Environmental Impact Assessment for the Development of Wind Farms - Case Study Example

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WIND FARMS Author’s Name Class Name Professor’s Name School City and State Date Introduction The UK government set out a climate change, energy, and planning policy that supports the provision of renewable energy and minimize carbon (IV) oxide in the atmosphere. As such, this spearheaded the development of wind power technologies to help promote the use of renewable energy. Therefore, many wind farms projects have been established in the UK, which require permission from a local authority, which evaluates if their ES meets the stipulated standards (Whitelaw 2009). An ES is an environmental statement is a non-technical summary of an environmental impact assessment document that is available to the public. It helps to identify a project environmental, economical, and social impact of the construction development. Thus, it serves as a guide to provide a decision framework that determines whether permission should be granted to begin a construction project. In this regard, this paper will provide an outline of the wind farms environmental statement and identify its weakness. Discussion Environmental impact assessment is an integrative process that seeks to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of a given project. It a significant instrument that ensures that projects adheres to environmental laws and ethics so that they could achieve sustainable development. The ultimate goal of EIA is to achieve a development that is well coordinated and ensures that the society and environment thrive in a holistic manner. In particular, EIA is defined as a suitable mechanism that seeks to forecast and assess the possible environmental impacts, which are caused by construction projects. As such, it helps the authority to undertake possible measures that mitigate or prevent adverse environmental impacts caused by the projects and carrying out a follow-up monitoring (Caldwell 2009). Thus, when the authority denies permission to the establishment of environmental projects that cause environmental degradation, UK will achieve environmental sustainability. Unfortunately, the nation blindness to acquire economic growth has largely limited the functioning of EIA tool in mitigating environmental damages caused by development projects. Actually, the authorities face environmental dilemmas when law and policies enacted do not effectively solve catastrophes. The population doubted how the UK EIA laws would have a substantial impact on the course of the country development. The laws were inadequate in helping to mitigate great environmental damages caused by construction projects in the country. Thus, the UK parliament on March 2015 accepted revisions on the EIA directives that paved the way for new environmental legislation. The new directives required that project proposals should have a section of EIA covering development projects such as construction projects, motorways projects, windfalls, and land sites. Thus, this directive aimed at creating environmental and economic benefits to the environment through minimizing environmental degradation. The EIA provision provided a useful clarity on which direction the EIA should focus on addressing environmental issues. In fact, it expanded the topics that should be addressed in the EIA projects, which include provision for biodiversity protection, land, and human health (Debizet 2010). The amendments require that individuals undertaking a construction project should endeavor to conduct assessments that will ensure environmental protection in the development process. by targeting the construction projects such as wind farms at the time the country needs an increased energy generation, the state passed a strong message to the nation on the importance of environmental regulations and laws. Indeed, the population required this message because they treated environmental laws with a conventional attitude that it does not work. As such, many antipollution campaigns were conducted in the UK to target petrochemical plants used in wind farms to create awareness on their environmental threats. As such, this required the government to put enforcement measures that required construction projects to conduct EIAs, which seek to promote environmental quality. Although, the windfalls construction projects adhered to environmental laws, they failed to facilitate an effective public participation. Such projects included the projects located in the nature reserves and their buffer zones. The projects did not comply with the state emission or discharge standards that govern environmental laws. For instance, the project failed to take proper measures to reduce pollution in their limited time between the buffer zones (Woods 2010). Evidently, wind farms projects located in targeted cities in the UK reported significant pollution problems that were caused by environmental violations. Thus, the UK law revision was extremely necessary as it helped strengthen the environmental authority and eliminate EIA violations caused by wind farms. In fact, approving standards EIA on given construction projects will help change the behavior patterns of wind farms industries and ensure they protect the environment. Weaknesses of the Windfalls ES Despite the elaborative provision by the UK government on the provision of the EIA laws, it is apparent there are serious statutory flaws in its implementation in windfalls projects. The major flaws evident in the projects include insufficient coverage of areas to be addressed by the project, inadequate public participation, and disapproval EIA by local authorities’ power. Others include; minimal penalty violation on law prohibition and high compliance cost of EIA project. Thus, in the next section, this essay will discuss the mentioned factors in detail and provide a way forward for wind farms entrepreneurs who want to set up a project. ES Inability to Cover Construction Projects Evidently, limited administrative and financial resources make it impossible for an ES to address actively all the impacts of a construction projects. In fact, depending on the location, size, and nature of the construction project, the ES is unable to identify the adverse environmental implications during the development and operation stages. Apparently, an EIA is vital in outlining the environmental implications, which are likely to occur in project lifecycles. In fact, UK laws stipulate that an EIA should use two approaches to ensure that it covers all environmental impacts originating from a construction project. The first approach requires that an EIA compile a list of thresholds and action that will provide criteria which determines the environmental issues that should be assessed. Moreover, the second approach outlines a procedure that determines the set of actions that should be assessed to identify the environmental impacts that accrues from a developmental project (Debizet 2010). Apparently, it is evident that wind farms projects use the first approach in assessing their construction projects. Thus, their EIA report is prepared after conducting a conclusive assessment that identifies environmental impacts caused by the projects. Therefore, projects undergo different types of EIAs depending on the potential environmental implication. Such a process requires high amounts of cash so that an individual would be able to identify all the environmental impacts a construction projects will accrue in its lifecycle. Therefore, this proves to be a major challenge for wind farm companies who lack the necessary financial incentives, which are needed to cater for the proponents of the proposals. As such, many ES originating from wind farms construction projects do not meet the stipulated standards as they avoid a comprehensive environmental scrutiny (Toke 2010). In fact, time delays and financial burdens cause a lot of public opposition which results to an environmental damage because the projects lack a proper oversight. Local Authorities’ Use of Excessive Power When wind farms submit their EIA document, it is the role of the local authorities and environmental protection agencies to review the documents and consent. There is always a power overlap between the local authorities and environmental protection agencies. For instance, the two bodies (Whitelaw 2009) differ in their explanation of special projects. The local authority defines special projects to be projects which environmental sensitive such as nuclear projects. Conversely, the environmental protection agency defines special projects as projects with significant environmental damages such as cyanide production. Indeed, such an interpretation causes the institution approve different EIA documents on different grounds and this results to dispute on the ground that regards construction projects (Debizet 2010). Moreover, the administrative region requires that authorities in different levels such as the county, municipal, and provincial level approve the project. Such an approach resulted in projecting managers dividing the EIA documents to different proponents so that they could avoid the detailed scrutiny by the authorities. Such distribution of the EIA document in the various authorities in the state government results to an inadequate environmental scrutiny of the documents and this causes significant environmental damages by the construction projects. Inadequate Public Participation It is apparent that public participation and consultation is an integral component in the EIA process. Public participation displays significant benefits that help to evaluate the projects proponents and determine how people are affected by the projects. In fact, public consultation helps ensures that the views of the community are put into practice in the decision-making process. in wind farms project, there is limited public participation because the UK state only encourages experts to air their view in the EIA process. However, the UK EIA law stipulates that there should be public participation in the EIA process. Conversely, statistics indicates that only 5% percent of construction project put into consideration the public participation element in the EIA document (Burral 2010). Most construction projects and especially wind farms projects use relevant experts, and institution when preparing EIA reports. The most public view is disregarded and it can easily be obtained through public hearings and discussion forums. Although most construction projects prepare ES statements, they do not find it necessary to consult the public or inform them of their undertakings. As such, this explains why most communities are hostile towards wind farms projects located in their premises. Actually, residents leaving next to these projects find them to be a great nuisance because they generate odors, fumes, and noise, which interfere with their way of life. In addition, project managers do not conduct a public consultation aimed to solicit comments from members on how they can minimize the challenges they face (Toke 2010). Therefore, it is imperative that construction projects should enhance public participation so that they can promote transparency. In addition, it will ensure that the public can easily access information on project proponents. In fact, a project that is located on a region that is environmental sensitive should disclose information to the public so that they will help them to adapt to adverse environmental implications. High Compliance It is evident that many wind farms project start the construction phase first and then submit an EIA document when caught by an enforcement authority. It is common that wind farms project with significant environmental impact to finish construction and start its operation without conducting any EIA process. The major reason why wind farm projects ignore the EIA process is that breaking the law proves to be cost effective rather than complying with it. Indeed, the EIA law fails considerably to deter violations and encourage the public to comply. Thus, this makes project developers to start construction without carrying out an EIA and failing to submit the EIA document within the stipulated time limit (Woods 2010). Nonetheless, the deterrence method proves to be inadequate because a project loses nothing if it submits a makeup EIA document within the stipulated period (Wright 2010). Ironically, a project proponent stands a better chance to be approved in an expeditious manner because its investment is in place. Furthermore, the EIA law provides remedial measures and liabilities in scenarios where a project violates the law in the construction process. The makeup EIAs and project suspension are the common deterrent mechanisms used and they are very lenient to preventing the behavior. Conclusion Indeed, UK made numerous strides in revising environmental laws as this ensured that EIAs effectively addressed the ways projects should minimize environmental degradation. The laws resulted to meaningful strides in environmental protection because it ensured that construction projects promoted environmental sustainability and achieved sustainable development (Caldwell 2009). Conversely, it is apparent that wind farm projects still face immense challenges in conducting meaningful EIAs that ensure the projects mitigate environmental harms. It is noticeable that wind farm ES have weaknesses such as limited public consultation, lack of compliance and lack financial resources to cover the whole EIA process. In this regard, it is vital that wind farms find means through which they can solve these challenges. It is imperative that they give a wide importance to environmental protection and incorporate this element in their construction process (Wandesford 2009). References BURRAL, V. (2010). Putting wind turbines in their place. Town and Country Planning. London : Routledge. Debizet, G. (2010). Expertise and Methodology in Building Design for Sustainable Development. London : Routledge. K.Caldwell. (2009). Understanding Impact Analysis: Technical Process, AdministrativeReform, Policy Principle, in policy through impact assessment. institutionalized analysis as a policy strategy , 145-167. Toke, D. (2010). Explaining wind power planning outcomes:Some findings from a study in Egland. Energy Policy , 169-245. Wandesford, G. (2009). Environmental Impact Assessment, Entrepreneurship,and Policy Change, in Policy through impact assessment. institutionalized analysis as a policy strategy , 178-190. Whitelaw, K. (2009). Environmental systems handbook. Burlington: Elsevier. Woods, M. (2010). Conflicting Environmental Visions of the Rural: Windfarm Development. Sociologia Ruralis , 145-567. WRIGHT, D. (2010). Local Aspects of UK Renewable Energy Development: Exploring Public Beliefs and Policy Implications. Local Environment , 156-178. Read More