INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCERS PROGRAMME: EIA FOR A FLOATING POWER PLANT, PORT OF NGQURA EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA ENVIRONMENTAL SCOPING REPORT DRAFT Prepared for: Prepared for: Prepared by: Transnet SOC Ltd EOH Coastal & Department of Energy (DoE) Environmental Services 192 Visagie Street Carlton Centre 13 Stanley Street, Corner Paul Kruger & Visagie 150 Commissioner Street Richmond Hill, Street Johannesburg Port Elizabeth Pretoria South Africa South Africa South Africa November 2015 REVISIONS TRACKING TABLE This report should be cited as follows: EOH Coastal & Environmental Services, November 2015: Independent Power Producers Programme: EIA for a Floating Power Plant, Port of Ngqura, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, Draft Scoping Report. EOH CES, Port Elizabeth. CES Report Revision and Tracking Schedule Document Title Independent Power Producers Programme: EIA for a Floating Power Plant, Port of Ngqura, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Client Name & Department of Energy (DoE) Transnet SOC Ltd Address 192 Visagie Street Carlton Centre Corner Paul Kruger & Visagie 150 Commissioner Street Street Johannesburg Pretoria. Document Reference DEA Ref: Status Draft Issue Date November 2015 Lead Author EOH Coastal & Ms Chantel Bezuidenhout Environmental Services Reviewer EOH Coastal & Mr Ted Avis Environmental Services Study Leader or Registered Environmental EOH Coastal & Mr Ted Avis Assessment Practitioner Environmental Services Approval Report Distribution Circulated to No. of hard No. copies electronic copies Department of Environmental 2 2 Affairs (DEA) Department of Economic Development, Environmental 1 Affairs and Tourism ( Eastern Cape) Department of Energy (DoE) 1 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION This document contains intellectual property and propriety information that is protected by copyright in favour of Coastal & Environmental Services and the specialist consultants. The document may therefore not EOH Coastal& Environmental Services Cape Town be reproduced, used or distributed to any third party The Point, Suite 408, 4th Floor without the prior written consent of EOH Coastal & 76 Regent Road Environmental Services. This document is prepared Sea Point exclusively for submission to the Department of Energy [email protected] (DoE), and is subject to all confidentiality, copyright and www.cesnet.co.za trade secrets, rules intellectual property law and Also in Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth, East London practices of South Africa. Johannesburg and Maputo Volume 1: Environmental Scoping Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 18 1.1 OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................... 18 1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT ........................................................................................ 18 1.3 PROJECT BACKGROUND ............................................................................................. 19 1.4 PROJECT MOTIVATION ................................................................................................ 19 1.5 THE PROPONENT ......................................................................................................... 22 1.6 THE EIA TEAM ............................................................................................................... 23 1.7 SCOPING REQUIREMENTS AS PER EIA REGULATIONS 2014 .................................. 27 1.8 REPORT STRUCTURE .................................................................................................. 30 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................. 31 2.1. PROJECT LOCATION .................................................................................................... 31 2.2. TERRESTRIAL COMPONENTS ..................................................................................... 31 2.2.1. Mooring Facilities ................................................................................................................................ 31 2.2.2. Transmission Lines ............................................................................................................................. 34 2.3. MARINE COMPONENTS ................................................................................................ 34 2.3.1. Floating Power Plant........................................................................................................................... 34 2.3.2. Refuelling and Fuel Storage ............................................................................................................... 35 2.3.3. Emissions ........................................................................................................................................... 36 2.3.4. Discharge of heated water .................................................................................................................. 36 2.3.5. Water Demand ................................................................................................................................... 36 2.3.6. Maintenance of the FPP ..................................................................................................................... 36 2.4. PROJECT DURATION AND PHASING ........................................................................... 37 2.5. ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................. 37 2.5.1. Fundamental Alternatives ................................................................................................................... 37 2.5.2. No Development Alternative ............................................................................................................... 37 2.5.3. Incremental Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 37 3. LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK ............................................................................ 40 3.1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 40 3.2. ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION LEGISLATIVE PROCESS .................................. 40 3.2.1. NEMA Environmental Authorisation ................................................................................................... 40 3.2.2. Consolidated Permitting Requirements .............................................................................................. 42 3.3. OTHER APPLICABLE LEGISLATION, POLICIES AND/OR GUIDELINES ..................... 44 3.3.1. National Legislation ............................................................................................................................ 44 3.3.2. International Standards....................................................................................................................... 51 3.3.3. Municipal By-Laws and Planning ........................................................................................................ 52 4. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BASELINE ............................................................... 56 4.1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 56 4.2. AREA OF INFLUENCE ................................................................................................... 56 4.3. TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................... 57 4.3.1. Climatic Conditions ............................................................................................................................. 57 4.3.2. Topography, Geology and Soils ......................................................................................................... 59 4.3.3. Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................... 62 4.3.4. Fauna ................................................................................................................................................. 80 4.3.5. Air Quality ........................................................................................................................................... 83 4.3.6. Surface and Groundwater ................................................................................................................... 83 4.3.7. Marine environment ............................................................................................................................ 86 4.3.8. Port and Other Industrial Activities ..................................................................................................... 88 4.4. SOCIAL ........................................................................................................................... 88 4.4.1. Administrative Structure ...................................................................................................................... 88 4.4.2. Demographic Profile ........................................................................................................................... 88 4.4.3. Education ............................................................................................................................................ 90 4.4.4. Health ................................................................................................................................................