BSC Final EMP edited

Banana Shire Council

Environmental Management Plan

November 2010

42/16092/53054 Environmental Management Plan

Contents

Executive Summary i

Glossary v

Acronyms ix

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Purpose and Scope 1

1.2 Historical Development of Environmental Management 2

1.3 State of the Environment Reporting 4

2. Community Consultation 6

2.1 Introduction 6

2.2 Stakeholder Identification 6

2.3 Community Consultation Tools and Activities 8

2.4 Stakeholder Feedback 11

2.5 Future Community Consultation 13

3. The Banana Shire 15

3.1 Introduction 15

3.2 Banana Shire Council’s Mission 15

3.3 The BSC Local Government Area and Elected Government 16

3.4 Organisational Structure of Council 17

3.5 Responsibilities of Local Government Employees 17

3.6 Facilities Operated by Council 18

3.7 Corporate Strategies and Objectives 23

3.8 Environmental Commitment 24

4. Statutory Requirements and Reference Documents 21

4.1 Introduction 21

4.2 Local Laws 21

4.3 Queensland Legislation 23

4.4 Commonwealth Legislation 33

4.5 Advisory Guidelines and Policies 37

4.6 Standards 38

4.7 International Treaties 42


5. Corporate Activities 44

5.1 Introduction 44

5.2 Develop an Environmental Management System 44

5.3 Planning and Development 45

5.4 Sustainable Procurement 46

5.5 Environmental Impact Assessment and Management 47

5.6 Property and Asset Management 47

5.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response 48

5.8 Knowledge, Skills and Training 49

5.9 Environmental Performance Evaluation and Reporting 49

5.10 Regional Organisations and Industry Associations 50

5.11 Legislative Compliance, Regulation and Enforcement 50

5.12 Feedback from Community Consultation on the draft EMP 51

5.13 Corporate Activities Goals and Objectives 51

5.14 Corporate Activities Action Plan 53

6. Air 59

6.1 Introduction 59

6.2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions 59

6.3 Ozone Depletion 64

6.4 Air Quality 65


6.6 Air Goals and Objectives 67

6.7 Air Action Plans 69

7. Biodiversity 72

7.1 Introduction 72

7.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity 73

7.3 Aquatic Biodiversity 74

7.4 Feedback from Community Consultation on the EMP 76

7.5 Biodiversity Goals and Objectives 77

7.6 Biodiversity Action Plans 77

8. Heritage 82

8.1 Introduction 82

8.2 Natural Heritage 84

8.3 Indigenous Cultural Heritage 84

8.4 Non-indigenous Cultural Heritage 85


8.5 Heritage Goals and Objectives 86


8.7 Heritage Action Plans 88

9. Land Management 91

9.1 Introduction 91

9.2 Community Access to Public Land 92

9.3 Contaminated Land 93

9.4 Erosion and Sediment Control 94

9.5 Salinity 95


9.7 Land Goals and Objectives 96

9.8 Land Action Plans 97

10. Noise and Vibration 101

10.1 Introduction 101

10.2 Noise 101


10.4 Vibration 102

10.5 Noise and Vibration Goals and Objectives 103

10.6 Noise and Vibration Action Plans 103

11. Waste Management 105


11.2 Hazardous Materials and Regulated Waste 105

11.3 Littering and Illegal Dumping 108

11.4 Resources Recovery and Use of Secondary Resources 108

11.5 Waste Prevention and Avoidance 109


11.7 Waste Goals and Objectives 111

11.8 Waste Action Plans 112

12. Water 116


12.2 Water Conservation 116

12.3 River Health and Water Quality for Banana Shire 118

12.4 Wastewater Recycling 118


12.6 Water Goals and Objectives 120


12.7 Water Action Plans 120

13. Education and Community Activities 123


13.2 Community Education 123

13.3 Staff Education and Training 123


13.5 Education and Community Activities – Goals and Objectives 125

13.6 Education and Community Activities Action Plans 125

14. Site Based Management Plans 128

14.1 Why Prepare Site Based Management Plans? 128

14.2 SBMP Guideline and Purpose 128

14.3 Benefits of SBMPs 128

14.4 Essential Elements of a SBMP 129

14.5 Banana Shire Council SBMPs 129


14.7 SBMPs – Goals and Objectives 130

14.8 SBMP Action Plans 130

15. Strategy Implementation 132

15.1 Environmental Management Plan Implementation 132

15.2 Community and Staff Acceptance 132

15.3 Role of the Community 132

15.4 Monitoring and Review of EMP 132

16. References 134

Executive Summary i

Glossary v

Acronyms ix

1. Introduction 11

1.1 Purpose and Scope 11

1.2 Historical Development of Environmental Management 12

1.3 State of the Environment Reporting 13

2. Community Consultation 16

2.1 Introduction 16



2.3 Community Consultation Tools and Activities 18

2.4 Stakeholder Feedback 20

2.5 Future Community Consultation 22

3. The Banana Shire 24

3.1 Introduction 24

3.2 Banana Shire Council’s Mission 24

3.3 The BSC Local Government Area and Elected Government 25

3.4 Organisational Structure of Council 26

3.5 Responsibilities of Local Government Employees 26

3.6 Facilities Operated by Council 27

3.7 Corporate Strategies and Objectives 32

3.8 Environmental Commitment 33

4. Statutory Requirements and Reference Documents 21

4.1 Introduction 21

4.2 Local Laws 21

4.3 Queensland Legislation 23

4.4 Commonwealth Legislation 33

4.5 Advisory Guidelines and Policies 36

4.6 Standards 38

4.7 International Treaties 42

5. Corporate Activities 43

5.1 Introduction 43

5.2 Develop an Environmental Management System 43

5.3 Planning and Development 44

5.4 Sustainable Procurement 45

5.5 Environmental Impact Assessment and Management 46

5.6 Property and Asset Management 46

5.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response 47

5.8 Knowledge, Skills and Training 48

5.9 Environmental Performance Evaluation and Reporting 48

5.10 Regional Organisations and Industry Associations 49

5.11 Legislative Compliance, Regulation and Enforcement 49


5.13 Corporate Activities Goals and Objectives 50

5.14 Corporate Activities Action Plan 52


6. Air 56

6.1 Introduction 56

6.2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions 56

6.3 Ozone Depletion 60

6.4 Air Quality 61


6.6 Air Goals and Objectives 63

6.7 Air Action Plans 64

7. Biodiversity 69

7.1 Introduction 69

7.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity 70

7.3 Aquatic Biodiversity 71


7.5 Biodiversity Goals and Objectives 74

7.6 Biodiversity Action Plans 74

8. Heritage 79

8.1 Introduction 79

8.2 Natural Heritage 81

8.3 Indigenous Cultural Heritage 81

8.4 Non-indigenous Cultural Heritage 82

8.5 Heritage Goals and Objectives 83


8.7 Heritage Action Plans 84

9. Land Management 89

9.1 Introduction 89

9.2 Community Access to Public Land 90

9.3 Contaminated Land 91

9.4 Erosion and Sediment Control 92

9.5 Salinity 93


9.7 Land Goals and Objectives 94

9.8 Land Action Plans 95

10. Noise and Vibration 99




10.3 Noise 99

10.4 Vibration 100

10.5 Noise and Vibration Goals and Objectives 100

10.6 Noise and Vibration Action Plans 101

11. Waste Management 102


11.2 Hazardous Materials and Regulated Waste 102

11.3 Littering and Illegal Dumping 105

11.4 Resources Recovery and Use of Secondary Resources 105

11.5 Waste Prevention and Avoidance 106


11.7 Waste Goals and Objectives 108

11.8 Waste Action Plans 109

12. Water 112


12.2 Water Conservation 112

12.3 River Health and Water Quality for Banana Shire 114

12.4 Wastewater Recycling 114


12.6 Water Goals and Objectives 115

12.7 Water Action Plans 116

13. Education and Community Activities 120


13.2 Community Education 120

13.3 Staff Education and Training 120


13.5 Education and Community Activities – Goals and Objectives 122

13.6 Education and Community Activities Action Plans 122

14. Site Based Management Plans 125

14.1 Why Prepare Site Based Management Plans? 125

14.2 SBMP Guideline and Purpose 125

14.3 Benefits of SBMPs 125

14.4 Essential Elements of a SBMP 126

14.5 Banana Shire Council SBMPs 126



14.7 SBMPs – Goals and Objectives 127

14.8 SBMP Action Plans 127

15. Strategy Implementation 129

15.1 Environmental Management Plan Implementation 129

15.2 Community and Staff Acceptance 129

15.3 Role of the Community 129

15.4 Monitoring and Review of EMP 129

16. References 131

Table Index Table 1 Stakeholders engaged throughout the development

of the EMP 6

Table 2 Public Display Schedule 10

Table 3 Local Government Facilities 18

Table 4 Corporate Strategies, Objectives and Services Promoted in Annual Report 23

Table 5 Guidelines Used for a Range of Environmental Applications 37

Table 6 Standards Used for a Range of Environmental Applications 39

Table 7 Action Plan for Corporate Activities 54

Table 8 Action Plan for Air 69

Table 9 Action Plan for Biodiversity 78

Table 10 Action Plan for Heritage 88

Table 11 Action Plan for Land Management 98

Table 12 Action Plan for Noise and Vibration 104

Table 13 Action Plan for Waste Management 113

Table 14 Action Plan for Water 122

Table 15 Action Plan for Education and Community Activities 126

Table 16 Action Plan for Site Based Management Plans 131

Table 1 Stakeholders engaged throughout the development of the EMP 16

Table 2 Public Display Schedule 20

Table 3 Local Government Facilities 27

Table 4 Corporate Strategies, Objectives and Services Promoted in Annual Report 32


Table 5 Guidelines Used for a Range of Environmental Applications 37

Table 6 Standards Used for a Range of Environmental Applications 38

Table 7 Action Plan for Corporate Activities 52

Table 8 Action Plan for Air 66

Table 9 Action Plan for Biodiversity 75

Table 10 Action Plan for Heritage 85

Table 11 Action Plan for Land Management 96

Table 12 Action Plan for Noise and Vibration 101

Table 13 Action Plan for Waste Management 109

Table 14 Action Plan for Water 117

Table 15 Action Plan for Education and Community Activities 123

Table 16 Action Plan for Site Based Management Plans 128

Figure Index Figure 1 Pictures of factsheets and posters 9

Figure 2 The EIS Process for a Significant Project 26

Figure 3 Greenhouse Effect Maintaining Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009) 60

Figure 4 Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Increasing Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009) 60

Figure 5 Particulate Matter (EPA, 2006) 66

Figure 1 – Pictures of factsheets and posters 18

Figure 2 The EIS Process for a Significant Project 26

Figure 3 Greenhouse Effect Maintaining Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009) 57

Figure 4 Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Increasing Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009) 57

Figure 5 Particulate Matter (EPA, 2006) 62

Appendices A Draft Community Consultation Plan

B National State of the Environment Report 2006 – Extracts

C Banana Shire Council Elected Councillors and Their Portfolios

D Banana Shire Council Organisational Structure


E Banana Shire Council Site Based Management Plans

ADraft Community Consultation Plan

BNational State of the Environment Report 2006 – Extracts

CBanana Shire Council Elected Councillors and Their Portfolios

DBanana Shire Council Organisational Structure

EBanana Shire Council Site Based Management Plans

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Executive Summary

Banana Shire Council (BSC) has undertaken this important step of developing a Draft Environmental Management Plan (EMP) with input sought from stakeholders and community members. The purpose of the EMP is to provide appropriate environmental protection to achieve Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) within the framework of existing legislation and environmental management policies. A Community Consultation Plan (CCP) has also been developed to provide a planned, strategic approach to effectively involve key stakeholders and the community in the development of the BSC’s Banana Shire Council’s EMP. Outcomes from community consultation will be incorporated into this Draft EMP to produce a final EMP for BSCanana Shire Council.

The aim of this EMP was to provide a plan not just for Council, but for the whole community to work towards achieving an environmental sustainable lifestyle where current and future generations can prosper. It is intended that this EMP will be reviewed and updated to enable it to evolve and improve as actions are implemented and/or legislation and community perspectives change.

Environmental based goals, objectives and actions have been developed for a range of Council corporate activities as well as environmental elements. Corporate activities presented within this EMP include planning and development, sustainable procurement, environmental impact assessment, property and asset management, emergency preparedness and response, knowledge, skills and training, environmental performance evaluation, regional organisations and industry associations, and legislative compliance. Environmental elements presented include air, biodiversity, heritage, land management, noise and vibration, waste management, and water. Other environmental aspects included within this EMP include education and community activities as well as site based management plans.

The specific goals of this EMP include:

Corporate activities

� Goal CA1 (Develop an EMS): To provide an overarching system of environmental management for all of Council’s business.

� Goal CA2 (Planning and Development): To ensure corporate activities are managed according to the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development.

� Goal CA3 (Sustainable Procurement): To ensure Council purchases environmentally preferred products.

� Goal CA4 (Environmental Impact Assessment): To ensure all Council works and services are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.

� Goal CA5 (Property and Asset Management): To ensure Council’s assets are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.

� Goal CA6 (Emergency Preparedness and Response): To have no adverse environmental or public health impacts from incidents and emergency situations.

� Goal CA7 (Knowledge, Skills and Training): To have a motivated staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve regulatory requirements, and Council’s environmental policy commitments and objectives.

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� Goal CA8 (Environmental Performance Evaluation and Reporting): To have an effective system of environmental management that guides Council in addressing its environmental concerns through resource allocation, assignment of responsibilities, and ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes.

� Goal CA9 (Regional Organisations and Industry Associations): To implement best practice environmental management through sharing information and approaches with other managers.

� Goal CA10 (Legislative Compliance, Regulation and Enforcement): To have all breaches of environmental legislation appropriately enforced.

Air

� Goal A1 (Sustainable Energy Use): Reduce the use of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable rate so that current climatic systems are protected.

� Goal A2 (Sustainable Transport): To ensure transport needs in Banana Shire Council are primarily met by sustainable transport modes that do not emit greenhouse gases, urban air pollutants and are energy and space efficient.

� Goal A3 (Responding to Climate Change): Reduce the use of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable rate so that current climatic systems are protected.

� Goal A4 (Ozone Depletion): Reduce the use of ozone depleting substances to prevent the hole in the ozone layer becoming larger.

� Goal A5 (Air Quality): Maintain air quality to a suitable standard to protect the health and well being of humans, health and biodiversity of ecosystems, appearance of buildings and agricultural interests.

Biodiversity

� Goal B1 (Terrestrial Biodiversity): To have the integrity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna, and the natural landscapes of Banana Shire Council sustainably managed.

� Goal B2 (Aquatic Biodiversity): To have the integrity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna, and the natural landscapes of Banana Shire Council sustainably managed.

Heritage

� Goal H1 (Natural Heritage): To ensure that Council manages natural heritage issues in an ecologically sustainably manner so that they are protected for future generations.

� Goal H2 (Indigenous Cultural Heritage): To ensure that Council manages Iindigenous cultural heritage issues in an ecologically sustainably manner so that they are protected for future generations.

� Goal H3 (Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage): To ensure that Council manages Nnon-Iindigenous cultural heritage issues in an ecologically sustainably manner so that they are protected for future generations.

Land management

� Goal L1 (Community Access to Public Land): To have a community involved in the management of land in Banana Shire Council to improve management of, and community understanding of, terrestrial processes and biodiversity.

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� Goal L2 (Contaminated Land): To minimise the risk of harm to the environment and human health from contaminated sites.

� Goal L3 (Erosion and Sediment Control): To minimise the risk of harm to the environment and financial impacts associated with erosion and sediment control.

� Goal L4 (Salinity): To minimise the risk of harm to the environment and financial impacts associated with salinity.

Noise and vibration

� Goal NV1 (Noise): To minimise noise pollution in the Banana Shire region to improve the health and well being of community members and to protect the environmental values associated with our acoustic environment (e.g. Ecosystem protection).

� Goal NV2 (Vibration): To minimise vibration in the Banana Shire region to protect the environmental values of the region and the structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure.

Waste management

� Goal Waste1 (Hazardous Materials and Regulated Waste): Reduce the extraction, manufacture, use and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials to within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment. Also to comply with legal requirements to store and dispose of regulated waste (identified in Sch 7 of Environmental Protection Regulation 2008) to prevent or minimise environmental harm.

� Goal Waste2 (Littering and Illegal Dumping): To have a local environment free from litter and dumped rubbish.

� Goal Waste3 (Resources Recovery and Use of Secondary Resources): To improve the recovery of resources so that the extraction, use and disposal of resources and energy is within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment.

� Goal Waste4 (Waste Prevention and Avoidance): To have the extraction, use and disposal of resources and energy within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment.

� Goal Waste5 (Waste Research and Development): To investigate alternative waste technologies (AWT) with regard to waste management.

Water

� Goal W1 (Water Conservation): To reduce Council’s water consumption to contribute to a sustainable water supply and the long term ecological health of rivers affected by water storages.

� Goal W2 (River Health and Water Quality): To have a total water cycle where natural flow regimes, ecological processes and water quality are protected.

� Goal W3 (Wastewater Recycling): To promote wastewater recycling and the use of recycled wastewater for applications that do not pose an unacceptable risk to human health or to the environment.

Education and community activities

� Goal E1 (Community Education): To deliver effective and integrated environmental education that builds the capacity of people in Banana Shire Council to move towards more sustainable behaviour.

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� Goal E2 (Staff Education and Training): To have an informed, aware and motivated staff with sufficient training to perform their duties in a way this minimises risks to the environment.

Site based management plans

� Goal SBMP1 (SBMP): That Banana Shire Council has a SBMP for all facilities operated by Council, where the potential for environmental harm as a result of operating that facility may exist, even if a current Development Approval is not a required condition.

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Glossary

Term Definition Reference

Best practice environmental management

(1) The best practice environmental management of an activity is the management of the activity to achieve an ongoing minimisation of the activity’s environmental harm through cost-effective measures assessed against the measures currently used nationally and internationally for the activity.

(2) In deciding the best practice environmental management of an activity, regard must be had to the following measures—

(a) strategic planning by the person carrying out, or proposing to carry out, the activity;

(b) administrative systems put into effect by the person, including staff training and monitoring and review of the systems;

(c) public consultation carried out by the person;

(d) product and process design;

(e) waste prevention, treatment and disposal.

(3) Subsection (2) does not limit the measures to which regard may be had in deciding the best practice environmental management of an activity.

Section 21, Environmental Protection Act 1994, Reprint 9D effective 1 January 2010

Contaminant

A contaminant can be—

(a) a gas, liquid or solid; or

(b) an odour; or

(c) an organism (whether alive or dead), including a virus; or

(d) energy, including noise, heat, radioactivity and electromagnetic radiation; or

(e) a combination of contaminants.


Contamination Contamination of the environment is the release (whether by act or omission) of a contaminant into the environment.


Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)

Defined within the stated ‘Object’ of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 as:

“…to protect Queensland’s environment while allowing for development that improves the


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total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends (ecologically sustainable development)”.

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)

Australia's National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development 1992 (NSESD) defines ecologically sustainable development (ESD) as

'using, conserving and enhancing the community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased'.

Australian Government website for Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (accessed 21 January 2010

http://www.environment.gov.au/esd/

Environment Environment includes—

(a) ecosystems and their constituent parts, including people and communities; and

(b) all natural and physical resources; and

(c) the qualities and characteristics of locations, places and areas, however large or small, that contribute to their biological diversity and integrity, intrinsic or attributed scientific value or interest, amenity, harmony and sense of community; and

(d) the social, economic, aesthetic and cultural conditions that affect, or are affected by, things mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c).


Environmental harm

(1) Environmental harm is any adverse effect, or potential adverse effect (whether temporary or permanent and of whatever magnitude, duration or frequency) on an environmental value, and includes environmental nuisance.


Material environmental harm

(1) Material environmental harm is environmental harm (other than environmental nuisance)—

(a) that is not trivial or negligible in nature, extent or context; or

(b) that causes actual or potential loss or damage to property of an amount of, or amounts totalling, more than the threshold amount but less than the maximum amount; or

(c) that results in costs of more than the threshold amount but less than the maximum amount being incurred in taking appropriate action to—

(i) prevent or minimise the harm; and

(ii) rehabilitate or restore the environment to its condition before the harm.


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(2) In this section—

maximum amount means the threshold amount for serious environmental harm.

threshold amount means $5000 or, if a greater amount is prescribed by regulation, the greater amount.

Serious environmental harm

(1) Serious environmental harm is environmental harm (other

than environmental nuisance)—

(a) that is irreversible, of a high impact or widespread; or

(b) caused to an area of high conservation value or special significance; or

(c) that causes actual or potential loss or damage to property of an amount of, or amounts totalling, more than the threshold amount; or

(d) that results in costs of more than the threshold amount being incurred in taking appropriate action to—

(i) prevent or minimise the harm; and

(ii) rehabilitate or restore the environment to its condition before the harm.

(2) In this section—

threshold amount means $50000 or, if a greater amount is prescribed by regulation, the greater amount.



environmental management plan means—

(a) an environmental management document; or

(b) another document, however called, that proposes conditions and mechanisms to manage the potential environmental impact of the project.


Environmental nuisance

Environmental nuisance is unreasonable interference or likely interference with an environmental value caused by—

(a) aerosols, fumes, light, noise, odour, particles or smoke; or

(b) an unhealthy, offensive or unsightly condition because of contamination; or

(c) another way prescribed by regulation.


Environmental Environmental value is— Section 9, Environmental Protection Act 1994, Reprint 9D effective 1

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value (a) a quality or physical characteristic of the environment that is conducive to ecological health or public amenity or safety; or

(b) another quality of the environment identified and declared to be an environmental value under an environmental protection policy or regulation.

January 2010

Noise Noise includes vibration of any frequency, whether emitted through air or another medium.


Waste (1) Waste includes any thing, other than a resource approved under subsection (4), that is—

(a) left over, or an unwanted by-product, from an industrial, commercial, domestic or other activity; or

(b) surplus to the industrial, commercial, domestic or other activity generating the waste.

Example of paragraph (a)—

abandoned or discarded material from an activity is left over, or an unwanted by-product, from the activity

(2) Waste can be a gas, liquid, solid or energy, or a combination of any of them.

(3) A thing can be waste whether or not it is of value.

(4) The administering authority may approve a resource, or a stated type of resource, for subsection (1) if it considers the resource, or type of resource, has a beneficial use other than disposal.

Example of beneficial use for subsection (4)— re-using or recycling a resource


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Acronyms

Abbreviation Term

ABGR Australian Building Greenhouse Rating Scheme

BioSIRT Biosecurity Surveillance Incident Response and Tracing

BSC Banana Shire Council

BSG Biosecurity Services Group

CCP Community Consultation Plan

CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons

CG Coordinator-General

CAMBA China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement

CLR Contaminated Land Register

DAFF Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

DERM Department of Environment and Natural Resources

DGSM Dangerous Goods Safety Management Act

DIP Department of Infrastructure and Planning

EIS Environmental Impact Statement

EMP Environmental Management Plan

EMS Environmental Management System

EP Act Environmental Protection Act

EPBC Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act

EPP Environmental Protection Policy

EPR Environmental Protection Regulation

ERA Environmentally Relevant Activities

ESD Ecologically Sustainable Development

FBCoE Fitzroy Basin Committee of Elders

HCFCs Hydrochlorofluorocarbons

IPA Integrated Planning Act

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JAMBA Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement

LDCP Landscape Development Control Policy

LGA Local Government Area

LGIS Local Government Infrastructure Services

NABERS National Australian Built Environment Rating System

NCA Nature Conservation Act

NEPM National Environmental Protection Measure

NHT National Heritage Trust

ODSs Ozone Depleting Substances

PCBs Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PCNs Polychlorinated Napthalenes

PCTs Polychlorinated Terphenyls

PBBs Polybrominated Biphenyls

QPP Queensland Planning Provisions

ROKAMBA Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement

SBMP Site bBased mManagement pPlans

SDPWO State Development and Public Works Organisation Act

SGGs Synthetic Greenhouse Gases

SPA Sustainable Planning Act

SoE State of the Environment

UNEP UN Environment Program

UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

VMA Vegetation Management Act

WSA Water Supply Act

WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development

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1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose and Scope

Banana Shire Council recognised the need to develop and implement an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) some years ago and through a succession of staff, a draft version of the EMP was prepared in 2009. Because this had been added to over a period of around 10 years by many different persons, the document was in need of a review and update. GHD was commissioned to undertake the review and update of the EMP prior to its release for public comment.

The purpose of this EMP is to provide appropriate environmental protection to achieve Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) within the framework of existing legislation and environmental management policies.

The scope or application of this EMP must be made clear. It is intended that developers, planners, environmental management professionals, community stakeholders and decision makers in Banana Shire Council Local Government Area (LGA) will utilise this EMP. However, this EMP does not apply to mining, exploration, rail or gas projects as these projects are administered, assessed and monitored by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).

A consultative approach was used in the development of the EMP. Members of the community as well as Banana Shire Council (BSC) employees and other business people within the Shire were engaged in this process. Via this approach, potential environmental concerns of various stakeholders have been identified and strategies developed to address those concerns. Outcomes from this process are provided in Section 2 of this EMP. A complete Community Consultation Plan (CCP) was also prepared to provide a planned, strategic approach, to effectively involve key stakeholders and the community in the development of Council’s EMP. This document is presented as Appendix A.

This EMP also provides a brief background of the Banana Shire region and the Council in Section 3, to assist in gaining an understanding of important environmental-related factors for the region, Council operations and to establish Banana Shire Council’s commitment to protecting the environment (A detailed community profile is provided within the CCP and therefore is not repeated within this section).

Section 4 of this EMP provides information relating to the statutory requirements and other reference documents that relate to environmental management issues.

Section 5 through to Section 14 contains the main components of the EMP, which cover aspects of Council operations and the environment including:

� Corporate activities

� Air

� Biodiversity

� Heritage

� Land management

� Noise and vibration

� Waste management

� Water


� Education and community activities

� Site based management plans

Some of these sections have a number of sub-sections grouped under the title. For each of these sub-sections, the issues related to the environmental aspects or activities are first presented. A space has been reserved within each section for the community perspective of the issue to be recorded. The Council response to the issue is presented following the community perspective. Goals and objectives for each section are listed and finally an Action Plan is provided for each section.

Section 15 is the final section of this document which outlines the EMP implementation strategy. The strategy includes factors required for the successful implementation of the EMP, such as community and staff acceptance, the role of the community and monitoring and review processes.

Before delving into the EMP, Council also wished to include a brief overview on the historical development of environmental management and the established process of State of Environment Rreporting, to assist in puttingdefining the purpose and ultimate outcomes from the EMP into perspective.

1.2 Historical Development of Environmental Management

It has been deemed by Council as important to the Community and Council Officers to provide a brief background to the historical development of environmental awareness and management principles. A timeline to the development of the environmental movement is available online from the website http://www.worldwatch.org/brain/features/timeline/ which shows the environmental milestones of significance from the 1960s to 2004. A brief summary of major events are presented in this section of the EMP along with links to websites containing additional information for those that wish to expand their knowledge in this area.

Key environmental milestones include:

� The importance of managing the environment first came to light by the publication of the book titled “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson in 1962. As a marine biologist, Carson alerted readers to the threat of toxic chemicals to people and the environment.

� The first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm in 1972 with the motto of “Only One Earth”. It legitimised that development and the environment are inextricably linked and provided the impetus for new environmental legislation worldwide. The report is available from http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.Print.asp?DocumentID=97. Key outcomes included:

– An Action Plan and the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, which included the proclamation of seven overriding statements and 26 principles.

– The development and establishment of government environmental agencies in more than 100 countries. Many non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations were also established with the objective of environmental preservation.

– The development of the UN Environment Program (UNEP) (for organisational profile of UNEP see http://www.unep.org/PDF/UNEPOrganizationProfile.pdf).


� The Montreal Protocol was established in 1987 whereby an agreement was reached by parties to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. These items are available from http://ozone.unep.org/Ratification_status/montreal_protocol.shtml.

� In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development published the report Our Common Future also known as the “Brundtland Report” after the Commission’s Chairman Harlem Brundtland. which defined Sustainable Development as:

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

� In 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development – the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Two major conventions were developed from this conference including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The UN Commission on Sustainable Development was also created. The Rio Declaration reaffirmed the principles developed in Stockholm 20 years prior and Agenda 21 provided the action programme for sustainable development.

� The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. “The major distinction between the Protocol and the Convention is that while the Convention encouraged industrialised countries to stabilize GHG emissions, the Protocol commits them to do so”. http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php

� The Millennium Summit in 2000 produced the Millennium Declaration which contained time bound objectives and measurable targets known collectively as the Millennium Development Goals.

� The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002. The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development Plan of Implementation emphasised that the environment is central to all human development.

� In 2005, another World Summit was held which reaffirmed commitments to the Millennium Development Goals, Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

� In 2009, the UNFCCC held the Conference of the Parties Summit at Copenhagen on 7-18 December 2009. The major outcome from this Summit was the Copenhagen Accord whereby greenhouse emission targets were set (http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/l07.pdf). Australia agreed to set greenhouse emission targets as follows:

Australia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% on 2000 levels by 2020 if the world agrees to an ambitious global deal capable of stabilising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at 450 ppm CO2-eq or lower. Australia will unconditionally reduce our emissions by 5% below 2000 levels by 2020, and by up to 15% by 2020 if there is a global agreement which falls short of securing atmospheric stabilisation at 450 ppm CO2-eq and under which major developing economies commit to substantially restrain emissions and advanced economies take on commitments comparable to Australia's. http://unfccc.int/home/items/5264.php

As a result of increased environmental awareness and the setting of environmental management principles, legislation and guidelines have been progressively established globally as well as in Australia, Queensland and at the local levels of government. The existing environmental framework from which we must at least comply with set conditions, or even exceed where possible, are provided in Section 4 of this EMP.


1.3 State of the Environment Reporting

State of the Environment Rreporting is an established process used at the international, national, state and in some areas, at the local level as the means of reporting on the status of the environment. This environmental management tool is summarised for these different levels of governing bodies within this sub-section. Website links are also provided to enable access to greater details within these reports.

1.3.1 International State of Environment Reports

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) provides a gateway for State of the Environment (SoE) reports from different countries and regions of the world (http://www.grida.no/soe/index.htm) as well as links to global-scale reports, other global resources and to what is referred to as the Cookbook for State of the Environment Reporting on the Internet which is described as a “…32-page booklet which provides easy-to-use methodological guidance for the development of electronic environmental status reports” (http://www.grida.no/publications/list/3181.aspx). Within the ‘Cookbook’, it states:

The impetus for SoE reporting is partially due to the adoption of Agenda 21 at the 1992 UNCED conference in Rio. Chapter 40 of Agenda 21 specifically calls for improved environmental information for decision-making. http://www.grida.no/_res/site/file/publications/cookbook/cookbook.pdf

1.3.2 Australian State of Environment Reports

Within Australia, SoE reporting occurs at both the national and state/territory level and these reports can be accessed via the internet (http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/index.html).

The purpose of National SoE reports is to “…provide information about environmental and heritage conditions, trends and pressures for the Australian continent, surrounding seas and Australia's external territories”. These reports are required to be tabled in Parliament every five years under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. To date, three National SoE reports have been tabled for years 1996, 2001 and 2006. The next report is due to be tabled in Parliament by 31 December 2011 and the Minister has appointed an independent committee of experts for the 2011 SoE report. Additional information on National SoE reporting can be found on the website http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/about.html.

Extracts from the SoE Report 2006 (Beeton et al., 2006) are provided in Appendix B. The extracts cover the areas of ‘Key Findings’ and ‘Role of Local Government’.

1.3.3 Queensland State of Environment Reports

All State governments as well as the Australian Capital Territory Government have web sites with information about their reporting processes for SoE reporting. Links to these websites are provided on http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/index.html. This section deals only with the Queensland SoE reporting on the website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/state_of_the_environment/.

In Queensland, the SoE report is produced every four years and the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) is the lead agency. To date there have been three Queensland SoE reports, these being produced in 1999, 2003 and 2007. These reports are considered an important component of environmental management in Queensland by providing information that assists the community, industry and government with sustainable use of natural resources and improved


environmental management. Nine major themes are included in the Queensland SoE report including: sustainability; atmosphere; land; inland waters and wetlands; coastal zone; biodiversity; invasive plants and animals; human settlements; natural and cultural heritage.

The Queensland Government has commenced some significant programs and initiatives since the release of the SoE 2007 report with a view to improve environmental outcomes in Queensland and these are outlined in an update report titled “Queensland Government Response to State of the Environment Queensland 2007”. Within the update report the Government also acknowledges contributions from non-government sectors and other levels of government in assisting in the conservation and protection of Queensland’s natural resources.

Key achievements since the release of the SoE 2007 report are available as an update from the website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/state_of_the_environment/pdf/soe_response.pdf. As extracted from this report, the Government’s major achievements include:

� new and draft regional plans to better manage development

� a revised climate change strategy—ClimateQ: toward a greener Queensland

� the establishment of the Office of Clean Energy

� new legislation regulating farming practices in some Great Barrier Reef catchments for the first time

� new legislation on clearing endangered regrowth vegetation

� new laws that will transition legacy mining approvals to ensure they meet contemporary environmental standards

� a Queensland Biosecurity Strategy 2009–2014

1.3.4 Local State of Environment Reports

Currently there is no legal requirement in Queensland for the preparation of SoE reports at the Council level, however, in New South Wales (NSW) SoE reports must be produced biannually by all local authorities. Although not a legal requirement within Queensland, some councils have taken the initiative to produce their own SoE reports, including, but not necessarily limited to:

� Townsville (http://www.soe-townsville.org/ )

� Logan City (http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/LCC/logan/environment/soer.htm)

� Cairns (http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/content/CairnsPlan/StateofEnvironmentReport.htm)

� Johnstone Shire – called State of the Shire Report (http://www.jsc.qld.gov.au/council/Environmental%20Services/environment%20protection%20and%20natural%20resources/SoS2000/SoS2000.shtml)

The format and the frequency of the preparation of SoE reports for local councils appear to be inconsistent and this would depend on the needs and available resources of the different councils.

It would be BSC’s Banana Shire Council’s desire to formally establish the preparation of a local SoE report at an agreed frequency to assist the Council and Community in establishing environmental benchmarks for management purposes.


2. Community Consultation

2.1 Introduction

Community consultation is a critical component of how Banana Shire Council does business. It is an essential process to improve decisions and listen and respond to community needs.

This section details the community consultation activities undertaken between May and September 2010 to involve key stakeholders and the community in the development of Banana Shire Council’s EMP. It summarises the project stakeholders involved in this process, activities undertaken to effectively engage with these stakeholders and feedback received on the topics presented in this EMP.

A key element of the community consultation process involved the implementation of workshops, public displays and presentations and the distribution of communication materials to encourage the Banana Shire community to have their say on the draft EMP. Feedback received by key stakeholders and the Banana Shire Council community has been incorporated, where possible, into this document.

A Community Consultation Plan (CCP) was developed for Banana Shire Council by GHD to provide a planned, strategic approach to effectively involve key stakeholders and the community in the development of Council’s EMP. The CCP is provided as Appendix A.

2.2 Stakeholder Identification

At the commencement of the project, the project team undertook a review of stakeholders scan of the Banana Shire community and developed a preliminary list of potentially interested stakeholders in the EMP. Additional stakeholders were identified and approached to be either engaged via workshops or provided with communications about the EMP.

Table 1 below provides a full list of stakeholders who were engaged during the development of the EMP.

Table 1 Stakeholders engaged throughout the develop ment of the EMP

Stakeholder Category Organisation

Internal stakeholders


GHD consultants

External stakeholders

Department of Environment and Resource Management

Department of Infrastructure and Planning

Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Government agencies

Department of Primary Industries - Biloela Office



Department of Primary Industries - Rockhampton Office

Department of Transport and Main Roads

Central Queensland Local Government Association

Anglo Coal Callide Mine

Anglo Coal Moura Mine

CS Energy

QLD Nitrates

Santos GLNG

Fitzroy Basin Association

Capricorn Pest Management Group

Biloela Enterprise

Australia Pacific LNG Pty Ltd

Arrow Energy Ltd - Surat to Gladstone Pipeline

Surat Basin Rail

Belvedere CoalELVEDERE COAL ManagementANAGEMENT PTYty LTDtd

ZeroGen

Moura Sand and Gravel

Kianga Quarries Ltd

Yalkara

Newcreast Mining Ltd

Industry groups

Cockatoo Coal

Landcare, Taroom, Biloela, Baralaba Local environmental groups

Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland – Upper Dawson Branch

Taroom District Development Association

AgForce

Community groups

QueenslandLD Firefighters and Rescue Service

Educational institutions Biloela State Primary School

Moura State Primary and High School

Ruedeemer Lutheran Primary School



St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Mount Murchison State Primary School

Prospect Creek State Primary School

Taroom State Primary School

Goovigen State Primary School

Jambin State Primary School

Thangool State Primary School

Banana State Primary School

Baralaba State Primary School

Theodore State Primary School

Wowan State Primary School

Central Queensland Institute of TAFE – Callide Dawson Campus

Banana Shire Rate Payers and Residents

All received information via a mailed factsheet on the EMP and advising of public display times.

2.3 Community Consultation Tools and Activities

Community consultation tools that were developed and implemented in the consultation activities for the development of the EMP included:

Consultation activities undertaken for the development of the EMP included:

� Two internal stakeholder workshops, held on 19 May 2010;

� A key stakeholder workshop on 20 May 2010;

� Public displays of the draft EMP; and

� Request for written submissions on the draft EMP.

Consultation tools used for the development of the EMP included:

� An overarching Community Consultation Plan (refer to Appendix A);

� Ten project factsheets for distribution at public displays and to all stakeholders who registered an interest (refer to Figure 1 below);

� Letters to key stakeholders and the local community with project factsheets and feedback forms;

� Link to the draft EMP on Council’s website; and

� Workshop handouts including a disc with the draft EMP, information sheet about the draft EMP and Community Consultation Plan and copy of the PowerPoint presentation slides.


Figure 1 – Pictures of factsheets and posters

2.3.1 Internal Workshops

Two internal workshops were held with members of staff from Banana Shire Council on Wednesday, 19 May 2010 from 9.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 1.00 pm to 2.30 pm. The overall purpose of the workshops was to inform internal stakeholders of the draft EMP, the purpose of the EMP, and to receive feedback on the topics outlined in the draft EMP.

A total of 8eight Council staff participated in the workshops. The workshops were facilitated by GHD in collaboration with Banana ShireSC Council, and included feedback sessions on each topic within the draft EMP to enable participants to be actively involved in the process. When providing feedback, participants were asked to consider the following questions:

� What environmental areas/topic in the draft EMP interest or affect me?

� What are the key issues in Banana Shire within each of these topics?

� Is Council managing these issues well?

� How can Council better manage these issues?

� Has any topic of importance been missed in the plan?

� What would you like the environment to look like in the future? In 10, 20 or 50 years time?

� What does the community need to do to protect the environment? What are some barriers that could prevent this from happening?

� Why does the community need to protect the environment? What are the drivers for this to happen?

Comments were documented on butchers’ poster paper around the room to encourage discussion.


2.3.2 Key Stakeholder Workshop

A key stakeholder workshop was held on Thursday, 20 May 2010 at the Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s complex in Biloela from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm. Invitations to participate in the workshop were sent by Banana Shire Council to 30thirty community members who were identified as government agencies, industry groups, local environmental groups and educational institutes (refer to Table 1 above).

A total of 11eleven participants attended the workshop. The workshop was facilitated by GHD in collaboration with Banana Shire Council. Similarly to the internal workshops, feedback was documented on butchers’ poster paper to promote discussion after the presentation of each environmental topic during the key stakeholder workshop. Participants were asked to consider the following questions:

� What are key issues in Banana Shire in relation to each topic outlined in the draft EMP?

� Is Council managing these issues well?

� How can Council better manage these issues?

� Has anything been missed in the EMP?

� Think about your organisation:

– How does Council’s management of each EMP topic affect your organisation?

– Do you have policies/procedures for managing these issues? If so, provide examples.

– How could they be improved?

– What are the drivers and barriers to successful development and implementation of those policies/procedures?

2.3.3 Public Displays

The draft EMP went on public display from 23 June through to 6 August 2010 at the places shown in the table below. These displays were staffed by members of Banana Shire Council on the dates and times indicated. Project factsheets and feedback forms were available at each display. A total of 8 eight people responded to the draft EMP at the staffed pubic displays.

Table 2 Public Display Schedule

Where Date Time

Taroom

Council Office

13 July 2010 8.00 am -– 5.00 pm

Goovigen, Wowan and Dululu

Multi-purpose Centre

14 July 2010 8.00 am – 5.00 pm

Moura

Moura Library

20 July 2010 1.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Biloela and Thangool

DPI Front Meeting Room

21 July 2010

Theodore 22 July 2010 1.00 pm – 5.00 pm


Theodore Library

Baralaba

Baralaba Landcare Office

27 July 2010 8.00 am – 5.00 pm

2.4 Stakeholder Feedback

Overall, the feedback received from key stakeholders and the local community about the draft EMP was positive. The majority of comments received were specific to the environmental topics detailed in the draft EMP however; the following comments related generally to the draft EMP and its structure:

� The draft EMP is a very comprehensive document;

� The draft EMP is an encouraging plan for sustainability within Banana Shire Council;

� The draft EMP is a great ‘one stop shop’ for all environmental management issues;

� Clarification of the intended users of the EMP would enhance the document;

� Outline the role of Council’s Environmental Officers in EMP implementation;

� Describe the relationship of the draft EMP to proposed or future planning schemes;

� Shorten the chapters and include detail of each topic as appendices;

� Create one action plan document for implementation;

� Incorporate the EMP into management priorities, Council’s Corporate Plan objectives and Operational Plan;

� Undertake a community educational program about environmental issues;

� Summarise EMP details in factsheets for developers and the wider community;

� Include a page on the Council website for more information about environmental topics; and

� Insert a picture of Council’s Environmental Policy and make reference to how often this is reviewed.

Following is a summary of comments made with regard to the various sections within the EMP:

� Biodiversity

o The greatest threats to biodiversity according to the submissions received is Fire Management and Weed management:

� Fire management –

• The issue of fire management was raised a number of times in the submission. Fire management was considered a high priority for protecting roadside vegetation and stock routes.

� Weed management –

• The issue of weed management was considered another high priority and some believe there needs to be a separate chapter in the EMP on weed management in the Shire.


o Concern over the sustainability and maintenance of environmental and agricultural land and the encroachment of urban development and resource infrastructure.

o Would like to see education and promotion of local native flora and fauna.

� Land Management

o Issue of soil quality and community education.

o Erosion and sediment control issues.

o Contaminated land sites and development.

� Waste management –

o The issue of littering in the Shire and difficulty in monitoring and penalising people who litter.

o Would like to see improved waste transport within the Shire.

o Lack of recycling education and facilities in the Shire.

o Need to identify regulated wastes for community and industry.

� Water –

o Encourage residents to install rainwater tanks.

o Recycling of water from sewerage plants, retention basins.

o Register of water supply locations ie: bore locations, dam storages and their different uses.

o Concern over natural water quality as a result of industrial and agricultural activities.

o Community would like to be involved in addressing water quality at Wowan.

� Noise and Vibration

o Would like Council to undertake baseline noise monitoring throughout the Shire to determine background noise levels.

o Educate the community on what constitutes nuisance noises.

� Education and Community Activities

o Would like to see more awareness of environmental issues within the community through education programs in schools, community groups.

o Cigarette butts are a littering and environmental issue and would like to see education campaign on the proper disposal of them.

o Homebased composting initiatives could be investigated.

o Would like to see environmental reporting to the community via website and newspapers.

o Would like to see communal vegetable gardens, could be used by local schools and TAFE.

o Social issues of fly-in and fly-out shift workers need to be addressed in the Council’s community plan.


� Heritage –

o need an educational program to discuss non-indigenous and indigenous cultural heritage. Undertake a Cultural Heritage Register and subsequent Management Plan in conjunction with community groups.

o Would like to see a register of Parks and reserves developed for the Shire.

A summary of the feedback received on the environmental topics is contained in each of the corresponding sections of the EMP.

2.5 Future Community Consultation

The following community consultation activities are recommended for future implementation and/or review of Banana Shire Council’s EMP:

2.5.1 Community Reporting

It is recommended that Council carries out half yearly reporting on the EMP through inclusion in Council meetings, newsletters and annual reports.

2.5.2 Community Consultation

Future community consultation could include:

� A more targeted approach using surveys with specific question on the natural and social environment would ensure greater responses as well as enable the ranking of issues from greatest concern to least. This would provide Council with valuable information and may help them prioritise actions and operations as well as enhance their community reputation.

� It will be important to raise community awareness of environmental issues through community education activities, these could include:

o Quarterly factsheets

o pPresentations to community groups

o pPresentations to schools and perhaps and ongoing section in their school newsletters

o On-going steering committee to meet regularly about the environmental issues identified as priority

� An initial Council review of the EMP six months after it has been adopted to assess its operational effectiveness.

� Council review of the adopted EMP prior to the election of a new Council in 2011 to assess the operational aspects of the document, milestones achieved and to consider additional updates.

� The scope of future community consultation to review the adopted EMP will be determined following the Council election process.


2.5.3 Strategic Key Stakeholder Relationship Buildi ng

To build relationships with key stakeholders it is recommended to undertake:

� Stakeholder and regulator lobbying and liaison on identified issues or localities outside of Council’s area of responsibility and control (eg, the mining industry).

� Joint projects and partnerships at a local, regional and national level on significant issues – such as land-use planning in relation to mining and gas industry and regulatory processes for these industries.

2.5.4 Operational Level (in-house liaison)

To encourage Banana Shire Council internal consultation the following activities are suggested:

� Consideration of identified issues during Council’s yearly operational work program development.

� Addressing of identification issues associated with Council’s own operations through their environmental systems

2.5.5 Operational Level (external liaison)

In order to improve external liaison about environmental management it is recommended to implement joint rehabilitation, remediation and scientific projects with environmental groups, schools and scientific organisations.


3. The Banana Shire

3.1 Introduction

The Banana Shire is located in Central Queensland and incorporates an area of 28,577 km2, which is comprised of a number of individual communities including:

� Banana

� Baralaba

� Biloela

� Cracow

� Dululu

� Goovigen

� Jambin

� Moura

� Rannes

� Taroom

� Thangool

� Theodore

� Wowan

Council’s Chambers are located in the township of Biloela, which is approximately 120 km west of Gladstone. Further information regarding the Shire and administration centres can be located on the website http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/index.php/3.

The region is rich in resources, with the major industries being coal mining, beef production, power generation, dryland cropping and irrigation cropping (mainly cotton and lucerne). TThere is a huge agricultural sector within the region because of the different soil types, which are suitable for growing a wide range of crops and the land is also appropriate for cattle breeding and fattening.

Information relating to the community profile is provided within the CCP (Appendix A) and therefore is not included within this section.

3.2 Banana Shire Council’s Mission

The mission statement of Banana Shire Council (BSC) is:

“tTo promote our Shire as the 'Shire of Opportunity' and to ensure that services provided continually improve the quality of life for its citizens.”.

To accomplish the mission, Council operates under the following basic values:

Quality Service - The Quality of Service to our citizens must be our number one priority. We aim to give efficient and effective service, and treat citizens with respect, courtesy and fairness.


Continuous Improvement - We encourage our management and staff to be creative and innovative and to constantly look for new and better ways of improving our service.

People Concern - We recognise our employees are our greatest asset, and we value their contribution and commitment to their work.

Teamwork - We recognise the importance of maintaining a stable work environment in which elected members, management and staff, work constructively together in a spirit of teamwork, trust and loyalty.

3.3 The BSC Local Government Area and Elected Governmen t

The Local Government Act 2009, section 8(1) indicates that “A local government is an elected body that is responsible for the good rule and local government of a part of Queensland” called a local government area which may be divided into areas called dDivisions.

Banana Shire Council is comprised of six Divisions, each with an elected representative as well as an elected Majyor. Details on the elected Councillors and their portfolios are provided in Appendix C. This information is also available from the Council website http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/index.php/31.

Section 12 of the Local Government Act 2009, state the responsibilities of cCouncillors as:

(1) A councillor must represent the current and future interests of the residents of the local government area.

(2) All councillors of a local government have the same responsibilities, but the mayor has some extra responsibilities.

(3) All councillors have the following responsibilities—

(a) ensuring the local government—

(i) discharges its responsibilities under this Act; and

(ii) achieves its corporate and community plans; and

(iii) complies with all laws that apply to local governments;

(b) providing high quality leadership to the local government and the community;

(c) participating in council meetings, policy development, and decision making, for the benefit of the local government area;

(d) being accountable to the community for the local government’s performance;

(e) complying with the Queensland Contact with Lobbyists Code.

(4) The mayor has the following extra responsibilities—

(a) leading and managing meetings of the local government at which the mayor is the chairperson, including managing the conduct of the participants at the meetings;

(b) proposing the adoption of the local government’s budget;

(c) liaising with the chief executive officer on behalf of the other councillors;

(d) leading, managing, and providing strategic direction to, the chief executive officer in order to achieve the high quality administration of the local government;


(e) directing the cChief eExecutive oOfficer, in accordance with the local government’s policies;

(f) conducting a performance appraisal of the cChief eExecutive oOfficer, at least annually, in the way that is decided by the local government (including as a member of a committee, for example);

(g) ensuring that the local government promptly provides the Minister with the information about the local government area, or the local government, that is requested by the Minister;

(h) being a member of each standing committee of the local government;

(i) representing the local government at ceremonial or civic functions.

(5) A councillor who is not the mayor may perform the mayor’s extra responsibilities only if the mayor delegates the responsibility to the councillor.

(6) When performing a responsibility, a councillor must serve the overall public interest of the whole local government area.

3.4 Organisational Structure of Council

Banana Shire Council’s organisational structure is provided as Appendix D. TThis shows that the Chief Executive Officer has the overall responsibility for Council business, which is then divided into four key areas including:

� Corporate and Community Services

� Development and Environmental Services

� Infrastructure Services

� Commercial Services

The very nature of environmental issues, is that this EMP will need to be implemented by all key areas of Council business.

3.5 Responsibilities of Local Government Employees

Section 13 of the Local Government Act 2009, states the responsibilities of local government employees as:

(1) All employees of a local government have the same responsibilities, but the chief executive officer has some extra responsibilities.

(2) All employees have the following responsibilities—

(a) implementing the policies and priorities of the local government in a way that promotes—

(i) the effective, efficient and economical management of public resources; and

(ii) excellence in service delivery; and

(iii) continual improvement;

(b) carrying out their duties in a way that ensures the local government—

(i) discharges its responsibilities under this Act; and

(ii) complies with all laws that apply to local governments; and


(iii) achieves its corporate and community plans;

(c) providing sound and impartial advice to the local government;

(d) carrying out their duties impartially and with integrity;

(e) ensuring the employee’s personal conduct does not reflect adversely on the reputation of the local government;

(f) improving all aspects of the employee’s work performance;

(g) observing all laws relating to their employment;

(h) observing the ethics principles under the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994, section 4;

(i) complying with a code of conduct under the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 (including the Queensland Contact with Lobbyists Code, for example).

(3) The chief executive officer has the following extra responsibilities—

(a) managing the local government in a way that promotes—

(i) the effective, efficient and economical management of public resources; and

(ii) excellence in service delivery; and

(iii) continual improvement;

(b) managing the other local government employees through management practices that—

(i) promote equal employment opportunities; and

(ii) are responsive to the local government’s policies and priorities;

(c) establishing and implementing goals and practices in accordance with the policies and priorities of the local government;

(d) establishing and implementing practices about access and equity to ensure that members of the community have access to—

(i) local government programs; and

(ii) appropriate avenues for reviewing local government decisions;

(e) keeping a record, and giving the local government access to a record, of all directions that the mayor gives to the chief executive officer.

3.6 Facilities Operated by Council

BSC has many facilities which they operate as shown in Table 3.

Table 3 Local Government Facilities

Township Facility Street Address

Banana Public Amenities Dawson Hwy

Communications Base Station Banana Range



Biloela Council Chambers Kroombit St

Civic Centre Rainbow St

Workshop/Depot Auburn St

Library Grevillea St

School of Arts Kariboe St

Pound Complex State Farm Road

Wash Down Bay and Standpipe Quarrie Road

Magavalis Sporting Complex Valentine Plains Rd

Residence Various

Apex Park Orange St

Rainbow Street Recreation Reserve Rainbow St

Edan Park Gladstone Rd

Jim Hooper Park Dawson Hwy

Lions Park Gladstone Rd

Tom Dawson Park Heaton St

Playgroup Valentine Plains Rd

Tennis Courts Prairie St

Swimming Pool Rainbow St

State Emergency Services Shed Grevillea St

Public Citizen Youth Club Valentine Plains Rd

Transfer Station Calvale Rd

Land Fill Trap Gully

Melton Park Melton St

Community Resource Centre Rainbow St

Cemetery Valentine Plains Rd

Water Pump Stations Various

Water Treatment Plant Calvale Rd

Water Reservoir Prairie St

Water Bores Various

Sewerage Treatment Plant Quarrie Road



Sewer Pump Stations Various

Possum Park Dee Street

Public Amenities Callide St & Kariboe St

Moura Moura Aerodrome Theodore Moura Rd

Workshop/Depot Dawson Hwy

Memorial Hall Nott St

Library Nott St

Residence Dawson Hwy

Recreation Reserve Nott St

State Emergency Services Shed Dawson Hwy

Lions Park Dawson Hwy

Scout Building Master St

Swimming Pool Davey St

Dawson River/Weir Park Dawson Hwy

Refuse/Transfer Station Dawson Hwy


Water Treatment Plant Dawson Hwy

Water Reservoir Burnham St

Water Bores Various

Sewerage Treatment Plant Dawson Hwy

Sewer Pump Stations Various

Theodore Theodore Aerodrome Theodore Cracow Rd

RSL Hall The Boulevard

Showgrounds Leichhardt Hwy

Junction Park The Boulevard

Neville Hewitt Park The Boulevard

Castle Creek Bridge Eastern Lane

State Emergency Services Shed First Avenue

Workshop/Depot First Avenue




Water Treatment Plant Nathan St

Water Reservoir The Boulevard

Sewerage Treatment Plant Malakoff Road

Sewerage Pump Stations Various

Baralaba Baralaba Aerodrome Moura Baralaba Rd

RSL Building Stopford St

Showgrounds Wooroonah Rd

Recreation Reserve Wooroonah Rd

State Emergency Services Shed Stopford St

Workshop/Depot Stopford St

Playgroup Stopford St

Water Pump Station Baralaba Woorabinda Rd

Water Treatment Plant Baralaba Woorabinda Rd

Water Reservoir Baralaba Woorabinda Rd

Washdown Bay Baralaba Rannes Rd

Cracow Water Supply Third Avenue

Refuse/Transfer Facility Nathan Gorge Road

Dululu Dululu Rest Stop (Public Amenities) East St

Jambin Transfer Station Jambin Goovigen Rd

Jambin Rest Area Burnett Hwy

Wowan RSL Hall Don St

Recreation Reserve Dee River Road

Transfer Station Wowan Bore Road

Workshop/Depot Dee River Road

Taroom Showgrounds Cranmer St

Swimming Pool Yaldwyn St

Council Administration Building Yaldwyn St

Library Yaldwyn St

Workshop/Depot Wolsey St

Aerodrome Leichhardt Hwy



Residence Various

Glebe Weir Recreation Reserve Glebe Weir Rd

Public Amenities Kinnoul St

Saleyards Taroom Roma Rd

Washdown Facility Taroom Roma Rd

Transfer & Recycling Facilities North St/Cromwell St

Memorial Park Yaldwyn St

Lions Park Lions Park Lane

Information Centre Yaldwyn St

RSL Hall Yaldwyn St

State Emergency Services Shed Wolsey St

Tennis Club McCorley St

Town Hall Yaldwyn St

Cemetery Cromwell St

Sewerage Treatment Plant Cromwell St

Thangool Thangool Aerodrome Aerodrome Rd

School of Arts Stanley St

Thangool Water Supply Burnett Hwy

Memorial Park Ramsay Street

Transfer Station Burnett Hwy

Water Pump Station Burnett Hwy

Water Reservoir Blanchs Rd

Water Bores Various

Goovigen Emily Stone Park Stones Crescent

Recreation Reserve Stones Crescent

Water Bore

Cemetery Lake Pleasant Rd

Rannes Works Camp Rannes


3.7 Corporate Strategies and Objectives

The Corporate Strategies and corresponding Corporate Objectives are presented in Table 4, as extracted from the BSC Banana Shire Council Annual Report 2008/2009. Key Strategic Issues are the major opportunities and challenges the community believes need to be addressed in the Banana Shire.

Table 4 Corporate Strategies, Objectives and Servic es Promoted in Annual Report

Key Strategic Issue Corporate Objective Services pr esented for objectives in Annual Report

Enhancing our lifestyle and sense of community

1. To plan for and offer a diverse range of lifestyle choices and to facilitate the ongoing development of a caring and supportive community through the provision of facilities and services aimed at enhancing the quality of life throughout the Shire.

� Environmental Services

� Library Services

� Community Resource Centre

� Cultural Services

� Community Development and Partnerships

Supporting our economic development

2. To stimulate economic growth, and encourage and support investment and employment prospects in the Shire while maintaining the lifestyle requirements and integrity of our community. Supporting the diversification of our economic base.

� Tourism Development

� Economic Development

Protecting our unique environmental features and strengthening our ecological sustainability.

3. To respect and protect the quality of our environment in partnership with the community including our environmental, social and economic interests.

� Waste Management

Sustainable planning for our community’s future.

4. To foster a growing, healthy, vibrant and sustainable community through sound planning processes and development management, which evidence a high regard for sensitivity to our environment and that reflect our community’s aspirations.

� Development Services

Planning and delivering our infrastructure services

5. To effectively plan, deliver and maintain the infrastructure networks which service our community’s present and future needs and to promote a safe efficient infrastructure network.

� Engineering Services

Excellence in our leadership and organisational management.

6. To pursue excellence as an organisation through transparent

� Governance and Administration


Key Strategic Issue Corporate Objective Services pr esented for objectives in Annual Report

and accountable Local Government that provides professional, strategic and operational management and leadership.

� Human Resources Management

3.8 Environmental Commitment

3.8.1 Environmental Policy

BSC is committed to effective environmental management to achieve Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) as demonstrated by the BSC Banana Shire Council Environmental Policy, which applies to the operation of all of Council’s activities as a Local Government. The objective of the policy is:

To ensure that Council’s activities are conducted in a manner that protects the environment in accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Within the BSC’s Banana Shire Council’s Environmental Policy it is stated:

It is the policy of the Banana Shire Council to achieve a high standard of environmental care in all of its activities as a Local Government.

It is Council’s objective to assist with protection of the environment in accordance with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Specifically, the Banana Shire Council shall:

1. Carry out an assessment of all environmentally relevant activities operated by Council and their actual and possible impacts on the environment.

2. Develop and maintain a system of operating, monitoring and reporting on all environmentally relevant activities to ensure all statutory requirements are met using best practise environmental management.

3. Provide necessary resourcing to ensure best practice environmental management is achieved.

4. Actively provide access for the community to remain informed and comment on Council’s Integrated Environmental Management System.

5. Ensure that all employees, contractors and suppliers are aware of this policy.

6. Continue to make improvements in environmental management by reviewing, reporting and updating the integrated environmental management system and procedures to include the activities of nonenvironmentally relevant activities such as roadworks.

7. Strive to be a community leader in environmental management.

The environmental policy is available on the Council’s website (http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/docs/2009Policies/ECS/Environmental%20Policy.pdf).

Note that the current BSC Environmental Policy includes words that infer that BSC has an environmental management system (EMS) in place but this is incorrect.Currently the Banana Shire Council does not


have an Environmental Management System (EMS) and the Environmental Management Plan is a step towards has a document titled “Integrated Environmental Management System” but this is not an EMS in accordance with the meaning of the standardised term presented in AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 (see Section 3.8.4 and Section 5.2 for further details). What BSC call the “Integrated Environmental Management System” is a collection of their Site Based Management Plans (SBMPs) (see Section 14 for further details). It is therefore recommended that BSC update and review their Environmental Policy in accordance with the requirements set out in the EMS Standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 as follows: developing and EMS.

Top management shall define the organization's environmental policy and ensure that, within the defined scope of its environmental management system, it

a) is appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental impacts of its activities, products and services,

b) includes a commitment to continual improvement and prevention of pollution,

c) includes a commitment to comply with applicable legal requirements and with other requirements to which the organization subscribes which relate to its environmental aspects,

d) provides the framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets,

e) is documented, implemented and maintained,

f) is communicated to all persons working for or on behalf of the organization, and

g) is available to the public.

3.8.2 Environment Related Policies

Links to a range of policies, including those related to the environment, are provided on the BSC Banana Shire Council website http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/index.php/75. These include policies listed under the various Council Service Departments such as the Department of Environment and Community Services and the Department of Engineering Services.

Banana Shire CouncilBSC policies that are thought to be relevant to environmental matters, in addition to the Environmental Policy, relate to the areas of:

� Customer Services

� Tourism Promotions and Cultural Services

� Promotion and Cultural Services

� Environmental Services, Regulatory Services and Obligations

� Waste Management

� Land Protection

� Land Management

� Development Services

� Asset Management

� Water and Sewerage

� Works

� Technical Services

Policies within these areas which might directly or indirectly impact on environmental issues include:

� Complaints Management Policy

� Biloela Showgrounds - Camping-Caravans

� Deceased Dogs-Dogs Removed from Shire

� Desexing of Impounded Animals Prior to Sale

� Housing of Crisis or Welfare Animals in Council's Pound


� Rebate for Desexed Dogs and Cats

� Additional Garbage left out for Collection

� Clean Up Australia Day

� Garbage Collection - Residents On-Route to Townships

� Overloaded Wheelie Bins

� Service Club Parks

� Servicing on Private Land

� Shire Shows - Collection of Refuse

� Wheelie Bins - Lost-Stolen

� Land Protection

� Leasing of Reserve - R.9 Roundstone

� Public Liability Insurance

� Stock Route Agistment and Travel Permits

� Land Management

� Trustee Leases

� Stormwater Drainage - Residential Construction

� Water and Sewerage

� Analytical Testing

� Biloela Swimming Complex - Graffiti Art

� Composting Toilets

� Drinking Water Subsidy

� Trade Waste

� Community Signs

� Directional Signage on Shire Roads

� Gates and Grids - Specifications and Conditions

� Naming of Council Assets

� Progressive Upgrading of Village Streets

� Street Lighting

� Treatment of Town Entries

� Tree Removal-Lopping

� Village Zone Pavement Improvement Program

� Shire Aerodrome Car Parks - Reserve Parking Policy

� Engineering Standards for Development - Capricorn Municipal Guidelines

In essence, environmental aspects of a development or activity should be assessed for all phases of a development during the planning stages to ensure that these aspects are not inadvertently overlooked. This environmental assessment shall be undertaken by an experienced and qualified environmental professional, and this information is to be included into the decision making process, prior to development or the activity commencing. Environmental assessments shall be a valued proactive contribution to development or activity planning.

3.8.3 Environmental Management Plan

Council is taking this step of preparing the EMP because they are committed to protecting the environmental values of their region and to ensure that the same opportunities provided to them are available for future generations.

3.8.4 Environmental Management System

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a structured management system that can provide assurance that its performance meets, and will continue to meet, its environmental legal and policy requirements by controlling the adverse impacts of their activities, products and services on the environment. The international standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 specifies what components are


required for the EMS and information about significant environmental aspects. The standard is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology which can be described as follows:

� Plan: establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the organization's environmental policy.

� Do: implement the processes.

� Check: monitor and measure processes against environmental policy, objectives, targets, legal and other requirements, and report the results.

� Act: take actions to continually improve performance of the environmental management system.

Banana Shire CouncilSC currently does not have an EMS in place and intend on developing this environmental management tool in the future (see Goal CA1). The EMS will need to be certified as meeting the requirements of the AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 standard. This EMP is the first step in the process to creating a functional EMS that will be developed toward certification in the future.


4. Statutory Requirements and Reference Documents

4.1 Introduction

This EMP attempts to report on the legislation, guidelines and standards relevant to the environmental aspects of business in the region to which the Banana Shire Council is responsible. Because this is a massive task and legislation is continually updated, this EMP does not purport to be an accurate description of all legislative requirements at any given time. It is recommended that this section be regularly reviewed and updated as legislative changes are known to occur as well as on a periodic basis (e.g. annually).

Whilst this section can be used as a guide, persons undertaking works should check against the current version of primary and subordinate legislation to protect themselves and their business against making decisions against outdated or changed legislation. To do this, there are a number of websites where legislation can be accessed for all levels of government, including:

Local: http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/index.php/43

State: http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Acts_SLs/Acts_SL.htm

Commonwealth: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/law/envlaw.htm#legislation and http://www.environment.gov.au/about/legislation.html

Compliance with all levels of legislation is required although typically, the different levels of environmental legislation deal with different aspects of environmental issues. At the local level, Banana Shire Council also has a number of Local Laws which include environmental aspects. As presented in Section 4.2, these local laws have been found to relate to Control of Pests, Parks and Reserves and Control of Nuisances. Queensland legislation, as provided in Section 4.3, is the major body of legislation that affects the way in which we do business is done in in Queensland. Commonwealth legislation deals with matters deemed to be of national environmental significance. At the Commonwealth level, Australia is a signatory to a number of international treaties meaning compliancethat we must comply with the conditions set out in these treaties. A brief overview of the major pieces of legislation and treaties affecting the day to day business of persons and business within the Banana Shire Council areis presented in the following sub-sections.

4.2 Local Laws

The range of Local Laws and Subordinate Laws relating to environmental aspects of business are limited to those aspects of environment that are considered local and are not necessarily protected or relevant under State or Commonwealth Law.

Local Government Laws and Codes are available from the Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning website http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/local-government/index.php. As these are provided and administered by a State Department and relate to environmental planning, these are further discussed in Section 4.3.3.

4.2.1 Banana Shire Council (Control of Pests) Local Law No. 11 (also Subordinate Local Law).

The object of this law is to “protect the environment against animal and plant pests for which adequate protection does not exist under other laws”. Declared pests under this local law include:


� Mother of Millions (Bryophyllum tubiflorum and all other forms of Bryophyllum)

� Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypifolia)

4.2.2 Banana Shire Council Local Law Policy No. 13 (Parks and Reserves) (also Subordinate Local Law).

The objects of this local law are to:

(a) provide for the establishment of parks and reserves on land within the Area under the Local Government’s control; and

(b) provide for appropriate public access to parks and reserves for active and passive recreation; and

(c) protect the health and safety of persons using parks and reserves; and

(d) preserve features of the natural and built environment and other aspects of the amenity of parks and reserves; and

(e) regulate activities in parks and reserves and ensure appropriate standards of conduct; and

(f) regulate activities on town reserves.

Note the exclusion provided in section 5 of this local law:

To the extent that the provisions of this local law conflict with the terms of any lease by the Local Government, the provisions of this local law do not apply.

4.2.3 Banana Shire Council (Control of Nuisances) L ocal Law No. 14 (also Subordinate Local Law).

The objects of this local law are to protect the environment and public health, safety and convenience, by eliminating or reducing nuisances resulting from -

(a) excessive noise; and

(b) smoke, other atmospheric pollutants, and wind-borne materials; and

(c) light spillage; and

(d) vegetation overgrowth; and

(e) visual pollution resulting from unsightly accumulations of objects and materials.

The application of this local law is provided in section 4 which indicates that powers must be consistent with policies, programs and orders for environmental protection and management made under the Environmental Protection Act 1994. It also does not apply to authorised conditions contained in an environmental authority or development approval and does not deviate from State Planning legislation such as the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, the Local Government (Planning & Environment) Act 1990 (as the case requires), or the Council’s Planning Scheme.

4.2.4 Banana Shire Council Planning Scheme

The current Banana Shire CouncilBSC Planning Scheme is called “Tomorrow’s Banana Shire” and is located on the website http://www.banana.qld.gov.au/index.php/9. Adoption of the new Planning Scheme was gazetted on Friday, 7 October 2005 replacing the 1997 Planning Scheme.


The Planning Scheme takes into account the following State Planning Policies:

� State Planning Policy 1/92 – Development and Conservation of Agricultural Land

� State Planning Policy 1/02 – Development in the Vicinity of Certain Airports and Aviation Facilities

� State Planning Policy 1/03 – Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Bushfire and Landslide, but not flooding

The Planning Scheme acknowledges the continued operation and effect of:

� The Integrated Development Assessment System triggers for Department of Transport and Main Roads matters

� Those elements of SPP 1/03 relevant to flooding

As the Planning Scheme “Tomorrow’s Banana Shire” was developed and adopted prior to the Local Government Amalgamations which took place in 2008, this document does not cover the area of the Taroom Shire which is now falls under the responsibility of Banana Shire CouncilSC. To overcome this shortcoming, the Taroom Planning Scheme is also available on the Banana Shire Council website. This website should be consulted for all Banana Shire Council planning requirements. Any person seeking further information about the Planning Scheme is welcome to contact Council's Development Services Section on telephone (07) 4992 9500.

Note that local Planning schemes developed under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 remain valid under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, however, they must be updated to reflect the new Queensland Planning Provisions when the scheduled review become due. http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/local-area-planning/local-government-planning-schemes.html

The scheduled review data was not apparent within the Banana or Taroom Town Planning schemes.

4.3 Queensland Legislation

Summaries for a range of Queensland legislations related to environmental management and other factors that have a cross over component into environmental management are provided in this sub-section. This does not purport to be a complete list of legislation related to environmental factors within the Banana Shire area. As more pieces of legislation become apparent or relevant, these should be added to the EMP list. The order of presentation is alphabetical for the topic that they pertain to and is not to be inferred as some kind of ranking system.

The Local Government Act 2009 has not been included into this section although it is referred to in Section 3 as it relates to the roles and function of Council and Elected Council members.

4.3.1 Aboriginal and Cultural Heritage

The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) administers the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003. The Act binds all persons including the State, to provide effective recognition, protection and conservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage. The Act is to provide effective recognition, protection and conservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Aboriginal cultural heritage is defined under Section 8 of the Act as anything that is:


1. A significant Aboriginal area in Queensland; or

2. A significant Aboriginal object; or

3. Evidence of archeological or historic significance, of Aboriginal occupation of an area in Queensland.

Section 14 of the Act denotes that as far as practicable, Aboriginal cultural heritage should be owned and protected by Aboriginal people with traditional or familiar links to the cultural heritage if it is comprised of any of the following:

1. Aboriginal human remains;

2. Secret or sacred objects; or

3. Aboriginal cultural heritage lawfully taken away from an area.

Sections 87, 88 and 89 of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act require the development of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan if:

1. An EIS is required

2. An environment authority is required under a different Act, or

3. Under the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA), now replaced by the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA), a development application is made for the project or the chief executive is a concurrence agency

The requirements of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan and the assessment process are outlined in Part 7 of the Act.

4.3.2 Dangerous Goods

Dangerous Goods Safety Management Act 2001

The objective of the Dangerous Goods Safety Management Act 2001 is to protect the safety of persons and prevent harm to property and the environment, from hazardous materials. The DGSM Act and Regulations requires Local Council to monitor safety standards in relation to the storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids through licensing such premises. Due to their potential to cause, or exacerbate a fire, they are considered to present such a large risk that special provision for their storage and handling are needed.

4.3.3 Environmental Planning

There are a number of pieces of legislation and tools at the State level that are associated with environmental planning including:

� State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971

� Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009

� Local Government (Planning & Environment) Act 1990

� State planning policies (available from the website http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/policies/state-planning-policies.html)

These are summarised in the following sub-sections.


State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971

The purpose of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (SDPWO) is to provide for State planning and development through a coordinated system of public works, for environmental coordination, and for related purposes. The Act is administered by the Minister and, subject to the Minister, by the Coordinator-General (CG). Section 9 of the Act indicates that “For the purposes of this Act the Coordinator-General represents the Crown and has and may exercise all the powers, privileges, rights and remedies of the Crown”.

The CG may declare a project to be a significant project for which an EIS is or is not required in accordance with section 26 of the Act. The EIS process (Figure 2) in terms of the SDWPO Act replaces the Information and Referral Stage as well as the Notification Stage of the IDAS process for applications, which are defined as a Material Change of Use. At the completion of the EIS process, the CG’s Evaluation Report will be taken as being a Concurrence Agency response under SPA and will be provided to the Assessment Manager to consider when issuing a Decision Notice.

The process for undertaking an EIS under the SDPWO Act is as follows:

� The environmental impact assessment process for a significant project is commenced by the CG advising the developer that an EIS is required for the project.

� The CG then prepares and publicly notifies a draft terms of reference for the EIS. During the notification period, comments are invited from the public.

� To assist in the preparation of the EIS, the CG may also refer the details of the project, the initial advice statement from the developer and the terms of reference to any entity.

� The EIS prepared by the developer must address the terms of reference to the satisfaction of the CG.

� If the CG is satisfied with the EIS, the developer must publicly notify the EIS for a period (the submission period) set by the CG, during which a submission may be made by the public.

� The CG must accept a properly made submission during the submission period.

� The CG must, after the close of the submission period, consider the EIS, all properly made submissions and any other material the CG considers relevant.

� The CG must then prepare a report evaluating the EIS and forward a copy of that report to the developer and the Assessment Manager. The report may recommend refusal, approval or approval with conditions of the project.


Figure 2 The EIS Process for a Significant Project

Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and Sustainable Plann ing Regulation 2009

The Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA) and the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 came into effect on 18 December 2009, replacing the Integrated Planning Act and Regulation 1997. Changes aim to assist “in delivering a contemporary planning, development and building system that can provide sustainable development outcomes for all Queenslanders” (http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/about-planning/planning-reform.html). Specifically, the Sustainable Planning Act:

� Shifts the focus from planning process to delivering sustainable outcomes

� Reduces complexity through standardisation

� Adopts a risk management approach to development assessment

� Introduces a broader range of opportunities for people to reach agreement and resolve disputes

� Provides improved opportunities for the community to understand and participate in the planning system

One of the big innovations in SPA is that it allows for the Minister to make standard planning scheme provisions. These provisions, called the Queensland Planning Provisions (QPP), are now finalised and are available from the website http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/qpp. The purpose of the QPP is to:

� Provide a clear and consistent framework for planning schemes in Queensland

� Assist the implementation of state, regional and local policies affecting land use and development

� Assist in the integration of state, regional, local and community expectations for planning scheme areas


An extract from the QPP explains its use for local government:

The QPP contains mandatory components and optional components. Mandatory text in Module A must be included in the planning scheme as stated. These components ensure standardisation is provided across all local governments. Some elements are optional to include however they must be drawn from a standard suite provided in Module B. For example, “development constraint category” overlays are not mandatory, however if used, they must be selected from the standard suite of overlays within Module B. Optional components may be included in planning schemes where allowed for by Module A. This allows local governments to choose the level of detail most appropriate for their planning scheme. http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/policy/state-planning/qpp-1.pdf

Essentially, the QPP document is a template for local governments to prepare their own planning scheme.

Regional Planning

Regional planning assists Queensland to meet challenges associated with growth in population, economic development and protecting environmental and infrastructure provisions across multiple local government areas. Regional plans operate in conjunction with other statutory planning tools, including state planning policies, local government planning schemes, state planning regulatory provisions and development assessment processes. Regional planning is discussed on the website http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/regional-planning/index.php.

Regional plans are developed under SPA and can be either statutory or non-statutory. Whilst the statutory regional plans usually take precedence over most planning instruments, state planning regulatory provisions can override the regional plan if required. On the other hand, non-statutory regional plans provide strategic advice and direction but do not prevail over other planning instruments. Some of the non-statutory plans will be reviewed by the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (DIP) to bring them into the statutory framework.

The Central Queensland Regional Plan, titled “Central Queensland Regional Growth Management Framework”, is a non-statutory plan (http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/regional-growth/cqrgfm.pdf). It is a “…long-term, broad-based, integrated regional planning strategy to guide the management, growth and development of the Central Queensland region over the next twenty years…” and it contains:

� A regional overview

� Guiding principles

� Outcomes, strategies and actions

� Regional maps

The Central Queensland Regional Growth Management Framework contains valuable information related to town planning applications.

Local Area Planning

The DIP provide links to a range of local planning tools for urban planning on the website http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/local-area-planning/index.php, and indicate that there “are many environmental, social and economical benefits from urban planning in Queensland. Whilst most of these tools focus on large cities such as in Brisbane, some might be of interest to the Banana Shire such as:


� RiskSmart – Low-risk development applications can be quickly assessed against planning scheme provisions under the RiskSmart process.

� Strong Communities – the Strong Communities project explores and articulate ways in which planning can contribute towards building social capital in communities. A handbook was developed covering community engagement, planning for cultural diversity, political engagement in planning, enhancing access and mobility, urban design, housing and indicators for use in identifying and measuring community strengths.

4.3.4 Environmental Protection

In Queensland, the overarching environmental legislation is the Environmental Protection Act 1994 which has a number of subordinate legislation items under it including:

� Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

� Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008

� Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2008

� Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000

� Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation 2000

� Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009

Summarised versions of these pieces of legislation are provided within this section.

Environmental Protection Act 1994

The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) is administered by the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). The object of the EP Act is to protect Queensland’s environment while allowing for development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends (ecologically sustainable development).

The EP Act imposes a general environmental duty (section 319) on any person engaged in an activity that has the potential to cause environmental harm. The duty requires a person to take all reasonable care and practicable measures to prevent or minimise environmental harm.

The EP Act also imposes a duty to notify (section 320) upon any person who becomes aware that their activities, or the activities of somebody working with them (including sub-contractors), has caused or threatens to cause environmental harm that is not trivial. The duty to notify requires the individual to inform the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) of the incident or matter. Failure to notify is an offence.

Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

The Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 (EPR) is subordinate legislation to the EP Act that provides the regulatory provisions required. Specifically, the EPR covers regulations for Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), environmentally relevant activities (ERAs), regulatory requirements for environmental management decisions, matters relating to environmental offences (regulated waste, contaminated land, noise, water contamination, air contamination, fuel suppliers), National Pollutant Inventory, administration of the Act including matters devolved to local government, fees payable under Act, and repeals. It came into effect on 1 January 2009, replacing the Environmental Protection Regulation 1998.


In section 98 to 101 of the EPR, a number of items are provided as “Matters devolved to local government” including:

� Environmental nuisance (sections 440 and 443 of the EP Act relating to nuisance)

� Noise standards (section 440Q and chapter 8, part 3B, division 3)

� Water contamination (chapter 8, part 3C)

� Some chapter 4 activities (poultry farming, asphalt manufacturing, plastic product manufacturing, abrasive blasting, boilermaking or engineering, metal forming, motor vehicle workshop operation, printing and concrete batching)

� Some chapter 4 activities with stated thresholds

– chemical storage 10 m3 to 500 m3 C1 or C2 combustible liquids

– metal recovery – recovering < 100 t metal/day or recovering without using a fragmentiser 100 t or more metal/day or 10,000 t or more metal/year

– surface coating - (A) anodising, electroplating, enamelling or galvanising using 1t to 100t of surface coating materials in a year; or (B) coating, painting or powder coating using 1t to 100t of surface coating materials in a year

– wooden and laminated product manufacturing, for manufacturing 100t or more of wooden products in a year

– waste incineration and thermal treatment, for incinerating waste vegetation, clean paper or cardboard

– boat maintenance or repair, but only to the extent the activity is, or is to be, carried out at a boat maintenance or repair facility

Section 102 states that devolution includes statutory instruments, such as Environmental Protection Orders and Penalty Infringement Notices, under the Act.

Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008

The purpose of the Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008 (Air EPP) is to achieve the object of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 in relation to the air environment. The policy seeks to achieve this through the identification of environmental values to be protected or enhanced, specify air quality objectives and provide a framework for decision-making.

Specifically, the following parts of the Noise EPP are key reference points which should be addressed for projects:

� Part 3 – Environmental values and air quality objectives

� Part 4 – Avoiding, recycling, minimising or managing air emissions

� Schedule 1 – Air quality objectives for indicators

Schedule 1 of this Policy sets out air quality indicators and goals covering many air quality parameters with concentrations and set averages.


Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 2008

The purpose of the Environmental Projection (Noise) Policy 2008 (Noise EPP) is to achieve the object of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) in relation to the acoustic environment.

Specifically, the following parts of the Noise EPP are key reference points which should be addressed for projects:

� Part 3 – Environmental values and acoustic quality objectives

� Part 4 – Avoiding, minimising or managing noise

� Schedule 1 – Acoustic quality objectives for sensitive receptors

Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000 and Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation 2000

The Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Policy 2000 (Waste EPP) provides a strategic framework for managing waste in Queensland. TThe objectives of the Waste EPP are achieved through establishing a preferred waste management hierarchy and principles for achieving good waste management, to be applied by both industry and government. The waste management hierarchy provides a framework for prioritising waste management practices to achieve the best environmental outcome. The hierarchy, from the most preferred to the least preferred method, is: waste avoidance; waste reuse; waste recycling; energy recovery from waste; and waste disposal.

The principles for achieving waste management objectives include:

� The polluter pays principle - all costs associated with waste management should be borne by the waste generator, including the costs of minimising the amount of waste generated, containing, treating and disposing of waste, and rectifying environmental harm.

� The user pays principle - all costs associated with the use of a resource should be included in the price of goods and services (including government services) developed from the resource.

� The product stewardship principle - the producer or importer of a product should take all reasonable steps to minimise environmental harm from the production, use and disposal of the product.

The contents of a Waste Management Program are outlined in Sections 18-21 of the Waste EPP. BSC and other businesses might be required to implement a Waste Management Program as a condition of an ERA licence where wastes are likely to be generated and/or stored. Strategic waste management planning encourages sustainable waste management practices.

The Waste Management Regulation 2000 creates offences for littering and waste dumping, as well as providing a waste-tracking system through which specified wastes can be tracked, with data recorded on the generation, transportation, and treatment of these waste throughout Queensland and interstate.

Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009

The Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 (Water EPP) aims to fulfil the object of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 by identifying environmental values for Queensland waters, providing water quality guidelines and objectives, efficiently and equitably using water recourses, promoting best practice environmental management, and promoting community responsibility and involvement.


Unless prior approval is obtain, as outlined in Sections 31(3) or 32(2), the Water EPP prohibits the release of the following items into a roadside gutter, stormwater drain or a water; or in a place where it could reasonably be expected to move or be washed into a roadside gutter, stormwater drain or a water, and result in a build-up of sand, soil, silt or mud in the gutter, drain or water:

� Rubbish

� Scrap metal, motor vehicle parts, motor vehicle bodies or tyres

� Building waste

� Sawdust

� Solid or liquid waste from an on-site domestic waste water treatment system

� Cement or concrete

� A degreasing agent, paint, varnish or paint thinner

� Any manufactured product, or any by-product or waste from a manufacturing process, that has a pH < 6 or >9

� An insecticide, herbicide, fungicide or other biocide

� Oil

�Stormwater run off

� Sand, soil, silt or mud

4.3.5 Heritage

The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 is administered by the Queensland Heritage Council. The object of the Act is “to provide for the conservation of Queensland’s cultural heritage for the benefit of the community and future generations”. This is to be achieved by:

(a) Establishing the Queensland Heritage Council; and

(b) Keeping the Queensland heritage register; and

(c) Keeping local heritage registers; and

(d) Regulating, in conjunction with other legislation, development affecting the cultural heritage significance of registered places; and

(e) Providing for heritage agreements to encourage appropriate management of registered places; and

(f) Providing for appropriate enforcement powers to help protect Queensland’s cultural heritage.

The Act does not apply to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander places, as these are covered by the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003.


4.3.6 Nature Conservation

The DERM administers the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA). Under Section 73 (a) of the NCA, the DERM is required to conserve wildlife and its values to:

� Ensure the survival and natural development of the wildlife in the wild

� Conserve the biological diversity of the wildlife to the greatest possible extent

� Identify reduce or remove, the effects of threatening processes relating to the wildlife

� Identify the wildlife’s critical habitat and conserve it to the greatest possible extent

4.3.7 Vegetation Management

The Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VMA), in conjunction with the SPA, regulates the clearing of native vegetation excluding grasses and mangroves. The VMA is administered by DERM (previously the Department of Natural Resources and Water). UUnder the SPA, operational works are defined as, in part, clearing vegetation, including vegetation to which the VMA applies. Schedule 2 Table 2 of the SPA Regulation requires that operational work that is the clearing of native vegetation be assessed against the provisions of the VMA.

4.3.8 Water

Water Act 2000

DERM administers the Water Act 2000 (Water Act). The Water Act provides a regime for the licensing, regulation and management of water resources in Queensland. The Water Act requires requisite licences (and/or development approvals under the SPA) be obtained for the purposes of all or some of the following:

� Artesian bores

� Water pipelines

� Pumping stations

� Ground level storage sites

� Treatment plants

All work that may interfere with or impact on watercourses, particularly within the bed and banks, must comply with the requirements of the Water Act and, as necessary or desirable, will also be discussed with DERM.

Under Section 266 of the Water Act 2000, any activity involving excavation or the destruction of vegetation in a watercourse requires a permit. The DERM considers the type and location of the vegetation, the effect of the activity on the watercourse and the reason for the proposal, among other things.


A watercourse is defined in Schedule 4 of the Water Act 2000 as:

1 “…a river, creek or stream in which water flows permanently or intermittently—

(a) in a natural channel, whether artificially improved or not; or

(b) in an artificial channel that has changed the course of the watercourse;

but, in any case, only—

(c) unless a regulation under paragraph (d), (e) or (f) declares otherwise—at every place upstream of the point (point A) to which the high spring tide ordinarily flows and reflows, whether due to a natural cause or to an artificial barrier; or

(d) if a regulation has declared an upstream limit for the watercourse—the part of the river, creek or stream between the upstream limit and point A; or

(e) if a regulation has declared a downstream limit for the watercourse—the part of the river, creek or stream upstream of the limit; or

(f) if a regulation has declared an upstream and a downstream limit for the watercourse—the part of the river, creek or stream between the upstream and the downstream limits.”

2 Watercourse includes the bed and banks and any other element of a river, creek or stream confining or containing water

Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008

The Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 (WSA) is administered by the DERM. Its purpose is to provide for the safety and reliability of water supply which is achieved primarily by providing for:

� A regulatory framework for providing water and sewerage services in the State, including functions and powers of service providers

� A regulatory framework for providing recycled water and drinking water quality, primarily for protecting public health

� The regulation of referable dams

� Flood mitigation responsibilities

� The protection of interests for customers and service providers

For additional information relating to water industry regulation forms in Queensland, please refer to the website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/water/regulation/forms.html.

4.4 Commonwealth Legislation

4.4.1 Environmental Protection

Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservat ion Act 1999

The major overarching piece of environmental legislation at the Commonwealth level is the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). This Act provides the “…legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places defined in the Act as matters of national environmental significance”.


4.4.2 Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Legislat ion

Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006 and Energy Efficiency Opportunities Regulation 2006

Section 3 of the Act states:

(1) The object of this Act is to improve the identification and evaluation of energy efficiency opportunities by large energy using businesses and, as a result, to encourage implementation of cost effective energy efficiency opportunities.

(2) In order to achieve its object, this Act requires large energy using businesses:

(a) to undertake an assessment of their energy efficiency opportunities to a minimum standard in order to improve the way in which those opportunities are identified and evaluated; and

(b) to report publicly on the outcomes of that assessment in order to demonstrate to the community that those businesses are effectively managing their energy.

The obligation for a corporation to apply to register is provided in section 9 of the Act as:

(1) If the following are satisfied in relation to a financial year (the trigger year):

(a) a controlling corporation’s group meets the energy use threshold for that year under section 10;

(b) the controlling corporation is not registered under Part 4 on 30 June of that year; the controlling corporation must, in accordance with this section, apply in the next financial year to be registered under Part 4.

The energy use threshold is presented in section 10 as:

(1) A controlling corporation’s group meets the energy use threshold for a financial year if in that year the total energy used by the entities that are members of the group is more than 0.5 petajoules.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), the energy used by an entity has the meaning given by the regulations.

(4) Without limiting subsection (3), regulations made for the purposes of that subsection may determine that meaning:

(a) by reference to particular kinds and uses of energy; and

(b) in relation to particular periods during which an entity is a member of a controlling corporation’s group during a financial year.

(5) Without limiting subsection (3), regulations made for the purposes of that subsection may determine that meaning:

(a) in relation to activities of a member of a controlling corporation’s group as the trustee of a trust; and

(b) in relation to activities under a franchise of which a member of a controlling corporation’s group is a franchisor.

Unless the BSC uses more than 0.5 petajoules of energy per financial year, this legislation does not apply. There are reporting requirements that need to be considered if BSC exceed the threshold provided.


National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Regulation 2008

Section 3 of this Act states:

The object of this Act is to introduce a single national reporting framework for the reporting and dissemination of information related to greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas projects, energy consumption and energy production of corporations to:

(a) underpin the introduction of an emissions trading scheme in the future

(b) inform government policy formulation and the Australian public

(c) meet Australia’s international reporting obligations

(d) assist Commonwealth, State and Territory government programs and activities

(e) avoid the duplication of similar reporting requirements in the States and Territories

Greenhouse gas is defined in the Act as:

(a) carbon dioxide; or

(b) methane; or

(c) nitrous oxide; or

(d) sulphur hexafluoride; or

(e) a hydrofluorocarbon of a kind specified in the regulations; or

(f) a perfluorocarbon of a kind specified in the regulations.

The following terms have the meaning specified by the regulations:

(a) emissions of greenhouse gas;

(b) reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;

(c) removal of greenhouse gas;

(d) offsets of greenhouse gas emissions;

(e) production of energy;

(f) consumption of energy;

Thresholds for the Act are provided in section 13 which states that:

(1) A controlling corporation’s group meets a threshold for a financial year if in that year:

(a) the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted from the operation of facilities under the operational control of entities that are members of the group has a carbon dioxide equivalence of:

(i) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2008—125 kilotonnes or more; or

(ii) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2009—87.5 kilotonnes or more; or

(iii) if the year is a later financial year—50 kilotonnes or more; or

(b) the total amount of energy produced from the operation of facilities under the operational control of entities that are members of the group is:


(i) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2008—500 terajoules or more; or

(ii) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2009—350 terajoules or more; or

(iii) if the year is a later financial year—200 terajoules or more; or

(c) the total amount of energy consumed from the operation of facilities under the operational control of entities that are members of the group is:

(i) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2008—500 terajoules or more; or

(ii) if the financial year starts on 1 July 2009—350 terajoules or more; or

(iii) if the year is a later financial year—200 terajoules or more; or

(d) an entity that is a member of the group has operational control of a facility the operation of which during the year causes:

(i) emission of greenhouse gases that have a carbon dioxide equivalence of 25 kilotonnes or more; or

(ii) production of energy of 100 terajoules or more; or

(iii) consumption of energy of 100 terajoules or more.

Section 14 states that “A controlling corporation that is not a registered corporation may apply to be registered … if the corporation, or one or more members of the corporation’s group, are undertaking or proposing to undertake a greenhouse gas project”.

There are reporting requirements that need to be considered if BSC exceed the thresholds provided in Section 13 of the Act.

4.4.3 Ozone Protection

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and Regulations assists Australia in meeting the legal obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Act addresses the minimisation of emissions of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) and synthetic greenhouse gases (SGGs) to enable Australia to achieve a greater reduction in ODS use than the Montreal Protocol requires. The Regulations apply to end users of ODSs and SGGs such as businesses and technicians in the refrigeration, air conditioning and fire protection sectors.

4.4.4 Native Title

The Native Title Act 1993 (NT Act) recognises the rights and interests over land and water of Australian Indigenous people in accordance with traditional laws and customs.

The objectives of the NT Act are:

� to provide for the recognition and protection of native title

� to establish ways in which future dealings affecting native title may proceed, and to set standards for these dealings

� to establish a mechanism for determining claims to native title


� to provide for, or permit, the validation of past acts and intermediate acts, invalidated because of the existence of native title

A “Native Title Tribunal” has been established in accordance with the provisions of the NT Act. The tribunal prescribes processes for the determination of native title rights and interests over land and water.

4.5 Advisory Guidelines and Policies

Guidelines for a range of environmental elements have been developed by regulatory agencies and Departments. An outline of these guidelines is provided in Table 5. Guidelines are provided as a ‘guide’ but have no statutory authority unless they are provided with such by reference to them within legislation. It is important that relevant legislation be consulted for the particular element to identify whether the guideline in question has statutory authority. As this is a working document, this section requires regular review and update as part of the continual improvement process.

Table 5 Guidelines Used for a Range of Environmenta l Applications

Environmental Element

Queensland Commonwealth

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 Section 28 – Duty of Care Guidelines Gazettal Date: 16 April 2004 (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/cultural_heritage/pdf/duty_of_care_guidelines.pdf)

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 Section 85 – Cultural Heritage Management Plan Guidelines gazetted 22 April 2005 (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/cultural_heritage/pdf/chmpguidlines.pdf)

Air Quality DERM uses Air NEPM standards and the EPP(Air) goal (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/air/air_quality_monitoring/air_quality_index/)

Ambient Air Quality NEPM 2003 http://www.ephc.gov.au/taxonomy/term/23

Biodiversity BioCondition: A Terrestrial Vegetation Condition Assessment Tool for Biodiversity in Queensland, Field Assessment Manual, version 1.6 (Eyre et al., 2008)

Dangerous Goods – transport and storage

Safe Storage and Handling of Dangerous Goods: Guidelines for Industry (Queensland Government, September 2009)

Australian Dangerous Goods Code (7th Edition) – National Transport Commission

Noise QLD EPA Noise Measurement Manual (DERM, 2000)

Soil – contaminated land

Draft Guidelines for the Assessment and Management of Contaminated Land in Queensland (DoE, 1998)

National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999


Environmental Element

Queensland Commonwealth

Soil – erosion and sediment control

Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control (IECA, 2008)

Water Quality Queensland Water Quality Guidelines, Version 3, 2009

Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC and ARMCANZ, 2000)

Guidelines for Protecting Australian Waterways (Bennett et al., undated)

Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Water (NHMRC, 2008)

Water Quality - Sampling

Monitoring and Sampling Manual (DERM, 2009)

Australian Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting Summary (ANZECC and ARMCANZ, 2000)

Water - Recycling

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/water/regulation/recycling/guidelines.html

Recycled Water Management Plan and Validation Guidelines (NRW, 2008)

Recycled Water Management Plan Exemption Guidelines (NRW, 2008)

Water Quality Guidelines for Recycled Water Schemes (NRW, 2008)

Manual for Recycled Water Agreements in Queensland (EPA, 2005)

Queensland Water Recycling Guidelines 2005

Australian guidelines for water recycling: managing health and environmental risks (Phase1) – 2006

Australian guidelines for water recycling: managing health and environmental risks (Phase 2)

4.6 Standards

Standards for a range of elements are outlined in Table 6. Like guidelines, standards are used as a reference document but have no statutory authority unless they are provided with such by reference to them within legislation or as a condition of a contract. It is imperative that relevant legislation be consulted for the particular element to identify whether the standard in question has statutory authority. As this is a working document, this section requires regular review and update as part of the continual improvement process.


Table 6 Standards Used for a Range of Environmental Applications

Environmental Application Standards Used in Austral ia

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Siting Equipment

AS/NZS 3580.1.1:2007: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air. Part 1.1 Guide to siting air monitoring equipment

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Dust Deposition

AS/NZS 3580.10.1:2003: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of particulate matter - Deposited matter - Gravimetric method

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Light Scattering

AS/NZS 3580.12.1:2001: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of light scattering - Integrating nephelometer method

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – TEOM

AS 3580.9.8-2008: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - PM10 continuous direct mass method using a tapered element oscillating microbalance analyser

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Ozone and Carbon Monoxide

AS 3580.6.1-1990: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of ozone - Direct-reading instrumental method

AS 3580.7.1-1992: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of carbon monoxide - Direct-reading instrumental method

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Miscellaneous

AS 2923 – 1987: Ambient Air – Guide for measurement of horizontal wind for air quality applications

Air Quality – Environmental Sampling – Particulates

AS/NZS 3580.9.10:2006: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - PM (sub)2.5(/sub) low volume sampler - Gravimetric method

AS/NZS 3580.9.3:2003: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - Total suspended particulate matter (TSP) - High volume sampler gravimetric method

AS/NZS 3580.9.6:2003: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - PM(sub)10(/sub) high volume sampler with size-selective inlet - Gravimetric method

AS/NZS 3580.9.7:2009: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - Dichotomous sampler (PM10, coarse PM and PM2.5) - Gravimetric method

AS/NZS 3580.9.9:2006: Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Determination of suspended particulate matter - PM(sub)10(/sub) low volume sampler - Gravimetric method

Air Quality - Workplace AS 2986.1-2003: Workplace air quality - Sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds by solvent desorption/gas chromatography - Pumped sampling method

AS 2986.2-2003: Workplace air quality - Sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds by solvent desorption/gas chromatography - Diffusive sampling method

Dangerous Goods – Transport AS1940-2004: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible


Environmental Application Standards Used in Austral ia and storage liquids

AS 3780-2008: The storage and handling of corrosive substances

Noise – Environmental AS 1055.1 – 1997: Acoustics – Description and measurement of environmental noise. Part 1: General procedures

AS 1055.2 – 1997: Acoustics – Description and measurement of environmental noise. Part 2: Application to specific situations

AS 1055.3-1997, Acoustics - Description and measurement of environmental noise - Acquisition of data pertinent to land use

Noise – Earth-moving machinery and agricultural tractors

AS 2012.1 – 1990: Acoustics – Measurement of airborne noise emitted by earth-moving machinery and agricultural tractors – Stationary test condition. Part 1: Determination of compliance with limits for exterior noise.

As 2012.2 – 1990: Acoustics – measurement of airborne noise emitted by earth-moving machinery and agricultural tractors – Stationary test condition. Part 2: Operator’s position.

Noise - Occupational AS/NZS 1269.0:2005, Occupational noise management - Overview and general requirements

AS/NZS 1269.1:2005, Occupational noise management - Measurement and assessment of noise immission and exposure

AS/NZS 1269.2:2005, Occupational noise management - Noise control management

AS/NZS 1269.3:2005, Occupational noise management - Hearing protector program

AS/NZS 1269.4:2005/Amdt 1:2005, Occupational noise management - Auditory assessment

Noise - Miscellaneous AS/NZS 2107 – 2000: Acoustics – Recommended design sound levels and reverberation times for building interiors

AS 2436 – 1981: Guide to noise control on construction, maintenance and demolition sites

AS 3671 – 1989: Acoustics – Road traffic noise intrusion – Building siting and construction

Noise – Rotating electrical machinery

AS 1081.1-1990, Acoustics - Measurement of airborne noise emitted by rotating electrical machinery - Engineering method for free-field conditions over a reflective plane

AS 1081.2-1990, Acoustics - Measurement of airborne noise emitted by rotating electrical machinery - Survey method

AS 1359.109-1998, Rotating electrical machines - General requirements - Noise limits

Noise – Sound Level Meters AS IEC 61672.1 – 2004: Electroacoustics – Sound level meters. Part 1: Specifications

AS IEC 61672.2 – 2004: Electroacoustics – Sound level meters. Part 2: Pattern evaluation tests



Soil – Contaminated Land AS 4482.1 – 2005, Guide to the investigation and sampling of sites with potentially contaminated soil. Part 1: Non-volatile and semi-volatile compounds

AS 4482.2-1999: Guide to the sampling and investigation of potentially contaminated soil - Volatile substances

Soil – Erosion and Sediment Control

AS 3798-2007: Guidelines on earthworks for commercial and residential developments

Soil - Sampling AS 1289.0-2000: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - General requirements and list of methods

AS 1289.1.1-2001: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - Sampling and preparation of soils - Preparation of disturbed soil samples for testing

AS 1289.1.2.1-1998: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - Sampling and preparation of soils - Disturbed samples - Standard method

AS 1289.1.3.1-1999: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - Sampling and preparation of soils - Undisturbed samples - Standard method

AS 1289.1.4.1-1998: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - Sampling and preparation of soils - Selection of sampling or test sites - Random number method

AS 1289.1.4.2-1998: Methods of testing soils for engineering purposes - Sampling and preparation of soils - Selection of sampling or test sites - Stratified random number method

Waste AS/NZS 3831:1998: Waste management - Glossary of terms

AS ISO 16103-2007: Transport packaging for dangerous goods - Recycled plastics material

AS 1886 Supp 1-1994: Glossary of terms relating to plastics - Plastics recycling terminology (Supplement to AS 1886-1991)

AS 4082-1992: Recycled paper - Glossary of terms

AS/NZS 3816:1998: Management of clinical and related wastes

HB 202-2000: A management system for clinical and related wastes - Guide to application of AS/NZS 3816-1998, Management of clinical and related wastes

AS 4123.5-2008: Mobile waste containers - Performance requirements and test methods

AS 4123.6-2006: Mobile waste containers - Health, safety and environment

AS 4123.7-2006: Mobile waste containers - Colours, markings, and designation requirements

AS/NZS 4494:1998: Discharge of commercial and industrial liquid waste to sewer - General performance requirements



Water Quality – Sampling Programs, Techniques, Preservation and Handling

AS/NZS 5667.1:1998 Water Quality – Sampling, Part 1: Guidance on the design of sampling programs, sampling techniques and the preservation and handling of samples

AS/NZS 2031:2001: Selection of containers and preservation of water samples for microbiological analysis

Water Quality – Sampling – Drinking Water

AS/NZS 5667.5:1998: Water quality - Sampling - Guidance on sampling of drinking water and water used for food and beverage processing

Water Quality – Sampling Groundwaters

AS/NZS 5667.11:1998: Water quality - Sampling - Guidance on sampling of groundwaters

Water Quality – Sampling Lakes

AS/NZS 5667.4:1998: Water quality - Sampling - Guidance on sampling from lakes, natural and man-made

Water Quality – Sampling Rivers and Streams

AS/NZS 5667.6:1998: Water quality - Sampling - Guidance on sampling of rivers and streams

Water Quality – Sampling Sediments

AS/NZS 5667.12:1999: Water quality - Sampling - Guidance on sampling of bottom sediments

Water Quality – Sampling Wastewaters

AS/NZS 5667.10:1998: Water Quality – Sampling – Guidance on sampling of wastewaters

Water – Recycling None identified

4.7 International Treaties

This information on the International Treaties to which Australia is a signatory has been extracted from the website http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/law/envlaw.htm#legislation. This list does not purport to be a complete list of international treaties to which Australia is a signatory and therefore, should be reviewed and updated as part of the continual improvement process.

� United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Signed by Australia on 4 June 1992 and ratified on 30 December 1992 ([1994] ATS 2). Came into force in Australia on 21 March 1994.

� Kyoto Protocol (an international agreement linked to the UNFCC). Signed by Australia on 29 April 1998 and ratified on 12 December 2007 ([2008] ATS 2). National Interest Analysis. Came into force in Australia on 11 March 2008

� Copenhagen Accord (December 2009)

� Ramsar Convention (an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise-use of wetlands and their resources, adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975) http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-home/main/ramsar/1%5e7715_4000_0__. Australia was one of the first countries to sign the Ramsar Convention and designated the world's first Wetland of International Importance in 1974. Currently Australia has 65 Wetlands of International Importance listed under the Ramsar Convention (http://www.environment.gov.au/water/topics/wetlands/ramsar-convention/index.html).

� These are three bilateral migratory bird agreements that Australia is a signatory to including:


– Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA)

– China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) and

– Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (ROKAMBA) http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/migratory/waterbirds/bilateral.html

� World Heritage Listing


5. Corporate Activities

5.1 Introduction

Corporate activities have the potential to adversely impact on the environment through how they manage their business and this would differ for different business types. The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts provide information for business and industry to improve their environmental performance (http://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/industry/ ) in the areas of:

� Energy efficiency & buildings

� Renewable energy

� Smart Grid, Smart City

� Solar Cities

� Publications and resources

Sustainability at the corporate level includes strategies and practices which aim to balance existing stakeholder’s needs whilst protecting resources for the future. Businesses can reduce environmental impacts and risks by the efficient use of natural resources and through improved environmental management practices. There is an increasing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and with this has come an increase in public expectations for business to be responsible for their non-financial impacts such as their impacts on the environment and the community.

For the Banana Shire Council, corporate activities that have the potential to impact on the environment include planning and development activities, how buildings are designed and operated, procurement procedures, how environmental impacts associated with construction of property and facilities are managed, assets management, how they are prepared for environmental emergencies, whether their staff are trained on environmental aspects of business, how they evaluate environmental performance, who they network with and how well they understand the legislation. Goals, objectives and actions relating to these topics are provided to assist Banana Shire Council in managing their environmental commitment to minimising environmental harm.

In the context of achieving ESD for all of council operations and services, the overall goal of BSC is to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) and achieve AS/NZS ISO 14001 third party certification. As an EMS provides the overarching framework for all business activities, this sub-section is discussed first presented.

5.2 Develop an Environmental Management System

Issue

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is an internationally recognised environmental management tool used by private and public businesses from a wide range of sectors. There are many benefits of being certified by an authorised third party as having an EMS that meets the requirements set out in the EMS standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004.


Council needs to apply caution when naming documents, to ensure that titles with specific meanings are not inadvertently given to documents that are not that which the title means. For example, the BSC SBMPs are placed together in a document titled “Integrated Environmental Management System, dated October 2007 and this title is incorrect for two reasons. Firstly, the term Environmental Management System, also known as EMS, is a specific term applied to a system developed to meet criteria set out in the standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004, and a collection of SBMPs is not an EMS. Secondly the term ‘Integrated’ is typically added to the front of ‘management systems’ to produce the term Integrated Management System when the three systems comprised of EMS, quality management system (QMS) and occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) are combined or ‘integrated’ to form one system to aid in the management of all systems. These three separate systems use the respective standards of AS/NZS ISO 14001, AS/NZS ISO 9001 and AS/NZS 4801. The document titled Integrated Environmental Management System by BSC is neither an EMS nor an integrated system. It is a collection of 13 SBMPs (the contents page shows 12 SBMPs, however, there is an extra one for the Biloela Dog Pound, showing in the body of the document between Section 11 and 12 that does not appear in the collation of the existing SBMPs contents page).

Note that the Banana Shire Council Environmental Policy also needs to be reviewed and updated to remove erroneous wording, possibly related to the incorrect naming of the SBMPs as an EMS.

Response

Current Banana Shire Council environmental staff are aware of this past error and view the preparation of this EMP and the setting of action plans as an opportunity to correct this error in naming of documents as well as to express their strongest desire to develop and implement an EMS which can then become certified as meeting the standards set out in the EMS standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004. This goal, objectives and actions to achieve this are set out in Table 7.

5.3 Planning and Development

Issue

Planning for sustainability with Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) in mind takes a considered effort and requires reference to specific legislation and planning instruments available. Information relating to Queensland legislation as well as regional planning and local planning instruments are provided in Section 4.3.3. The principle tool used at the local level is the Town Planning Scheme. As the Town Planning Scheme is reviewed and updated it is necessary that the principles of ESD be incorporated into the revised document.

Town planning involves the integration of land-use planning, transport planning and urban design to improve the natural environment, economic, social, and built environment aspects of our communities. As a town ages, redevelopment options also have to be considered, such as what to keep as heritage and how to bring new design into the community that is based on ESD principles. Town planning requires a holistic approach to best serve the community now and into the future.

One aspect of town planning from an ESD perspective is the design of buildings. A useful document that provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of building design has been produced by the Australian Department of Environment and Water Resources (now Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts). This document called “ESD Design Guide for Office and Public Buildings” (DEWHA, 2007) is available online at


http://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/government/publications/esd-design/pubs/esd-design-guide.pdf.

There are two main approaches to rating the environmental performance of buildings. One is a design based approach called “Green Star” which analyses the design features but do not assess the building occupant’s behaviour. The other is an outcome-based approach called the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) which is used to assess the environmental performance of existing buildings and is influenced by occupant behaviour. Both approaches (Green Star and NABERS) use the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating Scheme (ABGR) tool. Information required for both types of rating approaches are available in a rating table within the ESD Design Guide.

A number of opportunities exist to incorporate ESD principles into building design. TThe ESD Design Guide list nine opportunities for the whole of life approach (from pre-design through to occupancy) in Government buildings, including:

� Integrated design and process management

� Social sustainability and occupant satisfaction

� Indoor environment quality

� Energy management

� Commissioning and operations

� Transport

� Ozone layer depletion

� Choosing materials (including minimising toxicity)

� Waste minimisation

� Water use reduction

Response

Council recognises the need to undertake planning and development activities using ESD principles. This is reflected in the actions set out in Table 7.

5.4 Sustainable Procurement

Issue

Sustainable procurement plays a key role in contributing to sustainable development. Sustainable development can be defined as:

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission)).

Sustainable procurement means buying goods and services and taking into account:

� Value for money - quality, fitness for purpose, whole-of-life costs, etc.

� Environmental aspects

� The entire life cycle of products


� Social aspects of the purchase. That is, sustainable supply chains and the effects of issues such as labour conditions, including child labour provision, occupational health and safety and compliance with relevant industrial and environmental regulations need to be considered (http://www.sustainableprocurement.net/home2.html).

Procurement can make a significant contribution to the policy goals of sustainable development and efficient resource usage by ensuring that the suppliers, contractors and the goods and services purchased achieve optimum environmental performance. In addition, procurement plays a role in minimising any reputation risk of social exploitation within the supply chain.(Sustainable Procurement Guide, Environment Agency, United Kingdom, 2002). (http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk)

Although 'sustainable procurement' encompasses more than environmental considerations, the main focus of these WebPages is environmental procurement. Currently, there is more information and more tools available to assist agencies to purchase green products and services than the other socially responsible aspects. As more information is developed, on how to buy according to social responsibility principles (or 'ethical procurement'), the website will be updated (http://www.qgm.qld.gov.au/10_sus_procure/one.htm).

Response

Council recognises the importance of sustainable procurement to best serve the interests of Council in acquiring goods and services that is required whilst considering environmental and social aspects of the purchase. This is reflected in the actions set out in Table 7.

5.5 Environmental Impact Assessment and Management

Issue

It is essential that potential environmental impacts, associated with Council works and services, are assessed and management to protect the environment and minimise the risk of environmental harm. Environmental impacts, when undertaking a project or task, can be positive or negative and the natural, social and economic aspects must be considered and managed. For the assessment to be effective it must be undertaken prior to the project or task or activity occurring. Typically, for different activities, the environmental aspects and impacts should be determined and a risk assessment undertaken for those impacts. Control measures can then be put in place to minimise those risks thereby protecting the environment from harm.

Response

Council has developed an action plan to achieve the goal that all Council works and services are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner as presented in Table 7.

5.6 Property and Asset Management

Issue

How property and assets of Council are managed have an impact on the environment. Specifically, impacts on all aspects of the environment such as the air environment, biodiversity, heritage, land management issues such as contaminated land, erosion and sediment control and salinity issues. Property and assets when managed must also consider impacts on the community with respect to noise levels that might be experienced by residents during the construction or operational phases. Other


factors that might need to be managed include how the waste is managed and whether there are potential risks to water quality as a result of the project. TThese examples show how the management strategy used by Council for their property and assets can impact on human health and environmental outcomes.

Response

Council has developed a number of objectives and actions to meet the goal of managing their assets in an ecologically sustainable manner as presented in Table 7. For example, Council will develop an environmental management policy for leasing of Council lands and will incorporate sustainable design principles into refurbishment and renewable programs. Council will also conduct annual environmental compliance audits on their assets to assess whether pollution or environmental harm is being avoided.

5.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response

Issue

Emergency preparedness and response (EPR) procedures are about identifying potential emergency situations and potential accidents that might occur for the business that can have an impact(s) on the environment and how the business will respond to them. TThe aim of having the procedures in place is to enable the business to prevent or mitigate associated adverse environmental impacts. Typically, the EPRs need to be periodically reviewed and revised if necessary, especially after the occurrence of accidents or emergency situations. Procedures also have to be tested periodically and revisions to include lessons learned from the testing process.

As outlined in ISO 14001 - 2004 Environmental Management Systems— Requirements with guidance for use, emergency preparedness and response procedures need to be developed to suits the organisation’s particular needs and typically describes:

a) the nature of on-site hazards, e.g. flammable liquids, storage tanks and compressed gases, and measures to be taken in the event of spillages or accidental releases,

b) the most likely type and scale of an emergency situation or accident,

c) the most appropriate method(s) for responding to an accident or emergency situation,

d) internal and external communication plans,

e) the action(s) required to minimize environmental damage,

f) mitigation and response action(s) to be taken for different types of accident or emergency situation,

g) the need for a process(es) for post-accident evaluation to establish and implement corrective and preventive actions,

h) periodic testing of emergency response procedure(s),

i) training of emergency response personnel,

j) a list of key personnel and aid agencies, including contact details (e.g. fire department, spillage clean-up services),

k) evacuation routes and assembly points,


l) the potential for an emergency situation(s) or accident(s) at a nearby facility (e.g. plant, road, railway line), and

m) the possibility of mutual assistance from neighbouring organizations.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has a website outlining emergency preparedness and outbreak response plans related to agricultural, fisheries and forestry applications (http://www.daff.gov.au/animal-plant-health/emergency). The Biosecurity Services Group (BSG) leads the Australian Government in minimising the impact of pests, diseases and contaminants as well as works to improve the health and welfare of farm animals. A program listed on the DAFF website of particular importance is the Biosecurity Surveillance Incident Response and Tracing (BioSIRT) program. It is a software application “…developed to enable better management of information and resources in emergency responses across animal or plant diseases, pests and incursions”.

Response

It is important that Council is prepared for any environmental emergency that might arise and these might include such incidents as spill response, fire, discovery of pests and weeds, flood and fish deaths. To achieve the goal and objectives, Council will first undertake a gap analysis to determine the status and availability of existing emergency response plans and from this develop and/or update emergency response plans required for the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region.

5.8 Knowledge, Skills and Training

Issue

To enable the risks of environmental harm to be reduced, associated with Council staff carrying out their duties, it is imperative that an environmental training plan be developed and implemented. This includes the requirement for Council staff to be trained in meeting their responsibilities when responding to environmental incidents, natural hazards and unforeseen non-routine emergencies.

Response

Council has developed an action plan, as provided in Table 7, to meet these goals and objectives when whilst Council staff are carrying out their duties.

5.9 Environmental Performance Evaluation and Reporting

Issue

To evaluate environmental performance it is important for the status of the environment to be known to enable comparisons to be made between past, present and future results. These kind of comparisons can facilitate decision making to enable adverse environmental impacts to be avoided and if they occur, to be rectified in a timely manner.

Environmental reporting to external bodies can be a requirement for compliance when legislation indicates this necessity. If the system is fragmented and/or if staff leave the establishment the knowledge associated with these reporting requirements can become lost. If external reporting requirements slip through the system there can be financial penalties imposed and activities operating under a development approval can be closed down by the administering authority. To protect Council


against these issues it is imperative that environmental reporting requirements be managed by systems in place which are known and accessible by those responsible.

Environmental reporting to the community can also assist in keeping the community aware, engaged and involved in environmental issues in their area, thereby minimising environmental harm and conversely improving or enhancing the environmental values of the area.

Response

Council recognises the need to establish systems that will be used to manage the environmental aspects of business including environmental performance evaluation, compliance with external environmental reporting requirements, and the development of an environmental document control system. These developments within Council will assist in the minimisation of adverse environmental impacts and consequently, Council has developed actions to enable these goals and objectives to be achieved as well as to allow for continual improvement of environmental management within the region.

5.10 Regional Organisations and Industry Associations

Issue

Becoming an active member of regional organisations and industry associations is a networking opportunity that enables those involved to gain knowledge regarding potential impacts, benefits and community perspectives on developments within the Banana Shire region.

Response

Council has developed an action to determine a list of existing Counicil memberships and review the costs and benefits of memberships for these and other groups and associations.

5.11 Legislative Compliance, Regulation and Enforcement

Issue

Council has the responsibilities of enforcing regulatory compliance on some issues within their development area as well as ensuring that they are operating within their legislative requirements. For example, a number of environmental aspects of business are devolved to local Council in the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 as listed in Section 4.3.4 of this EMP. For some of Council operations, where a Development Approval for an ERA was required, the Council has to operate within the list of conditions set out in the approval. Failure to operate under these conditions can result in the DERM statutory action, such as the Development Approval being cancelled. Therefore, it is imperative that Council be aware of their regulatory enforcement role as well as their compliance requirements.

Response

Council has developed actions to meet the goal and objectives associated with managing their legislative compliance, regulation and enforcement roles. Specifically, Council will enforce legislation under its jurisdiction to reduce harm to human health and the environment as well as develop an environmental legislation register and monitor environmental legislative developments to enable the register to be updated accordingly.


5.12 Feedback from Community Consultation on the draft E MP

The following comments were received relating to Corporate Activities:

�� Investigate the installation of rainwater tanks for Council buildings and the Civic Centre as well as schools and community group buildings (carry out a staged process).

�� Consider Councils internal day-to-day environmental performance such as energy use, recycling of paper, cartridges, phones etc, using double sided paper etc

�� Would like to see the principle of ESD incorporated into planning and development activities including the layout of new urban areas.

�� Would like to see a matrix for who is responsible for auditing and actioning nuisance local law issue.

�� Would like BSC to undertake more advocacy for the environment where mining and industrial development are concerned. Believes that they pose environmental threats, however the economic and employment advantages are more strongly advocated

�� Would like to see the coordination of response to road accidents, spills on roads etc. – Council to develop a Chain of Responsibility or Policy which details who is responsible during incidents and emergencies.

�� Emergency Response plans for Banana Shire CouncilBSC Officers and the development of public information sheets to assist their emergency response

�� Encourage the procurement of fuel efficient cars for Council’s fleet.

5.13 Corporate Activities Goals and Objectives

5.13.1 Goal – Corporate Activities 1 (CA1)

Goal (Develop an EMS): To provide an overarching sy stem of environmental management for all of Council business.

Objectives

8.1. To develop an EMS and achieve ISO 14001 EMS certification.

9.2. To review and update the Environmental Policy.

10.3. To review and update any documents that are not an EMS but which are currently called an EMS.


Goal (Planning and Development): To ensure corporat e activities are managed according to the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development.

Objectives

11.1. The principals of Ecological Sustainable dDevelopment (ESD) shall underpin all Council planning instruments.

12.1. To have sustainable design principales incorporated into public domain improvements

13.1. To have ESD underpinning the development assessment and approvals process.



Goal (Sustainable Procurement): To ensure Council purchase environmentally preferred products.

Objectives

1. To reduce the environmental impact of Council procurement by applying sustainable purchasing principles.


Goal (Environmental Impact Assessment): To ensure all Council works and services are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.

Objectives

1. To have a system which ensures the potential environmental impacts associated with the provision of works and services are appropriately controlled.


Goal (Property and Asset Management): To ensure Co uncils assets are managed in an ecologically sustainable manner.

Objectives

1. To manage and control the potential environmental impacts associated with the acquisition, construction and modification of property and facilities.

2. To incorporate sustainable design principales into asset refurbishment and renewable programs.

3. To maintain and operate assets so that pollution or environmental harm is avoided.


Goal (Emergency Preparedness and Response): To hav e no adverse environmental or public health impacts from incidents and emergency situati ons.

Objectives

1. To have emergency preparedness and response systems that prevents and minimises adverse environmental and public health effects associated with unexpected incidents and emergency situations.


Goal (Knowledge, Skills and Training): To have a m otivated staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve regulatory requirements, and C ouncil’s environmental policy commitments and objectives.

Objectives

1. To conduct appropriate training to allow staff to carry out duties to reduce risks of harm to the environment


2. To conduct appropriate training so that Authorised Officers can effectively identify and respond to environmental incidents and emergencies


Goal (Environmental Performance Evaluation and Repo rting): To have an effective system of environmental management that guides Council in add ressing it environmental concerns through resource allocation, assignment of responsibilities , and ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes.

Objectives

1. To have an environmental performance evaluation process that provides for comparison of Council’s past and present environmental performance and that facilitates decision making.

2. To comply with all external environmental reporting requirements.

3. To ensure all decisions made by Council consider and minimise adverse environmental affects.

4. To have an environmental document control systems.

5. To have an audit and review system to ensure Council’s environmental performance is continually improved.


Goal (Regional Organisations and Industry Associati ons): To implement best practice environmental management through sharing informatio n and approaches with other managers.

Objectives

1. Join and participate in relevant networks and regional organisations.


Goal (Legislative Compliance, Regulation and Enforc ement): To have all breaches of environmental legislation appropriately enforced.

Objectives

1. To have authorised officers respond to environmental incidents in Banana Shire Council, using regulatory powers where appropriate.

2. To ensure Councillors and Council Staff are aware of relevant environmental legislation and that Council decisions are made accordingly.

5.14 Corporate Activities Action Plan

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for corporate activities and is presented in Table 7Table 7. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into


low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 7 Action Plan for Corporate Activities

Goal / Objective ID Actions Target/Outcome Responsible Person

Duration Priority Time Frame

Status Links

CA1/1

To develop an EMS and achieve ISO 14001 EMS certification.

Establish all the requirements for an EMS as set out in the standard AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 and obtain EMS certification

A comprehensive environmental management system developed in accordance with the internationally recognised standard

Increased awareness in Banana Shire CouncilBSC of environmental issues and adoption (and implementation) of environmental policy Council wide

CA1/2

To review and update the Environmental Policy

Remove reference to Banana Shire CouncilBSC having an EMS and to make sure it meets the requirements set out in AS/NZS ISO 14001.

A new and improved Environmental Policy that will assist in obtaining EMS certification

CA1/3

To review and update any documents that are not an EMS but which are currently called an EMS

Remove ambiguity or doubt and establish correctly named documents. A new and improved version of documents that will assist in obtaining EMS certification

CA2/1

The principles of Ecological Sustainable development (ESD) shall underpin all Council planning instruments

Ensure reviews of Council’s Town Planning Scheme and other planning instruments, as identified in this EMP, result in planning instruments founded on the principles of ESD

Future revisions of the Town Planning Scheme will be founded on ESD principles

CA2/2

To have sustainable design principles incorporated into public domain improvements

Incorporated sustainable design principles into any redevelopment plans for Biloela, Moura and Taroom

Redevelopment plans for towns in Banana Shire region will incorporate sustainable design principles

CA2/3

To have ESD underpinning the development assessment and approvals process

Encourage developments to incorporate energy and water efficiency in the design of all relevant Development Applications

New developments to incorporate energy and water efficient designs in the Development Applications

CA3/1

To reduce the environmental impact of Council procurement by applying sustainable purchasing principles

Review councils existing procurement policy and integrate sustainability principles and procedures into that document.

Sustainable purchasing principles incorporated into Council procurement policy

Participate in sustainability education programs Increased awareness of sustainability

Reduced environmental impacts associated with Council procurement choices




Status Links

CA4/1

To have a system which ensure the potential environmental impacts associated with the provision of works and services are appropriately controlled

Develop an environmental impact assessment manual for Council works and services. This would include the environmental aspects and impacts, risk assessments and control procedures for activities associated with the works and services undertaken by Council

A manual that identifies the potential risk and control methods for all Council works

Reduced risk of environmental harm

A consistent approach to control methods

Increased awareness of environmental impacts and control measures as a consequence of undertaking activities involving works and services by Council

CA5/1

To manage and control the potential environmental impacts associated with the acquisition, construction and modification of property and facilities.

Ensure that environmental considerations and guidelines are included in Council’s Asset Management System.

Increased energy efficiencies in Council buildings and street lighting (reduced energy consumption, reduced energy bills, reduced greenhouse gas emissions)

CA5/2

To incorporate sustainable design principles into asset refurbishment and renewable programs.

Develop an environmental management policy and guidelines for leasing of Council lands

Include this on the recommended Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website

A clear consistent policy for effective environmental management of Council land leases

Conduct preliminary assessments on refurbishment and renewable programs during the planning phase to determine that sustainable design has been incorporated into these programs

That the environmental responsible person in BSC is included as part of the team when undertaking assessments for asset refurbishment and renewable teams to promote the importance of sustainable design into these programs.

Increased awareness of sustainable design into the asset management team

Increased sustainable design of assets in the Banana Shire region.

CA5/3

To maintain and operate assets so that pollution or environmental harm is avoided.

Conduct annual environmental compliance audits on Council assets to assess whether pollution or environmental harm is avoided

Minimised environmental pollution and minimised environmental harm




Status Links

CA6/1

To have emergency preparedness and response systems that prevents and minimises adverse environmental and public health effects associated with unexpected incidents and emergency situations

Identify the status and availability of emergency response plans (ERPs) that BSC has in place

Undertake a gap analysis to determine what additional emergency response plans are required to be developed and what needs to be reviewed

Develop and/or update emergency response plans required for the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region

Emergency response plans in place for a range of potential emergency situations for Banana Shire CouncilBSC region

Reduced risk of environmental harm and public health issues

These will assist in obtaining EMS certification later on

Undertake annual testing and review of Banana Shire CouncilBSC’s ERPs (this will have to occur after the ERPs are developed and/or reviewed and updated)

Continual improvement of ERPs

CA7/1

To conduct appropriate training to allow staff to carry out duties to reduce risks of harm to the environment

Develop and environmental training plan, consistent with Council’s Training and Development Policy, that covers personal selection, recruitment, employee knowledge and awareness, and individual competency needs.

Environmental or incident response training programs delivered to staff.

CA7/2

To conduct appropriate training so that Authorised Officers can effectively identify and respond to environmental incidents and emergencies

Deliver environmental awareness and competency based training to Council Staff identified as having responsibilities for responding to environmental incidents and emergencies. This would include as a minimum spills response and incident response training.


Council staff trained and prepared to act should an incident or emergency occur

CA8/1

To have an environmental performance evaluation process that provides for comparison of Council’s past and present environmental performance and that facilitates decision making.

Develop an environmental performance evaluation system that incorporates management, operational and environmental condition indicators

A tool to assist Council in assessing environmental performance and facilitate decision making

Prepare an biannual State of the Environment Report A tool to assist Council in assessing environmental performance and facilitate decision making

CA8/2

To comply with all external environmental reporting requirements

Develop a system containing a list of all external environmental reporting requirements where data is input and links to documents are provided after reporting requirement has been complied with. This system should also send reminders before the due dates and escalate to others as time progresses to ensure that the reporting requirement is not overlooked.

A tool to assist Council in managing its environmental reporting requirements

Reduced risk of non-compliance and reduced risk of financial penalty

CA8/3

To ensure all decisions made by Council consider and minimise adverse environmental effects

Develop a template – and guidelines for use – for reports submitted to Council meetings to provide for the environmental effects associated with recommendations to Council to be documented

A consistent approach for Council to assess and document environmental effects associated with any issues




Status Links

CA8/4

To have an environmental document control system

Develop an Environmental Manual that collates and/or makes reference to all key environmental documentation

A tool to assist Council in managing environmental documents and commitments

Reduced risk of having different documents in use covering the same issue due to persons unaware of what is already in existence prior to preparation of another document

Develop an Environmental Procedures handbook that collates all technical and administrative procedures

A tool to assist Council in managing environmental documents and commitments

Reduced risk of having different documents in use covering the same issue due to persons unaware of what is already in existence prior to preparation of another document

CA8/5

To have an audit and review system to ensure Council’s environmental performance is continually improved.

Review Council’s Environmental Policy Continual improvement of the Environmental Policy to reflect current goals, objectives, operations, pressures and challenges

Undertake an Audit of Council’s environmental liabilities, management systems, and operations and activities

Identification of potential gaps in the development and/or the implementation of Council’s management strategies and systems

Opportunity to continually improve management systems, operations and activities

CA9/1

Join and participate in relevant networks and regional organisations

Review costs and benefits of Council’s memberships, including (need to determine existing memberships e.g. LGAQ) and other groups and associations

Information to enable informed decisions to be made on the benefits of Council having memberships, including potential prioritisation of some groups and associations.

CA10/1

To have authorised officers respond to environmental incidents in Banana Shire Council, using regulatory powers where appropriate.

Enforce relevant legislation where necessary to reduce pollution and to reduce harm to human health and the environment.

Reduced environmental harm

Greater awareness of environmental issues within the Banana Shire region

CA10/2

To ensure Councillors and Council Staff are aware of relevant environmental legislation and that Council decisions are made accordingly

Develop and establish an environmental legislation register (if not already developed)

A developed environmental legislation register to assist Council staff in understanding the legal requirements relating to environmental issues




Status Links

Monitor environmental legislative developments, update the register of environmental legislation and communicate to staff with environmental responsibilities accordingly

Improved knowledge base of Council staff on environmental legislation

Continual improvement to environmental legislation register


6. Air

6.1 Introduction

For many people, the state of the atmosphere is a measure of the state of the environment, and in Australia the immediate impression is good. Because of its isolation, air quality in Australia is not substantially influenced from outside its borders and, apart from the effects of bushfires, dust storms and localised industrial pollution, outdoor air quality in Australia’s cities, townships and rural communities continue to improve and usually meets agreed national and state standards. The quality of indoor air is unknown due to a lack of data, but bans on smoking in public places by most jurisdictions hold promise.

Air is important for local and global environmental health. Environmental values for the air environment include qualities that protect the health and biodiversity of ecosystems, human health and wellbeing, environmental aesthetics and agricultural use. Whilst local air quality issues are usually easily recognised as an environmental issue, global environmental problems such as ozone depletion and climate change are sometimes not recognised as issues affecting our health and well-being.

This section of the EMP relates to environmental issues related to air including:

� Greenhouse Gas Emissions

� Ozone Depletion

� Air Quality

A brief discussion on what these issues are and how they relate to the Banana Shire area is provided along with the views and outcomes from the community consultation process and the response from the Banana Shire Council. Goals and objectives for each of these areas are then provided in Section 6.6 and the EMP Action Plan (Air) 2010-2014 is presented as Table 8.

6.2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

6.2.1 What is greenhouse gas and why does it matter ?

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are those gases that absorb and re-radiate the warmth from the sun in a process known as the Greenhouse Effect which is a naturally occurring phenomenon (Figure 3). The greenhouse effect enables the Earth’s surface to be maintained at a temperature suitable to support life. However, when GHG concentrations increase in the atmosphere to cause the heat from the sun to become trapped the result is an increase in Earth’s surface temperature which is called the ‘Enhanced Greenhouse Effect’ (). It is this Enhanced Greenhouse Effect that has people concerned, generally known as ‘Global Warming’. http://www.climatechange.gov.au/climate-change/science/greenhouse-effect.aspx.


Figure 3 Greenhouse Effect Maintaining EEarth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009)temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009)

Figure 4 Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Increasing Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009)


Figure 4 Enhanced Greenhouse Effect Increasing Earth’s surface temperature (Department of Climate Change, 2009)

Because of the threat of global warming, people are concerned about the types of human activities and products that contribute to the generation of greenhouse gas emissions. Water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse gas and human activities have little impact on atmospheric concentrations. However, it is the human activities, such as burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil), agriculture and land clearing that produce the greenhouse gases that contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect. These types of greenhouse gases primarily include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides. Some artificial chemicals such as halocarbons also contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect.

6.2.2 Sustainable Energy Use

Issue

As the burning of fossil fuels is associated with enhanced greenhouse effect and potentially could lead to an increased rate of global warming and dramatic climate change, one strategy for mitigating the impacts associated with these issues is to reduce the use of fossil fuels to a sustainable rate.


Response

Council has recognised the need to move forward in terms of addressing the issue of sustainable energy use.

Banana Shire Council has recently completed a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and a draft document was prepared for Banana Shire Council titled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory: Evaluation and Recommendations Report”. As a collaborative project undertaken in partnership with CS Energy, this document was prepared by Local Government Infrastructure Services (LGIS) which is a joint initiative of the Local Government Association of Queensland and Queensland Treasury Corporation. The emissions inventory quantified that 12,159 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent were emitted for all of Banana Shire CouncilBSC’s assets and facilities for the financial year ending 30 June 2008. This is under the 50,000 tonnes mandatory reporting threshold in the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act and thresholds for the proposed emissions trading scheme.

Banana Shire Council, as a promoter of sustainable development, has established overarching goals and objectives for sustainable energy use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve these goals and objectives, Banana Shire Council has developed Action Plans and will utilise this tool for achieving targets and for the implementation of projects. An example oo f this is Council’s development of plans to progressively improve efficiencies of heating, ventilation and air -conditionsing systems in Council facilities to reduce greenhouse emissions and energy bills. From implementing the actions outlined in the Action Plan, Council expects that there will be reduced energy consumption resulting in reduced energy bills and an increased level of environmental sustainability for Banana Shire Council.

6.2.3 Sustainable Transport

Issue

Most transport modes typically emit greenhouse gases as urban air pollutants and in recognition of this a trend has been occurring whereby manufacturers of vehicles have been progressively developing vehicles that produce less carbon dioxide and other pollutants in exhaust emissions.

There has also been a growing recognition that it is important to considering environmental impacts as a result of vehicle kilometres travelled and vehicle emissions when undertaking town development planning.

Public transport and vehicle pooling are also viewed as opportunities for councils and members of the community to reduce the overall vehicle kilometres travelled and hence emissions generated in the air shed.

Response

Council has identified this as an issue in their action plan and will undertake steps towards attaining sustainable transport options within the Banana Shire, as far as practicable. For example, BSC is incorporating environmental sustainability into their procurement procedures including the purchase of vehicles for Council’s fleet. TThe Green Vehicle Guide, a Commonwealth Government initiative from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, will be consulted in determining the most sustainable type of transport available whilst still being suitable for Council’s needs. Council will also investigate the feasibility of participation in the Local Government Emissions Trading Scheme as well as look at other options for reducing the community’s reliance on motor vehicles and develop a program for improving walking and cycling opportunities within the community. Outcomes


expected from these actions include reductions in vehicle based emissions (reduced greenhouse gas emissions), reduced fuel usage and a healthier community.

6.2.4 Responding to Climate Change:

Issue

There is much debate as to whether climate change is a real issue or not with scientists on one hand providing evidence of change occurring and skeptics on the other hand arguing that change to the Earth has occurred in the past and what is happening now is no different. Potential impacts associated with climate change include altered rainfall patterns, temperatures, bushfire frequency, health, heritage and biodiversity for current and future generations (http://www.climatechange.gov.au/en/climate-change/impacts.aspx). Whilst the debate continues and possibly is influenced by vested interests, there is nothing to lose by minimising environmental impacts and ensuring Council’s environmental risks are appropriately managed.

Although Australia’s climate is so variable that the extent of change is uncertain, there is clear evidence for some warming and changes to rainfall distribution. The so-called millennium drought in relatively recent times was not the driest period on record in all parts of Australia, but the combination of low rainfall and warm temperatures exacerbated its effects. In the same period, rainfall over central west Australia was higher than average. These trends are consistent with overall rainfall trends for the last 100 years.

The average surface temperature has increased by around 0.7°C and 1 °C during the past 100 years for the global and Australian environment respectively. Whilst these values seem insignificant, large impacts can occur for the world’s climate. http://www.climatechange.gov.au/en/climate-change/impacts.aspx

Whilst it is difficult to predict precise impacts, best estimates for Australia by 2030 include:

� An increase in temperature of 1°C

� Up to 20% more months of drought

� Up to 25% increase in days of very high or extreme fire danger

� Increases in storm surges and severe weather events

Because Australia is largely a dry continent (70% of Australia is arid), it is vulnerable to impacts associated with climate change including the dangers of extreme heat and drought, vulnerable ecological systems, water limitations (food production and agriculture) and most of the population living on the coastal fringes (the 30% non arid areas). Consequently, if we choose not to believe that it is an issue and we do nothing, the greater will be the adverse impact should climate change predictions eventuate.

Response

The Queensland Government is continuing to develop policies to assist in achieving a sustainable future for Queenslanders. A particular focus is the challenges presented by Climate Change. Banana Shire Council is in a position to promote and monopolise the emerging industry and opportunities that are presented in the face of Climate Change. The State government has laid the foundations for Banana Shire Council to step into the fore front of the climate change initiatives on offer.


The State Government has lead by example and Banana Shire Council has the opportunity to follow in their footsteps. The Queensland Government has significantly enhanced the energy efficiency of its vehicle fleet and buildings, offsetting the emissions from Government air travel from December 2007, and off-setting all emissions from its office building and vehicle fleet by 2020.

A State Planning Policy for Climate Change is also under development to guide planning across Queensland to protect communities from the risks of climate change and facilitate climate change adaption. Banana Shire Council is well resourced in adopting such planning policies into its existing planning instruments. Submissions for the preparation closed on the 11 June 2008 so Local government is likely to see changes and a formalized document emerging over the coming 12 months. The State Planning Policy will provide a statewide framework for appropriate planning and regulation of land use surrounding high impact industries, with the aim of minimising the potential for land use conflicts and adverse impacts on the environment, Council can however adopt aspects of the policy to deal with minor development and ways in which to reduce the impacts of industry as a cumulative impact upon the urban fabric and the immediate environmental system.

The Local Government Association for Climate Change has also released a document titled “Adapting to Climate Change a Queensland Local Government Guide”. This document is not the formal State Planning Policy but does incorporate a number of similar principals an provides and excellent template for Local Government to development cost effective, sustainable and realistic changes that will result in reduction of climate changes impacts and implications.

Clearly sustainability needs a collaborative approach to be realised. Developing and delivering on the policies to achieve sustainability is not just a challenge for Banana Shire but for all Local Government Agencies. The State of the Environment Queensland Report 2007, as a whole of Government collaboration, highlights where the greatest of these challenges lie and where further policy development may be needed and best directed. It also provides a means by which Banana Shire Council can measure its success in meeting these policies and setting our ultimate goals and objectives.

Council has addressed this issue in the Action Plan through planning to investigate the potential impacts of climate change on the Banana Shire. As well, by working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is theorised that the magnitude and extent of potential impacts associated with climate change can be minimised.

6.3 Ozone Depletion

Issue

Ozone is a naturally occurring gas layer in the stratosphere around 15 to 30 km above the Earth’s surface which filters damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation from penetrating the Earth’s atmosphere. UV radiation has negative impacts causing skin cancer, genetic damage and immune system suppression as well as reduced productivity in agricultural crops and in the food chain. Scientifically it has been established that the ozone layer has been thinning globally and a hole forms over Antarctica during spring. Common classes of ozone depleting substances which are gases include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons and methyl bromide. These products have been widely used in “refrigerators, air conditioners, fire extinguishers, as solvents for cleaning electronic equipment, aerosols and as agricultural fumigants”. A fact sheet is available from the Australian Government’s website http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/ozone/publications/pubs/ozone-fact-sheet.pdf.


One of the most successful multilateral environment protection agreements ever established is the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. As of September 2009, all 196 countries are party to the Montreal Protocol. Because of this protocol, the ozone layer is expected to recover to pre 1980 levels by the middle of this century in the mid latitudes and by 2060 to 2075 for the area over Antarctica.

Australia is a party to the Montreal Protocol and is meeting its global responsibilities in reducing its consumption of ozone-depleting substances. In managing this commitment and legal obligations Australia has in place the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989.

Response

Within the Action Plan, Banana Shire CouncilBSC has included the provision for undertaking an audit to establish what products are currently being used that contains ozone depleting substances, if any. A preferred products register will then be developed to assist Council and the community to identify products used for various purposes that do not contain ozone depleting substances. Council will also develop an education campaign on ozone depleting substances for Council officers and the community. It is expected that outcomes from these actions would include a greater understanding of what products containing ozone depleting substance are being used and what products can be used as alternatives. Ultimately the negative impact on the ozone layer would be reduced thereby enhancing the repair of the ozone layer and hole as a consequence.

6.4 Air Quality

Issue

Air quality has important implications for the health and well being of humans, the health and biodiversity of ecosystems, the appearance of buildings as well as agricultural use of the environment. For example, many air pollutants are toxic to humans causing respiratory illnesses and cancer. They can also discolour buildings and damage plant growth and crop yields.

Pressures on the qualities of the air environment tend to increase with population growth, urbanisation, car use and industrial activities. Whilst motor vehicles typically are the major source of air pollutants in urban areas, bushfires, backyard burning and solid fuel heaters also contribute to air pollution.

Whilst there are many types of emissions that affect air quality, major pollutants provided in the National Environmental Protection Measure (NEPM) for ambient air quality include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, lead and particles.

Parameters typically measured by DERM include meteorological data (wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall and solar radiation), visibility reducing particles, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). Particulate matter is expressed by the term PM with the subscript referring to the size of the particle in terms of its aerodynamic diameter in microns (one micron equals one millionth of a metre) as shown in Figure 5.


Figure 5 Particulate Matter (EPA, 2006)

As well as considering environmental health aspects of air quality, parameters such as dust and odour can also cause a nuisance. Environmental nuisance is defined in section 15 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) as “…unreasonable interference or likely interference with an environmental value caused by:

(a) aerosols, fumes, light, noise, odour, particles or smoke; or

(b) an unhealthy, offensive or unsightly condition because of contamination; or

(c) another way prescribed by regulation.

Environmental nuisance issues have been devolved to local government in accordance with section 98 of the EP Act.

Response

Air quality is not routinely monitored in the Banana Shire and the closest air monitoring sites operated by the DERM isare in Gladstone which is too far away to accurately measure air quality in the Banana Shire. However, Council does not envisage that a routine air quality monitoring program will be established by Council in the region due to limited resources and a considered lack of need for such a program.


Council will undertake air quality monitoring, if and when required, as a result of investigations into incidents that might occur or complaints made by members of the community regarding environmental nuisance issues. Council will also undertake air quality monitoring if and when directed by DERM.

In the Action Plan, Council has identified the need to develop an air quality database to establish baseline data and enable priority areas to be identified for management purposes. Procedures and a register will be developed for investigating environmental incidences and complaints. If air quality monitoring is required to be undertaken at any time this data will be added to the air quality database.

Industries and construction activities undertaken by private companies operate under conditions set out by DERM in Environmental Authorities (petroleum and mining activities) and Development Approvals (other than petroleum and mining activities) and hence are managed in this framework. Council is devolved a number of environmental activities through the EP Act for approval and regulation.

Council is interested in identifying potential sources, impacts and mitigation measures for areas within the Banana Shire Council region where odour and dust issues might cause environmental nuisance or health impacts. This information would assist in the management of these areas and reduce the likelihood of odour or dust based complaints and associated risks.


The following comments were received relating to Air issues:

�� Balance community perception verses the reality of air quality issues.

�� Are we accelerating climate change? Can our environment adapt?

�� We should look at how to minimise the use of our resources.

�� Investigate the use of cheap resources and their affect on air quality.

�� Landfill is the greatest air quality risk to Council from a reporting perspective.

�� Include the EPP for air in this topic and refer to DERM website for more information.

�� Refer to Council’s Planning Scheme in relation to cycle links/routes.

�� Encourage Council to reduce the incidents of fires at local landfills.

�� Consider a fire management plan that reduces the severity of fires.

6.6 Air Goals and Objectives

6.6.1 Goal – Air 1 (A1)

Goal (Sustainable Energy Use): Reduce the use of fo ssil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable rate so that current cli matic systems are protected.

Objectives

1. To reduce Council energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.


2. To improve the energy efficiency of Council assets, including street lighting and buildings.

3. To increase the percentage of energy purchase by Council from renewable sources.

6.6.2 Goal – Air 2 (A2)

Goal (Sustainable Transport): To ensure transport needs in Banana Shire Council are primarily met by sustainable transport modes that do not emit greenhouse gases, urban air pollutants and are energy and space efficient.

Objectives

1. To reduce pollutant emissions from and the use of energy intensive vehicles on Council’s fleet.

2. To provide and/or improve infrastructure and support for sustainable transport in Banana Shire Council.

3. To improve the uptake of walking and cycling in the community.

4. To reduce emissions of urban air pollutants associated with fossil fuel combustion.

5. To ensure air pollutants emitted from hazard reduction burning are kept to an acceptable level.

6.6.3 Goal – Air 3 (A3)

Goal (Responding to Climate Change): Reduce the use of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions to a sustainable rate so t hat current climatic systems are protected.

Objectives

1. To prepare for and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on Banana Shire Council.

2. To reduce Council’s greenhouse gas emissions.

6.6.4 Goal – Air 4 (A4)

Goal (Ozone Depletion): Reduce the use of ozone dep leting substances to prevent the hole in the ozone layer becoming larger.

Objectives:

1. Quantify and qualify the existing use of ozone depleting substances by Council.

2. Educatione Banana Shire Council Council officers and the community about ozone depleting substances.

6.6.5 Goal – Air 5 (A5)

Goal (Air Quality): Maintain air quality to a suita ble standard to protect the health and well being of humans, health and biodiversity of ecosystems, a ppearance of buildings and agricultural interests.

Objectives:

1. Gain an understanding of baseline air quality data in the Banana Shire.

2. To have procedures for investigating and management of environmental incidents and complaints regarding air quality issues including environmental nuisance complaints.


6.7 Air Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for air and is presented in Table 8. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 8 Action Plan for Air



Status Links

A1/1

To reduce Council energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

Develop a plan to progressively improve the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in Council facilities

Reduction in energy bills (measured as a % energy used compared to a set base year)

Reduced greenhouse emissions

Set up a revolving energy fund to reinvest savings from improved energy efficiencies into other sustainable energy projects

Increased sustainability of BSC over time

A1/2

To improve the energy efficiency of Council assets, including street lighting and buildings

Participate in the Street Lighting Program (developed under Cities for Climate Protection (CCP)) by installing energy efficient street lighting

Reduced energy usage for street lighting (measured as a % energy used compared to a set base year)

Install energy efficient lighting in Council’s Civic Centre and other Council buildings as they need replacing

Reduced energy usage for Council buildings (measured as a % energy used compared to a set base year)

A1/3

To increase the percentage of energy purchase by Council from renewable sources

Develop a plan to progressively improve the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in Council facilities

Increased proportion of renewable energy used out of total energy used (measured as a percentage)

A2/1

To reduce pollutant emissions from and the use of energy intensive vehicles on Council’s fleet

Consult the Green Vehicle Guide (An Australian Government Initiative) when making vehicle purchases (http://www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au/GVGPublicUI/QuickCompareWebForm.aspx?CurrentTask=2a40e884-541f-48d4-b0c1-9b9b2a21f316)

Potentially reduced vehicle emissions (measured as CO2 emissions from Council vehicles)

Trial a hybrid electric/petrol fleet vehicle as resolved by Council and collect data on its fuel efficiency, running costs and resale value, to compare its performance against current energy efficient and normal fleet vehicles.

To enable decisions to be made as to the economic and fit for purpose feasibility of hybrid vehicles to be used as Banana Shire CouncilBSC fleet vehicles

Keep a well maintained car fleet Reduced COs emissions

Reduced fuel costs for Council fleet

Investigate the feasibility of Council’s participation in the Local Government Emissions Trading Scheme.

Information to feed into the decision making process

A2/2

To provide and/or improve infrastructure and support for sustainable transport in Banana Shire Council

Report on the feasibility of introducing a car share scheme in Banana Shire Council, and providing dedicated car parking spots for a car share vehicle

Potentially reduced daily traffic and emissions. For Council this would be measured as percentage reductions of total vehicle kilometres travelled in Council vehicles

Investigate other options for reducing the community’s reliance on energy intensive motor vehicles such as public transport and bikes

Uncertain

Reduction in emissions




Status Links

As a component of the Cites for Climate Protection (CCP) Sustainable Transport Project1, implement the Sustainable Transport Action Plan

This may or may not be applicable to the Banana Shire CouncilBSC – depending on the feasibility of other studies. This could be a very long term outcome

A2/3

To improve the uptake of walking and cycling in the community

Undertake an audit of all walking and cycling trials in the Banana Shire townships and depending on these outcomes, investigate the option of improving these areas

Reduced CO2 emissions associated with vehicle use

Reduced fuel usage

In conjunction with community health officers, develop and implement a program for improving healthy lifestyles which includes information on walking and cycling in the community as well as maps for communities

A healthier community

A2/4

To reduce emissions of urban air pollutants associated with fossil fuel combustion.

Investigate the idea of developing a roadmap for Banana Shire Council to achieve zero (net) greenhouse gas emission by 2020, ending the contribution to global warming greenhouse gas emissions within 20 years

Potentially accelerate greenhouse gas abatement in the community and corporate sector

Potentially achieve zero (net) greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 or within 20 years

A2/5

To ensure air pollutants emitted from hazard-reduction burning is kept to an acceptable level.

Establish procedures and criteria for managing hazard-reduction burning events

Reduced environmental complaints

A3/1

To prepare for and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on Banana Shire Council

Commence investigations into the risk to Banana Shire Council’s assets (including environmental assets) and infrastructure from global warming. Use information form Banana Shire Council EMP and Climate Change Challenge Program initiatives in reducing those areas that will be most venerable and sensitive.

Reduced risk associated with global warming as BSC would be better prepared for changes. Information would also be utilised in town planning issues

A3/2

To reduce Councils greenhouse gas emissions

Implementation of a Carbon Offset and revegetation partnership project with a local industry and the Council. TThis will be dependent upon a suitable site, funding and feasibility studies.

Creating offsets to reduce Council emissions

Reduce GHG emissions by 25 % in 2020 compared with base year of 2000 (this is the Copenhagen Accord)

Implementation of the recommendations from the LGIS Draft report to be adopted when the final report is released to Council.

Reduce GHG emissions by 5% by 2020 and 60% by 2050 using 2008 as the base year

A4/1

Quantify and qualify the existing use of ozone depleting substances by Council

Undertake an audit to establish products containing ozone depleting substances used by Council and determine if a viable alternative exists that do not contain ozone depleting substances

Identify the extent of the issue for feeding into the development of a Preferred Products Register “




Status Links

Prepare a “Preferred Products Register “ for all products used by Council which does not include any items containing ozone depleting substances except where no other viable alternative exists

Reduces the use of products containing ozone depleting substances and hence reduces emissions of these compounds. In turn, this reduces the negative impact on the ozone layer

A4/2

Education Banana Shire CouncilBSC Council officers and the community about ozone depleting substances

Develop and implement an education campaign on ozone depleting substances for Council officers and the community

Council officers and members of the community can make informed choices on products used to effectively cause a reduction in use of products containing ozone depleting substances

A5/1

Gain an understanding of baseline air quality data in the Banana Shire area

Develop an air quality database to establish baseline data for the Banana Shire area utilising information contained in previous reports where available.

This would be a working document/spreadsheet and Data could be added as more information comes to hand. Information from this could be utilised in local SoE reports and/or annual reports produced by Banana Shire CouncilBSC.

Baseline data established for the Banana Shire area

Determine and prioritise areas/reasons for poor air quality and develop management plan to improve

A5/2

To have procedures for investigating and management of environmental incidents and complaints regarding air quality issues including environmental nuisance complaints

Establish procedures and a register for investigating and management of environmental incidents and complaints regarding air quality issues. Data collected from any investigations could be added to the air quality database

A consistent approach to investigate and manage air quality issues identified by way of an incident or complaint

Data would be added to the air quality database to assist in establishing baseline data for the Banana Shire area

Indentify potential sources, impacts and mitigation measures for areas within the BSC region where odour or dust issues are likely to cause environmental nuisance or health issues.

Reduce the likelihood of odour or dust based complaints and associated risks

1

The Sustainable Transport Project adopts a milestone approach, assisting CCP councils to accelerate greenhouse gas abatement in the community and corporate sector. The Sustainable Transport Project provides systems and tools that assist local governments to:

� identify regional and local opportunities that support a sustainable transport system;

� integrate these opportunities into relevant policies and strategies;

� refine quantification methods and develop a business case for sustainable transport initiatives;

� add to an information base of challenges and successful strategies; and

� strengthen networks with other councils and transport stakeholders (http://www.travelsmart.gov.au/government/index.html#ccp).


7. Biodiversity

7.1 Introduction

Biodiversity is defined in the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity as “the variety of all life forms—the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystems of which they form a part” (ANZECC, 1996). The Strategy further states:

It is not static, but constantly changing; it is increased by genetic change and evolutionary processes and reduced by processes such as habitat degradation, population decline, and extinction. The concept emphasises the interrelatedness of the biological world. It covers the terrestrial, marine and other aquatic environments.

The Strategy considers biological diversity at three levels:

� genetic diversity - the variety of genetic information contained in all of the individual plants, animals and microorganisms that inhabit the earth. Genetic diversity occurs within and between the populations of organisms that comprise individual species as well as among species

� species diversity - the variety of species on the Earth

� ecosystem diversity - the variety of habitats, biotic communities and ecological processes

In accordance with the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), “…components of biodiversity includes species, habitats, ecological communities, genes, ecosystems and ecological processes”. An ecological community is defined in the EPBC Act as “‘an assemblage of native species that: (a) inhabits a particular area in nature; and (b) meets the additional criteria specified in the regulations (if any) made for the purposes of this definition”. The environmental values for biodiversity include those that are conducive to ecological health, public amenity and safety.

Australia’s biodiversity is distinctive because of the country’s size, isolation, naturally fragmented landscapes and long-term climate variability. For example, about 80% of vertebrate species and plant species are found nowhere else in the world and many of Australia’s ecological communities have a low resilience to external pressures. The value being placed on Australia’s biodiversity is seen in the community’s recognition that it is part of the nation’s natural heritage. This is reflected in the large response by governments in protecting Australia’s biodiversity through the EPBC Act and through the National Heritage Trust (NHT) and other funding.

It is important to protect biodiversity as:

� Species can become extinct if genetic variety is lost

� Humans depend on the natural world for survival (air, water and other life sustaining processes)

� Pollution of the environment affects humans directly

� Plants and animals could potentially provide chemicals suitable for medical purposes in the future

In planning for biodiversity conservation DERM considers how to:

� Protect wildlife, especially rare and threatened species

� Prevent individual species from becoming extinct

� Protect the biodiversity in each biogeographic region


� Ensure all ecosystems are included in the protected area estate

� Protect enough of each major ecosystem to withstand threatening processes in future

Loss of biodiversity is continuing to have a significant impact on the traditional practices and beliefs of Indigenous people. Traditional customs place great emphasis on ‘caring for country’ and maintaining its biodiversity. Decline and loss of species are having an effect on Indigenous culture and heritage, and it is reducing the amount of bush tucker available in many areas (see ‘Natural and cultural heritage’).

‘Biodiversity significance’ is a ranking system used in Queensland to identify “an area according to specified values to account for rarity, diversity, fragmentation, habitat condition, resilience, threats, and ecosystem processes” (DERM, 2009).

This section of the EMP relates to environmental issues related to biodiversity including:

� Terrestrial Biodiversity

� Aquatic Biodiversity

A brief discussion on what these issues are and how they relate to the Banana Shire is provided along with the views and outcomes from the community consultation process and the response from the Banana Shire Council. Goals and objectives for each of these areas are then provided in Section 6.6 and the EMP Action Plan (Biodiversity) 2010-2014 is presented as Table 9.

7.2 Terrestrial Biodiversity

Issue

Queensland has a large and unique range of species; almost half the species living here are not found elsewhere in the world. There are also more native plants and animals living in Queensland than any other state in Australia. Increased human activity with land use changes and habitat destruction has meant that biodiversity is under real threat. Habitat degradation caused by inappropriate fire regimes, increased grazing pressures, invasion by weeds and pests, and impacts associated with fragmentation and climate change also affect biodiversity. Loss of native vegetation continues to be one of the greatest threats with most clearing undertaken for agricultural production. Pressures on terrestrial biodiversity have been operating over long periods of time and have a legacy (often called an ‘extinction debt’) that will continue for decades to come, even with remedial action.

Queensland currently has 1351 regional ecosystems; 92 are classified as endangered, 516 are classified as vulnerable and 743 are classified as not of concern at present. Depletion of regional ecosystems due to clearing and modification of land is the primary contributor to the high proportion of endangered and of concern regional ecosystems in the New England Tableland, Southeast Queensland and Brigalow Belt, and parts of the Wet Tropics, Mulga Lands and Central Queensland Coast bioregions. There has been a decline in clearing associated with the introduction of the Vegetation Management Act in 1999.

The DERM provides two types of biodiversity assessment methods including an approach based on land resource mapping (land systems and regional ecosystems) where data is lacking and the Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology (BAMM) which is used where biodiversity information is available. DERM provides information relating to these methodologies on the website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/biodiversity/index.html.


It is important that we protect species of plants and animals across the full extent of their latitudinal and altitudinal ranges to preserve genetic variety and increase the chances of species survival. Biological diversity should be maintained but this is more than just protecting wildlife and habitat areas as it also includes the sustainable use of biological resources and protecting Earth’s life support systems. A number of factors have affected terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity including:

� The loss of vegetation in riparian zones

� The loss of pre-European Indigenous fire regimes

� Total grazing pressures

� Proliferation of watering points exacerbating the impacts of total grazing pressures (animals surviving where they would otherwise have died)

� Introduction of weeds and feral animals (e.g. cane toads, feral cats, rabbits, 2500 species of introduced plants now established in the wild in Australia)

� Land clearing and modification causing habitat destruction

There is DERM mapping information that provides both a biodiversity status and vegetation management status of regional ecosystems in the Banana Shire Council area. Also EPBC searches can be undertaken for the BSC development area to identify the Shire’s biodiversity issues. It is known that there are some Brigalow communities identified within the Banana Shire region. TThhe specific identification of the terrestrial biodiversity and status of such is beyond the scope of the preparation of this EMP, however, this is a task that will be included into the action plan.

Response

Council has addressed the issue of terrestrial biodiversity in the Action Plans (Table 9) and from this will address the integrity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna as well as the natural landscapes to aim for sustainable management of these resources. For example, Council will undertake searchers using government mapping and search tools to identify the status of terrestrial flora and fauna in the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region. Council also desires to develop and foster a volunteer Bushcare program in collaboration with the Department of Education and schools in the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region. Other actions that Council plan on undertaking involve improving the management of walking trials and the development of a habitat corridor management plan.

Council also recognises the need to protect flora and fauna from degradation caused by the introduction of weeds, pests and pollutants and consequently have developed actions for the development of formal management plans to address these issues.

This information will be collated and made available to Council staff and the community on the recommended Banana Shire CouncilBSC environmental management webpage.

7.3 Aquatic Biodiversity

Issue

Many species of aquatic macro-invertebrates, freshwater fish and frogs have declined in Australia. Four species of frog are extinct, 15 are endangered and another 12 are listed as vulnerable; in total about 14 per cent of frog species are threatened and there are an increasing number of sites in Australia in which


frogs are no longer found. While some of this decline may be attributed to the Chytrid fungus, nobody knows whether, if, or to what extent, human activities have exacerbated the problem.

For aquatic systems, the two main pressures are water extraction and habitat loss. It is not just the total amount of water that is used but also how water is managed, the quality of the water and the timing of its availability that has caused stresses on aquatic ecosystems. This issue is demonstrated when changes to river flows, subsequent land-use change, water use and the over-allocation of water for irrigation and the draining of wetlands result in impacts on aquatic habitats. High concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus entering the waterways negatively impact on biodiversity as it causes algal blooms, oxygen depletion, fish kills and depleted populations. Water extraction negatively impacts on groundwater levels which in turn contribute to salinity and affect species which rely on groundwater during key phases of their lifecycles.

The storage of water in dams and weirs causes physical changes to the environment which negatively impact on species distribution, reproduction and survival rates. It is known that dams and weirs alter the natural frequency and magnitude of floods, water temperatures and provide physical barriers to the natural movements of fish and other aquatic species. Whilst some fish-ways, fish locks and fish ladders have been constructed in more recent years, the scale and scope of these are generally small compared to the problem.

Attempted restoration is not, in itself, the solution to poor environmental condition. Some ecologists are doubtful that restoration can ever be considered successful because of the poor understanding of most ecological communities and because of the lack of benchmarks against which to measure the success of most aquatic restoration projects. Also, restoration projects are subject to the same vagaries of climatic variability as fully natural systems. Consequently, it is extremely difficult to set time limits on environmental restoration, but restoration will often be the only way to give some elements of biodiversity a reasonably secure future. This will require that the concepts of natural restoration be abandoned in favour of management for specific restoration objectives. It should never be assumed that any cause and effect sequence involving biodiversity is simple or linear. It is for these reasons that preservation and adaptive management of what is left are much more effective.

In Queensland, DERM have used a number of programs to investigate aquatic ecosystem health in rivers and wetlands based on biological, physical and chemical data and these data have been used for planning and assessment purposes. These have generally included assessments at a course or fine scale using planning/statutory instruments (e.g. RAMSAR and Directory of Important Wetlands) and detailed field based inventory/ecological and physico-chemical data respectively. More recently, the Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Method (AquaBAMM) was developed using a similar approach as the BAMM used for terrestrial biodiversity assessments. The AquaBAMM provides a ‘robust and easily accessible analysis of aquatic conservation values associated with catchments.

DERM wetland mapping provides an overview of key wetland areas within the Banana Shire region. As with the terrestrial biodiversity section, it is beyond the scope of the EMP to actually identify the areas of wetlands and the status of each within this document. Rather, actions are put in place to identify areas of aquatic flora and fauna and the biodiversity status of those communities.

Response

Council has addressed the issue of aquatic biodiversity in the Action Plans (Table 9) and from this will address the integrity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna as well as the natural landscapes to aim for sustainable management of these resources. For example, Council will undertake searchers


using government search tools to identify the status of aquatic flora and fauna in the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region.

Council also recognises the need to protect flora and fauna from degradation caused by the introduction of weeds, pests and pollutants and consequently have developed actions for the development of formal management plans to address these issues. These plans will address both terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity issues.

This information will be collated and made available to Council staff and the community on the recommended Banana Shire CouncilBSC environmental management webpage.

Council is also interested in working more closely with environmental groups and associations within the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region to enhance knowledge, participation and successful outcomes for aquatic biodiversity management issues.


The following comments were received relating issues on Biodiversity:

�� Weeds were considered to be an important issue for biodiversity in the Shire. Some suggested that a section on weeds be added to the EMP or sub-section under biodiversity. What are the environmental risks in relation to weeds? What species are within Banana Shire? Could include a map showing areas of weed species. Include a contact number or website link for more information.

�� Would like Council to work with and educate the local community groups about weed management. There needs to be greater support to landholders and communities, especially at high risk times, eg. directly following a flood.

�� Fire management was considered crucial to maintaining biodiversity within the Shire. There was high concern over the threat of fire to endangered habitats on roads and stock routes throughout the Shire. Would like to see a fire management strategy development in coordination with DTMR and Parks and Wildlife as well as link in to the University of Central Queensland’s Fire Management Study.

�� Would like to see a Land Use Planning section added into the section on Biodiversity. Concern over the sustainability and maintenance of agricultural and environmental areas and the encroachment of urban development and mining.

�� Would like to see a coordinated and strategic approach to combating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the ozone layer is required, including public education’.

�� Educate and raise awareness in the community about biodiversity to sustain the Banana Shire lifestyle.

•Make reference to Council’s Draft Pest Management Strategy in the EMP or provide a link to the document.

�� Would like to see a common gas pipeline corridor through the Banana Shire.

�� Would like Council to promote an interest in and further understanding of native flora and fauna in the Callide valley and Banana Shire Council regional area. This would include propagating and selling


local native plants. This could provide opportunities for the community to learn new skills and contribute to nursery operation.

7.5 Biodiversity Goals and Objectives

7.5.1 Goal – Biodiversity 1 (B1)

Goal (Terrestrial Biodiversity): To have the integr ity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna, and the natural landscapes of Banana Shire C ouncil sustainably managed.

Objectives

1. To identify, conserve and enhance biodiversity.

2. To protect, restore and create habitat corridors.

3. To protect flora and fauna communities from degradation caused by inappropriate use, invasive weeds, pest animals and pollution.

4. Develop Council’s response base to enable effective terrestrial biodiversity management, including scientific research, survey, monitoring and mapping.

7.5.2 Goal – Biodiversity 2 (B2)

Goal (Aquatic Biodiversity): To have the integrity and diversity of the indigenous flora and fauna, and the natural landscapes of Banana Shire Council sustainably managed.

Objectives

1. To identify, conserve and enhance biodiversity.

2. To protect aquatic communities from degradation caused by inappropriate use, invasive weeds, pest animals and pollution.

3. To protect aquatic communities for conservation, education and research.

4. Develop Council’s response base to enable effective aquatic biodiversity management, including scientific research, survey, monitoring and mapping.

7.6 Biodiversity Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for biodiversity and is presented in Table 9. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan,


new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 9 Action Plan for Biodiversity



Status Links

B1/1

To identify, conserve and enhance terrestrial biodiversity

Undertake searches using government mapping and search tools to identify the statues of terrestrial flora and fauna in the Banana Shire Council region

Obtain information that would be used to identify the status of terrestrial biodiversity in the Banana Shire Council region

Collate available information relating to the status of terrestrial biodiversity in the Banana Shire region and make this available to Council officers and members of the community, through the enhancement of the Banana Shire Council, website to include an environmental webpage where this type of information would be included

Collated information for biodiversity status available for inclusion into planning decisions

Enhancement of the Banana Shire Council website to provide an environmental webpage to enable regional information to be easily assessable

Greater awareness within the community on the terrestrial biodiversity status

Develop and foster a volunteer Bushcare Program with the Department of Education andTraining and schools within the Banana Shire Council region

This will promote biodiversity awareness and ownership within the next generation thereby offering a longer term solution in meeting the objectives

Review, revise and implement a 5 year program for the upgrade and maintenance of walking trails through out Councils bushland areas and national parks for tourist, educational and public safety

This will minimise negative impacts on biodiversity by minimising environmental impacts through a coordinated and planned approach to walking trials, thereby assisting in the process to conserve and enhance biodiversity

B1/2

To protect, restore and create habitat corridors

Develop a Habitat Corridor Management Plan. Part of this will include the Callide Dam Catchment area to enable this area to be managed in an ecologically sustainable manner. This may involve the development of formal partnerships.

Development of a Habitat Corridor Management Plan to protect, restore and create habitat corridors

Management of the Callide Dam Catchment area

Development of formal partnerships with respect to the Callide Dam Catchment area to manage this as a habitat corridor

Progressively implement a strategy to Rehabilitate unformed Roads, for wildlife corridors, biodiversity and environmental offsets over a period of 5-10 years.

Inclusion of these areas into the Habitat Corridor Management Plan




Status Links

B1/3

To protect flora and fauna communities from degradation caused by inappropriate use, invasive weeds, pest animals and pollution

Development of a formal Banana Shire Council Weed Management Plan which would be available to all Council officers and members of the community via the Environmental Management webpage as part of the Banana Shire CouncilC website (mentioned in B1/1). This would include the Monitoring and review of the current pest weed management and control program

A formalised Weed Management Plan for Banana Shire CouncilSC available for all Council officers and community members on the Banana Shire Council Environmental Management webpage to assist those involved in weed management issues

This would also increase the awareness of the problems associated with invasive weeds and potentially increase active participation of landholders in the fight against weeds

Ultimately, this would increase the protection of flora and fauna communities from degradation caused by invasive weeds

Development of a formal BSC Feral Animal Control Plan which would be available to all Council officers and members of the community via the Environmental Management webpage as part of the BSC website (mentioned in B1/1). This would include the Monitoring and review of the feral animal control program

A formalised Feral Animal Management Plan for Banana Shire CouncilBSC available for all Council officers and community members on the Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management webpage to assist those involved in feral animal management issues

This would also increase the awareness of the problems associated with feral animals and potentially increase active participation of landholders in the fight against feral animals

Ultimately, this would increase the protection of flora and fauna communities from degradation caused by feral animals

Develop and undertake a Pollutant Monitoring Program to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of Councils current capture and removal of pollutants

The Pollutant Monitoring Program and results should be placed on the Banana Shire Council Environmental Management webpage

This will assist all those in Council and the community to minimise the negative impacts of pollution on terrestrial biodiversity

B1/4

Develop Council’s response base to enable effective terrestrial biodiversity management, including scientific research, survey, monitoring and mapping

Develop a program to identify and map vegetation and habitat in non-bushland areas and on or adjacent to privately owned land in Banana Shire Council, and determine habitat value and thus manage accordingly

Include this program and results on the Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management webpage

This will assist all those in Council and the community to minimise the negative impacts on terrestrial biodiversity when planning developments as well as during operation and maintenance activities

Develop and report on the affects of urban development and encroachment on urban vegetation, clearly identify on maps the most sensitive areas and locate tracks, soils and sites for protection


This will assist all those in Council and the community to minimise the negative impacts on terrestrial biodiversity when planning developments as well as during operation and maintenance activities




Status Links

B2/1

To identify, conserve and enhance aquatic biodiversity

Undertake searches using government mapping and search tools to identify the statues of aquatic flora and fauna in the Banana Shire CouncilBSC region

Obtain information that would be used to identify the status of aquatic biodiversity in the BSC region

All aspects of B1/1 regarding terrestrial biodiversity also apply to aquatic biodiversity, including:

Collation of information relating to the status of aquatic biodiversity

Inclusion into the Bushcare Program with the Department of Education and Training and Biloela Schools

Inclusion of aquatic biodiversity factors into consideration for the Walking Trial five year program

All outcomes and targets as listed for B1/1 which would improve environmental aspects of planning, including:

Collated information on biodiversity status

Information available on a Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website

Greater awareness and ownership of aquatic biodiversity issues and status

Minimisation of negative impacts on aquatic biodiversity thereby assisting in the process to conserve and enhance aquatic biodiversity

Develop a plan that manages all areas important for the conservation of aquatic ecology. This plan would also identify on a map all areas within the Banana Shire that are important for the conservation of aquatic ecology (e.g. the Dawson River and associated wetlands upstream of the Gyranda Weir, the Taroom Town Common and the Palm Tree Creek and Robinson Creek Wetlands).

Include this plan and results on the Banana Shire Council BSC Environmental Management webpage.

This will assist all those in Council and the community to minimise the negative impacts on aquatic biodiversity when planning developments as well as during operation and maintenance activities

B2/2

To protect aquatic communities from degradation caused by inappropriate use, invasive weeds, pest animals and pollution

All aspects of B1/3 regarding terrestrial biodiversity also apply to aquatic biodiversity, including:

Inclusion of aquatic weeds into the formal Banana Shire CouncilBSC Weed Management Plan

Inclusion of aquatic pests into the Feral Animal Control Plan

Inclusion of aquatic areas into the investigation into pollutant management/capture and removal

Results from these actions would also be placed on the Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management webpage

All outcomes and targets as listed for B1/3 which would improve environmental aspects of planning, including:

Weed Management Plan for aquatic areas and increased protection for aquatic flora and fauna

Increased awareness, ownership and active participation by landholders

Feral Animal Control Plan that includes aquatic species and increased protection for aquatic flora and fauna

These actions will assist all those in Council and the community to minimise the negative impacts of weeds, feral animals and pollution on aquatic biodiversity

B2/3

To protect aquatic communities for conservation, education and research

These would be covered by actions previously mentioned for B2/1 and B2/2

Outcomes as previously mentioned for B2/1 and B2/2




Status Links

B2/4

Develop Council’s response base to enable effective aquatic biodiversity management, including scientific research, survey, monitoring and mapping

Develop a program to identify and map vegetation and habitat in aquatic areas and on or adjacent to privately owned land in Banana Shire Council, and determine habitat value and thus manage accordingly



Develop and report on the affects of urban development and encroachment on aquatic ecosystems. Clearly identify on maps the most sensitive areas and locate specific sites for protection




8. Heritage

8.1 Introduction

The word Heritage means that which may be in inherited however, it has different meanings to different people and it tends to change over time. For example, one of the themes for the National SoE reporting is ‘Natural and cultural heritage’ which covers a range of environmental issues including:

� Knowledge of heritage

� Physical condition and integrity of heritage

� Responses to identify and protect heritage

� Expertise and skills for managing heritage

� Community awareness of heritage

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/themes/heritage/index.html

Lennon (2006) describe Australia’s heritage as “the surrounding landscape layered with places and associated objects” and then identifies that “to Indigenous Australians the environment itself is a cultural artefact, having been created by ancestral beings; Indigenous story and ceremony in ‘language', the Dreaming, maintains the country and a group's identity with that country”.

The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 does not apply to Indigenous Cultural Heritage as this is legislated separately in the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003. The Queensland Heritage Strategy indicates that ‘Heritage places contribute to our sense of place, reinforce our identity and help define what it means to be a Queenslander’ (DERM, 2009). According to Section 35 of the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, the criteria for cultural heritage include:

(1) A place may be entered in the Queensland heritage register as a State heritage place if it satisfies 1 or more of the following criteria—

(a) the place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland’s history;

(b) the place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland’s cultural heritage;

(c) the place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Queensland’s history;

(d) the place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places;

(e) the place is important because of its aesthetic significance;

(f) the place is important in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period;

(g) the place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons; and

(h) the place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland’s history.


(2) A place is not to be excluded from the Queensland heritage register on the ground that places with similar characteristics have already been entered in the register.

Cultural heritage significance of a place or feature of a place, is defined in the Queensland Heritage Act 1992 as “its aesthetic, architectural, historical, scientific, social, or other significance, to the present generation or past or future generations”.

The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 provides for “effective recognition, protection and conservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage”. In this Act Aboriginal cultural heritage is defined as anything that is

(a) a significant Aboriginal area in Queensland; or

(b) a significant Aboriginal object; or

(c) evidence, of archaeological or historic significance, of Aboriginal occupation of an area of Queensland.

A significant Aboriginal area or Aboriginal object can be significant because of Aboriginal tradition or for historical Aboriginal parties for the area.

For many people the word ‘heritage’ conjures up visions of Grey Cliff Homestead or the Old Butter Factory. However heritage is not just about old buildings; heritage is about anything from the past, which is considered worth conserving for future generations. Heritage can include aboriginal artefacts, houses, conservation areas, landscapes, bridges, streetscapes, ancient rainforests, photographs, rock formations and oral history tapes. We keep the places and objects not only because they create a link with the past but also because they have cultural, historical, social, scientific, archaeological, aesthetic, natural or architectural significance.

Tensions can arise in the recognition of heritage values. Reservation of public land to protect its natural heritage values often restricts traditional uses such as hunting, grazing of stock, and riding horses. While these uses may conflict with natural heritage conservation, the long associations between particular communities and these activities may be of cultural heritage significance.

Local government also plays an important role in the recognition and protection of heritage values and places, and in local environmental management. Local government can also act through statutory controls, advice and incentives, direct land and property management, community development, and environmental education.

In Banana Shire Council there is an increasing recognition of the value and role of European and Indigenous cultural heritage in environmental and natural resource management and decision making.

By recognizing the links people have with the places they live and work, and the history of their natural resources use in the region, we can improve our current understanding of the land and water and how to manage both more sustainably.

We also need to be aware our present practices can impact on the places and items that are culturally significant to Banana Shire Council.

In some cases, by bringing practices and knowledge that were good in the past, into the present, we can plan for a sustainable future.


Cultural heritage issues in Banana Shire Council include:

� Impact of present land use and proposed landuse changes on places of cultural heritage significance (e.g.: tree clearing, inundation of sites)

� Sustainable management of existing industries that rely on cultural heritage (tourism in the National Parks located within Banana Shire Council)

� Recognising cultural heritage as a natural resource management issue integrated with planning (IAS, land tenure issues, RFA’s, Landuse planning)

� Lack of opportunities for Indigenous peoples to co-manage existing cultural heritage information and resources

� Significant deficiencies in the impact assessment system relating to cultural heritage

� Continued degradation of the physical condition of sites of archaeological significance

� Understanding and application of previous land management processes and knowledge

� Cultural heritage as social and educational resources. Role of the landscape in maintaining cultures

8.2 Natural Heritage

Issue

Banana Shire Council is abundant in natural heritage and these should link with objectives and actions presented on biodiversity. However, a register does not exist for the natural heritage places and associated biodiversity within the Banana Shire development area.

Response

Banana Shire CouncilBSC acknowledges that there is a need for a register that will include all natural heritage features within the Banana Shire region and this one of the features in the Heritage Action Plan. This register would include such things as significant rock formations, caves, unusual plant communities, landscapes and water features. Once the register is complete, conservation areas and policies can be developed to ensure that these sites are managed and protected through the general planning and environmental controls used by Banana Shire Council.

8.3 Indigenous Cultural Heritage

Issue

Knowledge of Indigenous heritage is particularly limited outside Indigenous communities, especially in relation to the recognition of the full range of cultural values (including intangible and contemporary aspects). A growing body of work now documents Indigenous intangible heritage, and current guidelines (Commonwealth of Australia 2004) encourage its recognition in natural resource planning. Additional Indigenous heritage places are being recorded through new reporting arrangements in Queensland and through surveys in all states associated with environmental impact assessments.

Indigenous languages are an intrinsic part of Indigenous cultural heritage however, of the 250 known Indigenous languages in Australia 110 are now in the severely and critically endangered categories and many indigenous people in urban areas do not know an indigenous language.


Information on the management and issues associated with indigenous cultural heritage is available from the DERM website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/cultural_heritage/. Records of significant sites are kept in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Register and database.

Banana Shire Council currently does not have a register for the recording of Indigenous Cultural Heritage areas or objects.

Response

BSC acknowledges that there is a need for a register that will include all Aboriginal Cultural Heritage things within the Banana Shire region and this one of the features in the Heritage Action Plan. This register would include such things as significant Aboriginal traditional areas and objects. Once the register is complete, conservation areas and policies can be developed to ensure that these sites are managed and protected through the general planning and environmental controls used by Banana Shire Council.

Council may need to consider the option of employing a part time Aboriginal Heritage Officer to develop a register of aboriginal heritage sites. On completion of the register, site conservation plans and policies will be developed to ensure proper management of the sites. The development approval process will also be reviewed to ensure that sites are being adequately assessed and that restrictions are being enforced. The proposed officer would also be expected to wok to increase community appreciation of heritage items by developing an aboriginal heritage interpretation program.

8.4 Non-indigenous Cultural Heritage

Issue

At a local level Banana Shire Councils does not have a statutory list of historic heritage places. If Banana Shire Council were to develop a list of heritage places this would be a good indicator of the community’s recognition of heritage because it reflects community appreciation of and activity in identifying and protecting heritage places.

Response

BSC acknowledges that there is a need for a register that will include all Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage places and things within the Banana Shire region and this one of the features in the Heritage Action Plan. This register would include such things as significant heritage buildings and other structures. Once the register is complete, conservation areas and policies can be developed to ensure that these sites are managed and protected through the general planning and environmental controls used by Banana Shire Council.

A review of heritage buildings for possible future listing and conservation is an ongoing process not currently undertaken by Banana Shire Council. A process for nominating possible new items needs to be introduced and these will be reviewed as part of the process in development of the environmental management plan. Landscapes and streetscapes will be further protected and identified through this process and with enough support and development Council could potentially realise the need to develop and produce a draft Landscape Development Control Policy (LDCP).


8.5 Heritage Goals and Objectives

8.5.1 Goal – Heritage 1 (H1)

Goal (Natural Heritage): To ensure that Council man ages natural heritage issues in an ecologically sustainably manner so that they are pr otected for future generations.

Objectives

1. To identify natural heritage sites and landscapes.

2. To conserve and manage natural heritage sites.

3. To promote the value of natural heritage.

4. To understand the role of the landscape in maintaining cultures.

5. To ensure that consideration is given to natural heritage sites when undertaking planning in the Banana Shire.


The following comments were received relating Heritage issues:

�� Would like to see Council complete a Heritage Impact Management Plan in conjunction with the community and relevant government agencies ie. DERM. This would include natural heritage, non-indigenous and indigenous heritage. Consider who is responsible for the maintenance of heritage sites. Part of this Plan would include a register of sites and who is responsible for the maintenance of the sites.

•Need to educate the community on the various aspects of heritage, ie. Indigenous, non-indigenous and natural. Run a community educational program about the protection and management of cultural heritage sites.

�

�� Would like to see a heritage register for the Shire.

�� The community needs to take ownership of heritage sites.

�� Promote heritage to encourage tourism in the region.

�� Work with community groups (eg. Landcare) to create an Indigenous educational garden.

�� Develop a list of the heritage societies within the Banana Shire Council Area and look at possibly holding a meeting with members and identify a key direction and needs analysis


�� Would like to see a register of Parks and reserves developed . This could be added to the action plan.


Goal (Indigenous Cultural Heritage): To ensure that Council manages Indigenous cultural heritage issues in an ecologically sustainably mann er so that they are protected for future generations.

Objectives

1. To identify Aboriginal heritage.

2. To manage and protect aboriginal heritage.

3. To promote an understanding and appreciation of aboriginal heritage and culture.

4. To research, consult and integrate Indigenous cultural heritage as an issue that requires strategy development in co-operation of relevant stakeholders.

5. To acknowledging the two key forms of cultural heritage (Indigenous and European) in the region and their benefits and constraints on landuse, ecological and socially sustainable practices.

6. To ensure that consideration is given to Indigenous heritage sites when undertaking planning in the Banana Shire.


Goal (Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage): To ensure that Council manages Non-Indigenous cultural heritage issues in an ecologically sustain ably manner so that they are protected for future generations.

Objectives

1. To identify significant built heritage sites and landscapes.

2. To preserve the integrity and ambience of historical places, sites and buildings.

3. To promote community awareness about heritage values.

4. To improve the heritage listing for identified areas e.g. Cracow, Taroom, and Theodore.

5. To research, consult and integrate non-indigenous cultural heritage as an issue that requires strategy development in co-operation of relevant stakeholders.

6. To acknowledging the two key forms of cultural heritage (Indigenous and European) in the region and their benefits and constraints on landuse, landuse management, ecological and socially sustainable practices.

7. To ensure that consideration is given to Non-Indigenous heritage sites when undertaking planning in thein Banana Shire.


8.7 Heritage Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for heritage and is presented in Table 10Table 10. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 10 Action Plan for Heritage



Status Links

H1/1

To identify natural heritage sites and landscapes

Develop a register for all heritage sites with the three categories available these being the 1) Natural heritage and landscapes, 2) Indigenous heritage and 3) Non-Indigenous heritage sites.

Promote this register on the Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website and have an electronic feedback form enabling community members to submit information for inclusion into the register.

BSC will have a Heritage Register which can be used to promote these sites for planning or tourism opportunities.

Increased awareness and ownership of heritage within the community

Cross reference information on the heritage register with biodiversity website information

Enhanced knowledge of heritage and biodiversity relationships

H1/2

To conserve and manage natural heritage sites

Develop a management plan for all significant heritage sites for the three categories previously mentioned and make this available on the BSC Environmental Management website. This should be linked to the Heritage Register

Enhanced awareness and a regional coordinated management approach for the conservation of heritage sites

H1/3

To promote the value of natural heritage

Provide a link from the Heritage Register that provides information on the site including its value

Provide an electronic feedback form for community to submit information for inclusion into the register

Provide a regular section in the local newspaper on a natural heritage area or feature

Information accessible to all Council officers and members of the community

Increased participation and ownership of heritage within the community

Increased awareness of heritage issues

H1/4

To understand the role of the landscape in maintaining cultures.

Provide a link from the Heritage Register that provides information on the site including its role in maintaining cultures

Provide an electronic feedback form for community to submit information for inclusion into the register

Same outcomes as for H1/3

H1/5

To ensure that consideration is given to natural heritage sites when undertaking planning in the Banana Shire

A link to the Heritage Register or the latest version of the document shall be included in the Planning Scheme for Banana Shire Council.

This will ensure that the Heritage Register is consulted for any town planning applications

Heritage issues given full consideration in town planning issues

H2/1

To identify Aboriginal heritage

Same action as for H1/1


Promote this register on the Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website and have an electronic feedback form enabling community members to submit information for inclusion into the register.

Same outcome as for H1/1



Fitzroy Basin Committee of Elders (FBCoE) is working towards integrating the protection of cultural heritage with issues such as resolving landuse conflicts and sustainable resource management in the region. Information from this study could be included on the Heritage Register under the Aboriginal heritage section. A link could be provided to the resultant report from FBCoE

A greater understanding of landuse conflicts with sustainable resource management and cultural heritage issues.

Integrated protection measures potentially developed




Status Links

Significant mapping of cultural heritage in parts of the region has been undertaken as part of the Bowen Basin Project. Information from this study could be included on the Heritage Register under the Aboriginal heritage section.

Increased knowledge of Aboriginal heritage in the Banana Shire

H2/2

To manage and protect Aboriginal heritage


Develop a management plan for all significant heritage sites for the three categories previously mentioned and make this available on the BSC Environmental Management website. This should be linked to the Heritage Register


Enhanced awareness and a regional coordinated management approach developed for the conservation of heritage sites

H2/3

To promote an understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal heritage and culture

Develop a webpage as part of the BSC Environmental Management website. Encourage input from Aboriginal Elders

Promote Aboriginal heritage and culture through the local newspapers on a periodic basis

Enhanced awareness and appreciation of Aboriginal heritage and culture within the community

H2/4

To research, consult and integrate Indigenous cultural heritage as an issue that requires strategy development in co-operation of relevant stakeholders.

Develop and implement a program that achieves these objectives in conjunction with relevant stakeholders

An Indigenous cultural heritage strategy developed by relevant stakeholders that can be used in the planning process for development within the Banana Shire

H2/5

To acknowledge the two key forms of cultural heritage (Indigenous and European) in the region and their benefits and constraints on landuse, ecological and socially sustainable practices.

Include information and links to the Heritage Register on the BSC Environmental Management website

This information shall also be linked and/or included into the BSC Planning Scheme

Enhanced appreciation of cultural heritage and inclusion of these into the planning process and the BSC Planning Scheme

H2/6

To ensure that consideration is given to Indigenous heritage sites when undertaking planning in the Banana Shire

Same actions as for H1/5





H3/1

To identify significant built heritage sites and landscapes



Promote this register on the BSC Environmental Management website and have an electronic feedback form enabling community members to submit information for inclusion into the register.

Identify and approach active historical societies in region for information to be included and attached to Heritage Register




H3/2

To preserve the integrity and ambience of historical places, sites and buildings

Significant mapping of cultural heritage in parts of the region has been undertaken as part of the Bowen Basin Project – determine what information from this can be used to achieve this objective

Additional information potentially available for the Heritage Register




Status Links

Establish the status and structural integrity of historical places, sites and buildings to determine what actions should follow

Additional information potentially available for the Heritage Register to enable informed decisions to be made on preservation projects

H3/3

To promote community awareness about heritage values

This could be done via the BSC Environmental Management website and Heritage Register. Also some sites could be featured in a regular section of the local newspapers to promote community awareness.

Enhanced community awareness of cultural heritage

H3/4

To improve the heritage listing for identified areas e.g. Cracow, Taroom, and Theodore.

Encourage input from community members via media outlets and an electronic feedback form on the BSC Environmental Management website

Enhanced community awareness of cultural heritage

Additional information potentially available for the Heritage Register to enable informed decisions to be made on preservation projects

H3/5

To research, consult and integrate non-indigenous cultural heritage as an issue that requires strategy development in co-operation of relevant stakeholders.

Same action as H2/4

Develop and implement a program that achieves these objectives in conjunction with relevant stakeholders

Similar outcome as H2/4

A Non-Indigenous cultural heritage strategy developed by relevant stakeholders that can be used in the planning process for development within the Banana Shire

H3/6

To acknowledging the two key forms of cultural heritage (Indigenous and European) in the region and their benefits and constraints on landuse, landuse management, ecological and socially sustainable practices.

Same action as H2/5

Include information and links to the Heritage Register on the BSC Environmental Management website

This information shall also be linked and/or included into the BSC Planning Scheme

Same outcome as H2/5

Enhanced appreciation of cultural heritage and inclusion of these into the planning process and the BSC Planning Scheme

H3/7

To ensure that consideration is given to Non-Indigenous heritage sites when undertaking planning in the Banana Shire

Same actions as for H1/5






9. Land Management

9.1 Introduction

Land management is an important environmental component as it includes many different aspects of environmental management, however many of these also fit into other categories provided within this EMP. For example, it could be argued that part of land management includes the management of weeds and feral animals on land because of the land degradation that they cause, however, these have been discussed under the Biodiversity section. Bushland regeneration is also another area which has been previously discussed under the Biodiversity section.

This section covers the areas of Community Access to Public Land, Contaminated Land, Erosion and Sediment Control and Salinity Management. During later reviews and updates of this EMP it might become apparent that other factors should be included in this section.

For the Banana Shire region some of the issues associated with land use management include:

� Degradation of the soil resources

– Soil erosion from diverse sources such as pastoral land (particularly where over-grazing has occurred) and dryland cropping areas

– Soil fertility and structural declines

� Development of areas of salinity associated with tree-clearing and irrigation

� Intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides

– Runoff of excessive fertilizer and pesticides causing eutrophication and contamination of water

– Soil acidification and salinisation

– Cross contamination on adjacent land

� Landuse planning

– Unsustainable landuse and practices on floodplains

– Loss of agricultural land to other land uses (e.g. mining, urban development)

– Resolving land use conflicts

– Landholders facing reduced management options due to community expectations, environmental requirements or increased state and local government regulations

– The need to resolve native title issues and achieve coexistence between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people

� Mining

– Ensuring landform stability (long wall mining subsidence and mine site rehabilitation)

– The potential for contamination from mine site wastes

– The cumulative impacts of mining and heavy industry on community infrastructure, and social services and facilities

The industries and land uses which depend on the regions land resources invariably impact on the physical condition of that land resource. Consequently there is a declining viability reducing producer capacity to implement sustainable management practices and an inadequate understanding of natural


processes and the capacity of the resource base. The institutional constraints which reduce or restrict stakeholders ability to achieve profitable and sustainable resource use, including past and present government policies, inflexibility of the land tenure system and land valuation systems based on highest (namely, intensive) and best possible use of the land.

Examples of these constraints might include present land valuation systems which reduce the ability of landholders to retain native vegetation on properties for habitat conservation purposes. Land tenure arrangements might also be a constraint if they are not flexible enough to allow diversification through multiple land uses on properties. Through changing our natural land systems, significant economic benefits for the region have been generated. However, the long term effects and costs of such changes are often unknown and may not become apparent until many years later.

The effects already evident include:

� Income-generating potential or the productive capacity of agricultural land has been reduced – impacting on the viability of rural and urban communities and long term land use of agricultural land

� Regional water quality has been reduced by increased sediment, nutrient and chemical loads

� The balance of natural vegetation communities has been altered, promoting woody weed problems, disrupting nutrient cycling, altering the microclimatic conditions and raising water tables

� Some 264 million tonnes of sediment (from natural and accelerated erosion) have been transported past Rockhampton in the Fitzroy River between 1965 and 1994, equivalent to 10 cm of topsoil from 264,000 hectares

Changes in land management and different approaches to land management, driven largely by the boarder community, have raised the issues of management ‘rights’, reduced management options and compensation. There are pressures from landholders to address these issues at a regional level with consistency and equity.

9.2 Community Access to Public Land

Issue

When the community gets involved with the management of land it can assist in gaining an understanding of how the different aspects of the environment are interconnected. Not only can community awareness increase but it also offers an opportunity for the community to work together on a project or projects, thereby increasing the social interaction and social well-being of a community. The community can take ownership of the environment and the risk of environmental harms is also reduced.

The key components of this interconnecting relationship between the community and the environment is the crux of why some councils have provided a space for communities to work together on a community garden or programs such as Landcare, Bushcare or Waterwatch for example.

Response

Council would welcome the opportunity for the members of the community to participate more in environmental issues including the management of gardens, unformed roads, and bushland. An action has been presented in Table 11 for Council to investigate and report on the viability of establishing a community garden in some of the townships as a means of encouraging community participation in the environmental aspects of their Shire.


9.3 Contaminated Land

Issue

Land which is contaminated by hazardous substances such as arsenic, DDT or oil and which may pose a risk to human health or the environment is called contaminated land. Land contamination can occur as a result of poor environmental management and waste disposal practices or accidental spills in industrial or commercial areas. In the past, land was sometimes contaminated by activities that were not known to be dangerous at the time, often using chemicals which have since been banned or now are subject to much stricter controls.

Activities that have been identified as likely to cause land contamination are listed as notifiable activities in Schedule 2 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act). Common land uses which may cause contamination include service stations, cattle dips, tanneries, wood treatment sites, landfills, fuel storage and refuse tips.

In Queensland, contaminated land is managed by DERM under the EP Act. The emphasis of the EP Act is on the management of Queensland’s environment within the principles of ESD. Contaminated land is managed through statutory processes leading to the prevention of health and environmental risks through environmental management of potentially contaminating activities. Under the EP Act, DERM maintains two public access registers that contain land use planning information. These are known as the Environmental Management Register (EMR) and the Contaminated Land Register (CLR).

Entry on the EMR does not mean that the land must be cleaned up or that the current land use must stop. The Contaminated Land Register (CLR) is a register of proven contaminated land (‘risk’ sites) that is causing or may cause serious environmental harm. Land is recorded on the CLR when a scientific investigation shows that the land is contaminated and that action needs to be taken to remediate or manage the land (for example, technical measures to prevent migration or full removal and off-site treatment) to prevent serious environmental harm or adverse public health risks.

Local governments have obligations under the EP Act relating to the identification, notification and management of contaminated land. Under the EP Act, all local governments in Queensland are required to notify DERM of land that has been or is currently used for a notifiable activity within their local government area. This information is gathered by local governments through sources such as historical information, local knowledge and town planning records.

Landowners are required under the EP Act to inform DERM of any known ‘notifiable activity’ on their property. The owner is also required to inform any occupier, such as persons who are renting, managing or leasing the land, if the property: is listed on the CLR; is listed on the EMR and subject to the conditions of any site management plan; or is the subject of a notice under Chapter 7, Part 8 of the EP Act.

Anyone selling or otherwise disposing of land that is listed on either of the registers is required to give written notice of the land’s listing to any potential purchaser before agreeing to dispose of the land.

Response

Both Local Council and landowners have obligations and responsibilities with respect to contaminated lands and therefore, it is pertinent that these responsibilities are appropriately managed. To meet these responsibilities, Council has developed goals, objectives and actions to meet those objectives as outlined in the Land Management Action Plan in Table 11.


9.4 Erosion and Sediment Control

Issue

Erosion is the loss of soil and all of its nutrients and everything else that goes with it, including contaminants if present. Erosion can occur through the mechanisms of wind and water. Soil is typically vulnerable to erosion when the vegetative cover or other surface covers such as litter and debris is removed or lost. The major land uses contributing to soil erosion is grazing and tropical croplands.

Erosion and sediment deposition go hand in hand. That is, erosion is the loss of the soil and then it can also be an issue when it is deposited in an area where it is a nuisance. Floodplains may act as sediment sinks during high flow conditions and, as such, may limit downstream transmission of material eroded from hill slopes and upstream gully networks. Floodplain and valley topography will also influence river channel behaviour, by providing limits on lateral migration or channel widening in confined reaches.

Sedimentation on floodplains requires a different approach to that implemented in the hill slope model. On hill slopes and in channels, sediment transport results from overland flow and the transport rate is a function of discharge and energy slope. Uniform flow is assumed, making energy slope the same as terrain slope, and discharge is a function of upslope area. Erosion and deposition are calculated from the difference between upstream and downstream sediment transport capacity. On floodplains, sediment transport is accomplished by overbank flow and the major process is transmission or deposition of sediment. Erosion is limited and is largely accomplished by channel widening or channel lateral migration.

Sediment transport on floodplains involves mainly fine material transported in suspension or as wash load. Only a small proportion of transported bed material reaches the floodplain from the channel during overbank flow and most of that is quickly deposited. Deposition of suspended load occurs in areas of low water velocity, in backwater zones, and in areas of standing water in off-channel storages. Identifying these zones of deposition and estimating their relative intensity requires information on floodplain hydraulics.

A gully density map for the more closely settled areas of Australia has been generated, covering some 1.7 million km2. Gully density measurements were obtained from aerial photographs and previous land degradation reports. These data were used to build a map based regression tree models of gully density. The models are based upon environmental attributes available at the continent scale. The model rules were applied across the assessment area to predict gully density in places where no measurements were available. Results show high gully density in the eastern highlands and tropical grazing lands. The rules for prediction are complex, with the results being affected by many environmental variables, including land use, geology, soil texture, rainfall, indices of seasonal climate extremes and terrain-based attributes such as slope and hill slope length.

A major issue in Australian land management is soil erosion and the consequent reduction of productivity. The off-site effect of soil erosion is the degradation of water quality in streams and water storages. Measurement of soil erosion is time consuming and data on soil erosion rate is limited to a few sites. Those sparse measurements provide little information about the spatial distribution of soil loss rate across the nation. This report describes a spatial modelling framework which is used to predict Australia-wide sheet and rill erosion. It is based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), using time series of remote sensing imagery and daily rainfall, combining with updated spatial data for soil, land use and topography. The results are presented as a geo-referenced annual averaged soil loss map and its monthly distributions. It is found that the northern part of the country has higher erosion potential than


the southern part of the country. The prediction confirms that agricultural land use has a higher erosion rate, compared with most natural vegetated lands and that erosion potential differs significantly between summer and winter periods.

Response

Strategically addressing land management is complex because it incorporates the management of our mineral, soil and vegetation resources, and the land uses that depend on these resources. Erosion also incorporates all of these issues as the loss or mismanagement of vegetation is often the precursor for farmers losing their topsoil and nutrients, thereby reducing the value of the land for the use on which their livelihoods depend.

Council has addressed these issues in the Land Management Action Plan and recognises that these problems might not be solved immediately, but rather will take a concentrated effort by all in Council and in the community to work towards minimising erosion and sediment transport problems experienced in this region. For example, Council will work in close consultation with experts in this field and LandCare Associations within the region, to minimise the negative impacts associated with erosion and sediment deposition.

9.5 Salinity

Issue

The incidence and potential (and therefore the recognition) of salinity varies greatly across the region. Although regarded as a sleeping issue, there is growing recognition of the potential for salinity to contribute to land degradation in the region. The occurrence of salinity problems depends on the combination of several factors, including the geology and soil type of an area, local climatic conditions (rainfall and evaporation rates) and type of land uses. Salinity in the Central Queensland region is related to activities such as tree clearing and the overuse of underground water supplies.

There are two common types of salinity, dryland salinity and irrigation salinity. Irrigation salinity can occur due to raising water tables as excess water from intensive irrigation enters the groundwater system, or from the use of poor quality irrigation water. Irrigation salinity can occur on any land type. Dryland salinity occurs from the removal of deep rooted vegetation on flat or sloping land causing salt in the soil or groundwater to rise to the surface. As the excess water evaporates it leaves salt behind. Dryland salinity can also occur when inappropriate soils are farmed (for example, soils with naturally high salt contents or with a salt bulge close to the surface). Other problems with salt can occur through the erosion of topsoil, exposing subsoil, which is naturally high in salts. Known areas to have had salinity outbreaks are the Callide Valley and Theodore irrigation area.

The effects of salinity are well documented in other areas of Australia, particularly the Lower Murray Darling Basin area and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation area. Salinity damage takes a long time to repair and is very expensive. It has been suggested that some Buffllel grass die-back may be associated with salinity or nutrient loss, similar links have been drawn between die-back of eucalypt species in the New England Region of Northern NSW. In the western regions of the shire, areas of dryland salinity are difficult to rehabilitate, due to low and infrequent rainfall, providing insufficient rain for the leaching process to occur effectively.

Salinty not only affects the environment, but in turn affects the use of the environment to grow crops and grazing pastures, and therefore has a negative economic impact on our community.


Response

Council has prepared actions to address the problems of salinity in the Banana Shire Region as shown in the Land Management Action Plan in Table 11.


The following comments were received relating to Land Management issues:

�� There needs to be community education on activities that affect soil quality, contaminated land issues Council/DERM to work with community groups eg. Landcare.

�� Create a register/spreadsheet which includes contaminated land sites.

�� Construct an access outside of sewerage treatment ponds for bird watching groups. Eucalypt trees that have been planted near the ponds attract birds.

�� Develop a procedure for de-sludgging treatment ponds without harming turtles.

�� Erosion and sediment control - Council needs to consider salinity overlays.

�� Include information about the quality of soil (sodicity).

�� Concern over the uncosted use and degradation by mining and gas extraction companies of Shire infrastructure and environmental assets.

�� Fuel Spills on farms or in town (who to contact) possible procedure manuals to be located at SES sheds, Local Government Depots

�� Spray Drift and the responsible persons (DPI (DEEDI)) or Council?? This needs to be clarified for the Baralaba Community. Possibility of looking at a series of information sessions looking at environmental compliance (roles and responsibilities).

9.7 Land Goals and Objectives

9.7.1 Goal – Land 1 (L1)

Goal (Community Access to Public Land): To have a community involved in the management of land in Banana Shire Council to improve management of and community understanding of terrestrial processes and biodiversity.


Objectives

1. Establish areas where community members can be involved in the management of gardens, unformed roads or bushland.

9.7.2 Goal – Land 2 (L2)

Goal (Contaminated Land): To minimise the risk of h arm to the environment and human health from contaminated sites.

Objectives

1. To have the management of land contamination integrated into Council’s planning and development control system i.e. the Planning Scheme for Banana Shire Council.

2. To ensure land for which Council has care and control of, that contains residual contamination, is appropriately managed.

9.7.3 Goal – Land 3 (L3)

Goal (Erosion and Sediment Control): To minimise th e risk of harm to the environment and financial impacts associated with erosion and sedim ent control.

Objectives:

1. Council will work in close consultation with experts in this field and LandCare Associations within the region to minimise the negative impacts associated with erosion and sediment deposition.

2. Identify areas vulnerable to erosion damage and unwanted sediment deposition.

3. Develop a management plan for vulnerable areas to protect against erosion and sediment damage.

4. Ensure all activities that involve a disturbance of soil and/or vegetation, has an erosion and sediment control plan in place, prior to the activity being undertaken.

9.7.4 Goal – Land 4 (L4)

Goal (Salinity): To minimise the risk of harm to th e environment and financial impacts associated with salinity.

Objectives:

1. Identify areas vulnerable to salinity damage.

2. Develop a management plan for vulnerable areas to protect against salinity.

3. Minimise the potential for soil and water salinisation in the region.

4. Contain or reverse salinity in existing problem areas.

9.8 Land Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for land management and is presented in Table 11. The actions presented are what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set. The group responsible for undertaking the actions (or ensuring that they are undertaken), the expected


duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council are yet to be described. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 11 Action Plan for Land Management

Goal / Objective ID Actions Target/Outcome Responsible person


Status Links

L1/1

Establish areas where community members can be involved in the management of gardens, unformed roads or bushland.

Investigate and report on the viability of establishing a community garden in Biloela, Moura, and Taroom.

Increased community awareness and ownership of land management issues

Increased social interactions within the community

Also relates to BushCare Program provided in Biodiversity Action Plan.

L2/1

To have the management of land contamination integrated into Council’s planning and development control system i.e. the Planning Scheme for Banana Shire Council.

Develop site environmental management plans for Council’s sites where applicable – (Environmental Officer’s works has partly covered this and will continue to cover this in the future).

A consistent and documented management approach for land contamination issues

Reduced land contamination

Improved quality of land for land use purposes

L2/2

To ensure land for which Council has care and control of, that contains residual contamination, is appropriately managed.

Develop a contaminated lands policy to improve identification and assessment of potentially contaminated lands.

All identified contaminated or potentially contaminated land to be added to the BSC Contaminated Lands Register (this is partially completed, with the register of all contaminated lands within BSC already developed),

Same outcome as for L2/1

Ensure compliance with the Site Environmental Management Plan for all Council operated ERAs, especially those subject to ‘Extractive Industry’ activities.

Reduced risk associated with land contamination

Reduced risk of financial penalty or closure of sites associated with non compliance of ERA development approval permit conditions.

Undertake contaminated land investigations at Theodore Landfill and Thangool Landfill to satisfy the requirements of DERM’s contaminated lands auditors and standards (other site may include – trap gully landfill and any other possible site e.g. Theodore Aerodrome)


L3/1

Council will work in close consultation with experts in this field and LandCare Associations within the region to minimise the negative impacts associated with erosion and sediment deposition.

Landcare contributes significantly to sustainability in the region with around 30 active Landcare groups in Central Queensland. Council will proactively develop working relationships with these Landcare groups to bring this topic to the forefront. Other factors to discuss with Landcare and potential further develop or establish include:

High adoption rates of conservation farming techniques such as controlled traffic and minimum tillage.

Trends towards whole of farming management and integrated systems management.

Increased participation, awareness and ownership of problems for Council and all groups involved

Increased knowledge and skills for all those involved

Reduced incidence of erosion and sediment deposition and the negative financial impacts associated with these




Status Links

Identify what is around and make links available from the BSC Environmental Management website for best practice guidelines and codes of practice that relate to environmental management. For example, the Development of Best Management Practice guidelines by industry groups (e.g.: Cotton Australia) and Environmental Codes of Practice (e.g.: Queensland Farmers Federation, Mineral Council of Australia).


Impacts of long term land use change and vegetation clearing is being assessed by the Brigalow Catchment Study (DERM).

Make this information available to Council officers and the community.


L3/2

Identify areas vulnerable to erosion damage and unwanted sediment deposition

Investigate available sources of information and develop a strategy to investigate this topic for the Banana Shire Region (e.g. a small scholarship and assistance in kind to a University Honours student might be a cost effective option). Also need to identify how this information would be managed and displayed for access and user friendliness.

A strategy developed and a potential cost effective solution to identify areas vulnerable to erosion and sediment deposition problems

Reduced erosion and sediment deposition and reduced negative financial implications for Council and landowners

L3/3

Develop a management plan for vulnerable areas to protect against erosion and sediment damage

This might be best to come after or be completed in conjunction with L3/2 action.

Reduced risk for erosion and sediment deposition to occur

A management plan to be used by Council officers and community members when undertaking planning or operational and maintenance activities.

L3/4

Ensure all activities that involve a disturbance of soil and/or vegetation has an erosion and sediment control plan (ESCP) in place prior to the activity being undertaken

Council to incorporate this into all procedures of relevance for work activities and instructions issued.

Training might need to be provided to staff who would be responsible for preparing the ESCPs.

Reduced risk of adverse impacts to the environment as a result of poor planning and a lack of knowledge on environmental practices

L4/1

Identify areas vulnerable to salinity damage

Same as L3/2 action

Investigate available sources of information and develop a strategy to investigate this topic for the Banana Shire Region (e.g. a small scholarship and assistance in kind to a University Honours student might be a cost effective option). Also need to identify how this information would be managed and displayed for access and user friendliness.

Same as L3/2 outcome

L4/2

Develop a management plan for vulnerable areas to protect against salinity

Same as L3/3 action

This might best come after or be completed in conjunction with L3/2 action

Same as L3/3 outcome




Status Links

L4/3

Minimise the potential for soil and water salinisation in the region

‘Saltwatch’ is a community-based program administered by DERM which operates in conjunction with the ‘Waterwatch’ program.

The SALCON group (part of DERM) has produced reports on the potential for salinity from irrigation along the Dawson River.

Information from these sources should be investigated by BSC and a summary (and links if available) placed on the BSC Environmental Management website and distributed to other community members and groups (e.g. Landcare) as appropriate

Increased participation, awareness and ownership of problems for Council and all groups involved

Increased knowledge and skills for all those involved

Reduced incidence of erosion and sediment deposition and the negative financial impacts associated with these

L4/4

Contain or reverse salinity in existing problem areas

Outcomes from L4/1 and L4/2 would assist in developing this action.

Improved environmental health of soils and a greater potential for financial benefits associated with improved land use options, such as cropping and grazing pastures.


10. Noise and Vibration

10.1 Introduction

Noise can be described as unwanted sound and there are clear objectives set on how ‘loud’ that noise can be for different times of days and for different activities. Vibration, while it is often associated with low frequency noise, is less understood. Vibrations can have consequences to human health by making people feel sick and can adversely affect the structural integrity of built infrastructure. Research into the impacts of vibration on wildlife is also limited, although some research on rats demonstrated that rats reacted to vibration.

10.2Feedback from Community Consultation on the draft E MP

The following comments were received relating to noise and vibration issues:

•The need for background noise levels to be determined to obtain a baseline date for Council to use when responding to noise complaints.

•Community education on when and where the community can carry out noisy activities (timeframes). This would include an outline of fines in relation to noise nuisance. Make the community aware that this is an offence (PIN). Include contact details in relation to noise and vibration.

•Could include an Environmental Nuisance chapter and refer to this chapter for noise nuisance.

•Would like a strategy for addressing vibration complaints and have a development condition with regard to vibration in place for new developments.

10.310.2 Noise

Issue

Noise pollution is one of the many unpleasant side effects of urbanisation. High density living, combined with greater car ownership, has resulted in increasing noise problems in urban areas. Within Banana Shire Council this is nullified by the fact that our built environment is not as highly developed in comparison to city counterparts. However this does not diminish from the universal considerations.

Pollution from traffic has become a significant problem, because of the dramatic increase in vehicle ownership and use of roads in the last thirty years. Other sources of noise pollution in urban areas include air conditioners, lawn mowers, pool filters, construction activities, rubbish removal, industry, barking dogs, aircraft, car alarms, parties and music.

Noise pollution affects quality of life and creates environmental health problems. It can affect an individual’s health, concentration, sleep patterns and can cause fatigue, headaches and deafness in on-going situations. N Noise pollution can also have societal affects, including lower property values, depressed productivity, due to poor concentration, and increased health costs. Constant high decibel


background noise such as that from traffic, affects neighbourhood interactions, by making conversations difficult.

Response

The extent of noise pollution in the Banana Shire and how this impacts the community, infrastructure and wildlife is largely unknown. An Action plan for noise and vibration has been developed to address these issues as shown in Table 12. In addition to these actions, Banana Shire Council could conduct a survey (measurement and observations by competent persons and/or questionnaire type surveys) to evaluate the extent of sources and exposure to noise pollution of its residents. This would assist in developing stronger community policy, aimed at increasing neighbourhood amenity and decreasing the risks associated with noise pollution. However, it is often difficult to distinguish real from perceived concerns once noise is raised or alerted, as could be the case, if a survey was conducted.


The following comments were received relating to noise and vibration issues:

� The need for background noise levels to be determined to obtain a baseline date for Council to use when responding to noise complaints.

� Community education on when and where the community can carry out noisy activities (timeframes). This would include an outline of fines in relation to noise nuisance. Make the community aware that this is an offence.

� Could include an Environmental Nuisance chapter and refer to this chapter for noise nuisance.

� Would like a strategy for addressing vibration complaints and have a development condition with regard to vibration in place for new developments.

10.4 Vibration

Issue

Information relating to vibration is limited, except that it is mainly associated with blasting in quarries and mines, as well as in a foundary setting and alongside of railways. Vibration can also be a problem due to heavy earthmoving equipment, such as rollers being used on roadworks, when close to residential buildings.

Response

The extent of vibration being an issue within the Banana Shire region is unknown, however, the known issues will be addressed through the actions listed in the Noise and Vibration Action Plan that has been developed, as shown in Table 12.


10.5 Noise and Vibration Goals and Objectives

10.5.1 Goal – Noise and Vibration 1 (NV1)

Goal (Noise): To minimise noise pollution in the B anana Shire region to improve the health and well being of community members and to protect the environmental values associated with our acoustic environment (e.g. Ecosystem protection).

Objectives

1. Reduce noise pollution for the major urban areas of Biloela, Moura and Taroom.

2. Reduce noise pollution across the shire.

10.5.2 Goal – Noise and Vibration 2 (NV2)

Goal (Vibration): To minimise vibration in the Ban ana Shire region to protect the environmental values of the region and the structural integrity o f buildings and infrastructure.

Objectives

1. Identify activities that might cause vibration within the Banana Shire region.

2. Reduce vibration incidents across the shire.

10.6 Noise and Vibration Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for noise and vibration and is presented in Table 12. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 12 Action Plan for Noise and Vibration



Status Links

NV1/1

Reduce noise pollution for the major urban areas of Biloela, Moura and Taroom

Identify sources and causes of noise pollution (refer to complaint database as one source of information).

Consider identifying noise sources and arranging or suggesting noise and vibration monitoring to commence awareness and therefore address issues and concerns.

Investigate options for reducing noise based events or noisy sites and implement the most feasible options taking into account technical and economic considerations.

Reduced complaints related to noise

Sources, causes and solutions identified

NV1/2

Reduce noise pollution across the shire

Develop community policies to address the key sources and exposure of noise pollution.

Development of consistent policies to be used as management tools by BSC

NV 2/1

Identify activities that might cause vibration within the Banana Shire region

Identify sources and causes of vibration (refer to complaint database as one source of information).

Consider identifying vibration sources and arranging or suggesting noise and vibration monitoring to commence awareness and therefore address issues and concerns.

Reduced complaints related to vibration

Reduced risk of structural damage to the built environment

Sources, causes and solutions identified

NV 2/2

Reduce vibration incidents across the shire

Develop management strategies to reduce the incidence of vibration that might be deemed to cause nuisance to the community or damage to the built environment in the Banana Shire region.

Development of consistent policies to be used as management tools by BSC


11. Waste Management

11.1 Introduction

Waste is a very important factor when aiming to achieve sustainability and is a fundamental social and economic challenge facing everybody. Waste is the end problem of how we have used or abused our resources as it represents that we did not actually use or had a limited lifespan or application. In producing those products energy and water would have also been consumed thereby adding to the amount of resources that have actually been wasted. Natural resources were used in the production of the materials that when we are finished with them become a waste product. These waste products are then usually added to landfill sites and in a consumable society with insatiable desires, waste continues to grow. From landfill sites a mixture of pollutants are available to leach into the surrounding environment to pollute our soils, water or atmosphere depending on the characteristics of the waste products buried in the landfill site. Other past means of reducing waste stockpiles such as burning of waste materials are now recognised as adding to air pollutants and sometimes the chemicals produced after burning are more toxic than those before they are burnt. The end products of our waste and how we deal with them are polluting our environment and practices are clearly unsustainable.

Increasingly as a society we are recognising that we need to reduce the amount of waste generated in the first place as a means of reducing the initial waste streams generated. From this then is the challenge on whether we can reuse or recycle some of the waste streams. A newer area of thought is can we actually capture and/or convert some of the energy contained in the waste for reuse in other areas thereby offsetting the impacts of using energy associated with the use of non-renewable energy sources such as with fossil fuels and natural gas.

There is a preferred order of adoption of waste management practices and the framework for prioritising those practices is called the waste management hierarchy. This hierarchy from the most to the least preferred method is:

� Waste avoidance

� Waste re-use

� Waste re-cycling

� Energy recovery from waste

� Waste disposal

11.2 Hazardous Materials and Regulated Waste

Issue

There are particular waste streams which are hazardous to the environment or to human health and these Hazardous Wastes are known in Queensland as Regulated Wastes and are controlled by specific legislation. A list of 71 types of Regulated Wastes is provided in Schedule 7 of the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008:


1 acidic solutions and acids in solid form

2 animal effluent and residues, including abattoir effluent and poultry and fish processing wastes

3 antimony and antimony compounds

4 arsenic and arsenic compounds

5 asbestos

6 barium compounds, other than barium sulfate

7 basic (alkaline) solutions and bases (alkalis) in solid form

8 beryllium and beryllium compounds

9 boron compounds

10 cadmium and cadmium compounds

11 chemical waste arising from a research and development or teaching activity, including new or unidentified material and material whose effects on human health or the environment are not known

12 chlorates

13 chromium compounds (hexavalent and trivalent)

14 clinical and related waste

15 containers contaminated with a regulated waste

16 copper compounds

17 cyanides (inorganic)

18 cyanides (organic)

19 encapsulated, chemically-fixed, solidified or polymerised wastes

20 ethers

21 filter cake

22 fly ash

23 food processing waste

24 grease trap waste

25 halogenated organic solvents

26 highly odorous organic chemicals, including mercaptans and acrylates

27 inorganic fluorine compounds, other than calcium fluoride

28 inorganic sulfides

29 isocyanate compounds

30 lead and lead compounds including lead-acid batteries

31 material containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated napthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs) or polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs)

32 mercury and mercury compounds

33 metal carbonyls

34 mineral oils

35 nickel compounds

36 non-toxic salts including, for example, saline effluent

37 hydrocarbons and water mixtures or emulsions, including oil and water mixtures or emulsions

38 organic phosphorous compounds

39 organic solvents, other than halogenated solvents, including, for example, ethanol

40 organohalogen compounds, other than another substance stated in this schedule

41 oxidising agents

42 perchlorates

43 pesticides, including organochlorine

44 pharmaceuticals, drugs and medicines

45 phenols and phenol compounds, including chlorophenols

46 phosphorus compounds, other than mineral phosphates

47 polychlorinated dibenzo-furan (any congener)


48 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (any congener)

49 reactive chemicals

50 reducing agents

51 residues from industrial waste treatment or disposal operations

52 selenium and selenium compounds

53 sewage sludge and residues, including nightsoil and septic tank sludge

54 surface active agents (surfactants) containing principally organic constituents, whether or not also containing metals and other inorganic materials

55 tallow

56 tannery wastes, including leather dust, ash, sludges and flours

57 tarry residues arising from refining, distillation or any pyrolytic treatment

58 tellurium and tellurium compounds

59 thallium and thallium compounds

60 triethylamine catalysts for setting foundry sands

61 tyres

62 vanadium compounds

63 vegetable oils

64 waste containing peroxides other than hydrogen peroxide

65 waste from a heat treatment or tempering operation that uses cyanides

66 waste from surface treatment of metals or plastics

67 waste from the manufacture, formulation or use of the following—

• biocides or phytopharmaceuticals

• inks, dyes, pigments, paints, lacquers or varnish

• organic solvents

• photographic chemicals or processing materials

• resins, latex, plasticisers, glues or other adhesives

• wood-preserving chemicals

68 waste from the manufacture or preparation of pharmaceutical products

69 waste of an explosive nature, other than an explosive within the meaning of the Explosives Act 1999

70 wool scouring wastes

71 zinc compounds

There are special rules for Regulated Wastes that need to be adhered to including the need for waste tracking certificates. DERM has a website with Frequently Asked Questions on wastes (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/waste/waste_management/waste_frequently_asked_questions.html) which is a useful resource for managing Regulated Wastes. One of the questions is “What are the tracking and licensing requirements for small quantities of regulated wastes from remote areas? The answer to this question follows:

As a regulated waste, the waste must be transported by a licensed transporter if it is for fee or reward or over 250kg. If less than 250kg and not for fee or reward, the transporter does not need to be licensed. If less than 250kg but the transporter is being paid (i.e. for fee or reward) then the transporter must be licensed and the waste must also be tracked if it is listed in Schedule 1 of the Environmental Protection (Waste Management) Regulation 2000.


Response

Council has developed a Waste Action Plan, as provided in Table 13, which addresses the goals, objectives and actions related to hazardous materials and hazardous wastes as defined in the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008.

11.3 Littering and Illegal Dumping

Issue

Litter is rubbish that is scattered to leave the area or public place in a disorderly and untidy condition. Illegal dumping is the dumping of rubbish or waste materials in a place where there is no authority to do so. Both littering and dumping of waste materials in areas that are not designed for such actions cause unsightly views and can cause bad odours for those in the vicinity. Depending on the chemical composition of the wastes and their breakdown products these activities can also cause contaminants to enter the soil, water or atmosphere causing environmental harm.

Response

Council has provided goals, objectives and actions to address the issue of littering and illegal dumping as shown in Table 13.

11.4 Resources Recovery and Use of Secondary Resources

Issue

DERM (2010) provides reports on the state of waste and recycling in Queensland to characterise the recycling stream and provide details on the volumes and types of wastes going to landfill annually. Trends in waste generation and recycling have been assessed against the initial 1997/19798 data. Information for local governments in Queensland included:

� Types and volumes of materials collected for recycling

� Types and volumes of materials landfilled

� Per capita rates for recyclate generation and collection

� Landfill diversion rates

� Aggregate data for recycling infrastructure, including estimates on the number of kerbside recycling programs, drop-off centres, and materials recovery facilities

� Trends in recycling rates since 1997-98

The State of Waste Recycling in Queensland 2008 is available online in the form of a summarised ‘Report Card’ as well as the full report. Key findings of the 2008 report included:

� The department documented 32.6 million tonnes of solid waste generated by Queensland households, businesses and industry during the 2007-08 financial year.

� Close to 29 percent of this waste (9.4 million tonnes) was recovered for reuse, 49 percent (16.1 million tonnes of industrial waste) was placed in indefinite storage (such as in tailings dams), and 22 percent (7.1 million tonnes) was landfilled.

� The trend for domestic waste generation between 2003-04 and 2007-08 has seen a growth over the last five years.


� The amount of municipal solid waste sent to landfill in 2007-08 fell by approximately 10 percent compared with 2006-07.

� On average, local governments in Queensland collected 287kg of kerbside waste from each resident (compared to 270kg in 2006-07). Similarly, they collected 64kg of recyclable paper and packaging materials per resident (61kg in 2006-07). In addition, Queensland residents self-delivered 115kg of waste (typically large items unsuited to kerbside collections) per capita to local government landfills and transfer stations (101kg in 2006-07).

� The amount of paper and packaging materials collected by councils for recycling has risen from 169,000 tonnes in 2003-04 to 269,000 tonnes in 2007-08 (a 59 percent increase).

� There were high rates of resource recovery for both segregated green waste (92 percent) and biosolids (sewage treatment residues 88 percent) during 2007-08. There were lower rates of recovery for commercial and industrial waste (55 percent), construction and demolition waste (42 percent) and kerbside waste collected from domestic premises (21 percent).

� The proportion of construction and demolition waste recycled by local governments has risen from 18 percent in 2003-04 to 50 percent in 2007-08.

� Forty-one councils with a combined population of 3.8 million people treated 288 gigalitres (GL) of wastewater during 2007-08. Twenty-eight of those councils (with a collective population of 3.7 million) recycled 37GL of wastewater. Approximately 13 percent of the amount treated was reused, a comparable recycling rate to that reported for 2006-07.

� The Queensland Government is developing a revised waste management strategy to reduce the amount of waste generated and to increase resource recovery rates.

DERM (2002) has also identified waste management and resource use opportunities for construction and demolition waste as large quantities of this type of waste generally ends up in landfill and is of a recyclable nature. A document on this topic is available from the DERM website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p00484aa.pdf.

The amount of waste generated and recycled in the Banana Shire region has not been studied to the extent that it has been in larger urban areas.

Response

Council has developed goals, objectives and actions to work towards increasing recycling and reuse of waste opportunities in the Banana Shire as provided in Table 13.

11.5 Waste Prevention and Avoidance

Issue

At the household level we are all responsible for waste and we all need to make an effort to minimise our contribution. DERM (2010) provide some examples of how we can reduce our contribution to waste going to landfill including:

� Say no to unnecessary plastic shopping bags

� Re-use containers for storing food or other materials

� Compost garden clippings, leaves and kitchen wastes (vegetable peelings, fruit peelings and cores)


� Recycle household items: glass, aluminium and steel cans; plastic milk and softdrink bottles; milk and juice cartons; and cardboard, newspaper and writing paper. Check with your local council to find out what you can recycle locally. (Don't mix recyclables or include foreign items.).

� Recycle used oil by pouring it back into an empty oil container and taking it to your local used oil facility for recycling. This helps conserve a valuable resource and protect the environment.

There are also many opportunities for industry and other sectors to also prevent the generation of waste materials.

Response

Council has addressed these issues by developing goals, objectives and actions to prevent the generation of wastes in the Banana Shire region.


The following comments were received relating to waste management issues:

�� Litter within the shire needs to be more closely monitored. There are three authorised Council Officers who can fine community members who are littering – difficult to catch litterers in the act. Council could install security cameras near landfill sites. Council could impose a fee to dump litter and use a boom gate system at landfill sites.

Community education required for effective waste management. Education material could include:

�� levels of waste management facilities and what waste Council will accept.

�� Identify regulated waste requirements for the community and industry.

�� Include a contact number for waste management.

�� waste management options.

�� Clarify the difference between transfer stations and landfill locations and identify what is acceptable for each.

Recycling is an issue within Banana Shire. Comments on recycling included: �� There are no facilities to deal with recyclable litter. There is no kerbside service for recyclable litter.

�� Council could provide collection and recycling options for domestic ‘e-waste’

�� Investigate alternative waste technologies and complete an options study into the feasibility of alternative technologies.

�� Would like to lobby Federal Government to place 10c rebate on return of drink containers, cigarette packets and butts.

�� Investigate the use of a concrete crusher.

•Conduct further research into the re-use of bio-solids.

�

�� Add a section about Sewage and Waste Water Management.


�� Investigate and establish a list of priorities for vehicle wash-down bays.

�� Concerned that coal seam gas companies have sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate storage in Hazardous Waste Sites within the Shire. Recommend that that Council oppose approval for this storage should the companies fail in their efforts to find commercial uses for these substances.

In the Action Plan for Waste, add the following �� Would like to see improved waste transport within the Shire.

�� Review, investigate and report on the effectiveness of the trade waste policy.

11.7 Waste Goals and Objectives

11.7.1 Goal – Waste 1 (Waste 1)

Goal (Hazardous Materials and Regulated Waste): Re duce the extraction, manufacture, use and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials to within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment. Also to comply with legal requirement s to store and dispose of regulated waste (identified in Sch 7 of Environmental Protection Re gulation 2008) to prevent or minimise environmental harm.

Objectives

1. Reduce the use of toxic materials and replace with less harmful substances or different procedures.

2. Improve systems for safe disposal and recycling of toxic and hazardous materials.

3. To identify all forms of regulated waste stored or disposed of in Banana Shire Council.

4. To ensure that regulated waste is stored or disposed of according to legal requirements in Banana Shire Council.


Goal (Littering and Illegal Dumping): To have a lo cal environment free from litter and dumped rubbish.

Objectives

1. To have an integrated approach to minimise littering in the community.

2. Reduce the number of instance of illegally dumped material in Banana Shire Council.


Goal (Resources Recovery and Use of Secondary Resou rces): To improve the recovery of resources so that the extraction, use and disposal of resources and energy is within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment.

Objectives


1. Maximise the recovery of materials from the waste stream.

2. Increase the sum of materials recovered from the waste stream.

3. To maximise the percentage of the total waste stream diverted from disposal.


Goal (Waste Prevention and Avoidance): To have the extraction, use and disposal of resources and energy within the sustainable carrying capacity of the environment.

Objectives:

1. Reduce the amount of waste generated from Council’s facilities on a per capita basis.

2. To minimise the generation of waste via the management of Council’s contracts.


Goal (Waste Research and Development): To investiga te alternative waste technologies (AWT) with regard to waste management.

Objectives:

1. Utilise AWT for waste management in Banana Shire CouncilBSC region if and where feasible.

11.8 Waste Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for waste and is presented in Table 13. The actions presented are considered what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 13 Action Plan for Waste Management



Status Links

Waste1/1

Reduce the use of toxic materials and replace with less harmful substances or different procedures

Audit toxic and hazardous materials used by Council and contractors

Success measured by:

Hazardous material collected form from Banana Shire Council residents at annual DrumMuster

Hazardous Materials purchased and disposed of during Council processes operations and services.

Reduced use of hazardous materials in region

Less hazardous materials in the environment

Promote disposal and recycling scheme for household and commercial hazardous and toxic wastes.

Same outcome as for Waste 1/1

Council to recommend alternatives products and or processes for Council staff, contractors and community members. This should be included into the Preferred Products Register suggested in Air Action Plan

Reduced use of hazardous materials used in Banana Shrire

Waste1/2

Improve systems for safe disposal and recycling of toxic and hazardous materials

Wider promotion of DrumMuster to community through media outlets (eg newpapernewspaper) and through the recommended BSC Environmental Management website

A safe disposal and recycling system available for community use

Increased recycling of toxic and hazardous substances in region

Reduced environmental harm

Banana Shire CouncilBSC to develop a procedure for all staff to follow A safe disposal and recycling procedure available for Council use

Waste 1/3

To identify all forms of regulated waste stored or disposed of in Banana Shire Council

Provide information to Council officers and the community on what is regulated waste via media outlets and the recommended BSC Environmental Management website.

An informed community and Council on what regulated waste is

Reduce the risk of Regulated waste being stored or disposed of illegally

Develop a register of all regulated waste stored and disposed of in the Banana Shire Council

Reduce the risk of Regulated waste being stored or disposed of illegally

Waste1/ 4

To ensure that regulated waste is stored or disposed of according to legal requirements in Banana Shire Council

Undertake an audit to ensure that Council has a development approval in place for all regulated waste stored and disposed of and that this is appropriately managed via Waste Tracking Certificates

Reduced risk of non-compliance and financial penalties or cancellation of ERA development approval permits associated with non-compliance events

Waste2/1

To have an integrated approach to minimise littering in the community.

Implement the illegal dumping strategy primarily focused on units, townships and commercial areas.

Success measured by dumped rubbish incidents responded to per year, and change on previous year

Reduced litter and illegal dumping

Greater awareness by community

Waste2/2

Reduce the number of instance of illegally dumped material in Banana Shire Council

Develop litter prevention strategy that integrates approaches including; education (leading to behavioural changes), regulation and enforcement (penalties), and structural approaches (signage, public place litter and recycling bins).

Same outcome as for Waste 2/1




Status Links

Provide support for Clean Up Australia Day Cleaner town

Greater awareness by community

Investigate the viability of installing cigarette bins in public places identified as litter hotspots (this may already be occurring)

Reduced incident of cigarette buts littering public places and entering the waterways through stormwater drains

Waste3/1

Maximise the recovery of materials form the waste stream

Undertake an audit to determine the composition of the waste streams generated from the various sectors within the community and Council to assist in quantifying the potential material recovery possible within the Banana Shire region.

From these results it might be appropriate to targe certain sectors for material recovery options.

Ability to make an informed decision on prioritising efforts to maximise material recoveries from waste streams within the region.

Investigate the viability of a regional waste facility that recovers resources, generates energy and sustainably manages organic by-products.

Reduced waste to landfill and potential conversion of waste to energy to offset use of energy derived from fossil fuels. This ties in with the Air goals, objectives and actions.

Reduced energy bills

Concurrent with the development of the Litter Prevention Strategy review the viability of introducing public place recycling station in key public areas (e.g. Andersons, Woolworths, Readon Street, Pubs and Clubs)

The success of the project would be measured mass portion of materials recovered from the total mass waste stream

Increased community awareness of recycling

Reduced waste to landfill

Increased recycling rates

Investigate the option of including economic incentives for people who dump waste at the refuse tip by making sorted waste free to dispose and apply charges for unsorted waste

A greater proportion of the waste stream might be sorted thereby increasing opportunities for waste recycling

Waste3/2

Increase the use of materials recovered from the waste stream

As part of the refuse station management contract include the requirement for a ‘shop’ to be operating selling items for reuse where appropriate

Increased direct reuse of waste items


Identify business and locations where materials recovered can be sent for recycling purposes in a cost effective manner. This might require the development of collaborative partnerships within the community, business/industry sectors and Council.

Increased recycling of waste and increased efficiencies associated with recycling of waste materials

Waste3/3

To maximise the percentage of the total waste stream diverted from disposal

Develop, research and report to Council on systems for collection for organic material and a Waste and Recycling Services Contract.

Ability for Council to make an informed decision as to whether to proceed with these options

Investigate opportunities for the use of recovered materials through Council’s works and services contracts.





Status Links

Waste4/1

Reduce the amount of waste generated from Councils facilities on a per capita basis

Develop a sustainable business program to reduce small business resource use and waste generation, including packaging and plastic bags (need to research examples and develop possible partnerships)


Waste4/2

To minimise the generation of waste via the management of Council’s contracts

Undertake regular audits of waste generated from Council facilities (CQWM reference) to identify the amounts and source and type of waste involved

Provides a status check on the success of waste minimisation and recycling initiatives

Based ion findings of audits, develop a strategy to reduce the amount of waste generated from Council facilities

Information to feed into the waste minimisation strategies

Investigate the opportunities for the prevention of waste generated through Council’s works and services contracts.

Information to feed into the waste minimisation strategies

Waste5/1

Utilise AWT for waste management in Banana Shire CouncilBSC region if and where feasible

Identify AWT available for waste management and undertake feasibility studies for BSC to use these technologies.



12. Water

12.1 Introduction

Freshwater and the habitats which depend on it are some of Queensland’s most precious resources. These assets support not only a variety of natural habitats but also provide an essential source of water to support human life and economic activity, including mining and agriculture production.

For Banana Shire Council water is a precious commodity placing great strain on the community as its availability in recent years has become scarce due to drought conditions. As a result Banana Shire Council has to look to alternative forms of water storage, access, recycling and fabrication in order to meet the community needs and adequately provide water for the various operating stakeholders within the Shire. Water by nature is a fluid and mobile substance that does not respect land title boundaries and is determined by catchment boundaries and its ability to enter the subterranean substrate as groundwater, as well as run-off into major creek, stream and river systems.

The pressures of drought, major flood events, climate change and over-resource allocation have all pressured the Queensland Government as well as Banana Shire Council to take necessary measures to limit the use of water, encourage responsible use of water especially in the urban residential framework and industrial sectors and develop initiatives designed to make the current hydrological systems resilient to these pressures.

The Water Act 2000 enables the preparation of water resource plans for any part of Queensland to advance the sustainable management of water. During 2006-2007, the Water Act was amended to make provision for the Water Supply Emergency Regulation. These amendments seek to increase alternative water sources such as recycled water as well as demand management measures during times of drought.

The reliable supply of water is essential for the viability of Banana Shire Council’s primary production, industrial development, ecosystem continuation and stability, and urban populations.

12.2 Water Conservation

Issue

Some of the factors which contribute to the complexity of water resource management include high competition for existing water resources with existing water supply nearing full allocation in most of the region’s catchments, the region’s high variability of rainfall and user access to a reliable supply. Management of water resources is complicated by the need to manage for a range of factors – water supply provision, ecosystem health, habitat value and blue-green algae risks.

Water resources within Banana Shire include:

� Rivers and streams

� Ground water resources

� A variety of water storages ranging from weirs to major dams and associated irrigation, urban and industrial supply water projects and schemes.


Cross catchment transfer also occurs within the Banana Shire Council: from Awoonga Dam to Callide Power Stations crossing the Callide Creek, Dawson and Fitzroy Catchment.

‘Water Resource Management’ refers to the issues of water harvesting, storage, allocation and use. It also includes water use efficiency and water conservation. Water resources include stored water, surface water in the rivers and streams, groundwater and aquifers.

There is a strong appreciation in the regional community of the complexity of managing the region’s water resources for present and future water needs.

Issues identified by stakeholders in the region include:

� Balancing the ecological needs of the river, stream, and tributaries environment with the water requirements of the regions people and industries

� Balancing the needs of different water users and providing an equitable allocation of water resources

� Effects of proposals for large-scale water infrastructure developments in the Dawson catchment

� Identifying the best options for harvesting and storing water in a sustainable and effective manner

� Managing water storages to maintain water quality, environmental flows and fish passages

� Consideration of the amount of fresh water that needs to flow to the sea and the mechanisms by which this takes place

� Management of regulated river flow

� Water rights, trading rights, ownership and costs

� The water allocation process; inefficient use of water

� Mining issues including diversion of surface water courses, aquifer de-watering and groundwater contamination

Groundwater sources in the Banana Shire Council region are important for stock water supplies. Through out the region graziers survive on rock-fractured bore water, however, groundwater is highly variable in quality and quantity. Alluvial aquifers support major use of groundwater in the Don, Dee and Callide Valleys. Fractured rock aquifers are limited, but can also be found in some parts of the region. The main identifiable aquifers are the Fitzroy Aquifer and the Great Artesian Basin which underlies part of the south and west.

There are six main types of wetland definitions and they are specifically based on their general characteristics. There are both similarities and differences between the various types of wetlands systems, and these clear definitions will allow us to manage our wetlands more effectively. Out of the six wetland categories only two that relate to marine and estuarine environments do not appear in the Banana Shire. The six types include:

� Riverine wetlands describe all wetlands and deepwater habitats within a channel. The channels are naturally or artificially created; they periodically or continuously contain moving water, or form a connecting link between two bodies of standing water.

� Lacustrine wetlands: are large, open water-dominated systems (for example lakes) larger than 8 ha. This definition also applies to modified systems (for examples dams), which possess characteristics similar to lacustrine systems (for example, deep standing or slow moving waters).


� Palustrine wetlands are primarily vegetated non-channel environments of less than 8 ha. They include billabongs, swamps, bogs, springs, soaks, etc and have more than 30 percent emergent vegetation.

� Marine wetlands: not applicable to Banana Shire

� Estuarine wetlands: not applicable to Banana Shire

� Spring wetlands occur where groundwater flows out of the ground forming pools or streams

It is important for the Banana Shire region to conserve our water which comes from our river systems, groundwater and wetland systems.

Response

Banana Shire Council is keen to conserve water in the region to assure a continued supply for the range of uses required for business, industries and community needs as well as to provide sufficient water resources to aquatic species dependent upon it.

Council has developed goals, objectives and actions to protect and conserve the region’s water resources as outlined in Table 14.

12.3 River Health and Water Quality for Banana Shire

Issue

Not only is it important to conserve the quantity of water available to the Banana Shire region from the various sources but it is also important that the quality of that water be protected to:

� Provide the essential habitat for aquatic species that belong there

� Provide water for the uses required by human users. For example, humans need water of a certain quality for growing crops without damaging the soil and for watering livestock as well as for other domestic and industrial applications.

Response

Council is committed to maintaining and improving the quality of water in the Banana Shire to protect the aquatic biodiversity in our ecosystems and to provide water suitable for the variety of uses required in the region. The development and implementation of the actions outlined in the Water Action Plan in Table 14 will assist in achieving those objectives.

12.4 Wastewater Recycling

Issue

Wastewater recycling has gained a lot of attention in the past decade as a result of drought which caused water to become scarce and subsequently prices to increase and restrictions placed on its use. As a result of the increased water shortages across Australia and in Queensland, legislation and guidelines were developed to provide a management framework. Queensland now has a comprehensive framework aimed at protecting public health and the environment from adverse impacts. The Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 provides the regulatory framework necessary for developing recycling water supply schemes and recycled water management plans. TThe DERM website (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/water/regulation/recycling/guidelines.html) contains a range of


guidelines to ensure that providers of recycled water are equipped to obtain all the necessary approvals for the scheme to operate.

Response

Banana Shire Council has had a membrane filtration plant installed at Moura to supply the surrounding area with AA+ recycled water quality demonstrating a strong commitment to employ the latest technology to overcome water shortage issues in the region. Council is further committed to expand the use of this technology in areas where investigations demonstrate that it is feasible. Other actions relating to wastewater recycling are provided in Table 14.


The following comments were received relating to water issues:

�� Investigate recycling water at the sewerage plant. This water could then be used for watering crops.

�� Council to undertake constant monitoring of treatment plants.

�� Encourage Banana Shire residents to install rainwater tanks.

�� Council could harvest water from retention basins for their new building.

�� Put a link on Council’s website to the State Government’s Regional Water Use Targets.

�� List water supply locations and the different dam usages.

�� List bore locations including their usages and general composition.

�� Focus on the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability Act 2008) as this is now the main legislation driving the operations and planning of water and sewerage.

�� Concern for water quality as a result of resource industry releases and the proposed Nathan Dam. Believes that support for Nathan Dam is inconsistent with the objectives under W1/2 and W2/2 and Goal 12.6.2.

�� Water at Wowan is considered un-satisfactory for human consumption. Community would like Council to look at ways that the community can begin to address this concern.

�� Investigate alternative methods for stormwater management eg. reed beds.


12.6 Water Goals and Objectives

12.6.1 Goal – Water 1 (W1)

Goal (Water Conservation): To reduce Council’s wat er consumption to contribute to a sustainable water supply and the long term ecologic al health of rivers affected by water storages.

Objectives

1. To reduce water consumption by Council and the community.

2. To use alternative sources for water supply including rainwater, stormwater, greywater and sewerage treatment where suitable.

3. To have a series of guidelines and programs that advise the community in the installation of water efficiency measures.

12.6.2 Goal – Water 2 (W2)

Goal (River Health and Water Quality): To have a t otal water cycle where natural flow regimes, ecological processes and water quality are protecte d.

Objectives

1. To improve the water quality of Banana Shire Council’s rivers, creeks, tributaries, wetlands and storage facilities.

2. To ensure management of the region’s river system sustains all aquatic resources.

12.6.3 Goal – Water 3 (W3)

Goal (Wastewater Recycling): To promote wastewater recycling and the use of recycled wastewater for applications that do not pose an una cceptable risk to human health or to the environment.

Objectives

1. Identify potential sites where recycled wastewater could be used to replace raw or potable water uses within the region.

2. Increase wastewater recycling in the Banana Shire where feasible.

3. To reduce Council’s use of raw water in meeting water demand.

12.7 Water Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for water and is presented in Table 14. The actions are what are required to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets (where they are able to be set), the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended.


During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 14 Action Plan for Water



Status Links

W1/1

To reduce water consumption by Council and the community

Investigate opportunities for large scale water sensitive urban design asset renewal projects consistent with the development of asset management plans and public domain improvement projects.

Reduced water consumption for Council facilities

Increased water use efficiency by community living in the water sensitive urban design development

Implement recommendations from Banana Shire website “Sustainable Banana” water saving habits

Reduced water consumption

Increased water awareness by Council and community

Implement actions in the ‘Action Plan for Water’ and provide an Annual report to Council regarding water saving strategies for Banana Shire Council.

Reduced Council water consumption

W1/2

To use alternative sources for water supply including rainwater, stormwater, greywater and sewerage treatment where suitable.

Support the Nathan Dam Project where possible Increased supply of water for the Taroom region

Develop a Rainwater Tank Policy Policy in place to enable consistent planning development decisions to be made.

Reduced potable water required to be supplied by Council

Increased supply of water for owners of rainwater tanks and less reliance on Banana Shire CouncilBSC supply

Research and report upon non-mains based water supply options (including wastewater recycling options) for Council reserves.

Reduced water consumption

Increased water awareness by Council and community (due to signage and promotion)

W1/3

To have a series of guidelines and programs that advises the community in the installation of water efficiency measures.

Develop water efficiency guidelines for the community and promote through media outlets (newspapers) and on the recommended Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website.

Water use efficiency and water conservation practices adopted by water users

Reduced costs to community due to lower water usage

Reduced potable water required to be supplied by Council




Status Links

W2/1

To improve the water quality of Banana Shire Council’s rivers, creeks, tributaries, wetlands and storage facilities.

Undertake a monitoring program to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of Council’s current capture and removal of pollutants. Indicators could include:

•Number of times water systems show compliance or non-compliance with standards in accordance with EPA regulations for minor water contamination

•Minor sewer overflows recorded

•Major sewerage overflows recorded

•Number of algae blooms recorded,

•Levels of dissolved salts recorded

•Biophysical, physical and chemical water quality date collected and collated for immediate water ways within and surrounding urban areas.

Information to enable informed decisions to be made to improve water quality for the Banana Shire region

Monitor effectiveness of changed clean out processes of wet sumps

Determine if these processes are effective and whether they potentially impact on water quality in the region

Investigate options for Council to become involved more with the FBA water overflow and abatement programs or River Health reports and the like

Improved awareness for Council

Development of collaborative working relationships

Improved water quality opportunities

Collect, collate and report on data from the State Government’s water monitoring programs

Improved awareness for Council to enable effective decision making for the benefit of improving water quality

Implement a program to collect bio-indicator, and physical and chemical data from Banana Shire region’s creeks receiving waters e.g. Washpool Creek, Callide Creek etc (dependent upon funding and resources)

Improved awareness for Council to enable effective decision making for the benefit of improving water quality

W2/2

To ensure management of the region’s river system sustains all aquatic resources

Same actions as for W2/1 Sustainable aquatic biodiversity in the region

W3/1

Identify potential sites where recycled wastewater could be used to replace raw or potable water uses within the region

Establish criteria to be used for the investigation (e.g. facilities that use large amounts of raw or potable water, their distance from a recycled water source, potential public risks and costs associated with the development and implementation of the scheme)

Investigate potential sites according to the established criteria

Increased water recycling opportunities leading to a reduced reliance on raw and potable water supplies

W3/2

Increase wastewater recycling in the Banana Shire where feasible

Dependent upon W3/1 action Increased wastewater recycling opportunities

W3/3

To reduce Council’s use of raw water in meeting water demand

Dependent upon completion of W3/1 and W3/2 actions Reduced demand on raw water resources and potable water supplies


13. Education and Community Activities

13.1 Introduction

The viability of the region’s rural communities is central to the social sustainability of the region and education in environmental issues is crucial for this to occur. Rural communities in Central Queensland are facing serious pressures from within and beyond the region and people need to know how to best manage these pressures and changes placed on the environment. In addition to generally having limited access to education, training and information resources, rural people also facing other pressures in their communities such as:

� Population decline, including young people leaving rural areas

� Reduction of services and infrastructure provision in rural towns

� Reduced employment opportunities for rural people

13.2 Community Education

Issue

In Central Queensland, rural community viability had been adversely affected by declining rural enterprise viability and fluctuations in the mining industry. In addition to these economic factors, issues such as the level of organisation and network in communities, and the skills and knowledge base of local people also impact on viability. Because of the decline of services, information and communication infrastructure both contributes to, and is a product of, declining viability. Another significant factor has been the lack of opportunities provided to rural people to be involved in decision making and the development of rural policies which shape the future of rural communities and industries.

Response

Because of these factors, Banana Shire Council are is proposing actions that will advance environmental education for the community to enable the community as a whole to protect the environment on which our lives depend and thereby giving our region the best chance of prospering now and in the future.

One of the major recommendations within this EMP that links with all aspects of environmental management is the development of a Banana Shire CouncilBSC Environmental Management website that not only provides information as to the status of environmental issues in the region but also has an electronic feedback form option to enable community members to provide input on any aspects of the environment that they are aware.

13.3 Staff Education and Training

Issue

If this region is to achieve sustainable use of its natural resources and environment, BSC must develop a strongly co-ordinated and integrated approach to their management and environmental education and


training is needed for those that have had no previous exposure. To achieve a co-ordinated and integrated approach to environmental management of activities, environmental education and training must occur for all regional stakeholders.

The three key areas in which regional stakeholders need to address co-ordination of effort on environmental management issues includes:

� Planning and management

� Decision making processes

� Information sharing

A co-ordinated and integrated approach to environmental management would contribute to:

� Reducing resources and landuse conflict

� Providing more inclusive and effective decision making processes

� Promoting informed decisions from regional community members at all levels

� Minimising environmental impacts of development

Response

Council recognises the need for a consistent approach to environmental education and training and intends on developing an efficient and effective environmental training module that all staff must complete on commencement with Banana Shire CouncilBSC and at least on an annual basis after that or when significant changes have been made to the program. This has been provided in the Environmental Education Action Plan in Table 15.


The following comments were received relating to Education and Community Activities:

�� A comment was made the Council should address the social issue of fly in/fly out, shift work arrangements within Council’s Community Plan.

�� Would like the Council to develop educational programs to raise awareness of environmental issues in local schools and other educational institutions eg. TAFE . Council could get involved in the two year ‘Smart Schools’ program (15 schools are involved).

�� Engage schools and community groups to undertake activities for World Environment Day.

�� Build communal vegetable gardens. These could be used by educational institutions such as local schools and TAFE.

Broader Community Consultation

�� Develop future educational programs on environmental issues for local community groups such as education on homebased composting opportunities and availability of composting kits; an education program on the need to be WaterWise including options for grey water reuse.


�� Support Clean Up Australia and enlist community groups to permanently adopt stretches of roadside.

�� Believes that the use of the Council website for public consultation is a good tool. Would like to see broader strategies for disseminating information to the community and suggest street presentations in each township next to the local raffle table on a regular weekday to attract attention and provide further avenues for public feedback as well as short informative input into the local publications on Webpage.

�� Could use information booths at Biloela Airport to raise awareness of environmental issues.

�� Endorse the environmental reporting to the community p. 49.. Suggest adding Local newssheets – Moura Messenger, Taroom Tidings, Dawson Valley View to ‘School Newsletters’ section 7.14 and the use of these media to keep environmental issues before the public.

�� Would like to see in public education “Bin your butt” campaign re toxicity of cigarette filters, enlisting schools, news media, Qld Health, Theodore District Health Council and similar bodies.

13.5 Education and Community Activities – Goals and Obje ctives

13.5.1 Goal – Environmental Education and Community Activities 1 (E1)

Goal (Community Education): To deliver effective a nd integrated environmental education that builds the capacity of people in Banana Shire Counc il to move towards more sustainable behaviour.

Objectives

1. To deliver effective education programs that assist in the conservation of natural resources and community understanding of environmental issues.

13.5.2 Goal – Environmental Education and Community Activities (E2)

Goal (Staff Education and Training): To have infor med, aware and motivated staff with sufficient training to perform their duties in a way this mini mises risks to the environment.

Objectives

1. To develop and deliver effective staff training.

13.6 Education and Community Activities Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for education and is presented in Table 15. The actions presented are required to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets (where they are able to be set), the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority


ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 15 Action Plan for Education and Community Ac tivities



Status Links

E1/1

To deliver effective education programs that assist in the conservation of natural resources and community understanding of environmental issues

Support external programs to publicise adoption by the community of accredited Greenpower

Increased awareness by community on the issue of greenhouse gas and climate change

Decreased greenhouse gas emissions

Decreased energy bills for the region

Publicise violations of environmental laws and successful prosecutions as considered appropriate by the General ManagerChief Executive Officer

Increased awareness of the legal importance (magnitude and extent) of environmental legislation

Conduct programs to reduce water and energy use in community, including education programs and retrofit programs

Greater acceptance and awareness by community on water and energy usage issues and costs

Liaise with local nursery industry to prevent sale of weed plant species

Reduced risk of introduced declared weeds distributed through local nurseries

Conduct bushland and native animal education programs Increased awareness and participation by community members in environmental issues, especially biodiversity

Develop a community waste education program that promotes and encourages; home composition and worm farming, waste avoidance, recovery of recyclables from the waste stream, and increased recycling rates.


Reduced waste leachate to soil, groundwater and surface water

Increased awareness and increased incidence of reuse and recycling

Provide information on environmental site management to developers and builders


Develop and implement a sustainability workshops series for the community

Increased awareness and participation by community members in environmental sustainability issues

Implement sustainable Business Programs, dependent on funding opportunities

Increased awareness and participation by businesses in the Banana Shire region in environmental sustainability issues

E2/1

To develop and deliver effective staff training

Continue staff awareness programs about water conservation at work.

Increased awareness and peer pressure for Council employees

Reduced water usage at Council workplaces

Develop an environmental training plan, consistent with Council’s Training and Development Policy that covers personnel selection, recruitment, employee knowledge and awareness, and individual competency needs.

A consistent training approach for all Council employees


Reduced risk of financial penalty associated with causing environmental harm




Status Links

Conduct programs to reduce energy use in the workplace, including education programs and retrofit programs

Increased awareness and peer pressure on the issue of energy usage in the workplace

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

Reduced energy bills in Council buildings (Savings)


14. Site Based Management Plans

14.1 Why Prepare Site Based Management Plans?

Management of an organisation conducting an environmentally relevant activity (ERA) can demonstrate due diligence by implementing an effective site-based management plan (SBMP). That is, the development and implementation of a SBMP for particular activities demonstrates that “…all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent or minimise environmental harm…” from the activity have been taken. This is the general environmental duty set out in Section 319 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994. Should a corporation commit an offence against the Act, corporate managers are potentially liable for the breach under Section 493 of the EP Act.

14.2 SBMP Guideline and Purpose

A guideline designed to explain the benefits of, and how to prepare a SBMP is provided on the DERM website http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p00520aa.pdf. This guideline explains that the purpose of a SBMP is to demonstrate that persons carrying out ERAs have in place a structured program that:

� sets the environmental objectives or standards to be achieved;

� identifies the potential environmental harm which may occur from routine operations and establishes and documents measures to avoid this harm as far as practicable;

� identifies extraordinary factors (i.e. abnormal operation, emergencies) that may cause environmental harm and establishes and documents contingency plans to deal with these;

� ensures all persons carrying out the activity are aware of the environmental risks, and are trained in the measures and contingency plans to deal with them;

� implements monitoring of environmental performance to ensure the effectiveness of the measures and contingency plans;

� assists the communication of environmental information throughout the organisation and to the administering authority; and

� provides for continual improvement.

14.3 Benefits of SBMPs

The DERM guideline describes the benefits of developing and implementing a SBMP as:

� identification of recycling opportunities;

� reduction of energy consumption;

� facilitated implementation of cleaner production;

� safer workplaces;

� less prescriptive conditioning;

� fewer complaints made by the public;

� enhanced public image;


� ability to address environmental issues in own timeframe;

� more favourable terms from financiers due to reduced risk;

� increased compliance and reduced risk of penalties; and

� facilitation of approvals during expansion or alteration of the activity.

14.4 Essential Elements of a SBMP

The DERM guideline lists 11 essential elements of a SBMP as:

1. Environmental commitments - a commitment by senior management to achieve environmental goals

2. Identification of environmental issues and potential impacts

3. Control measures for routine operations to minimise likelihood of environmental harm

4. Contingency plans and emergency procedures for non-routine situations

5. Organisational structure and responsibility

6. Effective communication

7. Monitoring contaminant releases

8. Conducting environmental impact assessments

9. Staff training

10. Record keeping

11. Periodic review of environmental performance and continual improvement

14.5 Banana Shire Council SBMPs

The existing SBMPs developed by BSC are provided as Appendix E to this EMP. Currently, these collated 13 SBMPs are incorrectly titled as an “Integrated Environmental Management System” (see Section 5.2 for further discussion). AAll SBMPs developed and implemented by Council should be prepared to the standard set out in the SBMP guideline and consequently contain the 11 elements presented above. They do not meet these criteria.


The following comments were received relating to Education and Community Activities:

�� Identify those sites that need Site Based Management Plans, or need Site Based Management Plans updated.

�� Believes that there should be third party audits of Site Based Management Plans and of Council’s ERAs.


14.7 SBMPs – Goals and Objectives

14.7.1 Goal – SBMP 1 (SBMP1)

Goal (SBMP): That BSC has a SBMP for all facilitie s operated by Council, where the potential for environmental harm exists as a result of operating that facility (even if a current Development Approval is not a required condition).

Objectives

1. Identify a document management system for all SBMPs needed for BSC facilities and ERAs.

2. Determine the status of the SBMPs.

3. Prioritise those SBMPs that are a required condition in ERA Development Approval Permits.

4. Ensure that appropriate SBMPs are in place.

5. Audit the SBMPs by undertaking audits three months after the implementation of the SBMP for each facility or ERA.

14.8 SBMP Action Plans

An Action Plan has been developed for achieving the goals and objectives for SBMPs and is presented in Table 15. The actions presented are considered to be what needs to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Also provided are the expected outcomes and targets, where they are able to be set, the group responsible for undertaking the actions or ensuring that they are undertaken, the expected duration of the actions, status of each of the actions, when they commenced and links to other management plans used by the Banana Shire Council. A column has been provided for ‘priority’, however, it is suggested that risk assessments be undertaken to enable a ranking of these actions into low, medium and high priority level categories. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might also feed into this priority ranking process. Finally, a Time Frame is required to ensure timely completion of the actions as each are addressed or amended. During progress of the action plan, new or amended actions may be identified and added as part of the process of continuous improvement of the EMP document.


Table 16 Action Plan for Site Based Management Plan s

Goal / Objective ID Actions Target/Outcome Resp Duration Priority Time Frame

Status Links

SBMP1/1

Identify a document management system for all SBMPs needed for BSC facilities and ERAs

Set up a register of all SBMPs needed for BSC facilities and ERAs. A managed approach to managing the SBMPs required by Banana Shire CouncilBSC

SBMP1/2

Determine the status of the SBMPs

Undertake a gap analysis to determine whether they meet the guidelines. Identify what needs to be done (extent and magnitude)

SBMP1/3

Prioritise those SBMPs that are a required condition in ERA Development Approval Permits

Undertake a risk assessment of SBMPs identified, to prioritise the most important ones to undertake a review and update.

Identify a prioritised list for actions

SBMP1/4

To ensure that appropriate SBMPs are in place

Develop and/or review and update the SBMPs for all Council facilities and ERAs to meet the DERM guideline, giving priority to those that are a condition of the ERA Development Approval Permits.

A proactive approach, tailored to the needs of the ERA and the site, that prevents environmental problems occurring

SBMP1/5 Undertake audits three months after the implementation of each SBMP for each Banana Shire CouncilBSC facility or ERA.

Assess compliance with SBMP implementation


15. Strategy Implementation

15.1 Environmental Management Plan Implementation

The development of this EMP is only part of the Banana Shire CouncilBSC review process. The EMP must also be implemented for it to be successful in managing all of the environmental aspects of BSC business, to protect the environment against harm. Goals and objectives have been developed for a range of environmental aspects, and actions to achieve those objectives have been set. What has not been completed is the ranking of actions, which might be done based on a risk assessment. Other factors, such as community values and available resources, might be included into the decision making process. This is something that will need attention by Council.

This EMP has been prepared as a draft document and will be updated following consultation with the community to include perspectives put forward by community members. Sections within this document relating to the response from Council will also be updated following consultation with elected councillors, council management staff and council officers.

In order for the successful implementation by Banana Shire CouncilBSC, the document must have an EMP coordinator that will ensure that the actions are incorporated into the other plans and daily operational activities. It is likely that the EMP coordinator will also be responsible for organising or overseeing the environmental education strategy including a roll out of the document to all Council officers and members of the community as appropriate. It is imperative that goals and objectives are realistic and achievable to get positive progress towards the ultimate overriding goal/aim.

15.2 Community and Staff Acceptance

It is essential that both Council staff and the community accept this EMP for it to be effective. Promotion of the EMP combined with an education program will assist in this acceptance.

15.3 Role of the Community

The community also has a role in the implementation of this EMP, in that they need to take responsibility for their actions to protect the environment, and hence provide for a future that we wish to have for generations to come. Members of the community can change behaviours in their homes and workplaces, as well as support Council initiatives and community education programs. M Members of the community can also provide feedback to the Council on any aspect of environmental management via the BSC environmental management website.

15.4 Monitoring and Review of EMP

As a dynamic document, this EMP will be subject to periodic monitoring and review, to achieve continual improvement. Revisions will incorporate changes in environmental management procedures and practices in light of on-going monitoring, new techniques, legislation and environmental policies of the Banana Shire Council, in consultation with the relevant authorities and in line with industry standards and best practice.


Council expects that a review of the EMP will occur:

� Three months after it has been adopted to assess its operational effectiveness

� Prior to the election of a new Council in 2011, to assess the operational aspects of the document, together with milestones achieved and to consider additional updates

� At a minimum, this EMP should be revised every five years


16. References

ANZECC and ARMCANZ (2000), Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, Australia and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, National Water Quality Management Strategy.

ANZECC and ARMCANZ (2000), Australian Guidelines for Water Quality Monitoring and Reporting Summary, Australia and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council and Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, National Water Quality Management Strategy No.7a, Canberra.

ANZECC (1996), National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity, link from DEWHA website, http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/strategy/pubs/national-strategy-96.pdf, accessed 26 February 2010.

Banana Shire Council (BSC) (April 2009), Corporate Plan 2009 – 2014, Biloela.

Beeton RJS (Bob), Buckley Kristal I, Jones Gary J, Morgan Denise, Reichelt Russell E, Trewin Dennis (2006 Australian State of the Environment Committee), 2006, Australia State of the Environment 2006: Independent report to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage, http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/index.html, accessed 27 January 2010.

Bennett, J., Sanders, N., Moulton, D., Phillips, N., Lukacs, G., Walker, K., and Redfern, F. (undated) Guidelines for Protecting Australian Waterway, Land and Water Australia/Montgomery Watson Harza/Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency/James Cook University/Adelaide University Australia.

Buss, Rose (Lead Author); United Nations (Content source); Cutler J. Cleveland (Topic Editor). 2007. "United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (UNCHE), Stockholm, Sweden." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth May 7, 2007; Last revised November 9, 2007; Retrieved January 18, 2010]. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/United_Nations_Conference_on_the_Human_Environment_(UNCHE),_Stockholm,_Sweden>

Department of Climate Change (2009) “What is the greenhouse effect?”, http://www.climatechange.gov.au/climate-change/science/greenhouse-effect.aspx, updated 13 October 2009, accessed 24 February 2010.

Department of the Environment and Heritage (2006) “Environmental indicators for reporting”, paper prepared for the 2006 Australian State of the Environment Committee, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra.

DEWHA (2007) ESD Design Guide for Office and Public Buildings, third edition, Department of Environment and Water Resources (now Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts), Canberra, http://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/government/publications/esd-design/pubs/esd-design-guide.pdf, accessed 5 March 2010.

EPA (2005) “Manual for Recycled Water Agreements in Queensland”, Environmental Protection Agency (now Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM)), Queensland Government.

EPA (2006) Airborne particulates, Environmental Protection Agency (now Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM)), Queensland Government


http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/air/air_quality_monitoring/air_pollutants/airborne_particulates.html#PM10, updated 7 April 2006, accessed 25 February 2010.

Eyre, T.J., Kelly, A.L. and Neldner, V.J. (2008), BioCondition: A Terrestrial Vegetation Condition Assessment Tool for Biodiversity in Queensland, Field Assessment Manual, version 1.6, Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p02603aa.pdf, accessed 26 February 2010.

DERM (2002) Construction and Demolition Waste,: Waste management and resource use opportunities, http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p00484aa.pdf, accessed 3 March 2010.

DERM (2005), Regional Ecosystem Framework, http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/biodiversity/regional_ecosystems/regional_ecosystem_framework.html, updated 18 march 2005, accessed 26 February 2010.

DERM (2009), Queensland Water Quality Guidelines, Version 3, Department of Environment and Resource Management, Queensland Government.

DERM (2009), Monitoring and Sampling Manual 2009, Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009, Version 1, Department of Environment and Resource Management, Queensland Government.

DERM (2009), Biodiversity, Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosystems/biodiversity/index.html, updated 11 December 2009, accessed 26 February 2010.

DERM (2009) Queensland Heritage Strategy, Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/publications/docs/p203719.pdf, ISBN 978-0-9805645-0-1, accessed 2 March 2010.

DERM (2010) Waste, Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/waste/index.html ), updated 12 February 2010, accessed 3 March 2010.

DERM (2010) Waste and Recycling Reports, Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/waste/waste_management/wastewise_publications/waste_and_recycling_reports/index.html

updated 13 January 2010, access 3 March 2010.

IECA (2008), Best Practice Erosion and Sediment Control, International Erosion Control Association (Australasia), Picton NSW.

Lennon, J.L. (2006) Natural and cultural heritage: Theme commentary, prepared for the 2006 Australian State of the Environment Committee 2006, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/commentaries/heritage/introduction.html, accessed 2 March 2010.

NHMRC (2008), Guidelines for Managing Risks in Recreational Water, National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Government, Canberra.

NRW (2008), “Recycled Water Management Plan and Validation Guidelines”, Department of Natural Resources and Water (now part of Department of Environment and Resource Management), Queensland Government.


NRW (2008), “Recycled Water Management Plan Exemption Guidelines”, Department of Natural Resources and Water (now part of Department of Environment and Resource Management), Queensland Government.

NRW (2008), “Water Quality Guidelines for Recycled Water Schemes”, Department of Natural Resources and Water (now part of Department of Environment and Resource Management), Queensland Government.

Standards Australia (1998) “AS/NZS 5667.1:1998, Water quality-Sampling, Part 1: Guidance on the design of sampling programs, sampling techniques and the preservation and handling of samples”, Standards Australia (Sydney) and Standards New Zealand (Wellington).

Standards Australia (2005) “AS 4482.1 – 2005, Guide to the investigation and sampling of sites with potentially contaminated soil, Part 1: Non-volatile and semi-volatile compounds”, Standards Australia, Sydney.

Wild River, S 2006, ‘The role of local government in environmental and heritage management’, article prepared for the 2006 Australia State of the Environment Committee, Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra, http://www.deh.gov.au/soe/2006/integrative/local-government/index.html http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/emerging/indicators/pubs/indicators.pdf, accessed 21 January 2010.


Appendix A

Draft Community Consultation Plan


Appendix B

National State of the Environment Report 2006 – Extracts


State of the Environment Report 2006

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/index.html

State of the Environment 2006 (SoE 2006) was the third independent national stocktake of the Australian environment. It covered the five-year period 2001 to 2006, and reported on all aspects of the environment.

SoE 2006 comprises several inter-related elements: the report - Australia State of the Environment 2006 (SoE2006); numerous supporting documents; and data in the Data Reporting System.

SoE 2006 was launched by the former Minister for the Environment and Heritage on 6 December 2006.

The information presented in this appendix includes two sections of the SoE 2006 Report including ‘Key Findings’ and ‘Role of Local Government’. These sections are presented as direct extracts.

Key Findings

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/key-findings.html

� This section presents key findings drawn from the data and other information available to the Australian State of the Environment Committee. It is an assessment of Australia’s environment in terms of the pressures on it, the state it is in, and the responses that Australia has made. In addition, the Committee presents suggested future directions on the basis of its experience of assembling SoE2006. Collectively, all these findings are important for future policy, but they are not intended to be prescriptive.

� This is the third independent state of the environment report for Australia since 1996, but it is still impossible to give a clear national picture of the state of Australia’s environment because of the lack of accurate, nationally consistent, environmental data. This has particularly serious consequences for identification and management of Australia’s biodiversity, coasts and oceans, and natural and cultural heritage. Better time-series and spatial data are needed across almost every environmental sector.

� The biggest improvements in condition are seen in relation to atmosphere. There is evidence to suggest that the global response to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances 18 years ago is having an effect. The size of the Antarctic ozone hole has not changed in the last ten years and the overall amount of ozone in the stratosphere appears to have increased from 2000. Also, air quality in both urban and regional areas, in most cases, is meeting agreed national standards. There are some concerns for air quality in some cities where serious air pollution episodes still occur.

� Climate change is an important issue for Australia. While there is debate about scientific predictions, it is almost universally accepted that temperatures are rising. The extent of rise is uncertain and continuous adaptation of environmental and sectoral policies, in an uncertain environment, is the key.

� The recent drought was particularly severe because it was hotter than previous droughts, and because it affected almost the entire continent. It demonstrated that some of the water resources for our cities and irrigation-based industries, which are already stressed and over-allocated, are particularly vulnerable to ‘natural’ climate variability, let alone the increased climate variability that is expected over the coming decades. One result is that Australian governments, companies and citizens have started to recognise the issues around climate variability far more than they did in 2001.


� There has been a major shift in the approach by governments and the community towards environmental management during the last decade. This is seen in an increasing financial investment in Australia’s environment by all levels of government; for example, the Australian Government spent more than $10.3 billion during 2001–05 to address environmental problems through a variety of programmes. Tangible evidence of this shift includes:

– steps were taken to bring an end to broad-scale vegetation clearing between 2001 and 2006 in most states and territories

– changes to oceans and fisheries management, with a major industry restructure to reduce the total catch in Commonwealth-managed fisheries, the increase in no-take zones in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Queensland’s nearshore waters, and the creation of a number of marine protected areas in some state and territory waters

– increasing cooperation between governments and the community in environmental stewardship through regional environmental management arrangements, such as regional natural resource management entities; there are concerns about the differences in the capacity of local government and regional groups to adequately undertake and fund their responsibilities

– since Australia State of the Environment 2001 (SoE2001), the Council of Australian Governments has further advanced its water reform agenda, with its National Water Initiative using market-based reforms and agreed policy platforms to seek improvements in water use and allocation, by humans and the environment

– clarification of the responsibilities of the three levels of government, improved protection of Commonwealth-owned heritage assets, establishment of a National Heritage List and promotion of a holistic view of heritage as part of the environment through amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

– the establishment of the National Collections Council in 2001 and the establishment of significance assessment methods for collections - important response measures for conserving cultural heritage

– an increasingly cooperative approach between most states and territories and the Australian Government in developing a consistent approach to threatened species listing and the protection of threatened species and ecological communities

– the increasingly active role in environmental stewardship by the philanthropic and business sectors, with several organisations actively managing large areas of land to either restore or manage for biodiversity outcomes.

� Many of the pressures that were reported in SoE2001 still exist, and some have intensified. The demands this, places on the broader environment, through increases in use of energy, land, water and other materials, are also significant, particularly because individual consumption of most resources is increasing to support the Australian lifestyle. The advances in recycling some forms of urban waste, such as paper and glass, are positive but they do not offset the environmental costs of net consumption. Australia has to do better in recycling and in the reuse of critical resources such as water, energy, construction materials and organic waste from gardens, sewage, residual food, industrial and livestock sources.

� Of continuing concern for Australia’s immediate future is continued population growth along the coastline. The formation of mega-metropolitan centres with increasing population density on


Australia’s coasts has the potential to displace much valuable biodiversity and ‘high-value’ agricultural land.

� Much urban environmental progress can be achieved by adopting strategies that reduce the harmful impacts of unsustainable consumption on the environment and nationally recognising that urban form and livability have a powerful influence on human settlements. The development and implementation of an Australian Government policy on cities would provide leadership and guidance to the other two levels of government, as well as to developers, producers and consumers so as to achieve a common approach to the creation of sustainable settlements.

Role of Local Government – Direct Extract from SoE Report 2006

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/governance-1.html

Local government is the most diverse of Australia’s three levels of government. It is an important player in the area of environment and heritage management in Australia, and has responsibility for protecting the environment, planning future landscapes, providing infrastructure, managing natural resources, and conserving or managing cultural heritage through a variety of mechanisms. Many local governments work in areas beyond statutory requirements, such as Local Agenda 21 and Cities for Climate Protection.

In 2002–03, local government collectively accounted for about $4.1 billion of spending on environmental management (Figure 39), which is about 32 per cent of the total environmental expenditure by the three levels of government across Australia. Most of this expenditure is for solid waste management and wastewater treatment. The income is funded primarily from rates (some 83 per cent of total local government funding in 2000–01), which can be inflexible in some of the poorer and smaller rural local government areas. The most extreme and poorly resourced examples are Indigenous councils.

Figure 39: Government expenditure on the environment, 2002–03

Source: Wild River (2006)

The mechanics of local environmental governance are complex. Local government has many environmental and heritage roles and responsibilities, and carries these out according to legislation or policies or programmes (Sullivan 2006). This can create tensions because councils and the staff they hire consider themselves to be creatures and servants of the local areas. Instead of being driven by any specific statute, local governments use state and territory laws as toolkits to fix local problems, rather than as the instruction manuals intended by state governments.

This gap between the expectation and the reality is only one of a raft of pressures faced by local governments. Others include local government amalgamations, enhanced general roles and responsibilities, devolution, unfunded mandates and cost shifting, an increasing need to work with


regional organisations, and population pressures from ‘sea change’ and ‘tree change’ movements. For some, the pressure is sufficient to limit what they can do. A 2005 survey found that only 31 per cent of councils considered that they had a comprehensive or good capacity to take up natural resource management initiatives; 29 per cent said they had either a limited capacity or none (Figure 40). An April 2004 report, Making Heritage Happen, found that on the basis of partial evidence offered at the local level, it is possible that current trends could lead to the loss by 2024 of 10–15 per cent of the heritage places that are extant in 2004 (National Incentives Task Force 2004).More recently, a Productivity Commission survey of the role of local governments in the conservation of historic heritage showed that around half of responding councils provided assistance, (ranging from 15 per cent of councils in Queensland to more than 80 per cent in New South Wales) with free heritage advisory services and grants being the main forms of assistance (Productivity Commission 2006b).

Figure 40: Local government capacity for natural resource management planning

Source: Shepherd (2005)

Local governments in Queensland face these problems and more. Many govern largely Indigenous communities, and play an important role in helping to manage the cultural heritage of their local populations. A total of 93 Indigenous local councils have been established in the Northern Territory (as at October 2005) and, overall, 650 of the 815 elected members are Indigenous people.

The increasing need to work with regional organisations is a challenge for local governments. One reason is that various organisations have different boundaries, depending on their needs, and they rarely coincide with each other or with local government boundaries. The challenge is greater for local governments that straddle regional borders because they can find themselves having to work with more than a dozen regional organisations. This can create barriers to effective long-term local–regional partnerships. The problems also include both the transience of regional bodies and their frequently unclear roles in relation to local government (Dore and Woodhill 1999, Bellamy et al 2003).

(Source: State of the Environment Report 2006) http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/governance-1.html


Appendix C

Banana Shire Council Elected Councillors and Their Portfolios


Appendix D

Banana Shire Council Organisational Structure


Appendix E

Banana Shire Council Site Based Management Plans


GHD

Level 2, 100 Goondoon Street Gladstone 4680 PO Box 373 Gladstone Qld 4680 Australia T: (07) 4973 1600 F: (07) 4972 6236 E: [email protected]

© GHD 2010

This document is and shall remain the property of GHD. The document may only be used for the purpose for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the Terms of Engagement for the commission. Unauthorised use of this document in any form whatsoever is prohibited.

Document Status

Reviewer Approved for Issue



Community Consultation Plan

March 2010

i42/16092/11733 BSC Environmental Management Plan -Community Consultation Plan

Contents

1. Introduction 2

1.1 Project Background 2

1.2 GHD’s Role 3

1.3 CCP Purpose and Objectives 3

2. Community Consultation Approach 5

2.1 Core Values 6

2.2 Principles 7

3. Stakeholders 8

3.1 Project Stakeholders 8


3.3 Stakeholder Interest and Potential Involvement 19

4. Consultation Process and Activities 21

4.1 Stage 1: Project Advisory Committee 21

4.2 Stage 2: BSC Working Groups 22

4.3 Stage 3: EMP Stakeholder Working Group 22

4.4 Stage 4: BSC’s Wider Community 23

4.5 Stage 5: Incorporate Feedback into Final EMP 23

5. Community Consultation Action Plan 24

6. Project Key Messages 31

7. Communication Tools and Protocols 32

7.1 Stakeholder Database 32

7.2 Project Contact Details 32

7.3 PowerPoint Presentation 32

7.4 Stakeholder Invitations 32

7.5 Feedback Forms 32

7.6 Factsheets 32

7.7 Letters 33

7.8 Advertisements 33

7.9 Media Statement 33

7.10 Unmanned Public Displays 33

ii42/16092/11733 BSC Environmental Management Plan -Community Consultation Plan

7.11 Manned Public Displays 33

7.12 Council’s Website 33

7.13 Council’s ‘Focus’ Newsletter 34

7.14 School Newsletters 34

8. Evaluation 35

9. Recommendations for Future Consultation 36

9.1 Community Reporting 36

9.2 Community Consultation 36

9.3 Strategic Key Stakeholder Relationship Building 36

9.4 Operational Level (in-house liaison) 36

9.5 Operational Level (external liaison) 36

Table Index

Table 1 Preliminary Stakeholder List 9

Table 2 Stakeholder Interest and Influence Matrix 19

Table 3 Stakeholder Involvement Matrix 19

Table 4 Project Advisory Committee Representatives 21

Table 5 Community Consultation Action Plan 24

Table 6 Estimated Resident Population by Urban Centre/Locality,

Banana Shire Council, 30 June 2008 40

Table 7 Country of Birth Banana Shire Council and Queensland,

2006 41

Table 8 Estimated Resident Population by Age Banana Shire

Council, 30 June 2008 42

Table 9 Gross Weekly Income Banana Shire Council, 2006 44

Table 10 Highest Level of Schooling Completed Banana Shire

Council, 2006 45

Table 11 Occupied Dwellings by Type Banana Shire Council and

Queensland, 1996 and 2006 47

iii42/16092/11733 BSC Environmental Management Plan -Community Consultation Plan

Figure Index

Figure 1 IAP2 Spectrum 6

Figure 2 Location of Banana Shire 38

Figure 3 Overview of Banana Shire Council Divisional

Boundaries 39

Figure 4 Unemployment Rate Banana Shire Council and Queensland,

March Quarter 2008 to March Quarter 2009 42

Figure 5 Unemployment Rate Banana Shire Council and Queensland,

March Quarter 2008 to March Quarter 2009 43

Figure 6 Post-School Qualifications by Level of Education Banana Shire

Council and Queensland, 2006 46

Figure 7 Median Monthly Housing Loan Repayments Banana Shire Council

Urban Centres and Localities and Queensland, 2006 47

Appendices

A Detailed Community Profile

iv42/16092/11733 BSC Environmental Management Plan -Community Consultation Plan

Acronyms

BSC Banana Shire Council

CCP Community Consultation Plan

DERM Department of Environment and Resource Management

EMP Environmental Management Plan

EMU Environmental Management Unit

EOI Expression of Interest

ESD Ecologically Sustainable Development

IAP2 International Association for Public Participation

SAV Shire Atlas of Values

142/16092/11733 BSC Environmental Management Plan -Community Consultation Plan

Executive SummaryCommunity consultation is a critical component of how Banana Shire Council does business. It is an

essential process to improve decisions and listen and respond to local community needs.

The Community Consultation Plan (this plan) details the community consultation strategy for the

development of Banana Shire Council’s Environmental Management Plan. The purpose of this document

is to provide a planned, strategic approach to effectively involve key stakeholders and the community in

the development of Council’s environmental plan. Feedback received by key stakeholders and the

Banana Shire Council community will be incorporated, where possible, into the final Environmental

Management Plan for 2010.

Council will undertake community consultation activities in accordance with the International Association

for Public Participation’s community engagement principles which identify five levels of consultation:

informing, consulting, involving, collaborating and empowering. The majority of community consultation

activities that will be implemented during the development of the Environmental Management Plan fall

under the ‘inform’ and ‘consult’ levels of the spectrum.

A key element of community consultation for this project will be the preparation and implementation of

workshops and public displays and the distribution of communication materials to encourage the Banana

Shire community to get involved in the development of the Environmental Management Plan.

A number of objectives have been identified to facilitate the consultation process including engagement

of council personnel and stakeholders in working groups; involving the broader community through public

displays; using a variety of communication tools to engage the community and enabling early community

participation to avoid feelings of a tokenistic approach. Regular monitoring and evaluation of the

community consultation process will be carried out to assess the achievement of these objectives.

GHD has carried out an analysis of stakeholder interest and influence to determine potential involvement

of key community members in the development of the Environmental Management Plan. From this

analysis and profiling of the Banana Shire community, a preliminary stakeholder list has been developed

including representatives from Council, government agencies and industry groups, elected

representatives, traditional owners, community groups, educational institutions and media outlets.

Council will also develop a Shire of Values Atlas to identify smaller geographic areas within the shire to

assist with consultation activities.

As part of this Community Consultation Plan, an Action Plan has been developed to outline a range of

community consultation methods and tools to assist the community in providing their feedback about the

Environmental Management Plan. Indicative timeframes against the actions identified for the delivery of

activities have also been included.

Finally, the plan recommends future community consultation actions for Council’s environmental

management strategy including community reporting and consultation, stakeholder relationship building,

and operational recommendations for Council’s internal stakeholders and liaison with external agencies

and community members.


1. Introduction

Banana Shire Council (BSC) is situated in Central Queensland, Australia. It is about 120 km south-west

of the growing industrial city and port of Gladstone and 143 km south of Rockhampton, known as

‘Australia’s Beef Capital’. The Shire is a rich farming, grazing and mining region and has a population of

around 15,535 people spread over a 28,636 square kilometre area. The town of Biloela is the main

population and administration centre and services the Callide Valley. The other most populated towns

are Moura and Theodore, with the smaller centres of Taroom, Banana, Baralaba, Dululu, Wowan,

Goovigen, Jambin, Thangool, Wowan and Cracow making up the rest of the Shire’s townships.

There are a number of diverse industries operating within BSC including coal production, power

generation, beef processing, cotton ginning, nitrate production and coal seam gas. Agriculture is the

largest industry for employment of BSC residents, accounting for around 20 percent of the region’s

employed labour force.

In relation to utilities, infrastructure and services in the shire, BSC supplies treated water to houses and

businesses in the towns of Biloela, Moura and Theodore. These towns have also been provided with

sewerage systems. Electricity is supplied by the Callide Power Station and over 55.0 percent of all

occupied private dwellings have an internet connection. There are 934 km of sealed and 3134 km of

unsealed roads in the shire. Further detailed information about the shire is provided in Appendix 1.

1.1 Project Background

A draft Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was developed by BSC with the aim of providing

appropriate environmental protection and impact minimisation conditions and mechanisms to achieve

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) within the framework of existing legislation and

environmental practices. The main components of the draft EMP cover aspects of Council operations

and the environment including corporate activities, air, biodiversity, heritage, land management, noise

and vibration, waste management, water, education and community activities and site based

management plans.

It is intended that developers, planners, environmental management professionals, community

stakeholders and decision makers in BSC will utilise this EMP. However, the EMP does not apply to

mining, exploration, rail or gas projects as these projects are administered, assessed and monitored by

the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM).

Benefits of EMPs include, but are not limited to the following:

Integrate and implement environmental management commitments, conditions and statutory

requirements while facilitating principles of ESD and integrated decision-making processes

Provide the foundation for consultation and negotiated outcomes

Provide comprehensive information that addresses all relevant environmental management

outcomes

Provide flexibility to reflect changes in practices, technology and processes

Provide a tool for promoting accountability and transparency


1.2 GHD’s Role

Banana Shire Council has commissioned consulting firm GHD to review and update their draft EMP. The

decision to develop a credible and robust EMP reflects Council’s commitment to protecting the

municipality’s natural resources so that they can be enjoyed by future generations. BSC is committed to

ensuring that these natural resources are therefore managed in a sustainable framework which will be

reflected in the final EMP.

As part of this review, GHD has also been commissioned to prepare the associated Community

Consultation Plan (CCP) to ensure key stakeholders and the broader community are actively involved in

the development of the EMP. A key outcome of the EMP is to therefore to protect and enhance the

Shire’s biodiversity in a manner that is positively accepted by the community.

The CCP (this Plan) is a strategic document which outlines the purpose and objectives for implementing

the community consultation process. It includes identification of key project stakeholders, consultation

activities to be undertaken during the development of the EMP and recommendations for future

consultation. The CCP reflects on BSC’s vision and mission statement:

“to promote the Shire as the ‘Shire of Opportunity’ and to ensure that services provided

continually improve the quality of life for its citizens”.

1.3 CCP Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this CCP is to provide a planned, strategic approach to effectively involve key

stakeholders and the community in the development of BSC’s EMP. Feedback received by key

stakeholders and the BSC community will be incorporated, where possible, into the final EMP for 2010.

A key aspect of the CCP will be the preparation and implementation of workshops and public displays

and the distribution of communication materials to inform and encourage the Banana Shire community to

get involved in the development of the EMP.

Objectives of the community consultation process are to:

Engage key personnel within BSC in providing input into the development of the EMP via focus

group workshops

Engage key stakeholders and community members in providing input into the development of the

EMP via focus group workshops

Encourage the broader community to give feedback on the draft EMP via public displays, feedback

forms and by contacting the project team through established communication channels

Allow for sufficient timeframes and resources to engage the community

Use a variety of communication materials to engage the community

Enable early participation to avoid feelings of tokenistic participation

Proactively manage community expectations raised during the consultation process

Use a coordinated approach to consultation within and between Council branches

Manage information gained from the consultation process through recording feedback in a

stakeholder database

Provide the community with opportunities for involvement in decision-making processes


Establish clear lines of communications (project team contact details) to facilitate community

feedback

Provide consultation methods which are culturally appropriate and relevant

To assess the achievement of these objectives, regular monitoring and evaluation of the outcomes of

community consultation will be carried out.


2. Community Consultation Approach

Community consultation benefits both BSC and the community. It allows Council to access wider sources

of information, points of view and potential solutions. It also gives residents a better understanding of the

issues behind decision-making and the related constraints or opportunities that exist. The following

section outlines the overall approach to consultation activities that will be implemented to facilitate the

development of the EMP. The aim of this approach is to inform the project team about matters of interest

to key stakeholders and the wider community about matters of interest and importance to them in

achieving a sustainable future for their environment.

Community consultation encompasses a range of levels from information provision through to

empowering the community to make decisions. A core component in developing the EMP will be to

clearly communicate the level of input required by key stakeholders and the community, as well as report

back on how this input was considered in the project’s outcomes. Therefore, it is important to define what

aspects of the process they are being asked to contribute to and/or be involved in and, in terms of

decision-making, what is negotiable and not negotiable.

In line with BSC’s Community Consultation Policy, the International Association for Public Participation

(IAP2) has developed a tool that defines the level of public participation in terms of a spectrum that

begins with Inform, Consult and moves to Involve, Collaborate and Empower, refer to Figure 1. The

levels of participation which will be implemented for the development of the EMP will be Inform and

Consult.


Figure 1 IAP2 Spectrum


2.1 Core Values

The consultation team will follow IAP2’s Core Values for consultation. These values are:

The public should have a say in decisions about actions that could affect their lives

Public participation includes the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision

Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs

and interests of all participants, including decision makers

Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or

interested in a decision

Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate

Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful

way that will help to positively shape outcomes where practicable

Public participation communicates to participants how their input influenced the final decision

2.2 Principles

The consultation team will adhere to the following principles in developing and implementing the EMP.

Open and transparent process: the community consultation methodology will adopt an open and

transparent approach in informing stakeholders of the EMP objectives and activities, and how input has

been considered.

Responsive: stakeholder ideas, issues and opportunities will be identified and documented through

established communication channels and face-to-face consultation. This will involve an open, two-way

process. The consultation team will acknowledge receipt of all feedback and ‘close the loop’ with

stakeholders at the end of the consultation process by informing them as to how their input has been

considered.

Timely dissemination: information will be disseminated in a timely manner to allow stakeholders to

reasonable understand material provided and enable responses to be appropriately managed, including

rectification of any misinformation or rumours that arise about the EMP.

Accountability: the consultation team will demonstrate integrity and be accountable to stakeholders

involved in the consultation process. All commitments will be made in good faith and recorded in the final

Consultation Plan for the EMP.


3. Stakeholders

3.1 Project Stakeholders

The project team will use a number of different communication methods to encourage key stakeholders

(including BSC staff) and the wider community to provide feedback on the draft EMP.

Involving the community leads to better decisions and gives the community a better understanding of the

objectives of the EMP and associated matters requiring due consideration in developing appropriate

outcomes. Strategies will be developed relevant to the objectives being sought and the level of influence

BSC would like the participants to have. There will be representation from relevant sections of the

community to demonstrate a holistic consultation process.

3.2 Stakeholder Identification

Following is a list of identified stakeholders defined under two broad groupings – internal and external.

This is a result of initial stakeholder research and it is expected that further stakeholders will be identified

and included in the community consultation process as the CCP is implemented.

3.2.1 Internal Stakeholders

The Internal Stakeholder grouping refers to those stakeholders who are responsible for managing the

overall progress of the EMP, including the development and implementation of the EMP and its

outcomes. Stakeholders include BSC as Principal and GHD project members.

3.2.2 External Stakeholders

The External Stakeholder grouping refers to members of the community who have an interest in the

Project, including those who may be impacted by outcomes defined in the final EMP. These stakeholders

include government, community members, environmental groups, business owners and media.

Table 1 provides a list of stakeholders under the two ‘umbrella’ groupings based on an initial

assessment.


Table 1 Preliminary Stakeholder List

Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder

Address Phone Number/ EmailAddress

Comment

Internal Stakeholders

Amy Lockyer

EnvironmentalSustainabilityOfficer

Ph: 4992 7333

Email:[email protected]

EMP advisorycommittee - projectteam representative

John McDougallManager ofBuilding andEnvironmentalServices

Ph: 4995 7328



BrendanWogandtEnvironmentalOfficer (Waste)

Ph: 4995 7394



SeniorManagementrepresentativesto be confirmedby BSC

BSC working group1

BSC officers tobe confirmed byBSC

BSC working group2

Cr David Snell Ph: 4992 2176


Water Supply,Sewerage, Sportand Recreation &Land Management

Possible member ofBSC working group

Cr Pat Brennan Ph: 49958232

Email: [email protected]

EnvironmentalServices andTechnical Services.Assists with Works.


Banana ShireCouncilemployees

Cr MaureenClancy

(Deputy Mayor)

Ph: 49971489

Email:[email protected].

Cultural & LibraryServices,Community


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

au Resource Centre,Civic Centre &Public Halls,TourismPromotions,CommunityDevelopment &Partnerships.Assists with Sports& Recreation.


Elaine Pidgeon

SeniorEnvironmentalScientist

PO Box 373

Gladstone Qld4680

Ph: 4973 1607

Mob: 0458 924 293



GHD consultants

Jess Walker

CommunityConsultationAdvisor

PO Box 1540

Buddina Qld4575

Ph: 5413 8112

Mob: 0448 067 530



External Stakeholders

Biloela ResearchStation:

Locked Mail Bag1

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 3404 6999

BrigalowResearchStation:

Mail Service1855

Theodore Qld4719

Ph: 3404 6999

Moura Office:

PO Box 94

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 3404 6999

Taroom Office:

PO Box 61

Taroom Qld4420

Ph: 3404 6999

Governmentagencies

Department ofPrimaryIndustries andFisheries

TheodoreResearchStation:

Ph: 3404 6999


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

PO Box 21

Theodore Qld4719

Rockhampton(ParkhurstComplex):

PO Box 6014

Parkhurst Qld4702

Ph: 4936 0211

Department ofEnvironment andResourceManagement(DERM)

Gladstone Office Karen Wignell, Senior

Environmental Officer, Ph:

4971 6522

Gus Gonzo, Principal

Environmental Officer, Ph:

4971 6526

Don Arnold, Manager of the

Gladstone Office, Ph: 4971

6516

QueenslandHealth, BananaHealth ServiceDistrict Office

PO Box 567

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 1728 Community health.

EnterpriseBiloelaAssociation PtyLtd (Chamber ofCommerce) – DiMorris(president)

PO Box 1117

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4995 8269

[email protected]

Current Projects:

Management ofwww.biloela.com

Management ofproposed BiloelaMedical ServiceProject

Biloela TourismStrategyManagement

Annual submissionof Tidy Towns entry

Co-ordination ofquarterly EBAIBoard and businessdinner meetings

Industry groups

Anglo CoalAustralia

Anglo CoalCallide Mine:

PO Box 144

Ph: 4990 1611Fax: 4990 1687

Coal production


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

Biloela QLD4715

Anglo CoalDawson Mine:

Dawson HighwayMoura QLD 4718

Ph: 4990 9700Fax: 4990 9800

Coal production

AquilaResourcesLimited

Belvedere CoalProject:

Level 2 AquilaCentre1 Preston StreetComo WA 6152PO Box 1038South Perth WA6951

Ph: (08) 9423 0111 Proposed coalproject to bedeveloped adjacentto the existingDawson Mineoperation.

CS Energy –Callide PowerStation

Kevin Harney

Site Manager

Callide PowerStation

Ph: 4992 9329

Fax: 4992 9328

[email protected]

Callide Oxyfuelproject

QueenslandNitrates Pty Ltd

PO Box 322

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4997 5100

Fax: 4997 1409

Three core processunits:

Ammonia unit

Nitric acid unit

Ammonium nitrateunit

Teys MeatworksBiloela

Callide HighwayPO Box 329Biloela Q 4715

Ph: 4992 [email protected]

Newcrest MiningLtd

Cracow GoldMine

Theodore Road

Cracow Qld 4719

Ph: 4993 7900

Fax: 4993 7911

Cockatoo CoalLtd - Baralaba

Level 2, 66Hunter StreetSYDNEY NSW2000

Ph: (02) 9300 3333Fax: (02) 9221 [email protected]

Moura Sand andGravel

21 Okano Street

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4997 3095

Mob: 0488973095


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

Fax: 4997 1661

[email protected]

Kianga Quarries Leichardt Hwy

Banana QLD4702

Ph: 4995 7292

Moura Gin Theodore/Baralaba RoadPO Box 203Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4997 1422Fax: 4997 1522

Moura Chamberof Commerce –Ian Robinson

PO Box 333

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4997 3095

[email protected]

TheodoreChamber ofCommerce – KrisTrevilyan

PO Box 109

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4993 1133

[email protected]

BaralabaLandcare

PO Box 22

Baralaba Qld4702

Ph: 4998 1000

Baralabalandcare.hotmail.com

Callide ValleyLandcare GroupInc.

PO Box 225

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 3894

[email protected]

Wowan/DululuLandcare

C/- Post Office

Wowan Qld 4702

Ph: 4937 1458

Taroom ShireLandcare Group

PO Box 255

Wandoan Qld4419

Ph: 4627 4481

Localenvironmentalgroups

DawsonCatchment Co-ordinatingAssociation Inc.

PO Box 165

Theodore Qld4719

Ph: 4993 1004

Mob: 0417 938 022

[email protected]

Traditionalowners

Wulli Wullipeople

C/- PrincipalLegal OfficerQueenslandSouth NativeTitle Services LtdLevel 4,370 QueenStreetBrisbane Qld4000

The followingpeople are theapplicants for thenative title claim.

Desmond Dodd,Robert Bond,Robert Clancy,Drew Millar, NeilSaltner, MarjorieReid, ElizabethLaw, ElizabethBlucher, Annette


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

Fuller, CelesteWilliams, IvanSaltner, JeffreyWilliams, BrianClancy, Jill Wilson,Elliot Anderson.

Iman peopleC/- PrincipalLegal OfficerQueenslandSouth NativeTitle Services LtdLevel 4,370 QueenStreet

Brisbane Qld4000

The followingpeople are theapplicants for thenative title claim.

Patrick Silvester,Russell Tatow, TroyNoble, CynthiaKemp, Eve Fesl,Fred Tull, FergusWaterton, RichardDoyle, MadonnaBarnes.

Gangulu peopleDeborah Tull

Palmtree WutaruAboriginalCoorporationShop 26 East StreetRockhamptonQld 4700

Ph : 4922 6048The followingpeople are theapplicants for thenative title claim.

Louis Toby, ColinHutchison, RobertToby Jnr, EdnaFraser, KarenAustin, LynetteBlucher, ValerieHayes, ViolaTuahine.

State Member ofParliament(Callide), Mr JeffSeeney MP(LNP)

PO Box 559Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 2475Fax: 4992 [email protected]

Electedrepresentatives

Federal Memberof Parliament(Flynn), Mr ChrisTrevor MP (ALP)

76 GoondoonStreet

Gladstone Qld4680


AgforceQueensland –Moura

Thalmera

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 4997 1612

[email protected]

DawsonRegionalDevelopmentAssociation

PO Box 165

Theodore Qld4719

Ph: 4993 1855

[email protected]

Communitygroups

Banana andDistrictCommunityAssociation Inc.

C/- Post Office

Banana Qld4702

Ph: 4995 7245


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

Banana ShireResident andRatepayersAssociation

PO Box 4

Banana Qld4702

Ph: 4995 7104

[email protected]

BaralabaAgricultural andPastoral SocietyInc.

PO Box 29

Baralaba Qld4702

Ph: 4998 1315

[email protected]

Baralaba andDistrict ProgressAssociation Inc.

C/- Post Office

Baralaba Qld4702

Ph: 4998 1002

Callide ValleyAgricultural andPastoral SocietyInc.

PO Box 461

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 6278

Goovigen andDistrict ProgressAssociation

PO Box 11

Goovigen Qld4702

Ph: 4996 5258

[email protected]

Taroom DistrictDevelopmentAssociation Inc.

PO Box 374

Taroom Qld4420

Ph: 4628 6113

[email protected]

TheodoreResidents andRatepayersAssociation

PO Box 196

Theodore Qld4719

WowanAgriculturalSociety

C/- Post Office

Wowan Qld 4702

Ph: 4937 1119

Wowan andDistrict Progressand CulturalSociety Inc.

[email protected]

Moura StateHigh School –Alan Campbell

PO Box 224

Moura Qld 4718

Ph: 49975888

[email protected]

Biloela StateHigh School –CameronHodges

Locked Bag 2

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 8666

[email protected]

RedeemerLutheran PrimarySchool

PO Box 325

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 1813

[email protected]

Educationalinstitutions

St Joseph’sCatholic Primary

66 RainbowStreet

Ph: 4992 2353 Prep to year 7.


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

School Biloela Qld 4715 [email protected]

Mount MurchisonState PrimarySchool – RobynMcInnes

PO Box 610

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 2253

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Prospect CreekState PrimarySchool – JanelleMatheson

PO Box 180

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 1490

[email protected]

Taroom StatePrimary to Year10 School

Wolsey Street

Taroom Qld4420

Ph: 4628 9333 Prep to year 10correspondent foryear 11 and 12.

Moura StatePrimary School –Tina Newman

PO Box 224

Moura Qld 4715

Ph: 4997 5222

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Biloela StatePrimary School –Jenny Archer

PO Box 395

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 1336

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Goovigen StatePrimary School

GoovigenRannes Road

Goovigen Qld4702

Ph: 4996 5191

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Jambin StatePrimary School

PO Box 22

Jambin Qld 4702

Ph: 4992 5272

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Thangool StatePrimary School

PO Box 5

Thangool Qld4716

Ph: 4995 8240

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Banana StatePrimary School

Dawson HwyBanana QLD4702

Ph: 4995 9333

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

Baralaba StatePrimary School

1 Power StBaralaba QLD4702

Ph: 4998 2333

[email protected]

Prep to year 10.

Theodore StatePrimary School

The BoulevardTheodore QLD4719

Ph: 4990 3333

[email protected]

Prep to year 10.

Wowan StatePrimary School

Don Street

Wowan Qld 4702

Ph: 4937 1133

[email protected]

Prep to year 7.

CentralQueenslandInstitute of TAFE

64 ValentinePlains Road

Ph: 4992 4477

[email protected]


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

– CallideDawson Campus

Biloela Qld 4715 Web: www.cq.tafe.qld.gov.au

CentralTelegraph

The ManagingEditor

CameronMcCrohon

PO Box 210

Biloela Qld 4715

Ph: 4992 1533

[email protected]

Main newspaperthat servicesBanana, Baralaba,Biloela, Dululu,Jambin, Monto,Moura, Taroom,Thangool,Theodore, Wowan.

Moura andDistrictMessenger

PO Box 350

Moura Qld 4718

Mob: 0417 636 841

[email protected]

Free publication tothe communities ofMoura, Theodore,Bauhinia, Baralabaand Banana.

CQ Extra Ph: 4927 5753

Mob: 0422 768 751

Fax: 4927 5851

Free newspaperthat servicesRockhampton,Yeppoon, EmuPark, Gracemere,Emerald, Biloela,Blackwater andMoura.

GladstoneObserver

27-29 GoondoonstreetGladstone QLD4680

Ph: 4970 3030

[email protected]

ServicesGladstone, Biloela,Agnes Water, 1770,Blackwater,Bororen, BoyneIsland, Builyan,Calliope, Emerald,Miriam Vale, MountLarcom, Moura,Rockhampton &Districts, TannumSands, Thangool,Yarwun.

Print Media

RockhamptonMorning Bulletin

PO Box 397RockhamptonQLD 4700


ServicesRockhampton,Alton Downs,Bajool, Baralaba,Biloela, Blackall,Blackwater,Bouldercombe,Callide Valley,Capella, Clermont,Duaringa, Dysart,Emerald, Goovigen,Gracemere,Longreach,Marlborough,Middlemount,Miriam Vale,


Stakeholdercategory

Name ofstakeholder


Comment

Moranbah, Moura,Mt Larcom, MtMorgan, Parkhurst,Rockhampton Area,Springsure,Tannum Sands,Taroom, TheCaves, Theodore,Tieri, Wowan,Yeppoon.


3.3 Stakeholder Interest and Potential Involvement

Stakeholder interest and influence matrix

To assess the potential level of stakeholder involvement in the EMP, a matrix of interest and influence

has been prepared and is outlined in Table 2 and Table 3. The matrix is based on the following elements:

Interest: the level of interest of the stakeholder grouping (high, medium or low).

Influence: the level of influence of the stakeholder grouping (high, medium or low).

The level of influence is determined by the group’s standing in the community, political influence or their

likely stance on specific issues.

Table 2 Stakeholder Interest and Influence Matrix

Interest

Influence High Medium Low

High High potentialinvolvement

Medium potentialinvolvement


Medium High potentialinvolvement


Low potentialinvolvement

Low Medium potentialinvolvement

Low potentialinvolvement

No potentialinvolvement

Table 3 Stakeholder Involvement Matrix

Stakeholder Interest Influence Potential involvement

BSC staff High High High

Government agencies Medium-High High High

Industry groups High Medium-High High

Local environment groups High Medium High

Traditional owners Low-Medium Low-Medium Medium

Community groups Medium Medium Medium

Educational institutions Low-Medium Low-Medium Low-Medium


Stakeholder Interest Influence Potential involvement

Local community Medium Medium Medium

Media Medium Low-Medium Low-Medium


4. Consultation Process and Activities

In order to achieve the objectives of the EMP and CCP, the consultation process will reflect a five-stage

process, being:

Stage 1: Consultation with the Project Advisory Committee

Stage 2: Consultation with the BSC Working Groups

Stage 3: Consultation with the EMP Stakeholder Working Group

Stage 4: Consultation with the wider community

Stage 5: Incorporate feedback and outcomes into final EMP

Consultation with the four key groups will be supported by a range of communication tools to facilitate

implementation and achievement of desired goals and objectives of the project.

4.1 Stage 1: Project Advisory Committee

The project advisory committee comprises of the key project representative who are responsible for

developing and implementing the EMP process. These representatives are also responsible for providing

advice to the wider BSC staff members on the processes being undertaken and community feedback

received. The project advisory committee will act as a conduit between Council and the EMP stakeholder

working group. The committee will also identify issues and concerns raised by the community at large

and ensure that these are addressed in the EMP as far as possible.

The project advisory committee will consist of representatives from BSC and GHD and are listed in Table

4.

Table 4 Project Advisory Committee Representatives

Name Representative area

John McDougallManager of Building and EnvironmentalSciences, Banana Shire Council

Amy LockyerEnvironmental Sustainability Officer, BananaShire Council

Brendan WogandtEnvironmental Officer (Waste), Banana ShireCouncil

Elaine Pidgeon Senior Environmental Scientist, GHD

Jess Walker Community Consultation Advisor, GHD


4.2 Stage 2: BSC Working Groups

Two BSC working groups will be run at the start of the project to obtain feedback from key internal

stakeholders about the draft EMP. These groups will explore key issues in relation to the objectives of

the EMP, identify any gaps in information to be included in the EMP and how strategies identified in the

draft EMP will be implemented.

The first working group will be made up of BSC senior management and will be chaired by GHD as the

consultant responsible for delivering an independent and transparent consultation process on behalf of

BSC.

The second working group will consist of relevant BSC officers and will also be chaired by GHD.

Membership of these working groups will be determined by BSC.

4.3 Stage 3: EMP Stakeholder Working Group

A stakeholder working group will be established during the project’s implementation period. This group

will explore key issues in relation to the objectives of the EMP, identify any gaps in information to be

included in the EMP and how strategies identified in the draft EMP will be implemented.

Members who have technical, professional and local expertise will be invited via a formal letter, to

participate in this working group. It is envisaged that representatives will be from government agencies,

industry, community and science based sectors. To demonstrate transparency about the project and the

role of the EMP working group, a public notification will be placed in local papers which will outline the

project objectives and timing, role of participants being invited to participate, project contact details, and

details on how the wider community can contribute to the EMP.

Ideally, the EMP stakeholder working group should include no more than of 20 participants, with

representatives from the following backgrounds:

Government agencies – eg. Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Environmental

Protection Agency, Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) and

Queensland Health’s community health unit

Industry groups – eg. Enterprise Biloela Association Pty Ltd (Chamber of Commerce), Anglo Coal

Australia (Callide Mine, Biloela and Dawson Mine), CS Energy, Queensland Nitrate Plant

Local environment groups – eg. Landcare groups

Traditional owners1

– as identified by DERM

Community groups – eg. Dawson Regional Development Association and Agforce Queensland.

The group will be chaired by BSC and is an optional GHD activity.

1 Note: Due to cultural sensitivities between the relevant Indigenous parties, it is likely that consultation with the identified groups

will need to occur separately.


4.4 Stage 4: BSC’s Wider Community

BSC will develop a ‘Shire Atlas of Values’ (SAV) to identify different geographical areas for community

consultation – each called an Environmental Management Unit (EMU) – to engage as many BSC

residents and local community members as possible on specific environmental issues in their area.

Feedback from the community on the draft EMP will assist the project team to determine what residents

within each EMU value about their local environment. This can in turn guide the long-term management

of the BSC environment because Council will know what the community is seeking the future

environment to be.

EMUs will be based on catchment boundaries or sub-catchment features such as creeks, waterways and

groundwater where the catchment areas are too large eg. the Callide dam catchment or the sub-artesian

water areas. The SAV will help with the collation of all known information and issues specific to each

EMU. It will also assist in identifying areas for letterbox drops and public displays and determine the

extent of residents’ accessibility to the internet.

Educational institutions are also a key stakeholder group for the distribution of information about the

EMP.

4.5 Stage 5: Incorporate Feedback into Final EMP

This stage of the consultation process will involve incorporating and reviewing all feedback received

through the consultation process for consideration by the project team in finalising the EMP. The

advisory committee will present findings and outcomes of the consultation process in conjunction with the

updated EMP document for endorsement by BSC. To complete the consultation process, all members of

the EMP stakeholder working group and those members of the community who provided feedback will

receive a letter on BSC letterhead to thank them for their time, effort and valued input into assisting with

the development of the EMP document.


5. Community Consultation Action Plan

The community consultation plan action plan is designed to provide a practical and clear guide that outlines the specific activities BSC will undertake to engage the

community as part of its EMP development. It is important to note that the action plan is a living document and may be updated regularly during the project.

Table 5 Community Consultation Action Plan

Responsibility

Activity Timing

Level ofconsultation(IAP2spectrum)

Rationale Preparation ApprovalActioncomplete (date)

Project Inception Phase

Prepare draft EMP Early March 2010 N/A EMP should be suitable for distribution to theprofessional community and interested public.

GHD BSC

Prepare CCP Early March 2010 N/A To provide the project team with guidance onhow to implement community consultationactivities during the development of the EMP.

GHD BSC

Stage 1: Project advisory committee

Convene first EMPadvisory committeemeeting

Mid to late March2010

Collaborate To discuss the role and responsibilities of thecommittee and gain approval of the consultationprocess.

BSC N/A

On-goingdiscussions/meetings onthe progress ofconsultation

N/A Collaborate To discuss the progress of consultation activitiesand feedback received from key stakeholdersand members of the community.

N/A N/A


Responsibility

Activity Timing



Stage 2: BSC working groups

Develop presentation andhand-outs for BSCworking group workshops

Mid March to earlyApril 2010

N/A To provide the working group members with keyinformation about the draft EMP and to seektheir feedback. Need to determine keymessages and length of presentation/workshopframework. And also what hand-outs arerequired

GHD BSC

Book venue for the BSCworking group workshops


N/A Book council meeting rooms for workshops. BSC N/A

Invite BSC seniormanagement to firstworking group


Consult Send senior management invitations to the firstworkshop.

BSC EMPadvisorycommittee

Convene first BSCworking group workshop

Mid April 2010 Consult Deliver presentation to provide the workinggroup members with key information about thedraft EMP and to seek their feedback.

GHD EMPadvisorycommittee

Invite BSC officers tosecond working group


Consult Send BSC officers invitations to the secondworkshop.


Convene second BSCworking group workshop

Mid April 2010 Consult Deliver presentation to provide the workinggroup members with key information about thedraft EMP and to seek their feedback.

GHD EMPadvisorycommittee


Responsibility

Activity Timing



Stage 3: EMP stakeholder working group (note: these activities are to be undertaken by BSC)

Establish BSC contactdetails for stakeholdersand the community toprovide feedback on theEMP

Early March to earlyApril 2010

N/A Establish EMP council contact details andwebsite feedback process to ensure effectivecommunication. Also builds and conveys aculture of openness, receptiveness andwillingness to listen and follow up on any actionsrequire ‘to close the loop’.

BSC N/A

Develop a terms ofreference for EMPstakeholder working group

Early April 2010 N/A To ensure forums represent the multiculturaldiversity of BSC and the community as a wholeand be in line with council’s policy and strategy.To be accepted by all members of the EMPstakeholder working group prior to the start ofthe workshop.

BSC BSC

Develop presentation andhand-outs for EMPstakeholder working groupworkshop

Early April 2010 N/A To provide the working group members with keyinformation about the draft EMP and to seektheir feedback. Need to determine keymessages and length of presentation/workshopframework. And also what hand-outs arerequired (ie. maps of the shire).

BSC

GHD optional

BSC

Book venue for thestakeholder working groupworkshop

Early April 2010 N/A Select suitable location to hold key stakeholderworkshop.

BSC N/A

Invite EMP stakeholderworking group participants

Early to mid April2010

Consult Place advertisements in local newspapersseeking interested key stakeholders to be

BSC

GHD optional

EMPadvisory


Responsibility

Activity Timing



involved in the working group. Also sendidentified key stakeholders invitations to becomeinvolved in the workshop.

(draft EOI text) committee

Confirm EMP stakeholderworking group withselected participants

Mid to late April2010

N/A Contact selected stakeholders to ask them to beinvolved in the working group.


Convene EMPstakeholder working groupworkshop

Late April to earlyMay 2010

Consult Deliver presentation to provide the workinggroup members with key information about thedraft EMP and to seek their feedback.


Stage 4: BSC’s wider community (note: these activities are to be undertaken by BSC)

Prepare public noticeregarding EMP objectivesand role of the workinggroup etc.

Mid to late April2010

N/ A To provide open and transparent information tothe wider community about the EMP andassociated activities and how the widercommunity can get involved (ie. through publicdisplay period). BSC to distribute to the mediafor publication.

BSC

GHD optional

EMPadvisorycommittee/BSC

Develop a factsheet with asummary of the draft EMPfor the wider community


N/A Factsheets will contain key messages of draftEMP, seek feedback from the community anddetail public display venues, dates and times.

BSC

GHD optional(draft factsheettext)


Develop posters for publicdisplay of the draft EMP


N/A Posters will provide the community withinformation on the draft EMP and contact detailsto provide feedback.

BSC

GHD optional(draft poster text

EMPadvisorycommittee/


Responsibility

Activity Timing



and print) BSC

Book suitable venueswithin each EMU forunmanned/manned publicdisplays


N/A Book venues that are accessible to thecommunity and in locations that peoplefrequently visit eg. shopping centres, libraries,council offices.

BSC

GHD optional

EMPadvisorycommittee

Release a mediastatement about the draftEMP

Early to mid May2010

Inform To inform the BSC community about the draftEMP, seek their feedback and detail publicdisplay venues, times and dates.

BSC

GHD optional(draft mediastatement)


Place advertisements inlocal newspapers aboutthe draft EMP



BSC

GHD optional(draft ad text)


Add information about theproject into Council’snewsletter ‘Focus’

Next availableedition


BSC

GHD optional(draft newslettertext)


Add information about theproject onto Council’swebsite



BSC

GHD optional(draft websitetext)


Approach local schools Next available Inform To inform the BSC community about the draft BSC EMP


Responsibility

Activity Timing



about adding informationabout the project into theirnewsletters

editions EMP, seek their feedback and detail publicdisplay venues, times and dates.

GHD optional(draft newslettertext and approachschools)

advisorycommittee/BSC

Send personalised lettersto key stakeholders aboutthe draft EMP, attachfactsheets and feedbackforms


Consult Send letters to key stakeholders to obtainfeedback about the draft EMP.

BSC

GHD optional(draft letter text)


Send/letterbox dropfactsheets with feedbackforms to residents in eachEMU


Consult Send letters to EMU areas to obtain feedbackabout the draft EMP.

BSC

GHD optional(draft letter text)


Set up unmanned publicdisplays – posters,feedback forms and a boxfor completed forms

Late May to earlyJune 2010

Inform/consult Provide the community with an opportunity toview more detail on the draft EMP and tocomplete feedback forms.

BSC

GHD optional


Run manned publicdisplays - posters,feedback forms and a boxfor completed forms

Early to mid June2010

Consult Provide the community with an opportunity todiscuss the draft EMP with the project team andto give feedback.

BSC

GHD optional


Send personalised lettersto key stakeholders andcommunity members whoprovided feedback about

Late June 2010 Inform Thank key stakeholders and members of thecommunity for their time, effort and valued inputinto assisting with the development of the EMP

BSC

GHD optional

EMPadvisorycommittee/


Responsibility

Activity Timing



the draft EMP document. (draft letter text) BSC

Stage 5: Incorporate feedback into final EMP

Collate feedback Throughout theproject

N/A BSC to collate responses and provide these toGHD to feed into the final EMP.

BSC N/A

Update draft EMP Late June to earlyJuly 2010

N/A Use collated feedback to update the draft EMP. GHD BSC

Present final EMP atCouncillor InformationSession

One week prior toBSC’s OrdinaryMeeting

Provide a half hour briefing with councillors attheir information session prior to BSC’s OrdinaryMeeting.

BSC N/A

Present final EMP toBSC’s Ordinary Meetingfor adoption by Council

July 2010 Inform Inform BSC management of the feedbackreceived throughout the consultation period andoutline the final EMP for adoption by Council.

GHD BSC

Optional services on offer

In addition to the tasks assigned to GHD in the Community Consultation Action Plan, GHD is able to discuss further the option of assisting with the implementation of

the EMP with the community (identified as ‘GHD optional’ in the above table). These additional services are available to BSC upon request and proposals can be

prepared for any or all of these community consultation components.


6. Project Key Messages

A clear and consistent approach to communicating with key stakeholders and the community is an

important component of the CCP. Key messages have been drafted to assist those involved in

consultation activities to reinforce the aim and objectives of the EMP and to encourage the local

community to have their say about potential environmental concerns.

Banana Shire Council is committed to effective environmental management and is developing an

Environmental Management Plan that is ecologically sustainable and can be used by members of the

local community.

The purpose of the plan is to protect and minimise the impacts on the environment by using a

framework that applies with environment legislation and policies.

The main components of the draft EMP cover aspects of Council operations and the environment

including corporate activities, air, biodiversity, heritage, land management, noise and vibration, waste

management, water, education and community activities and site based management plans.

It is a holistic document that outlines where people can find out information about environmentally-

friendly practices.

It is intended that this document will be used by developers, planners, environmental management

professionals, community stakeholders and decision makers in Banana Shire Council.

It is important to note that the Environmental Management Plan will not apply to mining, exploration

or rail or gas projects because these projects area assessed and monitored by the Department of

Environment and Resource Management.

Council would like the local community to have their say on the draft Environmental Management

Plan.

Community consultation is a vital component of how Banana Shire Council does business. It is an

essential process to improve decisions and listen and respond to local community needs.

Council would like to know what potential concerns the local community has about the environment

to develop strategies to address those concerns. Where appropriate, this feedback will be

incorporated into the final Environmental Management Plan for 2010.

Council will engage the community through a number of different communication methods including a

stakeholder working group, public displays, factsheets with feedback forms, website information and

letters to the community.

Following the development of the final Environmental Management Plan, Council will undertake

future reviews of this document in consultation with the local community.


7. Communication Tools and Protocols

All communication tools developed for the project will be forwarded to BSC/EMP advisory committee for

approval prior to distribution. The tools will incorporate BSC Council branding and comply with Council’s

style guide and policies on the distribution of external communications material.

To enable the community is provided with an opportunity to have their say about the draft EMP, it is

recommended to use a number of different communication tools such as workshops, letters, factsheets,

advertisements, public displays and Council’s website. This section provides an overview of the different

tools that are recommended for the project.

7.1 Stakeholder Database

It is recommended that BSC establishes a stakeholder database to record responses/feedback received

by key stakeholders and the local community about the draft EMP. All feedback received on the draft

EMP should be collated by BSC and forwarded to GHD. GHD will then feed this into the final EMP.

7.2 Project Contact Details

To ensure feedback is received in a timely manner, it is recommended that a website link is set up and a

council contact person is identified to answer phones calls and respond to emails.

7.3 PowerPoint Presentation

GHD in consultation with BSC will develop a PowerPoint presentation of the draft EMP for the

workshops. GHD will also help to draft any hand-outs required for the workshop presentations.

7.4 Stakeholder Invitations

Personal invitations for the key stakeholder workshop should be developed to encourage key

stakeholders to be involved in the working group. These will align with the expression of interests called

in local newspapers for the community to be involved in the workshops.

7.5 Feedback Forms

Feedback forms will be developed by GHD to encourage the community to provide comment on the draft

EMP. These forms will be distributed at workshops and with project factsheets and letters. It is also

recommended that a feedback form be available for the community on Council’s website.

7.6 Factsheets

To facilitate stakeholder and community understanding and to facilitate feedback about the draft EMP, it

is recommended that a project factsheet is developed to translate complex information and concepts

accurately into plain English. This should also be available for viewing on Council’s website.


7.7 Letters

As another form of community consultation, it is recommended that letters with project factsheets and

feedback forms are distributed to key stakeholders and members of the community within each EMU.

These letters could be distributed via postal addresses (obtained via rates database searches) and

letterbox drops.

7.8 Advertisements

There are two different styles of advertisements that are recommended for the project including

expressions of interest to invite key stakeholders to become involved in the working group for the project.

These advertisements could be placed alongside the invitations to key stakeholders outlined in the CCP

stakeholder list.

Public notices seeking feedback from the community on the draft EMP are also another method to

engage the community as part of the project. These advertisements should also outline public display

dates and times and council contact details for further information.

7.9 Media Statement

GHD does not have the authority to speak to the media about the project. GHD understands that media

liaison should only occur between BSC and the media outlet. However, if assistance is required to draft

media statements or media enquiry responses, GHD will be happy to assist.

7.10 Unmanned Public Displays

Static displays with posters detailing key points of the draft EMP and council contact details, copies of

the draft EMP document, feedback forms and boxes for completed forms, should be set up in venues

within each EMU or common places such as shopping centres and libraries. This will allow members of

the community to view more information about the project and provide them with a location to complete

feedback forms.

7.11 Manned Public Displays

Public displays with members of the project team, posters detailing key points of the draft EMP and

council contact details, copies of the draft EMP document, feedback forms and boxes for completed

forms, should be set up in venues within each EMU or common places such as shopping centres and

libraries (suggested locations for public displays include Biloela, Moura and Theodore). This will allow

members of the community to discuss the draft EMP with the project team, view more information about

the project and provide them with a location to give feedback.

7.12 Council’s Website

It is recommended that the draft EMP and the feedback form are made available of BSC’s website for

public viewing and comment. Council officers will need to liaise with their information technology

department to determine if this is feasible. The website should also provide information of planned public

displays and council contact details for any further questions about the project.


7.13 Council’s ‘Focus’ Newsletter

Information about the project will be regularly included in Council’s Focus newsletter to capture those

community members who read this communication tool. It is recommended that the newsletter directs

people to Council’s website for further information.

7.14 School Newsletters

An efficient way of distributing information about the project is via school newsletters. The project team

will draft newsletter content and distribute this to key contacts at each school for inclusion in their

newsletters.


8. Evaluation

A critical component of community consultation activities is the monitoring and evaluation of

performance. This CCP will be monitored on an ongoing basis against certain criteria to assess whether

it is achieving its consultation purpose and objectives.

Throughout the project, GHD will carry out ongoing tracking of the progress of the community

consultation process, including:

Community feedback mechanisms (telephone and email).

Analyse use of communication tools (ie. number of calls regarding the draft EMP, attendance at

workshops and public displays etc).

Number and types of comments.

External indicators of the effectiveness of consultation activities.

As part of the community consultation process, BSC will provide collated responses to GHD and GHD

will prepare the final EMP based on the submissions, where appropriate. The items identified above will

be covered in the reporting of feedback.

It is recommended that surveys or questionnaires be distributed following community consultation to

determine stakeholder satisfaction of the process. This will identify the strengths and weaknesses of the

consultative process and assist to develop an appropriate strategy for future reviews of Council’s EMP.

This is not within the scope of the project but is an optional activity which GHD could assist with.


9. Recommendations for Future Consultation

It is recommended that BSC implements an informative community consultation approach after the EMP

is adopted at Council’s Ordinary Meeting. This could involve the distribution of information on the final

EMP via presentations, factsheets, Council’s website, advertisements, a media release, Council’s

newsletter, school newsletters, static public displays and letters to key stakeholders.

The following community consultation activities are recommended for future implementation and/or

review of BSC’s EMP:

9.1 Community Reporting

It is recommended that community Council carries out half yearly reporting through Council meetings,

newsletters and annual reports.

9.2 Community Consultation

Future community consultation should include:

An initial Council review of the EMP three months after it has been adopted to assess its operational

effectiveness

Council review of the adopted EMP prior to the election of a new Council in 2011 to assess the

operational aspects of the document, milestones achieved and to consider additional updates

The scope of future community consultation to review the adopted EMP will be determined following

the Council election process

9.3 Strategic Key Stakeholder Relationship Building

To build relationships with key stakeholders it is recommended to undertake:

Stakeholder and regulator lobbying and liaison on identified issues or localities outside of Council’s

area of responsibility and control

Joint projects and partnerships at a local, regional and national level on significant issues

9.4 Operational Level (in-house liaison)

To encourage BSC internal consultation the following activities are suggested:

Consideration of identified issues during Council’s yearly operational work program development

Addressing of identification issues associated with Council’s own operations through their

environmental management systems

9.5 Operational Level (external liaison)

In order to improve external liaison about environmental management it is recommended to implement

joint rehabilitation, remediation and scientific projects with environmental groups, schools and scientific

organisations.


Appendix A

Detailed Community Profile


Detailed Community ProfileThe following section provides a detailed community project of the Banana Shire Council and includes

statistical information and analysis which has been drawn from the Office of Economic and Statistical

Research, (Queensland Regional Profiles), the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Queensland Health’s

Health Determinants Queensland 2004 profiles and information available on BSC’s website.

Demographics

Banana Shire is situated in Central Queensland, Australia (refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3). It is 120 km

west of the growing industrial city and port of Gladstone and an easy drive to the city of Rockhampton. It

has rail and road links to both of these cities and is serviced by the Leichhardt, Dawson and Burnett

highways. Direct flights to the shire from Brisbane arrive at the Biloela aerodrome located in Thangool

(11 km from Biloela).

Figure 2 Location of Banana Shire


Source: Queensland Electoral Commission, February 2010.

Figure 3 Overview of Banana Shire Council Divisional Boundaries


Population

The Banana Shire has a population of around 15,535 people (refer to Table 6) spread over a 28,636

square kilometre area. It is a rich farming, grazing and mining region situated in Central Queensland. The

town of Biloela is the main population (5,758 residents) and administration centre in the shire and

services the Callide Valley being the closest town to three Callide power stations, Callide Coal Mine and

Teys Meatworks. The other most populated towns are Moura, and Theodore. Other smaller centres

include Taroom (the top portion of Taroom came under the care of BSC after local council

amalgamations in 2008), Banana, Baralaba, Dululu, Wowan, Goovigen, Jambin, Thangool, Wowan and

Cracow.

Table 6 Estimated Resident Population by Urban Centre/Locality, Banana Shire Council, 30

June 2008

Urbancentre/locality

Estimated residentpopulation

(number)

Area

(km2)

Population density(persons/km

2)

Biloela 5,758 14.6 394.4

Moura 1,875 8.7 215.5

Taroom 617 2.9 212.8

Theodore 437 2.2 198.6

Thangool 356 3.5 101.7

Baralaba 293 2.8 104.6

Banana ShireCouncil

15,535 28,636.4 0.5

Queensland 4,293,915 1,734,173.9

2.5

Region as % of Qld 0.4 1.7 0.2

Source: Statistical Profile of the Banana Shire, Office of Economic and Statistical Research, January 2010.

The average annual growth rate in BSC between 2003 and 2008 was -0.1 percent, compared with 2.4

percent for the state. In 2026 the population of BSC is projected to be 16,495 people which will account

for 0.3 percent of Queensland’s total population.

There are approximately 450 people in BSC who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island origin. These

people make up 3.1 percent of the total population (compared with 3.3 percent in Queensland).

Country of Birth

In 2006, about 884 people in BSC were born overseas (6.1 percent of the total population) and 12,817

people stated they were Australian born (87.9 percent of the total population) (Table 7). Of the people

born overseas, over 260 speak a language other than English at home and 112 people state that they

either do not speak English or cannot speak it well.


Table 7 Country of Birth Banana Shire Council and Queensland, 2006

Country of Birth Banana Shire Queensland

Persons Percent Persons Percent

Australia 12,817 87.9 2,935,260 75.2

UnitedKingdom

204 1.4 193,059 4.9

New Zealand 176 1.2 148,760 3.8

Philippines 48 0.3 18,707 0.5

Netherlands 40 0.3 15,260 0.4

Viet Nam 39 0.3 13,083 0.3

South Africa 38 0.3 22,709 0.6

China (excl. SARs

and Taiwan

Province) (b)

29 0.2 15,059 0.4

United States ofAmerica

23 0.2 12,200 0.3

Germany 17 0.1 20,114 0.5

Born Elsewhere 270 1.9 240,492 6.2

Total Overseas(c)

884 6.1 699,444 17.9

Not Stated 874 6.0 269,829 6.9

Total Persons 14,575 100.0 3,904,533 100.0

(a) Based on place of usual residence

(b) Special Administrative Regions (SARs) comprise ‘Hong Kong (SAR of China)’ and ‘Macou (SAR of China)’

(c) Includes countries not identified individually, ‘Australia External Territories’, ‘independently described’, ‘At sea’ and ‘notelsewhere classified’

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2006

Age

As at June 2008, 23.9 percent of people in BSC were aged 0 to 14 years, 65.1 percent were aged 15 to

64 years and 11.0 percent were aged 65 years and over (refer to Table 8).


Table 8 Estimated Resident Population by Age Banana Shire Council, 30 June 2008

LocalGovernmentArea

0-14

number %

15-24

number %

25-44

number %

45-64

number %

65+

number%

BananaShireCouncil

3,717 23.9 1,764 11.4 4,607 29.7 3,739 24.1 1,707 11.0

Queensland 864,548 20.1 609,133 14.2 1,219,966 28.4 1,073,834 25.0 526,43412.3

Region as %of Qld

0.4 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3


Economy and livelihoods

Employment and Labour

The unemployment rate in BSC in the March quarter 2009 was 2.9 percent, an increase of 1.1 percent

from the same quarter in 2008. This rate is 1.1 percent lower than the unemployment rate for

Queensland. The estimated number of unemployed people for the March quarter was 278 people, an

increase of 41 people over the previous quarter (refer to Figure 4).

Figure 4 Unemployment Rate Banana Shire Council and Queensland, March Quarter 2008 to

March Quarter 2009


There are a number of diverse industries operating within BSC including power generation, beef

processing, cotton ginning, nitrate production and coal seam gas. The shire has many established and

emerging industries and innovative local service and retail businesses are powering the Callide Dawson

region’s diverse, vibrant and growing economy.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry of employment for BSC residents with 1,612

people (21.1 percent) of the region’s employed labour force (refer to Figure 5). Other industries with

relatively large numbers of employed people include mining, retail trade and electricity, gas, water and

waste services.

22%

15%

7%4%6%

8%

5%

4%

6%

6%

4%3% 3% 2%

5%

Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Mining

Manufacturing Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services

Construction Retail Trade

Accommodation & Food Services Public Administration & Safety

Education & Training Health Care & Social Assistance

Transport, Postal & Warehousing Administration & Support Services

Wholesale Trade Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

Other Services


Figure 5 Unemployment Rate Banana Shire Council and Queensland, March Quarter 2008 to

March Quarter 2009

The shire has become the largest commodity producer in the Fitzroy Statistical Area, contributing about

$407.6 million per year to the state’s economy from rural industries alone. The key production industries

include agriculture at over $192.0 million per annum (pa) and livestock slaughtering at $118.9 million pa.

Other major industries include cotton production ($26.0 million pa), pig slaughtering ($22.0 million pa),

cereals for grain ($21.0 million pa) and wheat for grain ($14.0 million pa).

The Callide power stations (near Biloela) produce about 20 percent of the state’s electricity and the

shire’s meatworks is the third largest in Queensland. Moura has the second largest wheat dump in

Queensland and is the location for the Queensland Cotton Gin, Queensland Ammonium Nitrate Plant

and Moura Coal Mine. Theodore supports a diverse rural sector with its main industry being cotton.

Almost 80 percent of the shire’s cotton is grown in the Dawson Valley area.


Other industries within BSC include:

Native flowers and foliage growing.

Aquacultural (redclaw production).

Herbs and spices growing.

Squab (meat pigeon) processing.

Energy Park Industrial Area is being developed adjacent to the Callide C Power Station.

Expansion of meat-related industries.

TAFE centre in Biloela.

Income and Wealth Distribution

In 2006, there were 4,163 people (refer to Table 9) over the age of 15 in BSC who stated their gross

individual weekly income to be less than $400 (373 percent of all people aged 15 years and over). This

was lower than the 39.7 percent recorded in Queensland.

In comparison, there were 629 people aged 15 years and over in BSC who stated their gross weekly

income was more than $2,000 (5.6 percent of all people aged 15 years and over). This compared with

2.9 percent in Queensland.

Table 9 Gross Weekly Income Banana Shire Council, 2006

LocalGovernmentarea

Peopleearninglessthan$400/wk

%

Peopleearning$400 to$999/wk

%

Peopleearning$1,000 to$1,999/wk

%

Peopleearning$2,000ormore/wk

%Totalpeople

BananaShireCouncil

4,163 37.3 3,519 31.5 1,861 16.7 629 5.6 11,166

Queensland 1,231,009 39.7 1,063,471 34.3 431,711 13.9 88,509 2.9 3, 097,996

Region as %of Qld

0.3 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.4

Source: Queensland Regional Profiles, Banana Shire Council Office of Economic and Statistical Research, January 2010.


Health

According to Queensland Health’s Health Determinants Queensland 2004, for the Banana Health

Service District, the major causes of death and illness include coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease, depression and lung cancer. Health determinants of significant impact in

this population include harmful alcohol consumption, smoking, overweight and obesity, poor nutrition,

physical inactivity, and risk and protective factors for mental health.

The combined effect of socioeconomic disadvantage and rurality in this and other districts is likely to

exacerbate the health issues and their determinants listed above. In addition, in comparison to urban

populations, rural and remote populations in Queensland will have greater death and illness due to injury

and poisoning, particularly road transport injury.

Education

It is compulsory for all students to attend formal education until 16 years of age. There are 11 public

primary schools, three private primary schools, two high schools, three combined state primary and high

schools and one TAFE in BSC.

Highest Level of Schooling

In 2006, there were 4,354 people in BSC aged 15 years and over with year 11 or 12 (or equivalent) as

their highest level of schooling (39.3 percent of people over the age of 15 years). This corresponded to

49.5 percent in Queensland (Table 10).

Table 10 Highest Level of Schooling Completed Banana Shire Council, 2006

Region Did not go toschool, or Year 8

of below

Year 9 or 10, orequivalent

Year 11 or 12, orequivalent

Total (c)

Persons Percent Persons Percent Persons Percent Persons

Banana Shire 1,401 12.7 4,342 39.2 4,354 39.3 11,070

Queensland 244,131 7.9 1,014,594 32.8 1,534,024 49.5 3,097,996

Region aspercentage ofQueensland

0.6 .. 0.4 .. 0.3 .. 0.4

(a) Based on place of usual residence

(b) Based on persons aged 15 years or over

(c) Includes highest year of schooling not stated

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2006

In the 12 months ending 31 December 2008, 84.6 percent of students attending a school in BSC

attended a government school and 15.4 percent attended a non-government school.

There were 1,268 students attending a government primary school (years 1 to 7) in BSC and 360

students attending non-government primary school. In secondary school (years 8 to 12) there were 818

government students and 0 non-government students (there are no non-government high schools in

BSC).


Level of Education Post-School

In 2006, there were 4,398 people aged 15 years and over in BSC with a qualification (39.7 percent in this

age group). This percentage is less than the Queensland rate of 50.4 percent (refer to Figure 6). There

were 829 people with a bachelor degree or higher, 447 people with an advanced diploma or diploma and

1,972 people with a certificate.

Figure 6 Post-School Qualifications by Level of Education Banana Shire Council and

Queensland, 2006

Utilities, Infrastructure and Services

Housing

In 2006, BSC had 5,651 occupied private dwellings. The number of occupied private dwellings increased

5.5 percent between 1996 and 2006 (Table 11). This increase was smaller than that recorded for

Queensland (25.3 percent). Of the 5,651 occupied private dwellings in BSC, 87.2 percent were separate

houses. This was a higher rate than Queensland with 76.5 percent.


Table 11 Occupied Dwellings by Type Banana Shire Council and Queensland, 1996 and 2006

Dwelling Type Banana Shire Queensland

1996 2006 Change 1996 2006 Change

- Number - percent - Number - percent

Separate house 4,736 4,925 4.0 935,937 1,154,403 23.3

Semi-detached, row orterrace house, townhouseetc.

140 98 -30.0 70,922 113,459 60.0

Flat, unit or apartment 166 263 58.4 131,662 196,586 49.3

Other dwelling: caravan,cabin houseboat

169 301 78.1 34,051 35,944 5.6

Other dwelling: improvisedhome, tent, sleepers etc.

9 26 188.9 3,726 4,258 14.3

Other dwelling: house orflat attached to a shop,office etc.

60 39 -35.0 3,974 2,686 -32.4

Dwelling structure notstated

74 0 .. 23,800 1,185 -95.0

Total dwellings 5,354 5,651 5.5 1,204,072 1,508,521 25.3

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2006, Time Series Profile.

Loan Repayments

In 2006, within BSC, Biloela had the highest median monthly housing loan repayment ($1,018) followed

by Moura ($973), refer to Figure 7. Baralaba reported the lowest housing loan repayments within BSC at

$434 per month. All centres within BSC had lower median monthly housing loan repayments when

compared with Queensland ($1,300).

Figure 7 Median Monthly Housing Loan Repayments Banana Shire Council Urban Centres and

Localities and Queensland, 2006


Water

BSC supplies treated water to houses and businesses in the towns of Moura, Biloela and Theodore. BSC

has upgraded and replaced water mains in Biloela, Baralaba, Thangool, Theodore and Wowan, replaced

Goovigen reservoir and replaced and increased the town water storage at Wowan.

On 1 February 2010, BSC introduced Level 4B watering/sprinkling restrictions in Biloela, Thangool and

Callide Dam water supply schemes. This was due to warm weather experienced from July to September

2009 when water consumption increased to 79.9 mega litres per month compared with 69.7 mega litres

per month for the previous quarter.

The Queensland Government is currently completing the Environmental Impact Study for the

construction of the Nathan Dam on the Dawson River to commence in 2012. This project will see the

Dawson Valley and the Banana Shire become the next major development area in Queensland. When

constructed, the dam would provide water to irrigate approximately 25,000 hectares of land, and for

industrial use. This development would result in over 1,000 permanent jobs and an additional $40 million

worth of agricultural production annually.

Electricity

The Callide Power Station is situated 18 km east of Biloela in central Queensland and uses coal-fired

power generation to supply base load electricity to Australia’s national grid. Callide Power Station is

comprised of Callide A, B and the Callide Power Plant (Callide C). It produces about 1,720 mega watts of

electricity, enough to power about 2 million homes and burns approximately 6 million tonnes of coal per

year.

Sanitation

BSC provides sewerage systems (piping and treatment of effluent) for Biloela, Moura and Theodore.

BSC is planning for the upgrading of sewerage infrastructure in the shire, including a complete sewerage

treatment plant upgrade in Moura and major sewer relining in Moura and Biloela.

Telecommunications

In 2006, there were 2,916 occupied dwellings in BSC with an internet connection. These dwellings were

56.5 percent of all occupied private dwellings in the region (compared with 62.8 percent for Queensland).

Of the 2,916 internet connections in BSC, there were 1,361 broadband connections and 1,532 dial-up

connections.

Landline phone services are available to residents and businesses through BSC, with infrastructure

being supplied by Telstra and services available from a variety of providers. Mobile communications are

available from Telstra in towns and sporadically in other areas. Network coverage is generally poor in

BSC.

Waste Collection

BSC provides weekly rubbish bin collection for household and business waste, although it does not

currently offer a kerbside recycling service. There are a number of recycling facilities in the BSC

including Moura, Biloela and Theodore.


Roads

In BSC there are 934 km of sealed and 3134 km of unsealed roads. The sealed roads are generally in

reasonable condition, while the level of maintenance to unsealed roads undertaken by Council depends

on a variety of factors including usage, location and weather conditions.

42/16092/53054 EnvironmentalManagement Plan

State of the Environment Report 2006

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/index.html

State of the Environment 2006 (SoE 2006) was the third independent national stocktake of the Australian

environment. It covered the five-year period 2001 to 2006, and reported on all aspects of the

environment.

SoE 2006 comprises several inter-related elements: the report - Australia State of the Environment 2006

(SoE2006); numerous supporting documents; and data in the Data Reporting System.

SoE 2006 was launched by the former Minister for the Environment and Heritage on 6 December 2006.

The information presented in this appendix includes two sections of the SoE 2006 Report including ‘Key

Findings’ and ‘Role of Local Government’. These sections are presented as direct extracts.

Key Findings

http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/report/key-findings.html

This section presents key findings drawn from the data and other information available to the

Australian State of the Environment Committee. It is an assessment of Australia’s environment in

terms of the pressures on it, the state it is in, and the responses that Australia has made. In addition,

the Committee presents suggested future directions on the basis of its experience of assembling

SoE2006. Collectively, all these findings are important for future policy, but they are not intended to

be prescriptive.

This is the third independent state of the environment report for Australia since 1996, but it is still

impossible to give a clear national picture of the state of Australia’s environment because of the lack

of accurate, nationally consistent, environmental data. This has particularly serious consequences for

identification and management of Australia’s biodiversity, coasts and oceans, and natural and

cultural heritage. Better time-series and spatial data are needed across almost every environmental

sector.

The biggest improvements in condition are seen in relation to atmosphere. There is evidence to

suggest that the global response to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances 18 years ago is

having an effect. The size of the Antarctic ozone hole has not changed in the last ten years and the

overall amount of ozone in the stratosphere appears to have increased from 2000. Also, air quality in

both urban and regional areas, in most cases, is meeting agreed national standards. There are some

concerns for air quality in some cities where serious air pollution episodes still occur.

Climate change is an important issue for Australia. While there is debate about scientific predictions,

it is almost universally accepted that temperatures are rising. The extent of rise is uncertain and

continuous adaptation of environmental and sectoral policies, in an uncertain environment, is the key.

The recent drought was particularly severe because it was hotter than previous droughts, and

because it affected almost the entire continent. It demonstrated that some of the water resources for

our cities and irrigation-based industries, which are already stressed and over-allocated, are

particularly vulnerable to ‘natural’ climate variability, let alone the increased climate variability that is

expected over the coming decades. One result is that Australian governments, companies and

citizens have started to recognise the issues around climate variability far more than they did in 2001.


There has been a major shift in the approach by governments and the community towards

environmental management during the last decade. This is seen in an increasing financial investment

in Australia’s environment by all levels of government; for example, the Australian Government spent

more than $10.3 billion during 2001–05 to address environmental problems through a variety of

programmes. Tangible evidence of this shift includes:

– steps were taken to bring an end to broad-scale vegetation clearing between 2001 and 2006 in

most states and territories

– changes to oceans and fisheries management, with a major industry restructure to reduce the

total catch in Commonwealth-managed fisheries, the increase in no-take zones in the Great

Barrier Reef Marine Park and Queensland’s nearshore waters, and the creation of a number of

marine protected areas in some state and territory waters

– increasing cooperation between governments and the community in environmental stewardship

through regional environmental management arrangements, such as regional natural resource

management entities; there are concerns about the differences in the capacity of local

government and regional groups to adequately undertake and fund their responsibilities

– since Australia State of the Environment 2001 (SoE2001), the Council of Australian Governments

has further advanced its water reform agenda, with its National Water Initiative using market-

based reforms and agreed policy platforms to seek improvements in water use and allocation, by

humans and the environment

– clarification of the responsibilities of the three levels of government, improved protection of

Commonwealth-owned heritage assets, establishment of a National Heritage List and promotion

of a holistic view of heritage as part of the environment through amendments to the Environment

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)

– the establishment of the National Collections Council in 2001 and the establishment of

significance assessment methods for collections - important response measures for conserving

cultural heritage

– an increasingly cooperative approach between most states and territories and the Australian

Government in developing a consistent approach to threatened species listing and the protection

of threatened species and ecological communities

– the increasingly active role in environmental stewardship by the philanthropic and business

sectors, with several organisations actively managing large areas of land to either restore or

manage for biodiversity outcomes.

Many of the pressures that were reported in SoE2001 still exist, and some have intensified. The

demands this, places on the broader environment, through increases in use of energy, land, water

and other materials, are also significant, particularly because individual consumption of most

resources is increasing to support the Australian lifestyle. The advances in recycling some forms of

urban waste, such as paper and glass, are positive but they do not offset the environmental costs of

net consumption. Australia has to do better in recycling and in the reuse of critical resources such as

water, energy, construction materials and organic waste from gardens, sewage, residual food,

industrial and livestock sources.

Of continuing concern for Australia’s immediate future is continued population growth along the

coastline. The formation of mega-metropolitan centres with increasing population density on


Australia’s coasts has the potential to displace much valuable biodiversity and ‘high-value’

agricultural land.

Much urban environmental progress can be achieved by adopting strategies that reduce the harmful

impacts of unsustainable consumption on the environment and nationally recognising that urban form

and livability have a powerful influence on human settlements. The development and implementation

of an Australian Government policy on cities would provide leadership and guidance to the other two

levels of government, as well as to developers, producers and consumers so as to achieve a

common approach to the creation of sustainable settlements.

Role of Local Government – Direct Extract from SoE Report 2006


Local government is the most diverse of Australia’s three levels of government. It is an important player

in the area of environment and heritage management in Australia, and has responsibility for protecting

the environment, planning future landscapes, providing infrastructure, managing natural resources, and

conserving or managing cultural heritage through a variety of mechanisms. Many local governments

work in areas beyond statutory requirements, such as Local Agenda 21 and Cities for Climate Protection.

In 2002–03, local government collectively accounted for about $4.1 billion of spending on environmental

management (Figure 39), which is about 32 per cent of the total environmental expenditure by the three

levels of government across Australia. Most of this expenditure is for solid waste management and

wastewater treatment. The income is funded primarily from rates (some 83 per cent of total local

government funding in 2000–01), which can be inflexible in some of the poorer and smaller rural local

government areas. The most extreme and poorly resourced examples are Indigenous councils.

Figure 39: Government expenditure on the environment, 2002–03

Source: Wild River (2006)

The mechanics of local environmental governance are complex. Local government has many

environmental and heritage roles and responsibilities, and carries these out according to legislation or

policies or programmes (Sullivan 2006). This can create tensions because councils and the staff they

hire consider themselves to be creatures and servants of the local areas. Instead of being driven by any

specific statute, local governments use state and territory laws as toolkits to fix local problems, rather

than as the instruction manuals intended by state governments.

This gap between the expectation and the reality is only one of a raft of pressures faced by local

governments. Others include local government amalgamations, enhanced general roles and

responsibilities, devolution, unfunded mandates and cost shifting, an increasing need to work with


regional organisations, and population pressures from ‘sea change’ and ‘tree change’ movements. For

some, the pressure is sufficient to limit what they can do. A 2005 survey found that only 31 per cent of

councils considered that they had a comprehensive or good capacity to take up natural resource

management initiatives; 29 per cent said they had either a limited capacity or none (Figure 40). An April

2004 report, Making Heritage Happen, found that on the basis of partial evidence offered at the local

level, it is possible that current trends could lead to the loss by 2024 of 10–15 per cent of the heritage

places that are extant in 2004 (National Incentives Task Force 2004).More recently, a Productivity

Commission survey of the role of local governments in the conservation of historic heritage showed that

around half of responding councils provided assistance, (ranging from 15 per cent of councils in

Queensland to more than 80 per cent in New South Wales) with free heritage advisory services and

grants being the main forms of assistance (Productivity Commission 2006b).

Figure 40: Local government capacity for natural resource management planning

Source: Shepherd (2005)

Local governments in Queensland face these problems and more. Many govern largely Indigenous

communities, and play an important role in helping to manage the cultural heritage of their local

populations. A total of 93 Indigenous local councils have been established in the Northern Territory (as at

October 2005) and, overall, 650 of the 815 elected members are Indigenous people.

The increasing need to work with regional organisations is a challenge for local governments. One

reason is that various organisations have different boundaries, depending on their needs, and they rarely

coincide with each other or with local government boundaries. The challenge is greater for local

governments that straddle regional borders because they can find themselves having to work with more

than a dozen regional organisations. This can create barriers to effective long-term local–regional

partnerships. The problems also include both the transience of regional bodies and their frequently

unclear roles in relation to local government (Dore and Woodhill 1999, Bellamy et al 2003).

(Source: State of the Environment Report 2006)


Banana Shire Council Organisational Structure

�

��


IntegratedEnvironmentalManagement

System

Environmental Services

October 2007

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INDEX

1.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW2 - BANANAREFUSE TIP...............................................................................................................................5

1.1 SITE DESCRIPTION...................................................................................................51.2 SITE HISTORY ...........................................................................................................51.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS..........................................................................................51.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES.................................................................................61.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.....................................................................................61.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE..............................................................................................71.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES ...................................................................81.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY...............................................................................81.9 FUTURE PLANNING ..................................................................................................81.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES & CORRECTIVE ACTION.....................................................81.11 OPERATIONAL CONTROLS......................................................................................9

2.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW7 - BARALABAREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................11

2.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................112.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................112.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................112.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................122.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................122.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................132.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................132.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................142.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................142.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES CORRECTIVE ACTION......................................................142.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................15

3.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW9 - CRACOWREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................17

3.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................173.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................173.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................173.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................173.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................183.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................193.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................193.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................193.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................203.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................203.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................21

4.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW3 – GOOVIGENREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................23

4.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................234.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................234.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................234.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................244.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................244.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................244.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................254.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................254.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................25




4.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................26

5.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW4 - JAMBINTRANSFER STATION..............................................................................................................27

5.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................275.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................275.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................275.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................285.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................285.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................295.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................295.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................305.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................305.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................31

6.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW12 - MOURAREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................33

6.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................336.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................336.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................336.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................346.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................346.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................356.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................356.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................366.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................366.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................366.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................37

7.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW11 – BILOELA (TRAPGULLY) REFUSE TIP...............................................................................................................39

7.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................397.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................397.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................397.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................407.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................407.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................417.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................417.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................427.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................427.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES / CORRECTIVE ACTION ....................................................427.11 OPERATIONAL CONTROLS....................................................................................43

8.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW – BILOELATRANSFER STATION & BAILEYS LANE FORMER LANDFILL SITE ....................................45

8.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................458.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................458.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................458.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................468.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................468.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................478.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................488.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................488.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................48

9.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW1 – THANGOOLTRANSFER STATION..............................................................................................................51




9.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................519.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................519.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................519.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................529.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................529.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................539.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................549.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................549.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ...............................................549.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................55

10.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW8 – THEODOREREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................57

10.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................5710.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................5710.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................5710.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................5810.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS...................................................................................5810.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................5910.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................5910.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................6010.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................6010.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES / CORRECTIVE ACTION ....................................................6010.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN.........................................................................61

11.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW5 – WOWANREFUSE TIP.............................................................................................................................63

11.1 SITE DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................6311.2 SITE HISTORY .........................................................................................................6311.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS........................................................................................6311.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES...............................................................................6411.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE............................................................................................6511.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES .................................................................6511.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY.............................................................................6611.9 FUTURE PLANNING ................................................................................................6611.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES / CORRECTIVE ACTION ....................................................6611.11 OPERATIONAL CONTROLS....................................................................................67

12.0 PROCEDURE FOR TRANSPORT AND DISPOSAL OF REJECT SEED GRADINGS,WHICH MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH NOXIOUS WEEDS................................................69

12.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................7112.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE.........................................................................................7112.3 SCOPE .....................................................................................................................7112.4 RISK DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................7112.5 RESPONSIBLE PERSON.........................................................................................7112.6 PROCEDURE...........................................................................................................71

12.6.1 Notification to Dispose ...........................................................................................7112.6.2 Access to Landfill...................................................................................................7212.6.3 Transport and Disposal Procedure ........................................................................7212.6.4 Covering ................................................................................................................72

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1.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW2 - BANANA REFUSE TIP

1.1 SITE DESCRIPTION

(a) Location: R. 11 Moriarty Street, BananaLot 146 on B4922

(b) Estimated area of site: 51.8 Hectares

(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Pit size = 30m x 3m x 3m (public use)2 pits / year = 540 cubic metres plusPit size = 60m x 5m x 4m (Council use)3 pits / year = 3600 cubic metres

(d) Estimated population serviced: Approx 100 residents

(e) Commencement date of operations: 1982

(f) Estimated completion date of operations: 2009 - subject to revision

(g) Adjacent land uses: Rural uses

1.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located on part of the Town Common adjacent to Banana.There is a nearby intermittent waterway, Sandy Creek, approx 100m from the site.

(b) Have there been complaints about the site? Several complaints have been received froma neighbouring resident regarding windblown litter, visual nuisance, feral cats, and fires inthe town refuse trench, which are being addressed where possible. Litter fencing has sincebeen erected, soil stockpiles moved to provide a visual screen, feral cat treatmentundertaken and “no lighting of fires” promoted.

(c) Previous burial of regulated waste: There has not been intentional disposal of hazardousor regulated waste at the site although given the site is unsecured and unregulated, suchdisposal may have occurred.

(d) Known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since 1982. It has notbeen used for any other purpose.

(e) Location maps: Basic maps have been drafted to show the size of the site and past trenchlocations.

1.3 SITE CHARACTERISTICS

(a) Flood potential: Site above flood levels.

(b) Soil characteristics: Semi shrinking clay.

(c) Groundwater characteristics: Unknown.



(d) Site vegetation: Eucalypt scrub.

(e) Landfilling technique used: Trench and fill.

(f) Contaminated site- EMR listing? Yes

1.4 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

(a) Officer Responsible: Manager Environmental Services

(b) Inspection Frequency: Minimum one on-site inspection per month.

(c) Signage appropriate?: Yes – Directional signage and safety signage.

(d) Security on site? No. There is only fencing between the site adjacent farmsand no supervision of disposal activities.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: As the site is unsecured it could be consideredthat there is 24-hour, seven day a week unrestricted access.

(f) Daily cover used? The public use trench is not covered until the tip life has expired unlessthere is a specific problem with the waste in the pit. It is not practical to cover any morefrequently.

The municipal and commercial waste trench is for authorised use only and waste is coveredon the day it is deposited.

(g) UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No

(h) All-weather access road? The access road could be considered to be all weatheralthough in extremely wet weather the tip may be inaccessible. Substantial gravelling hasbeen made up to the municipal and commercial waste trench for Council waste vehicle wetweather access.

(i) Is there a wet weather tipping facility? No.

(j) Maintenance of Site: A local contractor or Council loader carries out maintenance andcovering of waste two times a week.

(k) New Tip Construction: A contractor using an excavator generally constructs the tip.

1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

(a) Are there dust suppression procedures for unsealed roads? No - the site is relativelyremote from any sensitive area and dust is not a problem.

(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There aresigns on site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Media releases are distributedthrough local media and Council’s newsletter.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Firebreaks are maintained and if an uncontrolledtip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available for backup. This isnot a formally documented plan, however. Council equipment such as a loader and or water



truck are utilised if required. Signage states that fires are prohibited and no flammableliquids or tyres are collected or stored on site.

(d) Are there any discharges to air on site? Only if the tip catches fire.

(e) Are there noise problems associated with the site? Generally not – some concernsraised by neighbour who recently built next to the site re garbage truck access in early hoursof Thursday mornings.

(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Litter fencing is provided to rear ofsite and one side of Council trench. Surrounding vegetation and perimeter fences generallycatch litter before it is scattered very far. The site is tidied as required, which includes thecollection of the majority of wind blown refuse.

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc.? Partial Controls – Inspections and treatments carried out as required.

(h) What impact does the site have on –

Proximity and use Impact

Visual amenity Site well screened bybushland

Minor impact

Conservation areas/ naturereserves

None in proximity Nil impact

Parks and recreational areas None in proximity Nil impact

Waterbody/course Adjacent at 500m. Nil impact except if extremeflooding occurs.

Residential and other sensitiveuses

One residence recently builtdirectly behind site

Manageable impacts

Commercial and industrial None in area Nil impact

Cultural/heritage site No areas known Nil impact

1.6 WASTE ACCEPTANCE

(a) What waste types are accepted/not accepted at this site?

inert/hardfill commercial/industrial domestic! controlled (e.g. regulated waste after treatment)

(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - These wastesare advertised as being not acceptable however control is difficult as the site is unregulated.

(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? No - Not at this site. A wheelie binaudit was conducted in March 2005.



1.7 RECYCLING/REDUCTION INITIATIVES

(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream? Where possible and as indicated by signage. Tyres are notaccepted at this site.

(b) Is tree/garden waste separated? Yes.

(d) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No

(e) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site? Not specifically. Waste in thetrench is compacted with a loader bucket weekly or as required.

(f) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes. The Councilconducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure containers arenot disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful.

(g) Is there Scavenging on site? No.

(h) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Separate signposted areas areprovided for disposal of green waste and scrap metal.

1.8 MONITORING/WATER QUALITY

(a) Is there any site monitoring, leachate collection, etc? No.

(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Yes -The tip is constructed to shed water so that the only means of entry is by direct fall.

1.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? No. With the construction of anew landfill in Moura in 2006/2007, this facility will be probably closed. A small transferstation using skip bins may be provided if necessary. The Regional Waste ManagementStrategy will be implemented over the long term.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Efforts are made when machinery isavailable to level out earth and encourage vegetation regrowth. Future rehabilitation isbeing budgeted for and formal Plans for the rehabilitation of the site will be developed whenthe future of the site is more clearly known.

1.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES & CORRECTIVE ACTION

Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by levelling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and scrap metal/car bodies etc are segregated. Scrap metal is sold for

recycling. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site.



The site is tidied as required by Council workers or contractors. The domestic waste collected from the town, including medical waste, is diverted from

disposal at this site due to the town’s inclusion on the garbage truck run.

Negative Issues: This site not supervised or secured, as this is not viable. Waste is buried or covered in the public use trench only when pit has reached the end of its

life or in extenuating circumstances. It is not viable or practical to cover on a regular basisat this site.

Occasional fires occur at the tip. However, warning signs are clearly present on site andpublic education programs have been implemented. There is little further action that can betaken in this area.

There is no litter fencing. The need for litter fencing will be investigated if any problemsarise in terms of wind blown refuse or animal interference.

There has been no previous formal mapping or identification of tipping sites. This will be putinto practice prior to excavation of a new pit.

There is no monitoring of leachate on site. The need for this will be investigated in the nearfuture and budget provisions made if necessary.

Contingency plans for emergency situations, fire action plans and post closure plans for thissite have not previously been documented. These plans will be documented in the nearfuture.

This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been few complaints andfew problems with its management. The Moura’s domestic waste collection and transfer stationbins are disposed of at this site. The tip is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition andcauses very few problems.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council. The preferredoption would be to continue to operate the site in accordance with the following Plan, with ashort-term strategy to close the site and move operations to the new Moura Landfill whenconstructed.

1.11 SITE BASED MANAGEMENT PLAN

Responsible Officer: Manager Environmental Services

# Target Procedure TimeFrame

Performance Indicator

1 Determine andencourage viablerecycling initiatives

Investigate recycling initiatives asthe potential arises.

Ongoing Recycling undertakenwhere viable.

2 Burial of exposedwaste whenrequired

Waste to be covered at the end of pitlife and at any occasion whereproblem situations warrant burial orcovering.

Ongoing Waste covered asrequired. Municipalcollected waste coveredon same day.

3 Investigate the needfor site fencing.

In the case of windblown refuseproblems occurring, investigationinto the need for fencing shall beconducted and if necessary budgetprovisions shall be made.

Ongoing Windblown refuseminimised, site fencingadequate.

4 Accurateidentification oftipping sites

Basic site maps have been draftedof the past and present tipping areas

Ongoingandupdatedwitheachnew pit

Maps developed andmaintained.



5 Prevention of tipface fires

Signage regarding prohibition onlighting of fires to be maintained.

This issue is to be included in publiceducation campaigns.

Ongoing Signage present andeasily identifiable.1 public educationcampaign including thisissue carried out at leastannually

6 Fire Action Planfollowed

Fire breaks are to be maintainedaround the site.The rural fire brigade is to becontacted for backup in the event ofuncontrollable tip fires causingsufficient concern.

Ongoing Fire risk minimised.

7 Access Roadsmaintained

Access road is to be maintained in acondition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wetweather.

Ongoing Tip accessible duringwet weather.

8 Minimisation ofstormwatercontamination

Maintain diversion embankmentsaround pit to ensure that stormwateris diverted, and ensure thatembankments are included in anynew pit construction.

Ongoing Only direct rainfall hascollected in pit.

9 Complaints to beaccurately recorded,investigated, andreported on.

All Complaints regarding the site areto be accurately recorded and filed.Complaints are to be investigated assoon as the situation warrants, butno later than 7 days.Complaint investigation reports areto be completed and recorded onfile.

Ongoing An accurate record andreport of complaints kepton file.

10 Conduct regularinspections of tip.

Regular inspections of tip are to beconducted by Council E&CS Officersto ensure compliance with the issuesaddressed in this plan.

Ongoing At least 1 inspection permonth by E&CS Officer.

11 Developcontingency plansfor emergencysituations

Emergency Plan to be developedand documented.

2008 Emergency Plandeveloped anddocumented.

12 Educate users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at landfill, andother relevant issues regardingrubbish tip use, with a minimumtarget of 1 article relating to thisissue annually.

Ongoing At least 1 articlepublished annuallyaddressing this issue.

14 Cease to use to sitefor waste disposal

Construct transfer station or closeand divert users to new Mouralandfill

< 3years

Site no longer used fordisposal

15 Develop postclosurerehabilitation,monitoring andmanagement plans

Continue ongoing leveling ofbackfilled areas to controlsubsidence and encourage naturalrevegetation

Develop a formal plan for the postclosure rehabilitation, monitoring andmanagement of the site.

Ongoing

2008

Ongoing leveling ofbackfilled areas,minimized subsidence,natural revegetationoccurrence.Post closure plandeveloped

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers and Shire Depot Foremen Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



2.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW7 - BARALABA REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: R. 93, Ashfield St Extension, BaralabaLot 146 on FN324


(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Pit size = 30m * 3m * 3m2 pits / year = 540 cubic metres



(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Approx 2009, subject to review


2.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located on rural land within close proximity of the BaralabaTownship. The nearest watercourse is Dawson River, which is greater than 500 metresaway.

(b) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site is unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(c) Give details of known past activities on site. The site has been a refuse reserve since1988. Prior to then it was only used for rural purposes.

(d) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? Basic maps have been drafted of previous and current trenchlocations.



(b) Soil characteristics: Unknown









(b) Inspection Frequency: Minimum one on-site inspection per month

(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes

(d) Is there any security on site? No. There is fencing of the site on three sides, but nosupervision of disposal activities.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: As the site is unsecured it could be consideredthat there is 24hour, seven day a week with unrestricted access.

(f) Is daily cover used? It is not practical to cover the refuse on a regular basis. The site isnot covered until the tip life has expired or if there is a specific problem with the waste in thepit.

(g) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No.

(h) Is the access road all-weather? The access road could be considered to be all weatheralthough in extremely wet weather the tip may be inaccessible.

(i) Is there a wet weather tipping facility? - No

(j) Maintenance of Site: Council’s Depot Foreman carries out routine maintenance.

(k) New Tip Construction: A contractor using an excavator generally constructs the tip.


(a) Are there dust suppression procedures for unsealed roads? No - the site is relativelyremote from any sensitive area and dust has not been a problem.

(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There aresigns on site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Media releases are distributedthrough local media and Council’s newsletter. However this has not stopped the occurrenceof the tip catching fire or being deliberately lit.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Yes - Firebreaks are maintained and if anuncontrolled tip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available forbackup. Signage states that fires are prohibited and no flammable liquids or tyres arecollected or stored on site.


(e) Are there noise problems associated with the site? No.

(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Yes - Fencing is provided to catchlitter and council workers conduct regular clean-ups.

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc.? Partial Controls – Regular inspections for evidence of problems, andtreatments carried out as required.





Visual amenity Site well screened bybushland and on very lowuse road

Minor impact



Parks and recreationalareas


Waterbody/course Greater than 500m. Nil impact

Residential and othersensitive uses

None in close proximity Nil Impact

Commercial and industrial None in close proximity Nil impact






(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? No.


(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Yes - Where possible and as indicated by signage. Tyres are notaccepted at this site.

(b) Is tree/garden waste separated? Yes

(c) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No

(d) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site. No

(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensurecontainers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful.

(f) Is there Scavenging on site? No.



(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Yes, 44-gallon drums are provided onsite for a local resident to recycle glass. Separate disposal areas are provided for scrapmetal, car bodies and green waste.




2.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? A transfer station is plannedfor construction in the long term. The Regional Waste Management Strategy will beimplemented over the long term.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? No specific plans as yet. Efforts aremade when machinery is available to level out earth and encourage vegetation regrowth.

2.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES CORRECTIVE ACTION

Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by leveling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and large tanks/car bodies etc are segregated. Glass is collected for recycling on site. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council workers. The domestic waste collected from the town, including medical waste, has been diverted

from disposal at this site due to the town’s inclusion on the garbage truck run.

Negative Issues: This site is not supervised or secured, as this is not viable. Waste is buried or covered only when pit has reached the end of its life or in extenuating

circumstances. It is not viable or practical to cover on a regular basis at this site. Occasional fires occur at the tip. However, warning signs are clearly present on site and

public education programs have been implemented. There is little further action that can betaken in this area.

Fencing is present on site, but does not cover whole of site. The need for further fencing,such as litter fencing, will be investigated if problems arise in the area with wind blownrefuse or animal interference.

There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. This will be put intopractice prior to excavation of a new pit.





This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been little if anycomplaints and few problems with its management. The town’s domestic waste collection is nolonger disposed of at this site. It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition and causes veryfew problems.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council. The preferredoption would be to continue to operate the site with a long-term strategy to construct a transferstation.






Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises.

Ongoing Recycling undertakenwhere viable

2 Burial of exposedwaste when required


Ongoing Waste covered asrequired.

3 Adequate site fencing Site fencing shall be maintained inan adequate condition to preventwindblown refuse from leaving thesite.In the case of windblown refuseproblems occurring, investigationinto the need for fencing upgradeshall be conducted and if necessarybudget provisions shall be made.

Ongoing Windblown refuseminimized, site fencingadequate.

4 Accurate identificationof tipping sites

Maps are to be maintained onexcavation of new pit.

Ongoing Maps developed andmaintained.

5 Prevention of tip facefires


This issue is to be included in publiceducation campaigns

Ongoing Signage present andeasily identifiable.1 public educationcampaign including thisissue carried out at leastannually




7 Site Accessible in wetweather.

Access road is to be maintained in acondition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wetweather

Ongoing Trench accessible in wetweather




9 Complaints to beaccurately recorded,

All Complaints regarding the site areto be accurately recorded and filed.

Ongoing An accurate record andreport of complaints kept



investigated, andreported on.

Complaints are to be investigated assoon as the situation warrants, butno later than 7 days.Complaint investigation reports areto be completed and recorded onfile.

on file.

10 Regular inspection oftip conducted.

Regular inspections of tip are to beconducted by Council E&CS Officersto ensure compliance with this plan.

Ongoing At least 1 inspection permonth by E&CS Officer

11 Develop contingencyplans for emergencysituations

Emergency Plan to be developed. 2008 Plan Developed andadopted within timeframe

12 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this landfill,and other relevant issues regardingrubbish tip use, with a minimumtarget of 1 article relating to thisissue annually.

Ongoing At least 1 Articlepublished annuallyaddressing this issue.

13 Cease to use to sitefor waste disposal

Construct a transfer facility ~ 3years

Transfer facilityconstructed on closureof landfill

14 Develop post closurerehabilitation,monitoring andmanagement plans



Ongoing

2008


Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers and Shire Depot Foremen. Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



3.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW9 - CRACOW REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: R.23 Nathan Gorge Road, CracowLots 3 & 4 on C8203


(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Pit size = 30m * 3m * 3m1 pit/ year = 270 cubic metres



(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Subject to review


3.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site is unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(b) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since1982. It has not been used for any other purpose.

(c) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? Basic maps have been drafted to show the size of the site andpast trench locations.













(c) Signage appropriate? Yes

(d) Security on site? No. There is only fencing between the site adjacent farmsand no supervision of disposal activities.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: As the site is unsecured it could be consideredthat there is 24hour, seven day a week unrestricted access.

(f) Is daily cover used? The site is not covered until the tip life has expired unless there is aspecific problem with the waste in the pit. It is not practical to cover any more frequently.

(g) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No



(j) Maintenance of Site: A local contractor or Council workers carry out regular maintenance.

(k) New Tip Construction: A contractor generally constructs the tip with an excavator.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There are signson site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Media releases are distributed throughlocal media and Council’s newsletter.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Yes - Firebreaks are maintained and if anuncontrolled tip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available forbackup.



(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Yes – litter fencing is provided

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc? Partial Controls - Treatments carried out as required.




Minor impact



Parks and recreational None in proximity Nil impact



areasWaterbody/course Adjacent at 500m. Nil impact except if extreme

flooding occurs.Residential and othersensitive uses

None in area Nil Impact

Commercial and industrial None in area il impact



(a) What waste types are accepted/not accepted at this site? inert/hardfill commercial/industrial domestic! controlled (e.g. regulated waste after treatment)

(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - Thesewastes are advertised as being not acceptable however control is difficult as the site isunregulated.

(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? No - Not at this site.


(c) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream? Yes - Where possible. This facility is not designed to handle largewaste items. They are diverted where possible to a more suitable facility. Tyres are notaccepted at this site.

(a) Is tree/garden waste separated? No - It is noted this type of waste is not a significantproblem at this site.

(b) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No

(c) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site. No

(d) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensurecontainers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful as long asongoing education campaigns are conducted.

(e) Is there Scavenging on site? No

(f) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? A signposted area is provided fordisposal of scrap metal.






3.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes - The Regional WasteManagement Strategy will be implemented over the long term. There are no immediateplans to construct a transfer station or make any major changes to this site, however.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Efforts are made when machinery isavailable to level out earth and encourage vegetation regrowth. A formal rehabilitation planwill be developed in the future when required.

3.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES and CORRECTIVE ACTION

Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by leveling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and large tanks/car bodies etc are segregated. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied as required by Council workers, or contractors.

Negative Issues: This site is not supervised or secured, as this is not viable. Inspections are very infrequent due to extensive travel distance and limited problems

occurring in the area. Waste is buried or covered only when pit has reached the end of it’s life or in extenuating

circumstances. It is not viable or practical to cover on a regular basis at this site. Occasional fires occur at the tip. Warning signs are present on site, and public education

programs will be implemented. There is little further action that can be taken in this area. Fencing is present on site, but does not cover whole of site. Investigation in to the need for

further fencing will be made if problem arise in terms of wind blown refuse or animalinterference.




This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been little if anycomplaints and few problems with its management. The town’s domestic waste is disposed ofat this site, as there is no town wheelie bin collection. It is generally kept in a neat and tidycondition and causes very few problems.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council. There are noimmediate plans to construct a transfer station at this site. The preferred option would be tocontinue to operate the site in accordance with the following Plan.








Investigate recycling initiatives asthe potential arises.

Ongoing Recycling scrap metalundertaken where viable.



Ongoing Waste covered asrequired

3 Investigate the needfor site fencing.

In the case of windblown refuseproblems occurring, investigationinto the need for fencing shall beconducted and if necessary budgetprovisions shall be made.

Ongoing Windblown refuseminimized, site fencingadequate


Maps are to be drawn of future pitlocations in relation to the site, andinclude past pit locations where thisinformation is available.

Prior toexcavation ofnext pit

Maps developed andmaintained




Ongoing Signage present andeasily identifiable.1 public educationcampaign including thisissue carried out annually



Ongoing Fire risk minimised

7 Access Roadsmaintained


Ongoing Tip reasonably accessibleduring wet weather







10 Inspection of tip. Inspections of tip are to beconducted by Council E&CS Officerswhen necessary, to ensurecompliance with the issuesaddressed in this plan.



Emergency Plan to be developedand documented.

2008 Plan Developed andadopted within time frame

12 Education for users. Educate public further on the types Ongoing At least 1 Article



of waste allowable at landfill, andother relevant issues regardingrubbish tip use, with a minimumtarget of 1 article relating to thisissue annually.

published annuallyaddressing this issue.




Ongoing

2008


Monitoring: Regular inspections by H&ES Officers and Shire Depot Foremen Scheduled auditing of EMP by the Responsible Officer.



4.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW3 – GOOVIGEN REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: R. 196 Lake Pleasant Road, Goovigen




(e) Commencement date of operations: 1982 (estimated)

(f) Completion date of operations: 10th April 2000 – Site is now closed


4.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located approximately 3 km outside the township of Goovigenand is surrounded by rural land.


(c) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since atleast commencement date of landfilling operations. It has not been used for any otherpurpose.

(d) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is no mapping of tip locations on site, however it isunderstood that most of the site has been used for landfilling.












(b) Inspection Frequency: Regular inspections were conducted during life of tip and regularinspections after closure, with infrequent inspections after closure.

(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs advise of closure.

(d) Is there any security on site? Farm style fencing to prevent public access.

(e) Was daily cover used? Pits were only covered at the end of life, unless a specificproblem existed with the waste in the pit.

(f) Was there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No

(g) Maintenance of Site: All maintenance carried out by Council.


(a) What impact does the site have on –


Visual amenity Site well screened bybushland and remediation tobe undertaken

Minor impact





Waterbody/course Dry watercourse within100m.

Minor to moderate impact






(a) What waste types were accepted/not accepted at this site?


(b) Were liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - These wastesare advertised as being not acceptable however control is difficult as the site wasunregulated.





(a) Were bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Yes - Where possible. Tyres were not accepted at this site.

(b) Was tree/garden waste separated? Yes, green waste was collected in a separate area.

(c) Was tree/garden waste shredded on site? No

(d) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site: No

(e) Used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - The Councilconducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure containers arenot disposed of at unsupervised tips.

(f) Scavenging on site? No.

(g) Recycling/separation facilities on site? No



(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Pitswere constructed to shed water so that the only means of entry was by direct fall.

4.9 FUTURE PLANNING

1. Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Ongoing levelling of backfilled areashas occurred when machinery available, to control subsidence and encourage naturalrevegetation. A formal rehabilitation plan will be developed in the future for the site whenbudgets permit.


Positive Issues: Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by levelling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and large tanks/car bodies etc not accepted at this site. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. No dust or odour problems occurring at this site. Site tidied on a regular basis by private contractors. The domestic waste collected from the town, including medical waste, diverted from

disposal at this site. Fencing and signage re closure

Negative Issues: This site was unsupervised and unsecured. Waste buried or covered only when pit has reached the end of its life or in extenuating

circumstances.



There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. It appears howeverthat entire site filled.


Remediation plan yet to be put in place.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would have been prohibitive for Council. Thecosts of a transfer station facility cannot be justified when considering the proximity of theJambin Transfer Station. The site has been closed and residents are requested to use JambinTransfer Station.





1 Adequate site fencing Site fencing shall be maintained toprevent access to the site.

Complete

Farm style fencingsurrounds the perimeterof the site.



Ongoing/ N/A

An accurate record andreport of complaints kepton file.


Regular inspections of tip are to beconducted by Council E&CS Officersin the month or two following closureto ensure no illegal dumping etc.

Completed

Regular inspections areno longer required.



2008 Post closure plandeveloped

Monitoring:

Inspections by E&CS Officers if required.



5.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW4 - JAMBIN TRANSFER STATION


(a) Location: Jambin-Goovigen Road, JambinLot 192 on RN1606

(b) Estimated area of site: 1 Hectare

(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Bin Size = 20m31-2 bins emptied 2-3 times per weekEstimated volume = 4000 m3/yr


(e) Commencement date of operations: Landfill closed in 1998 and TransferStation opened at the same site.

(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Ongoing


5.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located approximately 2 km outside the township of Jambinand is surrounded by rural land.

(b) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site was unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(c) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve formany years prior to closure. It has not been used for any other purpose.

(d) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is no mapping of tip locations on site. This does not nowseem necessary as the majority of the site has been used for refuse disposal purposes andthere will be no further pits excavated on site.






(e) Landfilling technique used: Trench and fill – in previous years prior to transfer



Station.





(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping, recycling and advising caution.

(d) Is there any security on site? No. There is no gate at the site and no supervision ofdisposal activities.


(f) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No

(g) Is the access road all-weather? The access road could be considered to be all weather.

(h) Maintenance of Site: Council staff carries out cleaning and other maintenance.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of fires? There are signs on siteadvising that the lighting of fires is prohibited and the use of a transfer bin has reduced therisk of fire.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Although fire is not a major concern with thetransfer station, firebreaks are maintained and the Rural Fire Brigade are available forbackup.

(d) Are there any discharges to air on site? No.


(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Boundary fencing is provided to catchlitter and regular clean-ups are conducted.

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc.? Vermin harbourage and animal interference are of little concern as the bin isfairly inaccessible to animals or vermin and is removed on a regular basis. There have beenfew bird problems, however if this became an area of concern, control measures would beimplemented.

(h) What impact does the site have on -


Visual amenity Site well screened by Minor impact



bushlandConservation areas/ naturereserves




Waterbody/course None in proximity Nil impact except if extremeflooding occurs.











(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Yes. This facility is not designed to handle large waste items. Theyare diverted where possible to a more suitable facility. Tyres are not accepted at this site.

(b) Is tree/garden waste separated? Yes, green waste is collected in a separate area.


(d) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site? No

(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensurecontainers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful.


(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Lions Club provide collection bins forglass and aluminum can recycling.




(a) Is there any site monitoring, leachate collection, etc? No. The need for monitoring forpast landfilling activities will be investigated and monitoring conducted where necessary.

(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Asthe rubbish is contained in a bin and is removed on a regular basis there is little concern forstormwater contamination and like issues.

5.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes – the Regional WasteManagement Strategy once finalised will be implemented over the long term.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Levelling of backfilled areas has beenperformed to control subsidence and encourage natural revegetation. A formal rehabilitationplan will be developed for the site.


Positive Issues: The closure of the refuse tip and use of a transfer bin reduce the problems concerned with

windblown refuse, odour, tip face fires, vermin harbourage, stormwater and ground watercontamination and other such issues.

Access roads are all weather. Some rehabilitation has occurred on site by levelling out ground and allowing regrowth. Large tanks/car bodies etc are not accepted at this site. Garden waste is segregated from the transfer bin. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council or private contractors. The domestic waste collected from the town, is diverted from disposal at this site. No fires have occurred on site following the construction of the transfer station.

Negative Issues: This site is unsupervised and unsecured. this is not viable, however. Fencing is present on site, but does not cover whole of site. The need for further fencing will

be investigated if problems arise in the area of wind blown refuse or animal interference. There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. There is no monitoring of leachate on site. The need for this will be investigated in the near

future and budget provisions made if necessary. Contingency plans for emergency situations, fire action plans and post closure plans for this

site have not previously been documented. These plans will be documented in the nearfuture.

The construction of a transfer station has eliminated many of the problem issues associatedwith refuse tips. It is unsupervised, unsecured, however the costs associated to man and securethe site would be prohibitive for Council.

It is an essential facility for the community it serves. To date there are minor complaints andlittle problems with its management. It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition and causesvery few problems.



It is planned to continue operating the transfer facility in accordance with the following plan withno plans for closure of the site.






Encourage and support thecollection of glass on site forrecycling by the Lions Club.Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises


2 Removal of wastewhen required.

The transfer bin is removed twice aweek or more frequently if required.

Ongoing Facility is kept neat andtidy.


Ongoing Windblown refuseminimized, site fencingadequate






Fire breaks are to be maintainedaround the site.The rural fire brigade is to becontacted for backup in the event ofuncontrollable fires causing sufficientconcern.

Ongoing Fire risk minimised



Ongoing Transfer bins accessibleduring wet weather



Ongoing An accurate record andreport of complaints kepton file

8 Regular inspection oftransfer stationconducted.

Regular inspections of the transferstation are to be conducted byCouncil E&CS Officers to ensurecompliance with this plan.



Emergency Plan to be developed. 2008 Plan Developed andadopted within time frame

10 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this transferfacility, and other relevant issues

Ongoing At least 1 article publishedannually addressing thisissue.



regarding disposal facility use.11 Develop post closure

rehabilitation,monitoring andmanagement plans


2008 Post closure plandeveloped

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer.



6.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW12 - MOURA TRANSFER STATION


(a) Location: R. 178 Dawson Highway, MouraLot 1 on FN803416

(b) Estimated area of site: 3 Hectares

(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Bin Size = 20m36 bin emptied once per weekEstimated volume = 6300 m3/yr

Previously:Landfill pit size = 50 x 4 x 4.52-3 pits per year



(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Landfilling ceased on 27 October 2005.Transfer Station in use – no completiondate planned. Rubble still received.


6.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: Site is a permanent road closure located approx. 2 km west of Moura ina low-lying area.


(c) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since1990. It has not been used for any other purpose. Landfilling ceased due to lack of room.

(d) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There are no maps showing specific locations of tipping sites,however it is noted that the most of the site is landfilled.








(e) Landfilling technique used: Previously trench and fill.





(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping, recycling and advisingcaution.

(d) Is there any security on site? Yes – The landfill compound is secured. The transfer stationarea is locked between 7.00pm and 7.00am every day (as of 3 January 2006). The site issupervised for 17 hours per week by a contractor.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: The bins have unsecured access between7.00am and 7.00pm each day. The landfill may be accessed as required with a key systemto dispose of building rubble, concrete or soil only.

(f) Is daily cover used? This is not required, as putresible and municipal waste landfillingdoes not occur on the site. Transfer station bins are emptied to Banana Landfill once perweek.

(g) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No

(h) Is the access road all-weather? The access road could be considered to be all weatherto the transfer bins. Road to landfill would be inaccessible in very wet weather.

(i) Maintenance of Site: A local contractor carries out general maintenance. A Councilloader is used weekly to push up green waste, scrap metal and concrete piles.

(j) New Tip Construction: This is no longer required, however in the past a contractor with anexcavator was used to create new trenches.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There are signson site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited and the use of transfer bins reduces therisk of fire.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Yes - Firebreaks are maintained and if anuncontrolled tip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available forbackup. A water tank, pump and hose are available on site adjacent to the transfer bins tobe utilised in the case of fire.

(d) Are there any discharges to air on site? No




(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Yes – Litter fencing is provided to catchlitter from the landfill compound and transfer station area. The site and surrounding area areregularly cleaned up by a contractor.




Visual amenity Site partly screened bybushland

Minor to moderate impact





Waterbody/course > 500m, but site is located inlow-lying area.

Minor to moderate impact.






(a) What waste types are accepted/not accepted at this site? inert/hardfill commercial/industrial domestic! controlled (e.g. regulated waste after treatment)

(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - These wastesare advertised as being not acceptable however control is difficult as the site is oftenunregulated.

(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? No - Not at this site. A wheelie binaudit was conducted in March 2005.


(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream? A separate collection area is provided. Tyres are not accepted at thissite.


(c) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No, although this is being considered.




(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensurecontainers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful

(f) Is there Scavenging on site? Yes, a part time contractor is employed to supervise andmaintain the landfill and transfer station area. The contractor is given scavenging rights.

(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Some facilities provided by MouraRotary club for glass recycling and aluminium cans. Batteries, scrap metal and waste oil arealso collected. Cardboard recycling will start in mid 2006.



(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Asthe rubbish is contained in a bin and is removed on a regular basis there is little concern forstormwater contamination and like issues. Previous tip faces were constructed to shedwater so that the only means of entry is by direct fall.

6.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes – the Regional WasteManagement Strategy once finalised will be implemented over the long term. Council willinstall a cardboard compactor on the site in conjunction with Visy Recycling. Landfilling hasbeen temporarily moved to Banana Refuse Tip until a new landfill site is prepared.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? A rehabilitation plan will be developedin conjunction with plans for the transfer station.


Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather to bins. Putresible waste no longer landfilled at this site. Garden waste, building rubble and scrap metal/car bodies etc are segregated. A community group collect recyclables. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied as regularly. Landfill secured and fully fenced for litter containment. The entire facility is locked between 7.00pm and 7.00am every day to reduce vandalism and

illegal dumping. There has been mapping and identification of previous tipping areas conducted by Connell

Wagner consultants in 2004/05.

Negative Issues: The transfer station area is not supervised or secured at all times during the opening hours.

Increasing the hours of supervision may be considered in the future if budget permits.





A new landfill site is in the process of being identified and instigated. Bins would probably betransferred to the new site and the whole operation supervised.






Support the continued collection ofrecyclables at the tip by local club.Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises

Ongoing Reasonable quantities ofmaterials recycled andreported on.


The transfer bins are removed oncea week.



Ongoing







Ongoing


Access roads are to be maintainedin a condition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wetweather

Ongoing

8 Investigate the risk ofleachate occurring atthe site and groundwater contamination

An investigation into the risk ofleachate and ground watercontamination is to be conducted.

If found to be necessary, amonitoring program is to bedeveloped and included in nextbudget.


All Complaints regarding the site areto be accurately recorded and filed.Complaints are to be investigated assoon as the situation warrants, butno later than 7 days.




Complaint investigation reports areto be completed and recorded onfile.



Ongoing At least 1 inspection perweek by E&CS Officer


Emergency Plan to be developed. Plan Developed andadopted within time frame

13 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this landfill,and other relevant issues regardingrubbish tip use, with a minimumtarget of 1 article relating to thisissue annually.



Develop a formal plan for the postclosure rehabilitation, monitoring andmanagement of the site prior tomoving away from the current site.

Ongoing

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers and Shire Depot Foremen Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



7.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN:SITE HW11 – BILOELA (TRAP GULLY) REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: Forestry Road, BiloelaLot 30 on RN894456


(c) Estimated volume of waste received: 30,539 m3 in 2004/05 year


(e) Commencement date of operations: August 1989

(f) Estimated completion date of operations: 2018, subject to review

(g) Adjacent land uses: Mining and Rural uses

7.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located on a mining lease approximately 17 km outside theBiloela township. The area of land has been relinquished from the Anglo Coal lease andpurchased by Council.

(b) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? Yes.

(c) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since1989. Prior to this time it was used for coal mining purposes.

(d) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is only a site map, which shows portions of the site thathave been utilised. Consultant surveyors were employed to give an accurate topographicalsurvey of the site in early 2006.



(b) Soil characteristics: Unknown

(c) Groundwater characteristics: Unknown


(e) Landfilling technique used: Benching







(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping, waste fees, recycling andadvising caution. Further signage is to be provided.

(d) Is there any security on site? Yes the site is a secure fully fenced site with restrictedaccess by the public.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 5.00pm. The sitemay be used outside of these hours by Council, or by commercial operators by priorarrangement and supervision.

(f) Is daily cover used? Yes. Refuse is covered at the end of each day’s operations.

(g) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? There is an above ground diesel fueltank on site with a capacity of 500 L.

(h) Is the access road all-weather? The access road could be considered to be all weatheralthough in extremely wet weather some areas of the facility would be inaccessible.

(i) Is there a wet weather tipping facility? This is not required as it would be extremelyunusual to not be able to dispose of waste on one of the benches.

(j) Maintenance of Site: All maintenance is carried out by Council staff or contractors

(k) Tip Construction: Contractor is used for the winning of earth used in covering process.Site supervisors (contractor) covers waste with a loader each day.


(a) Are there dust suppression procedures for unsealed roads? Yes – the internal accessroads are watered every Wednesday; however, the site is relatively remote from anysensitive area.

(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? As the site is asecure site, this has not been a problem issue.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Yes - Firebreaks are maintained and sitesupervisors or Council operators use the loader on site to smother a fire immediately. If anuncontrolled tip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available forbackup.



(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Yes – Fencing is provided to catch litterand site is cleaned as required by the site supervisors.






Visual amenity Site remote from all butlimited private road.Maintained in tidy condition.

Minor impact





Waterbody/course Ponding at bottom of landfillwhich drains to dry estuary

Minor to moderate impactfollowing rain







inert/hardfill commercial/industrial domestic Limited controlled (e.g. regulated waste after treatment)

(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - Thesewastes are not accepted and the restricted access to the site would minimise any disposalof unacceptable items, but would not guarantee this.

(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? A wheelie bin audit isconducted annually, and a waste audit is conducted every 3 years as part of regional wastestrategy


(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Where possible recyclable items such as metal and car bodies arediverted, but as this is the major landfill within the Shire most other waste types aredisposed of here. Tyres are collected, stored and when quantities reach 500 tyres,Tyrecycle are paid to remove them from site.

(b) Is tree/garden waste separated? Yes. This is segregated at the Biloela TransferStation, where possible, to avoid disposal at this site.

(c) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site? No

(d) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - The Councilconducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure containers arenot disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful.



(e) Is there Scavenging on site? Yes, a contractor is employed to supervise and maintainthe landfill. The contractor is given scavenging rights.

(f) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Yes, scrap metal and tyres areseparated for recycling and/or removal.


(a) Is there any site monitoring, leachate collection, etc? Yes. Three groundwatermonitoring wells have been installed and surface water monitoring is conducted from theponded water at bottom of site.

(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Yes -The tip is constructed to shed water and prevent soakage into landfill and therefore preventleachate occurrence. The tip face is very small as the waste is covered daily and at times anumber or times a day. Diversion embankments have been put in place to preventstormwater accumulation around disposal areas.

7.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes – the Regional WasteManagement Strategy once finalised will be implemented over the long term. A consultanthas provided a report on future use of site. A weighbridge is to be installed in early 2006. Aconsultant will assess the landfill life and compaction results in 2006, subsequent toreceiving topographical survey reports.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site?Management of the site to provide the appropriate final contours is ongoing. A formalrehabilitation plan will be developed for the site, prior to its closure.

7.10 SUMMARY OF ISSUES / CORRECTIVE ACTION

Positive Issues: The site is supervised. The site is a secure, restricted access site. Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater accumulation

around disposal areas. Ongoing planning has occurred to ensure that benching is in accordance with final

contour requirements. Garden waste and recyclable materials are largely separated prior to disposal. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem

issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by contractors. Fires are not a problem at this site. Ground water and surface water monitoring programs have been established for this

site. Waste is covered at the end of each day’s operation and at any other time when

immediate covering is necessary.



Negative Issues: Fencing is present on site, but does not necessarily act as a barrier for wind blown

refuse. Investigation into the need for further fencing will be conducted if problemsarise in the area of wind blown refuse.

There is an above ground fuel storage tank on site that is unbunded. There has been no formal previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. Contingency plans for emergency situations, fire action plans and post closure plans

for this site have not previously been documented. These plans will be documentedin the near future.

This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been little if anycomplaints and few problems with its management. It is generally kept in a neat and tidycondition and causes very few problems.

The site is secured, cleaned and supervised during open hours. The site will be operated inaccordance will this Plan, with work towards rehabilitation to be ongoing.






Support the continued scavenging ofrecyclables by site supervisor.Investigate any further recyclingpotential from this site as theopportunity arises.

Ongoing Reasonable quantities ofmaterials recycled andreported on.


Waste to be covered at the end ofeach day’s operations and at anyoccasion where situations warrantimmediate burial or covering.

Ongoing


Ongoing Windblown refusecontrolled


Maps are to be drawn of futuretipping locations in relation to thesite, and include past locationswhere this information is available.

Ongoing


This issue is to be included in publiceducation campaigns. Continue torestrict public access.

Ongoing


Fire breaks are to be maintainedaround the site. Onsite loader to beused to smother fire immediately.The rural fire brigade is to becontacted for backup in the event ofuncontrollable tip fires causingsufficient concern.

Ongoing



7 Access Roadmaintained

Access road is to be maintained in acondition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wetweather.

Ongoing


Surface water monitoring is to beconducted following periods ofheavy rain on site.Ground water monitoring is to beconducted on a bi-annual basis or atany other time when this iswarranted.


Maintain diversion embankments orcontouring around site to ensure thatstormwater is diverted, and ensurethat construction for stormwaterdiversion is included in any newconstruction work on site.

Ongoing

10 On site fuel storageadequately bunded.

Above ground fuel tank to bebunded.




12 Regular inspection oftip.





14 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this landfill,and other relevant issues regardingrubbish tip use, with a minimumtarget of 1 article relating to thisissue annually



Continue ongoing contouring of thesite in accordance with final desiredprofile for rehabilitation purposes


Ongoing

Monitoring: Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



8.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITE HW– BILOELA TRANSFER STATION & BAILEYS LANE FORMERLANDFILL SITE


(a) Location: R.359 Calvale Rd, BiloelaLot 359 on RN1456


(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Waste is transferred to Trap Gully


(e) Commencement date of operations: Transfer station opened in 1989.

(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Previous landfill at Bailey’s Lane ceased mainoperation in 1989 and was used for disposal on rare occasions until 1997. Transfer stationand recyclable storage at Bailey’s Lane ongoing. No completion date anticipated.

(g) Adjacent land uses: Rural and rural residential uses

8.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located approximately 4 km outside the township of Biloela, issurrounded by rural land and a few scattered residences.

(b) Have there been complaints about the site? A few rare complaints in 2003 werereceived regarding a dust nuisance caused by the shredding of garden waste. Thenuisance was of a short duration and the problem has been resolved.

(c) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has been disposal ofasbestos at the Bailey’s Lane landfill.

(d) Give details of known past activities on site. The site has been a refuse reserve since1983. It has not been used for any other purpose.

(e) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is no mapping of tip locations on site. This does notnow seem necessary as the majority of the site has been used for refuse disposalpurposes and there will be no further pits excavated on site.








(e) Landfilling technique used: Formerly trench and fill, prior to ceasing landfillingactivities.





(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping, recycling and advising caution.

(d) Is there any security on site? Yes. There is full time supervision of disposal activitiesduring operating hours. The site is secured outside operating hours.

(e) Standard hours of operation for the site: Facility open and site contractors presentbetween 6.00am to 6.00pm, 7 days a week.

(f) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? There is no fuel storage on site.Waste oil is deposited at the transfer station in a palletron, within a bunded area.

(g) Is the access road all-weather? Yes

(h) Maintenance of Site: Maintenance is carried out by contractors or Council workersdepending on the work required.


(a) Are there dust suppression procedures for unsealed roads? No. This is not requiredas the remainder of site is not likely to cause a dust nuisance.

(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of fires? There are signs onsite advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Fencing, use of transfer bins andsupervision on site minimises the chance of fire occurrence.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Firebreaks are maintained, Council’s water truckwould be utilitsed and the Fire Brigade is available for backup. There is no formaldocumentation of this procedure.



(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Boundary fencing is provided which maycatch litter and regular clean-ups are conducted.

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc? Vermin harbourage and animal interference have not been a problem at thesite.





Visual amenity Site well maintained anddesigned to minimise impact

Minor impact





Waterbody/course Minor watercourse in closeproximity and locatedbetween transfer station andBailey’s lane sites

Minor to moderate impact.


A few houses in the vicinity Minor to moderate impact





inert/hardfill commercial/industrial domestic! controlled (eg regulated waste after treatment)

(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - These wastesare advertised as being not acceptable and are diverted to suitable locations.

(c) Has any analysis been conducted of waste stream? Yes – at gate surveys and a wheeliebin audit was conducted in March 2005.


(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream? Yes. Car bodies and other scrap metal is diverted from the wastestream and stored at Bailey’s Lane prior to recycling. Other bulky items that cannot beprocessed by the transfer station are diverted directly to Landfill at Trap Gully. Tyres are notaccepted at this site.


(c) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? Yes


(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - Councilconducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure containers arenot disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful.

(f) Is there Scavenging on site? Yes. The Transfer Station contractors have exclusivescavenging rights for the site.



(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? Facilities are available for recyclingglass, cardboard, oil, scrap metal, oil, batteries and aluminium recycling and for theseparation of old paint etc.



(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Asthe rubbish collection area drains to a separator system and treatment facility, there is littleconcern for stormwater contamination and like issues.

8.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes - The Regional WasteManagement Strategy once finalised will be implemented over the long term.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Levelling of backfilled areas on theBailey’s Lane site has been performed, to control subsidance and encourage naturalrevegetation. A formal rehabilitation plan will be developed for the site.


Positive Issues: Access roads are all weather. Site is secured overnight. Site is supervised during operating hours. Some rehabilitation has occurred on the Bailey’s Lane site by levelling out ground and

allowing regrowth. Large tanks/car bodies are collected separately and some materials are recycled. Garden waste is segregated. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council or private contractors.

Negative Issues: There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. This appears to be

unnecessary as majority of site has been used for disposal purposes and no further pits areto be excavated on site.



A summary of this site is that the construction of a transfer station has eliminated many of theproblem issues associated with refuse tips. It is supervised and secured.



It is an essential facility for the community it serves. To date there are only minor complaintsand little problems with its management. It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition andcauses very few problems.






Encourage and support thecollection of recyclable materials onsite by Contractors.Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises

Ongoing Reasonable quantities ofmaterials are recycledand reported on. Scrapmetal sold whensubstantial quantity isreached.

2 Adequate site fencing Site fencing and maintenance shallbe adequate to prevent windblownrefuse from leaving the site.In the case of windblown refuseproblems occurring, investigationinto the need for fencing upgrade oradditional maintenance shall beconducted and if necessary budgetprovisions shall be made.

Ongoing

3 Prevention of fires Signage regarding prohibition onlighting of fires to be maintained.







Access roads shall be maintained ingood condition

Ongoing








Regular inspections of the transferstation are to be conducted byCouncil E&CS Officers to ensurecompliance with the issues




addressed by this plan.9 Develop contingency

plans for emergencysituations


10 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this transferfacility, and other relevant issuesregarding disposal facility use.

Ongoing



Ongoing

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



9.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW1 – THANGOOL TRANSFER STATION


(a) Location: Burnett Highway, Thangool


(c) Estimated volume of waste received: Bin Size = 20m32 bins emptied 3 times a weekEstimated vol = 6240 m3/yr


(e) Commencement date of operations: Landfill closed in 1998 and Transferstation opened.

(f) Estimated completion date of operations: Ongoing. No completion date anticipated.


9.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located approximately 1 km outside the township of Thangool,is surrounded by rural land, and located adjacent a highway.

(b) Have there been complaints about the site? Yes, however valid complaints regardingwindblown litter have been resolved.

(c) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site was unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(d) Give details of known past activities on site. The site has been a refuse reserve since19 ?. It has not been used for any other purpose.

(e) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is no mapping of tip locations on site. This does not nowseem necessary as the majority of the site has been used for refuse disposal purposes andthere will be no further pits excavated on site.








(e) Landfilling technique used: Formerly Trench and fill. This site is now a transfer facilityusing a 20m3 open bin.





(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping and advising caution.

(d) Is there any security on site? There is only boundary fencing on the site and nosupervision of disposal activities.


(f) Is there UG/AG storage of chemicals/fuels on site? No.

(g) Is the access road all-weather? The access road could be considered to be all weather.

(h) Maintenance of Site: A local contractor or Council workers depending on the work requiredand availability of staff carry out maintenance.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of fires? There are signs on siteadvising that the lighting of fires is prohibited and the use of a transfer bin has reduced therisk of fire.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Although fire is not a major concern with thetransfer station, firebreaks are maintained and the Rural Fire Brigade is available forbackup.



(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Litter fencing surrounding the open binis provided to catch litter and facility contract holder conducts regular clean-ups. Furtherfencing to prevent access by birds will be provided in the near future.

(g) Are there any control measures in place for prevention of vermin harbourage, birds,animals etc? Vermin harbourage and animal interference are of little concern as the bin isfairly inaccessible to animals or vermin and is removed on a regular basis. There have been



few bird problems, however if this became an area of concern, control measures would beimplemented.




Minor impact





Waterbody/course None in proximity Nil impact except if extremeflooding occurs.











(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Yes. This facility is not designed to handle large waste items. Theyare diverted where possible to a more suitable facility.


(c) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No.

(d) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site? No.

(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - Councilconducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure containers arenot disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful


(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? The Lions Club provides collectionbins for glass recycling and aluminum can.





(b) Are there any systems in place to minimise contamination of stormwater, minimisecontaminated water discharge off the site and divert stormwater from tip face? Asthe rubbish is contained in a bin and is removed on a regular basis there is little concernover stormwater contamination and like issues.

9.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? Yes - There are preliminaryplans to work towards a whole of shire waste management strategy.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? Levelling of backfilled areas has beenperformed, to control subsidance and encourage natural revegetation. A formalrehabilitation plan will be developed for the site.


Positive Issues: The closure of the refuse tip and use of a transfer bin reduce the problems concerned with

windblown refuse, odour, tip face fires, vermin harbourage, stormwater and ground watercontamination and other such issues.

Access roads are all weather. Boundary fencing is present on site, although does not cover whole of site. Litter fencing is provided around the bin area to prevent windblown refuse. Some rehabilitation has occurred on site by leveling out ground and allowing regrowth. Large tanks/car bodies etc are not accepted at this site. Garden waste is segregated from the transfer bin. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council or private contractors. The domestic waste collected from the town, is diverted from disposal at this site. No fires have occurred on site following the construction of the transfer station.

Negative Issues: This site is unsupervised and unsecured. It is not viable for the site to be secured or

supervised, however. There have been a number of complaints from a neighbouring property owner regarding

windblown refuse. Steps have been taken to prevent any further justified complaints inrelation to this matter.

There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. This appears to beunnecessary as majority of site has been used for disposal purposes and no further pits areto be excavated on site.





A summary of this site is that the construction of a transfer station has eliminated many of theproblem issues associated with refuse tips. It is unsupervised, unsecured, however the costsassociated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council.

It is an essential facility for the community it serves. To date there are minor complaints andlittle problems with its management. It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition and causesvery few problems.






Encourage and support thecollection of glass on site forrecycling by the Lions Club.Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises



The transfer bin is removed on aregular basis when approaching full.



Ongoing

4 Prevention of fires Signage regarding prohibition onlighting of fires to be maintained.





Ongoing



Ongoing




8 Complaints to beaccurately recorded,investigated, and

All Complaints regarding the site areto be accurately recorded and filed.Complaints are to be investigated as




reported on. soon as the situation warrants, butno later than 7 days.Complaint investigation reports areto be completed and recorded onfile.


Regular inspections of the transferstation are to be conducted byCouncil E&CS Officers to ensurecompliance with the issuesaddressed by this plan.




11 Education for users. Educate public further on the typesof waste allowable at this transferfacility, and other relevant issuesregarding disposal facility use.

Ongoing



Ongoing

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer.



10.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW8 – THEODORE REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: R. 232 Goolara-Heinekes Road,TheodoreLot 1 on RP619696




(e) Commencement date of operations: April 1994



10.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located in a rural area approximately 5 km outside of theTheodore township.

(b) Have there been complaints about the site? Two complaints were made to the EPA in2005 regarding the burning of the landfill trench causing a smoke nuisance.

(c) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site is unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(d) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since1994. It has not been used for any other purpose.

(e) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? There is only a site map, which shows the general layout of thesite. There has been no specific mapping of disposal sites. This will be carried out in thenear future.



(b) Soil characteristics: Sandy loam covering with black to brown clay underneath.









(b) Inspection Frequency: Minimum one onsite inspection per month.

(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping and advising the prohibition offires.

(d) Is there any security on site? No. There is boundary fencing of the site, but no supervisionof disposal activities.


(f) Is daily cover used? The site is not covered until the tip life has expired unless there is aspecific problem with the waste in the pit. It is not viable or practicable to cover on a moreregular basis.


(h) Is the access road all-weather? No. In fairly wet weather the main tip would beinaccessible.

(i) Is there a wet weather tipping facility? Yes. This site is accessible in most weatherconditions.

(j) Maintenance of Site: All maintenance is carried out by Council workers.

(k) New Tip Construction: The tip is generally constructed by a contractor with an excavator.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There aresigns on site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Media releases are distributedthrough local media and Council’s newsletter. However this has not stopped the occurrenceof the tip catching fire or being deliberately lit.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Yes - Council’s water truck is available for use.In addition, Firebreaks are maintained and if an uncontrolled tip fire causes problems of anysort the Rural Fire Brigade are available for backup. This has not been formally documentedhowever.





(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Yes - Fencing is provided to catch litterand regular cleanups are conducted by Council workers.





Minor impact





Waterbody/course Adjacent at 500m? Nil impact except if extremeflooding occurs.











(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream? Yes - Where possible. Large items such as car bodies and tanks,building rubble, etc are separated from the main trench and placed in a separate collectionarea.




(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure



containers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful as long asongoing education campaigns are conducted.


(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? There are drums on site for collectionof glass for recycling. A container is available for waste oil and batteries are separated andcollected from the site for recycling.




10.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? A transfer station is plannedfor construction in the long term. The Regional Waste Management Strategy once finalisedwill be implemented over the long term.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? It is recognised that rehabilitation willbe necessary when a transfer station is established on the site. This will form part of theplanning for the establishment of this facility. In addition, efforts are made when machineryis available to level out earth and encourage vegetation regrowth.


Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions, when a wet weather

pit is available. Boundary fencing is present on site. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by levelling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and large tanks/car bodies etc are segregated. Some materials are recycled Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council workers. The domestic waste collected from the town, including medical waste, is collected weekly by

the garbage truck and disposed of at Banana Landfill.


supervised. Waste is buried or covered only when pit has reached the end of its life or in extenuating

circumstances. It is not viable or practical to cover on a regular basis at this site. Occasional fires occur at the tip, although warning signs are present on site. There is little

further action that can be taken in this area. There has been no previous mapping or identification of tipping sites. This will be put into

practice prior to excavation of a new pit. There is no monitoring of leachate on site. The need for this will be investigated in the near

future and budget provisions made if necessary.




This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been few complaints orproblems with its management. The town’s domestic waste collection is diverted from this site.It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition and causes very few problems.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council. The preferredoption would be to continue to operate the site according to the following management plan,with a strategy to discontinue the disposal of waste at the site and construct a transfer station,within the next 2 years???






Continue to provide access to glassrecycling collection.Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises.

Ongoing Reasonable quantities ofglass recycled. Scrapmetal sold whensubstantial quantity isreached.



Ongoing


Ongoing Windblown refusecontrolled.










Ongoing

7 Access Roads Access road is to be maintained in acondition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wetweather

Ongoing

8 Investigate the risk ofleachate occurring at

An investigation into the risk ofleachate and ground water



the site and groundwater contamination

contamination is to be conducted.





10 Minimisation ofcontaminated waterdischarge off site











15 Discontinuation ofdisposal at the site

Construction of a transfer at the site,to be planned for long term




Ongoing

Monitoring:

Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



11.0 SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN: SITEHW5 – WOWAN REFUSE TIP


(a) Location: R. 152 Leichhardt Highway, WowanLot 231 on RN412




(e) Commencement date of operations: 1982 ?



11.2 SITE HISTORY

(a) Location Details: The site is located on rural land approximately 2 km outside of Wowan.

(b) Have there been complaints about the site? A groundwater concern was made known tothe EPA in 2004 by Landcare. After analysis of DNRM historical groundwater information,no sudden peaks in materials tested for were identified.

(c) Has there been previous burial of regulated waste? There has not been intentionaldisposal of hazardous or regulated waste at the site although given the site is unsecuredand unregulated such disposal could have occurred.

(d) Give details of known past activities on site: The site has been a refuse reserve since1982? It has not been used for any other purpose.

(e) Are there any location maps available, showing the location and types of materialsdisposed of in the past? No. This will be undertaken for future disposal pits.



(b) Soil characteristics: Semi shrinking clay?



(e) Landfilling technique used. Trench and fill.







(c) Is the signage appropriate? Yes - Signs to direct tipping and advising the prohibition offires.

(d) Is there any security on site? No. There is boundary fencing of the site, but no supervisionof disposal activities.


(f) Is daily cover used? At times the waste trench is covered as this has significantly reducedthe incidence of waste trench fires in the past.




(j) Maintenance of Site: All maintenance is carried out by Council workers

(k) New Tip Construction: The tip is generally constructed by a contractor although if aCouncil dozer is in the area it may be used. If a contractor is used the services are engagedin accordance with Council’s Purchasing Policy.



(b) Have measures been taken to prevent the occurrence of tip face fires? There aresigns on site advising that the lighting of fires is prohibited. Media releases are distributedthrough local media and Council’s newsletter. Community consultation was carried out inearly 2004 due to complaints regarding the lighting of tip fires. This helped significantly andthe waste trench was also covered more regularly with cover material.

(c) Is there a fire action plan for the site? Firebreaks are maintained and if an uncontrolledtip fire causes problems of any sort the Rural Fire Brigade are available for backup. Thereis no formal documentation of this procedure however.

(d) Are there any discharges to air on site? No. Only if the tip catches fire.




(f) Are there any litter control measures in place? Boundary fencing and vegetation isprovided to catch litter and regular cleanups are conducted.





Minor impact





Waterbody/course Greater than 500m distant. Nil impact except if extremeflooding occurs.








(b) Are liquid wastes, mine tailings/ore, regulated wastes accepted? No - Thesewastes are advertised as being not acceptable however control is difficult as the site isunregulated.



(a) Are bulky/problem items such as car bodies and tyres crushed/shredded or divertedfrom waste stream. Yes - Where possible. Large items such as car bodies and tanks,building rubble, etc are separated from the main trench and placed in a separate collectionarea.

(b) Is tree/garden waste separated? Yes. A separate collection area is provided for thistype of waste.

(c) Is tree/garden waste shredded on site? No.

(d) Any other compaction/shredding of wastes on site? No.

(e) Is there used chemical container management in place for the site? Yes - TheCouncil conducts an annual used chemical container collection campaign to ensure



containers are not disposed of at unsupervised tips. This is generally successful as long asongoing education campaigns are conducted.


(g) Are there Recycling/separation facilities on site? A container is available for waste oiland it is collected from the site for recycling by Nationwide Oil on a regular basis.




11.9 FUTURE PLANNING

(a) Are there any future developments planned for the site? A transfer station is plannedfor construction in the long term. The Regional Waste Management Strategy once finalisedwill be implemented over the long term. To be included in this would be the eventualconstruction of a transfer facility at this site.

(b) Are there any plans for rehabilitation of the site? No specific plans as the closure of thesite is not expected for some time. It is recognised that this will be necessary in the longterm, however, and efforts are made when machinery is available to level out earth andencourage vegetation regrowth.


Positive Issues: Access roads allow access in wet weather except in severe conditions. Diversion embankments have been put in place to prevent stormwater access to pit. Gradual rehabilitation has occurred on site by levelling out ground and allowing regrowth. Garden waste and large tanks/car bodies etc are segregated. Regular inspections are conducted on site by Council Officers to detect any problem issues. There are no dust or odour problems occurring at this site. The site is tidied on a regular basis by Council workers. The domestic waste collected from the town, including medical waste, has recently been

diverted from disposal at this site due to the towns inclusion on the garbage truck run.


supervised. Waste is buried or covered only when pit has reached the end of it’s life or in extenuating

circumstances. It is not viable or practical to cover on a regular basis at this site. Occasional fires occur at the tip, although warning signs are present on site. There is little

further action that can be taken in this area. Fencing is present on site, but does not cover whole of site. Investigation into the need for

further fencing will be conducted if problems arise in the area of wind blown refuse or animalinterference.






This site is essential for the community it serves. To date there have been little if anycomplaints and few problems with its management. The towns domestic waste collection is nolonger disposed of at this site. It is generally kept in a neat and tidy condition and causes veryfew problems.

The costs associated to man and secure the site would be prohibitive for Council. The preferredoption would be to continue to operate the site in accordance with this Plan with a long termstrategy to construct a transfer station.

11.11 OPERATIONAL CONTROLS





Investigate other recycling initiativesas the potential arises

Ongoing Scrap metal sold whensubstantial quantity isreached.



Ongoing


Ongoing Windblown refusecontrolled










Ongoing

7 Access Roadmaintained

Access road is to be maintained in acondition that will, as far aspracticable, allow access during wet

Ongoing



weather8 Investigate the risk of

leachate occurring atthe site and groundwater contamination






10 Minimisation ofcontaminated waterdischarge off site











15 Cease to use site forwaste disposal

Construct an open type bin transferfacility

~ 5years


Continue ongoing levelling ofbackfilled areas to controlsubsidence and encourage naturalrevegetation


Ongoing

Monitoring: Regular inspections by E&CS Officers Scheduled auditing of EMP by Responsible Officer



SITE BASED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

Site HP1 - Biloela Dog Pound

SITE OVERVIEW

Environmentally Relevant Activities

43: Animal Housing

Description of Activity

Small dog pound regularly housing between 1 and 3 dogs with a capacity ofapproximately 6, servicing the Biloela area. Dogs impounded in other townships areusually brought back to this facility also.

POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Air

Potential sources of odour nuisance:

improper disposal of solid/liquid waste. improper storage of dog feed improper housing conditions for animals.

Management strategy to prevent odour nuisance:

Waste disposal and drainage system to be maintained so that liquid or solid waste iseasily drained to septic system. Minimal discharge to land.

Dog feed to be stored in weather proof and vermin proof conditions. Housing to be cleaned on a daily basis.

Water/Land

Potential contaminating releases to water or land:

Release of liquid or solid waste to stormwater or land. Spillage/leakage of chemicals such as disinfectants. Improper storage of waste products.

Management strategy to control possible releases to water or land:

Liquid and solid waste is directed to the septic system. Minimal storage of chemical on site. Storage to be bunded or otherwise contained to

prevent contamination of land or water. Waste stored in lidded containers.



Noise

Possible Noise contamination:

Potential nuisance from animal noise.

Management strategy to control animal noise:

Vehicle movement and other stimuli minimal Kennel activities restricted to normal working hours Few surrounding residences. This area will be further investigated should noise complaints be received.

OPERATIONAL CONTROLS

Responsible Person: Manager Environmental Services

Target Procedure PerformanceIndicator

CurrentStatus

TimeFrame

1 To minimisepotential for odournuisance frompound facility

Continue to clean andmaintain facility on adaily basis.

No validcomplaints reodour nuisance.Facility in aclean condition

Nocomplaints

Ongoing

2 To minimise thepotential for landand/or watercontamination

Continue to direct solidand liquid waste toseptic system.Ensure that chemicalis stored in a mannerthat will not createenvironmental harm inthe event of a leak orspill.

Minimaldischarge ofwaste to land.Minimal risk ofland/watercontaminationfrom chemicalspillage.

Liquid andsolidwastes aredirected tosepticsystem withminimaldischargeto ground.

Ongoing

3 To minimise thepotential for noisenuisance frompound facility

Continue to restrictpound activities tonormal working hours,and minimise otherstimuli.Investigate validcomplaints as quicklyas possible andprovide solutionswhere necessary.

No validcomplaints renoise nuisance

Nocomplaints

Ongoing

Monitoring:Periodic inspections by Environmental Services and scheduled auditing of the EMP.



12.0 PROCEDURE FOR TRANSPORT AND DISPOSAL OFREJECT SEED GRADINGS, WHICH MAY BECONTAMINATED WITH NOXIOUS WEEDS

12.1 PURPOSE

To establish a procedure for the transport and disposal of Seed Gradings containingnoxious weeds in a manner that will meet with the requirements of the Rural LandsProtection Act and satisfy the licensing requirements imposed on Council’s DisposalFacilities for the minimisation of Environmental Harm pursuant to the EnvironmentalProtection Act 1994.

12.2 TERMS OF REFERENCE

The framework for the application of this Plan is Council’s Pest Management Plan andtogether with specific responsibilities relating to the disposal requirements of Section 28of the Environmental Protection (Interim Waste) Regulation 1996.

12.3 SCOPE

This Plan addresses the disposal procedure for seed gradings containing noxiousweeds which is generated from growers or industry. This Plan does not address seedthat is free from noxious weed contamination, however if there is doubt, seed waste isdeemed to be contaminated. The onus is on the waste generator to verify the waste isNOT contaminated.

12.4 RISK DESCRIPTION

Failure to correctly dispose of these products may lead to the spread of noxious weedwithin the Shire.

12.5 RESPONSIBLE PERSON

Director of Environment and Community Services Land Protection Officer

12.6 PROCEDURE

12.6.1 Notification to Dispose

Contact Council’s Environment and Community Services Department prior to disposalto discuss the disposal procedure.



12.6.2 Access to Landfill

Disposal must be at Trap Gully Landfill which is a secure, restricted access landfilloperated by the Banana Shire Council. Access is available between 8am and 5pmweekdays. Disposal fees apply.

12.6.3 Transport and Disposal Procedure

Seed waste which may be contaminated with noxious weed seed must be transportedin a manner that will not allow the escape of any of the product. As a guide thefollowing is offered –

All seed is to be contained and fully sealed in suitable bags. Loose transport (i.e. Unbagged and placed directly into the back of a truck),

is not permitted. The seed waste must be placed at the working face of the Trap Gully landfill,

or where directed. The seed waste must be placed where required in a manner that will not

allow any spillage from the sealed bags. It may be necessary to use a craneor similar equipment to lower the bags to the working face. Note that tippingis not permitted.

Bags are to be wet down to allow a composting/sterilising process to begin.This may either be done prior to transporting the product, or if necessary,after placing at the landfill, and will be at the expense of the disposer.

Note: Other options will be developed in consultation with industry.

12.6.4 Covering

The seed must be covered immediately after disposal. This is the responsibility ofCouncil’s Environment and Community Services Department.



ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN“ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES”

REVISION PAGE DATE DESCRIPTION REVIEWED APPROVED

0 1-9 9/7/98

1 1-80 29/9/2003

2 1-85 10/01/2006

3 1-73 31/10/2007

Procedure Copy No ( )Controlled ( )Uncontrolled ( )

BSC Final EMP edited

Documents

Transcript of BSC Final EMP edited