EPA issued a works approval

Read the works approval (PDF 2.2MB) and the full assessment report (PDF 2.8MB).

The West Gate Tunnel project triggers requirements for key approval applications, including an EPA works approval.

The works approval is required to allow construction and installation of tunnel ventilation structures near the exits of the two tunnels that will have three traffic lanes in both directions.

EPA’s priority is the health of the community and the environment, and ensuring the application complies with the Environment Protection Act 2017 and relevant environmental policies.

Following an extensive review process, EPA has granted the works approval for the project's ventilation systems in the two proposed tunnels. EPA has conditions in the works approval to protect the environment and public health. These include requirements that:

  • extensive air quality monitoring be undertaken in the surrounding area, with public reporting of results
  • the ventilation system is constructed so that it can be easily retro-fitted with pollution control equipment in the future if the monitoring demonstrates that this is necessary.

Ventilation filtration 

We acknowledge community concerns about emissions from the West Gate Tunnel Project. We will continue to engage with the local community on this project.

Ventilation filtration was considered as part of:

  • the Environment Effects Statement process overseen by the Minister for Planning 
  • Development Licence application assessment by EPA.

EPA assessed the tunnel designs based on the science and emission dispersion modelling. This was a detailed technical assessment using local conditions. We determined filtration was not required, as controls include: 

  • the height of the ventilation stacks
  • a high-speed extraction system to push emissions high into the atmosphere. This will aid dispersion.

EPA expects the project to benefit air quality by removing vehicles from local roads, however as a precautionary measure we approved the application with a condition imposing the requirement for the final design of the system to include pollution control equipment. This approach provides EPA the opportunity to enforce the installation of air filtration if and when effective technology is developed.

The evidence used to make this decision includes:

  1. A human health risk assessment prepared for the project concluded air quality changes would not result in measurable adverse changes to the health of the community.
  2. The Department of Health and Human Services at the time stated ‘the potential air impacts on health from emissions associated with the operation of the tunnels component were assessed as being below health-based guidelines and the risk to human health is also considered to be low’.
  3. Local air monitoring after construction and during the early years of operation of the CityLink and EastLink tunnels did not measure significant changes in the local air quality indicating the impacts from tunnel ventilation systems to be low.
  4. Tunnel filtration systems have been trialled in New South Wales to assess effectiveness. The trials did not show change in air quality in the local area.

The EPA licence requires air monitoring plans to be agreed with EPA prior to commencing operations. This is to ensure emissions are minimal. EPA’s approval ensures emissions will continue be monitored and appropriately managed. EPA has been regularly reviewing air quality and publishing our assessments and will continue to analyse the ambient air monitoring data during operation.

Our analysis of the local area’s air quality data from 2016-2022 is available on our website: Analysis of Westgate Tunnel Project air monitoring data (EPA Publication 2058). This gives us a baseline to compare future data with. We expect to publish our next assessment in the first half of 2025.

EPA made a submission to the Environment Effects Statement

EPA participated in the public comment period by making a submission the West Gate Tunnel Project Environment Effects Statement (EES).

EPA’s submission can be read here: WGTP EES EPA Submission (10 July 2017) [PDF 1.08MB]

The appendices to the submission are available below:

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Reviewed 24 December 2024