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Council holds urgent talks with Gippsland Water

Wellington Shire Council has held urgent talks with Gippsland Water representatives over the authority’s sudden push to get Works Approval for Stage 3 of the proposed Soil and Organic Recycling Facility (SORF) at Dutson Downs.

By Wellington Shire Council - 30th September 2005 - Back to News

Wellington’s Chief Executive Officer Lyndon Webb stressed the need for immediate consultation.

"We have called on Gippsland Water representatives to undertake the early release of clear, simple and easy-to-understand information about Stage 3 of the project.

"What we are seeking is the urgent provision to the community of `plain English’ information on:

  • The materials to be treated in Stage 3;
  • The processes to be used and their potential impacts; and
  • Where the material will come from.

"In addition to that, the Council and the community need to know how this material is going to be transported through the Shire and where it is coming from."

"The importance of Gippsland having its own treatment plant is recognized by the Council to ensure that businesses and industry in the area are not held back through the lack of that sort of facility, but there is concern because the treatment plant could be used for a much wider area than Gippsland and this needs to be clearly outlined."

Mr Webb said the need for a comprehensive communication strategy to inform community groups and obtain input for Stage 3 was discussed at the meeting.

He said the Council representatives had also requested that Gippsland Water provide a much longer timeframe for comment than it is presently providing.

"They’ve told us they are planning to lodge a Works Approval Application for Stage 3 in just four weeks and we know that the basic consultation time allowed by the EPA for comment is three weeks.

"Our preference is to see a much longer period of consultation provided and, if necessary, the lodgement of the Works Approval application to the EPA deferred to allow time to ensure the community is fully informed.

"We pointed this out but Gippsland Water representatives advised us that their Board wants to have the Works Approval lodged by the end of October because of concerns about it running into Christmas.

"So with only seven weeks available for consultation, the community is going to need to be on its toes and obtain information from Gippsland Water offices or check out the authority’s website to see what is going on."

The Council has requested Gippsland Water to urgently provide easy-to-understand pamphlets for us to place in Wellington Shire libraries and service centres."

Mr Webb said the general feeling of the meeting was that Gippsland Water representatives took on board the Council’s concerns, which were made on behalf of the community.

"We expect Gippsland Water will now increase its efforts to make their information accessible and easier to understand."

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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