TERRESTRIAL ENVIONMENT: IMPACTS
Impacts
The Environmental Impact Assessment for the New Nuclear Darlington project "focused on physical change to terrestrial conditions (e.g., habitat removal) and its consequence on VECs" Some of the possible impacts during the construction phase of the project will include: road mortality, habitat loss, accumulation of dust, increase of noise levels and the hydrology of the area might be altered. During the operation and maintenance phase, anticipated impacts include birds colliding with tall buildings, hazards such as the entanglement of animals in the protective fences, vehicles disturbing the wildlife, noise and particulate emissions.
For each of the six components of the terrestrial environment different techniques were used to evaluate the potential impacts. These include professional judgments, literature on the subject and consultations with various classifications, laws, guidelines, etc.
Impact on VECs:
Mitigation Measures
The mitigation measures will include:
The negative impacts of the project and the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures will be discussed in the critique rubric of this website.
The Environmental Impact Assessment for the New Nuclear Darlington project "focused on physical change to terrestrial conditions (e.g., habitat removal) and its consequence on VECs" Some of the possible impacts during the construction phase of the project will include: road mortality, habitat loss, accumulation of dust, increase of noise levels and the hydrology of the area might be altered. During the operation and maintenance phase, anticipated impacts include birds colliding with tall buildings, hazards such as the entanglement of animals in the protective fences, vehicles disturbing the wildlife, noise and particulate emissions.
For each of the six components of the terrestrial environment different techniques were used to evaluate the potential impacts. These include professional judgments, literature on the subject and consultations with various classifications, laws, guidelines, etc.
Impact on VECs:
- The loss of 113ha of Cultural Meadow and Thicket and 17ha of Wetlands with the possibility of losing additional 5ha of Wetlands due to a conversion to upland vegetation.
- 74ha of Monarch butterfly will be lost and the habitat of the rare Amber Winged-Spreadwing (a dragonfly) will be destroyed (due to the loss of the Treefrog Pond).
- The loss of bird habits, shoreline removal will also cause the removal of active 1300 Bank Swallow nests and cooling towers will be the cause of bird collisions.
- Treefrog Pond, Polliwog Pond and Dragonfly Pond will be removed resulting in the removal of the breeding areas of some amphibians.
- Habitat loss will affect the population of the Meadow Vole, a prey animal on which many other species depend.
- Landscape connectivity will be disrupted during the construction phase of the project.
Mitigation Measures
The mitigation measures will include:
- Replantation of cultural grassland and woodland and reconstruction of wetlands
- Construction of artificial nesting grounds (about 300 burrows)
- Acquisition of land that will be placed under protection and used for further research
- A Dust Management Program will be put in place as a precaution
The negative impacts of the project and the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures will be discussed in the critique rubric of this website.
For more information please refer to the TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS TECHNICAL SUPPORT DOCUMENT.