West Gate Tunnel project

Yes. There were 504 submissions for the West Gate Tunnel Project from:

• councils (City of Melbourne, Maribyrnong City Council, Hobsons Bay City Council, City of Port Phillip, Moreland City
  Council, City of Yarra)
• government agencies or departments (including EPA, VicRoads and Department of Health)
• interest groups, community organisations, local clubs
• cultural, health and education establishments
• commercial/business operations
• owners’ corporations
• individuals.

Read the full list of names in the West Gate Tunnel Inquiry and Advisory Committee report.

Based on science, modelling and evidence, we have maintained a consistent position that tunnel ventilation filtration is not required.

We communicated this during the EES process in 2017, and applied it to the works approval. However, as a precautionary measure, the works approval (now development licence) included conditions requiring the capacity to retrofit ventilation filtration if ground level impacts from emissions during the operation of the tunnel vary from that expected in our modelling.

Consultation for the project is required to be done by the proponent of the project during EES. The Department of Transport and Planning (formerly DELWP) is the authority that assesses if the consultation was done properly.

As part of the EES process, the proponent was required to provide a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP). The CHMP specifies that Traditional Owner (TO) and Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) were involved in stakeholder consultation by the West Gate Tunnel Project. The TOs and RAPs were:

• Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
• Boon Wurrung Foundation
• Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council.

Read the summary on TO consultation in Report O – Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (page 31) Permissions

There is no direct measure of diesel exhaust emissions. This is why we monitor both fine particulates (as PM_2.5) and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) which are good indicators of exhaust emissions.

Noise from the ventilation systems will often be masked by traffic noise. During low traffic periods, ventilation noise may be audible.

Tunnel ventilation systems fall under commercial, industrial, and trade premises, with their noise regulated by EPA. Noise limits apply 24 hours a day, with stricter limits in the evening and at night.

The West Gate Tunnel Project is responsible for noise monitoring at commissioning of the ventilation systems.

The works approval (now development licence) includes a condition requiring the West Gate Tunnel Project to prepare a monitoring program for noise (condition WA_R1). This program, which will need to be approved by EPA, will inform how ventilation system noise will be monitored and what its impact is.

Noise limits apply within noise sensitive areas that are defined around sensitive buildings. They include houses and other accommodation, as well as schools and childcare centres during their opening hours. However, traffic noise can affect the measurement of ventilation system noise in these areas.

Alternative assessment locations may need to be nominated closer to the ventilation noise sources.

The program focuses on monitoring PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ because they indicate smoke and dust levels, which are expected to be high. The equipment for these measures is compact and easy to place in suitable locations. The one large station at Primula Avenue measures all pollutants, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which EPA considered adequate to represent the general ambient air quality.

No. These stations have been strategically located to measure the air quality before and after the tunnel is operating.

The locations of the air monitoring stations are:

• Full station: 14-16 Primula Avenue (beside freeway just off Millers Road, Brooklyn)
• PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 only stations:
  • Barbara Beyer Reserve, Yarraville
  • 51 Francis Street, Yarraville
  • Millers Road and Nolan Ave, Brooklyn, on corner not far from Full station
  • Woods Street near Avoca St, Yarraville.
    

No. There is no program for EPA to review PurpleAir community monitors. However, the community can use their own PurpleAir monitors to get a general indication of air quality at a specific location.

The current air monitoring program is required to continue up to 5 years of tunnel operation. A review will be undertaken during this period to determine the air monitoring program required.

Downwash is when wind is deflected downwards by a building or other structure that can push pollutants down to ground level.

The effect of downwash on the stack air emissions to ground level may occur during specific weather conditions for limited periods near the stack.

The air modelling incorporated downwash effects from the stack in its assessment.

We are actively considering options to locate sensors that measure PM_2.5 and nitrogen dioxide near the southern and northern portables at the Edwards Reserve and Yarraville Gardens sites, respectively, to validate modelling predications in relation to negligible downwash effects close to the stacks.

Nevertheless, while EPA maintains that the existing monitoring network will adequately characterise general ambient air quality, the additional monitors also respond to community concerns about potential downwash effects.

Yes, ventilation filtration was considered during the Environment Effects Statement process overseen by the Minister for Planning, and during the Works Approval application assessment by EPA.

The design and height of the ventilation stacks and a high-speed extraction system to push emissions high into the atmosphere are designed to adequately disperse tunnel emissions and minimise any ground-level impacts.

The tunnel ventilation structures and operation are current practice in Australia.

The decision was based on:

• the air quality modelling and associated air quality impact assessment concluded that tunnel ventilation structures and operations have been optimised to ensure the air quality impacts at the ground level are low and minimised
• a human health risk assessment concluded that air quality changes would not result in measurable adverse health effects
• he Department of Health and Human Services stated that the air impacts from tunnel emissions were below health-based guidelines and posed a low risk to human health
• local air monitoring data from the CityLink, East Link and Sydney tunnels showed low impacts from tunnel ventilation systems
• trial filtration systems in New South Wales did not demonstrate improvement in local air quality.
  

The West Gate Tunnel Project is best placed to provide costings for a stack ventilation filtration system.

EPA issued a Works Approval with conditions requiring:

• the system's final design to include the capacity to retrofit ventilation filtration if necessary
• continuous monitoring of in-tunnel air will continue during the tunnel’s operation
• continuous monitoring of ventilation stack emissions during the tunnels tunnel's operation
• independent stack testing of ventilation stack emissions to audit and verify continuous monitoring
• independent analysis to verify emissions remain within air emission discharge licence limits.
  

• Yes. Air monitoring data will also be analysed to identify stack ground level contributions. An independent detailed Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) will be undertaken to evaluate the impacts of tunnel emissions.
• This involves air quality modelling, using local weather data and a minimum of 12 months of measured stack emission monitoring data. These data will determine the effects and additional impacts at ground level from the stack emissions.
• The results of the risk assessments, as well as the effectiveness of the current control measures and any future needs for control measures, will be used to determine if any further controls, including filtration, are necessary (and what they might be).
  

No tunnels in Australia have ventilation stacks with filters.

The final design of the air ventilation stacks has a provision to include the ability to retrofit ventilation filters if required.

An independent detailed Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) will be conducted. This involves air quality modelling, using local weather data and at least 12 months of measured stack emission monitoring data. This data will determine the levels contributed to ground level by the stack emissions.

Air monitoring data will also be analysed to identify stack ground level contributions. The measured ambient background air quality and the added stack emissions will be compared to Environmental Reference Standards and other relevant air pollution and health standards in the AQIA and HHRA.

The results of the risk assessments, as well as the effectiveness of the current control measures and any future needs for control measures, will be used to determine if filtration is necessary.

The project is required to meet project environmental performance requirements (EPRs) that were endorsed by the Minister for Planning.

Some of these EPRs are specific to noise and vibration. Road tunnel ventilation is a prescribed permission activity under Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Regulations 2021.

As such, the design and construction of the ventilation system is subject to a Works Approval (now called Development Licence) that was issued by EPA in 2019, and its operation will be subject to an Operating Licence.

The design and construction of the ventilation system is subject to a Works Approval (now called Development Licence) that was issued by EPA in 2019 and its operation will be subject to an Operating Licence.

The Works Approval can be found on EPA’s website WGTP: works approval and Environment Effects Statement .

Operating licences are issued under section 74 of the Environment Protection Act 2017.

While EPA is involved in the enforcement of regulations for noisy individual vehicles, EPA does not regulate noise from roads.

State roads, such as arterial roads or freeways, that are declared under the Road Management Act 2004 are managed by the Department of Transport and Planning. This is the case for the West Gate freeway.

The VicRoads Traffic Noise Reduction Policy sets noise level objectives for freeways and arterial roads. It also applies to some road widening and upgrade projects.

Private roads generally have specific noise standards that are applied during the planning and approval process. The is the case for the West Gate Tunnel Project, which is subject to the traffic noise limits set in its environmental performance requirements (EPRs).

More information can be found in Transport noise and the law

The EPRs for the West Gate Tunnel Project can be found on Victoria’s Big Build website.

The VicRoads Traffic Noise Reduction Policy can be downloaded from the VicRoads website.

During construction to reduce the risk of contaminated and/or sediment laden water being discharged off-site various controls have been implemented including:

• the installation of erosion and sediment controls as soon as reasonably practicable
• diverting clean storm water around sites
• placing high risk areas such as spoil stockpiles out of drainage lines
• where practicable, staging works to reduce land disturbance
• the use of rumble grids and wash bays to reduce mud/dirt track out
• the use of dust suppression
• providing adequate training to site personnel regarding erosion and sediment control
• inspection, maintenance, and improvement of erosion and sediment controls
• capturing wastewater from activities such as non-destructive drilling (ndd), hydro-blasting, concrete, etc
• maximising water reuse on-site
• the testing of water before disposal or discharge to ensure that discharge water complies with environmental standards.
  

The risk of contaminated water discharge to the environment from the tunnel will be managed through the tunnel drainage system. The drainage system is designed to capture water, spills, firewater etc, that enter or are generated within the tunnel. The tunnel drainage system is designed to include hydrocarbon traps and water storage. Contaminated water will be contained and disposed of, whereas clean stormwater will be redirected to a constructed wetland.

Clean storm water and runoff will be directed to a constructed wetland near the Northern Portal. The constructed wetland is designed to treat and further improve water quality before discharge to the Maribyrnong River.