MARINE ENERGY WALES MARINE ENERGY TEST AREA (META) Environmental Impact Assessment Chapter 7: Benthic Subtidal and Intertidal Ecology EOR0730 Marine Energy Test Area Rev: 03 May 29, 2019 rpsgroup.com Document Status Version Date Authored by Reviewed by Approved by Review date Rev00 12/02/19 AP RDS RDS 13/02/19 Rev01 15/02/19 AP JK JK 18/02/19 Rev01a 25/02/19 AP RDS RDS 03/04/19 Rev02 15/05/19 AP RDS RDS 15/04/19 Rev02A 19/05/19 AP RDS RDS 30/04/19 Rev03 21/05/19 AP RDS RDS 28/05/19 Approval for issue Jessica Hooper 2019-05-29 This report was prepared by RPS Energy Ltd. (‘RPS’) within the terms of its engagement and in direct response to a scope of services. This report is strictly limited to the purpose and the facts and matters stated in it and does not apply directly or indirectly and must not be used for any other application, purpose, use or matter. In preparing the report, RPS may have relied upon information provided to it at the time by other parties. 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Marine Energy Wales EOR0730 | Marine Energy Test Area | Rev: 03 | May 29, 2019 rpsgroup.com Page i Table of Tables Table of Contents Table 7.1: Summary of NPS EN-1 policy framework provisions relevant to benthic subtidal and intertidal 7. BENTHIC SUBTIDAL AND INTERTIDAL ECOLOGY ......................................................... 1 ecology…………….. ........................................................................................................................... 1 7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 Table 7.2: Summary of NPS EN-3 policy framework provisions relevant to benthic subtidal and intertidal 7.2 Purpose of this chapter ...................................................................................................... 1 ecology…………….. ............................................................................................................ ………….2 7.3 Study area ......................................................................................................................... 1 Table 7.3: Summary of key consultation issues raised during consultation activities undertaken for the 7.4 Policy context .................................................................................................................... 1 META project relevant to benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology. ........................................................ 6 7.4.1 National Policy Statements ................................................................................... 1 Table 7.4: Summary of key desktop reports. ....................................................................................... 9 7.4.2 Other relevant policies .......................................................................................... 3 Table 7.5: Designated sites and relevant qualifying interest features for the META project benthic 7.5 Consultation ...................................................................................................................... 5 subtidal and intertidal ecology chapter.............................................................................................. 22 7.6 Methodology to inform the baseline .................................................................................... 9 Table 7.6: Valued Ecological Receptors categorisation for benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology. ..... 22 7.6.2 Desktop study ....................................................................................................... 9 Table 7.7: Benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology VERs in the benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology 7.6.3 Site specific surveys ........................................................................................... 10 study area…………… ...................................................................................................................... 24 7.7 Baseline environment ....................................................................................................... 10 Table 7.8: Maximum and most likely design scenarios considered for the assessment of potential 7.7.2 Subtidal benthic ecology ..................................................................................... 11 impacts on benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology. ........................................................................... 27 7.7.3 Sediment contamination ...................................................................................... 18 Table 7.9: Impacts scoped out of the assessment for benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology. ............ 32 7.7.4 Intertidal benthic ecology .................................................................................... 18 Table 7.10: Definition of terms relating to the magnitude of an impact. .............................................. 32 7.7.5 Designated sites ................................................................................................. 22 Table 7.11: Definition of terms relating to the sensitivity of the receptor. ........................................... 33 7.7.6 Valued Ecological Receptors ............................................................................... 22 Table 7.12: Matrix used for the assessment of the significance of the effect. ..................................... 33 7.7.7 Future baseline scenario ..................................................................................... 26 Table 7.13: Designed-in measures adopted as part of the META project. .......................................... 34 7.7.8 Data limitations ................................................................................................... 26 Table 7.14: List of other projects and plans considered within the CIA for benthic subtidal and intertidal 7.8 Key parameters for assessment ....................................................................................... 26 ecology………………. ...................................................................................................................... 55 7.8.1 Maximum and most likely design scenario ........................................................... 26 Table 7.15: Summary of potential environment effects, mitigation and monitoring at the META 7.8.2 Impacts scoped out of the assessment ................................................................ 26 project…………….. .......................................................................................................................... 63 7.9 Impact assessment methodology ...................................................................................... 32 7.9.1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 32 Table of Figures 7.9.2 Impact assessment criteria .................................................................................. 32 7.9.3 Designated sites ................................................................................................. 33 Figure 7.1: The benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology study area and designated sites with relevant 7.10 Measures adopted as part of the META Project ................................................................ 34 benthic ecology features. ................................................................................................................... 4 7.11 Assessment of significance .............................................................................................. 34 Figure 7.2: Annex I designated habitats of the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC. ...................................... 12 7.11.1 Installation phase .............................................................................................. 34 Figure 7.3: Distribution of maerl and seagrass beds in the Waterway. ............................................... 14 7.11.2 Operation and maintenance phase .................................................................... 45 Figure 7.4: Annex I habitats of the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC overlapping within each of the META 7.11.3 Decommissioning phase ................................................................................... 53 sites…………… ............................................................................................................................... 17 7.12 Cumulative Impact Assessment ........................................................................................ 54 Figure 7.5: Intertidal habitats within the benthic subtidal and intertidal ecology study area, as mapped 7.12.1 Methodology ....................................................................................................