MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will go online next month to explain its position regarding AGL’s proposed floating gas terminal at Crib Point.
Although the shire does not have any power to approve or reject the plan it will be making a submission on the environmental effects statement prepared by AGL and now pen for public comment.
The final decision on the plan to process imported liquified natural gas at Crib Point before being piped to Pakenham will be made by the state and federal governments.
A news release issued by the shire last week stated that the project posed “potential environmental, economic and social impacts, including on the protected Western Port Ramsar site, listed migratory [bird] species, listed threatened species and ecological communities”.
On 21 July 21 the mayor Cr Sam Hearn wrote to Planning Minister Richard Wynne asking him to suspend the exhibition of the EES until after the easing of COVID-19 public health restrictions or “at the very least” extend the submission time by four weeks. The shire’s latest statement said Mr Wynne “has yet to respond to this request” (“Calls to postpone debate over gas plan” The News 21/7/20).
However, Mr Wynne has already added 10 days to the scheduled exhibition of AGL’s EES.
During the Wednesday 19 August online community information session shire officers will outline the position adopted two nights previously by the council’s Planning Services Committee.
The Gas Import Jetty and Pipeline Project proposed by AGL and APA Group to provide natural gas to south eastern Australia includes:
- Permanently mooring a floating storage and regasification unit at the Crib Point jetty, which will convert imported liquid natural gas (LNG) into gas.
- Constructing a new above ground receiving facility on land next to the jetty.
- Laying a 57-kilometre long pipeline to take the gas from Crib Point to Pakenham.
More than 120 residents tuned into the shire’s first online information session on July 16, with hundreds more submitting questions.
To “attend” the second information session will be held 5-6pm Wednesday 19 August 2020, 5–6pm go to: bit.ly/2E45Fml
For more details on the project and on how to make a submission visit: engage.vic.gov.au/crib-point-IAC
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 4 August 2020
