Regional State of the Environment Report for the Councils of Greater Western Region of NSW Regional State of the Environment Report
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Regional State of the Environment Report for the Councils of Greater Western Region of NSW Western Report for the Councils of Greater Regional State of the Environment Regional State of the Environment Report 2008–2009 Comprehensive Report BOURKE Bourke C a s Macqaurie t le r Marshes e a g 2008–2009 Comprehensive Report 2008–2009 Comprehensive COONAMBLE h Coonamble R i v e r CENTRAL Coonabarabran WARREN M a c q GILGANDRA u a r ie Nyngan WEST R BOGAN iv WARRUMBUNGLE Warren er Gilgandra Bo DUBBO gan CATCHMENT Ri ver Narromine Dubbo ver g Ri on NARROMINE g e MID-WESTERN g d u C REGIONAL Wellington Lake Mudgee Burrendong WELLINGTON Condobolin Molong BATHURST LACHLAN ORANGE CABONNE REGIONAL Orange Bathurst Blayney BLAYNEY COWRA Oberon Cowra Printed on recycled paper For the Councils OBERON of the Greater Central West Region of NSW: Bathurst, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Cabonne, Coonamble, Cowra, Dubbo, Gilgandra, catchment Lachlan, Mid-Western, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Warren, Warrumbungle, Wellington management authority Regional State of the Environment Report Acknowledgements The preparation of the Regional State of the Environment Report 2008-09 was funded by the Central West Catchment Management with contribu- tions from the 17 participating local Councils. It should be noted that this is a Comprehensive SoE report and shows trends, where possible, in relation to the data from the Supplementary report first produced in 2007-08 for the region. It should also be noted that catchment there were two new Councils (Bogan and Cowra) management authority participating in the 2008-09 reporting process. Brewarrina and Weddin Councils, which participated in 2007-08, did not do so in 2008-09. Prepared for: The 17 participating Councils and the Central West Catchment Management Authority 30 Warne Street, Wellington, NSW PO Box 227, Wellington, NSW, 2820 Tel: 02 6840 7800 Fax; 02 6840 7801 www.cw.cma.nsw.gov.au Prepared by: Molino Stewart Pty Ltd Phone: (02) 9354 0300 www.molinostewart.com.au Design: Wild Red Frog Design Phone: (02) 9975 3305 © Central West Catchment Management Authority and the Councils of Bathurst, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Cabonne, Coonamble, Cowra, Dubbo, Gilgandra, Lachlan, Mid-Western, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Warren, Warrumbungle and Wellington. All intellectual property and copyright reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this report may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system or adapted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to one of the Councils listed above or the Central West Catchment Management Authority. 2008-2009 Comprehensive Report 1 Regional State of the Environment Report Contents Abbreviations MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR 4 ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics AGO Australian Greenhouse Office INTRODUCTION 6 AHIMS Aboriginal Heritage Information Management System Why a Regional SoE Report? 7 ANZECC Australian and New Zealand Conservation Council Who is involved in the Regional SoE Report? 8 BASIX Building Sustainability Index What are Catchment Management Authorities? 9 BOD Bathurst Orange Dubbo Alliance The CMAs and the Councils at a glance 11 BOM Bureau of Meteorology This report 12 CAP Catchment Action Plan Centroc Central West Regional Organisation of Councils LAND 14 CMA Catchment Management Authority Issue – Land degradation 14 CPRS Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation AIR 20 DECCW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water Issue – Air pollution 20 DIPNR Department of Planning and Natural Resources (former) EC Electrical Conductivity WATER 26 EEC Endangered Ecological Community Issue – Water quantity 27 EPA Environmental Protection Authority Issue – Water quality 34 ETS Emissions Trading Scheme GHG Greenhouse Gas BIODIVERSITY 42 GM Genetically Modified Issue – Habitat loss 42 GPT Gross Pollutant Trap Issue – Threatened species 50 ha Hectares Issue – Invasive species 53 INFFER Investment Framework For Environment Resources km2 Square kilometres HUMAN SETTLEMENT 56 LBL Load Based Licensing Issue – Population and settlement patterns 56 LEP Local Environment Plan Issue – Management of Aboriginal heritage 61 LGA Local Government Area Issue – Management of non-Aboriginal heritage 64 LHPA Livestock Health and Pest Authorities Issue – Noise pollution 67 ML Megalitres NAP National Action Plan WASTE 70 NGERS National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System Issue – Waste generation and pollution 70 NRM Natural Resource Management Issue – Waste treatment and disposal 74 NSW New South Wales PAS Priorities Action Statement TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY 80 PoEO Protection of the Environment Operations Issue – Sustainable practices 81 PVP Property Vegetation Plan Issue – Climate change 84 REC Roadside Environment Committee Regional SoE Regional State of the Environment REFERENCES 90 RTA Roads and Traffic Authority RVMP Roadside Vegetation Management Plan APPENDIX – DATA CONTRIBUTED BY COUNCILS 92 SoE State of the Environment STP Sewage Treatment Plant WTP Water Treatment Plant 2 2008-2009 Comprehensive Report 2008-2009 Comprehensive Report 3 Regional State of the Environment Report Message from the Chair uilding on the success of last year’s Supplementary Regional State of the Environment (SoE) Report, the Central West Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is again pleased Bto support the Councils of the Greater Central West Region in the preparation of the 2008-09 Comprehensive Regional SoE Report, presented here. The Regional SoE Report is an opportunity to detail the work undertaken by the Councils to care for their local environment and, in so doing, support the targets outlined in the Central West CMA’s Catchment Action Plan, as we all move towards vibrant communities and healthy landscapes. This year’s Regional SoE Report is seen as something of a transition document, as changes are being made by the Department of Local Government to Councils’ planning and reporting structure, including the State of the Environment Report. Consequently, the region’s Councils have taken the opportunity in this SoE to identify environmental issues that are likely to affect their communities into the future. ABOVE Tom Gavel, Sustainability and responsible environmental management are two clear objectives across the Chairman, Central West region and the main themes emerging from the Councils’ environmental objectives include: Catchment Management • Providing and promoting environmental leadership Authority • Protecting the environment, biodiversity and habitats • Considering future generations in decision making, planning and resource use • Sustainable practices within the community and within the council • Supporting environmental, economic and cultural values • Contributing to larger regional, national and worldwide environmental issues, resources of each Local Government Area through the planning reform process now underway. ABOVE Cattle at sunset as well as local ones This process requires Councils to review their Land Use planning and Local Environment Plans, from Central West CMA • Preparing for, and ameliorating, the impacts wrought by changes to climate. and creates an opportunity to recognise and put in place a greater level of environmental photograph competition protection. More specific objectives include: Working on a regional basis to identify and address issues in this way allows the Councils • Adopt and enforce strategies to maintain air quality to take a proactive approach, which the Central West CMA commends and will continue to • Restore riparian corridors support through the Local Government Reference Group and the Salinity & Water Quality • Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Alliance. These groups continue to successfully develop the capacity of Local Government and their In addition there is great emphasis on building partnerships between the community and the communities to undertake natural resource and water management activities, both on-ground Councils to achieve these objectives. and through the development of policy and the provision of training. In recognition of this, the Currently the Central West CMA and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Salinity & Water Quality Alliance and Central West CMA were recently presented with a Merit Water are providing information to the Councils which will help identify and protect the natural Award for Excellence in Stormwater Education by the NSW Stormwater Industry Association. The environmental achievements detailed within this document once again show the tremendous effort being made by the regional Councils to care for their natural resources. The Central West CMA is proud to partner the Councils in caring for our catchments. Tom Gavel Chairman Central West Catchment Management Authority Robert Gledhill Rory Treweeke RIGHT Bald Hill Reserve Chairman Chairman near Dubbo Lachlan Catchment Management Authority Western Catchment Management Authority 4 2008-2009 Comprehensive Report 2008-2009 Comprehensive Report 5 Water Regional State of the Environment Report Introduction State of the Environment (SoE) Report is an important management tool which aims As part of the Framework, Councils will to provide the community and Council with information on the condition of the develop environmental objectives with their communities in relation