MONEYPOINT WIND FARM Moneypoint Generating Station, County Clare ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Report QR-320174-11-R1 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. November 2011 ESB Wind Development EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 MONEYPOINT WIND FARM Moneypoint Generating Station, County Clare ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Report QR-320174-11-R1 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. November 2011 ESB Wind Development EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 Table of Contents NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 1 INTRODUCTION 1 THE PROJECT 1 SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT 5 CONCLUSION 11 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.1 SCOPE 1.1 1.2 METHODOLOGY & FORMAT 1.1 2. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT 2.1 2.1 THE DEVELOPER 2.1 2.2 LOCATION OF DEVELOPMENT 2.2 2.3 PLANNING HISTORY AT MONEYPOINT 2.4 2.4 DESCRIPTION OF SCHEME 2.5 2.5 PROJECT CONSTRUCTION 2.9 2.6 OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND DECOMMISSIONING 2.11 2.7 SECONDARY DEVELOPMENT 2.13 3. ALTERNATIVES 3.1 3.1 ALTERNATIVE ELECTRICITY GENERATION 3.1 3.2 ALTERNATIVE SITES 3.4 3.3 ALTERNATIVE CONFIGURATIONS AND LAYOUTS 3.8 4. POLICY & PLANNING CONTEXT 4.1 4.1 ENERGY POLICY – EUROPEAN CONTEXT 4.1 For inspection purposes only. 4.2 ENERGY POLICYConsent – NATIONAL of copyright owner CONTEXT required for any other use. 4.3 4.3 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4.4 4.4 PLANNING POLICY – CLARE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 4.5 4.5 PLANNING POLICY - WEST CLARE LOCAL AREA PLAN 2009 4.10 4.6 CONCLUSIONS 4.12 5. HUMAN BEINGS 5.1 5.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 5.1 5.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 5.3 5.3 MITIGATION 5.7 5.4 CONCLUSIONS 5.7 6. NOISE 6.1 6.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 6.1 6.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 6.2 6.3 MITIGATION 6.7 6.4 CONCLUSIONS 6.7 7. SHADOW FLICKER 7.1 Table of Contents Page i /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 7.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 7.1 7.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 7.1 7.3 MITIGATION 7.3 7.4 CONCLUSIONS 7.3 8. FLORA & MAMMALS 8.1 8.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 8.1 8.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 8.9 8.3 MITIGATION 8.10 8.4 CONCLUSIONS 8.11 9. AVIFAUNA 9.1 9.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 9.1 9.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 9.9 9.3 MITIGATION 9.11 9.4 CONCLUSIONS 9.11 10. LANDSCAPE 10.1 10.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 10.1 10.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 10.9 10.3 MITIGATION 10.29 10.4 CONCLUSIONS 10.30 11. AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE 11.1 11.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 11.1 11.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 11.3 11.3 MITIGATION 11.3 11.4 CONCLUSION 11.3 For inspection purposes only. 12. SOILS & WATERS Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 12.1 12.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 12.1 12.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 12.2 12.3 MITIGATION 12.3 12.4 CONCLUSIONS 12.3 13. ROADS & TRAFFIC 13.1 13.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 13.1 13.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 13.2 13.3 MITIGATION 13.8 13.4 CONCLUSIONS 13.8 14. MATERIAL ASSETS 14.1 14.1 TOURISM 14.1 14.2 ENERGY SUPPLY 14.3 14.3 AIR NAVIGATION 14.5 14.4 TELEVISION AND COMMUNICATIONS SIGNALS 14.6 15. CULTURAL HERITAGE 15.1 Table of Contents Page ii /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 15.1 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT 15.1 15.2 IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT 15.2 15.3 MITIGATION 15.2 15.4 CONCLUSIONS 15.2 16. INTERACTION OF IMPACTS 16.1 16.1 INTRODUCTION 16.1 16.2 INTERACTION 16.1 16.3 EPA GUIDANCE 16.3 16.4 CONCLUSIONS 16.4 APPENDIX A: BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX B: PREDICTED NOISE LEVELS APPENDIX C: FLORA & MAMMALS APPENDIX D: AVIFAUNA For inspection purposes only. 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Table of Contents Page iii /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Site Location Figure 2.1 Site Layout Figure 2.2 View of Wind Turbine Figure 2.3 View of Nacelle Figure 2.4 Wind Turbine Foundation Figure 3.1 European Wind Resources Figure 3.2 Wind Farm Planning Applications Figure 3.3 Global Wind Power Installation Figure 3.4 Trend in Wind Turbine Sizes Figure 3.5 Windtake Separation Figure 3.6 Approved and Proposed Wind Farm Layouts Figure 4.1 Map - County Development Plan - Wind Energy Strategy Figure 4.2 Map - County Development Plan - Wind Energy Strategy (Enlarged) Figure 4.3 Map - West Clare Local Area Plan 2009 Figure 5.1 Wind Industry Investment Costs by Category Figure 5.2 Irish Wind Jobs by Category Figure 5.3 Overall Attitude to Construction of More Wind Farms in Ireland Figure 5.4 Effect of Wind Farm on Local Area Figure 6.1 Noise Monitoring Location Figure 6.2 Noise Analysis – Locations of Residences Figure 7.1 Shadow Flicker Analysis For inspection – Locations purposes only. of Residences Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Figure 8.1 Habitat Map Figure 8.2 Bat Survey Map Figure 8.3 Rock armour and natural coastline at the south eastern end of the site where evidence of Otter was recorded Figure 8.4 Immature woodland at eastern boundary of the site Figure 8.5 Mature mixed woodland within the site Figure 8.6 View east to the coal yard boundary where several pipistrelles were recorded feeding in the adjacent wood Figure 8.7 Mature woodland north of coal yard where Myotis and pipistrelle bats were recorded Figure 8.8 Southern fringe of mature mixed woodland where commuting Pipistrelles and one feeding Myotis within were recorded Figure 8.9 Example of initial stages of ash land filling Figure 8.10 Example of ash storage area which has been reinstated Figure 8.11 Scrub underneath the 400 kV lines Figure 8.12 Wildlife tracks at south-western boundary of the site Table of Contents Page iv /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 Figure 8.13 Coastal rock armour at south-western boundary of the site Figure 8.14 Amenity grassland at south-western boundary of the site Figure 8.15 Sonograms of a common and soprano pipistrelle in search and feeding phase Figure 8.16 Sonograms of a Myotis bat Figure 9.1 Sites Subject to Conservation Designations Figure 9.2 Avifauna Surveys – Vantage Point Locations Figure 9.3 Spring Survey 2010 – Flight Lines Figure 9.4 Winter Survey 2010 / 11 – November Flight Lines Figure 9.5 Winter Survey 2010 / 11 – December Flight Lines Figure 9.6 Winter Survey 2010 / 11 – January Flight Lines Figure 9.7 Winter Survey 2010 / 11 – February Flight Lines Figure 10.1 Designations and Photomontage Locations Figure 10.2 Zone of Visual Influence (Hub Height) Figure 10.3 Zone of Visual Influence (Tip Height) Figure 10.4 Visual Impact Map Figure 10.5 Nature of Visibility Photomontage 1 View direction / location: East – Southeast, approximately 2 km from Kilrush, County Clare Photomontage 2 View direction / location: Southeast, from housing estate beside N67 in Kilrush, Co. Clare Photomontage 3 View direction / location: South, from R473 in the townland of Carrowfree, Co. Clare Photomontage 4 View direction / location: Southwest, from junction N67/R486 approximately 250m north of Killimer Ferry Terminal, Co. Clare For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Photomontage 5 View direction / location: West, from Car Ferry half-way between Tarbert and Killimer on the River Shannon, Co. Clare Photomontage 6 View direction / location: Northeast, from scenic route (K-1) southeast of Carrig Island overlooking Ballylongford Bay, Co. Kerry Photomontage 7 View direction / location: Northeast, from scenic route in the townland of Beale, Co. Kerry Photomontage 8 View direction / location: Southeast, from N67 in the townland of Garraun, Co. Clare Photomontage 9 View direction / location: Southeast, approximately 805m south of Doonbeg, Co. Clare Photomontage 10 View direction / location: Southwest, from R485 approximately 1 km north of the village Drumdigus at a T-Junction, Co. Clare Photomontage 11 View direction / location: Northwest, from the N69, a scenic road (L-1) approximately 1.2 km northeast of Glin, Co. Limerick Photomontage 12 View direction / location: Northwest, from a scenic road (L-1) in the townland of Ballycullane Upper, Co. Limerick Photomontage 13 View direction / location: North, from local road, west of Guiney’s Cross Roads, Co. Kerry Photomontage 14 View direction / location: Southeast towards Moneypoint from N68, approximately 1 Table of Contents Page v /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 km northeast of Kilrush (Grid reference: E 00763, N56035) Photomontage 15 View direction / location: Southeast towards Moneypoint from the N67 (Scenic Route No. 19) (Grid reference: E02230, N52469) Figure 12.1 Cross-section at Turbines T3 & T4 Figure 13.1 Typical Delivery of Wind Turbine Tower Components Figure 13.2 Potential Wind Turbine Delivery Route Figure 15.1 Location of Cultural Heritage Sites For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Table of Contents Page vi /vi EPA Export 20-10-2016:02:10:21 Moneypoint Wind Farm Environmental Impact Statement Co Clare November 2011 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY INTRODUCTION Scope A wind farm development is planned at ESB’s Moneypoint Generating Station, which is in Co.