Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Project Environmental Impact Statement Volume 4 October 2014 Technical Paper 3 Strategy) Paper 3 – Ecological Impact Assessment (with associated Biodiversity Offset Technical Ecological Impact Assessment (with associated Biodiversity Offset Strategy) Contents of the EIS EIS Summary Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 2 – Site context and environmental values Chapter 3 – Strategic context and need for the Project Chapter 4 – Planning and statutory requirements TECHNICAL PAPERS Chapter 5 – Stakeholder and community consultation Chapter 6 – Project development and alternatives EIS Volume 3 Chapter 7 – Project built form and operations Chapter 8 – Project development phasing and construction 1 – Traffic and Transport Impact Assessment VOLUME 1a Chapter 9 – Project sustainability 2 – Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Chapter 10 – Impact assessment approach Chapter 11 – Traffic, transport and access EIS Volume 4 Chapter 12 – Noise and vibration 3 – Ecological Impact Assessment (with Chapter 13 – Biodiversity associated Biodiversity Offset Strategy) Chapter 14 – Hazards and risks 4 – Preliminary Risk Assessment Chapter 15 – Contamination and soils EIS Volume 5a 5 – Environmental Site Assessment (Phase 2) Chapter 16 – Hydrology, groundwater and water quality Chapter 17 – Local air quality Chapter 18 – Regional air quality EIS Volume 5b Chapter 19 – Greenhouse gas assessment 5 – Environmental Site Assessment (Phase 2) Chapter 20 – Aboriginal heritage Appendices C to F Chapter 21 – European heritage Chapter 22 – Visual and urban design EIS Volume 6 Chapter 23 – Property and infrastructure 6 – Surface Water Assessment Chapter 24 – Social and economic impacts VOLUME 1b 7 – Local Air Quality Impact Assessment Chapter 25 – Human health risks and impacts 8 – Regional Air Quality Impact Assessment Chapter 26 – Waste and resource management 9 – Greenhouse Gas Assessment Chapter 27 – Cumulative impacts Chapter 28 – Environmental management framework Chapter 29 – Environmental risk analysis EIS Volume 7 Chapter 30 – Project justification and conclusions 10 – Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment Chapter 31 – References EIS Volume 8 Appendix A – EIS Project team 11 – European Heritage Impact Assessment Appendix B – EIS guidelines and requirements 12 – Visual Impact Assessment Appendix C – Compliance with the Georges River REP principles Appendix D – Consultation information, materials and outcomes Appendix E – MCA criteria relating to Project objectives EIS Volume 9 Appendix F – Layouts of shortlisted Project alternatives 13 – Light Spill Impact Assessment Appendix G – Peer review endorsement letters 14 – Social Impact Assessment Appendix H – Provisional EMPs 15 – Human Health Risk Assessment VOLUME 2 Appendix I – Environmental record of Proponent 16 – Health Impact Assessment Appendix J – Compliance with Schedule 1, Part 1 and 2 of the (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 Appendix K – Tenure history of the Project site Contents VOLUME 1A – MAIN VOLUME Declaration Glossary and abbreviations Executive summary Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Site context and environmental values Chapter 3 Strategic context and need for the Project Chapter 4 Planning and statutory requirements Chapter 5 Stakeholder and community consultation Chapter 6 Project development and alternatives Chapter 7 Project built form and operations Chapter 8 Project development phasing and construction Chapter 9 Project sustainability Chapter 10 Impact assessment approach Chapter 11 Traffic, transport and access Chapter 12 Noise and vibration Chapter 13 Biodiversity Chapter 14 Hazards and risks Chapter 15 Contamination and soils VOLUME 1B – MAIN VOLUME Chapter 16 Hydrology, groundwater and water quality Chapter 17 Local air quality Chapter 18 Regional air quality Chapter 19 Greenhouse gas assessment Chapter 20 Aboriginal heritage Chapter 21 European heritage Chapter 22 Visual and urban design Chapter 23 Property and infrastructure Chapter 24 Social and economic impacts Chapter 25 Human health risks and impacts Chapter 26 Waste and resource management Parsons Brinckerhoff i Chapter 27 Cumulative impacts Chapter 28 Environmental management framework Chapter 29 Environmental risk analysis Chapter 30 Project justification and conclusions Chapter 31 References VOLUME 2 – APPENDICES Appendix A EIS Project team Appendix B EIS guidelines and requirements Appendix C Compliance with the Georges River Regional Environment Plan (REP) principles Appendix D Consultation information, materials and outcomes Appendix E MCA criteria relating to Project objectives Appendix F Layouts of shortlisted Project alternatives Appendix G Peer review endorsements Appendix H Provisional EMPs Appendix I Environmental record of Proponent Appendix J Compliance with Schedule 1, Part 1 and 2 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (NSW) Appendix K Tenure history of the Project site VOLUME 3 Technical Paper 1 Traffic and Transport Impact Assessment Technical Paper 2 Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment VOLUME 4 Technical Paper 3 Ecological Impact Assessment (with associated Biodiversity Offset Strategy) Technical Paper 4 Preliminary Risk Assessment VOLUME 5A Technical Paper 5 Environment Site Assessment (Phase 2) Parsons Brinckerhoff ii VOLUME 5B Technical Paper 5 Environment Site Assessment (Phase 2) – Appendices C-F VOLUME 6 Technical Paper 6 Surface Water Assessment Technical Paper 7 Local Air Quality Impact Assessment Technical Paper 8 Regional Air Quality Impact Assessment Technical Paper 9 Greenhouse Gas Assessment VOLUME 7 Technical Paper 10 Aboriginal Heritage Impact Assessment VOLUME 8 Technical Paper 11 European Heritage Impact Assessment Technical Paper 12 Visual Impact Assessment VOLUME 9 Technical Paper 13 Light Spill Impact Assessment Technical Paper 14 Social Impact Assessment Technical Paper 15 Human Health Risk Assessment Technical Paper 16 Health Impact Assessment Parsons Brinckerhoff iii Moorebank Intermodal Terminal – Ecological Impact Assessment September 2014 Moorebank Intermodal Company Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia Pty Limited ABN 80 078 004 798 Level 27, Ernst & Young Centre 680 George Street Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 5394 Sydney NSW 2001 Australia Telephone +61 2 9272 5100 Facsimile +61 2 9272 5101 Email [email protected] Certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS/NZS 4801 2103829A-PR-4550-RevI A+ GRI Rating: Sustainability Report 2009 Moorebank Intermodal Terminal - Ecological Impact Assessment Contents Page number Glossary ix 1. Project overview 1 1.1 Rail access options and layouts 2 1.2 Indicative Project development phasing 2 1.3 Road access to the site 3 1.4 Conservation area 3 1.5 Planning and environmental approvals 3 2. Scope and methodology 11 2.1 Environmental impact assessment requirements 11 2.2 Biodiversity impact assessment 13 2.3 Nomenclature 13 2.4 Study team 14 2.5 Desktop study 14 2.6 Field investigation 16 2.6.1 Field investigations on the IMT site 16 2.6.2 Field investigations of the rail access options 17 2.6.3 Botanical survey 17 2.6.4 Vegetation ecological integrity classification 18 2.6.5 Fauna survey 20 2.6.6 Fauna habitat assessment 26 2.6.7 Field survey limitations 29 2.7 Ecological integrity classification 30 2.7.1 High value 30 2.7.2 Moderate value 32 2.7.3 Low value 32 2.8 Threatened species likelihood-of-occurrence assessment 32 3. Existing environment 35 3.1.1.1 Connectivity 36 3.2 Ecological characteristics of the rail access options 37 3.2.1 Northern rail access option 37 3.2.2 Central rail access option 38 3.2.3 Southern rail access option 38 3.3 Ecological characteristics of the IMT site 44 3.3.1 Vegetation communities 44 3.3.2 Field verified vegetation communities on the IMT site 44 3.4 Species of plant recorded in the Project site 51 PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF 2103829A-PR-4550-RevI Page iii Moorebank Intermodal Terminal - Ecological Impact Assessment Contents (Continued) Page number 3.5 Threatened species of plant 51 3.5.1 Threatened species of plant on the IMT site 51 3.5.2 Habitat potential for threatened species of plant in the rail access option locations55 3.6 Noxious and nationally significant weeds 56 3.7 Species of animal recorded in the Project site 57 3.8 Terrestrial fauna habitats and threatened animal species 57 3.8.1 Threatened species of animal 57 3.8.2 Terrestrial fauna habitats and threatened animal species on the IMT site 58 3.8.3 Terrestrial fauna habitats and threatened animal species at the rail access locations 63 3.9 Migratory species 74 3.10 Aquatic fauna habitats and Threatened animal species 75 3.10.2 Groundwater dependent ecosystems 77 4. Potential impacts on biodiversity 79 4.1 Early Works impacts 80 4.2 Construction impacts 81 4.2.1 Direct impacts 81 4.2.2 Indirect impacts 86 4.3 Operational impacts 92 4.3.1 Direct impacts 92 4.3.2 Indirect impacts 92 4.4 Key threatening processes 93 4.5 Cumulative impacts 98 4.6 Summary of key impacts on threatened species of animals and plants 101 4.6.1 Impacts on threatened species of plant 101 4.6.2 Impacts on threatened species of animal 103 5. Impact significance assessment 107 5.1 IMT site 107 5.2 Northern rail access option 107 5.3 Central rail access option 108 5.4 Southern rail access option 108 PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF 2103829A-PR-4550-RevI Page iv Moorebank Intermodal Terminal - Ecological Impact Assessment Contents (Continued) Page number 6. Management and mitigation 119 6.1 Avoidance of impacts on ecological values 119 6.1.1 Site selection 119 6.1.2 Planning 120 6.2 Mitigation 121 6.2.1 Management of the mitigation