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Next Steps in Ecological Impact Assessment

Next Steps in Ecological Impact Assessment. IEMA QMark Series. Dawn Phythian CEnv MCIEEM Ecology Team North October 2014. Todays topics. Dawn Phythian Guidance Scoping – opportunity often missed Natural England – Discretionary advice service Scale – proportionate impacts

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Next Steps in Ecological Impact Assessment

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  1. Next Steps in Ecological Impact Assessment IEMA QMark Series Dawn Phythian CEnv MCIEEM Ecology Team North October 2014

  2. Todays topics Dawn Phythian • Guidance • Scoping – opportunity often missed • Natural England – Discretionary advice service • Scale – proportionate impacts Steve Jackson-Mathews • Overview of current approach • Reflecting emerging good practice • Common issues • Future challenges for EcIA • Update on developing CIEEM EcIA guidance

  3. Guidance - CIEEM • Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM)‘Guidelines for Ecological Impact in the United Kingdom (2006)’ • 2014 legislative change The point of EcIA is: To provide clear information regarding significant impacts

  4. Scoping – missed opportunities • Scoping report after PEA and desk study • Tool to identify and consult with stakeholders • Used as a basis for consultation into what assessment is required • The scope of the project refines the project through consultation Opportunities to: • Get agreement on methodologies • Scope out surveys

  5. What needed to effective Scoping Preliminary Ecological Assessment • Any time of year has limitations. Within the PEA the Desk study should include: • Appropriate distance search for sites • Appropriate distance search for species • Rule out/In HRA Appropriate Consultees • Avoiding groups only puts it off • LPA may rely on outside consultees due to no Ecologist

  6. What scoping needs to include • What methodologies will be used, in detail • Timescale for assessment • What will not be involved – scope out the insignificant impacts

  7. Discretionary advice service (DAS) Natural England advice service Initial Free Advice: • “identify any significant potential impacts that need to be considered within the application • advise on how these concerns may be addressed” standard advice DAS chargeable service is for: “….More complex requests, such as the review of a draft Environmental Statement, will be charged on a per-hour basis, based on an estimate.”

  8. Valuing a Significant Impact Should be: • Proportionate to the scale of habitat • Relevant to a species • In scale to the impact Not: • Related to the legal protection afforded to the site/species

  9. Species scale Appropriate to: • Range • Feeding requirements • Resting requirements • Life span

  10. Habitats Scale • Context within the site • Size • Context within local area • Actual ecological value it might have

  11. Appropriate Impact Includes: • Take scale into account • Lighting • Noise • Cumulative effects

  12. Thank you for listening Any questions or comments to: dawn.phythian@watermangroup.com

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