Media Room: Media Releases
 |
Defence |
| 31/08/2005 | MSPA 213/05 |
 Printer friendly version
|
|
|
Final Environmental Impact Statement on HQJOC published Approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 has been received for the construction of the new Headquarters Joint Operations Command facility near Bungendore. The approval follows the recent publication of the Project’s final Environmental Impact Statement. Announcing this today, the Director General for the HQJOC Project, Air Commodore Brian Plenty, said the approval required that several important environmental aspects must be satisfactorily addressed. "These include issues relating to the potential impact of the development on traffic on the Kings Highway and the extraction of groundwater for use at the site," Air Commodore Plenty said. The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), published in October 2003, identified an impact on the Kings Highway but assessed that the increased traffic could be managed within the capacity of the existing highway. "However, later studies have suggested that there would be a greater impact than anticipated and the Project Office, the Roads and Road Traffic Authority NSW (RTA) and Roads ACT are looking at ways to reduce the impact," the Director General said. The RTA report is expected to be completed shortly. Water supply for the new headquarters will be drawn from a balance of rainwater, stormwater, recycled water and extracted groundwater from bores on the site. The Project has a water balance strategy that is designed to minimise the use of groundwater. "The conditions of approval require that a strategy be developed and be ready for implementation should groundwater monitoring currently being installed by the Project Office indicate an adverse impact on the aquifer," Air Commodore Plenty said. The conditions of approval are accessible on the Department of the Environment and Heritage’s website and the Project’s websites at www.defence.gov.au/id/hqjoc/Links. The Project will also arrange a further round of community meetings in coming weeks to provide an update on the project and on the contents of the final EIS and conditions of approval. Media contacts: Defence Media Liaison - 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664 |
|
Issued
by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs,
Department of Defence,
[ back to top ] |
|