Dolphin factor in €30m windfarm appeal

ESB Wind Development will have a second chance to address environmental concerns over its proposed €30 million windfarm development at Moneypoint Generating Station.
Clare County Council recently refused ESB Wind Development a 10-year planning permission to construct five wind turbines with a maximum overall dimension of 152m from ground level to the tip of the turbine blade in the upright position.
The company has appealed this refusal to An Bord Pleanála, who will now be asked to adjudicate the application and it will be expected to examine its potential impact on the largest resident bottlenose dolphin population in Europe following previous objections submitted to the local authority.
In its refusal, the council stated that one of the objectives of the Clare County Development Plan was to afford the highest level of protection to all the designated Natura 200 sites in accordance with the relevant directives and legislation.
The authority claimed the Natura Impact Statement (NIS), which was received by the planning authority on November 20, 2012 included an “out-of-date version of River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA adjoining the subject site”.
“In addition, wetlands and water birds have been omitted from the list of special conservation interests for the SPA. It is considered that the NIS doesn’t include a satisfactory report of a scientific examination of evidence and data to identify and classify any implications for the adjoining River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries.
“The authority is satisfied the proposal would materially contravene objective and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
In its EIS, the ESB stated in relation to blasting “it should be noted that fewer dolphins utilise the upriver critical area of the estuary near Moneypoint and impacts from activity such as rockbreaking in this part of SAC will be borne by fewer individuals than similar activities near the estuary mouth.
“However, it is recommended that an assessment of the expected noise from rock-breaking in this area be carried out and that any such activity is confined to the non-breeding season.”
In its submission to the council, the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation warned this was not acceptable to the group, as even the disturbance of small numbers of dolphins is to be avoided and might have significant effects on the dolphins, as the population is low.
Moneypoint is also an important foraging site for bottlenose dolphins, who feed there throughout the year.
The group proposed that attenuation trials are carried out to estimate the energy from sound pressure waves entering the marine environment from blasting. The passage of sound pressure from the terrestrial to marine environment will depend on bedrock and other factors.
“Piling can potentially disturb the bottlenose dolphins in the estuary through noise disturbance. Sound pressure waves are generated during piling and although the piling is on land, it is adjacent to the estuary and sound pressure may potentially enter the marine environment.”
One of the proposed new turbines was earmarked north of the N67 in the ash storage area where three turbines are located in the approved Moneypoint Wind Farm.
Four turbines were due to be located within the main station area south of the N67, with one turbine to the east of the station’s main building near the station’s coal store and three turbines in an open area west of the station’s main building.
Six turbines are located south of the N67 in the approved Moneypoint Wind Farm. In line with current recognised best practice, the company pledged all turbines will be located a minimum of 500m from dwellings outside the site, providing an extra separation of about 150m compared to the currently approved arrangement.
In the EIS the company claimed that the potential impact on whales and dolphins in the Shannon Estuary were very modest.
“The very significant developments that have taken place at Moneypoint, including the development of the power station and most recently Moneypoint Environmental Retrofit Project, have all been completed without significant impacts.”