General News
8 July, 2024
Local voices part of VNI West study
TRANSMISSION Company Victoria has confirmed membership of its technical reference group for the environmental effects study of the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line. The line stretching from Stawell to Kerang will pass...
TRANSMISSION Company Victoria has confirmed membership of its technical reference group for the environmental effects study of the controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line.
The line stretching from Stawell to Kerang will pass through the northern tip of Loddon Shire. Loddon is one of four councils that will have a representative on the group.
Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and the Horsham-based Barengi Gadjin Land Council will have members and as will the First Peoples - State Relations section of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Country Fire Authority, North Central Catchment Management Authority, Goulburn Murray Water and five government departments and agencies will also make up the group that TCV says will “provide oversight and advice throughout the environment effects statement” process over the next 18 months.
The group will advise the Department of Transport and Planning “on matters that should be studied as part of the EES and the adequacy of the studies once complete”.
Membership of the group was decided by the department.
The EES will assess the potential impact of the project and the department given feedback on the draft scoping requirements, “providing landholders and community members the opportunity to have their say via a formal consultation process in coming months”.
Meanwhile, the TCV community reference group has met for a fourth time in Charlton amid continued concern from volunteers about their capacity and ability to fight fires in the transmission line corridor and some brigades in the St Arnaud district staging a protest strike.
CFA West Region Deputy Chief Fire Officer Brett Boatman spoke with reference group members about firefighting operations around transmission lines.
“Throughout the meeting, members conveyed various concerns and provided advice relevant to VNI West,” according to the meeting report released this week.
Members also provided advice about how to better engage the community during the scoping phase of the project’s EES to maximise community participation. Key suggestions included:
Government to consider delivering engagement activities independent of TCV.
Use simple language that everyone can understand.
Use local councils as an avenue to connect with community members and groups who have not previously engaged.
Explain why it is important that people engage.
Facilitate access to subject matter experts during engagement, eg ecologists.
TCV said the it would have the current 2km wide draft corridor refined to 100 metres within three months.
“As part of this process, we are conducting field surveys in the area to build our understanding of environmental considerations, local flora and fauna and geological features. We will apply these findings and feedback from landholders and the community along with engineering and technical studies to help identify a refined route for transmission that minimises impacts to people, farming and the environment.”
TCV said it had negotiated access to private land for surveys with some landholders, performing ecology surveys on select properties.
Meanwhile, TCV’s move to be granted an electricity transmission licence by the Essential Services Commission is still to be lodged.
TCV was challenged last year about its authority to advance the project without a licence. Throughout 2024, TCV has told the Loddon Herald the application is being prepared.