3.11 Queanbeyan
3.11.1 Description of the region
Queanbeyan is a satellite town of Canberra, and lies within the Canberra airshed. It is on the border between New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The population of Queanbeyan is 26,000 therefore at least one monitoring station is required under clause 14(1) of the AAQ NEPM.
There has been no monitoring of AAQ NEPM parameters in Queanbeyan. Data from nearby Canberra are presented in the Australian Capital Territory monitoring plan.
3.11.2 Proposed AAQ NEPM Assessment Scheme
Clause 14(2) of NEPM allows fewer performance monitoring stations where it can be demonstrated that "pollutant levels are reasonably expected to be consistently lower than the standards mentioned in this Measure". PRC (2000d) sets out criteria which when met provide a basis for determining that there is a reasonable expectation that pollutant concentrations are consistently lower than the standards. These screening procedures will be applied.
The urban centre of Queanbeyan is small, less than six kilometres in radius. Because the production of ozone by photochemical processes takes some hours, it is unlikely that emissions from the region could be retained for a sufficient length of time to generate significantly elevated concentrations. As Queanbeyan lies within the Canberra airshed, however, it is possible that elevated concentrations would occur in part due to emissions in Canberra. The Australian Capital Territory intends to undertake monitoring of ozone within the Canberra airshed. NSW EPA believes that this monitoring will provide an upper estimate of concentrations in Queanbeyan, and will use this data to report on Queanbeyan.
Monitoring data from the Sydney CBD site demonstrates that CO arising from motor vehicles in Queanbeyan will be low and the screening criteria are satisfied (section 3.1.2). There may be potential for elevated concentrations of CO arising from the use of solid fuels. No monitoring of CO is proposed in Queanbeyan at this stage. NSW will await the outcome of monitoring of CO in Canberra and other regional centres such as Kalgoorlie (2001) and Toowoomba (2002) before making a final decision.
Data from the Sydney region allows screening of sulfur dioxide and lead (section 3.1.2). In addition, monitoring data from Newcastle (section 3.2.2) allows screening of nitrogen dioxide. Thus monitoring of these three parameters is not required in this region. There is currently insufficient data within New South Wales to allow screening for ozone.
The Australian Capital Territory intends to undertake monitoring of PM10 within the Canberra airshed. NSW EPA believes that this monitoring will provide an upper estimate of concentrations in Queanbeyan, and will use this data to report on Queanbeyan.
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
