1. Presentation to Green Economy
Expo 2010
Environmental Impact Assessment
and Planning Legislation for Wind
Farms

2. Agenda
• About IWCM
• Legislation
• Planning System
• Environment Impact Assessment
• Natura 2000 Sites / Appropriate Assessment
• 2010 Planning Bill
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3. About IWCM
• Irish Wind Energy Consultancy
• Planning, Advisory, Project Management and
Engineering Services
• 10 Professional and 10 Support Staff
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4. Legislation
• European Community (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations, 1989 (SI No. 349 of 1989), amended in 1994 by
(SI No. 93 of 1999)
• EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive
97/11/EEC
• The Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (SI 600 of
2001), Schedule 5 Part 10. Section 3 (Energy Industry) (i) –
• Part 10 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) under Section
176, that the application be accompanied by an
Environmental Impact Assessment.
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5. Irish Planning System
• Local Authority
• An Bord Pleanala
• SID
• Judicial Review
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6. Typical Planning Timelines
• Lodgement
• Submission Period (5 weeks)
• Decision Due (8 weeks from lodgement)
• Further Information (6 months to respond)
• Notification of Decision (Grant / Refusal) (4
weeks)
• 1st/3rd party Appeal to An Bord Pleanala (18
weeks)
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7. Requirement for an Environmental
Impact Statement
• An EIS is mandatory for any development with
more than 5 turbines or having a total output
greater than 5 MW.
• Sub-Threshold typically 1 to 2 turbines
• Auto-production
• Planning Authority can request EIA for any
Development
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8. Environmental Impact Assessment
• Scope
• Non Technical
Summary
• Environmental
Impact Statement
• EPA and WF Planning
Guidelines
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9. Existing Environment
• Human Beings
• Ecology
• Ornithology
• Soils and Water
• Air
• Landscape
• Material Assets
• Interaction of the Foregoing
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10. Proposed Development
• Alternatives
• Characteristics
• Existence
• Other Developments
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11. EIA Process
• Assessment of Impacts
– Significance
• Mitigation
– Avoid
– Reduce
– Compensate
• Interaction of the Foregoing
• Design of Project Informed by EIA Process
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12. Public Access to Information
• Structure
• Presentation
• Public Access
• Non-Technical
Summary
• Requirement
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13. Appropriate Assessment
• Natura 2000
• AA required within 15
km from a Natura
2000 site
• Precautionary
Principle
• NI Statement
included with the EIS
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14. AA 4 Stages
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15. SAC and SPA’s in Ireland
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16. 2010 Planning Bill
Moved to Committee Stage; May
• Enactment of the Bill expected
before Summer Recess
• Significant Input and Debate
• Defines Obligations for
Planning Bodies
• Statutory Guidelines for Wind
Farm Applications
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17. 2009 Planning and Development Bill
• Requirement for Substantial Works Removed but
– Only One Extension Allowed
– Need for Consistent Interpretation Remains
– 8 Week Time Frame for Determination Diluted
• 10 Year Planning not Guaranteed for New
Permissions
• Projects SID Threshold under Review
• Will Address EU Habitats and Birds Directives
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18. Conclusions
• Irish Planning Process
• EIA Process
• Obligations of the Habitats Directive
• Appropriate Assessment
• 2010 Planning Bill
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19. IWCM Contact Details
• IWCM, Unit1 Cootehill Enterprise Centre,
Cootehill, Co. Cavan
• Contact Details ck@iwcm.ie
• www.iwcm.ie
• Telephone 049 5555050
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