Council may comment on substation

Gosford Council is less than three weeks away from receiving a Review of Environmental Factors from Energy Australia over plans to build a $50 million electricity substation in Empire Bay.

Council's manager of development Mr Gary Chestnut said council had been in touch with Energy Australia and were expecting the document to be made available by the end of the month.

Mr Chestnut said council would have the opportunity to comment on the Review of Environmental Factors but was not the determining body.

He said Energy Australia were not required to carry out an Environmental Impact Statement unless the development was found to significantly affect the environment which would be revealed in the Review of Environmental Factors.

The Environmental Impact Statement provides a thorough public examination of a proposed activity that is likely to have a significant impact on the environment and to form a basis for a decision on whether that activity should proceed, according to Mr Chestnut.

Clare Graham, 9 Sep 2010 Interviewee: Gary Chestnut, Gosford Council