Letter to Peter Garrett, Federal Minister for the Environment
Re: Impact of DA 09/2077 (Non-putrecible Solid Waste Disposal) EIS Workgroup
ShUT Campaign Inc.
PO Box 2205
Tomerong NSW 2540
20th Dec 2009
The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787 Canberra
ACT....2601
Re: Impact of DA 09/2077 (Non-putrescible Solid Waste Disposal Facility) on Melaleuca biconvexa. in Tomerong NSW
Dear Peter
SHUT Campaign Inc. is a group of concerned community residents in the Shoalhaven. Our concern is over the development application (DA09/2007) that has been lodged with Shoalhaven City Council to use a quarry void to collect “Non–putrescible Solid Waste” from across south eastern NSW.
We are contacting you because if this development goes ahead it will impact on a species, Melaleuca biconvexa, which is a listed species under the EPBC Act. We seek clarification from you about what is considered a significant impact and how your Department determines whether something is significant or not.
By way of background there are several issues we wish to bring to your attention.
Our questions to you are:
When and how is it determined under the EPBC Act that a reduction in a species is significant?
In making the decision of significance is the cumulative impact on a species considered? Is the cumulative impact considered only within the site or across the region? If every application in the Shoalhaven was permitted to destroy 50 individuals after being fined for previous clearing it would not be long before Melalueca biconvexa became extinct in the Shoalhaven.
As a community we are deeply concerned about the impact that this development could have on Melaleuca biconvexa. We look forward to your response and hope that we will better understand the decision making process once we have received it.
Yours sincerely
Chair, Environmental Impact Study Working Group
ShUT Campaign Inc.
ShUT Campaign Inc.
PO Box 2205
Tomerong NSW 2540
20th Dec 2009
The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787 Canberra
ACT....2601
Re: Impact of DA 09/2077 (Non-putrescible Solid Waste Disposal Facility) on Melaleuca biconvexa. in Tomerong NSW
Dear Peter
SHUT Campaign Inc. is a group of concerned community residents in the Shoalhaven. Our concern is over the development application (DA09/2007) that has been lodged with Shoalhaven City Council to use a quarry void to collect “Non–putrescible Solid Waste” from across south eastern NSW.
We are contacting you because if this development goes ahead it will impact on a species, Melaleuca biconvexa, which is a listed species under the EPBC Act. We seek clarification from you about what is considered a significant impact and how your Department determines whether something is significant or not.
By way of background there are several issues we wish to bring to your attention.
- One of the applicants has previously been fined in July 2007 by DECC for the illegal removal of this species.
- Shoalhaven City Council staff are not satisfied that there has been adequate mapping of this species on the site and have requested further detail to be supplied by the applicant.
- In the EIS the applicant admits to clearing native vegetation that contains Melaleuca biconvexa with consent granted in the conditions to operate and expand the quarry. This is the current use of the area, not that proposed. It is likely that the proposed use will extend beyond the previous area of consent for native vegetation clearing and impact on Melaleuca biconvexa.
- The EIS states that the construction and use of the leachate dam is likely to impact on Melaleuca biconvexa individuals.
- The EIS is a complex document but the figures and percentages provided by the consultants in the EIS indicate that a further 50 individual Melaleuca biconvexa plants will be destroyed by this development.{approx all of the plants surrounding the quarry area}
- For further information about this application go to www.shutip.com
Our questions to you are:
When and how is it determined under the EPBC Act that a reduction in a species is significant?
In making the decision of significance is the cumulative impact on a species considered? Is the cumulative impact considered only within the site or across the region? If every application in the Shoalhaven was permitted to destroy 50 individuals after being fined for previous clearing it would not be long before Melalueca biconvexa became extinct in the Shoalhaven.
As a community we are deeply concerned about the impact that this development could have on Melaleuca biconvexa. We look forward to your response and hope that we will better understand the decision making process once we have received it.
Yours sincerely
Chair, Environmental Impact Study Working Group
ShUT Campaign Inc.
