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Yarra Valley Stock Removers has been operating in Victoria for eight years. It currently operates a knackery in Yering and is looking to expand to Jindivick with a similar operation.
The proposal is to establish a knackery on 32 Beattie Road in Jindivick processing around 1400 tonnes of animals per year. Approximately 4300 litres of wastewater per day will be collected from the daily washdown. Wastewater will be treated through a sump and in a facultative pond. Treated wastewater will be used for irrigation.
This proposal is scheduled as ‘D01 (abattoir)’ under the Environmental Protection (Scheduled Premises and Exemptions) Regulations 2007, and requires an EPA works approval before construction can begin.
A planning permit was refused by Baw Baw Shire Council and the refusal was upheld in VCAT on 8 August 2014. A works approval application was submitted to EPA’s Development Assessments Unit with the prescribed fee. The application was accepted on 25 June 2015.
Submissions
During a works approval assessment the application is advertised and is open for public submissions.
The works approval was advertised in the Herald Sun, Latrobe Valley Express and Warragul Gazette on 8 July 2015. The application is also referred to the local council and Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) for comment.
The advertisement period was open for 21 days, which ended on 29 July. During this time 13 submissions were received from approximately 65 individual community members. The level of concern raised has led EPA to have a 20B conference to address those concerns.
Submissions EPA received included the following:
20B conference
Following the review of submissions a community conference was conducted under Section 20B of the Environment Protection Act 1970 on 3 September 2015 at Jindivick Community Hall. The purpose of the conference was to ensure EPA has a full understanding of the concerns of the local community regarding Yarra Valley Stock Removers’ proposal. The conference provided the opportunity:
- for EPA to present a summary update on the works approval application and assessment process.
- to present a summary of the issues raised in submissions.
- for attendees to elaborate on and/or clarify issues of concern, to ensure they are fully considered.
About 50 local residents attended the 20B conference, which was chaired and run by an independent facilitator, who has produced a report on the conference. The report (PDF 5MB) details the concerns and key issues raised in written submissions and at the conference by the community. It includes the independent facilitator’s reflections and recommendations that represent an impartial, non-expert view, based on public submissions and comments made at the public meeting.
EPA has notified the attendees, Baw Baw Shire Council and DHHS of the availability of the 20B conference report.
EPA’s response to the 20B conference report and next steps
EPA issued a notice to Yarra Valley Stock Removers under section 22 of the Environment Protection Act (PDF 383KB) on 23 September 2015, requesting extra information. This followed a review of the application, public submissions and an independent facilitator’s report summarising the outcomes of the Section 20B community conference.
The request for extra information includes providing a redesigned wastewater treatment system and a plan to demonstrate how the proposed system will meet the requirements specified in EPA’s reclaimed water guidelines; and a land capability assessment for the proposed irrigation area and control measures to prevent run-off of irrigation water entering the local creek, which flows into Tarago River.
EPA’s four-month assessment period to assess the application will be on hold until the required information is received. The extra information will be published on EPA’s website when it is obtained and will be considered as part of EPA’s assessment of the application.
To contact EPA about the works approval application, please contact Wendy Tao – Project Officer, Works Approval on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or email works.approvals@epa.vic.gov.au
Supporting documents
Section 22 notice to Yarra Valley Stock Removers
20B conference
Yarra Valley Stock Removers’ works approval application