Matters of NATIONAL Environmental Significance
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AIRPOrt AND SURROUNds MATTERS OF NATIONAL EnVIROnmENTAL E2 SIGniFICANCE CONTENTS 1.6 Mitigation measures ......................................................433 1.7 Impact assessment summary ....................................435 Introduction to this Chapter ......................................................409 1.8 Conclusion .........................................................................435 SECTION 1: TERRESTRIAL FLORA SECTION 2: TERRESTRIAL FAUNA 1.1 Methodology and assumptions .................................. 410 2.1 Introduction .......................................................................436 1.1.1 Information and data collection ..........................410 2.2 Nomenclature and terminology ..................................436 1.1.1.1 Desktop studies .........................................410 1.1.1.2 Field surveys ................................................410 2.3 Methodology and assumptions ..................................436 1.1.1.3 Main survey ..................................................410 2.3.1 Desktop assessment and background sources ...............................................436 1.1.1.4 Supplementary spring surveys ...........413 2.3.2 Field survey overview ..............................................439 1.1.1.5 Vegetation mapping .................................413 2.3.3 Baseline terrestrial vertebrate survey ...............439 1.1.1.6 Assumptions and technical limitations ..................................413 2.3.3.1 Site selection (stratification) .................439 2.3.3.2 Samping methods ...................................439 1.2 Policy context and legislative framework ............... 413 2.3.3.3 Evaluation of likelihood ..........................442 1.2.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) ................................413 2.3.4 Acid frog surveys ......................................................442 1.2.2 EPBC Act Environmental Offsets Policy .........414 2.3.5 Water Mouse surveys .............................................444 2.3.6 Survey conditions, assumptions 1.3 Existing conditions ......................................................... 414 and limitations ...........................................................444 1.3.1 Landscape context ...................................................414 2.3.6.1 Survey conditions .....................................444 1.3.2 Matters of national 2.3.6.2 Limitations and assumptions ..............445 environmental significance ....................................416 1.3.2.1 Threatened ecological 2.4 Policy context and legislative framework ...............447 communities ................................................416 2.4.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity 1.3.2.2 Threatened flora species .......................416 Conservation Act 1999 ..........................................447 1.3.3 Mount Emu She-oak ..............................................422 2.5 Existing conditions and values ...................................447 1.3.4 Declared pest plants ...............................................425 2.5.1 Desktop review ..........................................................447 1.4 Description of significance criteria ...........................425 2.5.2 Terrestrial fauna habitats and communities ..448 2.5.2.1 Habitats and fauna diversity ................448 1.5 Impact assessment ........................................................425 2.5.3 Exotic pest species ..................................................455 1.5.1 Mitigation inherent in design ...............................425 1.5.2 Matters of national 2.6 Wallum sedgrefrog .........................................................456 environmental significance ...................................427 2.6.1 Existing species knowledge .................................456 1.5.3 Indirect impacts .........................................................427 2.6.2 Extent of occurrence...............................................458 2.5.3.1 Fragmentation and edge effects .......427 2.6.2.1 Regional and local context ..................458 2.6.2.2 Mapped essential habitat .....................458 E2-406 SUNSHINE COAST AIRPORT EXPANSION PROJECT 2.6.2.3 Occurence within the study area ......458 2.15.6 Weed invasion ...........................................................486 2.6.3 Breeding (recruitment 2011/12) ...........................459 2.15.7 Altered water hydrology and auality.................488 2.6.4 Relative abundance .................................................459 2.16 Grey-headed Flying-fox ................................................488 2.6.5 Potential movement/dispersal ............................464 2.16.1 Direct loss of foraging habitat ............................488 2.6.6 Importance of SCA Wallum Sedgefrog 2.16.2 Altered water hydrology and quality ................488 population ...................................................................464 2.16.3 Plane strike .................................................................489 2.7 Grey-headed flying fox ..................................................464 2.17 Water Mouse ....................................................................489 2.7.1 Existing species knowledge .................................464 2.7.2 Extent of occurence and regional context ....464 2.18 Other EVNT species .......................................................489 2.7.3 Potential movement ................................................464 2.19 EPBC Act migratory species ......................................491 2.8 Water mouse ....................................................................466 2.20 Additional mitigation measures and 2.8.1 Existing species knowledge .................................466 residual impacts ..............................................................492 2.8.2 Extent of occurrence and regional context ...469 2.20.1 Acid Frog impact mitigation ...............................492 2.8.3 Potential movement and dispersal along 2.20.2 Grey-headed Flying-fox impact mitigation ....495 the Maroochy River .................................................469 2.20.3 Reducing hydrologic impacts .............................495 2.9 Eastern curlew ................................................................. 471 2.20.4 Maintaining connectivity to southern Mt Coolum National Park .....................................495 2.10 Koala .................................................................................472 2.20.5 Management of heathland habitats 2.11 Migratory species ...........................................................472 (including the WHMA) ............................................498 2.11.1 Migratory shorebirds...............................................472 2.20.6 Reducing light spill ..................................................499 2.11.2 Terrestrial migratory birds ..................................... 474 2.20.7 Environmental management plan .....................500 2.11.3 Non-tidal wetland migratory birds .................... 474 2.21 Significance assessment ............................................500 2.11.4 Other migratory birds ............................................. 474 2.21.1 Assessment against Federal Impact guidelines .....................................................500 2.12 Approach to impact assessment ..............................474 2.21.2 Migratory bird populations ...................................500 2.12.1 Impact likelihood ......................................................477 2.21.2 Assessment agains recovery plans ..................500 2.12.2 Impact magnitude ....................................................477 2.21.4 Impact assessment summary .............................500 2.12.3 Impact significance ..................................................477 2.12.4 Residual risk ...............................................................477 SECTION 3: MARINE ECOLOGY – AIRPORT AND SURROUNDS 2.13 Impact assessment, mitigation and residual risks ....................................................................477 3.1 Introduction .......................................................................508 2.13.1 Inherent mitigation ...................................................477 3.1.1 Methodology and assumptions .........................508 2.13.2 Infrastructure modifications .................................477 3.1.1.1 Methodology ...............................................508 2.14 Potential impacts ............................................................479 3.2 Legislative framework ................................................... 510 2.14.1 Water quality ..............................................................479 3.3 Marine species of conservation significance ........ 510 2.14.2 Altered hydrologic conditions .............................479 3.3.1 Marine fish ...................................................................510 2.14.3 Weed invasion ...........................................................479 3.3.2 Marine mammals ......................................................511 2.14.4 Invasive fauna species ...........................................479 3.3.3 Marine reptiles ............................................................512 2.14.5 Light pollution ............................................................480 3.3.4 Sea birds .......................................................................514 2.14.6 Increased noise .........................................................482