Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) wants input from the Gippsland community as it prepares to conduct its regular review of licences for brown coal-fired power stations in the region.
EPA is reviewing the licences of three brown coal-fired power stations – AGL Loy Yang A, IPM Loy Yang B and Energy Australia Yallourn – as part of its periodic licence review program.
Power stations in Victoria must operate under an Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) licence and ensure strict emission limits are adhered to or face prosecution for breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1970
To obtain a licence, power station operators must go through an EPA approvals process which requires an air quality assessment to ensure they meet accepted environmental criteria designed to protect sensitive receptors such as residents, agriculture and ecosystems
EPA conducts periodic reviews of these licences and can make changes to the licence conditions.
“Initially we want to hear from those representative community groups* that have expressed opinions in the past as well as larger state and national groups like Environment Victoria,” said EPA Gippsland Manager, Stephen Lansdell.
“As part of this review, EPA already intends that all the three brown coal fired power stations licences will have limits for oxides of nitrogen (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), mercury (Hg) (new), coarse particles (PM10) and fine particles (PM2.5) (currently just total particles) to comply with the State Environment Protection Policy (Air Quality Management).”
The closing date for public submissions through one of the groups is 11 February 2018.
“This is a good opportunity to voice any concerns and EPA encourages all Gippslanders to get involved,” said Mr Lansdell.
To find out more visit
http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/our-work/licences-and-approvals/improving-the-system/licensing-improvement/brown-coal-fired-power-stations-licence-reviews
*Groups invited to make submissions:
1. Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand
2. Climate and Health Alliance
3. Doctors of the Environment Australia
4. Environment Victoria
5. Environmental Justice Australia
6. Gippsland Trades & Labour Council Inc
7. Healthy Futures
8. Latrobe City Council
9. Latrobe Valley air monitoring co-design
10. Latrobe Valley Sustainability Group
11. Voices of the Valley
EPA will shortly make available a mechanism for individual members of the public to have their say.