Grants for remediation
In April 2005, the Environmental Trust established the $2 million, two-year Council Gasworks Remediation Program to assist councils to remediate former gasworks sites for which they are responsible.
Applications to this program are by invitation only. To be eligible for funding, a site's contamination must present a 'significant risk of harm' to human health and/or the environment as determined under the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997. Sites representing the highest risk will be given priority for funding.
To date, the program has allocated $1.5 million to councils for the following sites:
- Armidale Dumaresq Council - Armidale Gasworks, cnr Beardy and Allingham Streets, Armidale
- Bathurst Regional Council - Bathurst Gasworks, Russell Street, Bathurst
- Shoalhaven City Council - Nowra Gasworks, Lamonds Lane, Nowra
The grants will fund a proportion of the direct cost of remediation works such as site works, treatment costs, validation costs, site auditor fees and project management costs for directly overseeing remediation works. The remainder of the remediation works will be funded by Council.