Amended Final Scoping Report for the Proposed Construction of The
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` Public Review Document Amended Final Scoping Report for the Proposed Construction of the Rooikat Hydropower Site and Associated Infrastructure, Orange River, Thembelihle and Siyancuma Local Municipalities, Northern Cape DEA Ref. No.: 14/12/16/3/3/2/511 January 2014 View of the Orange River upstream to the proposed Rooikat Hydropower Site Prepared For: Prepared By: Luel Culwick Enviroworks: Mark Day I Reviewed by: Pieter de Villiers Sidala Energy Solutions (Pty) Ltd Tel +27 (0) 21 853 0682 PO Box 84486 Fax +27 (0) 86 601 7507 Greenside [email protected] 2193 PO Box 338, Private Bag X15, Somerset West, 7129 Enviroworks CC. All Rights Reserved – This document is the intellectual property of Enviroworks CC and the associated client. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution hereof may result in strict civil and criminal penalties, with violators being prosecuted under law. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sidala Energy Solutions (Pty) Ltd (hereafter referred to as Sidala) is a South African based development company operating in the emergent renewable energy industry. The company proposes to construct the Rooikat Hydropower Site on the Orange River between Hopetown and Douglas, which has the potential to generate approximately 22MWin a run of river (ROR) fashion. This amended Final Scoping Report (FSR) is an update of the former Final Scoping Report dated October 2013, and has new information included as requested by the Department of Environmental Affairs in their letter dated 20 January 2014 (Appendix C). A table of these points and their location in this report is provided for at the end of this Executive Summary. A copy of the letter from the DEA is given in Appendix J. The facility will comprise of a weir with a height of approximately 30m (measured from river bottom to FSL), as well as associated access roads and a 33 kilovolt (kV) power line. The facility is proposed to have a design flow rate of approximately 100³/s, with an average turbine-generator efficiency of approximately 85% and capacity output of approximately 22MW. The construction of a weir in the Orange River will result in the inundation of approximately 14km of riverbank upstream.. The full supply level of the dam is not more than 1040 metres above sea level (masl) and cover a surface area of approximately 5.5 km² (550 ha). The dam would be operated to be at full supply level at all times. During commissioning, it will utilise larger discharges of water during hydropower generation from the Vanderkloof Dam to raise the water level. As a consequence, a change in the flow regime during the filling of dams shall be negligible. After filling of the dams, during operation, no change to the flow regime will occur. The identification of alternative site locations was determined through investigation of geology, hydrology (flow duration only), physical properties such as river cross sections, tailwater and area inundation, site access and hydro potential. An operational period in excess of 60 years would ensue following construction with feed-in of electricity into Eskom’s national grid. This amended FSR focuses on identifying the environmental impacts associated with the Rooikat Hydropower Site, situated on the Orange River between Portion 3 of Farm Eskdale No. 204 (Herbert Registration Division (RD)) and Portion 3 of Farm Deelfontein No. 237 (Hopetown RD). The amended FSR forms part of a greater Scoping and Full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, which is subject to the conditions of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations of 18 June 2010, as amended, and supporting guidelines. Enviroworks (an Independent Environmental Consultancy) was appointed as the project Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAP) to carry out a Scoping and EIA process, so as to address the impact of the proposed activity; a practice which entails amongst others site surveys, scoping of issues and potential impact identification, identifying and describing alternatives, conducting public participation as well as actual impact assessment and providing mitigatory measures for these potential impacts. The following outcomes are intended to be achieved through this amended FSR: Detail the nature and extent of the activity; Identify and describe feasible alternatives; 2 AMENDED FINAL SCOPING REPORT l ROOIKAT HYRDOPOWER SITE l JANUARY 2014 l ENVIROWORKS Identify and describe potential issues linked to the proposed activity; and Identify specialist studies to be undertaken and their terms of reference Quantify the level of investigation to be undertaken during the forthcoming EIA process and provide a Plan of Study (PoS) for the EIA process. Several factors assisted towards addressing these aims, through the involvement of role-players such as the project proponent, the engineering consultant, interested and affected parties (I&APs), stakeholders and specialist consultants. Coupled to the publishing of this report, a comment period will run concurrently during which time stakeholders and I&APs have the opportunity to review all documentation and provide comment for further discussion, examination and integration into the EIA process. These comments, together with the amended FSR shall be submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) for evaluation and decision-making. If the amended FSR and the PoS for the EIA is accepted by the DEA, an Environmental Impact Reporting (EIR) process will ensue, which shall comprise a broader study and the assessment of all identified and anticipated environmental impacts. The following table details the requested information by the DEA and the location thereof in this report: Table 1: Updates made to the Amended FSR DEA Rejection Letter (NEAS Ref: Point number Page DEA/EIA/0001781/2013) - Items in this report Number a) Amend listed activities to reflect in amended FSR and 1.8 18 application form. b) Address listed activities and their relevant issues: 1.8 18 c) Adequately identify and include a description of 5.1 – 5.4 59-70 environmental issues and potential impacts, incl. cumulative impacts. d) The SR must adequately identify and include a description 5.1 – 5.4 59-70 of all possible direct and indirect impacts for the preferred and alternative sites, including other developments in the area as well as renewable energy and hydro facilities. e) Provide a detailed description of the needs and desirability, 1.7 15 indicating the need for the development in the region and the desirability of the location compared to other sites. f) Provide a detailed description of any identified alternatives 3.3 45-50 to the proposed activity that are feasible and reasonable, including the advantages and disadvantages thereof in terms of Regulation 28(j) of the EIA Regulations, 2010. g) Provision of location, dimension and details of the 3.2 38 proposed weir and associated infrastructure in the amended FSR h) Issues relating to inundation raised by I&APs need to be 2.3.2 31 adequately addressed. In addition the current height of 3.2.1 42 water during both dry and wet seasons needs to be clearly stated. i) Address issues raised by the DWA 2.3.2 32 3 AMENDED FINAL SCOPING REPORT l ROOIKAT HYRDOPOWER SITE l JANUARY 2014 l ENVIROWORKS j) The DEA requested that an Aquatic and Terrestrial 6.1.1. 73-77 Biodiversity Impact Survey be undertaken separately. k) Adequately identify and describe impacts with regards to 5.1.7. 61 loss of tourism and agriculture. l) Requirements of PPP must be in accordance with 2.3 28 Regulation 54 to 57 of GNR 543 of the EIA Regulations, 2010. m) An Agricultural Impact Assessment must form part of the 6.1.1. PoSEIA. n) A Botanical Impact Assessment must form part of the 6.1.1 73 PoSEIA. This will form part of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Impact Survey. o) A Riparian and Wetland Assessment study is required to be 6.1.1 73 part of the PoSEIA. This will form part of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Impact Survey. p) A Service Impact Assessment study must form part of the 6.1.1. 80 PoSEIA. q) A Social Impact Assessment must form part of the PoSEIA. 6.1.1. 77 A Socio-economic Impact Assessment is provided. r) A Cumulative Impact Assessment must form part of the 6.1.1. 80 PoSEIA. Enviroworks will conduct this as part of the EIA process. s) The DEA requested that an Avifaunal specialist form part of 6.1.1. 74 the PoSEIA, due to the need for a 132kV overhead powerline. This report confirms that a powerline of 33kV or less will be constructed. The Terrestrial Biodiversity Impact Survey will consider impacts on avifauna. t) The Hydrological Impact Assessment must account for 6.1.1. 81 water quality, water temperature and oxygen content. This will be addressed in both this report and the Aquatic Biodiversity Impact Survey. u) The specialist study must also take into account the quality 6.1.1. 81 of water entering and leaving the hydro facility. v) Specialist reports are to be conducted in terms of the 6.1.1. 72 requirements of Regulation 32/(3) of the EIA Regulations, 2010. w) The Plan of Study must be in accordance with Regulation 6 71 28(n) of the EIA Regulations, 2010. x) Should specialist studies be conducted prior to acceptance - - of the PoSEIA, this is done at the applicants own risk. Noted y) The amended FSR must meet the requirements of the - - rejection letter and requirements of Regulation 28 of the EIA Regulations, 2010. Noted z) Formatting and the content page must correspond with the - - relevant page numbers. Noted aa) DEA is not a commenting authority, but rather the - - Competent Authority. Noted bb) Provision of a legible A3 Regional Map and site layout plan Appendix C - with attributes as listed in the rejection letter.