The Sustainable Water Actions for Merimbula and Pambula Incorporated (SWAMP) is a community group consisting of Bega Valley residents, businesses and organisations who are concerned with the strategy being pursued by council to construct a new ocean outfall pipeline as the primary disposal option for treated effluent emanating from the Merimbula Sewage Treatment Plant (MSTP).
Last month
SWAMP wrote to the NSW Department of Planning (DOP), requesting the department to consider issuing a revised
Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), following the adoption by council of an amended strategy significantly at odds to that contained in the
Preliminary Environmental Report lodged with the
Department.
In a surprise response, the
DOP ignored
SWAMP’s request before confirming that, as part of its response to the
COVID 2019 pandemic, the
NSW Government had enacted legislative changes to confer new emergency powers on the
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces to issue
Orders to allow development that protects the health, welfare and safety of the community during the
COVID-19 pandemic “
to proceed without the normal development approvals” (
emphasis added).
The DOP went on to explain that the new approval arrangements were part of the government’s strategy to pursue a broader economic stimulus and recovery in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, in particular by continuing to make appropriate planning decisions to support jobs during the pandemic, & accelerating appropriate planning decisions that will support jobs both during the pandemic and to support the economic recovery of NSW when the health crisis eases.
The association believes that the DOP’s response to SWAMP’s request is clear evidence of the state government’s willingness to override both established planning processes designed to protect the public interest & legitimate community concerns about infrastructure proposals with significant environmental consequences.
The decision by council to pursue the proposed ocean outfall pipeline in Merimbula/Pambula was the final step taken by council in
a seven year campaign to achieve that outcome; an outcome facilitated by a stubborn determination on the part of council to misrepresent & mislead the community as to the options open to the community for the treatment & disposal of sewage effluent.
What the majority of residents & ratepayers may not appreciate is that the NSW Government is in the process of finalising 24 so-called “shovel ready” infrastructure & property development projects & that given DOP’s response to SWAMP’s request, it may well be that the $30-$40M ocean outfall ocean pipeline & STP upgrade is one such project under consideration.
The association believes that the NSW Government’s planned response to the COVID 19 pandemic has created a major opportunity for the necessary funding to be found that will permit the proposed sewage ocean outfall pipeline to proceed, notwithstanding the fact that it may not be the best available solution to the needs of the far south coast community or the state as a whole.
In referring to another of the 24 projects likely to be included in the NSW Government’s COVID 19 pandemic response, Snowy 2.0, the Minister for Planning & Public Spaces, Rob Stokes, last week said “It is important to recognise that the assessment process is accelerated, not changed. There is no change to the environmental approvals required.”
Mr Stokes went on to say that all projects would be subjected to the “same rigorous checks and balances that ensure they have merit and are in the best interests of the people of NSW”.
Well, the association believes that if Mr Stokes’ claims are to be taken seriously, then the very least his department should do is to treat the request made by SWAMP seriously.
Fraser Buchanan
President
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0429 881 836
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au