Environment law and policy tracker

Thursday, 14 February 2019 2:25pm

Highlights include court rulings in two states, NSW manuals on biodiversity assessment and floodplain risk, and new waste strategies in two states. Job listings include positions with the Clean Energy Regulator.

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• Upcoming events
• National, state and territory round-up
• Jobs and appointments

Upcoming events:

• National remediation framework roadshow A series of information sessions in capital cities, hosted by CRCCARE and running until February 28.
• Australia: The renewable energy superstar A February 14 evening seminar in Canberra, hosted by the ANU.
• Local government strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals A February 19 workshop in Sydney, hosted by Asha Kayla.
• Environmental professionals management workshop A February 20 and 21 workshop in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• Biosolids national conference A February 21 and 22 conference in Brisbane, hosted by the Australian Water Association and the Australian & New Zealand Biosolids Partnerships.
• Circular economy seminar A February 25 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Yarra Riverkeeper Association, with speakers including Andrew Sellic, head of environment at Australia Post.
• Energy and climate policy: Shadow climate minister Mark Butler A February 25 address in Melbourne, hosted by CEDA.
• Fire-fighting foams – controversy, concerns, carbon chains and controls A February 25 seminar in Perth, hosted by the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.
• Stand-alone power, large-scale solar and pumped hydro Three February 25-26 joint conferences in Sydney, hosted by Informa.
• Wastewater systems design and management workshop A February 28 workshop in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• Capturing the value of demand response A February 28 workshop in Melbourne, hosted by the Energy Efficiency Council.
• AEBN national conference – environment, climate and energy A March 1 conference in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
• Risk to remediation A March 4 to 8 training program on site contamination and remediation in Newcastle, hosted by CRC CARE.
• Sports environment alliance summit 2019 A March 5 event in Melbourne.
• Energy – where to invest in 2019 Seminars in Sydney (March 5) and Melbourne (March 7) featuring Simon Currie and Simon Corbell from Energy Estate.
• Climate change and the economy: RBA deputy-governor Dr Guy Debelle A March 12 evening seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Centre for Policy Development.
• Brominated flame retardants in the environment A March 14 lunchtime lecture by RMIT environmental science lecturer, Bradley Clarke.
• Transform: Leading a sustainable built environment A March 19 to 20 conference in Sydney, hosted by the Green Building Council.
• Wind industry forum 2019 A March 21 forum, hosted by the Clean Energy Council.
• Inaugural hydrogen energy summit A March 26 to 27 conference in Melbourne, hosted by Informa.

National

• The Senate committee inquiry into Australia's faunal extinction crisis will late this afternoon hear evidence from the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Department of Environment and Energy, and the Threatened Species Recovery Hub.
• The Clean Energy Regulator has released its latest large-scale Renewable Energy Target market data.
• The Senate committee inquiry into mine rehabilitation has postponed its reporting date from yesterday to March 20.
• A Senate committee inquiry into the government's Future Drought Fund Bill has released its report.
• Infrastructure Australia today released its 2019 infrastructure priority list, which specifies a national electric vehicle fast-charging network as a high priority.
• The CRC for Water Sensitive Cities has released its latest annual report.
• The Australian Water Association has released a guide to what's happened in the Murray-Darling Basin.
• The federal government is inviting applications by March 12 for a share in up to $5 million in first-round marine park grants intended to encourage sustainable fishing and conservation.
• Comment closes March 21 on the Australian Energy Market Commission's draft determination on proposed changes to the 'RERT' grid safety-net scheme (see background here).
• Submissions are due by tomorrow to the Senate committee inquiry into 'fair dinkum power'. The committee will report on June 30.
• Applications must be made by April 1 for exemptions from liability for RET-related charges, which are available to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed businesses.
• Five projects to help the grid host more distributed energy will share $7.21 million in grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, and seven studies will receive another $2.38 million (see background here).
• Comment closes February 20 on draft agvet regulations.
• The federal government has gazetted a new national recovery plan for the Macquarie Perch.

Queensland:

• The state government has announced changes to its waste levy bill and released a draft waste strategy (see background here).
• The Coordinator-General has released the impact assessment report for an upgrade of dam walls at Lake Macdonald (Six Mile Creek Dam), in southeast Queensland.

NSW:

• Court ruling: Land and Environment Court Chief Judge Brian Preston has refused consent for a mine, saying the greenhouse gas emissions from extracting and burning its coal are unacceptable (see background here).
• The EIS for Lightsource's 90MW West Wyalong solar farm is now on exhibition, closing on March 13.
• The Threatened Species Scientific Committee has issued a preliminary determination to support a proposal to list the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin bioregion as a critically endangered ecological community. Comments close April 5.
• The NSW Resources Regulator has suspended a mining lease belonging to Aus Mining Group, partly because of environmental incidents.
• The Office of Environment and Heritage has released a review of Australian rainfall and runoff design inputs, with values incorporated into the OEH Floodplain Risk Management Guide.
• OEH has also issued a new biodiversity assessment method calculator.
• The state government has approved Snowy Hydro to conduct exploratory works for Snowy 2.0, with conditions including a requirement to pay $10.5 million to offset environmental impacts.
• Comment closes February 21 on a draft revised bilateral agreement with the NSW government on environmental assessments (see background here).
• Comments are due by tomorrow on the state's draft floodplain harvesting monitoring and auditing strategy.
• Comments are due by February 28 on the Greater Hunter regional water strategy, which looks at water security and drought risks.

ACT:

• Comment closes March 1 on proposals to subsidise the installation of ceiling and sub-floor insulation in homes through the ACT Energy Efficiency Improvement Scheme (see background here).
• The ACT government has notified the Electricity Feed-in (Renewable Energy Premium) Requirements of Audit Determination 2019.

Victoria:

• The state government is inviting tenders to deliver a second-stage energy savvy upgrades program to homes in Bendigo.
• Comment closes February 19 on RES Australia's application for a generation licence for its 220MW Lal Lal wind farm.
• Award opportunity:Nominations are now open for the 2019 ResourceSmart schools awards.
• Comment closes March 1 on draft planning guidelines for solar farms, which include a suggested best practice approach for developing a solar energy facility (see background here).
• Grant opportunity: The state government is offering community climate change adaptation grants of between $25,000 and $75,000, with applications closing March 31.

Tasmania:

• Comment closes February 22 on a new bill would establish a general biosecurity duty of care for businesses and individuals dealing with biological material that might pose a biosecurity risk (see background here).

South Australia:

• Court ruling: A demolition company that dumped asbestos-contaminated material at an illegal waste depot has been fined $44,000 by South Australia's Environment, Resources and Development Court (see background here).
• Comment closes February 22 on a discussion paper that floats the possibility of new legislation to limit single-use plastics.
• Comment closes March 1 on rdraft development assessment regulations.
• Grant opportunity: Applications close February 28 for circular economy market development grants of up to $100,000.

Western Australia:

• A new state waste plan will introduce new sustainable procurement requirements, encourage organics recycling and result in a review of waste levies (see background here).
• Tellus Holdings says it already has contracts with hazardous waste generators in several states to receive material at its new Sandy Ridge geological repository (see background here).

Northern Territory:

• Comments are due by February 22 on the EPA's draft guidance on stakeholder engagement (see background here).
• Comments are due by March 31 on a directions paper on reforms to the Water Act.

Jobs and appointments:

• The Clean Energy Regulator is conducting a multi-stream recruitment at executive 2 level ($120,852 - $142,364) and APS levels 4-6, and executive 1 level ($68,968 - $115,157). Applications February 21.
• Engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald is hiring a mid- to senior-level senior/principal sustainability consultant, based in Sydney.
• The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is hiring a senior policy officer, waste policy ($100,966 to $111,590).
• Queensland's Department of Environment and Science is recruiting a principal environmental officer ($93,243 - $100,287) and a senior environmental officer, both based either in Cairns or Townsville ($80,537 - $87,764).
• The Queensland department is also hiring a principal policy officer, based in Brisbane ($104,748 - $112,157).
• The NSW Department of Planning & Environment is recruiting a senior project officer, climate change fund evaluation ($128,119 package).
• AECOM is seeking a Sydney-based senior/principal sustainability consultant.
• Gold Fields Australia is hiring a senior environmental advisor to join the sustainable development department at its Granny Smith gold mine.
• Consolidated Tin Mines Ltd is seeking an environmental coordinator, based in Cairns.
• Laing O'Rourke is hiring a senior environmental advisor, based in Sydney.
• VicRoads is seeking a senior environmental officer, based in Geelong.
• ALRA is recruiting on behalf of a global consultancy for a Brisbane-based principal consultant, circular economy ($200k - $250).
• Yarra Ranges Council is seeking a strategic projects officer, with duties including climate adaption and tree advice, (from $92,755, plus super).
• The Alliance for Water Stewardship is seeking a chief executive officer (location negotiable).
• The WA Environmental Defender's Office is hiring a principal solicitor.

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