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Environmental Management Plans
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- Protecting the environment
Environmental approvals, licences and permits
As required by the NSW Minister as part of the Planning Concept Approval for the Sydney Desalination Project, below are the relevant project environmental approvals, licences and permits.
Construction Environmental Management Plans
Blue Water Joint Venture has developed a Construction Environmental Management System (EMS) for the desalination plant and seawater intake and discharge system components of Sydney's desalination project. It outlines general environmental management practices and procedures to be followed during construction. The EMS has been supplemented by the following Construction Environmental Management Plans to mitigate potential construction impacts.
- Acid Sulphate Soil and Contamination Management Plan
- Construction Soil and Water Management Plan
- Construction Noise Management Plan
- Biodiversity Protection Plan
- Traffic Management Protocol and Traffic Management Plan
- Spoil Management and Disposal Strategy & Spoil Management Plan
In accordance with the Minister's Conditions of Approval, the Director General of the Department of Planning has approved these plans to allow construction to proceed.
Conservation Area at the Desalination Plant Site
Sydney Water will preserve 15 hectares of the 45-hectare desalination plant site at Kurnell as a special conservation area. This area will remain protected, and no construction work will take place there. Under the Conditions of Approval for the desalination plant, Sydney Water is required to develop a Conservation Area Management Plan.
Vegetation in this area includes four endangered ecological communities. Sydney Water will protect and improve the condition of this vegetation. Ongoing monitoring will measure any changes, to help manage the area in the future.
A community of Grey-Headed Flying Foxes is seasonally resident in the conservation area. Sydney Water will minimise any impact on them. An independent expert has been engaged to study the Flying Foxes, provide management strategies and perform ongoing monitoring to ensure Sydney Water meets this commitment.
Sydney Water has prepared a Conservation Area Management Plan in consultation with the National Parks and Wildlife section of the Department of Environment and Climate Change. The plan addresses management of the area during all phases of the project, from pre-construction through to operation, and provides direction on monitoring and protecting the environment.
Marine and Estuarine Monitoring Program
Under the Conditions of Approval for the seawater intakes and outlets, Sydney Water is required to implement a Marine and Estuarine Monitoring Program.
The program aims to provide marine and estuarine information for the design, construction and operation of the desalination plant including intakes and outlets. The program also monitors the impacts of these activities on the marine and estuarine environment.
The program includes monitoring during the design phase, pre and post commissioning, construction and ongoing monitoring during operation. The construction phase monitoring outlines the environmental requirements during construction of the project, including the pipeline crossing of Botany Bay.
Design of the program has been undertaken in consultation with representatives from the Department of Planning, the Department of Primary Industries and the Department of Environment and Conservation. The program has been endorsed by independent experts.
Public availability
These documents are available for members of the public to view, at the Sydney Water library in Bathurst Street. Other environmental management documents will be made available as they are finalised. If you are interested in viewing the documents, please call the Desalination Project hotline on freecall 1800 685 833.