TCV announced a draft two-kilometre wide corridor in October 2023, and is currently working to narrow the corridor to a preferred easement of about 100-metres wide in the third quarter of this year. Last week, Victorian Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny confirmed TCV would be required to prepare an EES after it referred the project to the minister in February.
The EES is expected to evolve over two years to assess the potential impacts of a major project in Victoria, overseen by Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning, DTP.
Ms Kilkenny listed her reasons for requiring the EES due to the nominated area of interest for the project being significant in length and size and including areas of significant environmental values, including native vegetation and ecological values, agricultural and other land uses, Aboriginal cultural values, visual and landscape values and other social values.
Ms Kilkenny said there were alignment and design alternatives for the project requiring assessment and refinement in relation to opportunities for avoidance and minimisation of potentially significant effects.
“An EES process will provide a robust, transparent and integrated assessment through which the potential environmental effects can be rigorously assessed, including alternatives for key components of the project, and the effectiveness and acceptability of proposed measures to avoid, minimise, manage and offset environmental effects,” she said.
“An EES responds to community interest in the project’s siting, alignment and design alternatives by providing appropriate opportunities for public input.”
The DTP will appoint a Technical Reference Group, TRG, to provide advice throughout the process.
Agencies invited to participate in the TRG will include representatives from government agencies, regional authorities, municipal councils, and Registered Aboriginal Parties, RAPs, with statutory, policy, or technical interests in the project.
The project must complete the EES process and obtain relevant state and federal government approvals before construction can commence.
VNI West has been referred to the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to decide if approval is required under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – a response is pending.
Construction on the project is scheduled to start in 2026, should the project secure all required approvals.
The EES studies and assessments and project engineering design will take place throughout 2024 and 2025.
VNI West spokesperson Claire Cass said as part of the EES process, TCV would undertake a program of expert studies and assessments on a range of matters.
The list of matters to be investigated and proposed studies will be developed by the DTP in consultation with TCV and the TRG.
DTP will release a draft scoping requirements document for public comment, providing landholders and community members with the opportunity to provide feedback before they are finalised.
Likely matters for investigation include cultural and historic heritage, economic benefits, social and community considerations, health and the environment.
“Community consultation is an important part of the EES, and TCV will continue to engage with landowners, local communities and Traditional Owners throughout the process,” Ms Cass said.
“This will include sharing information about the EES investigations and assessments, directly in small group meetings, via our website and face-to-face events such as community information sessions.”
TCV hosted community drop-in session at Stawell, Charlton and Kerang in April, with environmental, agricultural and technical specialists available for one-on-one discussions.
It follows TCV’s project briefings with affect councils, including Northern Grampians and Buloke.
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