Media release
5 November 2010
South Australian River Murray irrigation
operators are invited to apply for Australian
Government funding to improve water efficiency
and return water to rivers and wetlands.
Minister for Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities,
Tony Burke today released guidelines for
Round 2 of the Private Irrigation Infrastructure
Program – South Australia.
“This program provides
an opportunity for South Australian irrigators
to access funding for irrigation infrastructure
efficiency upgrades,” Mr Burke said.
"I appreciate the
comments from many South Australian irrigators,
including in Renmark today, that they have
been long-term and early adopters of irrigation
efficiencies.
"These grants are
one of the measures to help ensure we get
the maximum benefits to production and the
environment.
“This is an opportunity
for irrigators to consider further efficiency
measures in light of longer-term issues
facing the Murray-Darling Basin, including
a changing climate.
“Water savings generated
through efficiency measures will be shared
between the project proponents and the Australian
Government.
“Water savings returned
to the environment will count towards the
Government’s commitment to ‘bridge the gap’.
“This investment is
part of the Gillard Government’s $5.8 billion
investment in water efficiency upgrades
and support for regional communities.
“I have said from the
moment I became Water Minister that I wanted
to deliver a Plan for the Murray Darling
that underscores the importance of regional
communities and food production, I believe
this funding will help achieve this.”
The Government will
invest in projects assessed competitively
and against the merit criteria of the program.
The program is open
to irrigation trusts and direct diverters
to enable all River Murray licence holders
to participate. They may do so individually
or as parties to a joint application through
a trust or through a delivery partner. Direct
diverters holding smaller licences of less
than 500 megalitres are also able to participate
through a delivery partner.
The Private Irrigation
Infrastructure Program – South Australia
program is a component of the Australian
Government’s 10-year Water for the Future
initiative.
More information on
this program and Water for the Future can
found at www.environment.gov.au/water.
+ More
Prelude LNG project
gets federal environmental approval
Media release
12 November 2010
Federal environment minister Tony Burke
today approved, with strict conditions,
Shell’s Prelude floating LNG facility in
the Browse Basin off the coast of Western
Australia.
“While there are significant
economic benefits to these projects, which
must be a consideration in my decision,
my focus has been on protecting environmental
matters,” Mr Burke said.
“I have looked at this
proposal and the advice of my department
carefully, and determined that the Prelude
floating LNG facility would be acceptable
under national environment law.
“This is a large-scale
project that is using world-first technology.
We can’t risk getting it wrong, so I have
set very strict conditions to help ensure
our precious marine environment will be
protected.
“To ensure the facility’s
environment impacts are reduced as much
as possible, the start of operations will
be dependent on several plans getting my
approval.
“Shell must develop
an oil spill contingency plan, to the Government’s
satisfaction, specifying how it will minimise
the risks of oil spills and how it will
minimise the environmental impacts in the
event of an oil spill. Should such an accident
occur, the company will pay for any environmental
rehabilitation needed.
“Because the Prelude
facility is proposed to operate entirely
within Commonwealth waters, greenhouse gas
emissions fall under my jurisdiction, so
a condition of my approval is that this
must be addressed.
“Shell must develop
a greenhouse gas strategy, which must be
made publicly available, that will detail
the measures and offsets it proposes to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the
project will not be able to begin until
I am satisfied the strategy is acceptable.
“The company must put
in place measures to reduce light pollution,
address noise impacts, manage introduced
marine pests, and minimise waste—all to
be outlined in an operations environment
management plan.
“Shell will also be
required to submit—and make publicly available—an
environmental performance report detailing
how it has adhered to the approved plans
and strategies, and my department will be
able to audit the project at any time to
ensure the company is complying with the
approval conditions.”
The approval conditions are available at:
www.environment.gov.au/epbc/index.html.
