The Environmental Protection Agency has received an application for a dumping at sea permit near Dingle.
This type of permit allows material, such as dredged seabed sediment, to be disposed of in designated offshore locations.
The Department of the Marine's application relates to planned capital dredging works at An Daingean Fishery Harbour Centre in Dingle, to develop a new small craft harbour at Dingle Inner Harbour.
The Department of the Marine proposes to dredge around 200,000 wet tonnes of clean silty and sandy seabed material, and dispose of it offshore.
The dredged material would be transported from Dingle Inner Harbour and deposited at an existing authorised offshore disposal site, around 500 metres south of Doonsheane (Dún Séanna).
The EPA has determined that a full Appropriate Assessment is legally required, because it cannot rule out that the project might have significant effects on protected European sites.
These include the Dingle Peninsula Special Protection Area (SPA), Blasket Islands SPA, the Blasket Islands Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Skelligs SPA , and the Iveragh Peninsula SPA.
The EPA has highlighted potential risks linked to sediment plumes and seabed deposition.
These could affect feeding resources and the conservation of protected species.
Underwater noise from dredging and dumping has also been identified as a potential source of disturbance to marine wildlife.
The EPA also notes that combined effects with other projects could increase environmental impacts on protected areas.
A public consultation on the appropriate assessment has now been opened to allow the public and statutory bodies submit observations.
The EPA says the application is still being assessed. More information, can be found here.
