NorthConnex

I endorse thew CAPS group submission

1. To avoid the noise during the construction, we need the double glasses to be installed. As we have a baby who is sensitive to the noise.
2. The fence built on our backyard don't be too high to block the sunshine.
3. As our house is the closest to the tunnel in the street, we need more plants to be made,
4. We are worried about the air pollution.

My serious interest in this project has only developed after the realisation that my home of 50 years is located within a kilometre of the Southern ventilation outlet .
The latest information available on the NorthConnex website satisfies me that the environmental impacts of the project can be satisfactorily managed .I feel the impact on the community of the truck haulage of waste from the tunneling operations has been underestimated and will require close and careful management.
Having been involved in bushcare as a volunteer in the Hornsby Council program I have a major concern about the rehabilitation of all the areas where ground will be disturbed during the construction program.Please have someone who knows the difference between green weeds and native vegetation look closely at the rehabilitated areas associated with the M2 and M2 expansion projects .The results have been disastrous ! Scattered native shrubs stand in a covering of horrible and even noxious weeds which may be slashed occasionally to reduce their visibility. This scatters seeds far and wide to be washed by the first significant rain into the excellent stormwater drainage system which in turn feeds into the heart of downstream bushland areas.
For confirmation of this national disaster scenario take a drive along the Hume Highway where tens of millions of dollars have been spent on rehabilitation in recent years with ultimately terrible results .
Much greater effort and expenditure on destruction of weeds and weed seeds before rehabilitation planting is required followed by five years of genuine maintenance weeding .
(Almost any infrastructure project in the nation will show the same scenario and it is a national disgrace which requires urgent research and a change of attitude when conditions of approval are being set !! )
As with almost every infrastructure project the areas of hardstand will increase and stormwater volumes and damaging flooding downstream will increase .Great benefit could be achieved if the tunnelling machine or other excavating equipment could be used to establish a large stormwater temporary storage facility which would allow a controlled release of rainwater following heavy storm rains.

In 2007, the Pearlman Inquiry advocated a second crossing of the Hawkesbury, west of the existing bridge. This would facilitate the transport of heavy vehicles carrying goods to and from other state capitals. In view of the NSW Government decision to build another airport at Badgery's Creek, construction of a second bridge makes good sense, and would serve to alleviate the problems of B Doubles having to crowd into the Pennant Hills Road even if they are not delivering any goods to Sydney. Another reason is that we do need a second crossing of the Hawkesbury to avoid bushfires such as blocked holiday makers on the F3 for some hours, causing stress to families with young children. In view of recent instability in many parts of the Middle East, that second crossing could avoid problems should there be a terrorist attempt here in Australia. It seems, however, that planning has gone too far to reverse the idea of the North Connex. North Connex Representatives agreed that the construction of a tunnel will be only a short term solution to a traffic problem. And only a part solution, at that, since vehicles carrying dangerous chemicals and petrol/diesel will still frequent the Pennant Hills Road.

The idea of not filtering the air from the tunnels causes concern that CO2, and, moreover particulate matter causes a threat to the health of those living near the stacks. On reading the North Connex brochures, one notes that they state that cost, and therefore, profit are the main consideration in their unsolicited offer. Surely the planning and environment department should be cognisant of the upset caused by residents who attended meetings at Barker College and statements made by many medical doctors concerning effects on asthmatics and young children living in proximity to the northern end of the tunnel. Also, Transurban does not plan to monitor the air stacks beyond the first year of the opening of the tunnels. Why, in the 21st century should we in Australia have to endure Third World cost cutting when we form part of the G20 countries?

The Southern Stack ventilation outlet was originally to be located directly above the main alignment tunnel on the Pennant Hills side of the Golf Course. Why has it been moved away from this point, which is where the air is pushed out from southbound traffic, as it can best measure the unfiltered air as it emerges?

T rucks working 24/7 on the tunnels, excavating soil, Hawkesbury Sandstone, shale and rock have been routed to turn from Pennant Hills road on to Aiken Road ( for trucks weighing less than 3 tons) were routed to turn left on to Oakes Road, thence left at Eaton Road and Karloon Road at a rate of 60 per hour Monday to Friday and five hours on a Saturday = about 3000 trucks per week. Whoever made this decision is unaware of the traffic problems existing here at peak hour. Proximity to the M2 already causes lots of parked cars, plus the fact that there are many cars transporting children to and from Murray Farm school. Mayor Andrew Jefferies of The Hills Shire stated at the West Pennant Hills Valley Progress Association that he knows this area well. He stated that he thinks the trucks should travel on main roads which are built for that purpose. A local paper, the Hills Shire Times wrote an article on 18th August stating that the Connex Route has been scrapped. I hope that your Department of Planning and Environment will ensure that this article got it right.

I support the Equilibria submission in its entirety.

We have serious concerns about the project and request NorthConnex and the Department of Planning consider another Plan such as a surface road which was originally planned.

The placement of the ventilation stacks in densely populated residential areas with schools, child care centres, Hospitals, Hospital clinics, medical centres and sports fields is totally unacceptable. As you are aware this concentrated highly carcinogenic
toxic fumes cause a large array of health problems to healthy people let alone the ones who already have health problems living in the area around the stacks.

We are hoping common sense and decency will prevail. The project needs to go back to a surface road down through the valley which keeps in step with the rest of the F3.
Also in the future a surface road is easier and cheaper to widen than a tunnel.
In the future the 2 tunnels will not meet the demands put on it, as it is evident now it would need to be 4 lanes in either direction.

The tunnels are 9 kilometres long, what happens if a serious accident occurs?
That is a lot of people catch in a confine space. Some one needs to think very carefully about that aspect.

I endorse the caps group submission in its entirety.

I endorse the caps group submission in its entirety.

I endorse the caps group submission in its entirety.

I endorse the caps group submission in its entirety.

12 September 2014

Director - Infrastructure Projects
Department of Planning and Environment
Number: SSI 13_6136
Major Projects Assessment
GPO Box 39
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Via online form: http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=6136

NorthConnex Application Number: SSI 13_6136

Please find below our submission in response to the exhibition of the EIS for NorthConnex.

Firstly we would like to state we object to the project as described in the EIS.

We have a high level of concern regarding the following issues and request that these be considered by NorthConnex and the Department of Planning. In regards to the NorthConnex tunnel, I am concerned about:

1. Placement of the northern ventilation stack in the centre of a densely populated residential area in Wahroonga, where 9,300 school children will be exposed, as well as multiple aged care facilities, hospitals, businesses and homes.

2. The placement of the northern ventilation stack in a valley in Wahroonga where there are often low wind speeds, which will result in poor dispersion and exposure to community to high levels of tunnel emission.

3. I am highly concerned about the multiple large scale research studies that suggest the impacts of air pollutants on health are serious. These include increased death from heart disease, increased risks of lung cancer, stroke, poor lung growth in children, increased asthma, and recent research suggesting low birth weight for pregnant women, increased autism, and congenital heart defects. These studies confirm air pollutants have prothrombotic and inflammatory effects on humans which cause the above health problems.

4. I am concerned about the project including future provisions for portal emissions in densely populated areas, which will result in emissions remaining at ground level, and hence exposing the local population to pollutants. I am also concerned that NorthConnex's claim that there will no portal emissions from current proposal cannot be verified.

5. I am concerned about the large amount of diesel emissions which will be emitted from the NorthConnex tunnel, as it is being designed for heavy freight to bypass Pennant Hills Rd. Diesel emissions have been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation, and also contain a larger number of fine particles which penetrate deep into lung tissue and remain there causing inflammation.

6. I am concerned about the air quality within the tunnel which is shown in the EIS to have exceedences above standards for pollutants such as NO2, and haze from particulate matter at the ends of the tunnel.

7. I am concerned about the multiple flaws in the air quality modelling of the northern stack in the EIS. These include:
a) extrapolation of meteorological data from other weather stations which do not reflect the local meteorology, local topography, and the valley location.
b) The use of a coarse topographical model
c) The failure to consider polluted intake air from the Pennant Hills/M2 interchange as part of the project contribution to air quality at Wahroonga
d) the background air quality being based on air quality at Lindfield and Prospect and the lack of any actual data on PM2.5

8. Wse are am concerned that a full and transparent options assessment process was not undertaken to assess alternative designs for the project. Unlike other tunnel projects in Sydney there are alternatives for locating the stack and portals in non-residential areas.

9. I am concerned that the justification for not providing filtration for the stacks is cursory and unconvincing.

To address our concerns I request that the following actions are undertaken:

1. The air quality and human health impact assessment need to be revised to address the issues raised above.
2. An independent options assessment process should be undertaken to assess alternative locations for the ventilation stack and portals.
3. To undertake a Life Cycle Analysis and assessment for the provision of filtration
4. A long term health study on children and residents in areas impacted by stack discharges be included as part of the conditions of approval.
5. A comprehensive air quality monitoring program is developed and implemented.
6. An independent review of the ventilation system is undertaken to ensure that NorthConnex's claim of no portal emissions is justified.
7. Portal emissions from NorthConnex in the future are banned.
8. The Submissions Report/Preferred Project be exhibited to allow the community to respond to the revised information contained in the report.
9. The Department does not approve the project in its current form as it clearly does not meet the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development as required by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.


Naomi and Tim Murnain
215A Eastern Road Wahroonga 2076

"Where there is a reduction in the level of service of intersections around the northern interchange, opportunities to minimise these impacts would be investigated during detailed design." (Technical Working Paper: Traffic and Transport, page 187)

Saying these problems will just disappear during detail design is not good enough. They should be resolved at this stage of the design. For example, what is going to be done about the potentially large amount of Pennant Hills Rd southbound traffic turning left into M1/Pennanat Hills Rd intersection, and attempting to cut across 2 traffic lane to enter the southbound tunnel portal? What about this traffic queuing back into Pacific Highway/Pennant Hills Rd? What is going to be done about this currently congested interesction?

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the Northconnex M1-M2 project. I wish to object to the following aspects.

Air Quality - there is significant community concern over issues relating to the methodology proposed for ventilation of the tunnels and the resulting air quality at the ventilation stacks. The operator needs to commit to a post construction air-monitoring program, comparing pre-construction air quality readings against air quality post-construction at operational times. This monitoring should be independently reviewed and open to public scrutiny.

Location and design of ventilation stacks - these components are proposed for residential areas. They should be subject to more sensitive design and location. Consideration should be given to locating the southern ventilation facility within the golf course. The northern ventilation facility should be of a high quality architectural design to blend more successfully with the residential architecture. Every effort should be made to re-locate the stack further north and away from residential areas and schools.

Trelawney St Support Facility - this should be located on the opposite side of Pennant Hills Road in the industrial estate to avoid the significant impact on residential amenity.

Pioneer Construction Compound - the proposed compound will result in the loss of a significant industrial heritage item. Another less sensitive site within the Pioneer industrial area should be used to protect the heritage item.

Please consider the "health" of the surrounding neighborhood. We will all inhale the polluted oxygen from the stack and hear the noise coming from it at night. Where is our quality of life?

I am endorsing the CAPS group submission in its entirely

I endorse the caps group submission in its entirely

I object to the NorthConnex proposal primarily on the grounds of adverse health impacts of unknown magnitude from the placement of the Northern stack and portals in a residential area affecting the surrounding 9,300 school children and over 20,000 residents.
The locality is already influenced by excessive pollution from the existing M1 motorway and should not be subjected to any further increases in air pollution.
I endorse the CAPSgroup submissission especially regarding shortening of the tunnels where possible to reduce in-tunnel pollution levels and emissions.

I would like you to know that I object to the project as described in the EIS.

I am quite concerned about the following issues and request that these be considered by NorthConnex and the Department of Planning. In regards to the NorthConnex tunnel, I am concerned about:

1. Placement of the Wahroonga ventilation stack in a residential area.

2. Placement of the Wahroonga stack in a valley where there is often little wind, which will result in poor dispersion and exposure of people in the vicinity to high concentrations of traffic fumes.

3. xxxxx take precautions against traffic fumes on a daily basis, such as winding up all car windows and never walking on Pennant Hills Road. When the wind blows xxxx from Pennant Hills Road, one block away,xxxx to go indoors and shut all doors and windows so as not to breathe the fumes, xxxxx. So I am very concerned about a ventilation stack that empties the fumes from - not just a hundred metres or so - but several kilometers of road's worth of fumes all at one spot. I doubt xxxx to go near the area.

A close friend lives 200m from the proposed Wahroonga ventilation stack, and she relies on my assistance xxxxxx. I am worried that I wouldn't be able to visit her at all if the NorthConnex project goes ahead.

4. I'm concerned about the health impacts of air pollutants, especially including diesel fumes of the PM2.5 size, which penetrate deep into lung tissue and remain there causing inflammation. As the NorthConnex tunnel is intended to carry a lot of trucks, there will be a lot of diesel fumes, which have been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation.

5. I am concerned that the justification for not providing filtration for the ventilation stacks is cursory and unconvincing.


To address my concerns, I request that the following actions be taken:

1. The Department not approve the project in its current form as it clearly does not meet the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development as required by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

2. An independent process be undertaken to assess alternative locations for the ventilation stacks, away from residential areas.

3. No ventilation stacks be approved without electrostatic air scrubbers or some form of filtration of similar or better efficacy.

4. A comprehensive and independent air quality monitoring program be developed and implemented.

5. If a tunnel does go ahead, that strong incentives be put in place for NorthConnex to keep air quality from the ventilation stacks within guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.

Regards,
Elisa Brock

see attached

I have waded through a lot of the pdf large file but could not find the route taken to design the ventilation outlets. In particular, I find the document is deficient in permitting the reader to find the following:
1. wind rose patterns relevant to the south stack. Airport data is not relevant. Western data shows that there are periods of wind speed of less than 2km/hr, but these are averages and i could not find actual data from which still periods could be analysed for extent of pooling of polluted air, especially during times when cold, still air lies in the areas lower that the stack.
2. considerations leading to the determination of the design height of the stack could not be found.
3. the height of the stack appears to be 15 m plus the building height of 7m. a 22m height is very small to affect acceptable dispersion of particulate pollution, especially in still and low wind speed conditions.
It is recommended that the EIS is annotated with a layperson-friendly document that properly addresses the above shortcomings.

Dear Sirs,
I live in Waitara Av, Waitara.
I've read the material for & against including your "Community Update 5"
The tunnel is a teriffic idea and more power to you for building it. However, there is
a perception which has become a reality and nothing you say,show or do will alter that
...ever. So no matter what the cost you must filter the XXXX !
Regards,