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Appendix 15                       Infrastructure and Other Users – Baseline Environment

15.1            Desktop Study

  1. An initial desk – based review of literature and data sources to support this Offshore EIA Scoping Report has identified a number of baseline datasets, summarised in Apx. Table 15. 1  Open ▸ .
Apx. Table 15. 1:
Summary of Key Desktop Reports

15.2            Site-specific Survey Data

  1. No site-specific surveys have been undertaken to inform the Offshore EIA Scoping Report for infrastructure and other users. Due to availability of suitable data throughout the Forth and Tay; new data or modelling studies will not be required to characterise the infrastructure and other users baseline for the Offshore EIAR.
  1.             Baseline Characterisation
    1. This section provides an overview of the baseline recreational boating (including sailing and motor cruising), recreational fishing, other recreational activities, offshore energy projects, offshore cables and pipelines, carbon capture, natural gas storage and underground gasification, oil and gas, coal deposits, and marine aggregate extraction and disposal sites, within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner) (Figure 7.18  Open ▸ ).
    1.         Recreational Activity
      1. The National Marine Plan Interactive (NMPi) presents several data layers for recreational activities which provide an overview of recreational activities around the Scottish Coast. Apx. Figure 15. 1  Open ▸ provides a heat map of 23 different recreation and tourism activities undertaken at sea or around the coastline (Marine Scotland, 2015). Extensive recreational boating occurs in the area of sea between North Berwick, and Elie and Earlsferry, with motor cruising areas extending to the east towards the Proposed Development Array Area (Apx. Figure 15. 1  Open ▸ and Apx. Figure 15. 2  Open ▸ ).
      2. Activity is lower along the proposed ECC, with recreational boating expected to be more transitory in nature (NMPi, 2021).
Apx. Figure 15. 1:
 All Recreational Activities in the Infrastructure and Other Users Study Area

Apx. Figure 15. 2:
 RYA Recreational AIS Intensity in the Infrastructure and Other Users Study Area

Apx. Figure 15. 3:
 Recreational Activities (Windsurfing, Surfing and Scuba) in the Infrastructure and Other Users Study Area

  1. Recreational sea angling occurs to the north and to the south of the Proposed Development Array Area, with an increase in effort towards the coast and near to the proposed ECC landfall (Apx. Figure 15. 1  Open ▸ and Apx. Figure 15. 2  Open ▸ ). High levels of shore angling can be found along the beaches where the offshore export cable is expected to make landfall (NMPi, 2021).
  2. Other recreation activities, including canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, kite surfing and scuba diving can be found along the coast with activities expected to stay within 1 km offshore (Apx. Figure 15. 1  Open ▸ and Apx. Figure 15. 3  Open ▸ ), with the exception of diving. Scuba diving occurs within the infrastructure and other users study area along the proposed ECC.
  3. It is noted that all recreational activities are highly seasonal and dependant on certain weather conditions.
  1.         Offshore Wind Farms
    1. Offshore energy projects within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner) include Neart Na Gaoithe (consent authorised), illustrated in Apx. Figure 15. 4  Open ▸ . The ECC for the Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm intersects the proposed ECC of the Proposed Development.
  2.         Wave and Tidal Projects
    1. There are no wave and tidal energy projects within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner). Wave and tidal projects have therefore not been considered further within this Offshore EIA Scoping Report.
  3.         Oil and Gas Operations
    1. The Firth of Forth supports oil and gas activities such as those associated with the Grangemouth refinery, oil storage and tanker terminals. However, there are currently no active licence blocks located within or in close proximity to the Proposed Development.
    2. There are several overlaps of non-active licence blocks with the Proposed Development Array Area, these include: 25/20; 26/16; 26/17; 26/18; 26/21; 26/22; 26/23; 26/24; 26/27; 26/28; and 26/29.
    3. The closest active licence block, Block 27/9 - North Sea Natural Resources Ltd, is located approximately 67 km from the Proposed Development Array Area and 84 km from the ECC.
    4. In July 2019, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) launched the 32nd Offshore Licensing Round with 768 blocks or part-blocks on offer across the main producing areas of the UKCS. In March 2020, the OGA announced a ‘temporary pause’ on offshore licencing rounds in March 2020, with no 33rd round to be launched in 2020/2021. Given the lack of existing activity in the area, it is likely that there is limited potential for exploration in this area of the North Sea.
    5. There are no oil and gas pipelines located within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner). The closest pipeline (Everest To Teeside (Cats Trunkline) gas pipe) is located approximately 99 km from the Proposed Development Array Area.
    6. The following services are associated with the oil and gas industry:
  • helicopters: the oil and gas industry relies on helicopters for personnel transfer and emergency evacuation. Helicopter and associated aviation considerations are addressed separately in section 7.3  Open ▸ ; and
  • vessels: the oil and gas industry require supply or support vessels for its operations. Vessels and associated navigational considerations are addressed separately in section 7.2  Open ▸ .
    1.         Carbon Capture, Natural Gas Storage, Underground Gasification and Coal Deposits
      1. There is no carbon capture, natural gas storage, underground gasification or coal deposits located within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner). Carbon capture, natural gas storage, underground gasification and coal deposits have therefore not been considered further within this Offshore EIA Scoping Report.
Apx. Figure 15. 4:
 Key Infrastructure and Other Users in the Vicinity of the Proposed Development

15.3.6        Subsea Telecommunication Cables

  1. A review of the active and disused subsea cables has identified no telecommunication cables in the infrastructure and other users study area (inner). The nearest active cable is located approximately 40 km from Thorntonloch Landfall area, located between mainland and Holy Island. Subsea cables have therefore not been considered further within this Offshore EIA Scoping Report.
  1.         Marine Disposal Sites
    1. A review of potential active or closed marine disposal sites identified no active or closed disposal sites within the infrastructure and other users study area (inner) (Apx. Figure 15. 4  Open ▸ ). The closest site is a closed disposal site, located approximately 1 km from the Skateraw Landfall area, bordering the infrastructure and other users study area, and an open disposal site approximately 16.5 km from the Thorntonloch Landfall area.
    2. Although there is a disposal site bordering the infrastructure and other users study area, this site is closed and therefore marine disposal sites have therefore not been considered further within this Offshore EIA Scoping Report.
  2.         Marine Aggregate Extraction Sites
    1. Although Scotland has a considerable marine sand and gravel resource, the marine aggregate industry has historically been very small due to more readily accessible land supplies. Marine aggregate licences have historically been issued to two sites in Scotland, one site in the Firth of Forth and the second site in the Firth of Tay (Scottish Government, 2015) which do not overlap the infrastructure and other users study area. There are currently no active licences for marine aggregate extraction in the Forth and Tay marine region. Marine aggregate extraction sites have therefore not been considered further within this Offshore EIA Scoping Report.

 

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