Environment Victoria worried about future of Latrobe Valley...

Environment Victoria worried about future of Latrobe Valley Energy Brix site

Updated about 6 hours agoMon 2 Nov 2015, 9:51am
Related Story: Latrobe Valley briquette factory owner placed into voluntary administration

Map: Morwell 3840
Environment Victoria says it is concerned about the rehabilitation prospects for the former Energy Brix site in the Latrobe Valley.
The power station and briquette factory owner, HRL limited, went into voluntary administration last week.
The administrator, PPB Advisory, said the company had simply run out of money and it was looking to sell off the business as a going concern.
However, Environment Victoria's chief executive, Mark Wakeham, said brown coal projects were not an attractive option for buyers.
"Yet again we see this issue of inadequate rehabilitation bonds for power stations and plants and it's a real risk that the Latrobe Valley will be left with a poor outcome for that site into the future," he said.
Victoria's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said HRL Limited had already paid a rehabilitation bond of $27 million.
Its chief executive, Nial Finegan, said it was in talks with the company and administrators about the future use of the site.
Mr Finegan said the community would not have to foot the bill for the clean-up if the business was not sold on.
"The way the legislation is written is that the polluter pays, so our role is to ensure that the clean-up is done at the company's expense, if required, and not at the public expense," he said.
"EPA is in ongoing conversations with HRL to understand what the company's future intentions are for the business and the site.
"So we're very aware of both the environmental and broader community interest in the site.
"Our role is to ensure the environmental risks are appropriately managed."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-...s-for-latrobe-valley-energy-brix-site/6904210