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Port Phillip Bay Channel Deepening Proposal

Proponent: Port of Melbourne Corporation (POMC)

Overview
The Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) has proposed a project to deepen sections of the shipping channels to the Port of Melbourne. The project aims to accommodate vessels with a draught of up to 14 metres. This is known as the Port Phillip Bay Channel Deepening Project.

The project is being assessed under the Environment Effects Act 1978.

On this page:
Minister for Planning Environmental Effects Assessment
SEES Inquiry Panel Report
Independent Expert Group Advice
SEES Inquiry Submissions on EMP and Rock Scour Reports
Supplementary Environment Effects Statement
SEES Exhibition
Supplementary Environment Effects Inquiry
Schedule for Inquiry hearings
Documents presented at the hearings
Expert Witness Statements for Supplementary Effects Statement
Environment Effects Statement
Environment Effects Inquiry
Contacts for questions


Minister for Planning Environmental Effects Assessment
The Minister for Planning released the Environmental Effects Assessment for this project on 31 October 2007.
CDP Final Environmental Effects Assessment 31 Oct 2007 (PDF - 989 Kb)
IEG Advice Appendix C (PDF - 351 Kb)


Supplementary EES Inquiry Panel Report
Following the 2004 Environment Effects Statement (EES), a Supplementary Environment Effects Statement (SEES) was required for the Channel Deepening Project in July 2005.

The SEES Inquiry concluded public hearings in this matter on 31 July 2007 and submitted its report to the Minister for Planning on 1 October 2007.
Channel Deepening SEES Panel Report- Main report (PDF - 346 Kb)
Channel Deepening SEES Panel Report - Appendix (PDF - 1.8 Mb)


Independent Expert Group advice
The Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) appointed an Independent Expert Group (IEG), to provide advice on environmental investigations being carried out by the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) for the Channel Deepening Project Supplementary EES.

The members of the IEG and their expertise are:

• Dr Graham Mitchell – Chair of the IEG and one of the Chief Scientists of DPCD.
• Professor Michael Keough, Melbourne University – specialist in marine ecology
• Dr John Parlsow, CSIRO Marine Research Division – specialist in ecological modelling
• Dr Kerry Black, ASR Consulting – specialist in hydrodynamics and coastal processes
• Mr Nick Bray, Dredging Research Ltd. UK – specialist in dredging.

During the course of the SEES process the IEG provided advice on a number of issues:
IEG advice on PoMC dredged sediment assessments Apr 06 (PDF - 57 Kb)
Independent Expert Group Advice on the Supplementary EES (PDF - 218 Kb)
Interim IEG Advice to SEES Inquiry 18 July 2007 (PDF - 32 Kb)
Further IEG Advice to SEES Inquiry 27 July 2007 (PDF - 20 Kb)
IEG advice on Dioxin 17 Aug 07 (PDF - 29 Kb)
IEG advice on Toxic algal blooms and Primary Production 17 Aug 2007 (PDF - 28 Kb)
IEG Advice on Rock Scour in the Entrance 29 Aug 07 (PDF - 26 Kb)
IEG advice on POMCs Environmental Management Plan 6 Sept 2007 (PDF - 84 Kb)
Consideration about the selections of equipment and work method (PDF - 296 Kb)
IEG Advice 24 Sept 07 (PDF - 729 Kb)
Letter to Dr A Hawke dated 18 Sept 2007 (PDF - 165 Kb)
Peer Review Scour Assessment Report The Entrance (PDF - 1.2 Mb)
Peer Review Scour Reports Final (PDF - 543 Kb)


SEES Inquiry Submissions on Environmental Management Plan and Rock Scour Reports
The Inquiry invited those who made submissions on the Supplementary EES, to make a further submission on:

1) PoMC’s Environmental Management Plan (Revision C)
CDP IMS PL 003 Environmental Management Plan EMP pp1 - 80 (PDF - 1.1 Mb)
CDP IMS PL 003 Environmental Management Plan EMP pp 81 - 110 (PDF - 1.2 Mb)
CDP IMS PL 003 Environmental Management Plan EMP pp111 - end (PDF - 1.4 Mb)

2) Reports on rock scour at the Entrance tabled at the Inquiry by PoMC on Friday 27 July 2007.
Australian Marine Ecology report (PDF - 986 Kb)
Cardno Lawson Treloar supplementary report - currents (PDF - 1.3 Mb)
Cardno Lawson Treloar supplementary report - waves (PDF - 363 Kb)
Cardno Lawson Treloar supplementary report - channel design (PDF - 795 Kb)
Cardno Lawson Treloar supplementary statement - entrance channel depth (PDF - 142 Kb)
PIRVic Andy Longmore letter (PDF - 235 Kb)
Scott Chidgey supplementary report (PDF - 32 Kb)
Scott Chidgey report (PDF - 1.2 Mb)
Scour report final draft 26 July 07 (PDF - 1.1 Mb)
URS report (PDF - 307 Kb)

by Monday 13 August 2007.

The Inquiry also invited PoMC to respond to any submissions received, by Monday 20 August 2007.

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Supplementary Environment Effects Statement (SEES)
In July 2005 the Minister for Planning required PoMC to prepare a Supplementary Statement or SEES to further investigate aspects of the Channel Deepening Project previously examined in an EES released for public comment in July 2004. The Minister issued a Statement in July 2005 setting out the broad requirements for the SEES process.

Minister for Planning Statement on SEES Process - July 2005 (PDF - 62 Kb)

In October 2005 the Minister issued Assessment Guidelines to guide the preparation of the SEES by PoMC.
SEES Assessment Guidelines (PDF - 216 Kb)

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SEES exhibition
The SEES was exhibited for public comment from 22nd March to 7th May 2007.

The SEES may be downloaded from PoMC’s website www.channelproject.com

Supplementary Environment Effects Inquiry
The Minister for Planning appointed Dr Allan Hawke, Ms Kathy Mitchell and Dr Mike Lisle- Williams under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to conduct an inquiry into the CDP, in the context of the SEES and public submissions. You can read the Panel Appointed for Channel Deepening Project media release from the Minister for Planning, issued on 4 April 2007. The Minister has issued terms of reference for the inquiry (attached below).
Channel Deepening SEES Terms of Reference (PDF - 244 Kb)

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Schedule for Inquiry hearing
The schedule for the Inquiry hearing is posted here.
Timetable Version 4 CDP (PDF - 228 Kb)


Documents presented at the hearings
A list of the documents presented during the hearings up to and including 1 August 2007 is posted here.
List of documents submitted as at 1 August 2007 (PDF - 215 Kb)

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Expert Witness Statements for Supplementary Effects Statement
A list of the parties that intend relying on expert witness reports or statements (and a copy of those documents) is posted here:
Association of Bayside Municipalities
Aquatic Ecology, Pollution Monitoring - Graham Harris (PDF - 77 Kb)

Blue Wedges
Economics - Richard McEncroe (PDF - 84 Kb)
Environmental, Tourism and Energy Economics - Economists@Large (PDF - 641 Kb)
Master Mariner - Frank Hart (PDF - 211 Kb)
Sediment Toxicity - Lindsay Swinden (PDF - 250 Kb)

Earthcare StKilda Inc
Little Penguin Ecology - Tiana Preston (PDF - 479 Kb)

Frankston Beach Association
Economics - Illias Grivas (PDF - 458 Kb)
Master Mariner - Frank Hart (PDF - 211 Kb)

Port of Melbourne Corporation
Benefit Cost Analysis - Stephen Meyrick - Statement (PDF - 1.1 Mb)
Benefit Cost Analysis - Stephen Meyrick - Appendices 1 and 2 (PDF - 697 Kb)
Benefit Cost Analysis - Stephen Meyrick - Appendix 3 (PDF - 1.1 Mb)

Bund Design - Don Raisbeck and Nick Ramsey (PDF - 1.1 Mb)

Bunding Cap - Michael Palermo - Statement (PDF - 1.3 Mb)
Bunding Cap - Michael Palermo - Appendix (PDF - 1.4 Mb)

Canyon - Marcus Lincoln Smith (PDF - 1.6 Mb)

Dredge Material Management - Roger Parker (PDF - 599 Kb)

Engineering - Frans Uelman and Gerard van Raalte (PDF - 846 Kb)

Fish - Greg Jenkins (PDF - 886 Kb)

Great Sands - Terry Healy - Statement (PDF - 698 Kb)
Great Sands - Terry Healy - Appendix 1 part 1 (PDF - 1.4 Mb)
Great Sands - Terry Healy - Appendix 1 part 2 (PDF - 1.3 Mb)
Great Sands - Terry Healy - Appendix 1 part 3 (PDF - 1.1 Mb)

Human Health - Lee Nikl (PDF - 1.2 Mb)

Hydrodynamics and Turbidity - David Provis - Statement (PDF - 664 Kb)
Hydrodynamics and Turbidity - David Provis - Appendix (PDF - 1.2 Mb)

Little Penguins - Simon Mustoe - pages 1 -10 (PDF - 642 Kb)
Little Penguins - Simon Mustoe - pages 11-20 (PDF - 807 Kb)
Little Penguins - Simon Mustoe - pages 21 to end (PDF - 652 Kb)

Newport Power Station - Iain Gunn (PDF - 834 Kb)

Nutrinet Cycling - Andy Longmore (PDF - 1.6 Mb)

Rock Falls - Matt Edmunds (PDF - 124 Kb)

Seagrass - David Fox - Statement (PDF - 816 Kb)
Seagrass - David Fox - Appendix 1 - CV (PDF - 300 Kb)
D Fox - Appendix 2 - Control Charting part 1 (PDF - 1.2 Mb)
D Fox - Appendix 2 - Control Charting part 2 (PDF - 997 Kb)
D Fox -Appendix 2 - Control Charting part 3 (PDF - 708 Kb)
D Fox - Appendix 2 - Control Charting part 4 (PDF - 667 Kb)
D Fox - Appendix 3 - Setting Environmental Limits part 1 (PDF - 1.5 Mb)
D Fox - Appendix 3 - Setting Environmental Limits part 2 (PDF - 717 Kb)

Seagrass and Canyon - Scott Chidgey - pages 1 - 8 (PDF - 490 Kb)
Seagrass and Canyon - Scott Chidgey - pages 9 - 16 (PDF - 687 Kb)
Seagrass and Canyon - Scott Chidgey - pages 17 to end (PDF - 1.2 Mb)

Sediment Chemistry - Ian Irvine - Statement (PDF - 595 Kb)
Sediment Chemistry - Ian Irvine - Appendices A - D (PDF - 879 Kb)
Sediment Chemistry - Ian Irvine - Appendices E and F (PDF - 1.3 Mb)

Shipping Safety - Geoff Aitken (PDF - 716 Kb)

Tourism and Recreation - David Cotterill (PDF - 415 Kb)

Water Quality - Harry Houridis and Peter Morrison - Statement (PDF - 1.1 Mb)
Water Quality - Harry Houridis and peter Morrison - Appendices (PDF - 709 Kb)



Environment Effects Statement
In May 2002, the Minister for Planning required the Victorian Channels Authority (succeeded by PoMC) to prepare an Environment Effects Statement (EES) under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to investigate the potential environmental effects of the Channel Deepening Project. This EES was released for public comment in July 2004. The SEES released in March 2007 replaces the EES documentation for the purpose of informing assessment of the project.
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Environment Effects Inquiry
A previous Inquiry was appointed in July 2004 to consider the Channel Deepening Project, including the EES and public submissions. In March 2005 the Minister for Planning released the EES Inquiry's Report together with a Ministerial Statement providing a provisional response to the Inquiry's recommendations.

EES Channel Deepening Panel Inquiry Table of Contents (PDF - 45 Kb)
EES Channel Deepening Panel Inquiry Exec Summary (PDF - 26 Kb)
EES Channel Deepening Panel Inquiry Report - Body (PDF - 1.3 Mb)
EES Channel Deepening Panel Inquiry - Conclusions (PDF - 74 Kb)
Minister for Planning Statement - March 2005 (PDF - 125 Kb)


Contacts for questions
Questions generally relating to the SEES process should be directed to the Department of Planning and Community Development on 136 186.

Questions specifically relating to the Inquiry process and submissions should be directed to
Planning Panels Victoria on (03) 9637 9692.

Questions relating to the Channel Deepening Project should be directed to:

Stakeholder Relations Coordinator
Channel Deepening Project
Port of Melbourne Corporation
Phone: 1800 731 022,
E-mail: channelproject@portofmelbourne.com or visit www.channelproject.com

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Please note: Document(s) on this page are presented in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Reader, you can download a copy free from the Adobe web site.