Together, we've secured some huge wins on coal ash pollution in Victoria. Now, we have an opportunity to push for even stronger protections.
After successful community action won higher standards and better transparency from AGL, the EPA is seeking feedback from the community on AGL’s revised plans to expand its coal ash dumps in the Latrobe Valley.
Until 11.59pm Friday, 9 February 2024, you can have your say and call for stronger scrutiny and thorough assessment on all impacts to community and environmental health.
Scroll down for all the information you need to make an impactful submission in just 15 minutes.
How to make an impactful submission
The Victorian EPA is taking submissions from the public until 11.59pm Friday, 9 February 2024, via the Engage Victoria portal.
You can use the information below to draft your submission.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Everyone deserves a future free from toxic coal pollution.
Hidden beside coal-fired power stations, toxic ash dumps in the Latrobe Valley are threatening the local community’s health, rivers, lakes, farmland and forests with contamination.
The toxins in coal ash have been linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and stroke.
Coal ash is a serious threat to community health, and must be carefully, strictly managed – so the Latrobe Valley has a future free from the burden of toxic coal pollution.
Have your say
The Victorian EPA is currently seeking feedback from the community on AGL’s revised plans to expand its coal ash dumps at Loy Yang in the Latrobe Valley.
A first round of public consultation was held in March 2023 on AGL’s initial plans to expand its coal ash dumps. Thanks to community members across the Latrobe Valley speaking out on their concerns, AGL has submitted a revised application, which includes stronger measures for environmental and community safety, and greater transparency in their plans.
While these are significant wins, there are still a few key areas of AGL’s application that must be strengthened. We now have another opportunity to ensure even stronger protections for community and environmental health.
AGL has submitted a revised application to expand its coal ash dumps at Loy Yang.
In order to keep operating the Loy Yang coal-fired power stations, AGL wants to expand it coal ash dumps to accommodate 500,000 cubic metres of coal ash per annum. AGL is seeking to expand its coal ash dams as its current dams are nearing capacity.
Just like wood in a fireplace, coal produces ash as a byproduct when it's burned to create electricity. Power stations mix this toxic coal ash waste with water into a toxic slurry they pipe to landfill dumps, creating a lethal cocktail of mercury, lead, arsenic, selenium and chromium.
Though AGL’s revised application features some important improvements, including the use of best-practice ash dump liners and greater transparency, there remain a few key issues. These include:
- The capacity of the coal ash dumps must be consistent with a 2035 closure date for both Loy Yang A and Loy Yang B power stations. As it currently stands, the coal ash capacity for this application includes room to dump coal ash from Loy Yang B until 2047, which is contrary to the Victorian government’s renewable energy target of 95% by 2035 and the emissions reduction target of 75-80% by 2035, and their commitment to phase-out coal by this time.
- Best practice dust monitoring must be conducted by AGL as part of its plans. This includes ensuring all dust monitoring instruments are online and should include observance of PM2.5. We know the negative impact that inhalation of coal ash dust can have on human health and AGL should ensure they have appropriate technology in place to monitor this.
- In assessing AGL’s revised application, the EPA must consider the impacts the project will have on climate change and the impact climate change will have on the project, particularly in a hotter climate more prone to precipitation events. The EPA must also thoroughly consider the project’s impact on human rights, and human health and the environment.
Communities that live near coal-fired power stations are at serious risk. The toxins in coal ash have been linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and stroke.
Despite this, government regulators allow ash dumps to be built and operated in a way that does not prevent groundwater contamination, surface water contamination, pipeline spills, and community exposure to toxic dust emissions.
The communities that have powered Victoria for decades deserve a future free from the impacts of toxic coal ash pollution. We all deserve clean air to breathe, a healthy environment, and clean waterways.
This is an important opportunity to ensure AGL’s plans put the health of the community and environment first and to keep power stations accountable.
You must lodge your submission through the Engage Victoria portal by 11:59PM Friday, 9 February 2024.
To do so, click the link above to go to the submission portal. Click the Participate button.
On this page, you will see two options to participate. Click Start survey under ‘Comment of the application’s further information.’ The other option should show as closed.
Next, fill out the required information at the top of the survey. You will need to provide your first name, last name, email address, and indicate who you are representing in your submission (whether you’re submitting as an individual person, or on behalf of a community group or organisation). If you are submitting on behalf of a group, be sure to include the name of the group in the box provided.
The following three questions all concern your comment on AGL’s application.
The first two questions are optional, and you do not need to respond to them; you can simply opt to upload your submission as a Word Document or PDF later in the survey. You may respond to them if you prefer.
The third question is required and asks you to indicate your level of support for the proposal.
- If you support AGL's revised proposal as it currently stands, select 'Support the proposal'.
- If you are somewhat supportive of the proposal but want to see strong licence conditions, which are the rules AGL must follow in carrying out their application, choose 'Support subject to licence conditions'.
- If you do not support AGL's plans, select 'Object to the proposal'.
After this section, there is an option to upload an attachment. This is where you can upload your submission if you have drafted it in a Word Document or PDF. Simply click the link and select your file to upload it.
Finally, read the collection notice and respond to the check boxes at the bottom of the page. Then click submit – and you’re done!
Thank you for taking the time to have your say on AGL’s coal ash dam application.
Once the submission window closes, the EPA will consider the submissions made by the community, and decide whether to ask AGL to provide further information on issues raised by community feedback.
If the EPA decides AGL has provided sufficient information to address community concerns in its application already, the EPA will proceed with its assessment of AGL’s plans and make a decision.
There’s no timeline for this at this stage, but we’ll keep you in the loop.
