Abstract
Purpose and Objectives of the Plan
This Environmental Management Plan (EMP) has been prepared to address the specific requirements of the relevant conditions attached to the Section 36 (S36) consent and Marine Licences (collectively referred to as ‘offshore consent conditions’) issued to Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited (Moray West).
The overall objective of the EMP is to provide the overarching framework for environmental management during the construction and operational lifespan, until the cessation of electricity generation, of the Moray West Offshore Windfarm and Offshore Transmission Infrastructure (OfTI) (collectively referred to as ‘the Development’).
The EMP is designed to provide practical guidance to those involved in the construction and operation of the Development, including Moray West personnel, Contractors and Moray West’s Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW), on the series of measures to mitigate or manage environmental impacts based on commitments made by Moray West and the requirements of the offshore consent conditions.
All Moray West personnel and Contractors involved in the Development must comply, as a minimum, with this EMP.
The EMP is a ‘live document’ and will be regularly reviewed and updated at internals agreed by the Scottish Ministers, to take into account updated information on working practices, construction methods and operational and maintenance (O&M) environmental management procedures once they are available, prior to the operational phase of the Development.
Scope of the Plan
In line with the requirements of the offshore consent conditions, which are presented in Appendix B (Table B.2), along with industry standards and good practice, the EMP covers the following:
- The roles and responsibilities of key Development personnel with respect to environmental management;
- Means for communicating and reporting to the Scottish Ministers/Marine Scotland ‐ Licensing Operations Team (MS‐LOT) and relevant stakeholders on environmental issues and compliance with the EMP;
- Competence of all personnel involved with the Development and associated environmental training;
- Mitigation measures to prevent adverse impacts to environmental interests, as identified in the Application and pre‐consent and pre‐construction monitoring or data collection, with reference to relevant measures detailed in the remainder of the Development Consent Plans;
- Procedures associated with dropped objects;
- Pollution prevention and continency measures;
- Chemical usage measures;
- Waste management measures;
- Mitigation measures to prevent the introduction of marine non‐native invasive species (MINNS); and
- Procedures for dealing with Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).
Structure of the Plan
Sections 1 and 2 give an overview of the Development, specify the scope and objectives of the EMP and details roles, responsibilities and training. The lines of communication and chains of command along with Development reporting requirements are also described.
Sections 3 and 4 details the mitigation measures and management of environmental impacts based on commitments made by Moray West in the consent application and the requirements of the offshore consents conditions. Issues identified within the offshore consents conditions such as dropped objects, marine pollution, chemicals, noise and unexploded ordinance are managed by specific measures.
Sections 5 features performance evaluation of the Development and its contractors from environmental monitoring to audits and inspections.
The accompanying Appendices present a detailed Development description, construction programme milestones, key stakeholders, details of the Conditions set out in S36 and Marine Licences, Moray West’s commitment to sustainable construction, template Transportation Audit Reports (TAR) and dropped objects forms and a Marine Pollution Contingency Plan (MPCP), which are intended to support the application of measures set out in the EMP.
Plan Audience
The EMP is intended to be referred to by personnel involved in the construction and operation of the Development, including Moray West personnel and Contractors. All method statements and environmental management documents produced in relation to the Development must comply with this EMP.
Compliance with this EMP will be monitored by the Moray West Development team, Moray West QHSE team, Moray West’s ECoW, and the MS‐LOT.
Plan Locations
Copies of this EMP are to be held in the following locations:
- Moray West’s main project office in Edinburgh;
- all site offices dealing with marine operations;
- the Moray West Marine Coordination Centre (MCC);
- the Contractors;
- with the ECoW(s); and
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- aboard any vessels carrying out construction and O&M activities for the Development
(hereafter ‘the Works’).