NSW Government Plan For Warragamba Dam Criticised

New South Wales plans for the Warragamba Dam have been labelled "fundamentally deficient" by an international cultural group that is advising UNESCO's World Heritage Committee. The government's plans for the dam appear to conflict with commitments to conserve the area.

The Australian branch of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has objected to the dam proposal in a submission report responding to the dam’s environmental impact statement.

“Australia ICOMOS is concerned that the environmental impact statement is fundamentally deficient, and that the very nature of the project is at odds with both appropriate cultural heritage practice and obligations that arise from the World Heritage Convention,” the submission stated.

The areas that are affected by the Dam Proposal include a World Heritage property, a National Heritage place, two national parks, a declared Wilderness area, a declared Wild River, and the Warragamba Special Catchment Area. The subject area is recognised globally for its biodiversity and rare species.

ICOMOS also said that the registered Aboriginal parties of the plan were not properly informed.

Flood plain councils, including Wollondilly Council, Penrith City Council and Blue Mountains Council, have also voiced their concerns about the project.