Dozens of threatened species in firing line of Hunter renewable energy project

Threatened species are in the firing line of the Hunter Transmission Project, with documents revealing it could disturb species at risk of ‘serious and irreversible impacts’.

At least a dozen species including the large eared pied bat are under threat from the project, according to planning documents.

A controversial renewable energy project in the Hunter could destroy habitat used by native plants and animals already risk of extinction.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal dozens of threatened species are in the firing line of the Hunter Transmission Project (HTP), with EnergyCo documents revealing the project could even disturb species at risk of “serious and irreversible impacts”.

Planning documents reveal that the HTP could impact 38 threatened plant species and 28 threatened animals.

The species at risk of disturbance include the “critically endangered” regent honeyeater, the critically endangered swift parrot, and the endangered large-eared pied bat.

The swift parrot is under threat from the project. Picture: Instagram/@leonardodicaprio

The revelations come from planning documents that map a proposed route of HTP transmission lines.

The project has already faced fierce opposition from landowners, who have accused EnergyCo of bullying tactics in trying to negotiate access.

EnergyCo has also been forced to apologise for its workers trespassing on at least one property, which the corporation said was done by accident.

The rare regent honeyeater. Photo: Tony Bond

Now, conservationists have slammed EnergyCo for the potential impact the HTP could have on threatened species habitat.

Australian Conservation Foundation nature campaigner Jess Abrahams said that the renewable energy transition should not come at a cost to threatened species habitat.

“To respond to the climate crisis we need to get off coal and gas and build lots of renewables, but wind farms, solar farms and the transmission lines that link them to the grid must be built in the right places,” he said.

The Nature Conservation Council Jacqui Mumford said the transmission line route needed to change.

“Renewable energy shouldn’t have to come at a cost to critically endangered species,” she said.

In a statement, an EnergyCo spokesman said the corporation is “committed to reducing and mitigating impacts on all our projects” and will see to “minimise” impact on threatened species.

Acting Energy Minister Paul Scully said that NSW has “no choice” but to build new renewable infrastructure, including transmission lines.

“Building any large infrastructure project is hard, whether it be transmission lines, highways or rail, and we have to balance the environmental impacts,” he said.

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Originally published as Dozens of threatened species in firing line of Hunter renewable energy project