Community stakeholders of the proposed Western Renewables Link (WRL) say they are “disappointed” with the project’s consultation and feel overwhelmed with reviewing its recently publicised environmental effects statement (EES).
As reported by Star Weekly, AusNet is proposing to build a 190-kilometre electricity transmission line that will carry renewable energy from Bulgana in western Victoria to Sydenham in Melbourne’s north-west.
The EES for the proposed project was made public and was opened to submissions for a period of 40 business days from Monday, June 30.
Plumpton landholder and Western Victorian Community Alliance Melton representative Barbara Ford said the EES is almost 10,000 pages long and is “a dense collection of technical, regulatory, and environmental material”.
“And yet, the public has been given just 40 days to read, understand, and respond to it. AusNet has taken five years to collate all the information employing people full-time,” Ms Ford said.
Melton Football Netball Club president Matt Kerr said he has struggled to find time to sit down and read the document while trying to run a business and fulfil his role with the club.
“As a club, we’re very disappointed with the consultation process. It feels like AusNet are just ticking boxes just to get their end of the deal signed up … I think it was 18 months ago we had a user group meeting at the footy club rooms and as a big group. We had a lot of questions I feel were unanswered,” Mr Kerr said.
“They brought an expert in radio magnetic fields to answer questions on how it would affect kids and people long-term seeing as those lines are going to be so close to our playing fields …and they had no answers, they never came back to us.”
Melton Airfield head of operations Evan Reeve said the airfield is at risk of closing down its services as the towers would be within 500 metres of the airfield.
“It can’t operate given the fact that we operate to a safety management system. It doesn’t fit … the risks can’t be mitigated,” Mr Reeve said.
Melton horse trainer Clinton Welsh said he feels there is a lack of information in relation to electromagnetic and noise effects of the project on horses and feels this information has not been made available.
Moorabool mayor Paul Tatchell said the amount of information in the EES “will leave many people feeling overwhelmed.”
“Council has developed guides on upcoming community sessions in [Moorabool], and an example EES submission structure to help get our community members started,” Cr Tatchell said.
“It is vital that impacted community members consider providing submissions to share how this project will continue to affect them if it goes ahead,” he said.
Moorabool has provided an EES information guide and EES submission structure guide are its website and at its centres in Ballan, Darley and the Lerderderg Library in Bacchus Marsh.
The council is also supporting the Western Victoria Community Alliance with its EES community drop-in sessions in the coming weeks.
According to the council, at these sessions, community volunteers will assist locals with structuring and lodging submissions.
These are set to be hosted from 4–8pm on Thursday, July 24 at Lerderderg Library, 4–7.30pm on Thursday, July 31 at Myrniong Hall and from 10am to 1.30pm on Saturday, August 2 at the Ballan Council Chambers.
An AusNet spokesperson said the organisation understands that hosting infrastructure of this scale can be challenging for communities and welcomes the views of the community.
The spokesperson said anyone can make a submission on the EES which will then be considered by an independent planning panel run by Planning Panels Victoria.
“The minister for planning has specified a 40 business day exhibition period for the WRL EES. This is longer than the usual 30 business day timeframe outlined in the ministerial guidelines. The extended period reflects both the scale of the project and the high level of public interest,” the spokesperson said.
There will be information sessions for the EES at MacPherson Park in Harkness on July 29, from 4-8pm, and at Darley Park Community and Sports Centre on August 1, from 4-8pm.
