TY - RPRT
TI - Environmental Impact Assessment Programme for the Installation and Operation of the Offshore Wind Farm of up to 700 MW Installed Capacity in Lithuania’s Marine Territory
AU - Public Institution Coastal Research and Planning Institute
AB - The offshore wind park in the Baltic Sea is one of the most important projects envisaged in the National Energy Independence Strategy, which will increase the production of local electricity from renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on electricity imports.1 Paragraph 25.1.3 of the National Energy Independence Strategy provides for that energy production from wind energy in the Baltic Sea after 2020 is to be conducted, taking into consideration, including but not limited to, the research carried out and other actions taken which are required for the adoption of decisions regarding territories which are appropriate for organisation of tenders and for identification of the installed capacity of power plants. The Government of the Republic of Lithuania, by its Resolution no. 697 of 22 June 2020 “On the Identification of the Priority Parts of Lithuania’s Territorial Sea and/or the Lithuanian Exclusive Economic Zone in the Baltic Sea Where a Tender (Tenders) for the Development and Operation of Power Plants Using Renewable Energy Sources is (are) Expedient and on the Measurement of the Installed Capacities of Such Power Plants” (hereinafter – the LRV Resolution) has identified the part of Lithuania’s territorial sea where a tender (tenders) for the development and operation of power plants using renewable energy sources is (are) expedient by 2030, as well the type of power plants to be deployed, i.e., wind turbines, and has measured the installed capacity of such power plants, i.e., up to 700 MW.PEA meets the type of activity specified in Article 3.8.1 of Annex 2 to the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Environmental Impact Assessment of Proposed Economic Activities no. XIII-529 of 27 June 2017 (hereinafter – the EIA Law): wind power plants where three wind power plants are installed, with the height of at least one of them being 50 metres (measured to the highest point of the structure) or more which is subject to screening for environmental impact assessment in accordance with Article 7 (2) of the EIA Law. Given the nature of the PEA, the environmental sensitivity of a locality, and the necessity of studies, the EIA is conducted in accordance with Article 7 (11) of the EIA Law: The organiser (developer) of the PEA or the drafter of documents may commence the EIA without the procedure of screening for EIA.Pursuant to the EIA Law, the objectives of environmental impact assessment are as follows:To determine, describe, and assess the potential direct and indirect effects of the PEA, i.e., installation and operation of the offshore WT farm of up to 700 MW capacity in the marine territory approved by the LRV Resolution, on the following elements of the environment: soil, land surface and subsurface, air, water, climate, landscape and biodiversity, focusing in particular on species and natural habitats of Community interest, also on other species protected by the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Protected Species of Fauna, Flora and Fungi, material assets, immovable cultural valuables and the interrelationship between these elements;To identify, describe and assess the potential direct and indirect effects of biological, chemical and physical factors caused by the PEA on public health, also on the interrelationship between elements of the environment and public health; − To determine the potential impact of the PEA on the elements of the environment and on public health by virtue of the risk of vulnerability of the PEA due to emergency events and/or potential emergencies;To determine the measures to be taken in order to prevent envisaged significant adverse impact on the environment and public health, to reduce it or, if possible, to offset it;To determine whether the PEA, having assessed its nature, location and/or effect on the environment, meets the requirements of environmental protection, public health, immovable cultural heritage protection, fire and civil protection legislation.Participants of the EIA process are as follows:Organiser (Developer) of the PEA;Drafter of the EIA documents;The public concerned;Entities of the EIA. Pursuant to Article 5 of the EIA Law, entities of the EIA are as follows: the executive institution of the municipality in the territory whereof the PEA is to be carried out, the institutions authorised by the Minister of Health, the institutions authorised by the Minister of the Interior responsible for fire and civil protection, the institutions authorised by the Minister of Culture responsible for the protection of cultural properties.The PEA territory, approved by the LRV Resolution, is not a part of territories of the coastal municipalities and is located approximately 29.5 km from the costline. Neither does this EIA include construction of electricity transmission lines to the shore (as proposed under other separate projects). The EIA Programme is submitted for approval to the following entities of the EIA responsible for the administration of coastal zone areas closest to the PEA territory:Palanga Municipality Administration;Klaipeda District Municipality Administration;Klaipeda City Municipality Administration;Klaipeda Department of National Public Health Centre under The Ministry of Health;Fire and Rescue Service of Klaipeda County;Klaipeda Branch of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture.Pursuant to Article 5 (2) of the EIA Law, entities of the EIA may also be other state institutions if, during the examination of documents of environmental impact assessment, the Competent Authority, having regard to the nature, size or location of the PEA, invites them in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister of Environment to participate in the process of environmental impact assessment.The Competent Authority is the Environmental Protection Agency (hereinafter – the EPA).The EIA Programme is drawn up with a view to providing information on the PEA, its location, nature, capacity, likely impact on the environment, and, accordingly, determining the content of the report, the scope of the assessment, and the issues to be examined.The EIA Programme has been drawn up in accordance with the Procedure for Environmental Impact Assessment of Proposed Economic Activities (hereinafter – the Procedure)2The public shall be informed about the drawn up EIA Programme (and later - throughout the EIA process) in accordance with the Chapter V of the Procedure “Procedure for Provision of Information to the Public and Participation in the Process of Environmental Impact Assessment.” During the EIA process of the PEA, the public concerned shall have the right to submit any proposals, comments, information, analysis, opinion on the PEA and its EIA to the drafter of EIA documents, EIA entities, and the Agency in accordance with the procedure laid down in Chapter V of the Procedure.View the report in English here. View the report in Lithuanian here. 
CY - Vilnius, Lithuania
DA - 2021/12//
PY - 2021
SP - 65
PB - Coastal Research and Planning Institute (CORPI)
UR - http://corpi.lt/index.php/juros-ve-parkas/
LA - English
KW - Wind Energy
KW - Fixed Offshore Wind
KW - Human Dimensions
KW - Environmental Impact Assessment
ER -