Environment Effects Act 1978 Pipelines Act 2005 Inquiry and Panel Report Golden Beach Gas Project 2 March 2021 Environment Effects Act 1978 Pipelines Act 2005 Inquiry Report pursuant to section 9(1) of the Environment Effects Act 1978 Panel Report pursuant to section 47 of the Pipelines Act 2005 Golden Beach Gas Project 2 March 2021 Nick Wimbush, Chair Sarah Carlisle, Deputy Chair Trevor Blake, Member Sandra Brizga, Member Golden Beach Gas Project Inquiry and Panel Report 2 March 2021 Contents Page PART A: BACKGROUND ................................................................................................... 1 1 The Project ............................................................................................................ 2 1.1 The Project............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Project approvals ................................................................................................... 2 1.3 The CarbonNet Project .......................................................................................... 3 1.4 The requirement for an EES .................................................................................. 3 1.5 Referral under the EPBC Act .................................................................................. 4 1.6 Exhibition and submissions ................................................................................... 4 1.7 Appointment of the Inquiry and Panel .................................................................. 5 2 The Inquiry process ................................................................................................ 6 2.1 The role of the Inquiry ........................................................................................... 6 2.2 The role of the Panel ............................................................................................. 6 2.3 Site visit ................................................................................................................. 7 2.4 Requests for information ...................................................................................... 7 2.5 The submitter conference ..................................................................................... 8 2.6 The Inquiry’s approach .......................................................................................... 8 2.7 Limitations ............................................................................................................. 9 3 Relevant policy and legislation ............................................................................. 10 3.1 The Victorian gas market ..................................................................................... 10 3.2 Policy framework ................................................................................................. 10 3.3 Legislative framework ......................................................................................... 11 3.4 Sustainable development principles ................................................................... 15 3.5 The Code of Environmental Practice for Onshore Pipelines ............................... 16 PART B: ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ................................................... 17 4 Terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity ................................................................. 18 4.1 The issues ............................................................................................................ 18 4.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 18 4.3 Vegetation loss .................................................................................................... 20 4.4 Effects on threatened flora species..................................................................... 24 4.5 Effects on threatened fauna species ................................................................... 28 4.6 Effects of the Lake Reeve Crossing ...................................................................... 31 4.7 Effects on the coastal environment .................................................................... 33 4.8 Offsets to compensate for project impacts ........................................................ 35 5 Marine environment ............................................................................................ 37 5.1 The issues ............................................................................................................ 37 5.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 37 5.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 38 5.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 43 5.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 44 5.6 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................... 45 6 Aboriginal cultural heritage .................................................................................. 47 6.1 The issue .............................................................................................................. 47 6.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 47 6.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 47 Page i of xviii Golden Beach Gas Project Inquiry and Panel Report 2 March 2021 6.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 48 6.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 49 6.6 Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 49 7 Contamination and acid sulfate soils .................................................................... 51 7.1 The issues ............................................................................................................ 51 7.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 51 7.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 52 7.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 53 7.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 55 7.6 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................... 55 8 Landscape and visual ........................................................................................... 57 8.1 The issue .............................................................................................................. 57 8.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 57 8.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 58 8.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 59 8.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 60 8.6 Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 61 9 Noise and vibration .............................................................................................. 62 9.1 The issues ............................................................................................................ 62 9.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 62 9.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 63 9.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 65 9.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 66 9.6 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................... 68 10 Groundwater ....................................................................................................... 70 10.1 The issues ............................................................................................................ 70 10.2 Relevant considerations ...................................................................................... 70 10.3 The EES ................................................................................................................ 71 10.4 Submissions ......................................................................................................... 74 10.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................ 75 10.6 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................... 77