Mr WOOD - 2015-04-30
Being a rural resident living on a rural-sized block in the rural area, you know an abattoir has recently been opened at Livingstone not far from where you live. When the building of the abattoir was first announced the owners said there would be no smell and the latest technology in odour control would be installed. Unfortunately the residents of Livingstone know only too well it does smell. Obviously you have a nose for these things, so could you please say what is being done to fix the problem?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It is a shame that Phantom Rhymes is not here today to hear this answer as well, but that is a different matter.
There is an odour coming from the abattoir at Livingstone. Living at Acacia Hills I occasionally get a whiff. My wife reports the smell to the EPA.
Some background on this, on 27 May an exceptional development permit was granted allowing the development of the section at Livingstone for the purpose of an abattoir. The project has been assessed by the NT government under the Planning Act and the Environmental Assessment Act. Recommendations of the environmental assessment process were imposed on the development as conditions of the exceptional development permit, including a condition to develop an operational environmental management plan.
The NTEPA approved the conceptual ground water model and ground water monitoring program in September 2012.
On 15 October 2013, after communications with the proponent and their consultant, the NTEPA determined that a variation to incorporate changes to the effluent treatment system did not require assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act. The proponent was advised that a maintenance plan for the effluent treatment system must be strictly implemented to ensure contaminated effluent was not discharged into the environment.
The NTEPA was provided with a draft operational environmental management plan on 11 July 2014. Following the AACo revisions of its plan the NTEPA provided a letter to AACo on 15 October 2014 stating that the operational environmental management plan satisfies condition 6 of the exceptional development permit. An environmental protection licence was issued on 31 October 2014 for the storage, recycling, treatment and disposing of listed waste on a commercial or fee-for-service basis, including recycling and treatment by rendering or wastewater treatment and disposal of listed waste of irrigation of treated waste water.
The environmental protection licence allowed AACo to commence operation on 31 October. This involved a commissioning process that included progressive improvement in the quality of treated waste water. The NTEPA has received data from AACo since commissioning of the site. This data has indicated ongoing compliance issues with the environmental protection licence.
The NTEPA Board met with AACo senior management during January 2015. AACo is aware of the level of non-compliance, particularly in relation to odour, and views the performance as unacceptable …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. It is a shame that Phantom Rhymes is not here today to hear this answer as well, but that is a different matter.
There is an odour coming from the abattoir at Livingstone. Living at Acacia Hills I occasionally get a whiff. My wife reports the smell to the EPA.
Some background on this, on 27 May an exceptional development permit was granted allowing the development of the section at Livingstone for the purpose of an abattoir. The project has been assessed by the NT government under the Planning Act and the Environmental Assessment Act. Recommendations of the environmental assessment process were imposed on the development as conditions of the exceptional development permit, including a condition to develop an operational environmental management plan.
The NTEPA approved the conceptual ground water model and ground water monitoring program in September 2012.
On 15 October 2013, after communications with the proponent and their consultant, the NTEPA determined that a variation to incorporate changes to the effluent treatment system did not require assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act. The proponent was advised that a maintenance plan for the effluent treatment system must be strictly implemented to ensure contaminated effluent was not discharged into the environment.
The NTEPA was provided with a draft operational environmental management plan on 11 July 2014. Following the AACo revisions of its plan the NTEPA provided a letter to AACo on 15 October 2014 stating that the operational environmental management plan satisfies condition 6 of the exceptional development permit. An environmental protection licence was issued on 31 October 2014 for the storage, recycling, treatment and disposing of listed waste on a commercial or fee-for-service basis, including recycling and treatment by rendering or wastewater treatment and disposal of listed waste of irrigation of treated waste water.
The environmental protection licence allowed AACo to commence operation on 31 October. This involved a commissioning process that included progressive improvement in the quality of treated waste water. The NTEPA has received data from AACo since commissioning of the site. This data has indicated ongoing compliance issues with the environmental protection licence.
The NTEPA Board met with AACo senior management during January 2015. AACo is aware of the level of non-compliance, particularly in relation to odour, and views the performance as unacceptable …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016