FINAL SCOPING REPORT For the proposed Sonneblom Photovoltaic Energy Facility near Bloemfontein, Free State Province DEA Reference: 14/12/16/3/3/2/673 Prepared by PO Box 6484, Baillie Park, 2526. Tel: 018 – 299 1505, Fax 018 – 299 1580, PO Box 6484, Baillie Park, 2526. Tel: 018 – 299 1523, Fax 086 762 8336 e-mail: [email protected] PROJECT DETAIL DEA Reference No. : 14/12/16/3/3/2/673 Project Title : Proposed Sonneblom Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facility near Bloemfontein, Free State Province Authors : Ms. Carli Steenkamp & Ms. Marelie Griesel Client : Sonneblom Solar Power Plant (Pty) Ltd. Report Status : Final Scoping Report Submission date : 4 July 2014 When used as a reference this report should be cited as: Environamics (2014) Final Scoping Report: Proposed Sonneblom Photovoltaic Solar facility and associated infrastructure near Bloemfontein, Free State Province. COPYRIGHT RESERVED This technical report has been produced for Sonneblom Solar Power Plant (Pty) Ltd. The intellectual property contained in this report remains vested in Environamics and Sonneblom Solar Power Plant (Pty) Ltd. No part of the report may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Environamics or Sonneblom Solar Power Plant (Pty) Ltd. i TABLE OF CONTENTS PROJECT DETAILS..................................................................................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................ ii APPENDICES............................................................................................................................... v GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS……………………………………………………….… v CONTEXT FOR THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY.............................................................................. vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................. vii 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Legal mandate and purpose of the report........................................................................ 1 1.2 Details of the environmental assessment practitioner (EAP)........................................... 3 1.3 Status of the EIA process................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Structure of the report...................................................................................................... 5 2. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION AND ALTERNATIVES.......................................................... 8 2.1 Project location and description....................................................................................... 8 2.2 Photovoltaic technology................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Layout description............................................................................................................ 9 2.4 Services provision............................................................................................................ 10 2.5 Consideration of alternatives............................................................................................ 10 2.5.1 No-go alternative.............................................................................................................. 11 2.5.2 Location alternatives........................................................................................................ 11 2.5.3 Activity alternatives.......................................................................................................... 11 2.5.4 Technical alternatives...................................................................................................... 12 2.5.5 Design and layout alternatives......................................................................................... 13 2.5.6 Technological alternatives................................................................................................ 13 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT....................................................................... 15 3.1 Site description................................................................................................................. 15 3.1.1 Land uses on and adjacent the site................................................................................. 15 3.2 Description of the biophysical environment...................................................................... 15 3.2.1 Geotechnical conditions................................................................................................... 15 3.2.2 Vegetation and landscape features.................................................................................. 16 3.2.3 Climate............................................................................................................................. 16 3.2.4 Visual landscape.............................................................................................................. 16 3.3 Description of the socio-economic environment.............................................................. 17 3.3.1 Socio-economic conditions.............................................................................................. 17 3.3.2 Cultural and heritage aspects.......................................................................................... 17 ii 4. LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY CONTEXT........................................................................ 18 4.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 18 4.2 Legislative context............................................................................................................ 19 4.3 Policy context................................................................................................................... 22 4.4 Other legislation............................................................................................................... 28 4.5 Relevant guidance........................................................................................................... 28 4.6 Conclusion....................................................................................................................... 28 5. DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES............................................................ 29 5.1 Scoping methodology....................................................................................................... 29 5.2 Checklist analysis............................................................................................................. 29 5.3 Matrix analysis....................................................... .......................................................... 32 5.3.1 Physical environment....................................................................................................... 35 5.3.2 Social/Economic environment.......................................................................................... 35 5.4 Conceptual framework..................................................................................................... 36 5.4.1 Impacts during the construction phase............................................................................ 36 5.4.2 Impacts during operational phase.................................................................................... 37 5.5 Key issues identified............................................. .......................................................... 38 5.5.1 Impacts during construction............................................................................................. 38 5.5.2 Impacts during the operational phase.............................................................................. 39 5.5.3 Impact during the decommission phase........................................................................... 39 5.5.4 Cumulative impacts.......................................................................................................... 39 6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION......................................................... 39 6.1 Public participation process............................................................................................. 39 6.2 Consultation process.................................................................................... ................... 41 6.3 Registered IAPs............................................................................................................... 42 6.4 Issues raised by IAPs and consultation bodies................................................................ 42 7. THE NEED AND DESIREABILITY OF THE ACTIVITY.................................................. 44 7.1 The need for the proposed activity................................................................................... 44 7.2 The desirability of the proposed activity........................................................................... 44 8. PLAN OF STUDY FOR EIA............................................................................................. 47 8.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 47 8.2 Anticipated outcomes of the impact assessment phase.................................................. 47 8.3 Tasks