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Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (As Amended), for Decision- Making in Terms of Regulation 20 of the 2014 NEMA EIA Regulations

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Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (As Amended), for Decision- Making in Terms of Regulation 20 of the 2014 NEMA EIA Regulations Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Basic Assessment Process Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure) BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT CSIR Report Number: CSIR/IU/021SE/ER/2017/0011/B August 2017 Prepared for: South Africa Mainstream Renewable Power Developments (Pty) Ltd Prepared by: CSIR P. O. Box 17001, Congella, Durban, 4013, South Africa PO Box 320, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa Tel: +27 31 242 2300 and +27 21 888 2400 Fax: +27 31 261 2509 and +27 21 888 2693 Lead Authors: Paul Lochner, Surina Laurie, Rohaida Abed and Andile Dludla Mapping: Surina Laurie (CSIR) © CSIR 2017. All rights to the intellectual property and/or contents of this document remain vested in the CSIR. This document is issued for the sole purpose for which it is supplied. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express written permission of the CSIR. It may also not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover than that in which it is published. Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Title: Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Purpose of this report: This Basic Assessment (BA) Report forms part of a series of reports and information sources that have been compiled during the BA Process for the proposed construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the authorised Sutherland 2 WEF, Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure). The purpose of this BA Report is to: • Present the proposed project and the need for the proposed project; • Describe the affected environment at a sufficient level of detail to facilitate informed decision-making; • Provide an overview of the BA Process being followed, including public consultation; • Assess the predicted positive and negative impacts of the proposed project on the environment; • Provide recommendations to avoid or mitigate negative impacts and to enhance the positive benefits of the project; and • Provide an Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) for the proposed project. This BA Report is being made available to all Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs), Organs of State and stakeholders for a 30-day review period. All comments submitted during the 30-day review of this BA Report will be incorporated into a finalised BA Report, as applicable and where necessary. The finalised BA Report will then be submitted to the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), in accordance with Regulation 19 (1) of the 2014 National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998, as amended) (NEMA) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (as amended), for decision- making in terms of Regulation 20 of the 2014 NEMA EIA Regulations. Prepared for: South Africa Mainstream Renewable Power Developments (Pty) Ltd Contact Person: Mercia Grimbeek Prepared by: CSIR, P. O. Box 17001, Congella, Durban, 4013, South Africa CSIR, P. O. Box 320, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa Tel: +27 31 242 2300 and +27 21 888 2400 Fax: +27 31 261 2509 and +27 21 888 2693 Authors: Paul Lochner, Surina Laurie, Rohaida Abed and Andile Dludla Mapping: Surina Laurie CSIR Report Number: CSIR/IU/021SE/ER/2017/0011/B CSIR Project Number: EMS0123 Date: August 2017 To be cited as: CSIR, 2017. Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): Basic Assessment Report. CSIR Report Number: CSIR/IU/021SE/ER/2017/0011/B Page 1 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT SECTION A Introduction, Project Description and Legislative Review SECTION B Description of the Affected Environment SECTION C Public Participation SECTION D Impact Assessment SECTION E Recommendation of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner SECTION F Appendices APPENDICES Appendix A Maps Appendix B Photographs Appendix C Facility Illustrations Appendix D Specialist Reports (including Terms of Reference) Appendix E Public Participation Appendix F Impact Assessment Appendix G Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) Appendix H Details of EAP and Expertise Appendix I Specialist’s Declaration of Interest Appendix J Additional Information Page 2 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Table 1: The BA Team 28 Table 2: Scope of the BA Processes 29 Table 3: Summary of Specifications of the proposed Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure Project 35 Table 4: Applicable Listed Activities 52 Table 5: Start, Middle and End Point of Alternatives 1 and 2 of the Proposed Distribution Line and Connection to the proposed Third Party Substation 59 Table 6: Summary of Ranking and Assessment of Routing Options considered for Alternative 2 of the Proposed Distribution Line and Service Road 61 Table 7: Requirements of Appendix 1 of the 2014 NEMA EIA Regulations (as amended) in terms of Alternatives 66 Table 8: List of Questions to determine the Need and Desirability of the Proposed Project 69 Table 9: Legislation Applicable to the Proposed Project 77 Table 10: Details of the Affected Properties 83 Table 11: Habitat Condition on Site 91 Table 12: Summary of the Results of the Assessment of the Freshwater Resources 92 Table 13: Site Notice Boards Placed for the Commencement of the BA and Amendment Processes (Sutherland, Sutherland 2 and Rietrug WEF Electrical Grid Infrastructure BA Projects) 109 Table 14: Summary of Main Issues Raised by I&APs and Response from the EAP 112 Table 15: Projects considered as part of the cumulative impact assessment that occur within 50 km of the site 117 Table 16: Summary of the Overall Impact Significance (Post Mitigation) for the Terrestrial Ecological Impact Assessment (Alternative 1 and Alternative 2) 189 Table 17: Summary of the Overall Impact Significance (Post Mitigation) for the Aquatic Ecology (Freshwater) Impact Assessment (Alternative 1 and Alternative 2) 190 Table 18: Summary of the Overall Impact Significance (Post Mitigation) for the Visual Impact Assessment (Alternative 1 and Alternative 2) 191 Table 19: Summary of the Overall Impact Significance (Post Mitigation) for the Heritage Impact Assessment (Alternative 1 and Alternative 2) 194 Table 20: Summary of the Overall Impact Significance (Post Mitigation) for the Avifauna Impact Assessment (Alternative 1 and Alternative 2) 195 Table 21: Overall findings for Alternative 1 and Alternative 2 198 Page 3 Basic Assessment for the Proposed Construction of Electrical Grid Infrastructure to support the Sutherland 2 Wind Energy Facility (WEF), Northern and Western Cape Provinces (Sutherland 2 WEF – Electrical Grid Infrastructure): BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT Figure 1: The proposed locality of the authorised Sutherland, Sutherland 2 and Rietrug WEFs, which are currently undergoing a second Substantive Amendment Process regarding the turbine specifications and layout. 26 Figure 2: The farms affected by the proposed Sutherland 2 WEF Electrical Grid Infrastructure BA Project. 27 Figure 3: Different types of towers (Images: ECVV.com and Eskom) 33 Figure 4: Image indicating the proposed electrical grid infrastructure and areas deemed to be of ecological value or sensitivity (linked to the 1600 m amsl contour) for the Sutherland 2 WEF Electrical Grid Infrastructure Project. 39 Figure 5: Rivers associated with the study area according to the National Freshwater Ecosystems Protected Areas (NFEPA) database (2011). 40 Figure 6: Conceptual presentation of the freshwater resources associated with the western portion of the study area, and the associated 32m zone of regulation as stipulated by NEMA. 41 Figure 7: Conceptual presentation of the freshwater resources associated with the eastern portion of the study area, and the associated 32m zone of regulation as stipulated by NEMA. 42 Figure 8: Conceptual presentation of the freshwater resources associated with the eastern portion of the study area, and the associated 32m zone of regulation as stipulated by NEMA. 42 Figure 9: Visual Sensitivity Map of the properties hosting the proposed electrical infrastructure for the Sutherland 2 WEF Electrical Grid Infrastructure Project 44 Figure 10: Location of an extensive surface scatter of petrified
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