Aluminiumsmelter og vandkraft i det centrale Vestgrønland

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Originally muskoxen were found only in Northeast and East Greenland,
and the populations found today in West Greenland originate from animals
that were moved to Kangerlussuaq from East Greenland. After the
introduction the population has grown very fast. In the region muskoxen
are primarily found south of the airport at Kangerlussuaq. It is not likely
that the population will be affected by the project, as construction activities
are not expected to take place within the main habitat areas of muskoxen.
However, the construction of a road and of transmission lines in
Sarfartoq will affect animals in construction areas, and such new infrastructure
will ease access to the area and may increase disturbance.
The harlequin duck is a small diving duck that is potentially vulnerable
to impact by the operation of hydroelectric plants, because it breeds at
lakes and streams with clear water. However, the three large lake areas
planned to be used as reservoirs for the hydroelectric plants are not harlequin
duck habitat. The water is silty (melt water from the Inland Icecap)
and the lakes are at high altitudes and become late ice free. Therefore
it does not seem likely that the harlequin population in the region
will be affected by the project. When the detailed plans for the hydroelectric
plants are known, there should be an evaluation of the potential
effects, e.g. if water is moved from streams that could be harlequin duck
habitat.
The population of Greenland white-fronted goose is unique, because it
only breeds in West Greenland. The geese arrive to Greenland in spring
use specific spring staging areas, which are very important to their
breeding success. Within the region only few spring staging areas are
found south of Maniitsup Sermia, while north of here there are more, of
which two are very important. Similar spring staging areas are not
known for the Canada goose, which is the other goose species found in
the region. The density of nests for both goose species is low in the region,
and probably only few nests will be affected by the project. After
breeding the geese gather in flocks to moult. As they cannot fly away to
another area while moulting they can be very sensitive to local disturbances
during this period. After moulting and until they leave
Greenland the geese forage, but in that period few forage habitats will be
affected by the project.
It is not likely that other terrestrial bird populations in the region, including
red-throated diver, great northern diver, gyr falcon, perigrine falcon
and white-tailed eagle, will be significantly affected by the project.
The Arctic char is very common in Southwest Greenland and is found all
over in the region. When constructing and operating hydroelectric plants
the discharge patterns will change and so will the conditions of the char
in the lakes and streams affected. However, if a local char population is
affected or even destroyed this will have consequences for local fishing.
It should be studied to what extent local char populations will be affected
by the project. This probably is most important to the char population
in Sarfartoq.
The coastal zone has unique importance to colony breeding birds (particularly
thick-billed murre and kittiwake), to fish species spawning at
the coast (capelin and lumpsucker) and to the harbour seal, which breeds
and moults on land. These species are potentially exposed to impact by