Ruigtevallei-Dreunberg 132Kv Powerline Amendment of Existing Environmental Authorisation: Dea 14/12/16/3/2/61
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ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED RUIGTEVALLEI-DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE AMENDMENT OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION: DEA 14/12/16/3/2/61 24 MAY 2019 PUBLIC RUIGTEVALLEI- DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE AMENDMENT OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION: DEA 14/12/16/3/2/61 ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED TYPE OF DOCUMENT (VERSION) PUBLIC PROJECT NO.: 41101408 DATE: MAY 2019 WSP BUILDING C, KNIGHTSBRIDGE 33 SLOANE STREET BRYANSTON, 2191 SOUTH AFRICA T: +27 11 361 1380 F: +086 606 7121 WSP.COM WSP Environmental (Pty) Ltd. QUALITY MANAGEMENT ISSUE/REVISION FIRST ISSUE REVISION 1 REVISION 2 REVISION 3 Remarks Draft Assessment Report – Public Review DEA Ref: 14/12/16/3/2/61 Date May 2019 Prepared by Tutayi Chifadza Signature Checked by Ashlea Strong Signature Authorised by Ashlea Strong Signature Project number 41101408 Report number 1 File reference file:///W:\000 NEW Projects\41101408 - Eskom Ruigtevallei 132kV\42 ES\2- REPORTS\02-Assessment Report\ WSP is an ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015 and OHSAS18001:2007 certified company SIGNATURES PREPARED BY Tutayi Chifadza Environmental Consultant REVIEWED BY Ashlea Strong Principal Consultant This Draft Assessment Report (Report) has been prepared by WSP Environmental Proprietary Limited (WSP) on behalf and at the request of Eskom Holdings (SOC) Limited (Client), to provide the Client and all interested and affected parties with an understanding of the impacts associated with the proposed amendments to their Environmental Authorisation. Unless otherwise agreed by us in writing, we do not accept responsibility or legal liability to any person other than the Client for the contents of, or any omissions from, this Report. To prepare this Report, we have reviewed only the documents and information provided to us by the Client or any third parties directed to provide information and documents to us by the Client. We have not reviewed any other documents in relation to this Report, except where otherwise indicated in the Report. P R ODUCTION TEAM CLIENT – ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED Manager: Environmental Management: Angelina Shalang Land Development and Environment WSP Project Manager Ashlea Strong Environmental Consultant Tutayi Chifadza SUBCONSULTANTS Wetland Specialist WSP Environmental (Pty) Ltd Biodiversity Specialist Indwe Environmental Consulting: Megan Hugo Avifaunal Specialist Wild Skies Environmental Consulting, Jon Smallie Heritage Specialist eThembeni Cultural Heritage Management, Len van Schalkwyk Palaeontology Specialist Natura Viva, Dr John Almond ACRONYMS AND ABB REVIATIONS AIA Archaeological Impact Assessment AR Assessment Report BA Basic Assessment BAR Basic Assessment Report CBA Critical Biodiversity Area DEA Department of Environmental Affairs DEDEAT Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism DPW Department of Public Works DRDLR Department of Rural Development and Land Reform DWS Department of Water and Sanitation EA Environmental Authorisation EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioner ECO Environmental Control Officer ECPHRA Eastern Cape Provincial Heritage Resources Authority ECPTA Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EIAR Environmental Impact Assessment Report EMPr Environmental Management Programme GNR Government Notice Regulations HIA Heritage Impact Assessment I&APs Interested and Affected Parties NEMA National Environmental Management Act NHRA National Heritage Resources Act PIA Palaeontological Impact Assessment SAHRA South African Heritage Resources Agency CONTENT OF THIS R EPORT As per the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations 2014, as amended, Regulation 32 of Government Notice Regulation (GNR) 326 identifies the legislated requirements, which must be contained within an Assessment Report for the competent authority to consider and come to a decision on the amendment application. The Table A below details where the required information is located within this draft Assessment Report (this report). Table A: Legal Requirements as detailed in Regulation 32 of GNR 326 RELEVANT Regulation 32 of REPORT GNR 326 DESCRIPTION SECTION 1 The applicant must within 90 days of receipt by the competent authority of the The final application made in terms of regulation 31, submit to the competent authority: Amendment Report will be submitted to DEA as per requirement (a) A report reflecting: (i) An assessment of all impacts related to the proposed change; Section 4 and Section 4.2.5 (ii) Advantages and disadvantages associated with the proposed change; and Section 3.3 (iii) Measures to ensure avoidance, management and mitigation of impacts Section 5 associated with such proposed change; and (iv) Any changes to the EMPr: Section 5 Which report: (i) Had been subjected to a public participation process, which had been Proof to be included agreed to by the competent authority, and which was appropriate to bring in the Final Report. the proposed change to the attention of potential and registered interested and affected parties, including organs of state, which have jurisdiction in respect of any aspect of the relevant activity, and the competent authority; and (ii) Reflects the incorporation of comments received, including any To be included in comments of the competent authority the Final Report. (b) A notification in writing that the report will be submitted within 140 days of receipt Not Applicable of application by the competent authority, as significant changes have been made or significant new information has been added to the report, which changes or information was contained in the report consulted on during the initial public participation process contemplated in subregulation 1(a) and that the revised report will be subjected to another public participation process of at least 30 days. 2 In the event where subregulation (1)(b) applies, the report, which reflects the Not Applicable incorporation of comments received, including any comments of the competent authority, must be submitted to the competent authority within 140 days of receipt of the application by the competent authority RUIGTEVALLEI-DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE WSP Project No. 41101408 May 2019 ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED Page v TABLE OF 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT ...................................................... 1 CONTENTS 1.2 BACKGROUND AND PROJECT OVERVIEW ............................. 1 1.3 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ...................................................... 1 1.4 LEGAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................. 1 1.5 TERMS OF REFERENCE ............................................................ 1 2 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT .............................. 2 2.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN ..................................... 2 2.2 STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION ............................................. 3 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................... 5 3.1 PROJECT HISTORY .................................................................... 5 3.2 PROJECT AND SURROUNDING AREA ..................................... 5 3.3 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES .................................... 1 4 IMPACT ASSESSMENT ............................................ 2 4.1 IMPACT ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................. 2 4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS .............................. 5 4.3 OVERALL SENSITIVITY ............................................................ 21 5 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME ........................................................... 2 5.1 BIODIVERSITY ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................... 2 5.2 AVIFAUNA ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................... 2 5.3 SURFACE WATER AND WETLAND ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES .................................. 3 5.4 HERITAGE ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................... 5 5.5 PALAEONTOLOGY ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................... 5 5.6 SOIL AND LAND ADDITIONAL OR AMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ........................................................... 6 RUIGTEVALLEI-DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE WSP Project No. 41101408 May 2019 ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED 5.7 CONCLUSION.............................................................................. 6 6 CONCLUSION ........................................................... 7 RUIGTEVALLEI-DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE WSP Project No. 41101408 May 2019 ESKOM HOLDINGS SOC LIMITED TABLES TABLE 1-1: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE RUIGTEVALLEI- DREUNBERG 132KV POWERLINE EA ........................................................... 1 TABLE 2-1: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN IN TERMS OF REGULATION 41 .......................................................... 2 TABLE 2-2: INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES TABLE ........................................................... 3 TABLE 3-1: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ........................................ 1 TABLE 4-1: SPECIALISTS APPOINTED TO DETERMINE AND ASSESS THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS .................................................. 5 TABLE 4-2: 2012 BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS SIGNIFICANCE RATING............................................... 6 TABLE 4-3: 2013 SECTION 24G BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS SIGNIFICANCE RATING............................................... 7 TABLE 4-4: 2012 AVIFAUNA IMPACTS SIGNIFICANCE