Janaury 18, 2012 [Geelong Advertiser] - A COMPANY that runs a Corio chemical storage facility wants to abandon a reference group, angering watchdogs who fear information about the facility will be kept out of the public gaze.
Bulk liquid storage company Terminals Pty Ltd aims to remove a condition in its planning permit forcing it to host a Terminals Geelong Community Consultative Committee. A three-day hearing in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will begin in Melbourne on October 8.
Campaigner Peter Linaker said the consultative committee had continued to meet irregularly in the past year but he expected it would go into hiatus. “I expect it to be suspended because it (the application) is before VCAT,” he said. The company established an alternative committee in late 2010, called the Terminals Geelong Community Engagement Group.
The community engagement group had its first meeting in February, 2011, and has members representing business, environment groups, the City of Greater Geelong, the EPA, the CFA, Geelong Grammar School and residents.
Terminals yesterday said the consultative committee was set up in response to the development of tanks to store butadiene, which was completed in October, 2006. “The (consultative committee) has become redundant and is no longer required,” it said.
Terminals will call several witnesses and will require up to a day to present its evidence before VCAT. Terminals stores butadiene, vinyl chloride monomer, mono-ethylene glycol, bitumen and a range of common chemicals such as caustic soda and isopropyl alcohol at its Geelong facility.
