The changes apply to all holders of an environment protection licence (licensees) under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (POEO Act) and appropriate persons in relation to changes to pollution incident notification requirements which are expected to come into force on 6 February 2012.
The consultations will be held on 30 January 2012 at the Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm and in Newcastle on 31 January at the Newcastle City Hall, 290 King Street, Newcastle from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm.
The consultations will cover:
1. Changes to pollution incident notification requirements (expected to commence on 6 February 2012)
Licensees and all other persons that carry on activities that result in a pollution incident will now be required to report pollution incidents immediately instead of “as soon as practicable”.
They must notify all relevant authorities about the incidents, not just the appropriate regulatory authority Under the POEA Act.
Maximum penalties for failure to comply with the notification provisions have been doubled.
The incidents for which person must notify has not changes, only the timing of the notification and who should be notified.
2. New duty to prepare and implement pollution incident response management plans.
Plans will need to be prepared and implemented by 29 August 2012.
3. New requirements for licensees to publish monitoring results (expected to commence 31 March 2012)
Licensees will be required to publish monitoring data that has been collected as a result of a licence condition. This new requirement does not apply to any monitoring conducted prior to 31 March 2012.
Monitoring data will need to be published on the licensee’s website or made publicly available if the licensee does not maintain a website, within 14 days of obtaining the data
Licensees will have 3 months from 31 March 2012 commencement data to start complying with the new requirements.
4. Other changes
Expanded powers for the NSW EPA requiring mandatory environmental audits; requiring the occupier of premises and any person suspected of causing a pollution incident to pay for any analysis of the human and environmental risks arising from a pollution incident.
The EPA has also been given the power to prepare regulations that require some higher risk non-licensed industrial facilities to prepare, implement, test and report on pollution response management plans.
PIAA
www.printnet.com.au
The consultations will be held on 30 January 2012 at the Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm and in Newcastle on 31 January at the Newcastle City Hall, 290 King Street, Newcastle from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm.
The consultations will cover:
1. Changes to pollution incident notification requirements (expected to commence on 6 February 2012)
Licensees and all other persons that carry on activities that result in a pollution incident will now be required to report pollution incidents immediately instead of “as soon as practicable”.
They must notify all relevant authorities about the incidents, not just the appropriate regulatory authority Under the POEA Act.
Maximum penalties for failure to comply with the notification provisions have been doubled.
The incidents for which person must notify has not changes, only the timing of the notification and who should be notified.
2. New duty to prepare and implement pollution incident response management plans.
Plans will need to be prepared and implemented by 29 August 2012.
3. New requirements for licensees to publish monitoring results (expected to commence 31 March 2012)
Licensees will be required to publish monitoring data that has been collected as a result of a licence condition. This new requirement does not apply to any monitoring conducted prior to 31 March 2012.
Monitoring data will need to be published on the licensee’s website or made publicly available if the licensee does not maintain a website, within 14 days of obtaining the data
Licensees will have 3 months from 31 March 2012 commencement data to start complying with the new requirements.
4. Other changes
Expanded powers for the NSW EPA requiring mandatory environmental audits; requiring the occupier of premises and any person suspected of causing a pollution incident to pay for any analysis of the human and environmental risks arising from a pollution incident.
The EPA has also been given the power to prepare regulations that require some higher risk non-licensed industrial facilities to prepare, implement, test and report on pollution response management plans.
PIAA
www.printnet.com.au
