ENVIRONMENTALISTS SUPPORT DEVELOPER
The Bega Environment Network has taken the unusual step of supporting a developer against the Bega Valley Shire Council.
 
The conservationists are supporting a development application for a scrap metal recycling facility at Jellat Jellat.
 
In an address to council on Tuesday afternoon, Network Secretary, Ms Harriett Swift said that there are strong environmental arguments, both local and global in support of this metal recycling facility
 
She said that the Bega Valley has just taken the very admirable step of setting clean energy targets that place it at the vanguard of government and corporate efforts against climate change. 
 
- We should be proud of that, but if council rejects this application, what message will that send? What will it say about how serious we are?
 
- This facility doesn't just recycle. It is also a source of reusable metal, which is even better. The metal is reused by farmers, handymen, artists and builders. Just about all of us from time to time.
 
- The opposition seems largely driven by real estate imperatives, whose impacts, in terms of extra traffic, extra greenhouse gas emissions, extra pollution, loss of vegetation, soil erosion, and even noise would be far greater than the scrap yard.
 
She said that some of the objections raised in the report are really quite frivolous or insubstantial:
The loss of visual amenity. One major factor cited is trucks. That is: one semi-trailer per week. One bulk metal collection every THREE MONTHS. I can't help comparing that with 160 trucks A DAY into the Eden chipmill.
Ms Swift said that although the land in question is zoned 1(a) agricultural its existing use is for an earthmoving business.
"I reminded Councillors that the Eden woodchip mill is on land zoned 1(a) agricultural and I hadn't noticed Council trying to close that down."
 
Contact: Harriett Swift 02 64923134
26 September 2006