ELEMENT POWER IRELAND LTD. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PROPOSED MAIGHNE WIND FARM IN COUNTY KILDARE AND COUNTY MEATH VOLUME 2 – MAIN EIS CHAPTER 7 – ECOLOGY MARCH 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 7 ECOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 1 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 7.1.1 Study Area ..................................................................................................... 1 7.2 Methodology ................................................................................................... 2 7.2.1 Relevant Guidance ........................................................................................... 2 7.2.2 Consultation ................................................................................................... 2 7.2.3 Desk Study ..................................................................................................... 2 7.2.4 Field Assessment ............................................................................................. 3 7.2.5 Evaluation Criteria for Ecological Assessment ..................................................... 17 7.3 Existing Environment ..................................................................................... 22 7.3.1 Overall Site in Context ................................................................................... 22 7.3.2 Designated Nature Conservation Sites .............................................................. 22 7.3.3 Ballinakill ..................................................................................................... 35 7.3.4 Windmill Cluster ............................................................................................ 41 7.3.5 Drehid-Hortland ............................................................................................ 47 7.3.6 Derrybrennan ............................................................................................... 66 7.3.7 Cloncumber .................................................................................................. 78 7.3.8 Aquatic Ecology ............................................................................................. 89 7.3.9 Bats ........................................................................................................... 115 7.3.10 MV Cable / Grid Connection Routes ................................................................. 127 7.3.11 Habitat Evaluation ........................................................................................ 131 7.3.12 Terrestrial Fauna Evaluation ........................................................................... 132 7.3.13 Avifauna Evaluation ...................................................................................... 133 7.4 Do Nothing Scenario ..................................................................................... 135 7.5 Potential Impacts ......................................................................................... 136 7.5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 136 7.5.2 Mitigation by Avoidance and design ................................................................. 136 7.5.3 Potential Impacts During Construction ............................................................. 137 7.5.4 Potential Impacts During Operation ................................................................. 154 7.5.5 Potential Impacts during Decommissioning ....................................................... 170 7.6 Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................... 178 7.6.1 Mitigation Measures during Construction .......................................................... 178 7.6.2 Mitigation Measures During Operation ............................................................. 189 7.6.3 Mitigation Measures during Decommissioning ................................................... 192 7.7 Residual Impacts .......................................................................................... 194 7.7.1 Designated Nature Conservation Sites ............................................................. 194 7.7.2 Habitats and Flora ........................................................................................ 194 7.7.3 Terrestrial Mammals (excluding Bats) .............................................................. 194 7.7.4 Birds .......................................................................................................... 195 7.7.5 Aquatic Ecology ............................................................................................ 195 7.7.6 Bats ........................................................................................................... 195 7.7.7 Other Taxa .................................................................................................. 195 i/iv Q:/2014/LE14/731/04/Rpt001-0.doc APPENDICES Appendix F1: Bird Survey Data 1 Appendix F2: Bird Survey Data 2 Appendix F3: Marsh Fritillary Habitat Appraisal Form Appendix F4: Plant Species Lists Appendix F5: Peatland Survey Reports Appendix F6: Bat Survey Report Appendix F7: Aquatic Ecology Report Appendix F8: Guidance Documents Q:/2014/LE14/731/04/Rpt001-0.doc ii/v LIST OF FIGURES PAGE PLATE 7.1: WATER REGIONS WITHIN FIVE CLUSTERS OF THE PROPOSED MAIGHNE ............................... 13 PLATE 7.2: MAIGHNE WIND FARM AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES SURVEY SITES ............................ 14 PLATE 7.3: PROPOSED WIND FARM IN RELATION TO NATURA 2000 RIVER SITES AND SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION WITH AQUATIC INTERESTS ................................................................ 94 PLATE 7.4: AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES SURVEY SITES AND RESULTS .................................... 106 PLATE 7.5: EPA BIOLOGICAL WATER QUALITY RESULTS FOR WATERCOURSES DRAINING PROPOSED MAIGHNE WIND FARM ................................................................................................. 110 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 7.1: TARGET SPECIES IDENTIFIED FOR AVIFAUNA SURVEYS ................................................... 3 TABLE 7.2: VANTAGE POINT LOCATIONS ................................................................................. 5 TABLE 7.3: TARGET SPECIES AND ASSOCIATED SUITABLE BREEDING HABITAT ..................................... 6 TABLE 7.4 COUNT UNITS FOR EACH WADING SPECIES ................................................................ 7 TABLE 7.5: BAT SURVEY TIMING MAIGHNE WIND FARM ............................................................... 9 TABLE 7.6: LOCATION OF THE AQUATIC ECOLOGY AND FISHERIES SURVEY SITES AUGUST/OCTOBER 2013 SURVEY. ....................................................................................................... 15 TABLE 7.7: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Q-VALUE AND ECOLOGICAL STATUS FOR MACROINVERTEBRATES ......... 16 TABLE 7.8: ECOLOGICAL RESOURCE EVALUATION CRITERIA (FROM NRA (2009) (6)) ............................ 18 TABLE 7.9: AVIAN RESOURCE EVALUATION CRITERIA ................................................................. 20 TABLE 7.10: DESIGNATED SITES WITHIN 15KM OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT .................................. 28 TABLE 7.11: LOCATIONS OF BADGER EVIDENCE RECORDED DURING ECOLOGICAL FIELD SURVEYS – BALLYNAKILL CLUSTER ...................................................................................................... 37 TABLE 7.12: BIRD SPECIES RECORDED AT BALLINAKILL WINTERS 2012/13 AND 2013/2014 ................... 38 TABLE 7.13: BIRD SPECIES RECORDED AT BALLINAKILL DURING CBS SURVEYS (EARLY AND LATE SEASON VISITS) ................................................................................................................. 40 TABLE 7.14: LOCATIONS OF BADGER EVIDENCE RECORDED DURING ECOLOGICAL FIELD SURVEYS – WINDMILL CLUSTER ....................................................................................................... 42 TABLE 7.15: GOLDEN PLOVER OBSERVATIONS - WINDMILL CLUSTER ................................................. 42 TABLE 7.16: RESULTS OF MERLIN SURVEYS .............................................................................. 43 TABLE 7.17: BIRD SPECIES RECORDED DURING WINTER 2012/13 – WINDMILL CLUSTER ........................ 45 TABLE 7.18: BIRD SPECIES RECORDED DURING CBS SURVEYS (EARLY AND LATE SEASON VISITS) – WINDMILL CLUSTER ...................................................................................................... 46 TABLE 7.19: BADGER RECORDS FOR DREHID-HORTLAND .............................................................. 51 TABLE 7.20: RECORDED OTTER EVIDENCE DREHID-HORTLAND ....................................................... 52 TABLE 7.21: GOLDEN PLOVER OBSERVATIONS DREHID-HORTLAND TURBINES T11-T23, T47 ................... 52 TABLE 7.22: RESULTS OF MERLIN SURVEYS N7536 – DREHID-HORTLAND CLUSTER .............................. 53 TABLE 7.23: SNIPE BREEDING OBSERVATIONS TURBINES T11-T23, T47 DREHID-HORTLAND CLUSTER ....... 54 TABLE 7.24: B&S BIRD SURVEY RESULTS - DREHID-HORTLAND CLUSTER TURBINES T11-T23, T47 ........... 56 TABLE 7.25: CBS SURVEY RESULTS N7436 – DREHID HORTLAND CLUSTER T11-T23, T47 .................... 57 Q:/2014/LE14/731/04/Rpt001-0.doc iii/v LIST OF TABLES - Cont'd… PAGE TABLE 7.26: GOLDEN PLOVER OBSERVATIONS - DREHID-HORTLAND TURBINES (T40-T46) ...................... 59 TABLE 7.27: RESULTS OF MERLIN SURVEYS