Having considered the documentation and evidence, Janet Finch-Saunders MS has decided to oppose the granting of the marine licence application for the proposed Awel y Môr (AyM) offshore wind farm.
The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy has long campaigned to ensure that as many residents as possible have an opportunity to participate in the application process for the new windfarm.
Formally objecting to the granting of a licence Janet said:
“I understand that the geophysical assessment of the interlink area between AyM and Gwynt y Môr is reliant solely on a previous assessment undertaken by Wessex Archaeology. However, the survey data for that previous assessment did not cover the entire interlink area. As such, and as is noted in the document entitled ‘Category 6: Environmental Statement Volume 2, Chapter 11: Offshore Archaeology and Cultural Heritage’ the potential remains for unidentified features of archaeological potential to be present within the interlink area. As such I think it reasonable to suggest that a geophysical assessment be undertaken of the whole interlink area”.
Commenting further, Janet said:
“I note that there’s the potential for offshore wind farms to have a negative effect on the integrity of Special Protection Areas within foraging range of the offshore wind farm site during the breeding season.
“Also, the applicant has not been able to carry out a quantitative assessment of the magnitude or significance of the impact of temporary threshold shift (TTS) on marine mammals. Whilst such an approach has been agreed with Natural England, the MMO and CEFAS and, as such, recent projects have not presented an assessment of magnitude, sensitivity or resulting significance for TTS-onset, I am unclear as to the NRW stance on the matter.
“I have clearly outlined many more concerns in my letter and am of the solid view that there needs to be further engagement with local fishers”.
As shadow Minister for Climate Change, Janet has worked tirelessly with stakeholder groups and local environment organisations to see that conservationism and renewable energy projects complement each other to the point that neither one obstructs the other. Before Parliamentary recess, Janet is working on building upon the foundations of her Marine Planning legislative proposal by developing a Private Member’s Bill.
Janet strongly believes that Wales can begin to develop frameworks that set the nation apart from the rest of the United Kingdom, serving as an example for other countries to reflect on.
Cymraeg:
Ar ôl ystyried y ddogfennaeth a'r dystiolaeth, mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS wedi penderfynu gwrthwynebu caniatáu'r cais am drwydded forol ar gyfer fferm wynt ar y môr arfaethedig Awel y Môr.
Mae’r Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy wedi ymgyrchu ers tro i sicrhau bod cymaint o drigolion â phosibl yn cael cyfle i gymryd rhan yn y broses ymgeisio ar gyfer y fferm wynt newydd.
Wrth wrthwynebu'r drwydded yn ffurfiol, dywedodd Janet:
“Rwy'n deall bod yr asesiad geoffisegol o'r ardal gydgysylltiol rhwng Awel y Môr a Gwynt y Môr yn dibynnu'n llwyr ar asesiad blaenorol a gynhaliwyd gan Wessex Archaeology. Fodd bynnag, nid oedd data'r arolwg ar gyfer yr asesiad blaenorol hwnnw'n cwmpasu'r holl ardal gydgysylltiol. O'r herwydd, ac fel y nodir yn y ddogfen 'Category 6: Environmental Statement Volume 2, Chapter 11: Offshore Archaeology and Cultural Heritage’ mae potensial o hyd y gallai nodweddion anhysbys o botensial archeolegol fod yn bresennol yn yr ardal gydgysylltiol. O'r herwydd, credaf ei bod hi'n rhesymol awgrymu y dylid cynnal asesiad geoffisegol o'r ardal gydgysylltiol gyfan.
Wrth sôn ymhellach, dywedodd Janet:
“Rwy'n nodi bod potensial i ffermydd gwynt ar y môr gael effaith negyddol ar gyfanrwydd Ardaloedd Gwarchodaeth Arbennig o fewn ystod porthiant safle'r fferm wynt ar y môr yn ystod y tymor bridio.
“Hefyd, nid yw'r ymgeisydd wedi gallu cynnal asesiad meintiol o faint neu arwyddocâd effaith newid trothwy dros dro (TTS) ar famaliaid morol. Er bod dull gweithredu o’r fath wedi’i gytuno gyda Natural England, yr MMO a CEFAS ac nad yw prosiectau diweddar wedi cyflwyno asesiad o faint, sensitifrwydd nac arwyddocâd dilynol ar gyfer TTS, mae safbwynt Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ar y mater braidd yn aneglur.
“Rwyf wedi amlinellu’n glir llawer mwy o bryderon yn fy llythyr ac rwyf o'r farn bendant bod angen ymgysylltu ymhellach â physgotwyr lleol”.
Fel Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Newid Hinsawdd, mae Janet wedi gweithio'n ddiflino gyda grwpiau rhanddeiliaid a sefydliadau amgylcheddol lleol i sicrhau bod prosiectau cadwraeth ac ynni adnewyddadwy yn ategu ei gilydd i'r pwynt nad yw'r naill yn rhwystro'r llall. Cyn toriad y Senedd, mae Janet yn gweithio ar adeiladu ar sylfeini ei chynnig deddfwriaethol Cynllunio Morol drwy ddatblygu Bil Aelod Preifat.
Mae Janet yn credu'n gryf y gall Cymru ddechrau datblygu fframweithiau sy'n gosod y genedl ar wahân i weddill y Deyrnas Unedig, gan osod esiampl i wledydd eraill.