Environmental Reports: What the regulators want!

Posted by Geo-Logix Pty Ltd on April 5th, 2019

When developing land, it’s important to pay attention to the environmental reports and ensure these reports meet EPA standards and the various standards set by local councils and other planning organisations. In order to make the right planning and development decisions, these standards were introduced as they allow for transparency of information and seamless decisions across the industry.

In addition to their use in Phase 1 and 2 site assessments, environmental reports are also prepared for remediation and validation projects. For example, the reports have a purpose in sale and transfer negotiations as well as development approvals. Elsewhere, the EPA may mandate a report.

Phase 1 Report Requirements

In terms of requirements for environmental reports, all the necessary information can be found in the Guidelines for Consultants Reporting on Contaminated Sites (this has been created by the NSW EPA). Thanks to these guidelines, we can see that a Phase 1 environmental site assessment needs to determine whether past/present activities could cause contamination via a full analysis of a site’s history. There are three main aspects of Phase 1 environmental site assessment;

  • Review and identify past/present contaminating activities (any activities with the potential of causing contamination) and the type of contamination in question
  • The condition of the site
  • Preliminary assessment and suggestions as to whether further investigation is required

Within the guidelines, there’s an emphasis on not only assessing the site history but ensuring that qualified professional carries out the initial assessment (cheap quotes in Phase 1 can lead to poor site checks where important areas are missed). With a poor initial investigation, this could lead to poor decisions and, as a result, costly environmental or legal risks; these concerns can all be removed with a trusted and reliable assessment.

Phase 2 Report Requirements

More comprehensive information should be included in Phase 2 environmental site assessment. As with Phase 1, the EPA has produced guidelines as to what the phase 2 report must include;

  • Type of contamination (in addition to extent and level of contamination)
  • Any issues carried over from the Phase 1 report
  • Potential contaminant effect on groundwater, air, soil, surface water, and dust
  • Whether the contaminant presents a danger to the environment, the structure of the building or public health - off-site impacts should also be included, if appropriate
  • Completeness and adequacy of information available for potential remediation decisions

If the Phase 2 site assessment suggests that the proposed use for the land presents a significant risk to either the environment or public/human health, a remedial action plan will be created and implemented.

If you plan to develop land and have been asked to provide an environmental report, or perhaps you just have questions/concerns regarding the process, please feel free to get in touch with Ben Pearce today. Whether by phone or email, you’ll have the assistance and advice you need to make the right decisions (and limit potential problems too!). 

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Geo-Logix Pty Ltd

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Geo-Logix Pty Ltd
Joined: February 19th, 2019
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