ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS FINAL SCOPING REPORT PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE DEA Ref. No: 14/12/16/3/3/2/394 NEEAS Reference: DEA/EIA/0001388/2012 FINAL SCOPING REPORT JUNE 2014 Prepared for: Networx Eolos Renewables (Pty) Ltd 20 The Piazza, 2nd Floor Melrose Arch 2076 Johannesburg South Africa Prepared by: First Floor, Block 2, 5 Woodlands Drive Office Park Cnr Woodlands Drive & Western Service Road, Woodmead, Gauteng po box 148, sunninghill, 2157 Tel: +27 (0)11 656 3237 Fax: +27 (0)86 684 0547 E-mail: [email protected] www.savannahsa.com PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Final Scoping Report June 2014 PROJECT DETAILS Title : Environmental Impact Assessment Process Final Scoping Report for the Proposed Stormberg Wind Energy Facility, Eastern Cape DEA Reference No. : Wind Energy Facility - 14/12/16/3/3/2/394 Authors : Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd Steven Ingle Karen Jodas Specialists : Simon Todd Consulting WildSkies Ecological Services Dr Ian Whyte Endangered Wildlife Trust MetroGIS Johann Lanz Heritage Contracts MENCO Tony Barbour Applicant : Networx Eolos Renewables (Pty) Ltd Report Status : Final Scoping Report Review period : June 2014 When used as a reference this report should be cited as: Savannah Environmental (2014) Final Scoping Report for the Proposed Stormberg Wind Energy Facility, Eastern Cape COPYRIGHT RESERVED This technical report has been produced for Networx Eolos Renewables (Pty) Ltd. The intellectual property contained in this report remains vested in Savannah Environmental. No part of the report may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Networx Eolos Renewables (Pty) Ltd or Savannah Environmental (Pty) Ltd. Project details Page i PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Final Scoping Report June 2014 INVITATION TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT SCOPING REPORT Interested and Affected Parties were invited to review this draft Scoping Report between 9 April 2014 and 15 May 2014 at the following locations: » www.savannahSA.com » Molteno Public Library » Sterkstroom Public Library INVITATION TO COMMENT ON THE FINAL SCOPING REPORT Stakeholders and I&APs were notified of the availability of this final Scoping Report on the savannahsa.com website. I&APs were invited to submit comments regarding the final report to the DEA. Invitation to comment Page ii PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Final Scoping Report June 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Project overview Networx Eolos Renewables (Pty) Ltd, is proposing to establish a commercial Wind Energy Facility with a generating capacity of up to 420 MW and associated infrastructure approximately 25km east of Molteno and 18km east of Sterkstroom in the Stormberg region of the Eastern Cape. The proposed project is to be known as the Stormberg Wind Energy Facility, identified to be feasible by the developer due to favourable exposure to the wind resource. The project study area is approximately 15 000ha in extent and situated along the N6 national road, with the R344 and R56 arterial roads respectively traversing south and north of the site. The study area ranges in elevation from approximately 1 250m above sea level in the south of the escarpment, to 2 200m above sea level to the north of the escarpment. The study area is situated within 15km from the Dorper Wind Farm currently under construction. The proposed Stormberg wind energy facility will comprise of up to 140 turbines with a hub height of up to 120m and a rotor diameter of up to 130m and will have a capacity of up to 420MW, to be developed in progressive stages/phases. Infrastructure associated with the wind energy facility is proposed to include: » Wind turbines up to 3.5MW in capacity; » Concrete foundations to support the turbines; » Cabling between the turbines, to be laid underground where practical, to connect to an on-site substation; » An on-site substation to facilitate the connection between the wind energy facility and the electricity grid, including a control building and storage facilities; » Internal access roads to each turbine linking the wind turbines and other infrastructure on the site. The solar energy facility also proposed to occur on the project site study area and the power lines required to evacuate the generated electricity will be subjected to separate environmental assessment processes under the following reference numbers, as issued by the DEA: » Solar Energy Facility - 14/12/16/3/3/2/398 – Scoping and EIA Process » Power Lines – 14/12/16/3/3/1/911 and 912 – Basic Assessment Process Executive Summary Page iii PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Final Scoping Report June 2014 Scoping framework This scoping report addresses the establishment of the wind energy facility and associated infrastructure only. The proposed construction of a solar energy facility also proposed to occur within the study area, as well as the associated grid connection infrastructure will be described and evaluated separately in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Environmental Affairs. The Scoping Report has been prepared in accordance with the EIA Regulations published in Government Notice 33306 of GN R543, R544, R545 and R546 (18 June 2010) as amended, in terms of Section 24(5) of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA; Act No 107 of 1998). The nature and extent of the wind component of the proposed renewable energy project, as well as potential environmental impacts associated with the construction of the wind energy facility is explored in more detail in this Scoping Report. This Scoping Report aims to identify potential issues associated with the proposed project, and define the extent of studies required within the EIA. This was achieved through an evaluation of the proposed project involving specialists with expertise relevant to the nature of the project and the study area, the project proponent, as well as a consultation process with key stakeholders that includes both relevant government authorities and interested and affected parties (I&APs). Based on the nature of the proposed renewable energy facility, several specialist scoping studies were conducted in order to describe the receiving environment and to identify potential impacts associated with the project. Potential environmental impacts identified Land use and agriculture: The proposed facility could have an impact on agricultural activities occurring in the study area due to temporary and permanent loss of agricultural land. The overall operational footprint to be occupied by the wind energy facility is 60ha or approximately 0.4% of the 15 000ha study area. Small pockets of cultivation occur in the study area however the predominant land use is grazing due to the marginal to low arable potential. The grazing capacity of the study area is between 5 and 30 hectares per stock unit. Flora and sensitive ecological features: The proposed facility could have an impact on sensitive flora species and sensitive environments due impacts the occurrence of construction activities. Ecologically sensitive areas within the study area include surface water features, steep topography and sensitive grasslands. 796 plant species have been recorded within the region, only one of which is of high conservation concern and another 12 of which are of moderate concern. There are, however, no species listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered by the South Executive Summary Page iv PROPOSED STORMBERG WIND ENERGY FACILITY, EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE Final Scoping Report June 2014 African Red List of Plants which are known from the area. Ecologically sensitive areas include surface water features, steep topography and sensitive grasslands. Fauna: The proposed facility could have an impact on sensitive faunal species due impacts the occurrence of construction activities and final placement of the facility. The only species of conservation concern which is fairly likely to occur within the study area is the Giant Bullfrog which is listed as Near Threatened. Avifauna: The proposed project could have an impact on sensitive bird habitat during construction and the operation of wind turbines presents a collision risk to collision prone bird species. Approximately 218 bird species could occur in the study area, of which 22 Red Listed species are considered likely to occur and which are included in the target list for monitoring purposes. These include the Rudd’s Lark, Bearded Vulture, Cape Vulture, Martial Eagle, African Marsh-Harrier, Lesser Kestrel, Blue Crane, Grey Crowned Crane, Striped Flufftail, Denham’s Bustard, Ludwig’s Bustard, African Grass Owl, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Secretarybird, Black Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Lanner Falcon, Blue Korhaan and Melodious Lark as well as several non-listed species. Following the results and recommendations of an avifaunal study conducted by Jon Smallie of WildSkies Ecological Services which was complemented by fieldwork during June 2013, the applicant considered it prudent to initiate an additional avifaunal study with the objective of further exploring the potential impact on grassland avifaunal species. The avifaunal scoping studies were supplemented by field studies by the specialists involved in order to provide inputs to the 12-month monitoring programme currently in process. Bats: The proposed project could have an impact on bat habitat during construction and the operation of wind turbines presents a potential collision risk. Of the 14