Yanchep Railway Extension Butler Station to Eglinton Preliminary Offsets Strategy
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Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton Environmental Review Document Prepared for Public Transport Authority 7 December 2018 YRE-ELA-EN-RPT-00003 EPA Assessment No. 2157 Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton DOCUMENT TRACKING Item Detail Project Name Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton Project Number 18PER_11145 David Morley Project Manager (08) 6218 2200 Level 1, Bishop’s See, 235 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Prepared by L. Adams, A. Buick, R. Hide, N. McAlinden, D. Morley, I. Mullins Reviewed by L. Adams, J. Longstaff Approved by J. Longstaff Status Final for submission to EPA and public review Version Number 2 Last saved on 7 December 2018 Cover photo D. Morley 2018 This report should be cited as ‘Eco Logical Australia 2018. Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton. Environmental Review Document. Prepared for Public Transport Authority.’ EPA Assessment No. 2157 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document has been prepared by Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd with support from the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. Disclaimer This document may only be used for the purpose for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the contract between Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd and the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia. The scope of services was defined in consultation with Public Transport Authority, by time and budgetary constraints imposed by the client, and the availability of reports and other data on the subject area. Changes to available information, legislation and schedules are made on an ongoing basis and readers should obtain up to date information. Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report and its supporting material by any third party. Information provided is not intended to be a substitute for site specific assessment or legal advice in relation to any matter. Unauthorised use of this report in any form is prohibited. Template 29/9/2015 © PUBLIC TRANSPORT A UTHORITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA ii Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton Invitation to make a submission The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) invites people to make a submission on the environmental review for this proposal. The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) is developing the Yanchep Rail Extension (YRE) project as part of the Western Australian Government’s METRONET vision. The YRE Project is an extension to the Northern Suburbs Railway (also known as the Joondalup line) in Perth’s northern suburbs, 40 km north of the Perth central business district. The YRE Project is being assessed by the EPA under section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 in two parts: • Part 1: Butler Station to Eglinton Station – includes the southern portion of the YRE Project to the north of Butler Station; and • Part 2: Eglinton Station to Yanchep Station – includes the northern portion of the YRE Project to the north of the proposed Eglinton Station. This Environmental Review Document (ERD) assesses the environmental impacts associated with Part 1 – Butler Station to Eglinton Station of the YRE Project (the proposal). The ERD has been prepared in accordance with the EPA’s Procedures Manual (Part IV Divisions 1 and 2). The ERD is the report by the proponent on their environmental review, which describes this proposal and its likely effects on the environment. The ERD is available for a public review period of 4 weeks from 17 December 2018, closing on 18 January 2019. Information on the proposal from the public may assist the EPA to prepare its assessment report in which it will make recommendations on the proposal to the Minister for Environment. Why write a submission? The EPA seeks information that will inform its consideration of the likely effects of the proposal, if implemented, on the environment. This may include relevant new information that is not in the ERD, such as alternative courses of action or approaches. In preparing its assessment report for the Minister for Environment, the EPA will consider the information in submissions and other relevant information. Submissions will be treated as public documents unless provided and received in confidence, subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 1992. Why not join a group? It may be worthwhile joining a group or other groups interested in making a submission on similar issues. Joint submissions may help to reduce the workload for an individual or group. If you form a small group (up to 10 people), please indicate the names of all participants. If your group is larger, please indicate how many people your submission represents. © PUBLIC TRANSPORT A UTHORITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA iv Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton Developing a submission You may agree or disagree with, or comment on, information in the ERD. When making comments on specific elements of the ERD: • clearly state your point of view and give reasons for your conclusions; • reference the source of your information, where applicable; and • suggest alternatives to improve the outcomes on the environment. What to include in your submission Include the following in your submission to make it easier for the EPA to consider your submission: • your contact details – name and address; • date of your submission; • whether you want your contact details to be confidential; • summary of your submission, if your submission is long; • list points preferably by environmental factor so that issues raised are clear; • refer each point to the page, section and, if possible, paragraph of the ERD; and • attach any reference material, if applicable, making sure your information is accurate. The closing date for public submissions is 18 January 2019. The EPA prefers submissions to be made electronically via the EPA’s Consultation Hub at https://consultation.epa.wa.gov.au. Alternatively, submissions can be: • posted to: Chairman, Environmental Protection Authority, Locked Bag 33, Cloisters Square WA 6850; or • delivered to: Environmental Protection Authority, Level 4, The Atrium, 168 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000. If you have any questions on how to make a submission, please contact EPA Services at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on (08) 6364 7000. © PUBLIC TRANSPORT A UTHORITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA v Yanchep Rail Extension: Part 1 – Butler to Eglinton Executive summary Introduction The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) is developing the Yanchep Rail Extension (YRE) Project as part of the Western Australian Government’s METRONET vision. The YRE Project is an extension to the Northern Suburbs Railway (also known as the Joondalup line) in Perth’s northern suburbs, 40 km north of the Perth central business district (CBD). The YRE Project forms an integral component of Perth’s long term public transport network, providing essential transportation services to the rapidly expanding northern coastal suburbs and delivering the better sustainability outcomes envisioned by the Western Australian Government’s Perth and [email protected] plan (DPLH and WAPC 2018). Background and context A passenger railway line in the Butler, Eglinton and Alkimos area has been contemplated via the planning system for the past two decades. Provision for a railway in the northwest corridor exists in the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS), which provides the legal basis for planning the Perth metropolitan region (DPLH 2018). Several amendments to the MRS have been made with respect to transport corridors around the Butler, Eglinton and Alkimos areas, resulting in the current ‘Railways’ reservation. Amendment to the MRS has also realigned the railway reservation, resulting in reduced requirement to disturb remnant vegetation and achieving early avoidance for the proposal. The most recent extension to the Northern Suburbs Railway was from Clarkson Station to Butler Station, which opened in 2014. The YRE Project is being assessed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) in two parts: • Part 1: Butler Station to Eglinton Station – includes the southern portion of the YRE Project to the north of Butler Station; and • Part 2: Eglinton Station to Yanchep Station – includes the northern portion of the YRE Project to the north of the proposed Eglinton Station. This Environmental Review Document (ERD) assesses the environmental impacts associated with Part 1 – Butler Station to Eglinton Station of the YRE Project (the proposal). Impacts are considered in the context of the preliminary key environmental factors identified by the EPA in its decision to assess the proposal. The PTA referred the proposal to EPA Services in February 2018 and the EPA subsequently determined that the proposal would be formally assessed, with the level of assessment set as ‘Referral Information – Additional Information Required’. Following initial supply of additional information by PTA in July 2018, the EPA requested amendments to this information and that the resultant referral and additional information be combined into this single ERD which is now published for a period of four weeks for public comment. At the close of the public review period the EPA will conduct its own assessment of the proposal and prepare an assessment report which will be provided to the Minister for the Environment, who will decide whether the proposal may be implemented and, if so, the conditions of approval.