National Parks Association CEO says Snowy 2.0 is ‘an environmental disaster’ for Kosciuszko

The excavation site for Snowy Hydro 2.0 in Talbingo. Photo: Snowy Hydro/Facebook.

The NSW National Parks Association (NPA) has called on the NSW Government to increase penalties for the Snowy 2.0 project following a recent review of its environmental performance.

NPA CEO Gary Dunnett has criticized the $12 billion project for failing to meet environmental conditions for approval and has demanded additional sanctions for repeated pollution incidents in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP).

His comments come in light of a new environmental breach in January, increased public outrage over fish kills and algae spread at Tantangara Dam and the April 2024 publication of an NPA report highlighting shortcomings in environmental compliance the Snowy 2.0 project are described.

The report, compiled from the state government’s Independent Environmental Audits (IEAs), environmental management plans and compliance actions, states that Snowy Hydro and its contractors are failing to meet expectations for a construction project at a very important and sensitive site.

Approved by the NSW and Commonwealth governments in 2020, Snowy Hydro 2.0 will connect the existing Snowy Hydro dams – Tantangara and Talbingo – via 27km of tunnels and a new underground power station.

With a footprint of 250,000 hectares in KNP, the project is subject to strict environmental laws and regulations, as well as project and site-specific environmental permits and approvals issued at the federal, state and local government levels.

Monitoring compliance includes routine on-site inspections by officers from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), as well as a range of independent environmental audits (IEA ). ).

However, Mr Dunnett says there is no public access to the construction sites and therefore no opportunity for the community to observe the impact on the National Park. To date, the four IEAs of the Snowy 2.0 project have shown serious shortcomings in compliance with the approval conditions.

He said more than a dozen warnings, enforceable undertakings, warnings and fines issued by the DPHI and EPA to Snowy Hydro and its contractors over the past two years were of particular concern.

In 2023, the EPA fined Snowy Hydro and its contractor Webuild $15,000 each over two alleged pollution incidents in 2022.

The authority claimed that in June 2022, a sediment plume formed and extended more than 2km downstream along the Yarrangobilly River, and that in September, sediment-laden water from roadworks in Tantangara hit the Nungar Creek.

An EPA investigation found that Snowy Hydro and Webuild failed to adequately implement specific measures at the two sites needed to address potential pollution incidents.

In December 2023, Snowy 2.0 received a notification after contaminated drilling and explosion spoil was found to be contaminating groundwater at some of its locations.

The penalties were accompanied by a reprimand from the EPA, which said these incidents should not have happened.

“Every sector has a role to play in reducing its impact, but your role is even more important when you are located in one of our state’s most pristine environments.”

In January 2024, an additional $15,000 fine was imposed on Webuilt after the EPA alleged that during construction work near the Wallaces Creek Bridge at Lobs Hole, the contractor accidentally changed the stormwater drainage route, causing sediment-laden water to enter Wallaces Creek ended up. , which flows into the Yarrangobilly River.

NSW EPA Executive Director of Operations Jason Gordon said the EPA’s investigation found the short duration of the incident resulted in some minor impacts to water quality in a short section of Wallaces Creek. After reviewing Webuild’s compliance history, the EPA deemed a fine warranted.

“The EPA will continue to monitor the project closely and expected escalated enforcement actions if further violations are discovered, including possible prosecution for serious violations of environmental law,” Gordon said.

Mr Dunnett said the community had been assured that the Snowy 2.0 project would be subject to strict environmental conditions for approval and that government agencies would closely monitor Snowy Hydro’s performance.

“Time and time again, Snowy Hydro and Webuild have been fined for causing untold damage to the Kosciuszko National Park,” he said.

“The development of Snowy 2.0 has been an absolute environmental disaster and is proof that development has no place in our national parks.

“The fact that so many actions have taken place is encouraging in that context,” he said.

“What is equally clear, however, is that regulatory measures have not forced Snowy Hydro and its contractors to become good tenants in the national park.

“Small fines won’t cut it. The regulators must escalate their actions to the courts if they expect Snowy Hydro’s behavior to improve,” he said.

The NPA wants NSW regulators to escalate their actions to the courts to force Snowy Hydro to improve its environmental performance.

While acknowledging that they have been the subject of several EPA and DPHI compliance actions over the past two years, Snowy Hydro said they take their environmental management obligations very seriously.

“In each case, important lessons have been learned that have led to improvements in site policies, procedures and practices,” they stated.

“Snowy Hydro continues to take these matters very seriously and take steps to ensure identified incidents do not reoccur.”

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the construction and operation of Snowy 2.0 is conducted in a manner that complies with all applicable laws and project approvals,” they said.

The energy company said it “will continue to look for ways to make a positive contribution to the Kosciuszko National Park”.

These actions include road improvements and a $100 million investment to improve the park’s biodiversity and recreational values.

The NSW EPA says following investigations, the algae bloom identified earlier this year at Tantangara Dam does not appear to be linked to the Snowy 2.0 construction site.