Potential Impacts of Hydrokinetic Energy DevelopmentPotential environmental impacts associated with hydrokinetic energy development vary by technology and development phase, and include direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts. The potential impacts of hydrokinetic energy projects are discussed in this section in general terms on the basis of projected utility-scale facilities. The impacts of a specific project will be determined by factors such as the size of the facility, the amount of seabed or riverbed disturbed by construction activities, the amount of land occupied by onshore facilities, and the location of the site with respect to other uses (e.g., shipping lanes, fishing grounds, protected marine areas, military operations areas). Guidance on conducting impact assessments and identifying appropriate mitigation measures for specific projects is provided in the Project-Specific Impact Assessments section of this Web site. Follow the links below to learn more about potential general impacts by phase of development: |
