ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT SECTION 38 REFERRAL NEWMAN TO ROY HILL TRANSMISSION LINE ALINTA ENERGY TRANSMISSION (ROY HILL) February, 2013 This page has been intentionally left blank CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 2 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 2 2.1 Proponent Details .................................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Proposal ................................................................................................................................... 3 3 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Physical Environment ............................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Proposal Area........................................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Study Area .............................................................................................................................. 10 3.4 Biological Environment .......................................................................................................... 11 3.5 Conservation Areas ................................................................................................................ 18 3.6 Social Environment ................................................................................................................ 18 4 PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 19 4.1 Proposed Development .......................................................................................................... 19 4.2 Vegetation Clearing Requirements ........................................................................................ 20 4.3 Timeline ................................................................................................................................. 21 5 POTENTIAL IMPACTS ...................................................................................................... 22 5.1 Flora and Vegetation ............................................................................................................. 22 5.2 Fauna ..................................................................................................................................... 23 5.3 Secondary Aspects and Impacts ............................................................................................ 27 5.4 Environmental Protection Act Principles ............................................................................... 28 6 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ....................................................................................... 30 6.1 Government Agencies ............................................................................................................ 30 6.2 Community & Surrounding Land Users .................................................................................. 30 6.3 Mining Companies ................................................................................................................. 31 6.4 EPA Pre‐Referral Briefing ....................................................................................................... 35 7 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................. 37 8 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 38 List of Tables Table 1. Proponent details ..................................................................................................................... 2 Table 2. Land tenure intersecting the Proposal Area ............................................................................ 6 Table 3. Summary of vegetation conditions (Van Vreeswyk et al, 2004) .............................................. 8 Table 4. Pilbara Pre‐European vegetation extents .............................................................................. 12 Table 5. Priority flora recorded in Study Area ..................................................................................... 14 Table 6. Estimated clearing requirements for the Proposal ................................................................ 21 Table 7. Major Proposal milestones and timeframes .......................................................................... 21 Table 8. Anticipated impact to habitat for known or potential resident Priority Fauna as categorised by DEC .................................................................................................................................... 25 Table 9. Anticipated impact to habitat for other known or potential resident fauna of conservation significance ............................................................................................................................ 26 Table 10. Ancillary environmental aspects of the Proposal ................................................................. 27 Table 11. Proposal relationship to EP Act Principles ............................................................................ 28 Table 12. Summary of engagement with land interests and other interests ...................................... 32 Table 13. Summary of engagement with regulators ........................................................................... 34 Table 14. Transmission line alignment rationale ................................................................................. 35 Table 15. Estimated vegetation clearing and rehabilitation area ........................................................ 36 List of Figures Figure 1. Proposal location .................................................................................................................... 5 Appendices Appendix 1 ‐ EPA Referral Form Appendix 2 ‐ Newman‐Roy Hill Transmission Line Survey Report Appendix 3 ‐ Newman‐Roy Hill Transmission Line Desktop Assessment Appendix 4 ‐ Roy Hill 1 Vegetation and Flora Assessment Appendix 5 ‐ Roy Hill 1 Infrastructure Flora Assessment Attachments Attachment 1 ‐ Alignment detail – Map 1 Attachment 2 ‐ Alignment detail – Map 2 Attachment 3 ‐ Alignment detail – Map 3 Attachment 4 ‐ Land systems Attachment 5 ‐ Proposal Area vs. Study Area – Map 1 Attachment 6 ‐ Proposal Area vs. Study Area – Map 2 Attachment 7 ‐ IBRA subregions Attachment 8 ‐ Ecoscape Study Area Attachment 9 ‐ Eremophila pilosa recorded locations Attachment 10 ‐ Mining Act tenure across Proposal Area Section 38 Referral – Supporting Information Document Alinta Energy Transmission (Roy Hill) Pty Ltd 1 INTRODUCTION Alinta Energy Transmission (Roy Hill) Pty Ltd (AETRH) is proposing to construct a 220 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the existing Newman Power Station north through the Pilbara region of Western Australia (the Proposal). The northern terminus of the transmission line will be at a new 220 kV / 66 kV substation at the Roy Hill mine. Future proposals may seek to extend the transmission line to other customers in the region. This document is intended to support the referral of the Proposal under Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) (EP Act) and therefore describes a “Proposal” under the EP Act. It provides additional information about the Proposal, existing environment and potential impacts. It should be read together with the referral form (provided in Appendix 1). 1 | Page Section 38 Referral – Supporting Information Document Alinta Energy Transmission (Roy Hill) Pty Ltd 2 BACKGROUND 2.1 Proponent Details AETRH, a wholly‐owned subsidiary of Alinta Energy Finance Pty Ltd, was established to implement Alinta Energy’s electricity transmission strategy in respect of electricity generated at the Newman Power Station. Alinta Energy Finance Pty Ltd is the Australian parent company of a group of companies that form a specialist energy group, providing exposure to a retail energy and electricity generation asset portfolio. Alinta Energy Finance Pty Ltd is itself a subsidiary of Alinta Holdings (ARBN 148 012 471). The Alinta Energy group of companies is hereafter referred to as Alinta Energy. Alinta Energy has a portfolio of generation assets which comprises nine operating power stations, representing approximately 2,500 MW of base load, intermediate and peaking power generation. Alinta Energy also owns 100 per cent of the Alinta retail gas business, the largest gas retailer in Western Australia and has a minority interest in the Goldfields Gas Pipeline. Through its retail businesses, Alinta Energy provides gas and electricity to over 680,000 retail, small to medium enterprises and commercial and industrial customers in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia. Alinta Energy has recently entered the South Australian retail electricity market. Table 1. Proponent details Identity of the proponent: Alinta Energy Transmission (Roy Hill) Pty Ltd ACN 159 279 857 ABN 81 159 279 857 Address of the proponent: Level 11 20 Bridge Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Contact details of the proponent: Michael Riches Company Secretary Phone: (02) 9372 2615 Email: [email protected] Legal identity of the proponent: Australian propriety company, limited by shares