Snowy Hydro will fund two new frog enclosures, the NSW EPA says. Image: stock/NSW Police
Snowy Hydro has agreed to pay $400,000 to help protect the Northern Corroboree Frog in a deal with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
The NSW EPA says the deal stems from a 2023 pollution incident involving nitrate contamination in surface and ground water at Lobs Hole, on the Snowy 2.0 construction site in Kosciuszko National Park.
In December 2023, the company was ordered to clean up the contamination after it had earlier reported high levels of nitrate in surface and ground water near drill and blast spoil storage areas in the Kosciuszko National Park.
Snowy Hydro was also, and immediately, ordered to stop adding material containing high nitrate levels to spoil areas on the construction site.
Under the new deal, the company will pay $400,000 to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to establish two new frog enclosures in the wild to protect the critically endangered Northern Corroboree Frog from the deadly chytrid fungus.
Snowy Hydro will also pay the EPA’s legal and investigation fees of $90,000.
Director of Operations Steve Orr said the deal reflects the EPA’s stance on environmental breaches in sensitive areas.
“National parks, including Kosciuszko, are state-protected areas and strict environmental laws are in place to protect their delicate ecosystems,” he says.
“The EPA expects licence holders … to take all necessary steps to prevent harm to the environment.”
He considered the deal as “an appropriate regulatory response” to the incident since it provides long-term benefits for the surrounding environment.
“The $400,000 funding commitment will go directly to on-the-ground conservation to assist NPWS’ efforts to re-populate and protect this vulnerable frog.”
There is no evidence the pollution from this incident had any impact on the Northern Corroboree Frog or it’s close relative, the Southern Corroboree Frog, which is only found in Kosciuszko National Park.
A copy of the deal is available here: https://apps.epa.nsw.gov.au/prpoeoapp/ViewNotice.aspx?ID=1649096
