Santos should close until leak stopped say residents
Read Save Point Lowly Submission to the EPA here.
Whyalla residents have been kept in the dark and were surprised to find out recently the disclosure that Santos was unable to complete the interception trench by the 31st of December deadline. Santos is seeking a 2-month extension to get the interception trench operational. In early November 2009, Louise Swann, Santos Environmental Adviser assured residents in a press release that the interception trench would “be completed by the end of December.”
Despite assurances by Ms. Swann that Santos have, “Environment and safety are our highest priorities,” Santos wants a 2-month extension to continue to pollute with the risk of product escaping into the Upper Spencer Gulf via the contaminated ground water.
Tom Cheesman of Save Point Lowly said, “This is unacceptable, putting profit before the health of the upper Spencer Gulf.” He said, “Santos should stop operations and put all their efforts into maintenance, finding the leak and completing the interception trench before they go back into production.” He said, “It simply beggars belief that Santos can be permitted to operate ‘as normal’ while there is a leak.”
Mr. Cheesman was concerned this news didn’t come from Santos itself. He said, “The residents of Whyalla had to find out about it purely by chance on, of all days, 24th December – Christmas Eve in the Advertiser or two weeks later in the Whyalla News on the 7th of January. We read about it in The Advertiser from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), in a tiny article, buried in the Public Notices section.”
Mr. Cheesman was adamant that Santos needs to come clean on exactly how much product has leaked and how much more they expect to leak during their extension of time. He added, “The EPA should commit to conducting an independent risk assessment before the extension of time is considered and a monitoring program on shore and in the Gulf to start immediately and continue for at least a minimum of 6 months to ensure the barrier has protected the Gulf.”
Mr. Cheesman said, “The EPA say they will be working closely with Santos to ensure the barrier is completed ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’, which essentially means ‘its ok’ if they don’t meet the next deadline, because it wasn’t ‘practicable’. I mean, who and what are they there to protect? The Environment or Business and Industry?
Dr. Andrew Melville-Smith said, “It looks like the EPA is protecting big business rather than protecting the Upper Spencer Gulf.”
The public has the opportunity to provide comments to the EPA on the extension to complete the barrier by the end of business 21st January 2010 by writing to the Regulatory Services EPA, GPO Box 2607, Adelaide. SA. 5001.
More petro-chemical industry despite leak.
Save Point Lowly is also gravely concerned there is a pending decision by the Rann Government to approve a Diesel Storage Facility at Port Bonython.
Dr. Melville-Smith said “It shows the contempt the Rann Government has for the Point Lowly Peninsula when they allow more petro-chemical industry on the Point Lowly Peninsula before they have sorted out the problems with the current installation there.”
Dr. Melville-Smith said, “We strongly oppose this (and any further Industrialisation of Point Lowly) due to the risk associated with increased shipping with the potential for another Oil Spill (like that of the ‘Era’ in 1992, just off Port Bonython). Another oil spill or similar catastrophe could be a disaster for the fishing industry, the Lowly Peninsula and recently announced Maine Park in upper Spencer Gulf.”
Save Point Lowly say these problems will persist for as long as the Point Lowly Peninsula is zoned ‘Industrial.’
Dr. Melville-Smith said, “As far as we can tell, the Rann Government, the Whyalla City Council and the Whyalla Economic Development Board intends to use it for exactly that. The BHP Desal is just the start; there are plans for a bulk port and possibly even a Magnetite Plant. If these other proposals go ahead, the risk of losses to the Fishing industry, tourism and recreational use of the Lowly Peninsula and Upper Spencer Gulf be significantly increased.”
Save Point Lowly asserts the Government should put a stop to any further developments on the Lowly Peninsula until such time as the existing industry out there can demonstrate the leak is contained.
Dr. Melville-Smith said, “A thorough independent risk assessment is carried out on this type of development in this environmentally sensitive, unique, economic and socially valuable area. To approve another petro-industry at a time when the existing one is leaking is irresponsible.”
Lights back on
The Whyalla Council has turn the Point Lowly Lighthouse light back on with a dimmer yellow light