Cleaner Environment Plan

The Australian Government's new Cleaner Environment Plan forms an umbrella policy framework for a four pillar approach to National Environmental Management.

·       Clean Air,

·       Clean Water,

·       Clean Land,

·       National Heritage

Clean Air outlines the Australian Government’s aspirations to reach its emissions reduction target (of 5% of Y2000 levels by Y2020) through the Direct Action Plan. 

The new Federal Government has changed Australia's response to climate change from a financial issue (through a liability for a price on carbon emissions) to an Engineering problem.  The Coalition Government seeks to source low cost emissions reductions and improve Australia's environment. This will be done primarily through the Emissions Reduction Fund.

The Emissions Reduction Fund is a central element of the Australian Government's Direct Action Plan. The Fund will provide financial incentives for emissions reduction activities across the Australian economy.

Some of the activities which may receive incentives for abatement activities include:

• re-vegetation and land management
• soil carbon
• forestry
• energy efficiency
• recycling
• cleaning up power stations
• cleaning up waste coal mine gas
• cleaning up landfill.

The Government invites public comment on Terms of Reference on the design of the Emissions Reduction Fund by 5pm (AEDT) Monday 18 November 2013.

The Government is seeking business and community views on the design of the Emissions Reduction Fund including:

·         the likely sources of low cost, large scale abatement to come forward under the Emissions Reduction Fund;

·         how the Emissions Reduction Fund can facilitate the development of abatement projects, including through expanding the Carbon Farming Initiative and drawing on the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme;

·         the details of auction arrangements to deliver cost effective outcomes;

·         the governance arrangements that will support the Emissions Reduction Fund, including the role of key institutions such as the Clean Energy Regulator;

·         the details of the monitoring, verification, compliance and payments arrangements for successful bidders at auction;

·         transitional issues relating to the existing Carbon Farming Initiative; and

·         the design and operation of a mechanism applying to emissions above the business as usual baseline.

Contaminated Land

NEPM Amendment

The Standing Council on Environment and Water has approved an amendment to the National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (also known as the NEPM).

ASBG is holding a series of conferences on the latest regulatory and policy perspective on contaminated land.

·       16 May 2013 in Sydney

·       23 May 2013 in Melbourne

·       30 May 2013 in Brisbane

The conference has been prepared for landowners and practitioners. It will focus on the amendment to the Assessment of Contaminated Site NEPM, other current regulatory changes and technical aspects of contaminated land management.

The NEPM establishes a nationally-consistent approach to the assessment of site contamination to ensure sound environmental management practices by the community which includes regulators, site assessors, contaminated land auditors, land owners, developers and industry.

The NEPM contains two schedules:

·       Schedule A, which is included in the NEPM, identifies the recommended process for the Assessment of Site Contamination.

·       Schedule B of the NEPM comprises 10 general guidelines for the Assessment of Site Contamination. (Schedules B(1) – (10) can be downloaded from the Environment Protection and Heritage Council.) 

A review of the NEPM commenced in 2004. In June 2007, NEPC agreed to initiate a process to vary the NEPM based on recommendations made in the NEPM review.  The amendment was finally approved by the Standing Council on Environment and Water on 11 April 2013.

The variation will ensure that the NEPM remains the premier document for the assessment of site contamination in Australia by drawing on the latest methodologies for assessing human and ecological risk from site contamination and updating guidance on site assessment methods in line with technological changes in Australia and overseas.

The recent amendment ensures it will remain the premier document for the assessment of site contamination in Australia, used by regulators, site assessors, consultants, environmental auditors, landowners, developers and industry.

The measure incorporates updated methodologies for assessing human and ecological risks and site assessment methods now in line with advances in Australia and overseas.

State Ministers have recognised the contributions from all stakeholders, including the National Health and Medical Research Council, in the development of the updated measure.