Tarago takes Transport for NSW to task on lead-contaminated stockpile

Opposite, in the rail corridor, a 'cell' covering lead contaminated soil appeared to have broken up in places, exposing the material. Using a long camera lens the next day, he focused in on the mounds.

"The cell has been breached in a number of places and elsewhere around it, there is extensive erosion," the Tarago and District Progress Association president said.

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He fears this poses a risk to the community and groundwater, especially given continued heavy rain.

However, a TfNSW spokesman said United Group Limited Regional Linx (UGLRL), which had been engaged to maintain the country regional rail network, had been inspecting the stockpile regularly.

"UGLRL has advised the sand and concrete cap on the stockpile is sound," he said.

The department declined to say when UGLRL had last inspected the cell. Instead it stressed that monitoring of surface water and air quality "occurred for at least 12 months across a range of weather conditions that were considered representative of historic weather variability." This ended in mid 2021, with the Environment Protection Authority's (EPA) agreement.

"The April 2021 surface water monitoring report and the July, 2021 air quality monitoring report summarise the findings of these programs. The reports both conclude that the risks within the receiving environment, including drinking water, were low across the monitoring period," the spokesman said.

"While we complete the remediation work at Tarago our primary focus is to ensure the safety of the community. We are continually monitoring and assessing all options on how we can do that best."

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The lead contamination, believed to have emanated from ore loading associated with the former Woodlawn Mine, was publicly revealed in March, 2020, though Transport for NSW (TfNSW) knew about it as far back as 2015. The material was disturbed when the department started work on a rail siding near the town in 2019.

Following community backlash, TfNSW embarked on a remediation plan which was due to be finished by March, 2022. Residents are again up in arms at the plan's delays and 'lack of consultation' about this with the community. Now, work won't be completed until 2024.

Mr Ellson said people were not reassured by any of the government departments that the lead posed no risk to the community.

Some six residents attended a TforNSW hosted meeting in the town last Thursday and posed numerous questions. EPA and Health Department representatives also attended but the NSW Education Department did not.

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Mr Ellson said he sent a clear message at the meeting that TforNSW was "not communicating transparently with the community." In response to a resident's question, a departmental representative assured them they had reports from two days prior, showing the cell was in "good condition."

"I am bloody angry," he said about the allegedly breached cells he photographed the following day.

"...They keep telling us they're (visually) monitoring it monthly but it's clear from the damage that this is not happening...It's a hard argument to say the risk is low when it is broken up all around it.

On Monday, he took matters into his own hands. At his request, two EPA officers from Queanbeyan visited the site.

According to Mr Ellson, it "didn't take them long to realise there was a problem." However they were looking from the railway station, at a distance, and needed to gain access to the rail corridor for a closer inspection. This is expected to occur later this week.

The Post has sought comment from the EPA.

Mr Ellson wants any subsequent EPA report on the stockpile to be made public and for a meeting to be held between the authorities, TADPAI and the council.

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He blamed 'gaps in lead monitoring' on TforNSW' decision to "contract out its responsibilities" to UGLRL.

"You can contract out work but not responsibility and that's where you come unstuck," he said.

"...It's getting very frustrating for the community to be constantly policing this. I shouldn't have to be doing it; TforNSW should be doing their job."

The department has previously acknowledged it "dropped the ball" on the contamination issue.

"We have heard loud and clear that we need to do better and be more transparent in our dealings with the community," a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"Transport is committed to keeping the community informed and will provide information sessions, both in person and online. The community can expect regular updates via email and on the project website, the continued posting of technical reports on the website as well as informed staff being available to talk with community members, answer questions and respond to concerns."

An online session, repeating Thursday's meeting, is being held on Tuesday, August 30.

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