You have until 5:00pm on Wednesday 24 October 2018 to email submissions against the AGL Gas Import Jetty Project and APA Crib Point to Pakenham Gas Pipeline.

Submissions must be emailed to: epbc.referrals@environment.gov.au.

You can also post your submission to:

Referrals Gateway
Environment Assessment Branch
Department of the Environment
GPO Box 787
Canberra, ACT 2601

It is important that you include the project reference number: The AGL Gas Import Jetty Project reference is 2018/8298.
The APA Crib Point to Pakenham Gas Pipeline reference is 2018/8297.

We have published a complete guide on how to make an EPBC submission that explains it as simply as we can so people can make an effort to meet the deadline, coming this Wednesday, October 24th.  There’s not much time.  We’ve added some more information below based upon some questions people have been asking lately about submission ideas.

If the EPBC Act is new to you, stands for the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the government has a complete EPBC website which describe the act itself and the processes involved in enforcing and reviewing referrals.

Your EPBC Act submission must address each project separately, one submission for AGL and one submission for APA.

Remember: You don’t have to submit a 20-page document, every submission counts!

Your submission should detail how specific aspects of the AGL and/or APA proposal are “likely” to have a “significant impact” on Matters of National Environmental Significance described under the EPBC Act. These matters are:

  1. Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance (e.g. Westernport Bay)
  2. Listed Threatened Species and Communities (e.g. Southern Right Whales, Humpback Whales and threatened Westernport bird species, such as Fairy Terns, Far Eastern Curlew, Curlew Sandpipers, etc.)
  3. Listed Migratory Species (e.g. 30 species of shorebirds, which migrate from Siberia to Westernport each summer. These include the CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Curlew Sandpiper and Far Eastern Curlew.)

The significant impacts could include the effects of the FSRU pumping out 450 million litres of cold, chlorinated water each day:

  • chlorine and bromine discharge from the FSRU, which accumulates in the foodchain;
  • cold-water discharge from the FSRU, with impact on breeding fish and squid, seagrass and mangroves;
  • potential entrainment (entrapment) of sealife in the seawater intake.

Other effects could be:

  • ship strike and underwater noise impacts on whales;
  • light and noise pollution, etc.;
  • the affect of spills, accidents and washdown of chemicals from the ship decks;
  • introduction of marine pests, such as the Northern Pacific Sea Star.

You can also include in your submission the “record of the company in keeping environmental regulations”. AGL has a terrible record of not keeping environmental laws, See the “AGL Fines Summary” at the bottom of our AGL page.

There are also letter templates to help you with your submissions on our EPBC submission guide page.

p.s.  You can also send your EPBC Act submission to Greg Hunt MP at: Greg.Hunt.MP@aph.gov.au

The Federal Environment Minister Melissa Price MP also has a contact form on her site for you to contact her.

Good luck!