Presentation to Green Economy Expo 2010

Environmental Impact Assessment and Planning Legislation for Wind

Farms

Agenda

• About IWCM

• Legislation

• Planning System

• Environment Impact Assessment

• Natura 2000 Sites / Appropriate Assessment

• 2010 Planning Bill

2

About IWCM

• Irish Wind Energy Consultancy

• Planning, Advisory, Project Management and Engineering Services

• 10 Professional and 10 Support Staff

3

Legislation

• European Community (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 1989 (SI No. 349 of 1989), amended in 1994 by (SI No. 93 of 1999)

• EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 97/11/EEC

• The Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (SI 600 of 2001), Schedule 5 Part 10. Section 3 (Energy Industry) (i) –

• Part 10 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) under Section 176, that the application be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment.

4

Irish Planning System

• Local Authority

• An Bord Pleanala

• SID

• Judicial Review

5

Typical Planning Timelines

• Lodgement

• Submission Period (5 weeks)

• Decision Due (8 weeks from lodgement)

• Further Information (6 months to respond)

• Notification of Decision (Grant / Refusal) (4 weeks)

• 1st/3rd party Appeal to An Bord Pleanala (18 weeks)

6

Requirement for an Environmental Impact Statement

• An EIS is mandatory for any development with more than 5 turbines or having a total output greater than 5 MW.

• Sub-Threshold typically 1 to 2 turbines

• Auto-production

• Planning Authority can request EIA for any Development

7

Environmental Impact Assessment

• Scope

• Non Technical Summary

• Environmental Impact Statement

• EPA and WF Planning Guidelines

8

Existing Environment

• Human Beings

• Ecology

• Ornithology

• Soils and Water

• Air

• Landscape

• Material Assets

• Interaction of the Foregoing

9

Proposed Development

• Alternatives

• Characteristics

• Existence

• Other Developments

10

EIA Process

• Assessment of Impacts

– Significance

• Mitigation

– Avoid

– Reduce

– Compensate

• Interaction of the Foregoing

• Design of Project Informed by EIA Process

11

Public Access to Information

• Structure

• Presentation

• Public Access

• Non-Technical Summary

• Requirement

12

Appropriate Assessment

• Natura 2000

• AA required within 15 km from a Natura 2000 site

• Precautionary Principle

• NI Statement included with the EIS

13

AA 4 Stages

14

SAC and SPA’s in Ireland

15

2010 Planning Bill

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Moved to Committee Stage; May

• Enactment of the Bill expected

before Summer Recess

• Significant Input and Debate

• Defines Obligations for

Planning Bodies

• Statutory Guidelines for Wind

Farm Applications

2009 Planning and Development Bill

• Requirement for Substantial Works Removed but

– Only One Extension Allowed

– Need for Consistent Interpretation Remains

– 8 Week Time Frame for Determination Diluted

• 10 Year Planning not Guaranteed for New Permissions

• Projects SID Threshold under Review

• Will Address EU Habitats and Birds Directives

17

Conclusions

• Irish Planning Process

• EIA Process

• Obligations of the Habitats Directive

• Appropriate Assessment

• 2010 Planning Bill

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IWCM Contact Details

• IWCM, Unit1 Cootehill Enterprise Centre, Cootehill, Co. Cavan

• Contact Details ck@iwcm.ie

• www.iwcm.ie

• Telephone 049 5555050

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