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 11
purposes (i.e. the use of borrow pits 4 ) is regarded as mining and accordingly is subject to the
requirements of the Act. In terms of the current projects, one section of the Act is most relevant:
If material is to be sourced on a property that would not form part of the development, and/ or is
not owned by the applicant, authorisation would be required from Department of Mineral
Resouces (DMR). In terms of Section 27 of the Act, if the proposed borrow pits would be mined
in less than two years and would each be less than 1.5 ha in extent, a Mining Permit would be
required. If the borrow pit exceeds 1.5 ha, a Mining Right would be required. Mainstream is not
applying for any borrow pits and as such no licence or permit in terms of the MPRDA is
required.
1.2.10 National Veld and Forest Fire Act , No 101 of 1998 (as amended)
The National Veld and Forest Fire Act (No. 101 of 1998) reforms the law regulating veld and
forest fires, and seeks to prevent and combat veld, forest and mountain fires within South Africa
by making provision for the establishment of fire protection associations who are tasked with all
aspects of veld fire prevention and fire fighting and the establishment of a fire danger rating
system which will prohibit the lighting of fires in open areas where the fire danger rating is high.
Landowners are required to comply with the National Veld and Forest Fire Act. The Act places a
duty on landowners to prevent veld fires through the preparation and maintenance of firebreaks
and to acquire equipment and have personnel available to fight fires in emergency situations.
1.3 TERMS OF REFERENCE AND SCOPE OF THE EIA
In March 2012, Mainstream appointed Aurecon to undertake an EIA process, in terms of NEMA,
for the proposed projects near Springbok in the Northern Cape.
This EIA process specifically excludes any upgrades of existing Eskom infrastructure (i.e. the
existing grid) that may be required, however it does include connections to the grid.
1.3.1 Guidelines
This EIA process is informed by the series of national Environmental Guidelines 5 where
applicable and relevant:
• Integrated Environmental Information Management (IEIM), Information Series 5:
Companion to the NEMA EIA Regulations of 2010 (DEA, 2010).
• Implementation Guidelines: Sector Guidelines for the EIA Regulations (draft) (DEA,
2010).
• IEIM, Information Series 2: Scoping (Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
(DEAT), 2002).
• DEAT. 2002. IEIM, Information Series 3: Stakeholder Engagement (DEAT, 2002)
• IEIM, Information Series 4: Specialist Studies (DEAT, 2002).
• IEIM, Information Series 11: Criteria for determining Alternatives in EIA (DEAT, 2004)
• IEIM, Information Series 12: Environmental Management Plans (DEAT, 2004).
4 Gravel for construction purposes such as roads and foundations is obtained from a borrow pit, which
consists of a shallow depression generally 1.5-2.5 m deep and 2-4 ha in area.
5 Note that these Guidelines have not yet been subjected to the requisite public consultation process as
required by Section 74 of R385 of NEMA.
© Aurecon (2012) No unauthorised reproduction, copy
or adaptation, in whole or in part, may be made.
P:\Projects\108495 Kangnas WEF & PV EIA's\3 Project Delivery\4 Reports\FEIR\FEIR 210213 Final.doc