SECTION 2.4 – IS THE PROPOSED ACTION LIKELY TO HAVE ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT IMPACTS ON THE MEMBERS OF ANY LISTED SPECIES OR ANY THREATENED ECOLOGY COMMUNITY, OR THEIR HABITAT? The desktop and likelihood assessment identified several threatened species or threatened ecological communities (TECs) listed under the EPBC Act that would have a high or moderate likelihood of occurring within the proposal study area and may be directly or indirectly impacted by the proposal. The potential direct or indirect impacts on these species are summarised in the table below. A more detailed assessment for each threatened species and TEC likely to occur against the Matters of National Environmental Significance Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act is provided in Appendix A. Table 1 Potential Impacts to listed threatened species or ecological communities, or their habitat SPECIES OR THREATENED IMPACT ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) The proposed action has the potential to clear approximately 6.7 ha of this EEC with Grassy Woodlands and Derived potential to also fragment the community and introduce invasive weeds. Native Grasslands of South-eastern This potential impact area was calculated using a preliminary development footprint Australia listed Endangered under (refer to Section 1.6) and broadscale mapping (OEH, Riverina, Central West/Lachlan the EPBC Act. and Western Region) with limited field verified vegetation mapping. The final impact area is subject to change through design refinement and field verification of the extent of this TEC through further field surveys in 2020 and 2021. The final impact area will be confirmed as part of the EIS. This community occurs in between Wagga Wagga and Urana, occurring as small scattered remnants within the proposal study area and the locality. The proposed action is likely to fragment this community and reduce the extent within the locality. Where possible, the clearing of this community would be minimised through design refinement and mitigation measures, as recommended in the EIS, such as weed control. However, despite these mitigation measures, the proposed action is expected to result in a reduction in the extent of this TEC within the locality and may marginally increase fragmentation at the local scale. Therefore, it is possible that the proposed action may have a significant impact on Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands in the locality. Further information on potential impacts on this EEC is provided in Chapter 4 of Attachment 3, including a significance assessment for this EEC against the Matters of National Environmental Significance Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act (2013). Level 27, 680 George Street Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 5394 Sydney NSW 2001 Tel: +61 2 9272 5100 Fax: +61 2 9272 5101 www.wsp.com EnergyConnect (NSW – Eastern Section) – EPBC Referral Attachment 3 | Page 1 SPECIES OR THREATENED IMPACT ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY Weeping Myall Woodlands listed as The proposed action may result in potential clearing of approximately 30.3 ha of Endangered under the EPBC Act Weeping Myall Woodlands as well as potential fragmentation and the introduction of invasive weeds. This potential impact area was calculated using a preliminary development footprint (refer to Section 1.6) and broadscale mapping (OEH, Riverina, Central West/Lachlan and Western Region) with limited field verified vegetation mapping. The final impact area is subject to change through design refinement and field verification of the extent of this TEC through further field surveys in 2020 and 2021. The final impact area will be confirmed as part of the EIS. This community occurs in between Urana and Oolambeyan National Park, occurring as scattered remnants within proposal study area and the locality. The proposed action is likely to fragment this community and reduce the extent within the locality. Where possible, the clearing of this community would be minimised through design refinement and mitigation measures, as recommended in the EIS, such as weed control. However, despite these mitigation measures, the proposed action is expected to result in a reduction in the extent of this TEC within the locality and may marginally increase fragmentation at the local scale. Therefore, it is possible that the proposed action may have a significant impact on Weeping Myall Woodlands. Further information on potential impacts on this EEC is provided in Chapter 4 of Attachment 3 including a significance assessment for this EEC against the Matters of National Environmental Significance Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act (2013). White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's The proposed action may result in potential clearing of approximately 1.3 ha of this Red Gum Grassy Woodland and community and introduction of invasive weeds. Derived Native Grassland - listed This potential impact area was calculated using a preliminary development footprint Critically Endangered under the (refer to Section 1.6) and broadscale mapping (OEH, Riverina, Central West/Lachlan EPBC Act. and Western Region) with limited field verified vegetation mapping. The final impact area is subject to change through design refinement and field verification of the extent of this TEC through further field surveys in 2020 and 2021. The final impact area will be confirmed as part of the EIS. The proposed action would result in a small reduction of the extent of the Box-Gum Woodlands within the proposal study area. Additionally, mitigation measures would be recommended in the EIS and implemented during construction to minimise the impact on this TEC. For these reasons, the proposed action is considered unlikely to have a significant impact on this community. Further information on potential impacts on this EEC is provided in Chapter 4 of Attachment 3 including a significance assessment for this EEC against the Matters of National Environmental Significance Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act (2013). EnergyConnect (NSW – Eastern Section) – EPBC Referral Attachment 3 | Page 2 SPECIES OR THREATENED IMPACT ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY Plains Wanderer listed Critically The proposed action may result in potential removal of suitable grassland habitat in Endangered under the EPBC Act. areas where this species has been mapped as likely to occur. This species has records within the proposal study area and the locality, to the south of Oolambeyan National Park. The National Recovery Plan (DoE & DEWNR, 2016) for the Plains Wanderer identified that habitat critical to the survival of the species includes any region where the species is mapped as likely to occur. These mapped areas are within the proposal study area and align where records are most dense. Further field surveys and detailed habitat assessments will be undertaken in 2020 and 2021 to locate any populations present and verify the quality of potential foraging and breeding habitat that may occur within the proposal study area. The results of this additional survey and assessment would be provided in the EIS. Where possible, the clearing of large tracts of suitable grassland habitat would be avoided through design refinement and implementation of mitigation measures. However, without further survey, a precautionary approach should be applied and given the proposed action may affect mapped areas where this species is known to occur, the proposed action may have a significant impact on Plains Wanderer populations in this area. Further information on potential impacts on this species (and the ones below) is provided in Chapter 4 of Attachment 3, including an assessment for the species against the Matters of National Environmental Significance Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act. EnergyConnect (NSW – Eastern Section) – EPBC Referral Attachment 3 | Page 3 SPECIES OR THREATENED IMPACT ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY Superb Parrot listed Vulnerable The proposed action may result in clearing of foraging habitat as well the removal of under the EPBC Act. possible hollow bearing trees (roosting and breeding habitat) in the Riverina. This species was recorded during preliminary ecological surveys within the proposal study area. This species is known to occur within the locality, specifically from Coleambally to Wagga Wagga and utilise available habitat for foraging and breeding. There are three main breeding sites that have been identified for this species under the Saving our Species Strategy in NSW. None of these breeding sites are located within the proposal study area. However, one is located just outside the proposal study area, mapped along the Murrumbidgee River, between Wagga Wagga and Toganmain Station. The species is only known to forage up to 10 km from nesting sites. The proposed action may impact on foraging habitat within 10 km of this known breeding site, the Murrumbidgee River, which should be assessed as critical foraging habitat for any breeding birds. Where possible, the clearing of suitable habitat would be minimised through design refinement and mitigation measures. Mitigation measures would be recommended within the EIS such as pre-clearing surveys of potential habitat to identify, and where possible avoid, any active nests Without further survey of population numbers, breeding activity, and knowledge of how this species is using the habitat within the proposal study area, a precautionary approach should be taken. As such, the proposed action may have a significant impact on the Superb Parrot. Regent Parrot listed Vulnerable The proposed action may result