Environmental Management and Auditing

Environmental management is entering a new phase in Australia, with the widespread adoption of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) across nearly all business sectors. nghenvironmental views EMS as a practical tool for business and industry to anticipate and responsibly manage the environmental and social impacts of their business activities. It allows managers to measure and benchmark their performance for marketing, accountability to government and consumers, and continual improvement purposes.

Environmental risk assessment and auditing are essential components of an EMS, with risk assessment ensuring that all of an organisation's environmental impacts have been identified and laying the groundwork for risk management strategies. Auditing ensures that the implementation of a management system is verifiable, and may play an important role in demonstrating due diligence.

nghenvironmental have been involved in all aspects of environmental management, from risk assessment for major works in sensitive environments, through to the development of environmental management plans and undertaking environmental audits and construction audits. For those interested in developing, reviewing or auditing an EMS, nghenvironmental can offer experience and expertise in environmental risk assessment, EMS and systematic and reliable auditing. Further details on our environmental auditing and EMS capabilites can be found below.

Environmental Risk Assessments systematically characterise and quantify the probabilities and consequences of potential impacts associated with development activities. nghenvironmental has extensive expertise in this area, with a focus on large scale developments. Apart from completing numerous environmental impact assessments, we have also submitted Risk Management Guidelines for 14 large dams in NSW on behalf of Snowy Hydro Limited (SHL) and a Hazard and Risk Assessment of a proposed heliport facility at SHL’s central office in Cooma.

Environmental Management

Examples of our environmental management work include:

• Design of the Bega Cheese EMS pilot program and preparation of financial and environmental performance targets for the three year EMS pilot program.
• Preparation of successful funding submissions on behalf of the Bega Cooperative Society Ltd (Bega Cheese) as part of the National Heritage Trust funded EMS in Agriculture Pilot Program. This program is coordinated through the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
• Preparation of an EMS for Kosciuszko Thredbo Ltd.
• Preparation of Environmental Management Plans for a range of projects including major water supply augmentation works at Perisher Valley, Adaminably and Moruya, management of walking tracks in the alpine region of Kosciuszko National Park, cloud seeding operations in the Snowy Mountains, the replacement of bridges on the Elliot Way.
• Preparation of a Water Quality Control Plan for major works on Tantangara Dam, a large component of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme.

Environmental Auditing

Several nghenvironmental staff members have completed a QSA approved ISO 14001 environmental auditor training course and we have carried out a number of environmental audits. These include construction audits for works within highly sensitive areas, such as alpine and wetland environments, audits of business activities operating within NSW National Parks, energy audits under the Greenhouse Challenge Program as well as waste, energy and water audits for the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH). Specific examples of our auditing work include:

• Audit of commercial horse riding activities in Ben Boyd National Park, Northern Section (This audit was assessed according to the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development [ESD], as set out in the Federal Government’s Strategy for ESD and under Section 6(2) of the Protection of the Environment (Administration) Act 1991);
• Audit of major ski slope works at Thredbo Alpine Village, Kosciuszko National Park;
• Auditing of rehabilitation works at Perisher Range Ski Resorts (Perisher, Smiggin Holes, Blue Cow and Guthega) and at Yellow Pinch Dam for the Bega Valley Shire Council.