The following conclusions on environmental factors appear in a funded technical report, Public Utility Integration with Tidal Power Production (Dept. of Energy, 1979, Dr. Normand Laberge):
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Even though the report was written in 1979, the results are still valid for the proposed tidal barrage at Half-Moon Cove. Additional information gathered during the preparation of FERC license in 1983 includes regulatory comments and opinions from scientists. This information will have to be updated to reflect present-day standards and to fully address the options being considered for the development of Half-Moon Cove’s resources. Please note that the demonstration nature of Half-Moon Cove was emphasized when the project was being proposed in the 1980s; however, this feature of this project will not have the same importance now due to the availability of research data at comparable sites which includes the La Rance tidal energy plant in France.
For the case of hydro-kinetic devices, results from research work in European countries will provide valuable information for addressing environmental impacts. The State of Maine has expressed an interest to install a hydro-kinetic device as a demonstration project which might be well suited for the Half-Moon Cove site. Based on a preliminary assessment, the generation of acoustic waves from hydro-kinetic devices seems to pose as the most significant environmental concerns other than the injury risk of marine species who are attracted or drawn into the turbulence created by rotating blades.
