Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

The Federal Department of Environment and Water Resources has released a new factsheet on paticulate matter . Small particles as mentioned in this factsheet are found in industrial pollution and diesel exhaust.

R A P S Residents Against Polluting Stacks Inc, Sydney NSW Australia  http://www.nostack.8m.com/

9 October 2007

Media release  Contact: Andrew Macintosh (02) 6162 4146 or 0403 804 540

Shipping’s falling market share is making greenhouse emissions worse: New Report from The Australia Institute (more…)

Movements of traffic in and out of part of Port Botany ground to a halt because of a chemical scare in a shipping container.  It should make authorities review  the present concentration of hazardous activities in this area and think about decentralisation.  Not only does it pose a major threat to Sydney - only 10 minutes from the CBD - but it would be an economic nightmare for the State if there was a knock on effect from some future catastrophe and the port and airport gas and other supplies were destroyed.

Chemical scare surrounds shipping container  13/9/07 am:  ABC News online:

The customs building at Port Botany in Sydney has been evacuated because of a suspicious chemical found in a shipping container.  Twenty-five workers have been removed while HAZMAT crews investigate the chemical, which was discovered about two hours ago.

Superintendent Craig Brierley from the New South Wales Fire Brigade says Bumborah Point Road at Matraville has been closed.”The container’s full of what we believe is furniture,” he said.

“The night before, Customs fumigated as a routine matter. It may just be a remnant of a fumigant. We’re not exactly sure. “We’ll take some readings and work out our next course of action.”

Ever been to a smorgasbord where those at the head of the queue pile their plates regardless of how little they leave for those who follow.  This pretty much describes the gouging and gorging behaviour that is being supported and applauded by our NSW State Government.  With the media distracted by APEC, Minister Sartor has given the go-ahead to an Anvil Hill sized coal mine outside of Mudgee as well as the Enfield Intermodal.  More congestion and pollution for an area already suffering overload in both areas….and for what.  Before long one-third of all our so-called trade through Port Botany will be the export of empty containers.  That’s right, the biggest exports from NSW are EMPTY CONTAINERS and COAL.  How sustainable is that?  (more…)

The latest No Aircraft Noise newsletter from Allan Rees:  NAN Newsletter August 2007   Features include:  Why the Tax Holiday for Aviation Fuel; Curfew should be longer; Macquarie still wants shops at airport; Anthony Albanese to arrive by parachute?

The latest newsletter - July 2007 - link Residents Against Polluting Stacks (RAPS)

The Residents Against Polluting Stacks have released their June 2007 NewsRAPS newletter

Submissions to the IPART Inquiry on the Review of the Interface between the Land Transport Industries and the Stevedores at Port Botany are now available.  ING submission to IPART no longer available on IPART website.

Included are submissions from BBACA and members Save Botany Beach, South West Environment Centre, and John Tourrier.There are varying comments expressed in the submissions. Some are suggesting there should be greater port-related activity around the Port. The stevedores at Port Botany DO NOT support the expansion and Railcorp would not comment on it. Railcorp state Page 28: “The economic characteristics of the Port Botany corridor and the level of required investment indicates that it is unlikely to be a commercially feasible project. This leads to the conclusion that if an infrastructure bottleneck is to be avoided the required capital investment in the rail infrastructure to Port Botany can not be left to normal commercial drivers and is a prime candidate for AusLink funding.”(26.6.07)

Auslink funding should be for Sustainable Visionary National Projects not to patch up State Government mistakes.

The Residents Against Polluting Stacks have released their May 2007 NewsRAPS newletter