3.Method 3.1Overview
To identify international best practice environmental standards this report
Defines best practice
Reviews international literature to identify environmental management practices adopted by international ports and which of these meet the definition of best practice
Analyses the practices adopted by a sample of international ports to identify further examples of best practice
Considers how the identified international best practice examples compare to Australian practices and potential issues associated with the implementation of these measures in Australia, based on consultation with key stakeholders.
3.2Definition of best practice
For the purpose of this report best practice is defined as the application of measures or combination of measures that demonstrably shows results superior to those achieved with other means based on international experience and that is issued as a benchmark.
In order to achieve superior results a practice should seek to achieve the best environmental outcome that is practically possible, which may include using new or innovative methods not commonly used for environmental management or extending beyond compliance with legislation. This should be demonstrated through the application of the hierarchy of ‘avoid, mitigate and offset’ to reduce environmental impacts. This hierarchy forms a key principle for environmental legislation and policy internationally, including for assessment under the EPBC Act in Australia, and the London Protocol on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter. In summary:
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Avoidance of impact: Avoidance is the primary strategy for managing the impacts of an action. Measures to avoid the creation of impacts from the outset include: spatial or temporal placement of project components, in order to completely avoid impacts on environmental values.
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Mitigate: Mitigation of potential impacts: take measures to reduce the duration, intensity and/or extent of impacts (including direct, indirect and cumulative impacts, as appropriate) that cannot be completely avoided, as far as is practically feasible.
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Offsets: are ‘‘measures that compensate for the residual adverse impacts of an action on the environment. Offsets provide environmental benefits to counterbalance the impacts that remain after avoidance and mitigation measures’’ (SEWPAC, 2012). Offsets can take the form of management interventions such as restoration of degraded habitat, weed removal, arrested degradation or averted risk, protecting areas where there is imminent or projected loss of biodiversity. Offsets do not reduce the likely impacts of a proposed action, but compensate for any residual significant impact.
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Ongoing adaptive management: ongoing adaptive management is a systematic process for continually improving management practices through learning from the outcomes of previous management, and facilitates maintenance and enhancement of environmental values over time.
In the context of this report, to be defined as best practice an approach or technique must clearly demonstrate environmental impacts have been avoided as far as practical given social, economic and technical constraints, then minimised and offset as required, and informed by ongoing monitoring and adaptive management.
Best practice will vary depending on the situation and the technology currently available and needs to incorporate continuous improvement and adaptive management strategies to enable management to be modified in response to new information.
3.3.1Port activities
The study considered the following port activities to the extent that they are controlled or influenced by ports:
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Site selection and master-planning – includes best practice principles or approaches for selecting the location of new or expanded port developments and considers: master planning, integration of the port with land-based road and rail linkages, and potential conflicts and compatibility with other land uses.
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Design and construction – includes: port planning (as part of design once a site has been selected), functional requirements for the port or terminal, environmental impact assessment, the application of design codes and guidelines; the actual design and documentation of the various elements including shipping channels; and construction activities such as dredging and spoil disposal, land-use runoff, piling, reclamation and clearing of vegetation.
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Operation – includes activities such as maintenance dredging, shipping (manoeuvring and anchoring), ballast water discharge, vessel arrival, major incidents (including contingency planning for natural disasters and extreme weather), planning for long-term sea-level rise issues, traffic, lighting, land-use runoff, stockpiling of materials. Operation also includes social aspects such as community engagement/education programs aimed at maintaining transparency of port operations and strengthening relationships with the community.
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Monitoring and continuous improvement – includes implementation of Environment Management Systems (EMS) or Environment Management Plans (EMP), adaptive management approaches to inform future port development and operation and facilitate continuous improvement, and the collection and interpretation of data to monitor impacts of port development and operation. This can include regional networks established to share lessons across ports.
Decommissioning of ports is outside the scope of this review. The focus is on the environmental management of new or expanding ports.
3.3.2Environmental impacts and risks
A preliminary scoping exercise identified potential sources of impacts on or risks to MNES. These are summarised in Table . Under the EPBC Act an action must be referred for assessment if it is likely to have a significant impact on MNES (significant impact is further detailed in the Australian Government’s ‘Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1’). Findings are described in Section 9 structured by environmental impact or risk.
Table Potential sources of impacts and risks
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Environmental impact or risk
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Description
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Potential sources of impact or risk: design and construction activities
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Potential sources of impact or risk: operational activities
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Water quality
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The primary water quality impact from port activity is increased turbidity.
Other impacts may include:
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Increased pollutant contamination
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Nutrient input
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Disturbance of acid sulphate soils.
Declines in water quality may have a significant impact on MNES by, for example, adversely affecting habitat critical for the survival of the species such as seagrass and corals; or altering species behaviours such as disrupting the breeding cycle of a population; or reducing the area of occupancy of the species.
Note: the Sea Dumping Act takes a ‘whole of environment’ interest in relation to water quality impacts.
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Dredging and dredge spoil disposal
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Erosion and runoff from earthworks
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Pile driving
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Potential leakage or spills of contaminants
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Garbage
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Reclamation
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Land and marine based vegetation clearing
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Dust (e.g. wind erosion of exposed areas; from the transport of materials)
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Stormwater
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Turbidity caused by ship anchoring and ship movements (including prop-wash)
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Maintenance dredging
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Waste and effluent discharge (including ballast water)
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Bilge water discharge
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Antifouling paints
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Sewage, sludge and oil spills
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Garbage
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Hazardous cargo
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Dust from transporting, loading and storing materials (especially coal)
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Noise pollution and vibration
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Increased noise (variable or continuous) can disturb terrestrial and marine species and affect their behaviour, including breeding or foraging.
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Traffic
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Equipment (generators, alarms etc.)
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Pile-driving
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Dredging
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Reclamation
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Traffic (including ship engines)
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Operation of machinery (including conveyors and alarms, fans, cranes, vehicles)
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Maintenance dredging
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Light pollution
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Increased light sources can affect species behaviour (e.g. marine turtle nesting).
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Permanent lighting, particularly on jetties/berths, conveyors and walkways
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Increased vessel lighting
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Aesthetic
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Port infrastructure and activities may impact on the aesthetic values of an area. This is particularly relevant under the EPBC Act if the port is in a World Heritage Area listed for its aesthetic values (e.g. Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area).
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Design of on-shore port infrastructure (height and design of buildings, landscaping etc.)
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Location– visibility from land/water
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Off-shore port infrastructure (jetty/berth)
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Increased ship traffic
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Offshore anchorages
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Stockpiles of materials
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Port lighting at night
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Coastal processes and hydrology
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Port infrastructure can result in barriers to riverine and estuarine flow, beach erosion and changes to sediment deposition, tidal flow and drainage. This can impact on MNES through barriers to species movement, alterations to habitat and changes to water quality.
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Construction of sea walls, breakwaters or other barriers
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Trestles
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Dredging
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Reclamation
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Air quality
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In addition to dust, other air quality impacts may have an impact on human health and amenity and come from emissions from ships and port equipment.
Note: Air quality has limited relevance to MNES.
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Emissions from construction equipment
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Odours
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Emissions from port, waterfront industries and ships (diesel particulate matter, sulphur and nitrogen oxides etc.)
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Volatile organic compounds from loading and unloading of petroleum products
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Odours
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Direct ecosystem impacts
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Direct impacts on ecosystem functioning and integrity, including individual species (e.g. direct physical injury, removal or mortality)
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Dredging and dredge spoil disposal
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Vegetation clearing
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Reclamation
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Habitat removal and fragmentation.
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Collision with vessels
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Entanglement with infrastructure
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Ship anchoring
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Maintenance dredging
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Invasive species
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Introduction of new invasive species in marine or terrestrial environments could result in substantial impacts to MNES through competition for resources, predation or disease.
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Increased susceptibility of terrestrial areas to invasive species incursion due to vegetation clearing and edge effects
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Ballast water discharge
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Biofouling.
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