State Environmental Planning Controls(Draft Environment SEPP):Urban Bushland
From Issue 339
Legal Challenge To The NSW Government’s Land-Clearing Codes
Bioregional Assessment Of Cooper Basin
Call For National Heritage List Nominations
Four NSW Regions Set To Become The State’s Clean-Energy Superpowers
November 27, 2017Four regions in NSW have been identified as potential clean-energy superpowers that could replace the state’s five coal-burning power stations with clean energy by 2030, a new report has found.
“The transition from coal and gas to solar, wind and storage will attract $25 billion of investment, the construction of about 2,500 wind turbines and installation of more 42 million solar panels across the state,” said report author Dr Brad Smith.
“It’s a big job, but making the NSW electricity system 100% renewable is 100% doable. The only thing missing is strong political leadership.
“Repowering the state’s electricity system with clean energy will be one of the biggest infrastructure roll-outs that state has seen. It will make renewable energy a new pillar of rural economies in many parts of the state, generating and sustaining more than 22,000 new jobs in NSW.”
The report, titled Repowering our Regions: A clean-energy road map for NSW, found four regions with outstanding wind and solar resources could supply 70 per cent of the state’s electricity needs through large-scale wind and solar farms, and rooftop solar. Those regions are Western NSW, New England (including the Northwest), the Central West, and the South East. The other 30 per cent would be supplied by rooftop solar in other parts of the state.
“These regions are poised to become renewable-energy powerhouses that will repower NSW with clean energy and drive down the state’s carbon pollution,” Dr Smith said.
“To ensure we get the jobs and investment on offer, the Berejiklian government must put in place the required policy settings.
“At the moment, NSW is the only government in eastern Australia without a plan to clean up our electricity system and slash our carbon emissions.”
WHAT IS NEEDED TO CLEAN UP THE ELECTRICITY GRID IN NSW
The Berejiklian government must slash carbon pollution, increase the reliability of our power supply, and promote jobs by:- Setting enforceable targets to source 50% of NSW’s electricity from renewables by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
- Planning for the quick, orderly closure of antiquated coal-fired power stations, ensuring the transition is fair for power-station workers and communities.
- Creating incentives for storage technologies like batteries and pumped hydro to make our electricity grid more stable and reliable.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
#RepowerThe Nature Conservation Council is part of the #Repower campaign of Australians who are working to transition from dirty coal and gas to 100% renewable power by 2030. We recognize that climate change is already occurring, and we can’t wait for the Federal Government and the big polluting energy companies to lead. It’s up to us, right now. Together, we can make it happen starting right here in NSW. Join us atwww.repowernsw.org.au
November 27, 2017
Four regions in NSW have been identified as potential clean-energy superpowers that could replace the state’s five coal-burning power stations with clean energy by 2030, a new report has found.
“The transition from coal and gas to solar, wind and storage will attract $25 billion of investment, the construction of about 2,500 wind turbines and installation of more 42 million solar panels across the state,” said report author Dr Brad Smith.
“It’s a big job, but making the NSW electricity system 100% renewable is 100% doable. The only thing missing is strong political leadership.
“Repowering the state’s electricity system with clean energy will be one of the biggest infrastructure roll-outs that state has seen. It will make renewable energy a new pillar of rural economies in many parts of the state, generating and sustaining more than 22,000 new jobs in NSW.”
The report, titled Repowering our Regions: A clean-energy road map for NSW, found four regions with outstanding wind and solar resources could supply 70 per cent of the state’s electricity needs through large-scale wind and solar farms, and rooftop solar. Those regions are Western NSW, New England (including the Northwest), the Central West, and the South East. The other 30 per cent would be supplied by rooftop solar in other parts of the state.
“These regions are poised to become renewable-energy powerhouses that will repower NSW with clean energy and drive down the state’s carbon pollution,” Dr Smith said.
“To ensure we get the jobs and investment on offer, the Berejiklian government must put in place the required policy settings.
“At the moment, NSW is the only government in eastern Australia without a plan to clean up our electricity system and slash our carbon emissions.”
WHAT IS NEEDED TO CLEAN UP THE ELECTRICITY GRID IN NSW
The Berejiklian government must slash carbon pollution, increase the reliability of our power supply, and promote jobs by:
- Setting enforceable targets to source 50% of NSW’s electricity from renewables by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
- Planning for the quick, orderly closure of antiquated coal-fired power stations, ensuring the transition is fair for power-station workers and communities.
- Creating incentives for storage technologies like batteries and pumped hydro to make our electricity grid more stable and reliable.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
#Repower
The Nature Conservation Council is part of the #Repower campaign of Australians who are working to transition from dirty coal and gas to 100% renewable power by 2030. We recognize that climate change is already occurring, and we can’t wait for the Federal Government and the big polluting energy companies to lead. It’s up to us, right now. Together, we can make it happen starting right here in NSW. Join us atwww.repowernsw.org.au
Exhibition Of Proposed Changes To Noise And Dust Assessment For Mining Projects
Rare Moving Underground Orchid Baffles Scientists
29 November 2017
An elusive underground orchid has been discovered in Barrington Tops National Park and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager, Anthony Signor, is thrilled at the discovery.
"Barrington Tops is known for harbouring a remarkable range of rare plants and animals, and the underground orchid is an exciting new addition," Mr Signor said.
"If this discovery is the Eastern Australian Underground Orchid, this will be the first time in more than a decade that a new population of this species has been found in NSW.
"A single flower head was discovered recently in Barrington Tops by local fungi enthusiast Maree Elliott, who quickly realised she had stumbled on something extraordinary.
"This year, we were delighted to find not one but two flower heads at the same location," said Mr Signor.
Dr Mark Clements, an orchid specialist from the Centre of Australian National Biodiversity Research is carrying out DNA testing to determine if the flower heads are the Eastern Underground Orchid species.
Very little is known about underground orchids and their preferred habitats. The Eastern Underground Orchid has only previously been found at a handful of sites in eastern NSW including Bulahdelah, the Blue Mountains and Nowra.
They produce a flower spike that just penetrates the soil surface for a few weeks each year, possibly to attract small flies searching for fungal fruiting bodies in which to lay eggs.
The orchid is known to 'move' slowly across the forest floor, since it grows at one end and dies off at the other.
The NSW Government's Saving Our Species (SoS) program is funding further survey work to inform the management and protection of this extraordinary threatened plant.
"If you think you have spotted an underground orchid flower head while enjoying our beautiful national parks, please contact the NPWS Barrington Tops Area office at Gloucester on 02 6538 5300."
29 November 2017
An elusive underground orchid has been discovered in Barrington Tops National Park and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager, Anthony Signor, is thrilled at the discovery."Barrington Tops is known for harbouring a remarkable range of rare plants and animals, and the underground orchid is an exciting new addition," Mr Signor said.
"If this discovery is the Eastern Australian Underground Orchid, this will be the first time in more than a decade that a new population of this species has been found in NSW.
"A single flower head was discovered recently in Barrington Tops by local fungi enthusiast Maree Elliott, who quickly realised she had stumbled on something extraordinary.
"This year, we were delighted to find not one but two flower heads at the same location," said Mr Signor.
Dr Mark Clements, an orchid specialist from the Centre of Australian National Biodiversity Research is carrying out DNA testing to determine if the flower heads are the Eastern Underground Orchid species.
Very little is known about underground orchids and their preferred habitats. The Eastern Underground Orchid has only previously been found at a handful of sites in eastern NSW including Bulahdelah, the Blue Mountains and Nowra.
They produce a flower spike that just penetrates the soil surface for a few weeks each year, possibly to attract small flies searching for fungal fruiting bodies in which to lay eggs.
The orchid is known to 'move' slowly across the forest floor, since it grows at one end and dies off at the other.
The NSW Government's Saving Our Species (SoS) program is funding further survey work to inform the management and protection of this extraordinary threatened plant.
"If you think you have spotted an underground orchid flower head while enjoying our beautiful national parks, please contact the NPWS Barrington Tops Area office at Gloucester on 02 6538 5300."
Dolphins And Turtles Found Dead In Ghost Nets Retrieved In The Top End
November 28, 2017: Australian department of Immigration and Border Protection, Joint media release with Australian Fisheries Management Authority
The results of reckless fishing practices have been highlighted after a number of marine animals were found deceased in two ghost nets retrieved approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Tiwi Islands and 190 nautical miles north west of Darwin respectively.
The ghost nets were spotted by a Dash-8 aircraft as part of regular surveillance by Maritime Border Command (MBC), a multi-agency taskforce within the Australian Border Force (ABF), made up of officers from the ABF and the Australian Defence Force.
HMAS Ararat retrieved the ghost nets, which contained dead marine species, including three dolphins, three skeletons believed to be from dolphins, two turtles, nine Blacktip reef sharks, one crab and a number of small reef fish.
The nets, one weighing approximately 2.1 tonnes and the other approximately 3.6 tonnes were taken to Darwin to be disposed of by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
AFMA’s General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Peter Venslovas, said ghost nets are lost or abandoned fishing nets that drift in the ocean, entangling and slowly killing marine life such as turtles, dugongs, seabirds, dolphins and other fish species.
“We all need to do our part to keep our oceans free from marine debris and rubbish, from ghost nets to plastic bags and general rubbish,” Mr Venslovas said.
Commander MBC, Rear Admiral Peter Laver, said protecting Australia’s vast maritime domain from pollution is one of MBC’s key objectives.
“As we’ve seen in this instance, these nets are incredibly damaging to our unique maritime environment and it’s an important part of our operations to locate and remove them,” Rear Admiral Laver said.
“Sadly we see a number of these nets floating in our waters and we work closely with our counterparts at AFMA to locate, remove and destroy them to stop them causing any further damage.”
November 28, 2017: Australian department of Immigration and Border Protection, Joint media release with Australian Fisheries Management Authority
The results of reckless fishing practices have been highlighted after a number of marine animals were found deceased in two ghost nets retrieved approximately 40 nautical miles north of the Tiwi Islands and 190 nautical miles north west of Darwin respectively. The ghost nets were spotted by a Dash-8 aircraft as part of regular surveillance by Maritime Border Command (MBC), a multi-agency taskforce within the Australian Border Force (ABF), made up of officers from the ABF and the Australian Defence Force.
HMAS Ararat retrieved the ghost nets, which contained dead marine species, including three dolphins, three skeletons believed to be from dolphins, two turtles, nine Blacktip reef sharks, one crab and a number of small reef fish.
The nets, one weighing approximately 2.1 tonnes and the other approximately 3.6 tonnes were taken to Darwin to be disposed of by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
AFMA’s General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Peter Venslovas, said ghost nets are lost or abandoned fishing nets that drift in the ocean, entangling and slowly killing marine life such as turtles, dugongs, seabirds, dolphins and other fish species.
“We all need to do our part to keep our oceans free from marine debris and rubbish, from ghost nets to plastic bags and general rubbish,” Mr Venslovas said.
Commander MBC, Rear Admiral Peter Laver, said protecting Australia’s vast maritime domain from pollution is one of MBC’s key objectives.
“As we’ve seen in this instance, these nets are incredibly damaging to our unique maritime environment and it’s an important part of our operations to locate and remove them,” Rear Admiral Laver said.
“Sadly we see a number of these nets floating in our waters and we work closely with our counterparts at AFMA to locate, remove and destroy them to stop them causing any further damage.”
Have Your Say On Priorities For NSW Land Conservation
Repeal Of Two Operational SEPPs
Draft Environment SEPP
Update On Baleen 2D HR Seismic Survey
National Parks And Wildlife Service Statement On Blue Mountains Rock Fall Incident
NSW To Become A Greener State
Keep It Clean: EPA Issues Soil Warning Ahead Of Summer DIY Season
Murray Cod Season Opens December 1
The Future Of The National Landcare Program
A New National Landcare Organisation – Talks Progress
New Arrangements For The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Start Of Summer Will See All Eyes On The Great Barrier Reef
Nurturing Baby Coral To Restore The Reef
Avalon Boomerang Bags: An Idea That's Spreading To Stop Plastic Bag Use
Avalon Boomerang Bags
Tuesdays
11am-5pm @ sewcraft cook Unit 20/14 Polo Ave Mona Vale
Boomerang Bags is a bag-share initiative involving the installation of a number of ‘Boomerang Bag’ boxes throughout any given business district, shopping centre, street or market. Each box is stocked with re-useable bags for customers to borrow if they have forgotten to bring their own.
Unlike the traditional purchase-and-keep approach, Boomerang Bags are free, and local community members are responsible for returning the bags once they’re no longer required. The availability of free re-useable bags reduces the reliance of local businesses to supply bags to all customers, and encourages a mentality of re-use among local communities, thereby reducing the amount of plastic bag material entering our landfills and waterways.
So who makes the Boomerang Bags? Well, you do! Boomerang Bags are made by local communities for local communities, and are sewn from recycled and donated materials.
Get in touch if you'd like to donate materials, join us making bags, or implement Boomerang Bags in your own local area!
Tuesdays
11am-5pm @ sewcraft cook
Unit 20/14 Polo Ave Mona Vale
Boomerang Bags is a bag-share initiative involving the installation of a number of ‘Boomerang Bag’ boxes throughout any given business district, shopping centre, street or market. Each box is stocked with re-useable bags for customers to borrow if they have forgotten to bring their own.
Unlike the traditional purchase-and-keep approach, Boomerang Bags are free, and local community members are responsible for returning the bags once they’re no longer required. The availability of free re-useable bags reduces the reliance of local businesses to supply bags to all customers, and encourages a mentality of re-use among local communities, thereby reducing the amount of plastic bag material entering our landfills and waterways.
So who makes the Boomerang Bags? Well, you do! Boomerang Bags are made by local communities for local communities, and are sewn from recycled and donated materials.
Get in touch if you'd like to donate materials, join us making bags, or implement Boomerang Bags in your own local area!
Asparagus Fern
Study Finds Heatwaves In NSW Cause 10 Per Cent Increase In Deaths
01 December 2017: NSW Health
Extreme heatwaves lead to a more than 10 per cent increase in both deaths and ambulance callouts, according to a long-term study by NSW Health.
NSW Health’s Director of Environmental Health and co-author of the study, Dr Ben Scalley, said with the start of summer it is important people take heatwaves seriously.
“Prolonged periods of very hot weather can be dangerous because hot weather can overheat the human body, leading to a range of serious illnesses,” Dr Scalley said.
“Certain groups of people are particularly vulnerable, including older people, infants and children, people with a chronic medical condition and those who live alone.
“During hot weather, it’s important to stay in regular contact with elderly neighbours, friends and relatives and to look out for other vulnerable members of their community.”
The study, published in the International Journal of Biometeorology, analysed the health effects of heat events from 2005-2015 and their impact on mortality, hospitalisations and ambulance call-outs.
Dr Scalley sad the study showed extreme heatwaves are associated with a 10.8 per cent increase in deaths, a 3.4 per cent increase in hospital presentations and 10.9 per cent hike in ambulance call-outs.
“The increases in all three measures were seen across metropolitan, regional and rural areas across the state,” Dr Scalley said.
The results of the study support several recent international studies that have linked heatwaves with significant impacts on human health and mortality.
Dr Scalley said the following simple precautions will help minimise the risk of heat-related illness:
- drink plenty of water, and remember to carry some with you when out and about avoid alcoholic, hot or sugary drinks
- plan your day around the heat, particularly in the middle of the day, and minimise physical activity
- keep the sun out by shading windows with curtains, blinds or closing shutters
- keep windows closed during the day until it cools down and in early morning
- if you don’t have an air-conditioner, try to spend time in an air-conditioned place like a shopping centre, library or cinema
- wear light, loose-fitting clothing
- when outdoors, stay protected from the sun by wearing a hat and sunscreen.
For more information, visit the NSW Health beat the heat website:http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/beattheheat/Pages/default.aspx
NSW Health’s study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-017-1313-5