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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 6 Hansard (15 June) . . Page.. 1871 ..
MR SMYTH (continuing):
addition to the environment protection order issued to Transgrid under the Environment Protection Act 1997, the government has decided to make an order under the land act. The land act order requires that Transgrid repair the damage that it has caused in accordance with a program previously approved in writing by Environment ACT. Transgrid has until 15 June 2001 to have its repair program approved by Environment ACT.
I am pleased to inform members that Transgrid has lodged a program for the restoration of the vegetation and this program is currently being assessed by Environment ACT. Transgrid has already commenced essential restoration work under the watchful eye of Environment ACT. In the unlikely event that Transgrid does not repair the land in accordance with its approved program, I will have no hesitation in applying to the Supreme Court for the necessary injunctions to ensure that the work is completed.
Paper
Mr Smyth presented the following paper:
Land (Planning and Environment) Act, pursuant to section 29-Variation (No 152) to the Territory Plan relating to the Community Facility Land Policies-Forrest section 24 blocks 1 and 3 (Part of St Christopher's Precinct Manuka), together with background papers, a copy of the summaries and reports, and a copy of any direction or report required.
Air pollution-wood heating
Ministerial statement
MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Business, Tourism and the Arts and Minister for Police and Emergency Services): I ask for leave of the Assembly to make a ministerial statement concerning air pollution and wood heating.
Leave granted.
MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, I am pleased to provide a final report today on further action the government has taken in response to the Assembly's motion of 30 August 2000 on air pollution caused by wood heating.
Firstly, the motion called on the government to review the ACT's existing air pollution monitoring system to ensure that it is adequate for detecting concentrations of particles down to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, or PM2.5, across Canberra on a continuous basis. The government is participating in a national review of the national environment protection measure for ambient air quality. This review is considering, amongst other things, the need for a standard for particles down to 2.5 microns. It is anticipated that the review will be completed in September 2001, and that the National Environment Protection Council will be making a decision to vary the measure in December 2001. The costs associated with purchasing new and as yet unspecified instrumentation necessary to monitor PM2.5 is unknown at this stage.
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