The main camp at Lobs Hole. Photo: Snowy Hydro.
Snowy Hydro Limited has been ordered to pay $400,000 to support conservation efforts for the critically endangered northern corroboree frog, following a pollution incident at its Snowy 2.0 construction site in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP).
The payment forms part of a legally binding enforceable undertaking (EU) finalised earlier this month between Snowy Hydro and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), after elevated nitrate levels were detected in surface and groundwater at Lobs Hole in 2023.
As part of the agreement, the $400,000 will go to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to establish two new wild enclosures to protect the northern corroboree frog from the deadly chytrid fungus, a major threat to the survival of the species.
The company must also cover the EPA’s legal and investigation costs, totalling $90,000.
EPA Director of Operations Steve Orr said the agreement demonstrated the regulator’s strong stance on environmental breaches in sensitive areas.
“National parks, including Kosciuszko, are state protected areas and strict environmental laws are in place to safeguard their delicate ecosystems,” Mr Orr said.
“The EPA expects licence holders to comply with these laws and to take all necessary steps to prevent harm to the environment,” he said.
Mr Orr said the EU was considered an appropriate regulatory response because it provided tangible and long-term benefits for the surrounding environment.
“In this case, the $400,000 funding commitment will go directly to on-the-ground conservation to assist NPWS’ efforts to repopulate and protect this vulnerable frog,” Mr Orr said.
The EPA issued Snowy Hydro with a clean-up notice in December 2023, ordering an immediate halt to the addition of nitrate-heavy material to spoil areas on-site.
In response, the company introduced a range of mitigation measures, including enhanced monitoring, lined spoil zones, new water treatment facilities and a nitrogen management plan – the first of its kind in NSW.
The EPA has also stated there was no evidence to suggest the nitrate pollution incident caused actual harm to the environment or directly impacted northern or southern corroboree frog populations, both of which are endemic to Kosciuszko National Park.
