Victoria's environmental watchdog has been criticised over its handling of toxic soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project by the state's Ombudsman.
Political pressure resulted in a series of legal errors made by the Environment Protection Authority, Ombudsman Deborah Glass said in a scathing report following an investigation launched last year.
The EPA overlooked human rights concerns and failed to properly consult with local communities when deciding where tonnes of contaminated soil from the $10 billion tunnel project would be dumped, Ms Glass said.
The environmental regulator also compromised its ability to act independently, according to the report tabled in parliament on Tuesday.
"This failure to provide appropriate information and opportunities for communities to participate when making its approval decisions for sites to receive the spoil for the Project was unreasonable," Ms Glass said.
"It also gave no specific consideration to human rights, even though human rights were very much a focus for affected communities, who were worried about the impact of PFAS on themselves and their children, as well as waterways and wildlife."