10.1 General 82

10.2 IdentificationofIssues 83

10.3 PlansforDealingwith 83EnvironmentalIssues

Environmental Issues

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10.1 GeneralMelbourneAirportmaintainsacomprehensivelevelofmanagementoftheenvironmentalaspectsandimpactsatMelbourneAirport.TheEnvironmentsectionofthisMasterPlanisdevelopedinparallelwiththeMelbourneAirportEnvironmentStrategyevery5years,aimingtoimproveontheenvironmentalinitiativesachievedinthepaststrategies.TheAirportsActrequirestheMasterPlantoincludeanassessmentofenvironmentalissuesthatmightreasonablybeexpectedtobeassociatedwithprojectsoutlined.

AnEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS)waspreparedbythepreviousairportoperatorintheMelbourneAirportStrategyprocess,whichcoveredproposalstofullydeveloptheairportsiteforaircraftoperations.TheEIS,whichwaspreparedundertherequirementsoftheCommonwealthEnvironment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974,identifiedthelikelysocial,physical,biologicalandeconomicimpactsoftheAirportStrategy.

ThefindingsoftheEISrecognisedthatMelbourneAirportcouldcontinuetoundertaketimelydevelopmentsoverthenext50yearsinresponsetogrowthinaviationdemand.ThisledtojointFederalandStateGovernmentadoptionoftheAirportStrategy.Projectsproposedtobeundertakenduringthenext20yearshavebeenidentifiedinSection8ofthisMasterPlan.ThedevelopmentscenarioproposedbytheseprojectsisconsistentwiththebroadplanningframeworkfortheairportthatwasestablishedbytheAirportStrategyprocess.

Thedevelopmentproposalsarearesponsetotheongoinggrowthcharacteristicsofaviationtrafficandtheaccompanyingactivitylevelsattheairport.Thisgrowthinactivitylevelshasthecapacitytohavepotentialimpactsattheairportinvariousenvironmentalaspectswhichinclude:

•EnvironmentalManagement;

•EcologicalSustainableDesign;

•EnergyManagementandClimateChange;

•WaterQuality–Stormwater;

•WaterQuality–Groundwater;

•WaterConsumptionManagement;

•WasteandResourceManagement;

•BiodiversityandConservationManagement;

•LandManagement;

•AirQuality;

•CulturalHeritage;

•Ground-BasedNoise;

•CommunityEngagement;and

•HazardousSubstances.

TheseenvironmentalaspectsandassociatedimpactshavebeenconsideredintheEnvironmentStrategyastheyalreadyoccurwiththepresentlevelofairportoperationsonaday-to-daybasis.

WithintheexistingframeworkofenvironmentalmanagementattheairportincludingtheEnvironmentalManagementSystem,thesepotentialareasofimpactcanbemonitoredandmanagedtoachievecompliancewithstandardssetoutintheAirports(EnvironmentProtection)RegulationsandVictorianStatelegislationtotheextentthatitsactivitiesimpactonsurroundingVictorianlandandwaterways,alongwiththeCommonwealth’sstatutoryrequirementforimprovingenvironmentalmanagement.

TheMasterPlanEnvironmentSectionreflectsthecommitmentsmadeintheMelbourneAirportEnvironmentStrategyandaddressesthoseenvironmentalissuesthatcanbeattributedtofurtherairportdevelopmentinthenext20years,thatarenotspecificallycoveredintheEnvironmentStrategy.

10.0 Environmental Issues

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10.2 Identification of IssuesTheproposalsidentifiedinthisMasterPlanforimplementationduringthenext20yearsprovideforadditionalrunwaycapacityandincrementalextensionstovariousfacilitiesandinfrastructureservices.Althoughtheseprojectswillhaveavaryingdegreeofimpactintheenvironmentalareaslistedintheprevioussection,theyareexpectedtobemanageablewiththeimplementationofappropriateenvironmentalmanagementcontrolsthroughtheEnvironmentalManagementSystem(EMS)process.

Environmentalissuesthatmightreasonablybeexpectedtobeassociatedwithprojectimplementationinclude:

•Effectsonlandform;

•Impactonfloraandfauna;

•Removaloftreesandsignificantflora;

•Impactonculturalandindigenousheritagesites;

•Demolitionandconstructionimpacts;

•EcologicalSustainableDesign;

•Climatechange;and

•Downstreamandon-airporteffectsofincreasesinstormwaterdischarge.

Thefollowingsectionassessestheseimpactsandindicatesplansformanagingthem.Theassessmentofin-flightaircraftnoiseimpactandexternallanduseplanningisdiscussedinSection9.1.MelbourneAirporthaspreparedanOperationalSafetyPolicytocontrolnoisefromaircraftgroundrunningfortestpurposes.Thisdocumentspecifiesprocedurestominimisethelevelofnoiseexposuretotheairportenvirons.Anareacanbemadeavailableontheairportforanoiseattenuationfacility,shouldthisberequiredinthefuture.

10.3 Plans for Dealing with Environmental IssuesMelbourneAirporthaschosentoadopttheInternationalStandardforEnvironmentalManagementSystemsISO14001(2004)asthestandardagainstwhichitsEMSwillbeaudited,MelbourneAirportsuccessfullyachievedre-certificationinJune2007.TheEMSenablestheformulationofpoliciesandobjectives,takingintoaccountlegislativeneedsandinformationaboutsignificantenvironmentalaspects.

LandformThetwoareasmostaffectedbythedevelopmentproposalswillbethepresentlyundevelopedsouthandsouth-eastareasoftheairportandtheareasoftheairportwherefuturerunwayconstructionisplanned.Theconstructionoftheneweast-westrunwayandassociatedtaxiwaysystemwillrequirefillingacrossArundelCreek.TherewillbearequirementtopipeArundelCreekundergroundinthefillareas.

Earthworkstoprovidetherequiredrunwayandapproachsurfacesforanewnorth-southrunwaywillsignificantlyalterthewesternhillsideoftheGreyBoxForestarea.

Whenconstructed,theproposedrunwaysandtaxiwayswillemphasisethecomparativelyflatnatureoftheairportsiteandremovethepresentlandformpatternsintheseareas.

Thechangesinlandformtoresultfromthedevelopmentproposalsareunavoidablebutareconsistentwithothersitesdevelopedforairportandindustrialpurposes.

Asmentionedabove,extensiveearthworksinvolvingdeepcutandfillareasarerequiredforconstructionofeitheroftheproposedfuturerunways.Attheappropriatetime,stepswillbetakentoassessthestabilityofbattersandtoensurebytrimmingandplantingsthatfinalbattersarevisuallyacceptable.Excludingnewpavementareas,topsoilingandgrassingofallotherdisturbedareaswillbeundertaken.

Proposeddevelopmentsinthesouthandsouth-eastareaswillremovetheslightlyundulatingruralcharacteroftheseareas.Theairportoperator’sconsentprocesscoversarangeofissues,frombuildingenvelopesandarchitecturetolandscapingandtheneedfordevelopmentandongoingoperationstobeconductedinaccordancewiththeMelbourneAirportEnvironmentPolicy.

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CertainareassetasideforconservationvalueattheairportarenotaffectedbyproposalsintheMasterPlan,thesebeing:

•Thegolfcourseareainthesouth-westsector;

•Anorthernareawheremorethan50%oftheGreyBoxForestwillremainandbeextended;

•AnareabetweenSunburyRoadandMooneePondsCreekwhichisleasedbyParksVictoriaandadjacenttoWoodlandsHistoricPark.ParksVictoriathereforehaveresponsibilityforthewholebufferareaasshowninFigure10.1;

•AnnandaleRoadconservationarea;and

•FrontageareasalongDeepCreekandtheMaribyrnongRiver.

TheseareasareshownontheUltimateAirportEnvironmentalPlandrawing,refertoFigure10.1,andcomprisesome579hectares.

Flora and FaunaFloraandfaunaissuesareassessedforeverynewdevelopmenton-airportand,wherewarranted,appropriateassessmentsundertakeninaccordancewiththe2008EnvironmentStrategy.TheMasterPlanincludesaprovision(refertoFigure10.1)toprovideafaunacorridorfromtheGreyBoxForesttoDeepCreek.TheGreyBoxForestandStMary’sChurchareenteredontheRegisteroftheNationalEstate.Aninitialhabitathectareassessmentwasundertakenin2007toverifythehabitatrequirementsforafuturethirdrunway.

Comprehensiveairport-widefloraandfaunastudieshavebeenundertakenatMelbourneAirportforthepotentialoractualpresenceofthreatenedfloraandfaunalistedundertheEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)andtheVictorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.In1997,faunastudiesindicatedthattheSwiftParrot,thecommondunnart,abullantandtheAustralianGrayling(afish)aretheonlythreatenedspecies,undertheCommonwealthandStatelegislationreferredtoabove,whichhavebeenrecordedat,orcouldpotentiallyoccurat,MelbourneAirport.MorerecentfaunastudiesoftheStripedLeglessLizard(2004),EarlessDragon(2005)andGoldenSunMoth(2007)havebeenundertaken.TheseinvestigationsconcludedthatoutsideoftheGreyBoxForest,MelbourneAirportcontainslittlevegetationofsignificanceandthereforeitisextremelyunlikelythatlistedspeciesarepresent.

Removal of TreesTwoareasoftheairportwhereexistingstandsoftreesaretobeaffectedbythedevelopmentproposalsare:

•TheGreyBoxForestarea,ofwhichapproximately48%isrequiredfortheconstructionoftheproposednorth-southrunway.ThisforestisoneofthelargestremainingstandsofGreyBoxsouthofthedivideandislistedontheAustralianHeritageCommissionRegisteroftheNationalEstate;and

•Apineplantationalongthesouth-easternboundaryoftheairportfromSharpsRoadtoMelroseDrive.

Sometreeremovalmayberequiredtoconstructtheproposedraillinkandpotentiallyarailcarstablingfacility.Theextentoffurtherclearingwillbedeterminedbydevelopmentrequirementsadjacenttotheraillink.ClearingpartoftheGreyBoxForestforrunwayconstructionandprovidingforobstacleclearancerequirementsalsoallowsaparalleltaxiwaytobeconstructedforthefulllengthoftherunway.

Topartlyoff-setfortheproposedremovalofthewesternsectionoftheGreyBoxForest,newplantingof24hectaresisbeingundertakentomaintainandextendtheenvironmentalandvisualamenityofthearea.

Thetreeplantationalongthesouth-easternboundaryoftheairportwasplantedinthe1970sanddoesnotcontainplantvarietiesofsignificance.

Whendevelopmentinthisareatakesplace,anyremovaloftreesalongthisboundarywillbecompensatedforbylandscapinginaccordancewiththeMelbourneAirport“TreeRemovalProcedure”andthe“UrbanLandscapePlantings”guidelinesandthenewFederalrequirementsforlandclearing.

Cultural and Indigenous HeritageThereareanumberofregisteredheritagesitesintheenvironsoftheairport,threeofwhichoccurontheairport.ThesearetheGreyBoxForestarea,theformersiteofStMary’sChurchandtheKeilorArchaeologicalsites.

Aculturalheritagesurveyin2005identifiednumeroussitesinthe(westerncorner)ofMelbourneAirport.Aconservationzonehasbeenestablishedtoensurenofuturedevelopmentoccursatthissite.PreviousAboriginalandEuropeanculturalheritagesurveyofthenorthernpartoftheairport,includingtheGreyBoxForestarea,wereundertakenin1995.AboriginalsitesandHistoricArchaeologicalsiteswererecordedduringthestudy.AirportdevelopmentintheseareaswillbeprecededbyfurtherarchaeologicalworkandAboriginalconsultation.

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Construction ImpactsContractorsarerequiredtoassesstheiractivitiesagainstpotentialenvironmentalimpactandwhererequireddevelopandimplementcontrolstoeithereliminateorsignificantlyreducetheirimpactupontheenvironmenttothesatisfactionofMelbourneAirportandtheAirportEnvironmentOfficer.Theairportoperator’sconsentprocesscoversarangeofissues,frombuildingenvelopesandarchitecturetolandscapingandtheneedfordevelopmentandongoingoperationstobeconductedinaccordancewiththeMelbourneAirportEnvironmentPolicy.

Constructionimpactswhichareaddressedduringtheplanninganddocumentationphaseforprojectscanarisefrom:

•Soilerosion;

•Openingandoperatingborrowandfillareas;

•Generationofdust;

•Increaseinheavyvehicleuseofairportexternalandinternalaccessroads;and

•Noisefromequipmentoperation.

AllprojectsareassessedfortheneedtohaveaconstructionEnvironmentalManagementPlan(EMP)and/oranoperationalEMP.ConstructionEMPsarerequiredtoincludeallrelevantaspectsandimpactsoftheproject.MelbourneAirportcontracttendersareevaluatedfortheirenvironmentalimpactbeforeprojectsareapproved.Alifecycleapproachtothereviewofcontractorperformanceisundertaken.

Environmentcontrolmeasuresalsoincludegrading,topsoilingandgrassingforspoilareas,requirementsforwateringwithnon-potablewaterequipmenttominimisedust,maintainingaccessroadsclearofdebrisandhoursforequipmentoperationforprojectsinareassensitivetonoise.Thisplanispreparedandsubmittedbytheconstructioncompanyandoutlinestheenvironmentalimpactsassociatedwithconstructionoftheproject,measuresinplacetomanageenvironmentalimpactsidentified,andimplementationoftrainingandmonitoringprogramsnecessaryfortheproject.TheplanisassessedandapprovedbyMelbourneAirport.

Climate change and Ecological Sustainable DesignBytheendof2009,AustraliaPacificAirports(Melbourne)willhaveidentifieditscarbonfootprintandmappedthejourneytowardszerocarbonemissions.MelbourneAirportwillcontinuetoundertakeinitiativestoensureairportexpansionachievesa25%reductioninenergyusagepersquaremetreofAPAMmanagedandcontrolledterminalareasby2013.InthelastEnvironmentStrategyperiodMelbourneAirportdevelopedandimplementedanEnergyManagementPlantomaximisetheenergyefficiencieswithinitsfacilities.ToensureMelbourneAirportmaintainsenergyefficiencyEcologicalSustainableDesign(ESD)principlesaretobeadoptedtoaddressdevelopmentprojectsatMelbourneAirportduringthenextfiveyears.

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Stormwater QualityFacilitiesandproceduresareinplaceforstormwaterqualitymonitoring.

ThelongtermeffectsonstormwaterthatarisefromMelbourneAirportdevelopmentinclude:

•Increasesinsurfacerunoffcausedbythecreationoflargeimperviousareassuchasrunways,taxiways,aprons,buildings,roadsandcarparks;and

•Diversionandconcentrationofsurfaceandsub-surfaceflowsbytheconstructionofairfieldworks,buildingsanddrainageworks.

Intheprojectimplementationprocess,detaileddesignmustincorporateappropriateengineeringsolutionstotheselongtermeffectstomitigatepotentialdownstreamfloodingproblems.WaterSensitiveUrbanDesign(WSUD)principleswillalsobeincorporatedintothedesign,wherefeasible,totreatrunofffromrunwaysandtaxiwaysatsource.

Adrainagestudyofthesouthernandsouth-easternareasoftheairport,whereextensivedevelopmentsareplannedduringthenext20years,hasbeenundertakentoprovideadrainagestrategy(2007)fortheseareas.Thisdrainagestrategyprovidesfor:

•Futureconstructionofthreeretardingbasins;

•Progressiveprovision,toservicedevelopments,ofundergroundtrunkdrainageinaccordancewiththedrainageplan;

•Asrequiredmaintenancetounlineddrainstocontrolerosion;and

•Aprogramtorelocateundergroundstormwaterdrainsasdevelopmentprogresses.

ThenaturaldrainagepatternformostofthesoutheasternandsouthernareasoftheairportdirectsdischargestoSteeleCreek.MelbourneWaterhasplaceddischargelimitsonthethreeSteeleCreeksub-catchmentareastoavoidfloodingofresidentialandindustrialdevelopmentdownstream.Theconstructionoftheretardingbasinswillbetimedtoensurethatthedischargelimitsarenotexceeded.TheexistingthreepipedoutletsforstormwaterentryintoArundelCreekaredesignedtoprovideforenergydissipationandtrappingofpollutants.Theseoutletsareadequatetocopewiththeincreasesinstormwaterdischargethatwillarisefromanexpansionofimperviousareasfromworkstoprovideincrementalcapacityincreasesinaprons,taxiwaysandbuildingswithintheArundelCreekcatchmentontheairport.

ThestormwaterdrainageoutflowintoArundelCreekfromtheconstructionofathirdrunwaywillsignificantlyincrease,buttheimpactofthisdischargewillnotbesignificantinvolumetrictermsrelativetotheannualdischargeoftheMaribyrnongRiver.Runwaydesignprovisionswillprovideforpollutionanderosioncontrolsonwaterdischarge.

IncreaseinstormwaterdischargetoMooneePondsCreekandtheDeepCreeksystemfromproposedprojectswillberelativelysmallandwillbeprovidedforbyappropriatewatersensitiveurbandesignofdrainageandoutfall.

ConstructionperiodsforprojectspotentiallyhaveshorttermeffectsonstormwaterdischargethatwillbemanagedbytheStormwaterManagementPlanandregularon-siteauditsbyMelbourneAirportandtheAirportEnvironmentOfficer.

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