Question reference: S6W-07138
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 10 March 2022
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 March 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason raising the 100MW threshold to 300MW for innovation projects within the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG) planning process will create additional regional cumulative impacts, while allowing decarbonisation of oil and gas projects to progress with no individual project thresholds in place and without the same concern regarding cumulative impacts, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
It is not the case that one category of project, under INTOG, may create additional cumulative impact while another may not. All offshore wind projects have the potential to contribute to cumulative impact on our natural environment and other sea users. The INTOG planning process has outlined spatial limitations for the entire INTOG planning process. This includes limitations on where Targeted Oil and Gas projects can be located, and where Innovation projects will be considered. It also includes areas of exclusion to help manage, at the plan level, the potential for negative impact.