Page 862 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
government sites, including former sheep dip sites, commonwealth sites and major brownfield developments such as the Kingston Foreshore industrial area.
Assessment at the Koppers site was undertaken from 2005 to 2007 by Koppers’ expert environmental consultants, ERM. The soil, following remedial works at the Koppers site, was found suitable for the proposed and permitted land uses under the lease for the site—that is, industrial land uses. These findings were supported by the independent EPA-approved auditor and detailed in the site audit report provided to the EPA in 2007.
There is isolated, or what is called perched, groundwater contamination only in the vicinity of the previous, now demolished, Koppers plant. The plant itself was located in the upper centre of the site and was some distance from the site boundary. The detailed groundwater assessments utilising the 33 wells in place had indicated that this perched groundwater is not connected—is not connected—to the underlying deeper groundwater aquifer.
The distance between the isolated plume extent and the down gradient property boundary is approximately 150 metres. Based on the investigations by the appropriate qualified environmental consultants, there is a high degree of scientific confidence that offsite migration of this pollution is not an issue. This high degree of scientific confidence was achieved by the combination of the nature of the perched aquifer itself and subterranean soils, the near zero rate of water movement in the perched zone, and other natural processes such as oxidation and adsorption. This, combined with the lack of known or anticipated users of groundwater from the perched zone, precluded its consideration as a potential harmful exposure pathway.
Whilst acknowledging the lack of progress in remediating the remaining contamination of isolated groundwater at the site, which is a consequence of protracted civil litigation between the previous and current owners, it was on the basis of this high degree of scientific evidence, confirmed by an independent auditor, that the EPA did not intervene while a court case was in progress about remediation responsibility. This was because there was no foreseeable or likely risk to human health or the environment based on the information presented.
The sale of the site, specifically the responsibility for the remediation of the remaining groundwater contamination from Koppers, was subject to Supreme Court proceedings from 2007 until 2013. In 2013 the Supreme Court found in favour of Koppers, confirming that the new owner, Canberra Hire, is now responsible for the remaining remediation at the site. Koppers and Canberra Hire have now both confirmed this in writing to the EPA and Canberra Hire has approached the original consultants, ERM, to undertake further works.
The works will be audited by an EPA-approved independent auditor. The EPA will work closely with the owners and the independent auditor to ensure that the remaining groundwater contamination is actively managed and cleaned up to the required standards. The EPA is in regular contact with Canberra Hire, who has indicated a detailed program of proposed works to the authority.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video