Archived News for Green Sector Professionals

The Federal Government has outlined $42.5 million in funding to deliver nine innovative stormwater harvesting and re-use projects in a bid to secure water supplies in urban areas around the country.

The proposed development will also employ about 400 workers during construction as well as ongoing employment.

The Federal Greens have called on Environment Minister Tony Burke to reject the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, saying it is set to fail the system in its current form.

The Panel appointed by the New South Wales Government to provide independent advice on the development of the Lower Hunter Water Plan has held its inaugural meeting in Newcastle.

The Victorian Government has announced it will ask the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) to investigate the circumstances under which low impact prospecting might be conducted in the state’s national parks.

A new $90 million partnership between the Federal and Victorian Governments will aim to ensure a ‘bright future’ for the state’s Latrobe Valley coal industries in a future low emissions economy, according to Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson.

The Queensland Government has proposed new rules to govern the management of water and brine produced by the coal seam gas industry.

The ABC’s Lateline program has questioned the independence of the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development, set up in May by the Federal Government to provide advice on impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining proposals on water resources, claiming it comprises members with financial links to the mining and gas industry.

The Queensland Government has passed its Greentape Reduction Bill, reducing the Environmental Protection Act by 90 pages and aiming to save businesses on average $20,000 in costs, 150 pages in paper work and 68 days in processing time.

 The City of Sydney has selected Solgen Energy to undertake a $6 million project to fit solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to more than 30 sites over the next two years to generate 12.5 per cent of the electricity needs of all City properties.

A Soil Health Strategy developed by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has been released as a resource for organisations like Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs).

Rabbits, wild dogs, feral goats, pigs, carp and other exotic pests will be the target of a new strategy designed to prevent and manage pest animals in the ACT and reduce the harmful damage to the environment.

Manufacturers who produce between 25,000 and 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and face a direct carbon price liability can now access dollar for dollar grants under the $1 billion Clean Technology Investment Programs.

The City of Cockburn has been named Keep Australia Beautiful Western Australia’s most Sustainable City for 2012.

The South Australian Environment Minister Bill Marmion has appointed Dr Roy Green to investigate more than 200 appeals received regarding the Environmental Protection Authority’s report on the Browse Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Precinct at James Price Point. 

Dr Green has considerable experience in government and the petroleum industry, including chairing an expert panel for quarantine management at the Gorgon LNG Project on Barrow Island Nature Reserve. 

“Dr Green is appointed as an appeals committee and will investigate all appeals received,” Mr Marmion said.

“He has previously been the chief executive of the CSIRO and deputy chairman of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), and as such, is considered to have an eminent standing to undertake the committee role.”

The process of investigating the appeals will include consultation with the EPA, appellants and the proponent.  Once the committee has completed its investigations, a report is presented to the Minister, who will determine the appeals having regard to the committee’s advice. 

Appeals against the EPA’s report closed on Monday July 30, 2012.  

The Northern Territory Minister for Natural Resources, Karl Hampton, has released the independent review of BushfiresNT, announcing that all of its 44 recommendations will be implemented.

The ABS has released an information paper Recording Emissions Reduction Schemes in ABS Statistics (cat. no. 5257.0.55.001  which details the statistical treatment of the measures legislated under the group of Acts that are known collectively as the Clean Energy Acts that came into force on 1 July 2012.

The ABS expects to include estimates of the Clean Energy Acts emissions reduction schemes in economic and environment statistics, commencing with the September reference quarter 2012. The ABS will also include estimates for the measures introduced with the Renewable Energy Act 2000 at the same time.

The statistical and commercial accounting treatments of emissions reduction schemes have been subject to debate internationally. The statistical treatment was decided at the 43^rd meeting of the United Nations Statistical Commission in February 2012, which ratified the historic cost approach for recording transactions in the various schemes. Rather than follow the UN decision, the ABS has decided to apply a market value approach to recording transactions and positions. This is consistent with fundamental statistical principles as outlined in the internationally agreed System of National Accounts. The ABS believes that the market value approach will reflect more accurately:

The South Australian EPA has issued environmental guidelines for Nyrstar’s Port Pirielead smelter setting out finalised variations to the licence conditions.

A team of British and Australian scientists has discovered how carbon is drawn down from the surface of the Southern Ocean to the deep waters beneath.

Two of New South Wales’ 13 regional Catchment Action Plans have been now been upgraded and approved.

Central West and Namoi Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) were the first to upgrade and refine their Catchment Action Plans to take account of environmental, economic and social changes since they were introduced five years ago.

The other CMAs will now follow suit and their reviews are expected to be completed early next year.

The updated plans will include:

• more focus on areas that need to become more resilient;
• mapping priorities for investment and action to maintain and improve this resilience; and
• stronger collaboration with communities and relevant government agencies.