COVER

Contents

1                      INTRODUCTION                                                                                           1-1

1.1                   Introduction                                                                                           1-1

1.2                   Background                                                                                              1-1

1.3                   Purpose and Objectives of this EIA Report                               1-2

1.4                   Structure of this Report                                                                  1-3

2                      CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES                                                      2-1

2.1                   Background to the Project                                                             2-1

2.2                   The Future Plan                                                                                     2-2

2.3                   Justification for Choosing the Present Site                          2-2

2.4                   Potential Capacity for the Wind Turbine                               2-10

3                      PROJECT DESCRIPTION                                                                             3-1

3.1                   The Project                                                                                              3-1

3.2                   Project Design                                                                                        3-1

3.3                   Wind Turbine Construction & Operation                                   3-3

3.4                   Concurrent Projects                                                                          3-4

3.5                   Scoping of Environmental Issues                                                  3-4

3.6                   Environmental Conditions in Absence of the Project       3-6

4                      Noise                                                                                                            4-1

4.1                   Introduction                                                                                           4-1

4.2                   Relevant Legislation and Guidelines                                         4-1

4.3                   Baseline Environmental Conditions and

                        Noise Sensitive Receivers                                                                  4-5

4.4                   Potential Sources of Impact                                                           4-6

4.5                   Assessment Methodology                                                                4-11

4.6                   Evaluation of Impacts                                                                      4-12

4.7                   Mitigation Measures                                                                          4-14

4.8                   Environmental Monitoring and Audit                                      4-14

4.9                   Conclusion                                                                                             4-15

5                      Ecology                                                                                                      5-1

5.1                   Introduction                                                                                           5-1

5.2                   Relevant Legislation and Guidelines                                         5-1

5.3                   Literature Review of Ecological

                        Characteristics of Lamma Island                                                  5-2

5.4                   Effects of Wind Farms on Ecological Resources

                        (Overseas Experience)                                                                         5-6

5.5                   Identification of Information Gap                                            5-10

5.6                   Assessment Methodology                                                                5-11

5.7                   Ecological Baseline Condition                                                    5-15

5.8                   Ecological Evaluation                                                                     5-24

5.9                   Potential Impacts                                                                                5-31

5.10                 Impact Assessment                                                                               5-32

5.11                 Mitigation Measures                                                                          5-38

5.12                 Residual Impacts                                                                                  5-41

5.13                 Environmental Monitoring and Audit                                      5-41

5.14                 Conclusion                                                                                             5-42

6                      LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL Impact Assessment                                   6-1

6.1                   Introduction                                                                                           6-1

6.2                   Relevant Legislation and Guidelines                                         6-1

6.3                   Assessment Methodology                                                                  6-1

6.4                   Baseline Conditions                                                                             6-6

6.5                   Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment during

                        Construction                                                                                         6-18

6.6                   Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment during

                        Operation                                                                                                6-22

6.7                   Recommended Landscape and Visual Mitigation

                        Measures                                                                                                  6-24

6.8                   Residual impacts                                                                                  6-26

6.9                   Conclusion and Summary of Findings                                       6-28

6.10                Environmental Monitoring and Audit                                      6-28

7                      air QUALITY                                                                                                7-1

7.1                   Introduction                                                                                           7-1

7.2                   Legislative Requirements and Relevant Criteria                 7-1

7.3                   Baseline Conditions and Air Sensitive Receivers                  7-2

7.4                   Air Quality Impact Assessments                                                      7-3

7.5                   Mitigation of Adverse Air Quality Impacts                              7-4

7.6                   Residual Air Quality Impacts                                                           7-4

7.7                   Environmental Monitoring and Audit                                        7-4

7.8                   Conclusions                                                                                             7-5

8                      Water Quality                                                                                         8-1

8.1                   Introduction                                                                                           8-1

8.2                   Relevant Legislation and Guidelines                                         8-1

8.3                   Baseline Conditions and Water Quality Sensitive

                        Receivers                                                                                                   8-4

8.4                   Assessment Methodology                                                                  8-5

8.5                   Impact Assessment                                                                                 8-5

8.6                   Mitigation Measures                                                                            8-6

8.7                   Residual Environmental Impact                                                    8-7

8.8                   Environmental Monitoring and Audit                                        8-7

8.9                   Summary and Conclusions                                                                 8-7

9                      environmental Monitoring and audit Measures                   9-1

9.1                   Introduction                                                                                           9-1

9.2                   Environmental Management Plan                                                 9-2

9.3                   EM&A Manual                                                                                            9-2

9.4                   Noise                                                                                                            9-4

9.5                   Ecology                                                                                                      9-4

9.6                   Landscape and Visual                                                                           9-5

9.7                   Air Quality                                                                                                9-5

9.8                   Water Quality                                                                                         9-5

9.9                   Waste Management                                                                               9-6

10                    CONCLUSIONS & Environmental Outcomes                                10-1

10.1                 Introduction                                                                                         10-1

10.2                 Noise                                                                                                          10-1

10.3                 Ecology                                                                                                    10-1

10.4                 Landscape and Visual                                                                         10-2

10.5                 Air Quality                                                                                              10-4

10.6                 Water Quality                                                                                       10-4

10.7                 Waste Management                                                                             10-5

10.8                 Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A)                       10-5

10.9                 Environmental Outcome                                                                  10-5

10.10               Overall Conclusions                                                                         10-7

 

Annexes

Annex A      Site Search Report

Annex B      Noise Assessment Information

Annex C      List of Floral and Faunal Species recorded within the Study

Annex D      Implementation Schedule