Archived News for Green Sector Professionals - January, 2012
The Queensland Government has announced a $28 million waste infrastructure grants program aimed at assisting businesses, industry and local government bodies adopt innovate resource recovery and recycling options.
“Grants of up to $5 million will be available for successful applicants to improve sorting and recovery processes,” State Environment Vicky Darling said.
“This Waste Infrastructure Grant program will help business, industry and local government improve sorting and recovery processes, creating local jobs and cost-effective methods to divert millions of tonnes of waste away from landfill.”
Burke hits out at Alpine grazing
The Federal Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Tony Burke, has hit out at a proposal by the Victorian Government to reintroduce cattle grazing to the state’s Alpine National Park.
EPA pushes for strict conditions for BHP's harbor development
The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) said the recommended approval of BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s outer harbour development, which includes rail and ore stockpile facilities as well as a four kilometre jetty offshore of Finucane Island, could be implemented with rigorous conditions to limit environmental impacts.
Research backs white roofs
New research released by the City of Melbourne and the University of Melbourne outlines the benefits of white roofs in reducing heat absorption, allowing buildings to stay cooler during hot days and significantly reduce the cost of internal cooling.
Sustainability Victoria tenders for study on how to improve housing energy efficiency
Sustainability Victoria (SV) is seeking to engage an organisation to assist it to build its existing knowledge base on upgrading the energy efficiency of existing (pre-2005) Victorian houses.
ECOSA sets solar feed-in tariff premium
The Essential Services Commission of South Australia (ESCOSA) has has released its Final Price Determination for the solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Premium to apply from 27 January 2012 – 30 June 2014.
NSW Government's draft Planning Guidelines for Wind Farms released
The NSW Government’s draft Planning Guidelines for Wind Farms are on public exhibition until March 14.
Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development announced
Environment and Water Minister Tony Burke has appointed an interim committee of experts to provide independent scientific advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining.
QR National gets green light on Central Queensland Integrated Rail Project EIS
The Queensland Co-ordinator General has declared the Central Queensland Integrated Rail Project (CQIRP) as a “significant project”, clearing the way for QR National to embark on the environmental impact statement.
Grants announced under NSW Weeds Action program
The NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson has announced $8 million in funding for weed management across NSW.
Wind power no threat to human health
The Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA), a national coalition of health care groups, has released findings that disproves any correlation between wind power and decreased human health.
$400 million wind farm for Victoria
Spanish company Acciona has announced it will construct a $400 million wind farm in Victoria’s Western District, six years after it received planning approval.
Connors River Dam given green nod
SunWater has been given environmental approval by Queensland Coordinator-General Keith Davies to develop the $1.2 billion Connors River Dam and Pipeline project, which would feed the Bowen Basin coal industry and develop new water storage to increase the region's water supply.
IBES joins the Green Touch
The University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES) has become a member of a new research consortium - the Green Touch™ Initiative - which brings together leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry players and researchers to fundamentally re-invent the network and reduce ICT energy consumption up to a factor of 1000.
Research connects CSG to methane emissions
Researchers from Cornell University in the United States have found a connection between hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and the release of substantial amounts of stored methan gas.
Rio's Cape York bauxite mine proposal challenged
Rio Tinto’s $1.4 billion bauxite mine expansion on Cape York could be subject to reconsideration by the Federal Government following pressure from environmental groups for Rio Tinto to be prosecuted for failing to identify threats to the Great Barrier Reef resulting from the passage up to 700 ships annually between Cape York and the Gladstone alumina refinery.
ABS consults on green building
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has been conducting research intao how it can contribute to the statistical measurement of green growth focusing on green building. draft consultation paper has been produced that reports the findings of that research and makes suggestions as to measuring green building.
Call for Biodiversity Fund applications
Applications for Round One of the Federal Government’s Biodiversity Fund will close on 31 January.
NSW to review waste levy
The NSW Minister for the Environment Robyn Parker has announced an independent review of the waste and environment levy. The review was identified as a priority action under Goal 23 in the strategy, ‘NSW 2021: A plan to make NSW number one’.
Appointments to new NSW EPA advertised
The NSW Government is seeking to appoint a chairperson, board members and a Chief Environmental Regulator as part of its overhaul of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Brisbane Climate Change study warns of many years of life lost
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in conjunction with CSIRO has conducted a world-first study into the potential impact climate change will have on 'years of life lost' in Brisbane.