November 2021
The EPA is building environmental resilience by planning for and preventing events and incidents where we can, as well as responding and recovering. We are meeting the challenges of a Covid-restricted world through virtual compliance checks and we are increasingly using drone imagery, data analytics and intelligence to carry out our work. Also in this edition we bring tips on preparing for a safe summer and news from around the regions.
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Message from the CEO
We know how valuable it is to have the latest information and advice during this COVID-19 pandemic. We all want to know the risks and rules to keep our families, friends and colleagues, and ourselves, healthy and safe. We are all talking about how we need to stay resilient and where we can build resilience, and forward planning to anticipate emerging issues, into our operations. Many of our stories in this edition of EPA Connect are focused on just that.
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EPA builds environmental resilience
The EPA is increasingly called on to respond to emergencies rapidly and often followed by prolonged periods of recovery.
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Innovating in a Covid-19 world
During the state-wide lockdowns and restrictions due to COVID-19, the EPA has applied some innovative ways to ensure our important compliance and incident response work continues effectively and safely. EPA operational staff across the state have worked collaboratively, and often remotely, with licensees and community.
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Being prepared this summer
The Bureau of Meteorology has announced an even chance that La Nina will return in spring, posing a flood risk to already wet catchments this summer.
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Data leads the way to future risk prevention
CEO Tracy Mackey introduces the EPA’s expansion into data analytics and intelligence as a driving force to becoming a world class regulator.
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The many paths to compliance
In the last edition of EPA Connect, we discussed the variety of ways the EPA regulates for compliance including programs that can incite behaviour change. Here, we look at the importance of litter research to the design of our programs to reduce littering, the more traditional regulatory enforcement approach of fines, and the making of legislation to assist the EPA’s work.
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EPA’s eyes in the sky
Drone technology is assisting the EPA with remote compliance inspections as well as providing vital evidence for breaches in regulatory practice.
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Around the regions
An iconic Bourke building fire site asbestos assessment in the west, marine pollution spills in the north and south, fines for buried tyres in the north west and consultative committee action in the Hunter - we bring you news of initiatives and action from around our regions.
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Real time data and technology for engaging on air quality
We work closely with our environment department colleagues, who run the State’s air quality monitoring network, to respond to issues affecting air quality. As we move into summer it’s timely to remind our community how to access this data and report on air pollution.
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Newsround
A marketplace of information about consultations, grants, upcoming events and other news snippets - including our regular Waste Watch segment.