Surf Coast Air Action Media Release Thursday 11th Dec 2014 EPA Chief visits Anglesea Environment Protection Authority Victoria CEO Nial Finegan has visited Anglesea to meet with both Alcoa and community members. Following his meeting with Alcoa, Mr Finegan met with Anglesea residents to discuss their concerns about toxic emissions and noise from Alcoa’s Anglesea coal mine and power station. Anglesea resident and Surf Coast Air Action spokesperson Dr Jacinta Morahan said, “The EPA’s role is to be an effective environmental regulator and an influential authority on environmental impacts. Potential buyers should note that Mr Finegan’s visit demonstrates that at the highest level, EPA Victoria is aware of the Anglesea community’s very serious concerns about the appalling levels of emissions released by Alcoa. SCAA looks forward to working with the EPA and the new State Government to ensure our community is protected. If Alcoa sells, at a bare minimum, Sulphur Dioxide scrubbing technology must be installed at the earliest opportunity”. Mr Finegan said that EPA Victoria welcomed the new labor Government’s announcement of a public inquiry into the EPA as it will provide an opportunity for communities like Anglesea to have a voice and contribute to future environmental protection policy. Mr Finegan added that if a sale were to go ahead, a new license would need to be applied for in which case the EPA would review best practice and licence conditions such that they are in line with 2015 community expectations. Following Mr Finegan’s meeting with Anglesea residents he was scheduled to meet with the new Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, the Hon Lisa Neville. Minister Neville has stated that she supports the installation of Sulpher Dioxide Scrubbers at Alcoa’s Anglesea power station. “For decades Anglesea residents have been exposed to dangerous and unacceptable levels of pollution from the now redundant Alcoa coal mine and power plant” said local resident and Surf Coast Air Action spokesperson Mark Smith. “The lack of transparency about Alcoas toxic emissions is of enormous concern to the Surf Coast community and is completely unacceptable in 2014. SCAA has met with EPA Victoria to reinforce this view and will continue pressing for the early imposition of far more stringent and transparent monitoring and reporting conditions. Figures released by the National Pollutant Inventory earlier this year reveal that the Alcoa-owned Anglesea coal plant: • Is the equal third highest emitter of SO2 in Australia (39,000,000 kg per annum); and • Also emits particulates (a recognized carcinogen) as well as Arsenic, Lead and Mercury. The only power plants in Australia emitting more SO2 than Alcoa Anglesea (Bayswater in the Hunter Valley [63,000,000 kg] and Loy Yang in the Latrobe Valley [49,000,000 kg]) produce 17.6 and 14.7 times more electricity than Anglesea respectively. Even the old and notoriously polluting Hazelwood power plant in the Latrobe Valley emits only 1/3 of the SO2 emitted by the Anglesea facility, despite producing 10 times the power output. The Anglesea power plant operates just 550 metres from homes and 1.2 kilometres from the local primary school. The power produced by the Anglesea facility is no longer required due to the closure of the Alcoa Point Henry smelter, which the plant was constructed to feed. Media Contacts: Dr Jacinta Morahan Mark Smith
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 06:50:00 +0000
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