Appendix L: Biodiversity DETAILS OF SPECIALIST AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST (For off icial use only) File Reference Number: 12/12/20/ NEAS Reference Number: DEA T/ EIA/ Date Received: Application for authorisation in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010 PROJECT TITLE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED CONTINUOUS ASH DISPOSAL FACILITY FOR THE MATIMBAPOWER STATION IN LEPHALALE, LIMPOPO PROVINCE Specialist: Bathusi Environmental Consulting cc Contact person: Riaan A. J. Robbeson (Pr.Sci.Nat.) Postal address: PO Box 77448, Eldoglen Postal code: 0171 Cell: 082 3765 933 Telephone: 012 658 5579 Fax: 086 636 5455 E-mail: [email protected] Professional SACNASP (Botanical & Ecological Scientist - 400005/03) affiliation(s) (if any) Project Consultant: Royal HaskoningDHV Contact person: Prashika Reddy Postal address: PO Box 25302, Monument Park, Gauteng, South Africa Postal code: 0105 Cell: 083 2848687 Telephone: 012 367 5973 Fax: 012 367 5878 E-mail: [email protected] 4.2 The specialist appointed in terms of the Regulations_ I, Riaan A. J. Robbeson (Pr.Sci.Nat.) declare that: General declaration: • I act as the independent specialist in this application; • I will perform the work relating to the application in an objective manner, even if this results in views and findings that are not favourable to the applicant; • I declare that there are no circumstances that may compromise my objectivity in performing such work; • I have expertise in conducting the specialist report relevant to this application, including knowledge of the Act, regulations and any guidelines that have relevance to the proposed activity; • I will comply with the Act, regulations and all other applicable legislation; • I have no, and will not engage in, conflicting interests in the undertaking of the activity; • I undertake to disclose to the applicant and the competent authority all material information in my possession that reasonably has or may have the potential of influencing: o any decision to be taken with respect to the application by the competent authority; and o the objectivity of any report, plan or document to be prepared by myself for submission to the competent authority; • all the particulars furnished by me in this form are true and correct; and • I realise that a false declaration is an offence in terms of Regulation 71 and is punishable in terms of section 24F of the Act. Signature of the specialist: Bathusi Environmental Consulting cc Name of company (if applicable): 2014 04 07 Date: BEC Report Reference: RHD – MCA – 201 4/08 Version: 20 14. 07. 18.5 Authority Ref erence NA Biodiversity Impact Assessment of the Proposed Continuous Ash Disposal Facility & Linear Infrastructure Route for Matimba Power Station, Limpopo Province© compiled by Bathusi Environmental Consulting July 2014 - 082 3765 933 - [email protected] - 012 658 5579 - 086 636 5455 Biodiversity EIA Assessment Matimba Power Station Continuous Ash Disposal Programme© ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I PROJECT DETAILS Client: Royal HaskoningDHV, on behalf of Eskom Holdings SOC Limited Biodiversity Impact Assessment of the Proposed Continuous Ash Disposal Report name: Facility & Linear Infrastructure Route for Matimba Power Station, Limpopo Province Report type: Strategic Biodiversity Impact Assessment Report BEC Project number: RHD – MCS – 2014/08 Report Version: 2014.07.18.5 Compiled by: Riaan A. J. Robbeson (Pr.Sci.Nat.) - Bathusi Environmental Consulting II SPECIALIST INVESTIGATORS The Natural Scientific Professions Act of 2003 aims to ‘ provide for the establishment of the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), and for the registration of professional, candidate and certified natural scientists; and to provide for matters connected therewith’. Quoting the Natural Scientific Professions Act of 2003: ‘ Only a registered person may practice in a consulting capacity ’ (20(1) – pg 14). The following specialists contributed to this report: Botanical Investigator: Riaan Robbeson (Pr.Sci.Nat.) Qualification: M.Sc. (Botany), UP Affiliation: South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions Fields of Expertise: Botanical Scientist & Ecological Scientist Registration Number: 400005/03 Affiliation: Grassland Society of Southern Africa Membership Status: Professional Member Membership Number: 667.08/08 Faunal Investigator: Dewald Kamffer (Pr.Sci.Nat.) Qualification: M.Sc. (Conservation Biology), UP Affiliation: South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions Fields of expertise: Ecological Scientist & Zoological Scientist Registration number: 400204/05 III RESERVED COPYRIGHT This report, or any part thereof, may not be amended, rearranged or changed in any manner or form, without prior consent from the authors. This report may not be copied, reproduced or used in any manner, other than for the purpose of this particular environmental application, without specific written permission from Bathusi Environmental Consulting cc (BEC). This also refers to electronic copies of this report, which are supplied for the purpose of inclusion as part of other reports, including main reports. Similarly, any recommendations, statements or conclusions drawn from or based on this report must refer to this report. Should extractions from this report be included in a main report, this report must be included in its entirety as an appendix or separate section to the main report. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Report: RHD - MCA - 2014/08 Version 2014.07.18.5 July 2014 i Biodiversity EIA Assessment Matimba Power Station Continuous Ash Disposal Programme© ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ IV CONTENTS I Project Details .......................................................................................................................................... i II Specialist Investigators ............................................................................................................................ i III Reserved Copyright ................................................................................................................................. i IV Contents .................................................................................................................................................. ii V List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... iv VI List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... v VII List of Graphs .......................................................................................................................................... v 1 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Biophysical Assessment ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Botanical Assessment ................................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Faunal Assessment .................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Ecological Impact Assessment ................................................................................................... 7 1.4.1 Proposed Ashing Facility ........................................................................................................ 7 1.4.2 Proposed Conveyor Line ........................................................................................................ 9 2 Terms of Reference .............................................................................................................................. 10 3 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 11 4 Project Synopsis ................................................................................................................................... 12 5 Biophysical Attributes of the Site Alternatives & Immediate region ...................................................... 14 5.1 Location ..................................................................................................................................... 14 5.2 Land Cover & Land Use of the Region ..................................................................................... 14 5.2.1 Annotations on Habitat Fragmentation ................................................................................. 15 5.2.2