Principles of pollution offset schemes
While offsets are simple in concept, offset schemes must be carefully designed. This page sets out the central principles that are proposed to guide development of pollution offset schemes in NSW.
Principles of offsets
- Environmental impacts must be avoided first by using all cost-effective prevention and mitigation measures on-site. Offsets are then only used to address remaining loads of pollutants.
- All standard regulatory requirements must still be met.
- Offsets must never reward ongoing poor environmental performance.
- Offsets will complement other government programs.
- Offsets must result in no net increase of target pollutants.
Offsets must be:
- Enduring – they must offset the impact of the development for the period that the impact occurs.
- Quantifiable – the impacts and benefits must be reliably estimated.
- Targeted – they must offset the impacts on a 'like for like' basis, e.g. a measure that reduces nitrogen must be used to offset nitrogen.
- Located appropriately – they must offset the impact in the same area.
- Supplementary – they must be beyond existing requirements and not already being funded under another scheme.
- Enforceable - they must be enforceable through development consent conditions, licence conditions, covenants or a contract.
|
Back to top
Page last updated: 26 February 2011
