Golden Beach Gas Project Response to Submissions Received on the Project EES Environment Effects Act 1978
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Golden Beach Gas Project Response to submissions received on the Project EES Environment Effects Act 1978 GB Energy (VIC) Pty Limited ABN 63 615 553 010 Golden Beach Gas Project Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................................ 3 1.1.1 Environment Effects Act 1978 ............................................................................................ 3 1.1.2 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ..................................... 4 1.1.3 Exhibition of the EES ......................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Purpose of this document .................................................................................................................... 4 2. Submissions ...................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Responses to submissions .................................................................................................................. 6 2.2.1 Submissions 1, 2, 3 and 7 – Project need and climate change ......................................... 6 2.2.2 Submission 4 – Wellington Shire Council .......................................................................... 7 2.2.3 Submission 5 – Environment Protection Authority ............................................................. 8 2.2.4 Submission 6 – Individual submitter, multiple key issues .................................................. 9 2.2.5 Submission 8 – The CarbonNet Project ............................................................................ 9 2.2.6 Submission 9 – DELWP Gippsland Region ....................................................................... 9 2.2.7 Submission 10 - Australasian Native Orchid Society (Victorian Group) Inc .................... 10 2.2.8 Submission 11 – Individual submitter, multiple key issues .............................................. 11 2.2.9 Submission 12 – Individual submitter, multiple key issues .............................................. 13 2.2.10 Submission 13 – West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority ............................ 14 3. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 14 N/A | Response to submissions received on the Project EES– Environment Effects Act 1978 2 Golden Beach Gas Project 1. Introduction 1.1 Background GB Energy (VIC) Pty Ltd (GB Energy), as operator of retention lease VIC/RL1(V), is developing the Golden Beach gas field located in the Gippsland Basin approximately 4 km offshore from the Ninety Mile Beach coast line and close to the Golden Beach township. The field was originally discovered in 1967. The Golden Beach Gas Project (Project) includes the drilling and completion of two offshore wells in Victorian waters, and the construction of high pressure gas pipeline(s) connecting the wells to the east coast gas market in the vicinity of Longford, Victoria. The proposed infrastructure includes: two offshore wells with installation of subsea production systems, Christmas trees (XMTs) and wellheads high pressure steel gas pipeline(s) and associated infrastructure from the subsea wellheads to existing operating gas transmission infrastructure at Longford in Victoria. Pipeline infrastructure would include: o a subsea raw gas pipeline and umbilical from the offshore wellheads to a shore crossing facility o a shore crossing facility which would enable for the safe and efficient operation of the wells and raw gas pipeline o a buried onshore raw gas pipeline from the shore crossing facility to the gas compressor station o a gas compressor station to dry and compress raw gas from the offshore field to deliver sales quality gas o a buried onshore sales gas pipeline from the gas compressor station to the existing Victorian Transmission System (VTS) and the Eastern Gas Pipeline (EGP) at Longford o a metering facility adjacent to Jemena’s Longford Compressor Station, for the commercial and operational metering of the flows of gas to the east coast gas market. The development would occur in two phases, with the first phase being the production of gas. This would involve extracting a portion (approximately 40 - 45 petajoules) of the gas currently within the reservoir. The second stage would be the conversion of the field into a gas storage facility, providing an initial withdrawal capacity of up to 250 terajoules per day. 1.1.1 Environment Effects Act 1978 The Project was referred by GB Energy to the Minister for Planning under the Environment Effects Act 1978 (EE Act) on 7 August 2019 describing the potentially significant effects of the Project following a preliminary assessment of the proposed Project. On 8 September 2019, the Minister for Planning requested that GB Energy prepare an Environment Effects Statement (EES) under the EE Act to assess the potential environmental effects of the Project and to inform the Minister’s assessment of the Project and the approvals required for the Project. The Minister’s reasons for making this decision included that the Project works have ‘the potential for a range of significant environmental effects’ including on: offshore marine biodiversity values Aboriginal cultural heritage values onshore biodiversity values including Lake Reeve which is part of the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site. N/A | Response to submissions received on the Project EES– Environment Effects Act 1978 3 Golden Beach Gas Project 1.1.2 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 On 22 November 2019 under delegated authority from the Minister for the Environment, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) made a decision that the Project is a controlled action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and would require assessment and a decision about whether approval should be given under the EPBC Act. The Minister considered that the Project would likely have a significant impact on the following: Ramsar wetlands Listed threatened species and communities Listed migratory species The Project will be assessed under a bilateral agreement under the EE Act. 1.1.3 Exhibition of the EES Following preparation of the EES in accordance with the scoping requirements provided for the Project in May 2020, GB Energy sought authorisation from the Minister for Planning on 8 October 2020 to place the EES on public exhibition in accordance with the amended EES procedures and requirements for the Project dated 13 September 2020. The Works Approval under the Environment Protection Act 1970 (WAA) and Pipeline Licence Application under the Pipelines Act 2005 (Application) were also exhibited with the EES. The Minister authorised the EES to be placed on exhibition on 18 October 2020 for a period of 30 business days with exhibition commencing on Monday 26 October 2020. The EES, the Application and the WAA were placed on exhibition for public comment from Monday 26 October until 11.59pm on Monday 7 December 2020. The following advertisements/notices were placed in newspapers with local, Victorian, and Australian distribution areas for the expression of interest and exhibition of the EES (and approval applications): Expression of interest to request copy of EES The Australian: 8 October 2020 Herald Sun: 8 October 2020 Gippsland Times: Tuesday 6 October Exhibition of EES The Australian: Thursday 22 October 2020 Herald Sun: Thursday 22 October 2020 Gippsland Times: Friday 23 and Tuesday 27 October 2020 Notices in accordance with section 32 of the Pipelines Act were issued to landowners, stakeholders, Ministers, departments, authorities and persons as specified under the Pipelines Act and by the delegate of the responsible Minister. 1.2 Purpose of this document This document has been prepared to respond to issues raised by submitters through the public exhibition of the EES. In accordance with the Ministerial guidelines for assessment of environmental effects under the Environment Effects Act 1978, Seventh edition 2006, the proponent should produce a document responding to the issues raised in submissions on the EES. N/A | Response to submissions received on the Project EES– Environment Effects Act 1978 4 Golden Beach Gas Project 2. Submissions 2.1 Overview Twelve (12) submissions were received during the public exhibition of the EES (and approval application documentation) and one (1) submission was received and accepted after the closing of the public exhibition period. Six (6) from individual members of the Victorian community Five (5) from government organisations Two (2) from non-government organisations. No submissions were received from affected landowners or occupiers of the land subject to the Application exhibited with the EES (other than Wellington Shire Council in its capacity as local council and not as a landowner) or from the local Golden Beach community. GB Energy has worked extensively with landowners and the local community to provide comprehensive and transparent information in relation to the Project, the EES process