Joe Cicero

Geelong Community for Good Life

Action Item 11/2 & 15/4 

Robin:

Suggested community representatives nominate specific issues to Geoff Millard. Want community representatives to focus on specific issues.

ACTION:

Sue McLean to speak to Robin after meting to nominate specific items and put to Geoff. Update Action Item.

Action Item 12/4

ACTION

Write formally to City of Greater Geelong CEO and ask for copy of Shell Refinery Emergency Response. Update Action Item.

Action Item 12/7

Deferred until such time as an open Emergency Management Procedures event is scheduled.

Action Item 13/6

Gary:

Not heard from any schools in response to schools being contacted by Karen Sherlock.

Deferred to next meeting February 2007

Action Item 15/6

Sue McLean:

Conveyed thanks to Terminals Pty Ltd and Air Water Noise for giving them the courtesy and patience to allow them to participate in the monitoring program for the Butadiene.

Carlo:

4 rounds of monitoring prior and 1 during discharge detected no Butadiene.

Sue McLean:

Asked they be allowed time to read report before discussing.

Action Item 15/7

Done Copies of the butadiene monitoring report were distributed,.

Sue McLean:

Asked they be allowed time to read report before discussing.

ACTION:

Discuss next meeting. Item to be put on Agenda. Update Action Item

Action Item 15/8

Done

Action Item 16/2  

Sue McLean:

Background monitoring of Butadiene on the site fence line was not carried out.

Carlo:

Monitoring positions are factored by wind directions.

Sue McLean:

Disagreed as requirement in Works Approval designed sensitive areas.

Robin:

Asked Terminals to provide expert specialist to advise on value of a monitoring site on the fence line.

ACTION

Designated positions for monitoring to be provided at next meeting. Update Action Item.

Action Item 16/3  

Done

Action Item 16/4

Geoff:

Presented groundwater monitoring results. The Annual Report submitted to the EPA (Financial Year) which covers emissions to air and ground water.

Stated a Clean Up notice had been served on Shell which also encompasses Terminals Pty Ltd. Stated there were 20 monitoring wells on Terminals Pty Ltd site.

Francesca:

Asked for clarification on terminology such as Redox Potential

Geoff:

Redox - reduction, the opposite of oxidising

Separate Phase - separate from water

Robin:

Suggested a plan of the positions of the wells would make it clear.

Geoff:

Produced a map of the site and indicated where the wells were situated.

Sue Kelly-Turner:

Are we getting a copy of report?

Geoff:

Copies can be sent. Will email Robin a copy.

ACTION:

Copy of Annual Report of EIP to be sent to Robin (which will be [put on the Web Site) and a summary of terminology used. 19/1

Sue McLean:

Asked about low level contaminants - is there a progression off Shells site. Is there any heavy metal testing conducted?

Geoff:

Terminals testing is independent of Shell. In terms of hydro carbon testing no testing for heavy metals as not pertinent to site. The extent of hydrocarbon contamination is much less than it was 6 - 9 years ago, and is stable now.

Sue McLean:

What is the comparison over the last 4 years of data. Are there any result of heavy metals.

Carlo:

Monitoring pertinent to Terminals only. Look at our impact on the environment. We do not have the results of heavy metals as we do not test for them.

Robin:

Do we also have similar results for the last 3 or 4 years, so any trends can be seen?.

Geoff:

Anecdotally the situation is stable as far as contamination. Extremely slow movement from Terminals point of view and actually decreasing.

Sue Kelly Turner: 

Tricky issue obviously EPA compiling information from Shell and Terminals. Is EPA in a position to comment. Would it be appropriate to present at next meeting?

Jim:

Agreed to provide broad view of environmental impact.

ACTION:

EPA will provide some information regarding the groundwater contamination issue. EPA will provide appropriate person. Broad view of what is happening to the environment within the area. 19/2

Joe:

Asked Geoff what has his involvement been and what information has Shell given to Terminals regarding contamination.

Geoff:

Terminals and Shell undertake a joint management plan. There are two areas: (1) separate phase hydrocarbons, and (2) dissolved hydrocarbons. There is no indications that levels are increasing. Indications are that levels are stable. Shell conduct monitoring on Terminals site. We have a legal agreement that we can view Shell's information but are not allowed to speak of the contents.

Robin:

To clarify, I understand Geoff that you are saying: Firstly in relation to separate phase and dissolved hydrocarbons - both are stable and some are reducing. Shell is doing more detailed analysis under a legal agreement with Terminals concerning confidentiality.

Sue McLean:

Requested EPA provide specific results for the additional testing by Shell for all chemicals of concern. (hydrocarbons, heavy metals etc.)

Jim:

Will provide a report at the next meeting.

ACTION

EPA to provide information in relation to the environmental conditions of all contaminants in the area at next meeting. Combine with 19/2

Carlo:

Terminals provide only Terminals information not Shell information.

Francesca:

Told Jim that is seems like collaboration between the two industries. Heavies are working towards keeping the community in the dark.

Jim:

If you are looking at land fills there are a lot of contaminant legacies. If there is a risk to the bay EPA will ask for information. I'm cautiously optimistic that I can report something about the level of contamination in February.

John:

Who is the principle polluter. For years we have been asking Shell with no response.

Action Item 16/6  

Signed off.

ACTION

Final version of EIP signed off, Carlo to scan and email to Robin to put on website. 19/3

Sue McLean:

Notified Robin of problems regarding printing of information on the Website requires a more print friendly system.

ACTION

Robin to notify website manager. 19/4

Action Item 17/1

Done

Action Item 17/2

Done

Action Item 17/3

Done

Action Item 17/4

Done

Action Item 17/5

Carlo confirmed that the Confidentiality Agreement had to be signed each use.

Ralph:

Submitted some revised alterations and emailed them to George, but to date has not received a reply.

ACTION

George to advise any changes to confidentiality agreement as a result of discussion with Ralph. 19/5

Action Item 17/6

Robin:

Asked if members agreed that he item was completed?

Sue McLean:

Unhappy as we are highly concerned about the 30A regarding not allowing members to be involved.

Carlo:

Amended licence for Butadiene not yet received. Commissioning yet to be finalised. This is normal procedure. EPA granted continuation.

Robin:

Summarised the advice from Jim that there was no lapsing of 30A commissioning.

Sue McLean:

Asked EPA to provide evidence of such material. Big issue regarding community trust in system.

ACTION

Jim to provide evidence of the continuity of the 30A approvals and give copies to Sue Chatterton to distribute. 19/6

Action Item 17/7 

Done

Action Item 17/8 

Done

Action Item 17/9 

List of questions - George's response.

Jonathan:

Read out email he received from George.

Robin:

Emergency Management Procedure meeting was really to set the scene. While some questions were asked by community members, the issue of community involvement was not specifically addressed. As George suggests, it is time now to focus on the Committee's needs, We should have this as an Agenda Item for March meeting.

ACTION

Have Emergency Management Meeting as an Agenda Item for March meeting. Members to submit questions to Robin on communications and community engagement by February meeting. 19/7

Robin:

George was asking for people to submit questions.

ACTION

Action Item 18/1 

Robin to follow up definition of Open Space in the context of the Port Planning Scheme.

Robin:

ACTION

Robin to write to Chief Executive City of Greater Geelong requesting a definition of open space in the context of the Port Planning Scheme. Update Action Item.

Action Item 18/2

Done

Action Item 18/3

Done - no response

Action Item 18/4 

Done

Action Item 18/5

Deferred to next year

Action Item 18/6

Joe:

Has the Butadiene undergone its final testing. Then presented Terminals Press Release which stated the words "commissioned" which indicated the project was finished and commissioned, nothing more to do.

Geoff:

In context of being able to discharge product into the sphere yes.

Jim:

Distributed and presented his EPA Report, including the Butadiene Commissioning Approval. The sphere is potentially commissioned, but 2 or 3 items (including the truck loading system) are not yet finalised..

Gary:

We have no finished the commissioning as we are in the process of now unloading product from the sphere into a truck therefore some aspects still being tested.

Robin:

Felt there was a real problem with the press release, which is open to interpretation. Jim has verified that commissioning is not quite complete.

Francesca:

Felt George should write us a letter and explain

Robin:

Joe has raised the issue of the media release on the commissioning being misleading. It has been taken to say it is complete when it is not complete.

ACTION

Committee request George to provide a response in writing. 19/8

Robin:

I understood that George was very happy and pleased about how well the commissioning of the sphere had gone and that is the message he conveyed via press release.

Carlo:

Noise monitoring still to be completed that is why we are still running on 30A.

Paul:

Loading truck and sending away. How do you do loading without a licence.

Jim:

You are allowed to do that, through the 30A arrangements.

Robin:

To clarify, commissioning means you can use the new facility in order to make sure it all works.

Paul:

Is the combustor being used?

Gary:

Yes

Ralph:

At the October meeting, George said members wouldn't be allowed to attend the commissioning. The Committee also wanted input to the HAZOP finalisation. All those matters were raised only a week before the sphere was commissioned, but George gave no indication that it was to happen so soon. The documentation of the HAZOP hasn't materialised. There is a significant amount of information missing from the community. I can't believe Terminals weren't well aware that the commissioning was imminent, but no such thing was implied at the October meeting.

Francesca:

George rang Sue McLean and told her to go to Terminals to participate in monitoring.

Sue McLean:

We were misled into believing we were to do background monitoring instead we were doing real time monitoring. We had intended to decide whether to take an independent test ourselves, either during the background monitoring, or more likely during the commissioning monitoring.

Robin:

There is a strong concern amongst committee representatives that Terminals has been less than open with information with respect to Butadiene background tests when in fact it was real time monitoring.

Francesca:

Will have to be done again.

Robin:

Anxiety on behalf of community representatives. There will be another ship in the future. Terminals to advise Sue McLean prior to next Butadiene shipment (when further monitoring is anticipated) so they can decide whether to do an independent test.

ACTION

Terminals to contact Sue McLean prior to next butadiene shipment, advising the arrangements for further monitoring. 19/9

Jim:

Finished off his report.

Peter:

We should thank Jim for his report. He then proceeded to circulate a picture of smoke amongst buildings, stated it was no worse than site diagram in Works Approval.

Sue McLean:

Extended thankyou to Katie and Robin and wished everyone a good Christmas.

Robin:

Ended meeting at 8:30 pm.