Preparing an Environmental Impact Statement
PB has been appointed by Powerlink Queensland to prepare an EIS for Powerlink’s Woolooga to Cooroy South Transmission Line Project.

PB will examine the environmental, community, and economic impacts of this project, which will be presented in the EIS.

Terms of Reference now available
The Terms of Reference (TOR) outlines the issues that will be addressed in the EIS.

A draft version of the TOR was released for public comment in late 2007 and a total of 52 submissions were received.

The TOR has been finalised and is now available to interested members of the community.

Click here to view the Final TOR

Responding to submissions on the
Draft Terms of Reference
Thank you to those individuals and groups who made submissions on the Draft TOR.

The TOR outlines the issues that will be addressed when PB prepares the EIS for the project.

A total of 52 submissions were received from stakeholders and interested members of the community. Each submission received was reviewed
and the issues raised were recorded by PB.

Submissions that related specifically to the TOR document have been responded to directly by PB,
and some of these have resulted in minor refinements being made to the Final TOR. Some of the amendments made to the TOR as a result of the feedback received include: taking the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services Landscape Classification System for Visitor Management Operational Policy Document and Procedural Guide into account when preparing the EIS; considering the (former) Noosa Shire's World Biosphere reserve status as part of the EIS investigations; the addition of new groups to the stakeholder list; and, ensuring hollow logs in cleared vegetation areas are also considered when assessing habitat.

Many of the TOR submissions received did not relate directly to the construct of the TOR, but rather to specific matters which will be dealt with in the Draft EIS (eg. electric and magnetic fields, visual impact, potential disruption from construction activities, alternative routes considered etc). While these submissions did not require any amendment to be made to the TOR (as the Draft TOR already contained items which covered the subject matter), those specific matters raised will be addressed as a matter of course in the Draft EIS when it is released for public comment later this year. Further submissions on these (and all other matters in the Draft EIS) will be again sought at that time.

All individuals or groups who made a submission on the Draft TOR will receive a response to their submission from PB, along with a copy of the Final TOR, by post.

In addition, Powerlink will be providing responses directly to submitters whose TOR submissions related to matters which lie outside the scope of the EIA altogether.

A summary of the relevant submissions received on the Draft TOR and responses to issues raised will also be included in the Draft EIS, which is expected to be released later this year.

Anyone with an interest in the project or wanting more information about the TOR is welcome to contact Powerlink on Freecall 1800 635 369 to make an appointment to talk to project team representatives at either the Project Information Centre in Cooroy, or another suitable location in the local area.

Environmental Impact Assessment continuing
The EIA for the project is being undertaken by PB, including the preparation of the formal assessment report – the EIS.

PB’s investigations for the Draft EIS, which will take several months to complete, will result in a recommendation being made for a transmission alignment and substation location which aims to have the least overall impact, considering the environmental, social and economic factors.

The Draft EIS is expected to be released for public review and comment later this year.