Applications Secretariat, Customer Services
ACTPLA, ESDD
GPO Box 158 CANBERRA ACT 2601
Email: actpla.customer.services@act.gov.au

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Reference:  Lawson South 132 kV Power Line Relocation - Draft EIS

 

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 has examined the Draft EIS and is generally satisfied that the assessments, the alignment and the construction plans have appropriately considered environmental issues of concern and particularly Matters of National Environmental Significance.  While the entire Lawson South process is set to produce some environmental losses, the power line sub-project has limited impact in this regard.

 

FOG supports the impact and mitigation statements for listed terrestrial species of these grasslands: Golden Sun Moth (EIS section 6.6.2), Striped Legless Lizard (6.6.3) and Grassland Earless Dragon (6.6.4).  FOG also considers the analysis of weeds (6.5.5) to be a practical approach, considering that construction disturbance will undoubtedly stimulate highly undesirable weed growth alongside the drainage line of College Creek.

 

However, FOG requests that the proposed Construction and Environmental Management Plan (9.2) be revised to specify more detail about some of the mitigation approaches spelt out in the subsections noted above – this will help to ensure that the full message reaches all power-line staff and contractors.  For example:

• In Earthworks (9.2.4), “Fence off areas.....” says nothing about signage
• The plan in 9.2.5 to “Prohibit off-road driving ...” surely also has to feature in Traffic and Vehicle Management (9.2.3)
• Details of management of weed and seed material (including soils) are not explicit.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

 

Sarah Sharp

President

2 April 2013