EPA Board Communique March 2015

EPA Board Communique March 2015

Guidance for Land Use Planners on Environmental Impact Assessments conducted by the EPA Board

The Board reviewed and approved the document ‘Guidance for Land Use Planners on Environmental Impact Assessments conducted by the EPA Board’.

The document was produced by the Assessments Section of the EPA Division. The guide describes the type of permit application referrals the EPA Board assesses, explains the steps following the acceptance of a referral, and details the responsibilities of the EPA Board and Planning Authorities in completing the assessment of referred activities. It contains flow charts of the steps to highlight the points where Planning Authorities have specific inputs or responsibilities, and it provides a summary of Level 2 activities, including the types and quantity triggers, which need to be referred to the Board for assessment.

‘Guidance for Land Use Planners on Environmental Impact Assessments conducted by the EPA Board’ can be viewed on the EPA website.

Go to:

http://epa.tas.gov.au/documents/guidance%20for%20land%20use%20planners%20on%20eia%20assessments%20conducted%20by%20the%20epa%20board%20-%20epa%20report%20-%20v1.pdf

Proposal for MSD Constructions Pty Ltd quarry upgrade

The EPA Board concluded its assessment of the proposed expansion of a quarry near Tarraleah in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. Central Highlands Council referred a development application to increase the extraction rate and to process 20,000 cubic metres per year of basalt.

The Board decided the intended quarry upgrade could be developed and managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with certain conditions. The Board gave consideration to various environmental aspects about the quarry’s operation, particularly stormwater management and noise. The Board required the company to ensure the size of the quarry’s existing sediment pond is adequate to capture and treat flows likely from a 1 in 20 year storm event. The Board has also required a number of conditions to manage drilling and blasting at the quarry, particularly with respect to noise and ground vibration.

The EPA Board’s environmental assessment, including the environmental conditions that must be included in any permit, have been forwarded to Central Highlands Council. As is usual procedure, the Council will review planning issues before deciding whether a permit is to be granted.

The decision by the EPA Board can be viewed on the EPA website:

http://epa.tas.gov.au/assessment/msd-constructions-pty-ltd-,-paddys-quarry,-tarraleah