The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has adopted a preferred option for the Pacific Highway upgrade through the Clarence valley, North Coast NSW that involves the destruction of large areas of natural vegetation, cuts across wetlands and places a barrier through the habitat of the endangered population of the Coastal Emu. Proposed ameliorative measures are at the best hopeful and at the worst farcical. The EIS has been released and submissions are due by February 4. In excess of 80 threatened species of flora and fauna are to be impacted including the state listed Black-necked Stork, Brolga, Australasian Bittern, Eastern Osprey, Square-tailed Kite, Spotted Harrier, Little Eagle, Bush Stone-curlew, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Masked Owl, Eastern Grass Owl, Powerful Owl, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Diamond Firetail and more, and the federally listed Rainbow Bee-eater, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Latham’s Snipe, Australian Painted Snipe, Fork-tailed Swift and White-throated Needletail, as well as numerous mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and flora species.
There is an alternative route but it has a greater social impact. Money can address the social impacts but no amount of money can bring back the ecosystems once they are lost. The orange option, that approximates the existing highway, is a less ecologically destructive route. We are calling for it to be the preferred route.
People that want to prepare a submission can contact me directly on gclancy@tpg.com.au and I will send a package of material to assist with its preparation or people can follow up the issue directly at www.rms.nsw.gov.au/pacific (click on Woolgoolga to Ballina). I would appreciate hearing from anyone who does send a submission.
Greg
Dr Greg. P. Clancy Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460 0266493153 0429601960
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