Attachment 7A - Impact Assessment Report

                                                                             Native Foresters



    •    Clearing 1.02ha ha of mapped protected wildlife habitat area within Lot 77 SP298776
         is not likely to be assessed as significant as it does not exceed the SRI criteria
         threshold specified in 3.1.1 of the Significant Residual Impact Guideline (DSDIP,
         2014). (Refer to Table 4 above – Essential Habitat). Although clearing is greater than
         0.5ha of vegetation with dense structure category, the clearing does not result in a
         greater than 10% permanent reduction in the extent of EH mapped within Lot 77.
    •    An Impact Management Plan has been prepared for the works and requires approval
         from DES prior to works to ensure impacts to Wallum froglet, Wallum rocketfrog, and
         Swamp crayfish are managed. The mitigation measures proposed in the Impact
         Management Plan (IMP) for Wallum froglet, Wallum rocketfrog, and Swamp crayfish
         developed for the site have been designed to avoid disruption to breeding habitat;
         protect retained Essential Habitat and avoid invasive species becoming established.
    •    Whilst there will be a loss of Essential Habitat (EH) and breeding habitat, and
         consequently a reduction in extent of occurrence of the species, the magnitude of
         impact is not considered significant considering the:
             o degraded condition of the remnant vegetation to be cleared in the impact area,
                 that constitutes EH for the species,
             o limited areas which are suitable for water holding for long periods needed for
                 tadpole development, and
             o the low density population.
    •    The breeding habitat identified during ecological surveys that is the subject of the
         Species Management Program (SMP), occurs in a partially disturbed area, within
         drainage lines which contain some weed species and litter and is not considered high
         quality habitat. The area is heavily impacted by noise, litter, dust, vapours, sediment
         and nutrient runoff and weeds from the adjacent landfill and Resource Recovery
         Centre. It is considered unlikely that this area would support a large breeding
         population of Wallum frogs, or Swamp crayfish.
    •    If works are conducted sensitively under the supervision of a Fauna Spotter catcher
         and threatened species individuals relocated to suitable structures in surrounding
         undisturbed habitat, with exclusion fencing erected around the landfill perimeter to
         prevent the return of relocated individuals, impacts to the species can effectively be
         minimised or avoided.
    •    A Fauna / Dust / Litter Exclusion Fence will be erected to protect retained Essential
         Habitat from indirect impacts associated with proximity to the landfill.
    •    A holistic site rehabilitation and weed management strategy will be developed and
         implemented by Council and its contractors once vegetation clearing is completed.
    •    Remnant vegetation onsite that is not required for Waste Management Purposes has
         been dedicated to conservation within the adjoining Weyba Nature Reserve.

A review of the criteria used to determine whether an action is likely to have an SRI on
Protected wildlife habitat and impact mitigation measures proposed is provided in Table 7.




Noosa Landfill & RRC Expansion – MNES & MSES Significant Impact Assessment                      23