Environment law and policy tracker
Tuesday, 06 September 2016 3:44pm
Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a round-up of jobs, grants, awards and seminars.
** Featured vacancies ** The ACT Environment and Planning Directorate is seeking an experienced program officer to establish and manage a new Government initiative to install solar for low-income households.
Upcoming events:
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The future of HVAC
A September 7 and 8 conference in Brisbane, hosted by AIRAH.
- Unlocking shared value
A September 7 and 8 workshop in Sydney hosted by the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility.
- Environmental law and compliance workshop
A September 9 workshop in Sydney hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
- Contaminated land overview and PFAS forum
A September 12 seminar in Armidale (NSW).
- Environmental management seminar
A September 14 seminar hosted by the Cement, Concrete and Aggregates Association.
- WA waste and recycle conference
A September 14 to 16 conference in Fremantle.
- International conference on emerging contaminants and micropollutants
A September 20 to 23 conference in Sydney.
- National Landcare conference
A September 22 and 23 conference in Melbourne.
For other events, including a conference in Melbourne on stakeholder engagement, see the extensive Footprint what's on listings.
National:
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The Federal Government has tabled in Parliament the Paris Agreement on climate change, with the aim of ratifying it before the end of the year.
- The ACCC has instituted Federal Court proceedings against Volkswagen and its Australian subsidiary alleging they made false or misleading representations about diesel vehicle emissions and engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public.
- The director of National Parks yesterday notified her intent to prepare draft management plans for five marine reserve networks, following the release of a review of the marine reserve system.
- The Climate Change Authority has released the final report of its special review of climate change policies (related article for subscribers only).
- Two members of the Authority, Clive Hamilton and David Karoly, have issued a minority report (related article for subscribers only).
- Submissions close tomorrow to the Senate inquiry into a government bill that would strip ARENA of its legislated budget allocation.
- The Gene Technology Regulator has invited comments on an application by Monsanto Australia for a licence for a commercial release of two types of herbicide-resistant GM cotton.
- The Productivity Commission has issued its draft report on marine fisheries and aquaculture.
- The Department of Environment and Energy has granted Boyne Smelters Ltd approval to export 6,000 tonnes of spent potlinings to Spain for treatment and reclamation.
- Comment closes on October 16 on NOPSEMA's proposed compliance strategy for the offshore oil and gas industry.
- Proponents of carbon offset projects have until midnight on October 4 to apply to register them, if they want to participate in the November 16-17 ERF auction.
- Comment closes October 14 on a paper from the Clean Energy Regulator on direct purchasing of abatement from large-scale projects, which would by-pass ERF auction processes (related article for subscribers only).
- National Pollutant Inventory reporters that report emissions on a financial year basis have until September 30 to submit their data.
- All NGER reporters must submit their emissions and energy reports by midnight, October 31.
- Applications close on October 9 for this year's Clean Energy Council developing women directors' scholarship.
Queensland:
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The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has begun the roll-out of an online waste tracking system.
- The State Government is working on an 'atlas' of priority areas at risk of contamination from older-style firefighting foams and has stated it expects the Federal Government to clean-up contamination arising from their use on federal property.
- Queensland University of Technology has announced it will ensure its investment portfolio includes no material fossil fuel investments.
- The State Government has gazetted a regulation which has the effect of removing the expiry date for the packaging covenant so that it applies in the state indefinitely, according to an explanatory statement.
- The State Government has tabled in Parliament its response to a committee inquiry report into its Water Legislation Amendment Bill 2015.
NSW:
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The EPA has released a new best-practice guide for managing underground fuel tanks.
- The EPA has fined EarthPower Technologies Pty Ltd, which converts food and grease trap waste into biogas and fertiliser, for unlawfully transporting dewatered digestate waste and providing false information about the disposal of waste (related article for subscribers only).
- The EPA has issued two fines of $8000 each to Environmental Consulting Services Pty Ltd after it provided a report with two false statements about waste characterised as excavated natural material.
- Planning Minister Rob Stokes has approved Ballina Shire Council's coastal zone management plan.
- Young Mining Pty Ltd has finally provided a $540,000 environmental rehabilitation deposit after years of resistance that ended with the NSW Resources Regulator suspending its operating licence (related article for subscribers only).
- The Office of Environment and Heritage is offering subsidised energy efficiency workshops in Sydney over the next few months.
- Comment closes on September 16 on draft documents on the assessment and approval of wind farms (related article for subscribers only).
- Comment closes on September 21 on draft legislation and a regulatory discussion paper on NSW's planned container deposit scheme (related article for subscribers only).
- Grant opportunity: The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and the state's Local Government Association have invited councils to apply for funding under a new 'building resilience to climate change' grant round.
ACT:
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The ACT Environment and Planning Directorate has invited applications for a share of sustainable agriculture grant funding totalling $150,000.
Victoria:
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EPA Victoria has issued guidance specifying draft water standards for two perfluorinated compounds widely used in old-style firefighting foams – PFOS and PFOA (related article for subscribers only).
- EPA Victoria has granted works approval to a company that will use mobile burners to combust waste, despite objections by Sustainability Victoria and environment groups (related article for subscribers only).
- Submissions close on November 9 on a draft report of a statewide assessment of public land issued by the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council.
Tasmania:
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The Full Court of the Supreme Court has unanimously rejected the State Government's arguments that an environment group was not entitled to know the reasons for its decision to grant mining leases to Venture Minerals.
South Australia:
Western Australia:
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Environment Minister Albert Jacob has introduced the Heritage Bill 2016, which would replace existing heritage legislation that dates from 1990.
- The EPA has recommended that Magellan Metals Pty Ltd should have its financial assurance obligation reduced from $5 million to $2 million (related article for subscribers only).
Northern Territory:
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The EPA has published a wide-ranging set of recommendations on how the new Labor government should implement proposed changes to environmental legislation and decision-making (related article for subscribers only).
Jobs and appointments:
