1. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council PERMITTING OF ENERGY PROJECTS A Local Authority Perspective Iain Douglas Senior Planner Engineers Ireland CPD Seminar 20/10/2014

2. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council “May you live in interesting times” Gas Terminal Onshore/Offshore Gas pipelines BGE Pipeline Bellanaboy – Galway Windfarms Non-SID & SID Biomass CHP Plant Electricity Transmission Lines Non-SID & SID 2 Gas Powered Peaking Plants

4. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council “ Its complicated…. “ Mayo County Council An Bord Pleanala Health & Safety Authority Environmental Protection Agency DCNER CER NPWS DoEHLG to name but a few !!

5. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Where do you go to get planning permission ? An Bord Pleanala - Major energy projects SID Electricity Transmission Lines Strategic Gas Pipelines Section 1 - Seventh Schedule P&D Act Local Authorities Any energy project not SID Exempt Development - No permission required Electricity Distribution Lines Domestic renewable energy technologies

6. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Applications to the Local Authority Planning & Development Acts 2000-2014 Planning & Development Regulations 2001-2014 EIA Directive 2011/92/EU (as amended) Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC Birds Directive 79/409/EEC

7. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Planning & Development Regulations 2001-2014 Part 4 – Control of Development Documentation with Application Part 10 Environmental Impact Assessment Part 18 Strategic Infrastructure Development Part 20 Appropriate Assessment

8. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Schedule 5 – Development requiring EIA Schedule 6 – Information to be contained in an EIS Schedule 7 – Criteria for significant effects

9. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council The Planning Application Pre-Planning Meeting Request - Section 247 Formal – Minuted/Recorded available after application lodged Regulations Development Plan Objectives Requirement for Sub-threshold screening Map/Drawing scales – Large projects usually need variation Fees

10. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Environmental Impact Assessment EIA Directive 2014/52/EU - amendment to original Environmental Impact Assessment Report Reasoned Conclusion by competent authority Reasoned Conclusion integrated into decision Changes to form & content of Schedules 6 & 7

11. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Environmental Impact Assessment EIA for Energy Projects – Schedule 5 P&D Regs. Part 1 EIA Mandatory Part 2 Mandatory with thresholds Screening also for sub-threshold energy projects Option to request for scoping of EIS (EIAR) from LA Article 95 P&D Regs.

12. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Appropriate Assessment Article 6(3) Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC Separate & Distinct from EIA Natura 2000 Sites Conservation Objectives Adverse impact on Natura 2000 IROPI (Imperative Reasons of Over-riding Public Interest)

13. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Appropriate Assessment Stage 1 Screening Stage 2 AA Stage 3 Alternatives Stage 4 IROPI Significant effects “likely”, “possible”, “uncertain” In combination with other projects AA required – carried out by Local Authority Developer submits NIS (Natura Impact Statement)

14. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Planning Application Process Severe Time constraints on LA Decision within 8 weeks EIA & Non-EIA If FI requested - 8 weeks EIA & 4 weeks Non-EIA Applicant has 6 months to reply to FI + option of further 3 months if requested within the initial 6 month period

15. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Exception if Major Accidents Directive applies Time stops until HSA advice is received then 4 weeks 3 rd Party Submissions available during process Planning Report for EIA development – EU Court Case C-50/09 Planning EIA AA Planning decision – Executive Function

16. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Even then it is not finished !! Post permission monitoring:- Most large scale projects will have a PMC (Project Monitoring Committee) LA Developer Community Relevant Statutory Agencies

17. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Corrib Gas Project currently has 4 PMCs Terminal - MCC On-shore Pipeline – DCNER Off-shore Pipeline – DCNER (S40 Consent) Foreshore Licence – DoECLG

18. Comhairle Contae Maigh Eo Mayo County Council Some Closing Thoughts Plan for the long haul Consult early & often with LA Community Statutory Agencies EIS & NIS the best that they can be Develop a Community Benefit mentality & Scheme as part of EIS