November 2004 (PDF 11.6 MB) - Barrick Gold Corporation

Most affected location(s): Locations that experience(or will experience) the greatest noiseimpact from the noise source under consideration.In determining these locations, oneneeds to consider existing background levels,exact noise source location(s), distance fromsource (or proposed source) to receiver, andany shielding between source and receiver.Negotiated agreement: An agreement involvingthe negotiation of an achievable noise limit incases where the project-specific noise levelscannot be met. The agreement is negotiatedbetween the proponent and the EPA or theproponent and the community. Such anagreement is reached through balancing themerits of a development, the feasibility andreasonableness of available mitigationmeasures and the noise impacts produced.Noise criteria: The general set of non-mandatorynoise level targets for protecting againstintrusive noise (for example, backgroundnoise plus 5 dB) and loss of amenity (forexample, noise levels for various land uses).Noise limits: Enforceable noise levels that appearin conditions on consents and licences. Thenoise limits are based on achievable noiselevels which the proponent has predicted canbe met during the environmental assessment.Exceedance of the noise limits can result inthe requirement for either the development ofnoise management plans or legal action.Night: The period from 2200 to 0700 h (Monday toSaturday) and 2200 to 0800 h (Sundays andPublic Holidays).Noise-sensitive land uses: Land uses that aresensitive to noise, such as residential areas,churches, schools and recreation areas.Non-compliance: A development is deemed to be innon-compliance with its noise consent/licence conditions if the monitored noiselevels exceed its statutory noise limit by morethan 2 dB.Non-mandatory: With reference to the proposedpolicy, means not required by legislation. Theproposed policy specifies criteria to be strivedfor, but the legislation does not make thesecriteria compulsory. However, the policy willbe used as a guide to setting statutory (legallyenforceable) limits for licences and consents.Operator: Noise-source managerPerformance-based goals: Goals specified in termsof the outcomes/performance to be achieved,but not in terms of the means of achievingthem.Project-specific noise levels: Project-specific noiselevel are target noise levels for a particularnoise generating facility. They are based onthe most stringent of the intrusive criteria oramenity criteria. Which of the two criteria isthe most stringent is determined by measuringthe level and nature of existing noise inthe area surrounding the actual or proposednoise generating facility.Proponent: The developer of the industrial noisesource.Protection of the Environment Operations Act1997: An Act that consolidates air, water,noise and waste requirements into a singlepiece of legislation. This Act repeals andreplaces (among other Acts) the Noise ControlAct 1975.Rating background level (RBL): The overall singlefigurebackground level representing eachassessment period (day/evening/night) overthe whole monitoring period (as opposed toover each 24-h period used for the assessmentbackground level). This is the level usedfor assessment purposes. It is defined as themedian value of:—all the day assessment background levelsover the monitoring period for the day—all the evening assessment backgroundlevels over the monitoring period for theevening; or—all the night assessment background levelsover the monitoring period for the night.Receiver: The noise-sensitive land use at whichnoise from a development can be heardSignificant period of time: In relation to temperatureinversions, means at least 30 per cent ofthe total night-time during the wintermonths. In relation to wind speeds thismeans at least 30 per cent of the time or morein any assessment period (day, evening,night) in any season.Sleep disturbance: Awakenings and disturbanceto sleep stagesNSW industrial noise policy58