TGCCC Adopted Minutes 31 August 2009

Terminals TGCCC

(Terminals Geelong Community Consultative Committee)

Adopted Minutes of the Meeting

Held in the Meeting Room, Corio Library, Norlane

Monday 31 August, 2009

Present:

Robin Saunders Chair and Minute taker

Community Representative	Greg Postuma Pam Edwards Peter Linaker Catherine Jones Bill Aitken Suz Kelly-Turner Sue McLean Jon Apted Jo Cicero
CFA	Bob Smith Ian Beswicke
Terminals Pty Ltd	George Horman Gary O'Sullivan Geoff Millard
CoGG	Lyndon Ray

Apologies:

Ralph Taylor, Carlo Fasolino, John Wilson, Franceska Desalak, Marc Cassanet, Quentin Cooke, Kylie Fisher

ITEM 1	Welcome by Chair
Robin	Welcomed everyone, especially those who have not been with us for some time, due to health and other difficulties.
ITEM 2	Apologies, confirmation of Draft Agenda
	Apologies were as listed above.
Robin	Asked for confirmation of the Draft Agenda
ITEM 3	Confirmation on the Draft Minutes of the meeting 6 July 2009.
Robin	The minutes are adopted without change.
ITEM 4	Business Arising from minutes - Review of action list
31/5	Advise date on which Port Plan Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) will go on exhibition On 31/8/09 Tim Hellsten advised that he is close to finalising a draft, having following liaison with DIRD/DOT/Port he will pass it on to CoGG Strategic Implementation Unit for the PSA process. Robin referred to the emails he had sent earlier in the day, advising of the availability of the Ports Futures Strategy for Victorian Ports, and Land Use Strategies for each port. A media release by Minister Pallas noted several matters of interest: Improving governance arrangements by bringing responsibility for all ports under a single portfolio, with management of Victoria's local ports transferred to the Department of Transport from the Department of Sustainability and Environment from 1 July, 2010; Improving access to Victoria's ports including a new proposed Geelong channel improvement program
36/3	On EPA approval of the 30A application re the butadiene isotainer, Terminals to advise the committee. No further progress on the 30A application for emptying the damaged BASF butadiene isotainer.
38/3	Quentin to bring the draft accredited licence to the TGCCC for comment before it is finalised No further advice has been provided by EPA on the progress of Terminals' Accredited Licence.
40/1	Gary to bring plan showing the area 1500 metres from the boundary of Terminals site, the Targeted Area, and clarifying whether North Shore Primary School is included. Material covered at meeting on 31/8/09, see item 5
40/2	Robin to provide a revised proposal for 2010 meetings, to be reviewed at the August meeting, when the starting time will also be reviewed. The meeting adopted the dates listed on the agenda, and decided that a 3:30pm for 4:00 start would be adopted, starting on the next meeting, 9 November 2009.
Suz	During discussion on the meeting start time, and the view that while the earlier start would suit most committee members, there may be occasions where other community members wished to attend, and would find a meeting during work hours impossible. She suggested that if an issue arises where we wish to invite the wider community, a special meeting at a later time could be set.
Robin	Referred to the email he had received from Marc Cassanet advising as follows: Hi Robin, thank you for the invitation, unfortunately Quentin and I wont be able to attend tonight's meeting. As you may be aware EPA has restructured and my role is a bit different to that of a client manager under the previous structure, so I may or may not be the best person to attend the Terminal's CCCs in future. Please keep me on the email list for the CCCs and I expect to have some more clarity on how EPA will be involved in these meetings in the next month or so, after EPA has worked through some processes internally.
Sue McLean	After some general discussion on the EPA attendance, Sue advised the committee that Mick Bourke has been appointed CEO of the CFA, and of the appointment of Cheryl Batagol as the new EPA Chair. Sue mentioned Cheryl's involvement in, and commitment to, public consultation, and experience in waste treatment and storage. Sue stated that Cheryl's appointment can be viewed in the context of some wide dissatisfaction with the way EPA had been consulting with the community, and she was looking forward to Cheryl bringing greater importance to community consultation. Sue suggested that a letter of congratulation be sent to Cheryl. Terry A'Hearn has been appointed Deputy Chairman and Acting Chief Executive Officer. The committee agreed with Sue's suggestion.
ACTION	Robin to write a letter of congratulation to Cheryl Batagol.
Catherine	Catherine suggested that we write to Marc, inviting him to make a presentation to the committee about the restructure at EPA, and the revised client manager role. The committee agreed with Catherine's suggestion.
ACTION	Robin to write a letter inviting Marc Cassanet to make a presentation to the committee about the restructure at EPA, and the revised client manager role.
Item 5, 5a, 6	Emergency communications (Items taken together, allowing 30 min for Peter's presentation and discussion).
George	George gave a précis of where we are with the communications aspect of the Terminals Emergency Plan. Following an exercise at the CFA headquarters in Corio where an incident at the wharf was modelled, CFA requested that Terminals hire a consultant to update their emergency plan. Terminals employed GHD to do this, and the GHD report was discussed over a number of TGCCC meetings. Carlo had compiled a review of Section 10 of the Terminals Emergency Plan, which includes actions in relation to communicating with neighbouring facilities (10.6), Targeted & Opt in Community (Section 10.12) and General Community (Section 10.13). Comments were sought on the revised sections, and Ralph Taylor had provided detailed comments. Carlo had incorporated those (in the main), and the document was seen by Terminals as close to completed. In particular, George emphasised the "Neighbouring Facilities" list, including facilities within 800 metres, and the "Targeted and Opt In Community" within 1500 metres, stating that Terminals emergency communication is structured around these target groups (along with the General Community).
Geoff Millard	Terminals is now in a position to get a dedicated 1800 or 1300 telephone line from Optus, which can be set with a pre-recorded message, and which will be available for members of the community to ring if they have concerns about any incident they believe may be occurring at Terminals facility. This will be implemented in accordance with the Emergency Plan. In response to a question from Sue, Geoff confirmed that the telephone line would be a Terminals line, not one shared with any other company.
Robin	Robin requested Geoff to remark on the Nth Shore Primary School.
Geoff Millard	An overhead map was provided, and Geoff explained Nth Shore Primary was in the 1.5km distance, as measurements can be made from Terminals' site boundary.
George	Reminded everyone that once Emergency Services are called or attend an incident, they become the Incident Controller (usually CFA), and make all decisions in respect of the handling of the emergency, including communication with the public. Recorded messages on the Terminals phone line would be checked with CFA.
ITEM 5
Robin	Invited Peter to make his presentation.
Peter	Circulated hard copies of a 26 page "Reading Pack" and a four page discussion document.
George	(interjecting) This was presented at VCAT !
Peter	(responding) Many people here were not at VCAT !
George	Expressed concern that it would be a better process if these documents were tabled for discussion at the next meeting. The Chair diverted from the set agenda and suggested that Peter be given 15 minutes to present, and that was agreed by the committee.
Peter	Took parties with overheads through the beginning of his material, and in particular page 3 of the Reading Pack which showed different radius distances (800m, 1100m, 1.5km, 1.75km, 2.0km and 2.25km) from the butadiene storage tanks. The distance of 1100m for second-degree burns may be from a BLEVE of stored VCM, as well as Butadiene, and so is from the site western boundary. Distances by this example may then vary by up to 300m, according to how they are measured.
Robin	Interrupted Peter's presentation at the 15 minute time, sought the wishes of the community representatives (who confirmed they wanted some further presentation by Peter), and suggested that Peter focus on what he desired in the way of changes to Section 10.
Peter	Peter stated that he would prefer to develop his points in a logical sequential way, but would conform to the Chair's wishes, responding with two items. Peter rejected the use of AEGLs (Acute Exposure Guideline Levels) because full documentation from 2009 now available shows they are unsuitable for residential communities, as the toxic effect of cancer is not considered, such as with Butadiene. Instead the long established "Emergency Response Procedure Guidelines" do apply. The ERPG-2 level is recommended for the safety of the "Target Community" with a distance of 1.75km for Butadiene (see page16, Maps 3 and 17 of the Reading Pack) and a general recommendation of a nominal 2km limit (see pages 16 & 21). He then presented the SUMMARY (as attached to these minutes) with 7 points, including the necessity of an audible alarm warning system.
George	I don't disagree with where Peter is going. Fundamentally, our document is Terminals plan for the first ten minutes of an emergency. We have near neighbours who we can contact in the first few minutes. If there is a major event, the Emergency Services come and take over control.
Robin	Asked the CFA the latest position regarding warning alarms, subsequent to the recent Interim Report of the Bush-Fire Commission.
Bob	Stated the CFA are not aware of any detail on audible alarms, and other than what has appeared in media and the press, no official information on policy has become available.
Robin	Robin drew attention to what the revised Section 10 actually specifies as the required actions by Terminals. No residents outside the immediate neighbours will be rung by Terminals when an emergency occurs. Advice will be by media statement through radio and newspapers. Robin undertook to circulate the latest version of Section 10 again.
ACTION	Robin to circulate the latest version of Section 10 of the Terminals Emergency Management Plan.
Jon	Jon explained that he had considerable concern with the absence of any provision in Section 10.6 for Terminals to ring Geelong Grammar if a Level A Emergency (a small incident, the effects of which are confined to the Terminals site) occurred. Jon explained that even if the incident was small, it may be noticed by a local person with associations at the school, who might then ring the school to enquire what was happening. If the school was not advised by Terminals, they would not be in apposition to reassure the questioner, exposing both Terminals and the school to the potential for further unnecessary alarm. John explained that his concern would be mitigated if the term Emergency was not used for a Level A Emergency, and it was described merely as an on-site incident.
ACTION	Carlo to consider the issue of telephone notification to Geelong Grammar in the case of a Level A Emergency.
Peter	Peter drew the attention of members to the six areas of concern listed on page 18 of the Reading Pack.
Robin	The matter of changes to Section 10 will be listed again for discussion next meeting. Robin suggested that the matters in contention did not appear to be large. In particular, the difference in the size of the Targeted Area (1.5km compared to 1.75 or 2.0km) were not so great in practice, given that distances of the former were from the site boundary, while the 1.5km was first cited from the Butadiene tank, but, as has been shown, from the site boundary reaches out to further distances (see page 4 Map etc.).
George	Indicated that there may be value in using roads as the boundaries for the Targeted Area, to avoid interpretation of blocks that are cut by the circular boundary.
ACTION	Robin to put item on agenda for November meeting, and community representatives to further consider the proposals made by Terminals in the review of Section 10, and the presentation and information provided by Peter.
ITEM 7	Reports Worksafe
	Nothing to report
	Reports CoGG
	Nothing to report
	Reports Terminals
Gary	Presented the Monthly Operations Report.
Sue McLean	Queried why there were no ground level butadiene monitoring results in October 2008. Advised that the protocol for transporting butadiene samples involved using refrigeration, noted that samples had been sent to Brisbane for analysis, and asked where the samples are being tested, and are the protocols being observed?
George	Advised that Frank Fleer had sold his business (Air, Noise, Water) to Golder and Associates and was now working for that company and still doing the monitoring. In relation to the ground level monitoring, the period stipulated in the approval of the butadiene storage for ground level monitoring has now passed.
ACTION	Terminals to advise on whether the protocols are being observed for the transport of butadiene samples.
George	Noted that there were only three incidents listed. While he had concerns whenever the number of incidents reported was low that such a result may be due to operators not reporting any incident or near miss, he took some comfort from the fact that the incidents were all of the lowest severity rating.
Item 8	Other Business
	No other business
Item 9	Next meeting will be held 9 November 2009 at 3:30 for 4:00pm Note the new time!
	The 2010 meeting dates are: 8 February, 12 April, 14 June, 9 August, 11 October, 13 December (Note, these dates are for the second Monday of the month.)
	Meeting Closed
NOTE	In informal discussion after the meeting, Terminals proposed a targeted area bounded by School Rd. on the North, Princess Highway at the West, and North Shore Rd. to the South. Such a map has been sent out at 3.SEP.09.
Attached to Minutes	(Numbers refer to P Linaker's Reading Pack) "AEGL's poorly understood" Acute Emergency Guideline Levels (1) "SUMMARY" Matters to be included in Emergency Planning (15) "AREA MAP Geelong Port" (3) "SIX AREAS of Concern" (18)