Final EIAR - Aurecon AME Environmental | Environmental Projects

Proposed Wind and Solar (Photovoltaic) Energy Facilities on Kangnas Farm near Springbok in the Northern Cape: Final EIR 108
magnitude, local and long term and therefore of high (-) significance without mitigation. With
mitigation measures implemented, the impacts would be of low (-) significance. The potential
construction phase impact on botany of the proposed solar facility would be of low magnitude,
local extent and long term and therefore of low (-) significance, with or without mitigation.
a) Mitigation measures
Mitigation measures for the wind energy facility
The following mitigation measures are recommended for the wind energy facility:
• Wherever possible, restrict construction activities to designated turbine sites and laydown
areas.
• Avoid Platbakkies Succulent Shrubland gravel patches. Specifically locate turbines and
associated infrastructure such as roads beyond a 30 m buffer around the patches;
• Micro-site turbines with the aid of a botanist, to avoid sensitive sites.
• Place underground cables in shallow trenches alongside the internal access roads to
avoid additional impacts to those caused by roads.
Mitigation measures for the solar energy facility
The following mitigation measures are recommended for the solar energy facility:
• Where possible, collect seeds from Parkinsonia africana (wild green hair trees) and
cultivate off site. The cultivated shrubs could be planted on the site and effectively used
for visual screening of the solar PV infrastructure where required while simultaneously
keeping them as part of the vegetation on the site.
4.4.2 Disturbance of avifauna
The primary potential avifaunal impacts would arise from (a) disturbance caused by vehicular
and people traffic during construction, (b) displacement caused from habitat loss, disturbance
during the construction phase and from maintenance activities for both the wind and solar wind
energy facilities respectively. This could have a lasting impact in cases where the site coincides
with critical areas for restricted range, endemic and/or threatened species. Furthermore,
construction activities could disturb breeding, foraging or migrating birds. Bird species of
particular concern, which may be affected, include the Red Lark, Stark’s Lark, Karoo Lark,
Ludwig’s Bustard, Kori Bustard, Northern Black Korhaan, Verreaux’s Eagle, Secretarybird,
Martial Eagle, Rock Kestrel and Jackal Buzzard.
The potential impact on avifauna during-the construction phase of the proposed wind energy
facility is considered to be of local extent resulting in a medium (-) significance, with and without
mitigation. No difference in significance would result from the proposed wind alternatives.
The potential impact on avifauna for the proposed solar energy facility is considered to be of
local extent resulting in a low-medium (-) significance, without mitigation. With the
implementation of mitigation measures the significance would reduce to low (-) significance. No
difference in significance would result from the proposed wind alternatives.
The following mitigation measures are recommended for the wind energy facility:
• Restricting the construction footprint to a bare minimum.
© Aurecon (2012) No unauthorised reproduction, copy
or adaptation, in whole or in part, may be made.
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