GERROA SAND QUARRY EXTENSION – INTRODUCTION

Please consider this submission as an objection to the Gerroa Quarry Modification to LEC approval No. 10801 of 2007.

This submission requests consideration of environmental impacts this proposed modification will have on habitat corridors, and potential groundwater impacts on nearby swamp forests. It contextualises these requests by providing background information about the history and values of environment of the proposed mine and how it may impact on those values. It proposes actions that could ameliorate these impacts.

The Gerroa Environment Protection Society was formed 30 years ago when a large area of littoral rainforest and swamp forest was cleared prior to the lodgement of a sand quarry application at Gerroa. Over that time, our Society has developed a local understanding of the natural values of Seven Mile Beach ecosystems and biodiversity and we have been working for its protection. Our attachment to these values has led us to challenge sand mine applications and an unauthorised sand mine in the Land and Environment Court on three occasions. Our intent has always been to conserve the unique environmental values of the area that we live in. Our group has also been involved in land care, where we have worked to repair some of the destruction associated with sandmining activities in the area.

Our Society is of the opinion that this application is not an extension of the part 3a LEC approval because:

• it was not signalled or considered in the original application,
• the compounding impacts on the fragmentation of habitats and habitat connectivity have not been considered,
• the LEC agreed issue of potential impacts from groundwater changes on endangered swamp forests has been overlooked,
• impacts on endangered population of the Greater Glider has not been considered because this population was classified as Endangered after that decision,
• it is a physically separate site.