ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT – METRO NORTH BELINSTOWN TO ST. STEPHEN’S GREEN VOLUME 1 – BOOK 1 OF 1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Volume 2 For ease of local identification this Environmental Environmental Impact – Area MN101 Impact Statement (EIS) has been divided into seven Environmental Impact – Area MN102 areas. These areas are numbered Area MN101 to Area MN107 inclusive going from Belinstown in Environmental Impact – Area MN103 north County Dublin to St. Stephen’s Green in the Environmental Impact – Area MN104 city centre. Environmental Impact – Area MN105 The environmental impact of the proposed scheme in each of these areas is set out in individual books Environmental Impact – Area MN106 numbered MN101 to MN107 and which collectively Environmental Impact – Area MN107 make up Volume 2 of this EIS. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being Volume 2 of the EIS published in three separate Volumes as follows: is set out in 18 Chapters as follows: Chapter 1 Introduction to Areas MN101 -107 Volume 1 Chapter 2 Human Beings: Landuse Introduction to the scheme and a description of the receiving environment Chapter 3 Human Beings: Socio-economics Chapter 4 Human Beings: Noise Volume 1 of the EIS Chapter 5 Human Beings: Vibration is set out in 25 Chapters as follows: Chapter 6 Human Beings: Chapter 1 Introduction Radiation and Stray Current Chapter 2 Need and Objectives Chapter 7 Human Beings: Traffic Chapter 3 Legislation Chapter 8 Flora and Fauna Chapter 4 Planning and Policy Context Chapter 9 Soil and Geology Chapter 5 Alternatives Chapter 10 Groundwater Chapter 6 Description of the Scheme Chapter 11 Surface Water Chapter 7 Consultation Chapter 12 Air and Climatic Factors Chapter 8 Human Health Chapter 13 Landscape and Visual Chapter 9 Difficulties Encountered Chapter 14 Material Assets: Agronomy Chapter 10 – 25 Chapter 15 Material Assets: Archaeology, Description of the baseline environment Architectural Heritage and Cultural Heritage Chapter 16 Material Assets: Non Agricultural Property Chapter 17 Material Assets: Utilities Chapter 18 Interrelationships, Interactions and Cumulative Impacts Volume 3 Book 1 of 2 Specialist maps – baseline and impact Book 2 of 2 Annexes to the EIS Volume 3 of the EIS is set out in 2 books. Book 1 of 2 contains all baseline and impact assessment maps and Book 2 of 2 contains annexes to the EIS e.g. technical reports. EIS NON-Technical SUMMARY (NTS) EIS METHODOLOGY AVAILABILITY OF THE EIS The methodology used in this EIS generally involves This EIS is available to download for free through the following steps: the RPA website at www.dublinmetronorth.ie - Definition of the study area; Copies of this EIS including the Non-Technical Summary may be purchased by any member - Data collection and description; of the public during normal office hours at the - Baseline description and evaluation; following location: - Identification of potential environmental Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) impacts and the potential areas to be affected; Parkgate Street Dublin 8 - Description and evaluation of the impacts; The EIS may be purchased as a complete document - Derivation of mitigation measures to minimise for a sum of €170.00 (Volumes 1, 2 & 3) the impact; The EIS can also be purchased as individual - Description of the residual impacts books e.g: of the scheme. - Copies of Volume 1 may be purchased Further detail in relation to the EIS methodology for €30.00 each; is provided in Volume 1 of the EIS. - Copies of Volume 2 (individual book e.g. MN101) may be purchased for €15.00 each; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT - Copies of Volume 3 (individual books e.g. STUDY TEAM Book 1 of 2) may be purchased for €15.00 each; The EIS was prepared on behalf of the Railway - Copies of the NTS of this EIS may be purchased Procurement Agency (RPA) by a study team led by for €5.00 each. Environmental Resources Management (Ireland) Ltd, who were responsible for the overall assessment A DVD version of the whole EIS may be purchased management and co-ordination as well as for the for €15.00 which includes Volume 1; Volume 2 production of the Landuse, Socio-economics, Noise, (Area MN101 – MN107); Volume 3 (Book 1 of 2 Vibration (part), Radiation and Stray current, Flora and Book 2 of 2) and the Non-Technical Summary. and Fauna, Soil and Geology (part), Air and Climatic factors, Non Agricultural Property and Utilities chapters of this EIS. The other members of the study team are outlined in the table below. Input Contributor Human Health EHA Consulting Group Human Beings: Vibration Rupert Taylor F.I.O.A Human Beings: Traffic MVA Consulting Soil and Geology Jacobs Engineering Ireland Ltd. Groundwater AWN Consulting Surface Water AWN Consulting Landscape and Visual (photomontages) Digitech Material Assets: Agronomy Curtin Agricultural Consultants Material Assets: Archaeology, Architectural Heritage CRDS Ltd. and Cultural Heritage Contents 01 Introduction 01 02 Need and Objectives 09 03 Legislation 13 04 Planning and Policy Context 17 05 Alternatives 39 06 Description of the Scheme 69 07 Consultation 97 08 Human Health 109 09 Difficulties Encountered 131 10 Human Beings: Landuse 135 11 Human Beings: Socio-economics 169 12 Human Beings: Noise 219 13 Human Beings: Vibration 229 14 Human Beings: Radiation and Stray Current 237 15 Human Beings: Traffic 247 16 Flora and Fauna 275 17 Soil and Geology 309 18 Groundwater 319 19 Surface Water 333 20 Air and Climatic Factors 347 21 Landscape and Visual 359 22 Material Assets: Agronomy 387 23 Material Assets: Archaeology, 397 Architectural Heritage and Cultural Heritage 24 Material Assets: Non Agricultural Property 453 25 Material Assets: Utilities 461 Glossary of Abbreviations and Terms 467 01 Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 EIS study team 1.3 Methodology 1.3.1 Introduction 1.3.2 Definition of the study area 1.3.3 Data collection and description 1.3.4 Baseline description and categorisation 1.3.5 Impact identification 1.3.6 Impact categorisation 1.3.7 Do minimum scenario 1.3.8 Derivation of mitigation measures 1.3.9 Assessment of residual impacts 1.3.10 Interrelationships, interactions and cumulative impacts 1.4 Data limitations and difficulties encountered 1.5 Oral hearing 1.6 Availability of EIS Introduction This Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared to accompany the Railway Order Application for Metro North (Belinstown to St. Stephen’s Green). 1.1 Introduction 1.2 EIS STUDY TEAM This EIS presents the results of an Environmental Environmental Resources Management (Ireland) Impact Assessment (EIA) undertaken to inform the Ltd (‘ERM’) was commissioned by the Railway decision-making process. The objectives of the EIS Procurement Agency (‘RPA’) as lead consultant are summarised as follows: with overall responsibility for preparing an EIA for Metro North (referred to as the proposed scheme - To identify the likely significant environmental from here on). A number of specialists contributed impacts of the proposed scheme during to the preparation of the EIS. A summary of all the construction and operational phases contributors is provided in Table 1.1. having regard to the characteristics of the local environment. - To evaluate the magnitude and significance of likely impacts and to propose appropriate measures to mitigate potential adverse impacts. Page Page 3 Chapter 1 Chapter Table 1.1 Environmental topics and contributors Input Contributor EIS management and compilation ERM and RPA Human Health EHA Consulting Group Human Beings: Landuse ERM Human Beings: Socio-economics ERM Human Beings: Noise ERM Human Beings: Vibration Rupert Taylor F.I.O.A and ERM Human Beings: Radiation and Stray Current ERM Human Beings: Traffic MVA Consulting Flora and Fauna ERM Soil and Geology ERM and Jacobs Engineering Ireland Ltd. Groundwater AWN Consulting Surface water AWN Consulting Air and Climatic Factors ERM Landscape and Visual ERM and Digitech Material Assets: Agronomy Curtin Agricultural Consultants Material Assets: Archaeology, Architectural CRDS Ltd. Heritage and Cultural Heritage Material Assets: Non Agricultural Property ERM and RPA Material Assets: Utilities ERM and RPA Interrelationships, Interactions and Cumulative Impacts ERM - Description and evaluation of the impacts; 1.3 MethodologY - Derivation of mitigation measures to minimise the impact; 1.3.1 Introduction - Description of the residual impacts This chapter sets out the framework principles of of the proposed scheme. the methodology that have been applied during the EIA process. The framework methodology that 1.3.2 Definition of the study area is used to evaluate the baseline environment and evaluate impacts is generally consistent across A study area has been defined for each baseline all chapters. This approach has been adopted chapter. This study area encompasses all areas and adhered to as much as possible, in order to that may potentially be impacted upon by the ensure that the methodology is as transparent proposed scheme. Impacts may occur during the as possible and can be effectively communicated construction phase or the operational phase (or and understood by all stakeholders including the both) and may be temporary or permanent. They general public. may also be positive or negative. All types of impact are considered when defining the study area. The general principles set out in this chapter have been developed to a level of greater detail by each For linear schemes such as the proposed scheme, of the environmental specialists. For this reason, the study area typically encompasses an area more detailed topic-specific methodologies are of between 100m and 500m to both sides of the outlined for each environmental topic in the EIS. central line of the alignment. Depending on the local situation these dimensions may be increased The methodology used in this EIS generally involves (e.g. for long range impacts such as traffic, which the following steps: may spread along a highway network, impacts - Definition of the study area; on landscape views or ecological corridors).