Biodiversity Assessment Method Order 2017.

Subject

Environment gen., Fisheries, Forestry, Water, Wild species & ecosystems

Keyword

Institution Ecosystem preservation Environmental planning Authorization/permit EIA Wetlands Inspection Offences/penalties Biodiversity Sustainable development Policy/planning Marine fisheries Protection of species Research Fishery management and conservation Protected area Freshwater pollution Pollution control Migratory species Alien species Endangered species Marine mammals National parks Marine protected areas Access and benefit-sharing Marine area

Geographical area

Asia and the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Indian Ocean, Oceania, South Pacific

Entry into force notes

This Order enters into force on 25 August 2017.

Abstract

This Order establishes The NSW biodiversity offsets scheme under Part 6 of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (BC Act). The Biodiversity Assessment Method (BAM) is established under section 6.7 of the BC Act. The BAM is established for the purpose of assessing certain impacts on threatened species and threatened ecological communities (TECs), and their habitats, and the impact on biodiversity values, where required under the BC Act, Local Land Services Act 2013 (LLS Act) or the State Environmental Planning Policy (Vegetation in Non-Rural Areas) 2017). The BAM is made by the Minister administering the BC Act by order and published on the NSW legislation website. The BAM is structured around three primary stages. Stage 1 of the BAM establishes a single consistent approach to assessing the biodiversity values on land. Under the proposed offsets scheme, this will include: a) land proposed as a development site, including for a Part 5 activity (proposed development site); b) land subject to a vegetation clearing proposal which is required to be assessed by the BAM under the LLS Act (proposed clearing site); c) land proposed to be biodiversity certified; and d) land proposed as a biodiversity stewardship site under a biodiversity stewardship agreement (proposed biodiversity stewardship site). Stage 2 provides for an impact assessment on biodiversity values where the land is a development site, clearing site or land proposed for biodiversity certification. This stage includes the guidelines and requirements that apply the avoid, minimise and offset hierarchy for assessing direct and indirect impacts. Direct impacts on biodiversity values include those related to clearing native vegetation and threatened species habitat, and impacts on biodiversity values prescribed by the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 (the BC Regulation). Stage 3 provides for the assessment of the management requirements at a proposed biodiversity stewardship site and the likely improvement in biodiversity values that are predicted to occur over time. The gain that is predicted to occur from the management actions determines the number of biodiversity credits that can be created at the site.

Full text

English

Website

www.legislation.gov.au

References - Legislation

Implements

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Legislation | Australia | 2016 (2018)

Keyword: Basic legislation, Institution, Ecosystem preservation, Environmental planning, Authorization/permit, EIA, Wetlands, Inspection, Offences/penalties, Biodiversity, Sustainable development, Traditional knowledge/indigenous knowledge, Indigenous peoples, Policy/planning, Marine fisheries, Protection of species, Research, Traditional rights/customary rights, Fishery management and conservation, Protected area, Freshwater pollution, Pollution control, Migratory species, Alien species, Endangered species, Marine mammals, National parks, Marine protected areas, Access and benefit-sharing, Marine area

Source: FAO, FAOLEX