Browsing: <a href="/tag/biodiversity-epbc-act">Biodiversity/EPBC Act</a> <i class="grey">•</i> <a href="/tag/water">Water</a>

Governments are wrongly taking at 'face value' company assurances on groundwater risks posed by Galilee Basin coal mines and no more mines should be granted EPBC approval until the cumulative impacts have been determined, says a former top Queensland water bureaucrat.

Shadow environment and climate minister Greg Hunt wants better protection for threatened species, as well as air and water quality improvements, but cautions that governments too often resort to regulation to achieve environmental goals.

Newly-released scientific advice shows the Queensland Government was warned in May of serious deficiencies in the environmental impact statement for the Waratah Coal mine proposed for the Galilee Basin.

• SA EPA issues new guide on calculating penalties
  
• Greens seek no-go zones, fast-track listing of threatened species
  
• Water meter tampering leads to $28,000 fine

A court has ordered Forestry NSW to pay $35,000 in penalties for hazard reduction burns that polluted waterways and contravened a threatened species licence.

• Hand over EPBC approval powers, Productivity Commission says
  
• Energy ministers endorse coal seam gas best-practice principles
  
• Victoria to issue ministerial statements on energy and resources

Rehabilitating abandoned and shoddily-closed mines is likely to cost $1 billion, the Northern Territory Government estimates, prompting it to introduce a new levy on the mining industry.

• NSW EPA issues more than 60 anti-dust orders to open-cut coal mines
  
• NSW councils can bypass CSG no-go rules
  
• EPBC water trigger bill correction

The Gillard Government will introduce a bill to require EPBC Act assessment of coal seam gas and large coal mining projects that could have a significant impact on water resources, Environment Minister Tony Burke announced today.

The Federal Government is set to introduce new penalties and strengthen the enforcement powers of the offshore oil and gas industry regulator, as part of its final round of reforms to implement the remaining recommendations of the Montara oil spill commission of inquiry.