By Ewen McRae
Maddingley Brown Coal has responded to a series of questions from Moorabool council over its plans to accept toxic soil from the Westgate Tunnel Project, however several details are still being withheld.
Under the MBC proposal, a truck carrying contaminated soil would be delivered to the site near Bacchus Marsh every six minutes, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Contaminated soil will be stored, categorised and disposed of at the site, in proximity to local schools and market gardens.
Moorabool council last week released the responses to 24 key questions the community had raised over the proposal, but is still yet to see nine technical assessments on environmental, socio-economic, amenity and traffic impacts.
A response from Transurban and its partners said that as the proposal for soil management was still at the tender stage, it was not possible to release the technical data.
“Due to the competitive process currently underway, we are not able to provide commercially sensitive material contained in the technical assessments,” the statement said.
Moorabool mayor David Edwards said the community had a right to know what impact the proposal would have on the Bacchus Marsh township and surrounding farming.
“Council has made it very clear that we are not interested in seeing any commercially sensitive material,” Cr Edwards said. “We have even gone as far as offering to view redacted versions of these technical assessments where all commercially sensitive material has been blackened out.
“The fact remains that without these technical assessments, council remains largely in the dark about the potential risks for the community, as well as the actual impacts to our roads, our environment and our reputation as a major food provider for Melbourne.”
In response to calls for community consultation, MBC began holding information sessions in Bacchus Marsh last week, with the last of these to take place at the Darley Civic and Community Hub on March 12 from 3- 7pm.
“MBC and the West Gate Tunnel Project parties welcome the opportunity during consultation to discuss any concerns regarding potential or perceived public health and safety risks with the community,” MBC’s response said.
“We have met with Bacchus Marsh Grammar School and briefed the principal on the proposal, and will continue to make ourselves available to the school community.”
The response went on to say that the levels of contamination in the soil were likely below what is already allowed at the MBC site, and that they would work closely with the Environmental Protection Authority to protect the surrounding environment.
“In the very unlikely event that spoil cannot be disposed of at the MBC site, it will be taken to an approved facility for disposal or treatment in line with EPA requirements,” the response said.
“Specialised drainage systems would be in place to collect any water that comes from the soil into EPA-approved, lined ponds that aren’t connected to the groundwater system.
“MBC is proposing a robust solution for the management of any soil containing PFAS, including a protective liner and specialised drainage systems to capture any water from the spoil. This solution is designed to ensure that there is no impact from the spoil that would be received by MBC to water entering the Parwan Creek.”
The MBC proposal is with Transurban, which will decide on its preferred site for the tunnel spoil. The decision will need to be ratified by the planning minister.
View MBC’s full response: www.moorabool.vic.gov.au
