Archive for category: SCCG News

Builders, developers and home renovators are more successfully implementing erosion and sediment controls on building sites to protect our local waterways, according to results from the recent Get the Site Right education and compliance campaign.

In June 2020, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and 14 local councils inspected more than 600 sites across Sydney and the Central Coast. Almost three quarters (73%) of the sites inspected were compliant. This is compared to the May 2019 campaign where only 63% of sites inspected were managing their sites adequately.

A total of $189,484 in fines was issued to non-compliant sites. Offences ranged from no controls in place at all and unprotected soil stockpiles in locations where they could be washed away, to minor offences such as ruptured sediment bags and inadequate sweeping of roads and driveways.

See the results below!

Sediment runoff fills our creeks, rivers and harbours with dirt, soil, sand and mud. This leads to poorer water quality, affecting swimming and leisure activities in and around waterways. It also degrades aquatic habitats by smothering marine plants and animals. Sediment runoff can also block stormwater drains leading to flooding and overflows and erosion of creeks and riverbanks.

The improvement in compliance rates is encouraging in light of the increase in home renovation and DIY projects stemming from COVID-19 restrictions and introduction of government stimulus packages for builders and renovators.

SCCG Chair, Cr Lindsay Shurey, said that he was pleased by the growing number of builders and developers who were contributing to improving waterway health by preventing sediment runoff from leaving their sites and being washed into stormwater drains and out to our creeks and rivers.

“Reducing sediment and stormwater runoff is a key factor is a key factor in improving water quality in our region,” Cr Shurey said.

“We’re securing resilient and healthy coastal and estuarine environments that supports places for recreation, thriving ecosystems for plants and animals, tourism and business opportunities, and a more liveable city in these times of changing climate and urban heat.”

Now in its fifth year, the Get the Site Right campaign is a joint program between the Cooks River Alliance, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Georges Riverkeeper, Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG), Sydney Coastal Councils Group, local Sydney councils and Lake Macquarie Council.

Members of the public who may be out exercising near our waterways during these times, are encouraged to report pollution incidents, including poor sediment control, to their local council or the EPA’s 24/7 Environment Line on 131 555.

More information about the campaign and the importance of erosion and sediment control is available at:

www.sydneycoastalcouncils.com.au/get-the-site-right

SCCG was recently invited to prepare a submission on the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway upgrade. While SCCG recognises the need to provide for additional road network and improvement connectivity to alleviate Sydney’s traffic congestion, the submission raised three primary concerns, it wishes to alleviate. This includes:

1. The potential public health risk associated with disturbance of toxic sediments on the harbour floor. SCCG recommended for this to be appropriately managed and monitored.
2. Impact on marine biodiversity through the mobilisation of toxic sediment which could effect availability and suitability of food sources for several threatened species. Due to potential affects to intertidal rocky shore habitats, SCCG recommended for these areas be rehabilitated and restored.
3. Finally, highlighting the impact on micro bats as several roost sites of the Eastern Bent-wing Bat (a listed threatened species) are located in the project sitting. SCCG would like to see a more detailed threatened species assessment be undertaken as well as ensuring the project complies with the Commonwealth’s National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife which highlights the effect artificial light has on micro bat species.

SCCG welcomes further opportunities to provide comment on the proposed project in the future.

A copy of the submission can be found here and under the ‘Advocacy Submissions’ tab of our website.

The Sydney Coastal Councils Group (SCCG) Funding Guide is produced and updated annually to assist Member Councils and other Stakeholders in identifying funding opportunities to support the management and protection of Sydney’s coastal and estuarine environments. The Guide provides a wide-ranging and structured list of funding opportunities available to councils and other stakeholders in a single resource. The production of the Funding Guide is part of the SCCG Capacity Building Program that builds the role and capacity of Member Councils and other stakeholders to sustainably manage urban coastal and estuarine environments.

In addition to this Guide, the SCCG will continue to publish upcoming grant opportunities here in its monthly update on the SCCG Website.

A copy of the Funding Guide is available to SCCG Member Councils in the ‘Members Area’ of our website.

Summer is finally here and it’s time to get outside and spend time on the coast!

Join in the fun this summer with the 2020 Summerama program.

Discover our marine and coastal environments by participating in the  Summerama Activities run throughout January 2020. Summerama is a fun day out for individuals, friends and families with activities on offer from kayaking to snorkelling tours to rock pool rambles to walks n’ talks.

Check out the 2020 Calendar to find your closest Summerama Event!

On 4^th October 2018, SCCG welcomed a delegation from India; including Suresh Chandra Mahapatra and Prasanta Kumar Panigraphy from the Government of Odisha, and Anuja Sukhla from IPE Global Ltd.  The delegation met with the SCCG to discuss coastal management in NSW, coastal processes, challenges local councils face in finding solutions to sustainable manage the coast and in sharing of costs to undertake works. The delegation shared information about their community, largely fisherman as stakeholders that are dependent on the coast for their livelihood.

The delegation also undertook a site visit to Collaroy/Narrabeen led by Craig Morrison from Northern Beaches Council, which provided firsthand experience of the beach and coastal hazards and management challenges faced by a local council and its community.