The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a $15,000 fine to Acciona Infrastructure Australia Pty Ltd for polluting a creek in the Nambucca Heads area.
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Acciona Infrastructure Australia were found to have illegally discharged sediment laden water into Williamson Creek while working on the Warrell Creek to Nambucca Heads Pacific Highway upgrade.
EPA officers visited the road construction site in October and observed sediment laden water being discharged from a sediment sump into the creek.
EPA Regional Operations Manager, Brett Nudd, said the discharge of sediment laden water breached the company’s environment protection licence and section 120 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act.
“The EPA does not take a breach of a licence condition lightly and will not tolerate the pollution of water,” Mr Nudd said.
“Sediment laden water can be harmful to the environment by smothering aquatic plants, killing marine life and impacting on the overall health of creeks and waterways.”
Mr Nudd welcomed the company’s commitment to re-train staff in the correct dewatering procedures and improved procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements.
Penalty notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance including formal warnings, official cautions, licence conditions, notices and directions and prosecutions.
For more information about the EPA’s regulatory tools, see the EPA Compliance Policy at www.epa.nsw.gov.au/legislation/prosguid.htm.
Acciona Infrastructure Australia has been contacted for comment.