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AELERT Member Survey 2019
21/02/2019
Our 2019 Member Survey is out!
If you haven't already, please fill in our online survey to help us shape the direction of AELERT for the next 2 years.
You should have received the email in your inbox however if you haven't, click on the link below. Also head to the members area of the website to update your email address to keep up-to-date with the latest AELERT news.
EPA TAS considers proposal for wetlands leachate treatment system trial, Copping Landfill
19/02/2019
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by Southern Waste Solutions to construct and operate a wetlands leachate treatment system trial at Copping Landfill in the Sorell municipality.
The proposal involves construction and short term operation of a wetland and biofilter system, designed to assess how effective the technology will be for treating leachate from the category B cell at Copping Landfill. The trial is expected to last 12-18 months.
The EPA Director, Wes Ford, who made the determination under delegation from the EPA Board, concluded the proposed development could be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with certain conditions. The Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by the Sorell Council.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly management of leachate,” said Mr Ford.
“The system has been designed not to discharge to the environment and this has been made a condition of any permit granted,” he said.
“Stormwater management measures must also be implemented to prevent any discharge from overflow of the system to the environment,” Mr Ford said.
No representations were received in relation to the permit application. Public consultation was open for a 16 day period from 1 December 2018.
The proposal was considered by the Director in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (EMPCA).
The functions of the EPA are to administer and enforce the provisions of the EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and, in particular, to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The Director undertook the assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of the Act.
The Director’s environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to the applicant and the Sorell Council for their information.
The decision by the EPA Director can be viewed on the EPA website at http://epa.tas.gov.au/assessment/completed-assessments
January Network News available
05/02/2019
The January Network News is now available online.
Hear from the AELERT Chair, Mark Gifford about our plans for 2019, read our member agency updates, relevant regulatory news stories and lots more.
