Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) received a works approval application from Landfill Operations P/L (a wholly owned subsidiary of Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd) to extend its Melbourne Regional Landfill at Ravenhall.

The proposal is for an extension to the existing landfill to continue receiving the same waste types, including the disposal of municipal solid waste, low-level ‘Category C’ contaminated soil and solid inert waste within part of the quarry void resulting from future Boral quarrying operations.

For older developments on this application, see the Landfilll Operations (Cleanaway) archive.

Consultation on further information received

EPA is encouraging stakeholders and members of the community to review the new information we have received on Landfill Operations’ application and provide feedback on it.

Landfill Operations provided the new information in response to a formal request from EPA. We made this request under section 22(1) of the Environment Protection Act on 7 September 2016 as part of our ongoing assessment of Cleanaway’s application.

This consultation process only relates to the works approval application and is independent of the recent planning panel hearing and Landfill Operation’s separate planning permit application.

Any updated submissions on this new information should be emailed by 8 January 2017 to works.approvals@epa.vic.gov.au or posted to Development Assessments Unit, Environment Protection Authority Victoria, GPO Box 4395, Melbourne, quoting reference SO1002191.

Further information received in response to the Section 22 notice

In response to the Section 22 notice of 7 September 2016 and subsequent discussions Landfill Operations has provided the following responses:

• information provided on 23 September 2016, comprising –
  • a cover letter (PDF 64KB)
  • a tabulated response (PDF 770KB)
  • extracts from Cleanaway’s Landfill standards operations manual on vermin and bird control (PDF 430KB)
• information provided on 9 December 2016, comprising:
  • a cover letter (PDF 110KB)
  • Appendix 1: ‘Response to hydrogeological Issues Raised by EPA Section 22 Notice of 21st October 2016 in relation to Melbourne Regional Landfill’ (PDF 640KB)
  • Appendix 2: ‘Letter to EPA – Section 22 Notice Additional Information –Groundwater Levels’ (PDF 420KB)
  • Appendix 3: ‘DRAFT Environmental Audit of Landfill Operations (s. 53V) (EPA Ref CARMS 64171-15; SO No 8004950) – Section 7 only’ (PDF 850KB)
  • Appendix 4: ‘Email to Cardno – Draft Audit Report – Melbourne Regional Landfill” (PDF 160KB)
  • Appendix 5: ‘MRL S22 Response letter – Geotechnical Stability of Sidewall batter and liner system’ (PDF 110KB)
  • Appendix 6: ‘Memorandum – Further information re Section 22 Notice Additional Information, 1528407-057-M-Rev0’ (PDF 680KB)

Landfill Operations response to the written submissions

The Section 22 notice of 7 September 2016 required Landfill Operations to respond in detail to all submissions received by Planning Panels Victoria and give EPA a schedule of responses to the submissions. The following response has been provided:

• Landfill Operationss response to submissions (PDF 56KB)
• Table of Landfill Operations response to submissions (PDF 220KB)
• Expert witness statement of Andrew Green (landfill) (PDF 3.4MB)
• Expert witness statement of Tony Kortegast (needs assessment) (PDF 1.0MB)
• Expert witness statement of Tony Kortegast (buffers and landfill gas) (PDF 1.9MB)
• Expert witness statement of Alex Todoroski (odour) (PDF 1.6MB)
• Expert witness statement of David Ife (hydrogeological assessment) (PDF 2.0MB)
• Expert witness statement of Christopher Delaire (acoustics) (PDF 1.4MB)
• Expert witness statement of Michael Barlow (planning) (PDF 29MB – very large file)
• Expert witness statement of Stephen Hunt (traffic and transport assessment) (PDF 950KB)
• Expert witness statement of Allan Wyatt (landscape and visual assessment) (PDF 3.0MB)

Section 22 notice request

EPA issued Landfill Operations a formal request on 7 September under Section 22(1) of the Environment Protection Act 1970. The Section 22 notice (PDF 280KB) requires Landfill Operations to provide further information to help EPA assess the works approval application. This includes information about:

• existing groundwater conditions
• landfill cell designs
• the anticipated topography of the site after waste has settled.

Panel hearing process

Following the Minister for Planning’s ‘call in’ of the planning permit application (PA 2016/5118) on 5 April 2016 from Melton City Council, the Minister for Planning is now the responsible authority for the planning permit application.

As part of the assessment process of the planning permit application, the Minister for Planning appointed an independent panel under the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The panel will consider the planning permit application and public submissions on both applications and, in hearing community views on the works approval application, will fulfill a section 20B conference under the Environment Protection Act. The panel will then prepare a report to the Minister and EPA.

The panel held public hearings in Melbourne and Caroline Springs over 18 days between 29 September and 28 October 2016.

Further information about the panel hearing process is available at www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/planning/panels-and-committees/planning-panel-guides-and-faqs