THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has handed down several recommendations to ensure the safety of the local environment from the Cockburn-Thornlie Link proposal.
An EPA report confirmed the 14.5 km railway track proposal as environmentally acceptable and approved its progress, subject to certain conditions.
Chief among the conditions is a need for the Public Transport Authority (PTA) to minimise impact to the flora and fauna.
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READ NOWThe PTA will also be subject to conditions regarding inland waters, social surroundings and quality of the surrounding environment and air.
Under the imposed conditions, construction of the train link must minimise impacts to black cockatoo habitat and similar fauna such as Carter’s freshwater mussel.
There also must be strategies in place to counterbalance significant residual impacts to low-lying Banksia attenuata woodlands or shrublands, black cockatoos, Caladenia huegelii habitat, wetlands and Bush Forever sites.
The site of the proposed Ranford Road Station, which is on a former landfill site, will need to be confirmed clear of contamination.
The PTA will also need to minimise noise and vibration impacts during construction and operation and maintain water quality to the Jandakot underground water pollution control areas, Canning River and wetlands.
Any appeals must be submitted to the EPA by August 26.