By Olivia Condous
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially revoked the approval of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) issued to Maddingley Brown Coal (MBC).
The EMP was submitted by MBC for it’s Western Soil Treatment (WST) site as part of its application to receive tunnel boring machine spoil from the West Gate Tunnel Project.
Environment Protection Authority Victoria approved the plan in April last year, after determining there were appropriate measures to keep the environment and community safe.
Melton and Bacchus Marsh residents raised strong concerns over the dumping of the soil, after MBC and the Cleanaway site in Ravenhall were both initially approved as possible sites to store the soil.
According to the EPA, MBC request the EMP’s approval be withdrawn after their bid to accept the soil was unsuccessful.
The withdrawal follows the Victorian Ombudsman condemning the EPA’s handling of the spoil dumping in a report released in June, stating that the regulator failed to properly engage with the community and lacked accountability.
Speaking to Star Weekly in June, Bacchus Marsh Community Coalition member Kat Barlow said the report was “rightly scathing” of the EPA.
“It vindicates our longstanding community concerns that we weren’t being considered and no one had bothered to consult with us because they’d decided how we felt,” Ms Barlow said.
She said the community remained concerned about the EPA’s management of environmental issues and feared it’s approach was more reactive rather than responsive.
“We certainly remain concerned about community and environmental health.
“The EPA have asserted that they were trying to build trust within the communities, but we haven’t heard from the EPA,” Ms Barlow said.
One million tonnes of spoil has been received so far at the Bulla Hi-Quality processing facility in Sunbury.
