Submission to Infrastructure Victoria: Preparing Advice on Options to Secure Victoria’S Future Port Capacity
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Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 PRESERVE WESTERN PORT ACTION GROUP SUBMISSION TO INFRASTRUCTURE VICTORIA: PREPARING ADVICE ON OPTIONS TO SECURE VICTORIA’S FUTURE PORT CAPACITY. 1 Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 Contents: Page No. Executive Summary 3 Infrastructure Victoria: Terms of Reference. 3 Environmental Issues. 4 Recent Environmental Reports Tidal flows, dredging and erosion Western Port Flora Seagrass, Mangroves and Salt Marsh Carbon Sinks in Western Port Putting a value on the Western Port Environment Economic Issues and Impacts . 10 The threat to the economy – Why take such a risk? Increased coastal erosion and inundation following dredging of Western Port. Increased visual and noise pollution – Visitor impact Impact on recreational boating, fishing and the marine related economy Impact on Victorian agriculture and aquifers Oil spills Social Issues . 17 Bass Coast Shire Council – Guiding Principals Attachments. 18 A. List of Abbreviations. B. Bass Coast Shire Council roundtable with key stakeholders regarding the future of Port of Hastings. 28th April 2016. Including Guiding Principles adopted by Bass Coast Shire Council. C. List of Reports, Documents presented to Infrastructure Victoria that supplement this submission. 2 Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 Preserve Western Port Submission to Infrastructure Victoria- Preparing advice on options to secure Victoria’s future port capacity Executive Summary The Preserve Western Port Action Group is a subcommittee of the Phillip Island Conservation Society. We have carefully examined the issue of constructing a container port in Western Port over the last three years. With our volunteer members we have undertaken research on issues and engaged with key stakeholders in understanding the key impacts on the region’s economy, environment and communities. We firmly believe that constructing a container port in Western Port will have significant adverse impacts on the Western Port communities. The impact on the Phillip Island economy and environment could be devastating. The annual movement of 6,000 large container ships through the existing penguin and marine feeding grounds, combined with loss of amenity and recreational boating access for the coastal communities and the vastly increased coastal erosion will put at significant risk the visitors to the region. These visitors currently generate $339 million in visitor expenditure equating to 3,100 direct and full-time equivalent jobs. (Phillip Island and San Remo Visitor Economy Strategy 2035. p3.) Our submission identifies key risks and impacts associated with the dredging and construction impacts of constructing a container port in Western Port. We believe these adverse impacts on the region will vastly outweigh any purported benefits that may arise from operating a container port in Western Port. We have recently provided your representatives with a number of reports and research that form part of our representations to you. (See Attachment C) Infrastructure Victoria: Terms of Reference The Preserve Western Port Action group have focussed on where a second container port would be located and the costs and impacts of developing a container port in Western Port. Specifically we provide comments to address Terms of Reference 2c and 2d with some emphasis on 2b. We believe many of the issues that are linked as environment issues can and do have economic impacts. Nevertheless, we have structured our comments in this report on: 1/. Environmental issues, especially in relation to International treaty obligations, (e.g. Ramsar) and detailed researched State-based studies such as the Western Port Local Coastal Hazard Assessment (WPLCHA) and the Central Region Coastal Plan.(CRCP) 3 Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 2/. Economic issues, especially those relating to tourism, recreational fishing and agriculture. 3/. Social Impact. In essence this is an amalgamation of the first two, but with an emphasis on what a container port at Hastings would means for the people who live, work and play on and around Western Port in its entirety. 1. Environmental Issues We firmly believe that adverse environmental impacts from the construction of a container port in Western Port will have a direct adverse economic impact due to the importance of tourism to the region’s economy. Further, the potential damage to the unique ecosystem of Western Port itself makes a compelling case against the construction of a container port particularly as Western Port is listed on the National Estate and contains three Marine National Parks to support its biodiversity. Australia is a signatory to a number of International agreements that oblige us to protect the area. In the 1970s, the Victorian government commissioned the Westernport Bay Environmental study 1973–1974 directed by Professor Maurice Shapiro and assisted by a team of 200 researchers. The study presented a comprehensive basic understanding of the bay’s major features, establishing the complexity and the high ecological values of the ecosystem. It modelled the hydrodynamics of the tidal flows and other circulation patterns showing how it would distribute pollutants rapidly to all parts of the bay. The Shapiro Report found: Industrial development can have far-reaching environmental effects, and also necessitates urban and port growth which, in turn, affects the environment. Areas of particular significance have been recognised at Westernport and, from a nature conservation point of view, options for industrial development may have to be limited so that these are not adversely affected. Environmental quality standards to protect these areas may be such that certain industries should not establish in the area. The Report observed: “This is what options are all about. If we have more of something, we may need to have less of something else, must weigh up all the issues of which we have knowledge, and make our decisions in full awareness of their consequences.” (Ministry for Conservation Victoria 1975, p3) Recent Environmental Reports Since early 2015 three landmark environmental reports have been released which have a direct impact on the environmental future of Western Port. They are as follows: The Central Region Coastal Plan (CRCP) Victorian Government DWELP 2015 http://ccb.vic.gov.au/staging/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Draft-Central-Region- Coastal-Plan.pdf 4 Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 The Revised Western Port Ramsar Site Management Plan (Ramsar Plan), DWELP 2016 http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/326262/Western-Port-MP- Full-Draft-for-public-comment.pdf The Western Port Local Coastal Hazard Assessment, (WPLCHA), Water Technology/Melbourne Water, September 2015. http://www.seccca.org.au/project/western-port-local-coastal-hazard-assessment/ Whilst the CRCP applies to all of the Port Phillip and Western Port coastlines, it does contain some very specific references that apply to Western Port. In referring to the 2014 Victorian Coastal Policy as its source document, the chairs foreword states that the CRCP is based on the former’s hierarchy of principles, which clearly state, “protecting the natural environment” as a key goal along with “protecting significant coastal and marine ecosystems and habitats.” What is especially relevant is under the heading of “Coastal Processes and Climate Change,” the CRCP quotes the WPLCHA as a case study. The importance of this document is further highlighted via the Ramsar Plan. Under the heading “Management Strategies and responsible organisations related to living with Climate Change” at 2.1, it states: “Implement the recommendations of the WLCHA,” it then goes on to quote specific points to achieve the above. Under the same main heading but at 2.3, it states: “Investigate the risk with and potential mitigation strategies, for climate change impacts to the ecological character of the Ramsar site.” Of the three reports, perhaps the Ramsar Plan is the most important overarching document of all, in that Western Port fulfils six of the nine criteria required for a site to be listed under the Ramsar Convention. Tidal flows, dredging, and erosion Tidal flows in Western Port are unique. The deep wide entrance on the western side allows large volumes of water to enter Western Port. It has spring tides of three metres, twice a day. Swells from the deep water of Bass Strait’s incoming south- westerly tides dissipate on Middle Bank to the west of French Island, and Tortoise Head on the western extremity of French Island. The eastern entrance between Newhaven and San Remo has a tidal stream of 6–8 knots (11–15 kph). These tidal movements define the current Western Port ecosystem, beaches and land mass. The Port of Hastings is not a natural deepwater port. To establish the Port of Hastings, the North Arm of Westernport Bay was first dredged in 1964 to allow commercial shipping free passage to wharf developments on the western shoreline. This dredging involved the removal of 1.5 million cubic metres of seabed from an area of 85.4 hectares (Ministry for Conservation, 1975). 5 Preserve Western Port Action Group Submission. January 2017 More than 384,000 cubic metres of seafloor was removed during dredging works at Crib Point in 1966, and all spoil was dumped in the North Arm channel off Tankerton, French Island. Dredging at Long Island Point was completed in 1969 and most of the 450,000 cubic metres of spoil was dumped into mangroves