PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7
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APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd Victorian Northern Interconnect Expansion – Flora and Fauna Assessment PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7 PART C - TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 REGIONAL BACKGROUND ........................................................................ 1 1.1 General .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Land Use ................................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Planning Zones ....................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Environmental and Landscape Overlays .......................................................... 3 1.3 Waterways............................................................................................... 5 1.4 Previous Studies ........................................................................................ 7 2 FLORA ASSESSMENT .............................................................................. 8 2.1 Ecological Vegetation Classes ........................................................................ 8 2.1.1 Existing Vegetation Condition ..................................................................... 8 2.1.2 Vegetation Descriptions ............................................................................ 9 2.1.3 Scattered Indigenous Trees ....................................................................... 14 2.1.4 Planted Vegetation ................................................................................. 14 2.1.5 Weeds ................................................................................................ 14 2.2 Permitted Clearing Assessment ..................................................................... 15 2.2.1 Risk-based Pathway ................................................................................ 15 2.2.2 Habitat Hectare Assessment ...................................................................... 16 2.2.3 Tree Assessment .................................................................................... 17 2.3 Targeted Surveys for Threatened Flora & Vegetation Communities ........................... 18 2.3.1 Targeted Surveys for Threatened Flora ......................................................... 18 2.3.2 Targeted Surveys for Threatened Vegetation Communities .................................. 21 3 FAUNA ASSESSMENT ............................................................................. 23 3.1 Habitat Types and Significance ..................................................................... 23 3.1.1 Open Farmland ..................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Woodland ............................................................................................ 23 3.1.3 Native Forests....................................................................................... 24 3.1.4 Watercourses and Dams ........................................................................... 24 MONARC ENVIRONMENTAL ABN: 89 604 427 894 Level 1, Suite 2, 17 Cotham Road Telephone: (03) 9205 0600 KEW VIC 3101 Fax: (03) 9205 0699 Email: [email protected] APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd Victorian Northern Interconnect Expansion – Flora and Fauna Assessment PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7 3.2 Targeted Surveys for Threatened Fauna and Fauna Communities ............................. 24 3.3 Results of Targeted Surveys ......................................................................... 28 4 LEGISLATIVE IMPLICATIONS .................................................................... 33 4.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 .............................. 33 4.2 State Legislation....................................................................................... 33 4.2.1 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 ...................................................... 33 4.2.2 Environment Effects Act 1978 .................................................................... 33 4.2.3 Fisheries Act 1995 .................................................................................. 33 4.2.4 Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 ........................................................... 34 4.2.5 National Parks Act 1975 ........................................................................... 34 4.2.6 Wildlife Act 1975 ................................................................................... 34 4.3 Permitted Clearing Regulations ..................................................................... 34 5 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................. 36 5.1 Avoid and minimise ................................................................................... 36 5.2 Threatened Flora and Vegetation Communities Mitigation Measures .......................... 36 5.3 Fauna Mitigation Measures ........................................................................... 37 5.3.1 Fauna Mitigation Measures ........................................................................ 37 MONARC ENVIRONMENTAL ABN: 89 604 427 894 Level 1, Suite 2, 17 Cotham Road Telephone: (03) 9205 0600 KEW VIC 3101 Fax: (03) 9205 0699 Email: [email protected] APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd Victorian Northern Interconnect Expansion – Flora and Fauna Assessment PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7 ANNEXURES List of Tables Table C1: Summary of Planning Zones .......................................................................... 2 Table C2: Summary of Environmental and Landscape Overlays ............................................. 4 Table C3: Designated Waterways Intersected by the Project ............................................... 6 Table C4: DELWP modelled pre-1750 Ecological Vegetation Classes within the Local Area ............. 8 Table C5: Ecological Vegetation Classes identified during the Field Assessments ........................ 9 Table C6: Declared Noxious Weed Species .................................................................... 15 Table C7: Summary of Habitat Hectare Assessments to be Offset ......................................... 16 Table C8: Summary of Habitat Hectare Assessments exempt from Offset................................ 17 Table C9: Summary of Scattered Indigenous Trees to be Impacted per EVC ............................. 18 Table C10: Summary of Threatened Flora Species Recorded within 5km of the Construction ROW .. 19 Table C11: Threatened flora species recorded during surveys ............................................. 20 Table C12: Threatened EPBC Act Communities potentially occurring along the Construction ROW .. 21 Table C13: Threatened FFG Act Listed Communities along the Construction ROW ..................... 22 Table C14: Summary of Threatened Fauna Species Likely to Occur ....................................... 25 Table C15: Summary of Locations and Fauna Surveys Undertaken ........................................ 27 Table C16: Summary of Threatened Fauna Communities Likely to Occur ................................ 28 Table C17: Findings of Fauna Surveys .......................................................................... 29 MONARC ENVIRONMENTAL ABN: 89 604 427 894 Level 1, Suite 2, 17 Cotham Road Telephone: (03) 9205 0600 KEW VIC 3101 Fax: (03) 9205 0699 Email: [email protected] APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd Victorian Northern Interconnect Expansion – Flora and Fauna Assessment PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7 APPENDICES Appendix C1 Route Maps Appendix C2 Flora Lists Appendix C3 Habitat Hectare Assessment Results Appendix C4 Database Report – Protected matters under the EPBC Appendix C5 VBA Search Report & Likelihood of Occurrence C5a: Flora C5b: Fauna Appendix C6 Threatened Flora Species – Habitat Preferences Appendix C7 Threatened Fauna Descriptions Appendix C8 Fauna Survey Results – Birds and Nocturnal Surveys Appendix C9 Bioclimatic Data – Growling Grass Frog MONARC ENVIRONMENTAL ABN: 89 604 427 894 Level 1, Suite 2, 17 Cotham Road Telephone: (03) 9205 0600 KEW VIC 3101 Fax: (03) 9205 0699 Email: [email protected] APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd Victorian Northern Interconnect Expansion – Flora and Fauna Assessment PART C Glenrowan to Barnawartha (KP118.2 – KP184.6) Looping 7 1 REGIONAL BACKGROUND APA GasNet Australia (Operations) Pty Ltd (APA) is looping (duplicating) part of the existing Wollert to Wodonga gas transmission pipeline (pipeline licence PL101) between Glenrowan to Barnawartha, Victoria (known as Looping 7). The Wollert to Wodonga gas transmission pipeline was constructed in 1975 and runs in an approximately north easterly direction from Wollert on the northern outskirts of Melbourne through to Wodonga, a total distance of approximately 280km. This pipeline occupies an easement of 35m in width. The proposed pipeline looping is to be installed within the existing easement. With reference to the starting point of the existing pipeline at Glenrowan, this looping will commence at KP118.2 and finish at Barnawartha KP184.6, a total distance of 66.4km. Looping 7 passes through three municipalities (Benalla Rural City, Wangaratta Rural City and Indigo Shire) and is located within the vicinity of regional townships including Glenrowan, Wangaratta, Chiltern and Barnawartha. • Land traversed by the project is made up