A range of new and much higher penalties, and a new power for
the EPA to require bank guarantees for remediation, are the key
features of the Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment
Bill 2014, introduced into the New South Wales Parliament on
Tuesday.
If passed, the Bill will amend
- the Contaminated Land Management Act 1997;
- the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997; and
- the Radiation Control Act 1990.
Bank guarantees for remediation work
The EPA will be able to require financial assurances, such as a
bank guarantee or bond, as part of a management order under the
Contaminated Land Management Act. The EPA can set the amount, but
it cannot exceed the EPA's reasonable estimate of the total
cost of carrying out the relevant action (including EPA supervision
costs).
