Global CCS Institute

Environmental Management for Transport in the Execute stage

Objective

The objectives under this stage are to:

  • Revise consent and approvals register (if necessary)
  • Ensure all environmental legal requirements pertaining to construction activities of the Transport System are complied with
  • Establish a framework for identifying and managing environmental risk associated with the construction phase of the Transport System

During the construction phase of the project it will be necessary to ensure that the requirements of all environmental legislation, including obligations set out in consents and approvals are complied with. This will ensure that unacceptable impacts to the receiving environment do not occur, thereby avoiding possible project delays, enforcement action, negative public response and costs associated with remedial activities.  

Key environmental issues may include waterway crossings, disturbance to ecological (flora and fauna) and cultural heritage features and contaminated soil management.

Major Deliverables

The major deliverables under this stage are:

  • An Updated Consents and Approvals Register
  • Construction Environmental Management Plan (or similar)

Tasks

To update the Consents and Approvals Register - the specific tasks associated with updating the consents and approvals register (as a minimum) are to:

  • Maintain communication with: land owners; occupiers; the general public; and granting authorities or regulators, maintaining a record of actions undertaken to ensure that the requirements of the granting authorities or regulators are complied with, and who will be responsible for ensuring compliance with remaining requirements/conditions
  • Update the current status of project consents / approvals

Complete a Construction Environmental Management Plan

Project activities are likely to require environmental monitoring during the construction phase, in order to ensure the project complies with granting authorities or regulators requirements, environmental legislation and policy. Typically, the processes and measures for maintaining compliance are formalised within a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) (or similar). Key tasks associated with the development of a CEMP include:

  • Define environmental objectives, targets and measures and develop methodology to meet and adhere to these goals
  • Develop a risk management framework for identifying all environmental risks which are likely to have a significant impact on the environment at any point from connection to the capture site to connection to the storage point
  • Identify all environmental legal requirements relevant to the project including requirements of granting authorities/regulators
  • Develop a management procedure for addressing the following environmental risks (if required):
    • Gas leaks at injection point
    • Gas leaks along the pipe
    • Gas leaks at discharge point
    • Noise and vibration impact
    • Land investigation studies and assessment particularly in vicinity of gas outlet (geo-environmental / land contamination)
    • Surface water and groundwater protection (particular monitoring in area of gas outlet)
    • Ecological (flora and fauna) disturbance investigations for both pipe construction & operation
    • Cultural heritage / archaeology investigations are particularly important during establishment of the pipeline alignment
    • Landscape and visual impact of the pipeline
    • Implement an audit and inspection program to ensure compliance with the environmental objectives, targets and measures (including requirements of granting authorities or regulators)
    • Identify communications and reporting requirements for the project which will allow for the appropriate communication of environmental performance to the organisation, the community and granting authorities/regulators
    • Implement an environmental monitoring program to measure impacts of construction activities such as ecological field surveys during construction activities to ensure that significant / threatened flora and fauna are protected

Examples

Key Personnel

  • Project Manager
  • Environmental Manager
  • Environmental Specialists
  • Public Relations Manager
Topics:
Health, safety and environment Public Engagement Transport
This content expresses the point of view of individuals in the CCS community and not necessarily the views of their organisation or the Global CCS Institute.