Caltex has been told it must pay $120,000 to a several local environmental programs after discharging oily water into Botany Bay.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has provided Caltex with the enforceable undertaking after dirty water was discharged from the Kurnell refinery into Botany Bay last year.
Between 200 and 400 litres of oily material, mixed with more than three million litres of clean cooling water and an undefined quantity of stormwater was discharged into the bay, according to Caltex estimates.
The incident happened during heavy rain on on March 24, 2014, polluting the coastline around Bare Island and Congwong Bay.
Wastewater was also discharged from the submerged ocean outfall at Yena Gap in breach of licence limits, an EPA spokeswoman said.
The Kurnell refinery closed in October last year and now operates as a fuel terminal under the EPA’s licence.
As part of the undertaking Caltex issued an apology in the Leader on April 14, 2015.
The $120,000 enforceable undertaking will fund:
- $50,000 to Sutherland Shire Council for the Marton Park Wetland rehabilitation project at Kurnell, including work to rehabilitate the wetland;
- National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) Discovery program — marine environment Teachwild activity at La Perouse for school students to be given guided tours by discovery rangers and scientists from CSIRO ($5000);
- NPWS’s catchment and beach/dune rehabilitation and habitat restoration project — Congwong precinct which includes works to prevent erosion and restore habitat in the Congwong precinct ($35,000)
- $30,000 to Randwick Council for the ‘‘Discover your coast’’ program to help families and children learn about the marine and coastal environment.
The EPA spokeswoman said enforceable undertakings are just one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance from industry.
‘‘Enforceable undertakings are often imposed when there is a serious breach of licence requirements to ensure measures are promptly put in place to redress any environmental harm and obtain a good and lasting benefit for the environment,’’ she said.
Related: Anger as oil spills into Botany Bay
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