Browsing: ACT

An ACT tribunal has rejected a company's argument that its rates shouldn't increase because of possible site contamination, but also found that the new site valuation should have considered the cost of assessing contamination and removing an underground tank.

Eight years after a company signed a contract to buy a site after a wood treatment business had remediated it, the ACT Supreme Court has ruled the seller was only required to clean-up soil and not groundwater.

Environment and water ministers today approved changes to the contaminated sites NEPM, released a draft RIS on managing chemical environmental risks and proposed a national approach to biobanking.

Federal, state and territory ministers have recommended against establishing a permanent COAG body to deal specifically with climate change.

After previously rejecting Queanbeyan City Council's claim that a NSW EPA prosecution was an abuse of process, the Land and Environment Court this week dismissed its argument that any harm a raw sewage spill caused in the nearby ACT was irrelevant to sentencing.

The ACT Government is canvassing views on legislative changes that would make it an offence to engage in activity likely to cause harm, allow NSW businesses that pollute the ACT environment to be prosecuted, and overhaul the Territory's licensing regime.

A regular CE Daily update on what to look out for over the next few weeks nationally and in states and territories – including legislative changes, policy proposals and funding offers.

• WA takes light-handed approach with enforcement
  
• ACT shortlists 10 to provide solar PV, as Qld abandons the field
  
• Waste funding on offer for packaging covenant signatories
  
• Carbon Markets Institute to host symposium
  
• New VEET guidelines out for comment
  
• Waste company fined $20,000

• ACT Assembly passes energy efficiency bill
  
• Federal Government hands out $271m in carbon and biodiversity grants
  
• Build single entry-point for all forms of approval, Hunt says

• Leasing finance now available for LED lighting
  
• Canberra first cab off the rank on e-waste recycling
  
• NSW to revise rules for land application of excavated material