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Attorney General's Department Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment Environmental Management Plan

Attorney General's Department Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment Environmental Management Plan

Attorney General's Department Cocos (Keeling) Home Slipway Redevelopment Environmental Management Plan

November 2010 Contents

1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Document Scope 1

2. Project Summary 2 2.1 Project Scope 2 2.2 Construction Methodology and Timing 5

3. Environmental Policy 6

4. Relevant Legislation 7

5. Consultation 9

6. Area Affected by the Development 11 6.1 General Description 11 6.2 Property Description and Land Tenure 11

7. Environmental Aspects, Impacts and Management 12 7.1 Environmental Management Responsibilities 12 7.2 General Construction Induction 13 7.3 Noise and Vibration 14 7.4 Marine Fauna and Flora 15 7.5 Terrestrial Fauna and Flora 19 7.6 Traffic Disturbance 22 7.7 Archaeology and Heritage 23 7.8 Quarantine 25 7.9 Construction Waste 26 7.10 Pollution Control 27 7.11 Emergency Response Plan 29 7.12 Contaminated Sediment Investigations and Removal 31 7.13 Dredge Monitoring and Management Plans 35

8. Reporting and Response 45 8.1 Reporting 45 8.2 Environmental Incidents 45 8.3 Complaint Handling 45 8.4 Auditing 46

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment Environmental Management Plan 9. References 47

Table Index Table 1 Legislation Relevant to the Project 7 Table 2 EPBC Protected Matters Listed Terrestrial Fauna 20 Table 3 Registered Commonwealth Heritage Places within 1 km of the project area 23 Table 4 Emergency Contact Telephone Numbers for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands 29 Table 5 Predicted coral spawning and observation periods for 2011 40 Table 6 Turbidity trigger levels across varying sea state conditions (Koskela et al, 2002) 41 Table 7 Summary of Environmental Actions 1 Table 8 Reporting Requirements for the Contractor during construction 17 Table 9 Reporting Requirements for the Superintendent during construction 17

Figure Index Figure 1 Location Map 49 Figure 2 (a) Drawing 61-23317-D001 - Project Layout 49 Figure 3 Drawing 61-23317-S003 - General Design and Location Plan 49 Figure 4 Drawing 61-23317-S004 - Layout of Slipway 49 Figure 5 Construction Programme 49 Figure 6 Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Town Planning Scheme 49 Figure 7 Habitat Mapping 49 Figure 8 Dredge Management Plan Fixed Monitoring Locations 49

Appendices A Summary of Environmental Actions and Reporting Requirements B Baseline Marine Ecological Studies C Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modelling

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment Environmental Management Plan 1. Introduction

1.1 Background The Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) proposes to redevelop the existing slipway and port facilities at Home Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI). The AGD contracts out the port management function of the Indian Ocean Territories (includes CKI and Christmas Island). A key responsibility of the Port Manager is the maintenance and management of the Commonwealth owned marine vessels. This project (known as the ‘Home Island Slipway Redevelopment’) will involve the replacement of one of the two existing slipways, the dredging of areas along the wharf and port approach channel, extension of a nearby foreshore through reclamation and the removal of a section of the existing breakwater ( Figure 1). This redevelopment is required for three reasons; firstly, AGD is in the process of replacing a number its vessels which will require maintenance and out of water inspections on-island to meet future survey requirements. Secondly, the condition of the two existing slipways is poor and does not comply with the requirements for the current and planned Commonwealth vessels. Finally the existing area surrounding the wharf has silted up and requires maintenance works to allow for the safe access of vessels to the port. Currently vessels have to manoeuvre around shallow areas and the southern section of the existing submerged breakwater. For regular surveys, maintenance and repair of vessels as necessary, safe passage to the port and a slipway capable of handling the new and existing vessels are required. AGD have engaged GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) to undertake environmental investigations and approvals, as well as the overall project design.

1.2 Document Scope The purpose of this document is to provide a detailed description of the redevelopment of the Home Island Slipway design, existing environment and expected construction monitoring and management measures to be in place to prevent deleterious impacts on the existing environment. This document is to be provided to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPC) (Formally known as the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts) as part of a referral under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 1 Environmental Management Plan 2. Project Summary

2.1 Project Scope The existing two slipways on Home Island were designed for repair of vessels up to 42 tonnes in weight and were first constructed around 1985/87. They have had a number of repairs performed on them during this time. The current condition of the slipways is poor and does not comply with the requirements for the current and planned Commonwealth vessels. For regular surveys, maintenance and repair of vessels as necessary, a slipway capable of handling the new and existing vessels is required. Due to the varying weights of the vessels from 66 tonnes (passenger ferry) to 125 tonnes (motorised barge) and the additional utilisation by the dumb barge, the existing slipway is not suitable for use by the existing and new vessels. A new slipway in place of the existing is necessary to cater for the current and new vessel requirements. Further details of the slipway design are demonstrated in section 2.1.1 below. The dredge area will be along the northern and western edges of the existing wharf,along with shallow ‘spots’ west of the wharf which have built up within the existing port access channel. The area will generally be dredged to a depth of approximately – 1.85 m Chart Datum (CD). The material dredged will be directly pumped into the Reclamation Area, as shown in Figure 2b to extend the existing foreshore area.

2.1.1 Slipway The two existing slipways on Home Island are co-located near the Home Island cargo and passenger wharf. A narrow entrance from the road leads to the slipways. A transfer system, to transfer ships hauled up on one slipway to the other, exists at the location, but is not in use at present. In addition, only one of the two slipways is currently in use. Suitability of the existing slipway for the new vessels was inspected by a Principle Marine Structural Engineer. The following points were noted: x The design vessels for which the slipway was designed is not known. However, the boat cradle was designed for boats of up to 42 tonnes weight. It is also assumed that the slipway foundations were also designed for this maximum vessel size. x Spacing of rails on the slipway is 3.0 m. For the design of the cradle structure for new vessels, it would be preferable to have a rail spacing that is 50-60% of the width of the boat to be slipped. With this consideration, the rail spacing is estimated as 6.0-7.2 m for the dumb barge, 3.9-4.7 m for the motorised barge and to 3.6-4.2 m for the passenger ferries. x The part of the slipway that is above the high water level is founded on continuous strip footings whereas the part of the slipway that is in the inter-tidal area and underwater is founded on piles. The members of the slipway and the cradle are in good condition, though corroded at places. x Weights of the vessels that will use the slipway facility vary from 66 tonnes (passenger ferry) to 125 tonnes (motorised barge). In addition the dumb barge would also utilise this facility. x Considering the above requirements, it is apparent that the existing slipway is not suitable for use by the existing and new vessels. A new slipway in place of the existing is therefore required.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 2 Environmental Management Plan The new slipway position with respect to the surrounding environment is shown in Figure 2a, and the layout is displayed in Figure 4. The slipway is expected to have an overall width of 16 m and a length of 28 m and will be constructed mainly from steel, concrete and timber. Pilling will be required for the installation of the slipway.

2.1.2 Dredge and Reclamation Areas It is understood that the area adjacent to the slipway and up to the wharf is currently silted up and requires dredging for vessel access. Currently no data on the possible siltation rates at the location is available. It is also understood that the location of the Home Island wharf and slipway has been subjected to deposition in the recent years. The dredge area consists of two areas, Layout 1 and 2 as shown in Figure 2b. The main area (Layout 1) will be dredged to a depth of approximately -1.85 m CD adjacent to the wharf, and to -2.75 m CD for a pocket immediately west of the slipway, with bordering banks of 1:7. Within Layout 2, minor dredging works will be undertaken west of the port within certain shallow areas with a current depth of -1.85m CD (-2.5 m CKIHD) or shallower. Dredging is expected to be undertaken using a type of Cutter Suction Dredge (CSD), with a cutter head protruding in front of the drag head and with the dredge material pumped directly into the back of area to be reclaimed (known as ‘Reclamation Area’), furthest from the shoreline to allow water to return through the front. The estimated quantity of material to be dredged is 18,700 m3. The actual model of CSD will be determined by the Contractor and will depend upon factors including the results of the Contractor’s geotechnical investigation and the availability of such machinery at the time of construction. Contamination from the use of the existing slipways and wharf is evident as detailed within Appendix B. The results indicate that some samples had concentrations of copper, lead, mercury and TBT in exceedance of the adopted guideline values. The contaminated areas will be removed separately, prior to the main dredge activities commence and will be disposed of in line with the appropriate legislation and regulations. See section 7.12 for further details. Given the location of the main dredge area, bordered by the shore, wharf and an old breakwater; the short duration of dredging; the relatively small dredge area; and the relatively small quantity of sediment to be dredged, any plume created by the project construction is expected to be minimal and localised within the port marine area. A Dredge Monitoring and Management Plan, amongst other management measures, will be developed and enforced during the project construction period as detailed within section 7.13. In the previous years, the foreshore to the north of the port has been reclaimed from what appears to be building waste materials, such as concrete boulders, bricks and cement. This area has since been grassed, however the foreshore itself still exhibits evidence of the material utilised as fill. The area is utilised by community members for recreational purposes including fishing. A barbeque facility is also available for use. While these activities will be prohibited during construction for safety concerns, they can recommence at the completion of construction along the new Reclamation Area, without the unsightly view of the construction rubble. Sheet pilling will be installed, outlining the edge of the Reclamation Area prior to the commencement of major dredging works. Once dredging commences, the dredge material will be pumped directly into the back of the Reclamation Area to provide the extended foreshore area. It is expected for the dredge material to settle within the reclamation area, allowing the water which is also pumped into the area to be displaced through the sheet pilling.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 3 Environmental Management Plan 2.1.3 Partial Breakwater Removal As per the information received from the Port Manager on CKI, the existing breakwater as shown in Figure 3 was constructed in the 1960s to protect the old wharf. It is understood that the crest level of the breakwater was once above the water level. Over time, the southern part of the breakwater (approximately 40 m) has settled and is now submerged below the low water level. The shape of the breakwater has altered as rocks have dispersed, leaving the breakwater with a narrower and slightly increased footprint. Along with the build up of hard corals within the area, this has created a problem for vessels accessing the port, having to navigate these hazards. The northern section of the breakwater, which is to be retained, is higher and wider than the southern end and is still visible above the low water line. To enhance safe operational management of the port and allow safe access to the wharf area for all vessels, both current and those proposed to be procured, the southernmost section of the breakwater which is no longer serving its original purpose, is to be removed. This represents less than about 15% of the length of the breakwater. The removal of this section of breakwater would have no negative impact on the current operation of the wharf or the coastline in the vicinity of the wharf, as discussed further below. Exposed breakwaters act as a protection structure, by decreasing wave overtopping and penetration into a port. They can also be used to encourage beach accretion as they diffract waves around the end, leaving an area of low wave energy in the lee of the structure, which can allow sediment to accrete over time. Submerged breakwaters allow beach accretion to a lesser extent and only offer protection to the port when the water level is low enough to influence the wave action. As the southern part of breakwater is submerged, even at low tide, wave penetration into the port is neither increased nor decreased by the presence of the breakwater. The largest waves in the lagoon are generated from northerly swell (long period waves) penetrating the gap between Home Island and West Island during storm conditions. These waves diffract and refract through the lagoon and around the islands to become north westerly at the Home Island wharf. The maximum wave likely to reach the Home Island wharf area is of magnitude 0.7 m. The northern section of breakwater will offer some protection from these waves at low water levels, when the structure is exposed, but the submerged breakwater sections offer little protection as the waves will overtop the breakwater. Therefore, removal of the southernmost section of breakwater does not have an adverse affect. The port and operational wharf are protected from wave action by the wharf itself, which is sheet piled, by the northern end of the breakwater (at low tide only) and by the natural shape of the coastline to the north of the port. Removal of the southernmost part of the breakwater will have no detrimental effect on the operation of the wharf and will in fact assist navigation into the port. The coastline to the north of the wharf is potentially exposed to waves from the north-west, west and around to the west-south-west. Waves from the west, through to the west-south-west are generated from local winds blowing across the fetch of the lagoon and are short period waves, otherwise referred to as sea waves. The shallow bathymetry of the lagoon means these waves are generally depth limited and break before reaching the shoreline.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 4 Environmental Management Plan The existing breakwater offers protection to the coastline from these waves, however this will come mainly from the northernmost section of the breakwater. At mean to high tides, approximately 75% of the time on average, some waves will still overtop the wall and may impact the coastline. As the section recommended for removal is essentially in line with the end of the wharf, no increased wave penetration into the port and onto the adjacent coastline is likely to occur. The sheetpile wharf provides protection to the coastline to the north of the wharf for any wave action generated from the south of the lagoon. South of the wharf, the coastline is protected from northerly waves by the sheetpile wharf. Waves from the west through to the south can impact the coastline, however the breakwater has no influence currently on this area of coastline. In summary, the section of breakwater that is proposed to be removed has no current influence on the coastline south of the wharf and removal of the section will have no negative impact on the wave climate and tranquillity of the port, the northern coastline adjacent to the wharf or the operation of the wharf itself. Rock materials of the submerged breakwater are to be removed by use of an excavator with a sieve/skeleton bucket to reduce the extent of any plume produced as a result of the works. Appropriate environmental monitoring and management will be in place during this phase of the construction works as detailed further in section 7.13.

2.2 Construction Methodology and Timing Construction works will be undertaken in accordance with the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Technical Specification (GHD 2010). It is anticipated for the construction activities to progress as shown in Figure 5, however the precise timing is subject to change as the schedule progresses. The commencement of construction is dependent upon obtaining the necessary approvals including approval under the EPBC Act.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 5 Environmental Management Plan 3. Environmental Policy

The proponent for the project (to be known as the Principal under contract arrangements) is the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department (AGD). AGD will appoint a Superintendent to monitor the construction of the works by the Contractor. A representative of AGD (Port Manager) will also monitor and manage the operational phase of the facility following completion of construction. During construction and through to the end of the Defects Liability Period, the Superintendent will act on behalf of the Principal and will administer the construction contract. Any issues raised by other parties must be directed to the Superintendent who will instruct the Contractor accordingly. AGD’s approach to the environmental design and management of works is to provide the services in accordance with best environmental practice and this will form the underlying guidance for the project and for the ongoing operation of the development. AGD recognises the importance of retaining the ecological and cultural values of the CKI and is committed to conserving and managing the natural environment, cultural and social character for future generations.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 6 Environmental Management Plan 4. Relevant Legislation

The environmental legislation applicable to the planning, construction and operation of the development is shown in Table 1 and will be complied with as relevant to this project.

Table 1 Legislation Relevant to the Project

Commonwealth Legislation Scope Summary

Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Provides for the assessment of projects Conservation Act 1999 potentially having a significant impact on matters of National Environmental Significance. Administered by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPC).

Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Permits from SEWPC for impacting threatened Conservation Regulations 2000 and/or protected species will be obtained if required.

Australian Heritage Council Act 2003 Provides for the establishment of the Australian Heritage Council who advise the Commonwealth on heritage issues.

Environmental Protection (Sea Dumping) Act Regulates the deliberate loading, dumping and 1981 and associated regulations incineration of wastes and other matters at sea. The Act and regulations apply to all vessels, aircraft or platforms in Australian waters and to all Australian vessels in any part of the sea.

Sea Installations Act 1987 Ensure that sea installations installed in adjacent areas are operated with regard to the safety of the people using them, and the people, vessels and aircraft near them and ensures that installations are operated in a manner that is consistent with the protection of the environment. Administered by SEWPC.

Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 Seeks to promote the occupational health and safety of persons employed by the Commonwealth, Commonwealth authorities and certain licensed corporations.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 7 Environmental Management Plan Commonwealth Legislation Scope Summary

Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) (CI) The Act is the Western Australian environmental (CKI). protection legislation enacted by the Commonwealth Minister for Territories. With the project being addressed under the EPBC Act, the Environmental Protection Act is applied specifically to works activities and licensing during operation. A Works Approval will be obtained through the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 8 Environmental Management Plan 5. Consultation

Community consultation was undertaken during the planning and design stage of the project. Stakeholders included the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (SCKI), various business operations on CKI, District School and the general community. The objectives of the community consultation program include:

 To communicate to the local community the need for a slipway redevelopment and the associated works;

 To provide a mechanism to receive community comments, ideas and concerns; and

 To address sensitive issues for the local community including noise and vibration issues during construction. The community was consulted via two consultation workshops which included detailed information of the project including displays and fact sheets. Community workshops were held on 22 January 2010 at the Cyclone Shelter on West Island and on 22 January 2010 at the Cyclone Shelter on Home Island. Advertisements of these workshops were placed within the local paper, announced for a week prior on the community radio station, 6CKI, and noted on the community notice boards on both islands, inviting members of the public to attend. The workshop conducted at Home Island had no participants, while five members of the community attended the workshop at Home Island. These five members, while part of the local community, also represented several business operations at CKI as listed below:

 Shane Charleston CKI Port Manager

 Robin Wheeler Australian Federal Police

 Ernie Ronalds Manpower Australia

 Alan Clark SCKI

 John Clunies-Ross Cocos Clam Farm Heather Prance, the Acting Principle of Cocos Island District School and Michael Simms, the Chief Executive Officer of SCKI, were also consulted on separate occasions. The feedback from the community has indicated:

 General community support for the redevelopment of the slipway and access to the port;

 Interest for use of the slipway for private vessels once in operation;

 Interest in the construction methodology including dredge works, design, location of reclamation, etc.;

 Suggestion for slipway to be installed at the Rumah Baru freight facility;

 Interest in the environmental approval process; and

 Suggestion for construction noise to be limited to daylight hours.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 9 Environmental Management Plan Consultation regarding the construction and operational impacts of the development will be ongoing and continue through the pre-construction, construction and management phases as necessary. Prior to construction, the Superintendent will issue the key stakeholders’ contact details to the Contractor. It will then be the responsibility of the Contractor to correspond with the Stakeholders prior to, during and on completion of construction with regards to any issues that the Stakeholders may have.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 10 Environmental Management Plan 6. Area Affected by the Development

6.1 General Description The port facilities requiring redevelopment are located on the western side of Home Island within the commercial precinct (Figure 6). The port has been utilised for many decades with the main task of accepting import items and passenger ferrying, servicing both the Home and West Island. The secondary purpose of this facility is to provide vessel maintenance through the utilisation of two slipways. The port is generally only used for commercial purposes. Numerous boat ramps to the south of the port are utilised by the community for private purposes. Public access to the Home Island Port will be restricted during the majority of construction activities, only allowing ferry passenger access. Only authorised vehicles will be permitted along the wharf. The construction site itself will be fenced to prevent unauthorised access by members of the public. It is expected that the majority of the works will be restricted to the construction site itself, however if necessary a nearby area may be utilised for lay-down purposes as shown in Figure 2a. Access for authorised vehicles between the lay-down area and port will be maintained along the existing roads Jalan Rel and Jalan Metlati.

6.2 Property Description and Land Tenure Current ownership of the area affected at the Home Island Port is defined as follows:

 Up to the high water mark is owned by the Commonwealth Government; and

 The remaining land above the high water mark is held in Trust by the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council and managed by the CKI Port. The land based facilities including the slipway will be located within the existing slipway and wharf area (currently known as Lot 242 on Plan 19940). However, if this area is found to be inefficient in size to accommodate the construction activities, the nearby container yard and crane shed (Lot 103, as shown in Figure 2a titled “proposed lay-down area”) may be utilised for excess lay-down facilities during the construction phase of the project. This lay-down area has previously been cleared and used for industrial purposes. Under the SCKI Local Planning Scheme No 1 (Department of Planning and Infrastructure 2007) the proposed works area is classified as:

 The marine Reclamation Area of the project: Marine Protected Area;

 The marine wharf area of the project: Not specified;

 The onshore area of the project: Commercial;

 The lay-down area for the project: General Rural; and

 The crane shed: Industrial. The Planning Scheme recommends a foreshore management plan to be developed where works area carried out adjacent to nature Conservation and Foreshore Protection reserves. This EMP includes measures to protect the reserve; therefore an individual foreshore management plan will not be required.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 11 Environmental Management Plan 7. Environmental Aspects, Impacts and Management

7.1 Environmental Management Responsibilities

7.1.1 Construction Phase Management

Proponent’s Representative AGD is the proponent for the project and is the Principal under contract arrangements. AGD is therefore responsible for ensuring that the construction contractor and the manager of the facility (following completion of construction), comply with all environmental requirements. During the construction phase AGD will appoint a Superintendent to act on its behalf and to administer the construction contract to make certain that all environmental requirements of the contract are met. This EMP will also form part of the construction contract. The Superintendent’s duties will include:

 Periodic inspection of the construction works to inspect the Contractor’s compliance with environmental requirements in the construction specification;

 Approve the Contractor’s contaminated sediment sampling plan and removal method;

 Manage and be ultimately responsible for dredge monitoring as detailed in section 7.13;

 Approving the Contractor’s induction training program and materials;

 Communicating with local stakeholders and authorities when necessary; and

 Inspecting the Contractor’s environmental records and providing Compliance Reports. The Superintendent’s environmental staff will include those suitably qualified to assess and approve the Contractor’s sediment sampling plan and consequent removal, as well as undertake dredge monitoring and subsequent assessment of results. As a minimum, these staff members will have a degree in Environmental Science or Marine Science (as suited), with at least 2 years experience in their associated fields.

Contractor The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that all employees and subcontractors employed on the project receive appropriate induction training and will comply with all environmental requirements. The Contractor will be responsible for keeping records on environmental matters during the course of the contract and for providing copies to the Superintendent. The Contractor will also be required to have their nominated environmental site representative approved by the Superintendent. The Contractor will be required to participate in an independent environmental audit as detailed in section 8.4. The Contractor should also be aware that inspections by SEWPC, Parks Australia North (PAN) and/or the Indian Oceans Territories Environmental Officer, in the presence of the Superintendent, may occur throughout the duration of construction. The Contractor will also prepare a Construction Environmental Management Plan including the relevant management actions within this report, to the satisfaction of the Superintendent prior to construction.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 12 Environmental Management Plan 7.1.2 Operation To date the Home Island Port has been managed by the Port Manager. Given the port will remain in use during the construction works, the Port Manager will continue to operate the port in consultation with the Contractor. The Port Manager will also make certain all operation requirements outlined within this EMP are met.

7.2 General Construction Induction Management Objective That all personnel involved in the project are aware of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed works and that management strategies have been developed to minimise or eliminate these impacts. Actions

 The Contractor shall ensure that all personnel involved in construction works undergo a suitable induction program to make sure that they are aware of potential environmental issues associated with the project. The induction shall be carried out prior to any works commencing and any newly arrived or local personnel shall be inducted before being allowed to undertake any construction works or access to the construction site.

 The induction program as a minimum will include information on the following issues. – the need to conserve the terrestrial and marine environment of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; – the risks of a spill to the environment, spill clean up techniques and procedures and emergency procedures to follow in the event of a spill; – protection of public and private property; – awareness of procedures to be followed in the event that any material of cultural significance is uncovered; – risks related to piling and dredging in the marine environment; – noise and dust affects on the neighbouring community and environment; – pressure waves and vibration; – awareness of water quality; and – occupational health and safety.

 The Contractor shall make sure that employees are sensitive to their cultural surroundings and establish codes of behaviour to make certain there is minimal disruption to the local communities.

 The induction program shall be approved by the Superintendent prior to putting it in place. The Contractor shall note that inspection of work practices and/or results by SEWPC may occur. This would normally occur in the presence of the Superintendent and any outcomes of the inspection resulting in changes to works practices will be communicated to the Contractor by the Superintendent. Monitoring and Performance Indicators The Contractor shall be responsible for developing and implementing the induction process, based on the requirements of this EMP. Attendance records for induction training will be monitored to make certain all workers have undergone satisfactory induction.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 13 Environmental Management Plan Corrective Actions

Where it is found by the Contractor that an employee has not undergone satisfactory induction in relation to environmental, cultural and health and safety education, the employee must immediately cease work until a suitable induction has been undertaken.

7.3 Noise and Vibration Management Objective To make sure that construction/operation noise and vibration is contained within acceptable limits through the planning of construction methods and activities, to minimise the generation of noise and vibration. Background During construction there is expected to be some short-term noise impacts associated with the use of heavy construction equipment and pile driving. Construction noise and vibration is primarily a nuisance for neighbours of the construction area, depending on the duration, intensity and timing of the source activities, but may also impact on fauna. Noise emissions from the construction corridor will vary depending on the aspect of the project being undertaken (e.g. piling and dredging), the resultant tonality of the noise emission, and the duration of the emission. Some noise emissions from the construction operations with varying tones could be considered intrusive (e.g. piling) whilst other noise emissions with a continuous tone could be considered less intrusive (e.g. running vehicle engine). The predominant land use adjacent to the Home Island Port is for commercial and industrial use. The closest resident dwelling is located approximately 100 m from the port (Department of Planning and Infrastructure 2007). The majority of the Home Island population is of the Islamic faith, with prayer occurring daily. The Cocos Island District School is located approximately 0.5 kilometres from the project site. Although temporary noise and vibration impacts may occur during the construction of the redevelopment, preventative actions as listed below, along with the relatively short timeframe of construction works, will reduce the impact of the project on the local neighbours. Noise emissions from the construction phase of the project may cause localised temporary disruption to any fauna in areas adjacent to the project site; however it is unlikely that the behaviour of fauna will be disrupted by noise emissions in the long-term. In particular, turtles within the local waters are predominately present at night and early morning and have been found to be alert, aware and respond readily to when disturbed (GHD 2008, Appendix B). The operational noise post construction will involve that similar to that experienced currently at the port. While vessel traffic is expected within the area, it is as a result of activities undertaken on the West Island. Vessel maintenance works will be undertaken periodically during each year and only expected to occupy the slipway for approximately 6-10 weeks per year.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 14 Environmental Management Plan Actions The following actions will make sure that noise and vibration impacts can be effectively managed:

 All noise generating construction equipment will be appropriately muffled, housed or acoustically baffled in compliance with installation standards and building codes to ensure compliance with the Western Australian Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997;

 All construction work will be carried out using equipment in good working order;

 At least two weeks prior to the commencement of works residents on both Home and West Islands will be notified via newspaper and/or local radio advertisement;

 Work will generally be carried out during daylight hours;

 If work is required to be undertaken outside daylight hours, a SCKI approved Noise Management Plan will be prepared by the Contractor for this activity with appropriate notice given to all residents via newspaper and radio advertisement;

 Pilling works will cease between 12 midday and 1 pm each day (Saturday – Thursday) and 12.30 – 2 pm on Fridays to allow for the local Malay population prayer to occur with minimal impact from the project;

 Pilling will only occur during daylight hours;

 Construction activities will cease on the day of the Hari Raya festival;

 The Contractor shall monitor noise levels associated with project construction and respond immediately to any noise complaints that may occur. Noise complaints will be entered into a Complaints Register that will be kept by the Contractor and will be made available to the Superintendent; and

 Construction equipment will be inspected on a weekly basis by the Contractor to ensure good working order of noise minimisation fittings such as baffling, muffling or housing of equipment components. Performance Indicators

 No noise injuries to staff or local residents during construction; and

 No noise complaints by residents received by the contractor. Corrective Actions

 Immediate repairs will be undertaken to any equipment found to be producing anomalous noise emissions; and

 All noise complaints will be addressed by the Contractor and every effort made to reduce problematic noise emissions.

7.4 Marine Fauna and Flora Management Objective Activities undertaken during construction and operation of the Home Island Slipway do not cause detrimental effects on marine flora and fauna in the CKI lagoon area.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 15 Environmental Management Plan Background Recent studies of a greater study area west of Home Island (Appendix B) indicate the presence of three major benthic primary producer habitat types:

 Hard corals;

 Macro Algae; and

 Seagrass. Based on these observations, an effort has been made to delineate these habitat types across this region. A broad-scale map to illustrate the dominant habitat types relative to the Project has been developed and is presented Figure 7. As may be seen in the plates below, habitats ranged in their type, diversity and species abundance across the region from the: A. Relatively diverse communities of hard reef-building corals to the northwest; B. Mono-specific stands of branching Acropora colonies that dominate the middle-lagoon; C. High cover of Cabbage corals in the southern lagoon; D. Macro-algae dominance of the near-shore environs of western Home Island; E. Seagrass beds located along the southern coast; and F. Sand-dominant areas to the southeast.

(A) (B) (C)

(D) (E) (F)

Plates 1 – 6: Habitats across the study region.

Within and directly adjacent to the actual project area itself, driver observations confirmed the presence of benthic primary producers and their habitat within the marine waters. These included:

 Hard corals;  Coralline algae;

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 16 Environmental Management Plan  Macro algae; and  Cyanobacterial mat. Example photography from the project site is provided in the plates below. Note that no seagrass or mangrove communities were observed within the project area.

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

Plates 7-10: Habitats within or directly adjacent to the project area.

Numerous species of fish were also observed during the studies, none of which are listed as migratory ray-finned fishes under the EPBC Act. An EPBC Protected Matters Search identified seven listed migratory marine that may potentially occur within proximity to the project, three of which are also listed as threatened (SEWPC 2010a), however none of these were sighted during the Baseline Marine Ecological Studies (Appendix B). Anecdotal evidence from local community members also confirms this. Whale and sightings are rare at CKI and generally occur on the ocean side of the islands, as opposed to the waters within the lagoon (S. Charlston [CKI Port Manager] pers. comm., 8 May 2009). Hence, no significant impact upon the listed migratory marine mammals is expected as a result of this project. Marine turtles have been sighted within and in close proximity to the project area, although positive identification was not always possible, it is believed that both green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imricata) were present. These turtles were observed to be aware of boat and diver activity. Since the shoreline within the project area is highly degraded (due to foreshore reclaim with building rubble), it is unlikely to be used by turtles as a nesting site. Foreshores within the anticipated plume area were also found not to be ideal for turtle nesting (Appendix B). According to studies undertaken by Scott Whiting, no turtles have been observed to nest at the Home Island Port (Whiting 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 17 Environmental Management Plan During many dredging campaigns, a Turtle Excluding Device (TED) is attached to the head of the dredge to prevent injury to turtles hibernating on the seabed. In this situation a TED is not generally used in conjunction with a CSD, where the noise and vibration of the cutter head acts to warn turtles prior to contact (Oceanica 2009). Furthermore, investigations have shown the turtles at CKI generally ‘sleep’ in the deeper waters of the lagoon, feeding during the evening and early hours of the morning (GHD 2008), although sightings of turtles within the project area during daylight hours are known to occur often. The turtles have also been sighted as being extremely aware of boat and diver activity and extremely cautious (GHD 2008, Appendix B). Actions

During construction, the Contractor (unless otherwise stated) will make certain that:

 If the project is deemed to be a Non-Controlled Action by SEWPC, the Contractor must notify the Superintendent in writing at least eight weeks prior to dredging during the turtle breeding months October – March. The Superintendent will then apply for the relevant permit in relation to the Green and Hawksbill Turtles;

 Silt curtains will be installed surrounding the Reclamation Area during water return operations and will only be removed once water return is complete;

 The Contractor will inspect all deployed silt curtains on a daily basis to ensure structural integrity and the curtain is serving its purpose (e.g. has folded over itself or anchor has become loose). This will be documented (format to be agreed with Superintendent) and forwarded to the Superintendent on a fortnightly basis. If the silt curtain is found to be damaged or not functioning correctly during regular inspection, dredge works will immediately cease until the silt curtain is repaired and functioning properly;

 The dredge will only be turned on once it is in position for dredging and will be turned off once it is no longer required. The dredge should not be in operation when it is being placed into and pulled out of the water;

 Dredging, pile driving and sheet pilling will only occur during daylight hours;

 Dredge spoil (including contaminated sediment) will not be dumped at sea;

 During dredging works, the dredger movements will be restricted to the confines of the project area;

 Prior to pilling or dredging commencement, an exclusion zone of 300 m around the activity (dredge vessel or pile driver) will be observed by a suitably trained marine fauna observer for 10 minutes. If any turtles are present within this zone, dredging or pilling may not commence until the turtles have moved out of the zone or have not been resighted for 10 minutes;

 Continuous visual observations must be maintained by a suitably trained marine fauna observer, to identify any marine turtles within a 300 m radius of the dredge vessel and of pile driving activities. If a turtle is observed within the exclusion area, works will cease until the turtle is observed to have moved on or has not been observed for more than 10 minutes;

 The marine fauna observer will be employed directly by the Superintendent and will have the authority to ensure the Contractor ceases works immediately in the event of a turtle sighting. All sightings of turtles will be documented by the Superintendent;

 When pilling commences, the pilling will begin with soft taps before commencing major pilling activities;

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 18 Environmental Management Plan  Dredge spoil outfall, including the reclamation and contamination sediment containment areas, will be inspected at the end of each day during dredging works for any evidence of turtle death/injury. This will be documented by the Contractor, with any actual turtle death reported to the Superintendent as an environmental incident;

 The Superintendent will determine when coral spawning is to be anticipated to as detailed in Section 7.13.5;

 Monitoring will occur as per the Dredge Monitoring and Management Plan (Section 7.13) by the Superintendent;

 Removal of contaminated sediment will occur as per Section 7.12;

 Construction activities will generally be performed during daylight hours; and

 Noise will be kept to a minimum as per the actions set out in Section 7.3. Additionally, during construction the Port Manager will enforce a speed limit of 1 knot for vessels within a 300 m radius of the construction area. Actions by the Port Manager will include the following during Operation:

 Limit and enforce a speed limit of 5 knots or less for vessels within the 150 m of the wharf; and

 Lighting will continue to be inward facing where possible and kept to a minimum on the island. Where lights are positioned for the sole purpose of spilling into the marine environment these will only be switched on when necessary for safety of vessel operation and pedestrian traffic. In addition, the stability of the channel and the rate of any infill or scour will need to be determined by the Port Manager. The following methodology is proposed:

 Measuring the distance between the channel edge and permanent markers placed adjacent to the channel;

 Photographic monitoring; and

 Direct measurement of sediment deposition. Performance Indicators and Corrective Actions

 Injuries or deaths of any turtles as a result of dredging should be reported by the Contractor as an Environmental Incident, to the Superintendent and to SEWPC as outlined in Section 8.2.

 If a silt curtain is found to require repair or functioning incorrectly on a regular basis, the Contractor will investigate the cause of this issue in order to rectify it over the long term.

7.5 Terrestrial Fauna and Flora Management Objective

To make sure activities undertaken during construction works do not cause detrimental effects on terrestrial flora and fauna in the vicinity of the Home Island Port. Background

The majority of the project and lay-down areas comprise of infrastructure, roads and existing cleared land. The cleared areas are generally grassed with some vegetation consisting mainly of Terminalia catappa, Cocos nucifera, Scaevola taccada, Suriana maritima and Morinda citrifolia. Other vegetation

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 19 Environmental Management Plan within the area consists of exotic species which generally appear to have been planted for landscaping purposes, as well as some weeds. Calophyllum inophyllum are present in the surrounding areas of the project site, however they will not be directly impacted as part of these works. The proposed Reclamation Area has been reclaimed previously, resulting in a foreshore containing construction scraps materials such as brick and concrete (refer the following plates), which has predominately been revegetated with grass.

Plate 11: Looking north along the foreshore area Plate 12: Looking south along the foreshore area, consisting of old building rubble, proposed for proposed for further reclamation. Locals can be further reclamation with dredge material. seen fishing.

Plate 13: One of many instances within the Plate 14: Looking south-east along the previously previously reclaimed grassed area where buried reclaimed grassed area. To the right of this building rubble is evident. photograph is the proposed Reclamation Area.

A search of the EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool identified two threatened terrestrial bird species which may occur within close proximity to the project area, the Buff-banded Rail (Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Round Island Petrel (SEWPC 2010a).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 20 Environmental Management Plan The Round Island Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana s. str.) is listed as critically endangered as it is found in Australia only on North Keeling Island (DEWHA 2009a; Johnstone and Storr 1998). Given North Keeling Island is in excess of 7 kilometres from the project area, it is considered unlikely for this bird to occur within the project area. The Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis andrew si) is listed as critically endangered and is now virtually restricted to North Keeling Island (Stokes, 1994). Some sightings have been made at Home Island by local residents, however the sightings have not been verified as yet (Reid and Hill, 2005). Although it is a possibility for the species to utilise the area for foraging, there is no key habitat for the species at the Home Island Port. Other listed terrestrial fauna identified to potentially occur within close proximity to the project area are listed below.

Table 2 EPBC Protected Matters Listed Terrestrial Fauna

Species EPBC status Likelihood of Occurrence

Lesser Frigatebird Migratory Possible – The Lesser Frigatebird generally occur on North Keeling Island, however are known to wander of the Fregata ariel Marine main CKI atoll but unlikely to nest on Home Island (Stokes et. al. 1984).

Great Frigatebird Migratory Possible – The Lesser Frigatebird generally occur on North Keeling Island, however are known to wander of the Fregata minor Marine main CKI atoll but unlikely to nest on Home Island (Stokes et. al. 1984).

White-tailed Tropicbird Migratory Unlikely – The White-tailed Tropicbird is now virtually restricted to North Keeling Island (Stokes, 1994). Although Phaethon lepturus Marine it is a possibility for this species to utilise the project area for foraging, there is no key habitat for this species at the Home Island Port.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater Migratory Unlikely – The Wedge-tailed Shearwater generally nests at North Keeling Island (Stokes, 1984). Although it is Puffinus pacificus Marine possible for this species to utilise the project area for foraging, there is no key habitat for this species at the Home Island Port.

Masked Booby Migratory Possible – While the Masked Booby is known to occasionally nest at Home Island, they usually nest at Sula dactylatra Marine North Keeling Island (Stokes, 1984).

Brown Booby Migratory Unlikely – The are frequent at North Keeling Island, however are unlikely visitors to the remaining Sula leucogaster Marine islands of the CKI atoll (Stokes, 1984).

Red-footed Booby Migratory Possible – The Red-footed Booby generally nests at North Keeling Island, however are known to roost at Home Sula sula Marine Island (Stokes, 1984). Given works will generally be performed during daylight hours, it is unlikely for this species to be directly impacted by construction activities.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 20 Environmental Management Plan Although not identified by the EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool to occur within the area, the Rufous Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) is known to forage within the vicinity of the project area (I. MacRae, [Project Officer, PAN] pers. comm. 1 March 2010). The Rufous Night Heron is a listed marine species under the EPBC Act (DEWHA 2007). White terns (Gygis alba) are also known to occur and nest within the CKI atoll. This species is not listed as ‘threatened’ under the EPBC Act 1999 and is categorised as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2009a); however it is ‘protected’ under the EPBC Regulations 2000. Although abundant at North Keeling Island, the white tern is also known to occur at Home Island and primarily prefer to nest within Calophyllum inophyllum; however it is known to nest within Cocos nucifera or S. taccada. A nearby section of large standing trees (including Calophyllum inophyllum) has previously been observed to have white terns nesting within the branches (Figure 2a) (I. MacRae, [Project Officer, PAN] pers. comm. 1 March 2010). Given the removal of Calophyllum inophyllum is not proposed as part of this project and the disturbance to the surrounding environment (including the white tern breeding area) is expected to be minimal, it is considered unlikely for the construction works to directly impact the white tern. Given the project and lay-down areas are mostly grassed with some standing vegetation, clearing is expected to be minimal. Shrubs and other vegetation including S. taccada surrounding the slipway and foreshore will be removed, allowing for the slipway redevelopment and reclamation works. Any further clearing will be kept to a minimum with only selected individual plants requiring removal for purposes of safe plant and vehicle operation. Actions

 Any unnecessary removal or damage to native vegetation during construction will be avoided;

 Pruning is to occur in preference to vegetation removal where practicable;

 No clearing is to occur for temporary stockpiles or lay-down areas;

 Vehicles and equipment shall not be parked or driven over tree roots as far as is practicable;

 Prior to the removal of any major strand, vegetation will be inspected for evidence of nesting (including the long term presence of a white tern, possibly indicating incubation). If evidence of recent nesting is found, the Contractor will liaise with PAN and the Superintendent before taking the appropriate action;

 Areas to be disturbed are to be clearly flagged prior to the commencement of works;

 All strands of C. inophyllum will be protected and marked on site by the Contractor in agreement with the Superintendent. The monitoring of this marking will be monitored by the Contractor to make sure they remain clearly identifiable;

 The proposed lay-down area will be re-instated with grass if it is cleared/damaged during construction;

 If removal of any major strand trees become necessary, then consultation with the Superintendent and SEWPC will be undertaken prior to any action being taken;

 Construction vehicles will remain within posted speed limits to minimise fauna collision;

 If the project is deemed to be a Non-Controlled Action by SEWPC, the Contractor will notify the Superintendent at least eight weeks prior to construction in order for the Superintendent to obtain any necessary permits with regards to any protected fauna on the island, if required by SEWPC; and

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 21 Environmental Management Plan  The Reclaimation Area will be vegetated with grass and other vegetation to prevent any possible erosion concerns in the future. Performance Indicators

 No unauthorised removal or damage to native vegetation. Corrective Actions

 In the event that strands of C. inophyllum are not clearly identifiable, actions such as flagging are to make sure they are clearly identified and shall be undertaken immediately by the Contractor under instruction from the Superintendent; and

 If any unnecessary removal of native vegetation occurs, the Contractor shall make certain that the effected area is rehabilitated with appropriate native species.

7.6 Traffic Disturbance Management Objective

To make certain, traffic and operations associated with the project do not cause significant disturbances to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands population. Background

Given the location of the Home Island Port, there is a potential for social impacts to occur during construction activities. The construction work will be localised and construction traffic kept to a minimum. Jalan Rel and Jalan Bunga Mawar roads will be used to access the lay-down area and the fuel farm. There will be minimal disturbance to the population during construction activities, including dredging and pile driving operations. The Reclamation Area is often used by the community for recreational activities including fishing. These activities will cease during construction and not recommence until construction completion. Public vehicle parking will also cease along the wharf during construction. Ferry activities are not expected to be significantly impacted by the works, with passengers to board the ferry as directed by the Contractor/Port Manager. At present berthing activities are not undertaken by privately owned vessels at the port, as berthing of these generally occurs further south along the foreshore. The provision of notices and community liaison with local residents on Home and West Islands will minimise the effect on the public. Actions

 Appropriate signage will be erected advising the community that, to ensure their safety, all recreational activities surrounding Home Island Port will be temporarily suspended during the construction phase;

 The Contractor is to consult with the Port Manager regarding all vessel movements, including ferry, as well as all other operational port works during the construction phase of the project;

 Appropriate fencing will be erected by the Contractor preventing the community from entering the site, with signage advising the community of ferry boarding areas;

 The Contractor is to prevent any impacts upon the ferry activities during construction. If any impacts are expected, the community will be notified through local media at least one week prior to occurrence; and

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 22 Environmental Management Plan  The community will be made aware of the construction activities being undertaken via local media at least 2 weeks prior to construction commencement, and on an ongoing basis during construction. Performance Indicators

 Community reaction and any disruption to the community will be monitored by the Superintendent; and

 Any complaints in regard to access and traffic movement (including ferry) will be logged in the Complaints Register to be maintained by the Contractor and to be made available to the Superintendent. Corrective Actions

 In the event of significant community disruption, construction activities and timings will be reassessed by the Contractor in order to minimise and rectify disruptions in consultation with the Superintendent.

7.7 Archaeology and Heritage Management Objective To ensure that any potential locations or relics of cultural or historical significance are identified and protected during the construction works associated with the Home Island slipway redevelopment. Background Terrestrial

The slipway and its associated infrastructure, as well as the proposed lay-down area are located within the Commonwealth Heritage registered Home Island Industrial Precinct (105220) (SEWPC 2010a). The slipway area is a minor section of the Home Island Industrial Precinct and requires redevelopment to continue its functional use. Currently there are two slipways which were built around 1985/87, only one of which is to be decommissioned and redeveloped. The overall design and colour scheme of the new slipway will be as similar as practicable to the existing slipway, which will be removed. The surrounding infrastructure is not expected to be significantly impacted as part of this project. The lay-down area has been cleared previously and is currently in use as a container yard. Given a similar use for the lay-down area is proposed, a significant impact on the heritage value of the site is not expected to occur as a result of the proposed construction works. There are six other Commonwealth Heritage Places within 1 km of the project area as detailed below:

Table 3 Registered Commonwealth Heritage Places within 1 km of the project area

Name Place ID Distance from site (m) Direction

Captain Ballards Grave 105361 270 northeast

Early Settlers Graves 105362 540 southeast

Home Island Cemetery 105355 980 northwest

Home Island Foreshore 105363 5 south

Oceanica House and Surrounds 105236 300 south

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 23 Environmental Management Plan Name Place ID Distance from site (m) Direction

Old Co-op Shop (Canteen) 105409 150 southeast

Source: SEWPC 2010b Given the distance of the majority of these registered places from the project site, it is not expected for this project to have a negative impact on these places. While the project site is not within the Home Island Foreshore, it is located directly north of it. Therefore preventative measures will be put in place to minimise any disturbance to the foreshore (detailed below). Marine As per the information received from the Port Manager on CKI, a breakwater was constructed in the 1960s to protect the old wharf. It is understood that the crest level of the breakwater was once above the water level. Over time the southern section of the breakwater (approximately 40 m) has settled and is now submerged below the low water level. The shape of the breakwater has altered as rocks have dispersed, leaving the breakwater with a narrower and slightly increased footprint. The northern section of the breakwater, which is to be retained, is higher and wider than the southern end and is still visible above the low water line. The breakwater is not a registered place of Commonwealth Heritage significance. To enhance safe operational management of the port and allow safer access to the wharf area for all vessels, both current and those proposed to be procured, the southernmost part of the breakwater which is no longer serving its original purpose, is proposed to be removed. This represents less than about 15% of the length of the breakwater. Eight shipwrecks are listed on the Australian National Shipwrecks Database as being or likely to be present within the surrounds of CKI, however none of these are located within a 2 kilometre radius of the project site (SEWPC 2010c; Bunce 1988). This is congruent with investigations undertaken by Graeme Henerdson at CKI (Director of the Western Australian Maritime Museum from 1999 to 2005) (Henderson 2007). Given the project site has been utilised as a working port for a long period of time, it is considered unlikely for an undiscovered shipwreck to occur within the project site (G. Luckman [Maritime Heritage Section, DEWHA], 22 November 2009). Actions

 If any items suspected to be of an archaeological or historic nature, including shipwrecks, are uncovered during construction, work will stop immediately in the vicinity to avoid accidental disturbance;

 Appropriate conservation of any items found with significant heritage value will be ensured; and

 Induction training for the Contractor’s construction staff will include awareness of existing registered heritage places as well as procedures to be followed in the event that any material of cultural significance is uncovered. Monitoring and Performance Indicators

 Periodic inspections of the construction site shall be undertaken by the Superintendent and potentially PAN/SEWPC, so that no articles of cultural significance have been ignored or accidentally overlooked; and

 Inspection by a qualified archaeologist may be required to be undertaken after the uncovering of any articles of potential heritage significance.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 24 Environmental Management Plan Corrective Actions

In the event that a breach is identified in relation to identification of cultural artefacts, the Superintendent will instruct the Contractor to cease work immediately in that area. SEWPC will be informed by the Superintendent and a qualified archaeologist may be called in to inspect any discoveries. In the event that a suspected shipwreck is found, the following process is to occur:

 All works are to cease immediately and no further interference with the suspected relics is to occur;

 The Contractor is to notify the Superintendent immediately and provide in writing shortly thereafter a detailed description of the remains of the shipwreck or of the relic. This could include sonar images, electronic data and/or digital photographs. Along with this, a description of the place where the shipwreck remains or relic is located is to be provided by the Contractor, which is sufficiently detailed to allow it to be identified and re-located including navigation data and datum information; and

 The Superintendent will supply this information to SEWPC’s Maritime Heritage Section. The Superintendent will consult SEWPC for further direction.

7.8 Quarantine Management Objective

To make sure that quarantine measures during construction are adequate to cater for the quarantine requirements of the CKI and make certain that non-native species are not introduced to the islands. Background

Currently freight is transferred from the larger sea vessels to a barge within close proximity to the CKI atoll. This is then transferred to the Home Island Port where it is then distributed accordingly between Home and West Islands. Shortly this procedure will be modified once the Rumah Baru Freight and Passenger Facility becomes operational, with freight being directly distributed to either Home or West Island from the barge. Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers on CKI provide customs procedures on behalf of the Australian Customs Service. At present all sea containers arriving at CKI generally come via Fremantle, Western Australia, where they are pre-screened for soil and inspected as per Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) standard. Goods that are of high risk require an Import Permit issued by AQIS which is granted at Fremantle Port prior to arrival at CKI. Any goods imported directly from a foreign country to CKI require inspection by AQIS, with some requiring an import permit. This is done prior to arrival at CKI in congruence with AQIS procedures (pers. com. I. Lander 2009). During construction, quarantine measures will be in place to disallow the introduction of non-native species to the island or the surrounding water and are detailed below. Construction Actions

 All imported materials will be stored in a designated area and inspected by AQIS prior to use;

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 25 Environmental Management Plan  The Contractor will be required to consult with and obtain certification from AQIS and the Department of Fisheries regarding Invasive Marine Pest Species (IMPs) for vessels accessing the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; and

 The Contractor and Contractor’s personnel will familiarise themselves with quarantine rules as they pertain to CKI and make sure they comply with all import export restrictions and requirements. Operational Actions

 Quarantine measures currently in place at the Home Island Port will continue to be enforced prior to, during and post construction, as approved by AQIS. Any significant changes to the methodology will be done so in accordance with AQIS. Monitoring and Performance Indicators

 AQIS Officers may undertake routine inspection of quarantine procedures at CKI. Corrective Actions

 If a vessel approaches CKI without the appropriate import permit, they will be instructed to travel to the nearest port offering AQIS inspection and certification; and

 If AQIS deem quarantine methods do not meet those approved as described above, the Port Manager will modify procedures to meet AQIS requirements.

7.9 Construction Waste Management Objective

All construction activities are carried out with the principles of cleaner production and waste minimisation. Background The development of the facilities will inevitably produce some waste products. Waste such as litter and general construction waste are expected to be produced. Disposal of these products will be undertaken to minimise the impact upon the environment. The use of local labour and on site fabrications, where possible, will limit the amount of waste generated. Actions

 The Contractor’s induction of its workforce will outline the requirements for waste minimisation and management practices. All workers will be encouraged to minimise waste production and to make sure that any wastes produced are disposed of appropriately;

 All staff working on the project must not dispose of litter (including wrappings, plastic takeaway containers, drink cans, cigarette butts and construction waste) into the water, or leave it where it may end up in the water. All litter produced on site shall be disposed of in accordance with the SCKI waste disposal requirements;

 Contaminated sediment within the project area is to be removed and disposed of as per section 7.12;

 Any waste produced (including construction) that is disposed of to the licensed landfills shall be done in accordance with the SCKI requirements. Waste that is disposed of to locations at CKI other than licensed landfills shall be done so in accordance with landowner and SEWPC instructions; and

 All materials imported on to the island will be required to have minimal packaging and where possible constructed before shipment.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 26 Environmental Management Plan Monitoring and Performance Indicators

 The Contractor will make certain that all workers are aware of waste minimisation and disposal processes; and

 The Contractor will make sure that waste production is minimised and that all waste that is disposed of to the licensed landfills is done in accordance with the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands requirements. Waste that is disposed of to locations at CKI other than licensed landfills shall be done so in accordance with landowner and SEWPC instructions. Corrective Actions

 Should waste be found to be disposed of inappropriately, the action will be recorded in the Complaints Register by the Contractor; and

 Should any waste be disposed of inappropriately, the waste is to be immediately cleaned up and disposed of in an appropriate manner.

7.10 Pollution Control Background

During construction there is a low risk of pollution as a result of accidental spillage of fuels. However, any spill during construction has the potential to cause detrimental effects on the environment. Provision will be made for storage of an Emergency Spill Response Kit (to be provided by the Contractor during construction and Port Manager during operations) to be used in the event of a spill or other emergency at the Home Island Port. As part of the Slipway design, a drain will run parallel to the ocean line, above the high tide mark to capture waste from vessel maintenance works, linking to a hydrocarbon interceptor (location shown in Figure 4). This interceptor will be constructed to treat first flush flows up to 10 L/s and a bypass flow of 50 L/s from the drainage system on the slipway, thus preventing the introduction of contaminated material into the local marine waters. The preferred unit is a SPEL Contaminated Stormwater Treatment Unit Model S.200/70.Cl.2C-16147 Class 1, however this will be dependent upon availability and Contractor preference. Should an alternative be proposed, the Contractor shall be required to supply all design information to the Superintendent for approval prior to installation. The interceptor assembly is also to include:

 Suitable alarms;

 All necessary ventilation pipework and discharge to atmosphere in compliance with AS3500;

 Galvanised steel vent pipe support with concrete foundation;

 Gas tight removable covers and frames;

 All structural supports;

 Sampling location; and

 Manual isolation valve assembly.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 27 Environmental Management Plan Actions All actions apply to the construction and operation phases unless otherwise stated.

 During construction a suitable Spill Response Kit will be provided by the Contractor. The Port Manager will also provide a suitable Spill Response Kit throughout pre-construction, construction and operation;

 The Spill Response Kits (for both construction and operation) shall include as a minimum: – Containment booms – deployed to contain a spill in the marine environment; – Shovel to apply and clean up absorbent material; – First aid kit; – Drum or other device to temporarily store contaminated absorbent during clean up process; – Fire extinguisher; – Spill pillows; – Bulk vermiculite or other proprietary material used to absorb spills; and – Appropriate PPE for persons involved in cleaning up the spill.

 The Spill Response Kit will be inspected by the Contractor during construction on a fortnightly basis to make certain that all items are in working order and accounted for;

 Specific personnel will be trained to use the Spill Response Kit. These personnel will also have mobile communication readily available to them;

 During construction no major servicing (including oil changes) of plant and equipment shall be undertaken within 20 m of the shoreline unless there is no practical alternative. If major servicing within this buffer is necessary, the Superintendent must be informed and the servicing shall be carried out in a safe, sealed area;

 During construction all temporary tanks will be bunded and located at least 20 m from the edge of the foreshore;

 During construction the Contractor will install a hydrocarbon interceptor as detailed above. Any variation from the design will require approval from the Superintendent;

 During operation of the slipway, maintenance works will only be undertaken beyond the drainage line onto the shore. No works are to be undertaken passed the drain line;

 During operation, the hydrocarbon interceptor will be cleaned and inspected for integrity on a monthly basis to determine if the interceptor requires maintenance. The frequency of the inspection may be increased to weekly when vessel maintenance works are actually being undertaken. Required maintenance is to be undertaken as soon as is practicable;

 Any plant and equipment found to be leaking (i.e. fuels, fluids and oils) must be immediately taken out of action and removed to a safe sealed area for repair; and

 When refuelling occurs there will be an ample amount of ‘rags’ and absorbent pads on hand to clean up minor spills, emergency stop button will be installed on the fuel pump and a bucket will be placed under vents to contain any fuel spillage. Performance Indicators

 No spills to occur in the vicinity of the project site.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 28 Environmental Management Plan Corrective Actions In the event of a major spill, the Contractor (at the time of construction) or Port Manager will:

 Make sure the safety of the area of the spill and evacuate non-essential personnel;

 Deploy the Spill Response Kit (including containment booms if marine spill) and trained personnel immediately to reduce the area of impact;

 Use best endeavours to stop the source of the pollution;

 Inform all emergency services via telephone of the situation;

 If an accident occurs at the time of construction, an incident report shall be filled out and submitted to the Superintendent within 10 hours of the incident occurring. The Superintendent will provide SEWPC with a copy of the incident report within 24 hours of the incident occurring; and

 If an accident occurs during operation of the facility, an incident report shall be filled out and submitted by the Port Manager within 24 hours of the incident occurring to SEWPC.

7.11 Emergency Response Plan Background The potential types of emergency situations that may arise during construction and operation include the following:

 Fire/explosion;

 Shipping collision, grounding, sinking;

 Fuel/oil Spillage;

 Plant accident; or

 Extreme weather events. In the case of an emergency, members of the existing Cocos Island Emergency Service Organisations may be called upon for assistance. The Contractor and Port Manager shall be aware of the existence of these groups and shall source assistance from the following emergency service organisations and have an appropriate contingency response.

Table 4 Emergency Contact Telephone Numbers for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Organisation Contact Telephone Number

Environment Officer Indian Ocean Territories (08) 6364 6680

West Island Emergency Number (Volunteer & (08) 9162 7777 Rescue Service)

Home Island Emergency Number (Volunteer & (08) 9162 7788 Rescue Service)

Cocos Islands Federal Police 000 or (08) 9162 6600

Cocos Islands Hospital (08) 9162 6655

Parks Australia North (08) 9162 6678

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 29 Environmental Management Plan Management Objectives

To ensure the Contractor’s and Port Manager’s preparedness to prevent a spill from reaching the environment. To ensure the Contractor’s and Port Manager’s preparedness to prevent unfastened material polluting the environment during an extreme weather event. Actions

 The Contractor/Port Manager must demonstrate commitment to providing the necessary resources to respond to any emergency spill situations which may occur, in a way that will minimise the potential impacts on the environment;

 The Contractor/Port Manager must demonstrate commitment to providing the necessary resources to respond to any emergency natural hazards which may occur, in a way that will minimise the potential impacts on the environment;

 The Contractor/Port Manager shall develop and put in place a detailed Emergency Response Plan to make certain that it responds to any incidents that may impact on the environment and that all personnel, including contractors and subcontractors, are inducted in its application. This will include as a minimum: – A spill clean up plan for dealing with fuel or oil spills such that the risk of pollution of the marine environment is minimised; and – An evacuation plan during extreme weather events, including removal of silt curtains and restraining of plant equipment where practicable.

 The Contractor shall provide the Superintendent a manifest of any potential water pollutants used for the construction of the works and shall provide details of clean-up and disposal procedures for each type where applicable;

 The Contractor/Port Manager shall have a Spill Response Kit, fire extinguisher and other emergency response equipment fully maintained and readily available, with appropriate absorbing pads and booms stored at all times;

 The Spill Response Kits (for both construction and operation) shall include as a minimum: – Containment booms; – Shovel to apply and clean up absorbent material; – First aid kit; – Drum or other device to temporarily store contaminated absorbent during clean up process; – Fire extinguisher; – Spill pillows; – Bulk vermiculite or other proprietary material used to absorb spills; and – Appropriate PPE for persons involved in cleaning up the spill.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 30 Environmental Management Plan  The Contractor will ensure the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) weather forecast and warnings are monitored daily for any forecast of extreme weather events (e.g. cyclones). Dredging will cease immediately upon the warning of an extreme weather event and will not recommence until the event has either passed or the BoM has retracted the warning. Silt curtains will be removed and plant equipment, loose material or other potential missiles to be restrained prior to extreme event occurring (if possible); and

 Contact phone numbers for relevant authorities are checked and updated monthly. Performance Indicators

 The response time effectiveness of emergency control procedures; and

 Effective clean up of spills. Corrective Actions

The effectiveness of emergency response will be evaluated following the event occurring. Any recommendations will be updated and placed in to the Emergency Response Plan.

7.12 Contaminated Sediment Investigations and Removal The Home Island Port has been in operation for many decades, hence the risk of contamination of the sediment from boat maintenance activities was considered. During the baseline marine ecological studies, sediment samples were taken along the wharf and adjacent to the existing slipway for laboratory analysis. These samples were taken from the sea bed surface as refusal generally occurred within the first 15 – 30 cm until limestone rock was found. As a result of these investigations, three contamination hotspots were identified – one along the shoreline adjacent to the slipway; the second approximately 25 m from the end of the wharf; and the third at the end of the wharf. These hotspots contained concentrations of heavy metals and TBT significantly higher than the other sampling locations. Baseline investigations revealed the presence of some contamination ‘hot spots’ along the wharf, with TBT, mercury lead and copper higher than adopted guidelines: Preliminary remediation goal tables – United States Environmental Protection Agency 2008 for TBT within soil and Assessment levels for soil, sediment and water (DEC 2010) for the remaining parameters.

Prior to the main dredging works, the contaminated hotspots are to be removed and disposed appropriately by the Contractor. Given the concentrations of heavy metals and TBT, the material will require disposal at a facility licensed to receive the material. The Contractor will undertake further sediment sampling to determine the full extent (laterally and vertically) of the hot spots. This will include sampling at depth increments to the full extent of dredging at the hot spot sites or until refusal, as well as sampling laterally at one metre increments from the hot spots. These samples will be laboratory analysed for the following parameters: copper, lead, mercury, total organic carbon (TOC) and TBT. Any equipment used during the sampling procedure will be adequately decontaminated between taking each sample to ensure the risk of cross contamination is reduced.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 31 Environmental Management Plan Prior to the commencement of sampling, the Contractor is required to submit a sediment sampling plan to the Superintendent for approval. The qualifications of the Contractor’s staff who will undertake the sampling will also be approved by the Superintendent. Once the extents of the hot spots are defined, the Contractor will submit an analysis of the results and quality assurance documents (laboratory chain of custody, results, etc.) to the Superintendent for approval. This analysis will include comparison of parameters with the Screening Levels as outlined within the National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging (DEWHA 2009b), including the normalisation of TBT levels in relation to the TOC. The removal of the hot spots will be undertaken locally by a backhoe. During the removal works, anchored silt curtains will be placed around the immediate area to mitigate the plume generated by these works. The curtain will cover the full height of the water column at all times (including high water levels and high wave events where achievable) during the removal of the contaminated hot spots. The silt curtain anchors shall be designed to provide efficient support to keep the silt curtain to the seabed and in place during the removal of contaminated materials, taking factors into account like currents, waves, tides and wind. The type of and spacing between anchors shall be proposed by the dredging Contractor for the Superintendent's approval prior to commencement of works. The silt curtain will be placed within the dredge footprint, thereby negating any additional detrimental effects caused by the curtain and/or anchoring systems. A detailed methodology for silt curtain setup and management shall be provided by the Contractor for the Superintendent's approval, prior to commencement of dredging works. Once the contamination removal works are complete, the silt curtains will be removed:

 At least 12 hours after the conclusions of the contamination removal;

 During calm – moderate sea state conditions; and

 Once a significant decrease in sedimentation is visually observed. Once the contamination removal works are complete, the Contractor will provide the Superintendent in writing a summary of the works including locations and extent of sediment removal. Main dredging works will not commence until the Superintendent is satisfied with the contamination removal works. A flow chart of the approval mechanisms in place during the sediment sampling and contamination removal activities is provided on the following page.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 32 Environmental Management Plan Superintendent approves Contractor’s Contractor submits No staff to undertake alternative staff member sediment sampling, qualifications for based on qualifications Superintendent approval

Yes Superintendent Contractor refines and approves No resubmits sediment Contractor’s sampling plan to sediment sampling Superintendent for approval plan Yes Superintendent approves Contractor’s sediment sampling Contractor refines and No results and assessment of hot resubmits sediment spot locations, methodology of sampling results, silt curtain silt curtain set up and set up and temporary management, and temporary storage design to storage design Superintendent for approval

Yes Yes Superintendent submits Contamination removal sediment sampling commencement results to SEWPC for information Yes Superintendent No Contractor removes further approves Contractor’s contaminated material contamination removal

Yes Commencement of main dredging works

Once the contaminated sediments have been removed, it will be temporarily stored to allow the sediment to dry. The Contractor shall design and construct an impermeable containment facility to manage normal rainfall conditions with sufficient freeboard to manage a 10 year 24 hour ARI storm event, and to divert surface water runoff from entering the facility. The liner shall meet the requirements presented in the Department of Water’s Water Quality Protection Note 26 – Liners for containing pollutants using synthetic membranes. The Contractor shall establish a contingency plan to manage leachate in the event of an overflow. The Contractor shall submit a design of the temporary containment facility to the Superintendent for approval, prior to constructing the facility. If deemed necessary, appropriate signage will be in place to deter unauthorised access to the sediment during this drying period.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 33 Environmental Management Plan Once the material is sufficiently dry, it shall be treated to stabilise the material (such as via concrete stabilisation), using a methodology agreed to by the landfill operator and the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for acceptance of the waste. The material shall then be disposed of to the landfill at CKI if agreed with the landfill operator and DEC. If the CKI landfill cannot accept this material, the material may need to be transferred to another land-based facility such as Perth, Western Australia. Acid sulphate soils are soils that contain iron sulphides which, when exposed to atmospheric oxygen in the presence of water, from sulphuric acid. ASS generally forms in protected low energy environments such as barrier estuaries and coastal lakes, and commonly occurs in low-lying coastal lands such as Holocene marine muds and sands. Investigations at the project site indicate that the material to be dredged consists of an average of 79.8% sand (Appendix B). Taking these investigations into account, net acid generation is considered not be a likely possibility and hence acid sulphate soil and hydrocarbon analysis is not considered to be necessary. Actions

 The contamination hot spots are to be defined by the Contractor through further laboratory sampling as detailed above prior to removal by the Contractor’s suitably qualified staff (as approved by the Superintendent);

 During the removal of the hot spots, an anchored silt curtain will be placed surrounding the immediate works area within the dredge footprint;

 Signs will be erected along the shoreline where the plume is expected to reach. These signs will display a warning to the community members to reframe from any swimming or fishing;

 During local advertisement for the project, the local community will be notified of the swimming and fishing restrictions within the area;

 The Contractor will ensure the temporary storage of the sediment will be completely sealed at the base and sides, allowing only the top to be exposed to allow for evaporation. If deemed necessary, appropriate signage will be in place to deter unauthorised access to the sediment during the drying period; and

 During all works, including dredging, if suspected acid sulphate soils are unearthed, works shall cease and the Superintendent will be informed immediately. Performance Indicators

 All contaminated material is removed, contained and disposed of at an appropriately licensed landfill site; and

 No suspected ASS is disturbed during construction works. Corrective Actions

 If any suspected acid sulphate soils are uncovered during construction, work shall immediately cease until the confirmation of the presence of actual ASS is known. In the event that actual ASS is found, the Superintendent will inform SEWPC of the situation and proposed management of the situation.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 34 Environmental Management Plan 7.13 Dredge Monitoring and Management Plans

7.13.1 Objective Activities undertaken during construction do not impose long-term detrimental effects on the marine environment and water quality outside the dredge footprint.

7.13.2 Background Throughout the construction phase of this project some existing marine environments within the dredge footprint will be removed and those areas adjacent may be indirectly impacted through the release of a significant volume of particulate material into the water column. These marine environments include the surrounding benthic habitat, as well as the water and sediment quality in proximity to the project area. Typically, the main impacts associated with suspended material in the water column include the reduction of light available for photosynthesis and the potential smothering of benthic organisms. Habitat mapping and ground-truthing observations of the port area indicate that hard coral communities within, adjacent to and within the greater region are at most risk to long-term degradation and loss resulting from the proposed construction. As resilience and reaction to suspended sediments is highly species specific, long-term changes in species composition, morphology, metabolism, growth, reproductive output and recruitment can also be affected (reviewed by Rogers, 1990). However, given the short duration of the proposed program (approximately 3 weeks), such long-term ecosystems impacts are not anticipated to result from the proposed Home Island dredging program. To reduce the residual environmental impacts a dredge monitoring plan is described in Section 7.13.4 with a dredge manage plan outlined in Section 7.13.5.

7.13.3 Zones of Influence The spatial extent and concentration of the sediment plume that may be generated from these dredging works has been predicted through a coupled hydrodynamic-suspended sediment model that has been set up for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands region to simulate the proposed dredging campaign (Appendix C). Specifically, it is estimated that the sediment plume may extend approximately 2.5 km north-west and 1.3 km south from the location of greatest dredging activity (Figure 8). Utilising site-specific data obtained during the baseline marine ecological studies, three ‘Zones of Influence’ have been developed to estimate the location and scale of hard coral communities that may be indirectly impacted outside of the dredge footprint:

-1  Zone 1 – Area of No Detectable Effect – (1 – 3 mg L );

-1  Zone 2 – Area of Potential Effect – (3 – 5 mg L ); and

-1  Zone 3 – Area of Potential Impact – (>5 mg L ). The Area of No Detectable Effect (Zone 1) is defined here as the area with turbidity levels above background, but not considered to have a detectable effect on hard corals over the duration of the proposed dredge program. The Area of Potential Effect (Zone 2) is defined here as the area where elevated turbidity may result in disturbance to coral (e.g. change in coral colour), but significant and/or long-term coral mortality is unlikely to occur.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 35 Environmental Management Plan The Area of Potential Impact (Zone 3) is defined her as the area outside of the direct dredge footprint, but where turbidity levels are sufficiently elevated to cause some likelihood of coral mortality. The dredge plume simulations have estimated that approximately 182 ha within the Study Area may fall within the ‘Zone of Influence’ of which Zones 2 and 3 are comprised of 32 ha and 18 ha, respectively. When these zones are overlaid on the benthic habitat map, the Area of Potential Effect (Zone 2) on existing coral communities is reduced to approximately 7.4 ha and the Area of Potential Impact (Zone 3) is reduced to approximately 0.6 ha. All of the seagrass meadows observed within the Study Area fall within Zone 1, and as such, no detectable effects are anticipated to these existing assemblages. Note that sediment plume location and concentration predictions are based on model outputs and may differ from the actual plume characteristics depending on oceanographic and meteorological conditions during dredge operations. Construction methods must be suitable to complete the work to a satisfactory standard in a timely and cost-effective manner, while at the same time taking steps to assure that the risk of long-term degradation of the surrounding environment is minimised. Although construction methods will be left to the discretion of the Contractor, the Dredge Monitoring and Management Plan will be enforced irrespective of method selected in an effort to meet basic environmental criteria.

7.13.4 Dredge Monitoring Plan

Marine Ecological Monitoring The primary management aim and purpose of the monitoring plan is to protect critical marine habitats from unacceptable effects of construction activities. Given the relatively short duration and spatial scale of the dredging campaign compared to typical biological response times (i.e. weeks), the monitoring and management plan does not focus on reactive dredge management due to the relatively short duration of the proposed program. Instead, the objective here is to detect significant changes in benthic community composition in an effort to detect and respond to potential long-term changes and/or loss of key benthic habitat, water and sediment quality outside of the dredge footprint. Further, this plan aims to assure that the cessation of dredging is avoided unless it is critical to do so to meet the stipulated environmental goal. In this, the assessment takes two forms:

 Monitoring of potential stressors (turbidity / light attenuation / sedimentation) as an indication of natural and dredge-influenced environmental conditions; and

 Assessment of the ecosystem impacts (health / survival of coral, algae and seagrass / sediment and water quality).

Responsibility for Monitoring Performance of this environmental monitoring will be the responsibility of the Superintendent who will inform the Contractor of the results and any associated impact the works are having on the marine environment. The Contractor will adhere to any instructions given by the Superintendent as a result of this monitoring (including the cessation of dredging).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 36 Environmental Management Plan To assist in this monitoring effort, a marine scientist (employed by the Superintendent) will be present on site during the construction phase of the project to conduct the majority of the monitoring that is specified within this Dredge Monitoring Plan. The monitoring undertaken by someone other than the Marine Scientist shall include daily visual observations of the sediment plume. This includes observations of the source, size, and direction of flow and persistence of the plume while dredging occurs from an appropriate location along the Home Island wharf (at least 3 hours after dredging has commenced). In addition, an ongoing lookout for marine turtles, and/or other sensitive marine megafauna will be maintained. Photographs may be taken when deemed necessary for contextual information in relation to the monitoring sites.

Timing of Monitoring The dredging campaign is estimated to be completed within three weeks. Given the relatively short duration of the proposed program, a simple BACI1 design is proposed, with a second post-dredging assessment proposed to detect potential lag-effects. The three surveys are to be performed:

 Within 3 weeks prior to the commencement of dredging;

 Within 3 weeks following the completion of dredging; and

 Three months following the completion of dredging. Should the duration dredging campaign extend beyond that initially proposed (e.g. mechanical issues, environmental constraints etc.) and/or if deemed necessary during construction, additional surveys may be performed on a monthly basis.

Selected Indicators & Measures Similar to that of the baseline studies, marine monitoring surveys will involve quantitative assessment estimates of the benthic community composition as the percentage cover across the Study Area. Sediment ‘grab’ samples will be collected to ascertain changes in physical and chemical properties to assess the potential dispersal of any contaminants. Water quality will be monitored through collection of grab samples. Lastly, the deployment of continuously recording in situ light logging instruments and collection of multi-parameter probe profiles will be undertaken.

Benthic Habitat – Community Composition Sixteen monitoring sites across the Study Area will be assessed for percentage cover of benthic organism including hard coral, algae and seagrass. Specifically, at each site x2 (25 m) transects will be positioned by experienced marine scientists on SCUBA end to end, perpendicular to each other (i.e. forming an “L” shape) along the substrate. Digital photography will be captured by divers swimming approximately 50 cm above each tape. Twenty-five images will be randomly selected from each transect for percent cover analysis using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe) software package developed by the US National Institute, Daina Beach, Florida (Kohler and Gill, 2006). Similar to the analysis performed in the baseline studies (Appendix B), each image will be interrogated with x25 points distributed in a stratified random design and basic statistical interrogation performed using Microsoft Excel (2007).

1 A BACI design is intended to detect change by making comparisons before and after the proposed effect/treatment at ‘control’ (or reference) sites relative to impact sites (BACI = Before After Control Impact).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 37 Environmental Management Plan Sediment Quality Sediment ‘grab’ samples shall be collected at six of the sixteen benthic assessment locations for additional study. The locations of the sites selected for this analysis shall be based on their position are located to the north, south and west at increasing distances from the Project Area. In accordance with the baseline ecological studies, unconsolidated sediments shall be collected from the surface with a 12 cm (internal diameter) polycarbonate core to a depth of <30 cm (pending core refusal or maximum core length). Three core samples will be taken at each station, homogenised and split into the relevant containers for analysis. Samples will be placed into a chilled cool-box and refrigerated prior to shipping for laboratory analysis. Sediment samples analysis shall include testing for:

 Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons – Super Ultra Trace;

 Trace Metals – Ag, Cd, Sb, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni, As;

 Mercury – Total – Low Level;

 BTEX – Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Meta- & Para-Xylene, Ortho-Xylene; and

 TPH – (C6 – C36). Given that Tributyltin (TBT) was detected within the Project Area during baseline assessment (refer Appendix B, Section 3.3), continued sampling and analysis for this compound will be continued within the monitoring program. In addition, sediments shall be collected to assess the percentage composition of total organic carbon (TOC) and particle grain size distribution (plus hydrometer) as this information may assist in the assessment of potential effects of dredging activities through examining changes in the character of benthic sediments relative to any observed changes in the local ecology.

Water Quality Similar to that of the sediment quality monitoring, marine water quality will follow the methodology adopted during the baseline sampling program. Specifically, sampling shall be performed at each of the x16 percent cover assessment locations using a Hydrolab Quanta, multi-parameter sonde (Hatch Environmental, Loveland Colorado, USA) or similar. Parameters for these profiles measurements will include:

 Temperature;  Salinity (psu);  pH;  Dissolved oxygen (%saturation);  Oxidation reduction potential (mV); and  Turbidity (NTU). In addition, marine water ‘grab’ samples for chemical analysis shall be collected from same x6 locations selected for sediment quality. These samples will be collected using a 2.2-litre Alpha 1120-G45 acrylic, Van Dorn style, horizontal water sampler (WildCo, Yulee Florida, USA) or similar. Following collection, these samples will be placed into a chilled cool-box and refrigerated prior to shipping for laboratory analysis. Laboratory analysis testing shall include:

 Chlorophyll-Į;  Total Suspended Solids & Turbidity;  Total Recoverable Metals – Al, Sb, Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn’

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 38 Environmental Management Plan  Mercury – Total – Low Level’  Tributyltin (TBT) – Seawater’  TPH – (C6 – C36); and  Particle Size Distribution – Seawater. In addition to the above spot sampling, an Odyssey photosynthetic irradiance recording system (Dataflow Systems Pty Ltd, Christchurch, New Zealand) or similar will be deployed at x6 sites to measure the net irradiance of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR; µE m-2 s-1). To assist in determining the effect of light attenuation though the water column at a given time, it is important to assess the surface irradiance over that same period. As such, an Odyssey logger or similar will also be deployed, in-air, at the existing Home Island port weather station. These instruments will be programmed to commence data recording at a sampling interval of 5 minutes and shall be downloaded, cleaned and redeployed during each monitoring survey.

Locations for Monitoring Monitoring shall be performed at the same locations as per the marine ecology baseline studies wherein x15 locations were assessed for percentage benthic cover and additional water and sediment quality parameters assessed at x5 of these locations. For this program, however, an additional location (Site 16) is to be positioned within the seagrass beds located along the southern coast of Home Island and include all assessment measures including Odyssey logger deployment (Figure 8). Due to the close proximity of Site 1 to the proposed dredge footprint, the sediment and water measurements (including Odyssey deployment) will be moved from Site 1 to Site 9 (where previously only percent cover analysis was performed). Site selection has been based on distance from dredging operations in effort to detect changes that result from differences in exposure to the different ‘Zones of Influence’. The selection of the x6 sites for the additional sediment and water quality measurements, and Odyssey light logger deployment are:

 Site 2 – Located within Zone 3 is a site of Potential Impact;

 Site 3 and Site 4 – Located within Zone 2 are sites of Potential Effect;

 Site 4 and Site 16 – Fall within Zone 3 and represent areas of Potential Influence but no detectable effect;

 Site 5 and Site 9 are outside of the predicted sediment plume and will therefore be utilised as ‘reference’ locations.

Coral Spawning Methodology Anecdotal evidence suggests coral spawning generally occurs at CKI during January or February and is concluded by the end of March (Oceanica, 2009). To determine if hard coral communities within the vicinity of Home Island are likely to spawn during dredging and construction activities, daily observations of the plume and hydrographical conditions will include observations for coral spawn slicks. As mass- spawning on Western Australian reefs reportedly occur around six to ten nights after the full moon (in March and/or April) (Simpson, 1985 and Babcock et al., 1994 in: Stoddart and Gilmour, 2005), the lunar cycle shall also be recorded and targeted snorkel dives undertaken up to and at these critical times to observe if spawning is occurring (Table 5).

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 39 Environmental Management Plan Table 5 Predicted coral spawning and observation periods for 2011

Full Moon Potential Spawning Observations Period (2011)

January 20 January 26 – 30 January 24 – February 1

February 18 February 24 – 28 February 22 – March 2

March 20 March 26 – 30 March 24 – April 1

April 18 April 24 – 28 April 22 – 30

May 17 May 23 – 27 May 21 – 29

June 16 June 22 - 26 June 20 - 28

Given that the dredging and construction activities are proposed to occur within the anticipated coral spawning season, it is likely that any management action will be required. In the event coral spawning is observed in close proximity to the Project Area, dredging and reclamation decant outlet flow will be halted for a period of 12 days, commencing two days prior to the predicted event, based on field monitoring of corals.

7.13.5 Dredge Management Plan

Triggers for Management Action In keeping with the ANZECC & ARMCANZ (2000) National Guidelines, determination of appropriate alert values requires ecosystem-specific investigation. As such, light measured as Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) by the Odyssey logging instruments or similar, has been selected as the primary measure to base the possible implementation of management action during dredging. It is not possible to predict with certainty the combination of conditions under which unacceptable change may occur. The nature of the stressor (i.e. suspended sediment concentration), the duration of the stress (i.e. length of dredge program), and other unknown compounding factors (e.g. temperature, dissolved oxygen levels) can all contribute to the level of effect. However, as described in Section 4.2 of Appendix B, light data measured during the baseline assessment across the five monitoring sites indicated that coral communities at Site 5 (outside zone of influence) received the lowest percentage of surface irradiance with a median of 27%, while Sites 1 to 4 (within zone of influence) existed in a higher light environment ranging from 35% - 52%. It is not known at what percentage light reduction or what duration of light reduction the existing corals in this area would start to suffer adverse effects. As the lowest percentage of observed irradiance was 30% for the presence of healthy coral cover, a median value of 27% from Site 5 is suggested as a conservative benchmark to alert management to potential impacts to corals. In addition, turbidity will be measured with the Hydrolab sonde at intervals between the surface and the sea floor to obtain an average for each site. This will be undertaken at each of the x16 locations (weather permitting) during potential plume creating activities including dredging, breakwater removal and reclamation. Information from this exercise will assist in determining if dredging and other construction related activities were relevant to the apparent reduction in light.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 40 Environmental Management Plan As described above, impacts to coral and other benthic communities are considered unlikely within Zones 1 and 2. To reduce this risk, responsive management action relative to construction works shall be based on the water quality observations made within these zones, at those sites with Odyssey light loggers deployed. Specifically, this includes Sites 3, 4, 5, 9, and 16 (Figure 8). Should turbidity levels exceed those values provided in (Table 6) for more than 1 day, then those mitigation measures described in the section below shall be considered to reduce turbidity. Should these values be exceeded for 3 consecutive days, then the Odyssey light loggers shall be recovered and the data examined. If the median daytime PAR is observed to be less than 27% of the surface irradiance over this three day period, then those mitigation measures described in the section below shall be implemented as necessary. Water quality measures at Site 2 are not included as part of this management strategy due to the close proximity to dredging works and likelihood that proposed trigger levels may be regularly exceeded (i.e. Zone 3 - Area of Potential Impact). Benthic community composition, sediment and water quality monitoring, however, will still be undertaken at this location to determine what impacts, if any, are sustained relative to dredging and construction works. The Contractor shall be provided with the results of water quality observations from across all monitoring locations on a daily basis to assist in planning and ongoing operations.

Table 6 Turbidity trigger levels across varying sea state conditions (Koskela et al, 2002)

Sea State Turbidity trigger level (NTU)

Calm 6

Slight 15

Moderate 30

Rough 60

Very Rough 120

Results from the marine ecological monitoring, water quality and sediment quality will be utilised by the Superintendent and Contractor to aid with the choice of management and mitigation measures if deemed necessary.

Management and Mitigation Measures While the main dredging works are expected to generate the most significant plume, other activities are also expected to cause some disturbance to the local marine waters. These activities include

 Removal of the southern breakwater section;

 Removal of contaminated sediments; and

 Return of decant water from the land reclamation. Although these works are not expected to generate plumes to the extent of the main dredging works, monitoring will be undertaken as detailed above as a precautionary measure. Hence the management and mitigation measures that are detailed below will be implemented in the event of exceedance of the turbidity trigger levels for all four activities, which would be implemented as soon as practicably possible.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 41 Environmental Management Plan If the turbidity trigger levels are exceeded during dredging, the removal of contaminated sediment, the removal of the southern breakwater section or plumes generated by the reclamation decant waters, then the Superintendent will notify the Contractor as soon as possible, within 6 hours of receiving the knowledge. The Contractor will then implement any number of the following measures to reduce the impact of the plume, as approved by the Superintendent:

 Move the dredge to an alternative dredging location.

 Deployment of silt curtains around the works area.

 Adjust the method of dredging (i.e. slow cutting rate).

 Stop activity that is creating plume (e.g. stop dredge, stop decant).

 Place a second silt curtain around the reclamation decant outfall. The number and type of measures will depend upon various factors, including the state of the natural surrounding environment, the location of the trigger and the works undertaken at the time of the exceedance. The process followed in the event a turbidity or light threshold is breached is displayed below:

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 42 Environmental Management Plan Construction works continue Superintendent informs No Contractor Superintendent informs Turbidity as monitored by Yes Contractor. Contractor the Superintendent implements measure(s) as breaches trigger levels? necessary. Yes Turbidity as monitored by No the Superintendent breaches trigger levels for three consecutive days? Yes Superintendent downloads data from light loggers

Superintendent informs No Light levels breach Yes SEWPC of breach of trigger levels? trigger levels and continues to update Yes SEWPC until turbidity returns within threshold Superintendent informs Contractor. Contractor implements additional measure(s) as necessary No and approved by Superintendent

Turbidity levels breach trigger levels after 3 No Management/mitigation hours? measures are left in place for up to 48 hours and are Yes not removed without the Superintendent’s approval Superintendent informs Contractor. Contractor ceases plume creating activity.

Note: Any management/mitigation measures implemented by the Contractor will be in place for up to 48 hours and will not be removed until approval is given by the Superintendent. This process is expected to have a duration of less than 48 hours, i.e. the plume creating activity will cease within 48 hours of the first turbidity exceedance.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 43 Environmental Management Plan 7.13.6 Reporting Throughout the duration of this Dredge Monitoring and Management Plan, the Superintendent shall submit two reports to SEWPC outlining the major findings and dredge management measures implemented. One report shall be submitted within four weeks of the conclusion of major dredging works and a final report shall be submitted within six months of construction completion. During the major dredging works, if the turbidity and light thresholds (as described above) are exceeded for three consecutive days, SEWPC will be notified of this occurrence and associated management/mitigation measures to be put in place, as soon as is practicable.

7.13.7 Maintenance Dredging Siltation and coral growth within the existing port approach channel, in front of the slipway and along the existing Home Island wharf are currently prohibiting safe vessel movements and safe access to the Home Island port facilities and are the primary reason for the proposed dredging campaign. Currently, there is no data on siltation rates and/or rates of coral accretion available, however, it is likely that without regular maintenance these areas will again naturally fill with silt and coral over time and ultimately inhibit safe and efficient use of the port facilities. In an effort to reduce this risk to port operations and function, a regular maintenance dredging program shall be undertaken once every five years or as may be required under the discretion of the Port Manager. Prior to the commencement of such works, however, notification of intent to undertake maintenance dredging shall be provided to SEWPC, in writing, for review and approval. This information shall detail the proposed dredging campaign including the proposed:

 Dredge plant to be utilised;

 Location of dredging;

 Anticipated volume of dredging;

 Schedule and timing of dredging;

 Potential environmental risks identified to undertake the proposed works; and

 Mitigation and management measures proposed to reduce potentially adverse impacts to the environment Upon the completion of maintenance dredging operations, a report shall be provided to SEWPC detailing the dredging works completed, mitigation and management measures employed and the results of any environmental assessments and/or monitoring programs implemented.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 44 Environmental Management Plan 8. Reporting and Response

8.1 Reporting As detailed within this EMP, a number of reporting requirements exist internally between the Superintendent and the Contractor, as well as external reporting to other authorities such as SEWPC. Reporting to external authorities will consist of details from both the Contractor and Superintendent, however, all documentation will be finalised and submitted by the Superintendent.

8.2 Environmental Incidents Significant environmental incidents shall be promptly reported and investigated, enabling prompt and effective correction actions to be implemented. Significant environmental incidents are defined as those that cause or have the potential to cause environmental harm. Details of all incidents shall be entered into a register/report form to facilitate the overall tracking of trends. In the event of an environmental incident, the Contractor shall respond appropriately and investigation of causes to manage the incident. Details of the incident shall be collected promptly from the scene and documented to limit the potential for evidence to be lost or forgotten. Incidents shall be discussed during the regular toolbox meetings on site as required. Upon review of incident trends, work practises will be improved where required. The Contractor will complete an incident report and forward to the Superintendent within 10 hours of its occurrence. The Superintendent shall forward a copy of this report to SEWPC within 24 hours of the incident occurring. If it is not practicable to complete an incident report within this timeframe due to the nature of the incident, the Contractor will notify the Superintendent of the incident occurrence within 10 hours of the incident occurring and submit an incident report as promptly as possible (within 4 days of the incident occurrence). The Superintendent will notify SEWPC of the incidence occurrence within 24 hours, and will forward a copy of the incident report within 5 days of the incident occurring. The Superintendent will inform the appropriate authorities of an incident as required. These authorities will differ depending on the type of environmental incident and may include the SCKI and the Port Manager. During operation, the Port Manager will inform SEWPC of any environmental incidents relating to the slipway.

8.3 Complaint Handling During construction, any complaints will be entered into a Complaints Register for the purposes of documentation and to identify any patterns. The Contractor is responsible for managing and investigating the complaints. Where appropriate the Contractor will liaise directly with the public to rectify the issue. Where practicable the Contractor will alter construction procedures to rectify complaints.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 45 Environmental Management Plan 8.4 Auditing An independent environmental audit of compliance with the particular manner requirements will be conducted and a report submitted to SEWPC within 3 months of the completion of construction. The auditors report will include an audit of the proposal against the particular manner components issued by SEWPC and this Environmental Management Plan which was submitted as part of the referral of this action (EPBC 2010/5511). The timing of this audit will occur during the final stages of the construction phase to ensure all required personnel, from both the Contractor and Superintendent parties, are present. The auditor will complete and attach an Auditor Declaration of Independence, to the report.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 46 Environmental Management Plan 9. References

Babcock, R.C., Wills, B.L. and Simpson, C.J., 1994. Mass spawning of corals on a high latitude coral reef. Coral Reefs, 13: 161-169. Bunce, P 1988, The Cocos (Keeling) Islands – Australian Atolls in the Indian Ocean. John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd, Milton Queensland. Department for Planning and Infrastructure 2007, Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands Local Planning Scheme No 1 District Zoning Scheme. Government of Australia 1999. Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, DEWHA. DEC 2010, Contaminated Sites Management Series, Assessment Levels for Soil, Sediment and Water Version 4, State Government of Western Australia. DEWHA 2007, List of Marine Species, Commonwealth Government of Australia. DEWHA 2009a, Species Profile and Threats Database – Pterodroma arminjoniana s. str. – Round Island Petrel, Trinidale Petrel, Government of Australia. Accessed 5 March 2010 from: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?showprofile=Y&taxon_id=76160 DEWHA 2009b National Assessment Guidelines for Dredging, Government of Australia. GHD 2008 Rumah Baru – Freight and Passenger Facilities, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Environmental Management Plan, unpublished report for the Attorney-General’s Deparment. GHD 2010 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Technical Specification, for the Attorney- General’s Department. Henderson, G 2007, Unfinished Voyages Western Australian Shipwrecks 1622 – 1850, (2nd. ed), University of Western Australian Press. Johnstone, R E & Storr, G M 1998, Handbook of Western Australian Birds Volume I – Non-Passerines (Emu to Dollarbird), Western Australian Museum. Kohler, K.E. and S.M. Gill, 2006. Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe): A Visual Basic program for the determination of coral and substrate coverage using random point count methodology. Computers and Geosciences, Vol. 32, No. 9, pp. 1259-1269, DOI:10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009 Koskela, R.W., Ringeltaube, P., Small, A., Koskela, T.V., Fraser, A.F., Lee, J.D. and Marshall, P., 2002. Using predictive monitoring to mitigate construction impacts in sensitive marine environments. Recent Advances in Marine Science and Technology. Oceanica 2009 Rumah Baru Freight and Passenger Facilities, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Construction Environmental Management Plan, unpublished report for Wylie & Skene Pty Ltd. Reid, J. R. W. and B. M. Hill 2005, Recent Surveys of the Cocos Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis andrewsi, Report to the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage. Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Australian National University, Canberra.

Rogers, C.S. 1990. Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 62:185-202.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 47 Environmental Management Plan SEWPC 2010a EPBC Act Protected Matters Search Tool, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Commonwealth Government of Australia. SEWPC 2010b Australian Heritage Database, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Commonwealth Government of Australia. SEWPC 2010c National Shipwrecks Database, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Commonwealth Government of Australia. Simpson, C.J., 1985. Mass-spawning of scleractinian corals in the Dampier Archipelago and the implications for management of coral reefs in Western Australia. Department of Conservation & Environment, Bulletin 244. Perth, Western Australia. Stoddart, J. and Gilmour, J., 2005. Patterns of reproduction of in-shore corals of the Dampier Harbour, Western Australia, and comparisons with other reefs. Corals of Dampier Harbour: Their survival and Reproduction during the Dredging Programmes of 2004. Unpublished report to Dampier Port Authority and Pilbara Iron. Stokes, T, Sheils, W and Dunn, K 1984, Birds of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean. Emu 84, 23- 28. Stokes T. (1994) ‘An Update on Birds of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands’. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. Whiting S D 1999, Initial Baseline Data and Proposed Preliminary Monitoring Program for Sea Turtles at Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Biomarine International. Whiting S D 2000, Sea Turtle Study – Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Year 2 of Study, Biomarine International. Whiting S D 2002, Sea Turtle Study – Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Year 3 of Study, Biomarine International. Whiting S D 2003, Sea Turtle Study – Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Year 4 of Study, Biomarine International. Whiting S D 2006, The Sea Turtle Resources of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean Year 6: 2005, Biomarine International. Whiting S D 2006, The Sea Turtle Resources of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean: Year 7 2006, Biomarine International.

61/23317/95769 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Home Island Slipway Redevelopment 48 Environmental Management Plan