Western River Basin District Catchment-Based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM)
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Western River Basin District Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report September 2013 Office of Public Works Trim Co. Meath JBA Office JBA Consulting 24 Grove Island Corbally Limerick Ireland JBA Project Manager Jonathan Cooper Revision History Revision Ref / Date Issued Amendments Issued to Draft Report / July 2013 Rosemarie Lawlor, OPW Richael Duffy, OPW Ger Cafferkey, OPW Final Draft / September 2013 Amendments in line Rosemarie Lawlor, OPW with comments from Richael Duffy, OPW Richael Duffy Ger Cafferkey, OPW Contract This report describes work commissioned by The Office of Public Works, by a letter dated 28/07/11. The Office of Public Works’ representative for the contract was Rosemarie Lawlor. Laura Thomas, Rachael Brady, Steve Rose, George Heritage, Jon Whitmore, Steph Hughes, James Cheetham, Jonathan Cooper and Maria O'Neill of JBA Consulting carried out this work. Prepared by .................................................. Laura Thomas BA MRes MCIEEM Senior Ecologist Reviewed by ................................................. Tom Sampson BSc MSc MCIWEM FRGS Senior Analyst Purpose This document has been prepared as a draft report for The Office of Public Works. JBA Consulting accepts no responsibility or liability for any use that is made of this document other than by the Client for the purposes for which it was originally commissioned and prepared. JBA Consulting has no liability regarding the use of this report except to The Office of Public Works. 2011s5232 West_C_Scoping Report v2.1.docx i Acknowledgements JBA Consulting would like to thank the OPW and all those who provided data to produce this Scoping Report and to those who attended the SEA Scoping workshop in June 2012. Copyright This report has been prepared as part of the Western CFRAM contract between The Office of Public Works and Jeremy Benn Associates Ltd. Under the terms of the contract copyright for this report is owned by The OPW. Carbon Footprint A printed copy of the main text in this document will result in a carbon footprint of 239g if 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used and 304g if primary-source paper is used. These figures assume the report is printed in black and white on A4 paper and in duplex. JBA is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality. 2011s5232 West_C_Scoping Report v2.1.docx ii Executive Summary The Office of Public Works (OPW) is currently undertaking a Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, in partnership with Local Authorities, within the Western River Basin District (RBD). The study aims to find solutions to manage significant levels of flood risk in a sustainable and cost effective way, and is a requirement of the EU ‘Floods Directive’. The key outputs from the study will be catchment-based Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) and associated flood maps. These FRMPs will set out measures and policies, including guidance on appropriate future development, that should be pursued by the local authorities, the OPW and other stakeholders to achieve the most cost effective and sustainable management of flood risk, whilst taking into account the effects of climate change and the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The Western CFRAM study is subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which aims to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes, with a view to promoting sustainable development. It is a requirement of the SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) and relevant national legislation (Statutory Instrument (S.I.) Number 435 of 2004, updated by Number 200 of 2011). The first stage of the process is a screening exercise to determine if a SEA is required; this was completed by OPW in 2011 and it was determined that an SEA was a required as part of the CFRAM programme. The second stage of the SEA process is the scoping stage that aims to determine the extent and level of detail to be included in the SEA, including the identification of issues that are not relevant to the FRMP and can therefore be 'scoped out' of further consideration. The initial aspect of the scoping stage was the undertaking of a Constraints Study, which identified key social and environmental issues in the catchment and gathered extensive baseline data for the RBD. Information has been collected on geology, soils and land use; water; morphology, fluvial and coastal processes; air and climate; biodiversity, flora and fauna; fisheries and angling; landscape; cultural heritage and archaeology; amenity, tourism and recreation; population and health; and infrastructure and material assets. A number of other relevant national, regional and local plans and programmes have also been reviewed to identify any potential in-combination effects or conflicts with the CFRAM study. This stage was completed in June 2012 and a workshop was held for local authority representatives and key environmental organisations to discuss the findings. Building on the information contained within the Constraints Study Report; the later phase of the scoping stage, which is detailed within this SEA Scoping Report, has defined the baseline environmental conditions (both current and future) against which the effects of the proposed CFRMP can be assessed. A series of SEA objectives, along with indicators and targets, have also been developed for use later in the study to evaluate the likely environmental impacts of flood risk management options as part of a multi-criteria options appraisal, and subsequently as part of a monitoring programme to measure achievement of the SEA objectives through implementation of the FRMPs. These SEA objectives are: Minimise risk to human health and life Minimise risk to community Minimise risk to flood-sensitive social amenity sites Support the objectives of the WFD Support the objectives of the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive Avoid damage to, and where possible enhance, the flora and fauna of the catchment Protect, and where possible enhance, fisheries resource within the catchment Protect, and where possible enhance, landscape character and visual amenity within the zone of influence Avoid damage and reduce risk of flooding to, or loss of, features of cultural heritage importance and their setting 2011s5232 West_C_Scoping Report v2.1.docx iii The CFRAM study also needs to comply with the provisions of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) transposed into Irish law through the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011011). These regulations require that any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Area (SPA), but likely to have a significant effects upon it, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, is subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site's conservation objectives. The Appropriate Assessment will be carried out in parallel to the SEA process, with the findings used to guide the development of alternative options and selection of preferred options. A key aspect of the CFRAM process is consultation and engagement, and the SEA provides a mechanism to ensure that stakeholder engagement requirements are achieved by providing interested parties/organisations and the public an opportunity to inform the process and comment on decisions taken. Consultation is being undertaken throughout this study to ensure that the knowledge, experience and views of stakeholders and the general public are taken into account at all stages of the development of the FRMPs. Consultation undertaken to date has included consulting with the steering group and progress group, updates on the project website and throughout newsletters, issuing of an introductory letter and questionnaire to environmental stakeholders and a technical workshop. Comments are invited on the scope and content of this report by 22nd November 2013, and all comments received will be logged and used to inform the future development of the study. Comments can be sent by email ([email protected]), to the address below or via the 'get involved' tab on the project website (http://www.westcframstudy.ie/): JBA Consulting Unit 24 Grove Island Corbally Limerick 2011s5232 West_C_Scoping Report v2.1.docx iv Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. iii 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The Western RBD ..................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Purpose of Report ..................................................................................................... 5 2 SEA Process ........................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6 2.2 SEA Process ............................................................................................................. 6 2.3