Frogs bog down pipe plan

By Melissa Meehan
ENDANGERED frogs and lizards could kill off the Sugarloaf Pipeline Project.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has claimed the final say on the future of the controversial project after it was revealed the scheme could threatened several species.
They include a striped legless lizard, a growling grass frog, a spotted tail quoll and a matted flax lily.
The latest move comes just days after the Shire of Yarra Ranges threw its support behind the opposition movement.
Late last year Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden ruled that the pipeline construction should go ahead without an Environmental Effects Statement, but the $750 million dollar project has grabbed the attention of the Federal Environment Minister’s Office. The proposed 70-kilometre pipeline will pump water from the Goulburn Valley to Melbourne, and is Victoria’s third major infrastructure project to require federal approval.
At the council meeting held on Tuesday 12 February, councillor Jeanette McRae raised the issue of the Sugarloaf Pipeline asking other councillors to oppose the project until claimed water savings could be demonstrated.
Cr McRae said that the community was pleased with the council’s decision to oppose logging in catchments but that it was important for the council to be concerned about the pipeline.
“It is inherent that we act on the best interests of the community in all of our decisions,” Cr McRae said.
While Cr McRae’s motion was carried, she faced some opposition from councillors Ken Smith, Graham Warren, Len Cox and mayor Tim Heenan.
Cr Cox argued that the management of water was a State Government issue, and nothing to do with the council.
“The State Government have controls over water, not local councils, and for that reason I have real problems with the motion,” Cr Cox said.
Cr McRae agreed that water policy was the realm of the State government, but argued that the council had previously decided to oppose other issues that were not governed by the local council such as logging in water catchments, and nuclear and GM-Free zones.
“In spite of this the council made the decision to support the community,” Cr McRae said.
“We were shown to be leaders in decreasing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and owe it to the community to see their best interests in relation to the pipeline.”
Malcolm Calder, spokesman for the 3775 Pipeline Group, said that he was very pleased with the councils decision to oppose the Pipeline.
Mr Calder described the decision as a step that brought rationality to his group’s argument that an Environmental Effects Statement should be issued before the works take place.
“While we are opposed to the Pipeline, we are happy to support the upgrade to the Food Bowl system – we think its wrong to take water from the Goulburn River along with a few other basic principles,” Mr Calder said.
A spokesman for Water Minister Tim Holding said that the Sugarloaf Pipeline was a key project in the Victorian Government’s water plans.
“Water savings from the $1 billion Food Bowl Modernisation Project to upgrade a century old irrigation system will be shared equally between irrigators in Northern Victoria, rivers and Melbourne,” he said.
“Local councils and community groups have been consulted at length – including Yarra Ranges Council – and will have further opportunities to provide input throughout the environmental and construction phases of the project.”
The $750 million project is due to proceed later this month, with the release of a more detailed Pipeline route to be released soon.