DEWHA News
DEWHA News is a regular email update of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and the Department of Climate Change.
DECISIVE ACTION TO PROTECT MISSION BEACH CASSOWARIES
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has acted to protect the iconic southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii), rejecting an application for a residential development near Mission Beach in far north Queensland, using powers under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The planned development included the subdivision of Lot 66 at Rockingham Close into 40 residential lots and would have involved clearing vegetation, earthworks and the construction of a new access road.
“The southern cassowary is endangered and protected under the EPBC Act which means that projects or developments which have the potential to significantly impact on the bird or its habitat require my approval.
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/pubs/mr20080728a.pdf
$10.5 MILLION FOR SOUTH EAST TASMANIA RECYCLED WATER
Irrigators in Tasmania’s Coal River district will have access to additional water under a $10.5 million recycled water scheme funded by the Rudd Government.
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said the South East Tasmania Recycled Water Scheme, developed by Clarence City Council, would also improve the ecological health of the Derwent Estuary by reducing wastewater discharge.
“The South East Tasmania recycled water scheme will increase the amount of recycled water available for irrigators and reduce the amount of wastewater discharged into the Derwent Estuary,” Senator Wong said.
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2008/pubs/mr20080728.pdf
AUSTRALIA SIGNS TSUNAMI AGREEMENT WITH INDONESIA
Tsunami detection in the Indian Ocean will be boosted after this week’s signing of an agreement between government agencies in Australia and Indonesia.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the Indonesia’s Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (Bagdan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi or BPPT) signed a formal agreement to begin a cooperative technical partnership in tsunami observation monitoring and assessment.
Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett welcomed the agreement this week.
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/pubs/mr20080728b.pdf
NEW FUNDS SUPPORT QUEENSLAND EFFORTS FOR SUSTAINABLE
LAND MANAGEMENT & MORE RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS
The Great Barrier Reef and Queensland’s Burdekin Dry Tropics rangelands are among the beneficiaries of a $25.7 million Caring for our Country 2008-09 regional investment funding package was announced on Monday.
Australian Government Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, said the package would fund a range of activities across Queensland to further build on sustainable land management practices and maintain or rebuild resilient ecosystems.
The Ministers said the Caring for our Country funding focuses on six national priorities: the national reserve system; biodiversity and natural icons; coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats; sustainable farm practices; natural resource management in remote and northern Australia and community skills, knowledge and engagement.
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/pubs/mr20080728.pdf
MINISTER URGES NATION TO REGISTER AND RIDE
Launching National Ride to Work Day on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne, Environment Minister, Peter Garrett last week called upon commuters across Australia to do something for their own health and the health of the environment by registering to take part in National Ride to Work Day on October 15.
“There is no doubting the physical benefits that can be achieved by riding a bike but the environmental benefits can also be significant with around 300 grams of greenhouse gas emissions saved, per kilometre, for every vehicle that is taken off our roads.
“Many of us are looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint as we tackle the challenges of climate change and adopting two wheeled transportation over four, as often as possible, is a great option.”
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/pubs/mr20080726.pdf
Popularity: 63% [?]
