Latest news with #EnvironmentalImpactAssessmentReport
The Citizen
09-08-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Minister upholds green light for Eskom's new nuclear power station in Western Cape
Minister upholds green light for Eskom's new nuclear power station in Western Cape Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has upheld the 2017 decision to grant Eskom Environmental authorisation to construct and operate a new nuclear power station in Duynefontein, Western Cape. The decision was upheld after appeals were made by various environmental organisations. 'In considering these appeals, I have carefully reviewed the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAr), as well as the independent peer review conducted in respect of the project. 'In the end, my decision was made in respect of the principles of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), and with full appreciation of the environmental, social and economic considerations involved,' the minister said on Friday. The original decision to grant the environmental authorisation was made in October 2017. Various appellants challenged the decision, submitting appeals that ranged from comprehensive and detailed submissions to shorter, individual objections. This week, the minister has decided, in terms of section 43(6) of NEMA, to dismiss the appeals, and confirm the decision to grant the environmental authorisation to Eskom. Appeals dismissed, but more approvals still needed for nuclear build The minister's decision to uphold the environmental authorisation does not automatically grant Eskom permission to begin with the construction or operation of the nuclear power station. The entity is still required to obtain several additional statutory authorisations before proceeding in accordance with section 24(7) of NEMA. The authorisations include: A nuclear installation licence from the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR); Approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA); Water use licences from the Department of Water and Sanitation, and Any other relevant approvals, including those from the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. 'As per section 24(7) of NEMA, the granting of an Environmental Authorisation does not exempt an applicant from complying with any other applicable legal requirements or obtaining permits from other competent authorities,' George said. Dion says that the protection and preservation of South Africa's environment is a non-negotiable. 'The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment supports South Africa's transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future where inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction are central,' he said. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Irish Independent
08-08-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Plans for Ireland's largest offshore wind farm hit with 70-page setback
Codling Wind Park will have a capacity of up to 1,300 megawatts (MW) and will be able to supply more than one million Irish homes with renewable energy. It will be located between 13 to 22km off the Wicklow coast and will connect to the Irish grid at Poolbeg in Dublin. The project will also reduce Irish energy generation emissions and displace over 1.7 million tonnes of carbon. The project alone accounts for just over one quarter of Ireland's entire 2030 target for grid connected offshore energy. It is 50/50 joint venture between Fred. Olsen Seawind and EDF Renewables. The application was initially lodged in September 6, 2024, and it was expected that the planning authority would make a ruling this year. However, the further information request now means the respondents have a period of up to nine months to respond to the request, meaning any responses should be made no later than May 11, 2026. Under the further information request, the applicant is requested to clearly note any proposed amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and other documentation submitted, and cross reference clearly revised/new information across the submitted documentation as appropriate. The scientific information provided as part of the planning application documentation should be based on up-to-date survey reports and data. The applicant is requested to confirm or provide justification or verification that the information submitted remains relevant and appropriate at the point of submitting further information or to update same as required. While an 'In Principle Environmental Monitoring Plan' (IPEMP) has been submitted, the range of monitoring proposals and language used within that document do not provide sufficient clarity, commitment nor detail of monitoring measures and reporting, which the commission considers to be required for a project of the scale and duration proposed, throughout the construction, operational and decommissioning phases of the proposed development. The applicant has also been requested to provide further information on the potential spatial extent of habitat lost and the potential spatial extent of habitat adversely effected. They have also been requested to consult with the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG), who through the Department of Transport, has raised concerns in relation to the layout of the proposed development with respect to search and rescue access.
Irish Independent
11-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Hines puts €64.5m price tag on apartment complex for sale to Dublin City Council
The planned sale forms part of Hines's revised plans to construct a 1,131-unit apartment scheme on the grounds of the former Holy Cross College on Clonliffe Rd at Drumcondra. CWTC Multi-Family ICAV, Hines' partner fund, is seeking a ten-year planning permission for the scheme, which includes a 13-storey apartment block. There will be 268 studios, 282 one-bed apartments, 392 two-bed apartments, 132 three-bed units and 57 four-bed units. We would like to have a permit by the middle of next year The €64.57m indicative price 'for further discussion/agreement' puts an estimated value of €646.6m on the scheme. Asked about a development timeline Brian Moran, a senior managing director at Hines Ireland, said earlier this week: 'All going well, we would like to have a permit by the middle of next year. Construction could commence as soon as possible after that.' The planning documentation shows that the Hines entity is planning to sell 39 studios, 11 one bed-units and 63 two-bed to comply with the Part V obligations to provide 10pc of the overall scheme for social housing. The range in indicative prices range from €717,843 for the two bed four-person units, €569,892 for one bedroom units and €360,266 for studios. In a letter to the council, Mr Moran states that the information enclosed in the Part V pack 'will ultimately be subject to possible amendment and formal agreement with Dublin County Council'. It is only when planning permission is secured that two sides can enter negotiations on price. A planning report prepared by architects Brady Shipman Martin lodged with the large-scale residential development (LRD) scheme states 'the proposed development has been designed to sit comfortably within its surrounds, minimising impact on adjacent developments and the protected structures'. The architects state that a 'do nothing' scenario for the lands in the context of the ongoing housing shortage in Dublin 'is considered to represent an inefficient, uneconomical and socially sub-optimal use of the Holy Cross College lands'. The non-technical summary of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report says that given the site's location, it is suitable for increased density and height.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Delay sends wrong message': Environmental group questions Penang's decision to not gazette Middle Bank as marine sanctuary
GEORGE TOWN, May 21 — Pertubuhan Jaringan Ekologi dan Iklim Pulau Pinang (Jedi) has called on the Penang state government to immediately gazette Middle Bank as a marine sanctuary due to its role as a carbon sink that strengthens climate resilience. Jedi spokesman Andrew Han said the Middle Bank is one of the last surviving seagrass meadows in Peninsular Malaysia. 'It is not just a natural treasure, it is an ecological life support system," he said in a statement today. 'It supports the livelihoods of coastal fishers, contributes to Penang's food security, and serves as a carbon sink that strengthens climate resilience,' he added. Han was responding to state executive councillor H'ng Mooi Lye's remarks that the Penang government currently has no plans to gazette the Middle Bank Marine Sanctuary. H'ng had said doing so would classify it as an environmentally sensitive area and trigger stricter environmental requirements for nearby developments, including the Jelutong landfill rehabilitation. Han claimed residents were not adequately informed about the scope of the landfill rehabilitation project, which involves sea reclamation and the proposed construction of a waste-to-energy processing facility near homes, schools, and public spaces. 'Delaying or denying protection to Middle Bank in the name of project continuity sends the wrong message to residents, especially those living near Karpal Singh Drive and Jelutong who are already concerned about health, environmental degradation, and broken promises over coastal development,' Han added. He called on the state government to reassess the reclamation and waste to energy plant project near Karpal Singh Drive and engage with stakeholders by holding dialogue sessions on the project. H'ng, in his winding-up speech at the legislative assembly, said the state can gazette the Middle Bank as an environmentally sensitive area after the projects in the area have completed. 'If the project is cancelled, it will give the state a negative image and this also lead to a loss in opportunity to generate revenue through rehabilitation of the landfill,' he said. However, he noted that if the project fails to obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment Report approval before February 28, 2026, the state reserves the right not to continue with the development agreement for the project.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Amazon Web Services faces fresh delay over plans for three data centres in north Dublin
An Bord Pleanála wrote to AWS firm Universal Developers LLC in recent days, seeking to clarify the impact of the three planned data centres, with reference to the Government's recently published Climate Action Plan 2025. The letter seeking clarification comes more than 18 months after Fingal County Council's decision to grant planning for the three new data-centre buildings was appealed to the board. The board has now told Amazon Web Services that the information is necessary for the purpose of enabling it to determine the appeal. AWS has massively ramped up data-centre spending across Europe In the letter, the appeals board stated that it is seeking the applicant's response, in light of the publication of the Climate Action Plan in April 2025 and of another report, on Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2023-2050, released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The reports were published after the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) as part of the planning application. As a result, the appeals board wants Amazon Web Services to re-affirm, or otherwise, findings in its original environmental assessment. The data-centre campus – on a 65-acre site at Cruiserath Road, Dublin 15 – would have a combined power load of 73MW. The appeals board has also told the applicants to provide evidence of capacity in the national grid to serve the development, and is seeking details of the energy provider who will connect the new buildings. AWS has until May 29 to provide a response. The letter comes more than 18 months after five third-party appeals lodged in relation to the proposed development with An Bord Pleanála in October 2023 contesting Fingal County Council's decision to grant planning for the three new data-centre buildings. Universal Developers LLC first lodged plans two-and-a-half years ago, in December 2022. The five parties who lodged appeals against the permission are Friends of the Earth, the Fingal One Future Group, Dr Colin Doyle, John Conway & Louth Environmental Group, and Mannix Coyne. AWS has massively ramped up investment in data-centre infrastructure across Europe since last summer, in anticipation of a long-term increase in demand for cloud services as a result of the roll-out of generative AI – the data-hungry processes that are rapidly being adopted by industries of all kinds. Since May, AWS has announced a combined €35bn of new investment in its European cloud infrastructure, mostly to build new data centres in Britain, Germany, Spain and France. Ireland has so far missed out on that expansion.
