INVOKING THE SECRET TELEPATHIC UNILATERAL PREEMPTIVE IRREVERSIBLE DECLASSIFICATION DEFENCE The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 37 #16 • September 28, 2022 • www.echo.net.au
Bioenergy facility funding rejected Hans Lovejoy Mayor Michael Lyon is downplaying a funding rejection for Council’s much touted Bioenergy Facility proposal by a federal government agency, claiming other funding sources are available. Located next to the West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), the proposal is estimated to cost $20–25M, and was approved in May 2022 by the Northern Regional Planning Panel (NRPP), despite concerns from a bird watching group around the potential to impact wildlife activity. Neighbours also objected to the high level of truck traffic proposed to service the facility. Buried within Council’s upcoming September 29 agenda is a brief statement that the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) wouldn’t be progressing with Council’s funding application. Staff say, in the agenda, that feedback received was, ‘The ARENA Board does not endorse continuing the ‘Byron Shire Council Bioenergy Facility’ project through the ARENA approval process.’ Further explanation was sought from ARENA, but no reply was provided by deadline. Council claimed back in 2020 that if approved, DA 10.2021.364.1 would be ‘a first-of-its-kind facility in Australia’, and at the time staff claimed it would cost $16.5M. There were claims it would process up to 28,000 tonnes of organic waste and biosolids a year, ‘generating between three and four million kilowatt hours
It’s showtime!
of renewable energy’. Cr Lyon told The Echo while it was ‘unfortunate’ Council was unsuccessful with the ARENA bid, ‘we have other avenues for grant funding and applications have been and are being made’. Those funding avenues were not provided, however. The mayor continued, ‘The project stacks up on its own, and does not require grant funding to be financially viable; however, it is obviously preferable to receive grant funding and reduce any borrowing requirement’. Yet, according to a staff report in April 2021, the Bioenergy project was one of many projects that were flagged as being at risk, ‘assuming no grant funding ($12M)’ if Council proceeded with a 5MW solar farm in Myocum.
$1.3M cost so far
Jex Lopez on the ivories, Spiegeltent owner, David Bates and Ringmaster, Alice Cadwell, all take the unparalleled opportunity to step into the fantasy and delights of The Famous Spiegeltent, which is now set up for the National Circus Festival at the Mullumbimby Showgrounds. This weekend, there will be fun for all the family, from the Circus Olympics to 18+ Cheeky Cabaret shows. Get your ticket at www.nationalcircusfestival.com. Photo Jeff ‘Shpiegel Intent’ Dawson
What drainage works can residents expect? Hans Lovejoy
Given the project has cost ratepayers $1.3M so far, The Echo asked ‘why wasn’t more certainty established before it was known that ARENA wouldn’t approve this?’ Cr Lyon replied, ‘ARENA has a lengthy, rigorous and complex application process, which consists of multiple rounds of review. Council successfully proceeded through several initial review stages with ARENA staff and, regrettably in the final review, Council’s application was not approved by the external ARENA Board. Applicants cannot have ‘certainty’ before applying for ARENA grant funding, and ARENA deliberations and decisions are not in the public domain’.
With a third La Niña now underway, The Echo asked Council’s Director Infrastructure Services, Phil Holloway, what flood-affected residents can expect regarding drainage maintenance. He told The Echo, ‘Following the floods earlier this year, and the rain last week, Council acknowledges and understands that people are very concerned about drainage’. ‘We will be stepping up with a more proactive approach in response to this. Since the February and March floods, Council’s drainage upgrades have been scheduled in the north of the Shire, in areas including South Golden Beach, New
Brighton and Ocean Shores. At any given time, Council has two streams of drainage works going on – immediate repairs and maintenance works in response to blockages and breakages (which in times of flooding can result in huge volumes of work), and our ongoing schedule of upgrades and improvements (works that are mostly grant funded and require larger-scale project management over months and years). ‘Mullumbimby is the next focus for both immediate repairs and maintenance, as well as largerscale drainage works, scheduled for coming months and well into 2023. ‘At the same time, Council is shifting/increasing resourcing immediately and will be inspecting
and assessing drainage across the Shire. Urgent repairs and maintenance will be triaged and worked through as quickly as possible in coming months.
Drainage unable to cope ‘However, it’s important for the community to understand that urban drains are not designed to cope with the force and quantity of water that we’ve experienced recently. During the recent floods, the sheer volume of rain meant that no drains (stormwater, urban etc) were able to cope. ‘Council is taking action on drainage maintenance and improvements immediately. We are also committed ▶ Continued on page 3
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