Environment law and policy tracker

Tuesday, 26 April 2016 3:52pm

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Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a roundup of the latest jobs, grants and seminars. A Footprint weekly snapshot for environmental and carbon professionals.

Upcoming events
Jurisdictional round-up (national, states and territories)
Jobs and appointments
Resources

** Featured vacancy ** Queensland's Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation is seeking an environmental scientist for its Inventory and Air Assessment team, which runs the state's National Pollutant Inventory program.

Upcoming events:

Local energy and microgrids An April 28 and 29 conference in Sydney, hosted by Renew Economy and Informa.
Transitioning to ISO 14001:2015 An April 29 workshop in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
Strengthening your social licence to operate A May 2 and 3 A May 2 and 3 course in Perth, offered by the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility.
Solar energy exhibition and conference A May 4 and 5 event in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Solar Council.
Ozwater'16 A May 10 to 12 event in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Water Association.
Safeguard mechanism workshops Half-day seminars hosted by the Clean Energy Regulator in Perth (May 19) and Brisbane (May 26).

For other events, including an energy storage conference in Melbourne, see the extensive Footprint what's on listings.

National:

The CSIRO today announced a new CSIRO Climate Science Centre in Hobart would have a staff of 40, and the Federal Government has simultaneously announced a new independent National Climate Science Advisory Committee that will report to ministers. However, critics say the staffing level still involves very heavy cuts to CSIRO's climate science staffing levels.
A Senate inquiry into marine plastic pollution has recommended an immediate ban on microbeads in personal care products, because of their potential harm to marine life and human health (see background).
Momentum Energy has paid penalties totalling $54,000 to the ACCC because of its misleading renewable energy advertising (see background).
Environment Minister Greg Hunt has announced the recipients of $50 million in Reef Trust funding to tackle runoff from grazing land, can farming and other farming activities. A total of $23.7 million will go towards improved grazing land management, while sugar cane projects will receive $19.3 million.
Submissions close on April 30 on an issues paper on the consultation and transparency provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Environment) Regulations 2009.
Comment closes on May 6 on a Department of Environment discussion paper on a proposed National Standard for Environmental Risk Management of Industrial Chemicals.
The Department of Environment is seeking comment by May 9 on the merits of an EPBC listing for the Illawarra and south coast lowland grassy woodland ecological community.

Queensland:

Parliament has passed 'chain of responsibility' legislation, which prevents companies and directors using corporate structures and insolvency to avoid environmental liability (see background).
The Queensland Government will impose a legislative ban on underground coal gasification, marking an ignominious end for a technology that a previous state Labor government considered a potential source of "clean energy" (see background).
The State Government has released an aquaculture policy statement that deals with matters including avoiding environmental impacts and the use of offsets.

NSW:

The Office of Environment and Heritage has released the findings of a survey of community attitudes to renewable energy.
The EPA has gazetted revised resource recovery orders and exemptions on mulch, compost and garden organics.
The Hunter Development Corporation has invited tenders for 'stage four' landfill closure works on a former BHP waste emplacement facility on Kooragang Island that will require "high levels of environmental and geotechnical expertise to manage the associated contamination and threatened species issues".
A tribunal has rejected a bid by Viva Energy to prevent officials releasing health risk assessment documents to a community group (see background).
The NSW EPA has ordered coal mining company Centennial Newstan to investigate ways to manage contaminated seepage from a closed mine near Lake Macquarie (see background).
The NSW Government is giving users of the marine estate between Newcastle and Wollongong an additional two weeks to have their say on eight proposals to improve marine biodiversity conservation, with comments now due by May 8.
Grant opportunity: The Environmental Trust has opened round four of the Local Government Organics Collection Systems Grants Program, which will provide grants of up to $1.3 million for councils to introduce new or enhanced kerbside organics bin collection services. Applications close on May 19.

ACT:

The ACT Government has appointed Professor Kate Auty as its new Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. Auty previously served as Victoria's Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.

Victoria:

The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning has invited tenders to prepare a report on the economic impact of the proposed State Environment Protection Policy on water.
Melbourne City Council and big power customers including NAB and two universities have joined forces to issue a tender for 110GWh of renewable energy (see background).
EPA Victoria has issued Corio-based Viva Energy a $7,500 penalty for emitting fluorine compounds into the environment last November at a rate above its licence limit.
EPA Victoria has issued new guidelines on the cleanup and management of polluted groundwater (see background).
The Victorian Government has invited nominations for the 2016 Premier's sustainability awards.
Comment closes on May 2 on proposed regulations under section 161 of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998 that would revise VCAT fee structures.
Comment is due by April 29 on a consultation paper on vegetation clearing regulations.
Comment is due by May 15 on a draft biodiversity plan.

Tasmania:

EPA Tasmania has issued new bunding and spill management guidelines.
Biosecurity Tasmania is seeking comment by April 29 on a position paper released as part of a review of the state's biosecurity legislation.

South Australia:

Zero Waste SA has invited tenders for a report detailing the environmental and economic benefits to the state of developing a circular economy that minimises waste and pollution.

Western Australia:

Iluka, Rio Tinto and Goodman Fielder are among the 89 businesses that have been awarded by the WA Water Corporation for their achievements in using water more efficiently.
The Department of Environment Regulation has invited comment by May 9 on Cockburn Cement's application for renewal of the licence for its Munster cement works.
Grant opportunity: Western Australia's Environment Minister Albert Jacob has invited funding applications to subsidise purchasing decisions that boost recycling rates for construction and demolition waste (see background).

Northern Territory:

The Northern Territory Government has introduced a bill to amend the 28-year-old Fisheries Act.

Jobs and appointments:

The federal Department of Environment has several positions available for economists.
WWF Australia, the global conservation organisation, is seeking a Canberra-based sustainable development policy specialist to lead its Asia-Pacific conservation policy and project development work.
Climate Friendly is seeking a Sydney-based GIS analyst.
Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is seeking a Cairns-based principal investigator.
Tasmania's Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment is seeking a senior business analyst.
Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services is seeking a Melbourne-based project manager for its environmental management team.
Lendlease is seeking an EHS coordinator to work on projects at Sydney Airport.
Melbourne University is seeking an energy and water coordinator to work in its sustainability team.
Hunter is recruiting on behalf of a global consultancy for a Sydney-based principal environmental consultant.
Safe Step is recruiting on behalf of an "iconic Australian business" for a Sydney-based environmental advisor.
Polyglot Group is recruiting on behalf of a major consultancy for a Sydney-based senior environmental consultant – planning and assessments.
Golder Associates has casual positions available for Perth based environmental scientists and engineers.
NSW's City of Blue Mountains has a 12-month vacancy for a carbon abatement officer.

Resources:

The Climate Media Centre has launched a new coastal risk Australia website, which has had more than 100,000 visitors since its April 15 launch. The site enables users to visualise how their homes and neighbourhoods could be vulnerable to rising sea levels driven by climate change.
The Minerals Council has released new resources on uranium mining.