West Gate Tunnel opening pushed back to 2024
Major projects authorities have admitted to deepening problems on the West Gate Tunnel, at a government briefing today.
The timeline has drifted out further to at least 2024 for completion and the difficult process of locating a venue for the dumping of toxic tunnel spoil is also dragging out. Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, David Davis told reporters, “The West Gate Tunnel project has been a debacle from beginning to end. It’s been a special deal for Labor’s mates. It is wildly late, with time slipping further. No wonder Labor has pulled down the 2022 completion banners.
“Motorists are paying through the nose every day on the CityLink roads for a tunnel that is not even built and they may never use.
“Meanwhile Labor is running roughshod over local communities, forcing toxic waste into place with a truncated and undemocratic process. Dumping toxic contaminated soil near communities – what could possibly go wrong?”
The Victorian State Government has given a permit to the High Quality site at Bulla, near local communities, but has yet to facilitate the construction and completion of the works associated with this facility.
Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure, David Davis:
“The West Gate Tunnel project has been a debacle from beginning to end. It’s been a special deal for Labor’s mates. It is wildly late, with time slipping further. No wonder Labor has pulled down the 2022 completion banners.
“Motorists are paying through the nose every day on the CityLink roads for a tunnel that is not even built and they may never use.
“Meanwhile Labor is running roughshod over local communities, forcing toxic waste into place with a truncated and undemocratic process. Dumping toxic contaminated soil near communities – what could possibly go wrong?” Mr Davis said.
The toxic dumping site does not have the support of local communities, instead steamrolling local government and residents.
Moorabool Shire Council ha sin the past said it is angered and disappointed that the State Planning Minister has approved an amendment to the Moorabool Planning Scheme that will allow Maddingley Brown Coal (MBC) to receive, categorise and store contaminated soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project.
In light of the Minister’s decision, the Council said it would look at all options for next steps including taking legal action.
“We’re not surprised but we’re extremely disappointed with today’s decision,” Council CEO Derek Madden said.
“It’s our view that the process for considering the application has been flawed as there has not been adequate consultation for a project of this nature, particularly with impacted Councils and the community.
“The whole way through this, Council was left in the dark and effectively shut out of the planning decision process, as the Minister called the project in to make the decision. This means the decision was made without any decent consultation with our community, which is a slap in the face to our Bacchus Marsh residents.”
Concerns have been raised about PFAS and other chemicals in this soil.
According to the EPA in the United States, there is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans. If humans, or animals, ingest PFAS (by eating or drinking food or water than contain PFAS), the PFAS are absorbed, and can accumulate in the body. PFAS stay in the human body for long periods of time. As a result, as people get exposed to PFAS from different sources over time, the level of PFAS in their bodies may increase to the point where they suffer from adverse health effects.
Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animal studies. The most consistent findings from human epidemiology studies are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations, with more limited findings related to:
- infant birth weights,
- effects on the immune system,
- cancer (for PFOA), and
- thyroid hormone disruption (for PFOS).
Details of the project can be viewed here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9eN5y5mXC4