Environment law and policy tracker

Thursday, 25 July 2019 4:43pm

Highlights include a new NSW environmental management protocol, and a tender for an impact assessment panel. Jobs include posts with the federal environment department, the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, environmental brokerage TFS, and OZ Minerals.

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

Upcoming events:

• We cannot be passive about ESG A July 29 lunchtime seminar, hosted by the CFA Institute.
• Australian clean energy summit A July 30 and 31 event in Sydney, hosted by the Clean Energy Council.
• The future of hydrogen: Australia and beyond An August 1 breakfast briefing in Sydney, with speakers including national hydrogen strategy taskforce leader Alison Reeve.
• Contaminated land seminar An August 1 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• Carbon farming conference and expo An August 5 to 8 event in Albury, hosted by Carbon Farmers of Australia.
• Webinar: Electricity generation – changing for the future An August 6 two-hour webinar, hosted by EPA Victoria.
• Power blackouts and climate justice: What are the solutions? An evening seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Centre for Climate and Environmental Law.
• Hydrogen forum - A pathway to environmental and regional prosperity An August 8 conference in the Latrobe Valley.
• NGER reporting webinars An August 14 to September 9 series of webinars on NGER and the Emissions and Energy Reporting System, hosted by the Clean Energy Regulator.
• Asbestos: Stocks, management and disposal issues An August 20 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• War on e-waste – with Craig Reucassel An August 21 evening presentation in Melbourne by Craig Reucassel.
• Waste-to-energy conference An August 26 to 28 conference in Canberra, hosted by the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association.
• National biodiversity offsets conference An August 26 to 28 conference in Canberra, hosted by EIANZ.
• Green steel: Forging a new industry in Australia An August 27 evening seminar in Canberra, featuring ANU's Dr John Pye.
• Negative emission bio-based circular economy An August 28 evening seminar in Perth by Professor Chun Zhu Li, founding director of the Fuels and Energy Technology Institute at Curtin University.
• Pollution Incident Response Management Plans seminar An August 29 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• Wastewater systems design and management A September 5 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• WA threatened species forum 2019 A September 5 and 6 forum in Geraldton, hosted by the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council.
• New environmental laws, obligations and funding A September 6 seminar covering national developments, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
• International clean-up conference A September 8 to 12 conference in Adelaide, on all aspects of site contamination and remediation, including the latest on PFAS.

National:

• The ninth Emissions Reduction Fund auction closes today (see background here).
• The Clean Energy Regulator today released its latest monthly update on the Emissions Reduction Fund.
• The Australian Energy Market Commission today released updated guidelines for the emergency RERT mechanism.
• The federal government has advised waste industry organisations of forthcoming new controls on the export of plastic waste (see background here).
• Greens climate change spokesperson Adam Bandt has introduced a bill to prevent the federal government providing financial assistance to coal-fired power plants (see background here).
• New resource: The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia has released its 2019 impact report.
• Climate change is the Great Barrier Reef's biggest threat and tough action to cut greenhouse gas emissions is essential, warns a new position statement issued by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's board (see background here).
• RES Australia has been advised that its Dulacca renewable energy project in Queensland requires EPBC assessment and approval.
• HFM Asset Management has been advised that its Teewana solar farm in Western Australia requires EPBC assessment and approval.
• Grant opportunity: The Coca-Cola Foundation is inviting applications between August 19 to 30 to receive a $600,000 three-year grant for a project to reduce marine pollution.
• New resource: Researchers at Deakin University's Institute for Frontier Materials, in conjunction with Surrey University, have released new research on nano and microplastics in water and wastewater treatment processes.
• New resource: The Investor Group on Climate Change has released its submission on New Zealand's Zero Carbon Bill.
• Have your say – last chance!: Comment closes July 28 on a suite of papers on hydrogen, released by a COAG Energy Council working group (see background here).
• Have your say!: Submissions close August 7 on the impact statement and draft variation to the Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (see background here).

Queensland:

• The state government has named 10 shortlisted companies that will vie for contracts supporting up to 400MW of new renewables capacity (see background here).
• A council, environment groups and Indigenous businesse are beneficiaries of $4 million in carbon farming grants announced by the Queensland government (see background here).
• The state government has released a climate change adaptation plan for small business (see background here).
• Have your say!: Comment closes August 26 on a state government waste to energy discussion paper (see background here).

NSW:

• The EPA has gazetted a revised version of its environmental management calculation protocol used to determine the environmental management category allocated to licence-holders.
• Have your say!: The Natural Resources Commission has released its draft report on the Barwon-Darling water sharing plan, with submissions due by August 19.
• Submissions are due by September 15 to an inquiry by the Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee's into the sustainability of energy supply and resources in NSW.
• Infrastructure and Place, a Division of Transport for New South Wales, is inviting tenders from companies that have the capability to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments (closing date August 12).
• Grant opportunity: The Office of Environment and Heritage is offering grants of up to $60,000 to Aboriginal community groups and organisations, in the latest funding round under the Protecting our places program. Applications close on August 26.
• Have your say – last chance!: The EPA is seeking comments by July 29 on a revised guideline on preparing Pollution Incident Response Management Plans.
• Grant opportunity: Applications must be submitted by September 2 for a share of $1.16 million in climate resilience grants available to the state's local governments (see background here).

Victoria:

• The state government has flagged a planning scheme amendment that will make the Planning Minister, not councils, the approval authority for all large-scale solar farms (see background here).
• The state government has permanently banned mining and exploration in an irrigated area covering 4,000 hectares on the Mitchell River floodplain.
• A parliamentary inquiry into waste has invited community members to speak at a public hearing on August 6.
• The EPA has again ordered Glass Recovery Services to stop accepting combustible recyclables (see background here).
• The EPA is assessing a works approval application by The Good Dirt Company proposes to expand its existing composting plant at Lethbridge.
• Have your say!: Comment closes August 4 on draft regional litter and illegal dumping plans for the Goulburn Valley, Gippsland, Loddon Mallee and the north-east.
• Have your say – last chance!: Comment closes August 2 on a state government issues paper on the circular economy (see background here).
• Have your say!: Comment closes August 15 on a new draft marine and coastal policy (see background here).

Tasmania:

• The state government has released a master plan for the Freycinet national park.
• Have your say!: Comments are due by October 7 on a draft waste plan that proposes the introduction of a waste levy (see background here).
• Have your say!: Submissions are due by September 21 to a review of the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

South Australia:

• Grant opportunity: Applications close August 2 for round one grants under the Greener Neighbourhoods program, with $1 million available to Adelaide councils to increase green cover.

Western Australia:

• State-owned energy business Synergy has made an EPBC referral to mine clay for expanded fly-ash storage at the Muja power station.
• By 2040, Western Australia will aim to have a share of global hydrogen exports that is similar to its current share of the global LNG market, says a new renewable hydrogen strategy, released by the state government (see background here).
• Have your say! Comment closes September 2 on an EPA background paper on greenhouse gas guidance (see background here).
• Have your say!: The Department of Water and Environment Regulation is inviting comments by August 16 on the proposed Compliance and Enforcement Policy.

Northern Territory:

• The Territory government has released a progress report on its implementation of recommendations of the independent inquiry into fracking.
• The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics has released an updated environmental management specification.
• Grant opportunity: Applications close September 2 for a share in the Territory government's FY20 environment grants round, which will disburse about $930,000.

Jobs and appointments:

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• The federal Department of Environment and Energy has several 'executive level 1' vacancies to lead environmental impact assessment teams in its assessments and governance branch ($105,817 - $113,814).
• OZ Minerals is recruiting an environmental advisor for its Carrapateena underground mine, FIFO from Adelaide.
• TFS Australia is hiring a Melbourne-based environmental and carbon markets broker.
• Gold producer Pantoro Ltd is seeking an environmental advisor, based in Perth.
• The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists is hiring a Sydney-based executive director ($150,000 to $200,000 package).
• The Reef Foundation is hiring a project director - delivery.
• The Navy is hiring an environment officer for its engineering branch, based in the ACT ($80,669 - $92,150).
• The ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate is seeking a legal policy director (six-month vacancy with possibility of extension, $145,048).
• The WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is hiring a principal environmental officer, working on mine closure ($123,885 - $132,636).
• The Northern Territory's Power and Water Corporation is recruiting a manager, environment ($158,903 - $180,992 package).
• Queensland's Office of the Great Barrier Reef is seeking a senior project officer ($93,895 - $100,287).
• Major Roads Projects Victoria is hiring a senior environmental manager ($163,931 - $222,948).
• Victoria's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is seeking a team leader, native vegetation offset register ($98,396 - $119,052).

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