Northern Ireland has launched a consultation on environmental compensation for potential offshore wind development off the coast of the region.
In a letter sent to stakeholders this week Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DEARA), Minister Andrew Muir said that the consultation “sets out how environmental compensation should be identified and delivered where offshore wind projects give rise to unavoidable adverse effects on protected marine sites”.
DEARA is considering amendments to the Habitats Regulations in Northern Ireland to allow a broader range of compensatory measures for offshore wind projects, and the department is preparing draft guidance alongside proposed legislative changes.
The consultation will run for nine weeks, and will close on 21 September.
