Batman......narna - narna - narna - narna narna, narna narna narna Batman
... we need a bat tax.
In June comes this story.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-27/bat-colony-sparks-pacific-highway-route-review/4785118
The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is investigating whether a flying fox colony will force changes to the new route for the Pacific Highway.
The flying foxes are roosting in bushland at Bald Hill near Macksville, but it is not known if it is a colony that moved from nearby Bowraville.
The RMS says the colony is close to a section of the proposed Warrell Creek to Nambucca Heads Pacific Highway upgrade.
Original shire settler's families that have owned the same land and passed down through generations since 1850 have been
'bought up" and shifted by the RMS with no regard to how long the family had lived there....
The story above brings yest another costly "survey" just released 11 September 2013 below... 170 plus pages ..because the bats
moved in???
Warrell Creek to Nambucca Heads
Comparative Assessment
Executive summary
The purpose of this report is to assess the alternative alignment options (hereafter referred to as the options) and compare the impacts of these options with the approved alignment for about a three kilometre section of the Warrell Creek to Urunga Pacific Highway
Upgrade (WC2U project).
The options have been developed in order to minimise impacts to a recently established flying - fox camp adjacent to Warrell Creek.
The options are located to the north of Warrell Creek west and east of the approved alignment.
Figure A
shows the location of the options and the approved alignment relative to the position of the flying - fox camp.
The comparative assessment provides a review of the options and a comparison of the options with the approved alignment.
The assessment was based on information collected during previous investigations and investigations currently being
undertaken by the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) and its subconsultants for the southern section of the WC2U project, and has also been supported by a field inspection of the flying - fox camp.
The assessment has used the same evaluation criteria to assess the various route options identified for the WC2U project.
The main findings from the review were
:
The approved alignment and all of the options meet the absolute minimum design standards
for the Pacific Highway. Refinements to the designs provided for the options would be requiredto provide the necessary sight distances and interchange ramp lengths should they be progressed.
The preliminary assessment of significance found that the options and the approved alignment
would have the potential to significantly impact the flying - fox population.
The approved alignment would have the greatest potential impact on biodiversity, particularly in relation to the impact on the flying - fox camp ,and would incude the removal of critical roosting andforaging habitat, the loss of vegetation and the fragmentation of habitat.
Should any of the options be progressed a more thorough assessment of significance should be undertaken.
All of the options and the approved alignment have the potential to impact on the local groundwater regime, and therefore, have the potential to indirectly impact on the condition and ecological integrity of the swamp sclerophyll forest habitat, where the flying-fox camp is located.
An independent review of the likely impacts on groundwater was undertaken. This review found that:
–All options would be likely to intercept the groundwater in the cuttings required immediately to the north of the Warrell Creek bridge and in the vicinity of the Bald Hillinterchange. Groundwater seepage into these cuttings would be expected,
leading to local drawdown of the groundwater level either side of the cuttings. Groundwater drawdown in this area, along the Bald Hill ridgeline,would be unlikely to have an impact on surface ecosystems or existing groundwater usage
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