Legislation Update: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Act 2012

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Act 2012 has come into force in the Federal parliament. The Act amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to establish an Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development as a statutory authority to provide federal, state and territory governments with scientific advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which may have significant impacts on water resources.

Independent MP Tony Windsor said in his media release that "we need a better understanding of the interconnectivity of our groundwater aquifers and the cumulative effect across a catchment, not just the immediate area, if exploration and mining is contemplated. The passage of this Bill provides the necessary mechanism to protect valuable agricultural land and other environmentally sensitive areas from being damaged possibly irreparably...this bill creates the funding stream of $150 million dollars that through committee oversight will be delivered into our catchments to build a process of bioregional cumulative impact and risk assessment at catchment scale." 

Under the new legislation, the IESC would consist of at least five, but not more than eight members. Members of the IESC are to be appointed by the minister on a part-time basis. The minister must also appoint one member of the IESC to be the Chair. The members will have scientific qualifications in areas including but not limtied to ecology, geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, natural resource management, and health. The IESC's role will be advisory only, with no responsibility for issuing approvals for projects or recommending whether a project should or should not be approved.

Minister for Sustainability Tony Burke said that "the committee's work will be supported by a national partnership agreement with relevant state and territory governments that will require them to seek and take account of the committee's advice when considering approvals for coal seam gas and large coal mining developments."

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