This environmental impact assessment for Kriegers flak ... - Vattenfall

116 CONSEQUENSES OF THE WIND FARM
12. Consequences of the wind farm
This chapter describes assesses the environmental consequences that may arise due to the
wind farm. The chapter looks at what is being affected (for example humans, animals and
shipping) and then describes in which way it impacts (for example through noise and vibra-
tions). Following this description, the degree of impact is assessed. The degree of impact has
been established in cooperation with IfAÖ. To make the assessments consequent and for the
reader to better understand how the assessments have come about, the grounds for assess-
ment that have been used are also described.
12.1 Human health
12.1.1 Impact
Impact on humans from the wind farm could arise due
to noise, shadows and accidents.
a) Noise
A question that often arose during the consultation
with the population, was whether noise from the wind
farm would be hearable from the shore.
The work during the construction and dismantling
phases will give rise to noise and vibrations. The noise
will mainly come from below the water surface and
will not be hearable onshore. Noise from above the
water line will not give cause to any serious disturbance.
This is due to the long distance to shore and the
background noise from e.g. waves.
Increased noise from work ships in the area will probably
not cause any disturbances onshore.
In the direct vicinity, however, increased noise levels
will occur due to increased trafÞ c during construction
and dismantling work. As the work is limited in time
and humans normally don’t frequent the area, the negative
impact on humans will be negligible.
During the operational phase, the wind turbines will
emit noise but it is not expected to cause any negative
impact as the distance to the nearest houses is big.
According to calculations made with the WindPRO
computer program, the threshold of 40 dB, that is
the marker used to assess outdoor noise from wind
turbines, will reach about 1,5 km from the perimeter of
the wind farm (see Chapter 5.7.2.1).
According to the model devised by Mr. Sten Ljunggren
(see Chapter 5.7.2.1), noise from the wind farm
will reach a maximum value of 29,4 dB(A) at the
nearest point onshore. In reality, considering the background
noise, noise from the wind farm will never be
hearable from shore (verbal information from Mr. Sten
Ljunggren).