ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT FOR MAINTENANCE DREDGING AT DROGHEDA PORT, DROGHEDA, CO. MEATH Technical Report Prepared For Captain Martin Donnelly Master Mariner, F.N.I. Harbour Master Drogheda Port Company Technical Report Prepared By Ashley O’ Toole, BA (Hons) MCIWM, Senior Consultant Our Reference AOT/19/10653R02 Date of Issue 06 December 2019 Environmental Report AWN Consulting Limited Document History Document Reference Original Issue Date AOT/19/10653R02 06 December 2019 Revision Level Revision Date Description Sections Affected Record of Approval Details Written by Approved by Signature Name Ashley O’ Toole Fergal Callaghan Title Senior Consultant Director Date 06 December 2019 06 December 2019 Drogheda Port Dumping at Sea 1 Environmental Report AWN Consulting Limited CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 9 1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ......................................... 10 1.2 FORMAT .............................................................................................................. 10 1.3 STUDY TEAM ...................................................................................................... 11 1.4 IMPACT PREDICTIONS ....................................................................................... 13 1.5 DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ......................................................................... 13 2 SCREENING & SCOPING ........................................................................................... 14 2.1 LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE .......................................................................... 14 2.2 SCREENING ........................................................................................................ 14 2.3 SCOPING ............................................................................................................. 15 2.3.1 Basis of Scoping for this Environmental Report ............................................. 15 2.3.2 Consultation with Agencies ............................................................................ 15 2.3.3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT AND ASSESSMENTS UNDER OTHER EU DIRECTIVES AND LEGISLATION .................. 16 2.3.3.1 The Habitats and Birds Directives (92/43/EEC and 79/409/EEC) ............ 16 2.3.3.2 The Waste Framework Directive (2009/98/EC)3 ....................................................................... 16 2.3.3.3 Water Framework Directives (2000/60/EC) 3 ................................................................................ 16 2.4 APPROACH TO EIAR REQUIREMENTS INTRODUCED BY DIRECTIVE 2014/52/EU ..................................................................................................................... 17 3 ALTERNATIVES .......................................................................................................... 18 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 18 3.1.1 Guidelines ..................................................................................................... 18 3.2 ALTERNATIVES TO DUMPING AT SEA .............................................................. 19 3.2.1 Engineering Uses .......................................................................................... 20 3.2.1.1 Beach Nourishment ................................................................................ 20 3.2.1.2 Landfill Cover ......................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.3 Offshore Berm Creation .......................................................................... 21 3.2.1.4 Coastal Protection Works ....................................................................... 21 3.2.2 Environmental Enhancement ......................................................................... 22 3.2.2.1 Wetland Habitat Creation/Enhancement ................................................. 22 3.2.2.2 Sediment Cell Maintenance .................................................................... 22 3.2.2.3 Fill for Abandoned Mines/Quarries.......................................................... 23 3.2.3 Agricultural/Product Uses .............................................................................. 23 3.2.3.1 Concrete Manufacture (already engaged by Drogheda Port) .................. 23 3.2.3.2 Road Sub-base Construction (already engaged by Drogheda Port) ........ 23 3.2.3.3 Landfill Liner ........................................................................................... 24 3.2.3.4 Manufactured Topsoil ............................................................................. 24 3.2.3.5 Production of Bricks/Ceramics ................................................................ 25 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................... 26 4.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 26 Drogheda Port Dumping at Sea 2 Environmental Report AWN Consulting Limited 4.1.1 Dredging Operation ....................................................................................... 26 4.1.1.1 Appropriate Plant .................................................................................... 27 4.1.2 Dumping Operation ....................................................................................... 28 5 LAND, SOILS, GEOLOGY & HYDROGEOLOGY ........................................................ 30 5.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 30 5.2 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 30 5.2.1 Guidelines ..................................................................................................... 30 5.2.2 Sources of Information................................................................................... 31 5.3 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 31 5.3.1 Environmental Setting.................................................................................... 31 5.3.2 Regional Geology .......................................................................................... 32 5.3.3 Regional Quaternary Sediments .................................................................... 33 5.3.4 Hydrogeology ................................................................................................ 34 5.3.5 Areas of Geological Interest & Historic Land-Use .......................................... 38 5.3.5.1 Areas of Conservation ............................................................................ 38 5.3.6 Sediments ..................................................................................................... 38 5.3.6.1 Sediment Sampling - Environmental ....................................................... 38 5.3 6.2 Sediment Sampling - Environmental ....................................................... 42 5.3.7 Geohazards ................................................................................................... 42 5.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................. 42 5.4.1 Dredging Operations ...................................................................................... 42 5.4.2 Dumping Operations ..................................................................................... 43 5.5 POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT........................... 43 5.6 REMEDIAL AND MITIGATION MEASURES......................................................... 44 5.6.1 Construction Phase ....................................................................................... 44 5.6.2 Operational Phase ......................................................................................... 44 5.7 PREDICTED IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................ 44 5.7.1 Construction Phase ....................................................................................... 44 5.7.2 Operational Phase ......................................................................................... 44 5.8 RESIDUAL IMPACTS ........................................................................................... 44 5.8 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ...................................................................................... 44 6 HYDROLOGY.............................................................................................................. 45 6.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 45 6.2 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 45 6.3 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................... 46 6.3.1 Existing Environment ..................................................................................... 46 6.3.2 Surface Water Quality.................................................................................... 47 6.3.3 Marine Strategy Framework Directive ............................................................ 50 6.3.4 EPA Water Quality in 2017: an indicators report ............................................ 51 6.3.5 Bathing Water Quality ...................................................................................