Status
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Background
Proponent: AGL Wholesale Gas Limited and APA Transmission Pty. Limited
AGL and APA jointly proposed to establish a gas import jetty at Crib Point and construct a pipeline from Crib Point to connect the jetty to the gas transmission network at Pakenham.
The proposal included:
- Mooring of a floating gas storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the existing Crib Point jetty, with capacity to convert liquid natural gas (LNG) to its gaseous state (regasify it)
- Construction of new jetty facilities to enable regasified natural gas to be transferred from the FSRU to a new receiving facility at the landward end of the jetty
- Construction of the receiving facility providing for odorising of the gas
- Construction of a 56 kilometre high-pressure gas pipeline from the receiving facility to Pakenham
- Construction of a facility to enable connection of gas delivered by the new pipeline to the existing gas transmission network, including capacity to correct pressure and ensure delivered gas meets system specifications.
Minister's assessment
On 29 March 2021, the Minister for Planning completed his assessment under the Environment Effects Act 1978. This concluded the environment effects statement process for this project.
AGL and APA as joint proponents and statutory decision-makers received the assessment to inform approval decisions, including decisions for the:
- works approval application
- pipeline licence application
- draft planning scheme amendment
The Commonwealth Minister for the Environment received the assessment to inform her decisions about the project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Minister’s assessment concludes that the environmental effects of the project on the marine environment of the Western Port Ramsar site are unacceptable. The proponent subsequently withdrew statutory approval applications for the project.
Amended procedures and requirements
On 1 June 2020 the Minister issued amended procedures and requirements under the Environment Effects Act for the Crib Point EES. The amended procedures and requirements related to the public exhibition and inquiry stages of the EES process, and provided for special measures to be implemented in light of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions that applied under Victoria’s state of emergency. In particular, they provided for interested people to register to obtain their own copies of EES documentation, in the absence of the usual public display of hard copies at physical exhibition points, and extended the public exhibition period from 30 to 40 business days. The Minister also gave direction about the possible use of technology such as video-conferencing for hearings of the inquiry.
The Minister issued his original procedures and requirements in October 2018 when he decided that an EES was required. The original procedures and requirements appear as Appendix A in the Final Scoping Requirements for the EES.
Public review and Inquiry
Inquiry, advisory committee and panel
The Crib Point Gas Import Jetty and Crib Point – Pakenham Gas Pipeline Inquiry and Advisory Committee was appointed by the Minister for Planning on 19 July 2020. The committee members were also appointed as a Panel to consider the pipeline licence application on 11 September 2020 by the Minister of Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
The committee submitted its report on 22 February 2021 in accordance with the Terms of Reference.
Exhibition
The environment effects statement (EES) for AGL’s and APA’s proposed Crib point gas import jetty and Crib Point-Pakenham pipeline, together with the draft planning scheme amendment, the pipeline licence application and the EPA works approval application, were released for public comment for a period of 40 business days, from 2 July to 26 August 2020.
The Minister appointed an inquiry and advisory committee (IAC) to review the EES and over 6,000 public submissions lodged in response to exhibition of the EES. The IAC held public hearings online from 12 October to 17 December 2020 and provided its report to the Minister for Planning on 22 February 2021. The report concluded that the project would have unacceptable environmental effects on the marine environment of Western Port, in the context of its designation as a Ramsar wetland of international significance.
If you wish to access the exhibited EES, please seek help from your local or organisational library service about arranging an interlibrary loan from one of the libraries holding the EES. If that is not successful, you can email environment.assessment@delwp.vic.gov.au to seek assistance.
EES preparation
Consultation plan
AGL and APA have prepared a joint communication and consultation plan for the EES, outlining the opportunities and approaches for its community engagement during the preparation of the EES.
Technical reference group
DELWP convened an inter-agency technical Reference group at the request of the Minister for Planning to advise DELWP and the proponent on scoping and adequacy of the EES studies and documentation, as well as co-ordination of the EES process with other statutory processes for the project.
The government organisations represented on the technical reference group were:
- DELWP – Impact Assessment
- DELWP – Port Phillip Region (biodiversity)
- DELWP – Energy
- DELWP – Water and Catchments
- Aboriginal Victoria
- Heritage Victoria
- EPA Victoria
- Worksafe Victoria
- Energy Safe Victoria
- Port of Hastings Development Authority
- Parks Victoria
- Melbourne Water
- Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority
- Cardinia Shire Council
- Casey City Council
- Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
Technical reference group representatives were supported by internal experts on specific aspects of the EES studies.
Scoping requirements
The Scoping Requirements set out the matters to be investigated and documented in the EES.
Draft Scoping Requirements for this EES were on public exhibition between November 2018 and December 2018.
After considering public submissions on the Draft Scoping Requirements, the Minister for Planning issued final Scoping Requirements in January 2019.
Minister's decision on referral
On 8 October 2018 the Minister for Planning required AGL and APA to prepare an Environment Effects Statement (EES) under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to assess the potential environmental effects of the project.
Project contact
If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch via the contact details below.
Gas import jetty works:
☎ Telephone: 1800 039 600
Website: agl.com.au/agl-apa-environment-effects-statement
✉ Email: AGLCommunity@agl.com.au
Crib Point-Pakenham pipeline works:
☎ Telephone: 1800 531 811
Website: agl.com.au/agl-apa-environment-effects-statement
✉ Email: cribpointpakenham@apa.com.au
Page last updated: 23/02/24