Scoping Report

The purpose of the scoping report is to decide on the content and level of detail of an SEA, including the key environmental issues, likely significant environmental effects and alternatives which need to be considered, the assessment methods to be employed, and the structure and contents of the Environmental Report.

The scoping document serves two purposes.

1. It is the formal statutory notice required under Article 10 of S.I. No. 435 of 2004 to the environmental authorities namely the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It informs the environmental authorities that a plan to develop offshore renewable energy in Ireland and an Environmental Report describing and evaluating the likely significant environmental effects of implementing the plan is being prepared.
2. It serves as a Scoping Report to be used for consultation with interested parties, the general public and environmental authorities. It provides an opportunity to make observations on the scope and level of detail of the information to be included in the Environmental Report.

The scoping report was sent to the environmental authorities on the 17^th July 2009 and was made available to the public and interested parties to submit their comments on 12^th October 2009. The deadline for submitting a comment or observation in response to the Scoping Report was the 30th November 2009.

• Scoping Report for the Strategic Environmental Assessment on Plans to Develop Offshore Renewable Energy (pdf)
• Summary of Scoping Submissions and Responses (pdf)

The scoping submissions received from the Environmental Authorities are available here:

• Environmental Protection Agency
  • EPA SEA Scoping Submission Cover Letter.pdf (size 81.3 KB)
  • EPA SEA Scoping Submission Part I.pdf (size 54.4 KB)
  • EPA SEA Scoping Submission Part II.pdf (size 31.7 KB)
• Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
  • Underwater Archaeological and Architectural Heritage Recommendations.pdf (size 61.4 KB)
  • Nature Conservation Recommendations of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.pdf (size 76.2 KB)

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