Impacts Of NSW Coastal Management Framework On Strategy And Operations

You are required to write a briefing report for the executive of a state government department or local council (choose one or the other) on the impacts of an environmental policy/framework on its strategy and operations.

• NSW Coastal Management Framework (http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Coastal-management)
• Vegetation SEPP (http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Environment-and-Heritage/Vegetation-SEPP)
• NSW Government Greener Places Policy (http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Open-space-and-parklands/Greener-Places-policy)
• Reginal plan for the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Park precinct (https://www.greater.sydney/gpop)

The Importance of Coastal Management

Recent studies show that the Coastline attracts interests from various sectors due to its nature for enjoyment and residential purposes as well as the wild life. Sherval, M & Hardiman, (2014) denote that people love setting homes along the coastline due to the cool weather associated with the region, travelers throng coastal and beach hotels to enjoy their holidays. This scramble for what the coast offers puts the region under intense pressure that in turn endangers the existence of the inhabitant wildlife (Hatfield-Dodds & Wonhas 2015, p. 67). This therefore means the management of the coastline must be a well thought approach to provide a balancing point for the various needs of the region and still maintain the coastal beauty and uniqueness that hosts wildlife. Lumumba (2016) denotes that the coast offers job creation opportunities in the beach hotels, residential houses, community facilities as well as infrastructure that service the occupants of the area.

The New South Wales government, through NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) works to improve the development plans taking place in the coastal region (Babb, McBurnie, & Miller 2018, p. 78). Various departments like the Department of Planning and in conjunction with the Office of Environment and Heritage have come up with policies that define the coastal management framework backed with a budget of $83.6 million to give guidelines on the developments at the coast.

The NSW EPA operates under the Coastal Management Act 2016 which replaced the initial act, The Coastal Protection Act 1979 (Keele 2018, p. 290). The new Act provides the guidelines, framework, and the objectives for managing issues related with the NSW coastal regions. Based on the new act, the authority focuses on the developments that can be sustained ecologically. Under the new environmental act, the authority’s development strategies meet the following standards;

The protection and improvement of vulnerable habitats, environments, and natural processes at the coast

Maintains and improve accessibility of the coastal scenic areas at the coast

Management of consequences resulting from coastal risks (Bines 2013, p. 6)

The developments done by the authority should support the Marine Estate Management Act 2014

The authority works to secure and improve the exemplary character, culture and enhance the heritage of the coastal region.

In order to achieve smooth operations, the authority has marked four management areas as provided in the Coastal Management Act 2016. These management areas possess different qualities but the characteristics may overlap and they include;

• The regions that exhibit the qualities of coastal wetland that were managed under the State Environmental Policies 14 and 26. These areas include the littoral rainforest.
• Areas along the coast those are vulnerable to the natural processes at the coast such as tidal inundation and erosion.
• The areas along the coast that contain the coastal features- These areas are referred to as Coastal environment areas and include beaches, estuarine waters, lagoons, coastal lakes, and undeveloped headlands.
• Coastal use areas- These are lands bordering the coastal waters.

NSW Coastal Management Framework and Policies

The management areas are assigned specific objectives that are carried out through coastal management programs and local strategic planning. The management areas have the responsibility of showing their values to local communities. Each coastal management area has specific objectives in line with the social and environmental norms and main challenges. The achievement of the objectives is realized through operations that are either strategic or site specific actions in cases extraordinary requirement.

The local authorities help in the realization of these objectives by carrying out the detailed operations in coastal management programs, the strategic part. They may use other strategic planning tools such as complementary zoning. The local authorities can apply the development principles described the planning policy when handling individual development proposals. These operations carried out by the local council authorities are funded through the Office of Environment. The office gives any technical support that the local authorities would require when developing detailed Coastal Management Programs.

The functions and operations of the local authorities are explained in the new local planning ministerial Direction.  The councils are expected to develop strategic plans and planning proposals in their respective suburbs. These functions must be supported by the results from the Coastal Management Programs and may include zoning and the use of other local planning measures. Additionally, the functions and responsibilities be in line with the aims and objectives of Act and SEPP.

The operations of NSW EPA are described as the Coastal and Estuary Grant Program and form a section of the $83.6 million budget that announced by the NSW government for the Coastal Management Program. The program has received support from various international organizations and local nonprofit making bodies. The owners of local businesses like beach hotels and local residents are of great support to this program. The business people view the program as one of the main government activities that providing direct assistance to their business ventures. The funds are pooled together and distributed by the Office of Environment which also facilitates the provision of extensive support to the local councils both strategically and in the field.

Proper implementations of the programs run by NSW Environment Support Authority would lead improve the living standard of the locals and increase government revenue collection in the regions.

The authority provide updates on its operations, the intended goals, achievements and the future intended operations according to the provisions on the Coastal Management Act 2016. The authority intend to update the stakeholders including the local councils, financiers, approving authorities, and other players in the industry.

Management Areas and Objectives

Local Environmental Plans (LEPs) provide the policies that guide the usage of land in the coastal region and implemented by the local government areas they are the major planning tool that directs the local developments and the future of the coastal communities. They carry out these objectives through zoning and marinating the policies in the mother Act. The body works closely with locals such as the local council to ensure inclusion of all the interested individuals and organizations and ensure smooth operations.

The authority started this program back in 2006 so as to come up with a format and content that applies to all the plans in place. And it ensures that all the 152 councils in NSW have a comprehensive strategy and plans to achieve the objectives.

The updates and reviews on planning controls are done through the gateway processes (Byrne 2016, p. 46). This is a five step process that includes the following;

• The planning proposal. The ministry appoints a joint team of professionals’ including the local councils or any other relevant authority to formulate planning proposals.
• Delegates from the ministry makes a decision on whether the formulated proposal meets the requirement or needs adjustments before its implementation.
• Community consultation. The proposal is made public and public hearing done to get the views of the public. This is a requirement of the ministry.
• Assessments. The public submissions are assessed by the authorities after which the Parliamentary counsel drafts local environmental plan.
• Making of LEP. The approved proposal in made public, published and becomes a law.

The operations of LEP can be followed online through the official website to be updated with the emerging trends in the industry (Fisher 2016, p. 447). An individual can as well visit any nearby local office assistance in areas of concern.

The regional teams are the main link between the Department, local councils and the local residents in any coastal region. The teams carryout the  implementation of planning regarding land usage and local operations  such as education of the locals. Their roles aim at coming up with a balance on sustainable results. Their main objectives include;

• Formulating Regional programs
• Delivery of strategies of the local council
• They carryout making of Local environmental Plan and updating the zones.
• They educate the public on the environmental protection plans
• Give feedback to the Department for reviewing of planning policies
• They assess the cite compatibility for various activities happening at the coast.

Various departments contributed to the formation of the policy and operations framework. Such bodies include the Department of Environmental studies, the Ministry of Finance, The Ministry of Health and the Department of Local Business Growth under the ministry of Industrialization and Planning.

References

Babb, YM, McBurnie, J & Miller, KK 2018, ‘Tracking the environment in Australian children’s literature: the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Awards 1955-2014’, Environmental Education Research, vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 716–730, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/ /login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=128485030&site=ehost-live>.

Bines, JE P 2013, ‘Designing new collaborative learning spaces in clinical environments: experiences from a children’s hospital in Australia’, Journal of Interprofessional Care, vol. 27, pp. 63–68, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=89623807&site=ehost-live>.

Byrne, D 2016, ‘Heritage corridors: transnational flows and the built environment of migration’, Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies, vol. 42, no. 14, pp. 2351–2369, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=118835378&site =ehost-live>.

Fisher, A. 2016, ‘Policing built environment crime risks: the role of police in CPTED in New South Wales, Australia’, Police Practice & Research, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 477–488, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=116527478&site=ehost-live>.

Hatfield-Dodds, S & Wonhas, A 2015, ‘Australia is “free to choose” economic growth and falling environmental pressures’, Nature, vol. 527, no. 7576, pp. 49–53, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscoh host.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=110722036&site=ehost-live>.

Keele, DM 2018, ‘Climate Change Litigation and the National Environmental Policy Act’, Journal of Environmental Law, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 285–309, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=8gh&AN=130634671&site=ehost-live>.

Lumumba, JP 2016, ‘Historical Analysis: Does International Environmental Law Provide Effective Environmental Protection?’, Environmental Policy & Law, pp. 408–419, viewed 1 October 2018, <https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=121905155&site=ehost-live>.

Sherval, M & Hardiman, K 2014, ‘Competing Perceptions of the Rural Idyll: responses to threats from coal seam gas development in Gloucester, NSW, Australia’, Australian Geographer, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 185–203, viewed 1 October 2018, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=96010579&site=ehost-live.