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BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement: Vol. 2 Main Text
Designated Site
SSSI xvii , SAC,
Ramsar site
SSSI, SAC
Table 10.8 Potential Operational Impacts on Qualifying Features within the Humber Estuary SSSI, SAC, SPA and Ramsar Site
Qualifying Interest
Features
Estuaries
Mudflats and sandflats not
covered by seawater at
low tide
Presence of Qualifying Feature in relation to proposed development
and Likelihood for Impacts to Occur
The proposed development lies approximately 1 km from the Estuary. The
only links between the proposed development and the Estuary are the
surface water within Middle Drain, immediately adjacent to the proposed
development which flows into the Estuary, and groundwater which is thought
to be in hydraulic continuity with the Estuary.
There will be no discharge of process water although clean surface water,
water from regeneration of the water softener (hard, salty water) and treated
domestic effluent will be discharged to Middle Drain.
Changes to surface water or groundwater quality or levels that would be
likely to result in changes to the nature, setting or functioning of the Humber
Estuary are not likely to occur (see Chapters 7 and 8).
Due to the nature and scale of the proposed development, any accidental
contamination of surface waters or groundwater would be unlikely to cause
significant impacts on the Estuary due to dilution effects within this huge
body of water. However, there would be controls in place throughout the
operation of the development which would prevent contamination of surface
water or groundwater.
Management of the plant would be accredited under the ISO 14001 EMS
and the new plant will require an EP from the EA to operate, and as a
consequence will be required to demonstrate the application of BAT.
There are no significant effects anticipated for this qualifying feature.
The closest intertidal mudflats are the Pyewype Mudflats; present along the
southern edge of the Estuary and approximately 1 km from the proposed
development. These mudflats are particularly productive, supporting a range
of benthic communities, and are important for a range of feeding and loafing
water birds, including those which are primary qualifying reasons for the
designation of the SPA and Ramsar site, in particular for golden plover.
There would be no emissions of nitrogen oxides or sulphur dioxide from the
development.
The air quality assessment (Chapter 6) has concluded that:
Impact
Significance
No significant
negative
effect
No significant
negative
effect
5100935.404 Environmental Statement August 2011 179