NSW has failed to properly assess impact on wildlife of Warragamba dam changes, federal government says

Exclusive: leaked environment department document raises concerns about the regent honeyeater and forest and woodland ecosystems

Raising the wall of the Warragamba dam could affect half the remaining population of the critically endangered regent honeyeater and would put forest and woodland communities at risk of extinction, according to a summary of the environmental impact statement for the proposal, contained in a leaked federal environment department document.

The department found the New South Wales government had failed to properly assess how its proposal to raise the wall of the dam by 17 metres to mitigate flood risk in western Sydney would affect endangered wildlife.