PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF THE NOORDHOEK DAMS & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, RIVIERSONDEREND, WESTERN CAPE: NOTIFICATION OF INTENTION TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION AND AVAILABILITY OF THE PRE-APPLICATION SCOPING REPORT AND WATER USE LICENSE APPLICATION
SCOPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
DEA&DP Ref No.: 16/3/3/6/7/2/E4/20/1019/21
Heritage Western Cape Ref No.: 20040106SB0331E
The Japie Groenewald Trust, represented by Thinus van Wyk (hereafter referred to as ‘the applicant’) proposes to improve the water storage capacity on the farm Portion 4 of Farm no. 182, which would provide balancing storage and increased assurance of supply by providing carry-over water from wet to dry years and which would also enable the development of 112.5 ha of orchards on previously cultivated fields on the farm (known as ‘Noordhoek’).
The proposed project would be located on Portion 4 of the Farm Twistwyk No. 182, located approximately 6 km north-west of Riviersonderend, Theewaterskloof Local Municipality, Western Cape Province.
In terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (2014), as amended, enacted in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended, the proposed project triggers a number of listed activities identified in Government Notices (GN) R983, R984 and R985, as amended). Accordingly, the proposed activities require Environmental Authorisation from the competent environmental authority, viz. the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) via the Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting process outlined in GN No. R982, as amended.
Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants has been appointed by the Japie Groenewald Trust to undertake the requisite Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for the proposed project (in this case, a Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting (S&EIR) process) in accordance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (No. 107 of 1998), as amended, EIA Regulations (2014).
Notice is given of the intended submission of an application for Environmental Authorisation in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations (2014), as amended, in respect of the proposed project. Notice is also hereby given of the commencement of the pre-application public participation process in terms of the NEMA EIA Regulations (2014), as amended.
Notice is further given of a Water Use License Application (WULA) in terms of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) (NWA). The following water uses as defined in Section 21 of the NWA are being applied for: 21(b) Storage of water, 21(c) Impeding or diverting the flow of water in a watercourse and 21(i) Altering the beds, banks, course or characteristics of a watercourse. HDL Consulting has been appointed by the Applicant to undertake the requisite WULA in terms of the NWA for the project. A copy of the WULA documentation is included in the Pre-Application Scoping Report for I&AP review and comment in terms of Section 41(4) of the NWA.
The Pre-Application Scoping Report and Executive Summary has been made available to the public for review for a 60 day comment period, i.e. from 5 October 2022 – 5 December 2022, and are downloadable via the links below. Potential Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs) have 60 days, i.e. until 5 December 2022, to register as I&APs and to submit comments to Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants related to the proposed project and the aforementioned documents. Any comments received from I&APs will be incorporated into a Comments and Response Report CRR(1) and included in the draft Scoping Report, which will be circulated in Phase 2 of the Scoping & Environmental Impact Reporting process.
Should you have any comments, issues or concerns regarding the proposed project or the findings of the Pre-Application Scoping Report, please provide your comments in writing to Ms Kelli Ross of Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants, by email or post (email: noordhoek.ppp@gmail.com or post: PO Box 31108, Tokai, 7966), on or before 5 December 2022.