15. No transboundary impacts have been identified on the marine water and sediment quality receptors.
30.2.3 Chapter 9 Underwater Noise, Vibration and Electromagnetic Fields 16.
Pile driving of foundations is expected to be the prevalent source of underwater noise during the construction phase of the East Anglia THREE site. Underwater noise modelling has been completed for a number of locations within and around the windfarm boundary and the likely effects have been assessed on the basis of risk of physical injury (hearing damage) and behavioural disturbance to receptors. This modelling is presented in detail in Appendix 9.1 and the resulting impacts on fish and marine mammals are presented in Chapter 11 Fish and Shellfish Ecology and Chapter 12 Marine Mammal Ecology, respectively.
17.
There are a number of cabling designs being considered for the East Anglia THREE project, which include alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) cables of different voltage ratings. The chapter introduces the background and potential effects from electromagnetic field (EMF) changes from the proposed project, however, resulting impacts on benthic ecology and fish and shellfish are presented in Chapter 10 Benthic Ecology and Chapter 11 Fish and Shellfish Ecology respectively.
30.2.4 Chapter 10 Benthic Ecology 18.
19.
The benthos identified within the study area is typical of southern North Sea sandy and gravelly habitats with no ecologically sensitive areas identified.
The receptors that have been identified include a number of benthic habitats and species of interest due to wider ecosystem value and the value to commercial fishermen. The Outer Thames Estuary SPA was also identified as an indirect receptor due to the fact that its designated feature (red-throated diver) feed on benthic species. The impact assessment required consideration of the marine geology, oceanography and physical processes and marine water and sediment quality assessments.
20.
The effects of the proposed project would mostly be temporary, small scale and localised and are anticipated to result in impacts of negligible or minor adverse significance. No additional mitigation measures, other than those which form part of the embedded mitigation, are suggested. Should any sensitive receptors (e.g. biogenic reef) be identified in pre-construction surveys, these would be avoided by micro-siting of infrastructure.
21.
Given the distances to other activities in the region (e.g. other offshore windfarms and aggregate extraction) and the highly localised nature of the impacts on the
Preliminary Environmental Information May 2014
East Anglia THREE Offshore Windfarm
Chapter 30 Summary and Conclusion Page 7
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