Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary System Management Strategy ...

EPA Report on the Peel-Harvey Progress and Compliance Report, 2003
EPA can readily carry out such assessments by requiring referral to it of all catchment
management plans or NRM plans prepared by catchment groups and regional councils.
These bodies would be the "proponents" under the Environmental Protection Act.
The ERC report recommended that, as a matter of urgency, the EPA should develop a
process by which it can continue to operate in accordance with its Act in regard to the
development, assessment and accreditation of NRM plans, and the manner by which it
will provide independent advice to the Minister on the environmental acceptability of
NRM plans. This is important both in terms of protecting the environment but also in
terms of having an impartial and independent body able to provide assurance about the
potential gains from particular catchment plans. This latter point recognises some of the
issues raised in the Australian National Audit Office report (1997) and addresses the
situation where the ‘independence’ of resource managers (both agencies and catchment
groups and landholders) may be called into question should such bodies be the recipients
of, or otherwise gain financial benefit (directly or indirectly) from, the accreditation of
plans and/or funding of management actions arising therefrom.
The intent of an NRM plan is to chart a course towards achieving future environmental
outcomes, and it is appropriate and germane to the functions of the EPA that it should
require referral of such plans as part of its routine business.
As the NHT relies heavily on the use of public funds, it is legitimate for any member of
the community to make input to any plan, regardless of where they live. The EPA has an
identified role as an advocate for the environment on behalf of the community as a
whole, and as such it is appropriate for the EPA to use its public processes to ensure that
the broader community has the opportunity to make input to any NRM plan, and in
particular to the environmental quality being sought and the management targets being
set.
Recommendation NRM1 of the ERC report stated:
“It is recommended that the EPA provide public advice, as a matter of urgency, on how
it will continue to meet the requirements set down in the Environmental Protection Act
which will require that the EPA is fully accommodated in the processes and requirements
being developed for NRM in WA and Nationally.”
The EPA accepts this advice (and the advice in recommendation NRM2 of the ERC
report) and will be providing such public advice shortly. That advice will include the
EPA seeking to retain the expertise of the members of the Peel-Harvey Expert Review
Committee to continue to provide advice to the EPA on selected natural resource
management and integrated catchment management matters generally. The EPA’s advice
will also include the need for natural resource management legislation to establish and
provide legitimacy to catchment management groups and to enable the State to better
meet the developing requirements of the Commonwealth NRM framework.
EPA Advice/Comment - 7
Effective Natural Resource Management legislation should be passed to:
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