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10th December 2020Crib Point Inquiry and Advisory CommitteeSubmission #2912Dale StohrI would like to thank Madame Chair and the IAC Panel members for reading my submission #2912 and for the opportunity to speak today. This presentation will provide additional information to my written submission.Slide 1 - Introduction:As a resident of Crib Point, I strongly oppose the Gas Import Jetty and Pipeline Project.I am a member of the Save Westernport and Crib Point Action Group resident associations however, my submission is based on my own personal opinions. Our family home is located approximately 2kms from where AGL and APA propose to construct and operate the Project at Crib Point jetty.I believe the proposed Project should not be approved due to alternative options to this Project, the potential adverse environmental and social impacts including impacts on Western Port Bay marine life, an increase in industrial noise, an increase in heavy vehicle traffic and the re-industrialisation of Crib Point.Slide 2 - Crib Point – Past, Present, FutureI will briefly discuss the past, present and possible future of Crib Point with information in addition to my written submission and to give context to my concerns about the AGL Project.Slide 3 - Woolleys Beach (circa 1950)In the beginning, there was fishing.The current place name of Crib Point is based on the term ‘crib’ that referred to a fisherman’s hut found at Woolleys Beach. Woolleys Beach has long been used by locals and visitors for fishing, boating and its natural water views.Slide 4 - BP Westernport map 1964BP Australia purchased 420 acres of land at Crib Point in 1963.Slide 5 – BP oil refinery construction (circa 1965)BP Westernport oil refinery was built between 1964 and 1966.The Victorian Government paid for the construction of Crib Point Jetty.The BP refinery processed crude oil as well as creating industrial noise and artificial light for many years.Slide 6 – ‘The Battle for Phillip Island’ (Walkabout magazine January 1971)By 1971, industrial activity around Western Port Bay leads to concerns about pollution.The BP refinery stack shown in the photo is 300 feet high (100 metres).Slide 7 – ‘Hastings Port Industrial Area (1978)’This map has been submitted and details the extent of P.R (port related) land located around Crib Point, Bittern, Hastings and Tyabb in 1978.Slides 8 & 9 – BP oil refinery ceases operationsBP Westernport refinery ceased operations on 1sApril 1985.The BP oil refinery site has remained abandoned for 35 years.Crib Point township lost coastal visual appeal and gained ‘land use quarantining’ due to the BP oil refinery being constructed, operated, decommissioned and then neglected for decades.The site is currently owned by Crib Point Terminal Pty Ltd – a 1992 joint venture originally between Shell and Mobil , now Viva Energy and ExxonMobil. There are no future plans to utilise the site. Slide 10 – Crib Point aerial viewThis view highlights the close proximity of Crib Point jetty and BP refinery site to local residences, sports ovals and schools.Port of Hastings has the option to extend Crib Point jetty to build a Berth 4 if required.Slides 11 to 16 - United PetroleumUnited Petroleum acquired operations at Crib Point jetty in 2008.Berth 1 is used by United to import unleaded petrol and diesel.The pumping station near The Esplanade creates industrial noise.Industrial noise can be heard 2kms away at our home depending on time/weather.Crib Point jetty noise has two parts – a high whine and low rumble – see submitted video file.Early 2020 – larger United ships now arrive and stay for longer = longer duration of industrial noise.I used a basic sound meter to measure noise levels at the gates to Crib Point jetty on 23 November 2020.The readings varied between 64 and 75 decibels.Mid-November 2020 – new orange barriers erected at pumping station …. then removed by 26 November.Hopefully, United Petroleum will reduce the noise levels at the pumping station in 2021.November 2020 – comments about United Petroleum noise by Crib Point residents:‘I can’t open my windows in summer when a ship is in…’‘I have reported noise to United over the past 10 years…’‘Because it only occurs twice a month, it is tolerable…’Slides 17 to 21 - AGL Gas Import Jetty and Pipeline Project (proposed)AGL used modelled noise levels only with no real-world noise data from operating FSRU vessels.Crib Point Receiving Facility (CPRF) could have operational noise levels above 100 decibels.Currently, ships arrive and depart from Crib Point jetty but they don’t extract millions of litres of fresh seawater and discharge wastewater into waters of high conservation value.VC 37 Mornington Peninsula Planning Scheme SUZ1 – Port Related Uses land is located around Crib Point and seeks to protect environmental values of Westernport as well as the towns of Tyabb, Hastings, Crib Point and Bittern so that there is no adverse effect on the amenity or safety of residents.VC 148 Victorian Planning Provisions 37.09 Port Zone states ‘… Before deciding on an application, the responsible authority must consider, as appropriate:The effect on environmental values on adjoining land and port watersThe interface with non-port areasTraffic implications on the surrounding road networkThe draft Planning Scheme Amendment C272morn 4.6 Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment identifies noise from the construction of the Crib Point Receiving Facility but does not detail the potential noise levels during the operation of the Facility. Potential noise levels at the proposed Crib Point Receiving Facility could reach 85 decibels due to operating fans, 93 decibels due to liquid nitrogen pumps and 100 decibels due to liquid nitrogen unloading.Heavy vehicle traffic would also generate noise and vibration on roads around Crib Point.I believe that EPA Victoria should investigate the current industrial noise levels at Crib Point jetty due to the United Petroleum unloading operations. EPA Victoria should carefully consider the potential noise impacts from the proposed Crib Point Receiving Facility as well as the FSRU vessel and visiting LNG carriers when deciding on the Works Approval for the Gas Import Jetty Works. Slides 22 to 25 - Port of Hastings Development Authority (PoHDA)Is the AGL Gas Import Jetty and Pipeline Project ‘the thin edge of the wedge’?Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) is a pilot project to extract hydrogen from coal in the Latrobe Valley and transport liquefied hydrogen by ship to Japan from Hastings. If approved to commercial stage, a new pipeline would be required from Latrobe Valley to Hastings with an increase in vessel movements in Western Port Bay. United Petroleum is considering aviation fuel imports - via Crib Point jetty?What other bulk trades are projected to be imported or exported via Western Port Bay? PoHDA has projected bulk trade growth to 14 million tonnes per annum by 2048.PoHDA has projected vessel numbers visiting Western Port Bay to reach almost 400 per annum by 2043.Would the AGL gas import jetty project still be operating in 2048?How much bulk trade growth in imports and exports would be allocated to Crib Point jetty by 2048?How many vessels would arrive annually at Crib Point jetty by 2048?I believe detailed environmental studies are required to fill knowledge gaps about Western Port Bay’s marine life, migratory species, flora and fauna and to determine Western Port Bay’s ‘limit’ of industrial development and vessel numbers. The Shapiro Report was released in 1975 – after almost 50 years, a new environmental study is needed.Infrastructure Victoria has recommended that internal combustion engines be phased out by 2050. Slides 26 to 28 – RamsarThe Victorian Auditor-General’s Office tabled an audit into Victoria’s Ramsar wetlands on 14 September 2016.VAGO concluded “… There is limited evidence that all Ramsar sites are being effectively managed and protected from decline. There is also evidence of potential change in the ecological character of some sites, while changes at other sites cannot be fully determined due to limitations such as a lack of data.”“Overall, the governance, coordination and oversight of the management of Ramsar sites must improve for Victoria to effectively meet its obligations. Without this improvement, site managers will continue to be guided by their own priorities, rather than responding to key threats to Ramsar sites' ecological character.” 16 June 2020, a Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry tabled a report “Inquiry into Auditor-General’s report No. 202: Meeting Obligations to Protect Ramsar Wetlands (2016)”The report recommended that a comprehensive audit of all Ramsar sites in Victoria be undertaken. The Ramsar Information Sheet for Western Port Bay has not been updated since May 1999.Slides 29 to 32 - CommunityCrib Point residents and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council have been working to create a new Crib Point Township Plan that will set the vision for the next 10 to 20 years and review land use around the township.During the 2019 Federal Election, all Flinders electorate candidates expressed their opposition to the AGL Project. See short video here: Slides 33 to 38 - Domestic gas reservation schemeAGL should consider alternatives to this gas import project.AGL has shown it can invest in new technologies to reduce carbon emissions whilst providing energy to its customers. Most natural gas in Australia is exported overseas. At the AGL 2018 Annual General Meeting, Chairman Graeme Hunt stated “… if we had a domestic gas reserve sufficient to meet our domestic customers, again we wouldn’t need to be considering this, but we don’t.” In October 2020, the Australian Government announced it was exploring options for a prospective national gas reservation policy.‘This aims to ensure Australian gas users get the energy they need at a reasonable price” A report on a national gas reservation policy should be released by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources in early 2021. Slide 39 – Recommendations and ProposalsMy personal recommendations on AGL’s Project including a wish list of Proposals that would provide the township of Crib Point with a better future for local residents and visitors. ................
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