Environment law and policy tracker
Thursday, 23 February 2017 2:12pm
Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a round-up of jobs, grants, awards and seminars.
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Footprint subscribers will still be entitled to distribute Tracker to all relevant staff by notifying us of other email addresses in their organisation that should receive it.
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Featured vacancies:
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Victoria's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is seeking a director of renewable energy policy ($175,000 - $226,901).
- Queensland's Department of Natural Resources and Mines is seeking an executive director, water policy, an executive director, strategic policy and an executive director, land policy.
- The Clean Energy Regulator is seeking a senior market analyst ($74,226 - $92,315).
- The ACT government is seeking a manager for its renewables innovation hub.
Upcoming events:
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Environment and carbon laws and funding
A February 24 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
- Community energy congress
A February 27 to 28 conference in Melbourne.
- Green cities conference
A March 6 to 8 conference in Sydney.
- Meeting the challenges of a transitioning energy sector
A March 7 CEDA event in Sydney, featuring Origin Energy chief executive Frank Calabria.
- Shaping international responses to climate change, disasters and displacement
The March 9 Mahla Pearlman Oration, delivered this year in Sydney by Professor Jane McAdam and incorporating the Mahla Pearlman young environmental lawyer of the year awards.
- Future of environmental law symposium
A March 10 symposium in Sydney, hosted by the Law Council of Australia.
- The energy storage revolution
A March 15 CEDA event in Sydney, featuring ARENA chief executive Ivor Frischknect.
- Building the business case for energy efficiency projects
A NSW Office of Environment and Heritage March 15 workshop in Sydney, delivered by Ndevr Environmental, with a March 29 follow-up.
- Clean air and load-based licensing
A March 16 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
- Fourth annual remote area power supply conference
A March 21 to 22 conference in Sydney, hosted by Informa.
- Wind industry forum
A March 23 conference in Melbourne, hosted by the Clean Energy Council.
- Demonstrating compliance and communicating with regulators
A March 31 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network with separate sessions on demonstrating compliance and communicating with regulators.
For other events, including a conference in Brisbane on business and sustainability, see the Footprint what's on listings.
National:
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The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has signalled it will more closely examine how banks, super funds and insurers respond to climate risks (related article for subscribers only).
- Standards Australia has released a roadmap for energy storage standards.
- Transcript of a February 10 hearing of the Senate inquiry into electricity infrastructure resilience is now available, with transcript of the February 20 hearing yet to be released.
- The Senate inquiry into the retirement of coal-fired power stations is holding a public hearing in Perth today.
- Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has issued a prospectus inviting the private sector and philanthropists to support a range of projects to protect threatened species.
- The federal government has introduced the Protection of the Sea (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Amendment (Polar Code) Bill 2017, which implements amendments to Annexes I, II, IV and V of the MARPOL Convention on pollution from ships, requiring compliance with the Polar Code.
- Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has introduced the Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other Measures) Bill 2017, which will ensure Australia is compliant with the international Ballast Water Convention that comes into force on September 8.
- National Energy Resources Australia has released a 10-year roadmap for the oil, gas, coal and uranium industries.
- The Australian Energy Market Operator has issued its report into the most recent South Australian blackouts.
- Submissions are due by April 10 to a Senate inquiry investigating whether resource companies are retaining adequate funds for mine rehabilitation and whether the process is being adequately monitored (related article for subscribers only).
Queensland:
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The state government is funding a new Cane Changer project in which a behavioural psychologist is working with canegrowers in the Wet Tropics to encourage changes that reduce impacts on the Great Barrier Reef.
- Plans by Queensland Treasury Corporation to issue certified green bonds could provide support for rail projects, wastewater treatment and protection of the Great Barrier Reef, according to the state's Treasurer Curtis Pitt (related article for subscribers only).
- From last week, information on more than 6,500 environmental licences issued by Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is available online (related article for subscribers only).
- Comment closes February 27 on the state government's discussion paper on banning plastic shopping bags.
- Comment closes April 17 on the state government's draft water plan for the Great Artesian Basin.
NSW:
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The state's refund scheme for used beverage containers will start six months later than originally scheduled (related article for subscribers only).
- Residents in four bushfire Natural Disaster Declaration areas will be exempt from paying the NSW Government’s waste levy fee on bushfire generated waste until 31 March 2017,
- Comment closes March 3 on a proposal for a whole-of-government koala strategy.
ACT:
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Information sessions will be held early next month on Foy Group's proposed plastics-to-liquid fuel facility that would process 200 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic waste daily.
Victoria:
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The state government has gazetted an order prescribing a methodology for determining the avoided social cost of emitting carbon (related article for subscribers only).
- Comment closes March 13 on a discussion paper issued as part of a review of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
- The state government has invited expressions of interest to build a grid-scale, 20MW battery storage facility that is also likely to receive federal funding (related article for subscribers only).
- Grant opportunity: The state government has invited round-two applications from community groups and industry for funding under its New Energy Jobs Fund, with applications closing March 1.
- Grant opportunity: The state government is inviting communities and volunteers to apply for grants of up to $7,500 under the Coastcare program, with applications due by March 31.
- Grant opportunity: Sustainability Victoria is inviting applications by April 3 for grants to support the deployment of energy-from-waste technologies, including anaerobic digesters and thermal treatment (related article for subscribers only).
Tasmania:
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The state government has finalised a statewide planning scheme, which has codes dealing with matters including coastal erosion, natural assets and potentially contaminated land.
South Australia:
Western Australia:
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The Senate Environment Committee will hold a hearing in Perth today as part of its inquiry into environmental breaches associated with construction of the Roe 8 highway.
Northern Territory:
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Tellus Holdings has released an environmental impact statement for a $676 million facility that would receive up to 400,000 tonnes of hazardous waste annually and store it in salt beds deep underground (related article for subscribers only).
Jobs and appointments:
