EPBC Act policy statement
Nationally threatened species and ecological
communities guidelines
Department of Sustainability, Environment,
Water, Population and Communities, September
2011
This booklet is designed
to assist land managers, owners and occupiers
as well as environmental assessment officers,
consultants and the general public to identify,
assess and manage the Natural Temperate
Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain
and the Grassy Eucalypt Woodland of the
Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP). Both of
these are nationally threatened ecological
communities listed under Australia's national
environment law, the Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC
Act).
This document accompanies the listing and
conservation advice, which presents the
definitive and detailed description of these
two threatened ecological communities. The
listing advice is a technical document that
explains what an ecological community is,
where it is known to occur, why it merits
listing as nationally threatened and which
conservation status applies to the ecological
community. The conservation advice identifies
priority management and conservation actions.
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Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities
Watching you, watching
whales: keep your distance
Media release
16 September 2011
To protect migrating whales and their calves
on their journey to the southern ocean federal
and state environment officers will be conducting
patrols on the water off the Gold Coast.
As part of the nationwide
Operation CETUS, environment officers from
the Federal Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Populations and Communities
and Queensland Department of Environment
and Resource Management are conducting joint
patrols during September and October.
The departments remind
the public that it is important for the
whales and their own safety that they observe
the speed and zoning limits.
Whale watchers are urged
to be alert and watch for whales at all
times and not approach closer than 100m
to any whale or 50m to any dolphin when
in a boat. Limits also apply to people in
the water and overflying aircraft.
Under the agreed national
whale watching guidelines which are enforced
under state and commonwealth environment
laws the caution zone for vessels is the
area within 300m of a whale and 150m of
a dolphin. No more than three vessels are
allowed within the caution zone at any one
time and vessels should operate at no-wake
speeds within this zone.
At this time of year
whale watchers are also required to avoid
disturbance to female humpbacks and their
calves. To protect whales and their calves
from ship strike, and to reduce the risk
of calves being separated from their mothers,
vessels must not enter the caution zone
when calves are present.
Under national environment law penalties
for harassing, chasing or herding whales
can carry a fine of up to $110,000 and or
two years imprisonment. Penalties also apply
under the relevant state legislation.
To report any alleged
breach of the limits contact the federal
environment department on 0448 285 204 or
via email compliance@environment.gov.au.
Information can be provided anonymously.
Coordinated through
the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement
and Regulators neTwork (AELERT) Operation
CETUS involves the close monitoring of the
activities of boat operators, overflying
small aircraft and people in the water interacting
with whales and the enforcement of whale
approach limits. Operation CETUS will run
until the end of the whale watching season.
For more information on whale watching guidelines
and the caution zone go to www.environment.gov.au/coasts
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Environmental approval
for proposed Wheatstone project
Media release
22 September 2011
A liquefied natural gas project proposed
by Chevron in Western Australia’s Pilbara
region has received approval under national
environmental law.
Environment Minister
Tony Burke today announced that following
a rigorous assessment he had approved Chevron’s
proposed Wheatstone liquefied natural gas
project under the Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act, with
strict conditions.
Chevron will be required
to adhere to 70 conditions, including submitting
for federal approval a range of plans and
programs detailing how it would protect
matters of national environmental significance
protected under the EPBC Act and implement
a biodiversity offset strategy.
"My decision is based on a thorough
and rigorous assessment of the Wheatstone
proposal taking into account the advice
of my department and independent scientific
advice," Mr Burke said.
"While I have considered
the social and economic implications of
this project, my focus has been on protecting
environmental matters of national significance
through strict conditions to manage any
potential environmental impacts.
"The strict conditions
I've imposed on the proposed project will
help to protect threatened and migratory
species such as dugongs, marine turtles,
sawfish, dolphins and whales and the marine
environment.
"Chevron will be
required to submit for my approval a range
of plans and programs detailing how the
project impacts on protected matters will
be minimised.
"For example, dredging operations will
be optimised to protect dugong, marine turtles
and their habitat, and dredging can only
take place outside the coral-spawning period.
"Any seismic activity that takes place
will do so in accordance with best-practice
seismic guidelines that include exclusion
zones, avoidance measures and ‘soft start’
procedures.
"Chevron must develop
a program to manage discharge from both
onshore and offshore infrastructure and
accommodation facilities and throughout
the production process to ensure matters
of national environmental significance are
protected.
"A comprehensive
biodiversity offset strategy will further
enhance protection for marine species. It
will include establishing a regional Indigenous
sea ranger program for the life of the project
to minimise any impacts to marine species
and their coastal habitats."
The offsets will also
include funding from Chevron for research
into seagrass ecology and removal of barriers
to the movement of sawfish.
Chevron has agreed that Wheatstone project
staff will be trained and adhere to a comprehensive
Code of Conduct, around the importance of
the environment around them, recognising
that there will be a significant increase
in number of people in the region as a result
of the project.
"Chevron will be
required to educate its workforce on the
significance of environmental values of
the area and responsibilities towards protecting
those values including a Code of Conduct
to manage fishing and recreational activities
by employees," Mr Burke said.
The proposed Wheatstone
project is south-west of Onslow in the Pilbara
and would be among Australia’s largest resource
projects.
