| Assessment criteria | (a) it comprises a high level of biological diversity., (b) it comprises the whole or a part of, or is necessary for the maintenance of, a significant habitat for fauna indigenous to Western Australia., (c) it includes, or is necessary for the continued existence of, rare flora., (d) it comprises the whole or a part of, or is necessary for the maintenance of, a threatened ecological community., (e) it is significant as a remnant of native vegetation in an area that has been extensively cleared., (f) it is growing in, or in association with, an environment associated with a watercourse or wetland., (h) the clearing of the vegetation is likely to have an impact on the environmental values of any adjacent or nearby conservation area. |
| Offset conditions | 4. Requirements prior to undertaking clearing
(a) Prior to clearing any native vegetation under this Permit, the permit holder must:
(ii) if an offset is required to be implemented pursuant to condition 8(c), provide the CEO with an offset proposal for the CEO's approval.
8. Assessment against the Clearing Principles
(c) If part or all of the clearing to be done is or is likely to be at variance with one or more of the clearing principles, then the permit holder must implement an offset in accordance with Part V of this Permit with respect to that native vegetation.
PART V - OFFSETS
14.Determination of offsets
(a) 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 15 of this Permit.
(b) 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 in accordance with condition 4(a)(ii), prior to undertaking any clearing to which the offset related, and prior to implementing the offset.
15. Offset principles
For the purpose of this Part, the offset principles are as follows:
(a) direct offsets should directly counterbalance the loss of the native vegetation;
(b) contributing offsets should complement and enhance the direct offset;
(c) offsets are implemented only once all avenues to avoid, minimise, rectify or reduce environmental impacts have been exhausted;
(d) 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;
(e) 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;
(f) offsets must entail a robust and consistent assessment process;
(g) 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;
(h) 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;
(i) offsets must satisfy all statutory requirements;
(j) offsets must be clearly defined, documented and audited;
(k) offsets must ensure a long-term (10-30 year) benefit; and
(l) an environmental specialist must be involved in the design, assessment and monitoring of offsets.
16. Duration of offsets
(a) The permit holder must ensure that an offset implemented under this Permit continues to be implemented for the term of this Permit.
(b) If for any reason an offset is not continually implemented for the term of this Permit, the permit holder must:
(i) implement the offset again within 12 months of becoming aware that the offset is not being maintained; and
(ii) if necessary, modify the offset in a manner that increases the likelihood that the offset will be implemented for the term of this Permit.
17. Monitoring
(a) The permit holder must monitor:
(ii) areas the subject of an offset implemented under this Permit to determine compliance with the relevant offset proposal and the conditions of this Permit. |
