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 13
• Site notices, in English and Afrikaans, were erected at the entrances to the farms and at
the Springbok Public Library on 28 May 2012 (the site notices are included in the Scoping
Report).
1.4.2 The Scoping Phase
Scoping is defined as a procedure for determining the extent of, and approach to, the EIA
Report phase and involves the following key tasks:
• Involvement of relevant authorities and I&APs;
• Identification and selection of feasible alternatives to be taken through to the EIA Phase;
• Identification of significant issues/impacts associated with each alternative to be
examined in the EIA Report; and
• Determination of specific Terms of Reference (ToR) for any specialist studies required in
the EIA Report (Plan of Study for the EIA Report).
The Scoping Phase involved a desktop review of relevant literature, including a review of
previous environmental studies in the area. These included, inter alia, the following:
• Namakwa District Municipality (DM) Integrated Environmental Management Program
(IEMP)(African EPA, 2007);
• Namakwa DM Spatial Development Framework (SDF) (2007);
• Nama Khoi Local Municipality LM SDF (Macroplan, 2007);
• Vegetation Map of South Africa (Mucina and Rutherford, 2006); and
• Groundwater Resources in the Northern Cape Province (DWA, 2008).
An inception field trip of the site was undertaken on 25 November 2011 to inform a Fatal Flaw
Analysis (FFA) for Mainstream. The main purpose was to familiarize the consultants with the
site and to allow for a rapid survey of the site to identify potential areas of concern. Valuable
information was also obtained from landowners, who have intimate knowledge of the farms and
general area.
The information gathered during the site visit and subsequent report was used in refining the
Plan of Study for the EIA process and ToR for the specialist studies which were undertaken
during the EIA Phase.
1.4.3 The EIA Phase
The Scoping Phase is followed by the EIA Phase, during which the specialist investigations
occur, and culminates in a comprehensive EIR documenting the outcome of the impact
assessments.
This report covers the third and final phase of the EIA process, namely the EIA Phase. The
purpose of the EIR is to describe and assess the range of feasible alternatives identified during
the Scoping process in terms of the potential environmental impacts identified. The ultimate
purpose is to provide a basis for informed decision making, firstly by the applicant with respect
to the option(s) they wish to pursue, and secondly by the environmental authority regarding the
environmental acceptability of the applicant’s preferred option.
© 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