Environment law and policy tracker

Tuesday, 31 May 2016 11:26am

Reminder: Footprint subscribers can forward Tracker to relevant staff in their organisation.

Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a roundup of jobs, grants, awards and seminars. Includes election commitments by the Coalition, Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon team.

Upcoming events
Jurisdictional round-up (national, states and territories)
Jobs and appointments
Election commitments tracker

** Featured vacancies **

The ACT Planning and Environment Directorate is seeking an executive director for its sustainability and climate change activities, reporting to the Director-General.

The Western Australian EPA is seeking a manager of strategic policy.

Upcoming events:

The Australian energy storage conference A June 1 and 2 conference in Melbourne, featuring local and international speakers.
Renewable cities forum A June 1 and 2 conference in Sydney.
Minimising the impact of mining in agricultural areas A June 2 evening seminar in Tamworth, hosted by Engineers Australia.
Treatment of wastewater and biosolids A June 7 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Water Association.
EPBC Act condition-setting and advanced environmental offsets A June 15 evening seminar in Canberra, hosted by EIANZ.
Power from the ocean – untapped potential A June 16 Institute of Engineers evening seminar in Melbourne, featuring Timothy Finnigan of wave energy company BioPower.
Environment and carbon conference for business A June 17 conference in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
Global water challenges and opportunities A June 17 conference in Perth, hosted by the Australian Water Association.
Contaminated land seminar A June 22 conference in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
How to prepare a best-practice sustainability report A June 22 and 23 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility.

For other events, including a water conference in the ACT, see the extensive Footprint what's on listings.

National:

The Clean Energy Regulator has warned companies that it can apply tighter safeguard baselines retrospectively if they fail to disclose relevant information about their emissions (see background).
The Director of Biosecurity has issued a Biosecurity (Methods of Ballast Water Management) Approval 2016 that list methods of ballast water management approved by foreign countries in accordance with the Ballast Water Convention.
The Climate Council has issued a states and territories renewable energy report card.
Comment closes on June 10 on the third consultation paper on proposed changes to industrial chemical assessment procedures administered by NICNAS.

Queensland:

State Government-owned Ergon Energy has offered a power purchase agreement to progress the 170MW Mt Emerald wind farm in the state's far north, which is a joint venture project between Ratch Australia and Port Bajool. Ergon Energy is the state's largest purchaser of renewable energy, due to Power Purchase Agreements with sugar mills and other renewable energy generators.
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has moved quickly to use its new powers to impose environmental obligations on an individual connected to a high-risk company, issuing orders to the former chair of Linc Energy (see background).
Parliament has passed legislation that reinstates broad rights to launch legal appeals against mining projects that were removed by the former Newman Government (see background).
A taskforce advising the Queensland Government has called for a cutting-edge mix of legislation and incentives to cut pollution from farms and new developments in Great Barrier Reef catchments (see background).
Hospitals and aged-care facilities in Queensland must take new steps to prevent Legionnaire's Disease outbreaks, under legislation passed by State Parliament (see background).
Comment closes on June 27 on a draft revised code for the transport of regulated waste.
Award nominations invited: The Queensland Government has invited nominations for the 2016 Premier's sustainability awards, with applications closing on July 15.

NSW:

Comments on the draft Biodiversity Conservation Bill are due by June 28.
Grant opportunity: The NSW Government is inviting grant applications for new rounds under two waste schemes, with applications closing on June 27. The resource recovery facility expansion and enhancement program offers grants of between $100,000 and $1 million, while the innovation in priority problem wastes program offers grants of up to $1 million for infrastructure projects and up to $200,000 for R&D projects.
Grant opportunity: The Environmental Trust has also opened round four of the Love Food, Hate Waste Grants Program, with applications due by June 14.
Award nominations invited: Applications close on July 11 for the NSW Green Globe awards.

ACT:

The ACT Government has issued a progress report on implementation of its nature conservation plan.
Grant opportunity: Environment and Climate Change Minister Simon Corbell has invited applications by June 27 for ACT environment grants, with funding of up to $50,000 available. Up to $2 million in grants will be provided to five successful companies to install solar storage in Canberra houses and businesses.
Grant opportunity: Applications close on July 6 for grants totalling up to $2 million that will be distributed to companies installing energy storage batteries in the ACT.

Victoria:

The State Government has introduced a National Parks and Victorian Environmental Assessment Council Acts Amendment Bill 2016 that broadens the advisory role of the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council.
The Essential Services Commission has released a position paper as part of its review of water pricing.
Latrobe University's Council has endorsed a plan to fully divest from fossil-fuel related company investments over the next five years and commit to greater transparency on the carbon footprint of companies held in its investment portfolio.
Grant opportunity: Sustainability Victoria is offering organisations grants to cover 50% of the cost of a resource assessment of their operations. Grants are capped at $10,000 for a combined materials and energy assessment, with a $3,000 implementation bonus also available. Applications must be submitted by August 5.
Award nominations invited: Nominations close on June 27 for the Premier's sustainability awards.

Tasmania:

The State Government has named the chair of Reach Solar Energy, Tony Concannon, and AEMO director Sibylle Krieger as the final two members of its energy security taskforce, which will be chaired by former Aurora Energy chairman Geoff Willis. The Taskforce will deliver a draft report within six months, with its final report to be submitted within 12 months.

South Australia:

Companies can be fined up to $250,000 for littering with asbestos-contaminated material under a new South Australian law that clarifies the environmental responsibilities of local governments (see background).

Western Australia:

The Department of Mines and Petroleum has identified the abandoned Pro-Force gold processing site as as a pilot location for rehabilitation under the abandoned mines program that is resourced by the state's Mining Rehabilitation Fund.
Grant opportunity: 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:

Grant opportunity: The EPA has invited applications for its 2016-17 environment grants program.

Jobs and appointments:

Asset management company Broadspectrum is seeking a Melbourne-based environmental services manager for its Victorian and Tasmanian operations.
AECOM is seeking a Melbourne-based associate director – environmental planner to join its environmental impact assessment team.
Origin Energy is seeking a Brisbane-based environmental advisor to work on its gas projects.
The South Australian EPA is seeking a senior waste management adviser.
The SA EPA is also seeking a senior environmental protection officer.
Victoria's Essential Services Commission is seeking a project manager to lead the Registry team of its VEET energy efficiency scheme.
Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is seeking a Brisbane-based senior policy officer.
The Melbourne Metro Rail Authority is seeking a development approvals adviser.
The Energy, Resources and Environment Branch of Victoria's Department of Premier and Cabinet is seeking a policy adviser.
The Forest Stewardship Council is seeking a Melbourne-based communications and relationships officer.
The University of Queensland is seeking a lecturer/senior lecturer in environmental management, for a teaching program that has a particular emphasis on environmental management in the mining industry.

ELECTION COMMITMENTS:

Coalition:

A $30 million parks and environment funding package, comprising $24 million for projects to improve local parks, $5 million for a solar communities program and $1 million to provide surf clubs with cleaner outboard motors (Parks and environment policy).
Investing $6 million for a second crown-of-thorns control vessel on the Great Barrier Reef, as part of the Coalition's $210 million Reef Trust.
Investing $150 million to fast-track the assessment and construction of water infrastructure across Queensland (Policy on investing in Queensland water infrastructure).
Existing Coalition Government environment and climate initiatives are outlined in a Plan for a cleaner environment publication issued just before the election was called.

Labor:

New funding of $377 million in addition to the Coalition's $123 million commitment, creating a $500 million five-year fund that will direct up to $300 million for "direct environmental investment", with the remainder going to research and reef management (Great Barrier Reef plan).
Investing $4 million to fund a water infrastructure feasibility study for Townsville, examining options including raising the wall of the existing Burdekin Dam.
A climate change action plan, with commitments on renewable energy, emissions trading and energy efficiency (released before the election was called).

Greens:

A Renew Australia plan, with commitments including the generation of 90% of the nation's electricity from renewables by 2030 (announced before the election was called).
A supplementary Renew Queensland plan.
A plan to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles.
A plan to boost take-up of energy storage batteries.
A Living reefs, dying coal package involving restrictions on coal mining and gas production and a coal export levy.
A Caring for coal workers plan, that would audit the gap between secured rehabilitation bonds provided by coal mining companies and actual rehabilitation costs and the establishment of a Federal Trust Fund to hold money from mining companies to pay for clean-up.
A ban on political donations by companies (announced before the election was called).
The establishment of an Australian infrastructure bank (announced before the election was called).

Nick Xenophon Team:

The NXT's environmental commitments include:

calling on state governments to preserve prime agricultural land;
considering adopting California's vehicle emissions standards in Australia;
protecting groundwater from any adverse impacts of mining and coal seam gas exploration;
having "an efficient emissions trading scheme based on the Frontier Economics scheme";
having "federal legislation to protect key environmental assets", rather than dealing with them on a state by state basis;
maintaining the right of environmental and community groups to pursue legal action under environmental legislation.