Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project Origin Energy Eraring Pty Ltd Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions IA193700-0100-EN-RPT-006 | 1 10 April 2019 Geotechnical Investigation - R esponse to Submissi ons Origin Energ y Eraring Pty Ltd Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project Project No: IA193700 Document Title: Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions Document No.: IA193700-0100-EN-RPT-006 Revision: 1 Date: 10 April 2019 Client Name: Origin Energy Eraring Pty Ltd Client No: Project Manager: Mike Luger Author: Thomas Muddle File Name: J:\IE\Projects\04_Eastern\IA193700\Geotech EIS\IA193700_Origin_Shoalhaven Pumped Hydro_Geotech Investigations_RtS_rev1.docx Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Limited ABN 37 001 024 095 Level 7, 177 Pacific Highway North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia PO Box 632 North Sydney NSW 2059 Australia T +61 2 9928 2100 F +61 2 9928 2444 www.jacobs.com © Copyright 2019 Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Limited. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. Limitation: This document has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of Jacobs’ client, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between Jacobs and the client. Jacobs accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of, or reliance upon, this document by any third party. Document history and status Revision Date Description By Review Approved 1 10/04/2019 Final Report form TM LB ML IA193700-0100-EN-RPT-006 i Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions Contents 1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Project Overview .............................................................................................................................. 1 3. Assessment Process ....................................................................................................................... 1 4. Submissions ..................................................................................................................................... 1 4.1 Public Feedback - Submission number 315472 ................................................................................. 2 4.2 NSW Department of Planning & Environment – Division of Resources & Geoscience, Geological Survey of New South Wales Comment .............................................................................................. 2 4.3 RMS Comments ................................................................................................................................. 2 4.4 OEH Submissions .............................................................................................................................. 4 4.4.1 Impacts to Morton National Park ........................................................................................................ 4 4.4.2 Biodiversity ......................................................................................................................................... 4 4.4.3 Heritage .............................................................................................................................................. 6 4.5 Shoalhaven Council Comment ........................................................................................................... 7 4.6 Environmental Protection Authority Comment ................................................................................... 7 4.7 Department of Industry Comment ...................................................................................................... 7 4.8 WaterNSW Comment ......................................................................................................................... 9 4.9 RFS Comment .................................................................................................................................... 9 5. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 10 Appendix A. Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project – Geotechnical Investigations Biodiversity Development Assessment Report Revision 2 IA193700-0100-EN-RPT-006 ii Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions 1. Background Origin Energy Eraring Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of Origin Energy Limited) (collectively, Origin) is the current operator of the Shoalhaven Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Scheme (the existing scheme). The existing scheme is located in the New South Wales (NSW) Southern Highlands, approximately 150km south east of Sydney. The existing scheme was commissioned in 1977 and currently has a generating capacity of 240MW. Origin now proposes to almost double the electricity generation capacity of the existing scheme with the Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project, which will provide approximately an additional 235MW of pumped storage generation capacity. Origin has completed a pre-feasibility study and is now undertaking a feasibility study for the Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project. To confirm the feasibility of the Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project, geotechnical investigations are required to provide confidence that the below ground structures can be constructed and operated safely and cost effectively. The Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project, including geotechnical investigations, was declared to be State significant infrastructure and critical State significant infrastructure (CSSI) by an amendment made to the State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 (SRD SEPP) on 14 December 2018. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Project was publicly exhibited from 22 February 2019 to 23 March 2019. This letter responds to the submissions made in relation to the Project. 2. Project Overview The geotechnical investigations are proposed on land owned by WaterNSW associated with the existing Kangaroo Valley and Bendeela Power Stations and water transfer operations. Locations 1, 2, 7 and 8 are positioned in currently cleared areas with evidence of prior ground disturbance and with existing established access tracks. Locations 3, 4 and 5 are positioned within areas previously cleared for agricultural purposes that have revegetated naturally following the exclusion of agriculture. Location 6 is within an area that appears to be have been partially cleared and subsequently naturally revegetated. Access to borehole locations 3, 4, 5 and 6 would require limited clearing of shrubs to ground level to establish approximately 500 metres of temporary access tracks up to two-metre-wide to facilitate the access of drill rigs, and daily travel of support vehicles and utility vehicles. No excavation of the ground surface would be undertaken, and large, mature vegetation and other habitat features will be avoided. 3. Assessment Process The Project was declared to be Critical SSI for the purpose of the EP&A Act on 14 December 2018. Origin lodged a State significant infrastructure application report with the Department of Planning and Environment (DP&E) on 18 December 2018 and was issued with Environmental Assessment Requirements (EARs) on 25 January 2019. In preparing the EARs, the DP&E received input from each of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Office of Environment and Heritage, WaterNSW and Shoalhaven Council. The EIS was prepared to address these EARs and was placed on public exhibition for four weeks, between 22 February 2019 and 23 March 2019, during which time submissions were invited. The submissions received were collated by the DP&E and provided to Origin for review and response. 4. Submissions The following submissions were received in relation to the Project: • Submissions, categorised as comments, were received from eight government agencies; and IA193700-0100-EN-RPT-006 1 Geotechnical Investigation - Response to Submissions • 1 submission, categorised as an objection, was received from a member of the general public. The following sections respond to each submission. 4.1 Public Feedback - Submission number 315472 One objection was received from the public during the exhibition period. This submission consists of a general objection to pumped hydro and suggested alternatives in terms of electricity generation and storage. The full submission is available at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/?action=view_submission&job_id=9816&submission_id=315472 The submission does not relate to the geotechnical investigations, and does not contain any explicit objection to the geotechnical investigations. The issues and alternatives raised will be considered as part of the main works EIS. 4.2 NSW Department of Planning & Environment – Division of Resources & Geoscience, Geological Survey of New South Wales Comment Thank you for the opportunity to provide advice on the above matter. This is a response from NSW Department of Planning & Environment – Division of Resources & Geoscience, Geological Survey of New South Wales (GSNSW). GSNSW has reviewed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shoalhaven Hydro Expansion Project within the Shoalhaven LGA. As the study area does not preclude access to known resources or exploration for future resource discovery and extraction, and there are no intended biodiversity