Page 6 The Moorabool News – 16 November, 2021
News
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Persistence key in powerline fight By Lachlan Ellis A senior DELWP member has told locals concerned about the Western Victoria Transmission Network Project (WVTNP) to continue voicing their questions and concerns, while planning is still in progress. Jack Krohn is Senior Impact Assessor at DELWP, which is responsible for administering the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process, which the project is currently going through. On Thursday 11 November, Mr Krohn presented at an online community meeting hosted by Moorabool Shire Council, titled ‘Update on the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process’. He said the EES that AusNet was currently preparing could take over a year, but the community would have the chance to provide input before a final decision is made on the WVTNP. “Preparing an EES can take commonly in excess of 18 months. Sometimes we have them still being prepared 3 or 4 years after the [Planning] Minister’s decision that an EES is required,” Mr Krohn said. “Our [DELWPs] role is to ensure the proponent is able to prepare an appropriate EES. One of the things we do is convene a Technical Reference Group [TRG]…its role is to help us, and the proponent understand the needs of the particular EES. “The proponent is also responsible for preparing and implementing a Consultation Plan to provide opportunities to inform the community, and receive and respond to community feedback throughout the period of preparing the EES.” A flow chart was also provided, showing that following the current ‘preparing’ stage is one step before the ‘public review’ stage, where “interested parties can make submissions about the project”. After Mr Krohn’s presentation, an opportunity was provided for questions to be put to him by the community. An attendee under the name ‘Coimadai Residents’ questioned AusNet’s engagement with its Community Consultation Group (CCG), which is made up of members
of the community along AusNet’s area of interest corridor. The user argued that questions about undergrounding the power lines “continue to get deflected”. “The AusNet CCG seems to be just AusNet ticking a box and not actively listening to the concerned members,” the user wrote. Mr Krohn encouraged the CCG members, and anyone in the community who favoured an underground WVTNP, to continue speaking with AusNet. “Undergrounding is an alternative that might deliver an environmentally superior outcome – that is required to be investigated by the proponent. It will need to be done for the EES to be put on public exhibition,” he said.
“I encourage people with specific questions or information they believe ought to be taken into account, to be proactive about raising those matters with the proponent. We expect the proponent to treat that information with due weight, and treat those requests appropriately.” Mr Krohn told the meeting issues around biodiversity and risks such as bushfire would also need to be addressed. Another community session titled ‘Understanding Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) in Western Victoria’ will be held on Thursday 25 November, as well as a third session in December, on a date yet to be confirmed. To register for the second session or submit questions, visit www.moorabool.engagementhub.com.au and click ‘Western Victoria Transmission Network Project’.
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* Correct as at November 2021. Subject to terms and conditions.