Planning Report · MCU16/0099.01

approved facility. Only minor earthworks will be required to insert the conduit
and cables.

5.1.2    Vegetation Management Act 1999

The Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VM Act) is the legislation that regulates
vegetation management and the clearing of native vegetation in Queensland.
The VM Act, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and
Energy (DNRME), controls the rules and regulations that guide what clearing can
be done, and how it must be done to meet the requirements of the law.

The approved facility, proposed access and proposed power route are not on
land identified as containing Regulated Vegetation (refer to Appendix E –
Environmental Searches ).




5.1.1    Nature Conservation Act 1992

The Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NC Act) provides for the conservation and
management of nature through two mechanisms:

 •      the declaration and management of protected areas; and

 •   the protection of native wildlife that is not found within a protected area.

The NC Act provides for orders to conserve, protect or manage wildlife, habitat
or areas subject to a threatening process likely to have a significant detrimental
effect.

Part 3 of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife Management) Regulation 2006
outlines exemptions which apply to the clearing of protected plants. The clearing
of ‘least concern’ species are exempt under the NC Act. However, the clearing
of Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened (EVNT) species will require a
clearing permit. Areas identified at ‘high risk’ of containing EVNT species require
a pre-clearing flora survey prior to confirming requirements under the NC Act
(as per Section 265 of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife Management)
Regulation 2006).

The subject site is mapped as being within the DES flora survey trigger mapping
as being within a ‘high risk’ area (refer Appendix E – Environmental Searches). A
Flora Survey was undertaken in April 2017 in accordance with the original
proposal. The survey found that there were no EVNT flora species listed under
the provisions of the NC Act and/or the EPBC Act detected within the clearing
impact area. However, as the impact area has changed from the original
approval and no construction activity has been undertaken within the allocated
approval period of two years, a new flora survey will be undertaken to determine
if the proposal will impact on the conservation of Queensland’s native fauna and
flora.



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