Draft Review of Environmental Factors Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project REF - 333 NIG - 12757 Version 0.4 10 Mar 2021 Review of Environmental Factors Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project ◄ Document control Document status DRAFT Document suite Environment Release authority James Hart Release date 10 Mar 2021 Security classification UNCLASSIFIED Proposal name Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project Proposed activity Construct, operate and maintain an underground 132kV cable and spare conduits between the Bunnerong Subtransmission Switching Substation and the Maroubra Substation. Decommission existing fluid filled cables between Bunnerong Subtransmission Switching Substation and Maroubra Substation Document code REF – 333 Network investment governance NIG – 12757 Work breakdown structure WBS – SJ-00265 & SI-00301 Proponent name Ausgrid Operator Partnership, trading as Ausgrid Proponent address 24-28 Campbell St, Sydney NSW 2000 REF Prepared by Dan Halton Title Environmental Officer Qualifications Bachelor of Environmental Science HPRM reference 2020/3114/1 Disclaimer This document shall remain the property of Ausgrid. The document may only be used for the purposes for which it was commissioned. Unauthorised use of this document in any form whatsoever is prohibited. The review of environmental factors is based on information provided to the author, including the scope of works as outlined in the proposal description. The review of environmental factors is provided strictly on the basis that information provided for its preparation can be relied on and is accurate, complete and adequate. Contact: T: (02) 9394 6659 F: (02) 9394 6662 E: [email protected] Ausgrid ABN 78 508 211 731 24-28 Campbell Street Sydney NSW 2000 REF - 333 NIG - 12757 v0.4 10 Mar 2021 UNCLASSIFIED Page ii Review of Environmental Factors Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project ◄ Document history REF revision history Version Date Nature of revision 0.1 22/01/2020 New issue – for internal discussion and comment 0.2 07/04/2020 Draft inclusive of project team comments and specialist investigations including EMF, Arborist and Geotech. Consultation also updated. 0.3 29/10/2020 Final draft inclusive of additional project team comments prior to publishing for consultation. Project placed on hold. 0.4 10/03/2021 Amendment of appendices, related projects, modifications to construction noise impact assessment and addition of a complaints handling procedure. 0.5 1.0 REF - 333 NIG - 12757 v0.4 10 Mar 2021 UNCLASSIFIED Page iii Review of Environmental Factors Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project ◄ Contents Glossary ...................................................................................................................... 7 Executive summary .................................................................................................. 12 The proposal ........................................................................................................ 12 Background and need .......................................................................................... 12 Proposal alternatives ............................................................................................ 13 Statutory planning and legislation ......................................................................... 13 Environmental impact assessment ....................................................................... 13 Proposal justification and conclusions .................................................................. 13 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 15 1.1 Purpose of the review of environmental factors ......................................... 15 1.2 The proposal ............................................................................................. 15 1.3 Background and need ............................................................................... 17 1.4 Related projects ........................................................................................ 17 1.5 Study area ................................................................................................ 18 1.6 Description of the proposal ....................................................................... 19 1.7 Physical structures .................................................................................... 20 1.8 Construction activities ............................................................................... 20 1.9 Operation and maintenance requirements ................................................ 26 2 Consultation ....................................................................................................... 28 2.1 Overview ................................................................................................... 28 2.2 Statutory notification requirements ............................................................ 28 2.3 Community consultation ............................................................................ 35 3 Investigation of alternatives for the proposal .................................................. 42 3.1 Assessing alternative options .................................................................... 42 3.2 Do nothing ................................................................................................ 42 3.3 Demand management .............................................................................. 42 3.4 Network options ........................................................................................ 42 3.5 Route options............................................................................................ 43 3.6 Preferred route option ............................................................................... 46 4 Environmental legislation .................................................................................. 47 4.1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 .................................. 47 4.2 State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 ........................ 47 4.3 State Environmental Planning Policy (Coastal Management) 2018 ........... 48 4.4 Vegetation Clearing SEPPs ...................................................................... 48 4.5 State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 ......................................................................................................... 48 4.6 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 .............. 48 4.7 Electricity Supply Act 1995 ........................................................................ 49 4.8 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 .................................. 49 4.9 Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 ........................................................... 49 4.10 Summary of legislative requirements ........................................................ 50 5 Environmental assessment ............................................................................... 54 5.1 Land use ................................................................................................... 54 5.2 Climate change ......................................................................................... 55 REF - 333 NIG - 12757 v0.4 10 Mar 2021 UNCLASSIFIED Page iv Review of Environmental Factors Matraville to Maroubra Cable Project ◄ 5.3 Electric and magnetic fields ...................................................................... 58 5.4 Noise and vibration ................................................................................... 64 5.5 Air quality .................................................................................................. 70 5.6 Hydrology ................................................................................................. 72 5.7 Geology and soil ....................................................................................... 75 5.8 Contamination ........................................................................................... 76 5.9 Waste ....................................................................................................... 79 5.10 Flora and fauna ......................................................................................... 82 5.11 Bushfire .................................................................................................... 85 5.12 Aboriginal heritage .................................................................................... 87 5.13 Non-Aboriginal heritage ............................................................................ 88 5.14 Visual and aesthetics ................................................................................ 90 5.15 Traffic and access ..................................................................................... 94 5.16 Social and economic ................................................................................. 96 5.17 Cumulative impact .................................................................................... 97 6 Consideration of environmental factors ......................................................... 100 6.1 Clause 228 factors .................................................................................. 100 6.2 Matters of national environmental significance ........................................ 101 6.3 Ecologically sustainable development ..................................................... 101 7 Summary of impacts .......................................................................................