Page 2993 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 June 2012

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(10) The ACT Solid Fuel Industry Working Party was abolished with the introduction of mandatory licensing.

(A copy of the attachment is available at the Chamber Support Office).

Environment—air quality monitoring stations
(Question No 2309)

Ms Bresnan asked the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, upon notice, on 3 May 2012:

(1) How many ambient air quality monitoring stations does the ACT have, where are they located and which of them meet national standards.

(2) How many ambient air quality monitoring stations should be in the ACT under the National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure.

(3) What plans are underway for creating a new monitoring station and what are the costs and timeline for this project.

(4) Can the Minister provide any cost modelling the Government has done of the cost of providing mobile ambient air quality testing.

Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) ACT Health operates two performance monitoring stations (PMS) located at Civic and Monash, with a third location at Belconnen which contains a surrogate instrument for measuring particulate matter.

The Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) states that PMSs, to the extent practicable, should be sited in accordance with the requirements of Australian Standard AS/NZS 3580.1.1:2007 Methods for sampling and analysis of ambient air - Guide to siting air monitoring equipment (previously AS2922-1987 Ambient Air-Guide for Siting of Sampling Units).

The Monash PMS fully complies with the siting criteria contained in the standard, while the Civic PMS is non-compliant against the following criteria:

a) minimum distance to support structure;

b) clear sky angle;

c) unrestricted airflow;

d) minimum distance from trees; and

e) minimum distance from road traffic.

(2) Based on the formula in Section 14 of the NEPM the ACT requires two PMS.

(3) The establishment of any future station will be subject to budgetary processes.

(4) The ACT Government has not done any cost modelling on mobile ambient air monitoring.


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