West Gate Tunnel project faces more delays from PFAS soil as parliamentary showdown looms
New problems continue to arise at the troubled $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel project with a strange twist likely to risk more delays to the construction, which is already likely to run a year behind schedule.
Victoria
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The troubled $6.7bn West Gate Tunnel project faces fresh roadblocks due to toxic soil woes, new legal disputes and a parliamentary showdown.
The Andrews government on Tuesday released environmental regulations for project builders to be able to dispose of millions of tonnes of contaminated soil from the West Gate site, which is affected by an industrial chemical called PFAS.
The soil crisis has shut down big parts of the toll road project, which will link the West Gate Freeway and CityLink when it opens in 2023.
It has also sparked legal action, with project builders John Holland and CPB trying to ditch their contract with tolling giant Transurban due to costly delays.
In a strange twist, the builders will be responsible for signing deals with landfill sites that can dispose of the soil — something transport insiders say is unlikely while they are trying to kill their original contract.
A government spokeswoman confirmed the builders would need to run a tender for soil disposal.
“Transurban and its builder, CPB and John Holland, has now had almost three years to secure a spoil site and it remains their responsibility to resolve,” the spokeswoman said.
“While there are planning and environmental approval processes under way concurrently — it is the builder’s tender process that will ultimately decide where the spoil goes.”
It can also be revealed that once planning and environmental amendments for landfill approvals reach state parliament, they are exposed to being rejected by an upper house majority.
Both issues now risk more delays to the project, which is already likely to run a year behind schedule.
Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman David Davis accused the Andrews government of trying to “put in place a dual track system” of environmental laws, including one for normal businesses and one for “Labor’s mates”.
Three companies are in the running for contracts to dispose safely of the soil, including frontrunner Maddingley Brown Coal in Bacchus Marsh, Hi-Quality in Bulla, and Cleanaway in Ravenhall.
Melton and Brimbank councils recently voting to launch a joint campaign opposing soil going to Ravenhall, with Brimbank City Council allocating $25,000 to the cause.
Some government figures are now bracing for court action, similar to that taken by councils impacted by the North East Link Project and which was recently resolved through mediation.
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Originally published as West Gate Tunnel project faces more delays from PFAS soil as parliamentary showdown looms