EDO NSW Bulletin #525

EDO NSW BULLETIN – 31 August 2007: Number 525

The EDO Bulletin is a free weekly bulletin that provides a listing of news, events, public notices and opportunities for public comment.

EDO NSW Seminar: How to get Heard: Insider tips on advocacy and the law

EDO NSW Seminar: Making our cities climate friendly: lessons from the CUB litigation

EDO Northern Rivers: Volunteer Positions

Major Project Proposals – Invitation to Comment

State Conservation Notices – Invitation to Comment

EPBC Referrals – Invitation to Comment

Nominations for the National Threatened Species List- Invitation to Comment

Seminar: The Implications of the Water Act 2007 (Cth) for Water Law in NSW

Forum: RSVP for Our Forests, Our Future: A Question of Politics?

EDO NSW Seminar: How to Get Heard - Insider tips on advocacy and the law

Please come along to our free seminar, designed to inform you on how to improve your capacity to engage with governmental decision-makers and the legal system on environmental issues that are of concern to you.

Speakers include Commissioner Tim Moore, from the Land and Environment Court, Ted Plummer, a former adviser to the Minister for the Environment, and Tim Moore, an Area Manager for City of Sydney Council.

Date : Thursday 13 th September 2007

Time : 5.30 pm for 6 pm start

Venue : DLA Phillips Fox, 201 Elizabeth Street Sydney

Cost : Free

RSVP :

The EDO would like to thank DLA Phillips Fox for providing a venue for this event.

EDO NSW Seminar: Making our cities climate friendly: lessons from the CUB litigation

In the recent CUB case (Drake-Brockman v Minister for Planning & Anor) a local resident, represented by the EDO, challenged the approval under Part 3A of a massive redevelopment of the CUB site on Broadway. The challenged was partly based on a failure to adequately consider climate change.

This seminar will explore how we can tackle climate change in our cities, with a particular focus on the future of the CUB site.

Speakers will include Deputy Mayor Chris Harris and EDO solicitor Kirsty Ruddock.

Date : Tuesday 18th September

Time : 5.30 for 6 pm start

Venue : Lord Mayors Reception Room, Sydney Town Hall

Cost : Free

EDO Northern Rivers: Volunteer Legal Positions

The Northern Rivers office in Lismore is looking to recruit a number of legal volunteers to help out in the Office over the next few months.

The EDO owes a great deal to the invaluable contribution, commitment, enthusiasm and hard work of its volunteers. The EDO seeks lawyers and law students that have studied NSW environmental law, or have experience in environmental law practice.

Applicants will be interviewed before being accepted as a volunteer. We ask our volunteers to make a commitment of at least one day per week for a minimum of two months.

To apply, please send an email to Sue Higginson briefly outlining your relevant skills and experience, and attaching a CV. In addition, please complete our online form or MS Word document available at http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/jobs_volunteer.php#vols as an attachment to your e-mail application. For further enquiries, please call Sue on (02) 6621 1013.

Major Project Proposals – Invitation to Comment

For a full listing of Major Project proposals currently available for public comment, visit the Department of Planning website at http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/das.asp

Wiseman's Ferry, Spencer : Environmental Impact Statement for a dwelling and shed

State Conservation Notices – Invitation to Comment

The full listing of conservation plans is available for public comment on the National Parks and Wildlife website at www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au . Follow the link entitled ‘Conservation Plans for Public Comment' on the left side of the screen.

There have been no new nominations since last Bulletin.

EPBC Referrals – Invitation to Comment

Referrals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are available for comment on the Department of Environment and Water Resources website at: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl .

Title: Development of an Aged Care Facility

Proponent: Bankstown City Aged Care Facility

Site: Bankstown

Ref no : 2007/3660

Comments due : 6 September 2007

Description : This proposed development is for an aged care facility within Lot 2 DP 564985 and Lot 14 DP8855 on Rex Rd , Georges Hall, Bankstown LGA. The development site will be approximately 1 hectare, and will result in the destruction of part of a local population of endangered shrub Pimelea specata .
Potential controlling provisions:
ss 18, 18A: threatened species or threatened ecological communities.

Title: Armidale Regional Landfill

Proponent: Armidale Dumaresq Council

Site: Waterfall Way, Armidale

Ref no : 2007/3646

Comments due : 5 September 2007

Description : This proposed landfill site will take in excess of 650,000 tonnes of putrescible waste on approximately 86 hectares of pastoral land, 1 km south of the Waterfall Way and 12 km east of Armidale. Putrescible waste will be taken from the existing Long Swamp Road Waste Transfer Station and will service the surrounding region. The landfill has an expected lifespan of 50 years.

The site is predominantly cleared and used for pastoralism, although an intact box-gum woodland occurs in the travelling stock route along Waterfall Way , adjacent to the study area. The site is 1 km from the Gara River which flows 4 km southwards to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park , which is a part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia World Heritage Area.
Potential controlling provisions:
ss12, 15A (World Heritage Property)
ss 18, 18A (threatened species or threatened ecological communities)
ss 20, 20A (migratory species)

Nominations for the National Threatened Species List – Invitation to Comment

Nominations of species and ecological communities for inclusion on the National Threatened Species List are available for comment on the Department of Environment and Water Resources website at: www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/nominations.html

Draft Recovery Plans for endangered species already listed are available for comment at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery-comment.html

Draft Recovery Plan of Management

Australian Grayling ( Prototroctes maraena)
Sunshine Diuris ( Diuris fragrantissima)
Eastern Barred Bandicoot (mainland) ( Perameles gunnii)
Murray Hardyhead ( Craterocephalus fluviatilis)
Trout Cod ( Maccullochella macquariensis)

Closing Date for submissions to the above plans is 24 October 2007

Seminar: The Implications of the Water Act 2007 (Cth) for Water Law in NSW

The Faculty of Law at the University of Sydney will presents this seminar with Mr Tim Holden from Corporate Counsel, NSW Department of Water and Energy.

Tim Holden's presentation will include discussion of the implications of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan for NSW water sharing plans and catchment action plans, possible likely changes to the trading rules established under the Water Management Act 2000 (NSW), and impacts on the compensation provisions under the Act.

Date: Wednesday 12 September 2007

Time : 5.30 pm

Venue: Minter Ellison Conference Room, Level 13, Faculty of Law, 173 Phillip Street , Sydney

Cost: Full fee: $60; Academic Rate: $40; Full time student/unwaged rate: $30

This seminar will be followed by a Book Launch of the publication Environmental and Planning Law in New South Wales (Federation Press: 2007)

Full details of the seminar and registration form can be downloaded from the Law School website at: http://www.law.usyd.edu.au/LPD/docs_pdfs/2007/Waterlaw12092007.pdf

Forum: RSVP for Our Forests, Our Future: A Question of Politics?

Join forest campaigners from a range of groups and backgrounds from across Australia for a full day forum on the science and politics of forests. Pressing issues such as why our forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate, and exactly what it will take for our politicians save them, will be discussed.

Speakers : Bob Brown, Greens Senator; Alec Marr, The Wilderness Society; Dr Judith Adjani, Australian National University; Jacquie Svenson, Environmental Defender's Office

Venue : Balmain Town Hall, Sydney

Date : Saturday 15th September 2007

Time: 10am- 5pm

Cost : Free, lunch $5 on day.

Please RSVP at www.nccnsw.org.au/forests by Friday 7 September.

Proudly presented by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, and supported by The Forest Campaign Group, The Wilderness Society, North East Forest Alliance, South East Region Conservation Alliance, National Parks Association New South Wales and Total Environment Centre.

EDO New South Wales offers free telephone advice on the Environmental Law Line. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 2:30pm and 5:30pm. Call 02 9262 6989, or for NSW residents outside of Sydney call 1800 626 239.

If you require the assistance of an interpreter please call TIS National on 131 450 and ask to speak with the Environmental Defender's Office on 02 9262 6989

For more information on fact sheets, publications or on becoming a Supporter of the EDO, please contact .

This bulletin is meant for your general information. Where possible, references are given so that readers can access original sources or find more information. Any information contained in this bulletin does not represent legal advice.