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2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Call for EPA action on Bulls Hill quarry

 

A public meeting convened by Gosford Council to discuss the Correa Bay report has called on the Environment Protection Authority to take action over the Bulls Hill Quarry.

The meeting of about 100 people unanimously resolved that: "This public meeting calls on the Environmental Protection Authority to direct the Department of Land and Water Conservation to address their responsibilities and immediately carry out restoration works at Bulls Hilt Quarry."

Letters will be sent to the Minister for the Environment Mr Bob Debus, Gosford Council's director of environment Ms. Louise Gee and Member for Peats Ms Marie Andrews.

The meeting decided to reconvene on Sunday, September 22, at 10am at Bulls Hill Quarry, for an inspection of the quarry site.

The council convened a public meeting on Sunday, August 11, at the Everglades Country Club to facilitate the Correa Bay Water Quality Management Committee's report being presented to the community.

Committee chairman Mr Derek Britton spoke to the meeting, using the Council's overhead projector to present photographs and a survey of Correa Bay and its catchment area.

He said the committee had found two sources of pollution entering Correa Bay - chemical and sedimentary.

Chemical pollution in the form of leachate had been leaving Woy Woy Tip, entering Correa Bay via Tip Creek.

Sedimentary pollution from Woy Woy Creek was sourced at Bulls Hill Quarry and Robson's Quarry; Tip Creek at Woy Woy Tip and Everglades Creek, from residential land adjoining the creek.

Mr Britton said the bulk of the sediment entering Woy Woy Creek and then Correa Bay came from Bulls Hill Quarry.

He reported that Gosford Council had spent approximately $1.6 million to contain leachate within Woy Woy Tip and thus terminate the chemical pollution.

He said the council had suspended a water testing program which included Correa Bay.

It was one of the committee's recommendations that water testing be reinstated in Correa Bay to identify any further chemical escape from Woy Woy Tip or any other source within the Correa Bay catchment area.

Mr Britton also reported on negotiations with the Department of Land and Water Conservation to carry out remedial works at Bulls Hill Quarry.

He said that only the previous tenant's security deposit of $30,000 had been spent, which was not sufficient to prevent further sediment escaping the quarry site.

Letter, August 21