Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a round-up of jobs, grants, awards and seminars.

• Featured vacancies
• Upcoming events
• Federal round-up
• Jobs and appointments

<

h2 id="d">

Featured vacancy:

• Sustainability Victoria is seeking a director, business and built environment and a director, communities and climate change, with salaries ranging from $175,000 to $226,901.

Upcoming events:

• World Renewable Energy Congress A February 5 to 9 conference in Perth.
• Low carbon commercial property developments and green finance A February 7 webinar chaired by the Climate Bonds Initiative.
• The road to an expert CSR report – GRI-certified training A February 13 and 14 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by ACCSR.
• Pollution Incident Response Management Plans (PIRMP) and emergency response A February 16 conference in Sydney, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Business Group.
• Directors' duties and climate change A February 16 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Future Business Council and chaired by Alan Kohler.
• Moving from GRI guidelines to standards A February 16 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by ACCSR.
• Improving residential energy efficiency A February 16 to 17 conference in Wollongong.
• Energy storage leadership: Market assessment and opportunities A February 23 seminar in Melbourne, hosted by the Clean Energy Council.
• PFAS workshop A February 23 seminar in Sydney, hosted by the National Measurement Institute, with video links available in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
• 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.

For other events, including a seminar in Sydney on the challenges of a transitioning energy sector, see the Footprint what's on listings.

National:

• NOPSEMA, the offshore oil and gas industry regulator, has developed new guidance on well integrity control measures and performance standards.
• Treasurer Scott Morrison has released a new discussion paper on social impact investing.
• ARENA and the CEFC will cooperate on a new funding round for large-scale energy storage demonstration projects, which will involve at least $20 million of ARENA funding and additional CEFC support (related article for subscribers only).
• A tribunal has ruled that a power station linked to Fortescue's Pilbara iron ore operations has a RET liability, but not for the reasons initially put forward by the Clean Energy Regulator (related article for subscribers only).
• Comment closes February 10 on the draft national carbon neutral standards for buildings and precincts (related article for subscribers only).
• Submissions are due by February 21 on the interim findings of the Finkel review into energy security (related article for subscribers only).
• Comment closes February 24 on a Regulation Impact Statement on lighting standards (related article for subscribers only).

Queensland:

• The state government has invited expressions of interest to supply about 1.2TWh of electricity a year to government-owned entities, and says renewables expertise will be a factor in its decision-making.
• The state government has gazetted a regulation that gives statutory force to a guideline on its 'chain of responsibility' pollution law (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:

• The Audit Office has released a report on the Planning Assessment Commission.
• Gabrielle Upton is the state's new Environment Minister, Anthony Roberts now has the planning portfolio and Don Harwin is Minister for Resources, Energy and Utilities.
• The Office of Environment and Heritage has issued an invitation to tender to develop and deliver the biodiversity assessment method and accreditation training program.
• The Land and Environment Court has rejected arguments by Sutherland Shire Council that a company built a bund around a quarry so it could illegally dispose of more than 200,000 tonnes of waste (related article for subscribers only).
• Comment closes March 3 on a proposal for a whole-of-government koala strategy.
• Grant opportunity: The EPA is offering grants of between $100,000 and $1 million under its Resource Recovery Facility Expansion and Enhancement program, with applications due by February 9.

ACT:

• ACT businesses can now receive free or heavily subsidised upgrades to LED lighting.

Victoria:

• The state government has released a climate change framework that sets an interim 2020 emissions target of between 15% and 20% below 2005 levels (related article for subscribers only).
• The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is seeking comment by February 10 on a draft Port Phillip Bay environmental management plan.
• Comment closes March 13 on a discussion paper issued as part of a review of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
• The administrator of the VEET energy efficiency scheme has released a revised information note on creating certificates.
• EPA Victoria is conducting a desktop assessment of potential contamination at shooting ranges, triggered by the temporary closure of one range due to high lead levels (related article for subscribers only).
• The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources has released a new statement of reasons to require further rehabilitation bonds from the Latrobe Valley coal mines, with further bond increases possible.
• EPA Victoria appears to have averted a High Court clash with ResourceCo over waste transport, or at least bought time for the development of a national approach (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.
• EPA Victoria has released a revised authorised officer complaints management policy.

Tasmania:

• The EPA has tightened limits on the volume of salmon that can be farmed in Macquarie Harbour, initially for the period from February 14 to April 30.

South Australia:

• The state government has released a report into the emergency management response to last year's extreme weather event that lasted from September 28 to October 5.
• Tenders close February 14 for the supply and installation of solar PV systems for the Solar Savers Adelaide Program.
• The EPA has released a new public litter reporting App and website, making it easier to report littering from vehicles.

Western Australia:

• Bunbury Magistrates Court has fined solar company Puresol, formerly trading as Mysol, $20,000 and has fined its director Daniel Leverett $10,000 for making false claims in breach of the Australian Consumer Law.
• The state government has gazetted a new state planning policy for the Jandakot groundwater protection area.

Jobs and appointments:

• Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is seeking an executive director for its conservation and sustainability services division ($153,990 to $168,266).
• The NSW EPA is seeking a director of contaminated land management (remuneration package $196,000 to $219,000).
• The NT Department of Environmental Resources is seeking an environmental officer to assist in administering waste and pollution legislation (package of $111,409 to $124,576, including salary of $96,545 to $108,126).
• Tasmania's Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment is seeking a environmental officer, assessments ($87,955 to $99,599).
• AECOM is seeking a Melbourne-based sustainability team leader.
• IPA is recruiting on behalf of a large NSW government agency for a Sydney-based environmental scientist.
• Meinhardt is seeking a Melbourne-based senior environmental engineer/scientist – waste management.
• Fulton Hogan is seeking a Brisbane-based environmental advisor.
• Consultancy LBWEP is seeking an Adelaide-based site contamination environmental consultant.
• The University of Canberra is seeking a sustainability officer.
• Zenergy Recruitment is seeking a Sydney-based environment and sustainability coordinator on behalf of a "leading supplier of high-value civil contracting, demolition, waste handling, environmental remediation and contract management services".
• The NSW Public Interest and Advocacy Centre is seeking a Sydney-based energy and water policy team leader.
• Future Super is offering an eight-week, paid Canberra-based content marketing internship.