Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link (coast-coast) TRANSBOUNDARY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT Summary Report

CONTENTS

1 Introduction to the fehmarnbelt fixed link 5

2 Background for Espoo process 6

3 Planning of alignment – immersed tunnel 8

4 Immersed tunnel – technical description 10

5 Alternative technical solutions and alternative alignments 16

6 Transboundary impact assessment 17

7 Control and monitoring programme 59

3 Gothenburg SKAGERRAK

Frederikshavn

Aalborg

DENMARK

KATTEGAT SWEDEN Aarhus Elsinore Helsingborg Kristianstad

JUTLAND SCANIA Copenhagen

Malmö G r ZEALAND Ystad e Esbjerg a t Ø Trelleborg B

Ringsted r e FUNEN e l t s u n Odense d

BALTIC SEA

LOLLAND – FALSTER Sakskøbing Flensborg Rødby Sassnitz Fehmarn belt Gedser FEHMARN Puttgarden

Heiligenhafen SCHLESWIG- HOLSTEIN Kiel

Rostock Travemünde S winoujscie Bad Schwartau

Lübeck

MECKLENBURG- WESTERN POMERANIA Bremerha ven HAMBURG

GERMANY Oldenburg BREMEN LOWER SAXONY

BRANDENBURG

Railway Motorway SAXONY- ANHALT 0 25 50 75 100 km BERLIN 4 Wolfsburg Hannover Gothenburg SKAGERRAK 1  Frederikshavn INTRODUCTION TO THE FEHMARNBELT FIXED LINK Aalborg

DENMARK This report, hereafter the Espoo A fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt Femern A/S has investigated Report, constitutes the trans­ would lead to an appreciable four technical solutions. KATTEGAT SWEDEN boundary environmental impact improvement in the transport Aarhus assessment for the Fehmarnbelt of goods and people between The Fixed Link is planned as an Elsinore Helsingborg Fixed Link to be used for the con­ the two countries, and also between approximately 18 kilometre long Kristianstad sultation of the Baltic Sea countries continental Europe and Scandinavia, immersed tunnel; because the and Norway in accordance with as well as to a promotion of rail investigations and planning indicate the Espoo Convention on Environ- traffic and a strengthening of that an immersed tunnel is the best JUTLAND SCANIA Copenhagen mental Impact Assessment in a integration, vitality, competition, solution in terms of e.g. technical Transboundary Context, hereafter and development in the regions. construction risks, construction Malmö ”the Espoo Convention” or investments, and environmental G r ZEALAND Ystad e Esbjerg a ”the Convention”. The fixed link across Fehmarnbelt factors. t Ø Trelleborg B

Ringsted r e will extend to stretch across the FUNEN e l t s u n The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is a 18 kilometre wide Fehmarnbelt The four technical solutions investi- Odense d joint Danish and German transport between the Danish island of gated are: An immersed tunnel, a infrastructure project across the Lolland and the German island bored tunnel, a cable-stayed bridge, Fehmarnbelt. The project has been of Fehmarn in the western part and a suspension bridge. For each planned in accordance with the of the Baltic Sea. technical solution, possible align- BALTIC SEA 2008 Treaty between the Kingdom ments have been investigated, LOLLAND – FALSTER of Denmark and the Federal Repub- The Fehmarnbelt Region is and a comparison of the technical Sakskøbing lic of Germany for a fixed link across demarcated as the northern part alternatives has been performed. Flensborg the Fehmarnbelt. of Germany, the eastern part of Rødby Denmark and the southern part A summary of the investigations Sassnitz Fehmarn belt Gedser The Kingdom of Denmark is respon- of Sweden. The region has a as well as background for the final FEHMARN Puttgarden sible for the planning, construction, population of almost 9 million, selection of the technical solution and operation of the Fehmarnbelt approximately 1.2 million in is presented in this report. As the Heiligenhafen SCHLESWIG- Fixed Link. In order to carry out this the Swedish part, 2.5 million in immersed tunnel is the project HOLSTEIN Kiel task, the government of Denmark the Danish part and 5.2 million being applied for and hereby has established the company in the German part. the preferred solution, focus in this Rostock Femern A/S, which is 100 % owned report is on the immersed tunnel. Travemünde S winoujscie by the Danish State, represented The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link covers Bad Schwartau by the Danish Ministry of Transport. areas on Lolland (Denmark), Lübeck Fehmarn (Germany) and a marine The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link has area (Denmark and Germany). The MECKLENBURG- WESTERN POMERANIA been planned as a consequence of project crosses the national border Bremerha ven HAMBURG Denmark and Germany recognising between Denmark and Germany. that the transport infrastructure between the two states must be Construction work will take place improved in order to promote the within the national jurisdictions GERMANY European and regional transport of both countries. Oldenburg of goods and people. BREMEN LOWER SAXONY

BRANDENBURG

SAXONY- ANHALT BERLIN 5 Wolfsburg Hannover 2 BACKGROUND FOR ESPOO PROCESS

The Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link is notifications, and for the exchange The Espoo documentation is subject to a transboundary environ- of relevant information to/from focused on providing sufficient mental impact assessment accord- the potentially affected countries. background information, including ing to the Espoo Convention and baseline data, in order to facilitate the EU Directive 85/337/EEC, as For a transnational project such as the identification of transboundary the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link can the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, both impacts, but does not replicate all of potentially cause transboundary Denmark and Germany are parties the detailed material that is required environmental impacts. of origin. of the national EIAs. The Espoo Report methodology corresponds to The Espoo Convention’s primary aim In Denmark, the Danish Ministry the Danish EIA report methodology, is to prevent, mitigate and monitor of Environment is responsible for and therefore it describes the environmental damage by ensuring the above-mentioned exchange impacts expected from the project that explicit consideration is given to of relevant information to and from as well as mitigation measures. transboundary environmental factors the potentially affected countries in before a final national decision is connection with the Danish Espoo According to the Espoo Convention as to whether to approve a project. procedure. all potentially affected parties are notified and invited to participate In addition, the objective of the According to Article 3 of the Espoo in the EIA procedure. Responses Espoo Convention is to identify and Convention, Germany and Denmark to this notification have been communicate potential transbound- must notify affected parties. In rela- evaluated and taken into account ary impacts to stakeholders via the tion to the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, by Femern A/S, the State Company an impact assessment. the possible affected parties, apart for Road Construction and Transport from Denmark and Germany, could of Schleswig-Holstein, and the According to Article 3 of the Espoo be countries around the Baltic Sea: Danish Ministry of the Environment, Convention, the Parties of Origin Sweden, Poland, Finland, Estonia, and are addressed in the Espoo are responsible for the content Latvia, Lithuania, the Russian Report. and acknowledgement of receipt of Federation, and Norway.

Femern A/S is part of Sund and Bælt The Danish State Holding A/S, which is 100 percent The Ministry of Transport owned by the Danish Transport Ministry. Sund & Bælt Holding A/S is also responsible for the fixed link Sund & Bælt across the Great Belt. Holding A/S

Femern A/S Storebælt A/S Øresund Landanlæg A/S

Femern A/S

6 7 3 PLANNING OF ALIGNMENT – IMMERSED TUNNEL

To find the most expedient location The identification of the alignment Based on these results, Femern A/S of the coast-to-coast project, the for the tunnel solution is based has concluded that the eastern alignment has been decided on the on two limitations: corridor is the project corridor basis of an environmental sensitivity that has the lowest environmental analysis and an alignment analysis. 1. The ferry operation between conflict potentials. Furthermore, The analyses were conducted in Rødbyhavn and Puttgarden Femern A/S has presented its an early phase of the project, based must be operable during the proposal for the alignment of the on existing knowledge, and con­ construction and operation phase immersed tunnel which is located centrated on the most significant within the eastern corridor. After differences between the alignment 2. The submarine cable, located publication of proposals for the alternatives. below the seabed between alignment in 2010, this has formed Lolland and Fehmarn, must the basis of a continued planning In both the marine area and on not be impacted process and dialogue with authori- Lolland and Fehmarn, the environ- ties and landowners. mental sensitivity analysis suggested Due to these limitations, alignments that the eastern project corridor has which fully or partly make use of a lower environmental impact than the harbour facilities, impact the a western corridor, since it passes submarine cable or intersect with through fewer areas with a high the ferry route have been rejected. conflict potential. Based on an environmental assess- On the basis of the environmental ment, the alignment alternatives sensitivity analysis, four approaches west of Rødbyhavn harbour and on both Lolland and Fehmarn were Puttgarden harbour for both the identified within the eastern and tunnel and bridge are considered western corridors, giving a total less expedient and have been of 16 different combinations of rejected, thereby reducing the alignment for both a tunnel solution number of alignment alternatives and a bridge solution. to two for both the tunnel and bridge solutions. The two preferred An alignment analysis was prepared alternatives have an approach on for each of the technical solutions Lolland either 1 or 1.5 km east to accommodate different interests of Rødbyhavn on Lolland and the and to allow for material goods same approach east of Puttgarden in the seabed, such as submarine on Fehmarn. Comparison of the cables. two alignments showed only minor differences, with a small advantage to the approach 1 km east of Rødbyhavn.

8 FIGURE 1 Alignment alternatives – immersed tunnel

E47

L O L L A N D Rødby

Rødbyhavn L-W L-H L-ME L-E

F-W F-NW F-H Puttgarden F-E F E H M A R N

Marienleuchte

E47 Burg

9 4 IMMERSED TUNNEL – TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Based on investigations of different compared, and an immersed tunnel technical solutions, Femern A/S between land approaches east of has chosen an immersed tunnel Rødbyhavn and east of Puttgarden as the preferred technical solution was chosen as the most expedient for a fixed link between Lolland in solution for a fixed link (Figure 2). Denmark and Fehmarn in Germany. From coast to coast, the project From an early point in the project, comprises an approximately 18 km analyses were carried out to define long immersed tunnel with a four a project corridor and possible lane motorway and dual track alignments with the least possible railway, as well as permanent and impact on the environment. Based temporary structures in connection on existing knowledge, the different with the construction and operation alternatives and alignments were of an immersed tunnel.

THE MAIN ELEMENTS IN THE IMMERSED TUNNEL SOLUTION AS THE FIXED LINK BETWEEN FEHMARN AND LOLLAND ARE:

• A dual track railway and a four lane motorway • Facilities for operation and maintenance, link with emergency lanes in both directions including facilities for cust oms and emergency in an immersed tunnel authorities

• Cut-and-cover tunnels at each approach on the • Modifications to the surrounding secondary Danish and German sides, linking the immersed road network, including the construction tunnel to the portal buildings of new local roads, etc.

• Portal building at each tunnel mouth

• Ramps for the road and railway in connection with the tunnel THE DESIGN SPEEDS OF THE TUNNEL: • Road and railway connections on both sides, linking the tunnel to existing infrastructure • Passenger train traffic: Maximum 200 km/h

• Land reclamation areas on both coasts • Goods train traffic: Maximum 140 km/h

• Toll station – on the Danish side • Road traffic: Maximum 130 km/h

10 FIGURE 2 Conceptual design of an immersed tunnel – Alignment for the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt

DENMARK

Danish EEZ

German EEZ

GERMANY

National border Railway Motorway

0 1 2 3 4 5 km

11 FIGURE 3 Conceptual design of an immersed tunnel – Cross section of dredged trench with tunnel element and backfilling

Existing seabed Protection layer

Sand fill Gravel fill

Gravel bed

PERMANENT STRUCTURES planned to be established on top side. Rainwater accumulated by of the cut and cover tunnel. Coastal the immersed tunnel and water from The planned immersed tunnel protection in the form of dikes are cleaning the immersed tunnel is across the Fehmarnbelt will consist planned to be placed around the planned to be collected in pump of a cut-and-cover tunnel at the two portal and ramp with a height which wells placed by each portal building. approaches and an immersed tunnel will prevent flooding in the event From here the water is pumped between the two approaches. of extreme high-water and wave to existing water treatment plants The immersed tunnel will be placed conditions. in either Rødbyhavn or Puttgarden. in a tunnel trench and backfilled Rainwater collected from the land with sand and locking fill. The top A toll station is planned to be works is planned to be led to rain- of the immersed tunnel is planned located in accordance with the water basins, in order to treat run-off to be covered with an approximately state treaty between Denmark and contain any polluted spillages. 1 meter thick layer of rocks. This top and Germany on the Danish side. From the basins the water will run layer protects the immersed tunnel In the same place approximately through existing or altered channels from marine activities such as 1 kilo­metre from the coastline, bor- to be discharged into Fehmarnbelt. sinking ships and anchors, and it der control facilities and a technical is designed as an environmental supervision and communication Furthermore the construction optimisation in order to prevent centre will be placed. of a motorway requires diversion impacts on the marine environment or alteration of some local roads (Figure 3). A new drainage system for the and paths on both the Danish immersed tunnel, motorway, railway, and the German side. At both the Danish and German toll station etc. will be established approach, a portal building is on both the Danish and German

12 FIGURE 4 Placement of the tunnel portal production facility east of Rødbyhavn. Principle of establishment of the land reclamation area at Lolland with dikes around the landfill

LAND RECLAMATION AREAS It is estimated that the dredging beaches, dunes and salt meadows volume of marine sediment will (Figure 4). The conceptual design for the be approximately 19 million m3. immersed tunnel solution includes Most of the sediment is planned The planned land reclamation the establishment of land recla­ to be used in the construction of on the Fehmarn coast in Germany mation areas at both Lolland and the land reclamation area at Lolland extends about 500 m along the Fehmarn. The purpose of the recla- (approximately 17 million m3), while existing coast east of the ferry mation is to utilise excess seabed about 2 million m3 will be used harbour, and about 500 m from material from the dredging of the on German territory as new land the existing coast line into the tunnel trench and the work harbour reclamation or within the project. Fehmarnbelt. The total area is for purposes which will add natural planned to be approximately 32 ha, and recreational value to the local The land reclamation area on measured as area of seabed and area. On Lolland, the area will also Lolland is planned on each side of including water areas inside the be used as the location for part the work harbour and extends from reclamation area. The land recla­ of the replacement of nature areas this point approximately 3.5 km to mation area is withdrawn from the which Femern A/S must establish, the west and approximately 3.7 km tip of the jetties at the existing ferry having appropriated nature areas to the east. The total area is approxi- harbour at Puttgarden to minimise on Lolland for the purpose of the mately 330 ha, measured as area the impacts on the marine environ- project. of seabed and including water areas ment. The area will comprise inside the reclamation area, and pastures and grassland as well as it will comprise both natural and a new beach near Marienleuchte. recreational areas including

13 THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE Production facility An area east of Rødbyhavn in First the cut-and-cover tunnels Denmark has been designated for are planned to be established, the construction of a purpose-built beginning with dredging work, and casting factory at which the tunnel then the tunnels will be cast in-situ elements are to be produced. The and ultimately covered. On top production facility is partly located of the cut-and-cover tunnels, the onshore and partly off the existing portal buildings on both the Danish coastline (Figure 4). and the German side will be con- structed. Cut-and-cover tunnel and portal building at Lolland The immersed tunnel is planned to The cut-and-cover tunnel on Lolland be constructed from prefabricated must be constructed in a dammed tunnel elements cast in an element area just south of the existing coast- factory. The tunnel elements are line. Here dredging is planned to planned to be tugged from the be performed in an initially dammed production site by boat to the align- area of approximately 500 x 250 m. ment, where they will be immersed Then the cut-and-cover tunnel and assembled in a dredged tunnel is planned to be cast in-situ and trench. the first immersed tunnel element to be installed in continuation of the cut-and-cover tunnel. The portal building and the permanent coastal protection will then be established, and the cut-and-cover tunnel will be covered and the final terrain formed.

14 Cut-and-cover tunnel and portal building, the ramp structures for Construction estimate building at Fehmarn road and rail, and the permanent The construction estimate for A work harbour is planned to coastal protection will then be the immersed tunnel is calculated be established at Puttgarden in established, the cut-and-cover to approximately EUR 5.5 billion Germany. As it was the case on tunnel will be covered and the final (2008 prices). Lolland, the cut-and-cover tunnel terrain formed. on Fehmarn is planned to be constructed in a dammed area Dredging of tunnel trench just north of the existing coastline. The tunnel trench appropriates Here dredging will initially be an area of the seabed of around performed to approximately the 17.6 km * 110 m, and dredging of level of the underside of the cut- the tunnel trench is expected to last and-cover tunnel. Then the cut-and- approximately 1.5 years. The overall cover tunnel is planned to be cast dredging works, including backfilling in-situ, and the first tunnel element of the tunnel trench, is in total to be immersed in continuation of expected to last approximately the cut-and-cover tunnel. The portal 4.5 years.

TABLE 1 Conceptual design of an immersed tunnel – Expected time schedule for the construction phase

Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Signing of contract Mobilisation Detailed planning Campsite and tunnel element factory establishment Dredging work (tunnel trench etc.) Tunnel element production Tunnel element immersion Removal of tunnel element factory and work harbour Land area establishment Construction works, Lolland Construction works, Fehmarn Technical installation works Testing Expected opening

The time schedule shows activities from the start-up in the last six months of year 0 until the end of the construction phase 6.5 years later

15 5  ALTERNATIVE TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS

Femern A/S has investigated four A 0-alternative has also been technical solutions for a fixed link described for comparison of the over the Fehmarnbelt: An immersed immersed tunnel with reference tunnel, a bored tunnel, a cable- conditions. The 0-alternative stayed bridge, and a suspension describes a situation where the fixed bridge. For all four technical link across the Fehmarnbelt would solutions planning for possible not be constructed, where the ferry alignments has been conducted and service Rødby-Puttgarden would the preferred alignment selected. continue and where consequently Based on the results of the technical no Danish or German land works investigations of the four solutions, would be needed. the immersed tunnel is chosen as the preferred technical solution and the other solutions are deselected.

16 6 TRANSBOUNDARY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

It has been examined whether Potential impacts from the construc- caused by the construction and the construction and operation tion and operation of the tunnel operation of the tunnel. Further- of an immersed tunnel under have been identified and assessed. more, the assessment includes the Fehmarnbelt will result in In order to determine the signi­ proposals for mitigation measures in transboundary impacts between ficance of the potential impact on order to minimise possible impacts. Germany and Denmark (countries of the environment, the impacts have These proposals can be found in origin), and between the countries been compared with the exisiting the complete sections describing of origin and third party countries. environmental conditions (the base- the respective components in this line conditions) in the Fehmarnbelt report. This chapter summarises the trans- area and the conditions at the boundary impacts of the immersed potential extraction sites at Rønne Below is presented a summary tunnel during its construction and Banke and Kriegers Flak, where sand of the results of the environmental operation. can be extracted for production of assessment of transboundary tunnel elements and for backfilling impacts. The investigations carried out show of the tunnel trench, respectively. that the transboundary impacts Both potential extraction sites of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link are are located in the western part only temporary, and mostly limited of the Baltic Sea. to the construction phase. The types of planned activities with potential Environmental and technical investi- impacts include dredging of the gations have been carried out, tunnel trench, seabed intervention allowing optimisation of the tunnel works, all construction related vessel project during the design phase movements and anchoring, and thereby avoiding and minimising operation of the tunnel. some of the potential impacts

In 2010, Femern A/S prepared a proposal for the environmental investigation programme for the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link project (the scoping report). The purpose of the scoping report was partly to establish the framework for the studies of natural and environmental conditions to be carried out in connection with the planning of the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, and partly to invite ideas and proposals for use in determining what to include in the EIA report.

17 PEOPLE AND HEALTH Noise HYDROGRAPHY Noise from construction activities An infrastructure project like undertaken on Lolland and Fehmarn The hydrography of the Fehmarn- the construction and operation cannot have transboundary impacts, belt and adjacent water areas are of an immersed tunnel across the because of the distance to the very important, as the water flow, Fehmarnbelt might affect people opposite coast. Only construction physical property and wave action and their health. This section looks activities in the middle of the Feh- set the frame for a number of at possible transboundary impacts marnbelt can be of a transboundary environmental factors. The Baltic on people and health. nature. However, because of the Sea is classified as an “estuary”, due distance, it is assessed that the to its waters, which are a combina- The relevant project pressures for noise levels will not be heard far tion of fresh water runoff from its people and health are the following: away, and the only persons close catchment and saline water from to the middle of the Fehmarnbelt the North Sea. The Baltic Sea is one • Air pollution from construction will be construction workers. of the largest estuaries in the world. activities on Lolland and Fehmarn The construction workers working and offshore offshore will be wearing hearing The marine structures of the tunnel protection (among other protective project may affect the hydrographi- • Noise pollution from construction gear) and will not be affected by cal conditions in the Baltic Sea activities on Lolland and Fehmarn high noise levels, should they occur. through two mechanisms, which and offshore It is therefore concluded there will are considered as project pressures: be no transboundary impacts from Transboundary impacts noise on human health as a conse- • Project structures potentially The potential transboundary impacts quence of the construction and cause a blocking of the exchange from these pressures are air pollu- operation of an immersed tunnel. flow between the North Sea and tion and noise, as all other pressures the Baltic Sea and thereby may are of a local nature. Potential Transboundary impacts between impact the salinity and water impacts on humans are assessed to Germany and Denmark quality in the Baltic Sea be on construction workers offshore. The investigations show that during construction and operation of • Project structures potentially caus- Air pollution an immersed tunnel, the project ing additional mixing between Because of the relatively low pressures on people and health on the lower (high salinity) and upper number of construction ships, the Danish side will not cause any (low salinity) layers the distance to land on both sides, significant impacts for these on of water in the Fehmarnbelt and the generally good air circula- the German side, and vice versa. and thereby having an effect tion at both German and Danish on the salinity and stratification sides and at sea, no transboundary Conclusion of waters in the Baltic Sea. impacts from air pollution on human The investigations and the environ- In relation to these hydrographi- health are expected as a conse- mental assessment show that there cal conditions, factors such as quence of the construction and will be no transboundary impacts water exchange flows, current operation of the immersed tunnel. on people and health from the speeds, water levels, salinity, construction and operation of temperature and stratification an immersed tunnel. The project have been investigated in pressures on the Danish side will German and Danish territories not cause any impacts on people and transboundary waters and health on the German side, and vice versa.

18 FIGURE 5 Bathymetry and geographical structures of the Baltic Sea

Transboundary impacts Transboundary impacts between Denmark, while the other countries The results of the investigations Germany and Denmark around the Baltic face an insignifi- show that the blocking of the water The changes in other hydrographical cant impact. exchange flow with the Central parameters such as water levels, Baltic Sea in the construction period salinity, temperature and stratifica- It is assessed that the hydrographi- is estimated to be -0.01 %, which is tion have also been assessed to cal changes in the Danish waters do similar to the permanent conditions be negligible. It is assessed that not cause any subsequent changes after the construction period. This the hydrographical changes in in the German waters, and vice indicates that the work harbour and the Danish waters do not cause any versa. production facility impacts, which subsequent changes in the German are project pressures during the waters, and vice versa. construction period on the water exchange, are negligible. This also Conclusion implies that there is no significant The investigations and assessment impact on the hydrography of the show that construction and opera- Central Baltic Sea in the construc- tion of an immersed tunnel have tion period. The small blocking an insignificant impact on the percentage is due to the minimal hydrography (water level, salinity/ impact of the project structures on temperature and stratification) in the flow through the Fehmarnbelt. the Baltic Sea and all transboundary territorial waters. For Norway, the The impacts of construction and investigations show that there are operation of the immersed tunnel no impacts. Concerning water on hydrography are therefore exchange at Dars Sill, there are considered small or non-existing. no impacts in Norway, Germany or

19 FIGURE 6 Oxygen reduction in the bottom water (%, June – October of first construction year) in relation to an immersed tunnel

WATER QUALITY • Enhanced vertical mixing of on the salinity and general hydro­ the upper and lower layers of graphy close to the source, or on The water quality is reflecting water in the Fehmarnbelt, which a larger scale, taking into account ­environmental quality in a broad could change the stratification the normal variation in salinity in sense and can be seen as the in the Baltic Sea and redistribute the affected areas (9 – 25 psu) and essential condition for the existence nutrients and dissolved oxygen the efficient flow. The discharges of aquatic organisms and for bath- could also include reject water from ing water quality. The water quality • Impacts on the bathing water a desalination plant, if that solution is affected by natural conditions, quality is chosen as water supply for the such as hydrography, nutrients construction. The reject water is introduced from adjacent waters Transboundary impacts very salty, but because the dilution and land, as well as the exchange is very large, it would not cause of substances with the seabed and Discharges of wastewater any adverse impacts if discharged the atmosphere. According to the conceptual design into Fehmarnbelt. The results of of the immersed tunnel the total the investigations indicate that The project pressures, which could discharge of waste-water from the impacts will be very local and affect the water quality parameters construction-related activities will will not detecably spread to the in the Fehmarnbelt and thereby not exceed 1 m3/s on average, central parts of Fehmarnbelt area or potentially impact the transbound- and the specific outlets will be posi- have any detecable transboundary ary territorial waters of the Baltic tioned offshore to ensure sufficient impacts outside Danish and German Sea, are: mixing and dilution within German territories. and Danish territories. The investiga- • Discharges of wastewater tions show that no transboundary Releases from dredged materials impacts from wastewater are Organic material: In areas with • Release of organic material, expected outside German and the largest reduction in oxygen nutrients and contaminants Danish territories. The effluents have concentration such as in Rødsand from dredged materials been assessed to have no impacts Lagoon (located east of the tunnel

20 on Danish territory) the concentra- Heavy metals: Regarding release Enhanced vertical mixing: The mod- tion of oxygen does not decrease of heavy metals during dredging elling studies showed that neither in below 6 mg O2/l as a result of the of sediments, previous studies with the construction nor in the operation release of organic material from sediment from the Fehmarnbelt of the immersed tunnel the marine the dredged materials. Hence, have shown that release of heavy structures will have any significant using a critical level of 4 mg O2/l, metals from sediments when impact on the stratification of reduction in oxygen levels caused suspended will typically be 1 % the waters in the Fehmarnbelt or by dredging will not constitute an of the sediment concentration. the Central Baltic Sea. Therefore additional pressure on benthos; Because of the very low concentra- it can be concluded that the impact therefore, impairment of indirect tions of heavy metals in the sedi- of enhanced vertical mixing is oxygen reductions caused by ment, it can therefore be concluded negligible and will have no trans- release of organic material is consid- that the heavy metals released boundary impact outside German ered to be insignificant. As there during dredging in the Fehmarnbelt and Danish territories. is only an insignificant impact on will not affect benthic or pelagic the oxygen concentration in local organisms. Hence, there will be Impacts on bathing water quality: waters, it is assessed that the release no transboundary impact outside Dredging, changed discharges and of organic material from dredging German and Danish waters from movements of the discharge points will not affect the oxygen content the release of heavy metals during may potentially affect the transpar- of any transboundary waters outside dredging operations. ency and numbers of faecal bacteria Danish and German territories (see at the different beaches and result Figure 6). Persistent organic pollutants: Except in deterioration of the bathing water for one sample the concentration quality. Nutrients (Nitrogen and phospho- of PCB in surface sediments was rus): A daily demand for (and assimi- well below the lower values of the The discharge will be done in such lation of) nitrogen and phosphorus Danish and German standards. It is a manner and at such a distance by phytoplankton within a 100 m therefore assessed that there will from the coast that it meets the wide zone along the entire align- be no impacts related to the release current requirements and compared ment can be calculated to 553 kg N of PCB during dredging and sub­ with existing conditions, the Fixed and 35 kg P. For nitrogen, the daily sequent settling of PCB on the Link project will only cause insigni­ uptake is 3 orders of magnitude seabed. As with other recently intro- ficant impacts on bathing water higher than the estimated average duced pollutants, DDT is confined quality in the Fehmarnbelt area. release from dredged materials, to the upper 10 – 15 cm of sedi- However, during the construction while for phosphorus the demand ment. Below 10 cm depth PAHs phase the dredging and land is about 15 times higher than the reach background concentrations reclamation activities might affect average release and 7 times higher which are on average 10 times lower the quality of the transparency of than the maximum release. Thus, than surface concentrations. Being the water along minor parts of the the release rates are negligible a recently introduced pollutant, coast, which might affect the use compared with the natural demand TBT reaches zero (background con- of one of the beaches (Bredfjed and impacts from nutrient release centration) below 10 cm sediment on Lolland). All impacts will be local can be ruled out. In conclusion, depth. It is therefore concluded that and will not cause transboundary there will be no transboundary there will be no impacts of persis- impacts. impacts of nutrients outside German tent organic pollutants related and Danish waters from the release to spill or disposal of dredged of nutrients during dredging opera- sediment. tions.

21 Transboundary impacts between Conclusion Germany and Denmark The investigations and assessments The project pressures, which could of water quality show that dis- affect the water quality parameters charges of wastewater, releases and thereby potentially impact from dredged materials, enhanced the Danish and German territorial vertical mixing, sediment spill, and waters, are as mentioned above impacts on bathing water quality primarily local and only insignificant. from construction and operation The conclusion is that project of an immersed tunnelwill have no pressures on water quality on the transboundary impacts on the water Danish side will only cause insigni­ quality of the countries outside ficant impacts on water quality on German and Danish territories. the German side, and vice versa. Concerning transboundary impacts between Germany and Denmark the project pressures on water quality on the Danish side will only cause insignificant impacts on water qual- ity on the German side, and vice versa.

22 SEDIMENT AND • Construction of working harbours Transboundary Impacts SEABED FORMS at Lolland and Fehmarn, which temporarily occupies/changes Impacts by the footprint The project pressures on sediment a part of the seabed and temporary structures and seabed forms related to an The assessment of the impacts immersed tunnel are determined by: • Possible dredging at Kriegers Flak on the seabed morphology shows for sand for backfilling of that the impacts will affect an area • Permanent structures, which the trench of 1,471 ha within the local zone. occupy a part of the seabed, such The impacts are partly the loss of as land areas and the protection • Possible dredging on Rønne an area of approximately 350 ha layer on top of the tunnel Banke for sand for the concrete of ”other seabed”, meaning without for the tunnel elements special seabed forms, and partly • Dredging and backfilling of temporary impairments of a total the tunnel trench, which result The impacts caused by the pres- area of 1,115 ha with and without in removal of seabed forms, sures of the project can basically special current-dependent seabed resuspension of sediments and be divided in two types: impacts forms. The permanent loss of sedimentation, as a result of spills caused by the footprint and tempo- seabed of approximately 350 ha from the dredging and filling rary structures with no potential for corresponds to 0.9 % of the total works transboundary impacts, and another seabed within the area 10 km from group of impacts related to the sedi- the alignment (near zone + local • Dredging of access channels for ment spill caused by the dredging zone). The seabed within the lost production facilities on Lolland, operations. Below, the different area has no special importance which results in deepening of the transboundary impacts are outlined. for the seabed morphology in the seabed and dredging of natural Fehmarnbelt area, and the loss is seabed assessed as being insignificant.

23 Likewise, the temporary impacts According to applied assessment for visibility (2 mg/l) outside German in the area without special seabed criteria, temporary changes in the and Danish territories. Similar results forms are assessed to be insignifi- geometry of sea bed forms are for Kriegers Flak and Rønne Banke cant. The area corresponds to assessed to be a small to medium can be found in the summer period, approximately 126 ha, which will impairment. Based on the relatively when the currents are less powerful, be naturally re-established within limited area of affected seabed and the plume will not extend far 15 – 20 years after the construction forms within the Fehmarnbelt, away from the dredger. Transbound- period.Impacts will occur on 989 ha and the character of the changes, ary territories outside Germany with special current dependent the impacts on the seabed forms and Denmark will therefore not be seabed forms, hereof 984 ha with from construction and operation affected by sediment spill at the crescent-shaped seabed forms of an immersed tunnel are assessed extraction sites or the work areas. and 5 ha with sand waves. Of these, to be insignificant for the seabed the impacts on approximately 890 morphology. Deposition of spilled sediment ha are assessed to be of small or The deposited sediment will be medium scale. All impacts are located within resuspended until final sedimenta- the local zone, and therefore no tion in areas with the right physical The affected area collectively transboundary or regional impacts conditions.The results of the model- corresponds to 6.1 % of the area of are expected. ling show that final resting places the existing 16,293 ha with special for the sediment spill are the Arkona seabed forms (sand waves, crescent- Impacts related to Basin, the deeper waters in the shaped seabed forms and other the sediment spill Southern Lillebælt between Als and current related seabed forms) found Plume patterns from dredgings Ærø, Rødsand, and the edges of at a distance of up to 10 km from The sediment plumes from the the Bay of Mecklenburg, where also the alignment. All the impacts on marine works at the Fixed Link site natural deposition of fine-grained the seabed forms are temporary. are assessed to be local and have material takes place. Therefore, Most of the changes (90 %) are no transboundary impacts outside the deposition only occurs in solely related to a temporary change German and Danish territories. the Danish, German and Swedish of the size of the seabed forms. In At Kriegers Flak and Rønne Banke, waters, and not into the rest of the remaining area (103 ha), corre- which are both located within the transboundary territories (see sponding to less than 1 % of the Danish territorial waters, the visible Figure 7). area with special seabed forms plumes are located around the within 10 km from the alignment, dredger and do not extend to trans- The deposits from the project in the seabed forms will be temporarily boundary waters. This is mainly due the Arkona Basin are less than eliminated. In most parts of this to the low fine sediment content 1 mm, which compared to the area, the seabed forms will be fully of the sand deposits in both areas. natural yearly deposition of approxi- re-established within a maximum of mately 10 mm, represents an excess 15 – 28 years. Exceedence of sediment deposition of 10 %. The sediment concentration deposition from the project, which In an area of 5 ha with sand waves, The visible surface plumes will only takes place in natural deposi- which earlier was used for sand only be seen in German and Danish tion environments, is therefore extraction and deposition of waters, and at any given time during assessed not to affect sand banks, dredged materials, the regeneration the construction the suspended sediment stability or sediment of the seabed forms takes longer sediment concentration will not movements in Fehmarnbelt or time, up to approximately 30 – 40 exceed the physical threshold value in transboundary waters. years.

24 FIGURE 7 Deposition of sediment spill from construction activities after the end of the construction period, excluding dredging at Kriegers Flak and Rønne Banke

At Rønne Banke and Kriegers Flak, Transboundary impacts between The possible sand extraction in which can be used for extraction Germany and Denmark the Danish part of Rønne Banke may of raw material, there will only be Due to the highly variable hydro- give rise to a temporary and very small areas with deposition of fine graphical conditions in the Fehmarn- small dispersal of spilled sediment sediments of between 0.5 and 2 mm belt, smaller parts of the sediment into German waters. The effect south and south-east of the dredg- spilled in Danish waters may spread is temporary and will not lead to ing areas. The small deposition is to German waters and vice versa. significant impacts on the environ- due to the limited sand suction and However, the modelling does show ment. the small content of fine sediments that the areas potentially impacted in the sand. All depositions from by the suspended sediments are Conclusion sand extraction at Rønne Banke and close to the coasts of Lolland and The investigations show that there Kriegers Flak are assessed to occur Fehmarn and are caused by the will be no transboundary impacts only within German and Danish dredging activities near the coasts. outside German and Danish terri­ national waters and therefore have It is therefore assessed that the sedi- tories, except on Swedish waters, no transboundary impact. ment spill on the Danish side will where there is expected to be only have a minor and insignificant insignificant transboundary impacts The total deposition of fine sedi- impact on the seabed morphology from sediment spill as a result of ments from the construction works on the German side and vice versa. deposition of sediment from the in transboundary waters is less than dredging works of the construction 1 mm, which is less than 10 % of of an immersed tunnel. the natural annual deposition in the Arkona Basin, and the impact on deposition is therefore assessed to be insignificant.

25 COASTAL MORPHOLOGY The only project activities which at Rønne Banke of 9 km2 will have potentially could affect the coasts an insignificant impact on the wave Coastal morphology concerns of transboundary waters, are the conditions in the deepened area changes to a coastline and the possible dredging at Kriegers Flak and absolutely no impact on the adjacent seabed in terms of erosion and Rønne Banke, where sand wave conditions at the nearest and accretion. Such developments extraction is planned to take place coasts, 30 km away from the sand along a coast are caused primarily during construction. The changes in extraction area. Therefore, there will by the waves breaking at the coast. water depths at the two sites could be no transboundary impacts out- change the wave conditions, and if side German and Danish territories Three pressures can affect the the wave changes reach the nearby near Rønne Banke. coastal morphology locally by: coasts, there could be an impact on the coastal morphology. Transboundary impacts between • Reclamations at the coasts Germany and Denmark of Lolland and Fehmarn Transboundary Impacts The Lolland reclamation area has Sand extraction in the extraction been assessed to cause significant • Protection reefs over the tunnel area at Kriegers Flak will, on the erosion of the coastline to the east near the coasts average, lower the seabed by about of the reclamation, and effective 1 m, i.e. from a depth of about 20 mitigation measures in the form • The dredged approach channel to 23 m to about 21 to 24 m. This of beach nourishment have been for the work harbour on Lolland approximately 5 % increase in the included in the project. The Feh- water depth over the dredging area marn reclamation area may give The impacts on the coasts of Lolland of 10 km2 will have an insignificant rise to a small potential erosion of and Fehmarn are caused by the impact on the wave conditions in the coast south of Marienleuchte reclamations, including new beaches the deepened area and absolutely (Germany) and also here mitigation occupying part of the original coast- no impact on the wave conditions at measures will be implemented. line and blocking the natural trans- the nearest coasts, more than 20 km Under no circumstances will the rec- port of sediment along the coast. away from the sand extraction area. lamations on the Danish side cause The effect of these structures is The wave conditions will therefore changes to the coastal morphology to interrupt the natural transport not be changed along the closest on the German side, and vice versa. of sand along the coasts – the so- coasts of Møn, Rügen and southern called littoral drift. The littoral drift Sweden; it can thus be concluded Conclusion is predominantly a function of the that the dredging at Kriegers Flak The investigations show that there wave climate which is a function does not change the coastal mor- is no impact from construction and of the wind conditions. The wind phology along these coasts. There- operation of an immersed tunnel conditions are not affected by fore, there will be no transboundary on coastal morphology in the trans- the project. The reclamations and impacts outside German and Danish boundary region. protection reefs, but also the access territories from activities at Kriegers channel to the production facilities Flak. The land reclamations on the Danish on Lolland will cause changes to the side will cause no transboundary near-shore wave field and thereby Sand extraction in the extraction impacts on the German side, and changes to the sediment transport area at Rønne Banke will, on the vice versa. along the coasts of Lolland and average, lower the seabed by maxi- Fehmarn. However, no transbound- mal 1 m (but will most likely be 0.5 The possible sand extraction at ary impacts are expected from this m), i.e. from a depth of about 17 Kriegers Flak and Rønne Banke will project pressure. to 21 to about 18 to 22 m. The have no impact on the coastal stabil- approximately 5 % increase in the ity along any transboundary coasts. water depth over the extraction area

26 PLANKTON zooplankton production. Further- Loss of habitats more, suspended sediments can Permanent impacts of the immersed Plankton populations are generally bury resting eggs of copepods tunnel relate to loss of pelagic not considered sensitive to distur- and potentially affect recruitment habitats for plankton. The volume bances from construction activities of copepods, affecting the composi- lost constitutes approximately 0.03 in coastal areas, because of their tion of the zooplankton community. % of the total pelagic volume (0 – 20 short generation times, fast popula- m) in the Fehmarnbelt and adjacent tion changes in relation to environ- Transboundary Impacts waters. Such low proportion, along mental changes and the large with the fact that loss is mainly exchange of water with adjacent Suspended sediment confined to waters where impor- areas. Nevertheless, phytoplankton and sedimentation tance for plankton is low, leads and zooplankton serve as the base The modelled reductions of phyto- to the conclusion that impairment of the food chain, supporting fish, plankton biomass correspond to a caused by the loss of habitats is sea-floor life and other marine low and negligible degree of impair- negligible. Overall, the assessment organisms. All fish and most inverte- ment, because reductions in waters showed that minor impacts on brates depend on plankton for food of special importance for plankton plankton will only appear in German during their larval phases, and some (depths > 6m) are below 5 % in all and Danish territories, and therefore species such as mussels continue to years during construction. Direct no transboundary impacts are consume plankton their entire lives. impacts on zooplankton will be very expected to occur for plankton low because the concentration of organisms. Four pressures are related to suspended sediment is low in those the construction and operation areas, where zooplankton biomass Transboundary impacts between of an immersed tunnel in relation is high. Germany and Denmark to plankton within transboundary Concerning transboundary impacts waters: Release of contaminants between Germany and Denmark, Under maximum dredging intensity there are no local impacts on phyto- • Suspended sediments of one dredger (5000 m3/d) con­ plankton or zooplankton in Danish centration of persistent organic waters from the project with a • Sedimentation pollutants (PCB, DDT, PAH, TBT) potential for having impacts in and heavy metals are not predicted Germany and vice versa. • Release of contaminants to exceed the environmental quality standards set to protect the marine Conclusion • Loss of habitats environment, not even in the sedi- The investigations show that there ment plume near the vessel. The will be no transboundary impacts During construction, spill from impact of toxic substances released outside German and Danish terri­ dredging operations will influence from the sediments is therefore tories on plankton from construction light penetration and the trans­ assessed as insignificant for plank- and operation of an immersed parency of sea water (measured as ton living in transboundary waters. tunnel. Secchi depth) that, in turn, affects primary production, phytoplankton There will be no transboundary biomass and composition, and impacts between Germany and Denmark.

27 BENTHIC FLORA • Nutrients flora to increased concentrations of suspended sediment is highest Benthic vegetation is a valuable • Construction vessels and in the first and second years of the part of the coastal ecosystem due imported material construction phase of the immersed to its function as a three-dimen- tunnel. During the following years, sional habitat as well as a nursery, • Additional solid substrate the benthic flora recovers to a state breeding and/or feeding ground for close to that for the reference situa- invertebrates and fish. The habitat • Land reclamation and tunnel tion with no sediment spill. The function of vegetation is dependent footprint maximum thickness of sediment on the complexity and longevity of layers persisting > 10 days is 8 cm their key species as well as the size • Drainage and occurs directly at the alignment and coverage of the habitat itself. area as well as in the Rødsand Transboundary Impacts lagoon. Time series for the Rødsand Eight project pressures have been Lagoon showed that the sediments determined to have a potential Suspended sediments are re-suspended from time to time, impact on the benthic flora in the and sedimentation­ and that the overall thickness of Fehmarnbelt during construction During construction, an deposited sediments will therefore and operation of the immersed tun- increased concentration of be reduced. nel, and some of them can also have suspended sediment in the impacts on the benthic flora in trans- water reduce light availability Release of contaminants, boundary waters. The pressures are: for photosynthesis and growth nutrients, and introduction of benthic flora, while sedi­ of non-indigenous species • Suspended sediments mentation leads to physical Furthermore, benthic flora can be stress as sediment reduces the influenced, if dredging activities • Sedimentation active surface area for photo- are resulting in concentrations of synthesis and nutrient uptake. contaminants in the water column • Release of contaminants The model simulations predict exceeding environmental quality that the response of benthic standards (EQS) for seawater, or

28 if the nutrient loading is increased. benthic flora, so there is only Overall, an immersed tunnel affects During construction increased ship a negligible risk of introducing 298 ha of benthic flora; 218 ha traffic and imported material also non-indigenous (invasive) species are affected by structure-related increase the risk of an introduction into Fehmarnbelt. and 80 ha by construction-related of non-indigenous species. Impacts impacts. Nearly all of the lost area from these pressures are assessed to Additional hard substrate with occurs in Danish national waters be non-existing, because of the low risk of introducing non-indigenous and EEZ waters (298 ha). In German content of contaminants or nutrients species, and footprint and land waters, 0.22 ha are lost: 0.22 ha in in the dredged materials and the reclamation on top of existing German national waters and none low risk of introducing non-indige- macroalgae communities in EEZ waters. nous species. Therefore the benthic Other pressures of relevance during flora in the transboundary region will operation of an immersed tunnel Out of the eight identified macro- not be affected during the construc- are additional solid substrate, which algae communities, only one tion phase or the operational phase can impact benthic flora communi- community has been assessed to of the immersed tunnel. ties in three ways: be affected significantly due to loss of habitat caused by the footprint Construction vessels • Introduction of hard-bottom of the immersed tunnel. However, and imported materials macroalgae communities to the impact is only assessed to be The additional ship traffic related to areas previously dominated significant for the hard bottom the construction works corresponds by soft-bottom communities macro-algae Furcellaria community to a minor pressure compared (Red Seaweed) along Lolland’s with the very intense existing traffic • Increased risk of introducing coastline. The Furcellaria community through Fehmarnbelt, where non-indigenous species is common in the whole Baltic Sea approximately 38,000 ships from area and is dominant or occurring other water areas pass every year. • Loss of seabed due to footprint frequently from the Skagerrak to Furthermore, the additional ships and land reclamation on top the Bothnian Sea. Therefore, the and the new materials are expected of sites with existing macroalgae loss will not threaten the existence to come from areas with comparable communities

29 or function of the community in expected on the benthic flora as limited at Rønne Banke and Kriegers the Baltic Sea and no transboundary a result of freshwater discharges. Flak. impacts will occur. In all other ben- thic flora communities the impacts Benthic Flora at the extraction Transboundary impacts between are assessed as insignificant and sites at Rønne Banke and Germany and Denmark not transboundary. Kriegers Flak Concerning transboundary impacts The observations did not detect any between Germany and Denmark, Drainage macro algae, seagrasses or visible there are local impacts on the Freshwater outlets coming from concentrations of microalgae (at benthic flora in the Danish waters the accumulation of water from the the seabed surface) in the affected from the land reclamations, but they project structures during operation area at the sampling stations at have no potential for having impacts can result in an increased pressure Rønne Banke; only very limited in German waters and vice versa. on benthic flora. However, the addi- quantities of macroalgae were The local impacts are anyway much tional discharge of rainwater runoff present in the affected area at larger in Denmark than in Germany. from structures of the immersed Kriegers Flak or in the vicinity, and tunnel, water from cleaning and the impacts on macroalgae at the Conclusion maintenance of the inside of the extraction sites are assessed to be The investigations show that there immersed tunnel, and possible fire negligible. The observed green thin will be no transboundary impacts fighting are not assessed to be more layer, consisted most likely of depos- outside German and Danish than 3,500 m3 per year. The normal ited algae and benthic microalgae, territories on benthic flora from discharge from the wastewater treat- and it will be lost, when the sand at construction and operation of an ment plant and dewatering by the the seabed is extracted. The growth immersed tunnel. pumping stations by the same water rate of small microalgae is very mains will ensure sufficient dilution, fast (hours-days), and the algae There will be no transboundary even before the mixing and dilution will hence recolonize very fast after impacts between Germany and with the Fehmarnbelt water. No the extraction has ended. Hence, Denmark. transboundary impacts are therefore the impact on the microalgae is very

30 BENTHIC FAUNA Transboundary Impacts Benthic Fauna at the extraction sites at Rønne Banke and The benthic fauna communities Suspended sediment Kriegers Flak in the Fehmarnbelt are important The modelling shows that approxi- The impact from suspended sedi- components of the marine eco­ mately 57,942 ha of benthic fauna ment and sedimentation from system, since benthic fauna func- communities in the Fehmarnbelt will dredging at Kriegers Flak and Rønne tions as a key link between primary be affected by suspended sediment Banke is not considered to have an producers and the higher trophic from the construction phase. Up impact on the adjacent areas, since levels, and many benthic fauna to 99 % of the area shows a minor the deposits are very thin, less than communities also contribute to degree of impairment, while 1 % 1 mm. In comparison the natural the creation of the substrate that is impaired to a medium degree, deposition in the Arkona basin actively shapes their surroundings. mostly in the Dendrodoa commu- is approximately 10 mm during nity. The maximum decrease in the construction period, and thus In the Fehmarnbelt and transbound- mussel biomass is estimated to be the effect of the immersed tunnel ary waters, only the following two 10 % within small local areas along represents an excess deposition of pressures, out of eight identified, the coasts of Lolland and Fehmarn. 10 % The deposition in these areas have been determined to have However, the impact of suspended therefore does not influence benthic a potential impact on the benthic sediment has no transboundary fauna outside German and Danish fauna, as these have magnitudes of impact outside German and Danish territories. pressure that may exceed natural territories on benthic fauna. levels. The pressures are: Transboundary impacts between Sedimentation Germany and Denmark • Suspended sediments The impact from sedimentation is Regarding suspended sediment, distributed across all fauna commu- approximately 60,000 ha of benthic • Sedimentation nities, but the Arctica community fauna communities are affected from is affected most in terms of area the construction phase. Up to 99 % Increased ship traffic and import of (16 ha). The impact is located largely of this area is affected to a minor new materials such as sand, gravel around the tunnel trench (within 500 degree, while 1 % is affected to and stones that will be introduced m from the tunnel trench) and in the a medium degree, mostly in the to the area in the construction phase Rødsand Lagoon east of the tunnel Mytilus community. Most of the may increase the risk of introduction trench. The maximum accumulation impacts are observed in the shallow of non-indigenous species. How- of sediment is modelled to 7 cm waters along the Lolland coast, ever, this is perceived as a minimal near the tunnel trench. In other while a smaller area is observed pressure in relation to the benthic areas, sedimentation rates are typi- along the northern and eastern fauna, as the construction and filling cally below 1 mm per day. However, coast of Fehmarn. The degree of materials are primarily introduced the impact is local and therefore the impact is largely minor and not from adjacent sea areas, which no transboundary impact on benthic significant. means that no non-indigenous fauna caused by sedimentation species will be introduced. is expected outside German and Danish territories.

31 Concerning sedimentation, 11,871 Concerning additional solid sub- Conclusion ha of benthic fauna communities strate, 149 ha of solid substrate The investigations show that the will be affected according to the are added due to the structures of impact from construction and opera- analyses. In 85 % of this area there the immersed tunnel, mainly (85 %) tion of an immersed tunnel will have is no impact for the benthic fauna, due to the protection layer on top no transboundary impacts outside nearly 15 % of the area is affected of the tunnel elements. Their trans- German and Danish territories on insignificantly and 16 ha are affected boundary impact is not significant. benthic fauna. significantly. The impact is located largely around the tunnel trench (in The conclusion is that in the Feh- None of the impacts in Danish the near zone) and in the Rødsand marnbelt itself the impacts are very waters, which are overall assessed Lagoon. local, and none of the impacts in as being not significant, have any Danish waters, which are graded transboundary impacts on German A total of 584 ha of benthic fauna overall as not significant, have any territory and vice versa. communities are affected by the transboundary impacts on German footprint. Most of the impacts are territory, and vice versa. from the permanent loss due to reclamation areas at Lolland and Fehmarn and from temporary loss due to the tunnel trench. All temporary impacts are expected to be recovered within 5 – 22 years, depending on the location and the affected community. The trans- boundary impact from temporary loss of area is assessed to be not significant.

32 FISH ECOLOGY Changes in Thus, the migratory fish species the hydrographical regime might not reach areas of importance The Fehmarnbelt plays a key role No transboundary impacts are (spawning and feeding areas) in in the water exchange system of expected outside German and adjacent waters. the Baltic Sea and is an important Danish territories on fish as a result passage for migrating cod, herring of changes to the hydrographical Sediment spill and noise can cause and silver eel, as well as a spawning regime caused by the construction a temporary local impact on the area for a number of fish species, and operation of an immersed migration of the Rügen herring from including cod and flatfish. tunnel. the spawning grounds at Rügen to the feeding areas in the Skagerrak. The following pressures were identi- Sediment spill This can potentially have a theore­ fied as relevant to fish, in relation The possible direct transboundary tical impact on the stock in Nor­ to construction and operation of an effects are mainly caused by sedi- wegian and Swedish waters. The immersed tunnel in the Fehmarn- ment plumes and re-suspension of construction of the immersed tunnel belt. sediment. Apart from the Fehmarn- may also affect the spawning migra- belt the central areas of the tion of cod and the survival of eggs • New land reclamations (perma- Mecklenburg and Arkona Bight and larvae locally, which might nent or temporary loss of habitats) will be affected by sediment spill. theoretically affect the cod recruit- A medium level of sedimentation ment in Swedish and Polish waters. • Changes in the hydrographical is expected in these bights of Impacts on the migration of whiting regime maximum 0.5 mm of sediment from nursery areas in the Baltic, deposition the first three years back to the North Sea, might affect • Sediment spill of the construction period. The the whiting stock outside the project Mecklenburg and Arkona Bight are area, while impacts on sprat migra- • Noise and vibrations important spawning areas for flatfish tion only imply local impacts. The and particularly for cod. A tempo- impacts are all temporary and • Changes/impairments of fish rary impairment of eggs and generally of very low intensity, and habitats (indirect pressures) larvae of these species cannot be therefore only insignificant trans- excluded, although the natural back- boundary indirect impacts are Transboundary Impacts ground level of suspended sediment expected outside the German and is considered a much more severe Danish areas. There are no such Land reclamations pressure. impacts on the fish ecology in the The new land reclamations will affect operation of the immersed tunnel. the shallow part of the near zone, Changes/impairments of fish including the redlisted sea stickle- habitats and noise/vibration The impacts on sprat are only local. back. The temporary seabed During the construction phase reclamation will, in addition, affect a barrier effect caused by dredging Fish Ecology near Rønne Banke benthic species at greater depths, of the tunnel trench and immersing and Kriegers Flak including the red listed snake the tunnel elements is expected for Due to the low intensity of direct blenny, along the tunnel trench. anadromous fish species that spend impacts by sedimentation at Rønne However, the new land reclamations most of their adult lives at sea, but Banke and Kriegers Flak the poten- and temporary seabed reclamation return to fresh water to spawn, and tial transboundary effects for these are very local and do not extend also for fish species with long term areas are classified as insignificant. into transboundary areas outside migrations (cod, whiting, herring The overall conclusion is that there German and Danish territories. and sprat). These species avoid will be no impact on fish within the areas with a high intensity of sedi- extraction areas due to extraction ment plumes and noise/vibration. of sand. Outside the mined areas,

33 the impact is very limited. Further- Transboundary effects between Conclusion more, the impacts in the extraction Germany and Denmark at the The investigations shows that there area are temporary and do not have operational phase of the immersed are insignificant transboundary significant impacts on the environ- tunnel are of minor importance impacts outside German and Danish ment of the Baltic Sea region. and insignificant (noise emission, territories on some fish species sediment spill and barrier effect). (cod, herring, whiting) as a result Transboundary impacts between of the construction and operation Germany and Denmark Most impacts on all fish species of an immersed tunnel. Overall only insignificant or minor are in the near zones in Germany impacts are expected outside the and Denmark, thus having no trans- Project pressures on fish ecology near zone. In the near zone most boundary impacts. Only fish species on the Danish side will only cause impacts are expected to be due migrating to other waters will be insignificant impacts on fish ecology to loss of seabed, where land recla- affected, e.g. cod, whiting, and her- on the German side, and vice versa. mation in both German and Danish ring. The impacts on these species shallow waters reduces nursery will be small and insignificant. areas/grounds for cod and flatfish and habitats of shallow-water The conclusion is that project pres- species. sures on fish ecology on the Danish side will only cause insignificant impacts on fish ecology on the German side, and vice versa.

34 COMMERCIAL FISHERY countries are indirectly impacted, on the yield of the fishing, by caus- if shared commercial fish stocks ing avoidance reactions or changed An infrastructure project like are affected by the establishment distribution of commercial fish the construction and operation of the immersed tunnel. species. It can also be a conse- of an immersed tunnel across the quence of e.g. changes of seabed Fehmarnbelt might affect fish stocks Land reclamation substrates. and the access to fishing areas, Results of the investigation show which may have economic conse- that there will be no impacts on Impacts from the construction, oper- quences for the commercial fishery. trawl fishing, gill net fishing or ation and structures of the immersed seine net fishing in the Fehmarnbelt tunnel were low to medium on all The project pressures relevant to during construction activities, commercial fish stocks that have the commercial fisheries and their operation, or due to reclamation extended geographical distribution. resources (commercial fish species) of areas/footprints, as this type of Significant impacts were only regis- have been assessed to concern: fishing takes place in deeper waters. tered in the near vicinity of the fixed As the migration behaviour of fish link i.e. they are classified as local • Land reclamation (e.g. herring, cod and eel) is not and can therefore be considered affected, no impacts on distant insignificant in relation to potentially • Sediment spill subpopulations and on distant affecting transboundary fish ecology. fishing of the fish species occurring • Noise and vibration in the Fehmarnbelt are foreseen. Commercial Fishery at Rønne Thus, in the case of commercial Banke and Kriegers Flak • Changes in hydrographical fishing, no transboundary impacts Impacts on commercial fishery from regimes outside German and Danish terri­ the dredging at Kriegers Flak and tories will occur. Rønne Banke (fishery here is only • Other pressures potentially undertaken with trawl) are restricted causing avoidance responses Sediment spill and noise/vibration to loss of fish within the dredged and loss of fish habitats There are no impacts on pound net area, due to loss of food sources fishing in the Fehmarnbelt during for the fish. This impact is only The magnitude of pressure derived construction or operation activities. expected to occur within a 5 year from light, electro-magnetic fields Sediment plumes will be greatest period, hereafter a re-colonisation and contaminants are assessed along the coastal areas of Lolland of the benthic infauna and epifauna as insignificant and may have an impact in short is expected. Furthermore, the fish- time intervals, but the impact on ing can be affected due to fishery Transboundary Impacts pound net fishing is only relevant restrictions during dredging activi- A number of the commercial fish on a local scale, and there will be no ties. However, the impact is low species present in the Fehmarnbelt restrictions on the fishing activities (days) and only temporary within migrate over large distances outside German and Danish territo- dredging periods. The fish can also between spawning grounds, nursery ries. In general, the impacts from the be re-distributed to other areas due areas and feeding grounds. During tunnel pressures such as sediment to increased sediment deposition, these migrations and residency peri- spills, noise and vibrations are only and this will cause a low impact ods, these commercial species pass minor or insignificant in all cases. on the trawl fishery in the area. through or reside in national waters This impact is, however, temporary of other countries and international Changes in the hydrographical and will be negligible after a few waters and fishermen of other coun- regime and other pressures months. tries will fish for the same species. Hydrographical changes such as Thus, it is therefore recognised that land reclamations and construction the commercial fisheries in other at the seabed may have an impact

35 The impact on the trawl and net significantly, all other types of fishery Overall, the investigations show fishing at Kriegers Flak within will only be affected insignificantly. that there will be no transboundary the extraction period (days) is impacts outside German and Danish only minor, because fish move to There are no transboundary impacts territories regarding commercial other areas, from where they can on commercial fishery between fishery from the construction and be fished. An impact on the under- Germany and Denmark as a result operation of an immersed tunnel. taking of fisheries is only shortterm of the pressures from the construc- (during the extraction period). In tion and operation of an immersed The project pressures on commercial connection with the sand extraction, tunnel. fishery on the Danish side will not the fishery will be affected during cause any impacts on commercial the sand extraction periods. Conclusion fisheries on the German side, and Because of the risk of collision, there The investigations show that the vice versa. will be zones around the extraction construction and operation of an sites, where fishery is not possible. immersed tunnel will have tempo- This impact is only expected over rary impacts on commercial fishery a short time period (hours). in the construction phase, which do not reach beyond German and Transboundary impacts between Danish territories. Germany and Denmark The fishing with trawl, gill nets, At Rønne Banke and Kriegers pound nets, and Danish seine nets Flak the impact on the fishery is will only be affected locally due negligible, since impact primarily to the construction and operation occurs within the extraction area, of an immersed tunnel. Apart from where fishing cannot take place gill nets that locally will be affected in shorter periods of time.

36 MARINE MAMMALS at least 8.5 km from the alignment Contaminants and therefore, they cannot be The analyses of sediment samples In the Fehmarnbelt and the Baltic affected, except indirectly by barrier for contaminants in the Fehmarnbelt Sea three species of marine effects and suspended sediment. study area show levels at or below mammals, which are top predators the lowest sediment quality criteria of the food chain, occur regularly: Noise (Action Level). It is therefore con- Investigation results show that only cluded that contaminants released The harbour porpoise, a small 3 – 7 individuals of porpoise are as a result of the project will have cetacean, which is widely distributed expected to be affected at a time no adverse impacts on marine in the western Baltic Sea and the by noise in winter and summer, mammals in the Fehmarnbelt area North Sea disturbing a maximum of 0.45 % or for the populations in the Belt of the local Fehmarnbelt study area Sea and Western Baltic Sea, living The harbour seal, with haul-out population and less than 0.1 % of in transboundary waters. sites in the Rødsand lagoon, holding the population of the Belt Sea a substantial proportion of the small and Western Baltic. The number of Barrier effects subpopulation in the western Baltic harbour porpoises, which maximally Given the fact that less than 30 % Sea will be affected by under water of the alignment across Fehmarnbelt noise are 3 from the dredging works will be affected by the project at The grey seal, which has its only and 4 from sheet piling. Therefore, the same time and thereby resulting and most southern breeding site at the impact is insignificant at the in barrier effects during construc- Rødsand Lagoon population level (<1 % of both the tion, it has been concluded that Fehmarnbelt study area population there will be no local impact from Five project pressures, which may and the Belt Sea and Western Baltic barrier effects during construction, impact marine mammals, have been population) for the occurrence as the animals will easily be able identified from the construction and (staging) and nursery areas of to move around each dredging operation of an immersed tunnel: harbour porpoise. section. It has therefore also been assessed that the populations of • Noise from construction-related Habitat loss and change marine mammals in the Belt Sea activities Investigation results show that in and Western Baltic Sea will not be relation to habitat loss 1 – 2 por- affected by this pressure. Likewise, • Habitat loss and change poises are expected to be affected there will be no impact of the by construction works, with a maxi- immersed tunnel during operation, • Contaminants mum disturbance of 0.1 % of the as animals will be able to pass over local Fehmarnbelt study area popu- the top of the immersed tunnel, • Barrier effects lation and less than 0.1 % of the once it is constructed. estimated population in the Belt Sea • Suspended sediment and Western Baltic. Moreover, less Suspended sediment than one porpoise is expected to The sediment spill from the dredg- Transboundary Impacts be affected by habitat loss during ing of the tunnel trench and the Of the three species of marine the operation phase, with a maxi- temporary working harbours will mammals occurring in the Fehmarn- mum disturbance less than 0.1 % increase the amount of suspended belt, only the harbour porpoise may of the local Fehmarnbelt study area matter in the water. Harbour por- be directly affected by the project. population. The impact is therefore poises, which orient themselves The seals seldom forage in the insignificant for the population in with the help of echolocation, are near-zone of the planned alignment, the Belt Sea and Western Baltic Sea. adapted to conditions with a high and their haul-out places are located degree of turbidity, and seals locate prey using whiskers, vibrissae, and

37 thus to some extent do not depend pared to the total area available to less than the 30 % of the total on vision. Therefore, no impacts to the animals on Kriegers Flak length of the alignment. on marine mammals are expected and as the duration of the impact as a result of construction-related is short, no significant negative As described for the transboundary sediment spill. impact due to sediment dispersal impacts, the severity of impairment are expected near the sites. from the sediment spill, footprint, Marine Mammals at change of habitat, and reduction the extraction sites at Rønne In summary, the impacts from raw in food availability are assessed as Banke and Kriegers Flak material extraction at Kriegers Flak being negligible for the transbound- The planned sand extraction and Rønne Banke lead to mainly ary impacts between Denmark and activities on Rønne Banke will have temporary impacts, which do not Germany. little impact on harbour porpoises reach beyond the German and and seals in the area. There are Danish territories, and thus do not Conclusion few animals in these areas, and pose an impact on marine mammals The investigations show that there the sound levels are not assumed living in transboundary waters. will be no transboundary impacts to affect the animals except at very outside German and Danish territo- close range. The impact on marine Transboundary impacts between ries on marine mammal species from mammals is assessed to be insigni­ Germany and Denmark the construction and operation of ficant. Considering the results of the There are no significant impacts an immersed tunnel. sediment spill modelling, sediment on harbour porpoise, but there will plumes are not expected to cause be a small area with noise levels The severity of impairment from any direct impact on seals and por- from the construction work that the sediment spill, footprint, change poises near the sites. The impacts might cause avoidance behaviour. In of habitat, and reduction in food on availability of prey, especially a worst-case scenario the dredging availability is assessed as being neg- juvenile fish are assessed as minor. will cause a continuous noise barrier ligible for the transboundary impacts However, since the affected areas above 144 dB re 1μPa2s stretching between Denmark and Germany. are expected to be very small com- about 5,3 km, which corresponds

38 BIRDS As such, the impact of the habitat temporary and confined to the first loss by the tunnel footprint has been two years of the construction phase. In the Fehmarnbelt the bird com- assessed to be only relevant for An increase in density of the Com- munity is dominated by non-breed- birds breeding in the northern part mon Eider means a doubling of the ing water birds, which use the area of Fehmarn, in the south of Lolland mortality rate to 1,200 individuals. for moulting, staging or wintering. and partly for birds breeding in the This extra mortality of 600 individu- In addition, a variety of bird species western part of Rødsand Lagoon, als corresponds to less than 0.1 % pass through the area on migration. which might commute between the of the biogeographic population More than 200 bird species have impact zone and the breeding area. and is far below the natural variation been assessed during the investiga- Cormorants breeding in the western in mortality (which is 17,500 p.a. tions of the potential impacts of part of Fehmarn and birds of other equal to 7 % of the total bio-geo- an immersed tunnel on the environ- breeding colonies within the Ger- graphical population). Thus, there ment. However, only those species man Special Protection Areas (SPAs) will be a theoretical transboundary where a potential transboundary are mostly expected to use marine impact, but the possible higher impact might occur, are included areas close to their colonies and not mortality will not be measurable in the assessment. regularly visit the affected project in the breeding area of the Common area. Eider in the Eastern Baltic. Four main pressures with respect to birds have been identified from Since the impact from habitat loss Redistribution of 950 – 990 Red- the construction and operation has been assessed to be insigni­ breasted Merganser the first two of an immersed tunnel: ficant for all breeding water birds winters of the construction period, on a local scale, there will be no which equals approximately 0.6 % • Habitat loss and change transboundary impact for those of the bio-geographical population living outside German and Danish is below the internationally recog- • Barrier effects and disturbance territories. nized criteria of 1 %. The impact is from construction vessels therefore assessed as insignificant Non-breeding water birds for the transboundary region, and • Reduced light conditions in Sediment spill: Based on model as being local. the water column caused by calculations it is estimated that there sediment spill will be impacts on 8,300 – 8,800 Disturbances and barrier effects Common Eider and 950 – 990 from vessel traffic: It is estimated • Collision risk with construction Red-breasted Merganser the first that 1,500 Eurasian Widgeon, 700 vessels two winters of the construction Pochard and 7,000 Tufted Duck will period within the investigation area, be displaced due to disturbances The project will have no impacts for due to sediment spill, which leads from service vessels and marine birds during the operation phase. to reduced light in the water works during construction. In addi- column. This impact is expected tion, calculations show that 4,100 Transboundary Impacts to cause a displacement of foraging Common Eiders will be displaced areas. The food availability is not due to these pressures. This is less Breeding water birds affected significantly. than 1 % of the bio-geographical Loss of habitat: The overall assess- population of all four species, and ment of the severity of habitat loss In total, the resulting impact of there are thus no transboundary from the footprint of an immersed the sediment spill is expected to be impacts outside German and Danish tunnel across the Fehmarnbelt has a reduction in the number of diving territories on these species. Further- been assessed to be minor for all water birds in the affected areas more, the impact is temporary breeding waterbird species. within German and Danish territo- for those species since it will be ries. The impact is estimated to be confined to parts of the construction phase.

39 The impact on the above-mentioned for birds in the extraction areas, and Individual-based modelling on bird species consists of a local no transboundary impacts outside Common Eider duck shows that the displacement of sensitive water German and Danish territories are impact from reduced light condi- birds on the Danish and German expected. tions in the water column does territories, mostly on stretches along not reduce the food resources the Lolland coast which means that Transboundary impacts between significantly. Hence, the mortality the impacts are local. A consequent Germany and Denmark rate caused by the displacement redistribution of water birds within The indirect impact of sediment spill is not expected to be significantly the Fehmarnbelt area leads to statis- is among the highest pressures on higher than under existing condi- tically minor increased mortality. birds within the German and Danish tions, and the impact from the project area. The highest levels of sediment spill is hence assessed No transboundary impacts outside impact are predicted to occur along as insignificant for Eider ducks. German and Danish territories are the Lolland coast and within Rød- expected for non-breeding water sand Lagoon, which are both within The conclusion from the impacts on birds due to disturbances and Danish territory. birds within the German and Danish barrier effects from vessel traffic. project area are therefore assessed The indirect impacts from sediment as minor for Common Eider and Impacts on birds near Rønne spill will cause displacement of insignificant for Tufted Duck, Banke and Kriegers Flak birds, which is significant to Eider Merganser, Pochard and Wigeon. The impacts (due to sediment spill ducks only. It is estimated, that Concerning transboundary impacts and vessel traffic/light) from the on both sides of the German and between Germany and Denmark, extraction at Rønne Banke and Danish project area the reduction there are minor impacts on Com- Kriegers Flak on the non-breeding in the population of Eider ducks will mon Eider. For other non-breeding water birds and the migrating birds be in the order of magnitude of water birds, breeding water birds, are assessed as being insignificant 8,300 – 8,800 birds (corresponding and migrating birds there are and with minor impact, respectively. to approx. 1.09 – 1.16 % of the bio- insigni­ficant impacts. There are no breeding birds at geographic population) in the first Rønne Banke or Kriegers Flak. two winters during the construction Conclusion phase, where the most intensive The investigations show that there Despite the fact that the planned dredging works take place. will be insignificant transboundary dredging site at Rønne Banke is impacts on birds outside German located within 5 km distance from A reduction in the light conditions in and Danish territories from the the SPA Pommeranian Bay holding the water column due to sediment construction and operation of an the largest concentration of water spill has thus been assessed to have immersed tunnel. birds in the German EEZ of the Bal- a large local impact on Common tic Sea, it is assessed with certainty Eider and a medium local impact Concerning transboundary impacts that there cannot be any significant on Merganser. 1.2 % of the bio-geo- between Germany and Denmark, impacts on the conservation objec- graphic population of Common there are insignificant impacts on tives of this Natura 2000 site or Eider is displaced during the Common Eider. For other non- on the conservation objectives construction period and 0.6 % breeding water birds, there are of any other Natura 2000 site. of the bio-geographic population of also insignificant impacts across Merganser is displaced, due to this the border between Germany and All other potential impacts from indirect impact from the sediment Denmark. habitat displacement, collision risks, spill. and sediment dispersal impacting foraging conditions have been assessed to cause a minor impact

40 41 MIGRATING BATS Potential effects induced by Therefore, these potential pressures the presence of the (permanent) were not assessed any further. Only As part of the transition area physical structures and associated the pressure ‘Traffic-related collision between Scandinavia and the facilities of the fixed link or related risks for bats’ was assessed to be middle European mainland, to the operation of the fixed link: relevant. the Fehmarnbelt (and the Belt Sea) is passed by migratory bats. • Habitat loss and/or change Traffic collisions at the tunnel entrances have been assessed The main pressures during construc- • Traffic-related collision risks as the only relevant pressures with tion (temporary) and the potential of bats an impact on bats. The collision impacts identified are: risk for migrating bats is assessed to • Habitat change at tunnel be medium for Soprano Pipistrelle • Working areas, equipment, entrances/land approaches and Nathusius’ Pipistrelle and low facilities and physical structures for Noctule. of the fixed link including land Transboundary Impacts approaches and work areas at sea Only three bat species (Soprano The overall degree of impact in the Pipistrelle, Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, and project area is assessed to be minor. • Collision risk with construction Noctule) are assessed to be relevant A medium collision risk between vessels for the EIA of the fixed link, because bats and traffic is present at the of their migratory behaviour. tunnel entrances at Rødbyhavn and • Barrier effects from construction Puttgarden. Accordingly, the magni- vessels Most of the potential pressures con- tude of impact on bat migration cerning bats were assessed to cause is insignificant in the Fehmarnbelt • Habitat change at tunnel no impacts on the relevant bat spe- and no transboundary impacts are entrances/land approaches cies during their migration phase. expected outside German and Danish territories.

42 Transboundary impacts between sius’ Pipistrelle and low for Noctule. Germany and Denmark However, the impact is insignificant, Only traffic related collision risk even though these bat species are is assessed to be relevant for the migrating. Therefore, transboundary impact assessment. Traffic-related impacts on migrating bats from collision risk is assessed as a Germany to Denmark are consid- medium impairment to migratory ered to be insignificant and vice Pipistrelle species in the area of the versa. tunnel entrances. Traffic collisions and the tunnel entrances have been Conclusion assessed as the only relevant pres- The investigations show that there sures. The estimated traffic volume are no transboundary impacts out- with regard to operation of a fixed side German and Danish territories link was estimated to be between on bats from the construction and 8,000 and 9,450 vehicles on an operation of an immersed tunnel. average day. The collision risk of migrating bats near the tunnel Transboundary impacts on migrating entrances at Rødbyhavn and Putt- bats from Germany to Denmark are garden is assessed to be medium considered to be insignificant and for Soprano Pipistrelle and Nathu- vice versa.

43 STRICTLY PROTECTED SPECIES The protected species which waters between Denmark and Ger- could potentially be impacted many because of displacement from The construction and operation of are: amphibians (on Lolland and construction vessels and sediment the immersed tunnel will potentially Fehmarn), birds (Appendix I in the spill, but this impact is insignificant impact strictly protected species (as Bird Directive), bats, fish and marine in other transboundary waters. No defined by the Habitats Directive) mammals. Impacts on the different transboundary impacts are expected on land and in the marine area. protected species are assessed on the other protected bird species. in the chapters with the relevant Pressures as a result of construction environmental component. No significant impacts on marine and operation of an immersed tun- mammals are expected either in nel are treated separately for each Conclusion Danish, German or transboundary species and include the following The investigations show that with waters. pressures: Area occupation and loss the implementation of planned miti- of habitat, barrier effects, and kills gation and compensation measures Overall, the impact assessment by traffic. there will only be insignificant local shows that with the implementation impacts on amphibians and bats, of planned mitigation and compen- Other pressures, such as lighting, and limited to Denmark and sation measures no significant trans- noise, vibrations, ground water Germany. boundary impacts are expected lowerings, nitrogen deposition and on strictly protected species from pressures resulting from exposure Furthermore, it is assessed that the construction and operation of to contaminants are also included, a minor impact could occur on an immersed tunnel. when they are considered relevant. Common Eider in the transboundary

44 NATURA 2000 Transboundary impacts between For five out of the eight Natura 2000 Germany and Denmark sites in Germany the conclusion For the project in Fehmarnbelt, the For six out of the eight Natura 2000 from the screening shows that sig- impact assessment of Natura 2000 is sites in Denmark the conclusion nificant impacts on the designation based on the screening report of 16 from the screening phase shows that basis of the sites and conservation Natura 2000 areas, eight in Denmark significant impacts with certainty are objectives can be excluded, and and eight in Germany. Furthermore, not present, and that an appropriate that an appropriate Natura 2000 in connection with the Natura 2000 Natura 2000 assessment should not assessment should not be con- assessments of the possible sand be conducted. ducted. extraction at Krieger’s Flak and Rønne Bank, a preliminary assess- For the remaining two areas, For the remaining three areas, ment (screening) has been made “SCI 006X238 Hyllekrog-Rødsand” SCI DE-1332-301 “Fehmarnbelt”, of the possible impacts by the (Smålandsfarvandet North of Lol- SPA DE 1631-392 “Meeresgebiet extraction activities on additional land, Guldborg Sund, Bøtø Nord der östlichen Kieler Bucht”, and SPA three Natura 2000 sites in Denmark and Hyllekrog-Rødsand) and “SPA DE 1633-491 “Ostsee östlich von and five in Germany. DK 006X083 Coastal Zone Hyllek- Wagrien” the screening indicates rog-Rødsand”, the conclusion is that a significant impact on the Transboundary Impacts different, however, as the screening conservation objectives cannot be The two Swedish marine Natura indicates that an appropriate Natura excluded. An appropriate Natura 2000 sites, which are the closest 2000 assessment should be con- 2000 assessment is therefore sites to the area, where final deposi- ducted for the immersed tunnel. required for these sites. tion takes place in the Arkona Basin, Both areas lie within the Natura Falsterbo-Foteviken (SE0430002) 2000 area nr. 173 (Smålandsfarvan- All potential impacts in the German and Falsterbohalvön (SE0430095), det north of Lolland, Guldborgsund, Natura 2000 areas are related to can be considered as potentially Bøtø Nor and Hyllekrog-Rødsand). the construction phase. Relevant affected sites. However, both areas The rationale behind this judgment pressures to be considered are lie outside the deposition area is, that it cannot be excluded that related to construction of harbours (closest distance is 6.6 km) and the expected amounts of sediment and other dredging operations, with neither direct, nor indirect impacts during the construction phase within their resulting sediment spill and are expected for these sites. the Rødsand Lagoon will affect subsequent spreading of sediment benthic communities of habitat over a large area. Excess sediment concentrations type 1160 (shallow bays and inlets), in the water column as well as the and 1170 (reefs) through light atten- The possible sand extraction activi- expected amount of deposited uation and sediment deposition. ties on Kriegers Flak and Rønne sediment in Swedish waters are low Sediment spill may also affect food Banke may by their sediment spill, compared to the natural background resources and feeding possibilities noise and other disturbances during level in the Arkona Basin. of breeding and staging birds. the extraction and transportation The Natura 2000 assessment of area potentially affect Natura 2000 sites All other countries further east, no. 173 concludes that the fixed link located in the influence area of i.e. Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, over Fehmarnbelt neither in the con- the sand extraction sites. Lithuania and Russia as well as struction phase nor in the operation Norway, and other sites in Sweden, phase affects the nature types or Concerning the sand extraction will only receive non-measurable species, which the area has been at Krieger’s Flak a preliminary Natura sediment deposition, and thus their appointed to conserve, or is in 2000 screening shows that for the Natura 2000 sites have not been conflict with the conservation two Natura 2000 sites, which by the included in the screening. objectives of the areas. nature and spread of the pressure could be affected (”Klinteskov og

45 Klinteskov Kalkgrund” on Møn In Germany the appropriate assess- (DK990000254) and the German ment of the three relevant Natura site ”Kadetrinne” (DE1339301)), 2000 areas SCI DE-1332-301 it can be excluded that there should “Fehmarnbelt”, SPA DE 1631-392 be any significant impact on the “Meeresgebiet der östlichen Kieler designation basis or conservation Bucht”, and SPA DE 1633-491 objectives. “Ostsee östlich von Wagrien” con- cludes that the Fehmanbelt Fixed Concerning the sand extraction at Link will neither in the construction Rønne Banke the preliminary Natura nor in the operation phase affect 2000 screening shows that a signi­ the Natura 2000 areas, the nature ficant impact can be excluded on types or species, which the areas the two Danish and the four German have been designated to conserve, Natura 2000 sites. Both the sedi- nor is the project in conflict with the ment spill as well as the other pres- conservation objectives of the areas. sures are considered to be negligi- ble, and there will be no significant In the Kattegat and further outside impacts in the Danish habitat sites of the Baltic transition area, also ”Adler Grund og Rønne Banke” including the possible sand extrac- (DK00VA261) and ”Bakkebrædt og tion areas at Krieger’s Flak and Bakkegrund” (DK00VA310), in the Rønne Banke, the impacts are German habitat sites ”Adlergrund” assessed to be negligible, and (DE1251301), ”Westliche Rönne- the construction and operation bank” (DE1249301) or ”Pommer- of an immersed tunnel is therefore sche Bucht mit Oderbank” assessed to result in no impacts in (DE652302) or in the German bird the Kattegat and the Central Baltic protection site ”Pommersche Bucht” Sea. (DE1552401). On the basis of the implemented Conclusion Natura 2000 assessments, including The appropriate assessment of the both an assessment of the possible Danish Natura 2000 area no. 173 distribution of the overall pressures (Smålandsfarvandet north of by the project, as well as a Natura Lolland, Guldborgsund, Bøtø Nor 2000 screening of 24 Natura 2000 and Hyllekrog-Rødsand) concludes sites and an appropriate Natura as mentioned that the Fehmanbelt 2000 assessment in two Danish and Fixed Link will neither in the con- three German Natura 2000 sites it struction nor in the operation phase can be concluded that the project, affect the species or habitats, which including possible sand extractions the area havs been designated to on both Krieger’s Flak and Rønne conserve, nor is the project in con- Banke, neither in the construction flict with the conservation objectives phase nor in the operation phase of the areas. will affect any Natura 2000 sites.

46 FIGURE 8 German and Danish Special Protection Areas SPA (top) and sites of Community Importance (SCI) in the region around the planned Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link (bottom)

Ulvsund, Grønsund og Farø Fjord DK006X084 Smålandshavet nord for Lolland DK006X085

Sydfynske Øhav DK008X071

Nakskov Fjord og Guldborgsund DK006X086 Inderfjord DK006X088

Marstal Bugt og den sydlige del af Langeland DK008X072 Maribosøerne DK006X087

Lolland

Rødbyhavn Bøtø Nor DK006X082 Fehmarnbelt Kyststrækningen v. Hyllekrog-Rødsand DK006X083

Denmark Puttgarden

Fehmarn EEZ Germany

Östliche Kieler Bucht 1530-491

Bird protection SPA

Ostsee östlich 0 4,5 9 18 27 km Wagrien 1633-491

Sweden Denmark Davids Banke Falsterbo-Foteviken SE0430002 Sweden DK00VA308 Denmark Falsterbohalvön SE0430095 Hammeren og Slotslyngen DK007X243

Stevns Re DK00VA305 Skovene ved Vemmetofte Hvideodde Rev DK006X092 DK00VA309

Præstø Fjord og EEZ Bakkebrædt og Bakkegrund Grønsund DK006X233 DK00VA310 Klinteskoven DK006X090 Stege Nor DK006X260Møn Klinteskov Kalkgrund Adler Grund og Rønne Banke Ulvsund, Grønsund, Farø Fjord DK006X084 DK00VA306 DK00VA261 Guldborg Sund, Bøtø Nor, Bøchers Grund DK00VA307 Sydfynske Øhav Hyllekrog-Røds DK008X201 DK006X083 Nakskov Fjord DK006X242 Westliche Rönnebank DE1249301 Sydfynske Øhav Maribosøerne Libben, Steilküste und Blokgründe DK008X201 DK006X087 Wittow und Arkona DE1345301 FemernFehmarnbelt Bælt DK00VA260 GermanyPlantagenetgrund DE1343301 Guldborg Sund, Bøtø Nor, Jasmund DE1447302 Fehmarnbelt Hyllekrog-Røds DK006X083 Binnenbodden von Rügen DE1446401 DE1332301 Nordrügensche Boddenlandschaft SPA Pommersche Bucht Denmark DE1446302 Kadetrinne DE1339301 Germany DE1552401 Darsser Schwelle DE1540302 Östliche Kieler Vorpommern Boddenlandschaft und Pommersche Bucht mit Oderbank Bucht DE1530491 Nördlicher Strelasund DE1542401 DE1652301 Staberhuk DE1533301 Westliche Pommersche Sundwiessen Bucht DE1649401 DE1532321 Küstenlandschaft Grossenbrode und EEZ Meeresbereiche DE1632392 Greifswalder Bodden und Poland Sagas-Bank DE1733301 Südlicher Strelasund DE1747402 Zatoka Pomorska PLB990003

Natura 2000 sites

Kriegers Flak, Rønne Banke

0 12,5 25 50 km

47 CULTURAL HERITAGE AND Transboundary Impacts Ship wrecks outside the extraction MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY The location of the shipwrecks on area will not be affected by the Danish and German territory can project, as no activities influencing It is possible to find ship wrecks potentially be affected by construc- the seabed will take place here. from all historic periods in the tion ships, anchor blocks and anchor Furthermore, settlements have not Fehmarnbelt on both German wires during construction. been registered, nor will they be and Danish marine territory. It is also at risk of being affected by the sand possible to discover findings from The project pressures identified extraction due to the deep layer habitations, fishing sites and minor for marine archaeology from the of sand, which has been deposited findings of the way of life of prehis- construction and operation of on the seabed. No impacts are toric hunter-gatherer societies. an immersed tunnel have no trans- therefore expected for marine boundary impacts outside the archaeology in the extraction area. The following main pressures with German-Danish EEZs. Therefore, respect to cultural heritage and no transboundary impacts on marine Transboundary impacts between archaeology have been identified archaeology induced by project Germany and Denmark from the construction of an pressures are expected during Because all impacts on marine immersed tunnel: construction and operation of an archaeology are assessed to be immersed tunnel. local, no transboundary impacts are • Impacts from anchors, anchor expected from project pressures wires and handling of anchors Marine archaeology at Rønne in Denmark on marine archaeology Banke and Kriegers Flak in Germany, and vice versa. • Erosion due to changing current As the baseline study did not conditions caused by the chang- observe any wrecks in the extraction Conclusion ing seabed after dredging and area at Rønne Banke, no assessment The investigations show that there backfilling of the tunnel trench has been found relevant for the site. are no transboundary impacts out- Similarly, settlements have not been side German and Danish territories • Changing seabed in the project registered in the area. on marine archaeology from the area caused by e.g. sediment spill construction and operation of after dredging and back­filling of Within the extraction area at Krieg- an immersed tunnel. the tunnel trench, ers Flak, three ship-wrecks are and establishment of the land rec- registered in a database held by No transboundary impacts are lamation (especially along the Danish Heritage Agency. Actions expected from project pressures the coast of Lolland) should be taken to provide informa- in Denmark on marine archaeology tion of wreck positions to the in Germany, and vice versa. captain of the dredger to avoid destruction due to dredging activi- ties. However, all three wrecks are located outside the area recom- mended for extraction.

48 RECREATION AND TOURISM Transboundary Impacts Transboundary impacts between Tourists and other visitors may Germany and Denmark The tourism and recreation indus- be temporarily affected by the Concerning transboundary impacts tries in the Baltic Sea area are likely construction works offshore and for recreation and tourism, all poten- to be dependent on the state of near-shore. This applies mainly to tial project pressures induced by the marine environment. A fixed link recreational boaters who pass the the immersed tunnel project are between Germany and Denmark Fehmarnbelt area and for tourists assessed to be non-existing, as they may have different impacts on the visiting Lolland and Fehmarn. The are all local. No transboundary marine environment that can indi- possibility for practicing recreational impacts are expected from project rectly affect the tourism and recrea- activities offshore in the Fehmarn- pressures in Denmark on recreation tional areas in the Fehmarnbelt area. belt area is assessed to be affected and tourism in Germany, and vice Recreation activities include kite­ to a minor degree, as there are versa. surfing, water-skiing, kayaking, many places where such activities windsurfing, recreational fishery, can take place without disturbances. Conclusion and recreational boating. As such, the offshore construction The investigations show that there activities only occupy a minor area are no transboundary impacts out- The following project pressures, within the Fehmarnbelt near shore, side German and Danish territories in relation to recreation and tourism and most of the recreational activi- on recreation and tourism from on Fehmarn and Lolland, have been ties take place near shore. the construction and operation of identified from the construction and an immersed tunnel. operation of an immersed tunnel: The barrier effect caused by offshore construction works and an increased No transboundary impacts are • Habitat loss and changes of traffic intensity in the Fehmarnbelt expected from project pressures in recreational habitats also due will influence the area to a minor Denmark on recreation and tourism to the new land reclamation degree, but it is assumed that in Germany, and vice versa. (construction and operation) people using the Fehmarnbelt for recreational activities are already • Physical and visual barrier effects used to heavy ship traffic in the area, of recreational areas and frag- because there are 52 ferry passages mentation of the landscape between Rødby and Puttgarden per (construction and operation) day.

• Air, noise and light pollution of Concerning transboundary impacts recreational areas (construction for recreation and tourism, all poten- and operation) tial project pressures induced by the immersed tunnel are local, and • Sedimentation in the water col- hence there are no transboundary umn, which impacts the bathing impacts. water quality (construction)

49 MATERIAL ASSETS Transboundary impacts between Germany and Denmark The project pressures identified As mentioned, impacts on material as relevant in relation to impacts on assets from the construction and material assets from the construction operation of an immersed tunnel and operation of an immersed tun- are all related to the project area nel are all related to the project area activities and material assets within activities and material assets within or in the vicinity of the project area. or in the vicinity of the project area. Therefore, impacts on material assets in Denmark will only be Transboundary Impacts of a local character and not affect There are no material assets at the German territory, and vice versa. extraction sites at Rønne Banke and Kriegers Flak. Therefore no Conclusion transboundary impacts on material The investigations show that there assets outside German and Danish are no transboundary impacts on territories are expected. material assets outside German and Danish territories from the construc- Project pressures that extend into tion and operation of an immersed transboundary areas i.e. more than tunnel. 10 km from the alignment (such as sediment spill) during construction The project pressures on material works offshore, are assessed not to assets on the Danish side will not affect planned or existing material cause any impacts on material assets assets. on the German side, and vice versa.

50 RAW MATERIALS AND WASTE of the sediment. Therefore, no trans- Transboundary Impacts of waste boundary impacts from raw materi- It is assessed that disposal of waste In this chapter the environmental als are foreseen. can be handled without problems impacts of raw material consump- in Germany and Denmark, and that tion and disposal of waste gener- The consumption of raw materials there are no cross-border implica- ated during construction and will only cause insignificant trans- tions of waste. operation of the immersed tunnel boundary impacts on the environ- are assessed seperately. ment. The majority of resources will Transboundary impacts between potentially come from Kriegers Germany and Denmark Raw materials Flak and Rønne Banke. The environ- As indicated above, there will be The main raw material consumption, mental assessment is integrated in no transboundary impacts due i.e. concrete, steel and gravel have this report. to consumption of raw materials been calculated for the project or generation of waste, between including the tunnel, the land Sediment from the Fehmarnbelt Germany and Denmark during reclamation, and connecting railroad can be exported from Denmark the construction or operation of and highway. to Germany and vice versa, as an immersed tunnel. The potential the sediment generally contains low import of sediment dredged from Concerning import of raw materials, background levels of contaminants. the tunnel trench from Germany to the dredged materials from the Denmark, or vice versa will not result tunnel trench is planned to be used Waste in any transboundary impacts either. as filler in the land reclamations at It is assumed that all waste from Fehmarn (1 million m3) and Lolland the project is handled and disposed Conclusion (15 million m3). Thus, a maximum of properly in accordance with appli- There are no transboundary of 1 million m3 of sediment will cable legislation. The total waste environmental impacts identified be imported from Danish territorial generation and the amount of by consumption of raw materials waters to Germany and up to potentially recyclable materials or generation of waste between 7.5 million m3 of sediment will generated during the project are Denmark and Germany and vice be imported from German territorial relatively small compared to waste versa. waters to Denmark. The total generation at the national level. amount of dredged materials from the tunnel trench and cut-and-cover Waste from the project will be tunnel corresponds to 15 million m3. handled in compliance with the Danish provisions of source Transboundary Impacts separation, authorisation and review of raw materials of construction and demolition Chemical analyses show that the waste. This will ensure that the vast hazardous substances are below majority of concrete, metal, sand/ national and international criteria, gravel and asphalt waste will be except for one sample. In this recycled. If the excavated volumes sample PCB exceeded the Danish cannot be reused directly on site, LAC but not HAC. All contaminants the material will be sent to sorting are limited to the upper 10 cm facilities for reprocessing/recycling.

51 AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE The emissions from marine activities, concentrations of these substances, that is, from dredgers, tug boats and exceeding current air quality thresh- Construction of the immersed tunnel construction vessels, are consider- old values for residential areas. involves a number of activities on able, and air quality will be locally However, there will be no perma- land and offshore, which will result affected. This is based on calcula- nent habitation is these areas, and in emissions of pollutants into the tions of fuel consumption, and the public will not have access to air. because for marine works there the areas, where the concentration are fewer regulations for emissions is above the threshold values. The construction and operation of from machines than on land. Since the immersed tunnel will also result the activities will take place far away Project activities emitting GHGs in emission of greenhouse gasses from residential areas and in a large during the construction and opera- (GHGs), either directly (such as area, where the air circulation is tion phases are: exhaust from heavy equipment) good, it is not expected that the or indirectly (such as electricity threshold values for air quality inland • Construction of the fixed link, consumption and in the production will be exceeded during the con- including production of tunnel of steel and cement used for the struction phase. elements and building materials, construction of the immersed the main structures and construc- tunnel).The greenhouse gasses will With regard to PM10 and NO2 tion works, temporary work be released to the atmosphere and concentrations, calculations of sites and approach links for rail therefore add to the global emission dispersion show that on shore and road of greenhouse gasses. The GHGs around the tunnel opening and are irrelevant to air quality, but are up to approximately 200 m in the • Operation of the link, excluding relevant for climate change. direction away from the tunnel traffic opening there will be elevated • Traffic

52 Transboundary Impacts Transboundary impacts between Emissions of air pollutants from the Germany and Denmark the marine activities are of a local Emissions from the marine activities character and are not expected are as mentioned of a local charac- to affect the air quality offshore. ter and not expected to affect the

Likewise, the emissions of PM10 and transboundary air quality. Likewise,

NO2 inland are of a local character. the emissions of PM10 and NO2 inland are of a local character, and

The assessment of calculated CO2 emissions in Denmark will not affect emissions during construction of the air quality in Germany and vice an immersed tunnel shows that CO2 versa. equivalent emissions of approxi- mately 2.0 million t will be emitted The emissions of GHGs are assessed compared with the situation of as being of no relevance for the not establishing a fixed link across air quality on Lolland and Fehmarn. the Fehmarnbelt. Over the lifetime (120 years) of the immersed tunnel Conclusion assuming the same emission and The Fixed Link project is assessed emission factors a total of 0.7 million not to result in significant trans- t of CO2 equivalents will be emitted boundary impacts outside German during the operation. and Danish territories as a result of emissions from construction works The immersed tunnel will also result and the operation of an immersed in savings of CO2 emissions in the tunnel. However, over time there operation phase. The larges saving will be a minor positive impact from will be the result of the expected the expected closing of the ferry line closure of the ferry line between between Puttgarden and Rødby and Rødby and Puttgarden. In addition, the expected transfer of freight from there will also be a reduction of road to rail. emissions from freight transport on road and rail. The reason for this is The conclusion regarding trans- an expected transfer of road freight boundary impacts between to rail and a decrease in travel Germany and Denmark is that distance for the rail freight. In its life- emissions on the Danish side from time, the immersed tunnel will save marine construction activities and over 22,000,000 t of CO2 compared emissions of PM10 and NO2 inland to a situation with continued ferry will not have impacts on air quality service, which is considered a posi- on the German side and vice versa. tive impact for the climate.

The emission of GHGs from the construction and operation of the immersed tunnel is overall a small contribution compared to the national and global GHGs emission.

53 SHIP TRAFFIC AND NAVIGATION to work harbours, and dredgings already been put in place in for portals and ramps near the coast Travemünde by the German authori- Construction of an immersed tunnel associated with the construction of ties, which takes care of the German involves a number of marine activi- the immersed tunnel. The dredging part of the T-route. These measures ties, which will affect the ship traffic is planned to be done by backhoe ensure that all types of traffic in the in the Fehmarnbelt from adjacent dredgers and trailing suction hopper Fehmarnbelt can continue as usual areas. dredgers, and the sediment will during the construction phase. be transported to the reclamation During operation there will be no The project pressures in relation areas with barges. Guard ships will impacts for ship traffic with an to ship traffic are: be placed close to the dredging immersed tunnel. areas on both sides of the trench. • The offshore construction works Impacts on Ship traffic at Rønne The tunnel elements will be towed Banke and Kriegers Flak • Exclusion zones from the work harbour to holding Only a smaller amount of ship traffic areas in the vicinity of the tunnel (135 – 670 passages) passes Rønne • Work areas offshore alignment by tug boats. The tunnel Banke and Kriegers Flak (approxi- elements are stored in holding areas mately 800 – 1,400 passages are • Barrier effects from construction until they are moved into position expected during the construction works and immersed. phase). The extraction activities might cause the changing of sailing The offshore construction related Barrier effects from routes during the extraction period traffic is estimated to cause 130,000 construction works due to approximately 135 – 670 movements in total during the four There will be a barrier effect from expected passages of construction- years it takes place (approximately the offshore construction works, related traffic. The impact is 32,000 p.a. which corresponds but since all types of ship traffic can regarded as minor. to the present scenario of the still pass the Fehmarnbelt during movements of the ferries that sail the construction phase, this is not between Puttgarden and Rødby- assessed as a significant impact. havn). About half of those move- ments are bound to cross the inter- However, the impacts from construc- national T-route in the Fehmarnbelt. tion of an immersed tunnel lead to mainly temporary local impacts, Transboundary Impacts which do not extend beyond the German and Danish Exclusive The offshore construction Economic Zones (EEZ), and thus in works, exclusion zones and the case of ship traffic, no significant work areas offshore transboundary impacts occur. This The majority of the dredging is is mainly due to the effective mitiga- related to dredging of a trench tion measures such as the VTS across the Fehmarnbelt where the system and the guard ships, as well immersed tunnel will be placed, as the WVC centre, which all will be but the works also include dredging in operation during the construction for work harbours, access channels phase. A permanent VTS system has

54 Transboundary impacts between Conclusion Germany and Denmark The investigations show that As mentioned, the impacts from the impact from construction and construction and operation of an operation of an immersed tunnel immersed tunnel is assessed to lead is assessed to have no significant to temporary local impacts in the impact on the ship traffic in the Feh- Fehmarnbelt, which do not extend marnbelt, Rønne Banke or Kriegers beyond the German and Danish Flak and the transboundary region. Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), This is mainly, because the traffic and thus in the case of ship traffic is allowed to operate during the and navigation, no significant trans- construction phase, and because boundary impacts occur. There the implementation of the different are also no transboundary impacts risk reduction measures (mitigation) between Germany and Denmark, continuously secures the on-going as all impacts are considered local traffic. and not significant. The project pressures on ship traffic and navigation on the Danish side will not cause any impacts on ship traffic and navigation on the German side, and vice versa.

55 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ment spill from the dredging activi- and the two years during which ties overlapping with the project the intensive dredging works of the When several planned activities/pro- area of the wind farm will consist construction phase of the immersed jects within the same geographical only of fine sediments, which will be tunnel are taking place. This is not area have an impact on environ­ re-suspended and thereby will cause the case, as the timing of the two mental factors at the same time, no significant cumulative impacts projects is different. Regarding dis- cumulative impacts may occur. on the marine environment. Con- placement of habitat, an immersed The potential for transboundary cerning habitat displacement, the tunnel causes a theoretical displace- cumulative impacts associated with immersed tunnel will theoretically ment of habitat for a number of an immersed tunnel in the Fehmarn- affect a number of water birds within water birds within a two year period. belt has thus been assessed. The a two year period during the con- As a consequence of the distance assessment only includes planned struction phase. Since all wind farms between GEOFReE and the project offshore projects of the countries lie more than 100 km from the area, and this limited period of time, of origin (Germany and Denmark) of project area it is assessed that the it has been assessed that there will the immersed tunnel, as no planned construction of an immersed tunnel be no cumulative impacts concern- offshore projects/activities of third will not cause any transboundary ing displacement of habitat between parties have been identified. cumulative impacts in relation to these two projects. replacement of habitat. Transboundary impacts Regarding extraction of raw materi- The potential cumulative trans- Concerning the wind farm Rødsand als at Kriegers Flak and Rønne boundary impacts have been II, a potential cumulative impact Banke, the assessment concludes assessed by analysing impacts from on the coastal morphology (erosion) that given the very limited and local a number of projects, which are may occur. Rødsand II has been range of the sediment plumes near mostly offshore wind farms, as well incorporated in the hydrodynamic the extraction site and the distance as the replacement of a bridge modelling, which forms the basis of more than 130 km from these to across the Storstrøm in Denmark. for the assessment of impacts on the work areas where the construc- All projects are either German or hydrography and coastal morphol- tion of an immersed tunnel takes Danish owned, and they are all ogy from the immersed tunnel. place, cumulative transboundary planned within German and Danish Rødsand II has also been incorpo- impacts are unlikely to occur. Only territories. rated in the individual-based model an assessment of potential cumula- (IBM) in relation to the assessment tive impacts between the sand The assessment shows that the of impacts on Common Eider and extraction at Kriegers Flak and the planned offshore wind farms other bird species. No significant construction phase of the wind farm Arkona-Becken Südost, EnBW wind cumulative impacts on birds in this at Kriegers Flak is relevant, since the farm Baltic 2, Wikinger wind farm respect are expected. Concerning time schedule of these two projects and the planned wind farm at cumulative impacts on coastal are expected to overlap. However, Kriegers Flak all lie more than erosion, mitigation measures in since the exact timing of the work 100 km from the project area of the form of beach nourishment will activities in relation to the construc- the immersed tunnel. Potential prevent such impacts, and Rødsand tion of the wind farm is not known, cumulative impacts in relation to II’s contribution in relation to this it has not been possible to assess these projects are sediment spill pressure is assessed as insignificant. to what extent cumulative impacts and displacement of habitat. may occur. Regarding sediment spill, no cumu- Concerning the wind farm GEOF- lative impacts are expected to ReE, in order for any cumulative occur because of either the large impact to occur, there will have distances, or – for the wind farm to be an overlap between the at Kriegers Flak – because the sedi- dredging works of this project

56 Concerning a planned new Stor- planned within German and Danish it has not been possible to assess strøm Bridge, it has not been pos- territories. No cumulative trans- other potential cumulative impacts. sible to assess potential transbound- boundary impacts are expected ary cumulative impacts, because from Denmark to Germany or vice The construction and operation the EIA for the Storstrøm project has versa. of a new Storstrøm bridge is not not been completed yet. However, expected to have any significant it has been assessed that distur- Conclusion transboundary cumulative impact. bance and loss of habitat will only For the wind farms Arkona Becken cause local impacts from the two Südost, EnBW Baltic 2, and Overall, no transboundary cumula- projects, and no cumulative impacts Wikinger, no transboundary cumula- tive impacts have been identified are expected. Since the old Stor- tive impacts have been identified. in relation to the construction or strøm bridge will be dismantled Concerning the Rødsand II and operation of an immersed tunnel. and replaced with a new bridge, GEOFReE wind farms, which both no increased barrier effects are lie closer to the work areas of the expected from the Fehmarn Belt immersed tunnel, no transboundary Fixed Link, and no significant impacts have been identified either. cumulative barrier effects are thus expected in regard to the replace- In relation to the planned wind ment of the Storstrøm Bridge. farm at Kriegers Flak, no cumulative transboundary impacts are Transboundary impacts between expected, even though the con- Germany and Denmark struction of the wind farm overlaps As can be concluded from the with the period of the extraction above, all planned offshore wind activities at the site. However, since farms, and the replacement of the the exact range and type of work Storstrøm Bridge, are either German activities in relation to the construc- or Danish owned, and they are all tion of the wind farm are not known,

57 SUMMARY Similarly, there will in general be no transboundary impacts on birds, but The investigations of the environ- there may be a theoretical impact mental impact assessment show that on Common Eider in areas belong- for two environmental components ing to Sweden, Finland, Russia, there will be a physical transbound- Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and ary impact beyond the borders of Poland, because of a temporary Germany and Denmark. and impact on this bird species in the local area of the project. Firstly, there will be a globally non- significant impact as a result of the Concerning ship traffic and naviga- emissions of greenhouse gases. tion, the insignificant impact of Secondly, there will be deposition national and international ship traffic of suspended sediments from the in the Fehmarnbelt will be tempo- sediment spill in the Arkona Basin as rary and limited to a period of four a result of the dredging activities of years, which is the time, the offshore the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link. Regard- construction works have been ing the sediment spill, it is assessed estimated to last. Based on that that the amounts of deposited sedi- it is assessed that there will be ment on Swedish territory are very insignificant transboundary impacts small and have a non-significant on ship traffic and navigation. impact on the marine environment. Project-related transboundary impacts from temporarily increased concentrations of sediment and deposition rates on Swedish territory are very small and have insignificant impacts on the marine environment.

In addition to the mentioned physi- cal impacts, there may be impacts on migratory bird and fish species. The impacts on fish take place in the near zone in Denmark or Germany without transboundary impacts. Only fish that migrate to other regional waters, such as cod, whiting and herring may theoretically be affected and only with an insigni­ ficant impact.

58 7 CONTROL AND MONITORING PROGRAMME

Femern A/S has decided to develop The monitoring programme will 2. Requirements for spillage control an inspection and monitoring be based on self-regulation, where of dredged sediment in compli- programme for the construction the requirements for the contractor’s ance with contractually stipulated and operation of the Fehmarnbelt documentation of compliance requirements. The contractor Fixed Link. This is not a formal with conditions, requirements, of marine construction works requirement from the EIA Executive etc. will be set contractually. will be responsible for inspecting Order, but customary practice if sediment spillage from all a project entails impacts, which The findings of the programme relevant sources at sea and for impacts and development cannot will be reported to the authorities reporting to Femern A/S in be inspected or monitored solely at regular intervals, and interested compliance with the guidelines on the basis of requirements and groups, especially affected parties threshold values already prescribed and the general public, will have 3. Monitoring of implemented by public authorities. access to monitoring data and mitigation and compensation results. The programme of parts measures in order to ensure The purpose of the programme is: hereof will be implemented at latest that the projected ecological at the initiation of construction functionality is achieved • To verify that the project is com- activities and is expected to be pliant with prevailing standards, completed during the operation 4. Monitoring of selected biological/ requirements and threshold phase, depending on the type chemical components in values for construction and of parameter monitored. order to verify basic model operation assumptions and to document The monitoring programme will the actual environmental status • To monitor that any project be organised as part of an environ- by means of selected parameters pressures are as assumed in mental management system, which (e.g. Natura 2000 area designa- the environmental impact will also set out guidelines and tion basis and Marine Strategy assessments procedures indicating what is to be Framework Directive’s require- inspected and monitored, by whom, ments for good qualitative • To monitor that mitigation and when and how. status) compensation measures function as assumed The monitoring programme will be based on four main component • To be able to implement packages: corrective actions, if necessary 1. Requirements for inspections Therefore the programme will only at the construction site in be carried out for activities, where compliance with statutory the impact is assessed as significant environmental requirements. or insignificant in the EIA. For activi- This relates to e.g. emissions, ties assessed as having no impact, handling of oil and chemicals, or where the impact is so minor waste management, effluent it is assessed as being of no conse- discharge, raw materials quence whatsoever, no inspection consumption, etc. or monitoring will be carried out.

59 LOLLAND

DENMARK

DEUTSCHLAND

60 Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment Summary Report

LOLLAND This publication has been prepared by Femern A/S

Femern A/S is responsible for planning the fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt.

DENMARK Any questions regarding this publication should be addressed to Femern A/S:

Femern A/S Vester Søgade 10 1601 Copenhagen V Denmark Tel. + 45 33 41 63 00 [email protected] www.femern.dk CVR-nr. 28986564

Published by Femern A/S June 2013 Design by Femern A/S and BGRAPHIC Illustrations Schønherr, Ramboll ARUP-TEC and BGRAPHIC Photo Femern A/S and Icono ISBN 978-87-92416-99-5

© Femern A/S 2013 All Rights Reserved DEUTSCHLAND

CO-financed by the European Union Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T)

”The sole responsibility of this publication lies with the author. The European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein”. This publication has been Femern A/S CO-financed by the European Union prepared by Femern A/S Vester Søgade 10 Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) 1601 Copenhagen V Femern A/S is responsible Denmark ”The sole responsibility of this publication lies with for the project planning T +45 33 41 63 00 the author. The European Union is not responsible which will result in E [email protected] for any use that may be made of the information the coast-coast link. www.femern.dk contained therein”.