Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
is potential for permanent effects. Where construction activities create permanent
change, the effects will obviously continue into the operational period;
• Operation – effects may be permanent, or (as is typical with wind power
developments) they may be temporary, intermittent, or limited to the life of the
development until decommissioning; and
• Decommissioning – effects may arise from the decommissioning activities
themselves, or from the temporary occupation of land. The effects would generally be
temporary and of limited duration and additional permanent change (unless
associated with restoration) would normally be unlikely.
Definition of the Baseline
2.1.13 The environmental assessment process does not merely consider the effects of the proposed
wind farm against the conditions as they are now, but instead makes the assessment against
what is described as the “Do-minimum” scenario; that is, what could be reasonably expected
to have occurred over the same timescale if the development did not go ahead.
2.1.14 As the site is a commercial forestry plantation, the environmental baseline is not fixed, and it
is therefore necessary to determine changes that are predicted to take place between the
time of site surveys for the EIA and the time of construction commencement. Definition of the
forestry baseline used in the EIA is discussed further in Chapter 4: Description of the
Proposed Development.
2.2 Scoping
Overview
2.2.1 Scoping is the process of identifying those aspects of the environment and associated issues
that need to be considered when assessing the potential effects of a particular development
proposal. This recognises that there may be some environmental elements where there will
be no significant issues or likely effects resulting from the development and hence where
there is no need for further investigation to be undertaken.
2.2.2 Scoping is undertaken through consulting organisations and individuals with an interest in
and knowledge of the site, combined with the professional judgement and experience of the
EIA team. It takes account of published guidance, the likely effects of the kind of
development under consideration and the nature and importance of the environmental
resources that could be affected.
2.2.3 Regulation 7 of the EIA Regulations sets out the procedures required to obtain a formal
scoping opinion from the determining authority, in this case West Lothian Council.
2.2.4 The purpose of scoping is to:
• Ensure that statutory consultees and other bodies with a particular interest in the
environment are informed of the proposal and provided with an opportunity to
comment at an early stage in the EIA process;
• Obtain baseline information regarding existing environmental site conditions;
• Establish key environmental issues and identify potential effects to be considered
during the EIA;
March 2013 2-3 ES Chapter 2
The EIA and Scoping Process
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