Savannah Environmental Pty Ltd PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM, WEST of ABERDEEN
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS DRAFT SCOPING REPORT PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM, WEST OF ABERDEEN EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE (DEA Ref: 12/12/20/2211) DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW FEBRUARY 2012 Prepared for: Eskom Holdings SOC Limited Megawatt Park, Maxwell Drive, Sandton, Johannesburg Prepared by: Savannah Environmental Pty Ltd Unit 606, 1410 Eglin office park 14 Eglin road, sunninghill, Gauteng po box 148, sunninghill, 2157 Tel: +27 (0)11 234 6621 Fax: +27 (0)86 684 0547 E-mail: [email protected] www.savannahsa.com PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 PROJECT DETAILS DEA Reference No. : 12/12/20/2211 Title : Environmental Impact Assessment Process Draft Scoping Report: Proposed Aberdeen 200MW Wind Farm west of Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape Province Authors : Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd Alicia Govender & Jo-Anne Thomas Sub-consultants : David Hoare Consulting Endangered Wildlife Trust Animalia Terrasoil Science MetroGIS Albany Museum M2 Environmental Connections cc Tony Barbour Environmental Consulting and Research Sustainable Futures ZA Project Developer : Eskom Holdings Limited Report Status : Draft Scoping Report for public review Review Period : 17 February 2012 to 18 March 2012 When used as a reference this report should be cited as: Savannah Environmental (2012) Draft Scoping Report: Proposed Aberdeen 200 MW Wind Farm west of Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape Province COPYRIGHT RESERVED This technical report has been produced for Eskom Holdings Limited. The intellectual property contained in this report remains vested in Savannah Environmental and Eskom Holdings SOC Limited. No part of the report may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd and Eskom Holdings SOC Limited. Project Details Page i PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 PURPOSE OF THE DRAFT SCOPING REPORT Eskom Holdings 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). Scoping is an important part of the EIA process, as it helps to ensure that the impact assessment is appropriately focussed. The main objectives of the Scoping process are: » To engage with stakeholders at an early stage of the development so that they may contribute their views with regards to the proposed project; » To identify potential issues and impacts associated with the proposed development; » To define the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); » To define the methodology that is required for the EIA; and » To describe the plan of study for the EIA. In terms of NEMA, the Scoping Report is submitted to the competent authority (i.e. the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)) as part of the decision-making process with regard to the proposed wind farm. The Scoping Report is also intended to provide sufficient background information to other Organs of State, non-statutory bodies, the general public, organisations and local communities in order to obtain their commentary and input on the proposed development. The Scoping Phase of the EIA process identifies and describes potential issues associated with the proposed project, and defines the extent of the studies required within the EIA Phase of the process. The EIA Phase will assess those identified potential environmental impacts and benefits associated with all phases of the project including design, construction, operation and decommissioning, and will recommend appropriate mitigation measures for potentially significant environmental impacts. The Scoping Report consists of eleven sections: » Chapter 1 provides background to the proposed wind farm project and the environmental impact assessment » Chapter 2 provides the strategic context for energy planning in South Africa » Chapter 3 describes wind energy as a power option and provides insight to technologies for wind turbines Purpose of the Draft Scoping Report Page ii PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 » Chapter 4 provides a description of the processes followed in the determination of acceptable sites for the development of the proposed Aberdeen 200MW Wind Farm Project » Chapter 5 outlines the process which was followed during the Scoping Phase of the EIA process, including the consultation program that was undertaken and input received from interested parties » Chapter 6 describes the existing biophysical and socio-economic environment » Chapter 7 describes the activities associated with the project (project scope) » Chapter 8 presents the evaluation of environmental impacts » Chapter 9 presents the conclusions of the scoping evaluation » Chapter 10 describes the Plan of Study for EIA » Chapter 11 provides a list of references and information sources used in undertaking this Scoping Study. The Draft Scoping Report provides the public with an opportunity to verify that all potential issues associated with the proposed project have been identified through this scoping study, and provides an opportunity for additional key issues for consideration to be raised. The Final Scoping Report will incorporate all comments received prior to submission to the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). Purpose of the Draft Scoping Report Page iii PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 INVITATION TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT SCOPING REPORT Members of the public, local communities and stakeholders are invited to comment on the Draft Scoping Report which has been made available for public review and comment at the following locations from 17 February to 18 March 2012. » www.savannahsa.com » www.eskom.co.za/eia » Aberdeen Library, Andries Pretorius Street, Aberdeen » Horse Shoe Library, Parsonage Street, Graaff Reinet Please submit your comments to Shawn Johnston of Sustainable Futures ZA PO Box 749, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701 Tel: 083 325 9965 Fax: 086 510 2537 E-mail: [email protected] The due date for comments on the Draft Scoping Report is 18 March 2012 Comments can be made as written submission via fax, post or e-mail. Invitation to Comment on Draft Scoping Report Page iv PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 SUMMARY » Main access road to site » Internal access roads between Background and Project Overview wind turbines » External roads to access the site may be required Eskom Holdings Limited (SOC) » Borrow pits within the site for (State Owned Company) is proposing the construction of access roads the establishment of a wind farm and » Office/Workshop area for associated infrastructure on an operations, maintenance and identified site which is located storage approximately 24 km west of the » Temporary water storage for town of Aberdeen in the Eastern construction and small storage Cape Province, within the Camdeboo for Operation Local Municipality. This proposed » Storage of fuel during project will be referred to as the construction Aberdeen 200 MW Wind Farm. » Small Information centre and This development is proposed to Operational & Maintenance comprise a cluster of up to 150 building wind turbines (typically described as a wind energy facility or a wind The identified site (as assessed in farm) to be constructed over an area this draft scoping report) for the of approximately 8 198 ha in extent. establishment of the proposed Aberdeen 200 MW Wind Farm is as Associated infrastructure proposed follows: includes: » Portion 3 of Sambokdoorns 92 » RE of Portion 4 of Sambokdoorns » A cluster of between 100 and 92 150 wind turbines to be » RE of Sambokdoorns 92 constructed over an area of ~ 8 » Portion 1 of Klipdrift 73 198 ha in extent » Portion 2 of Farm 94, and » Concrete foundations to » RE of Portion 2 of Farm 94. support the turbine towers » Cabling between the turbines to The nature and extent of this facility, be lain underground as well as potential environmental » An on-site substation to impacts associated with the facilitate the connection between construction of a facility of this the facility and the electricity grid nature is explored in more detail in » An overhead power line this Scoping Report. (400kV) feeding into Eskom’s electricity grid at the Droërivier The Scoping Study for the proposed Substation, approximately 140 1 Aberdeen 200 MW Wind Farm west of km from the site Aberdeen in the Eastern Cape Province has been undertaken in 1 Note that the power line is the subject of a separate EIA process. accordance with the EIA Regulations Summary Page v PROPOSED ABERDEEN 200MW WIND FARM & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Draft Scoping Report February 2012 published in Government Notice » Identification and registration 33306 of GN R543, R544, R545 and of I&APs and key stakeholders. R546 (18 June 2010), in terms of » Compilation and distribution of a Section 24(5) of the National Background Information Environmental Management Act Document