The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has issued yet another direction (https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/news/media-releases/2023/epamedia231204-snowy-hydro-issued-with-clean-up-notice-for-contaminated-soil ) to Snowy Hydro to stop polluting Kosciuszko National Park.
The latest EPA Clean Up Notice relates to Snowy Hydro’s mismanagement of spoil from blasting and tunnelling in the national park. It follows six environmental breaches over the last year, including a $15,000 fine to project contractor WeBuild for allowing 9000 litres of polluted water into the Yarrangobilly River.
National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) CEO Gary Dunnett stated “There has been a lot of media attention on the poor progress and excessive cost of the Snowy 2.0 project. This Clean Up Notice is a reminder of the hideous damage Snowy Hydro is inflicting on Kosciuszko National Park on a daily basis, which far exceeds the limits of their project approval.
The bottom line is that industrial development has no place in a national park. Snowy Hydro cannot be trusted to safeguard Kosciuszko National Park and the threatened species that call it home. ”
“The last Independent Environmental Audit was scathing of Snowy 2.0’s environmental performance and the failure to comply with many of the conditions of approval for the project, as NPA reported Snowy 2.0 cutting corners, failing to comply with environmental approval conditions.
NPA is calling for Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and the EPA to ramp up surveillance of Snowy 2.0 to ensure that future breaches are detected early, before further irreversible damage is inflicted on the national park by Snowy Hydro and its contractors.
ENDS
Media Contact: NPA CEO, Gary Dunnett, 02 9299 0000
Clean-Up Notice extracts:
c. Drill and blast activities have not been carried out in a manner that ensures minimal residual explosive material remains in the spoil material.
e. The management controls associated with the permanent and temporary spoil emplacement areas do not appear sufficient to effectively prevent migration of contaminants from these areas and into the environment.
The EPA is directing you to take clean-up action because you are the occupier of the Premises. It is envisaged that this will be the first clean up notice in a series that the EPA will issue to you to address the long-term impact associated with the pollution incident.
Immediately from the date of this Notice, being 1 December 2023, cease all further emplacement of waste sludge and filter cake material at all permanent and temporary spoil emplacement areas within Kosciuszko National Park until a date approved in writing by the EPA.
Penalty for not complying with this notice
The maximum penalty that a court may impose for a corporation is $1,000,000 and a further $120,000 for each day the offence continues. The maximum penalty that a court may impose for an individual is $250,000 and a further $60,000 for each day the offence continues.