A clean-up notice has been handed to a key Napthine government department, over badly contaminated land in North Fitzroy that lies in the path of the East West Link freeway.

‘‘My community will have to cop it,’’ – Richard Wynne

Contaminated groundwater from the former Fitzroy Gasworks site is in the path of the planned $6 billion-$8 billion freeway tunnel. Cleaning up the site and groundwater has previously been assessed as costing at least $50 million. The former gas works is at the corner of Smith Street and Alexandra Parade in North Fitzroy.

Town gas was manufactured on-site from coal between 1861 and 1927, after which the site was used by the defence department to produce machine gun carriers and armoured vehicles until the 1960s.

Significant amounts of badly contaminated soil and groundwater remain beneath the site.

The Environment Protection Authority has demanded that Treasury, which is ultimately responsible for the site, complete an initial clean-up plan by the end of May or risk a $300,000 fine. Continue Reading…