NOTICE OF REVIEW OF DRAFT BASIC ASSESSMENT REPORT
PROPOSED PILOT CARBON DIOXIDE STORAGE PROJECT NEAR LEANDRA IN THE GOVAN MBEKI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, MPUMALANGA PROVINCE
Notice is hereby given in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (Government Notice No. R. 982 of 4 December 2014, as amended) (EIA Regulations) in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA).
Project Overview
Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) has been acknowledged by South Africa (SA) as one of the technologies to mitigate the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere and forms one of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA). It is also one of the national flagship projects. CCUS forms part of a just transition to a future low-carbon energy economy.
CCUS reduces the release of anthropogenic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by capturing CO2 at the source (e.g., point-source emitters such as coal-fired plants) and transporting and storing the captured CO2 in suitable deep geological formations. Some of the captured CO2 may then be used in additional downstream industries.
The Council for Geoscience (CGS) (the Applicant) is undertaking a geoscientific research project for the piloting of CCUS in Leandra in Mpumalanga, where it is proposed to inject CO2 into deep suitable geological formations, approximately 1km below the surface. The project area falls within the Gert Sibande District Municipality and the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality. The proposed injection site is located on Portion 2 of the Farm Goedehoop 308.
Also read: Legal Notice – CARBON CAPTURE UTILISATION AND STORAGE (CCUS) PROJECT
Application for Environmental Authorisation
Nemai Consulting (Pty) Ltd was appointed as the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) to conduct the Basic Assessment Process contemplated in Regulation 19 and Regulation 20 of the EIA Regulations, for the proposed Project. The Competent Authority to decide on the application in terms of NEMA is the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Review of Draft Basic Assessment Report
The draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR) will be lodged for public review from 29 May until 28 June 2023.
Hardcopies of the draft BAR can be reviewed at the following public libraries:
- Secunda Public Library (physical address: 1 Louwrens Muller St, Secunda, 2302);
- Lebohang Public Library (physical address: 1095 Butana Nkambula, Lebohang, 2265); and
- Leandra Public Library (physical address: 8 Pretorius Street, Eendrag, 2266).
An electronic copy of the draft BAR can be downloaded from the following website: https://nemai.co.za/downloads/.
Written comments on the draft BAR need to be forwarded to the contact person below by 28 June 2023.
Public Meeting
A public meeting will be held during the review period to present the draft BAR and to provide Interested and Affected Parties with a platform for project-related discussions. The details of the meeting are as follows:
- Date: 14 June 2023.
- Time: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM.
- Venue: Difa Nkosi Hall, Leandra (coordinates: 26°22’35.08″S, 28°55’19.72″E).
Contact Details of Environmental Assessment Practitioner:
Contact Person: Donavan Henning
Tel: (011) 781 1730
Fax: (011) 781 1731
Email: donavanh@nemai.co.za Postal Address: PO Box 1673, Sunninghill, 2157
