The Execution of an Environmental Impact Assessment - Case Study Example

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT By Student’s name Course code and name Professor’s name University name City, State Date of submission Introduction The air transport in the United Kingdom needs to expand in order to compete effectively with the other airports. The United Kingdom in what is seen as a move to increase the capacity of passengers and goods being handled by these airlines put down a strategic white paper The Future of Air Transport. This feature underlined the entire all the requirements as part of strategic planning to ensure that this goal is achieved. It is important to recognize the fundamental requirements when it comes to the basic amenities support and it is another factor to observe all the stipulated guidelines in order to achieve this. The aviation industry should seek to minimise the levels of environmental impacts being experienced currently so as to make life better for those operating in and out of the airports. Air travel is an important sector in the national heritage but it is also important that all factors that affect human safety be observed by those involved in its development. This provision is made compulsory (Statutory Instruments 1999). This scoping report shall therefore be prepared to conform to these laws and regulations so as to give a comprehensive outline on the environmental impact assessment requirements. The purpose of this report shall therefore be to prepare an in depth report assessment with regard to fire in the freight and customs warehouse and freight aircraft fire on the Pembrey Airport runway. The sources that shall be primarily used are the peer reviewed journals, published books, official websites and reports that shall be referenced at the end of this environmental impact assessment report. In order for evolution to occur in the development of Pembrey Airport it is a necessity to carry out a major environmental impact assessment. This shall reduce the unfavourable environmental effects that are attached to such developments therefore augmenting the weight of the positive effects to be drawn. Background Information Pembrey Airport is located 17km south of Carmarthenshire county council in Wales. The danger area in which the airport is situated is also a home to a royal shooting range which is active throughout the week. The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority has registered this airport for pilots on flying instructions and ferrying of individuals using light public transport. The case scenario presents the problem of the relinquishment of this airport by its former owner Winston Thomas to the Carmarthenshire County Council in March 2013. On doing so, the Carmarthenshire county Council is planning to expand this airport on realization that there is a huge economic potential in it. As part of the plans, the county looks forward to lengthen the runway from the existing length to 2,400 metres. This shall allow the charter planes and scheduled flights from larger airlines to make their landings in Pembrey Airport. Carmarthenshire is also ready to develop Pembrey into a flow blown terminal handling the customs and freight buildings. Pembrey Airport is surrounded by facilities meant for leisure such as the Ffos Las racecourse and Machynys championship golf course. These two golf courses are looking to survive when this airport has reached a point when it wants to expand so as to handle the required load without encountering any pressure. Once completed the airport shall be able to handle Air Bus A320 passenger aircraft, VIP corporate jets and horse or race car carrying freighters. Further to the problem, pressure is mounting for the airport to accept large military aircraft in the likes of C130 for purposes of training and logistics such as fuelling. The Welsh government is however overwhelmed by the state of future prospects which shall translate to the creation of employment. Specifically the environmental impacts that the airport development projects carry are of a worrying magnitude to the society which calls for an in-depth assessment to be carried out in a bid to come up comprehensive solutions. Diagram 1: Aerial view of Pembrey Airport (Original CAD solutions n.d.) Scope of Assessment The main objective of this environmental impact shall be top come up with information to aid in the evolution of this project with a bias to reducing the adversity of the side effects. All the analyses should be done to conform to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority in order to pass the project to the next level. The sensitive environmental resources which are also among the valued should be considered to minimise the damages while increasing the benefits of this project. For the sake of this study, it shall be noted that information of utmost importance shall be included while ignoring the Nitty-gritty involved. The measures that should be avoided shall also be enlisted in order to increase the integrity of this report with respect to the airport fires. The proposed assessment shall tackle all aspects of this project and the manner in which they are interconnected to the fire outbreaks in the airport. The factors affecting this project shall vary from phase to phase depending on the intensity and types of operations being carried out at each stage. The expansion program is going to increase the risk of air pollution as larger planes are likely to produce more emissions than the light aircrafts that are currently landing at the Pembrey airport. The airport shall require vehicles to transport clients from the airport to their respective destinations now that this venture is going to attract a lot of passengers. The cargo shall also require heavy tracks to ferry them to the warehouses and freight buildings which is an increase in environmental pollution. The dust emanating from the airplanes lifting may pose as a nuisance to the locals and other inhabitants who surround the area. The change in pollutant concentration is also going to affect the ecological sites that are close to the Pembrey Airport. As compared to light aircrafts, the larger aircrafts are more likely to release excess pollutants than the lighter ones. Figure 2: A map of Pembrey Airport showing the general arrangement. During the process of expansion, the archaeological setup of a Pembrey Airport shall be spoilt by the excavation processes. The initial outlook is very important in the attraction of tourists and as a home of individual golfing clubs that exist within the area. The loss of the former image of this airport shall lead to the subsequent loss of its heritage values to the people who are used to it. Environmentally speaking the features that have been intact since the World War II have acted as home to the avian creatures and increasing the size of the runway shall mean a negative impact on them. The tourism industry shall be affected positively by this policy set to increase the number of passengers ferried to and fro the Carmarthenshire county Council. The Ffos Las Racecourse facility shall have to be developed further in order to handle the horses properly due to increased noise levels(Airline Consulting Group - UK 2010). The landscape shall be affected in a diversity of ways ranging from the loss of initial outlook to the creation of an artificial look. The change in configuration is expected to change with the excavation and other developments that shall be taking place within the airport. The artificial landscape shall be home to new bonded warehouses to receive goods of all classes including the readily inflammable ones. This shall call for the introduction of new fire facilities that shall require the airport to interfere with the environment through exaction works or drilling. The drilling part shall be able to create the services of a borehole water service in order to cater for increased risks of fire outbreaks. Excavation may also involve the laying pipes to increase the stored and running water levels in case of future fire accidents. This shall hurt the landscape’s originality as the bid to provide the airport with the badly required amenities shall not be an easy task to fulfil. Based on the information above area clearing for the sake of expansion is most likely to cause heaps of dry grass and other remnants. Their disposal shall pose as a threat to nature due to the poisoning effects of the anti-icing chemicals that are used during the adverse weather conditions. The grass may also lead to freight aircraft fire on the runway which calls for the extension of fire services by the Carmarthenshire County Council. It is known that systems are not fool proof therefore the effects of poisonous fires that may be left uncontrolled may cause a lot of disturbance to the animals in the nearby Pembrey forest. The attention should particularly be given to the new freight and customs warehouse which shall be coming up once the airport is completed. Since there is no guarantee that the items that are guarded by these warehouses are safe under certain conditions the airport might have to venture into advanced equipment. The runway fires are likely to spread to the nearby Pembrey forest during the dry seasons. The visibility of areas surrounding Pembrey airport shall also be affected by the construction activities that shall erupt during the building phase of the Pembrey Airport facilities. The visibility crisis is blamed for most of the accidents and fires in airports. This is caused by poor weather conditions and smoke emanating from the planes. If this issue is not addressed during the design phase of the Pembrey airport, accidents are likely to happen. As most aviation accidents are explosive in nature due to the types of fuels used to propel the engines the possibility that the runway fires are going to be a common occurrence is not in doubt. Furthermore, tyre bursts shall also be experienced as one of the challenging issues due to poor manoeuvrability caused by lack of clear visibility. The Pembrey airport development committee in conjunction with the Carmarthenshire County Council shall therefore have to consider visibility as a paramount factor in coming up with a safe environment. The airport is going to support larger airplanes that are likely to cause distraction through noise. Variation in the noises in the ground is also going to distract the alarms in case of a fire – an aggravating factor for many accidents. The fires in the warehouses are also going to be the same in nature as those of the runway. This shall require the cargo handling divisions to be located elsewhere. Reponses for fire shall also need sophisticated equipment to be acquired in order to counter any fatalities in time. Since the neighbourhood shall also be affected, it is important that the airport during its initial stages sets funds aside to cater for those stakeholders whose interests shall be affected. The demolitions that shall be carried out during the expansion process shall modify the biodiversity. The animals such as birds and bats that are hosted in the nearby Pembrey forest will face adverse effects on completion of the project as they shall be exposed to the stress of adapting to a new environment. The resting areas for reptiles that live within the grasses that shall have to be cleared in order to create a new runway shall be impacted upon. This disturbance shall also emanate as new facilities are set to support the concentration of traffic in the airport. Specifically, the emissions shall lead to the death of the flora and fauna in the Pembrey airport area as they shall be struggling from the toxic nature of air. Increased air traffic mean an increase in nitrogen deposition and carbon dioxide imbalance as the plants in the area shall have to be cleared to allow for ease of landing of Air Bus A320 passenger aircraft. The contamination of the underground water is another major consequence on the biodiversity of Pembrey. The water courses shall be impacted upon heavily due to the effects of this major development. The local community shall benefit from employment opportunities that shall be created at all levels of the project. This is considered as a positive economic impact towards those who are directly and indirectly involved. The hotels and allied facilities of recreation shall be boosted by increased traffic which shall be flowing to this area. As much as the tourism propensity shall change towards the lovely beaches that are found in the area and other facilities such as the runway, employment is still inevitable. An appraisal by ACG-UK of lost revenue opportunities at Pembrey West Wales Airport indicates that the lack of optimism in the positive impact of this airport has led to lost opportunities in the area. This results from the reluctance to have the metal fence at the end of the runways removed for the sake of allowing this expansion. The funds that were not available during the time the issue was raised had led to stalling of this development thus impacting negatively on the locals(Airline Consulting Group - UK 2010). The investments on the Carmarthenshire County Council shall be boosted and other initiated for the creation of recreational areas for the incoming passengers and goods. This shall increase the trade levels and interest on this destination as an attractive county since transport is fundamental to development. Creation of new roads and support infrastructure such as rail link to offer quick transport for the people and perishables shall come in handy as a modus for employment creation. The health of the locals shall be affected from the increased levels noise and emissions that shall come with the large sized aircrafts and frequency of operations in the area. This means that homes shall be lost in the course of development due to the levels of noise and emissions in a bid for a better living environment. The amenities in the area shall therefore have to be developed in order to cater for the dangers associated with Pembrey airport development. Therefore assessment of the characters in the area shall be every important in order to establish the heritage of the people living in this area. Planning must be succinct before undertaking any developments in cases where the aftermath has to be avoided. According to policy 1 – JRSP 2002 of the department for transport, planning and transport policies are supposed to be based on fundamental principles that address the sustainability and peaceful coexistence between the local communities and protect the integrity of the airport. It is therefore with this effect that the resources that surround the airport such as water masses and rivers have to be channelled for utilization in areas of importance. Policy 61of the JRSP 2002 encourages improvement of all the basic services that are intended to better the situations at the ground to acceptable levels. It is therefore according to this mandate that the development committees and contractors are supposed to act upon any environmental hazard. Another fact is that the airport is running out of space makes it a hazard to squeeze in more lanes to increase the already extreme traffic. With all the flying schools that are operating from this area, fire is more susceptible and can lead to congestion. If only the 2,000 hectares of land is maximized to the benefit of the society so as to avoid the dangers of fires then it is going to be a bright idea for all the parties involved in the Pembrey airport as stakeholders. Another important development worth noting is the development of airport fire engine department which was completed in 2011. This shall be a key facility in cases of fire prevention from time to time as it may call for. Conclusion and Recommendations The Pembrey airport development authorities should be constituted based on individuals are aware of the environmental impacts that this expansion shall have on the local community when it comes to eruption of fire from time to time. Policy 1 – JRSP 2002 gives a go ahead to the developers thus all the interconnected environmental impacts should be tackled from the research perspective for creation of a sustainable work environment. The resources and the biodiversity found in this area shall come in hand where the development may need to be boosted. This includes water masses and a newly built fire station for control of fire events. Reference List Airline Consulting Group - UK . An appraisal by ACG-UK of lost revenue opportunities at Pembrey West Wales Airport. Airline Consulting Group - UK , 2010. Department for Transport. The future of transport. London: Department for Transport, 2003. Original CAD solutions. West Wales Airport Expansion Plans Could Create 600 Jobs. http://www.originalcad.co.uk/west-wales-airport-expansion-plans-could-create-600-jobs/ (accessed April 19, 2013). pembreyAirport. Welcome to Pembrey Airport . 2013. http://www.pembreyairport.com/ (accessed April 18, 2013). Statutory Instruments. The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999. 1999. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/293/contents/made (accessed April 18, 2013). Terrametrics Map Data. Google. April 18, 2013. https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf- 8&client=firefox&ie=UTF- 8&q=Pembrey+Airport+map&fb=1&hq=Pembrey+Airport+map&hnear=Pembrey+Airp ort+map& cid=0,0,11121266368279418138&ei=NU9xUYzWF8OyhAe4jYFw&ved=0CKQBEPwS MAM (accessed April 18, 2013). Read More

The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority has registered this airport for pilots on flying instructions and ferrying of individuals using light public transport. The case scenario presents the problem of the relinquishment of this airport by its former owner Winston Thomas to the Carmarthenshire County Council in March 2013. On doing so, the Carmarthenshire county Council is planning to expand this airport on realization that there is a huge economic potential in it. As part of the plans, the county looks forward to lengthen the runway from the existing length to 2,400 metres.

This shall allow the charter planes and scheduled flights from larger airlines to make their landings in Pembrey Airport. Carmarthenshire is also ready to develop Pembrey into a flow blown terminal handling the customs and freight buildings. Pembrey Airport is surrounded by facilities meant for leisure such as the Ffos Las racecourse and Machynys championship golf course. These two golf courses are looking to survive when this airport has reached a point when it wants to expand so as to handle the required load without encountering any pressure.

Once completed the airport shall be able to handle Air Bus A320 passenger aircraft, VIP corporate jets and horse or race car carrying freighters. Further to the problem, pressure is mounting for the airport to accept large military aircraft in the likes of C130 for purposes of training and logistics such as fuelling. The Welsh government is however overwhelmed by the state of future prospects which shall translate to the creation of employment. Specifically the environmental impacts that the airport development projects carry are of a worrying magnitude to the society which calls for an in-depth assessment to be carried out in a bid to come up comprehensive solutions.

Diagram 1: Aerial view of Pembrey Airport (Original CAD solutions n.d.) Scope of Assessment The main objective of this environmental impact shall be top come up with information to aid in the evolution of this project with a bias to reducing the adversity of the side effects. All the analyses should be done to conform to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority in order to pass the project to the next level. The sensitive environmental resources which are also among the valued should be considered to minimise the damages while increasing the benefits of this project.

For the sake of this study, it shall be noted that information of utmost importance shall be included while ignoring the Nitty-gritty involved. The measures that should be avoided shall also be enlisted in order to increase the integrity of this report with respect to the airport fires. The proposed assessment shall tackle all aspects of this project and the manner in which they are interconnected to the fire outbreaks in the airport. The factors affecting this project shall vary from phase to phase depending on the intensity and types of operations being carried out at each stage.

The expansion program is going to increase the risk of air pollution as larger planes are likely to produce more emissions than the light aircrafts that are currently landing at the Pembrey airport. The airport shall require vehicles to transport clients from the airport to their respective destinations now that this venture is going to attract a lot of passengers. The cargo shall also require heavy tracks to ferry them to the warehouses and freight buildings which is an increase in environmental pollution.

The dust emanating from the airplanes lifting may pose as a nuisance to the locals and other inhabitants who surround the area. The change in pollutant concentration is also going to affect the ecological sites that are close to the Pembrey Airport. As compared to light aircrafts, the larger aircrafts are more likely to release excess pollutants than the lighter ones. Figure 2: A map of Pembrey Airport showing the general arrangement. During the process of expansion, the archaeological setup of a Pembrey Airport shall be spoilt by the excavation processes.

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