Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Environmental Studies show minimal impact on Ralphs Bay

Walker Corporation will spend $1.8 million on environmental projects around Ralphs Bay as part of its commitment to building a unique waterfront housing development for Tasmania.

Lia Morris, Walker’s Tasmanian project manager, said today Walker was committed to going further than required to ensure its project is environmentally sustainable.

She said that Walker had engaged some of Australia’s top scientists and technical experts to carry out 44 technical studies of all aspects of the environment in Ralphs Bay and surrounding habitats including birds, fish, the impact of climate change, currents, tidal effects, wind and the project development site seabed.

“This is the most comprehensive and detailed study ever undertaken of this area and we are confident that we have addressed all of the environment issues as required by the RPDC Guidelines,” Mrs Morris said.

“Generally the studies have shown that the Lauderdale Quay project will have a minimal impact on the environment.

“We acknowledge there will be some impact and, where necessary, have committed to projects to offset those.

Key findings of studies include:
There will be negligible impacts of heavy metals and other contaminants as a result of sediment disturbance on the marine environment;
• No predicted impact on aquaculture;
• Improvement in the quality of water being released into Ralphs Bay from Lauderdale and surrounding area, due to better pollution traps and treatment devices;
• Natural flushing will prevent potential mosquito breeding;
• No mechanical pumping will be required to maintain acceptable water quality
• Maintenance dredging only needed once every 50 years;
• No stratification or algal blooms;
• No endangered Spotted Handfish within 2.5 kilometres of the development area;
• Minimal impact on migratory birds with the loss of nesting and foraging habitat to be addressed by offsets

Mrs Morris said that Walker would fund a range of environmental projects to address minimal impacts of the Lauderdale Quay project and, in some cases, improve conditions.

“For example, our studies show that any wader foraging, roosting and nesting habitats that will be affected by the Lauderdale Quay development will be either lost or substantially modified by the projected climate change induced sea level rise of 0.5 m over the next 100 years,” Mrs Morris said.

“A number of mitigation and offset measures we are proposing to minimise adverse impacts of the development will also help address some climate change impacts. These include the establishment of foreshore parklands with profiles designed to provide habitat opportunities for waders and shorebirds and the creation of climate change secure high-tide roosting and nesting sites,” she said.

Major environmental projects include:
• A $500,000 Wader Habitat project to construct alternative high tide roost and nesting sites and new oyster and mussel beds for foraging;
• $750,000 to install additional culverts and sluice gates beneath South Arm Road
• $350,000 to enhance East Marsh Lagoon and Racecourse Flats Management Plan to improve tidal exchange between this area and Ralphs Bay;
• A $50,000 contribution towards development of a formal Ralphs Bay Conservation Area Management Plan;
• An estimated $125,000 towards development of a Spotted Handfish recovery plan and protection around an identified habitat for the fish.

Mrs Morris said that all capital works would be directly undertaken by Walker Corporation and future Lauderdale Quay property owners would be charged an annual levy for a special environmental fund.

This fund would be administered by a specially created Lauderdale Quay Environmental Offsets Committee with representatives from Government, Clarence Council and research groups.

There will be no burden to Clarence ratepayers or Tasmanian taxpayers for ongoing monitoring or maintenance of the Lauderdale Quay waterways.


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