Question NW1859 to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
03 September 2021 - NW1859
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with reference to the Bayview Wind Farm in the Eastern Cape, (a) the Addo Elephant National Park was consulted when the decision to establish the windfarm was made and (b) any appeals were received regarding the establishment of the windfarm; if not, what is the position in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (2) what are the reasons that permission was granted for erecting the turbines closer to the Addo National Park than was permitted (details furnished); (3) whether the buffer zone of 20km as prescribed by experts was taken into consideration; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) with reference to SANParks' recent request that all visitors switch off their car engines when watching elephants due to the disturbance to elephant communication, were (a) SANParks and (b) the Addo Elephant National Park consulted regarding the decision made by the department; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) whether her department has taken into account the impact that the wind turbines have with regard to (a) the effect of the infrasonic noise on the elephants and other animals on their communication with one another when it masks their vocalisation and they cannot communicate with calves, families or extract social information out of the vocalisation and (b) birds flying into them; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in eachcase? of medical files; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1(a)(b); 2; 3; 4 and 5
The initial EA for the proposed development was granted on 4 February 2019.
On 26 February 2019, the Directorate: Appeals and Legal Review within the Department received an appeal from Grassridge Wind Power (Pty) Ltd, challenging the granting of the above EA (2019 EA). The grounds of the appeal were broadly premised on procedural and substantive irregularities, with specific reference to the absence of a Wake Effect Assessment and commercial agreement as relevant considerations.
On 14 October 2019, Minister issued an appeal decision as follows:
- uphold the appeal relating to the absence of a Wake Effect Assessment and consideration of the report thereof.
- dismiss the ground of appeal relating to commercial agreement as a relevant consideration.
- set aside the decision of the CD: IEA to grant the 2019 EA to the applicant; and
îv. remit the matter to the CD: IEA for further consideration and reconsideration as alluded in paragraphs 1.44 and 1.45 of the appeal decision.
Following the abovementioned appeal decision, the competent authority, after taking into consideration the Wake Effect Assessment, reissued the EA on 23 March 2021. Thereafter two appeals were received against this EA. These appeals were received from Wilderness Foundation Africa and Indalo Private Nature Reserve Association on 15 April 2021 and 24 May 2021, respectively.
The appeals are currently being considered by the Appeals Unit.
Regards
MS B D CREECY, MP
MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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