ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR BARREN BOX STORAGE AND WETLAND NEARS COMPLETION

10 Feburary 2004

The EIS for Murrumbidgee Irrigation’s proposed Barren Box Storage and Wetland and en-route storage is due to go on public display at the end of February. The draft document will provide the project details and the results of the environmental assessment that has been undertaken.

Members of the public are invited to attend a meeting where the results will be presented and outcomes of the assessment will be discussed. An expert panel from URS Australia (the consultants preparing the EIS) will be available to answer questions related to the environmental assessment. The meeting will be held on Monday, 16 February, 7:00 pm at the Gemini Motel.

“The meeting provides an opportunity to further discuss issues related to the project,” said Rob Kelly, Murrumbidgee Irrigation. “We’re very excited about the project and encouraged by the results of the environmental impact assessment. It’s important that members of the community understand exactly what we are proposing for the site and the positive impact it will have on our region.”

Some community members participated in a meeting on 9 October 2003 and took the opportunity to raise issues to be considered in the study. The answers to those issues will be included in the document.

“The coming meeting is a great opportunity for all stakeholders to discuss the project with the people who conducted the study. Our last community meeting was part of an information gathering process, we weren’t in a position to answer questions. The study has now been completed and the results are available for review and discussion.

“I urge everybody with an interest in the project to take the time to attend the meeting. It will be an open forum with opportunity for discussion on the key issues involved in the proposal,” concluded Mr Kelly.

The Environmental Impact Statement for Barren Box Storage and Wetland and en-route storage will be on public display for 30 days. At that time the document will be submitted to the Minister for approval. Community members are able to lodge a formal response to the project proposal with the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources for inclusion with the Ministerial documents. Once the dates for submission have been determined they will be advertised locally.

For further information regarding the public meeting contact Rob Kelly at Murrumbidgee Irrigation 02 6962 0200.