EPBC invitation for public comment
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places – defined in the Act as matters of national environmental significance. Under its obligations for NSW planning approval Hunter Water has referred the proposed Tillegra Dam project to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP under the EPBC Act.
The public has until 13 November 2008 to make a comment. Details on how to submit a comment can be found here. You must state the EPBC reference no.: 2008/4551 – Hunter Water Corporation/Water management and use/Williams River, Upper Hunter Region/NSW/Tillegra Dam.
The EPBC Act has been designed to provide for both a high level of public involvement in decision-making and an open and transparent system that allows public scrutiny of decisions made. So let’s put it to the test – get your comments in.