| Residual impact | Loss of up to 157 hectares of native vegetation in completely degraded to excellent (Keighery 1994) condition that includes:
- 5.8 hectares of Carnaby's black cockatoo foraging habitat.
- 98.3 hectares of under represented vegetation associations (Beard Vegetation Associations 35, 142, 352, 353, 359, 371, 379, 551, 675, 684, 687).
- habitat for three rare flora species (including Caladenia wanosa, Grevillea bracteosa subsp. Howatharra and Grevillea phanerophlebia). |
| Offset conditions | 9. Offsets
The Permit Holder must develop and implement an offset in accordance with conditions 9(a) and 9(b) of this Permit for that clearing that is at variance with clearing principles (a), (b), (c) and (e), including that native vegetation identified as requiring an offset in the decision report and indicated in Plans 2686/3e, 2686/3f, 2686/3g, 2686/3h and 2686/3i.
(a) Determination of offsets:
(i) in determining the offset to be implemented with respect to a particular area of native vegetation proposed to be cleared under this Permit, the Permit Holder must have regard to the offset principles contained in condition 9(b) of this Permit;
(ii) once the Permit Holder has developed an offset proposal, the Permit Holder must provide that offset proposal to the CEO for the CEO’s approval by 7 June 2011 and prior to implementing the offset;
(iii) the Permit Holder shall implement the offset proposal approved under condition 9(a)(iii);
(iv) each offset proposal shall include a direct offset, timing for implementation of the offset proposal and may additionally include contributing offsets;
(v) within two years of completing clearing of native vegetation authorised under this Permit, the Permit Holder must implement the offset; and
(vi) where, in the opinion of an environmental specialist, there is evidence that the offset is unlikely to achieve the targets specified in the CEO-approved offset proposal, the Permit Holder must undertake remedial action at an optimal time within the next 12 months to ensure successful establishment of the offset prior to expiry of this Permit.
(b) For the purpose of this condition, the offset principles are as follows:
(i) direct offsets should directly counterbalance the loss of the native vegetation;
(ii) contributing offsets should complement and enhance the direct offset;
(iii) offsets are implemented only once all avenues to avoid, minimise, rectify or reduce environmental impacts have been exhausted;
(iv) the environmental values, habitat, species, ecological community, physical area, ecosystem, landscape, and hydrology of the offset should be the same as, or better than, that of the area of native vegetation being offset;
(v) a ratio greater than 1:1 should be applied to the size of the area of native vegetation that is offset to compensate for the risk that the offset may fail;
(vi) offsets must entail a robust and consistent assessment process;
(vii) in determining an appropriate offset, consideration should be given to ecosystem function, rarity and type of ecological community, vegetation condition, habitat quality and area of native vegetation cleared;
(viii) the offset should either result in no net loss of native vegetation, or lead to a net gain in native vegetation and improve the condition of the natural environment;
(ix) offsets must satisfy all statutory requirements;
(x) offsets must be clearly defined, documented and audited;
(xi) offsets must ensure a long-term (10-30 year) benefit; and
(xii) an environmental specialist must be involved in the design, assessment and monitoring of offsets. |
