The Victorian Government has released the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) for the planned desalination plant near Wonthaggi. The statement reveals the site's estimated carbon emissions will be more than 1 million tonnes per year. Environment Victoria's Mark Wakeham says the plant will add 1 per cent to Victoria's total carbon emissions in the year it is constructed. The EES also examined the impact of the plant's construction and operation on the local marine environment as well as social impacts. The EES is available for public comment until the end of September. EES To hear what the locals think about the plant visit Your Water Your Say

A legal analysis throws into doubt the economic viability of a planned coal-fired power station in Victoria, finding the proposed emissions trading scheme will offer it no compensation for an estimated annual carbon bill of $50 million. The $750 million power plant - signed off last month by the State Government, but without finalisation of its funding - does not qualify for either of the industry compensation schemes outlined in the Federal Government's emissions trading blueprint, according to analysis by community legal centre the Environment Defenders Office. HRL spokeswoman Maria Brejcha declined to comment beyond saying the Government's emissions trading scheme was not yet finalised. The HRL plant has been pushed back four years to 2012 due to delays in securing a suitable site. Environment Victoria campaigns director Mark Wakeham, who commissioned the legal advice, said without compensation the plant was unlikely to compete with new renewable energy projects and gas-fired electricity generation. For information on the campaign to stop the expansion of the coal industry in Victoria see Friends of the Earth

The timber company Gunns will not say if it will ask the Federal Government for more time to prove its pulp mill can operate within environmental guidelines. The company has been warned the deadline is only six weeks away. Yesterday Gunns lodged the final of 16 modules for assessment with the Federal Environment Department. But the Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett says more information is needed on many of the modules and the company will struggle to meet an early October deadline. He says lodging the modules is only the start of an exhaustive assessment process. The 12 modules yet to be approved cover effluent treatment and solid waste disposal. TAP

Anti-nuclear protesters have presented the mining company Cameco with a symbolic eviction notice in Alice Springs this morning. About 25 people from the Alice Springs Angela Pamela (ASAP) Alliance went to Cameco's shopfront to voice their protest against the proposed uranium mine, which would sit 25 kilometres south of the town. The joint venture of Paladin and the Canadian resources giant Cameco is yet to be granted the full exploration rights to the deposits. Anti-nuclear campaigner Nat Wasley says a broad section of the local community still strongly opposes the mine proposal. "It is extremely arrogant of Cameco to open an office in Alice Springs prior to being granted a licence to explore. "The community demands that this office be closed and that all staff and public relations consultants ceases operations for this and any other uranium company in the Central Australian region." ECNT

Prominent environmental science experts have called for more involvement from the scientific community into responses to the draft report of the independent Garnaut Review. The rapid development of ETS policy and the need to consider other elements of a comprehensive response to climate change has highlighted the need for quality scientific input. The latest issue of ECOS provides expert analysis of the draft report of the independent Garnaut Review on emissions trading and the Federal Government’s Green Paper, which outlines the differing proposals for a ‘carbon pollution reduction’ scheme. ECOS

The long awaited final report from the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) on the future of River Red Gum forest-wetlands will be handed to the Victorian Government some time in the next 2 weeks and made public almost immediately. The coming months, and particularly the first week following the release of the report will be critical if the Brumby government are to agree to the recommendations in the report. Your help over the coming weeks and months will be essential if we are to achieve Victoria's first Indigenous jointly-managed national parks and protect our Iconic River Red Gum wetlands and forests. You can help once the report is release by doing the following: writing letters to the editor in local papers and the Age and Herald Sun supporting new jointly managed parks; calling talk back radio, particularly ABC regional radio and Melbourne talkback shows such as ABC 774; calling, emailing or writing to your local MP supporting new parks; regularly visiting our dedicated campagin website for updates at Save Red Gum and/or joining the e-list