September 19, 2006
Australia
Australia
Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has received a new submission for a Victorian wind farm he blocked in controversial circumstances earlier this year.
The Bald Hills Wind Farm company was prepared to spend $220 million on the project in Victoria’s East Gippsland region, but Senator Campbell blocked it on advice that it could detrimentally affect the extremely rare orange-bellied parrot.
The State Government accused Senator Campbell of acting to shore up support for the Liberal candidate in the marginal seat surrounding the farm.
The company initiated court proceedings to counter the minister’s decision, but later agreed to withdraw its action.
Public submissions are being received from tomorrow and for the next 21 days.
Senator Campbell took the opportunity to criticise the State Government as the call for submissions went out.
“I will be seeking a vital missing piece of information, and that is the full report by the Victorian government Department of Sustainability and Environment into the wind farm proposal, a report which found the proposed facility would increase the level of threat to the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot,” he said in a statement.
“This report has been kept hidden for 1,005 days ““ the same minister who has for 490 days been sitting on information about the proposed Dollar wind farm, just 30km from the Bald Hills site.”
Senator Campbell said the Bald Hills company’s submission would be made publicly available on his department’s website from close of business tomorrow.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/09/19/banned-wind-farm-developers-try-again/