Australia: EPA Drafts New Dredging Guidelines

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Agency (NT EPA) is currently drafting the new guidelines for the dredging projects, reports ABC News.

As recently reported, a large dredging program is underway in Darwin Harbour as part of the Inpex gas project.

During this project, the Japanese gas giant Inpex has brought in the largest dredger ever seen in Australia to the Northern Territory.

The guidelines will not disrupt the Inpex work, stated Dr William Freeland, the NT EPA Chairman.

Dr Freeland has spent 30 years of his career in the Northern Territory. He has considerable knowledge and understanding of environmental issues in the Territory.

He said that the dredging proposals are currently assessed on a case-by-case basis, and there is a need for uniform standards, and added: “New dredging proposals are going to come; it’s inevitable. One of the problems with all the guidelines is we can’t tell the public what we’re doing and we can’t actually tell the proponents what they have to achieve.”

About NT EPA

The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) is an independent corporation established under the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority Act. The NT EPA consists of a Chairperson and 4 members appointed by the Administrator of the Northern Territory and the Chair of the NT Planning Commission.

Appointed members to the NT EPA are required to collectively provide knowledge and experience in a broad range of environmental, business and social disciplines.

The NT EPA is responsible for providing advice on the environmental impacts of development proposals and policy advice and regulatory services to provide for effective waste management, pollution control and sustainable practices.

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Dredging Today Staff, January 29, 2013