14th March 2013: Fingal County Council are carrying out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as part its review of the Sludge Management Plan for the Fingal area. The first stage of this process was the undertaking of an SEA Screening Report which was issued in January 2013 and showed that an SEA was necessary in reviewing Fingal’s Sludge Management Plan (SMP).
The second stage of the SEA process was Scoping, and Fingal County Council has now published the SEA Scoping Report, which has identified the extent of the SEA assessment in terms of the environmental aspects which may be significantly affected as a result of the review of the SMP. Scoping with the specified Environmental Authorities has been undertaken as part of the SEA process.
Fingal’s current Sludge Management Plan (SMP) was completed in 2002 and made proposals for dealing with sludge arising in Fingal from a number of sources including Agriculture, Industry, Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment. The 2002 SMP made recommendations for the treatment of sludge arising from the wastewater treatment plants which were existing or planned in Fingal at that time. Fingal’s SMP needs to be reviewed in the current context including the proposal for a new Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant as part of the Greater Dublin Drainage project.
The SEA will examine environmental considerations in the implementation of any changes to the 2002 Fingal SMP in terms of how sludge in Fingal will be dealt with. A Draft SMP and associated SEA Environmental Report will be made available for public consultation in the coming weeks during which time public open days will be held and feedback welcomed.
SEA is a process that ensures that significant environmental effects arising from policies, plans and programmes are identified, assessed and mitigated. It also ensures that opportunities for public involvement are provided. SEA is an important instrument that helps achieve sustainable development in public planning and policy making.
For further information:
Email: info@FingalSMP.ie
Phone:1890.44.55.67 (Monday-Friday, 9:00a.m. – 1.00p.m. and 2:00p.m. – 5:00p.m.)
Post: Sludge Management Plan for Fingal County Council and associated SEA, c/o RPS Group, West Pier Business Campus, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Note: This is in accordance with the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004 to 2011.
ENDS 14/03/13
