PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF THE NOORDHOEK DAMS & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE, RIVIERSONDEREND, WESTERN CAPE: NOTIFICATION OF RE-SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION, AND AVAILABLITY OF THE DRAFT EIA REPORT FOR COMMENT
SCOPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS:
DEA&DP Ref No.: To Be Confirmed
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 109 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).
Due to an administrative lapsing of this application, the Applicant is resubmitting the Application and Draft EIA Report, in line with Regulation 21(2) of the EIA Regulations 2014, as amended. The content of this copy of the Application and Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report remains substantively the same as previously circulated in November/December 2023.
Notice is hereby given of the availability of the draft EIA Report for I&AP review and comment.
Since the most recent report was made available in the public domain, the Breede-Olifants Catchment Management Agency (BOCMA) have issued the Water Use License (WUL) for the proposal (No. 02/H60J/ABCI/13479, dated 28/09/2023) and the WUL is included in Appendix H2. The following water uses as defined in Section 21 of the NWA were applied for and
subsequently approved by BOCMA: 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.
The draft EIA Report and Executive Summary has been made available to the public for review for a 30 day comment period, i.e. from 08 March 2024 – 10 April 2024, and are downloadable via the links below. Registered Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs) have 30 days, i.e., 08 March 2024 – 10 April 2024 to submit comments related to the proposed project and the aforementioned documents. Any comments received from I&APs will be collated and responded to in a Comments and Response Report CRR(4), and will be included in the Final EIA Report that will be submitted to DEA&DP at the end of the EIA Phase.
Should you have any comments, issues or concerns regarding the proposed project or the findings of the Draft EIA Report, please provide your comments in writing to Ms Emily Herschell of Holland & Associates Environmental Consultants, by email or post (email: emily@hollandandassociates.net or post: PostNet Suite #108, Private Bag, X12 Tokai, 7966), on or before 10 April 2024.