Natura Impact Statement for the Development of a 1:15 Scale Test Site for Wave Energy Devices at Belmullet Co. Mayo Produced By
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Natura Impact Statement for the Development of a 1:15 Scale Test Site for Wave Energy Devices at Belmullet Co. Mayo Produced by AQUAFACT International Services Ltd. On behalf of M-WEST December 2014 AQUAFACT INTERNATIONAL SERVICES ltd. 12 KILKERRIN PARK, GALWAY www.aquafact.ie [email protected] tel +353 (0) 91 756812 fax +353 (0) 91 756888 Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Requirement for an Article 6 Assessment ................................................................................ 1 1.2. The Aim of this Report .............................................................................................................. 1 2. Appropriate Assessment Process 2 2.1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 2 2.2. Stages ........................................................................................................................................ 4 2.2.1. Stage 1. Screening for Appropriate Assessment .................................................................................... 4 2.2.2. Stage 2. Appropriate Assessment........................................................................................................... 5 2.2.3. Stage 3. Alternative Solutions ................................................................................................................ 5 2.2.4. Stage 4. Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI)/Derogation .................................... 5 3. Description of the Project 6 3.1. Description of the Proposal ...................................................................................................... 6 3.1.1. Background ............................................................................................................................................ 6 3.1.2. Investigation/development phase .......................................................................................................... 8 3.1.3. Operational phase .................................................................................................................................. 8 3.2. Description of the Receiving Environment ............................................................................. 10 3.3. Likely Effects of the Proposal .................................................................................................. 14 4. Appropriate Assessment Screening 14 4.1. Identification of Relevant Natura 2000 Sites .......................................................................... 14 4.2. Screening Assessment ............................................................................................................ 14 5. Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment (Natura Impact Statement) 21 5.1. Assessment of the Likely Effects ............................................................................................. 21 5.1.1. Likely Effects of the Proposal ................................................................................................................ 21 5.1.2. Impact Assessment ............................................................................................................................... 21 5.1.3. Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................................................ 27 5.2. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 30 6. Marine Mammal Risk Assessment 30 6.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 30 6.1.1. Sound source ........................................................................................................................................ 30 6.1.2. Species .................................................................................................................................................. 31 6.1.3. Environment ......................................................................................................................................... 32 6.2. Risk Identification ................................................................................................................... 33 6.3. Risk Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 35 7. References 35 List of Figures Figure 2.1: Stages in the AA process (Source: DEHLG, 2009). ........................................................................... 4 Figure 3.1: Location of the proposed test site. ................................................................................................ 7 Figure 3.2: Location of the Annexed habitats and species sites in relation to the proposed test site. ............13 Figure 4.1: cSACs within 15km of the proposed test site ................................................................................16 Figure 4.2: SPAs within 15km of the proposed test site .................................................................................17 Figure 5.1: Aquaculture activity in Blacksod Bay. ...........................................................................................29 List of Tables Table 3.1: Coordinates of the proposed test site. ............................................................................................ 7 Table 4.1: Natura 2000 sites, Qualifying Interests, Potential Impacts and Screening Assessment. * denotes priority habitats. ...................................................................................................................................17 Table 5.1: Impacts and activities within the Mullet/Blacksod Bay cSAC (IE000470) (NPWS, 1999) .................27 Table 6.1: Criteria for Permanent injury – estimated values for PTS onset for non pulse sources ..................34 Table 6.2: Criteria and values for disturbance/behavioural response from non pulse sources .......................34 List of Appendices Appendix 1 NPWS Consultation Appendix 2 Baseline Characterisation Survey of Test Site Wave Energy Test Site 1:15 Scale, M-WEST Belmullet, Co. Mayo December 2014 1. Introduction 1.1. Requirement for an Article 6 Assessment The proposed 1:15 scale wave energy test site is located within the Mullet/Blacksod Bay Complex cSAC (Site Code: IE000470) and the Blacksod Bay / Broadhaven SPA (IE004037). Therefore, it is regarded as necessary that this proposal have due regard to Article 6 (3) of the EU Habitats Directive1 which states: Article 6 (3): Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the [Natura 2000] site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the [Natura 2000] site in view of the [Natura 2000] site’s conservation objectives. This is transposed into national legislation by Regulation 31 of the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997. 1.2. The Aim of this Report This document has been prepared in accordance with current guidance (DEHLG, 2009, Revised February 2010; EPA Advice Notes on Current Practice (CAAS, 2003); EPA ‘Guidelines on the Information to be contained in Environmental Impact Statements’ (CAAS, 2002); and the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment (IEEM, 2006) and provides an assessment of the ecological impacts of the proposed development. The document provides the information required in order to establish whether or not the proposed test site is likely to have a significant impact on surrounding Natura 2000 sites in the context of their conservation objectives and specifically on the habitats and species for which the site has been designated. 1 Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora to beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment or, further to an opinion from the Commission, to other imperative reasons of overriding public interest. 1 JN1254 Wave Energy Test Site 1:15 Scale, M-WEST Belmullet, Co. Mayo December 2014 2. Appropriate Assessment Process 2.1. Introduction There is a requirement, under Article 6(3) of the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC), to carry out an Appropriate Assessment. The first step of the Appropriate Assessment process is to establish whether, in relation to a particular plan or project, Appropriate Assessment is required. Article 6(3) states: ‘Any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives. In the light of the conclusions of the assessment of the implications for the site and subject to the provisions of paragraph 4, the competent national authorities shall agree to the plan or project only after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site concerned and, if appropriate, after having obtained the opinion of the general public.’ If the Appropriate Assessment determines that a plan or project may adversely affect the integrity of a Natura 2000 site, then Article 6 (4) may come into play. Article