated infrastructure in an area to the north of Vredenburg in the Western Cape Province between the town and the coast. In October 2018 Vredenburg Wind Farm (Pty) Ltd appointed EOH Coastal and Environmental Services to finalise the EIA process. This report contains the findings of the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Report undertaken as part of the EIA process. LAYOUT ALTERNATIVES Two layout alternatives have been assessed, namely Alternative 1 and Alterative 2. Alternative 1 Alternative 1 consists of forty five (45) wind turbines, of which thirteen (13) are located to the west of the Vredenburg-Stompneus Bay Road. Seven (7) of the thirteen (13) wind turbines located to the west of the road are located to the north of Kasteelberg. The remaining five (6) are located to the south of Kasteelberg. Alternative 2 Based on the findings of the Visual Impact Assessment (Logis, October 2018), Heritage Impact Assessment (Smuts, October 2018) and the SIA (Barbour and van der Merwe, October 2018), the total number of wind turbines located to the west of the Vredenburg-Stompneus Bay Road was reduced from thirteen (13) to eight (8). In addition, all seven (7) wind turbines located in the area to north of the Kasteelberg were relocated. The total number of wind turbines remains as forty five (45). APPROACH TO THE STUDY The approach to the SIA study is based on the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Guidelines for Social Impact Assessment (February 2007). These guidelines are based on international best practice. The key activities in the SIA process embodied in the guidelines include: Collection and review of baseline socio-economic data; A review of the issues identified during the Scoping Process; Review of relevant planning and policy frameworks for the area; Site specific information collected during site visits to the area and interviews with key stakeholders1; Review of information from similar projects; Identification of social issues associated with the proposed project. A review of selected specialist studies undertaken as part of the EIA, specifically the Visual Impact Assessment (VIA), Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and assessment of the impact of the proposed wind farm on property values and tourism; 1 This includes data collected during interviews undertaken in 2016 as part of the previous EIA process A review of relevant literature on social and economic impacts associated with wind farm; The experience of the authors with other wind energy projects in South Africa. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS The key social issues are associated with: Compatibility with relevant policy and planning context (“planning fit”); Social issues associated with the construction phase; Social issues associated with the operation phase; Social issues associated with “no development” alternative; Social issues associated with cumulative impacts. FIT WITH POLICY AND PLANNING The findings of the review indicated that renewable energy is strongly supported at a national, provincial and local level. The development of and investment in renewable energy is supported by the National Development Plan (NDP), New Growth Path Framework and National Infrastructure Plan, which all make reference to renewable energy. The development of renewable energy is also strongly supported by the National Integrated Energy Plan (2016) and Draft Integrated Resource Plan (August 2018). At a provincial level the development of renewable energy is supported by the Western Cape Provincial Strategic Plan, Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (SDF), West Coast District Municipality Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and SDF and the Saldanha Bay Municipality IDP and SDF. However, while these documents all support the development of renewable energy in principle, some also provide guidance on the location of renewable energy facilities2. Of specific relevance the West Coast District Municipality SDF notes that wind farms should be located where they will cause least visual impact taking into consideration the viability of the project and located where their visual and environmental impact will be the lowest. The Saldanha Bay SDF and IDP refer to the principles contained in the 2006 DEA&DP Regional Methodology document, specifically that large, commercial WEF developments should be excluded from areas with high aesthetic landscape value. In conclusion, based on the review of key planning documents that pertain to the study area it is clear that the development of renewable energy (including wind farms) in the West Coast District and Saldanha Bay Local Municipality is strongly supported. However, there is a need to ensure that the siting of renewable energy facilities (including wind farms) are appropriately located and do not impact on the areas scenic assets and tourism potential. These issues will need to be considered by the relevant authorities when considering the application. CONSTRUCTION PHASE Alternative 1 and 2 both consist of forty five (45) wind turbines. As such there will be no difference in the nature and significance of the construction related impacts between Alternative 1 and 2. The summary of findings presented below therefore applies to both Alternative 1 and 2. 2 A detailed review of key policy and planning documents is provided in Section 4.2. ii Boulders WF Social Impact Assessment Report November 2018 The key social issues associated with the construction phase include: Potential positive impacts Creation of employment and business opportunities, and the opportunity for skills development and on-site training; Employment 813 direct full-time equivalent person-years will be created during the construction of the proposed Boulder Wind Farm. Based on other WF projects approximately 55% will be taken up by low skilled workers, 30% by semi-skilled workers and 15% by skilled workers. The majority of the low skilled and a proportion of the semi-skilled employment opportunities are likely to accrue to Historically Disadvantaged (HD) members from the local WCDM and SBLM community. The levels of unemployment in the SBLM are high, specifically on the St Helena Bay area. The creation of potential employment opportunities, even temporary employment, will represent a significant, if localised, social benefit. In addition to the direct jobs created, the project will also create employment opportunities through backward linkages. It is estimated that an additional 1 049 full-time equivalent person-years will be created through the multiplier effects. Overall, the project is expected to create a total of 1 861 full-time equivalent person-years, which equates to about 931 jobs created and maintained for two years (Urban Econ, June 2018). The potential benefits for local communities is confirmed by the findings of the Overview of the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (IPPPP) undertaken by the Department of Energy, National Treasury and DBSA (30 June 2017). The study found that employment opportunities created during the construction phase of the projects implemented to date had created 40% more job years3 for South African citizens than anticipated. The study also found that significantly more people from local communities were employed during construction than was initially planned. The number of low skilled and semi-skilled positions taken up by members from the local community will depend on the effective implementation of these enhancement measures by the proponent in consultation with the WCDM and SBLM. In this regard the local Councillor (Mrs Scholtz) indicated that the local Paternoster and St Helena Bay communities did not benefit significantly from the employment opportunities associated with the construction of West Coast One WF. Mrs Scholtz indicated that these communities should be earmarked for preferential employment and skills training. Capital investment and business opportunities The Boulders Wind Farm will require an investment of ~ R1.5 billion, of which 33% or R494 million will be spent in South Africa (Urban Econ, June 2018). Construction will last for just about two years. During this period, the procurement of goods and services will create a direct, as well as a multiplier effect on the economic activities in the local economy of the SBLM, as well as the provincial economy of the Western Cape, and possibly the national economy. The expenditure of R 494 million on procurement of construction-related services, materials, equipment, machinery and other items is expected to generate an additional R573 million through multiplier effects. The project will therefore result in an increase in domestic production in the region of R1.06 billion over the two-year construction period (Urban Econ, June 2018). 3 The equivalent of a full time employment opportunity for one person for one year iii Boulders WF Social Impact Assessment Report