Progress on implementation of the REDZs and Power Corridors SAPVIA Protea Hotel Balalaika 25 November 2016 Ms D Fischer Integrated Environmental Management Support
Background Implementation systems Progress & timeframes for implementation of the REDZs and Power Corridors
Bidding window Significant increase in work load for DEA Reporting period Total number of new applications per bid window Number of amendments Prior to 2009 N/A Not recorded 1 2009 to 04-11-2011 341 20 2 04-11-2011 to 05-03-2012 113 23 3 05-03-2012 to 18-08-2013 304 130 4 18-08-2013 to 19-08-2014 129 114 Sub-total to bid window 4: 889 287 Post 4 19-08-2014 to 07-07-2015 47 77 Total: 936 364 8.5% projects receiving environmental authorisations were constructed EIA done 3 years prior to construction feasibility phase/dea considers aspects of the project on 7 occasions Between 2010 2014 increased DEA staff compliment 34% Low success rate time spent reviewing unsuccessful projects Business as usual approach was not appropriate for large strategic projects aimed to promote competitive bidding SEA programme of SEAs - three energy SIPs as a priority
Renewable Energy Application Map Version 1 Industry Prioritisation Grid (Developers only) Positive Mapping (pull factors) Negative Mapping (exclusion areas) Study Area Identification (optimal geographical areas) Socio-political study areas refinement (Provincial authorities only) Identify Focus Areas Scoping Assessment in Focus Areas (in progress) Identify Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs) Develop Protocol for the REDZs SEA process for wind and solar PV
The Corridors (Starting Point) Jan 2014 Phase I (a) (Positive Mapping) Feb-Aug 2014 Phase I (b) (Negative Mapping) Sep- Dec 2014 Phase II (Corridor Refinement) Jan- Feb 2015 Phase III (Environmental Assessment) Mar- Dec 2015 Gazetting Process 2016 Utilisation Corridors W2W Engineering Constraints Map Specialist Studies SEA Outputs Eskom Preliminary Corridors Final Corridors Draft Corridor Environmental Constraints Map Review Final Corridors Final Corridor Environmental Constraints Map W2W Environmental Constraints Map Development Protocol PARTICIPATION: Project Steering Committee, Expert Reference Group, National, Provincial, Local Government, BUSA, Chamber of Mines, Chamber of Commerce, Energy Intensive User Group, SAPVIA, SAWEA, SASTELA, IPP Office, Eskom, Transnet, CEF, Industrial Development Corporation, Civil Aviation Aut hority, Endangered Wildlife Trust, Birdlife South Africa, Cape Nature, Ezemvelo Wildlife, SANBI, and other key stakeholders.
Moving from outputs to implementation
What was achieved Identify REDZ & PCs Environmental sensitivity screening Locate development using avoidance hierarchy Identified assessment protocols Ensure consistent assessment Simplify the project level assessment Pre-negotiated route for grid Reduce timeframes for the construction Generic EMPR EIA reduced to BA based on preassessment Moved from 8 to 3 years from design to construction through applying for Pre-negotiated route
3 Implementation through -National web based screening tool EIA regulations 2014 application accompanied by the report generated by the national web based environmental screening tool Developing online GIS screening tool considers 100 environmental data sets - conditioned Produces a screening report flagging site sensitivities SEA - sensitivities and protocols included
3 Orientation Property & development footprint Location map
3 Orientation Sensitivity theme Category Sub category Sens feature VERY HIGH MEDIUM LOW HIGH Agriculture Land capability High High potential X X X X potential agricultural land agricultural land Terrestrial Species Bats Confirmed bat X X X biodiversity roosts Terrestrial Species Birds Artificial vulture X X biodiversity feeding sites Infrastructure Civil aviation Aerodromes Major aerodromes X Infrastructure Defence Airspace Restricted airspace X Flicker X X X X Heritage Cultural X X Heritage Other heritage sites Cultural Cultural landscape X X landscapes Geology Mining areas Mining areas X Noise X X X X SKA Infrastructure Telecommunications Obstacles SACAA obstacles X Conservation Protected areas Nature Nature reserve X X X reserve Weather services
3 Agriculture sensitivity
3 Online application system- CIPs EIA regulations 2014 application accompanied by the report generated by the national web based environmental screening tool
Systems to pass information between them CIPs passes personal and project information to screening Screening passes erf, footprint and classification data to CIPs spatial data CIPs passes application status to screening screening displays visually Upload ability for audit reports to either CIPs or Screening work in progress Allows for a visual representation of all applications including status and final decision
Progress and timeframes Gazetting of REDZs & PC for comment 1 st quarter 2017 (April/June) EIA/BA Review timeframes reduced to 107 57 Pre-negotiated route submission Screening tool and CIPs 1 st quarter 2017 Assessment protocols gazetting 2 nd quarter 2017 for comment REDZs implementation 3 rd quarter 2017 Assessment protocols 4 th quarter 2017