Burke approves SA uranium mine expansion
EPA cautions landowners after company fails to remove dumped waste from leased site
ACT reviews Nature Conservation Act; seeks climate council members
ACCC issues interim approval for fluorocarbons scheme
Tasmania issues stormwater strategy
Burke approves SA uranium mine expansion
Environment Minister Tony Burke yesterday granted approval to Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd to expand its uranium mining operations in South Australia.
The approval allows commercial mining of the Beverley North deposit, north of the existing Beverley uranium mine.
Heathgate injects sulphuric acid into the ore body to dissolve the uranium, then recovers the acid solution and strips out the uranium. It will use infrastructure at the Beverley site to process uranium from the Beverley North deposit.
Approval conditions include a requirement to develop a community engagement plan "to enable open dialogue with all stakeholders on compliance with approval conditions".
In April, the South Australian Supreme Court awarded 10 people involved in a protest at the Beverley mine a total of $724,560, finding they were wrongfully detained and assaulted by members of the State's Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR) police group, which specialises in anti-terrorist tactics and crowd control (see related article).
Approval – Beverley North Uranium Mine (EPBC No 2009/5138) (December 6, 2010)
EPA warns landowners after company fails to remove dumped waste from leased site
A court case that has led to fines for the bankrupt owner of a now-defunct demolition company also contains lessons for landowners who lease land to waste dumpers, EPA Victoria has warned.
Geelong Magistrates' Court has imposed a $35,200 fine on Casey Edward McCormack, an undischarged bankrupt, and has fined McCormack's Demolition Pty Ltd $20,200 for illegally dumping industrial waste on a leased site at Moolap.
McCormack and his company had previously failed to comply with clean-up notices to remove mounds of construction waste and the stockpiled waste remains on the site.
Removing it could cost millions and, while the EPA is still considering all clean-up options, these include requiring the landowner to foot the bill.
As well as making it difficult for McCormack to operate "for years to come", the court's ruling "also serves as a reminder to landlords who rent their land to disreputable operators," EPA Victoria CEO John Merritt said.
"The law provides that where the polluter fails to clean up, the landowner can be held liable."
The EPA is also prosecuting another demolition businessman, John Tsorotes, over the dumping of waste at the site.
ACT reviews Nature Conservation Act; seeks climate council members
Key questions raised in a discussion paper on a review of the ACT's Nature Conservation Act include how to better integrate ACT and Federal legislative requirements and whether current enforcement options are adequate.
Public comment on the paper closes on February 18.
Review of the Nature Conservation Act 1980: Discussion Paper (November, 2010)
Meanwhile, the ACT Government is seeking expressions of interest for membership of its Climate Change Council.
Expressions of interest must be lodged by December 24.
ACCC issues interim approval for fluorocarbons scheme
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued interim approval allowing the continuation of an industry-backed scheme to recover harmful fluorocarbon refrigerant gases.
The interim approval will remain in place while the ACCC decides whether to grant Refrigerant Reclaim Australia's application for a five-year extension.
A group campaigning against the use of harmful refrigerant gases has opposed the granting of the extension, arguing that RRA is recovering too little refrigerant and the scheme doesn't measure up to modern "producer responsibility" expectations (see related article).
Tasmania issues stormwater strategy
A new State Stormwater Strategy issued by the Tasmanian Government sets out key principles and standards for stormwater management and identifies accepted guidance documents.
The strategy is intended for use by government agencies, builders and developers, architects and engineers.
State Stormwater Strategy (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment)
