The Board of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by CMTP Pty Ltd for an upgrade and intensification of operations at the Branxholm Sawmill in the Dorset Council local government area.
The proposal involves an increase in production from 20,000m3 to 50,000m3 per annum and associated building works, including construction of a new building to house a new profiling gang sawmill line, and a replacement band saw, chip screen, and chip bin, as well as modification to sorting and stacking systems. There are no proposed changes to operating hours.
The Deputy Chair of the EPA Board, Mark Gifford, said the Board concluded that the proposed development can be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with conditions. The Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by the Dorset Council.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly noise emissions," said Mr Gifford.
“The proposal involves several activities that will generate noise emissions that have the potential to travel beyond the boundary of the site and cause environmental nuisance including milling, sawing, chipping and machining of timber, blowing and extracting of sawdust, and forklift, front end loader and truck movements."
“The Board has therefore imposed conditions requiring CMTP Pty Ltd to undertake noise surveys and prepare a Noise Report," said Mr Gifford.
CMTP Pty Ltd will also be required to submit a Noise Reduction Plan to demonstrate the steps it will take to reduce its existing daytime noise emission limits over time, in line with best practice environmental management and the requirements of the Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2009.
Public consultation was open for a 14-day period from 29 June 2024. No representations were received in relation to the proposal.
The proposal was considered by the Board in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).
The functions of the Board are to administer and enforce the provisions of EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The Board undertook assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of the Act.
The environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to the CMTP Pty Ltd and Dorset Council.
This decision and all assessment documents can be viewed at CMTP Pty Ltd, Branxholm Sawmill Intensification, Branxholm.
Published on:
4/10/2024