Referral Entry Business Point

Environment Assessment Branch
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA   ACT   2601
email: epbc.referrals@environment.gov.au

 

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Additional Antennas at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, Tidbinbilla

Reference number: 2012/6633

 

Friends of Grasslands (FOG) is a community group dedicated to the conservation of natural temperate grassy ecosystems in south-eastern Australia. FOG advocates, educates and advises on matters to do with the conservation of grassy ecosystems, and carries out surveys and other on-ground work. FOG is based in Canberra and its members include professional scientists, landowners, land managers and interested members of the public.

 

FOG notes that the area of box-gum woodland affected by this referral is small and degraded, only just meeting the EPBC criteria for this ecosystem. Despite this the proponent is proposing satisfactory mitigation measures, such as fencing of construction area, retention of woody debris to be placed on woodland areas for habitat, and retention of top soil with native grass seed stock for post-construction spreading on disturbed ground. FOG supports these mitigation measures, in particular, the on-going weed management being undertaken by CSIRO at the site.

 

Sincerely yours

 

 

 

 

John Fitz Gerald

President

 

30 November 2012